thedenverpost--2020-07-08--Colorado’s international students face uncertainty after ICE says they must leave country if schools

Colorado’s international students face uncertainty after ICE says they must leave country if schools go online-only again

International students at Colorado universities are worried about their educational futures following a new directive from federal immigration officials that would require them to change schools or leave the country should their institution revert to full online learning this fall .
The new guidance is meant to encourage schools that closed their campuses and moved online due to the pandemic to physically reopen , Ken Cuccinelli , acting deputy secretary for the Department of Homeland Security , said in a CNN interview Tuesday .
“ If they don ’ t reopen this semester , there isn ’ t a reason @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be present in the country , ” Cuccinelli said .
“ They should go home , and they can return when the school reopens.
” Tanya Roussy , a University of Colorado Boulder graduate student from Canada who is researching physics , said Tuesday that she felt it was “ pretty clear with this government that cruelty is the point.
” “ We come to the U.S. because the funding and opportunities are supposed to be better , and I believe it ’ s the huge population of international researchers that make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she said .
“ I recently have begun urging other international students to go to school anywhere other than the U.S. because the way we are treated here is just atrocious.
” U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement released the new guidance Monday , announcing an end to an exception the federal government made in the spring when universities across the country rapidly transitioned to online learning in an attempt to stop the spread of COVID-19 , said Ming Hsu Chen , a CU Boulder law professor and faculty director of the Immigration and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Chen said a rule existed limiting the number of online courses international students can take in the U.S. to prevent them from getting swindled by fly-by-night universities and to make sure students truly needed a visa to be in the country to complete their studies .
“ They are skipping the usual process that would be required to make a rule change under the argument that it ’ s an emergency situation , ” Chen said .
“ It ’ s less clear to me what the emergency is for the federal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ given the pandemic is ongoing.
” CU Boulder is planning for a mix of in-person and online courses for the fall semester and a switch to fully remote learning after Thanksgiving , with the caveat that courses could move online entirely if the pandemic takes a turn for the worse .
“ We look forward to welcoming our international students back to our campuses , ” CU President Mark Kennedy and the four campus chancellors said in a joint statement Tuesday .
“ They enrich our campus communities and enhance the diversity of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
We are working with our partner higher education associations and institutions to ensure that our international students can continue their educational journeys.
” Leaders at Metropolitan State University of Denver are reviewing the updated federal guidance as they expect their approximately 160 international students enrolled in the fall to primarily take online classes .
“ We have reached out directly to our international students today to let them know that they ’ re a valued part of our campus community and that we ’ ll be sharing more with them as we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Denver spokesman Matt Watson said in a statement .
Yusen Ye , head of student group CU International , said the uncertainty for him and the nearly 3,000 international students on the Boulder campus is taxing .
“ I have recently just signed a lease here through next school year , ” said Ye , who is from China .
“ It ’ s really , really difficult to break a lease , and with the current situation if classes moves online and I have to leave the U.S. … it will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ premium on our education .
We pay close to $ 50,000 a year and don ’ t get financial aid .
It seems really surprising , like a sneak attack from the back that we were not expecting.
” Due to the pandemic , CU Boulder officials already had estimated the campus would see a 17.6 % drop in undergraduate international student enrollment for the upcoming academic year and an 8 % drop for international graduate students .
Universities , including Colorado colleges , often rely on international student tuition money for revenue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 52 % drop in undergraduate international students for the upcoming fall semester and a 57 % drop for international graduate students , expected to lose $ 17 million in non-resident tuition this school year , according to a CU Board of Regents budget presentation .
“ We are a big contributor to the local economy and national economy , ” said Ye , who is studying physics and math .
“ We pay taxes .
We support local businesses .
Our tuition allows American students to have more financial aid .
We have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being forced to attend in-person classes as COVID-19 cases continued to rise in Colorado .
For now , international students at CU Boulder are being told by the university to enroll in the required number of credits to be considered full-time and enroll in at least one credit of an in-person or hybrid course during the fall semester International students seeking to stay in Boulder for the fall semester can not enroll in only online courses , the university ’ s International Student and Scholar Services informed students on Monday .
“ If @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they will need to leave the country , consult with an immigration attorney about changing nonimmigrant status or other options , or contact ISSS to determine if ISSS can authorize them for a reduced ( or no ) course load , ” the message read .

International students at Colorado universities are worried about their educational futures following a new directive from federal immigration officials that would require them to change schools or leave the country should their institution revert to full online learning this fall.
The new guidance is meant to encourage schools that closed their campuses and moved online due to the pandemic to physically reopen, Ken Cuccinelli, acting deputy secretary for the Department of Homeland Security, said in a CNN interview Tuesday.
“If they don’t reopen this semester, there isn’t a reason for a person holding a student visa to be present in the country,” Cuccinelli said. “They should go home, and they can return when the school reopens.”
Tanya Roussy, a University of Colorado Boulder graduate student from Canada who is researching physics, said Tuesday that she felt it was “pretty clear with this government that cruelty is the point.”
“We come to the U.S. because the funding and opportunities are supposed to be better, and I believe it’s the huge population of international researchers that make U.S. grad schools so strong,” she said. “I recently have begun urging other international students to go to school anywhere other than the U.S. because the way we are treated here is just atrocious.”
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement released the new guidance Monday, announcing an end to an exception the federal government made in the spring when universities across the country rapidly transitioned to online learning in an attempt to stop the spread of COVID-19, said Ming Hsu Chen, a CU Boulder law professor and faculty director of the Immigration and Citizenship Law Program.
Before the pandemic, Chen said a rule existed limiting the number of online courses international students can take in the U.S. to prevent them from getting swindled by fly-by-night universities and to make sure students truly needed a visa to be in the country to complete their studies.
“They are skipping the usual process that would be required to make a rule change under the argument that it’s an emergency situation,” Chen said. “It’s less clear to me what the emergency is for the federal government to return to the original rule given the pandemic is ongoing.”
CU Boulder is planning for a mix of in-person and online courses for the fall semester and a switch to fully remote learning after Thanksgiving, with the caveat that courses could move online entirely if the pandemic takes a turn for the worse.
“We look forward to welcoming our international students back to our campuses,” CU President Mark Kennedy and the four campus chancellors said in a joint statement Tuesday. “They enrich our campus communities and enhance the diversity of the educational experience for all our students. We are working with our partner higher education associations and institutions to ensure that our international students can continue their educational journeys.”
Leaders at Metropolitan State University of Denver are reviewing the updated federal guidance as they expect their approximately 160 international students enrolled in the fall to primarily take online classes.
“We have reached out directly to our international students today to let them know that they’re a valued part of our campus community and that we’ll be sharing more with them as we work through the guidance,” MSU Denver spokesman Matt Watson said in a statement.
Yusen Ye, head of student group CU International, said the uncertainty for him and the nearly 3,000 international students on the Boulder campus is taxing.
“I have recently just signed a lease here through next school year,” said Ye, who is from China. “It’s really, really difficult to break a lease, and with the current situation if classes moves online and I have to leave the U.S. … it will be financially draining. We are paying a premium on our education. We pay close to $50,000 a year and don’t get financial aid. It seems really surprising, like a sneak attack from the back that we were not expecting.”
Due to the pandemic, CU Boulder officials already had estimated the campus would see a 17.6% drop in undergraduate international student enrollment for the upcoming academic year and an 8% drop for international graduate students.
Universities, including Colorado colleges, often rely on international student tuition money for revenue. CU Denver, which predicted a 52% drop in undergraduate international students for the upcoming fall semester and a 57% drop for international graduate students, expected to lose $17 million in non-resident tuition this school year, according to a CU Board of Regents budget presentation.
“We are a big contributor to the local economy and national economy,” said Ye, who is studying physics and math. “We pay taxes. We support local businesses. Our tuition allows American students to have more financial aid. We have a positive impact.”
Ye worried about being forced to attend in-person classes as COVID-19 cases continued to rise in Colorado.
For now, international students at CU Boulder are being told by the university to enroll in the required number of credits to be considered full-time and enroll in at least one credit of an in-person or hybrid course during the fall semester
International students seeking to stay in Boulder for the fall semester cannot enroll in only online courses, the university’s International Student and Scholar Services informed students on Monday.
“If students find themselves in this situation, they will need to leave the country, consult with an immigration attorney about changing nonimmigrant status or other options, or contact ISSS to determine if ISSS can authorize them for a reduced (or no) course load,” the message read.


thedenverpost--2020-07-08--Denver No. 2 for gentrification in recent years, national study finds

