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Murder arrest lifts ‘weight’ in Gunnison booked on a warrant alleging first-degree murder, among several other offenses. “I just hope we can get some answers and some closure,” said Antranik Ajarian, who, with other friends, had reported Millison missing in 2015. “The poor guy. He was doing really good up there. It’s a very sad situation. I hope Jackson he gets justice.” Millison, 29, was formally reported missing by his mother a few months after friends told authorities they suspected something had happened to him. Millison’s remains were found in July 2017, buried on his Parlin-area farm. His cause of death has not been released and Jackson’s case file is for now sealed. “The case is still developing. There
•Woman accused of killing brother •Man, reported missing in 2015, found buried •Gunnison sheriff: Case was complicated, involved Editor’s note: The Montrose Daily Press first published information on this case March 1 on its website, montrosepress. com. This is a full story debuting in print. BY KATHARHYNN HEIDELBERG KATHARHYNNH@MONTROSEPRESS.COM
The “weight around town” from Jacob Henry Millison’s death may finally ease, a friend of the Gunnison County man said March 1, after authorities announced an arrest in the case. Millison’s sister, Stephaine Jackson, 33, was arrested on a traffic stop Feb. 28 and
are other people of interest,” Gunnison County Sheriff Rick Besecker said March 1, the day his agency announced Jackson’s arrest. “There’s a broad spectrum of criminal accusations. I can’t really comment without impacting the case.” Besecker said the GCSO, Colorado Bureau of Investigation, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Colorado State Patrol, Gunnison Emergency Medical Services and the Gunnison Police Department teamed up Wednesday afternoon to arrest Jackson on the warrant. They stopped her as she drove on Gunnison County Road 76; Besecker said Jackson immediately pulled over for authorities and was arrested without incident, though she “was visibly upset.” Jackson, who has not yet been formally charged, was arrested on suspicion of first-degree murder; two counts of
tampering with a deceased human body; seven counts of accessory to first-degree murder; three counts tampering with a witness or victim; two counts tampering with physical evidence, and one count, each, of concealing a death and abuse of a corpse. “The suspect, Stephaine Jackson, is presumed innocent unless or until proven guilty,” the GCSO said March 1, in announcing the arrest. Bond upon arrest was $500,000. Jackson was set for court March 9, at which time her bail may be adjusted. Millison was the sort of person who was in frequent contact with friends and always made extensive, detailed plans, Ajarian said March 1. “He was at our house every day. He was always making plans; you always knew See GUNNISON page A3
Coroner rules man’s death a homicide •Olathe resident was injured in February •CBI leads investigation •Hemorrhage, broken jaw found Editor’s note: The Montrose Daily Press first published information on this March 1 on its website, montrosepress.com. This is a full story debuting in print. BY KATHARHYNN HEIDELBERG KATHARHYNNH@MONTROSEPRESS.COM
Olathe resident Stephen Felix, 52, sustained trauma that caused bleeding beneath brain membranes, and he died as a result, the Montrose County coroner said March 1. Dr. Thomas Canfield confirmed Felix’s manner of death as a homicide. Canfield’s finding is medical, meaning “death caused by another,” and does not confirm or preclude criminal activity. Felix also sustained a broken jaw and soft-tissue injury to the side of his face, per Canfield, who also found indication Felix was intoxicated. The Olathe Police Department previously turned over the case to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation and it is not complete, OPD Chief George Jackson said, declining to comment on specifics. No arrests had been made March 1. Felix was apparently injured Feb. 10 in Olathe and rushed unconscious to Montrose Memorial Hospital. From there, he was flown to St. Mary’s Hospital in Grand Junction, where he died in intensive care. Canfield said in a March 1 press release radiologic examination revealed traumatic injuries and an acute subarachnoid hemorrhage over Felix’s brain. “Arachnoid” membranes cover the human brain. Trauma can break blood vessels, causing bleeding beneath those membranes, which places pressure on the brain and results in death, Canfield later explained. In certain situations, spontaneous subarachnoid hemorrhage is possible, “but that was not the case here,” said Canfield, who in addition to being the coroner, is a forensic pathologist. The type of injuries seen on Felix could not have been caused by a standing fall, as simply falling down from a standing position does not generate sufficient velocity, Canfield said. Katharhynn Heidelberg is an award-winning journalist and the senior writer for the Montrose Daily Press.
Taking questions from the audience, Montrose City Council At-Large seat candidates David Stockton, left, and Barbara Bynum listen during the League of Women Voters’ candidates forum Thursday night in the Montrose City Council Chambers. (Sydney Warner/Montrose Daily Press)
Vying for City Council STAFF REPORT
Montrose City Council candidates participated in a forum hosted by the League of Women Voters on Thursday night in the council’s chambers. City Councilor Dave Bowman, of District 2, is running unopposed. At-Large seat candidates are Barbara Bynum and David Stockton; District 1 (currently held by David Romero) candidates are Douglas W. Glaspell and Jeremiah Quintin. Election Day is April 3; the Montrose Daily Press in the coming weeks will be reaching out to all candidates running for council in contested races to profile them as a way to prepare Montrose City Council District 1 candidates Jeremiah Quintin, left, and Douglas W. Glaspell residents to make their talk about some of the things that are most important to them and their priorities if they were selections. elected on Thursday night during the candidates forum. (Sydney Warner/Montrose Daily Press)
2 students detained following unconnected threats •1 student allegedly made threatening comments during class •Incidents occurred within an hour of each other •School district thankful for students reporting potential threats
BY ANDREW KISER
ANDREWK@MONTROSEPRESS.COM
Two students, inside Montrose-based schools, were arrested March 1 after they both allegedly made separate, unrelated threats. The first occurred about
11 a.m. at Pope John Paul II Academy, a kindergarten through eighthgrade private Catholic school, Montrose Police Department Cmdr. Gene Lillard said. A male student reportedly stood up in the middle of class and made
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threatening comments in front of the students and teacher, he noted. Who the threats were made to wasn’t specified. “They were threatening comments that the students took very seriously,” Lillard said. “In light of things going on right now,
@montrosepress
it did alarm and upset several of the students within the academy.” The second threat happened approximately 40 minutes later at Montrose High School. A male 15-year-old MHS student allegedly sent a Snapchat message to a classmate
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with an image of the accused holding a firearm and the message, “Don’t go to school today,” per Lillard. The commander said the student, who received the picture, then informed MHS faculty about it.
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what he was doing. Then one day, he wasn’t around. That’s when we started getting suspicious,” Ajarian said. The word cycled through Millison’s circles of friends; none had seen him. They began contacting relatives, but were not satisfied with what they were hearing, Ajarian indicated, so they continued efforts to find Millison. Friends also reported possible sightings of Millison’s beloved Harley in town, which further alarmed them. “He never let anybody touch that motorcycle,” said Ajarian. Ajarian and other friends approached law enforcement the summer of 2015 to try to make a report. Millison’s mother made an official report a few months later. Besecker said a complicated and involved investigation then ensued. Authorities obtained search warrants for Millison’s family ranch on Gunnison County Road 76 last summer, where they discovered his remains buried on the property. “Hundreds of hours” of further investigation followed, Besecker said. “The case isn’t entirely wrapped up,” he added. Three years of mystery has been hard on friends and the town, Ajarian said. “I’m glad to see that something’s actually happening. It’s been this ongoing thing for the last almost three years. All of us of his friends, every time we go to the bar, or a coffee shop, people are always asking,” he said. “There’s just this atmosphere around it, ‘What happened? Is anything going to be done?’ Hopefully, I guess, it’s starting to come to an end. It will be good to put it to bed. I feel bad for the guy.” Millison was always willing to help somebody out, and was aspiring to launch a
chimney sweep business — and when he set on a plan, he carried through, Ajarian said. “He wanted to go to Alaska; he worked on it for two years, and then he finally went fishing in Alaska. He was a very planning (oriented) guy. He always wanted to include people in his plans,” Millison’s friend said. “He was always trying to improve himself. He was starting to feel good about himself. A year before he disappeared, he was really getting his stuff together. He had a bunch of plans for the future.” Those plans will not be realized. They ended, with Millison, in a makeshift grave in Parlin. Ajarian said he wasn’t sure of a motive, but that Millison had appeared not to get along with his sister. “I don’t understand how somebody can (allegedly) do that to their own family member. It’s shocking,” Ajarian said. “It’s this weight around town that doesn’t go away. I just hope we can get some justice for the kid so we can finally put it to rest.” Katharhynn Heidelberg is an award-winning journalist and the senior writer for the Montrose Daily Press. Follow her on Twitter @kathMDP.
