thedenverpost--2020-12-30--Denver notches its 8th driest year in 149 years of record keeping

With no more rain or snow expected in these final two days of 2020 , Denver is going to officially finish with its eighth driest year in recorded weather history .
Only 8.74 inches of precipitation was observed at the Denver International Airport in 2020 when combining rain and melted snow .
That is only about 60 % of the normal yearly precipitation total , which sits at more than 14 inches annually .
This is just one of 10 years since 1872 that Denver has failed to tally at least 9 inches of precipitation in an entire calendar year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ come since 2000 .
While DIA can sometimes be an “ unfair ” representation of Denver weather , in 2020 it was in line with the rule and not the exception .
The centrally located Stapleton Airport observation site will notch its fifth driest year in history , while Wheat Ridge is also headed for its driest year since 2002 .
This year was off to a much more promising start when it came to water .
Denver carried a wetter-than-normal trend from 2019 all the way into the spring .
After the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ notable soaking from a mid-April rain storm , the faucet rapidly started to shut off .
The Mile High City relies on large scale spring storms and frequent summer thunderstorms for the vast majority of its annual precipitation .
In fact , more than two thirds of Denver ’ s yearly moisture typically falls between April and August .
In 2020 , all five of these main moisture months were drier than normal , and most of them were by a very wide margin .
This all comes just two years after the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year .
However , in 2018 , precipitation was more plentiful in other parts of the metro area .
Rain and snow seemed to elude DIA more frequently , resulting in the sixth driest year on record , while it was only the 13th driest at Stapleton .
The paltry precipitation in the past year has not been limited to the Denver area .
Widespread dryness has been a statewide problem , causing Colorado to plunge into one of its worst droughts in a long time .
As we get set to close @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nature can help us welcome back more persistent and plentiful wet weather in 2021 .

With no more rain or snow expected in these final two days of 2020, Denver is going to officially finish with its eighth driest year in recorded weather history.
Only 8.74 inches of precipitation was observed at the Denver International Airport in 2020 when combining rain and melted snow. That is only about 60% of the normal yearly precipitation total, which sits at more than 14 inches annually.
This is just one of 10 years since 1872 that Denver has failed to tally at least 9 inches of precipitation in an entire calendar year. Four of those 10 occurrences have come since 2000.
While DIA can sometimes be an “unfair” representation of Denver weather, in 2020 it was in line with the rule and not the exception. The centrally located Stapleton Airport observation site will notch its fifth driest year in history, while Wheat Ridge is also headed for its driest year since 2002.
This year was off to a much more promising start when it came to water. Denver carried a wetter-than-normal trend from 2019 all the way into the spring. After the Front Range and urban corridor saw a notable soaking from a mid-April rain storm, the faucet rapidly started to shut off.
The Mile High City relies on largescale spring storms and frequent summer thunderstorms for the vast majority of its annual precipitation. In fact, more than two-thirds of Denver’s yearly moisture typically falls between April and August. In 2020, all five of these main moisture months were drier than normal, and most of them were by a very wide margin.
This all comes just two years after the Mile High City recorded another top-10 dry year. However, in 2018, precipitation was more plentiful in other parts of the metro area. Rain and snow seemed to elude DIA more frequently, resulting in the sixth driest year on record, while it was only the 13th driest at Stapleton.
The paltry precipitation in the past year has not been limited to the Denver area. Widespread dryness has been a statewide problem, causing Colorado to plunge into one of its worst droughts in a long time.
As we get set to close the books on 2020, hopefully Mother Nature can help us welcome back more persistent and plentiful wet weather in 2021.


thedenverpost--2020-12-30--Low-wage workers in Colorado paid a heavy price during pandemic

Even in the best of times , getting by was tough for the state ’ s low-wage workers , and the pandemic made life even more difficult , according to the 2020 State of Working Colorado report , which came out on Tuesday .
“ Our economy is not working for most Coloradans , ” said Tiffani Lennon , executive director of the Colorado Center on Law and Policy in comments accompanying the report .
“ These findings demonstrate why we should not settle for simply a return to a ‘ normal ’ economy.
” The CCLP ’ s 132-page @ @ @ @ @ @ @ variety of economic measures and how they impact prosperity , especially for working-class families , with an added emphasis this year on the pandemic .
As of mid-October , high-wage jobs had almost fully recovered to their January levels , while low-wages jobs were still down by 17.6 % , noted Charlie Brennan and Lauren Contorno , co-authors of the report .
Communities of color and rural residents throughout the Western Slope were disproportionately hit by the 342,300 jobs lost in Colorado between February and April , the study found .
Colorado still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back to where it was before the pandemic hit .
To put that in perspective , Colorado lost 144,200 jobs across several months during the Great Recession .
More than half the jobs still missing in Colorado as of November were concentrated in just two sectors : Accommodation and food service , down 40,700 jobs , and government , down 33,900 jobs , mostly in state government .
Health care and social assistance jobs are still down by 15,800 , while arts , entertainment , and recreation remain down by 14,500 jobs .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ harder overall by the recession than urban counties , but that doesn ’ t tell the full story .
Rural resort counties suffered a 23.7 % decline in employment from February to November , with employment declines of 20 % or more still prevalent across much of the Western Slope .
The notable exception is Mesa County , which is considered an urban area .
It was one of nearly a dozen counties , mostly on the Eastern Plains or southern edge of the state , that have gained jobs since February .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the least recovered counties in Colorado are Grand , Eagle , Summit , Lake , Mineral , San Juan and San Miguel .
The study described unemployment insurance benefits as a life-saver for both displaced workers and the larger Colorado economy , generating $ 2 in economic activity for every $ 1 provided and preventing a much more severe economic crisis .

Even in the best of times, getting by was tough for the state’s low-wage workers, and the pandemic made life even more difficult, according to the 2020 State of Working Colorado report, which came out on Tuesday.
“Our economy is not working for most Coloradans,” said Tiffani Lennon, executive director of the Colorado Center on Law and Policy in comments accompanying the report. “These findings demonstrate why we should not settle for simply a return to a ‘normal’ economy.”
The CCLP’s 132-page report offers a deep dive on a variety of economic measures and how they impact prosperity, especially for working-class families, with an added emphasis this year on the pandemic.
As of mid-October, high-wage jobs had almost fully recovered to their January levels, while low-wages jobs were still down by 17.6%, noted Charlie Brennan and Lauren Contorno, co-authors of the report.
Communities of color and rural residents throughout the Western Slope were disproportionately hit by the 342,300 jobs lost in Colorado between February and April, the study found. Colorado still needs to recover 132,700 jobs to get back to where it was before the pandemic hit. To put that in perspective, Colorado lost 144,200 jobs across several months during the Great Recession.
More than half the jobs still missing in Colorado as of November were concentrated in just two sectors: Accommodation and food service, down 40,700 jobs, and government, down 33,900 jobs, mostly in state government. Health care and social assistance jobs are still down by 15,800, while arts, entertainment, and recreation remain down by 14,500 jobs.
Rural counties on the whole were hit harder overall by the recession than urban counties, but that doesn’t tell the full story. Rural resort counties suffered a 23.7% decline in employment from February to November, with employment declines of 20% or more still prevalent across much of the Western Slope.
The notable exception is Mesa County, which is considered an urban area. It was one of nearly a dozen counties, mostly on the Eastern Plains or southern edge of the state, that have gained jobs since February.
As the year comes to a close, the least recovered counties in Colorado are Grand, Eagle, Summit, Lake, Mineral, San Juan and San Miguel.
The study described unemployment insurance benefits as a life-saver for both displaced workers and the larger Colorado economy, generating $2 in economic activity for every $1 provided and preventing a much more severe economic crisis.


thedenverpost--2020-12-30--Colorado ski resorts work to stay open as COVID-19 surges across country

