thedenverpost--2020-10-22--East Troublesome fire explodes to 125,677 acres, forcing evacuations around Grand Lake

The East Troublesome Fire is now almost six times as large as it was around 6 p.m. Wednesday , reaching 125,677 acres and forcing evacuations in and around Grand Lake .
The fire was estimated at 19,086 acres and 10 % contained Wednesday evening .
Officials originally updated the acreage to about 39,000 acres on Thursday morning before announcing the most updated acreage of 125,677 acres .
The entire town of Grand Lake was evacuated Wednesday , along with all residents north , west and along Highway 34 .
This includes the area east of Highway 125 from mile post @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told to go south on Highway 34 , if possible .
An evacuation center was established at the Inn at Silver Creek , located at 62927 US-40 in Granby .
In addition , the west side of Rocky Mountain National Park closed Wednesday evening to everyone but evacuees .
Eastbound Trail Ridge Road is currently open for them , a spokesperson said .
Westbound Trail Ridge Road is closed at Rainbow Curve .
Read the full story from our partner at thedenverchannel.com .
Click markers for details , use buttons to change what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ automatically updated by government agencies and could lag real-time events .
Incident types are numbered 1-5 — a type 1 incident is a large , complex wildfire affecting people and critical infrastructure , a type 5 incident is a small wildfire with few personnel involved .
Find more information about incident types at the bottom of this page .

GRANBY — Driven by strong winds and racing through dry fuels and timber, the East Troublesome fire in Grand County continued to rage Thursday, growing to 170,163 acres as it crossed the Continental Divide and forced new evacuations around Estes Park.
The fire, which burned an as-yet-undetermined number of homes and buildings while threatening Grand Lake, increased an extraordinary 150,000 acres in size Wednesday night and Thursday to become the second-largest wildfire in Colorado’s recorded history.
“That’s really unheard of for a fire in this part of the world (burning) in timber,” incident commander Noel Livingston said of the wildfire’s growth over the last two days.
All three of Colorado’s largest recorded fires — Cameron Peak, East Troublesome and Pine Gulch — have burned in just the last three months, as a changing climate brings record temperatures, low relative humidity and statewide drought, all fueling explosive fire growth.
“This is the worst of the worst of the worst,” Grand County Sheriff Brett Schroetlin said at a morning briefing.
The East Troublesome fire — which had been estimated to be around 19,000 acres in size Wednesday — burned into Rocky Mountain National Park from the southwest, raising the possibility for a time that it could merge with the Cameron Peak fire, as it previously had burned into the park from the north. The entire park was closed to the public.
A spot fire that sparked off East Troublesome burned toward Mount Wuh in the park Thursday, leading to apocalyptic skies in Estes Park and evacuation orders in and around the town during the afternoon. But an arriving cold front helped stall that fire’s progress.
“It is not currently actively moving toward Estes Park as it was earlier in the day, so that’s a relief,” Livingston said during an evening briefing. He also downplayed earlier concerns about the two giant fires merging: “Right now we are not seeing that occurring.”
Estes Park Mayor Wendy Koenig evacuated around 3:30 p.m. Thursday, she said. Koening lives in the Fish Creek area near Lake Estes and she left after being notified by the police department.
“Everybody was pretty calm,“ said Koening about the heavy traffic heading out on U.S. 34.
In Grand County, sustained winds in the 25 to 35 mph range and gusts up to 50 mph continued to push the fire, with billowing plumes of smoke rising on its north side.
Firefighters battling the blaze were in a “defensive mode, trying to protect everything we can,” said Scott Jalbert, commander with Rocky Mountain Area Command. “Our main strategy now is to focus on life and make sure everyone is evacuated out of those areas.” By day’s end, the fire remained 5% contained.
Crews were concentrating in the Willow Creek area, along Colorado 125, working on keeping the fire from spreading south into Granby. Fire fuels are low, and not heavy, in the area, which Livingston described as an accessible and defensible space.
The East Troublesome fire is now the “top priority” fire in the state. Fire command has requested additional resources, including air and ground support from the Colorado National Guard, Livingston said.
Mike Morgan, director of the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control, said Thursday that investigators were leaning toward ruling the start of the fire as human-caused.
Pre-evacuation notices were issued Thursday morning to residents in Granby, Granby Ranch and to areas from Grand Elk to Hot Sulphur Springs and from Grant County Road 55 to Grand County Road 88. The entire town of Grand Lake was ordered to evacuate Wednesday.
As of Thursday, the fire had not reached Grand Lake city limits, though it had burned into outlying subdivisions, Schroetlin said. Numerous structures were destroyed when the fire exploded Wednesday, Schroetlin said, though “the extent of that loss — we have no idea.”
It’s too soon to send deputies in to conduct damage assessments, he said. “There’s so much smoke and active fire in that area right now.”
There have been no reported injuries or deaths, the sheriff said, adding that some residents disregarded mandatory evacuation orders Wednesday. About five people were still considered missing by Thursday evening, Schroetlin said.
“The worst one I’ve ever seen”
John “JC” Carl evacuated from his home just outside Grand Lake around 8 p.m. Wednesday. He said he had five minutes to pack and leave, so he grabbed some clothes, his guns and some financial papers and got out.
“When I left you could see how the fire was spreading into the neighborhood,” he said.
He believes his house likely burned. A 20-year resident of the area, Carl said he had been keeping an eye on the fire but did not expect it to reach his area on Wednesday.
“The fire was so far away yesterday, it was unfathomable it would reach my neighborhood” he said.
He evacuated to his mother’s home in Golden and on Thursday was waiting to hear whether his house burned down.
He said he’s never seen a fire season like this year’s. “This is the worst one I’ve ever seen living in my entire life in Colorado.”
Shawn Hakes, who has lived in the Grand Meadows neighborhood on the northeast end of Granby for five years, said he was counting on Colorado’s largest river to afford protection from the massive fire — though he acknowledged it would be up to the winds as to where the fire jumps next.
“I don’t think Granby residents are too worried, because it has to come down the ridge and cross the Colorado River,” Hakes said, with some hesitation, adding: “But it ran into Grand Lake pretty fast, so everyone is being cautious.”
Hakes had his Silverado ready to roll should evacuation orders come down, packed with keepsakes like his wife’s knitting and his mother’s paintings.
“All the stuff we can’t replace,” he said.
Just up the road, where open land meets the neighborhood’s northern periphery, Jason Swann was also packing up — and waiting. The river between his house and the conflagration also gave him some solace, but he wasn’t taking it easy.
Just past his backyard fence, gray billows of smoke filled the sky above the ridgeline and flames could be seen chewing through sagebrush just a couple miles away.
“I have a lot of friends who live that way,” he said, pointing toward the fire. “They’re all safe and sound.”
Though he couldn’t vouch for the state of their properties. Down on U.S. 40, the main thoroughfare through town, eastbound traffic was backed up as far as the eye could see.
That’s where Laddie Coburn struck an odd juxtaposition to the traffic jam on West Agate Avenue. He ambled with his Yorkshire terrier, Obie, as if out for a mid-autumn walk.
“I don’t do lines,” he said, motioning to the stalled traffic.
Coburn said he was in Denver buying furniture for his Grand Lake condo and spent Wednesday night in Idaho Springs before venturing north, only to find the highway closed in Granby as the fire closed in.
He couldn’t find a room in Winter Park or Fraser and finally checked in at the Trail Riders Motel in Granby. He wondered if he would be forced to evacuate from there by day’s end.
“I was trying to stay with friends, but they all evacuated,” he said.
Travis Eugert and his daughter Rylee Eugert could see a line of fire on a hill behind their home as they packed up to leave Granby on Thursday afternoon. Three dogs, three cats, the photos that matter — everything went into the vehicles. They’re worried about the house.
“Worst case scenario, we lose everything,” Travis said.
Once they get to a safe place, he’s going to pull out the insurance policy and give it a close read.
“This is the cherry on top of the year 2020 for us,” Rylee said.
“Not out of the woods”
Around 1 a.m. Thursday, Schroetlin offered a sober message to local residents.
“Many times when I choose to speak with you, I have a message,” Schroetlin said in a Facebook video. “Tonight I’m not even sure what those words are.”
Schroetlin said first responders made several heroic rescues and evacuations Wednesday as the fire rapidly approached. He wasn’t sure what the area might look like in the morning.
“We knew this fire was here. We knew the impacts of it. We looked at every possible potential for this fire,” the sheriff said. “We never expected 6,000 acres per hour to come across our community.”
Denver7’s Stephanie Butzer contributed to this story.
Wildfire map
Click markers for details, use buttons to change what wildfires are shown. Map data is automatically updated by government agencies and could lag real-time events. Incident types are numbered 1-5 — a type 1 incident is a large, complex wildfire affecting people and critical infrastructure, a type 5 incident is a small wildfire with few personnel involved. Find more information about incident types at the bottom of this page.


thedenverpost--2020-10-22--Denver weather: Cold front moves across Colorado bringing a chance for snow tonight

This weekend won ’ t include any of those warmer-than-average , sunny fall days .
Instead , a cold front is going to move across the state Thursday , bringing much colder temperatures and a chance for snow .
Thursday is going to be partly sunny with a high of just 46 degrees , the National Weather Service in Boulder said .
The low will drop to 22 degrees , bringing a chance of snow and freezing drizzle between 9 p.m. tonight and 3 a.m. Friday .
The chance for precipitation is 30 % but little to no accumulation is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a high of 42 degrees and a low of 30 degrees , the NWS reports .
Saturday will be a bit warmer with a high of 67 before dropping to a low of 20 degrees .
Saturday night is expected to see a chance of 60 % of precipitation with rain before midnight before turning to snow in the early hours of Sunday .
Sunday ’ s high will be just 25 degrees with a chance of snow at 80 % for most of the day , according to the National Weather Service @ @ @ @ @ @ @ degrees Sunday .
Snow is forecast to continue through noon on Monday with a high of 24 and a low around 12 degrees .

