Economic development discusions atract large audience at Clear Crek-Gilpin counties event
County, in-
cluding Rol-
linsville. The
Better City
consultant
reported that
more than a
third of resi-
dents work
from home
sometimes,
so better in-
ternet service
is vital to
them.
Continued from page 1
Longtime Clear Creek resident Kelly Flen-
niken, chair of the CCECC, said she was pleased
about the turnout from those who work in the
two counties and wanted to hear the various
reports presented during the session. “A lot of
us believe that a good quality of life depends on
a good, quality job,” she told the audience.
“Why does economic development mean in
a small rural community and why should you
care?” asked Flenniken. “I can tell you that it
matters in all communities because it’s a series
of different programs, policies or initiatives
that seek to improve that economic well-being
in that community. We want to build a diverse
tax base and don’t want to be overly reliant on
one industry. We need to think about how to
build our community and have more quality
employment. We need to think about how we
can have quality housing and employment, plus
a robust education system. All of these pieces
are connected.”
According
to Englund,
another
item that
could attract
more people
to visit is
the national
forests in the
county. “Trail access is a big thing. It’s amaz-
ing how many little trails come out from Rol-
linsville. One of the problems is that there isn’t
enough parking, and many of the trails aren’t
marked. If you can get people to come and stay
an extra day, that would be good if they came
up to spend more time on the trails.”
Capacity crowd at CCEDC Rural Resilience event.
Photos by Don Ireland
Central City Mayor Jeremy Fey said he didn’t
know much about the CCEDC before he at-
tended the Rural Resilience event. “It was a
great networking opportunity, and I was actu-
ally impressed by the turnout,” he said. “I was
a little bit embarrassed that – until recently –
that I didn’t know much about them. Lyndsey
Valdez, their president, gave a short presenta-
tion at our council meeting recently. However, I
didn’t realize that they were available in Gilpin
County. I’ve actually gone to their website to
learn about the process
of what it takes to apply
for a loan.”
Counties. Since 1985, the CCEDC has provided
over $8 million in business loans, which has
leveraged approximately $17.5 million in area
investments. The goal of the loan program is to
support business retention and expansion, and
new job growth within Region 3.
Wilkins said a large part of Clear Creek’s
economy comes from mining and tourism.
One idea being considered for the county is an
increase in sales taxes,
which could help fund ad-
ditional tourism-related
projects. However, “some
people don’t want to see
more growth in the com-
munity,” he commented.
“Summers are crazy in
Clear Creek County, and
there are people who
don’t want more traffic.”
Rears joked, “Prior to
2019, Gilpin County’s
economic strategy was
to build another casino.
During the pandemic,
the county laid off
about one-third of its
staff. We realized we
really needed to diver-
sify our economy.” Fol-
lowing the pandemic,
Gilpin received a grant,
which it used to hire
Better City, a consulting
organization that helps
communities develop
plans for their futures
in the U.S. and other
countries.
Among the ideas dis-
cussed are special events
or festivals during the
off-season months, which
could bring in more tour-
ism revenue. Wilkins said
fishing or hockey tour-
naments at Georgetown
Lake are possibilities. It
is also possible a “round-
up program” could be
considered, where shop-
pers would be asked to round up their purchase
price receipt to the next dollar – with the dif-
ference used to pave roads or pay for additional
events.
Ray Rears Gilpin County manager.
Englund of Better
City commented that Black Hawk has begun
adding additional attractions to bring in tour-
ists not interested in gaming for an extra day.
He said Gilpin would like those visitors to ex-
pand their stay by offering other items. Increas-
ing the number of businesses in Rollinsville and
developing more information about available
trails and historical places in the county could
help leaders and businesses accomplish that
goal.
Wilkins said the creation of a proposed
parking garage and the Argo Gondola ride in
Idaho Springs are ideas that – if developed –
could help increase tourism. He noted the hot
springs and a gondola in Glenwood Springs
have helped bring visitors to that section of the
mountains.
Central City Heritage West Realty owner Roy
Varela joins Central City Mayor Jeremy Fey at
the Idaho Springs Economic Mixer event.
“Central City is in a different situation,” noted
Englund. “They have a larger population and
room to expand [along the Central City Park-
way]. Then there is Rollinsville, where busi-
nesses there would like it to be a true destina-
tion. We had 24 people show up for a meeting
there by people who want to change the com-
munity themselves. They’re working together
and using their own money. They’re trying to
figure out a way to make Rollinsville a true des-
tination. Parking is a big issue. This is a work in
process but there’s a lot of good things going on
there.”
While most people at the CCEDC event were
from the Clear Creek area, it attracted several
people from Gilpin County and Rears and Fey.
Gilpin County Commissioner Marie
Mornis, Boyle, Black Hawk busi-
nessman Eddie Miller and a few
Rollinsville business owners also
turned out. Another Gilpin com-
missioner, Susan Berumen, sits on
the loan committee for the CCEDC.
Photo by Bob Sweeney
PRECISE REPAIR, GENUINE CARE
Keep your home safe
with concrete repair
On Friday, elected officials and
leaders from both counties met to
discuss what they heard on Thurs-
day night and shared ideas on
what future opportunities could be
considered.
Englund said installing broadband would
help those who work and live in Gilpin County,
a project currently being developed by the
county government and its partners. Gilpin
Grant Manager Jamie Boyle said Maverix
Broadband received a $6.78 million grant to
expand broadband service in northern Gilpin
Worrying about your uneven or cracked
concrete can make owning a home very
stressful. By investing in concrete repair,
you can fix your driveway, walkways, patio,
and more in one easy lift.
The CCEDC administers the
Region 3 Business Loan Program
(BLF) for Clear Creek and Gilpin
(Editor’s note:
The name of
the Clear Creek
Economic
Development
Corp. might
sound a little
confusing or
misleading.
It should be
noted the orga-
nization serves
businesses in
the Clear Creek
watershed in
both Gilpin
and Clear
Creek counties,
not solely Clear
Creek County.)
Denver area to Gilpin to be in a less-populated area while remaining
not too far from the metro area.
to retire. In California, the state has maintained much of its younger
population, although many older residents have left for other states in
recent years.
Senior Reporter
By Don Ireland
“A lot of the people who lived in Clear Creek in 1990 still live here
today,” according to Totten. He said statistics show that
more people who live in the county commute to work in
other places, a significant number than those who live
in other areas and commute into Clear Creek. In Gilpin
County, the trend is the opposite: many workers travel
into Gilpin from other counties for employment in the
casino and hospitality industries.