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Both students were charged with interference with staff, faculty or students of an educational institution and menacing, Lillard said, adding the two students will be sent to the Grand Mesa Youth Services Center in Grand Junction. Lillard said both schools are safe places. Montrose County School District Superintendent Stephen Schiell on March 1 told the Montrose Daily Press he was glad students are speaking up. He added principals are already meeting with kids letting them know that this is not appropriate behavior and encouraging them to speak up when they see or hear it. “(Students) are reporting it, which is great. We are proud of those kids that step up because they want to be safe. We all want to be safe and that’s important,” Schiell said. Schiell noted the district is doing something to remedy this situation. “I think our parents, what we want them to know is that we are being proactive. Our schools already do lots of stuff to make them safe and I’m going to highlight that on Monday,” Schiell said. “I want parents to know because when you aren’t in our schools you don’t know that, you don’t know what we are trying to do.” In the MCSD’s press release about Thursday morning’s incident, officials stressed the
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Montrose High School. (Sydney Warner/Montrose Daily Press)
importance of families talking with their children about the severity of such events. “Safety is a concern for not only the schools in the district but our community as a whole,” the press release read. “Parents, please use these incidents as an opportunity to have serious conversations with your (children).” The incidents come on the heels of another alleged threat that resulted in an MHS student being detained Monday. Last week, separate threats
against Centennial and Olathe middle schools also prompted investigation. “Montrose County School District and the Montrose Police Department take every report of threat seriously and are appreciative of the students who are not afraid to speak up on this matter,” the release read. The public is reminded of an MCSD input meeting, set for 7 p.m. March 5, in MHS’ Lloyd McMillan Gym, 600 S. Selig Ave. Schiell emphasized the whole community is
invited to add input. “I know it’s the right thing to do,” Schiell said about holding the meeting. “I don’t know how many other districts in our state are having a community meeting to talk about this ... The only one I’ve seen all week is Summit County is doing theirs (Thursday).” News Editor Monica Garcia contributed to this story. Andrew Kiser is the Montrose Daily Press’ education/sports reporter. Follow him on Twitter @andrew_kpress.
San Juan church of Christ 1414 Hawk Parkway, Unit C Montrose, CO 81401 | (970) 249-8116
What Does God’s Word Say About... Knowing You Are Saved
“These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life” (1 John 5:13). A question we must ask is, “Who is the Son of God?” “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16). Jesus was the only one born “to a virgin” who was impregnated by the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:27, 35). “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:1, 14). Jesus asked His disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is? And they said, ‘Some say John the Baptist; and others Elijah; but still others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.’ He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered, ‘ You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’ “ (Matthew 16:13-16). Scripture tells us that Jesus is God! “For in Him all the fullness of the godhead dwells in bodily form” (Col. 2:9). Paul wrote, “For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5). Peter said, “And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved” (“Acts 4:12). That eliminates Mohammed, Confucius, Buddha, etc. Jesus said, “Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins” (John 8:24). We must believe in the gospel [Good News]. “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes...” (Romans 1:16). What is the gospel? The gospel is the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 15:1-4). So, we must know who Jesus is and what He did for us on the cross. We must know God and obey the gospel. Paul wrote when the Lord Jesus returns and is “revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire,” He will “deal out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus” (2 Thess. 7-9). Is obeying the gospel an option or an absolute must? How does a person obey the gospel? “Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life” (Rom. 6:3-4). Paul wrote to these Roman Christians saying, “But thanks be to God that though you were slaves to sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of doctrine to which you were committed” (Rom. 6:17). Let’s see how 3,000 people were obedient from the heart when they heard Peter preach the gospel message on the Day of Pentecost. “Now when they heard this they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, ‘Brethren, what shall we do?’ Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.’ “(Acts 2:37-38). “For the word of the cross [gospel] is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (1 Cor. 1:18). When we believe that Jesus is the Son of God, that He is God, that He is the one Mediator between man and God, and we are obedient to the gospel, we may know that we have eternal life! Please send any comments, questions, or requests for a Bible study to: info@sanjuanchurchofchrist.org
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Magizoologist Newt Scamander tracks down magical creatures. ‘PG-13’ (cc) Tonight (N) (cc) horror stalks the crew of a deep-space freighter. ‘R’ (cc) David Hogg and Cameron Kasky. (5:45) ›› U.S. Marshals (1998, Action) Tommy Lee Jones, Wesley Snipes. Sam Gerard Trouble No More (2017, Documentary) ››› Speed (1994, Action) Keanu Reeves, Dennis Hopper, Sandra Bullock. A transit bus is Strike Back Novin infiltrates a drug lord’s gets caught up in another fugitive case. ‘PG-13’ (cc) Bob Dylan. ‘NR’ (cc) wired to explode if it drops below 50 mph. ‘R’ (cc) mansion. (N) (cc) (5:00) ›› The Space Between Us The Trade “105” (Season Finale) Skyler ››› We Were Soldiers (2002, War) Mel Gibson, Madeleine Stowe, Greg Kinnear. Outnumbered U.S. troops The Trade “105” Skyler goes to long-term The Chi “The (2017) Gary Oldman. ‘PG-13’ (cc) goes to long-term treatment. (N) battle the North Vietnamese. ‘R’ (cc) treatment. (cc) Whistle” (cc) (5:01) ››› Cast Away (2000) Tom Hanks. A courier company (:27) Counterpart “Act Like You’ve Been (:24) › Blue Streak (1999) Martin Lawrence. Thief tries to Power Ghost struggles to maintain control. Counterpart “Act Like You’ve Been Here executive is marooned on a remote island. (cc) Here Before” (cc) retrieve a cache from a police station. ‘PG-13’ (cc) (cc) Before” (cc) (4:42) ››› Walk the Line (2005) ››› Coming to America (1988, Comedy) Eddie Murphy, Arsenio Hall, John Amos. An (8:59) ››› Clueless (1995) Alicia Silverstone. Spoiled Beverly (:41) ›› Final Destination 2 (2003) Ali Larter. Grisly fates Joaquin Phoenix. ‘PG-13’ (cc) African prince and his royal sidekick come to Queens. ‘R’ (cc) Hills teens careen through the good life. ‘PG-13’ await the survivors of a highway calamity. ‘R’ (cc)
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montrosepress.com | Tuesday, March 13, 2018
Questionable Facebook Messenger chat leads to teen’s arrest •Third student arrested in March •Police take all threats seriously, commander says •Other students reported post BY MONICA GARCIA MONICAG@MONTROSEPRESS.COM
Another local teenager was arrested for threatening Montrose High School over the weekend. According to Montrose Police Cmdr. Blaine Hall, an MHS student initiated a chat on Facebook Messenger allegedly titled “Montrose High School Shooter,” which was brought to the attention of the MPD through the Montrose
County Sheriff’s Office on March 10. The name of the messenger chat caused some serious concern, Hall said. Authorities investigated the chatroom Sunday morning and through the investigation, were able to identify a 16-year-old male — an MHS student — as the one who started the chat. There were no specific threats made in it, but the title of the chat caused the concern. The investigation also found the student did not have access to any firearms. Per Hall, there is no current active threat that MPD is aware of at MHS or any other school in the district. The arrest is the latest example in a string of local youths being
apprehended by law enforcement for allegedly making or suggesting violent threats against schools — the third this month alone. On March 1, two students both allegedly made separate, unrelated threats, at Pope John Paul II Academy, a kindergarten through eighth-grade private Catholic school, and Montrose High. That came less than two months after two Montrose High students were taken into custody in late January after classmates heard them allegedly make comments about “shooting up the school,” police previously told the Montrose Daily Press. Police took the two Another Montrose High School student was arrested over the
weekend after allegedly making a concerning title for a chat on
See TEEN page A4 Facebook Messenger. (Sydney Warner/Montrose Daily Press)
A death in Parlin
‘Cover-up’ unravels Editor’s note: This is the second in a two-part series looking at the preliminary evidence publicly available concerning Jacob Millison’s death. Part one — ‘Feud turned fatal’— appeared in the March 11 print edition of the Montrose Daily Press; you can read it on montrosepress.com. BY KATHARHYNN HEIDELBERG KATHARHYNNH@MONTROSEPRESS.COM
See PARLIN page A3
The Rudibaugh family ranch near Parlin. (Will Shoemaker/ Gunnison Country Times)
Olathe High School teacher Jeff Mitchell, left, and Principal Scot Brown pose for a quick photo on March 8 inside the school. (Sydney Warner/Montrose Daily Press)
Olathe educator advocates for teachers with guns •Olathe teacher for teachers carrying •District looking at all solutions •Olathe already working on safety
Upcoming meetings: The Montrose County School Board will be meeting at 6:30 p.m. today at the central office, 930 Colorado Ave., for a regular business meeting. A work session will be held 5:30 p.m. also at the central office on Wednesday with a focus on school safety, Montrose County School Board President Tom West said.