Denver saw more widespread gentrification than any other U.S. metro area except San Francisco between 2013 and 2017 , according to a recent study .
For some people who have been battling rising inequality and runaway home prices in the Mile High City in recent years , the findings are unsurprising .
And they expect the coronavirus pandemic to make things even harder for low-income residents in vulnerable neighborhoods .
“ It feels like it ’ s validating information , because this is what we ’ ve been saying all along , ” Denver City Councilwoman Candi CdeBaca said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ D.C.-based National Community Reinvestment Coalition .
The study examined more than 10,600 neighborhoods in U.S. cities that researchers classified as “ eligible to gentrify.
” That means that home values and incomes in those areas were below the 40th percentile nationally .
Of these areas , 954 neighborhoods experienced gentrification from 2013 to 2017 .
Researchers tracked changes in income , home value and the percentage of residents who had obtained college degrees .
Of the 80 neighborhoods in the Denver-Aurora area that met eligibility criteria , 22 gentrified during the study period @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a higher rate than in any other U.S. metro other than San Francisco-Oakland ( 31.3 % ) and ahead of No .
3 Boston by more than 6 percentage points .
While rising incomes , home values , and college attainment rates are positives , pushing back on gentrification has become a focus for many people demanding racial justice in America because of its disproportionate negative effects on people of color .
Those rising metrics are less a demonstration that life is improving for the longtime residents than that rising property values , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are pushing out low- and moderate-income residents as more affluent new arrivals move into the neighborhood .
Katie Leonard , who spoke on the Colorado Capitol steps June 1 as part of the wave of protests sparked by the killing of George Floyd , called gentrification “ systemic racism in action.
” “ It ’ s the building of white space , ” Leonard said .
On a national scale , gentrification disproportionately took place in neighborhoods where white people are the minority , according to the National Community Reinvestment Coalition ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 77 % of the population in gentrifying neighborhoods .
The influx of new money cuts back on affordable housing options in those areas , leading to the displacement of low- and moderate-income residents , researchers wrote .
A map in the coalition ’ s study shows that most gentrifying areas are in the northern and western portions of Denver — areas that have historically been home to many people of color after racist housing policies barred them from other parts of the city .
The Urban Land Conservancy , a Denver-based affordable housing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ high ranking on the list with a news release last week acknowledging that it and other organizations have a lot of work ahead to prevent the worst effects of gentrification .
Jesse Van Tol , the CEO of the national coalition , pointed out in the conservancy ’ s release that Denver ranked 18th for gentrification between 2000 and 2013 .
“ With COVID-19 causing economic hardships for millions of Americans , the work of Urban Land Conservancy is even more vital for low- and moderate-income communities facing displacement in and around the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the statement .
The 2013-2017 study period overlaps with the tenure of Denver Mayor Michael Hancock .
Hancock , in an emailed statement , touted his administration ’ s efforts when it comes to providing more affordable housing in the city , raising wages for low-income workers and combating displacement .
“ This pandemic has created renewed urgency around this challenge and I remain committed to mitigating displacement in our neighborhoods while helping our residents with the support they need to better afford the city they helped shape , ” Hancock said in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been sharply critical of Hancock ’ s administration , noted that the last few years were supposed to be a period of unprecedented investment in affordable housing in Denver .
The city ’ s affordable housing fund — championed by Hancock and fed by a linkage fee on new development — has not lived up to expectations , she siad .
The councilwoman and her staff have also been highly critical of Opportunity Zones , the federal program created by the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act that allows investors in designated low- @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taxes .
The National Community Reinvestment Coalition study found that while Opportunity Zones were typically areas in desperate need of reinvestment , they are vulnerable to being a tool of gentrification and the act fails to outline metrics for measuring if new investment betters the lives of the people who live within their boundaries .
CdeBaca lived in Washington , D.C. — the city ranked No .
1 for gentrification by the coalition in its look at 2000 to 2012 data — and said that when she moved back to Denver she saw @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fast forward.
” She holds up her Elyria Swansea neighborhood as a prime example of an area that is vulnerable to the destructive forces of gentrification .
She expects the COVID-19 pandemic and the damage it is doing to government budgets to speed up the process as residents and local businesses struggle to access support .
“ Gentrification was possible because of government disinvestment , because of segregation that made land cheaper for the speculators or anyone on the outside when they wanted to come in and take it over , ” CdeBaca @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government has nothing to invest for anybody , there ‘ s no way that people who need it the most are going to get it .
”

Denver saw more widespread gentrification than any other U.S. metro area except San Francisco between 2013 and 2017, according to a recent study.
For some people who have been battling rising inequality and runaway home prices in the Mile High City in recent years, the findings are unsurprising. And they expect the coronavirus pandemic to make things even harder for low-income residents in vulnerable neighborhoods.
“It feels like it’s validating information, because this is what we’ve been saying all along,” Denver City Councilwoman Candi CdeBaca said.
The research comes from the Washington, D.C.-based National Community Reinvestment Coalition.
The study examined more than 10,600 neighborhoods in U.S. cities that researchers classified as “eligible to gentrify.” That means that home values and incomes in those areas were below the 40th percentile nationally. Of these areas, 954 neighborhoods experienced gentrification from 2013 to 2017. Researchers tracked changes in income, home value and the percentage of residents who had obtained college degrees.
Of the 80 neighborhoods in the Denver-Aurora area that met eligibility criteria, 22 gentrified during the study period, 27.5%. That’s a higher rate than in any other U.S. metro other than San Francisco-Oakland (31.3%) and ahead of No. 3 Boston by more than 6 percentage points.
While rising incomes, home values, and college attainment rates are positives, pushing back on gentrification has become a focus for many people demanding racial justice in America because of its disproportionate negative effects on people of color. Those rising metrics are less a demonstration that life is improving for the longtime residents than that rising property values, rising property tax bills and other pressures are pushing out low- and moderate-income residents as more affluent new arrivals move into the neighborhood.
Katie Leonard, who spoke on the Colorado Capitol steps June 1 as part of the wave of protests sparked by the killing of George Floyd, called gentrification “systemic racism in action.”
“It’s the building of white space,” Leonard said.
On a national scale, gentrification disproportionately took place in neighborhoods where white people are the minority, according to the National Community Reinvestment Coalition’s research. People of color made up 77% of the population in gentrifying neighborhoods. The influx of new money cuts back on affordable housing options in those areas, leading to the displacement of low- and moderate-income residents, researchers wrote.
A map in the coalition’s study shows that most gentrifying areas are in the northern and western portions of Denver — areas that have historically been home to many people of color after racist housing policies barred them from other parts of the city.
The Urban Land Conservancy, a Denver-based affordable housing nonprofit, greeted the city’s high ranking on the list with a news release last week acknowledging that it and other organizations have a lot of work ahead to prevent the worst effects of gentrification. Jesse Van Tol, the CEO of the national coalition, pointed out in the conservancy’s release that Denver ranked 18th for gentrification between 2000 and 2013.
“With COVID-19 causing economic hardships for millions of Americans, the work of Urban Land Conservancy is even more vital for low- and moderate-income communities facing displacement in and around the city,” Van Tol said in the statement.
The 2013-2017 study period overlaps with the tenure of Denver Mayor Michael Hancock.
Hancock, in an emailed statement, touted his administration’s efforts when it comes to providing more affordable housing in the city, raising wages for low-income workers and combating displacement.
“This pandemic has created renewed urgency around this challenge and I remain committed to mitigating displacement in our neighborhoods while helping our residents with the support they need to better afford the city they helped shape,” Hancock said in the statement.
CdeBaca, who has been sharply critical of Hancock’s administration, noted that the last few years were supposed to be a period of unprecedented investment in affordable housing in Denver. The city’s affordable housing fund — championed by Hancock and fed by a linkage fee on new development — has not lived up to expectations, she siad.
The councilwoman and her staff have also been highly critical of Opportunity Zones, the federal program created by the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act that allows investors in designated low- to moderate-income areas to defer capital gains taxes. The National Community Reinvestment Coalition study found that while Opportunity Zones were typically areas in desperate need of reinvestment, they are vulnerable to being a tool of gentrification and the act fails to outline metrics for measuring if new investment betters the lives of the people who live within their boundaries.
CdeBaca lived in Washington, D.C. — the city ranked No. 1 for gentrification by the coalition in its look at 2000 to 2012 data — and said that when she moved back to Denver she saw the same things happening here “on fast forward.” She holds up her Elyria Swansea neighborhood as a prime example of an area that is vulnerable to the destructive forces of gentrification.
She expects the COVID-19 pandemic and the damage it is doing to government budgets to speed up the process as residents and local businesses struggle to access support.
“Gentrification was possible because of government disinvestment, because of segregation that made land cheaper for the speculators or anyone on the outside when they wanted to come in and take it over,” CdeBaca said. “Now, when the government has nothing to invest for anybody, there‘s no way that people who need it the most are going to get it.”


thedenverpost--2020-07-08--No rest for Colorado voters in Gardner-Hickenlooper Senate race

Just in time for the dog days of summer , the November election has arrived in Colorado .
Ads already are flooding TV stations and social media platforms for the fall Senate matchup between Sen. Cory Gardner and his challenger , former Gov .
John Hickenlooper , with nary a break since last week ’ s Democratic primary — itself a costly contest — settled that nomination .
New 30-second spots released Tuesday by the candidates ’ campaigns will air on broadcast and cable TV stations in six-figure buys .
In one , Gardner touts his role in passing a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In the other , Hickenlooper takes the Trump administration to task for its latest legal challenge of the Affordable Care Act .
Starting Wednesday , a national digital ad sponsored by the Lincoln Project PAC , formed by Republicans who oppose President Donald Trump ’ s re-election , will peg Gardner and several other GOP senators as enablers of Trump .
According to TV station disclosures , an ad aimed at boosting Gardner will begin running the same day as part of a major buy made by One Nation , a dark-money group @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The fall campaign season usually gets underway closer to Labor Day , but political observers expect the all-out ad blitz to continue as Democrats fix on Gardner ’ s seat as a key takeover target on their way to a potential Senate majority .
Recent polls show Hickenlooper leading in Colorado .
In May , Cross Screen Media and Advertising Analytics , which tracks political ad spending , projected that spending in Senate races nationally would reach nearly $ 1 billion this year .
Colorado ’ s race alone is expected to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than $ 100 million — according to an earlier report by those organizations .
Hickenlooper , who handily defeated Democrat Andrew Romanoff in the June 30 primary , doesn ’ t mention Gardner in his new TV ad .
He contrasts Trump ’ s attempts to dismantle the health care law through legal challenges with Colorado ’ s expansion of health insurance coverage among its residents while he was governor .
“ In the Senate , I want to stop the surprise medical bills , lower the cost of prescription drugs and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coverage if you get COVID-19 , ” he says .
Gardner ’ s new ad takes a positive tone , exalting in a clear recent win in Washington .
It shows the senator and his family outside their Yuma home , loading an SUV for a summer road trip after “ we ’ ve been locked up for months , ” he says , referring to the pandemic .
He points to his role in the recent Senate passage of the Great American Outdoors Act , which he wrote and championed along with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Whether you ski or fish or just go for a hike , ” Gardner says , “ Coloradans live in national forests and parks.
” He says he “ made it my job ” to end Congress ’ longstanding neglect .
The bill , which Trump has said he ’ ll sign , will fully fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund and end a mounting maintenance backlog at national parks , including in this state .
Gardner received credit from advocacy groups for helping get it passed — even if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ based on other votes and positions , as reflected in the Colorado Sierra Club ’ s criticism of the ad Tuesday .
The ads by the One Nation Republican-allied group and by the anti-Trump Lincoln Project weren ’ t yet available Tuesday evening .
The Lincoln Project provided a script and said it planned a “ significant push ” online .
Targeting Gardner and several other Senate colleagues in tight races , it urges voters to remember that “ every time they had a choice between America and Trump , they chose Trump @ @

