$1.00
October 28, 2021
JEFFERSON COUNTY, COLORADO
A publication of
JeffcoTranscript.com
VOLUME 38 | ISSUE 14
Shenanigans afoot in Councilville Accusations of bad behavior fly in Lakewood races BY BOB WOOLEY BWOOLEY@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Demetrios Fefes thanks Pleasant View Firefighters at Station 41 in Golden.
PHOTO BY BOB WOOLEY
From cardiac arrest, to heartfelt meeting with first responders Grateful survivor gives thanks to those who saved his life BY BOB WOOLEY BWOOLEY@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Demetrios Fefes is lucky to be alive. He knows it. On a blustery October morning, Fefes, his wife, Kristen, and his two young sons, wanted everyone involved in keeping him that way, to know how truly thankful he is. A Porsche enthusiast who loves to go fast, Fefes and a friend were putting his car through its paces at the Colorado State Patrol Track in
Golden, Aug. 26. While taking a break and sipping some water between laps, Fefes started feeling faint. He says he immediately fell face-forward into the arms of his friend. But it wasn’t a mere fainting spell — Fefes’ heart had stopped beating. That’s not the lucky part. But as these things go, Fefes was perhaps the luckiest man (not quite) alive. Because at the same time he collapsed, two men who would help save his life were pulled over to take a break at the exact same spot. Dr. Brian Beezley, a retired family physician, and Paul Mueller, an ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation) Specialist at Porter Hospital are (luckily for Fefes)
INSIDE: VOICES: PAGE 14 | LIFE: PAGE 16 | CALENDAR: PAGE 19 | SPORTS: PAGE 23
Hopes that the current election to pick four seats on the Lakewood City Council might perhaps improve the cordiality of its members are dim, at best. With the Nov. 2 deadline to turn in an election ballot quickly approaching, there have been a laundry list of accusations this campaign cycle. Two candidates were almost pulled off the ballot for missing registration deadlines (resolved); an endorsement snub led to a nasty-gram; there was an incident of vegetative vigilantism; and a (maybe) mystery letter writer spread disinformation about two candidates, just to name a few.
Porsche enthusiasts too. The duo didn’t know Fefes, but they did know exactly what to do at that moment — CPR — although both agree it was a daunting task. Beezley said he had to do CPR on a patient only one time, 30 years ago. Mueller, who spends his days running a life-saving piece of machinery in an Intensive Care Unit, said he’s been certified in CPR for more than two decades, but in all of those years this was the first time he’s had to spring into action to try to save a life outside of a hospital setting. For several minutes, the two administered life-saving chest compressions, keeping blood flowing
Emdmgx mistruth Ward 5 candidates, Tom Keefe and Wendi Strom, were recently accused on the Denver Post’s Your Hub website on Oct. 14, of violating campaign finance regulations. The person pointing the finger at them is a Your Hub user who posted under the user name “emdmgx” and signed the posting with the name Ann Davis. According to emdmgx, Keefe and Strom violated the rules by accepting contributions of $500 from the Pipefitters Union. Emdmgx (Ann Davis) then goes on to say that people should cast their vote instead, for Michael Gunstanson and Mary Janssen. “Real change comes with candidates who are willing to stand up
SEE SURVIVOR, P10
SEE ELECTION, P12
ELECTION RESULTS ONLINE After polls close Nov. 2, visit Jeffcotranscript. net for local election coverage and results.