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09_04_24headlines Alexis Kenyon
Mother jailed for refusing court-ordered therapy with ex-husband and former Aurora PD charged with raping daughter
A Colorado mother is serving a seven-weekend jail sentence for refusing to comply with court-ordered reunification therapy between her sons and their father, Michael Hawkins, a retired Aurora police sergeant charged with raping his biological daughter and sexually assaulting two adopted daughters. Despite charges against Hawkins, a Larimer County family court judge ruled Hawkins’ two sons attend mandatory weekly therapy sessions geared at repairing their relationship with their father.
According to the Denver Gazette, the judge also mandated that the mother, who was living in a shelter with her children, pay for the sessions, which cost $370 a week. When Pickrel-Hawkins refused to send her sons to these sessions, the judge found her in contempt of court and sentenced her to seven weekends in jail.
The case highlights long-standing problems in Colorado’s family court system, where reunification therapy is often mandated even in cases with serious abuse allegations. For years, critics have argued that these court-ordered sessions prioritize reuniting families over child safety, potentially re-traumatizing children. Despite recent legal reforms to limit such practices, inconsistent enforcement remains an issue. The public outcry over Pickrel-Hawkins’ imprisonment has reignited calls for better oversight of family court practices and stronger protections for children involved in custody disputes.
Adams 14 takes legal action against gas storage expansion near Dupont Elementary
Adams County School District 14 is moving to legally challenge the creation of more gas storage tanks directly across from one of its elementary schools. The project would add five new tanks to the existing twenty, located just across the street from Dupont Elementary School, serving a student body over 90% low-income and predominantly children of color.
According to the Denver Post, residents and parents are concerned that the expansion would release hazardous chemicals, including volatile organic compounds and benzene, into the air. Despite concerns, the Colorado Air Pollution Control Division has given preliminary approval for the expansion. In response, the district and the nonprofit group Cultivando are rallying community members to oppose the project, citing the disproportionate environmental impact on the low-income, minority neighborhood. They have a rally planned for Saturday at 10 a.m. at Adams City High School ahead of a September 17th, community feedback session.
Colorado cities and counties consider local minimum wage hikes
Five Colorado cities—Boulder, Longmont, Lafayette, Erie, Louisville—and Adams County, are actively exploring local minimum wage increases, aiming for implementation as early as January 1. Denver’s minimum wage, currently at $18.29, will rise to $18.81 next year, while the state’s minimum wage will go from $14.42 to $14.81.
The Colorado Sun reports that, despite ECONorthwest recommending regional consistency, officials in Boulder and Longmont favor wage policies tailored to their local economic conditions. Boulder County, which has already enacted its own increase, will boost its minimum wage to $16.57 in January. Local leaders, including Boulder’s Mayor Pro Tem Nicole Speer, highlight the need for higher wages to combat housing costs and ensure residents can afford to live with fewer jobs. Ongoing discussions focus on determining the right wage levels and timing, balancing the economic challenges of higher costs with the necessity to support workers and small businesses.
Boulder Valley School Board moves to ban high school cell phones
The Boulder Valley school board voted this week to tighten its cell phone policy, proposing a ban on high school students using phones during school hours, including lunch and passing periods. This decision follows increasing concerns from parents and educators about the distractions and negative impacts of phone use on students’ learning and mental health. If approved, the policy change would bring high schools in line with the district’s existing rules for elementary and middle schools, which require cell phones to be silenced and put away throughout the school day.
The board’s decision to pursue a stricter policy comes after reports of inconsistent enforcement of the current rules and concerns about students’ well-being. The proposed ban would standardize phone usage policies across all grades, restricting phone use to emergencies and specific health-related needs.
While some parents back the proposed ban, citing research that shows reduced phone use can lead to better academic outcomes and improved mental health, others are concerned about potential communication barriers during emergencies. The district will gather feedback from students, parents, and teachers this fall before making a final decision, which is expected by the spring.
Denver slaughterhouse faces potential closure in November vote
Denver voters will decide in November whether to shut down Superior Farms, the city’s only slaughterhouse. Pro Animal Future argues the plant poses serious health risks, citing pollution linked to the South Platte River, including high levels of nitrogen, phosphorus, and E. coli from waste runoff.
Superior Farms, an employee-owned company, processes lamb sourced from small, local farms. The Denver Gazette reports that many of the plant’s 160 workers who live in the surrounding neighborhoods of Globeville and Elyria-Swansea support keeping the facility open. They argue that the plant provides well-paid jobs with benefits and economic stability for the community.
