October 23, 2014 VOLU M E 9 1 | I SS UE 1 0
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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Meeting and greeting
Lakewood opens doors for Cities and Towns week CML event celebrates services By Clarke Reader
creader@colorado communitymedia.com The Colorado Municipal League (CML) is launching the first Colorado Cities and Towns Week Oct. 20 through 26 and Lakewood is getting in on the action with a free admissions and events day on WHAT: Colorado Cities Oct. 25. and Towns week ThroughWHEN: Oct. 25 out the day COST: Free there will be INFORMATION: www. free admisLakewood.org/Cityweek. sion to all four
IF YOU GO
of Lakewood’s recreation centers, free entry to Bear Creek Lake Park and free tours of the Lakewood Heritage Center history museum at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Residents can also meet the West Metro SWAT unit and the Jeffco Bomb Squad and get an up-close look at police vehicles, snowplows, dump trucks and other equipment 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Lakewood’s Public Works Shops. One of Lakewood Cleanup Days will also be held on the 25th. Finally, there will be giveaways available throughout the day. “We decided to do it all in one day
Senate District 16 incumbent Jeanne Nicholson, right, meets with constituents at the Jeffco League of Women Voters meet and greet on Oct. 14.
Week continues on Page 13
The Jeffco League of Women Voters hosted its last candidate meet and great of the season on Oct. 14 at Carmody Middle School in Lakewood.
PHOTOS BY CLARKE READER
House District 23 challenger Jane Barnes visits with voters during the Jeffco League of Women Voters meet and greet on Oct. 14.
Felony escapee in custody
Forum shows differing economic angles
Suspect captured in Boulder following roll-over accident
Chamber event highlights 6 gubernatorial candidates
awoodward@colorado communitymedia.com
By Crystal Anderson
canderson@colorado communitymedia.com Key differences in economic approaches set gubernatorial candidates apart as election draws near. The six 2014 gubernatorial candidates, Bob Beauprez, Mike Dunafon, Paul Fiorino, Harry Hempy, Matthew Hess and John Hickenlooper, gathered Oct. 14 for the Arvada Chamber of Commerce Gubernatorial Forum. The forum, held at the Arvada Center for Arts and Humanities, 6901 Wadsworth Blvd., began with opening statements from each candidate, then transitioned to a oneon-one round. During this round, each candidate responded to three questions surrounding issues such as economic development, illegal immigration and marijuana regulations. “This plant (cannabis) is the great hope for Colorado and the jobs for the future are absolutely incredible,” said Dunafon, who emphasized its importance. “I think we’re still learning,” Beauprez
said. “I know that the people endorsed it and my job, as your next governor, will be to regulate it as tightly as we can within the law, respecting that it’s in our law, and it’s in our constitution.” In other responses, several of the candidates emphasized the need to increase economic development, decrease small business regulation and noted how they plan to help Colorado thrive. “Colorado is a place that is going to be defined more by its future than its past, and our future is going to be connected to innovation, technology new ideas, youthful energy,” Hickenlooper said. “I think Colorado has an opportunity to be a national model in so many ways, and we want to take the next four years and take Colorado to the next level.” Through the marijuana industry or increasing the state’s environmental and tourism opportunities, the candidates also shared a desire to see Colorado’s industries grow. “I have an opportunity to express the fact that environmental hope is really what this state needs to concentrate on, and lead in that regard,” said Fiorino. “We have an opportunity in Colorado to just take us forward not back.” For Hess, increasing economic develop-
ment means decreasing government’s influence in citizens’ lives. ”It get’s right down to my platform — and that’s leave people alone. It’s much more than just looking at regulations and finding out what we can trim,” he said. “It’s overall convincing the boards, and the various regulatory agencies themselves to take a large step back — to let businesses operate as they see best fit for themselves as long as they don’t harm others or the environment.” Following the initial round, each candidate spoke about three issues: valid forms of identification to vote; whether curriculum be dictated by local, state or national school boards; whether Colorado raise the minimum wage and, in addition, candidates were asked to note Colorado’s bestkept secret. This was the fifth gubernatorial candidate forum for the 2014 elections, and the only one where all six candidates, including two write-in candidates, Marcus Giavanni and Susan Wolfrey. In their closing remarks, the candidates encouraged attendees to vote and emphasized the need for change. Forum continues on Page 12
By Amy Woodward
Travis Sandlin, a multiple-conviction felon who escaped from Jeffco county jail on Oct. 5, is now in custody at the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office after 11 days on the run. Sandlin was transported to a hospital after he crashed on Sunshine Canyon Drive on Thursday, Oct. 16. He has been a frequent visitor of the Jefferson County Detention Facility for the last 14 years, authorities said. “It’s not his first time here,” said Mark Sandlin Techmeyer, public information officer for Jeffco’s Sheriff’s Office. Sandlin, 32, has gone to county jail in Jeffco since he was 18 years old, Techmeyer said. In 2004, Sandlin was hit with an unlawful sexual contact charge in Arvada and as a result, he is a registered sex offender. Escapee continues on Page 12