TELLURIDE — The day after Thanksgiving , Dr. Jana Eller and Dr. Shiraz Naqvi were seated beside an outdoor fire pit at the base of Telluride Ski Resort , taking a short break from skiing .
The two physicians from Houston had driven more than 18 hours to get here for the holiday weekend , and they were staying ( and preparing meals ) in a rented home .
They traveled with another couple and their kids , colleagues they ’ ve been “ bubbling ” with in Houston .
“ We got a COVID test prior to leaving and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Naqvi said .
The skiing itself doesn ’ t feel much different during the pandemic , Eller said , but “ the après ski scene is just gone.
” In March , at the beginning of the pandemic , Colorado Gov .
Jared Polis issued an executive order requiring the state ’ s ski resorts to close in response to COVID-19 , which had hit the state ’ s ski towns early and hard .
Now , as the resorts enter their busy season , the state has taken pains to avoid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are reaching their highest levels yet .
How to stay open amid the pandemic is an issue resorts across the U.S. are facing .
Mandatory face coverings have become the norm , but other COVID mitigation efforts vary by site .
Vermont resorts ask skiers to certify their compliance with rules governing interstate travel during the pandemic when buying a lift ticket , and in Colorado ’ s Pitkin County ( home to Aspen ) , visitors will be required to confirm they ’ ve had a negative COVID test result within 72 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for 14 days after arrival or until they obtain a negative test result .
Telluride is an internationally renowned destination trying to operate safely while protecting the 8,000 or so permanent residents in the area .
Located in a remote southwestern part of Colorado , its economy depends on tourism , and the resort posts as many as 6,500 visitors on its busiest days .
On Nov. 25 , with its COVID case numbers skyrocketing and its positivity rate hitting 4.6 % , San Miguel County , which includes Telluride , closed its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and outdoor dining only .
Signs posted throughout the resort remind visitors of the “ five commitments of containment ” — wear a mask , maintain 6 feet of physical distance , minimize group size , wash hands frequently and , when you feel sick , stay home and get tested .
How bad would things have to get to close the resort ?
That ’ s hard to gauge , said Grace Franklin , public health director for the county .
People are going to do what they will regardless , she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the ski resort , how many people will take to the backcountry and get injured or trigger avalanches where the impact is greater ?
It ’ s a ‘ damned if you do , damned if you don ’ t ’ situation , ” Franklin said .
Instead , Franklin said , the question becomes , “ How do we create safer , engineered events so people have an outlet , but we minimize as much risk as possible ?
” Skiing itself poses relatively little risk , said Kate Langwig , an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re outside with a lot of airflow , you ’ ve got something strapped to your feet so you ’ re not in super close contact with other people , and most of the time you ’ re riding the lift with people in your group.
” Gathering in the lodge or bar is by far the biggest COVID risk associated with skiing , said Langwig , who grew up skiing in northern New York .
“ In my family , one of the things you do after a day of skiing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ beer in the lodge , ” and it ’ s this social aspect of skiing that ’ s too risky right now , she said .
In an effort to discourage tourists and residents from congregating , local governments , medical facilities and the ski resort released a co-signed letter in November urging people to cancel any plans to gather with those outside their immediate household and celebrate the holidays solely with people from their own household .
Keeping the resort open will require everybody to do their part , said Lindsey Mills @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Miguel County .
“ We are not telling anybody not to come , at least not yet , ” said Todd Brown , Telluride ’ s mayor pro tem .
But local officials are broadcasting a strong message to everyone in the area — “ Chill out .
Don ’ t have the big party with five families.
” Officials aren ’ t worried only about coronavirus transmission ; they ’ re also concerned about overtaxing their medical facilities .
San Miguel County has an urgent care center but no hospital , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ staffing shortage at the end of November , mostly because so many employees are in quarantine .
Hospitals in nearby Mesa County reached their ICU capacity last month , and other hospitals in the region are also pinched .
“ We can ’ t have a situation where people break their legs on the slopes and we can ’ t get them care , ” said Franklin .
The resort has taken steps to facilitate physical distancing among visitors .
Reservations aren ’ t required at Telluride , but lift tickets must be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can restrict ticket sales if necessary , said Jeff Proteau , vice president of operations and planning at the Telluride Ski Resort .
Gondolas are operating with the windows open and each load is restricted to members of the same household .
To reduce contact in and around the lifts , workers have created “ ghost lines ” of empty space to ensure a 6-foot distance between groups while they wait in lift lines .
People from the same household can stand in line together and ride the two- to four-person lifts next @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but when riding a lift with someone from another household , guests are asked to leave a vacant seat between them .
Langwig was a children ’ s ski instructor for many years and worries about ski school .
“ You interact pretty closely with the kids , ” she said , noting that runny noses are common .
“ You spend a lot of time getting kids bundled up and to and from the bathroom.
” This could be especially challenging if indoor spaces are closed , she said .
“ Hot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you get kids through the day , and that ’ s not safe anymore.
” In anticipation of visitors needing to take breaks to warm up , the resort has installed six temporary structures around the mountain with insulated ceilings and heated panels .
When the sides are rolled up , they ’ re considered outdoor spaces , Proteau said , but they can be closed into confined spaces with limited occupancy as needed , especially on a blustery day .
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Holiday blip or reason to worry ?
The risk for most employees on the mountain should be relatively minimal , Langwig said , at least at work .
“ Lift attendants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mask most of the time .
Compared to someone who works in a restaurant , their risk is pretty low.
” Employees are generally assigned to work in small groups that can be quarantined , if necessary , without wiping out a whole department , Proteau said .
There ’ s also contact tracing in place for resort employees .
Arizona native Joey Rague moved to Telluride last year and works as a ski valet on the mountain .
He said there ’ s a huge incentive among employees to keep the resort @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Telluride , “ all of us are struggling seasonally to be able to pay rent.
” So far , he said , most visitors have been respectful and conscientious of the rules .
“ It seems as though people understand that if we want to stay open , we have to come together , ” he said .
Kaiser Health News is a national health policy news service .
It is an editorially independent program of the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation which is not affiliated with Kaiser Permanente .

By Christie Aschwanden, Kaiser Health News
TELLURIDE — The day after Thanksgiving, Dr. Jana Eller and Dr. Shiraz Naqvi were seated beside an outdoor fire pit at the base of Telluride Ski Resort, taking a short break from skiing.
The two physicians from Houston had driven more than 18 hours to get here for the holiday weekend, and they were staying (and preparing meals) in a rented home. They traveled with another couple and their kids, colleagues they’ve been “bubbling” with in Houston.
“We got a COVID test prior to leaving and will get another when we return,” Naqvi said.
The skiing itself doesn’t feel much different during the pandemic, Eller said, but “the après ski scene is just gone.”
In March, at the beginning of the pandemic, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis issued an executive order requiring the state’s ski resorts to close in response to COVID-19, which had hit the state’s ski towns early and hard. Now, as the resorts enter their busy season, the state has taken pains to avoid blanket closures even though cases of COVID-19 are reaching their highest levels yet.
How to stay open amid the pandemic is an issue resorts across the U.S. are facing. Mandatory face coverings have become the norm, but other COVID mitigation efforts vary by site. Vermont resorts ask skiers to certify their compliance with rules governing interstate travel during the pandemic when buying a lift ticket, and in Colorado’s Pitkin County (home to Aspen), visitors will be required to confirm they’ve had a negative COVID test result within 72 hours of travel or pledge to quarantine for 14 days after arrival or until they obtain a negative test result.
Telluride is an internationally renowned destination trying to operate safely while protecting the 8,000 or so permanent residents in the area. Located in a remote southwestern part of Colorado, its economy depends on tourism, and the resort posts as many as 6,500 visitors on its busiest days.
On Nov. 25, with its COVID case numbers skyrocketing and its positivity rate hitting 4.6%, San Miguel County, which includes Telluride, closed its bars and restricted its restaurants to takeout and outdoor dining only. Signs posted throughout the resort remind visitors of the “five commitments of containment” — wear a mask, maintain 6 feet of physical distance, minimize group size, wash hands frequently and, when you feel sick, stay home and get tested.
How bad would things have to get to close the resort? That’s hard to gauge, said Grace Franklin, public health director for the county. People are going to do what they will regardless, she said.
“If we shut down the ski resort, how many people will take to the backcountry and get injured or trigger avalanches where the impact is greater? It’s a ‘damned if you do, damned if you don’t’ situation,” Franklin said.
Instead, Franklin said, the question becomes, “How do we create safer, engineered events so people have an outlet, but we minimize as much risk as possible?”
Skiing itself poses relatively little risk, said Kate Langwig, an epidemiologist at Virginia Tech. “You’re outside with a lot of airflow, you’ve got something strapped to your feet so you’re not in super close contact with other people, and most of the time you’re riding the lift with people in your group.”
Gathering in the lodge or bar is by far the biggest COVID risk associated with skiing, said Langwig, who grew up skiing in northern New York. “In my family, one of the things you do after a day of skiing is connect with friends and have a beer in the lodge,” and it’s this social aspect of skiing that’s too risky right now, she said.
In an effort to discourage tourists and residents from congregating, local governments, medical facilities and the ski resort released a co-signed letter in November urging people to cancel any plans to gather with those outside their immediate household and celebrate the holidays solely with people from their own household. Keeping the resort open will require everybody to do their part, said Lindsey Mills, COVID public information consultant for San Miguel County.
“We are not telling anybody not to come, at least not yet,” said Todd Brown, Telluride’s mayor pro tem. But local officials are broadcasting a strong message to everyone in the area — “Chill out. Don’t have the big party with five families.”
Officials aren’t worried only about coronavirus transmission; they’re also concerned about overtaxing their medical facilities. San Miguel County has an urgent care center but no hospital, and its medical center experienced a 22% staffing shortage at the end of November, mostly because so many employees are in quarantine. Hospitals in nearby Mesa County reached their ICU capacity last month, and other hospitals in the region are also pinched.
“We can’t have a situation where people break their legs on the slopes and we can’t get them care,” said Franklin.
The resort has taken steps to facilitate physical distancing among visitors. Reservations aren’t required at Telluride, but lift tickets must be purchased in advance, and the resort can restrict ticket sales if necessary, said Jeff Proteau, vice president of operations and planning at the Telluride Ski Resort. Gondolas are operating with the windows open and each load is restricted to members of the same household.
To reduce contact in and around the lifts, workers have created “ghost lines” of empty space to ensure a 6-foot distance between groups while they wait in lift lines. People from the same household can stand in line together and ride the two- to four-person lifts next to one another, Proteau said, but when riding a lift with someone from another household, guests are asked to leave a vacant seat between them.
Langwig was a children’s ski instructor for many years and worries about ski school. “You interact pretty closely with the kids,” she said, noting that runny noses are common. “You spend a lot of time getting kids bundled up and to and from the bathroom.” This could be especially challenging if indoor spaces are closed, she said. “Hot chocolate breaks are one of the ways you get kids through the day, and that’s not safe anymore.”
In anticipation of visitors needing to take breaks to warm up, the resort has installed six temporary structures around the mountain with insulated ceilings and heated panels. When the sides are rolled up, they’re considered outdoor spaces, Proteau said, but they can be closed into confined spaces with limited occupancy as needed, especially on a blustery day.
The risk for most employees on the mountain should be relatively minimal, Langwig said, at least at work. “Lift attendants are outside wearing thick gloves and a mask most of the time. Compared to someone who works in a restaurant, their risk is pretty low.”
Employees are generally assigned to work in small groups that can be quarantined, if necessary, without wiping out a whole department, Proteau said. There’s also contact tracing in place for resort employees.
Arizona native Joey Rague moved to Telluride last year and works as a ski valet on the mountain. He said there’s a huge incentive among employees to keep the resort open. With affordable housing sparse in Telluride, “all of us are struggling seasonally to be able to pay rent.”
So far, he said, most visitors have been respectful and conscientious of the rules.
“It seems as though people understand that if we want to stay open, we have to come together,” he said.
Kaiser Health News is a national health policy news service. It is an editorially independent program of the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation which is not affiliated with Kaiser Permanente.


