1-Color
January 30, 2014
50 cents Adams County and Jefferson County, Colorado | Volume 69, Issue 13 A publication of
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Student sets himself on fire during suicide attempt By Ashley Reimers
areimers@coloradocommunitymedia.com An apparent suicide attempt at Standley Lake High School left one student severely burned and in critical condition. The 16-year-old male student entered the school cafeteria early Monday morning and set himself on fire. His name is not being released by police at this time. The student was transported to an area hospital after a male custodian used a fire extinguisher to put out the fire. Investigator Cheri Spottke said no other students were harmed, but one female employee did suffer a minor laceration during the incident. Seniors Shaylene Kole and Shannon Heer didn’t know the student personally and were in class during the incident, but agreed the news of the suicide attempt was frightening and shock-
ing. Kole said she immediately burst into tears when she found out. “It’s really sad and scary,” Kole said. “It’s been tough to deal with. It’s a little nerve-racking going back to class.” Classes were cancelled for the remainder of the day Monday, as well as for the following day. Students were able to pick up any belongings from the school Tuesday or to seek counseling following the incident. Police investigators searched the school with dogs room-by-room to ensure the safety of school and confirmed that no other devices were left in the school. Spottke said investigators are speaking with family members, students and faculty to try and figure out the cause of the incident and to also ensure nothing was missed behind the scenes. She said police are investigating a
suicide note, which will not be released to the public. “Right now everything leans towards a suicide attempt, unless something takes us into a completely different direction,” she said. According to fire officials, the student suffered burns to 80 percent of his body. The fire didn’t not cause much damage to the building, although smoke did fill the area. Spottke said an incident like this one is truly shocking. “We never want this to happen at any school, especially one in our community,” she said. “It’s difficult. School should be a place for learning and a safe place, not a place where students have to deal with something like this for the rest of their lives.” The Jefferson Center for Mental Health is offering mental health services through a 24-hour service at 303-425-0300 for any student or adult in need of counseling.
Although classes were cancelled, students were allowed back into Standley Lake High School on Tuesday to grab belongings or to seek counseling after a student lit himself on fire Monday morning in the cafeteria. Classes, school activities and athletics resumed on Wednesday. Photo by Ashley Reimers
Wage theft bill advances Bill provides government avenue for workers’ pay claims By Vic Vela
vvela@coloradocommunitymedia.com A bill that would create a governmental process that deals with workers’ claims of wage theft cleared its first legislative hurdle on Jan. 22, a year after similar legislation failed. The issue can affect those who work in contract labor positions and industry service employees, such as restaurant wait staff, according to testimony heard in Senate Judiciary Committee. The Wage Protection Act aims to protect those workers who feel they are being shortchanged in wages. Under the bill, workers can file claims of missed wages through the Department of Labor. Sen. Jessie Ulibarri, DCommerce City, told the Senate Judiciary Committee the bill gives workers Report more resources by which they are able to claim unpaid wages. “When folks work a long hard day and expect to be paid, they should be paid,” Ulibarri said. Ulibarri told the committee the Department of Labor receives thousands of calls from workers each year who claim their employers owe them money. “The resolution most people get is to call an attorney, go through small claims court, or figure it out on your own,” he said. “Most folks are intimidated by that process.” Under the bill, the new administrative process calls for the Department of Labor to investigate wage claim thefts of up to $7,500. If the department determines that a wage violation has occurred, the employer has 14 days to respond to the decision, or else face fines. The bill also allows for an appeal process for employers who are deemed to be in violation through the administrative process. Last year’s version of the bill included criminal penalties on employers who were
Capitol
Betsy McLain, far right, facilitates a Soul Collage class with a group of women at the Rodeo Market Community Arts Center in Westminster. The class is offered the first and third Saturday of the month. Photo by Ashley Reimers
SoulCollage offered at community art center By Ashley Reimers
areimers@coloradocommunitymedia. com SoulCollage is a new and unique class now offered at the Rodeo Market Community Art Center in Westminster. It’s a collage process in which someone creates his or her own deck of cards to be used to help answer life’s questions. The cards also
promote self-discovery and a better understanding of one’s personality. “SoulCollage is an intuitive process where people collect images to create a collage to demonstrate different aspects of their lives,” said Betsy McLain, the certified SoulCollage facilitator running the class in Westminster. “Each card represents an aspect of someone’s personality and over time, the
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deck can grow to include as many cards as someone wants.” The cards fall into four suits: committee, which reflects aspects of the personality, community, which represents people who are loved and inspired, companion, which represents physical energies, and council, which represents archetypes that are important to one’s one personal life. Once a deck is compiled, McLain said the creator can then use the cards to answer any range of question, except for yes or no questions. The cards can’t be “read” for others, and can only be consulted by the person who created the deck, McLain added. “SoulCollage eventually leads to personal growth, that is the whole point,” McLain said. “I have had people tell me that they have gotten more out of doing SoulCollage than actual therapy.” SoulCollage continues on Page 5
Wage continues on Page 5