This weekend won’t include any of those warmer-than-average, sunny fall days. Instead, a cold front is going to move across the state Thursday, bringing much colder temperatures and a chance for snow.
Thursday is going to be partly sunny with a high of just 46 degrees, the National Weather Service in Boulder said. The low will drop to 22 degrees, bringing a chance of snow and freezing drizzle between 9 p.m. tonight and 3 a.m. Friday. The chance for precipitation is 30% but little to no accumulation is expected.
High fire danger across some mountain areas, with cooler temperatures and precipitation possible over the plains. #cowx pic.twitter.com/hW3U4DluEb — NWS Boulder (@NWSBoulder) October 22, 2020
Friday is expected to hit a high of 42 degrees and a low of 30 degrees, the NWS reports. Saturday will be a bit warmer with a high of 67 before dropping to a low of 20 degrees.
Saturday night is expected to see a chance of 60% of precipitation with rain before midnight before turning to snow in the early hours of Sunday.
Sunday’s high will be just 25 degrees with a chance of snow at 80% for most of the day, according to the National Weather Service. The low will be just 11 degrees Sunday.
Snow is forecast to continue through noon on Monday with a high of 24 and a low around 12 degrees.


thedenverpost--2020-10-22--Homes are still flying off the shelf in metro Denver and pretty much everywhere else

A year ago in September , it took 15 days on average for a home to go under contract in metro Denver , according to Zillow .
Last month , homes took only six days to find a buyer .
Entry-level homes were snapped up in just four days on average , and even the most expensive homes , which can linger , took only 10 days to find a buyer .
Metro Denver ’ s market has run this hot before , but always in the spring and summer , not at the start of fall when the kids @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Normally , the housing market begins to slow down around this time of year as the weather cools and buyer activity fades , but it ’ s 2020 , and nothing is normal this year , ” said Zillow senior economist Chris Glynn in his report .
“ Instead of slowing down , we ’ re seeing the housing market continue to speed up as autumn continues.
” Nationally , homes spent an average of 16 days on the market , a significant improvement from last year .
And as fast as homes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ isn ’ t the speediest market .
The ones that are may come as a surprise .
Homes in Kansas City , Mo .
; Columbus , Ohio , and Cincinnati all took only four days on average to go under contract .
Entry-level listings in Cincinnati were claimed within two days , the time that Amazon Prime strives to deliver packages in .
“ With many people re-examining their housing situation during the pandemic , relatively affordable metros are often moving more quickly because barriers to homeownership are lower for prospective buyers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Renters can scrape up the downpayment more easily in more affordable markets .
After sitting atop what seemed like a bottomless supply of unwanted homes for sale , the housing inventory in Midwestern cities is tightening up in a big way .
“ Inventory is well below where it was last year across the country , and it ’ s down even more in the Midwest metros that are currently moving the fastest , another reason buyers would need to strike quickly on homes that catch their eye , ” he said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ are trading their Broncos jerseys for ones from the Chiefs , Colts or Bengals ?
The tight market here suggests an exodus is not underway , at least among homeowners .
And the Urban Land Institute in its Emerging Trends in Real Estate report for 2021 continues to rank Denver as one of the six favorite boomtowns when it comes to attracting young workers .
Zillow does offer up an interesting tidbit though .
In July 2019 , 0.9 % of the page views on Zillow of Kansas City area homes came from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This July , 3.7 % of the viewers snooping around in Kansas City were based in metro Denver .
Moving no , but looking , maybe .

A year ago in September, it took 15 days on average for a home to go under contract in metro Denver, according to Zillow. Last month, homes took only six days to find a buyer.
Entry-level homes were snapped up in just four days on average, and even the most expensive homes, which can linger, took only 10 days to find a buyer.
Metro Denver’s market has run this hot before, but always in the spring and summer, not at the start of fall when the kids are already back in school.
“Normally, the housing market begins to slow down around this time of year as the weather cools and buyer activity fades, but it’s 2020, and nothing is normal this year,” said Zillow senior economist Chris Glynn in his report. “Instead of slowing down, we’re seeing the housing market continue to speed up as autumn continues.”
Nationally, homes spent an average of 16 days on the market, a significant improvement from last year. And as fast as homes are moving in metro Denver, it isn’t the speediest market. The ones that are may come as a surprise.
Homes in Kansas City, Mo.; Columbus, Ohio, and Cincinnati all took only four days on average to go under contract. Entry-level listings in Cincinnati were claimed within two days, the time that Amazon Prime strives to deliver packages in.
“With many people re-examining their housing situation during the pandemic, relatively affordable metros are often moving more quickly because barriers to homeownership are lower for prospective buyers,” Glynn in an email.
Renters can scrape up the downpayment more easily in more affordable markets. After sitting atop what seemed like a bottomless supply of unwanted homes for sale, the housing inventory in Midwestern cities is tightening up in a big way.
“Inventory is well below where it was last year across the country, and it’s down even more in the Midwest metros that are currently moving the fastest, another reason buyers would need to strike quickly on homes that catch their eye,” he said.
Does that mean former metro Denver residents are trading their Broncos jerseys for ones from the Chiefs, Colts or Bengals? The tight market here suggests an exodus is not underway, at least among homeowners. And the Urban Land Institute in its Emerging Trends in Real Estate report for 2021 continues to rank Denver as one of the six favorite boomtowns when it comes to attracting young workers.
Zillow does offer up an interesting tidbit though. In July 2019, 0.9% of the page views on Zillow of Kansas City area homes came from searchers based in the Denver area. This July, 3.7% of the viewers snooping around in Kansas City were based in metro Denver. Moving no, but looking, maybe.


thedenverpost--2020-10-22--CU’s Board of Regents planned to fire Bruce Benson before he announced retirement, records show

