🌱 Denver Voting + 2020 Robbery + Office Vacancies Turn Into Housing

Hello, hello! Here with your fresh copy of the Lakewood Patch newsletter, filled with all the community information you need to know right now. Today's briefing includes:

• Denver's mayoral race
• Lakewood robbery and murder
• The First lady was in Colorado.

But first, today's weather:

Colder with a flurry or two. High: 34. Low: 16.

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Here are the top four stories today in Lakewood:

1. Today, voters have until 7:00 PM to vote for one of Denver's sixteen mayoral candidates. In the case that no one candidate wins over 50% of the vote, there will be a runoff election later this spring between the top two candidates. 11 city council seats are also on the ballot. (The Colorado Sun)
   
2. In connection to a 2020 robbery in Lakewood, current 18-year-old Marqueil Deandre Banks was found guilty of four counts of first degree murder. Banks was treated as an adult in court, as was one of the other youths involved in the incident. (Denver 7)
3. Transforming office space in downtown Denver into apartments may be a solution to the current housing crisis. This idea, which is being implemented by the city through a pilot program, addresses the vacancies left in office buildings since the pandemic and work-from-home trends, while also hoping to reduce rent prices and create more housing. (The Denver Post)
4. First Lady Jill Biden spoke about the Biden Administration's economic plans Monday morning in Denver, Colorado. She focused on career development and the Biden Education Pathway. Her tour will continue onto Michigan, Maine and Vermont. (9 News)

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Today in Lakewood:

• Baby Time! Lakewood Library, 9:15 AM
• Tuesday Afternoon Book Group - One Year After by William R. Forstchen! Columbine Library, 2:00 PM
• Blooming Neighbors: Community Action! Lakewood Library, 3:30 PM
• Family Time! Belmar Library, 7:15 PM

From my notebook:

• Mountain Sunrise: "A frosty mountain sunrise to remember. ❤️ 📸: @outthere_travels" (Visit Colorado via Instagram)
• Colorado Wildflowers: "Colorado’s wildflowers putting on a show. 🌸🌼🌺 💡 Colorado is home to over 3,000 different species of wildflowers, making it one of the best places in the world to see wildflowers." (Colorado, Denver 🌲 Travel | Hotels | Outdoors | Tips via Instagram)
• Lakewood Police Colorado: "Police Chief Announcement: Philip Smith Jr. PhD, a veteran law enforcement professional with more than 37 years of experience who has served as a university-level adjunct professor teaching cultural diversity," (Lakewood Police Colorado via Instagram)
• Lakewood Plant Company: "Just hangin’ around this lazy Sunday! Shop is full, stop by and see Karen 11-3 and if you’re really feeling social, sign up for Moss Art @cockysbagels this afternoon 3-5pm." (Lakewood Plant Company via Instagram)

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Featured businesses:

• Lakewood Fitness and Massage — (Visit website)
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Featured events:

• Breast Ultrasound Screening Coming Direct to You! (April 7)
• Colorado Mineral & Fossil Spring Show 2023 (April 9)
• Crossing Over with Psychic Medium John Edward! Live event! (April 12)
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Now you're in the loop and ready to head out the door on this Tuesday! See you tomorrow morning for your next update.