Just in time for the dog days of summer, the November election has arrived in Colorado.
Ads already are flooding TV stations and social media platforms for the fall Senate matchup between Sen. Cory Gardner and his challenger, former Gov. John Hickenlooper, with nary a break since last week’s Democratic primary — itself a costly contest — settled that nomination.
New 30-second spots released Tuesday by the candidates’ campaigns will air on broadcast and cable TV stations in six-figure buys. In one, Gardner touts his role in passing a major bipartisan public-lands bill last month. In the other, Hickenlooper takes the Trump administration to task for its latest legal challenge of the Affordable Care Act.
Starting Wednesday, a national digital ad sponsored by the Lincoln Project PAC, formed by Republicans who oppose President Donald Trump’s re-election, will peg Gardner and several other GOP senators as enablers of Trump. According to TV station disclosures, an ad aimed at boosting Gardner will begin running the same day as part of a major buy made by One Nation, a dark-money group allied with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.
Also Wednesday, the National Republican Senatorial Committee — which Gardner led in the 2018 campaign cycle — came out with its latest ad taking aim at Hickenlooper, in this case focusing on his ethics violations and other issues.
The fall campaign season usually gets underway closer to Labor Day, but political observers expect the all-out ad blitz to continue as Democrats fix on Gardner’s seat as a key takeover target on their way to a potential Senate majority. Recent polls show Hickenlooper leading in Colorado.
In May, Cross Screen Media and Advertising Analytics, which tracks political ad spending, projected that spending in Senate races nationally would reach nearly $1 billion this year. Colorado’s race alone is expected to generate a hefty share of that — more than $100 million — according to an earlier report by those organizations.
Hickenlooper, who handily defeated Democrat Andrew Romanoff in the June 30 primary, doesn’t mention Gardner in his new TV ad. He contrasts Trump’s attempts to dismantle the health care law through legal challenges with Colorado’s expansion of health insurance coverage among its residents while he was governor.
“In the Senate, I want to stop the surprise medical bills, lower the cost of prescription drugs and make sure you can’t lose coverage if you get COVID-19,” he says.
Gardner’s new ad takes a positive tone, exalting in a clear recent win in Washington. It shows the senator and his family outside their Yuma home, loading an SUV for a summer road trip after “we’ve been locked up for months,” he says, referring to the pandemic.
He points to his role in the recent Senate passage of the Great American Outdoors Act, which he wrote and championed along with Sen. Michael Bennet, a Colorado Democrat.
“Whether you ski or fish or just go for a hike,” Gardner says, “Coloradans live in national forests and parks.” He says he “made it my job” to end Congress’ longstanding neglect.
The bill, which Trump has said he’ll sign, will fully fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund and end a mounting maintenance backlog at national parks, including in this state. Gardner received credit from advocacy groups for helping get it passed — even if some question his commitment to the environment based on other votes and positions, as reflected in the Colorado Sierra Club’s criticism of the ad Tuesday.
The ad by the One Nation Republican-allied group wasn’t yet available Tuesday evening. The anti-Trump Lincoln Project made its ad public Wednesday afternoon and said it planned a “significant push” online.
Targeting Gardner and several other Senate colleagues, including others in tight races, the ad’s narrator urges voters to remember that “every time they had a choice between America and Trump, they chose Trump. … Learn their names.”
The NRSC’s new ad Wednesday savages Hickenlooper, alleging he engaged in “pay-to-play on steroids” as governor, citing the Colorado Independent Ethics Commission’s recent findings that he accepted unlawful gifts while traveling, as well as news reports about donations to the governor’s office. The NRSC’s independent expenditure arm has spent over $1 million on TV ads in the Colorado race already and has $5 million in future ad spots already reserved, according to Advertising Analytics.
Updated at 10:45 a.m. July 8, 2020, to add information about the National Republican Senatorial Committee’s new ad. An update at 2:37 p.m. added a link and details about the Lincoln Project ad.


thedenverpost--2020-07-08--Ask Amy: I just found out my husband has been having sex with men

Dear Amy : I found out recently that my husband of many years has been having sex with men for the last 52 years .
He says he is bisexual , but his appetite for sex with men is stronger than with women .
He is into fetish and crossdressing .
I believe he needs to come out and live the life he craves , and not try to keep up the appearance that he is a heterosexual married man .
He says he never cheated on me with another woman , and that he would like to stay married @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time to the time he spends with these men , but I know he has never been that attached to our sexual life .
Plus — I got married to a man who pledged his fidelity to me , and I chose not to share .
I feel this marriage is done .
We both got tested and we are okay , but he is not only a regular at a couple of ( senior ) gay clubs , but also has put himself out on three internet sites , asking to hook @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have some fun .
He will be 74 and I will be 80 next month .
Over the years , he went from seeing men two to three times a year — to two to three times a week .
We are talking about 100 to 150 different partners over the years .
He is not willing to give any of this up .
He says he will be honest with me about what he is doing when he goes out .
Am I supposed to believe that ?
What is your opinion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Broken !
: My opinion is that your husband is quite obviously going to live his life the way he wants to and the way he has been .
He has announced as much to you .
You have the right – and the duty — to do the same .
Marriages survive all sorts of circumstances , including lengthy separations , loss , sexual and emotional infidelity , illness , shocks , gender transitions and sometimes — genuine trauma .
But marriage is supposed to be the embodiment of mutuality : I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Not : I do what I want and you either tolerate it … or leave the marriage .
Your husband does not get to define fidelity for you .
His choice to explain away his own behavior as being actually within the bounds of your marriage is gaslighting .
His sexual behavior is putting both of you at risk .
Eyes open – you must make the choice that is best for you , both now and longer-term .
Dear Amy : While my daughter and son-in-law , “ Brian , ” were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ built , they lived in our basement for six months .
Brian is a hoarder .
I moved some of his things , and he attacked me in a fit of rage , breaking three of my ribs and bloodying my nose .
We called the police but did not press charges .
My daughter and Brian have since moved into their new home .
We paid for the mover and gave the couple a generous house gift .
They have a new baby .
We have visited , avoiding contact with Brian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has shown no remorse .
He has complete control over our daughter and is verbally abusive to her .
How can we maintain a relationship with our daughter in light of this ?
Should I continued to avoid him ?
Dear Fearful : I wish you had chosen to press charges when “ Brian ” assaulted you .
This would have shown your daughter the reality of what she is facing .
At this point , you must do everything possible to stay close and supportive .
Your daughter is in an extremely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We love and care about you .
We are here for you and we want to help.
” The National Domestic Violence Hotline is a great resource .
Check thehotline.org or call ( 800 ) 799-SAFE ( 7233 ) to talk to a counselor .
Always call the police if you witness violence .
Dear Amy : Shame on your answer to “ Pandemic Pandemonium ” where you suggested that a woman who has stopped wearing makeup and fancy clothes might be suffering from depression !
Maybe you love getting dolled up every @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by your sexist response .
Dear Disgusted : I don ’ t happen to wear makeup – ever .
But this isn ’ t about me .
This man expressed dismay about his wife suddenly neglecting her hygiene .
Many people are struggling right now , and I believe it is important to pay close attention to our mental health .

Dear Amy: I found out recently that my husband of many years has been having sex with men for the last 52 years.
He says he is bisexual, but his appetite for sex with men is stronger than with women. He is into fetish and crossdressing.
I believe he needs to come out and live the life he craves, and not try to keep up the appearance that he is a heterosexual married man.
He says he never cheated on me with another woman, and that he would like to stay married. He offered to give me equal time to the time he spends with these men, but I know he has never been that attached to our sexual life. Plus — I got married to a man who pledged his fidelity to me, and I chose not to share.
I feel this marriage is done. We both got tested and we are okay, but he is not only a regular at a couple of (senior) gay clubs, but also has put himself out on three internet sites, asking to hook up with anyone who would like to have some fun.
He will be 74 and I will be 80 next month.
Over the years, he went from seeing men two to three times a year — to two to three times a week. We are talking about 100 to 150 different partners over the years.
He is not willing to give any of this up.
He says he will be honest with me about what he is doing when he goes out. Am I supposed to believe that?
What is your opinion? Do marriages survive this?
— Broken!
Dear Broken!: My opinion is that your husband is quite obviously going to live his life the way he wants to and the way he has been. He has announced as much to you.
You have the right – and the duty — to do the same.
Marriages survive all sorts of circumstances, including lengthy separations, loss, sexual and emotional infidelity, illness, shocks, gender transitions and sometimes — genuine trauma. But marriage is supposed to be the embodiment of mutuality: I elevate you, you elevate me. Not: I do what I want and you either tolerate it … or leave the marriage.
Your husband does not get to define fidelity for you. His choice to explain away his own behavior as being actually within the bounds of your marriage is gaslighting. His sexual behavior is putting both of you at risk.
Eyes open – you must make the choice that is best for you, both now and longer-term.
Dear Amy: While my daughter and son-in-law, “Brian,” were waiting for their new house to be built, they lived in our basement for six months.
Brian is a hoarder. I moved some of his things, and he attacked me in a fit of rage, breaking three of my ribs and bloodying my nose.
We called the police but did not press charges.
My daughter and Brian have since moved into their new home. We paid for the mover and gave the couple a generous house gift.
They have a new baby. We have visited, avoiding contact with Brian.
He has yet to apologize and has shown no remorse. He has complete control over our daughter and is verbally abusive to her.
How can we maintain a relationship with our daughter in light of this?
Should I continued to avoid him?
— Fearful Father-in-Law
Dear Fearful: I wish you had chosen to press charges when “Brian” assaulted you. This would have shown your daughter the reality of what she is facing.
At this point, you must do everything possible to stay close and supportive.
Your daughter is in an extremely dangerous situation.
Tell her, “We love and care about you. We are here for you and we want to help.”
The National Domestic Violence Hotline is a great resource. Check thehotline.org or call (800) 799-SAFE (7233) to talk to a counselor. Always call the police if you witness violence.
Dear Amy: Shame on your answer to “Pandemic Pandemonium” where you suggested that a woman who has stopped wearing makeup and fancy clothes might be suffering from depression!
Maybe you love getting dolled up every day, but I was truly disgusted by your sexist response.
— Disgusted
Dear Disgusted: I don’t happen to wear makeup – ever. But this isn’t about me. This man expressed dismay about his wife suddenly neglecting her hygiene. Many people are struggling right now, and I believe it is important to pay close attention to our mental health.
(You can email Amy Dickinson at askamy@amydickinson.com or send a letter to Ask Amy, P.O. Box 194, Freeville, NY 13068. You can also follow her on Twitter @askingamy or Facebook.)