Bruce Benson ’ s announcement in the summer of 2018 that he planned to retire as president of the University of Colorado preempted a previously undisclosed attempt by a majority of the Board of Regents to fire him , according to records obtained by The Denver Post .
Seven pages of notes kept by Regent Sue Sharkey , released by CU under the Colorado Open Records Act , detail the elected leaders ’ private discussions that summer about firing Benson over concerns about his lack of leadership and efficacy at the helm of the four-campus , multibillion-dollar university system .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ by then-Regent Kyle Hybl to be named interim president , and suggest Benson retaliated by using CU donors to somehow threaten Hybl ’ s job outside the university .
Benson , now 82 , retired last year after 11 years in office , and with successor Mark Kennedy already in place .
Benson and Hybl each declined requests by The Post to discuss the circumstances leading up to the former president ’ s decision to retire , though Sharkey , in an interview , denied Benson was involved in any kind of threat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ consultant with the National Center for Higher Education Management Systems who has worked with CU ’ s Board of Regents since the 1990s , said it ’ s typical for university governing boards to work out deals to facilitate presidential departures , usually allowing leaders to resign or leave on their own terms .
“ A highly visible firing of a president of a major university is rare , ” McGuinness said .
“ I also can ’ t think of any cases where a board member had argued to be interim president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases where the board — faced with having to have an interim on a short basis — looked around and said there was a qualified member of the board .
That would be the board deciding it rather than an individual advancing him or herself as a candidate.
” Ken McConnellogue , spokesman for the university system , praised Benson as “ one of the most successful presidents in CU ’ s modern history.
” “ Events of more than two years ago have no bearing on the significant challenges facing the university @ @ @ @ @ @ @ continue to deliver on our mission amid a global pandemic , substantial budget shortfalls and social upheaval , ” he said in a statement .
“ Those are the issues CU is focused on.
” Sharkey ’ s notes — which she said she kept as chair of the Board of Regents so she could accurately relay conversations to Benson — span June 21 to July 18 , 2018 , which was around the time the board was conducting Benson ’ s evaluation in his 10th year as CU president .
According to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ board — including both Republican and Democratic regents — had misgivings about Benson ’ s ability to lead , and expressed frustration that the aging president refused to provide a timetable for his departure .
Regent Heidi Ganahl , a Republican elected at-large , “ said it was ridiculous that Bruce wasn ’ t cooperating with the regents in giving us a timeline , said he was acting like a petulant child , ” Sharkey recounted in her notes .
While some of the documented conversations are notes from closed-door board meetings , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , side conversations at public meetings and phone calls and text messages , raising the question of whether the regents violated Colorado ’ s open meeting laws .
“ If two or more members of the regents are discussing public business , which would include the future of the presidency of the University of Colorado , the open meetings law says that ’ s supposed to be an open meeting , ” said Jeff Roberts , executive director of the Colorado Freedom of Information Coalition .
McConnellogue cited a provision in state law @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only when there is a quorum present .
“ We believe we are meeting the spirit and the letter of the law , ” he said .
Sharkey ’ s notes detail informal meetings of four and five regents at time .
“ The point of the open meetings law… is to ensure that the business of public bodies in Colorado is not conducted in secret and that the public is able to observe and participate and have an understanding of how decisions are made , ” Roberts said .
For years , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plan and what the future of the university would look like once Benson , the longest-serving CU president in decades , decided to step down .
Sharkey ’ s notes provide the first public glimpse into what went on behind the scenes ahead of Benson ’ s retirement .
“ I still stand by the accuracy of the notes , ” Sharkey , R-Castle Rock , told The Post in an interview .
“ There was no agenda here on my part other than to make sure that everything was accurate.
” The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ regents who were serving in the summer of 2018 , and among those who responded , none denied that discussions took place about the possibility of firing Benson .
Hybl , R-Colorado Springs , and Ganahl each offered statements praising Benson and his service leading the university .
“ The idea that anyone did or could push him out is laughable , ” Ganahl wrote .
“ I consider Bruce a mentor and friend .
He ’ s the reason I ran for regent.
” Regent Irene Griego , D-Lakewood , said in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ adequately reflect to the best of my recollection what I said at the time.
” She declined to address what her colleagues said during executive session .
“ I will let the notes speak for themselves.
” Sharkey ’ s notes begin on June 21 , 2018 , and relay the regents ’ discussion during a closed-door executive session in which Griego , Ganahl , Hybl , Linda Shoemaker , D-Boulder ; Jack Kroll , D-Denver ; and Glen Gallegos , R-Grand Junction ; shared their frustrations about Benson .
The regents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , raised concerns that included Benson ’ s failure to hold campus chancellors and vice presidents accountable , a lack of leadership on diversity matters , and an absence of direction to the board itself .
Griego noted that she felt Benson didn ’ t represent the board positively in the community , and that the “ university is at risk for Bruce to make inappropriate comments that may be made public , ” Sharkey wrote .
Throughout her notes , Sharkey wrote that she supported Benson and recorded that Regent John Carson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with Benson ’ s performance and , like Sharkey , would not vote to fire him .
In the days following the closed-door meeting , Sharkey checked in with various regents , documenting her concern about their desire to discuss Benson ’ s timetable for vacating his position at an upcoming annual retreat at Devil ’ s Thumb Ranch — and that they might “ give him an ultimatum.
” Recounting a hotel room conversation with the Republican regents during the July 12 retreat , Sharkey wrote of her frustration with Ganahl for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ presidency while advocating for his departure behind the scenes .
“ John ( Carson ) advised Heidi to be careful of the repercussions of firing Bruce from donors such as [ redacted ] , ” Sharkey wrote .
“ She repeated what she told me the week before that [ redacted ] felt it was time for Bruce to retire .
She also said other donors expressed the same opinion.
” University donors — whose names were blacked out in the document , according to CU — played a central role in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ detailed in the notes .
Ganahl and Hybl claimed donors were losing faith in Benson , Sharkey wrote .
During the hotel room conversation , Ganahl suggested Hybl become interim president if the regents fired Benson or if he walked out and quit , Sharkey wrote , dismissing the suggestion as “ a ludicrous idea.
” Gallegos said if Benson didn ’ t provide the regents a timeline for his departure , he would vote to fire him , according to the notes .
The following day when the retreat was over , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sharkey , Carson , Gallegos and Ganahl would meet with Benson in coming days to tell him in person that his job was in jeopardy .
On July 14 , Sharkey wrote that she called Hybl to discuss the possibility of serving on the presidential search committee if Benson quit or was fired .
“ I felt Heidi was the driving force to have a search committee formed soon in order for her to be appointed , her ambition concerned me , ” Sharkey wrote .
“ I knew Kyle wasn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t realize at this time how he was driving this train… I was becoming increasingly concerned that this was escalating and the outcome wasn ’ t favorable for Bruce.
” On July 16 , Sharkey noted a call from Ganahl informing her that a “ major donor ” had called Ganahl to voice concerns about her lack of support of Benson .
“ She was angry that Bruce had called donors , ” Sharkey wrote .
The following day , Sharkey noted a call from Hybl announcing that he , Ganahl , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ elected as a Democrat at-large , agreed to call a special meeting of the full board in a few days and that Sharkey , as board chair , would need to accommodate their request .
“ He said there were six votes to fire Bruce , and possibly seven with Glen , ” Sharkey wrote .
“ He hopes there could be a 9-0 vote to demonstrate a united board , or I could abstain instead of voting against .
I said absolutely not… my vote will be no.
” Sharkey wrote that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — at least six — to be named interim president , and asked for her support .
“ I asked him if he realized how self-serving this looked , ” Sharkey wrote .
“ He said that was discussed amongst the four of them ( Irene , Steve , Kyle , and Heidi ) … They felt with the right message they could overcome that.
” Sharkey called for the special board meeting .
She talked to university counsel Patrick O ’ Rourke , who , she wrote , “ said he had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the votes were there 5-4 to fire Bruce , she did not mention her vote .
Kyle had told me she was the sixth vote , which I believed based on her previous comments.
” Shortly after scheduling the special board meeting , Sharkey wrote that she received another call from O ’ Rourke — now CU Boulder ’ s chief operating officer — who said the meeting was canceled .
“ He had received a call from Kyle saying he received a call and because of the call he would have to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Sharkey wrote .
“ Steve called me extremely angry .
Said Bruce had made a call to [ redacted ] ” — another deleted reference to a donor .
Later at a CU event , Sharkey met with Ganahl who was “ upset and agitated.
” “ She said how horrible it was that Bruce would [ redacted ] have Kyle ’ s job threatened , ” Sharkey wrote .
Hybl serves as president and CEO of the Colorado Springs-based El Pomar Foundation , which provides grants to needy sectors including arts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , education , health and human services .
Ludwig , who Sharkey wrote had knowledge of the situation , declined to comment when asked whether Benson threatened Hybl ’ s job through donor connections .
“ A regent believed that Bruce did that and that was not the case , ” Sharkey told The Post .
“ Bruce didn ’ t even know about Kyle because I didn ’ t tell Bruce about Kyle wanting to be interim president.
” The morning of July 18 , the day after the special meeting was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to inform her he was going to announce his retirement plans and would leave his job as CU president within 12 months .
At 8:40 a.m. , Benson emailed the rest of the CU regents to let them know he planned to step down and would be publicly announcing the news that morning .
“ I know that you ’ ll want to begin preparing for a search soon , ” he wrote in the email , obtained through the Colorado Open Records Act .
“ It ’ s important that you find @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s next president.
” Sharkey wrote that Ganahl immediately texted her , Carson and Gallegos , saying her head was spinning .
“ She asked what the heck happened to prompt this , ” Sharkey wrote .
“ I didn ’ t and couldn ’ t respond , since she had played a significant role in the whole process , I couldn ’ t believe she was putting on such an innocent act.
” Forty minutes after Benson alerted the regents , CU issued a news release announcing the president ’ s plan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forwarded Benson ’ s retirement email to family members , including his wife , parents and brother , according to documents obtained through the open records request .
Yet by announcing his retirement a year in advance , Benson gave the regents time to conduct a full search process for his successor — resulting in the controversial selection of Kennedy , who , like Benson , was a Republican hired on a party-line vote by the GOP-controlled board .
An interim president was never needed .

