Wheat Ridge, CO

Please pre-register where necessary. All events and classes are held at the AAC unless otherwise noted. If you would like to be mailed a copy of our ‘Rooted in Fun’ guide, call 303-205-7500. For additional info on our programs, visit www.rootedinfun.com The Wheat Ridge Active Adult Center is open Monday-Friday, 8:30am-4pm. Call 303-205-7500 to get signed up for the AAC E-newsletter that gets emailed out the first Friday of each month. The Rooted in Fun Activity Guide is available online and in print, stop by and pick one up. The guides are available 24/7 in the brochure box in front of the AAC.

Alexander Hamilton and the Media In 1801, Hamilton founded the New York Evening Post. He spent his entire career either battling with or trying to control the media. Join us as Hal Bidlack portrays Hamilton and shares some history of politics and the media dating back 200 years. A hearty lunch will be served prior to the performance on Friday, Jan. 20th; cost is $17, register by calling 303-205-7500.

Movie Matinee Enjoy the movie “Top Gun Maverick” will be shown on Thursday, Jan. 26th at 1pm, the movie is free but pre-registration is required, call 303-205-7500 to register. Bring $1 for pop & popcorn, if you like! The original “Top Gun” will be shown on Jan. 12th at 1pm, call to register for that one as well.

Bunco Join in the fun on the first Thursday of each month for this fun and fast paced dice game. It’s easy to learn, so beginners are always welcome. A light lunch is served beforehand. Cost is $8, call 303-205-7500 to get signed up.

Valentine Card Workshop Join us for this fun 3-hour workshop on Sat. Jan. 21st to create your own Valentine cards. Create 6 – 10 cards using a variety of materials and designs. Cost is $30, all supplies are included. Call 303-205-7500 to register.

Food Sensitivities, Intolerance and Allergies Discover the difference between sensitivities, intolerance, and allergies and how to heal the gut and improve digestion. Class will be held on Friday, Jan.27th, cost is $15, call 303-205-7500 to register.

Write Your Own Will Class In a single sitting you will create a simple will along with a living will, medical power of attorney and more. Class will be held on Sat. Jan. 28th, cost is $172 per person. Valid for Colorado residents only – call 303-205-7500 to register.

Trips We have numerous outings planned for January, stop by the AAC and pick up a copy of the trip offerings and join the fun! We also offer ski & snowshoe trips and weekly walking outings. Call 303-205-7500 to register or register online at: rootedinfun.com

Special Interest Drop-In Groups (Drop-in fees $4.50 paid for with an Electronic Enrichment Pass) Train Dominoes – 2nd Mondays, 1pm Silversmith Lab – Every Wednesday, 9-12noon Booktalk – Jan. 27th, 10am – Book: Last Bus to Wisdom Pastel Painting – 2nd Thursdays, 10am

Fitness and Dance While many of our dance and fitness classes have returned to in-person, some of our classes remain on Zoom. Registration is required for all classes for the time being, call 303-205-7500 to register.

More information on all AAC activities offered are available in the printed Rooted in Fun Guide or online at: www.rootedinfun.com

Wheat Ridge Active Adult Center (AAC) 6363 W. 35th Avenue Wheat Ridge, CO 80033 303-205-7500

The demand was big: $5 million to unlock Wheat Ridge’s municipal data and computer systems seized by a shadowy overseas ransomware operation.

The response was defiant: We’ll keep our money and fix the mess you made ourselves.

“The city has made the determination not to pay a ransom,” Amanda Harrison, a Wheat Ridge spokeswoman, said this week. “The city’s IT professionals are working diligently to restore files stored within the city’s network from viable backups.”

But the decision not to play ball with the digital thief, who the city describes as a “foreign agent” likely from Eastern Europe, was not an easy one. It took three weeks from the Aug. 29 cyberattack for Wheat Ridge to determine that it had adequate redundancies and the know-how to put its databases and systems back into operation without the help of the hackers, who demanded payment in a hard-to-trace cryptocurrency known as Monero.