BY MONICA GARCIA MONICAG@MONTROSEPRESS.COM
When Olathe High School teacher Jeff Mitchell got into education 20 years ago, children sitting in the desks in front of him were not just his students, they became his kids. And for Mitchell, their safety is his No. 1 priority. During a Montrose County School District community forum held on March 5, Michell was one of many in the community who stood up and spoke about solutions to making education facilities in the district safer. His view — teachers should have the option to carry concealed weapons with strict provisions. It comes on the heels of President Trump touting the same concept. The president has indicated he’d like to arm a nationwide band of “highly trained” teachers and school security guards, who would carry concealed weapons in class, according to published reports. Mitchell initially attended school for a business degree but after a couple years in the industry decided to follow in his parents’ footsteps by going into the education field and earning a teaching degree. “It’s a different challenge every day; the bank got boring — same thing every day — with these kids,
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well any school, you don’t know what’s coming from day to day,” Mitchell said. “They may go right, they may go left you have no idea and you just want to help them get on the right path.” Mitchell has been in the MCSD for 10 years and currently teaches three freshman English classes as well as serves an instructional coach in Olathe. In the latter role, he works with other teachers to create PBL (problem-based learning) units and new instructional strategies among other things. One of the reasons he and his wife, who is also a teacher, moved from the Front Range to the Western Slope was the big and impersonal schools there. For Mitchell, teaching is all about creating and cultivating personal relationships with children. “The key word I always use when I try to work on coaching teachers is that you need to have relationships with your kids,” Mitchell explained. “There is a fine line in these relationships, too, of you’re still the teacher, you’re not there to be their friend but you can be
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mutually respectful and build a relationship where they realize, yes, you’ll kick them in the rear if they need it but at the same time they know you love them, you care for them and they are invested in you.” By creating those personal relationships, Mitchell said he knows when there is something going on with his students. But this is only one piece of a much larger picture as far as safety goes. The community forum discussion was healthy in that the community isn’t just looking at one solution, there are many layers to making schools safe including concealed carry, Mitchell said. Mitchell said he has a concealed carry permit, adding it’s something he believes in. He said he believes he has the right to protect himself and finds it odd the only place he cannot carry is in a school where he could possibly provide more protection if something should happen. Mitchell said he’s not saying every teacher should be required to carry, but there should be the option to do so. He said there should be a set of strict provisions or vetting to carry a weapon, which was something he was unable to share at the meeting. The district schools currently have School Resource Officers (SROs) who are trained and tested for competency, undergo psychiatric evaluations and are vetted to carry a weapon in schools. Mitchell said he believes if a teacher is going to carry a weapon, they should go See TEACHER page A3
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Jacob Millison would only ever leave his family’s Parlin ranch voluntarily, or “in a body bag,” his sister is alleged to have once told their mother. Colorado Bureau of Investigation agents and the Gunnison County Sheriff ’s Office allege more than ongoing bickering between siblings, though: A murder plot and cover-up. Millison’s mother, Deborah Rudibaugh allegedly shot the 29-year-old man through the top of the head May 16, S. Jackson 2015, as he slept in a lodge on the property. Jackson knew about the murder and helped conceal her brother’s body, as well as dispose of the mattress on which he died, the CBI alleges. Further, Jackson’s husband David also assisted in disposing of the mattress and later helped rebury Millison’s remains with a drum of goat heads and other carD. Jackson casses, per arrest affidavits. Investigators allege the idea was for Rudibaugh, who was diagnosed with cancer, to take the blame for Millison’s death. After his body was found in 2017, Rudibaugh and her daughter reportedly maintained Stephaine hadn’t known anything. Instead, she’d only considered her brother might not be alive after bones Rudibaugh Rudibaugh insisted were from animals turned up in the manure pile. But, alleged CBI Agent Rosa Perez: “Stephaine was the only person with a motive to kill Jacob. Stephaine knew that Deborah’s will had been changed to make her the sole heir of the ranch … Stephaine’s lies and actions after the murder show that she knew Jacob was dead immediately, knew undisclosed details about the manner of death, and intended to cover up the homicide.” As long as Millison was alive, his mother could revise the will, and Jackson knew it, Perez said. According to allegations in the court documents, the women targeted Millison when he was vulnerable: He’d
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Obituraries Norman F. Natzke
installment was as pastor of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Stanley, North Dakota, along with Immanuel Lutheran Church in Ray, North Dakota. In 1950, he was called to Concordia Lutheran Church in Williston, North Dakota, and First Lutheran in Hanks, North Dakota. He moved to Brighton, Colorado, in 1956 to serve Zion Lutheran Church and School until 1968, when he was called to Montrose, Colorado. He served Zion Lutheran Church in Montrose until he retired from the ministry in 1979 and became active in the cattle business. Norman and Ellie named their ranch the Norel Ranch where he cared for cattle and horses. He was a member of both the Percheron Horse Association and
the American Angus Association where he was awarded Promoter of the Year in 1984 and Breeder of the Year in 2004. He was involved in the organizing of the Western Colorado Angus Association in 1975 serving in various capacities including president for many years. He began cutting back on the cattle business in 2000 and moved to Merrill in 2006. Norman is preceded in death by his wife, Eleanor; his sister, Lorraine; and by his granddaughter, Jessi Trounce. He is survived by his sister, Dorothy; his brother, Robert; his children, Andrew Natzke, Kathryn Natzke, and Kristan (Natzke) Trounce (Timothy Trounce); his granddaughter, Megan (Trounce) Hartley (Kyle Hartley); and three great-grandchildren: Liam, Rowan and Greyson. He always did God’s work with people, with the land and with animals. Visitation will be held from 4-6 p.m. on Tuesday, March 13, 2018, at Waid Funeral Home and Cremation Service, A funeral service for Norman will be at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, March 14, 2018, at Trinity Lutheran Church. Pastor Scott Gustafson will officiate. Condolences may be made at www.waidfuneral.com.
family and friends will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, March 14 at Crippin Funeral Home Chapel. A graveside burial will be held at
2 p.m. on Thursday, March 15, 2018, at Olathe Cemetery in Olathe. Crippin Funeral Home & Crematory in Montrose is assisting the family.
a dozen others at a Kentucky high school. On March 5, MCSD hosted a community forum in MHS’ Lloyd McMillan Gymnasium addressing public safety. Additional security in schools, metal detectors, teachers being equipped with guns and more was discussed. As a result of the investigation regarding the latest incident, authorities gained probable cause the student committed a crime and therefore were able to arrest him. In this case, Hall said, the crime was interference with school facilities and staff. The juvenile was screened to be transported to Grand Mesa Youth Services in Grand Junction on March 11. The morning of March 12, MPD and Montrose County School District put out a joint press release addressing the issue. MCSD Superintendent
Stephen Schiell said in an email to the MDP this incident was a concern of the district. Hall said he is proud of the other MHS students for how they reported the post, adding this is what authorities are wanting to see from the community. Hall emphasized authorities take every single one of these incidents extremely seriously and if they have probable cause to charge and arrest, authorities will do so every single time. “Talk to your kids. This is not something to be joking about. This is not something to take lightly in any way, shape or form,” Hall said. “If you’re a student and you see this stuff posted on Facebook, in a message chatroom, anywhere, report it.” Monica Garcia is the Montrose Daily Press’ news editor.
March 14, 1924 March 8, 2018
Norman F. Natzke, 93, passed on with his children at his side on Thursday, March 8, 2018. Norman was born March 14, 1924, in Corning, Wisconsin, to William and Elsie (Scheu) Natzke. In his early years, his family ran a logging camp and later moved to a dairy farm. He attended Immanuel Lutheran Church, where he was confirmed in faith in 1938. From 1938 to 1944, he attended Concordia in Milwaukee. In 1944, he moved to St. Louis, to continue his education at Concordia Seminary. He did his vicarage in Fargo, North Dakota, and returned to St. Louis to graduate from Seminary on June 4, 1948. On June 5 of the same year, he married his beloved Eleanor (Harre). ogether, they were blessed with three children: Andrew Natzke of San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, Kathryn Natzke of Las Cruces, New Mexico and Kristan Trounce of Lino Lakes, Minnesota. Norman was ordained into the ministry on Aug. 1, 1948, at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Corning where he was both baptized and confirmed. His first
Kermit R. Moots Kermit R. Moots,77, of Olathe, passed away Thursday morning, March 8, 2018, in Montrose. A visitation for
TEEN FROM PAGE A1
students in question to the closest juvenile holding facility, the Grand Mesa Youth Services Center in Grand Junction; their current status was not clear at press time. Additionally, separate threats against Centennial and Olathe middle schools prompted investigation in February. The nation has been on high alert after Feb. 14, when a 19-year-old man opened fire at his former high school in Parkland, Florida, killing 17 and injuring 14 others. That came on the heels of two other school shootings. On Dec. 7, 2017, a man entered a high school in Aztec, New Mexico, killing two students and himself. On Jan. 23 of this year, a 15-year-old male killed two fellow students and injured more than
Arrest blotter March 9
• Robert Dunski, warrant arrest. • Cain Hunt, domestic violence, third-degree assault, harassment, child abuse. • Shana Crosby, failure to appear. • Kelly Brown, mittimus.* • Martin A. Martinez, possession of controlled substance, distribution of a controlled substance, possession of a financial transaction device, theft, introduction of contraband, resisting arrest, warrant arrest. • Ryan Glover, driving under the influence (DUI), weaving, speeding, open container in vehicle, driving under restraint. • Justin Sales, DUI, speeding, no proof of insurance (NPOI), open container in vehicle, third-degree assault, resisting arrest.
March 10
• Anthony Brandon, warrant arrest. • Dillon Earley, protection order
violation. • Breyah Finn, warrant arrest. • Michael Finn, warrant arrest. • Jaquelin Contreras, domestic violence, harassment. • Kathleen Chavez, warrant arrest. • Buford Barlow, mittimus.* March 11 • Danielle Clevenger, DUI, careless driving, NPOI, driving under restraint, false information to officer.
March 12
• Dakoda Pizzarusso, third-degree assault, obstruction of government operations, failure to appear. The arrest blotter shows those booked into the Montrose County Jail, a facility used by multiple agencies in the 7th Judicial District. Listed are the initial allegations, as provided by the Montrose County Sheriff ’s Office, not formal charges. *“Mittimus” is paperwork the courts send to the sheriff ’s office to let it know how much time an individual who has been sentenced is to spend in jail.
Clarification In Linda Gann’s March 11 column “Open Enrollment update: the numbers are in, and they are good!” it should have stated
the number of enrollments in Montrose County was 1,573, and not the 2,573 as stated.
Daily scene
Showing the new foal at Walsh Quarterhorses Equine Reproduction Center, Morgan Oman spends time on March 9 taking care of Ultimately Fabulous’ Filly. (Sydney Warner/ Montrose Daily Press)
Colorado strong The Montrose Daily Press features two trivia questions related to Colorado in each edition to test your knowledge of the state. To see if you get the answers right, see the next edition. Questions that appear in Sunday paper will have answers printed in the next Tuesday print edition. Questions will vary in difficulty. 1.Who originally drafted John Elway? A) Indianapolis Colts B) Denver Broncos C) Miami Dolphins D) San Francisco 49ers 2. Montrose High School is named after Lloyd McMillan, who is he? A) A politician B) A TV personality C) Minister and radio personality D) The Mayor of Montrose Answers to March 11 edition: 1. Pioneering businessman and Colorado’s “silver king” Horace Tabor married as his second wife a woman whose nickname was “Baby Doe” Tabor. What was her real first name? C) Elizabeth 2. Horace and Baby Doe Tabor fell on hard times after the silver crash of 1893. After is death, Baby Doe fought to regain one of his mines. What was the name of that mine? B) The Matchless
Around the state Editor’s note: The following is being republished with permission from The Denver Post. You can read the full stories on denverpost.com.