After Colorado experienced a population boom for several years af-
ter 2010, the state’s number of new residents has slowed, according to
Greg Totten, an economist from the Colorado Demography Office who
spoke during last week’s Clear Creek Economic Development Corp.’s
Rural Resilience meeting.
There wil always be changes in the mountain economy
By Bob Sweeney
Totten reported that not all older
people retire after age 55 or 60, saying
significant numbers of senior citizens
continue to work full or part-time well
into their early 70s.
During warm-weather months,
rafting along Clear Creek (the
stream), touring the historic
Argo mines, lounging at the In-
dian Hot Springs indoor pool, or
sampling the restaurants, bars,
and locally-owned gift shops
attract thousands of visitors to
Idaho Springs. Finding an avail-
able parking space in downtown
Idaho Springs during the sum-
mer tourist season is nearly as
tricky as finding the proverbial
needle in the haystack.
Both counties rely heavily on
tourism to bolster their econo-
mies, support businesses and
generate sales-tax revenues for
local government entities.
Economic impact
Totten said 26 percent of Clear Creek
County’s GDP comes from the mining
industry, followed by revenues generated
in the accommodation/hospitality and tourism industries. “That’s
not surprising,” said Totten of the tourism impact on the county. “It’s
beautiful up here, and a lot of people from Denver come up to get
away.”
Greg Totten CO demographer
linsville through the Moffat Tunnel to Steamboat Springs
and Craig. This could mean passenger service stopping in
Rollinsville, including winter ski business, gaming inter-
ests, lodging, food, and great hiking trails.
Interstate I-70 is critical for
the economies of both counties,
particularly in Clear Creek, be-
cause the highway travels along-
side the county’s largest town,
Idaho Springs, and passes next
to Georgetown and other nearby
communities. There are three
exits for Idaho Springs along
I-70, giving drivers a few chanc-
es to pull over to see what the
WR-C Publisher
As WR-C readers have noticed, we consider Clear
Creek County is a crucial adjacent neighbor of friends,
entrepreneurs, mining and gaming employees, and folks
who like to dine at Marian’s, making Idaho Springs and
Georgetown home. Throughout the lengthy history of
mining, the communities have formed a strong bond,
including the Argo mine tunnel that runs from Central
City to the mine. We can’t forget the “Oh My God” wind-
ing road to the Clear Creek mills.
“2007 was the peak year for births in Colo-
rado, which is getting older. Now you have
people coming here who aren’t in prime fertil-
ity age. There are a lot of people who are 65,
who won’t be having any children, but they
are getting closer to passing away,” according
to Totten.
I remember my Chamber of Commerce days in Craig
as mayor 50 years ago as we sought new industry for that
remote corner of Colorado, and we landed four coal-fired
power plants that ballooned Craig from 4,000 residents
to 15,000 in several years. Colorado Local Affairs, direct-
ed by Gov. Dick Lamm, awarded the community $1 mil-
lion for a new high school. The tax base boomed, creating
many career jobs for residents and high school graduates.
Tourism in Idaho Springs has also increased sales taxes collected for
the county in recent years, he added.
In nearby Georgetown, the
lake, local businesses and the
Georgetown Loop Railroad
excursions also attempt to lure
tourists who may be travel-
ing toward the state’s world-
renown ski resort towns that
host warm-weather events in
addition to skiing during the
winter.
In Gilpin, about 75 percent of the economy is derived from the gam-
ing and associated hospitality businesses. The county’s economy fell
sharply during the pandemic in 2020 but rebounded quickly when
health-related restrictions were lifted the following year.
He added that neither county saw a sharp
increase in births during the past few decades.
Overall, Colorado saw its larg-
est growth arrive from younger
people in their 20s and 30s,
who moved to the Centennial
State after graduating from
college. “Colorado is [consid-
ered] a young state because of
all the 25-to-35-year-olds who
live here,” according to Totten.
He contrasted the rate with
Arizona, which experienced
a sizeable senior growth rate
during the past few decades
as people 60 and over headed
to the warmer-weather state
Last Thursday evening, I was a guest at the Rural Re-
silience Economic Development
mixer at the newly refurbished
Club Hotel in Idaho Springs by
owners Jonah and Lana Hearne.
community offers.
Today, while China builds a
power plant every week, the
Craig coal plants are shutting
down as environmentalists
promote wind and solar. My
hometown is struggling to
gain a new identity that will
be based on tourism, outdoor
recreation, hunting, fishing,
golf and 40 miles downstream
from Steamboat Springs, one
of the best ski resorts in the
world. Real estate in Craig is
selling fast, far less than in
the Steamboat Springs area,
with the concept of driving a
little and saving a lot on real
estate.
The number of
I-70 exits for Gilpin
County is fewer,
although the inter-
state also plays a
crucial role for the
county’s two gam-
ing towns, Black
Hawk and Central
City. Exit 243 of
I-70 leads to the
Central City Park-
way, a windy and
sometimes steep
four-lane highway
Arriving early as an Elks Club
member of 1566 Craig Lodge, I
spent a few minutes in the Lodge.
It was a beehive of activity as the
Square Peg Catering staff were
preparing the appetizers for the
mixer at the Club Hotel across
Colorado Street, using the Elks
Club kitchen. And what a great
job they did. The abundant trays
of tasty appetizers were a big hit,
with dozens who attended during
the dinner hour.
Gilpin County draws thou-
sands of hikers and campers
to its two national forests, the
Arapaho and Roosevelt forests,
which stretch through several
Colorado counties but are closer
to Denver and the Front Range
than other places.
Lindsey Valdez, president and
CEO of the Clear Creek Develop-
ment Corporation, welcomed the
packed house in the new meet-
ing room to hear demographic
and state-of-the-economy reports for both Clear Creek
and Gilpin Counties. Kelly Flenniken, board chair of the
Clear Creek EDC, also presided. The room was filled with
county commissioners, city managers, council members,
city officials, organization members and guests.
The challenge with that
type of economy is a bedroom
community with many indus-
trial resident payrolls lost to
other areas.
Photo by Don Ireland
know the local business owners during the past couple of
years. They have been fantastic. This has been quite a chal-
lenging project. We had to strip this building down to studs
before adding new plumbing and those kinds of things. We
had to clean up a lot so it didn’t have any lingering odors
from its previous use. We had our soft opening in January.”
Senior Reporter
Jonah and Lana Hearne had praised for the Clear Creek
Economic Development Council, which helped the couple
purchase and remodel a problem-filled old building into
what recently opened as the Club Hotel in Idaho Springs.
