July 14, 2016
TREASURE HUNTING
VOLUME 92 | ISSUE 48
Learn from experts how to set up a successful garage sale. PAGE 12
LakewoodSentinel.com J E F F E R S O N C O U N T Y, C O L O R A D O
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Former U.S. senator Armstrong dies at 79 Conservative politician also was president of Colorado Christian University in Lakewood Staff report
FirstBank finished the first part of its two-phase headquarters construction process. The headquarters will be home to about 1,400 employees when construction finishes at year’s end. Photos by Clarke Reader
FirstBank’s new old home Bank finishes first phase of headquarters construction By Clarke Reader creader@coloradocommunitymedia.com
To compete with other tech companies like Google, FirstBank’s new facility has an outdoor courtyard, rooftop patio, fitness center and game room.
FirstBank knows all about investing, so when the Colorado-based bank looked to invest in a community in 1963, it picked what is now Lakewood. Fifty-three years later, FirstBank reinvested in the city again. On June 6, the bank completed the first Bank continues on Page 8
Former U.S. Sen. Bill Armstrong, a leading voice in conservative politics for decades and president of Colorado Christian University in Lakewood since 2006, died July 5 following a five-year battle with cancer. He was 79. William L. Armstrong served in the state House (1963-64) and state Senate (1965-72), before being elected to the U.S. House (1973-78) and Senate (1979-1990). “Our nation lost a great public servant, whose Armstrong mark on Colorado and this country embodies the virtues of liberty, faith and family,” U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner, a Colorado Republican, said in a statement released online. “His booming voice, piercing gaze and love of fellow patriots will never be forgotten. “So many people in Colorado were brought to conservative ideas and Armstrong continues on Page 11
GARDEN TOUR TIME!
Eight additional Jeffco schools have lead High levels seen in five of Patterson Elementary sinks Staff report The majority of Jefferson County Schools’ water faucets and sinks show lead levels below the EPA-recommended levels. But in many schools, the district is finding several water sources that go above, sometimes well above, the EPA’s 15 parts per billion warning level. As of July 11, the district reported
finding elevated levels of lead at Dutch, Leawood, Kyffin, Parmalee, Patterson, Peck, Peiffer and Pleasant View elementaries. Those schools join a list of 14 other elementary schools where the district had previously found elevated levels of lead: Green Mountain, Kendrick Lakes, Ralston, Westgate, Bergen Meadow, Bradford, Deane, Eiber, Slater, Stony Creek, Edgewater, Ute Meadows and Foster. Tests at Normandy Elementary and the preschool cottages at Patterson Elementary tested below the EPA thresh-
old.They join the smaller list of schools with non-elevated lead levels: Pennington, Coronado, Hutchinson and Miller elementary schools. Each school was tested at numerous water sources. Certain schools, notably Patterson and Peck elementary schools, excluding the preschools, had multiple locations test high for lead. At Peck, 10 sources came back high, including a sink in the teachers’ lounge, three sinks in the kitchen and six classroom sinks, some of which had bubbler drinking attachments. Lead continues on Page 8
Last weekend saw many of the most colorful and surprising gardens of Wheat Ridge open up to the public. Photos on PAGE 5. Q&A with the featured gardener on PAGE 7. Photo by Scott Wesley
August 11 - 14 2016 Jeffco Fairgrounds
See ya there!
CelebrateJeffco.com