thedenverpost--2020-07-08--Denver starts July with five homicides in six days

Five people were killed in Denver during the first six days of July , including a 19-year-old who died after @ @ @ @ @ woman who was stabbed to death .
The Denver Office of the Medical Examiner on @ @ @ @ @ : July 1 — Daniel Epperson , 29 , was transported from East 29th Avenue @ @ @ @ @ Denver Health where he was pronounced dead from a gunshot wound .
July 2 — @ @ @ @ @ , was found dead of multiple gunshot wounds 4:38 a.m. in the 800 block of @ @ @ @ @ 4 — Ariana Wolk , 40 , was found dead at 5:48 a.m. in the @ @ @ @ @ .
She died of sharp force injuries .
July 5 — Yaun Yae Long , @ @ @ @ @ from the 4600 block of N. Peoria Street to UCHealth where he was pronounced dead @ @ @ @ @ July 6 — Tayvion Washington , 19 , was pronounced dead at Denver Health after @ @ @ @ @ block of Poplar Street .
He died from multiple gunshot wounds .

Five people were killed in Denver during the first six days of July, including a 19-year-old who died after being shot and a 40-year-old woman who was stabbed to death.
The Denver Office of the Medical Examiner on Tuesday identified five homicide victims:
July 1 — Daniel Epperson, 29, was transported from East 29th Avenue and North Downing Street to Denver Health where he was pronounced dead from a gunshot wound.
July 2 — Booker Jackson III, 32, was found dead of multiple gunshot wounds 4:38 a.m. in the 800 block of South Knox Court.
July 4 — Ariana Wolk, 40, was found dead at 5:48 a.m. in the 1500 block of Oneida Street. She died of sharp force injuries.
July 5 — Yaun Yae Long, 21 was taken by ambulance from the 4600 block of N. Peoria Street to UCHealth where he was pronounced dead from a gunshot wound.
July 6 — Tayvion Washington, 19, was pronounced dead at Denver Health after being shot in the 2900 block of Poplar Street. He died from multiple gunshot wounds.


thedenverpost--2020-07-09--Avs podcast: NHL has schedule reopening with 24-team Stanley Cup playoffs

Denver Post hockey writer Mike Chambers is joined by former Avalanche employee and freelance writer Ryan Boulding in the latest @ @ @ @ @ of The Net .
Mike and Ryan discuss the NHL ’ s scheduled reopening with @ @ @ @ @ , the daily schedule at two hub cities and more .
Subscribe to our Avalanche @ @ @ @ @ latest team news sent straight to your inbox .

Mike Chambers was the Avalanche beat writer for The Denver Post. A Colorado native, he wrote his first story for the paper as a freelancer in 1994 and joined the staff in 2000 as a general-assignment writer mostly covering the University of Denver hockey team. Mike graduated from Cherry Creek High School and has a journalism degree from the University of Northern Colorado.


thedenverpost--2020-07-09--Wildfire breaks out on federal land west of Cañon City

A wildfire is burning on federal land west of Cañon City and south of the Royal Gorge .
The YMCA @ @ @ @ @ an estimated five acres burning in pinyon-juniper woodland , according to the Bureau of Land @ @ @ @ @ agencies are on scene including BLM , Cañon City Area Fire Protection District and Tallahassee @ @ @ @ @ single-engine air tankers and two large air tankers have been ordered to fight the fire @ @ @ @ @ the Cañon City area as well other nearby locations .
Authorities ask that people seeing @ @ @ @ @ or the Freemont County Sheriff ’ s Office to report the fire .

A wildfire is burning on federal land west of Cañon City and south of the Royal Gorge.
The YMCA fire on Wednesday afternoon was an estimated 5 acres burning in piñon-juniper woodland, according to the Bureau of Land Management Colorado.
Fire crews are on scene including some from the BLM, the Cañon City Area Fire Protection District and the Tallahassee Fire Protection District. Two single-engine air tankers and two large air tankers have been ordered to fight the fire.
Smoke is visible in the Cañon City area. Authorities ask that people seeing smoke do not call 911 or the Freemont County Sheriff’s Office to report the fire.
The #YMCAFireCO is burning on BLM lands west of Canyon City, south of the Royal Gorge. The BLM Colorado Fire Facebook page will be the official source of information for this fire. https://t.co/WsLQj0Pjtg pic.twitter.com/MWM1oINEWM — USFS_Pike&San Isabel (@PSICC_NF) July 8, 2020
Heavy smoke is possible overnight in Cañon City and an air-quality health advisory has been posted for the area through 9 a.m. Thursday.


thedenverpost--2020-07-09--Denver on track for deadliest year in a decade after week of violence that killed 8, wounded 10

A surge of shootings and stabbings in early July puts Denver on track to have its deadliest year in the past decade .
In the first eight days of the month , eight people were killed in homicides in Denver and 10 others were shot or stabbed , but survived .
Forty-six people have died in homicides in the city so far this year .
“ This is a fairly significant uptick in violence — both in homicides and shootings , ” Denver Police Chief Paul Pazen said .
Between Jan. 1 and July 8 of 2019 , 30 people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the deadliest year in the past decade for the city , the number of people killed in homicides didn ’ t reach 46 until the end of August .
It ’ s too soon to tell if the incidents over the past week are connected or if there are trends , Pazen said .
The shootings and stabbings in the last week span every one of the department ’ s six districts , with some hotspots of concentrated violence , the chief said .
Three incidents took place in the Central Business District @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Montbello .
But community organizers and anti-gang activists said that some of the violence can be traced to a resurgence of conflict between long-established Bloods and Crips as well as a continuing trend of young people killing each other .
“ You have a couple of different battles in a couple of different fronts , fought in different ways , ” said Jason McBride , program assistant and education specialist at Gang Rescue and Support Project .
“ We ’ re spinning out of control right now.
” Anti-violence organizers warned in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an already deadly trend of youth violence would become worse this summer , when teens were out of school .
Then the pandemic made everything worse .
For months , Joel Hodge had been leading patrols of the neighborhoods in northeast Denver to help kids and to interrupt violence before it happened .
When the pandemic hit , his organization , Struggle of Love Foundation , pivoted to another crushing need : hunger .
Since March , the group has been giving out thousands of meals and bags of groceries to those in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out , we responded , ” Hodge said .
But that meant the patrols fell by the wayside , Hodge said .
The recent violence even claimed one of his young volunteers , 19-year-old Tayvion Washington .
Hodge helped the teen graduate high school and continued to mentor him .
Washington was shot and killed Monday in the 2900 block of Poplar Street in North Park Hill .
“ He was supposed to be at the food bank at 9 that morning , ” Hodge said .
The pandemic trapped a lot of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ long time , during which they fought and argued over social media , McBride said .
Now that restrictions have lifted , some of the pent up conflict is turning to violence .
The pandemic also means that many summer programs don ’ t exist , leaving young people unsupervised while their parents work multiple shifts to earn a living , McBride said .
“ You can drive any day of the week , through Green Valley Ranch and Montbello and along Chambers Road and you ’ ll see 75 , 80 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nothing to do , ” McBride said .
“ There ’ s nowhere for them to go that ’ s positive.
” When McBride showed up Monday for a vigil for a young man killed in Montbello , he found himself standing near another crime scene for a shooting that happened in the same block less than 24 hours after the first homicide .
Two days after that vigil , another shooting killed two more people less than a block away .
The loss of life and potential is heartbreaking .
“ We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they end up dead , ” McBride said .
“ We ’ re not meeting them at their level.
” Other large cities across the country witnessed an explosion of violence over the Fourth of July weekend and the following week .
Fourteen people were killed and at least 92 others were wounded in shootings in Chicago between midday Friday and early Monday , The Chicago Tribune reported .
The governor of Georgia called a state of emergency after five people were killed and 26 others were injured in shootings in Atlanta during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ large cities across the U.S. are strikingly different than previous years , an analysis by The New York Times found .
Overall crime and general violent crime is down in those cities , compared to 2019 , but homicides are spiking .
Despite fears that domestic violence killings would spike during stay-at-home orders , the number of domestic violence homicides in Denver has remained level compared to last year , Pazen said .
Through the end of June , the police department believes that more than half of killings here were connected to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over a parking space or a dog .
“ We ’ re trying to get the message out that senseless violence is not the answer , ” Pazen said .
Protests of police and in Denver and across the country haven ’ t affected the police department ’ s ability to solve crimes so far , Pazen said .
The department has solved 70 % of the homicides that happened in the first six months of 2020 , slightly above the national average of 62 % reported in 2018 , the most recent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The only way we can resolve this as a community is by working together , ” he said .
“ The police can ’ t do this by themselves .
”