thedenverpost--2020-12-30--COVID-19 pandemic’s effect on sports could be long lasting

July 31 , opening night at Coors Field .
No fans in the stands , piped-in crowd noise blaring from speakers , and a cardboard cutout of Dinger the dinosaur , the Rockies ’ mascot , perched in an outfield seat .
There ’ s your time capsule image for sports in 2020 amid the global coronavirus pandemic .
Good riddance , you might mutter .
Not so fast .
The sports world has changed .
“ Nothing is more relentless than change , and it ’ s almost impossible to go backward , ” said Dennis Deninger , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at Syracuse University .
“ We are going to see that in almost every field and sports are not going to be exempt.
” In general , sports receded from our daily lives in 2020 due to the pandemic .
And , while it ’ s impossible to predict what long-lasting impact the pandemic will have on sports , there are indications that change has come to two areas central to the landscape : youth participation and TV viewing habits .
There was nearly a 50 % drop in physical activity among U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last spring , according to a survey conducted in September by The Aspen Institute .
The study utilized a nationally representative sample of 1,103 youth-sport parents whose children had participated regularly in one or more youth sports prior to COVID-19-related restrictions .
The Colorado Rapids Youth Soccer Club , an organization with about 10,000 participants in a typical season , lost about 15 % of its players in 2020 , according to Aaron Nagel , its executive director .
Smaller soccer clubs in Colorado lost as much as 40 % of their participants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s well documented that sports contribute to the well-being of the child in early development , ” Nagel said .
“ Involvement in sports results in less drug use , better health habits , better social habits , better grades and better professions.
” It ’ s clear that kids struggled without sports .
A survey of high school athletes conducted by the University of Wisconsin in July found that approximately 68 % of the 3,243 teens polled reported feelings of anxiety and depression at levels that typically require medical intervention .
That @ @ @ @ @ @ @ past studies .
“ The results are both striking and concerning , ” said Dr. Claudia Reardon , associate professor of psychiatry at Wisconsin ’ s School of Medicine and Public Health .
There are fears that the window of participation for some children slammed shut .
“ I think it ’ s really important that we acknowledge kids maybe don ’ t want to go back to sports the way they were , ” said Dr. Travis E. Dorsch , founding director of the Families in Sport Lab at Utah State University @ @ @ @ @ @ @ concern .
This is our opportunity to create a new youth sports system that kids want to come back to….This looks like a real pivot point.
” According to The Aspen Institute ’ s study , nearly three out of 10 children who played a sport prior to the coronavirus pandemic are no longer interested in participating .
That figure ( 29 % ) increased from 18 % in May and 19 % in June .
Dorsch ’ s research indicates that when the pandemic ends , the trend will be to keep @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time and money traveling to play youth sports .
He also foresees an increase in virtual coaching and training .
Denver-based TopYa , for example , provides a learning-and-engagement platform that teaches kids to be passionate about sports and physical activity using video challenges on a mobile app .
“ These sort of things were going on before the pandemic but I can see it increasing , ” Dorsch said .
“ I can see an increase in online coaching where an individual , a family , or maybe even a league pays @ @ @ @ @ @ @ online library of coaches , drills and training .
It ’ s a nice concept.
” For many kids , soccer provides their first entry into sports , an idea Nagel embraces .
The Rapids youth soccer programs organized free summer camps that drew more than 7,000 kids .
Nagel believes that the summer camps ’ stringent COVID-19 protocols convinced parents that it was safe for their children to play soccer this fall before the second wave of the pandemic hit .
“ I was really encouraged by the level of enthusiasm and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
“ In a time frame when a lot could have gone wrong , I received more compliments this fall season than I ever have before in my 12 years working in youth soccer .
I think that shows you how important sports are to parents and their kids.
” As for sports fans , it seemed a safe assumption that those starved of watching games would flock to their televisions when live competition resumed this past summer .
That didn ’ t happen .
At first , the return of sports @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In June , CBS ’ s coverage of the Sunday afternoon round of the PGA Tour ’ s Charles Schwab Open in Texas drew an average audience of 3.091 million people , the tournament ’ s most-watched final round in 16 years and an uptick of more than 50 % over the 2019 event .
But then a strange thing happened .
Viewership for most major sporting events plummeted .
Ratings for the NHL ’ s Stanley Cup Finals dropped 61 % year over year , while the NBA Finals were down 51 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ World Series was the lowest-rated in history , its average declining 30 % from 2019 .
The Masters , held in November rather than its traditional time in April , had its lowest-rated final round since 1957 .
Overall viewership for Major League Baseball was up 4.2 % for the 60-game regular season in 2020 , but viewership for the struggling Rockies dropped 24 % , according to Forbes .
That came after a disappointing 2019 season when the Rockies ’ TV ratings dipped 18 % from 2018 , when they made the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remained a ratings juggernaut though overall viewership suffered a small decline .
“ I think anybody would be lying to you if they ’ ve not been shocked by some of the double-digit dives , ” Daniel Cohen , a leading sports media rights expert for Octagon Sports , told SportsPro .
“ The drop-off for some of the jewel events — The Masters , the World Series , the NBA Finals , the Stanley Cup — I don ’ t think anyone thought it would be that steep of a decline.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what happened , most notably the dramatic changes to sports schedules .
The NBA ’ s 2019-20 season , for example , was upended by the COVID-19 pandemic in the spring and didn ’ t crown a champion until Oct. 11 , making it the longest season in history .
By the time the NBA Finals were being played , the NFL , baseball playoffs and college football were all competing for viewers .
But when the pandemic ends , and once sports resume its familiar slot on the sports calendar , there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ You can say it ’ s physics .
Nature abhors a vacuum , ” said Deninger , a production executive at ESPN for 25 years and author of “ Sports on Television : The How and Why Behind What You See.
” Deninger said that the structure of peoples ’ lives changed during the pandemic and sports was among the casualties .
“ One of the dramatic things that happened is the non-linear nature of our lives , as opposed to the linear nature when everything was scheduled , ” he explained @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a disadvantage to those scheduled things — like sports .
When sports disappeared during the pandemic , people found other things to do for two or three hours.
” Streaming services — such as Netflix , which has more than 70 million subscribers in the U.S. — fill an entertainment void but it offers minimal sports content .
“ Flexibility and freedom are the definitions of streaming services , ” Deninger said .
“ Kids growing up in some households are now seeing less of sports .
One of the ways we become @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with mom and dad .
That ’ s our exposure to it .
But kids are getting used to a different life and it ’ s been pushed by our present situation .
So they might not be as tuned into sports .
The thinking is , ‘ I can go play this video game whenever I choose or watch this program whenever I choose.
’ ” The hope , of course , is that the COVID-19 vaccines will help get back life to normal , or rather , the new normal , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it means adapting .
For some families , it means reviving interest in sports for the kids and their parents believing that it ’ s safe to return to the gym or the playing field .
For the $ 50 billion sports media industry , it means rebounding to find a way to compete with ever-growing home entertainment choices , as well as a recognition that the sports public just might want to spend its time doing other things .
“ It ’ s not to say that sport isn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Cohen noted .
“ People still want to watch , but how they watch , for durations across multiple platforms , getting some of their sport from Twitter , YouTube , Facebook , streaming , free-to-air , pay-TV , satellite , there ’ s just more platforms than ever before .
“ Peoples ’ behaviors are shifting , and that ’ s different .
“ If you ’ re going to be working from home from 8 to 6:30 every day , are you going to turn on that baseball game or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bike ride now ?
”