Following the attack, Wheat Ridge had to shut down its phones and email servers to assess the damage the cybercriminals had done to its network. That, in turn, prompted the city to close down City Hall to the public for more than a week.

Things have slowly returned to normal since the intrusion, with the help of the FBI. Harrison said the city “is prepared to inform any residents, businesses, and employees if it is determined their personal information was compromised. That aspect of the investigation is still ongoing.”

Wheat Ridge is the second Colorado municipality to recently get knocked offline by a relatively new ransomware attack known as BlackCat, which cybersecurity experts characterize as particularly pernicious and aggressive. BlackCat is encoded with a more stable and robust programming language, called Rust, that is harder for system administrators to detect.

Fremont County, southwest of Colorado Springs, was a BlackCat victim last month and its website is still down more than a month later.

“This has been a mess,” said Mykel Kroll, manager of emergency services for Fremont County. “It affected all of our county systems.”

Some county employees, he said, have been sent notifications about potential data compromise. On Monday, the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office posted online that its inmate accounting systems “have been deemed unrecoverable” because of the ransomware attack. That means any money that may have been added to a prisoner’s account following the Aug. 15 attack “has been lost.”

“The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office will honor deposits made to an account after the inmates’ last known balance with proof of a receipt for the transaction,” the sheriff’s office said in its posting.

Brandi Wildfang Simmons, a spokeswoman for the Governor’s Office of Information Technology, said her agency has been working with Fremont County to clean up the mess wrought by BlackCat.

“The state deployed resources to Fremont County for five weeks to assist with this incident from both an emergency management and security perspective,” she said. “We have alerted counties, municipalities and agencies throughout the state so they can take the necessary steps to protect against the BlackCat ransomware variant.”

Ransomware is malicious computer code that can be inserted into an organization’s computer network, where it encrypts — or locks up — files and databases. Typically, payment of a ransom is demanded to unlock the seized data. Cyber thieves can gain access to a network by tricking employees into downloading an infected file or revealing sensitive information.

BlackCat, which first appeared in November, has been implicated in an attack on OilTanking GmbH, a German fuel company, along with aviation firm Swissport. Last month, a BlackCat perpetrator claimed to have stolen “700 gigabytes of data from networks controlled by Italy’s GSE energy agency,” according to a report from Bloomberg.

Closer to home, the servers of Suffolk County on New York’s Long Island, was hacked by a BlackCat actor last week. The thieves leaked some of the files they had obtained — containing personal information of residents — and threatened to publish more unless the county paid them off.

Neither Fremont County nor Wheat Ridge will say how their systems were infiltrated, though Harrison said Wheat Ridge doesn’t suspect that it was due to “employee error.” Like the Denver suburb, Fremont County has no intention of paying off the thieves, Kroll said.

“There will be no ransom paid,” he said.

Simmons, with the state, said organizations are discouraged from paying ransoms to hackers.

“Federal and state guidance is to not pay the ransomware demand as it funds cyberterrorism, perpetuates cybercrime, and entities are not guaranteed they will get their systems back online or regain access to their data,” she said.

But the ability to withhold payment comes down to the nature of the attack and the data stolen. In 2019, Regis University in Denver paid an undisclosed sum to cybercriminals who had infiltrated its network and ground operations to a halt. A year later, Lafayette paid $45,000 to ransomware hackers to restore its network.

City spokeswoman Debbie Wilmot said after the attack, Lafeyette “deployed additional cybersecurity systems, implemented regular vulnerability assessments, and initiated additional security protocols.”

It also sent some of its IT folks down to Wheat Ridge for a day to help the city with its intrusion, Wilmot said. Harrison, the Wheat Ridge spokeswoman, said the city has taken several steps to increase security — two-step verification is now required on all electronic devices used by city employees and monitoring software has been implemented across its systems.

Simmons said those are all good steps but she’s under no illusion that they will stop the most dogged of cybercriminals, especially as hackers’ tools become more sophisticated and sneaky.