It was interesting in Craig that when our economic de-
velopment efforts were successful, some older residents
told us we were destroying the town with newcomers
and rising home prices. A few crusty residents sold their
homes for five-fold profits and left town. Locally, gaming
created a housing shortage in the area, and much higher
prices exist today. Great if you already own a home.
“All of the chairs, the big TV and all of the furniture and
fixtures were taken care of by the loan we obtained from the
CCEDC. They helped us take this from what it was into a
nice, 10-room boutique hotel,” said Hearne, who noted that
the soaps, coffee and tea for the hotel come from local shops
in Idaho Springs.
Jonah Hearne said the creation of the Victorian-feel Club
Hotel at 1601 Colorado Blvd., formerly the Hanson Lodge,
was possible because of loan funding through the CCEDC.
The hotel was the site of the CCEDC’s first “Rural Resil-
ience” economic development mixer last week, which at-
tracted business owners and elected leaders from Gilpin and
Clear Creek counties.
Living in the foothill mountains of Eastern Colorado,
there will be continued growth for fresh mountain air,
solace, and privacy, and a growing demand for people to
escape the ever-increasing city populations and poverty
challenges.
Henry and Sophia Wilson built The Club Hotel as a pri-
vate, two-story residence in 1862. A decade later, they
rented the establishment to the Idaho Springs Club, a
gentlemen’s club run by Denver businessmen. The building
served as a hospital during the Spanish Flu epidemic in 1918
before it was struck by two fires in 1921. In 1943, the Hanson
family purchased the building the Hansons owned the hotel
and restaurant. In the 40 years since then, the property has
served many purposes: a restaurant, cocktail lounge, bed-
and-breakfast, and a halfway home.
Don and I wisely sat on the front row where we could
read the fine print on the many demographic charts
shown by Greg Totten from the State of Colorado demog-
raphy office. The charts showed that mining, tourism,
and restaurants, but not gaming, were the two major
employers in both counties. Ireland took furious notes on
the chart statistics found elsewhere in this week’s edition.
“I was looking for a good investment property,” Hearne
told the audience at the meeting. “I wanted to put some
money into something, fix it up and start a business. My
wife and I were looking at a place in Boulder County. We
couldn’t find the right price, so we kept on looking around.
We stumbled upon this “gem” – it was a little rough at the
time.”
Seeing the energetic audience welcoming growth and
development and creating a sound economy for jobs
and business was heart-warming. The welcome mat is
definitely out for Martin Marietta and the stellar Climax
Molybdenum, who provide most jobs in Clear Creek
County and huge amounts of taxes. Gaming may last
longer than mining somewhere in the distant future, but
we will always have the majestic mountains and tourists
seeking beauty.
A gripping portion of the program came from Ryan
Englund, president of Better Cities, who has been con-
sulting with business leaders in Rollinsville. He said the
historic railroad community wants to become a more
viable destination and significant community. There is a
strong movement, led by Gov. Jared Polis, to commence
railroad passenger service from Denver through Rol-
Continued Hearne, “My wife is a little brave because she
signed off on purchasing the property before she even vis-
ited it. Fortunately, we were able to get to the right price [on
it]. We got kick-started on the project in 2022. We came to a
good resolution with the historical preservation committee
on what this building should look like. We’ve also gotten to
After the Hearne’s acquired the property, they removed
most of the interior walls to create 11 guest rooms and in-
stalled new plumbing, electrical and heating systems. The
dining room, added in 1927, is the meeting hall used for re-
ceptions and groups, including last week’s CCEDC meeting.
However, we may need oil lanterns when the sun
doesn’t shine and the wind doesn’t blow.
Jonah Hearne, owner of the Club Hotel in Idaho Springs.
We no longer write this, “But all had a good time.”
2 counties, diferent economies, yet share comon links in terms of history, demographics
the Gilpin Historical Society
and the Gilpin Arts Society
also bring new visitors.
several years on an “ongoing
renaissance” plan to diver-
sify Black Hawk into a resort
destination for visitors, even
if they don’t like gambling.
Continued from previous page
Central City and Black
Hawk faced complex financial
problems after most local
mines closed nearly a century
ago. It wasn’t until 1991 that
Colorado voters threw the
two a lifeline by permitting
limited-stakes gaming in the
struggling old mining com-
munities. In 1992, Central
City, called “The Richest
Square Mile on Earth,” and
Black Hawk, “The City of
Mills,” were given a chance to
bounce back from decades of
misfortune.
Presently, at least five new
potential casinos are being
eyed for some of the shut-
tered storefronts in the Main
Street business district in
Central City. Local leaders are
also discussing a new parking
garage to accommodate the
potential upswing in business.
Black Hawk is continuing
to develop its Gregory Street
area, which includes retail
shops and restaurants. Its
Gregory Plaza is home to a
volunteer firemen’s museum,
and the well-decorated main
plaza is used for the city’s
annual Founders’ Day each
June and a growing number
of local outdoor activities. At
least one new restaurant, the
Copper Kitchen Pizzeria, is
expected to open in the plaza
in 2025. Across the street, the
city plans to spend more than
a million dollars to open a
gold-mining tour for visitors.
Further north in Gilpin
County, small business own-
ers in Rollinsville (along
Highway 119) have opened
a distillery, pizza parlor and
coffee shop to attract younger
visitors who come to the area
to visit the national forests
nearby.
Today, the flashing lights
and noises of slot machines
in Black Hawk and Central
City attract more year-round
tourists to the two small cities
within Gilpin County. Both
cities are part of the national
historic district because of
their roots in the local gold
rush era when prospector
John Gregory discovered gold
in the ravine between the two
communities in 1859.
It is Black Hawk, however,
that primarily accounts for
the largest influx of visitors
to the county. The city boasts
15 casinos, several offering
high-rise towers filled with
guest rooms, restaurants,
swimming pools and spas.
Black Hawk generates more
than 75 percent of all gaming
revenues the state collects
annually and can attract as
many as 20,000 or more visi-
tors weekly, especially during
the warm-weather months.
Property taxes and other
revenues from Black Hawk
also is the primary source of
income for Gilpin County. The
city also donates some of its
sales taxes to help finance the
local school district.
