Saturday Gerri and myself took a tour of the vast spread of land that stretches all the way out to the Wein’s Ranch in Douglas County where they raise, process, and sell angus, with no hormones, healthy beef, pasture raised and finished to prime beef standards. Orders being taken now: 303-681-3831. diana@wiensranch.com
I’ve known Tom Weins since 1978 when he ran for State Republican Treasurer against Roy Romer. Tom lived in Frisco and at the State GOP Convention won the nomination as a brash new whippersnapper. He eventually lost the race to Romer who went on to become a distinguished state governor, coming from the small town of Holly in Southeast Colorado.
Wiens became a prominent Denver businessman involved in various business pursuits. He later attended Yale University obtaining a divinity degree. He and his wife Diana lived in Greenwood Village for years raising their family in local schools.
He re-entered politics after moving to his ranch in Douglas County and was elected as a state senator until he was term limited. Tom has a keen mind and is very committed to good government and now a leader in the cattle industry, raising angus beef on his sprawling ranch southwest of Castle Rock. He is involved in a family banking operation with Colorado and Wyoming banks.
We were invited out to the ranch by the Douglas County Republican Women’s Club for a fundraising barbecue. We enjoyed a reunion with the Weins who we have missed over the past few years. Tom, when he was a state senator, was a fierce defender of the First Amendment and state newspapers.
It was refreshing to see the great cattle country driving across rural western Douglas County, almost still pristine from the rapid development of Douglas County. The county was one of the historic sites for the early cattle industry in Colorado.
The event Saturday had numerous Arapahoe County GOP attendees. Along with the BBQ, a silent auction was held featuring a famed cherry pie baker whose pies have sold up to $650.
Tom and I caught up on events, politics and the state of the nation.
He would still make a great Congressman, U.S. Senator, or Governor, but I don’t see the “fire in the belly” that it takes to run and serve in office anymore. Busy people don’t have time to deal with the insanity of elected office. This year over 600 new bills were passed into Colorado law. Do we really need that many new laws restricting freedom and spending taxpayer funds?
Anyway, it was a refreshing afternoon and Tom and wife Diana are doing just fine, busy and hardworking, which is what successful people always do, work hard! Order some beef before the prices rise even further.
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Candidates for Douglas County offices were present with four people running on a slate together for the school board. The district has already taken steps to ban Critical Race Theory from classrooms.
The Club didn’t have a program or any speeches, just a friendly meet and greet.
I also met Holly Kluth who is running for Douglas County Sheriff. She has served 32 years as a law enforcement officers in all county divisions and 16 of those years in a command or executive role. Want to know more about this exciting candidate: www.HollyKluthforSheriff.net
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Arapahoe County Republicans are having their annual summer Grand Old family picnic this Sunday evening, Aug. 22, at the Centennial Civic Park, 13050 E. Peakview Ave., starting at 5:30 p.m. Candidates for office will speak along with music and food trucks. Tickets in advance are $5, families $10. www.ArapahoeRepublicans.org
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Bo and Lynne Cottrell are once again event directors for TAPS, established in 1994 as the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors left behind from military deaths. “We honor our heroes by caring for those they loved and left behind.”
The 2021 event chairs are Linda Cavanagh and Kevin Kreymborg.
This is an ongoing very worthy event located at the Grove Ranch, 6225 S. Fraser St. Centennial. (Dress western, dirt floors.)
Prime rib dinner is served by the Coors Cowboy Club Chuckwagon Crew and the evening features Nashville award-winning song writers and musicians and dinner music by our local musical master Tony David & WildeFire.
Doors open at 5:30, dinner 5:45 to 6:45, program and show at 7-9:45. Tickets and sponsorships on sale now: TAPS.org/Colorado. Ph: Lynne 303-696-0450.
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A historical note from Colorado’s oldest newspaper, The Weekly Register Call continuous since 1862: Dated, August 4, 1874: “Governor Evans and D.H. Moffat Jr. cashier at the First National Bank of Denver, left for New York on a European trip the first of the week. Mrs. Evans was reported as being quite ill in Dresden, Germany.”
Westerner club member Bob Pulcipher wrote the history of “The First National Bank of Denver.” A local, he still resides in So. Denver area and owns a gold mine in Cripple Creek.