Bruce Benson’s announcement in the summer of 2018 that he planned to retire as president of the University of Colorado preempted a previously undisclosed attempt by a majority of the Board of Regents to fire him, according to records obtained by The Denver Post.
Seven pages of notes kept by Regent Sue Sharkey, released by CU under the Colorado Open Records Act, detail the elected leaders’ private discussions that summer about firing Benson over concerns about his lack of leadership and efficacy at the helm of the four-campus, multibillion-dollar university system.
Sharkey’s notes also reveal efforts by then-Regent Kyle Hybl to be named interim president, and suggest Benson retaliated by using CU donors to somehow threaten Hybl’s job outside the university.
Benson, now 82, retired last year after 11 years in office, and with successor Mark Kennedy already in place.
Benson and Hybl each declined requests by The Post to discuss the circumstances leading up to the former president’s decision to retire, though Sharkey, in an interview, denied Benson was involved in any kind of threat to Hybl.
Aims McGuinness, a consultant with the National Center for Higher Education Management Systems who has worked with CU’s Board of Regents since the 1990s, said it’s typical for university governing boards to work out deals to facilitate presidential departures, usually allowing leaders to resign or leave on their own terms.
“A highly visible firing of a president of a major university is rare,” McGuinness said. “I also can’t think of any cases where a board member had argued to be interim president. I think you could probably find cases where the board — faced with having to have an interim on a short basis — looked around and said there was a qualified member of the board. That would be the board deciding it rather than an individual advancing him or herself as a candidate.”
Ken McConnellogue, spokesman for the university system, praised Benson as “one of the most successful presidents in CU’s modern history.”
“Events of more than two years ago have no bearing on the significant challenges facing the university today, which include ensuring that we continue to deliver on our mission amid a global pandemic, substantial budget shortfalls and social upheaval,” he said in a statement. “Those are the issues CU is focused on.”
Evaluating a president
Sharkey’s notes — which she said she kept as chair of the Board of Regents so she could accurately relay conversations to Benson — span June 21 to July 18, 2018, which was around the time the board was conducting Benson’s evaluation in his 10th year as CU president.
According to the notes, a majority of the board — including both Republican and Democratic regents — had misgivings about Benson’s ability to lead, and expressed frustration that the aging president refused to provide a timetable for his departure.
Regent Heidi Ganahl, a Republican elected at-large, “said it was ridiculous that Bruce wasn’t cooperating with the regents in giving us a timeline, said he was acting like a petulant child,” Sharkey recounted in her notes.
While some of the documented conversations are notes from closed-door board meetings, many stem from informal get-togethers, lunches, side conversations at public meetings and phone calls and text messages, raising the question of whether the regents violated Colorado’s open meeting laws.
“If two or more members of the regents are discussing public business, which would include the future of the presidency of the University of Colorado, the open meetings law says that’s supposed to be an open meeting,” said Jeff Roberts, executive director of the Colorado Freedom of Information Coalition.
McConnellogue cited a provision in state law saying such meetings must be publicly noticed only when there is a quorum present.
“We believe we are meeting the spirit and the letter of the law,” he said.
Sharkey’s notes detail informal meetings of four and five regents at a time.
“The point of the open meetings law… is to ensure that the business of public bodies in Colorado is not conducted in secret and that the public is able to observe and participate and have an understanding of how decisions are made,” Roberts said.
For years, the regents publicly discussed a presidential succession plan and what the future of the university would look like once Benson, the longest-serving CU president in decades, decided to step down. Sharkey’s notes provide the first public glimpse into what went on behind the scenes ahead of Benson’s retirement.
“I still stand by the accuracy of the notes,” Sharkey, R-Castle Rock, told The Post in an interview. “There was no agenda here on my part other than to make sure that everything was accurate.”
The Post requested interviews with each of the regents who were serving in the summer of 2018, and among those who responded, none denied that discussions took place about the possibility of firing Benson.
Hybl, R-Colorado Springs, and Ganahl each offered statements praising Benson and his service leading the university. “The idea that anyone did or could push him out is laughable,” Ganahl wrote. “I consider Bruce a mentor and friend. He’s the reason I ran for regent.”
Regent Irene Griego, D-Lakewood, said in a statement that Sharkey’s notes “adequately reflect to the best of my recollection what I said at the time.” She declined to address what her colleagues said during executive session. “I will let the notes speak for themselves.”
Concerns about leadership
Sharkey’s notes begin on June 21, 2018, and relay the regents’ discussion during a closed-door executive session in which Griego, Ganahl, Hybl, Linda Shoemaker, D-Boulder; Jack Kroll, D-Denver; and Glen Gallegos, R-Grand Junction; shared their frustrations about Benson.
The regents, according to Sharkey’s account, raised concerns that included Benson’s failure to hold campus chancellors and vice presidents accountable, a lack of leadership on diversity matters, and an absence of direction to the board itself.
Griego noted that she felt Benson didn’t represent the board positively in the community, and that the “university is at risk for Bruce to make inappropriate comments that may be made public,” Sharkey wrote.
Throughout her notes, Sharkey wrote that she supported Benson and recorded that Regent John Carson, R-Highlands Ranch, also was pleased with Benson’s performance and, like Sharkey, would not vote to fire him.
In the days following the closed-door meeting, Sharkey checked in with various regents, documenting her concern about their desire to discuss Benson’s timetable for vacating his position at an upcoming annual retreat at Devil’s Thumb Ranch — and that they might “give him an ultimatum.”
Recounting a hotel room conversation with the Republican regents during the July 12 retreat, Sharkey wrote of her frustration with Ganahl for leading Benson to believe she supported his presidency while advocating for his departure behind the scenes.
“John (Carson) advised Heidi to be careful of the repercussions of firing Bruce from donors such as [redacted],” Sharkey wrote. “She repeated what she told me the week before that [redacted] felt it was time for Bruce to retire. She also said other donors expressed the same opinion.”
University donors — whose names were blacked out in the document, according to CU — played a central role in the discussions of Benson’s departure as detailed in the notes. Ganahl and Hybl claimed donors were losing faith in Benson, Sharkey wrote.
During the hotel room conversation, Ganahl suggested Hybl become interim president if the regents fired Benson or if he walked out and quit, Sharkey wrote, dismissing the suggestion as “a ludicrous idea.”
Gallegos said if Benson didn’t provide the regents a timeline for his departure, he would vote to fire him, according to the notes.
The following day when the retreat was over, Sharkey wrote that the Republican regents decided Sharkey, Carson, Gallegos and Ganahl would meet with Benson in coming days to tell him in person that his job was in jeopardy.
On July 14, Sharkey wrote that she called Hybl to discuss the possibility of serving on the presidential search committee if Benson quit or was fired.
“I felt Heidi was the driving force to have a search committee formed soon in order for her to be appointed, her ambition concerned me,” Sharkey wrote. “I knew Kyle wasn’t a fan of Bruce, but didn’t realize at this time how he was driving this train… I was becoming increasingly concerned that this was escalating and the outcome wasn’t favorable for Bruce.”
On July 16, Sharkey noted a call from Ganahl informing her that a “major donor” had called Ganahl to voice concerns about her lack of support of Benson.
“She was angry that Bruce had called donors,” Sharkey wrote.
Calling a meeting
The following day, Sharkey noted a call from Hybl announcing that he, Ganahl, Griego and Steve Ludwig, a then-regent elected as a Democrat at-large, agreed to call a special meeting of the full board in a few days and that Sharkey, as board chair, would need to accommodate their request.
“He said there were six votes to fire Bruce, and possibly seven with Glen,” Sharkey wrote. “He hopes there could be a 9-0 vote to demonstrate a united board, or I could abstain instead of voting against. I said absolutely not… my vote will be no.”
Sharkey wrote that Hybl told her he had the votes — at least six — to be named interim president, and asked for her support.
“I asked him if he realized how self-serving this looked,” Sharkey wrote. “He said that was discussed amongst the four of them (Irene, Steve, Kyle, and Heidi)… They felt with the right message they could overcome that.”
Sharkey called for the special board meeting. She talked to university counsel Patrick O’Rourke, who, she wrote, “said he had spoken with Heidi, she told him the votes were there 5-4 to fire Bruce, she did not mention her vote. Kyle had told me she was the sixth vote, which I believed based on her previous comments.”
Shortly after scheduling the special board meeting, Sharkey wrote that she received another call from O’Rourke — now CU Boulder’s chief operating officer — who said the meeting was canceled.
“He had received a call from Kyle saying he received a call and because of the call he would have to cancel his request for a meeting,” Sharkey wrote. “Steve called me extremely angry. Said Bruce had made a call to [redacted]” — another deleted reference to a donor.
Later at a CU event, Sharkey met with Ganahl who was “upset and agitated.”
“She said how horrible it was that Bruce would [redacted] have Kyle’s job threatened,” Sharkey wrote.
Hybl serves as president and CEO of the Colorado Springs-based El Pomar Foundation, which provides grants to needy sectors including arts and culture, civic and community initiatives, education, health and human services.
Ludwig, who Sharkey wrote had knowledge of the situation, declined to comment when asked whether Benson threatened Hybl’s job through donor connections.
Sharkey denied Benson threatened Hybl’s job with donor connections.
“A regent believed that Bruce did that and that was not the case,” Sharkey told The Post. “Bruce didn’t even know about Kyle because I didn’t tell Bruce about Kyle wanting to be interim president.”
A resignation
The morning of July 18, the day after the special meeting was canceled, Sharkey wrote that Benson called to inform her he was going to announce his retirement plans and would leave his job as CU president within 12 months.
At 8:40 a.m., Benson emailed the rest of the CU regents to let them know he planned to step down and would be publicly announcing the news that morning. “I know that you’ll want to begin preparing for a search soon,” he wrote in the email, obtained through the Colorado Open Records Act. “It’s important that you find a great person to be CU’s next president.”
Sharkey wrote that Ganahl immediately texted her, Carson and Gallegos, saying her head was spinning.
“She asked what the heck happened to prompt this,” Sharkey wrote. “I didn’t and couldn’t respond, since she had played a significant role in the whole process, I couldn’t believe she was putting on such an innocent act.”
Forty minutes after Benson alerted the regents, CU issued a news release announcing the president’s plan to retire effective July 2019.
Hybl forwarded Benson’s retirement email to family members, including his wife, parents and brother, according to documents obtained through the open records request.
At 10:25 a.m., Hybl’s brother responded: “President Hybl.”
Yet by announcing his retirement a year in advance, Benson gave the regents time to conduct a full search process for his successor — resulting in the controversial selection of Kennedy, who, like Benson, was a Republican hired on a party-line vote by the GOP-controlled board.
An interim president was never needed.


thedenverpost--2020-10-22--Colorado courts face growing trial backlog due to COVID delays