Black Hawk also has devel-
oped a recreational area for
hikers and mountain bikers
just north of the downtown
gaming district. The Mary-
land Mountain/Quartz Valley
trail system typically results
in filled-to-capacity parking
lots during warm-weather
months. Within the next two
years, the city plans to extend
the trails to reach Gregory
Street – close to Gregory
Plaza – and extend them to
another developing area on
Gregory Hill (formerly Miners
Mesa). That section of the city
will feature several distilleries
and offer overnight lodging
in geodesic domes or luxury
Airstream trailers for those
who prefer to sleep in a scenic
hilltop area primarily sur-
Lyndsey Valdez president CCEDC, Central City Heritage West
Realty owner Roy Varela joins Central City Mayor Jeremy Fey
at the Idaho Springs Economic Mixer event.
Photo by Bob Sweeney
rounded by mountains and
forests.
did, the formerly sheltered-
in-place patrons helped Black
Hawk shatter any previous
economic performances.
Over the years, external
factors have impacted the
economies of Clear Creek
and Gilpin. Four years ago,
health-related COVID-19
pandemic restrictions forced
many business owners to
close their shops temporar-
ily. While some were able to
reopen later, others weren’t as
fortunate. In Gilpin County,
the state ordered casinos
closed for three months – es-
sentially crippling the gov-
ernment economies. It took
nearly a year before casino
patrons returned. When they
Central City’s historic
opera, the fifth oldest in the
country, and its variety of
Victorian-style homes and
historic storefronts in the
business district help attract
out-of-towners to the city.
Central and several of its
organizations also sponsor
various summer activities –
including the Madam Lou
Bunch bed races along Main
Street, the Great Central City
Beer Festival and Stills in the
Hills, to name a few. Attrac-
tions and events sponsored by
Local elected leaders and
business owners are trying
to figure out the best ways to
improve their economies and
attract new potential jobs to
their areas. As CCEDC Board
Chair Kelly Flenniken com-
mented, “A good quality life
depends on a good quality
job.”
With some creative local
planning and a little luck, the
futures for Gilpin and Clear
Creek counties could be head-
ing for better futures.
However, Black Hawk isn’t
solely interested in being
known as a casino town.
City leaders have worked for
$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.
Gilpin Schol district may have to pay county aditional $60,00 for SRO
pulling one deputy off the
road to be an SRO would
be challenging.
soon for the sewer project
and will be discussed at the
said this would not only
bring tourists to a private
lake area but could impact
safety considerations for
the school.
people were to pull over
on Colorado Highway 119,
where students use the
crosswalk, they could be
distracted, causing acci-
dents and injuries.
By Ruth Rodgers
Education and Community
Feb. 20 board meeting.
Reporter
Funding for the School
Resource Officer (SRO) for
the Gilpin County School
was one of the topics at
the Feb. 6 Gilpin County
School board meeting.
He hopes to
meet with
Sheriff Kev-
in Arm-
strong
and Divi-
sion Chief
Sean
Wheeler
to dis-
cuss the
additional
charges. After
that, he will be
able to have more spe-
cific information, including
the cost and any revisions
to the current intergovern-
mental agreement between
the district and the county.
Bonds will be
used to pay for
part of the
The significance of this
location is related to a pro-
totype submarine designed
by Rufus T. Owens and
built in Central City.
project, and
They also pointed out
that visibility is poor at the
proposed location of the
marker, which could lead
to more crashes on the
highway as vehicles merge
back into traffic.
a Request
For Bids
for a Cer-
tificate of
Participation
has gone out,
which means he
should have more
information on financ-
ing the project by the next
school board meeting.
Dr. David MacKenzie
has been notified by the
Gilpin County Sheriff’s Of-
fice (GCSO) that the GCSO
will charge the district for
the full cost of the position
rather than the $35,000
it currently pays to the
sheriff’s office. According to
MacKenzie, the SRO could
cost the district an addi-
tional $60,000.
In 1898, the United
States was at war with
Spain over the sovereignty
of Cuba, and the naval
battle of Manila Bay em-
phasized how effective
submarines were in the
defense of the U.S. coast-
line. Owen’s submarine,
named “The Nautilus,” was
brought to Missouri Lake
for a test dive but sank.
The submarine was raised
to the surface in 1944 and
now rests in the Gilpin His-
tory Museum.
They hope to suggest to
the commissioners and
county manager that the
sign be located at the pull-
off to Golden Gate Canyon
Road, just two miles north
of the school, where there
is more room for parking
and better visibility for
merging traffic.
In the public participa-
tion portion of the meet-
ing, two members of the
Missouri Lakes HOA board
shared their concerns
about a proposed histori-
cal site marker the county
is planning for the school’s
area.
It was the school dis-
trict’s understanding in
the past that they would
share the expense with the
sheriff’s department, but
budget cuts at the county
level seem to be changing
the allocation of funds.
During his report, MacK-
enzie said the district has
applied for the necessary
permits for the atrium
and elementary entrance
and ramp, which must be
approved before the work
begins in April.
Other concerns included
long-term parking across
from the school, which
could result in additional
noise and safety issues.
The HOA representative
supports the county’s ef-
forts to honor local his-
tory and increase tourism.
However, they have had
difficulty getting informa-
tion on new signage and
fear safety problems. If
The board agreed, and
MacKenzie discussed the
issue with the county com-
missioners.
The county received a
grant to place three or four
additional historical mark-
ers, one would be placed on
the school campus. They
The board discussed what
options may be available,
including hiring private
security. Other issues were
safety implications, and
The contract with ESCO
Construction Company of
Evergreen will be signed
In addition, Black Hawk is offering Central
$250,000 to grant its request to annex the lot.
The money would be “a one-time donation”
from Black Hawk’s historic preservation fund
to a similar historic fund operated in Central
City. “Suggested Central projects the fund could
be used for include – but not limited to – the
Belvidere project, sidewalks along Gregory and
Lawrence Streets in Central, or advancing Cen-
tral’s trail system with the ability to connect to
Black Hawk’s trail system,” according to a copy
of the letter that was in the Black Hawk council
agenda scheduled for a vote yesterday.
write-in candidate for the General Election in
November.
By the WR-C Staff
Two businessmen have announced they will
be challengers for the Gilpin County District 3
commissioner’s race this year, each seeking to
oust incumbent Sandy Hollingsworth.
Hollingsworth (D), who won by 85 votes in a
three-way race four years ago, so far is unop-
posed for the Democratic nomination in the
June 25 primary. The deadline for candidates
to petition to run is Tuesday, March 19.
