thedenverpost--2020-05-31--Future of stadiums, arenas promises high tech, low capacity

KANSAS CITY , Mo .
— The smell of barbecue wafts through the parking lots hours before kickoff at Arrowhead Stadium , and when the first salvo of fireworks explode overhead , thousands of Chiefs fans begin to march en masse toward the entrance gates .
That ’ s how things normally are on an NFL game day in Kansas City .
But these days , very little is normal , and like so many things in life the football season ahead is rife with uncertainty .
The coronavirus pandemic that brought sports to a standstill for months has everyone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spectators are finally allowed back in — and whether they will even want to show up .
The changes will be big and small , temporary and long-lasting .
Fans could have their every move scrutinized by cameras and lasers .
There might be nobody in the next seat to high-five after a touchdown .
The idea of passing cash to a beer vendor between innings will be a memory .
Temperature screenings and medical checks could be mandatory to get in .
By having virtual tickets scanned on their smart phones , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of attending a game while surrendering some of their personal privacy .
It all begs the question : Will fans be able to have any fun ?
“ There ’ s a wealth of unanticipated casualties , I guess , that are going to be part of this , things we all took for granted as part of the live game-day experience , ” explained Nate Appleman , director of the sports , recreation and entertainment practice for Kansas City-based architectural firm HOK .
“ Some things we have yet to fathom but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allowed back into venues and get back to truly human nature , which is to gather and celebrate community.
” Some leagues are returning with few or no fans , including soccer in Germany , stock car racing in the U.S. and baseball in Japan .
But as sports ramp up , The Associated Press found during interviews with more than two dozen experts in stadium design and infrastructure that the only thing that might look the same is what happens on the field of play .
The biggest short-term change will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ become a fact of everyday life .
Ticket sales will be capped .
Entire rows and sections will be blocked off .
Seats on the aisle will be left open to maintain a buffer from those walking up the stairs .
Fans will be given an entrance time to prevent crowding at the gates .
Lines at restrooms and concessions will be limited .
Congregating in the corridors will no longer be allowed .
The college football season is still some three months away , yet Iowa State anticipates capacity at Jack Trice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on “ current guidelines established by state and local officials ” — roughly the number of fans that have purchased season tickets .
At Kansas , athletic director Jeff Long said the Jayhawks have planned for some 16,000 fans in Memorial Stadium this fall — about a third of official capacity .
Several NFL teams , including Miami and New Orleans , are modeling for reduced capacities this season .
It will no doubt look different for fans in the stadium , not to mention the millions that will tune in on TV @ @ @ @ @ @ @ saying , ‘ Necessity is the mother of invention.
’ I would say we ’ re in a heightened situation of necessity right now , ” Appleman said .
“ There are a lot of really smart people coming up with really cool initiatives that could just be a new way of doing things , and new isn ’ t always bad .
Sometimes change is good .
Sometimes we have to adapt.
” Indeed , such plans bring both hope and fear : hope that some fans will be able to see @ @ @ @ @ @ @ colleges and leagues such as Major League Soccer that rely heavily on ticket sales will be able to make ends meet .
To help fill some of those gaps — both optically and financially — many facility operators have been exploring options with firms such as Arizona-based Bluemedia , which designs and produces screens that can cover large swaths of seats .
Such screens already are used when arenas want to cap capacity or create more intimate settings , but Bluemedia vice president R.J. Orr said those same products can present sponsorship and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can sell advertising , ” Orr said , “ but there are many ways to get creative .
What if a ticket-sales guy went out to season-ticket holders and you can upload a photo and we can put your image in the stands ?
We ’ re trying to come up with a bunch of cool ideas that may work.
” Other companies also are tailoring products to help with social distancing and crowd control .
Mercedes-Benz Stadium , the new home of the Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United , already has cashless @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Several professional teams are in talks with motion analytics company iinside , whose SafeDistance system uses lasers to map spaces and measure crowd density .
At KeyBank Center in Buffalo , New York , a company called WaitTime utilizes an app to tell Sabres fans how long lines are at restrooms and concessions .
“ We have a great opportunity to rewrite the new normal for the return of sports , ” WaitTime founder Zack Klima said .
It all sounds a bit Orwellian — like Big Brother is very much watching @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fine line between informative and intrusive .
But they also could help mitigate the spread of a virus , and that could make the difference between having Michigan Stadium empty on a fall Saturday or having 100,000 fans rooting on the Wolverines again .
Not everything will be as overt as barren concourses and empty seats , either .
Most of the changes that colleges and teams are implementing will go unnoticed by those who settle in for the kickoff or first pitch .
Premier League club Tottenham recently opened its new London @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than 1,600 WiFi access points and 700 Bluetooth beacons , ensuring fans are able to utilize crowd-density apps and other technology .