A surge of shootings and stabbings in early July puts Denver on track to have its deadliest year in the past decade.
In the first eight days of the month, eight people were killed in homicides in Denver and 10 others were shot or stabbed, but survived. Forty-six people have died in homicides in the city so far this year.
“This is a fairly significant uptick in violence — both in homicides and shootings,” Denver Police Chief Paul Pazen said.
Between Jan. 1 and July 8 of 2019, 30 people had been killed. In 2018, the deadliest year in the past decade for the city, the number of people killed in homicides didn’t reach 46 until the end of August.
It’s too soon to tell if the incidents over the past week are connected or if there are trends, Pazen said. The shootings and stabbings in the last week span every one of the department’s six districts, with some hotspots of concentrated violence, the chief said. Three incidents took place in the Central Business District, three in Park Hill and three in Montbello.
Series of killings, assaults since July 1 July 8: Double homicide in the 12200 block of East Albrook Drive
July 7: Homicide in the 2500 block of West 8th Avenue
July 6: Non-fatal shooting in 4600 block of Peoria Street
July 6: Homicide in 2900 block of North Poplar Street
July 5: Non-fatal shooting at 5001 Crown Blvd.
July 5: Non-fatal stabbing near 16th Street and Arapahoe Street
July 5: Non-fatal shooting in the 4700 block of North Logan Street
July 5: One person is killed and another injured in shooting in 4600 block of North Peoria Street
July 5: Non-fatal shooting in the 1500 block of South Platte River Drive
July 5: Non-fatal shooting in the 2300 block of South Federal Boulevard
July 4: Non-fatal shooting in the 2000 block of North Broadway
July 4: Non-fatal stabbing in the 1000 block of 19th Street
July 4: Homicide in the 1500 block of North Oneida Street
July 2: Non-fatal shooting in the 3000 block of North Olive Street
July 2: Homicide near the intersection of South Knox Court and West Ohio Avenue
July 1: Homicide at 29th Avenue and North Downing Street
But community organizers and anti-gang activists said that some of the violence can be traced to a resurgence of conflict between long-established Bloods and Crips as well as a continuing trend of young people killing each other.
“You have a couple of different battles in a couple of different fronts, fought in different ways,” said Jason McBride, program assistant and education specialist at Gang Rescue and Support Project. “We’re spinning out of control right now.”
Anti-violence organizers warned in the fall and early this year that an already deadly trend of youth violence would become worse this summer, when teens were out of school. Then the pandemic made everything worse.
For months, Joel Hodge had been leading patrols of the neighborhoods in northeast Denver to help kids and to interrupt violence before it happened. When the pandemic hit, his organization, Struggle of Love Foundation, pivoted to another crushing need: hunger. Since March, the group has been giving out thousands of meals and bags of groceries to those in need.
“When people were crying out, we responded,” Hodge said.
But that meant the patrols fell by the wayside, Hodge said. The recent violence even claimed one of his young volunteers, 19-year-old Tayvion Washington. Hodge helped the teen graduate high school and continued to mentor him.
Washington was shot and killed Monday in the 2900 block of Poplar Street in North Park Hill.
“He was supposed to be at the food bank at 9 that morning,” Hodge said.
The pandemic trapped a lot of young people in their homes for a long time, during which they fought and argued over social media, McBride said. Now that restrictions have lifted, some of the pent up conflict is turning to violence.
The pandemic also means that many summer programs don’t exist, leaving young people unsupervised while their parents work multiple shifts to earn a living, McBride said.
“You can drive any day of the week, through Green Valley Ranch and Montbello and along Chambers Road and you’ll see 75, 80, 100 kids just walking because they have nothing to do,” McBride said. “There’s nowhere for them to go that’s positive.”
When McBride showed up Monday for a vigil for a young man killed in Montbello, he found himself standing near another crime scene for a shooting that happened in the same block less than 24 hours after the first homicide.
“It’s ridiculous,” he said.
Two days after that vigil, another shooting killed two more people less than a block away. The loss of life and potential is heartbreaking.
“We’re not getting to them before they end up dead,” McBride said. “We’re not meeting them at their level.”
Other large cities across the country witnessed an explosion of violence over the Fourth of July weekend and the following week. Fourteen people were killed and at least 92 others were wounded in shootings in Chicago between midday Friday and early Monday, The Chicago Tribune reported. The governor of Georgia called a state of emergency after five people were killed and 26 others were injured in shootings in Atlanta during the holiday weekend.
Crime trends in large cities across the U.S. are strikingly different than previous years, an analysis by The New York Times found. Overall crime and general violent crime is down in those cities, compared to 2019, but homicides are spiking.
Despite fears that domestic violence killings would spike during stay-at-home orders, the number of domestic violence homicides in Denver has remained level compared to last year, Pazen said. Through the end of June, the police department believes that more than half of killings here were connected to a robbery or a dispute, like over a parking space or a dog.
“We’re trying to get the message out that senseless violence is not the answer,” Pazen said.
Protests of police and in Denver and across the country haven’t affected the police department’s ability to solve crimes so far, Pazen said. The department has solved 70% of the homicides that happened in the first six months of 2020, slightly above the national average of 62% reported in 2018, the most recent year available, Pazen said.
“The only way we can resolve this as a community is by working together,” he said. “The police can’t do this by themselves.”


thedenverpost--2020-07-09--Kiszla: Where’s Nikola Jokic? Check every Waffle House between Denver and the NBA bubble.

Where in the world is Nikola Jokic ?
The Nuggets departed Denver on an all-expense-paid vacation to the land of Disney , and neglected to pack their best player .
To hear new general manager Calvin Booth hem and haw Wednesday morning , the team didn ’ t exactly know where Jokic might be or when he would show up at the NBA bubble .
“ We ’ re trying to work out the logistics right now .
He ’ s not en route as far as I know , ” Booth said during an awkward video conference with reporters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jokic would indeed join his teammates … well … er … sometime … soon … or so we hope .
“ It ’ s just a matter of getting him in the bubble and making sure he ’ s healthy , ” Booth said .
As far as we know , Joker is currently somewhere between a horse barn in Sombor , Serbia , and a cozy booth at a Waffle House in Mt .
Dora , Fla .
The Nuggets , however , seem rather evasive about the precise whereabouts of their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Booth said , “ just to get a proper flight and get here.
” .
Yeah , I know it sounds laugh-out-loud preposterous .
But I ’ m not kidding .
There ain ’ t no Joker .
And until he proves on the court there are no lingering issues from his recent bout with the virus , the Nuggets are one , big , 7-foot question mark .
After testing positive for COVID-19 last month , Jokic has recovered well , according to team officials .
His return , however @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tape required to prove he poses no health risk to friends or foes .
For that matter , the Nuggets showed up in Orlando without 25 percent of their traveling party , according to Booth .
The virus has been a pain for this team .
Win a championship ?
Those are big dreams for another day .
Right now , it might be a challenge for coach Michael Malone to stand at practice Thursday and take roll .
Jokic decided last month it was a swell idea to take a trip to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic and hang out with friends without a mask .
He has been stuck in Serbia or watched “ Friends ” during quarantine or awaited COVID-19 test results or checked flight schedules ever since , while his Denver teammates have been doing other trivial stuff … like shooting jumpers and trying to re-launch the NBA season .
Without Jokic , the Nuggets are not legit title contenders .
They ’ re the Sacramento Kings .
Heck , I want the NBA to get back on the court as much as LeBron James does @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nature of the league ’ s plan to restart .
But the difficulty the Nuggets had merely getting to the bubble in good collective health reminds us the virus , not King James or NBA commissioner Adam Silver , sets the rules in 2020 .
While we hate to burst anyone ’ s bubble , Philadelphia center Joel Embiid has shared serious doubts with reporters about resuming play in the heart of Pandemcland , at a time when coronavirus case numbers in Florida threaten to grow beyond control .
“ I don ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be safe enough , ” Embiid said .
Truth be told , Mickey , this is probably not the ideal summer for a Disney World vacation .
So it ’ s understandable why a Joker might be slow to hop on a plane to Orlando .
Those COVID-19 nasal swabs are a full E-ticket ride nobody wants to take .
As I understand it , from the time the pandemic found him in Europe until he ’ s allowed back on the court with teammates , Joker will have to prove six times @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the world is Nikola Jokic ?
And how ’ s he doing ?
“ I don ’ t think we ’ re concerned at all .
I think he ’ s excited about joining the bubble and his teammates , ” said Booth , whose first public act since being formally promoted to general manager was the task of detailing why the Nuggets ’ ride to the bubble has been so bumpy .
Hey , stuff happens .
I regularly walk out the door without my car keys , and sometimes it requires @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them , despite the fact I misplace them in the same dang place every time , whether those blasted keys eventually show up between the sofa cushions or the bottom shelf of the fridge .
“ Right where you left them , dear , ” says my wife , always so kind to remind me .
During these crazy pandemic times , we ’ re all in this together .
Right ?
So if Jokic is having difficulty getting to the NBA bubble , I will gladly gas up the SUV in my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to ESPN ’ s Wide World of Sports Complex at Disney World , singing “ Hakuna Matata ” the whole way , provided Joker brings the Red Bull and snacks .
We can leave ASAP .
Right after I find my car keys .

