It’s 5 p.m., and Heidi Haas-Sheard still has a dozen flower arrangements to make. She creates a memorial service floral arrangement, the silver, blue and white flowers are a nod to his beloved Raiders team, with pops of his favorite color pink. Haas-Sheard owns her family’s business, Swiss Flower and Gift Shop in Wheat Ridge,
Margie Seyfer started a new hobby during retirement. Now her garden is a beloved fixture in the community. Seyfer opens her garden for local tours and parties for organizations like the Wheat Ridge Business Association, the Lakewood Kiwanis garden tour and the Wheat Ridge Garden Tour. Welcoming as many as 100 attendees, proceeds from the
Sarah Kornhauser and Joel Griffin coach their bodybuilding clients to become physically stronger while also imparting lessons about healthy recovery. Now business partners, Kornhauser and Griffin own and operate The Mind Body Lounge next door to the renowned Armbrust Pro Gym in Wheat Ridge, where they have worked as independent contractors for years. The Mind
Gathering during lunchtimes, school breaks and weekends, a group of high school students hope to bring a new program to their school. Students at Wheat Ridge High School, with the support of two teachers, are drumming up money and support to bring the Gone Boarding educational program to their school. The program teaches students to
Wheat Ridge’s Drum City Guitarland music store is celebrating 61 years of business this year. A feat in both the small business world and music store industry, owner Jason Kae credits their hard work both at the store and online for the business’s longevity. Kae and his brother Tim run the business their father started
When Burke Edgar was in high school, he cut classes to skateboard with his friends. Now the drawing and painting teacher at Wheat Ridge High School, Burke hopes to launch a program that will bring board sports into the classroom. When Edgar was a student, he struggled to learn from textbooks and lectures. “That was
Vectra Bank’s Wheat Ridge branch joined the city’s revitalized 38th business corridor in 2018. Before the move, the Bank maintained its status as a community-based bank—and one of the few banks to dispense $10 bills at ATMs—when it first opened in Wheat Ridge in 1985. Vectra’s Retail Regional Manager Mark Hall lived in Wheat Ridge
Sometimes quitting is the best decision someone can make. Val Nosler Beck launched a campaign for State House District 23, serving Wheat Ridge and the surrounding area, in the 2026 election. Last month, she decided to drop out. Nosler Beck runs a small business specializing in political campaign management and community engagement consulting. Her resume
Where final moments are meaningful One common misconception about hospice care is that it is centered around death and dying. The staff at Intermountain Health Hospice at the Collier Center, located on the Wheat Ridge Lutheran Legacy Campus, push back on that idea. They focus on patient goals. “We are working on the quality, not
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