July 31, opening night at Coors Field. No fans in the stands, piped-in crowd noise blaring from speakers, and a lonely Dinger the dinosaur, the Rockies’ mascot, sits alone in a section of outfield seats. Reading.
Wearing a mask.
There’s your time capsule image for sports in 2020 amid the global coronavirus pandemic. Good riddance, you might mutter.
Not so fast. The sports world has changed.
“Nothing is more relentless than change, and it’s almost impossible to go backward,” said Dennis Deninger, who teaches in the Department of Sport Management at Syracuse University. “We are going to see that in almost every field and sports are not going to be exempt.”
In general, sports receded from our daily lives in 2020 due to the pandemic. And, while it’s impossible to predict what long-lasting impact the pandemic will have on sports, there are indications that change has come to two areas central to the landscape: youth participation and TV viewing habits.
There was nearly a 50% drop in physical activity among U.S. children from the start of the pandemic last spring, according to a survey conducted in September by The Aspen Institute. The study utilized a nationally representative sample of 1,103 youth-sport parents whose children had participated regularly in one or more youth sports prior to COVID-19-related restrictions.
The Colorado Rapids Youth Soccer Club, an organization with about 10,000 participants in a typical season, lost about 15% of its players in 2020, according to Aaron Nagel, its executive director. Smaller soccer clubs in Colorado lost as much as 40% of their participants, Nagel said.
Which concerns him.
“It’s well documented that sports contribute to the well-being of the child in early development,” Nagel said. “Involvement in sports results in less drug use, better health habits, better social habits, better grades and better professions.”
It’s clear that kids struggled without sports. A survey of high school athletes conducted by the University of Wisconsin in July found that approximately 68% of the 3,243 teens polled reported feelings of anxiety and depression at levels that typically require medical intervention. That was nearly 37% higher than in past studies.
“The results are both striking and concerning,” said Dr. Claudia Reardon, associate professor of psychiatry at Wisconsin’s School of Medicine and Public Health.
There are fears that the window of participation for some children slammed shut.
“I think it’s really important that we acknowledge kids maybe don’t want to go back to sports the way they were,” said Dr. Travis E. Dorsch, founding director of the Families in Sport Lab at Utah State University. “It’s a real concern. This is our opportunity to create a new youth sports system that kids want to come back to….This looks like a real pivot point.”
According to The Aspen Institute’s study, nearly three out of 10 children who played a sport prior to the coronavirus pandemic are no longer interested in participating. That figure (29%) increased from 18% in May and 19% in June.
Dorsch’s research indicates that when the pandemic ends, the trend will be to keep kids closer to home and spend less time and money traveling to play youth sports. He also foresees an increase in virtual coaching and training. Denver-based TopYa, for example, provides a learning-and-engagement platform that teaches kids to be passionate about sports and physical activity using video challenges on a mobile app.
“These sort of things were going on before the pandemic but I can see it increasing,” Dorsch said. “I can see an increase in online coaching where an individual, a family, or maybe even a league pays a fee and provides access to an online library of coaches, drills and training. It’s a nice concept.”
For many kids, soccer provides their first entry into sports, an idea Nagel embraces. The Rapids youth soccer programs organized free summer camps that drew more than 7,000 kids. Nagel believes that the summer camps’ stringent COVID-19 protocols convinced parents that it was safe for their children to play soccer this fall before the second wave of the pandemic hit.
“I was really encouraged by the level of enthusiasm and appreciation from the parents,” he said. “In a time frame when a lot could have gone wrong, I received more compliments this fall season than I ever have before in my 12 years working in youth soccer. I think that shows you how important sports are to parents and their kids.”
As for sports fans, it seemed a safe assumption that those starved of watching games would flock to their televisions when live competition resumed this past summer. That didn’t happen.
At first, the return of sports on TV was a big hit. In June, CBS’s coverage of the Sunday afternoon round of the PGA Tour’s Charles Schwab Open in Texas drew an average audience of 3.091 million people, the tournament’s most-watched final round in 16 years and an uptick of more than 50% over the 2019 event.
But then a strange thing happened. Viewership for most major sporting events plummeted. Ratings for the NHL’s Stanley Cup Finals dropped 61% year over year, while the NBA Finals were down 51%, according to SportsPro. The World Series was the lowest-rated in history, its average declining 30% from 2019. The Masters, held in November rather than its traditional time in April, had its lowest-rated final round since 1957.
Overall viewership for Major League Baseball was up 4.2% for the 60-game regular season in 2020, but viewership for the struggling Rockies dropped 24%, according to Forbes. That came after a disappointing 2019 season when the Rockies’ TV ratings dipped 18% from 2018, when they made the playoffs. The NFL, meanwhile, remained a ratings juggernaut though overall viewership suffered a small decline.
“I think anybody would be lying to you if they’ve not been shocked by some of the double-digit dives,” Daniel Cohen, a leading sports media rights expert for Octagon Sports, told SportsPro. “The drop-off for some of the jewel events — The Masters, the World Series, the NBA Finals, the Stanley Cup — I don’t think anyone thought it would be that steep of a decline.”
There are a number of theories about what happened, most notably the dramatic changes to sports schedules. The NBA’s 2019-20 season, for example, was upended by the COVID-19 pandemic in the spring and didn’t crown a champion until Oct. 11, making it the longest season in history.
By the time the NBA Finals were being played, the NFL, baseball playoffs and college football were all competing for viewers. But when the pandemic ends, and once sports resume its familiar slot on the sports calendar, there is no guarantee fans will return.
“You can say it’s physics. Nature abhors a vacuum,” said Deninger, a production executive at ESPN for 25 years and author of “Sports on Television: The How and Why Behind What You See.”
Deninger said that the structure of peoples’ lives changed during the pandemic and sports was among the casualties.
“One of the dramatic things that happened is the non-linear nature of our lives, as opposed to the linear nature when everything was scheduled,” he explained. “The non-linear life works as a disadvantage to those scheduled things — like sports. When sports disappeared during the pandemic, people found other things to do for two or three hours.”
Streaming services — such as Netflix, which has more than 70 million subscribers in the U.S. — fill an entertainment void but it offers minimal sports content.
“Flexibility and freedom are the definitions of streaming services,” Deninger said. “Kids growing up in some households are now seeing less of sports. One of the ways we become sports fans is watching sports at home with mom and dad. That’s our exposure to it. But kids are getting used to a different life and it’s been pushed by our present situation. So they might not be as tuned into sports. The thinking is, ‘I can go play this video game whenever I choose or watch this program whenever I choose.’ ”
The hope, of course, is that the COVID-19 vaccines will help get back life to normal, or rather, the new normal, in 2021. For the sports world, it means adapting.
For some families, it means reviving interest in sports for the kids and their parents believing that it’s safe to return to the gym or the playing field.
For the $50 billion sports media industry, it means rebounding to find a way to compete with ever-growing home entertainment choices, as well as a recognition that the sports public just might want to spend its time doing other things.
“It’s not to say that sport isn’t being consumed with the same ferocity,” Cohen noted. “People still want to watch, but how they watch, for durations across multiple platforms, getting some of their sport from Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, streaming, free-to-air, pay-TV, satellite, there’s just more platforms than ever before.
“Peoples’ behaviors are shifting, and that’s different. “If you’re going to be working from home from 8 to 6:30 every day, are you going to turn on that baseball game or are you going to go for your bike ride now?”


thedenverpost--2020-12-30--Colorado avalanche danger runs highest in years as state records one of its deadliest months

The most volatile mountain snow conditions in nearly a decade have Colorado avalanche forecasters and backcountry skiers on edge after deadly slides claimed four lives in less than two weeks .
“ Our snowpack is so dangerous right now — it ’ s not subtle right now , ” said Brian Lazar , deputy director of the Colorado Avalanche Information Center .
While most of this month ’ s victims were experienced backcountry skiers , forecasters who issued a slew of avalanche warnings Tuesday are worried the upcoming holiday weekend , along with an uptick in converts to the sport @ @ @ @ @ @ @ results .
The CAIC says that only six months since avalanche record-keeping began in 1950 have recorded more deaths than the four so far in December .
The most recent victim was Dariusz “ Darek ” Krol , 57 , who was buried in a slide Saturday afternoon in the Chimney Chute area near Berthoud Pass , a popular starting point for backcountry skiers .
Krol , a Polish immigrant who lived in Boulder , was well-known as a rock climber both in Colorado and in his home country .
His death offers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ skier , Krol was far less experienced outside resort boundaries .
He recently bought a backcountry touring setup , said a close friend , Ed McKeown .
On Saturday afternoon , he skinned up toward a ridge while his wife , Anita , and daughter , Nina , accompanied him on snowshoes .
They turned back toward the car while Krol made plans to ski down and meet them below — alone , and without carrying a transceiver that can aid in an avalanche rescue .
Before he set off , McKeown said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the ridge from their car below .
Darek Krol disappeared from view , and his wife and daughter waited nervously for him to arrive .
After about two hours passed , they contacted authorities .
A Grand County Search and Rescue team located his body in the evening .
Krol was skiing on a 40-degree slope , the CAIC ’ s preliminary report says — right in the middle of the steepness range of 30 to 50 degrees that experts say produce most avalanches .
Especially when danger is high , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ low-angle slopes , carry safety and rescue equipment , and go with at least one partner .
“ He was not a savvy backcountry guy , ” McKeown lamented of his friend , who was so attentive to detail in climbing and other endeavors .
Heavy snow has fallen this week , with 1-2 feet of fresh powder and strong winds prompting new high-level avalanche warnings by the CAIC Tuesday for the central and southern mountains of Colorado .
In the northern mountains and the Front Range , the CAIC rated the avalanche @ @ @ @ @ @ @ third level out of five on its scale , and one step below high .
The danger , while running at varying levels this month , isn ’ t new .
Lazar said snowpack conditions have been the most dangerous in eight years , owing to early season snow in October and early November .
That thin layer sat and weakened for several weeks in cool , dry weather , forming a fragile foundation for the heavier snowfall that has fallen on top during a series of December storms .
“ It ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kind of snowpack conditions that we see about once a decade , ” Lazar said .
“ It ’ s not unusual for us to have weak layers of snow .
But this particular snowpack structure is pretty bad , and it ’ s about the worst we ’ ve seen since probably 2012.
” The 2012-13 season was the deadliest of the last decade in Colorado , with 11 avalanche deaths .
Last year saw six deaths in snow slides , according to CAIC data .
In December , Lazar said , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now every time we get a storm event.
” Krol had worked as an information technology employee for the Boulder Valley School District for 15 years .
McKeown said he was a friend to hundreds , particularly through rock climbing .
He was active near Boulder as well as in Rifle Mountain Park on the Western Slope , where he organized events , helped develop routes and forged relationships between climbers and local officials .
“ He ’ s become like the mayor of Rifle , of this limestone canyon , ” McKeown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ steward of that area.
” In his final moments Saturday , Krol took risks in the backcountry — and he hasn ’ t been alone this month in Colorado .
On Dec. 18 , Jeff Schneider , an avid backcountry skier and a retired ski patroller at Crested Butte Mountain Resort , was killed in an avalanche near Kebler Pass .
The next day , two experienced skiers who were exploring familiar backcountry terrain near Ophir in southwestern Colorado set off a slide that buried and killed them both , according to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Dr. Jeff Paffendorf , 51 , and Albert Perry , 55 , were Durango residents .
Despite all three skiers ’ experience , the CAIC ’ s final reports for both incidents noted that they were on slopes of 30-35 degrees , at the low end of the avalanche-prone range , or in areas below steeper slopes .
Lazar said people considering heading into the backcountry should check avalanche forecasts ( at www.colorado.gov/avalanche ) , consider taking a safety course — and not only avoid steeper slopes but stay away from areas @ @ @ @ @ @ @