Halfway through a three-week murder trial in Adams County , jurors arrived in the courtroom to hear that someone there had tested positive for the novel coronavirus .
“ The court became aware that an individual who has been in the courtroom , but who has typically been seated back behind the bar , did have a positive test , ” Judge Mark Warner told the jury earlier this month .
But , he continued , since everyone in the courtroom had been following public health guidelines — including wearing masks , sanitizing exhibits and keeping six feet of space @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The likelihood that anyone else was exposed was low , he said .
It was one of several brushes the Colorado ’ s court system has had with the highly contagious virus as the courts continue to function despite the pandemic .
Staff members , prosecutors and attorneys have contracted the virus , at times forcing courts to shut down or limit operations .
Judges have declared mistrials because of the pandemic , and other trials and proceedings have been delayed when attorneys got sick or needed to quarantine .
Despite those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have not seen any large-scale COVID-19 outbreaks and have been able to keep operating , albeit with a variety of cumbersome safety protocols and at a slower-than-usual pace .
But the ongoing threat from the virus , coupled with the unprecedented backlog created when nearly all jury trials in the state were stopped for more than four months earlier this year , means the courts are still facing an uphill battle .
The months-long stoppage of jury trials this summer created an immediate backlog of cases ready and waiting to be tried .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ trials at a reduced pace ; the trials require more resources than normal because of the social distancing and other health precautions that must be taken .
With new cases created every day , that backlog will grow as time goes on , said Michael Dougherty , Boulder County district attorney .
“ It is going to be an extremely significant problem , ” he said .
There are concerns about defendants ’ right to speedy trial , victims receiving timely justice , and whether courts will have the manpower and resources to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ go forward in the coming months , or if the delays will ripple through the system for years .
In Boulder County , the scheduled jury trials are piling up for the spring of 2021 , Dougherty said .
This week , his office is handling three trials , which about what a normal week looked like before the pandemic — but during the pandemic , three trials stretches resources thin , he said .
“ I ’ m literally telling our deputy district attorney , ‘ We ’ ll try it in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , we ’ re ready , the victim is ready , the speedy trial time can not be charged to the DA ’ s office , ’ ” he said .
“ And the court is saying , ‘ We can ’ t try this case because of capacity.
’ ” In the 18th Judicial District , scheduled murder trials are stacked up beginning next year , District Attorney George Brauchler said , and it ’ s already looking like it will strain the system .
“ We don ’ t have the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ every single week in the Arapahoe County courthouse , ” he said .
“ We can ’ t do it .
There are not enough jurors , there is not enough staff , and what do you do with the rest of the cases that should be progressing through the courts when they ’ re not in trial ?
I do think it will be a huge issue.
” The Colorado Supreme Court gave prosecutors some breathing room on speedy trial requirements in June , when the justices ruled that trials could be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic without violating defendants ’ right to speedy trials .
But Dougherty called that decision a “ temporary fix.
” Still , most criminal cases don ’ t go to trial — most end in plea agreements — and one way for prosecutors to reduce the trial backlog is to settle more cases .
In federal court , the U.S. District of Colorado held only 18 jury trials by mid-October this year — and 13 of those trials happened at the start of the year , before the pandemic , said Jeff Colwell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are about 30 trials behind , ” he said .
“ There are hundreds of cases pending trial , but the reality is they don ’ t all go to trial .
Everything else is still moving .
There are still hearings going on , the large bulk of them by video .
Cases are still moving along.
” Defense attorneys say prosecutors seem more willing to offer plea agreements to defendants — or are offering more favorable agreements — as the courts deal with the growing backlog .
“ I have noticed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ district attorneys , they ’ re looking at their caseload going , ‘ I ’ ve got to figure out what to prioritize , ’ and they ’ re extending offers , potential plea bargains with stipulated sentences that they wouldn ’ t otherwise consider , ” said Josh Landy , a defense attorney and treasurer of the Colorado Criminal Defense Bar .
For Brauchler , being forced to offer less severe plea agreements solely because of the backlog caused by COVID-19 is untenable .
“ Think about the injustice that is , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ person commits a crime in April of 2019 , they get treated one way , but if they committed it in April 2020 , they get a better deal .
How is that justice ?
The only people that will lose as a result of this backlog will be victims , and the district attorney ’ s office.
” For Landy , it ’ s been fascinating to watch the courts so quickly change the way cases are handled since the pandemic started .
Aside from the shift in plea bargains and a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ making an effort to avoid sending people to jail , offering more personal recognizance bonds and shifting sentences to probation more often .
“ Perhaps the district attorney is doling out justice in a way that is different from what they would have otherwise done , but it may not necessarily be less justice , or worse result , ” Landy said .
“ It may actually be a better way of running a court system , because the reality is we over-incarcerate so many people in this country .
… Perhaps our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is fair for these people has shifted for the better .
”

Halfway through a three-week murder trial in Adams County, jurors arrived in the courtroom to hear that someone there had tested positive for the novel coronavirus.
“The court became aware that an individual who has been in the courtroom, but who has typically been seated back behind the bar, did have a positive test,” Judge Mark Warner told the jury earlier this month.
But, he continued, since everyone in the courtroom had been following public health guidelines — including wearing masks, sanitizing exhibits and keeping six feet of space between people — the trial could continue. The likelihood that anyone else was exposed was low, he said.
It was one of several brushes the Colorado’s court system has had with the highly contagious virus as the courts continue to function despite the pandemic. Staff members, prosecutors and attorneys have contracted the virus, at times forcing courts to shut down or limit operations. Judges have declared mistrials because of the pandemic, and other trials and proceedings have been delayed when attorneys got sick or needed to quarantine.
Despite those scattered incidents, the courts in Colorado have not seen any large-scale COVID-19 outbreaks and have been able to keep operating, albeit with a variety of cumbersome safety protocols and at a slower-than-usual pace. But the ongoing threat from the virus, coupled with the unprecedented backlog created when nearly all jury trials in the state were stopped for more than four months earlier this year, means the courts are still facing an uphill battle.
The months-long stoppage of jury trials this summer created an immediate backlog of cases ready and waiting to be tried. Most jurisdictions are now holding limited jury trials at a reduced pace; the trials require more resources than normal because of the social distancing and other health precautions that must be taken.
With new cases created every day, that backlog will grow as time goes on, said Michael Dougherty, Boulder County district attorney.
“It is going to be an extremely significant problem,” he said.
There are concerns about defendants’ right to speedy trial, victims receiving timely justice, and whether courts will have the manpower and resources to catch up on jury trials as cases go forward in the coming months, or if the delays will ripple through the system for years.
In Boulder County, the scheduled jury trials are piling up for the spring of 2021, Dougherty said. This week, his office is handling three trials, which about what a normal week looked like before the pandemic — but during the pandemic, three trials stretches resources thin, he said.
“I’m literally telling our deputy district attorney, ‘We’ll try it in the courtyard, in the parking lot, we’re ready, the victim is ready, the speedy trial time cannot be charged to the DA’s office,’” he said. “And the court is saying, ‘We can’t try this case because of capacity.’”
In the 18th Judicial District, scheduled murder trials are stacked up beginning next year, District Attorney George Brauchler said, and it’s already looking like it will strain the system.
“We don’t have the resources to do four or five murders every single week in the Arapahoe County courthouse,” he said. “We can’t do it. There are not enough jurors, there is not enough staff, and what do you do with the rest of the cases that should be progressing through the courts when they’re not in trial? I do think it will be a huge issue.”
The Colorado Supreme Court gave prosecutors some breathing room on speedy trial requirements in June, when the justices ruled that trials could be delayed for six months due to the pandemic without violating defendants’ right to speedy trials. But Dougherty called that decision a “temporary fix.”
Still, most criminal cases don’t go to trial — most end in plea agreements — and one way for prosecutors to reduce the trial backlog is to settle more cases.
In federal court, the U.S. District of Colorado held only 18 jury trials by mid-October this year — and 13 of those trials happened at the start of the year, before the pandemic, said Jeff Colwell, clerk of court.
“We are about 30 trials behind,” he said. “There are hundreds of cases pending trial, but the reality is they don’t all go to trial. Everything else is still moving. There are still hearings going on, the large bulk of them by video. Cases are still moving along.”
Defense attorneys say prosecutors seem more willing to offer plea agreements to defendants — or are offering more favorable agreements — as the courts deal with the growing backlog.
“I have noticed, with certain offices and certain deputy district attorneys, they’re looking at their caseload going, ‘I’ve got to figure out what to prioritize,’ and they’re extending offers, potential plea bargains with stipulated sentences that they wouldn’t otherwise consider,” said Josh Landy, a defense attorney and treasurer of the Colorado Criminal Defense Bar.
For Brauchler, being forced to offer less severe plea agreements solely because of the backlog caused by COVID-19 is untenable.
“Think about the injustice that is,” he said. “If a person commits a crime in April of 2019, they get treated one way, but if they committed it in April 2020, they get a better deal. How is that justice? The only people that will lose as a result of this backlog will be victims, and the district attorney’s office.”
For Landy, it’s been fascinating to watch the courts so quickly change the way cases are handled since the pandemic started. Aside from the shift in plea bargains and a move to virtual proceedings, judges are making an effort to avoid sending people to jail, offering more personal recognizance bonds and shifting sentences to probation more often.
“Perhaps the district attorney is doling out justice in a way that is different from what they would have otherwise done, but it may not necessarily be less justice, or worse result,” Landy said. “It may actually be a better way of running a court system, because the reality is we over-incarcerate so many people in this country. … Perhaps our idea of what is justice and what is fair for these people has shifted for the better.”


thedenverpost--2020-10-22--Endorsement: If you vote for Proposition 116, please have in mind the permanent budget cuts you’d li

Endorsement: If you vote for Proposition 116, please have in mind the permanent budget cuts you’d like with it

Editor ’ s note : This represents the opinion of The Denver Post editorial board , which is separate from the paper ’ s news operation .
For all the gripes sent to the Gold Dome , Colorado ’ s state budget is pretty lean and mean .
Yes , there are a few eyebrow raisers in the Long Bill — a few tax-credits-gone-to cronies and three or four pet projects signed into law .
But , compared to the excesses of other states , the Taxpayer ’ s Bill of Rights has forced the state to spend most taxpayer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) on the things we need to have — Medicaid ( $ 10.7 billion ) , education ( $ 6.2 billion ) , higher education ( $ 4.8 billion ) , human services ( $ 2.3 billion ) and transportation ( $ 2.1 billion ) .
The financial crisis spurred by the arrival of a novel virus has blown a massive hole in the state ’ s coffers .
In fiscal year 2019-20 , the state used federal funds and money in its reserve fund to plug a roughly $ 1.3 billion hole @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was worse with a roughly $ 3 billion gaping wound in the budget that was filled with federal funds , state reserves and cuts .
When first the governor and then lawmakers sit down to craft the 2021-22 budget this winter and spring , it ’ ll be a bloodbath unless Congress gets its act together and passes an emergency aid bill that includes funding for state and local governments , or a safe and effective vaccine is administered nationwide before next summer .
Despite all of this , Colorado voters are being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ revenues by cutting income taxes across the board .
We urge voters to say no to Proposition 116 and to reject cutting state funds by an extra $ 203 million in 2020-21 and $ 154 million in 2021-22 .
Consider too that at this juncture in history we are asking more of state government than we have ever asked before : coronavirus testing , contact tracing , and emergency hospital facilities in case the virus overwhelms our hospital systems this fall .
We are also asking more of our schools : sterile facilities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , take-home-technology for every student , and smaller class sizes .
If we want the state to get back up and running without suffering too big a loss , if we want our children to not fall a grade behind , and if we want to continue to fight this virus , we must continue to invest in state government .
On its face , the cut may seem like a raindrop in a $ 30 billion river , but keep in mind that this tax cut is likely permanent .
Colorado voters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taxes at the ballot box and Colorado lawmakers are prohibited from doing so under TABOR .
Income taxes were reduced in 1999 from a flat tax of 5 % to 4.75 % , and again a year later to 4.63 % .
Times were good for state government — PERA was giving away money under Gov .
Bill Owens by increasing benefits and cutting contributions .
Hundreds of millions of dollars were returned to taxpayers via TABOR refunds .
And then the dot-com bubble burst , the Great Recession hit eight years later @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like absolute folly .
Prop .
116 would reduce the rate again to 4.55 % .
Only this time , we know the economy is on shaky ground and that the state is facing a massive cut in revenue .
Voters know ahead of time that a rocky few years may be in store .
Vote accordingly .
To send a letter to the editor about this article , submit online or check out our guidelines for how to submit by email or mail .