Where in the world is Nikola Jokic?
The Nuggets departed Denver on an all-expense-paid vacation to the land of Disney, and neglected to pack their best player. To hear new general manager Calvin Booth hem and haw Wednesday morning, the team didn’t exactly know where Jokic might be or when he would show up at the NBA bubble.
“We’re trying to work out the logistics right now. He’s not en route as far as I know,” Booth said during an awkward video conference with reporters.
But the Nuggets promise a hale-and-hearty Jokic would indeed join his teammates … well … er … sometime … soon … or so we hope.
“It’s just a matter of getting him in the bubble and making sure he’s healthy,” Booth said.
As far as we know, Joker is currently somewhere between a horse barn in Sombor, Serbia, and a cozy booth at a Waffle House in Mt. Dora, Fla. The Nuggets, however, seem rather evasive about the precise whereabouts of their international man of mystery.
Where’s Joker?
“Waiting,” Booth said, “just to get a proper flight and get here.”
Yeah, I know it sounds laugh-out-loud preposterous. But I’m not kidding. There ain’t no Joker. And until he proves on the court there are no lingering issues from his recent bout with the virus, the Nuggets are one big 7-foot question mark.
After testing positive for COVID-19 last month, Jokic has recovered well, according to team officials. His return, however, has been delayed by the red tape required to prove he poses no health risk to friends or foes.
For that matter, the Nuggets showed up in Orlando without 25 percent of their traveling party, according to Booth. The virus has been a pain for this team. Win a championship? Those are big dreams for another day. Right now, it might be a challenge for coach Michael Malone to stand at practice Thursday and take roll.
Jokic decided last month it was a swell idea to take a trip to Europe in the middle of a global pandemic and hang out with friends without a mask. He has been stuck in Serbia or watched “Friends” during quarantine or awaited COVID-19 test results or checked flight schedules ever since, while his Denver teammates have been doing other trivial stuff … like shooting jumpers and trying to re-launch the NBA season.
Without Jokic, the Nuggets are not legit title contenders. They’re the Sacramento Kings.
Heck, I want the NBA to get back on the court as much as LeBron James does. And I salute the audaciously optimistic nature of the league’s plan to restart. But the difficulty the Nuggets had merely getting to the bubble in good collective health reminds us the virus, not King James or NBA commissioner Adam Silver, sets the rules in 2020.
While we hate to burst anyone’s bubble, Philadelphia center Joel Embiid has shared serious doubts with reporters about resuming play in the heart of Pandemcland, at a time when coronavirus case numbers in Florida threaten to grow beyond control.
“I don’t think it’s going to be safe enough,” Embiid said.
Truth be told, Mickey, this is probably not the ideal summer for a Disney World vacation. So it’s understandable why a Joker might be slow to hop on a plane to Orlando.
Those COVID-19 nasal swabs are a full E-ticket ride nobody wants to take. As I understand it, from the time the pandemic found him in Europe until he’s allowed back on the court with teammates, Joker will have to prove six times he’s virus-free.
Where in the world is Nikola Jokic? And how’s he doing?
“I don’t think we’re concerned at all. I think he’s excited about joining the bubble and his teammates,” said Booth, whose first public act since being formally promoted to general manager was the task of detailing why the Nuggets’ ride to the bubble has been so bumpy.
Hey, stuff happens. I regularly walk out the door without my car keys, and sometimes it requires 15 minutes of mumbling curses to find them, despite the fact I misplace them in the same dang place every time, whether those blasted keys eventually show up between the sofa cushions or the bottom shelf of the fridge.
“Right where you left them, dear,” says my wife, always so kind to remind me.
During these crazy pandemic times, we’re all in this together. Right?
So if Jokic is having difficulty getting to the NBA bubble, I will gladly gas up the SUV in my garage and drive him the 1,858 miles to ESPN’s Wide World of Sports Complex at Disney World, singing “Hakuna Matata” the whole way, provided Joker brings the Red Bull and snacks.
We can leave ASAP. Right after I find my car keys.


thedenverpost--2020-07-08--Body of child found in Eagle River is identified

The body of a child found last week in the Eagle River has been identified as that of 3-year-old Sebastian @ @ @ @ @ of death is drowning and the manner has been ruled accidental by the Eagle County @ @ @ @ @ according to a news release .
Sebastian went missing June 5 , and hundreds of @ @ @ @ @ for the missing child .
“ I thank the community for being patient , ” @ @ @ @ @ the release .
“ We hope this announcement brings closure to the family and a @ @ @ @ @ caring community.
” Sebastian ’ s family expressed gratitude for the massive search and asked @ @ @ @ @ the release .
His body was found Friday between Eagle and Dotsero .

The body of a child found last week in the Eagle River has been identified as that of 3-year-old Sebastian Rodriguez Castro.
His cause of death is drowning and the manner has been ruled accidental by the Eagle County coroner’s office, according to a news release.
Sebastian went missing June 5, and hundreds of volunteers and emergency personnel searched for the missing child.
“I thank the community for being patient,” Coroner Kara Bettis said in the release. “We hope this announcement brings closure to the family and a measure of healing to our caring community.”
Sebastian’s family expressed gratitude for the massive search and asked for privacy, according to the release.
His body was found Friday between Eagle and Dotsero.


thedenverpost--2020-07-08--Matt Kemp out to prove he’s still got it with the Rockies: “I can play baseball at a high level.”

Matt Kemp figures 35 is the new 25 .
Or , at the very least , the new 30 .
Asked about his bat speed and ability to produce at his age , the newest Rockie seemed perplexed , or maybe just amused .
“ I was just trying to figure out why people think 35 is old , ” the three-time all-star outfielder said Wednesday .
“ When I was first coming up , 35-year-olds were in the prime of their careers .
You just don ’ t lose bat speed , just from one year to the next @ @ @ @ @ @ @ happens .
I still think I can play baseball at a high level.
” Kemp signed a minor-league deal with Colorado last week .
If he makes the team , he would be used predominantly as a designated hitter and right-handed power bat off the bench .
Kemp , however , is definitely in a prove-it mode as the Rockies rush toward their season-opener July 24 at the Texas Rangers .
He had a disappointing , injury-plagued 2019 with Cincinnati , appearing in just 20 games and hitting .200 with one home run @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to his struggles .
After getting released by the Reds on May 4 , he was signed by the New York Mets but was released July 12 .
“ I got released when I had a fractured rib , so I didn ’ t really get a chance , ” he said .
“ It was only like 40-something at-bats , and everybody has struggled a time or two in 40-something at-bats.
” Kemp , however , also struggled during the shortened 2020 Grapefruit League season , slashing .143/.200/.143 with 11 strikeouts in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this spring .
The Marlins chose not to sign him to their 60-man pool , but the Rockies , who watched Kemp destroy them for many years as a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers , still believe he can produce .
“ It ’ s a right-handed power bat and he ’ s got a good sense of the strike zone , ” Rockies general manager Jeff Bridich said .
“ We ’ ve seen it for how many years ?
He ’ s very motivated to get back on the field @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coach Dave Magadan predicts Kemp will “ do some damage , especially against left-handed pitchers.
” “ What I have seen so far , the few days that he ’ s been here , is that he ’ s still got bat speed and he ’ s still got a really good idea of what he ’ s trying to do at the plate , ” Magadan said .
Kemp was an offensive force as recently as 2018 , hitting 25 home runs and slashing .290/.338/481 when he reunited with the Dodgers and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 14-year career , Kemp has raked at Coors Field and punished Rockies pitching .
Against Colorado , he has a career average of .314 with 46 home runs in 663 at-bats .
At Coors Field , he ’ s hit .327 with a 1.005 OPS and 21 home runs in 333 at-bats .
During an intrasquad scrimmage at Coors on Wednesday , Kemp ripped two hits off the right-center field wall against right-hander German Marquez , Colorado ’ s best pitcher .
“ I do hit the ball well in this ballpark , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the ball really good and I like the batter ’ s eye with the trees .
It ’ s just one of those ballparks where I really can get locked in .
“ And if I was struggling any time , and I knew we were coming to Colorado , this was a place where I was like , ‘ Man , I could probably get locked in right here.
’ ” One of the most memorable days of his career came in LoDo on Aug. 14 , 2015 , when he hit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the San Diego Padres .
It wasn ’ t just the first cycle of Kemp ’ s career , it was the first cycle in Padres history , coming in the franchise ’ s 7,444th game .
Footnotes .
Marquez has not officially been anointed Colorado ’ s opening-day starter , but manager Bud Black came close on Wednesday .
“ He ’ s in the mix , ” Black deadpanned .
“ You wouldn ’ t be off base to talk about that possibility.
” … Count right-hander Jon Gray as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ designated hitter .
“ I ’ m not a fan of it , ” Gray said .
“ If it was up to me , I would take baseball back to the way it was in the 1940s through the ’ 60s and play that over again .
”

Matt Kemp figures 35 is the new 25. Or, at the very least, the new 30.
Asked about his bat speed and ability to produce at his age, the newest Rockie seemed perplexed, or maybe just amused.
“I was just trying to figure out why people think 35 is old,” the three-time all-star outfielder said Wednesday. “When I was first coming up, 35-year-olds were in the prime of their careers. You just don’t lose bat speed, just from one year to the next. You notice it. It gradually happens. I still think I can play baseball at a high level.”
Kemp signed a minor-league deal with Colorado last week. If he makes the team, he would be used predominantly as a designated hitter and right-handed power bat off the bench.
Kemp, however, is definitely in a prove-it mode as the Rockies rush toward their season-opener July 24 at the Texas Rangers. He had a disappointing, injury-plagued 2019 with Cincinnati, appearing in just 20 games and hitting .200 with one home run. Kemp said a fractured rib contributed to his struggles. After getting released by the Reds on May 4, he was signed by the New York Mets but was released July 12.
“I got released when I had a fractured rib, so I didn’t really get a chance,” he said. “It was only like 40-something at-bats, and everybody has struggled a time or two in 40-something at-bats.”
Kemp, however, also struggled during the shortened 2020 Grapefruit League season, slashing .143/.200/.143 with 11 strikeouts in 30 plate appearances for the Miami Marlins this spring. The Marlins chose not to sign him to their 60-man pool, but the Rockies, who watched Kemp destroy them for many years as a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers, still believe he can produce.
“It’s a right-handed power bat and he’s got a good sense of the strike zone,” Rockies general manager Jeff Bridich said. “We’ve seen it for how many years? He’s very motivated to get back on the field and continue his career.”
Rockies hitting coach Dave Magadan predicts Kemp will “do some damage, especially against left-handed pitchers.”
“What I have seen so far, the few days that he’s been here, is that he’s still got bat speed and he’s still got a really good idea of what he’s trying to do at the plate,” Magadan said.
Kemp was an offensive force as recently as 2018, hitting 25 home runs and slashing .290/.338/481 when he reunited with the Dodgers and made the all-star team.
Throughout his 14-year career, Kemp has raked at Coors Field and punished Rockies pitching. Against Colorado, he has a career average of .314 with 46 home runs in 663 at-bats. At Coors Field, he’s hit .327 with a 1.005 OPS and 21 home runs in 333 at-bats. During an intrasquad scrimmage at Coors on Wednesday, Kemp ripped two hits off the right-center field wall against right-hander German Marquez, Colorado’s best pitcher.
“I do hit the ball well in this ballpark,” Kemp said. “I see the ball really good and I like the batter’s eye with the trees. It’s just one of those ballparks where I really can get locked in.
“And if I was struggling any time, and I knew we were coming to Colorado, this was a place where I was like, ‘Man, I could probably get locked in right here.’ ”
One of the most memorable days of his career came in LoDo on Aug. 14, 2015, when he hit for the cycle as a member of the San Diego Padres. It wasn’t just the first cycle of Kemp’s career, it was the first cycle in Padres history, coming in the franchise’s 7,444th game.
Footnotes. Marquez has not officially been anointed Colorado’s opening-day starter, but manager Bud Black came close on Wednesday. “He’s in the mix,” Black deadpanned. “You wouldn’t be off base to talk about that possibility.” … Count right-hander Jon Gray as a pitcher who does not like the universal designated hitter. “I’m not a fan of it,” Gray said. “If it was up to me, I would take baseball back to the way it was in the 1940s through the ’60s and play that over again.”