“Are we worried?” she said. “Yes, we are always on guard because in the world of cybersecurity, it is not a matter of ‘if’ but ‘when’ entities will come under attack from hackers.”

Small businesses are essential in the success of a local economy. They create jobs and gathering spaces, reinvest in the community, and foster growth and prosperity. That is why for the last 18 years the City of Wheat Ridge has celebrated the commitment of small businesses to our community with an annual Business Appreciation Awards celebration. This is our opportunity to recognize the outstanding contributions of area businesses, volunteers and nonprofits.

After careful deliberation from a panel of judges, I had the honor of announcing the winners from a large pool of nominees across demographics. The remarkable people and businesses who took home this year’s awards represent the very best of Wheat Ridge and this award is a token of our gratitude.

The recipients of this year’s Annual Business Appreciation Awards are:

Mayor’s Partnership Award, to recognize a person or company for their overall contributions: Cheryl Brungardt of Thank Em Promotions.

City Council’s Partnership Award, to recognize a company for their overall contributions to the city: Rebekah Raudabaugh, the city’s Homeless Navigator.

Business of the Year Award, for exemplifying the “Best in Business” that represents the values of the community: Wheat Ridge Poultry & Meat.

Reinvestment Award, for making a significant investment in its property, improving the overall appearance of the site, maintaining property at the highest standards, or updating their building in a manner to make it more marketable: Gold’s Marketplace, Foothills Credit Union, Applejack Wine and Liquor, and New Image Brewery.

Wheat Ridge Sustainability Award, for adopting a sustainability program and best practices: The Wheelie Bean.

Cultural Commission Award, for a business that has made an impact on the community through promoting/encouraging culture and the arts, promoting awareness of the city’s cultural activities, diversity, and heritage, supporting opportunities in art education for all ages, or incorporating art into the architecture and design of their building: Clancy’s Irish Pub.

Wheat Ridge Business Association Annual Member of the Year Award, for a WRBA members’ efforts to improve/enhance business in Wheat Ridge as well as promote the association: Peter DeWolf of Red Rocks Toffee, and Margie Seyfer, a WRBA volunteer.

Rising Star Award, for a member who has shown growing leadership throughout the year: Jeremy Laufer of Edward Jones.

Chamber Business of the Year Award: Kerry Iselin of Iselin Chiropractic.

Chamber Volunteer of the Year Award: Bob Dubois of Paramount Roofing and Gutters.

Non-Profit of the Year Award: Jefferson Center for Mental Health.

Over the coming weeks the city will release spotlight features on each of those award winners on our Facebook page, facebook.com/cityofwheatridgegovernment.

Next year, we are excited to expand the pool of nominees, as new businesses are opening in Wheat Ridge every day. This month we have several ribbon cuttings scheduled, you can find a complete list on the Neighborhood Gazette’s Community Calendar page (page XX). I hope to see you there!

Let’s Recognize All Nominees:

• 2022 Business of the Year Nominees: Clancy’s Irish Pub, Hickory Baked Ham Company, Megan’s Place, Prosmile Dental, Vitruvian Fitness, Wheat Ridge Living Magazine, and Wheat Ridge Poultry and Meats.

• 2022 Reinvestment Award Nominees: Applejack Wine and Liquor, Foothills Credit Union, Gold’s Marketplace, and New Image Brewery

• Wheat Ridge Sustainability Award Nominees: 5 Fridges Farm, Colorado Plus, and Wheelie Bean Coffee

Welcome to the Denver Gazette’s Metro Moves. You’ll get the latest metro Denver openings, closings, hiring and promotion briefs here. To submit your company’s news, drop an email to savannah.mehrtens@denvergazette.com.

Opening soon in Wheat Ridge, Symmetry Collective co-working space provider will have a grand opening at 4:30 p.m. Thursday, 6545 W. 44th Ave.

Wheat Ridge Mayor Bud Starker is scheduled to join members of the Wheat Ridge Business Association, company officials and guests at the ribbon-cutting ceremony. Plans call for private tours of the space, sample services and a food and drink happy hour.

