September 10, 2015 VOLUME 92 | ISSUE 4
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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Aviation event promotes mental health awareness Warbirds over Rockies informative, entertaining By Crystal Anderson canderson@coloradocommunitymedia.com Eighteen percent of adults nationwide suffer from some kind of a mental disorder, a number Brian O’Meara and Andrew Romanoff are trying to lower through education —and a little fun. “Mental illness is something as Americans we brush under the carpet, because if it’s not affecting you, it’s easy to ignore,” said O’Meara, organizer of Warbirds over the Rockies, a model aviation event that combines plane modeling with mental health awareness. Held Sept. 11-13 at the Arvada Modelers Airfield, 7608 State Highway 93, Warbirds brings together more than 300 modelers and model aircraft to entertain and educate attendees about modeling, wartime aircraft and mental health issues. “This is a patriotic, educational and entertaining event,” said Romanoff, president and CEO of Mental Health America, the beneficiary of the three-day event. “We have 5 million potential supporters in Colorado — everyone in this state is Warbirds continues on Page 12
Warbirds over the Rockies organizer Brian O’Meara and his wife, Bonnie, sit next to their P-47 Warbird, which has a 12-foot wingspan and includes a 420 CC engine. Courtesy photo
Still no home for men’s corrections facility
District 4 candidate Tori Merritts, right, talks with Lakewood residents Patti Peters, left, and David Hickey before the start of the first candidate forum for the 2015 Jeffco school board election. Photo by Crystal Anderson
Lakewood planning board scheduled to vote Sept. 9 By Christy Steadman csteadman@coloradocommunitymedia.com A contentious 6 1/2-hour meeting attended by about 250 residents over the relocation of a men’s community corrections center near West 8th Avenue and Quail Street in Lakewood ended without a decision. The city of Lakewood’s planning board, meeting Sept. 2, tabled the issue just after 1:30 a.m. It was scheduled to make a decision at Wednesday’s meeting (Sept. 9), after press deadline. (Go to coloradocommunitymedia.com for the latest coverage.) “We contend that this is the wrong location for this facility,” — Diane Duffey, president of the said Diane Duffey, local Daniels Welchester HOA resident and president of the Daniels Welchester Homeowner’s Association, after the Sept. 2 meeting. “We were not speaking from a position of fear. We were speaking from facts.” The community corrections program is now operated out of the historic New York Building at 1651
‘We contend that this is the wrong location for this facility. We were not speaking from a position of fear. We were speaking from facts.’
Facility continues on Page 15
First forum held in school board race For a quick look at candidates, turn to page 5 By Crystal Anderson canderson@coloradocommunitymedia.com The recall election of the three majority members on the Jefferson County Board of Education loomed large at the election season’s first candidate forum, as nine of the dozen candidates vying for a seat shared their opinions. “Jeffco Schools has to be the best-performing district in this country and we can make this happen,” said David Hickey, a Lakewood resident attending the forum. “But we have to have the right people at the right time at the right place to make that happen.” The Centennial Institute, a think tank at Colorado Christian University, hosted the Aug. 31 forum, introducing candidates running for the board’s five seats. The recall targets the current board majority: board president Ken Witt, Julie Williams and John Newkirk. The three candidates running to replace the board majority — Susan Harmon, Ron Mitchell and Brad Rupert — did not attend the event. Rupert, Mitchell and Harmon later explained they had scheduling conflicts. “American public education is one of the glories of our free society, our republic that leads the world in so many ways…,” said John Andrews, forum moderator, Centennial Institute director and former Colorado
state senator. “Recent weeks have seen the drama of many thousands of petition signatures well above the required threshold filed asking the board majority to submit to the voters for a recall — that is, you’re fired or an affirmation … So all five director positions are at play.” About 200 people gathered in Colorado Christian University’s Leprino Hall for the forum, the first of several planned throughout the county. “Nothing is more important than the future of our kids,” Lakewood resident Patti Peters said. “As a veteran, we serve and protect our country for the next generation, so we have to serve and empower them to be the best they can be.” The event offered each candidate the chance to provide opening and closing statements, answer two broad questions and answer a series of direct and indirect yes or no questions. Question one was about the current recall election, followed by Jeffco’s achievement gap, funding, Common Core curriculum, assessments, charter schools, sex education, student-based budgeting, seventh- through 12th-grade schools, teacher compensation and retaining the district’s current superintendent, Dan McMinimee. Forum continues on Page 5