Behind the scenes, Hickenlooper inches toward 2020 presidential race
Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper is taking steps toward a presidential run in 2020, holding meetings with veteran political players, ahead of a visit to Iowa next month for an official trip that is sure to draw attention. The Democrat’s actions in recent months signal to his closest associates and top party strategists that the former Denver mayor and two-term governor is more serious than ever about mounting a White House bid against President Donald Trump. “John’s sense of timing in politics is his lucky star. It served him well when he ran for mayor and then governor. It may do the same for a run in 2020,” said Alan Salazar, Hickenlooper’s former chief political strategist. The behind-the-scenes effort — detailed in records and described in more than a dozen interviews with Democratic insiders and Hickenlooper allies — suggests that Hickenlooper may start to formally explore a presidential run later this year, capitalizing on recent efforts to boost his national profile. He’s far from the only one. The list of potential Democratic candidates for president seems to grow by the day, so much so that Hickenlooper — who made Hillary Clinton’s shortlist
for vice president in 2016 — may not be the only Democrat from Colorado with eyes on the White House. Many of the same Democratic insiders who described Hickenlooper’s thinking said former U.S. Sen. Ken Salazar and current U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet are at least considering a run.
In a list of America’s happiest cities to live in, Denver isn’t in the top 50
Another day and another list comes out pitting the country’s cities against each other in seemingly arbitrary competitions. This time around, WalletHub released a list proclaiming 2018’s Happiest Cities in America. Unfortunately, Denver didn’t make the top 20. Nor the top 30. Actually, it didn’t even make the top 50. Instead, Denver landed no. 66. The list thinks Denver is the 66th happiest city to live in. Really? The list put Bismarck, N.D., at No. 2 and it doesn’t have pro sports teams or mountains. Aurora fared better, landing at no. 55 position. Meanwhile, Colorado Springs also is hanging in the sixties at no. 68. Boulder didn’t even make the list due to its population size. To determine happiness, a quotient that seems far too ephemeral to really pin down, WalletHub’s authors focused on 28 metrics in three categories: emotion and physical health, income and employment, and community and environment. WalletHub is a personal finance website that routinely compiles ranking lists.
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Report finds spike in drug felony filings •Coalition taken aback by increase •DA: Findings oversimplify sentencing factors •Report intended to spark conversations BY KATHARHYNN HEIDELBERG KATHARHYNNH@MONTROSEPRESS.COM
Montrose County School Board members listen as community members address the board about school safety during a March 13 meeting at the district’s main office. (Sydney Warner/Montrose Daily Press)
Latest student arrest raises more concern, discussion • Parents brought up concerns •Superintendent gave safety update •Work session Wednesday BY MONICA GARCIA MONICAG@MONTROSEPRESS.COM
Montrose County School District staff and concerned residents are at a crossroads, as a second high school student in three days was arrested on Tuesday — the same day as a school board meeting where safety was discussed — for alleged questionable social media activity. A 15-year-old Montrose High School male student allegedly named a Facebook Messenger chat “Next School Shooter,” according to Montrose Police Cmdr. Blaine Hall. It came just two days after another MHS student was arrested for titling a Facebook Messenger chat “Montrose High School Shooter.” Since Dec. 14, according to Hall, there have been 17 reports of threats made to local schools police were informed about. Every report is
investigated, Hall emphasized. Of these reports, there have been eight students arrested. In the two latest instances, the students were arrested for interference with school facilities and staff. The student involved in the Tuesday social media incident was screened by juvenile intake services, and based on the screening, it was recommended he be released to his parents. The student in the separate March 10 incident was taken to Grand Mesa Youth Services in Grand Junction Sunday night. “I don’t think Montrose is alone in the problem, and it’s an issue nationwide,” Hall said. “I do think kids don’t understand the consequences of their actions in these situations and making threats verbally or on social media are things you can’t take back. They risk criminal penalties and expulsion from school. It’s a parenting issue first, and parents shouldn’t assume their kids are immune from saying or writing these things on social media. Parents need to talk to their kids every chance
they get and reinforce the serious consequences their actions may bring.” School safety was again front and center Tuesday night during the Montrose County School Board meeting. A few residents and parents presented items for the board to consider when looking at school safety, which was followed by MCSD Superintendent Stephen Schiell presenting an update on the subject. Some suggestions included parents coming in and helping monitor the schools and additional resource officers. One resident said parents would like to see more progress, citing the use of metal detectors, more parent involvement, closed campus for lunch and police on campus more often, among other things. Andrew Beard, a parent and a member of the group Keep Montrose Kids Safe, pointed out the need for more law enforcement. “The effects of a school resource officer are numerous,” Beard said. See ARREST page A9
Felony drug filings are up dramatically across the state, contributing to an increase in demand for prison space, a March 12 report from the Colorado Criminal Justice Reform Coalition indicated. According to the coalition’s data, the local 7th Judicial District is no exception. The data show a 165-percent increase in felony drug case filings between 2012 and 2017. All 22 judicial districts show an increase, as small as 1 percent in the 5th Judicial District, and as high as 256 percent in the 15th, per the report. “I’ve never seen an increase like this,” Christie Donner, the coalition’s executive director, said March 13. When the coalition looked deeper, it found an increase across all judicial districts, irrespective of whether the districts were rural or urban. “Holy cow, what’s going on? I’m shocked,” said Donner, referring to what the reform coalition began finding. The report states Colorado’s “war on drugs is a major driver of the ‘need’ for more prison beds and it is having a particularly dramatic impact on women.” But the report may have oversimplified the situation, with respect to what could be driving the prison population, District Attorney Dan Hotsenpiller said. “The truth is it is a false question to ask whether the war on drugs has failed. The criminal justice system is far more complicated than the report assumes when it incorrectly implies that it is always wrong when a person convicted of drug possession is sentenced to prison,” said Hotsenpiller, who was still reviewing the report. “There are many reasons why such sentences are imposed, including because the person committed numerous other crimes.” The increase in filings doesn’t reflect a change in law enforcement focus or his own filing standards, he said. Rather, the increase reflects a rise in drug felonies being committed in the judicial district. “For us in the 7th, methamphetamine continues to be the primary drug we see that results in contact with police,” Hotsenpiller said. See DRUGS page A8
Montrose business owner to appear on Discovery Channel •Show airs in April •Product used around the world, including in various theme parks •Idea for product came about decades ago BY MATT LINDBERG MATTL@MONTROSEPRESS.COM
You may not have heard of Ultra Tuff Manufacturing Inc., however, chances are you’ve come across its signature product. Touted as the world’s No. 1 rubberized non-skid coating, the company’s TuffCoat product can be found in Universal Studios Theme Parks, Six Flags, Great Wolf Lodge, Knott’s Berry Farm and more. It’s known for providing optimum traction on pool decks, splash pads and locker rooms, as well as for commercial and industrial applications. And though it’s shipped all over the globe, it originated in Montrose. “We ship it all over the world and we
make it right here,” said company owner Bill Duffle of his local facility at 340 Denny Court, Unit A, which features seven employees. “It’s water-based, non-toxic, no nasty chemicals. We bring in recycled rubber and blend it with the coating, which makes a texture so you don’t slip when you walk.” The steps at the old downtown historic courthouse, the pool deck at the old Aquatic Center (before it was turned into the Montrose Field House) and the bathrooms in Montrose Community Stadium are examples of local spots that benefited from it, according to Duffle. Montrose County Manager Ken Norris said the county decided to apply the product to the courthouse steps a few years ago after extensive research to make them safer for residents. “We had a real problem because we had people slipping and falling, a lot of people who were older or handicapped, particularly when it was wet or snowy. It was a safety issue,” Norris recalled.