Corey Marshall is running for the GOP nomi-
nation this spring, while Darin Jones will be a
Gilpin says “no thanks” on $60,00 fod pantry grant
yield up to $600,000 for
the pantry with less strin-
gent requirements than the
Block Grant. Boyle said the
county also may request
a grant of up to $355,000
from the non-profit Colo-
rado Trust organization,
which gives money to
groups that help provide
food assistance in commu-
nities.
some Gilpin County Hu-
man Services Department
employees, who currently
share a building with the
public health department
and others along Highway
119. The kitchen could be
rented to outside orga-
nizations and companies
that need a place to pre-
pare many meals. County
Manager Ray Rears said
a similar kitchen-rental
operation in Nederland,
Boulder County, is usually
scheduled to capacity.
new food pantry has been
going on for more than six
years, and the new facility
could serve as a multi-pur-
pose building.
pin County to feed Gilpin
County,” she commented.
By Don Ireland
Senior Reporter
Gilpin County leaders
plan to build a new $1.3
million food pantry later
this year. However, what
the new pantry will look
like and how much grant
funding the new facility will
receive remains in limbo.
Berumen said there is a
difference between poverty
and food insecurity in the
state. “It is our responsibil-
ity. One in eight people are
food insecure in Colorado,”
she said. “Some people
could be one car repair
or one medical situation
away” from having enough
food.
Boyle noted that a study
conducted by the county
facilities department last
April said the current build-
ing, which has no founda-
tion, has a depreciated
value of $9,659 but would
cost $49,500 for repairs.
The Gilpin Board of
County Commissioners
decided at their meet-
ing Tuesday (Feb. 13) to
forego a chance to secure
a $600,000 grant toward
the pantry. Without a vote,
the commissioners said
the potential Community
Development Block Grant
for public facilities – a
federal program adminis-
tered through the Colorado
Department of Local Affairs
(DOLA) – had “too many
strings” attached. They also
said there might not be
sufficient time to conduct
a public hearing before the
grant application deadline
of Feb. 23.
The deadline to apply
for the DOLA-EMI grant
is March 23, while April 1
is the final date to request
the Colorado Trust funding,
according to Boyle.
She said the food pantry
served 2,092 households
and 4,295 individuals in
2022, which increased
to 3,958 households and
8,950 individuals last year.
Rears said the county
could conduct a future pub-
lic meeting about the new
food pantry to discuss the
potential design and other
aspects of the forthcoming
building. In the meantime,
the BoCC will be discuss-
ing the pantry during their
work session on Feb. 20.
According to Boyle, a
professional kitchen facil-
ity, apart from its use for
the food pantry, could be
rented out at a rate of $25
per hour or $250 per day,
which could help offset
operational costs for the
facility. Rears added that
organizations that provide
meals for first responders
could use the building, and
educational or nutrition
classes could be conducted
there.
As in past BoCC meet-
ings, a new food pantry
touched off some conten-
tious discussion among
the three commissioners.
Susan Berumen and Sandy
Hollingsworth, who voted
several months ago to hire
an architect to create plans
for the new pantry, said
they want the new facility
to have multiple potential
uses, including a meeting
room/dining hall, offices,
and a professional kitchen.
The new pantry would also
have freezers; the current
facility must store cold
goods at the Gilpin County
Justice Center.
Mornis said Gilpin
County has a poverty rate of
about 10 percent and ranks
among the lowest numbers
in Colorado. “I don’t think
it’s the responsibility of Gil-
Rock blasting, other projects could impact I-70 driving
Projects between Floyd Hill and Den-
ver
Rock-blasting work restarted along I-70
Floyd Hill yesterday (Wednesday), with the
next blasting scheduled for Valentine’s Day,
Wednesday, Feb. 14. In addition, another new
project announced along the interstate near
Golden also may impact travel between Gilpin
and Clear Creek Counties and the metro Den-
ver area.
CDOT
said some
lane re-
strictions
will occur
at various
times at
both project
locations. The new
escape ramp project is expected to be com-
pleted in late May or early June.
Meanwhile, two other CDOT projects
between C-470 and Floyd Hill continue
to impact traffic between Floyd Hill and
C-470 in Golden.
This week and next, parts of I-70 and
U.S. 40 near Genesee will be subject to
closing so CDOT can continue construc-
tion of a wildlife underpass along the
interstate.
Photo courtesy CDOT.
CDOT’s blasting next week along Floyd Hill
will stop traffic on I-70 for 20 minutes. When
blasting occurs, motorists should e xpect a
traffic hold and up to 45 minutes of delay.
A series of airhorn signals will precede each
detonation to warn people in the area. No al-
ternative routes are advised during the traffic
stoppages.
The early-February closures are
scheduled between 7 a.m. and 5:30
p.m. Mondays through Fridays
through Feb. 17. Drivers access-
ing U.S. 40 eastbound can detour
around the closure by using east-
bound I-70 to the Lookout Moun-
tain exit. Westbound drivers can-
not take the exits at Genesee and
Mount Vernon Road.
Project overview
The $700 million I-70 Floyd Hill project will build a
third westbound I-70 travel lane, which will function
as an Express Lane, to improve the current two-lane
bottleneck heading down Floyd Hill westbound. The
new toll lane will begin near the top of Floyd Hill west-
bound and will be a fly-over lane that will end near the
Veterans Memorial Tunnels.
I-70 travelers should know that narrow-
er lanes and shoulders continue to be in
the $700 million project work zone near
Floyd Hill. The transportation department
recommends that motorists follow posted
speed limits and don’t drive distracted.
Slowing down and allowing extra space
between the vehicle ahead of you is ad-
vised.
• Constructing a missing two-mile section of the
frontage road between Evergreen and Idaho
Springs.
The wildlife underpass area has
been ongoing for months near the
top of Genesse Hill and is expected
to be completed this spring. On
unannounced days, the left lane,
heading westbound, is closed to
accommodate the work. Motorists
should read the orange construc-
tion signs heading up I-70 from
Morrison to learn if the work may
impact the traffic flow.
• Building an eastbound I-70 extended on-ramp for
slow-moving vehicles. Improving traffic flow and
access at interchanges and intersections within
the project limits.
Nearby, construction crews continue
working along Highway 40 near the Floyd
Hill/Beaver Brook interchange and at the
highway’s junction with County Road 65.
New roundabouts are being built in both
areas on the north side of I-70. Motorists
are advised to watch for traffic signs and
potential temporary detours.
• Improving sight distance on roadway curves.
Improving the Clear Creek Greenway trail. Imple-
menting environmental mitigation to create safer
wildlife movements and improve air and water
quality and stream conditions an d recreation.