The most volatile mountain snow conditions in nearly a decade have Colorado avalanche forecasters and backcountry skiers on edge after deadly slides claimed four lives in less than two weeks.
“Our snowpack is so dangerous right now — it’s not subtle right now,” said Brian Lazar, deputy director of the Colorado Avalanche Information Center.
While most of this month’s victims were experienced backcountry skiers, forecasters who issued a slew of avalanche warnings Tuesday are worried the upcoming holiday weekend, along with an uptick in converts to the sport during the pandemic, could have deadly results.
The CAIC says that only six months since avalanche record-keeping began in 1950 have recorded more deaths than the four so far in December.
The most recent victim was Dariusz “Darek” Krol, 57, who was buried in a slide Saturday afternoon in the Chimney Chute area near Berthoud Pass, a popular starting point for backcountry skiers. Krol, a Polish immigrant who lived in Boulder, was well-known as a rock climber both in Colorado and in his home country.
His death offers a cautionary tale: While an expert skier, Krol was far less experienced outside resort boundaries.
He recently bought a backcountry touring setup, said a close friend, Ed McKeown. On Saturday afternoon, he skinned up toward a ridge while his wife, Anita, and daughter, Nina, accompanied him on snowshoes.
They turned back toward the car while Krol made plans to ski down and meet them below — alone, and without carrying a transceiver that can aid in an avalanche rescue. Before he set off, McKeown said, Anita Krol could see him up on the ridge from their car below.
Darek Krol disappeared from view, and his wife and daughter waited nervously for him to arrive. After about two hours passed, they contacted authorities. A Grand County Search and Rescue team located his body in the evening.
Krol was skiing on a 40-degree slope, the CAIC’s preliminary report says — right in the middle of the steepness range of 30 to 50 degrees that experts say produce most avalanches. Especially when danger is high, the CAIC urges backcountry skiers to stick to low-angle slopes, carry safety and rescue equipment, and go with at least one partner.
“He was not a savvy backcountry guy,” McKeown lamented of his friend, who was so attentive to detail in climbing and other endeavors.
Heavy snow has fallen this week, with 1-2 feet of fresh powder and strong winds prompting new high-level avalanche warnings by the CAIC Tuesday for the central and southern mountains of Colorado.
In the northern mountains and the Front Range, the CAIC rated the avalanche danger as “considerable,” the third level out of five on its scale, and one step below high.
The danger, while running at varying levels this month, isn’t new.
Lazar said snowpack conditions have been the most dangerous in eight years, owing to early season snow in October and early November. That thin layer sat and weakened for several weeks in cool, dry weather, forming a fragile foundation for the heavier snowfall that has fallen on top during a series of December storms.
“It’s unusual — it’s the kind of snowpack conditions that we see about once a decade,” Lazar said. “It’s not unusual for us to have weak layers of snow. But this particular snowpack structure is pretty bad, and it’s about the worst we’ve seen since probably 2012.”
The 2012-13 season was the deadliest of the last decade in Colorado, with 11 avalanche deaths. Last year saw six deaths in snow slides, according to CAIC data.
In December, Lazar said, “we’ve seen avalanche activity now every time we get a storm event.”
Krol had worked as an information technology employee for the Boulder Valley School District for 15 years. McKeown said he was a friend to hundreds, particularly through rock climbing.
He was active near Boulder as well as in Rifle Mountain Park on the Western Slope, where he organized events, helped develop routes and forged relationships between climbers and local officials.
“He’s become like the mayor of Rifle, of this limestone canyon,” McKeown said. “He really became a steward of that area.”
In his final moments Saturday, Krol took risks in the backcountry — and he hasn’t been alone this month in Colorado.
On Dec. 18, Jeff Schneider, an avid backcountry skier and a retired ski patroller at Crested Butte Mountain Resort, was killed in an avalanche near Kebler Pass.
The next day, two experienced skiers who were exploring familiar backcountry terrain near Ophir in southwestern Colorado set off a slide that buried and killed them both, according to the CAIC’s report. The victims, Dr. Jeff Paffendorf, 51, and Albert Perry, 55, were Durango residents.
Despite all three skiers’ experience, the CAIC’s final reports for both incidents noted that they were on slopes of 30-35 degrees, at the low end of the avalanche-prone range, or in areas below steeper slopes.
Lazar said people considering heading into the backcountry should check avalanche forecasts (at www.colorado.gov/avalanche), consider taking a safety course — and not only avoid steeper slopes but stay away from areas below or adjacent to avalanche-prone terrain.


thedenverpost--2020-12-31--“High-use” fee coming to six more popular Colorado state parks starting Friday

Because of consistently heavy use by visitors , Colorado Parks and Wildlife is adding a $ 1 high-use fee to @ @ @ @ @ passes at half a dozen more state parks starting Friday .
The fee will be @ @ @ @ @ Golden Gate Canyon , Staunton , Castlewood Canyon , Roxborough and Highline state parks .
@ @ @ @ @ Chatfield , Boyd Lake and Eldorado Canyon state parks as areas with high-use fees .
@ @ @ @ @ fee is needed to cover the extra expenses and resource strain associated with high levels @ @ @ @ @ numbers , a record number of drownings and increased protocols for COVID-19 have made the @ @ @ @ @ and Wildlife said in a release Wednesday .
The additional revenue generated will help parks @ @ @ @ @ , increased resource damage , additional temporary staffing , additional wear and tear on facilities @ @ @ @ @ not offset by normal vehicle pass fees .

Because of consistently heavy use by visitors, Colorado Parks and Wildlife is adding a $1 high-use fee to the cost of daily vehicle passes at half a dozen more state parks starting Friday.
The fee will be charged at Lake Pueblo, Golden Gate Canyon, Staunton, Castlewood Canyon, Roxborough and Highline state parks. They join Cherry Creek, Chatfield, Boyd Lake and Eldorado Canyon state parks as areas with high-use fees.
State parks officials say the fee is needed to cover the extra expenses and resource strain associated with high levels of use. Record visitation numbers, a record number of drownings and increased protocols for COVID-19 have made the high-use fee necessary, Parks and Wildlife said in a release Wednesday.
The additional revenue generated will help parks officials with increased trash collection, increased resource damage, additional temporary staffing, additional wear and tear on facilities and other expenses that were not offset by normal vehicle pass fees.


thedenverpost--2020-12-31--COVID-19 outbreaks at Colorado’s two In-N-Out restaurants grow to 122 employees

The COVID-19 outbreaks at Colorado ’ s two In-N-Out Burger restaurants have grown over the last week , with the state now reporting 122 employees have tested positive for the virus between the chain ’ s Aurora and Colorado Springs locations .
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment ’ s outbreak database , updated publicly every Wednesday , now shows 80 confirmed staff cases at the Colorado Springs restaurant and 42 confirmed cases among employees at the Aurora location .
Last week , the two restaurants tallied 80 confirmed and 25 suspected staff cases between them .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ list any customer cases tied to either In-N-Out location .
The two restaurants — the chain ’ s first in Colorado — opened to much fanfare Nov. 20 , with hours-long drive-thru lines .
They remain open , but since both are in counties under Colorado ’ s Level Red restrictions , they ’ re prohibited from offering indoor dining .
The outbreak at the Colorado Springs and Aurora locations began Dec. 6 and Dec. 17 , respectively .
When news of the In-N-Out outbreaks first was reported last week , corporate spokesman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ positive for COVID-19 and those who had close contact with them “ have been excluded from the workplace.
” “ We continue to work closely with our public health agencies and have confirmed the appropriate steps to help protect our communities , ” he said .
“ These steps include : limiting staff to the minimum number necessary to serve our customers , using staff ‘ cohorts ’ to limit possible exposure , and limiting dining room access to takeout orders only while ensuring appropriate physical distancing.
” Subscribe to bi-weekly newsletter to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inbox .

