April 10, 2014 Jefferson County, Colorado | Volume 90, Issue 34 A publication of
lakewoodsentinel.com
Council informed of insect menace Emerald ash borer poses danger to ash trees By Clarke Reader
creader@ coloradocommunitymedia.com
David Perez, president of Terumo BCT, Bob Murphy, Lakewood mayor, Rob Osborn, chair of the Jeffco EDC and Michelle Hadwiger, director of Business Development with the state’s Office of Economic Development and International Trade, break ground on Terumo BCT’s new headquarters. Photos by Clarke Reader
A global home Terumo BCT breaks ground on international headquarters
By Clarke Reader
creader@ coloradocommunitymedia.com Terumo BCT broke ground on its new global headquarters on April 1 — an auspicious day, both for the company’s past and future. David Perez, president of Terumo, told the crowd in attendance for the event that it was the 50th anniversary of COBE Laboratories, which was started by Bob Collins and Ran Bellows. Over the following half-century COBE would go through several owners, before being bought by Terumo in 2011. “That was the start of our story in Lakewood, and we want to build upon the legacy,” Perez said. “You can travel around the world and see our products in use, but we want Lakewood to be our home.” Terumo is building a 120,000-squarefoot global headquarters building on the campus, which is expected to open in 2014. The building is expected to accommodate around 400 employees when it opens. Last year the company hired around 700 new employees, and 500 were in the Lakewood area. When finished the company, which is a global leader in blood component, therapeutic apheresis and cellular technologies and provides medical technologies and devices internationally, will occupy 90,000-square-feet on its campus. “This really shows the regional nature of collaboration in the metro area,” Lakewood Mayor Bob Murphy said. “It showcases the nature of community expansion and will be a major catalyst for jobs.” Ron Osborn, chair of the Jeffco EDC, Michelle Hadwiger, director of Business Development with the state’s Office of
City Council received an update on the potential danger of the emerald ash borer to ash trees in the community, during the Monday, April 7, study session. The emerald ash borer, a destructive insect that attacks ash trees, has shown up in trees in Boulder, and Lakewood is keeping an eye on the situation in case the beetle spreads. According to Kit Botkins, director of community resources, the Colorado Department of Agriculture has placed a quarantine on all of Boulder County, so no ash trees can be sold or planted and no ash by-products can be moved outside the county. “The borer has done quite a lot of Council continues on Page 10
Jeffco Open School evacuated Allergy-like symptoms reported Staff report
Terumo BCT president David Perez speaking at the groundbreaking for the company’s headquarters in Lakewood.
The site of Terumo BCT’s new headquarters in Lakewood. Economic Development and International Trade, and Jeffco commissioner Casey Tighe all spoke at the groundbreaking, and all celebrated the innovation that Terumo brings to its industry and to the area. “They exemplify our efforts to grow Colorado as a business center,” Had-
wiger said. Perez said there are four key themes that Terumo embraces, and will expand upon in the enlarged campus — global business, innovation, education and of course, the patients. “We never forget that there is someone very sick who is receiving the treatmenst we are providing,” he said. “Our motto is ‘Unlocking the potential of blood’ and that’s what we work to do every day.” Features like easy access to the W Rail and surrounding businesses were also cited as key factors in the decision to stay in Lakewood, and that’s something that hasn’t gone unrecognized in the city. “Businesses support all the other business around here,” said City Manager Kathy Hodgson. “We’re delighted they decided to stay.” For more information, visit www. terumobct.com.
Officials have found what they believe to be the cause of an allergic reaction that affected 31 people at a Lakewood school playground on Monday, April 7. West Metro Fire Rescue and Lakewood Police responded to a report of students having a kind of allergic reaction to an irritant that was on the playground at the Jefferson Open School on April 7. On April 8 members of Jefferson County Public Schools environmental services team found what they believe is the source of the symptoms — approximately six habanero peppers were scattered in the wood chips. Coming in contact with the pepper oil would cause many of the symptoms that students experienced. It isn’t known at this time how or when the peppers got on the playground. District teams washed the playground School continues on Page 10
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