The new 3,900 square-foot co-working space is designed to offer a variety of therapeutic treatment rooms, a conference room, a yoga studio, an infra-red sauna and a practitioner napping area, according to a press release. Wellness rooms have access to massage tables and linens, zero gravity reflexology chairs, facial steamers, hot stones, Thai mats, a fully equipped yoga studio, chairs and tables for workshops and classes.

These spaces are available for rent by the hour or through a membership program, according to the release.

Co-owners Celeste O’Brien and Kina Ueda started a massage therapy company, Symmetry 360 Massage, about 15 years ago. Their first business grew into multiple locations across metro Denver and has over 60 employees, according to the release.

Historic Denver, Inc., a 53-year-old nonprofit, recently named John Deffenbaugh as its president and CEO.

Deffenbaugh will be responsible for overseeing advocacy and operations of Historic Denver along with its flagship property, the Molly Brown House Museum. He brings almost 20 years of experience in architectural, urban and creative design projects in the United States and the U.K., according to a press release.

Deffenbaugh recently worked for the RiNo (River North) Art District as senior director of strategy and projects. He also served as executive director of Capitol Hill United Neighborhoods (CHUN) in 2022 and 2023. Deffenbaugh is a Denver East High School alumnus.

“John is a dynamic leader and a thoughtful urbanist with a passion for historic preservation and community engagement,” said John Lucero, chair of the Historic Denver Board of Trustees, in the release. “We are thrilled to bring him on to lead our organization at this pivotal time in our city.”

Andrea Burns has served as Historic Denver interim president and CEO since January and will stay on through May to support the transition.

Little Owl Coffee is opened its third location Saturday in the Lower Highlands (LoHi) neighborhood.

Established in 2013, this coffee shop is known for locally roasted coffee, according to a news release. The new location will maintain elements of the original location, 1555 Blake Street, according to the release. In addition to drinks, the shop also has fresh baked goods from Pandemic Donuts and Reunion Bakery.

“We are beyond psyched to be opening this little cafe,” said Mike Sinon, co-Owner of Little Owl Coffee. “The space is a perfect reflection of our little squad, and business-wise, we’re just excited to make new friends and bring our style of fast friends hospitality across the river.”

Editor’s note: This is part of The Know’s series, Staff Favorites. Each week, we offer our opinions on the best that Colorado has to offer for dining, shopping, entertainment, outdoor activities and more. (We’ll also let you in on some hidden gems).

Here’s a suggestion for a holiday gift to your community: Close out of Amazon, skip the lines at Target and shop locally.

Denver is full of local hidden gem boutiques and Christmas markets that can help anyone work their way through their Christmas list this year. My favorite shop for eclectic gifts is eXtraOrdinary (XO) Gift Co., with a location on Tennyson Street and another in Wheat Ridge.

I came across XO Gift Co.’s Tennyson store when I was dropping off a package next door and needed a thoughtful card to go with it. There seemed to be something for everyone there, and I couldn’t stop myself from picking up an extra tea towel and hat with funny sayings that were perfect for my friends.

XO Gift Co., which Kat Furr opened in 2013, offers handmade, upcycled and unusual gifts from vendors around the country, with 50 percent of the products made in Colorado. There’s artisan jewelry, quippy tea towels and mugs, Colorado sweatshirts and hats, baby clothes and toys, plants, pillows and art.

Furr said the most popular item right now is a craft cocktail mix with which you can infuse your alcohol. I am a big fan of the baby section, since my new nephew was born in October and he absolutely needed a Colorado onesie.

The XO Gift Co. at 3483 Tennyson St. will close in January so Furr can focus on the store she opened this month in Wheat Ridge’s new Gold’s Marketplace development, which includes other local vendors like Live Slow Brewing, Esters Neighborhood Pub and Rich Spirit Bagels.

XO Gift Co. is currently at 3843 Tennyson St. in Denver and at 10071 W. 26th Ave. in Wheat Ridge’s Gold’s Marketplace. Visit xogiftco.com to check out the shop’s selections.