The COVID-19 outbreaks at Colorado’s two In-N-Out Burger restaurants have grown over the last week, with the state now reporting 122 employees have tested positive for the virus between the chain’s Aurora and Colorado Springs locations.
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment’s outbreak database, updated publicly every Wednesday, now shows 80 confirmed staff cases at the Colorado Springs restaurant and 42 confirmed cases among employees at the Aurora location.
Last week, the two restaurants tallied 80 confirmed and 25 suspected staff cases between them. The state’s outbreak database does not list any customer cases tied to either In-N-Out location.
The two restaurants — the chain’s first in Colorado — opened to much fanfare Nov. 20, with hours-long drive-thru lines. They remain open, but since both are in counties under Colorado’s Level Red restrictions, they’re prohibited from offering indoor dining.
The outbreak at the Colorado Springs and Aurora locations began Dec. 6 and Dec. 17, respectively.
When news of the In-N-Out outbreaks first was reported last week, corporate spokesman Denny Warnick said all employees who tested positive for COVID-19 and those who had close contact with them “have been excluded from the workplace.”
“We continue to work closely with our public health agencies and have confirmed the appropriate steps to help protect our communities,” he said. “These steps include: limiting staff to the minimum number necessary to serve our customers, using staff ‘cohorts’ to limit possible exposure, and limiting dining room access to takeout orders only while ensuring appropriate physical distancing.”
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thedenverpost--2020-12-31--Polis asks feds to pause visits to Colorado nursing homes during COVID-19 vaccination period

Coloradans who have loved ones in a nursing home may not see them until at least February , if a federal agency grants the state ’ s request .
Gov .
Jared Polis said Wednesday that the state would ask permission from the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to halt nursing home visitation during the push to vaccinate residents against the new coronavirus .
Visits could start again in roughly a month , after residents have received their second doses , he said .
Polis didn ’ t elaborate on how pausing visitation would speed the vaccination process @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have to do to receive permission for a halt .
A statement from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment said the intent was to allow time to assess how widely a new strain of the virus is spreading in the state .
“ We know the B.1.1.7 variant is significantly more contagious , which puts an already higher risk population at much greater risk , ” the statement said .
The announcement came as outbreaks continue to increase in nursing homes and assisted living facilities .
As of Wednesday afternoon , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ levels of care had COVID-19 outbreaks .
So did 161 assisted living and memory care facilities .
Overall outbreaks are decreasing as Colorado gets further from the November spike , but the trouble in long-term care facilities shows no sign of abating .
The current outbreaks have infected 5,733 residents of long-term care facilities and 4,828 staff members .
Five people working in long-term care and 666 residents have died of COVID-19 .
Nursing home residents suffer more than most people from isolation , but they also are at a high risk of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Getting them vaccinated as quickly as possible is the fastest way to get back to “ the things that make life worth living , ” like seeing family , he said .
“ Many nursing homes have lost 10 % , 20 % of their resident population , ” he said .
Doug Farmer , president and CEO of the Colorado Health Care Association , said its member nursing homes haven ’ t received any guidance about the proposed restrictions .
Many homes are only allowing “ compassionate care ” visits , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to someone nearing death , or to assist a person who won ’ t eat or accept care without a family member to provide reassurance .
“ If they ’ re talking about limiting those visitations , it would have a very deep and meaningful impact , ” he said .
Farmer said people working in long-term care will be closely watching new cases in the weeks after Christmas and New Year ’ s .
When there ’ s more viral spread in the general community , it ’ s more likely to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ We ’ re concerned and watching what ’ s happening in the general public , ” he said .
“ We don ’ t feel that we ’ ve turned a corner .
”

Coloradans who have loved ones in a nursing home may not see them until at least February, if a federal agency grants the state’s request.
Gov. Jared Polis said Wednesday that the state would ask permission from the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to halt nursing home visitation during the push to vaccinate residents against the new coronavirus. Visits could start again in roughly a month, after residents have received their second doses, he said.
Polis didn’t elaborate on how pausing visitation would speed the vaccination process, or on what the state would have to do to receive permission for a halt. A statement from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment said the intent was to allow time to assess how widely a new strain of the virus is spreading in the state.
“We know the B.1.1.7 variant is significantly more contagious, which puts an already higher risk population at much greater risk,” the statement said.
The announcement came as outbreaks continue to increase in nursing homes and assisted living facilities. As of Wednesday afternoon, 148 nursing homes and facilities offering multiple levels of care had COVID-19 outbreaks. So did 161 assisted living and memory care facilities.
Overall outbreaks are decreasing as Colorado gets further from the November spike, but the trouble in long-term care facilities shows no sign of abating. The current outbreaks have infected 5,733 residents of long-term care facilities and 4,828 staff members. Five people working in long-term care and 666 residents have died of COVID-19.
Nursing home residents suffer more than most people from isolation, but they also are at a high risk of dying from the virus, Polis said. Getting them vaccinated as quickly as possible is the fastest way to get back to “the things that make life worth living,” like seeing family, he said.
“Many nursing homes have lost 10%, 20% of their resident population,” he said.
Doug Farmer, president and CEO of the Colorado Health Care Association, said its member nursing homes haven’t received any guidance about the proposed restrictions. Many homes are only allowing “compassionate care” visits, he said. Those can include visits to someone nearing death, or to assist a person who won’t eat or accept care without a family member to provide reassurance.
“If they’re talking about limiting those visitations, it would have a very deep and meaningful impact,” he said.
Farmer said people working in long-term care will be closely watching new cases in the weeks after Christmas and New Year’s. When there’s more viral spread in the general community, it’s more likely to get into nursing homes, he said.
“We’re concerned and watching what’s happening in the general public,” he said. “We don’t feel that we’ve turned a corner.”


thedenverpost--2020-12-31--Police seeking a “person of interest” in gas tampering incident that cut off heat to thousands in As

Police seeking a “person of interest” in gas tampering incident that cut off heat to thousands in Aspen

Aspen police want to speak to a man who may be connected to an incident over the weekend in which equipment at a natural gas pumping station was tampered with , leaving 3,500 households in the city without heat or hot water for days .
Authorities in the posh ski town asked the public Wednesday to help them identify a “ person of interest , ” described as a white man in his mid-40s to early 50s , who weighs approximately 160 pounds and stands 5 feet , 7 inches tall .
He has gray hair , blue eyes and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scarring , police said .
The man was wearing what was described as “ high end ” clothing and was carrying a computer bag on his back .
He was not wearing a mask .
Anyone with information on this individual is asked to call Aspen police at 970-920-5400 .
The FBI is also investigating the incident , which occurred Saturday and triggered Aspen officials on Tuesday to declare a local disaster emergency so as to provide shelter for vulnerable populations and to access properties to protect people from injury or damage .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ assistant chief of police , told The Denver Post on Wednesday that investigators have been trying to determine if there is a credible link between the radical environmental group Earth First !
and the damage that was done to Black Hills Energy ’ s equipment over the weekend .
The Aspen Police Department released photos showing the organization ’ s name scrawled across gas pipes that had been tampered with .
But Linn said investigators had contacted someone with the organization , who said that if this was the work of Earth First @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it in a statement.
” Linn said no such statement from Earth First !
, or any other organization , has been issued .
Linn said the damage to the gas equipment was done by someone who apparently knew what they were doing .
“ It ’ s not the sort of thing that someone would commit just wandering by , ” he said .
“ It took a little bit of research.
” Black Hills Energy on its website Wednesday said that it had restored gas service to 85 % of its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The utility has been making space heaters available during the outage and at one point had nearly 200 technicians working on restoring service .

Aspen police want to speak to a man who may be connected to an incident over the weekend in which equipment at a natural gas pumping station was tampered with, leaving 3,500 households in the city without heat or hot water for days.
Authorities in the posh ski town asked the public Wednesday to help them identify a “person of interest,” described as a white man in his mid-40s to early 50s, who weighs approximately 160 pounds and stands 5 feet, 7 inches tall.
He has gray hair, blue eyes and is clean shaven, with possible acne scarring, police said. The man was wearing what was described as “high end” clothing and was carrying a computer bag on his back. He was not wearing a mask.
Anyone with information on this individual is asked to call Aspen police at 970-920-5400.
The FBI is also investigating the incident, which occurred Saturday and triggered Aspen officials on Tuesday to declare a local disaster emergency so as to provide shelter for vulnerable populations and to access properties to protect people from injury or damage.
Bill Linn, , Aspen’s assistant chief of police, told The Denver Post on Wednesday that investigators have been trying to determine if there is a credible link between the radical environmental group Earth First! and the damage that was done to Black Hills Energy’s equipment over the weekend.
The Aspen Police Department released photos showing the organization’s name scrawled across gas pipes that had been tampered with. But Linn said investigators had contacted someone with the organization, who said that if this was the work of Earth First! it “would take credit for it in a statement.”
Linn said no such statement from Earth First!, or any other organization, has been issued.
Linn said the damage to the gas equipment was done by someone who apparently knew what they were doing.
“It’s not the sort of thing that someone would commit just wandering by,” he said. “It took a little bit of research.”
Black Hills Energy on its website Wednesday said that it had restored gas service to 85% of its customers that lost it on Saturday. The utility has been making space heaters available during the outage and at one point had nearly 200 technicians working on restoring service.


thedenverpost--2020-12-30--Human remains found in two suitcases left along Denver neighborhood trail

