Golden Transcript

11/12/2025

📊 GHOST CARD UPDATE

Remember those Jefferson County "ghost" purchasing accounts that spent $1.73M without individual oversight?

I asked for the monthly reconciliation reports the district says exist.

Their answer: 47 hours of work. $1,903 fee.

If reconciliation is actually happening monthly, why does it take 47 hours to produce the reports?

Original article:

Ghost accounts don't follow normal P-card rules, lack application forms, and had a total of 409 transactions totaling $1.73 million within seven months.

11/11/2025

Good morning Jefferson County!

If you missed our story yesterday: Your school district's independent financial advisors say Jeffco needs voter-approved revenue to avoid a budget crisis.

The board is expected to discuss the recommendation at upcoming meetings. Newly elected members take office Dec. 3.

Catch up here:

Jefferson County Schools faces a $60 million budget crisis, with a citizen financial advisory committee proposing new taxes to avoid reserves depletion.

11/11/2025

UPDATE: Jeffco's budget crisis by the numbers

💰 $60M deficit
📉 $2,074 per student (override funding)
📊 Denver gets $3,101, Boulder gets $2,919
🏫 21 schools closed since 2020
✂️ $45M in cuts already planned
📋 7,900 survey responses collected

Citizen advisory committee: "We can't cut our way out"

What do you think Jeffco should do?

Full analysis:

Jefferson County Schools faces a $60 million budget crisis, with a citizen financial advisory committee proposing new taxes to avoid reserves depletion.

11/10/2025

Anyone who’s passed by 311 10th St. recently has seen plenty of dirt moving around the future site of City of Golden, Colorado - Municipal Government’s municipal center and police headquarters.

Golden community members broke ground on the $60 million facility in July, and crews started working in earnest in August.

Now, crews are setting the foundation, which will take until February. After that, the work will go from horizontal to vertical as crews start building the mass timber structure.

FULL STORY:

Anyone who’s passed by 311 10th St. recently has seen plenty of dirt moving around the future site of Golden’s municipal center and police headquarters.

11/10/2025

Jefferson County Schools faces a critical decision: Ask voters for new taxes or watch reserves run dry.

After 18 months of analysis, the district's citizen Financial Advisory Committee delivered a stark message last week: "Using reserves to fund recurring operating expenses is simply not sustainable."

The committee recommends pursuing a mill levy override that would raise Jeffco's per-student funding to match neighboring districts like Denver and Boulder.

The district has already closed 21 schools due to declining enrollment and is implementing $45 million in budget cuts. But committee members say cuts alone won't solve the structural deficit.

Read the full story:

Jefferson County Schools faces a $60 million budget crisis, with a citizen financial advisory committee proposing new taxes to avoid reserves depletion.

11/08/2025

Today, the Colorado School of Mines Football team is celebrating its 2025-26 senior class and hosting leading RMAC contender CSU Pueblo.

As of halftime, the Orediggers are leading the ThunderWolves 28-13.

We'll have more on the Senior Day game in our Nov. 13 paper and on our website in the coming days. Until then, enjoy this photo gallery from today's game:

11/07/2025

In this week's BizBeat section:
--Golden Civic Foundation's 50th annual gala raises $170,000 for local causes, including $51,000 for Golden High School's music program
--Grateful Bread Company is celebrating its 20th anniversary this fall
--Coors Banquet and YoColorado are teaming up for a special winter line of hats, beanies and ski suits to promote hometown pride while keeping people warm this winter

READ THE FULL BIZBEAT SECTION:

Thanks to the Golden Civic Foundation and its donors, Golden High School will be filled with music for years to come.

11/07/2025

Today, City of Golden, Colorado - Municipal Government employees and local law enforcement officers gathered to remember Golden Police Officer Evan Dunn, who died one year ago.

Dunn, 33, was killed in the line of duty after being hit by a drunken driver. He was an active captain in the Army National Guard and Black Hawk helicopter pilot.

“One year ago today … we said goodbye to a brother, a friend, a dedicated public servant and military helicopter pilot,” GPD Chief Joe Harvey said. “He was a remarkable man who devoted his life to making this world a better place for everyone.”

FULL STORY:

Today, the Golden and law enforcement communities gathered to remember Golden Police Officer Evan Dunn, who died one year ago.

11/07/2025

🚨🚔

11/06/2025

🚨There are dozens of law enforcement officers in and around Golden right now. They are conducting a sobriety checkpoint in memory of GPD Officer Evan Dunn, who was killed in a crash by a drunken driver one year ago today.

Motorists in the area should proceed with caution. 🚨

MORE INFORMATION HERE:

The Colorado State Patrol on Thursday is conducting a high-visibility and sobriety checkpoint on Highway 6 in Golden to honor the memory of Golden Police Officer Evan Dunn. Dunn was

11/06/2025

11/06/2025