Editor’s note: This represents the opinion of The Denver Post editorial board, which is separate from the paper’s news operation.
For all the gripes sent to the Gold Dome, Colorado’s state budget is pretty lean and mean.
Yes, there are a few eyebrow raisers in the Long Bill — a few tax-credits-gone-to cronies and three or four pet projects signed into law.
But, compared to the excesses of other states, the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights has forced the state to spend most taxpayer money (including federal and cash funds) on the things we need to have — Medicaid ($10.7 billion), education ($6.2 billion), higher education ($4.8 billion), human services ($2.3 billion) and transportation ($2.1 billion). The financial crisis spurred by the arrival of a novel virus has blown a massive hole in the state’s coffers.
In fiscal year 2019-20, the state used federal funds and money in its reserve fund to plug a roughly $1.3 billion hole in the budget.
Fiscal year 2020-21 was worse with a roughly $3 billion gaping wound in the budget that was filled with federal funds, state reserves and cuts.
When first the governor and then lawmakers sit down to craft the 2021-22 budget this winter and spring, it’ll be a bloodbath unless Congress gets its act together and passes an emergency aid bill that includes funding for state and local governments, or a safe and effective vaccine is administered nationwide before next summer.
Despite all of this, Colorado voters are being asked whether they should further reduce state revenues by cutting income taxes across the board.
We urge voters to say no to Proposition 116 and to reject cutting state funds by an extra $203 million in 2020-21 and $154 million in 2021-22.
Consider too that at this juncture in history we are asking more of state government than we have ever asked before: coronavirus testing, contact tracing, and emergency hospital facilities in case the virus overwhelms our hospital systems this fall. We are also asking more of our schools: sterile facilities, social distancing, personal protective equipment, take-home-technology for every student, and smaller class sizes.
If we want the state to get back up and running without suffering too big a loss, if we want our children to not fall a grade behind, and if we want to continue to fight this virus, we must continue to invest in state government.
On its face, the cut may seem like a raindrop in a $30 billion river, but keep in mind that this tax cut is likely permanent. Colorado voters have shown an extreme reluctance to raise taxes at the ballot box and Colorado lawmakers are prohibited from doing so under TABOR. Income taxes were reduced in 1999 from a flat tax of 5% to 4.75%, and again a year later to 4.63%. Times were good for state government — PERA was giving away money under Gov. Bill Owens by increasing benefits and cutting contributions. Hundreds of millions of dollars were returned to taxpayers via TABOR refunds. And then the dot-com bubble burst, the Great Recession hit eight years later, and those cuts and splurges look like absolute folly.
Prop. 116 would reduce the rate again to 4.55%.
Only this time, we know the economy is on shaky ground and that the state is facing a massive cut in revenue. Voters know ahead of time that a rocky few years may be in store. Vote accordingly.
To send a letter to the editor about this article, submit online or check out our guidelines for how to submit by email or mail.


thedenverpost--2020-10-22--Rockies Mailbag: Can the Rockies hold onto Trevor Story?

Denver Post sports writer Patrick Saunders with the latest installment of his Rockies Mailbag .
Pose a Rockies — or MLB — related question for the Rockies Mailbag .
Will we attempt to bring D.J .
LeMahieu back to the Rockies ?
Also , will the Rockies keep Trevor Story ?
— Michael Hall , Arvada Michael , I had read speculation that the Rockies might be interested in bringing LeMahieu back to Colorado if the Yankees choose not to re-sign him .
So I checked around with those close to LeMahieu and I was told that while he ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doesn ’ t see the Rockies as a good fit for him .
The bottom line : I would be shocked if LeMahieu returned .
New York Post baseball columnist Joel Sherman recently wrote about the Yankees ’ chances of holding onto LeMahieu .
Here ’ s part of what he wrote : “ My suspicion is the Yankees will make the ( $ 18.8 million ) qualifying offer , see if LeMahieu accepts or almost certainly rejects , then make a lower-than-his-value offer– say three years at $ 48 million ( $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ payroll ) — and say 1 ) take this , 2 ) shop the market and see if anyone in this depressed environment will top that , or 3 ) while you are shopping , we also will be shopping and if we use the money we will pull the offer , so if this is where you truly want to play , then the money could evaporate to keep you here while you are out shopping.
” As for Story , who ’ s eligible to be a free agent after next @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get creative to hold onto him .
Owner Dick Monfort has previously said that he wants to sign the shortstop to a long-term deal , but a deal would likely have to happen before the 2021 season begins .
Baseball ’ s new financial landscape makes that difficult .
There is continued speculation that the Rockies will attempt to trade star third baseman Nolan Arenado , but his hefty contract ( he ’ s owed $ 35 million in 2021 ) makes a trade problematic .
Story is owed $ 17.5 million next @ @ @ @ @ @ @ younger than Arenado , so he would bring back more in return if the Rockies believe they need to retool .
I ’ m not dodging your question but I honestly don ’ t know if Story will play for the Rockies in 2021 .
Have you heard anything about how the Rockies ’ fall instructional league is going ?
Since there was no minor league baseball this year , do you know how the Rockies are faring when playing other organizations in the instructional league ?
— Renee Dechert , Powell , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s a great question because without a minor-league season there is an important five weeks for Rockies prospects .
What I do know is that there are 39 players in camp at Salt River Fields in Scottsdale , Ariz. , including outfielder Zac Veen ( Colorado ’ s top draft pick in 2020 ) ; top pitching prospect Ryan Rolison ; first base prospect Michael Toglia ( Colorado ’ s top pick in 2019 ) ; switch-hitting corner infielder Colton Welker ; and right-hander Riley Pint , the fourth overall player selected in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wilson told me that the instructional league has been going well .
The players are staying at the team hotel and are pretty much isolated .
“ I ’ m incredibly proud of how the guys have responded , ” Wilson said .
“ Living in a hotel room for five weeks is not easy , but these guys have been all about baseball .
They have been wearing their masks and following the safety protocols .
They ’ ve done an amazing job.
” I just read an article on the Rays @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one of the consistently low payrolls in MLB .
Why is it that they can figure things out but our all-knowing owner Dick Monfort can not figure things out here ?
I always hear that Monfort hates change and likes stability , which to me is the top reason as to why we will never have a consistent contender .
So , in a nutshell , can you show Monfort the article on the Rays organization , highlight some of the main points that he might want to use , and then tell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
— Del , Lamar Well , Del , I don ’ t think Monfort is going to listen to anything I have to say .
Plus , he rarely talks to the media .
That ’ s by design .
As for the idea that the Rockies should follow the Rays ’ blueprint , it ’ s not that simple .
Tampa Bay is a unique situation .
I point that out in a story I wrote for Wednesday ’ s Denver Post .
Check it out .
Because of the light @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pitcher would have an advantage here , am I right ?
— Carl Struchen , Logan , Utah Carl , I truthfully never thought about that , probably because knuckleball pitchers are a vanishing breed .
My gut tells me that a knuckleball pitcher would struggle in Colorado because the knuckleball , like curveballs and sliders , needs to move a lot in order to be effective .
Curveballs and sliders simply don ’ t move as much at altitude as they do at sea level .
I suspect that would be true @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your question , I did a little digging and found a column written by former Denver Post columnist Dave Krieger .
He interviewed knuckleballer R.A. Dickey , who had this to say about throwing the pitch at altitude : “ I ’ ve thrown bullpens in Colorado and I pitched in the minor leagues against Colorado Springs as a knuckleballer .
It is tougher to throw at those high altitudes because there ’ s not much humidity for the ball to kind of resist against .
At sea level , let ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , if I throw a mediocre knuckleball , well , it ’ s still going to move , it just might not move as sharply or as much .
If I throw a mediocre knuckleball in Colorado , it ’ s going to be a b.p .
( batting practice ) fastball right down the middle that I ’ m going to have to either dodge or I ’ m going to just put my glove up for the umpire to throw me another ball because that one just went 450 feet.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bit on this topic because the Dodgers already took Game 1 on Tuesday night , but I think the Dodgers will win the World Series in five games .
By the way , before the season began , I predicted that the Dodgers and Rays would meet in the World Series .
Patrick , did we miss the boat with the 2017 and 2018 Rockies ?
I feel like we were just a piece or two away from really making a run at that time .
In retrospect , do you think we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quality pitching ?
If it meant a title , I absolutely would have .
— Michael , Castle Rock Michael , hindsight is 2020 — no pun intended .
I don ’ t think that trading Rodgers was the answer , at least not at that time .
Besides , I don ’ t think it would have meant a title .
I think the franchise ’ s failure to make any bold moves prior to the 2019 and 2020 seasons are bigger reasons for frustration .
It surely is a big reason @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Now , the Rockies ’ window to compete seems to have slammed shut and they have to make some major decisions with the players on their roster .
Do we have any high minor-league starting pitching prospects ?
Outside of Ryan Rolison , I don ’ t see a whole lot in our farm system .
We need another starting pitcher and Coors Field has , to say the least , not been kind to the ones we ’ ve brought in .
Also , is there any chance we sign Kevin Gausman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how to pitch at altitude .
— Ryan , Minneapolis Ryan , you ’ re correct when you note that Rolison is an intriguing prospect .
After that , it ’ s pretty sketchy .
One pitcher to keep an eye on is right-hander Jose Mujica , who was recovering from Tommy John surgery in 2019 .
He was just 22 when he reached Triple-A , going 5-1 with a 2.70 ERA for the Durham Bulls in 2018 .
The Rockies picked him up when the Rays released him .
I mentioned the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ acquiring Gausman in a previous mailbag , though that was purely speculation .
The right-hander is an intriguing target , though the Rockies might not have the bucks to land him if the competition heats up .
Gausman , 29 , posted a 3.62 ERA and 1.106 WHIP in 59 2/3 innings over 12 appearances ( 10 starts ) with Giants this season .
He had 79 strikeouts vs. only 16 walks .
That ’ s encouraging .
The Giants paid him $ 9 million on a one-year deal , so he might @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , is a Colorado native and was a star at Grandview High School .