The larger project includes re-
building the eastbound emergency
truck escape ramp between Mt.
Vernon Road (Exit 256) and the
Morrison exit (Exit 259). There will
be overnight double-lane closures
on eastbound I-70 in the vicin-
ity. The emergency ramp has been
closed for weeks.
Driver cautions
CDOT said motorists should expect narrower lanes
and shoulders, reduced speed limits as low as 45 mph
and increased truck traffic entering and exiting the work
zones. All construction activities are weather-dependent
and subject to change. During construction, the exist-
ing I-70 travel lanes will remain open in each direction
during peak daytime travel hours. Lane closure hours
for the duration of construction will vary based on the
season, day of the week, number of lanes being closed
and travel direction.
Highway 6 restrictions
Along Clear Creek Canyon (Highway
6), single-land closures are planned from
5 a.m. to 7 p.m. between mile points 267
and 271.5.
The planned restrictions are part of the
ongoing Peak to Plains Huntsman Gulch
trail project that began last year in Jef-
ferson County, between Highway 119 and
Golden.
The escape ramp work will in-
clude:
Project sections
The Floyd Hill project is divided into three sections.
The East Section is from the west of Evergreen to mid-
way down Floyd Hill near the Black Hawk interchange
(Exit 244). The West Section is from near Exit 243
(Central City Parkway) to the Veterans Memorial Tun-
nels near Idaho Springs. The Central Section is from
the middle of Floyd Hill through Exit 243 (Central
City/Hidden Valley exit). The east section began this
spring and continues through June 2026. The West
section is expected to start this fall and will conclude
in the fall of 2027. The Central section has begun and
will continue into 2028. The East part of the project
includes installing two new traffic roundabouts along
Highway 40, at County Road 65 and Homestead Road.
Flagmen control traffic during some of the daytime
work.
• New signage.
New I-70 Golden closure
Westbound I-70 near Golden will experi-
ence random lane closures until later this
month during weekday hours between 7
a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Drivers accessing west-
bound I-70 can avoid the closure by trav-
eling east on U.S. 40 or I-70 to Lookout
Mountain and taking the on-ramp to the
interstate.
• Larger barriers between the ramp
and the steep embankment.
• Additional cameras.
• New ramp lighting.
• A new design intended to allow late
entry for truckers who miss the
escape ramp entrance.
For information on the Highway 6/Clear Creek
Canyon project being conducted by Jeffco, visit www.
jeffco.us/P2P . Phone information is available at 720-
893-0403. The email address is peak2plains@gmail.
com. For real-time travel information, visit www.
COtrip.org.
Drilling soil nails into hillside along Floyd Hill with traffic moving on Interstate 70.
After Zane Laubhan (D)
decided to withdraw from
the District 1 BoCC race,
Aiken decided to file to
run. Laubhan said he will
continue to serve as Gilpin
County’s elected coroner, a
position he’s held for over a
decade. Political observers
said Laubhan was consid-
ered the front-runner in
the District 1 race before
his withdrawal due to per-
sonal reasons.
by the death of Web Sill.
Kays served eight years as
the Gilpin County Clerk
and Recorder from 1999 to
2011.
will be available. So
will the seat currently
held by Alderman
and Mayor Pro-Tem
Kara Tinucci.
Continued from page 1
Aiken has been on the
Central City Council for
nine years and cannot run
again due to term lim-
its. The 45-year county
resident has been on the
Black Hawk Central City
Sanitation District board
of directors for 10 years.
“I believe in serving and
giving back to the commu-
nity and hope to continue
as a Gilpin County com-
missioner,” said Aiken, a
stone mason who works as
a bartender at the Famous
Bonanza and Easy Street
casinos in Central City. He
filed an affidavit to run with
the Colorado Secretary of
State’s office on Monday,
Feb. 5.
Gilpin County’s District
2 commissioner term, held
by Susan Berumen (D), is
not up for election until
2026. She was elected in
2022 and replaced Linda
Isenhart (D), who was
term-limited after serving
for eight years.
On Tuesday
night, Tinucci said
she hasn’t decided
whether to seek a
second four-year
term.
In addition to be-
ing on the council,
Tinucci serves on
the new Central City
Urban Development
Authority and the
Central City Down-
town Development
Authority. She and her
husband Joe own JKQ BBQ
at Crook’s Palace, a Black
Hawk restaurant on lower
Gregory Street.
The District 1 BoCC pri-
mary on the GOP side will
include Marie Mornis and
Jessica Kays, who serve as
chair and treasurer, respec-
tively, for the Gilpin Coun-
ty Republican Committee.
Mornis is the incumbent
after being appointed to
the BoCC in December
2022 to fill the vacancy left
The Colorado Secretary
of State’s office listed no
additional candidates as of
Tuesday, Feb. 6. The final
date for candidates to file
to run for the primary is
Tuesday, March 19.
There will be no races in
the City of Black Hawk this
year. Mayor David Spell-
man and Aldermen Paul
Bennet, Benito Torres and
Gregory Moates are run-
ning unopposed for four-
year terms.
Central Council seats
Two vacant seats will be
up for election in Central
City this year. Aiken’s seat
City of Black Hawk
Valentine’s Dance
The Save the Belvidere Foundation
will hold a Valentine’s Dance start-
ing at 8 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 10, at
Elks Lodge 557 in Central City. Music
will be provided by deejay Eric Chinn,
with food and beverages available.
sibility and flag etiquette. The VFW holds an
annual Teacher of the Year award. Three teach-
ers will be nominated by the post (K-5, 6-8 and
9-12) to compete for teacher of the year at the
VFW National Competition. The award is also
known as the Smart/Maher Award.
Nomination forms will be available soon and
must be submitted prior to Oct. 31. For infor-
mation, email VFWCMD7563@YAHOO.COM.
BRIEFS
BRIEFS
Opera housing needed
Central City Opera Association needs sum-
mer rental housing for the 2024 summer festi-
val cast and staff. Dates needed for housing are
June 1 – August 9. Please contact Wanda Lar-
son for more details by calling (303) 292-6500,
ext. 100, or email admin@centralcityopera.org.
Vinyl and Gumbo
The Coal Creek Canyon Improve-
ment Association and United Power
will be sponsoring a Mardi Gras
gumbo and vinyl night from 4 to
6 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 17, at the
CCCIA center along Highway 72.
The group will be spinning some
New Orleans Soul & Jazz records to
celebrate all things Mardi Gras. Au-
thentic Louisiana food will be served
a la carte while supplies last.