thedenverpost--2020-07-08--Colorado reports 452 new COVID-19 cases as hospitalizations continue to rise

New coronavirus infections and hospitalizations in Colorado continue to increase , with the state health department on Wednesday reporting another 452 confirmed cases of the COVID-19 respiratory disease .
Most of those new cases — 314 of them — were people who tested positive Tuesday , but more than 100 were added to last week ’ s count , bringing it to 1,942 cases .
That ’ s compared to 1,749 cases the previous week , as the number of new cases increased for a third consecutive week , according to data from the Colorado Department of Public Health and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said the jump in COVID-19 cases is the result of the state reopening and less social distancing .
The state is also seeing more test results come back positive , meaning the rise in cases is not just due to more testing .
In total , 35,116 people have tested positive for the novel coronavirus since March .
As of Wednesday , there were 184 people hospitalized in the state with COVID-19 , up 11 people from the day before , according to the Colorado Hospital Association .
Hospitalizations , which began increasing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ months , still remain well below the peak of 888 patients on April 14 , and the Colorado Hospital Association reports no medical facilities anticipate a shortage of ICU beds within the next week .
Hospitalizations and deaths help provide insight into the severity of the pandemic .
However , there is often a weeks-long lag in death certificate data .
As of Wednesday , two additional people had died from COVID-19 .
In total , 1,544 people have died from the disease in Colorado .
Subscribe to bi-weekly newsletter to get health @ @ @ @ @ @ @

New coronavirus infections and hospitalizations in Colorado continue to increase, with the state health department on Wednesday reporting another 452 confirmed cases of the COVID-19 respiratory disease.
Most of those new cases — 314 of them — were people who tested positive Tuesday, but more than 100 were added to last week’s count, bringing it to 1,942 cases. That’s compared to 1,749 cases the previous week, as the number of new cases increased for a third consecutive week, according to data from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.
Colorado public health officials have said the jump in COVID-19 cases is the result of the state reopening and less social distancing. The state is also seeing more test results come back positive, meaning the rise in cases is not just due to more testing.
In total, 35,116 people have tested positive for the novel coronavirus since March.
As of Wednesday, there were 184 people hospitalized in the state with COVID-19, up 11 people from the day before, according to the Colorado Hospital Association.
Hospitalizations, which began increasing last week for the first time in months, still remain well below the peak of 888 patients on April 14, and the Colorado Hospital Association reports no medical facilities anticipate a shortage of ICU beds within the next week.
Hospitalizations and deaths help provide insight into the severity of the pandemic. However, there is often a weeks-long lag in death certificate data.
As of Wednesday, two additional people had died from COVID-19. In total, 1,544 people have died from the disease in Colorado.
Subscribe to bi-weekly newsletter to get health news sent straight to your inbox.


thedenverpost--2020-07-08--Denver suburb passes resolution shielding officers from key portion of Colorado’s new police reform

Denver suburb passes resolution shielding officers from key portion of Colorado’s new police reform law

Just weeks after Colorado passed a sweeping police reform law , Greenwood Village has approved a measure that ensures its officers aren ’ t on the hook financially if they mistreat or harm a citizen .
Greenwood Village council members unanimously passed a resolution Monday saying the city will never find its officers have acted in bad faith .
That effectively shields them from having to face personal financial liability for misconduct on the job — contrary to a key stipulation of Senate Bill 217 , which became law last month .
“ The intent of Council ’ s resolution @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as their employer , they would not make such a ( bad-faith ) finding no matter what , ” Greenwood Village city attorney Tonya Haas Davidson wrote in an email Wednesday .
“ Nowhere in the law is an employer ever required to make a finding of bad faith.
” Lawmakers who helped write the police reform bill were taken aback by Greenwood Village ’ s move .
Sen. Bob Gardner , a Colorado Springs Republican , called the resolution an “ attempted end run ” around a major section of SB 217 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of their responsibility to ensure that their officers act in a good faith and reasonable fashion , ” Gardner said Wednesday .
“ They ’ re prejudging all the cases out there in the future.
” SB 217 states that police officers in Colorado found to have acted in bad faith or without reasonable belief that what they did was lawful are on the hook for up to $ 25,000 of their own money in a civil settlement rather than the city picking up the tab .
Gardner said it ’ s admirable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ south of Denver , is affirming its support for its police force , “ but for elected officials to say there will never be any case in which they would find an officer acted in bad faith or unreasonably is to suggest that such things never happen.
” Cory Christensen , president of the Colorado Association of Chiefs of Police and Steamboat Springs ’ police chief , said Greenwood Village ’ s measure “ doesn ’ t seem prudent to me , to be honest.
” “ I don ’ t think that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” he said .
“ I think the intent of 217 was to give communities the ability to stand behind good officers who act in good faith but it ’ s also to allow communities to not indemnify officers who act in bad faith .
The bigger danger for a municipality is what is the message you ’ re sending to your community.
” SB 217 passed in record time last month following protests over the brutal videotaped killing of a Black man by a white officer in Minneapolis and renewed scrutiny of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ raised concerns among members of Colorado ’ s law enforcement community that the new law could drive officers out of the profession and dissuade would-be recruits from applying .
Aside from reducing protections for officers against lawsuits and civil claims , the new law bans chokeholds , requires officers to wear body cameras , punishes officers who don ’ t try to stop colleagues from using excessive force , and forbids officers from using deadly force against someone who ’ s fleeing unless the person poses an immediate risk to the officer or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jackson said his city lost an 18-year veteran officer last week due to concerns over the ramifications of SB 217 .
“ There ’ s a lot of fear around this with officers doing their jobs right , and they fear what could happen , ” said Jackson , who served as the city ’ s police chief for nearly seven years .
“ I do not want people with ill intent in the profession of law enforcement , but what we ’ re doing is grouping them all together and treating them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re not .
“ They feel they can ’ t be in the profession anymore because of the thousands of contacts that open them up to lawsuits every day.
” Greenwood Village Mayor George Lantz told The Denver Post that the city doesn ’ t want “ our police officers to worry about us throwing them under the bus and subjecting them to personal liability.
” “ If they violate a policy , they are subject to disciplinary action like any other employee , ” the mayor said .
“ We wanted them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to also subject them to personal liability on top of everything else they may face.
” But Mari Newman , an attorney representing Elijah McClain , the Black man killed during an arrest by Aurora police last year , said the personal liability section of the bill was included for a very compelling reason .
“ The goal in drafting that was to have officers have some skin in the game to incentivize better behavior , ” she said .
Bill co-sponsor Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez , a House Democrat from Denver , called Greenwood @ @ @ @ @ @ @ She said the indemnification section in SB 217 is about personal responsibility .
“ I think it ’ s about holding people accountable and responsible for their actions and that people are dying at the hands of people we are trusting to keep us safe , ” she said .
“ Asking taxpayers to pay for these sorts of things that happen — that isn ’ t fair.
” Colorado cities and counties have just started figuring out how to implement the new law .
The day after Greenwood Village passed its measure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ El Paso County commissioners voted to form a committee tasked with deciding whether the county should cover a portion of legal fees for officers involved in use-of-force cases , according to KRDO-TV in Colorado Springs .
Gardner , the Republican senator who worked on making SB 217 more palatable to Colorado ’ s law enforcement community , said Greenwood Village ’ s approach could end up backfiring across the state .
“ It invites those on the other side of this debate to put forth legislation next year that is more onerous and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .

Just weeks after Colorado passed a sweeping police reform law, Greenwood Village has approved a measure that ensures its officers aren’t on the hook financially if they mistreat or harm a citizen.
Greenwood Village council members unanimously passed a resolution Monday saying the city will never find its officers have acted in bad faith. That effectively shields them from having to face personal financial liability for misconduct on the job — contrary to a key stipulation of Senate Bill 217, which became law last month.
“The intent of Council’s resolution was simply to inform its officers that as their employer, they would not make such a (bad-faith) finding no matter what,” Greenwood Village city attorney Tonya Haas Davidson wrote in an email Wednesday. “Nowhere in the law is an employer ever required to make a finding of bad faith.”
Lawmakers who helped write the police reform bill were taken aback by Greenwood Village’s move. Sen. Bob Gardner, a Colorado Springs Republican, called the resolution an “attempted end run” around a major section of SB 217.
“That’s an abrogation of their responsibility to ensure that their officers act in a good faith and reasonable fashion,” Gardner said Wednesday. “They’re prejudging all the cases out there in the future.”
SB 217 states that police officers in Colorado found to have acted in bad faith or without reasonable belief that what they did was lawful are on the hook for up to $25,000 of their own money in a civil settlement rather than the city picking up the tab.
Gardner said it’s admirable that Greenwood Village, an affluent suburb south of Denver, is affirming its support for its police force, “but for elected officials to say there will never be any case in which they would find an officer acted in bad faith or unreasonably is to suggest that such things never happen.”
Cory Christensen, president of the Colorado Association of Chiefs of Police and Steamboat Springs’ police chief, said Greenwood Village’s measure “doesn’t seem prudent to me, to be honest.”
“I don’t think that was the intent of SB 217,” he said. “I think the intent of 217 was to give communities the ability to stand behind good officers who act in good faith but it’s also to allow communities to not indemnify officers who act in bad faith. The bigger danger for a municipality is what is the message you’re sending to your community.”
SB 217 passed in record time last month following protests over the brutal videotaped killing of a Black man by a white officer in Minneapolis and renewed scrutiny of police behavior in Colorado. But it raised concerns among members of Colorado’s law enforcement community that the new law could drive officers out of the profession and dissuade would-be recruits from applying.
Aside from reducing protections for officers against lawsuits and civil claims, the new law bans chokeholds, requires officers to wear body cameras, punishes officers who don’t try to stop colleagues from using excessive force, and forbids officers from using deadly force against someone who’s fleeing unless the person poses an immediate risk to the officer or others.
Greenwood Village City Manager John Jackson said his city lost an 18-year veteran officer last week due to concerns over the ramifications of SB 217.
“There’s a lot of fear around this with officers doing their jobs right, and they fear what could happen,” said Jackson, who served as the city’s police chief for nearly seven years. “I do not want people with ill intent in the profession of law enforcement, but what we’re doing is grouping them all together and treating them all the same, when they’re not.
“They feel they can’t be in the profession anymore because of the thousands of contacts that open them up to lawsuits every day.”
Greenwood Village Mayor George Lantz told The Denver Post that the city doesn’t want “our police officers to worry about us throwing them under the bus and subjecting them to personal liability.”
“If they violate a policy, they are subject to disciplinary action like any other employee,” the mayor said. “We wanted them to know we aren’t going to also subject them to personal liability on top of everything else they may face.”
But Mari Newman, an attorney representing Elijah McClain, the Black man killed during an arrest by Aurora police last year, said the personal liability section of the bill was included for a very compelling reason.
“The goal in drafting that was to have officers have some skin in the game to incentivize better behavior,” she said.
Bill co-sponsor Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez, a House Democrat from Denver, called Greenwood Village’s action “concerning.” She said the indemnification section in SB 217 is about personal responsibility.
“I think it’s about holding people accountable and responsible for their actions and that people are dying at the hands of people we are trusting to keep us safe,” she said. “Asking taxpayers to pay for these sorts of things that happen — that isn’t fair.”
Colorado cities and counties have just started figuring out how to implement the new law. The day after Greenwood Village passed its measure shielding its officers from legal claims, El Paso County commissioners voted to form a committee tasked with deciding whether the county should cover a portion of legal fees for officers involved in use-of-force cases, according to KRDO-TV in Colorado Springs.
Gardner, the Republican senator who worked on making SB 217 more palatable to Colorado’s law enforcement community, said Greenwood Village’s approach could end up backfiring across the state.
“It invites those on the other side of this debate to put forth legislation next year that is more onerous and difficult for law enforcement,” he said.


