Shooting notes

SERVICES

Vigils, services held locally

Special services and prayer vigils for the victims and their families include:

A candlelight vigil and memorial service for the Columbine High School students starts at 7 p.m. tonight at the Boulder Mennonite Church, 1520 Euclid St. Overflow parking is available for a fee at the University of Colorado Euclid parking structure.

Good News Community Church, 5511 W. 136th Ave. — 5 p.m. Sunday.

Risen Savior Lutheran Church, 3031 W. 144th Ave. — 8 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. Sunday. Both services will have messages appropriate for children.

CRISIS SUPPORT

Groups plan support events

Community Forum will host support meetings for parents at various Boulder County schools today from 7 to 9 p.m. Parents are invited to share their feelings and find out how to help their children respond to the school shootings in Littleton.

Meetings will have question-and-answer formats, but mental health professionals will be on hand for one-on-one counseling. Parents can attend at any of these sites: Centaurus High School, Broomfield Heights Middle School, Louisville Middle School or Burbank Middle School. Child care will be available.

For more information, call (303) 447-5086.

A community meeting is scheduled from 6 to 9 p.m. on Friday at Boulder High School. County Mental Health Center staff are also on call to assist those in need, call (303) 447-1665 or (303) 652-3700.

LOUISVILLE

City's ballfield will be rededicated

Louisville's city ballfields at Colo. 42 and Pine Street will be rededicated in honor of Columbine High School from 8 to 8:30 a.m. at the fields. Members of the Centaurus Little League baseball teams will take part in the ceremony.

BROOMFIELD

Ambulance personnel assist in Lakewood

Broomfield Ambulance workers responded to a call for assistance in Lakewood during Tuesday's shootings. The demand for emergency response personnel needed at Columbine High School in Littleton had depleted Lakewood's resources, leaving their own service area vulnerable.

"They called us and we responded," said Scott Tousignaut, executive director. "We were just making sure all the areas got covered."

A crew went to the Edgewater station and Tousignaut put out a call for volunteers to fill the void in Broomfield.

GAMES CANCELED

Avalanche, Rockies call off games

As a result of Tuesday's tragedy, the Colorado Avalanche on Wednesday postponed their opening two NHL playoff games and the Colorado Rockies called off a second straight baseball game.

Citing ownership sentiment that "we have to act like all these kids are our kids," Avalanche general manager Pierre Lacroix said his team and the San Jose Sharks would not play the first two games of their best-of-7 series on Wednesday night and tonight here as scheduled.

NEWSPAPERS

Chicago Sun-Times downplays shooting

Most newspapers played it on page one, but the Chicago Sun-Times believed the bloodshed that swept through Columbine High School was just too violent for the front page.

Concerned about the possibility that such prominent display "could harm or frighten vulnerable children," the Sun-Times spread the story across pages two, three and four.

"We see a danger that publicity surrounding such attacks could be contributing to the phenomenon," the paper added in a three-paragraph, page-one note to readers explaining its decision.

Editor in Chief Nigel Wade said the decision provided at least a measure of protection for youngsters who could be shaken by the story.

"A lot of children see only the front page, passing by the boxes on the way to school, at the kitchen table or on the bus," he said.

LONGMONT

Longmont students pose challenge

Longmont High School's Student Senate is challenging all high schools in the state to come together after the tragedy at Columbine High School.

The senate is asking each high school to match or exceed their current enrollment in single dollar bills through "Colorado Schools for Columbine." If each school does that, the senate estimates that more than $300,000 could be raised for victims and their families of the nation's most lethal school shooting.

Checks made out to Colorado Schools for Columbine Healing Fund must be sent by April 30 to the United Way c/o "Colorado Schools for Columbine and The Healing Fund," 2505 18th St., Denver, Colo. 80211.

Camera staff and wire services contributed to this report.