Denver police on Tuesday found two suitcases full of human remains alongside a trail in a southwest Denver neighborhood — adding another grisly event to a week of high-profile crimes in the Mile High City .
Denver public works employees plowing the sidewalks of the Sanderson Gulch Trail in the 1700 block of South Java Way reported the suitcases as suspicious about 7:15 a.m. Tuesday , Denver police Lt. Matt Clark said at a Wednesday news conference .
Police responded to the street in the Mar Lee neighborhood and found human remains inside the suitcases , which were left on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trail .
The Denver Office of the Medical Examiner on Wednesday identified the remains as those of an adult while male , though the medical examiner has not yet determined the exact identity of the remains nor how the man died .
The man died recently , Clark said , though he could not give a more specific estimate .
Clark declined to give more details about the state of the remains .
The investigation is in its early stages , Clark said .
Police do not have any information about a suspect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ investigating as a homicide .
They do not know why the remains were left along the trail , Clark said .
“ It ’ s a potential that this press briefing might spark that call that we ’ re waiting for , ” Clark said .
Denver police are not aware of any recent missing persons reports that align with the remains , Clark said .
Investigators are gathering surveillance footage from nearby homes and broadening their scope to see if a missing person reported elsewhere matches the remains .
The discovery of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gruesome week of crime in Denver .
Two people have died in homicides : a homeowner who was killed during a burglary in east Denver and one of the men suspected in the burglary who was shot and killed by police .
Three others were shot and injured , including a toddler caught in gunfire while sitting in her family car and a woman shot and wounded during the east Denver burglary .
Anyone with information about any of the crimes are asked to call Metro Denver Crime Stoppers at 720-913-7867 or report @ @ @ @ @

Denver police on Tuesday found two suitcases full of human remains alongside a trail in a southwest Denver neighborhood — adding another grisly event to a week of high-profile crimes in the Mile High City.
Denver public works employees plowing the sidewalks of the Sanderson Gulch Trail in the 1700 block of South Java Way reported the suitcases as suspicious about 7:15 a.m. Tuesday, Denver police Lt. Matt Clark said at a Wednesday news conference.
Police responded to the street in the Mar Lee neighborhood and found human remains inside the suitcases, which were left on the side of the road near the trail.
The Denver Office of the Medical Examiner on Wednesday identified the remains as those of an adult white male, though the medical examiner has not yet determined the exact identity of the remains nor how the man died. The man died recently, Clark said, though he could not give a more specific estimate. Clark declined to give more details about the state of the remains.
The investigation is in its early stages, Clark said. Police do not have any information about a suspect in the case, which they are investigating as a homicide. They do not know why the remains were left along the trail, Clark said.
“It’s a potential that this press briefing might spark that call that we’re waiting for,” Clark said.
Denver police are not aware of any recent missing persons reports that align with the remains, Clark said. Investigators are gathering surveillance footage from nearby homes and broadening their scope to see if a missing person reported elsewhere matches the remains.
The discovery of the human remains adds to an already gruesome week of crime in Denver.
Two people have died in homicides: a homeowner who was killed during a burglary in east Denver and one of the men suspected in the burglary who was shot and killed by police. Three others were shot and injured, including a toddler caught in gunfire while sitting in her family car and a woman shot and wounded during the east Denver burglary.
Anyone with information about any of the crimes are asked to call Metro Denver Crime Stoppers at 720-913-7867 or report anonymously online at metrodenvercrimestoppers.com.


thedenverpost--2020-12-30--WATCH: Wisconsin football breaks Duke’s Mayo Bowl trophy in postgame celebration

The win will go down in the record books .
The postgame celebration will enter Wisconsin football lore .
After @ @ @ @ @ , 42-28 , on Wednesday to win the Duke ’ s Mayo Bowl on Wednesday @ @ @ @ @ the locker room .
Maybe a tad too hard .
Redshirt freshman quarterback Graham Mertz @ @ @ @ @ with three touchdowns ( two rushing , one passing ) , danced in a circle @ @ @ @ @ trophy in his hand .
And then it slipped , crashing to the ground and @ @ @ @ @

The win will go down in the record books. The postgame celebration will enter Wisconsin football lore.
After the Badgers beat Wake Forest, 42-28, on Wednesday to win the Duke’s Mayo Bowl on Wednesday, the team celebrated in the locker room. Maybe a tad too hard.
Redshirt freshman quarterback Graham Mertz, who led the way with three touchdowns (two rushing, one passing), danced in a circle with his teammates with the trophy in his hand. And then it slipped, crashing to the ground and shattering into countless pieces.


thedenverpost--2020-12-30--Companies pay $9 million to settle Denver’s claims in convention center bidding scandal

Two companies at the center of bid-rigging accusations on the Colorado Convention Center expansion project have paid the city of Denver $ 9 million as part of a new settlement agreement , the city said Wednesday .
The city settlement follows smaller agreements reached by the Colorado Attorney General ’ s Office last spring with Trammell Crow , the project ’ s former development manager , and Mortenson Construction , a construction bidder .
The new $ 9 million settlement , split evenly by the companies , will cover the cost of delays to the project , city spokesman Ryan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ start the bidding process anew after it discovered evidence two years ago that a Trammell Crow executive had provided Mortenson , one of three bidders , with confidential information about the $ 233 million expansion project , among other irregularities .
In July , the city awarded the design-build contract to Hensel Phelps Construction .
This summer , construction is expected to get underway on work including the addition of a large rooftop terrace .
The project is expected to wrap up in late 2023 .
The city settlement bars Mortenson from bidding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Both companies also issued new public apologies , with Trammell Crow reiterating that the blame fell on the actions of a senior vice president whom it fired “ as soon as the misconduct came to light.
” “ This settlement means we ’ ve made taxpayers whole , our well-established procurement rules have been fortified and this critical public project is moving forward to support our post-COVID economic recovery , ” Mayor Michael Hancock said in a news release .
“ This case involved a serious breach of Denver ’ s well-established procurement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ better .
“ The watchful efforts of city employees in this administration uncovered the breach , ” Hancock added , crediting city officials for acting on it .
In April , Mortenson agreed to pay a $ 650,000 state fine and to donate construction services worth the same amount to a project of public interest , among other terms negotiated by Attorney General Phil Weiser ’ s office following a state investigation .
Mortenson later aided construction of a tiny home village for the homeless in Denver .
Trammell Crow ’ s state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a lower amount that recognized its early cooperation with investigators .

Two companies at the center of bid-rigging accusations on the Colorado Convention Center expansion project have paid the city of Denver $9 million as part of a new settlement agreement, the city said Wednesday.
The city settlement follows smaller agreements reached by the Colorado Attorney General’s Office last spring with Trammell Crow, the project’s former development manager, and Mortenson Construction, a construction bidder.
The new $9 million settlement, split evenly by the companies, will cover the cost of delays to the project, city spokesman Ryan Luby said. The city had to start the bidding process anew after it discovered evidence two years ago that a Trammell Crow executive had provided Mortenson, one of three bidders, with confidential information about the $233 million expansion project, among other irregularities.
In July, the city awarded the design-build contract to Hensel Phelps Construction. This summer, construction is expected to get underway on work including the addition of a large rooftop terrace. The project is expected to wrap up in late 2023.
The city settlement bars Mortenson from bidding on city contracts for three years. Both companies also issued new public apologies, with Trammell Crow reiterating that the blame fell on the actions of a senior vice president whom it fired “as soon as the misconduct came to light.”
“This settlement means we’ve made taxpayers whole, our well-established procurement rules have been fortified and this critical public project is moving forward to support our post-COVID economic recovery,” Mayor Michael Hancock said in a news release. “This case involved a serious breach of Denver’s well-established procurement rules by companies that should have known better.
“The watchful efforts of city employees in this administration uncovered the breach,” Hancock added, crediting city officials for acting on it.
In April, Mortenson agreed to pay a $650,000 state fine and to donate construction services worth the same amount to a project of public interest, among other terms negotiated by Attorney General Phil Weiser’s office following a state investigation. Mortenson later aided construction of a tiny home village for the homeless in Denver.
Trammell Crow’s state settlement included a $250,000 fine, a lower amount that recognized its early cooperation with investigators.


thedenverpost--2020-12-30--U.S. Park Service releases video involving tasing of visitor

ALBUQUERQUE , N.M. — A man who was tased during a confrontation with a ranger at a national monument in New Mexico was seen climbing on and among petroglyph cliff features off-trail in violation of park regulations , according to the National Park Service .
The federal agency late Tuesday released more details and video of the interaction between the ranger and Darrell House , saying an investigation is ongoing .
The video shows the ranger telling House that Native American tribes from the area consider Petroglyph National Monument as sacred and that visitors are supposed to stay on designated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allow the desert vegetation to recover .
The video also shows House , who identified himself as Navajo and Oneida , giving the ranger a fake name and trying to walk away .
Video taken by House showed the ranger asking for his identification .
House told the ranger that he was back on the trail and didn ’ t need to provide his ID .
The ranger told House he was refusing a lawful order and would have to be detained until he could be identified .
House again walked away as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House picked up his dog in one hand and lifted up his cellphone in the other and began yelling for help as he was tased .
Video posted by House on social media shows him screaming and rolling on the ground .
The ranger repeatedly asks for him to put his hands behind his back as House raises his hands and at times folds them in front of his chest while still calling for help .
House was cited for interfering with agency functions , concealing his identity and being off-trail .
House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Press .
In his social media posts , he said he goes to the monument to pray and meditate .
The case has been referred to the National Park Service ’ s internal affairs unit .
The investigation will include a review of the body camera video , the video posted on social media as well as interviews with officers , those involved and any other witnesses .
“ While the incident remains under investigation , we are sharing more details and the facts as we know them in an effort to provide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the National Park Service said in a statement .
“ Prior to the officer using his electronic control device , or taser , the officer attempted to resolve the interaction with an educational contact and simple warning.
” On the western edge of Albuquerque , the monument encompasses one of North America ’ s largest petroglyph sites .
The volcanic rocks that make up the monument ’ s desert escarpment are covered with designs and symbols carved by early Indigenous inhabitants and later Spanish settlers .
Park officials said the cliffs are a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hiking is limited to designated trails for preservation purposes .
Petroglyph National Monument has dealt over the years with vandalism that has included everything from dumping to graffiti .
Officials said it ’ s a problem that persists nationwide , with incidents spanning from Great Smoky Mountains National Park to Zion and Joshua Tree national parks in the West .
Earlier this year , two Nevada men were indicted after being accused of spray-painting an ancient rock in a national monument .
In the body camera video , the ranger tells House about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s not what he was doing and that he respects the place .