Denver Post sports writer Patrick Saunders with the latest installment of his Rockies Mailbag.
Pose a Rockies — or MLB — related question for the Rockies Mailbag.
Will we attempt to bring D.J. LeMahieu back to the Rockies? Also, will the Rockies keep Trevor Story?
— Michael Hall, Arvada
Michael, I had read speculation that the Rockies might be interested in bringing LeMahieu back to Colorado if the Yankees choose not to re-sign him. So I checked around with those close to LeMahieu and I was told that while he’s keeping his options open, he doesn’t see the Rockies as a good fit for him. The bottom line: I would be shocked if LeMahieu returned.
New York Post baseball columnist Joel Sherman recently wrote about the Yankees’ chances of holding onto LeMahieu. Here’s part of what he wrote:
“My suspicion is the Yankees will make the ($18.8 million) qualifying offer, see if LeMahieu accepts or almost certainly rejects, then make a lower-than-his-value offer– say three years at $48 million ($16 million per year toward the tax payroll) — and say 1) take this, 2) shop the market and see if anyone in this depressed environment will top that, or 3) while you are shopping, we also will be shopping and if we use the money we will pull the offer, so if this is where you truly want to play, then the money could evaporate to keep you here while you are out shopping.”
Interesting.
As for Story, who’s eligible to be a free agent after next season, the Rockies will have to get creative to hold onto him. Owner Dick Monfort has previously said that he wants to sign the shortstop to a long-term deal, but a deal would likely have to happen before the 2021 season begins. Baseball’s new financial landscape makes that difficult.
There is continued speculation that the Rockies will attempt to trade star third baseman Nolan Arenado, but his hefty contract (he’s owed $35 million in 2021) makes a trade problematic. Story is owed $17.5 million next year and he’s two years younger than Arenado, so he would bring back more in return if the Rockies believe they need to retool.
I’m not dodging your question but I honestly don’t know if Story will play for the Rockies in 2021.
Have you heard anything about how the Rockies’ fall instructional league is going? Since there was no minor league baseball this year, do you know how the Rockies are faring when playing other organizations in the instructional league?
— Renee Dechert, Powell, Wyo.
Hi Renee, that’s a great question because without a minor-league season there is an important five weeks for Rockies prospects.
What I do know is that there are 39 players in camp at Salt River Fields in Scottsdale, Ariz., including outfielder Zac Veen (Colorado’s top draft pick in 2020); top pitching prospect Ryan Rolison; first base prospect Michael Toglia (Colorado’s top pick in 2019); switch-hitting corner infielder Colton Welker; and right-hander Riley Pint, the fourth overall player selected in the 2016 draft.
Farm director Zach Wilson told me that the instructional league has been going well. The players are staying at the team hotel and are pretty much isolated.
“I’m incredibly proud of how the guys have responded,” Wilson said. “Living in a hotel room for five weeks is not easy, but these guys have been all about baseball. They have been wearing their masks and following the safety protocols. They’ve done an amazing job.”
I just read an article on the Rays organization and how they do things with one of the consistently low payrolls in MLB. Why is it that they can figure things out but our all-knowing owner Dick Monfort cannot figure things out here? I always hear that Monfort hates change and likes stability, which to me is the top reason as to why we will never have a consistent contender. So, in a nutshell, can you show Monfort the article on the Rays organization, highlight some of the main points that he might want to use, and then tell him to use those points or sell?
— Del, Lamar
Well, Del, I don’t think Monfort is going to listen to anything I have to say. Plus, he rarely talks to the media. That’s by design.
As for the idea that the Rockies should follow the Rays’ blueprint, it’s not that simple. Tampa Bay is a unique situation. I point that out in a story I wrote for Wednesday’s Denver Post. Check it out.
Because of the light air it would seem that a knuckleball pitcher would have an advantage here, am I right?
— Carl Struchen, Logan, Utah
Carl, I truthfully never thought about that, probably because knuckleball pitchers are a vanishing breed. My gut tells me that a knuckleball pitcher would struggle in Colorado because the knuckleball, like curveballs and sliders, needs to move a lot in order to be effective. Curveballs and sliders simply don’t move as much at altitude as they do at sea level. I suspect that would be true of knuckleballs, too.
Intrigued by your question, I did a little digging and found a column written by former Denver Post columnist Dave Krieger. He interviewed knuckleballer R.A. Dickey, who had this to say about throwing the pitch at altitude:
“I’ve thrown bullpens in Colorado and I pitched in the minor leagues against Colorado Springs as a knuckleballer. It is tougher to throw at those high altitudes because there’s not much humidity for the ball to kind of resist against. At sea level, let’s say in New York, for instance, if I throw a mediocre knuckleball, well, it’s still going to move, it just might not move as sharply or as much. If I throw a mediocre knuckleball in Colorado, it’s going to be a b.p. (batting practice) fastball right down the middle that I’m going to have to either dodge or I’m going to just put my glove up for the umpire to throw me another ball because that one just went 450 feet.”
Dodgers or Rays?
— Marshall, Parker
Marshall, I’m cheating a bit on this topic because the Dodgers already took Game 1 on Tuesday night, but I think the Dodgers will win the World Series in five games. By the way, before the season began, I predicted that the Dodgers and Rays would meet in the World Series.
Patrick, did we miss the boat with the 2017 and 2018 Rockies? I feel like we were just a piece or two away from really making a run at that time. In retrospect, do you think we should have traded Brendan Rodgers for some quality pitching? If it meant a title, I absolutely would have.
— Michael, Castle Rock
Michael, hindsight is 2020 — no pun intended. I don’t think that trading Rodgers was the answer, at least not at that time. Besides, I don’t think it would have meant a title.
I think the franchise’s failure to make any bold moves prior to the 2019 and 2020 seasons are bigger reasons for frustration. It surely is a big reason why Nolan Arenado has become disgruntled. Now, the Rockies’ window to compete seems to have slammed shut and they have to make some major decisions with the players on their roster.
Do we have any high minor-league starting pitching prospects? Outside of Ryan Rolison, I don’t see a whole lot in our farm system. We need another starting pitcher and Coors Field has, to say the least, not been kind to the ones we’ve brought in. Also, is there any chance we sign Kevin Gausman in the offseason? He already knows how to pitch at altitude.
— Ryan, Minneapolis
Ryan, you’re correct when you note that Rolison is an intriguing prospect. After that, it’s pretty sketchy. One pitcher to keep an eye on is right-hander Jose Mujica, who was recovering from Tommy John surgery in 2019. He was just 22 when he reached Triple-A, going 5-1 with a 2.70 ERA for the Durham Bulls in 2018. The Rockies picked him up when the Rays released him.
I mentioned the idea that the Rockies should look into acquiring Gausman in a previous mailbag, though that was purely speculation. The right-hander is an intriguing target, though the Rockies might not have the bucks to land him if the competition heats up.
Gausman, 29, posted a 3.62 ERA and 1.106 WHIP in 59 2/3 innings over 12 appearances (10 starts) with Giants this season. He had 79 strikeouts vs. only 16 walks. That’s encouraging.
The Giants paid him $9 million on a one-year deal, so he might be affordable. Gausman, of course, is a Colorado native and was a star at Grandview High School.


thedenverpost--2020-10-22--Jack Price and Jonathan Lewis open up about Rapids COVID outbreak

The Colorado Rapids returned to training this week and are expected to play their first match in over a month on Saturday , a shutdown caused by COVID-19 .
While the rest of the league kept playing the Rapids organization faced a localized outbreak with nearly 20 cases .
Nobody was hospitalized and most of those who tested positive reported mild symptoms , at worst , including head coach Robin Fraser .
“ We ’ re not playing games and training has being canceled here and there , ” captain Jack Price said .
“ It ’ s been a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ve already done this once before and we had to do it all again.
” The sudden stop to the season and training forced Rapids players into self-isolation where many struggled to stay in shape or get in soccer workouts .
“ The first couple of weeks were tough , ” Price said .
“ We were doing some runs but I didn ’ t really get a feel for the ball for a couple of weeks .
So it was strange , especially when obviously we were near the end of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ players was staying healthy .
“ It was a concern in the back of my mind , ” Price said about possibly getting COVID-19 .
“ But for myself , really , I wasn ’ t too bothered .
I was more concerned for my family .
I have a baby that ’ s almost 11 months now .
I was more worried about maybe passing it down to him and my wife .
I feel like because I ’ m young and fit I ’ d be able to deal with myself @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jonathan Lewis , who was the first Rapids player to get COVID-19 earlier this summer , said he experienced a cough for a few days and sometimes feels like he ’ s still short of breath months later .
“ Just seeing that it was spreading through our team like that you know I was obviously getting worried , ” Lewis said .
“ Can I potentially get it again ?
There was one day I think I started to feel weird and thought I had the virus again .
And I consistently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just be all in your head.
” Both Price and Lewis and said they felt the team followed league protocols and that the Rapids were just simply unlucky .
“ I honestly think this is something that you just don ’ t know , ” Lewis said .
“ I don ’ t even know how I got it the first time .
No one knows , you literally could have just got it in the supermarket .
It ’ s that type of virus .
To have any hard feelings towards someone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is unsure if the safety measures being taken are effective .
“ It can be dangerous to people who catch it but at the same time how do you protect against something that no one knows even what protection measures are legit , ” Lewis said .
“ I can ’ t be upset at someone if I were to catch it again , let ’ s just say .
I don ’ t even know if wearing a mask even is really effective , no one even knows that .
They could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been doing and they just got unfortunate and got the virus.
” Price said that the Rapids were “ very unlucky .
it just killed us the way we were with the momentum we had going into the last few games .
Hopefully , we can build that back up.
” The Rapids won three of their last four matches before the outbreak halted their season .
After several positive tests , the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment shut down the club on Oct. 12 and postponed all activities for 10 @ @