Many facilities are upgrading heating , cooling and ventilation systems to scrub air as it circulates through their buildings , while others are toying with the use of QR codes to monitor the health of their patrons .
“ We ’ re extrapolating off these trends that have already existed , and I think we ’ re going to kick-start into 2025 even though it ’ s only 2020 , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and digital integration for the sports and entertainment group at Mortenson , which is wrapping construction on the Raiders ’ new $ 2.4 billion stadium in Las Vegas .
“ The technology is going to be deployed much faster because of the value it has for the fan experience and public health.
” Even the way facilities are cleaned will change .
No longer will hosing down seats and sweeping up trash left by fans be enough .
Venue giant ASM Global recently announced a new hygiene protocol for its 325 facilities worldwide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ international health recommendations from the likes of the Centers for Disease Control and the World Health Organization .
Few professional teams have been willing to divulge their reopening strategies , whether that be potential seating layouts or infrastructure upgrades .
The rapidly changing social and political environment coupled with the unpredictable nature of the virus have made planning difficult .
But the Miami Dolphins and Hard Rock Stadium recently committed to being the first public facility to receive a STAR rating from the Global Biorisk Advisory Council , which involves completing a rigorous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ executive Tom Garfinkel “ the safest environment possible.
” Of course , even that might not be enough .
While much remains unknown about the novel coronavirus , one fact that is painfully clear is how easily it spreads .
No league or team wants their games to become a “ super spreader ” event , and everyone acknowledges all the preparations in the world can not guarantee safety .
“ In large masses , there is no system that can effectively prevent another person from giving germs to a second individual , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of pathology at New York University ’ s Grossman School of Medicine .
“ If they sneeze or cough or talk directly , or even breathe directly on a person , there is no system that can prevent that.
” That hasn ’ t stopped sports facilities from spending millions of dollars during the months-long shutdown to minimize the risk .
Giving fans some measure of confidence is an investment in the bottom line .
“ We will get back to stadiums and watching football , basketball , baseball , etcetera , there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Demmer , an epidemiologist at the University of Minnesota ’ s School of Public Health .
“ But it ’ s going to take a little bit of time to do it safely .
And that ’ s going to take a little bit of innovation to do it safely in the short-term .
”

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The smell of barbecue wafts through the parking lots hours before kickoff at Arrowhead Stadium, and when the first salvo of fireworks explode overhead, thousands of Chiefs fans begin to march en masse toward the entrance gates.
That’s how things normally are on an NFL game day in Kansas City.
But these days, very little is normal, and like so many things in life the football season ahead is rife with uncertainty. The coronavirus pandemic that brought sports to a standstill for months has everyone wondering what games will be like when spectators are finally allowed back in — and whether they will even want to show up.
The changes will be big and small, temporary and long-lasting.
Fans could have their every move scrutinized by cameras and lasers. There might be nobody in the next seat to high-five after a touchdown. The idea of passing cash to a beer vendor between innings will be a memory. Temperature screenings and medical checks could be mandatory to get in. By having virtual tickets scanned on their smart phones, fans could be acknowledging the health risk of attending a game while surrendering some of their personal privacy.
It all begs the question: Will fans be able to have any fun?
“There’s a wealth of unanticipated casualties, I guess, that are going to be part of this, things we all took for granted as part of the live game-day experience,” explained Nate Appleman, director of the sports, recreation and entertainment practice for Kansas City-based architectural firm HOK. “Some things we have yet to fathom but will become painfully clear once we are allowed back into venues and get back to truly human nature, which is to gather and celebrate community.”
Some leagues are returning with few or no fans, including soccer in Germany, stock car racing in the U.S. and baseball in Japan. But as sports ramp up, The Associated Press found during interviews with more than two dozen experts in stadium design and infrastructure that the only thing that might look the same is what happens on the field of play.
The biggest short-term change will be social distancing, something that already has become a fact of everyday life. Ticket sales will be capped. Entire rows and sections will be blocked off. Seats on the aisle will be left open to maintain a buffer from those walking up the stairs. Fans will be given an entrance time to prevent crowding at the gates. Lines at restrooms and concessions will be limited. Congregating in the corridors will no longer be allowed.
The college football season is still some three months away, yet Iowa State anticipates capacity at Jack Trice Stadium will be cut in half based on “current guidelines established by state and local officials” — roughly the number of fans that have purchased season tickets. At Kansas, athletic director Jeff Long said the Jayhawks have planned for some 16,000 fans in Memorial Stadium this fall — about a third of official capacity.
Several NFL teams, including Miami and New Orleans, are modeling for reduced capacities this season. It will no doubt look different for fans in the stadium, not to mention the millions that will tune in on TV.
