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U.S. NEWS Thursday 25 July 2019
Officials abandon idea of demolishing

Columbine High School

DENVER (AP) — A Colora-
do school district trying to
stop people obsessed with
the shooting at Columbine
High School won’t demol-
ish the building as a way
to deter intruders, officials
said in a letter released
Wednesday.
Jefferson County Schools
Superintendent Jason Glass
wrote that a community
survey on what to do about
the high school in suburban
Denver showed mixed re-
action to knocking it down.
The district had floated Col-
umbine’s demolition be-
cause of what Glass called
its “inspiration” for people
with a dark interest in the In this April 17, 2019, file photo, a police officer walks to the front doors of Columbine High School
1999 shooting that killed 12 in Littleton, Colo., where two students killed 12 classmates and a teacher in 1999.
students and a teacher. Associated Press
Officials cited a constant prompted officials to close Columbine, named after The online survey assessed
presence of people trying public schools throughout Colorado’s state flower, community support for a
to enter the building or be- the Denver area. argued that destroying the ballot measure earmarking
ing on the grounds without Glass said Wednesday that building would mean ca- $60 million to $70 million for
authorization, including a the district will create a pitulating to the killers. a Columbine construction
record number this year better-defined perimeter One notable exception project. Roughly 57% of
on the 20th anniversary of around the school to deter was Frank DeAngelis, the 6,962 respondents said they
the shooting. This year, se- intruders and increase stu- school’s principal in 1999, felt negatively about the
curity staff contacted more dent privacy, among other who opposed demolish- proposal and 60% said they
than 2,400 “unauthorized” measures. While Columbine ing after the shooting but would likely vote against a
people on Columbine’s “is now arguably one of the changed his mind after bond measure.
campus. In April, a Florida safest schools in the world, years of coping with un- Opposition to the idea was
teenager who authorities the ‘unauthorized individu- wanted visitors. He retired stronger from respondents
say was obsessed with the als’ problem at the school in 2014. “I think if we would in Littleton, where Colum-
shooting and may have must be addressed,” Glass have known or projected bine is located. Only 33%
been planning an attack in said, adding, “it is our goal what was going to hap- said they might support
Colorado just ahead of the to create a classic and pen, we may have had a the rebuilding, while 64%
20th anniversary was found stately appearance for the different discussion about looked negatively on the
dead in an apparent sui- school that the community going back into the build- idea. Similar percentages
cide. will be proud of.” ing,” DeAngelis told The there said they would vote
A search for the teen Supporters and alumni of Associated Press in June. for or against a bond.q
Health system offers free DNA tests for 10,000 Floridians

By MIKE SCHNEIDER firm the diagnosis, get to health system, which en- information for any reason.
Associated Press talk with a genetic counsel- compasses 46 hospital But the company said it
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — An or at no charge and be put campuses in nine states. evaluates requests by law
operator of hospitals and in touch with a cardiologist. Stanford University biomed- enforcement and other le-
clinics began offering free “It’s treatable,” said Dr. ical ethicist Mildred Cho gal requests for data on a
DNA testing on Wednes- Wes Walker, associate warned that participants case-by-case basis. Detec-
day to 10,000 Floridians in chief medical information need to be aware their tives in a growing number
a partnership with a private officer at AdventHealth, data will be used for pur- of high-profile cases have
genomics company. Some who is one of the leaders of poses other than their per- identified suspects by en-
biomedical ethicists warn the $2 million project. sonal health care. Adven- tering crime-scene DNA
that participants need to AdventHealth said data tHealth said researchers will profiles into databases that
realize their data can be from the “WholeMe” pro- seek additional consent if became popular as a way
used for purposes other gram also will be used for they want the data for ad- for people to document
than their health care. other research purposes ditional studies. their family trees. Past stud-
Researchers at Adven- as the health system grows The project also is overseen ies of people who got doc-
tHealth in Orlando said the its newly minted genomics by an institutional review tor-ordered DNA test results
DNA test screens for an in- program. A similar program board to ensure privacy about disease risks have
herited condition that can in Nevada involving the measures are in place and been mixed: Several show
lead to high cholesterol same genomics company, that the gathered data that DNA information pro-
and heart attacks if left un- Helix, has enrolled 30,000 are protected by HIPAA duced no significant effect
treated. Participants who participants. AdventHealth privacy safeguards. On on participants’ diet, physi-
screen positive will get a hopes to eventually scale its website, Helix said it cal activity, drinking alco-
second blood test to con- up the project across its doesn’t sell participants’ hol or quitting smoking.q