January 8, 2015 VOLU M E 9 1 | I S SUE 21
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
ABLE to act Lakewood spreads word about Fragile X By Clarke Reader
creader@colorado communitymedia.com Parents have endless concerns about the health of their children — some are issues well researched and widely understood but others are mysteries. Fragile X syndrome is one of those relative unknowns — a genetic condition that causes intellectual disability, behavioral and learning challenges, and various physical characteristics. Families facing Fragile X and other disabilities will have more funds to help their children thanks to the efforts of Littleton resident Cindi Rogers and Lakewood resident Jil Chevrie, The ABLE (Achieve a Better Living Experience) Act, passed in December, will create a tax-exempt, state-based private savings account to fund disability-related expenses to supplement benefits provided by Social Security, Medicaid, employers and private insurance.
“I traveled to Washington D.C. with Cindi and others to lobby for this issue,” said Chevrie, who discovered she was a carrier for Fragile X when she was pregnant with her son. “We wanted to advocate for all parents — this bill helps anyone with a disability, not just Fragile X.” Rogers, a former Lakewood resident who met her husband at Creighton Middle School, was forced to learn about the disorder when it was discovered both of her sons had Fragile X. Research on the disorder began in Denver in the late 1980s, and the area was one a major hub of activity relating to the disorder. “The doctors here saved our lives — they taught us about the best approaches for handling Fragile X,” she said. “There were a lot of unknowns, and so we had to become our own experts and learn how to help ourselves.” Fragile X is similar in some ways to autism, Rogers said, and mothers can find out fairly easily if they are carriers and will pass it to their children. She added that it is the No. 1 genetically transmitted developmental disability. Children can be mildly to severely affected. Rogers’ two boys are grown and doing well, so she decided to take time to raise
Cindi Rogers’ two sons Jake and Joe were both born with Fragile X, and she and her husband Chris had to learn all about the disorder. Cindi shared their story in a new book. Photo courtesy of Cindi Rogers awareness about Fragile X. She scheduled speaking engagements and shared her experiences. This May she released a book called “Becoming Mrs. Rogers: Learning to Live the Fragile X Way.” “I think the book is a book of hope and how we arrived at this point,” she said. “I also look ahead and see how the future looks.” The book is available on Amazon. Ten percent of the proceeds goes to the National Fragile X Foundation, and 10 percent goes to Denver’s Developmental FX. Rogers also leads the Rogers Neighborhood FX
Family Fund, which grants scholarships for families to attend International Fragile X Conferences. Rogers said the experiences she had raising her boys and the lessons she learned are extremely positive, and she is eager to share this knowledge. “It’s a really interesting time right now in terms of learning about Fragile X,” she said. “I want to help others all over the world and provide hope for families facing this challenge.” For more information, visit www.fragilex.org and rogersneighborhoodfxfamilyfund.com.
Election results, correction facility mark the year Highlights of 2014 in Jeffco Jefferson County saw old problems repaired, new faces move into leadership, and some criminally surprising action in 2014 Jeffco Open Space continued its focus on flood recovery efforts to fix the damage done in 2013. With the help of dedicated volunteers who have pitched in with trail repairs, majority of the work has been completed, reported David Davenport, outdoor recreation management coordinator for Jeffco Open Space. Jeffco Open Space requested $375,000 from FEMA last year. In early October of this year, the nearly 50-page environmental assessment was approved, and trail specialists can now move ahead on repair work for Mustang Trail, Mesa Top and Wranglers. Apex park is now open and the re-routing of Pick ‘n Sledge is being pushed until Spring 2015, but trail specialists said nothing is planned but getting trails open. Christopher Sullivan, 37, the armed carjacking suspect who went on a crime spree around Lookout Mountain over the summer made headlines and acquired a slew of charges including child sex trafficking. His trials are set sometime in early 2015. At the time of his preliminary hearing for his incidents on Lookout Mountain, Sullivan faced 48 criminal counts. After his capture on Interstate 70 by Jeffco Deputy Sheriff Fred Haggett, Sullivan’s cash bond was set at $1 million.
New Jeffco sheriff
After 10 years as Jefferson County Sheriff, Ted Mink exited as sheriff and was replaced by a new face and astute insider Jeff Shrader. The term-limited Mink, will leave the Jeffco Sheriff’s Office after leading its departments and deputies for 11 years. During the Republican primaries, Shrader campaigned hard throughout Jeffco, and once he received 58 percent of the delegate
Sheriff Jeff Shrader ran a successful campaign for more than a year which paid off by capturing 72 percent of the votes on election night. Photo by Amy Woodward vote at the county assembly, he said he knew he was a shoe-in. He held an early lead against his Republican opponent Jim Shires at 61.60 percent of the early total of 35,307 votes cast during the primaries. His nearly 30 years at the Sheriff’s Office holding leadership positions and creating strategic management and response tactics for deputies, supervisors and command level ranks is what’s given voters the confidence that Shrader is experienced to lead and proved to be the “vast difference” between him and his opponents, he said. Just a month before the election, Shrader discussed deputy attrition at the Sheriff’s Office. If annualized, the attrition rate is at 20 percent, Shrader said. While he wants to make the Sheriff’s Office competitively worthy in the job market, he recognizes he
will have to convince the Jeffco Board of County Commissioners that investing in public safety should be a high priority.
Community Corrections relocation The Jeffco Board of County Commissioners have attempted to re-locate its community corrections facility known as ICCS for at least two years but each time, commissioners have retreated due to public outcry and planned protest. After the last decision to drop plans to relocate ICCS on W. 6th Avenue. Frontage Road near the Jeffco Fairgrounds, Commissioner Tighe held on to hope, stating, “I’m not ready to throw out the program. This is about trying to be successful with re-integrating these individuals.”
It is unclear what 2015 will bring but commissioners could decide to keep ICCS at its current location in the New York Building on Kendall St. in Lakewood or find other ways to work with cities and communities. “I did receive direction from the Commissioners to resume considering options and alternatives for relocating Community Corrections,” said Ralph Schell, county manager. “This would include, perhaps, looking into how we are running the program, but I see it more as getting back into the process of considering possible alternative sites and working with cities, communities, businesses … to see if someYear continues on Page 14