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — A man who was tased during a confrontation with a ranger at a national monument in New Mexico was seen climbing on and among petroglyph cliff features off-trail in violation of park regulations, according to the National Park Service.
The federal agency late Tuesday released more details and video of the interaction between the ranger and Darrell House, saying an investigation is ongoing.
The video shows the ranger telling House that Native American tribes from the area consider Petroglyph National Monument as sacred and that visitors are supposed to stay on designated trails to preserve the cultural resources and allow the desert vegetation to recover. The video also shows House, who identified himself as Navajo and Oneida, giving the ranger a fake name and trying to walk away.
Video taken by House showed the ranger asking for his identification. House told the ranger that he was back on the trail and didn’t need to provide his ID.
The ranger told House he was refusing a lawful order and would have to be detained until he could be identified. House again walked away as the ranger told him to stop. House picked up his dog in one hand and lifted up his cellphone in the other and began yelling for help as he was tased.
Video posted by House on social media shows him screaming and rolling on the ground. The ranger repeatedly asks for him to put his hands behind his back as House raises his hands and at times folds them in front of his chest while still calling for help.
House was cited for interfering with agency functions, concealing his identity and being off-trail. House did not return messages from The Associated Press. In his social media posts, he said he goes to the monument to pray and meditate.
The case has been referred to the National Park Service’s internal affairs unit. The investigation will include a review of the body camera video, the video posted on social media as well as interviews with officers, those involved and any other witnesses.
“While the incident remains under investigation, we are sharing more details and the facts as we know them in an effort to provide as much transparency as possible,” the National Park Service said in a statement. “Prior to the officer using his electronic control device, or taser, the officer attempted to resolve the interaction with an educational contact and simple warning.”
On the western edge of Albuquerque, the monument encompasses one of North America’s largest petroglyph sites. The volcanic rocks that make up the monument’s desert escarpment are covered with designs and symbols carved by early Indigenous inhabitants and later Spanish settlers.
Park officials said the cliffs are a protected, sacred archeological site, and hiking is limited to designated trails for preservation purposes.
Petroglyph National Monument has dealt over the years with vandalism that has included everything from dumping to graffiti. Officials said it’s a problem that persists nationwide, with incidents spanning from Great Smoky Mountains National Park to Zion and Joshua Tree national parks in the West. Earlier this year, two Nevada men were indicted after being accused of spray-painting an ancient rock in a national monument.
In the body camera video, the ranger tells House about the graffiti problems. House said that’s not what he was doing and that he respects the place.


thedenverpost--2020-12-30--Broncos Briefs: Season unraveled for Las Vegas Raiders after routing Denver in Week 10

When Las Vegas thumped the Broncos 37-12 in Week 10 , the Raiders were 6-3 , including 3-0 in the AFC West .
It was the high point of their season .
Las Vegas enters Sunday ’ s finale against the Broncos having lost five of its last six games , the lone win being the miracle finish over the New York Jets .
The Raiders squandered late leads at home to Kansas City and Miami , were blown out at Atlanta ( 43-6 ) and vs. Indianapolis ( 44-27 ) and lost in overtime to the Los Angeles Chargers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the 16th time in 17 years .
After the Indianapolis loss , coach Jon Gruden fired defensive coordinator Paul Guenther and installed defensive line coach Rod Marinelli as the play-caller .
The Raiders are 29th in points allowed ( 29.8 per game ) and sacks ( 19 ) .
“ No disrespect to Paul , who did a great job here — we needed a new voice and a new style of leadership and ( Marinelli ’ s ) done a great job , ” Gruden said in conference call with two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a long way to go to get where we want to be on defense , but I think Rod , having worked with him in the past ( in Tampa Bay ) , is one of the great teachers , great leaders and great motivators I ’ ve been around .
I ’ ve seen progress although it hasn ’ t showed up in the win column.
” Broncos quarterback Drew Lock was intercepted four times by the Raiders in the first meeting .
“ There are little differences here and there , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ They still have the same players , but schematically , there are different things .
… Honestly , they could do a lot of what they did in the first game .
We didn ’ t play well and they stuck it to us .
“ Even though there ( has been a ) coordinator change , we ’ re getting ready for a little bit of both.
” Chubb , S. Harris sit .
Outside linebacker Bradley Chubb ( ankle ) , defensive end Shelby Harris ( knee ) , receiver @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trey Marshall ( quad ) did not practice Wednesday .
Chubb did side-field work during the media viewing period .
“ ( Chubb ) is still working through the ankle issue , ” coach Vic Fangio said .
• Broncos ’ Melvin Gordon needs 107 yards in season finale vs .
Raiders for second 1,000-yard rushing season • Most-read Denver Broncos stories of 2020 , from starting QB Kendall Hinton to Drew Lock ’ s performance • Shelby Harris recounts playing on day of son ’ s birth — and addresses his future @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ still evaluating ” Harris ’ injury and “ we don ’ t know the severity of it yet.
” Finish line approaching .
There were , as Fangio calls them , some “ potholes ” along the way , but the NFL is on-track to complete its entire 256-game regular-season schedule Sunday .
The Broncos had their Week 5 New England game pushed forward one week because of the Patriots ’ COVID-19 issues , and infamously had to face New Orleans without its four quarterbacks .
“ Back in late June and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sure if we would have the season , ” Fangio said .
“ Once we got through training camp , I was very optimistic that we would be able to do it.
” Footnotes .
Cincinnati quarterback Brandon Allen , who went 1-2 for the Broncos last year but wasn ’ t retained so Jeff Driskel could be signed as Lock ’ s back-up , was voted the NFL ’ s Air Player of the Week after going 29 of 37 for 371 yards and two touchdowns in a win at Houston .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ back on the practice field after testing positive for COVID-19 and missing two games .
… Both Broncos back-up quarterbacks , Driskel and Brett Rypien , participated in practice so the team isn ’ t going with the quarantine passer like it did with practice squad member Blake Bortles over the last month .
Bortles was signed to the Los Angeles Rams ’ active roster on Tuesday .

When Las Vegas thumped the Broncos 37-12 in Week 10, the Raiders were 6-3, including 3-0 in the AFC West.
It was the high point of their season.
Las Vegas enters Sunday’s finale against the Broncos having lost five of its last six games, the lone win being the miracle finish over the New York Jets. The Raiders squandered late leads at home to Kansas City and Miami, were blown out at Atlanta (43-6) and vs. Indianapolis (44-27) and lost in overtime to the Los Angeles Chargers.
The Raiders will miss the playoffs for the 16th time in 17 years.
After the Indianapolis loss, coach Jon Gruden fired defensive coordinator Paul Guenther and installed defensive line coach Rod Marinelli as the play-caller. The Raiders are 29th in points allowed (29.8 per game) and sacks (19).
“No disrespect to Paul, who did a great job here — we needed a new voice and a new style of leadership and (Marinelli’s) done a great job,” Gruden said in conference call with two Denver reporters. “We still have a long way to go to get where we want to be on defense, but I think Rod, having worked with him in the past (in Tampa Bay), is one of the great teachers, great leaders and great motivators I’ve been around. I’ve seen progress although it hasn’t showed up in the win column.”
Broncos quarterback Drew Lock was intercepted four times by the Raiders in the first meeting.
“There are little differences here and there,” he said of the play-calling. “They still have the same players, but schematically, there are different things. … Honestly, they could do a lot of what they did in the first game. We didn’t play well and they stuck it to us.
“Even though there (has been a) coordinator change, we’re getting ready for a little bit of both.”
Chubb, S. Harris sit. Outside linebacker Bradley Chubb (ankle), defensive end Shelby Harris (knee), receiver KJ Hamler (concussion) and safety Trey Marshall (quad) did not practice Wednesday. Chubb did side-field work during the media viewing period.
“(Chubb) is still working through the ankle issue,” coach Vic Fangio said.
Fangio said the Broncos are “still evaluating” Harris’ injury and “we don’t know the severity of it yet.”
Finish line approaching. There were, as Fangio calls them, some “potholes” along the way, but the NFL is on-track to complete its entire 256-game regular-season schedule Sunday. The Broncos had their Week 5 New England game pushed forward one week because of the Patriots’ COVID-19 issues, and infamously had to face New Orleans without its four quarterbacks.
“Back in late June and early July, I wasn’t sure if we would have the season,” Fangio said. “Once we got through training camp, I was very optimistic that we would be able to do it.”
Footnotes. Cincinnati quarterback Brandon Allen, who went 1-2 for the Broncos last year but wasn’t retained so Jeff Driskel could be signed as Lock’s back-up, was voted the NFL’s Air Player of the Week after going 29 of 37 for 371 yards and two touchdowns in a win at Houston. … Broncos strength-and-conditioning coach Loren Landow was back on the practice field after testing positive for COVID-19 and missing two games. … Both Broncos back-up quarterbacks, Driskel and Brett Rypien, participated in practice so the team isn’t going with the quarantine passer like it did with practice squad member Blake Bortles over the last month. Bortles was signed to the Los Angeles Rams’ active roster on Tuesday.