December 2025

Community

Caring for the Mental Health of Our Pets

When we think about our pets’ health, we often focus on diet, exercise, and preventive care. But just like us, animals have emotional needs that affect their overall well-being. At Berkeley Animal Hospital, we believe that caring for your pet’s mental health is just as important as their physical health. What Causes Stress in Pets

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Community

Wheat Ridge City Council Adopts 10-Year Parks & Recreation Pathway

The Wheat Ridge City Council has adopted the Parks and Recreation Pathway, a new 10-year master plan that will guide investments, programs, and facilities through 2035. The plan replaces the 2015 Parks and Recreation Master Plan and was developed through an 18-month process shaped by thousands of community voices. The Pathway captures the community’s vision

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Community

The Real Origin of New Year’s Resolutions (And Why We Keep Making Them Anyway)

Every year around late December, we suddenly become philosophers, therapists, and personal trainers all at once. We stare at the calendar, swear that this is the year we’ll finally quit sugar, run a marathon, or at least stop doom-scrolling until 1 a.m. And like clockwork, New Year’s resolutions are born—hopeful, naïve, and destined to be

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Community

The Lou Olivera Citizenship Scholarship

Every once in a while we meet someone who reminds us what quiet, everyday heroism looks like. For us in Wheat Ridge, that person was Louis Olivera. Lou was a longtime neighbor, a devoted husband, and the proud father of a Wheat Ridge High School graduate. He carried himself with a mix of humility, humor,

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Community

Party Wall Agreements and Townhome Declarations, Key Issues to Watch Out for When Drafting

A Party Wall Agreement is a legal arrangement between two property owners who share a common wall, typically in townhouses or semi-detached home. This agreement outlines the responsibilities, rights, and obligations of each party in relation to the shared wall, including maintenance, repairs, and any potential alterations. It ensures that both owners are aware of

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Community

Wheat Ridge Fall Round Up, Accolades Abound

With the end of Fall sports and activities upon us, I spoke with Jason Campbell, Athletic Director at Wheat Ridge High School, regarding results from all our Farmer athletes, musicians and the team that keeps the dream alive, Marching Band!  The results are, as always, impressive. Boys’ Soccer  Finished with a ranking of 21st in the

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Health

Coping with the Holidays

The holiday music has started to follow us everywhere we go. Whether you’re in the car, the grocery store, or even in your own room the ballads of joy and holiday spirit surround us. The holidays are typically a time filled with family, celebrations, traditions, and joy. Despite these festive times, the holidays can be

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Health

The Simple Power of Being Present

Sometimes, one small gesture can change everything, like a cup of coffee, a walk around the block or a shared meal. These moments may seem insignificant, yet they quietly connect us and remind us that we belong.  Loneliness, on the other hand, can feel like a heavy weight in your chest. It lives in silence,

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Health

Coffee with Andrea Burch, President of Intermountain Lutheran Hospital

Each month, Andrea Burch, President of InterMountain Lutheran Hospital, shares insights on healthcare innovation, community wellness initiatives, and behind-the-scenes updates on how the new hospital is taking shape. From medical breakthroughs to heartfelt patient stories, this interview connects our readers with the pulse of local healthcare. Lutheran recently earned an ‘A’ Grade from Leapfrog –

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Health

A Lifeline for Early Detection: My Role as a Lung Screening Navigator at Lutheran Hospital

As the lung screening navigator at Intermountain Health Lutheran Hospital, I have the privilege of guiding patients through one of the most critical journeys in healthcare—early detection of lung cancer. My role is dedicated to helping people at risk for lung cancer access timely, effective screening and, if needed, navigate the complex steps that follow.

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Outdoors

Merry December My Nature Loving Friends

This month we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We celebrate the end of 2025. And we welcome a hopefully healthy and prosperous 2026.  It is a time of bright lights, beautiful music, wonderful family time, crazy good food, and of course delectable sweet treats. And high on most peoples lists

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Mountain View

How to Stay Engaged in Mountain View

Staying connected to what’s happening in Mountain View is easier than ever, and we want all community members to feel informed, welcomed, and involved. Whether you prefer attending meetings, reading updates at home, following along online, or joining neighbors at local events, there are many ways to stay in the loop. Attend Council Meetings The

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Community

So You Want to Open a Restaurant?

Jeff Hurlburt has heard it a thousand times. Someone walks into Clancy’s Irish Pub, orders a beer, surveys their surroundings, and says something like: “Man, I’d love to own a place like this.” There’s a certain romanticism to the idea of owning a restaurant. You may picture yourself welcoming regulars by name, sharing wisecracks with

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Marketplace

The Deli Case is Broken, But the Recipe Isn’t: Why Belfiore Italian Endures

Walk into Belfiore Italian on 38th Avenue, and you step into a time capsule. For 67 years, this shop has served as a cultural touchstone in Wheat Ridge; its walls steeped in the traditions of Italian-American heritage. Nothing symbolizes this history quite like the stark white, porcelain-enameled steel Deli Case, original from 1964. Gino Scarafiotti,

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Community

Always Show Up: Former Wheat Ridge Mayor Bud Starker’s Journey

Bud Starker tuned into politics at a young age. Looking back, Starker says he’s not surprised he eventually served two terms as mayor of Wheat Ridge, the city he’s called home for 50 years. Starker remembers participating in civil rights protests as far back as his childhood in the 1950s. When his mother worked nursing

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Edgewater

Edgewater Utility and Infrastructure Upgrade Initiative

The City of Edgewater is embarking on a transformative project aimed at modernizing its aging utility systems and improving critical infrastructure to meet the community’s long-term needs. This initiative, outlined in the city’s comprehensive planning efforts, addresses pressing challenges in water, sewer, and stormwater systems while ensuring financial sustainability. The city’s infrastructure, much of which

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Wheat Ridge

Medicine Has Improved Since the Days of the Pioneers – Whew!

I was hospitalized recently with a horrendous belly ache that started to move north. That’s when my husband, fearing I was having a heart attack, called 911. I was in some hellish pain, and the EMTs agreed doctors should have a look, so off I went to the new (and still shiny!) Lutheran Medical Center.

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Community

2B… Not To Be

Some cities get to vote for sheriffs and coroners. This November, Wheat Ridge voters were asked something far more basic: should two long-standing elected positions — the city treasurer and city clerk — remain in the hands of voters, or become appointed, professional staff roles? That was the essence of Ballot Measure 2B. And the

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Health

Worthy of Your Wishes

Welcome to December. You made it.  This month heralds a time of looking back to look forward, as well as making wishes for gifts and hoping they get granted, and then some. As you look forward into 2026 you may also be dreaming of what you want to build, change, create, and make real.  One

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Opinion

Closing Out ’25… The Short of It

“Tell me something you know today that you didn’t know yesterday.” That was the nightly ritual at our dinner table — our version of a debrief mixed with a pop quiz. You could always tell which teacher had impressed my kids by how animated they got. But the moment I’d ask them to review lunches

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Community

When Stepping Back Is Moving Forward: Val Nosler Beck on Leaving the Race

Sometimes quitting is the best decision someone can make. Val Nosler Beck launched a campaign for State House District 23, serving Wheat Ridge and the surrounding area, in the 2026 election. Last month, she decided to drop out. Nosler Beck runs a small business specializing in political campaign management and community engagement consulting. Her resume

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