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The decision to use the company for the coating proved wise, the county manager added. “It was a very good result; the product has held up really well. It did just exactly what we wanted it to do,” Norris said. “From then on we haven’t gotten any comments about people slipping, falling or having a problem getting traction on those steps. So for us, it was it a really good deal.” The product came about by chance while Duffle, a former Montrose High football coach, was in town working. “I just had an idea 20-something years ago,” said Duffle, who has a background in concrete and cement coatings. “There was a guy with a handicap ramp who wanted it to be torn out. We couldn’t find anything to coat it with at the time … after that, I just had the idea.” Decades later, Duffle has seen TuffCoat used on everything from pool decks, locker rooms and even boats. Its use on
Montrose’s Bill Duffle shows off one of the Amberjacks he caught while filming an episode of the the Discovery Channel series ‘The Fish Guyz’ in Florida. The show featuring Duffle See DUFFLE page A3 will air in April or May. (Submitted photo)
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Shutdown of funeral home that also ran body brokerage roils town Editor’s note: This story chronicles a report first reported by Reuters that came with subsequent stories by Reuters and the Montrose Daily Press. This Reuters story is being republished by the Montrose Daily Press with permission. BY DUFF WILSON AND READE LEVINSON REUTERS SPECIAL TO THE MONTROSE DAILY PRESS
After Gerald “Cactus” Hollenback died of heart disease last May, his wife contacted Sunset Mesa Funeral Directors here to have him cremated. Now, Shirley Hollenback is worried about what became of her husband’s body. In a lawsuit filed against Sunset Mesa and its owner, Megan Hess, Hollenback alleges that the ashes she received are not from her husband, a former U.S. Marine who died at age 81. Instead, she fears that all or parts of Cactus Hollenback’s corpse may have been sold by a side business Hess ran from the funeral home: a so-called body broker company called Donor Services. Hollenback is among dozens of people in this remote Rocky Mountain town concerned about what became of friends and family whose funerals or cremations were handled by Hess. Earlier this year, a Reuters report highlighted Hess’s unusual twin business of running a funeral home and a body brokerage — a company that takes the donated dead, dismembers them and sells their body parts, typically to educators and researchers. In the wake of the report, federal agents raided the facility, and state regulators ordered Sunset Mesa, the funeral home, to shut down. In Colorado and most other states, operating a body broker firm is legal. But running such a business from the same facility that houses a funeral home and crematory is highly unusual. Reuters found no other operation active in America that housed a funeral home, crematory and body broker in the same place and run by the same owner. In the order shutting down the facility indefinitely, Colorado regulators found that Hess failed to maintain required cremation records for at least five years and final disposition records of the deceased for at least seven years. Sunset Mesa also disposed of bodies before obtaining the required permits, according to the state order. The order also cited concerns about a case involving the ashes Hess returned to one family. Hess sent the family what she said were the cremated remains of the body. But the order said the remains were analyzed by the family and found to be concrete. Since the shutdown, Hess has not responded to emails from Reuters seeking comment, and Sunset Mesa’s web site was taken down. The attorney who was once speaking on her behalf was unavailable when Reuters visited the law office, a receptionist said. The lawyer, Carol Viner, also did not respond to written questions. The FBI has been so overwhelmed by calls about Hess that it set up a hot line and email address (sunsetmesa@fbi.gov) for people with information or concerns. It’s now distributing a questionnaire titled “Seeking Victim Information in Sunset Mesa Funeral Directors Investigation.” Late last month, the agency
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“Drug interdiction, truancy investigation, being a positive role model to children and standing as a deterrent to those who would do children harm are all responsibilities of a resource officer and would be well placed and welcomed by our community.” The school resource officers working in conjunction with school officials are a great asset, Hall told the Montrose Daily Press, adding having officers in schools allows law enforcement to get to know students better while beefing up their presence. “This is community policing 101,” Hall said. “Our school resource officers build trust between law enforcement and students.” While suggestions were presented, others at the podium noted that parents, though appreciative of the district’s efforts, still felt out of the “communication loop.” Those concerned noted they did not see anything on the communication protocol, adding this all needs to be done accurately and in a timely manner. Schiell addressed this concern during the update on safety, noting there is work being done to help with communication. He pointed out the district’s March 5 community forum. School Board President Tom West said before the safety
Inside one of the Sunset Mesa Funeral Directors rooms is an area for the service to be held. (Sydney Warner/Montrose Daily Press)
also released a statement saying it would be testing some ashes. “It’s tearing families apart,” said Laurie Gowen, 56, a longtime worker at a local grocery store. Her husband co-owned the funeral home before Hess. “The whole community is really in a bad way over this whole thing because she ran a lot of bodies through there,” Gowen said. The scope of the Hess operation remains unclear. A Reuters review of death notices found Sunset Mesa handled arrangements for at least 128 people in 2017, 85 in 2016 and 59 in 2015. Donor Services shipped at least 26 boxes containing bodies or body parts from the funeral home in 2016, according to partial shipping records the news agency saw. Some of those shipments were headed to Saudi Arabia, according to Melissa Hardee, co-owner of Retriever Freight, the company that handled shipments for Donor Services. Hardee said she intended to contact the FBI. Shirley Hollenback said she grew suspicious when she went to the funeral home to collect her husband’s ashes. She said workers told her they couldn’t find them and that Hess was in Hawaii. Five days later, Hollenback said, Hess drove to her mobile home and gave her a black box with a white sticker labeled “G.Hollenback.” Hess, she said, told her that the cremated remains had been in a safe, which was why they could not be immediately located. After hearing about the Hollenback case, Reuters enlisted the help of researchers at Western Carolina University to examine the ashes. The news agency paid $1,200 for the testing. The results raise questions about who is in the box. For example, Cactus Hollenback was wearing no jewelry — and was clad only in pajama pants and a zipperless sweatshirt — when his corpse was taken from the hospital to Sunset Mesa, Shirley Hollenback said. But researchers found what appeared to be metal fragments in the ashes. That debris could be parts of a zipper and a wristwatch burned during cremation, said two veteran funeral directors who examined pictures of the ashes. “I have the watch” that Cactus used to wear, Shirley
update that talks about school safety are not “lip service.” Schiell followed, calling the notion of the district not taking it seriously offensive. “We are trying to do the right thing,” Schiell said. “We are trying our best to keep schools safe.” During the superintendent’s safety update, which may be found on MCSD’s website, he highlighted what each school principal said has recently been done to make each particular school a safer place. He emphasized this is not everything that has been done or is being done, but just a highlight of the recent activity. Some of the items included working on security cameras, reviewing protocols and entryways being looked at, among many other things. Looking at all solutions includes teachers being able to carry concealed weapons, with the superintendent mentioning there was a survey recently sent out to staff about the issue. The first question asked whether staff believed district officials should be able to carry in school buildings — 452 responded with 225 voting yes and 227 voting no. The second question asked whether one would be interested/willing to carry a concealed weapon. Again, 452 responded with 155 voting yes and 297 voting no. Recent questionable social media behavior by local youths
is concerning for the school district, Schiell stressed, adding safety of all schools is highly important. “We will address this aggressively with the police or sheriff ’s departments,” he said. The superintendent said the status of the students who have been arrested was a student disciplinary item, adding each case is looked at separately. Hall said he hopes parents will be proactive when it comes to their children’s social media habits. “Parents need to be heavily involved and control their child’s interactions with social media to include Facebook, Snapchat and Instagram,” Hall said. “Not being involved in your kids’ social media activity is unacceptable and could create serious problems that could be avoided with parenting.” Monica Garcia is the Montrose Daily Press’ news editor. A Colorado native, she studied journalism at Metropolitan State University of Denver. Her experience includes time at the Montrose Daily Press and The Denver Post. Follow her on Twitter @MonicaGarciaMDP. Stepping up to the podium March 13 at the Montrose County School Board meeting, members of the Keep Montrose Kids Safe group Jason Adragna, left, and Andrew Beard talk with the board about ways to improve school safety on Tuesday night at the district’s main office. (Sydney Warner/Montrose Daily Press)
Hollenback said. “I checked his wrist for a pulse and he had no watch on.” Shirley Hollenback and her daughter filed suit against Hess Feb. 21 in Montrose County District Court. They allege that Hess sold part or all of Cactus Hollenback’s body and gave them someone else’s remains. The suit asks for unspecified damages for emotional distress, horror, grief and humiliation. Some Sunset Mesa clients had better experiences. Marcia Schroeder said Hess handled funerals for her father in 2012 and her father-in-law a few months ago. “All I can say is, for me and my family, she was excellent,” Schroeder said. “Very personable, very honorable.” Others are left — as a headline in the local newspaper (the Montrose Daily Press) put it last month — “NOT AT PEACE.” Connie Logan Montano of Montrose wonders about the buried cremains of the daughter who died in 2007 and the brother who passed away in 2015. She’d like to have them dug up and tested, but her elderly father would object. “It would destroy him,” Montano said. Heather Thomas, 29, of Okmulgee, Oklahoma, recalled asking father’s body before cremating it in June 2015. He died in Colorado at age 46. A family friend had asked Hess to handle arrangements for free. “We couldn’t afford it at that time,” Thomas said. Thomas, who lived out-of-state, said Hess told her that she would not want to see the body. Thomas insisted. She said Hess agreed to delay cremation until Thomas could get to Montrose. But when Thomas arrived at Sunset Mesa two days later, she said, Hess rudely told her the body had been cremated. Hess gave her and other family members some ashes, which Thomas says she still has. “It makes sense now that she would have done something shady,” Thomas said. “Doing all this free of charge out of the goodness of her heart? I don’t know. Even then I was a little suspicious. And now I’m just wondering: What’s the truth?”