The price per item is $5 for
members and $8 for non-
members. It is a BYOB event.
U.S. Forest Service
continues pile burns
Seeing smoke in Gilpin
County? The USFS is ask-
ing residents not to report
it to authorities because
most of the smoke is com-
ing from piles being burned
north of Central City and
in the vicinity of the Gross
Reservoir near Pinecliffe.
Black Hawk gaming revenues, sports bets rose in December
By Don Ireland
During Armbright’s
childhood, the first floor of
the former church served
as the neighboring school’s
gymnasium, including a
basketball court. Recalled
the councilwoman, “We
were a little naughty. We
weren’t supposed to climb
up the rickety old set of
steps inside, but we did.
We’d go up and play in the
attic – where the church
bell was.”
experienced
a 1.30 per-
cent decline
during the
six months, a
loss of $1.113
million. Com-
bined, the state realized a
.25 percent decline over the
six months from one year
earlier, earning $1.36 mil-
lion less.
Senior Reporter
According to newly-
released reports, gaming
revenues bounced back for
Black Hawk during Decem-
ber.
gered $71,430 million
during the month, a 17.74
percent jump over Novem-
ber, establishing a record
for $608.488 million in
wagers. In December 2022,
those who spent money
on sports betting wagered
$518.089 million.
Black Hawk’s 15 casinos
reported an 8.76 percent –
or $5.875 million rise – in
Adjusted Gross Proceeds
during the final month of
2023 compared to Decem-
ber 2022. AGP, or Adjusted
Gross Proceeds, is the
amount wagered by players
less the winnings paid to
players.
While Black Hawk’s AGP
has shown losses and gains
during the first six months
of Colorado’s fiscal gam-
ing year, the city’s casinos
entered 2024 slightly
ahead of the same period
in 2023. During the month,
Black Hawk provided
85.05 percent of the state’s
casino AGP revenues, while
Cripple Creek contributed
9.73 percent and Central
City 5.22 percent.
Today, the school building
retains its vintage appear-
ance on the exterior, but
changes are evident to those
who step inside. “I think it’s
wonderful. It’s just wonder-
ful. For some reason, there
seems like there’s more
room in it today compared
to the past,” commented Al-
derman Armbright. “When
I was growing up, my mom
and dad had the Gilpin Ho-
tel. I used to think that was
so big, too.”
Colorado collected
$3.682 million in taxes
from sports bets in Decem-
ber, representing a 147.27
percent increase from a
month earlier. It also was
a 42.52 percent increase
from December 2022
($2.584 million).
While Black Hawk fin-
ished the first six months
of the Colorado gaming
revenue with improved re-
sults from the period from
July 1 to Dec. 30 in 2022,
the gaming towns of Cen-
tral City and Cripple Creek
(Teller County) weren’t
quite as fortunate.
During December, NFL
football and NBA hoops
accounted for the most-
bet-upon sports, with 26.9
percent and 23.9 percent,
respectively, waged on
games. However, parlay/
combination bets repre-
sented the largest single
category – 28.5 percent
– of where the month was
played. Behind them, the
other most popular bets
were NCAA football (6.4
percent) and NCAA basket-
ball (4.2 percent).
Black Hawk saw AGP
increase in September,
November and December,
while declines occurred in
July, August and October.
Before July, Black Hawk
experienced an unprec-
edented winning streak, as
AGP set records for 26 of
27 months.
Central City’s AGP de-
clined by 0.34 percent, a
loss of $21,296, compared
to Dec. 2022, while Crip-
ple Creek showed a 5.89
percent rise, or $755,598.
For the final six months of
2023, Black Hawk expe-
rienced a .041 percent
increase (representing a
$1.759 million gain). At
the same time, Central’s
revenues stumbled by 4.77
percent, a loss of $2.009
million. Cripple Creek
Mayor David Spellman
grew up in Black Hawk
and – as an avid historian
of his city – recounted
the history of the build-
ing. “Construction on the
Black Hawk Schoolhouse
commenced on July 20,
1869, and was completed
by Dec. 24, 1869. The first
classes began on Feb. 28,
1870. The total cost of the
schoolhouse, including
furniture, was $14,538. It
“The Black Hawk School-
house missed its centennial
anniversary of operating
as an educational building
by 10 years as the school-
house closed its doors and
the last students left the
classrooms in the spring of
1960,” said Spellman.
Sports betting
Colorado saw record-set-
ting sports betting income
for the second consecutive
month in December.
(See related story on
how the old school is used
by the Black Hawk Police
Department today.)
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
Central hauls Of-Highway Vehicle plan of to junkyard
By Don Ireland
City is what we need. We need to
put our positives on something
everyone can agree on – not
quarreling on a project that we’re
not sure of.”
whole thing would’ve been costly.
I think that if there had been a
vote, it would’ve gone down. It
would’ve been a waste of our time
and money for a pilot program. I
think it’s a good decision to save
the money and stuff.”
ken voted against it. However,
the council hit the brakes on the
program recently, saying they
were busy dealing with the city’s
2024 budget and other matters.
At the time, they predicted that
discussion of the program would
resume in the early months of the
new year.
Senior Reporter
A controversial plan allowing
Off-Highway Vehicles to travel
along Central City streets won’t
happen anytime soon. At least,
not in 2024.
Fey said, “My hesitation in
backing down – so to speak, for
lack of a better term – was that
some people would see it as a
sign. It would be seen that if the
council made a decision they
disagreed with, they would only
have to come to the council or
have conversations on the street,
and we would reverse that [deci-
sion]. I didn’t want to set that
precedent. I hope the people –
especially
the Pros-
pector’s
Run folks –
won’t look
at this as a
conciliato-
ry measure.
It’s not that
we’re back-
ing down
from what
our opin-
ions have
been – we’ve just got bigger fish
to fry than whether we should
have side-by-side [vehicles] in
town.”
Alderman Todd Williams said,
“I would like to add that I ap-
preciate the conversations I’ve
had – both positive and not-so-
affirmative conversations – about
the whole program. Mr. Mayor, I
appreciate the time we’ve spent
talking about it, and I think we’re
in agreement on where we are
right now with it.”
Mayor Jeremy Fey said a pro-
posed pilot OHV program, which
had been eyed to begin this
spring, is no longer on the table
before the council. He announced
during the council meeting on
Tuesday night, Feb. 6, that sev-
eral other economic-related mat-
ters are a higher priority.