“There’s the old saying, ‘Necessity is the mother of invention.’ I would say we’re in a heightened situation of necessity right now,” Appleman said. “There are a lot of really smart people coming up with really cool initiatives that could just be a new way of doing things, and new isn’t always bad. Sometimes change is good. Sometimes we have to adapt.”
Indeed, such plans bring both hope and fear: hope that some fans will be able to see their favorite teams live and fear that colleges and leagues such as Major League Soccer that rely heavily on ticket sales will be able to make ends meet.
To help fill some of those gaps — both optically and financially — many facility operators have been exploring options with firms such as Arizona-based Bluemedia, which designs and produces screens that can cover large swaths of seats. Such screens already are used when arenas want to cap capacity or create more intimate settings, but Bluemedia vice president R.J. Orr said those same products can present sponsorship and marketing opportunities.
“Of course they can sell advertising,” Orr said, “but there are many ways to get creative. What if a ticket-sales guy went out to season-ticket holders and you can upload a photo and we can put your image in the stands? We’re trying to come up with a bunch of cool ideas that may work.”
Other companies also are tailoring products to help with social distancing and crowd control.
Mercedes-Benz Stadium, the new home of the Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United, already has cashless systems in place for merchandise and concessions. Several professional teams are in talks with motion analytics company iinside, whose SafeDistance system uses lasers to map spaces and measure crowd density. At KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York, a company called WaitTime utilizes an app to tell Sabres fans how long lines are at restrooms and concessions.
“We have a great opportunity to rewrite the new normal for the return of sports,” WaitTime founder Zack Klima said.
It all sounds a bit Orwellian — like Big Brother is very much watching. And such systems do dance a fine line between informative and intrusive. But they also could help mitigate the spread of a virus, and that could make the difference between having Michigan Stadium empty on a fall Saturday or having 100,000 fans rooting on the Wolverines again.
Not everything will be as overt as barren concourses and empty seats, either. Most of the changes that colleges and teams are implementing will go unnoticed by those who settle in for the kickoff or first pitch.
Premier League club Tottenham recently opened its new London stadium after spending millions to create more than 1,600 WiFi access points and 700 Bluetooth beacons, ensuring fans are able to utilize crowd-density apps and other technology. Many facilities are upgrading heating, cooling and ventilation systems to scrub air as it circulates through their buildings, while others are toying with the use of QR codes to monitor the health of their patrons.
“We’re extrapolating off these trends that have already existed, and I think we’re going to kick-start into 2025 even though it’s only 2020,” said Jason Jennings, director of strategy and digital integration for the sports and entertainment group at Mortenson, which is wrapping construction on the Raiders’ new $2.4 billion stadium in Las Vegas. “The technology is going to be deployed much faster because of the value it has for the fan experience and public health.”
Even the way facilities are cleaned will change. No longer will hosing down seats and sweeping up trash left by fans be enough. Venue giant ASM Global recently announced a new hygiene protocol for its 325 facilities worldwide, noting the importance of hewing to international health recommendations from the likes of the Centers for Disease Control and the World Health Organization.
Few professional teams have been willing to divulge their reopening strategies, whether that be potential seating layouts or infrastructure upgrades. The rapidly changing social and political environment coupled with the unpredictable nature of the virus have made planning difficult. But the Miami Dolphins and Hard Rock Stadium recently committed to being the first public facility to receive a STAR rating from the Global Biorisk Advisory Council, which involves completing a rigorous program to help provide what Dolphins chief executive Tom Garfinkel “the safest environment possible.”
Of course, even that might not be enough. While much remains unknown about the novel coronavirus, one fact that is painfully clear is how easily it spreads. No league or team wants their games to become a “super spreader” event, and everyone acknowledges all the preparations in the world cannot guarantee safety.
“In large masses, there is no system that can effectively prevent another person from giving germs to a second individual,” said Philip Tierno, clinical professor of pathology at New York University’s Grossman School of Medicine. “If they sneeze or cough or talk directly, or even breathe directly on a person, there is no system that can prevent that.”
That hasn’t stopped sports facilities from spending millions of dollars during the months-long shutdown to minimize the risk. Giving fans some measure of confidence is an investment in the bottom line.
“We will get back to stadiums and watching football, basketball, baseball, etcetera, there is no question,” said Ryan Demmer, an epidemiologist at the University of Minnesota’s School of Public Health. “But it’s going to take a little bit of time to do it safely. And that’s going to take a little bit of innovation to do it safely in the short-term.”


thedenverpost--2020-05-31--More journalists across the country injured covering George Floyd protests

LOS ANGELES — The first time officers shot rubber bullets at MSNBC host Ali Velshi and his crew Saturday night in Minneapolis , he was willing to believe that the officials didn ’ t know they were press .
The second time , Velshi said , they knew and shot anyway .
“ We put our hands up and yelled , ‘ We ’ re media !