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‘We demand change now’ MHS students participate in national walkout over gun violence •Community has mixed reactions to protest •Safety in schools is still a concern, students say •Protest lasted about an hour BY MONICA GARCIA MONICAG@MONTROSEPRESS.COM
Montrose High students walked out of class Wednesday morning in protest as part of the National School Walkout movement and made their way to city hall to demand improved school safety, sparking a mixed reaction from the community. As the students made their way along South Townsend Avenue, an unidentified man driving by and heading south rolled down his window and shouted, “Go back to school, you f***ing losers!” That individual then turned his vehicle around and appeared to purposely drive quickly past the northbound-moving kids, who were hit with a large puff of exhaust fumes. The local walkout also triggered debate on social media, with residents showing support and displeasure for students’ actions. The participating students, however, indicated they stood by their actions. “How are schools safe when kids are afraid to come to school because they are afraid to get shot in the back or because of school threats that keep going around?” MHS student Cassondra Vargas asked. “Some of those may be jokes but others may not be, we never know. Yes, some of those situations were handled but these threats do not stop, they keep coming at us and more students are talking about homeschooling or online and that’s not fair.” The MHS walkout was part of the national demonstration, which saw thousands of students across the nation participate in protest of gun violence. The idea, according to published national reports, is to pressure Congress to approve gun control legislation. The walkouts were scheduled for 17 minutes beginning at 10 a.m. in local time zones, including in Montrose, after the Feb. 14 Parkland, Florida, massacre, where a man opened fire and killed 17 people at a high school. The Montrose walkout, which started at the high school, was centered on children and school safety not being used as a political talking point but rather a
After beginning the walkout on school grounds, Montrose High School students travelled to city hall where Mia Bartschi, Anahi Navarrete, and Olivia Craig, among others, continued to protest stating safety is not political on March 13. (Sydney Warner/Montrose Daily Press)
demand for change, those involved said. Students took turns stating many come to class scared, adding it was unacceptable. After a student pointed out that a protest on the lawn of the high school did not do much, the teens decided to make their way over to city hall on South First Street. As students walked they chanted, “We are students, we are victims,” and “We demand change now.” For students Olivia Craig, Mia Bartschi and Anahi Navarrete, this demonstration showed empathy for a Parkland student they know. Bartschi, while at city hall, said this student has been afraid to go to school and is now failing her classes, which they believe is not OK. It’s hard to stand up to bullies, Bartschi continued during the rally, adding it’s even harder to stand up to bullies in Congress. “As students under the age of 18, the majority of us, at least, we can’t just vote or put something on a ballot or See WALKOUT page A3
Starting at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Montrose High School students participated in #Enough National School Walkout which was supposed to last 17 minutes. However, students walked off campus to city hall where they protested and talked for an hour and six minutes. (Sydney Warner/Montrose Daily Press)
‘Atrocious’: Suit targets funeral home U.S. House targets • Family wants answers • Received another person’s ashes • State, fed investigations continue BY KATHARHYNN HEIDELBERG KATHARHYNNH@MONTROSEPRESS.COM
Gerald “Cactus” Hollenback wanted to be cremated and have his ashes spread with the beloved family dog’s. But the Montrose resident, who died May 14, 2017, did not get his wish — according to a lawsuit his wife and stepdaughter filed last month, it wasn’t Cactus’ remains that Sunset Mesa Funeral Directors returned to them. Shirley Hollenback and Diana McBride allege the Montrose funeral home — now closed and under investigation — took Cactus for cremation, but without their permission or knowledge, used him as part of an associated business, Donor Services Inc., which procured bodies for medical research. “Defendants’ conduct was so outrageous in character, and so extreme in degree, that a reasonable member of the community would regard the conduct as atrocious, going beyond all possible bounds of decency and utterly intolerable in a civilized society,” attorney Matthew Holycross wrote in a Feb. 21 lawsuit.
“My client is pretty horrified somebody would be able to treat another’s remains in such a dishonest way,” Holycross said March 14. The suit, first mentioned in a March 13 Reuters story, names Sunset Mesa Funeral Foundation, which did business as Sunset Mesa Funeral Directors and Donor Services Inc., and its owner, Megan Hess. “The biggest thing for my clients is they’re looking for answers. They don’t know what happened to Cactus.” The plaintiffs are seeking damages for alleged outrageous conduct, fraud, breach of contract and violation of the Colorado Consumer Protection Act. Court documents show the complaint was served on Hess, but do not list an attorney for her in the matter. A reply had not been filed as of March 14 and a hearing date has not been set. A voicemail message on Hess’ phone stated she is “not accepting calls at this time.” On Feb. 6, the FBI raided Sunset Mesa. The agency does not comment on ongoing investigations. Hess drew wide publicity in January after a Reuters series concerning “body brokering” — the buying and selling of human remains for research — featured her alleged business practices.
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Hess at the time condemned the report as false. The Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies, after a separate investigation, suspended Sunset Mesa’s licenses Feb. 12. Among the state’s finding of “multiple and willful” violations: Sunset Mesa passed off another person’s remains as those of Cactus Hollenback, and in a separate instance, returned to another family concrete mix instead of ashes. At last report, DORA was investigating several additional complaints. The resulting publicity spurred a number of Sunset Mesa’s past clients to question whether they, in fact, received their cremated loved ones. The FBI has since generated a questionnaire for potential victims, forms.fbi.gov/sunsetmesa. On May 14, 2017, Cactus Hollenback, suffering from Alzheimer’s, fell at his home. He died later that day at the hospital. His wife, acting on an advertisement for simple cremations at Sunset Mesa, contacted Hess. According to the suit, Cactus was only wearing pajamas when he had been admitted to the hospital — but his family would eventually receive cremains containing remnants of a watch and metal. The ashes,
• HR1865 would amend Communications Decency Act • Clarifies liability shield for third-party content • Trafficking exacts terrible toll on victims BY KATHARHYNN HEIDELBERG KATHARHYNNH@MONTROSEPRESS.COM
Websites that promote sex trafficking should not benefit from a law whose intent was to protect online service providers from liability when third parties misuse those services, a bill that recently cleared the U.S. House indicates. “If we are ever to completely stop this modern-day slave trade and provide justice for those who have been abused, we must first close the existing loopholes that are allowing individuals who assist and perpetrate these illegal crimes online to go unpunished,” said U.S. Rep. Scott Tipton, R-Colorado, in a provided statement. Tipton’s support helped propel House Resolution 1865 on to the Senate. The bill would amend Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act of 1934. The section, added in 1996, limits the liability of “interactive computer service providers” when it comes to content those sites publish that was created by others. The proposed amendment would clarify Section 230 is not meant to protect those sites that illegally promote and facilitate prostitution and contribute to sex trafficking. It also amends the Communications Act so it won’t See DECENCY page A3
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march up to Congress ourselves because we live in a small town,” Bartschi said. “... The way the walkout gives us a voice is really important.” Various threats made to area schools and the subsequent arrests of students has left other local students on edge, participants indicated. Since Dec. 14, 2017, there have been 17 reports of threats made to local schools Montrose police were informed about, Montrose Police Department Cmdr. Blaine Hall previously told the Montrose Daily Press. This week alone, two students have been arrested for alleged perceived threats made on social media. Navarrete said some teachers would not allow students to take part in the walkout, with Craig saying she decided to participate despite her teacher not approving. MHS Principal Jim Barnhill said he hopes his students who participated in the walkout did it for the right reasons but added he was proud of the kids who chose to stay in class. The principal stressed those who took part in the walkout were not in the wrong if they believed in the cause and not just looking to get out of school. The students who walked out were marked absent in the class that they did not go to and may have missed assignments, the principal said. “I hope they walked out for the right reason,” Barnhill said. “My hope is that they took it upon themselves to support (Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida)... And for
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according to analysts, further were more consistent with the weight of a woman than of a man. The family had expected cremation to be completed within 10 days but instead was informed May 16 that the cremains were ready — a surprise to Cactus’ widow, who sought a brief delay, as she was awaiting his death benefits to help pay the $728 tab. Shirley Hollenback asked May 24 about collecting the ashes and, per the suit, was told that would be fine. But when she arrived the following day, a mortuary worker was unable to locate Cactus. Shirley reportedly overheard the employee conferring with another, who allegedly said he did not remember having cremated Hollenback. The employees, unable to find Cactus, told Shirley that Hess, then in Hawaii, would have to help them. On May 30, McBride called the funeral home. She repeatedly asked if the cremains had been lost, according to the lawsuit, explaining the May 25 meeting had left them “concerned about whether the remains they receive would be Cactus’ remains.” Hess, per the suit, reassured McBride there was “no problem.” She allegedly said Cactus’ ashes were not available May 25 because of “miscommunication.” This explanation was at odds with the one given by the mortuary employee at the time. Hess personally delivered Cactus’ purported cremains to his family May 30 — reportedly in a black plastic tub that had no tag or anything else to indicate whose remains were inside. The suit alleges Hess told Cactus’ widow the ashes had been found in a safe at the funeral home,
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be construed as limiting state criminal charges for such conduct, or conduct that constitutes child sex trafficking. Additionally, under HR 1865, federal or state civil and criminal actions are not preempted by Section 230. The amendment would also beef up penalties for individuals who actually do engage in promoting or facilitating the prostitution of five or more people, or who acts with “reckless disregard” that such conduct contributes to sex trafficking. The bill on March 1 survived second reading in the Senate. Colorado saw more than 1,000 cases of human trafficking in 2016, according to Tipton’s office, which said HR1865 would put an end to misinterpreting Section 230 as shielding from criminal liability website operators
Telling her fellow students their voices matter, sophomore Cassondra Vargas addresses the small crowd and attendees on the importance of using their voice and standing up for the things they believe in during the walkout March 13. (Sydney Warner/Montrose Daily Press)
those that did it for the right reason, awesome opportunity for them to express their First Amendment right.” Safety is being addressed at the school, he said. Barnhill said it will take some creativity to make the campus safe as there are over 20 exterior doors. “We’re going to do whatever it takes to make sure that happens,” Barnhill said. As part of keeping the school safe, the principal said staff recently went classroom to classroom to do a security brief. They spoke about being appropriate on
where they had been placed because Sunset Mesa staff “knew that Hollenback was not going to pick up the remains right away and they did not want Cactus’ remains to get misplaced.” That was contrary to prior explanations, the suit says. None of it sat right with Shirley and McBride. And, when the FBI and Reuters contacted them last summer, their alarm grew. The women had the ashes tested by forensic anthropologists from Western Carolina University, which found metal items consistent with a watch, rivets and pieces of a zipper — Cactus was wearing none of these when he died. “Accordingly, Hollenback and McBride’s fears were confirmed: Hess and Sunset Mesa had given them someone else’s remains and they did not know where Cactus’ remains were, or what happened to Cactus,” Holycross wrote in the suit. The complaint alleges a longtime “scheme,” by which Hess accepted bodies for cremation through her funeral home and then donated all or part of decedents to her other business, Donor Services, “without the authority and consent of the surviving party who contracted with Sunset Mesa for cremation services.” The complaint further alleges Sunset Mesa would give survivors either the wrong cremains, concrete, or only some ashes while representing these were the whole decedent. The suit claims Sunset Mesa gave all or part of Cactus Hollenback’s body to Donor Services and used his body for “unauthorized purposes, including possibly harvesting his organs or his whole body for donation.” The allegations are based on the plaintiffs’ information and belief; no criminal charges based on such allegations have been filed. The alleged scheme had “a large
that participate in sex trafficking. The amendment would allow state authorities to investigate and prosecute such websites by using state laws. Colorado Attorney General Cynthia Coffman was not available for comment last week on this, but in 2017, she and all other state attorneys general advocated for changes to the Communications Decency Act. Coffman and the others sought an amendment clarifying that states and territories retain authority to investigate and prosecute facilitators of child sex trafficking, including those who operate online. “The goal of the amended Communications Decency Act is to close a gap in the current law which allowed online classified ad services to profit from the child sex trade with impunity,” Coffman said last year, in announcing her decision to join the other attorneys general.
