It was in the summer of 1974 that Roman Halaba left Poland and moved to Colorado. He already knew Theresa, who had moved with her parents back in 1967. She was a student at North High School. In 1975 they had bought a duplex on 44th and Harlan so they could live on one side
Wheat Ridge Police Chief Chris Murtha followed Officer Alan Hernandez and I to Lutheran Hospital on April 14. As we rounded the corner, we were met with a line of first responder vehicles with lights flashing that easily spanned the half mile to the hospital entrance. I was scheduled to meet with Murtha and interview
Being an adult and living in the same home you grew up in is quite surreal. As I recently walked home one evening from a friend’s house that also grew up and stayed in Wheat Ridge, I surveyed my surroundings and noted everything that had changed or remained the same since my childhood. Many homeowners
By all accounts, this Second Saturday May Festival at the Wheat Ridge Historical Park (4610 Robb St.), scheduled for May 14 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., will be one for the history books. Not only will we welcome well-loved standards like maypole dancing (at 11 a.m. and again at 1 p.m.), games, live music,
With warmer weather finally seeing some traction against colder temps and snow, many of our youngest residents start looking forward to getting outside to enjoy all our parks, trails, open space and wonderful playgrounds. This year, the City of Wheat Ridge Parks and Recreation department has exciting improvement projects planned for Apel-Bacher, Creekside and Panorama
March came in like a lion with snow and very low temperatures; however, Mother Nature is also making herself known as crocuses and daffodils begin to brighten our flowerbeds. Yet another sign that spring is on the way, are all the events happening in Wheat Ridge. Partnering with the city, Resource Central’s beautiful, waterwise Gardens
All things considered, Wheat Ridge claims relatively little of 30-mile-long Wadsworth Boulevard; however, right now, those two miles are truly the bane of our existence. I try to make good use of Teller and Pierce to the east; I even cut over to Sheridan when I have to engage in some serious north-bound travel. I
Localworks’ next exciting Live Local event is coming up on March 19 at The Green, 7101 W. 38th Ave., from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Come learn more about the Denver Gaels, check out demonstrations of Gaelic football and hurling, and try your hand at a few activities yourself! The schedule: • 10 a.m. to
As we celebrate Women in History during the month of March, as well as International Women’s Day on March 8, I wanted to write this month about some of the amazing women who contributed their time and talent to make Wheat Ridge the special place it is today, and some who today are leading to
As a retired schoolteacher, I’m continually fascinated by early public education. Mostly, it’s made me feel lucky to have taught in these modern times – no emptying the coal scuttle daily or whittling nibs for the next day’s lessons. Recently, I had occasion during one of the blizzards to curl up with a good book,
In 2005, Wheat Ridge City Council adopted the Neighborhood Revitalization Strategy (NRS) Report, Repositioning Wheat Ridge, and adopted its findings and recommendations as guiding principles for revitalizing the city. One of two primary recommendations from the 2019 NRS Update was to develop neighborhood engagement in order to better understand what issues and opportunities are most
As Valentine’s Day approaches and omicron infections continue to wane (we hope!), the Historical Society plans to hold its February Valentine Second Saturday Social on Feb. 12, two days ahead of the actual holiday. That should allow plenty of time to indulge in the tradition of crafting homemade Valentines instead of dashing to Walgreens for
The City of Wheat Ridge has hired a planning consultant, MIG. Inc, to assist with the West 44th Avenue Subarea Plan, according to a recent press release from the city. The plan will focus on West 44th Avenue from Youngfield Street to Clear Creek near Field Street; it includes the portion of the city between
Our first Live Local event will be held on Feb. 24 from 6 to 8 p.m. We are hosting a Community Build Evening at our makerspace located at the Wheat Ridge United Methodist Church, 7530 W. 38th Ave. At a Community Build Evening, you will have the opportunity to build a quick project, see demonstrations
Mike Paquette, DC, moved to Wheat Ridge and opened Aim High Chiropractic Wheat Ridge, 7200 W. 44th Ave. We asked him about his journey to our city. Why did you choose to open your practice in Wheat Ridge? Growing up in a small town has a charm of its own. For one, the sense of
As the Neighborhood Gazette went to press, excitement was mounting for the Wheat Ridge Historical Society’s first Second Saturday Social of 2022, “High Tea on the Prairie and Historical Fashion Show” at the Baugh House, set for Jan. 8 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Society has some real pros when it comes to
At this year’s annual city council retreat, my colleagues and I met to assess our progress on the 2035 Vision while looking ahead to build on what we have achieved and the accomplishments in which we can all take pride. As we renewed our focus on achieving the goals set forward in the Vision document,
Like most cities, there may seem to be a lot more traffic on the streets in Wheat Ridge, but that doesn’t necessarily translate into a major population increase. And some native residents who were born, raised, and – in some cases – worked their entire lives in the city have noted some changes. Some facts
West of Kipling, West 38th Avenue is arguably not the safest place to bicycle or walk, due to lack of sidewalks and poor drainage on some segments of the roadway. Wheat Ridge City Council has agreed to fix that, but it depends on what the community wants and who will pay for it. “Re-examine and
There may not be another Wheat Ridge restaurant run like one on 38th Avenue. Mr. Biscuits Bakery, 7176 W. 38th Ave., is youth-owned and family-operated, serving from-scratch biscuits, muffins, cinnamon rolls and a rotating lineup of other baked goods daily from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Joshua, 18, Annika, 23, Elijah, 16, and Marilyn Pearson,
Happy New Year from Localworks! We are excited to ring in the new year with programs that connect and engage our residents and support and promote our local businesses. In 2022, we are ramping up our Live Local program and plan on a monthly series of events. Live Local is a terrific program that connects
While most of us think of this time of year as a time of giving, this year more than ever we may find our friends, neighbors and even whole communities need a little more care. Many communities are still feeling the effects of the pandemic. All of us were touched in some way by COVID-19,
One of the most vivid New Year’s memories from my childhood is of my father standing at the kitchen sink, eating leftover raw oysters right out of the container while my mother stirred the rest into the milk-based stew steaming on the stove. We always had oyster stew once a year on New Year’s Day,
When a developer wants to develop a piece of property they must first assemble their team of consultants, primarily consisting of an architect, civil engineer and landscape architect. Then a preliminary meeting with the city’s planning staff evaluates if what the developer is proposing is allowed by the current zoning or if the zoning would
