September 29, 2016 VOLUME 93 | ISSUE 7
SENIOR SOLUTIONS Find tips on how seniors can navigate life choices. PAGE 13
LakewoodSentinel.com A publication of
J E F F E R S O N C O U N T Y, C O L O R A D O
Candidates discuss the importance of health Mental Health Colorado shines light on important topics By Clarke Reader creader@coloradocommunitymedia.com
Yvonne Dowlen, skating devotee, Apex Ice Arena regular and Apex PRD/North Jeffco instructor, passed away at age 90. Courtesy photo
‘She skated to live and lived to skate’ Apex Center honors Lakewood’s Yvonne Dowlen, lifelong skater who inspired By Shanna Fortier sfortier@coloradocommunitymedia.com When Yvonne Dowlen was in the room, there was a spark of happiness that came with her. As a lifelong ice
skater, she inspired many at the Apex Ice Arena in Arvada as well as on the national stage. In May, Dowlen — a Lakewood resident — passed away at the age 90. She died where she lived: on the ice. “She skated to live and lived to skate,” said Bret Dowlen, Yvonne’s son. Many Apex Center staff, partici-
pants and ice arena spectators fondly remember Dowlen and continue to be inspired by her story. To honor her, the center held a public skate session dedicated to her memory on Sept. 21. The skate was combined with the center’s annual superhero skate. “We decided to combine it with Dowlen continues on Page 5
Serbian refugees’ faith helps them build community From left, Boris Jugovic, Mile Panic, Father Radovan Petrovic and Dusan Njegomir, stand in front of their Serbian Orthodox church, St. John the Baptist. The church was officially consecrated on Sept. 10. Photo by Clarke Reader
St. John the Baptist is ‘our house,’ officially consecrated By Clarke Reader creader@coloradocommunitymedia.com During the Yugoslav civil wars of the early 1990s, Bosnian Mile Panic saw some of the worst sides of humanity. He, his father, brother and numerous cousins were taken from their homes to a Serbian war camp at gunpoint on June 20, 1992. Panic stayed there until Dec. 23 of that year and, during that time, he said, family and friends were routinely beaten, prisoners were barely given adequate water Church continues on Page 4
It was a small group of state House candidates who attended the first of four statewide candidate forums hosted by Mental Health Colorado, but the discussion of the topic was lively and full of personal stories that show mental health is an important area of concern, regardless of party. Mary Park, independent candidate for District 22 (Columbine and Ken Caryl), Chris Hadsall, Republican candidate for District 23 (Lakewood), Chris Kennedy, Democratic candidate for District 23, and Brittany Pettersen, incumbent and Democratic candidate for District 28 (Lakewood), shared the myriad ways mental health touches everyone’s life. “My mom suffers from mental illness and she has been suicidal and needed inpatient care, but there was really nowhere for her to go,” Pettersen said, in response to a question about the lack of inpatient beds in the state. “Where she usually got long-term care was when she as in critical condition. Coverage is a huge issue.” The forum was hosted on Sept. 20 at the Lakewood Cultural Center, and candidates from House Districts 22, 23, 24, 25, Forum continues on Page 24
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My mom suffers from mental illness and she has been suicidal and needed in-patient care, but there was really nowhere for her to go. Where she usually got long-term care was when she as in critical condition. Coverage is a huge issue.”
Rep. Brittany Pettersen, House District 28
SHOWDOWN ON THE FIELD Green Mountain faces off with Standley Lake on the football field on PAGE 27.