social media, expectations for taking drills seriously, treating each other with kindness and compassion. Barnhill said the kids who were arrested this week will be held accountable to the full extent of the law. While the students were at city hall, Assistant City Manager Rob Joseph (who also directs Montrose’s Office of Business and Tourism) was one bystander present. He said though the City of Montrose does not have much control over policies concerning school safety, city personnel and staff simply carry out policy directives, the city is very supportive of safety, students and children. “I think this is a great representation of democracy in action,” Joseph said. “I’m personally moved. I support the message that the students have and I’m particularly proud that they’re stepping up and they’re advocating for what they believe is right. This should not even be a political issue; safety in schools is just safety in schools.” Joseph added at the end of the day, students’ safety and their wellbeing should not be politicized. Another student supporter was PEER (Positive, Encouraging, Empathetic, Respectful) Kindness Executive Director Robyn Shank. She pointed out students spoke about being the change and said
they have the ability to take their voices, go back in the school and make choices that can change the way in which they interact with each other. “This is a great conversation starter. Now, let’s take that energy and let’s have students lead some change,” Shank said. “… how can they go back and change school climate culture where they are kind to each other, they’re supporting each other … that’s what they can change.” Vargas said students want to see immediate action. “I think our school safety needs to be upgraded,” Vargas said. “Yes, they say that we have many cameras in the school and obviously we have Officer (Trevis) Booth, but there are still many kids carrying weapons in school. We need to put a system up where no weapons will be allowed in school and many kids if you ask them they will say it’s for their safety. We shouldn’t have to come to school and have to carry our own weapon because we do not feel safe.” Monica Garcia is the Montrose Daily Press’ news editor. A Colorado native, she studied journalism at Metropolitan State University of Denver. Her experience includes time at the Montrose Daily Press and The Denver Post. Follow her on Twitter @MonicaGarciaMDP.
In Olathe Olathe Middle and High School had about 30 students (from eighth grade to 12th) participate in the national walkout, Principal Scot Brown said. He said students gathered together in front of the school for 17 minutes and without
effect on the community in and around Montrose, because Sunset Mesa was one of the only crematories in the area,” per the suit. As a result of Hess’ alleged conduct, Shirley and McBride suffered “severe emotional distress, unpleasant mental reactions, nervous shock, horror, grief, humiliation, embarrassment, anger, disappointment and worry,” Holycross wrote. “ … Hess, Sunset Mesa and Donor Services conspired to defraud plaintiffs and set up a system by which they could entice plaintiffs to use Hess and Sunset Mesa to cremate Cactus and then take the remains and give them to Donor Services without consent or authorization for their own pecuniary gain.” This alleged conduct, as well as being fraudulent, was “extreme and outrageous … willful and wanton,” the suit contends. There was a knowing breach of contract for failing to cremate Cactus and “absconding with (his) remains,” as well as misrepresentations constituting fraud “occasioned by malice or like motives,” according to the complaint. Sunset Mesa engaged in “bait and switch” advertising, the plaintiffs’ Consumer Protection Act claim states, alleging the mortuary engaged in deceptive trade practices. These practices, the suit argues, “were fraudulent, willful, knowing and intentional.” Hollenback and McBride want to make sure no one else endures the same hardship, Holycross said March 14. “They want to make sure Sunset Mesa and Megan Hess are held responsible for their (alleged) actions.” Katharhynn Heidelberg is an award-winning journalist and the senior writer for the Montrose Daily Press. Follow her on Twitter @kathMDP.
Those who advocate for children victimized by trafficking hailed as progress the recent HR1865. “It’s a bipartisan issue,” said Betsy Sokolow Sherman, executive producer of the documentary 'I Am Jane Doe.' “Back in 1996 … the internet as we know it today didn’t exist. That was why there was a big push to amend Section 230. All the advertising that we see now didn’t have an avenue (in 1996).” But since then, online advertising sites, social media — and the “dark web” — have exploded. Content on some of the sites, such as Back Page, have included third-party escort ads, through which minors have allegedly been trafficked. As featured in “I Am Jane Doe,” some of the young women or their parents challenged Back Page in court, but Back Page successfully invoked Section 230 on constitutional grounds, arguing
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being asked, quietly went back to class after. “They did what they believe is right and handled it respectfully,” Brown said, adding he was impressed by his students.
Police: Hess cited after ‘chasing’ women BY KATHARHYNN HEIDELBERG KATHARHYNNH@MONTROSEPRESS.COM
Two women attempting to reach embattled funeral home owner Megan Hess with their concerns about cremains were instead chased through traffic, cornered, and one of them was “bumped” by Hess’ car, police allege. “They explained they had heard troubling news that Sunset Mesa (Funeral Directors) was replacing ashes with other items,” Montrose Police Cmdr. Gene Lillard said, citing a March 7 report. “They wanted to speak with the owner about a deceased loved one, but found the business locked.” Hess’ business is under federal and state investigation; by the latter for her alleged handling of some decedents. The business’ mortuary and cremation licenses were suspended by the state, which found in one instance a family was given the wrong ashes, and in another, a family received concrete mix. On March 7, the two women, whom Lillard did not identify, went to the funeral home on Merchant Drive to contact Hess. When they could not, they went to the back of the building and pounded on the door — and when that didn’t bring anyone outside, one of the women decided to leave a note. At that point, though, Hess emerged, yelling at the women. Lillard said Hess thought
it is not responsible for third-party postings. (Section 230 does not similarly protect print media, I Am Jane Doe’s website notes.) Per the film, Back Page contended it vets ads and also did not know underaged people were being marketed. Court rulings have sided with the company, finding it did not violate federal law and was not responsible for third-party content. Instead, as I Am Jane Doe’s website explains, Back Page was considered an online publisher, not a participant. It, therefore, was shielded from liability arising from third-party content under Section 230. “It’s really not a First Amendment issue, but that’s the argument the lawyers have been successfully able to hold,” Sokolow Sherman said. “Maybe this (HR 1865) will chip away at this unwavering position.” Sex trafficking inflicts harm on its young victims,
her building had been broken into and was being vandalized, although officers later found no evidence to indicate a vandalism. The women left the business. Hess did, too, according to allegations in the police report: “She actually gave chase in her vehicle and chased them northbound out of the funeral home area,” Lillard said. He said witnesses reported Hess’ Cadillac driving at a high rate of speed, whipping in and out of traffic in pursuit until reaching a business in the 2500 block of North Townsend Avenue. Hess allegedly blocked the women’s minivan; one of the women got out of the van. According to what witnesses told police, Hess “proceeded to bump” that woman with her Cadillac, raising bruises and red marks, per Lillard. Hess was at the scene cited into court on suspicion of reckless driving. After further investigation, “due to the severity of the actions, the officers decided she would be cited for reckless driving and reckless endangerment,” and delivered the latter citation to Hess that evening, Lillard said. Both allegations are misdemeanors. Hess was set for a May 1 court date. Katharhynn Heidelberg is an award-winning journalist and the senior writer for the Montrose Daily Press. Follow her on Twitter @kathMDP.
up to and including lifelong trauma, she said. “I think it affects the whole family. I think it just affects everyone’s wellbeing. The family is sort of torn apart. “Their bodies are
ravaged; their minds are ravaged.” Katharhynn Heidelberg is an award-winning journalist and the senior writer for the Montrose Daily Press. Follow her on Twitter @kathMDP.
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Historic jacal departs Cerise Park •Walls being moved to Botanical Gardens •Minor excavation follows •Efforts to restore orchard in works BY KATHARHYNN HEIDELBERG KATHARHYNNH@MONTROSEPRESS.COM
Left Hand Hemp CEO Kelly Thornton stands next to a hempcrete structure built this past October in Denver. (Submitted photo/ Kelly Thornton)
A new kind of construction Hempcrete based structures coming to Montrose •2 structures to be made out of hemp •Cabins to be built for hemp farm •Hempcrete seminar offered mid April BY ANDREW KISER ANDREWK@MONTROSEPRESS.COM
Two cabins are being constructed in Montrose, but they are unlike any in the area — they will be made out of hemp. Hempcrete to be precise, which is a rarity in the U.S., according to Left Hand Hemp CEO Kelly Thornton, whose company is building the structures. Around 50 buildings have been made with this material inside the U.S., he said, adding it has been used in other countries like England, France and Australia as well. Hempcrete is similar to concrete, but is made from hemp herbs, hydraulic lime and water.