Since the discussion of the OHV
program surfaced last summer,
several residents turned out
to protest the idea. Aiken and
Enloe suggested at the time that
the proposal should be put to a
vote by residents. Residents who
opposed the plan said they were
concerned that trucks hauling
OHVs by trailer to the national
forest north of the city would
lead to speeding, noise and safety
issues for those who live along
Eureka and Lawrence streets.
While the short agenda indicat-
ed the council meeting wouldn’t
last long, a question about the
OHV program by resident Zane
Plzek led the council to slow
down the meeting and explain its
previously unannounced explana-
tion about stopping the effort.
Fey offered
the final word
on the sub-
ject, “I often
tell my four
girls that
wisdom is not
the ability
to get out of
trouble but
to avoid it
altogether.
The last thing
I ever wanted
to do was to put the residents –
or anyone – or the tourists on
these vehicles in harm’s way. I
didn’t want to bring conflict. That
really was the end of decision-
making for me. I wouldn’t want
to put any resident who would
be up in arms about it in a place
where they think they’d have to
confront a wrongdoer on a vehi-
cle. It wouldn’t be a healthy thing
to do. That’s one thing I wanted
to avoid – conflict.”
“It’s not that we’re
backing down from what our
opinions have been – we’ve
just got bigger fish to fry than
whether we should have side-
by-side [vehicles] in town.”
Several residents who de-
nounced the proposal told the
council they were nearly struck
by speeding vehicles traveling
up Eureka Street toward the U.S.
Forest Service lands. Among
those who voiced opposition were
Plzek and other Prospector’s Run
residents, whose HOA is near the
upper end of Eureka.
Fey gave a detailed explanation
of why the council is abandoning
the OHV plan for the foreseeable
future. He said he had discussed
the pilot program with aldermen
Kara Tinucci and Todd Williams,
who voted last August to move
ahead.
— Mayor Jeremy Fey
“It wasn’t an easy decision to
make,” said Fey about postpon-
ing the plan for the foreseeable
future. “We have decided to table
the issue for now and not move
ahead with the pilot program.”
Some opponents cited a similar
situation in the southern Colo-
rado town of Silverton. Residents
there voted to ban OHVs from
community streets in 2021. How-
ever, several businesses said the
ban caused them to lose revenues
from visitors and asked for an-
other vote. In October, residents
again rejected the concept of per-
mitting OHVs in the community.
“To anyone who’s in favor of the
program, please call on me. There
were some people and busi-
nesses who were excited to see
what those results could be. Let’s
talk about it. At a future date, if
there’s a strong sentiment from
the residents or businesses, we’ll
reconsider it. For now, the coun-
cil has made the decision – and I
think [aldermen] Marsha [Enloe]
and Jeff [Aiken] would concur
– that it’s not worthy of further
consideration at
this time.”
“I want to be clear that our
decision was not based on a clear
understanding that it’s not the
right thing to do, one way or the
other,” continued the mayor. “We
just formed a Downtown Devel-
opment Authority and an Urban
Redevelopment Authority. We’re
looking at economic development
around this town. Not everyone
may be on the same page, but
nobody knows if the program
would’ve had a net positive or net
negative. The three of us believed
that it would be positive, and
that’s why we voted that way. We
don’t know. We do know that
further development in Central
Last fall, Fey, Tinucci and
Williams voted to move ahead
to study an OHV pilot program
for 2024, while Enloe and Ai-
Even neighboring Black Hawk
weighed in against the plan
last fall. Mayor David Spellman
warned that his city’s police
would immediately issue
tickets to any OHV that
ventured off Central City
streets into Black Hawk.
Responded
Aiken, “It was
my contention
all along that we
were going to have
a vote [by resi-
dents]. I think the
At the time, Fey sug-
gested that the city could
generate new revenues by
selling permits for OHVs,
which currently are prohib-
ited from driving on Cen-
tral’s streets. City leaders
said they wanted to hire a
consultant to recommend
a pilot program, which
could be discontinued if the
council thought it didn’t
work out.
This week
Friday, Feb. 9 — High
school basketball hosts Lyons.
Junior varsity games at 4:30
p.m., followed by varsity games
at 6 p.m. High school wrestling
team at the regional tourna-
ment in Sterling on Friday and
Saturday for qualifiers.
Thursday, Feb. 15 — High
school basketball hosts Peyton.
Girls jayvee plays at 5 p.m.,
followed by varsity at 6:30 p.m.
The Snowcoming Dance and
activities will follow the game.
“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.
ACCESS 70,000+ SHOWS AND MOVIES ON DEMAND.
Requires subscriptions to top-tier PREMIER programming. Other packages will have fewer shows and movies.
THE MOST LIVE SPORTS IN 4K HDR.
Limited 4K HDR programming available. CHOICE Pkg or higher required for most 4K HDR live sports. 4K HDR compatible equipment, minimum
programming, 4K account authorization and professional installation required. If 4K TV does not support HDR, content will be viewable in
standard 4K. Other conditions apply.
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
*Available only in the U.S. (excl Puerto Rico and U.S.V.I.). Req’s compatible device. Live streaming channels based on your TV pkg & location. Not all
channels available to stream out of home. To watch recorded shows on the go, must download to mobile device using Genie HD DVR model HR 44 or higher
connected to home Wi-Fi network. Rewind and fast-forward may not work. Limits: Mature, music, pay-per-view and some On Demand content is not available
for downloading. 5 shows on 5 devices at once. All functions and programming subject to change at any time.
SIGN UP AND GET DIRECTV AND GET FIRST 3 MONTHS OF HBO MAX, CINEMAX, SHOWTIME,
STARZ AND EPIX INCLUDED!
Become a Published Author with Dorrance.
We want to read your book!
Trusted by authors for nearly 100 years, Dorrance has made
countless authors’ dreams come true.
Access HBO Max only through HBO Max app or hbomax.com. HBO Max also includes HBO channels and On Demand on DIRECTV. Online account registration required. Data rates may apply for app download/usage. EARLY TERMINATION FEE OF $20/MO. FOR EACH MONTH REMAINING ON AGMT.,
$19.95 ACTIVATION, EQUIPMENT NON-RETURN & ADD’L FEES APPLY. New approved residential customers only (equipment lease req’d). Credit card req’d (except MA & PA). [See offer details]
Contact your local DIRECTV dealer!
IV Support Holdings
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
Complete Book
Publishing Services
Our staff is made up
of writers, just like
you, and we are
dedicated to
making publishing
dreams come true.