The Colorado Rapids returned to training this week and are expected to play their first match in over a month on Saturday, after a shutdown caused by COVID-19. While the rest of the league kept playing the Rapids organization faced a localized outbreak with nearly 20 cases.
Nobody was hospitalized and most of those who tested positive reported mild symptoms, at worst, including head coach Robin Fraser.
“We’re not playing games and training has being canceled here and there,” captain Jack Price said. “It’s been a bit of a nightmare. We’ve already done this once before and we had to do it all again.”
The sudden stop to the season and training forced Rapids players into self-isolation where many struggled to stay in shape or get in soccer workouts.
“The first couple of weeks were tough,” Price said. “We were doing some runs but I didn’t really get a feel for the ball for a couple of weeks. So it was strange, especially when obviously we were near the end of the season.”
The biggest concern among the players was staying healthy.
“It was a concern in the back of my mind,” Price said about possibly getting COVID-19. “But for myself, really, I wasn’t too bothered. I was more concerned for my family. I have a baby that’s almost 11 months now. I was more worried about maybe passing it down to him and my wife. I feel like because I’m young and fit I’d be able to deal with myself if I was to catch it.”
Jonathan Lewis, who was the first Rapids player to get COVID-19 earlier this summer, said he experienced a cough for a few days and sometimes feels like he’s still short of breath months later.
“Just seeing that it was spreading through our team like that you know I was obviously getting worried,” Lewis said. “Can I potentially get it again? There was one day I think I started to feel weird and thought I had the virus again. And I consistently kept testing negative, sometimes it could just be all in your head.”
Both Price and Lewis said they felt the team followed league protocols and that the Rapids were just simply unlucky.
“I honestly think this is something that you just don’t know,” Lewis said. “I don’t even know how I got it the first time. No one knows, you literally could have just got it in the supermarket. It’s that type of virus. To have any hard feelings towards someone is not right.”
Still, Lewis is unsure if the safety measures being taken are effective.
“It can be dangerous to people who catch it but at the same time how do you protect against something that no one knows even what protection measures are legit?” Lewis said. “I can’t be upset at someone if I were to catch it again, let’s just say. I don’t even know if wearing a mask even is really effective, no one even knows that. They could have been doing everything I’ve been doing and they just got unfortunate and got the virus.”
Price said that the Rapids were “very unlucky. It just killed us the way we were with the momentum we had going into the last few games. Hopefully, we can build that back up.”
The Rapids won three of their last four matches before the outbreak halted their season. After several positive tests, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment shut down the club on Oct. 12 and postponed all activities for 10 days.


thedenverpost--2020-10-22--Guest commentary: Smell the smoke? Our way of life in the American West is under attack

One of us is a former politician , an Outward Bound instructor who became a senator .
The other is a professional athlete , a snowboarder who climbed and rode mountains long before going to Capitol Hill to meet with policymakers on climate .
There ’ s one place we both love to congregate : on snow-covered mountains , from the high peaks of the Himalaya to the craggy summits of the Rockies .
It is in those rugged locales that we ’ ve seen the impacts of our changing climate first hand .
Right now , all we have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ backyards to see those effects .
Wildfires are burning millions of acres around the West and entire states are shrouded in thick smoke .
All of California ’ s National Forest land and dozens of state parks are currently closed to reduce fire risk .
This week , national forest lands along Colorado ’ s Front Range closed because of wildfires in the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests .
Wildfires in the Western U.S. have increased by 400 % since 1970 , a direct result of increased variability in our climate .
This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we ’ ve seen .
The fires are burning homes , displacing families , costing the government $ 1 billion a year to fight , and impacting the economies in communities affected by evacuations , devastation , and smoke .
Individual action will not be enough to remedy this situation—we need systemic change and we need it now .
Voting for Joe Biden for president is our first step toward a more positive climate future .
Biden will behave in a way that will make America proud and bring us together .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we ’ ve ever had in the fight against climate change .
While scientists have repeatedly proven that the expansion of fossil fuels is a main contributor to our warming climate , President Donald Trump has continued a full-scale acceleration of oil , coal , and natural gas .
Climate change should not be a partisan issue .
We are all impacted by it .
Yet thanks to fossil fuels , climate has become one of the most divisive issues on the campaign trail .
A quick reminder of Trump ’ s record @ @ @ @ @ @ @ made plans to withdraw the U.S. from the Paris Agreement .
He rolled back vehicle fuel efficiency standards .
He eased regulations on greenhouse gas emissions and relaxed methane gas restrictions .
He ’ s quelled critical information , like ordering the EPA to cease gathering data from oil and gas powerhouses .
Biden , on the other hand , trusts science and has acknowledged that climate change is our most existential threat .
He knows that in order to move forward on a set of climate solutions , we need to have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ come out of Congress in a comprehensive , bipartisan approach .
On his first day in office , Biden will reestablish the U.S. in the Paris Agreement , preserve the Clean Air Act , restrict methane pollution for oil and gas companies , and demand that corporations publicly divulge greenhouse gas emissions .
Biden has stood up for communities that have faced environmental justice concerns and he ’ s been an advocate for clean air and clean water .
His goals for his first 100 days in office will be the most aggressive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ve seen .
Mountains are a place many of us go for inspiration .
But the wilderness that is so important to the American ethos is at stake .
The climactic changes we ’ re seeing out West—rampant wildfires , less snowfall , quicker runoffs , dwindling soil moistures—are affecting our quality of life and our economies .
We need clean air , clean water , and snow for our communities to function .
It ’ s where our food comes from ; it ’ s what our livelihoods depend on .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ hope is lost .
A bright future is ours if we can come together to vote for it .
Mark Udall was a United States Senator , serving Colorado from 2009 until 2015 .
Jeremy Jones is a California-based professional snowboarder and founder of the climate activist group Protect Our Winters .

One of us is a former politician, an Outward Bound instructor who became a senator. The other is a professional athlete, a snowboarder who climbed and rode mountains long before going to Capitol Hill to meet with policymakers on climate. There’s one place we both love to congregate: on snow-covered mountains, from the high peaks of the Himalaya to the craggy summits of the Rockies. It is in those rugged locales that we’ve seen the impacts of our changing climate first hand.
Right now, all we have to do is step into our smoke-covered backyards to see those effects. Wildfires are burning millions of acres around the West and entire states are shrouded in thick smoke. All of California’s National Forest land and dozens of state parks are currently closed to reduce fire risk. This week, national forest lands along Colorado’s Front Range closed because of wildfires in the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests.
Wildfires in the Western U.S. have increased by 400% since 1970, a direct result of increased variability in our climate. This year’s burns are the worst we’ve seen. The fires are burning homes, displacing families, costing the government $1 billion a year to fight, and impacting the economies in communities affected by evacuations, devastation, and smoke.
Individual action will not be enough to remedy this situation—we need systemic change and we need it now. Voting for Joe Biden for president is our first step toward a more positive climate future. Biden will behave in a way that will make America proud and bring us together. He’s also the best presidential candidate we’ve ever had in the fight against climate change.
While scientists have repeatedly proven that the expansion of fossil fuels is a main contributor to our warming climate, President Donald Trump has continued a full-scale acceleration of oil, coal, and natural gas. Climate change should not be a partisan issue. We are all impacted by it. Yet thanks to fossil fuels, climate has become one of the most divisive issues on the campaign trail.
A quick reminder of Trump’s record while in the Oval Office: He made plans to withdraw the U.S. from the Paris Agreement. He rolled back vehicle fuel efficiency standards. He eased regulations on greenhouse gas emissions and relaxed methane gas restrictions. He’s quelled critical information, like ordering the EPA to cease gathering data from oil and gas powerhouses.
Biden, on the other hand, trusts science and has acknowledged that climate change is our most existential threat. He knows that in order to move forward on a set of climate solutions, we need to have a national policy, which has to come out of Congress in a comprehensive, bipartisan approach.
On his first day in office, Biden will reestablish the U.S. in the Paris Agreement, preserve the Clean Air Act, restrict methane pollution for oil and gas companies, and demand that corporations publicly divulge greenhouse gas emissions. Biden has stood up for communities that have faced environmental justice concerns and he’s been an advocate for clean air and clean water. His goals for his first 100 days in office will be the most aggressive climate agenda of any American president we’ve seen.
Mountains are a place many of us go for inspiration. But the wilderness that is so important to the American ethos is at stake. The climactic changes we’re seeing out West—rampant wildfires, less snowfall, quicker runoffs, dwindling soil moistures—are affecting our quality of life and our economies. We need clean air, clean water, and snow for our communities to function. It’s where our food comes from; it’s what our livelihoods depend on. While the West burns, not all hope is lost. A bright future is ours if we can come together to vote for it.
Mark Udall was a United States Senator, serving Colorado from 2009 until 2015. Jeremy Jones is a California-based professional snowboarder and founder of the climate activist group Protect Our Winters.