The CEO explained that it’s also something that could be partially cultivated with two to four acres of hemp providing enough raw material for a 1,500-square foot house. “You can grow this project yourself, get it processed, turn around and use the processed material to build your house,” Thornton said. The new cabins will be built on land that will eventually house a 135acre hemp farm, Left Hand Hemp Vice President Alli Cloyd said. The acreage will join the many local areas where hemp is being grown, Montrose Economic Development Corporation Executive Director Sandy Head said. “There’s quite a few number of acres being grown in Montrose right now,” she said. However, the hempcrete cabins will be a first for the area, Thornton indicated. But Left Hand Hemp isn’t a stranger to building with the material as it has made four similiar structures in the Boulder and Denver
areas, the CEO said. The best part: the material is easy to make, Thornton said. “You mix it together in the proper proportions, you take it over and dump it in the wall that is formed,” Thornton said, adding the hempcrete then has to be tamped down. “... It sets in about 30 minutes so you can move your forms up and start on the second run of hempcrete. It takes about two weeks to dry.” Cloyd said these upcoming structures can be used as an example of how valuable hemp is. “It will be a showpiece for the community of Montrose that there are a lot of things you can do with hemp,” Cloyd said. “There’s alternatives to traditional construction.” Along with this use, hempcrete can also be a substitute for fiberglass insulation and drywall, Thornton said. He added by using it, walls become more fireproof as well as toxins can See HEMPCRETE page A3
Country trio set to rock The Bridges this summer Show set for June 29 •Tippin, Raye and Kershaw headlining benefit •Tickets go on sale April 6 •Proceeds go to two local nonprofits By Matt Lindberg
MATTL@MONTROSEPRESS.COM
When it comes to performing in Montrose, let’s just say the boot fits for country artists Sammy Kershaw, Collin Raye and Aaron Tippin. The trio will headline The Bridges’ annual benefit concert on June 29 as part of its nationwide “Roots & Boots Tour,” according to Eric Feely, the PGA general manager at The Bridges. It will mark the first time the golf venue will switch from one headliner to three for its annual benefit show, which has been going on for years. “We’re spending more money bringing in three artists, but it’s going to be cool because you’re going to have three fan
bases,” Feely said. “Sure it’s going to be a bit of a gamble, but we think it will work. Montrose has always been very supportive of our concerts and of music.” Last year saw more than 2,000 people pack the golf club for the concert headlined by popular country outfit Lonestar. This year’s three headliners bring impressive resumes with them as well. Tippin has released nine studio albums and two compilations, with five gold certifications and one platinum certification to his name. Arguably his biggest single to date is his debut, “You’ve Got to Stand for Something,” which became a popular anthem for American soldiers fighting in the Gulf War and helped establish him as a country star back in 1990. Raye had at least 30 songs on the U.S. country charts between 1991 and 2007, while Kershaw will bring with him 16 studio albums, with three RIAA platinum certifications and two gold certifications among them. More than 25 of his singles have entered Top 40 on the See COUNTRY page A13
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The Kallstrom farmstead jacal, erected in the 1880s in what is now Cerise Park, is soon to have a new home. After years of debate over the fate of the historic structure — one of the Western Slope’s few remaining examples of stockade architecture — the City of Montrose on March 1 removed its remaining walls, which are to be re-erected at the Montrose Botanic Gardens. The city also plans to restore native plants and install interpretive signs, while the Montrose Botanical Society will work to improve the historic orchard on the site. “We thought it would be a really good way to keep it accessible,” City Attorney Steve Alcorn said. “We love the fact that is is to be located right next to the Montrose Pavilion. We saw it as kind of a win-win for citizens, as well.” A jacal is a type of temporary shelter, functioning as a stop-gap between a tent and proper cabin, explained archaeologist Steve Baker, who for years pushed to have the site preserved. Although many jacals were built during the pioneer See JACAL page A7
Volunteers and high school students perform a brief excavation at the jacal site in Cerise Park, under the supervision of Alpine Archaeology. (Submitted photo/Charlie Reed)
MHS students disagree with classmates’ protest •MHS sophomore thinks hour long protest unnecessary •2 students believe some wanted to miss class •Shank: Be kind BY ANDREW KISER ANDREWK@MONTROSEPRESS.COM
When Montrose High School sophomore Keli Drye’s peers walked out of the doors March 14, she decided to stay put. It’s not that Drye doesn’t think school safety is an issue, it’s that she said it has another form — the lack of kindness shown towards others. The March 14 protest was part of the National School Walkout movement. The event was held in memory of the 17 people killed in the Parkland,
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Florida, high school on Feb. 14, and to demand more strict gun laws. The demonstration was initially scheduled for 17 minutes, however, the walkout in Montrose happened a little differently. Over 50 MHS students marched down to city hall to voice their concerns about school safety while chanting: “We are students, we are victims” and “We demand change now,” as previously reported by the Montrose Daily Press. By doing this, the total protest time surpassed an hour. Dyre said she took issue with her classmates’ message as she thought it was muddled. “They didn’t put it across in the right manner,” Drye said. “So the way that they chanting, ‘We are victims’ and the way they were
making themselves sound ignorant toward the situation (is) why I’m not supporting them very much. “It’s just how they put themselves out there; they didn’t handle it maturely at all. I feel like it could have been handled in a better way and put their point across a little bit better.” Drye may disagree with the message, but she said she backed her fellow students in their right to protest. Her problem — the length of the protest. “I thought it was going to be a 17-minute, peaceful moment of silence for the people who died in Parkland,” Drye said. “But it ended up (with) them marching down to city hall and putting their point across in a very aggressive, non-mature way.” See STUDENTS page A3
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escape the house to avoid sick building syndrome (SBS). “It’s really easy to work with,” Thornton said. “Once you get the building all done, it’s a breathable wall. Right now everybody wants to seal their houses tighter than tight, so no heat escapes. “But the problem with that is if you get mold or get dirty ductworks, you get sick (building) syndrome. This eliminates that as well. On a vapor level, it exchanges air and humidity with the outside and the inside and vice versa.”
STUDENTS FROM PAGE A1
Drye also questioned the students’ motive into expanding the demonstration time. She wasn’t the only Montrose student who had doubts of the protesters’ rationale to prolong the outcry. Freshman Eric Bauer said he also thought his fellow classmates didn’t want to be in school. “I thought most people were trying to ditch class,” Bauer said. Although Drye and Bauer believed the students had ulterior motives, they both agreed MHS needs to be better secure. With the freshman stating high security measures should be looked into as a possible solution. “I do think school safety should be (addressed), but I do think it’s not just a safety thing: it’s a people thing,” Drye said. “People need to start being nicer to each
Cloyd noted when she heard about SBS, she was surprised about how homes can cause illnesses. “Your house literally traps in toxins and you can’t breathe,” Cloyd said. “... A lot of people don’t realize that their house is making them sick… It’s a really grounding and healing material. I just think it’s amazing. Communities all over the world could be building with this stuff.” Thornton stressed the importance of hempcrete as a harmless substitute compared to other materials. “It’s really a sustainable, non-toxic way to build,” Thornton said. “That’s what attracted me to it. Once I started these seminars and actually
other. It’s not a gun problem; it’s a people problem.” PEER (Positive, Encouraging, Empathetic, Respectful) Kindness Executive Director Robyn Shank, who witnessed the walkout March 14, agreed with Drye. She noted one of the biggest issues is students being bullied. “Bullying is something kids are dealing with more than ever and they are a lot of reasons for that,” Shank said, adding one out of five kids are bullied. “... We know a lot of the school shootings were related to bullying. That’s enough information to tell us, there is a need to treat each other differently than we are.” Shank added students, who are different, are the ones being harassed. As a result, other kids will say harsh comments to them, she indicated. “It’s very common for me to have a conversation with a student between the age of 12-18, where one CLIP
building these buildings, when you get it done and stand back, you say, ‘Man, that’s incredible.’ It’s a really good feeling.” Montrose residents wanting to learn how to use hempcrete may attend Left Hand Hemp’s weeklong classes starting mid-April, Thornton said. The cost is $600 for the week, however, scholarships are available. To register for the seminar, visit www.learnhempcrete.com or call 970-433-0414. “If anyone is interested in the alternative building material style can come in learn,” Cloyd said. Andrew Kiser is the Montrose Daily Press’ staff writer.
of them will tell me one of the most common things is ‘Why don’t you go kill yourself?’” Shank said. “That wasn’t something said when I was in school.” One way to remedy that is for fellow classmates to step in and defend the bullied student, she said, adding students should let the school staff as well as the board work on solutions for increased safety. “While that is happening go back in and be kind to each other,” Shank said. “Start lifting people up. Open the door. Smile. (Ask) ‘Are you OK?’... Include other people. Don’t leave people out; let them in. And don’t be (judgemental); accept people’s differences.” Montrose County School District Superintendent Stephen Schiell said he is proud of all the students and the choices they made in this situation noting neither group of students were wrong in this scenario. CLIP
“Our students have the right to do what they did,” Schiell said. “We have no issue with that other then if it’s an attendance issue. That will be handled if they missed class and came back… and that’s what the principals are handling. I respect them for doing what they do. There’s a lot worse ways to express their feeling and concerns.” Despite the 17 reported threats made to local Montrose schools since Dec. 14 (according to the Montrose Police Department), Drye said she believes she isn’t at risk, but there is still unease. “I can walk inside the school and feel safe…” Drye said. “But when there is multiple school shootings, it (the feeling) is on edge and kind of iffy.” News Editor Monica Garcia contributed to this story. Andrew Kiser is the Montrose Daily Press’ staff writer.
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