thedenverpost--2020-07-08--Jeffco Public Schools will allow all students to return to classrooms this fall

Jeffco Public Schools will allow all students , including older students , to go back to in-person learning this fall @ @ @ @ @ announced that elementary schools would open for students to return to classes five days a @ @ @ @ @ involves grouping students to interact with only a small number of students and staff each @ @ @ @ @ said the logistics of planning that for middle and high school students would take more @ @ @ @ @ also have a remote option for any students who want to keep learning from home @ @ @ @ @ Wednesday goes into more details .
High school students will attend a maximum of four @ @ @ @ @ , and may need to take some classes online .
Each school will have to @ @ @ @ @ student pickup and drop-off , building entry , symptom screening , transitions , and lunch @ @ @ @ @ story from our partners at chalkbeat.org .
Chalkbeat Colorado is a nonprofit news organization covering @ @ @ @ @ , visit co.chalkbeat.org .

Jeffco Public Schools will allow all students, including older students, to go back to in-person learning this fall.
The district had already announced that elementary schools would open for students to return to classes five days a week. Because that plan involves grouping students to interact with only a small number of students and staff each day, district leaders had said the logistics of planning that for middle and high school students would take more time.
The district will also have a remote option for any students who want to keep learning from home.
The 43-page plan released Wednesday goes into more details.
High school students will attend a maximum of four in-person classes per school day, and may need to take some classes online. Each school will have to create a specific plan for student pickup and drop-off, building entry, symptom screening, transitions, and lunch schedules.
Read the full story from our partners at chalkbeat.org.
Chalkbeat Colorado is a nonprofit news organization covering education issues. For more, visit co.chalkbeat.org.


thedenverpost--2020-07-08--Ivy League first Division I conference to announce no fall sports due to outbreak

The Ivy League on Wednesday became the first Division I conference to say it will not play sports this fall because of the coronavirus pandemic .
The league left open the possibility of moving some seasons to the spring if the outbreak is better controlled by then .
Although the coalition of eight academically elite schools does not grant athletic scholarships or compete for an NCAA football championship , the move could have ripple effects throughout the big business of college sports .
Football players in the Power Five conferences have already begun workouts for a season that starts on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weigh whether to open their campuses to students or continue classes remotely .
The Ivy decision affects not just football but everything before Jan. 1 , including soccer , field hockey , volleyball and cross country , as well as the nonconference portion of the basketball season .
Power Five conferences told The Associated Press on Wednesday that they were still considering their options .
But it was the Ivy League ’ s March 10 decision to scuttle its postseason basketball tournament that preceded a cascade of cancellations that eventually enveloped all major @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s happening in other conferences is clearly a reflection of what ’ s happening nationally and any decisions are made within that context , ” said Dr. Chris Kratochvil , the chair of the Big Ten ’ s infectious disease task force , adding that there is no “ hard deadline ” for a decision .
“ Clearly , regardless of what happens in the fall , sports are coming back eventually , ” he said .
“ So we want to make sure that whenever that time ( is ) right @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have the infrastructure and the recommendations in place to be able to do so safely for the student-athletes , staff , coaches , fans , students.
” Ivy League schools are spread across seven Northeastern states that , as of mid-July , have seen some success at controlling the COVID-19 outbreak .
But most of those states still ban large gatherings ; under the Massachusetts reopening plan , Harvard would not be allowed to have fans in the stands until a vaccine is developed .
Harvard has already announced that all classes for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dorms will be open only to freshmen and seniors .
Yale said it would limit its dorms to 60 % capacity and said most classes would be conducted remotely .
Princeton will also do most of its teaching online , with dorms at half capacity .
AP Sports Writers Aaron Beard , Dave Campbell , Pete Iacobelli , Larry Lage , John Marshall and John Zenor contributed to this story .

The Ivy League on Wednesday became the first Division I conference to say it will not play sports this fall because of the coronavirus pandemic. The league left open the possibility of moving some seasons to the spring if the outbreak is better controlled by then.
Consistent with campus health & safety policies across the League, The Ivy League Presidents outline phased-in approach to intercollegiate athletics activity, including no competition prior to the end of the fall semester due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 📰» https://t.co/7iwQGnECsT pic.twitter.com/DYUFoFshA4 — The Ivy League (@IvyLeague) July 8, 2020
Although the coalition of eight academically elite schools does not grant athletic scholarships or compete for an NCAA football championship, the move could have ripple effects throughout the big business of college sports. Football players in the Power Five conferences have already begun workouts for a season that starts on Aug. 29, even as their schools weigh whether to open their campuses to students or continue classes remotely.
The Ivy decision affects not just football but everything before Jan. 1, including soccer, field hockey, volleyball and cross country, as well as the nonconference portion of the basketball season.
Power Five conferences told The Associated Press on Wednesday that they were still considering their options. But it was the Ivy League’s March 10 decision to scuttle its postseason basketball tournament that preceded a cascade of cancellations that eventually enveloped all major college and professional sports.
“What’s happening in other conferences is clearly a reflection of what’s happening nationally and any decisions are made within that context,” said Dr. Chris Kratochvil, the chair of the Big Ten’s infectious disease task force, adding that there is no “hard deadline” for a decision.
“Clearly, regardless of what happens in the fall, sports are coming back eventually,” he said. “So we want to make sure that whenever that time (is) right to return to competition, that we have the infrastructure and the recommendations in place to be able to do so safely for the student-athletes, staff, coaches, fans, students.”
Ivy League schools are spread across seven Northeastern states that, as of mid-July, have seen some success at controlling the COVID-19 outbreak. But most of those states still ban large gatherings; under the Massachusetts reopening plan, Harvard would not be allowed to have fans in the stands until a vaccine is developed.
Harvard has already announced that all classes for both semesters will be held virtually; dorms will be open only to freshmen and seniors. Yale said it would limit its dorms to 60% capacity and said most classes would be conducted remotely. Princeton will also do most of its teaching online, with dorms at half capacity.
___
AP Sports Writers Aaron Beard, Dave Campbell, Pete Iacobelli, Larry Lage, John Marshall and John Zenor contributed to this story.


thedenverpost--2020-07-09--Denver weather: Sunny and hot streak continues

Sunny and hot weather will continue in the Denver metro area with elevated fire danger expected this weekend .
The high temperature in Denver will hit about 94 degrees on Thursday , according to the National Weather Service .
Friday , Saturday and Sunday will also be sunny and hot in the city , with forecast high temperatures of 99 , 95 and 99 respectively .
Sunday will have a slight chance for afternoon showers and thunderstorms .
An air quality alert has been issued for the metro area on Thursday through 4 p.m. , according to the Regional Air @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Alert is posted for Douglas , Jefferson , Denver , western Arapahoe , western Adams , Broomfield , Boulder , Larimer , and Weld Counties .
Ozone concentrations should remain in the Moderate category throughout most of the Front Range , but higher ozone levels , reaching the Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups range , are expected in the southern and western suburbs , including Highlands Ranch and Golden .
Fire danger will be elevated in northeastern Colorado on Friday because of the continuing sunny , hot and dry conditions , the weather service @ @

Sunny and hot weather will continue in the Denver metro area with elevated fire danger expected this weekend.
The high temperature in Denver will hit about 94 degrees on Thursday, according to the National Weather Service. Friday, Saturday and Sunday will also be sunny and hot in the city, with forecast high temperatures of 99, 95 and 99 respectively. Sunday will have a slight chance for afternoon showers and thunderstorms.
An air quality alert has been issued for the metro area on Thursday through 4 p.m., according to the Regional Air Quality Council. An Ozone Action Day Alert is posted for Douglas, Jefferson, Denver, western Arapahoe, western Adams, Broomfield, Boulder, Larimer, and Weld Counties.
Ozone concentrations should remain in the Moderate category throughout most of the Front Range, but higher ozone levels, reaching the Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups range, are expected in the southern and western suburbs, including Highlands Ranch and Golden.
Fire danger will be elevated in northeastern Colorado on Friday because of the continuing sunny, hot and dry conditions, the weather service said.