Untreated hearing loss impacts more than physical health. Beyond the physical dangers of untreated hearing loss, including doubling the risk of developing dementia, professionals also notice its effect on mental health. Hearing centers like HearingLife, located in Wheat Ridge, inform customers about the connection between untreated hearing loss and mental health concerns. A large poster
Business owner and president Paul LoNigro doesn’t believe in the sterile granite and marble decor found in typical insurance offices. Step inside the Wheat Ridge Group Insurance Analysts and Risk Management (GIA) office and you’ll find Beatles art, `50s and `60s memorabilia, Italian heritage keepsakes, a “Back to the Future” hoverboard, White Fence Farm menus,
In early 2025, Lutheran Medical Center named its new Breast Care Center after oncologist and hematologist Dr. Jennifer Caskey. Caskey, who has been involved with the Lutheran Hospital Foundation since her retirement in 2017, wasn’t eager for the recognition. She preferred to stay out of the spotlight. “She practiced what she preached,” said her colleague
Jason Plotkin began farming when he was 12 while living in a rural Connecticut suburb and never stopped. Plotkin found himself urban farming for the first time when he moved to Denver. He noticed the demographics of wealthy White shoppers frequenting farmers markets where he sold his food. Plotkin always donated the day’s leftover food
District budget cuts aren’t new to this Jefferson County School District outdoor enrichment program. Beginning in 1957, the Outdoor Lab program offers a mountain learning experience for Jeffco students. About 5,000 sixth graders and 1,000 high school students attend the 55, week-long Outdoor Labs every year. The program ties into the academic curriculum of the
Evidence of a community called Wheat Ridge dates back as far as 1859. Before becoming an official city, the Wheat Ridge streets were patrolled by one Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department car, covering from Bellevue Avenue in Lakewood to 52nd Avenue in Arvada. The lack of police involvement didn’t come from a lack of crime. Wheat
Members of the Jefferson County Education Association’s opposition to the District’s superintendent caused concerns among former Jeffco School Board members. During the May 29 Jeffco Board of Education meeting the Jefferson County Education Association’s executive team presented a letter detailing reasons for their vote of no confidence in the District’s superintendent Tracy Dorland, requesting her
Before its new name and a move across the highway, Intermountain Health Lutheran Hospital started as a tuberculosis treatment center in 1905. By the 1970s Lutheran built a six-floor tower that welcomed more patients to the hospital. Dr. Gary Hahn in 1974 and Dr. Charlie Lesage in 1971 were the first cardiologists at Lutheran. By
The Wheat Ridge High School choir program needs a new piano. Choir teacher Ryan Plakorus and the parent-led booster program welcome choir program alumni to sing alongside current choir students for a May 10 concert to raise funds for a new piano to replace the current piano, which has been in the choir room since
Wheat Ridge home to world champion track athlete. Terry Ten Eyck doesn’t let the old man in. The 80-year-old is a world champion track athlete and is motivated by conversations with his high school friends. “There’s a lot of conversation about doctor’s appointments and what you’re going to have to get fixed next month,” Ten Eyck
This summer Elizabeth Yates won’t be hanging out with friends, working her serving job or deciding where to golf. Yates, who shipped out for Basic Training in mid-March, will be completing her 18-week National Guard training in Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. “I always thought about the military, but I didn’t think I would ever do
Steven Conklin sat between two customers at an Edgewater establishment, both claiming they lived in the City. He later learned one resided in Lakewood and the other Wheat Ridge. “I love the fact that these two people from two different communities both took Edgewater as their home,” Conklin, Edgewater’s mayor said. Conklin, who became mayor
Whenever they can Misty Forde and Tania Fonseca of the Board Life Project will hold someone’s hand to drop into a bowl. Going into its third year, the non profit’s mission is to grow a sense of belonging among people who board. “It’s a chance for people to just build community, even if you’re not
One of the most frequent comments Wheat Ridge Recreation Center staff hears is that their facility doesn’t look or feel 25 years old. Designed by Barker Rinker Seacat Architecture, known for designing other recreation centers in Colorado, the Wheat Ridge Rec Center is modeled after a barn, a nod to the City’s agricultural roots. The
When Wheat Ridge City Manager Patrick Goff started in politics he pictured a fast-paced career in D.C. or holding a Senate seat. He didn’t think he’d be bragging about his city’s plowed streets or making a community development a reality after 20 years of planning. Although his long career in local politics wasn’t what he
Charles “Chuck” Sprague isn’t a teacher remembered for doling out worksheet assignments. During its December 9 meeting, several community members urged the Wheat Ridge City Council to continue its support of the Wheat Ridge High School’s STEM program, started by Sprague, after his retirement. Former students with degrees from high powered universities, parents who drove
Bob Dubois, or “Bob the Roofer,” took several calls to inspect a homeowner’s deteriorating roof and gutters. The roof, held together in some spots with screens and random objects to prevent wild animals from crawling in, wouldn’t earn contractors the quick insurance payout they were hoping to collect, which led companies to drop the job
Niya Gingerich sets up her laptop, water bottle, and papers at a corner booth at Edgewater Inn. She signs for orders and talks casually with the bartender on duty. For Gingerich, who took over the historic restaurant in 2023, this is a normal workday. Gingerich owned Local 46 Bar & Biergarten, a beloved fixture in
During Gary Bryan’s career as a mechanic and owner of Wheat Ridge Auto Services, Bryan has fixed countless cars with timing belt-related issues. Many customers also ask him for advice when buying a used car. Every car has a different recommended time to replace its timing belt. Some cars don’t even have timing belts. Car
Operating for decades, Gary Bryan of Wheat Ridge Auto Services doesn’t run his shop like chain auto establishments. “We’re busy enough, we don’t need to do work that doesn’t need to be done,” Bryan jokes. He doesn’t refer to a checklist but instead addresses individual repairs the car needs. Working on cars of all ages,
The city of Edgewater cares about trees. Surveys conducted in the early phases of the Edgewater Urban Forest Master Plan process revealed that 96 percent of survey respondents strongly agreed that trees were important to them. During their June 4 meeting, the Edgewater City Council unanimously passed a resolution to adopt the master plan. A
The Jefferson County Public Health Department conducted a public survey in Fall 2023. The survey, which was completed on the Jeffco website and through social media channels, received around 670 responses from mostly residents, but also included county staff and subject matter experts, said Public Health Planning Supervisor Myra Shanks. Jefferson County community members listed