’ ” Velshi said .
“ They responded , ‘ We don ’ t care !
’ and they opened fire a second time.
” Velshi , who said he was hit in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is just one of many journalists across the country who sustained injuries from police or protesters while covering the George Floyd protests this weekend .
And this occurred after Minnesota Gov .
Tim Walz promised that journalists would not be interfered with following the Friday arrest of a CNN crew on live television and other reports of violence against reporters from the city where Floyd died , including freelance photographer Linda Tirado , who said she is blind in her left eye after being shot at by police .
Dan Shelley , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Radio Television Digital News Association ( RTDNA ) , said while all the attacks on journalists were “ outrageous and unacceptable ” that he was particularly upset about the Minneapolis incidents that happened after the Governor made his reassurances .
“ They started deliberately attacking journalists who were clearly identifiable and identifying themselves as journalists , ” Shelley said .
“ We ’ ve heard a number of instances of police officers , either through their words or actions , saying that they just didn ’ t care .
To be a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , particularly in Minneapolis , if you were just arrested , you were lucky.
” Minneapolis Star Tribune reporter Chris Serres tweeted Sunday that he was twice ordered at gunpoint to hit the ground .
Serres wrote that he was , “ Warned that if I moved “ an inch ” I ’ d be shot .
This after being teargassed and hit in groin area by rubber bullet .
Waiving a Star Tribune press badge made no difference.
” His Star Tribune colleague Ryan Faircloth ’ s car was also hit by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” which shattered his window and left him with cuts on his arm and brow .
Los Angeles Times reporter Molly Hennessey-Fiske said in a video message on Twitter that she and about a dozen other press had identified themselves as such and that Minnesota State Patrol officers still “ fired tear gun canisters on us at point blank range.
” Hennessey-Fiske said she got hit in the leg .
She said she asked the officers where they should go but they didn ’ t give the reporters any direction .
“ They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
It wasn ’ t just Minneapolis where reporters found themselves in harm ’ s way .
Saturday there were journalist injuries reported in cities like New York , Chicago , Washington D.C. , Pittsburgh , Los Angeles , Philadelphia , San Diego , Detroit and Denver .
Although the situation is fluid and developing , the RTDNA has counted more than 60 incidents across the country in the past 48 hours in which reporters have been , “ injured , assaulted or harassed by either protesters or police officers.
” In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a similar interaction to Velshi and Hennessey-Fiske when police raided the gas station he and his crew were sheltering at and said they “ didn ’ t care ” that they were press .
“ After shouting press multiple times and raising my press card in the air , I was thrown to the ground , ” Adams wrote on Twitter .
“ Then another cop came up and peppered sprayed me in the face while I was being held down.
” Huffington Post reporter Christopher Mathais was arrested Saturday while covering protests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Boykin was also arrested by the NYPD Saturday after he identified himself as press .
In Los Angeles , Lexis-Olivier Ray said an LAPD officer hit him in the stomach after he ’ d identified himself as a journalist “ multiple times.
” In Washington D.C. , Huffington Post reporter Philip Lewis tweeted that he was hit in the leg with rubber bullets .
Detroit Free Press news director Jim Schaefer said several of their journalists showing their media badges were pepper-sprayed by Detroit police .
And in Denver , 9NEWS reporter Jeremy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , “ Something fired by police ” even though he was holding a camera and lights .
Sunday , he reflected that he ’ ll , “ Never truly know if we were intentionally targeted or not .
I ’ ll just say we were not doing anything wrong as we were in an area under curfew.
” Since the protests began , eight AP journalists have been hurt , though none seriously .
Three have been hit by rubber bullets , one was punched , another was knocked down and others fell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ harassment are further distressing to Shelley because it ’ s distracting from the real story .
“ Journalists shouldn ’ t be the story , ” Shelley said .
“ It is calamitous to see all of these journalists who are merely serving the public by covering these incidents of civil unrest being wantonly attacked…Journalists are representatives of the public and are there to serve the public and to tell the stories of the protesters and of the elected and other public officials trying to deal with the situation.
” He added : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at large , not just the journalist .
It ’ s interfering with their ability to be eyewitnesses and chroniclers of what ’ s occurring in this country right now .
”

LOS ANGELES — The first time officers shot rubber bullets at MSNBC host Ali Velshi and his crew Saturday night in Minneapolis, he was willing to believe that the officials didn’t know they were press. The second time, Velshi said, they knew and shot anyway.
“We put our hands up and yelled, ‘We’re media!’” Velshi said. “They responded, ‘We don’t care!’ and they opened fire a second time.”
Velshi, who said he was hit in the leg by a rubber bullet, is just one of many journalists across the country who sustained injuries from police or protesters while covering the George Floyd protests this weekend. And this occurred after Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz promised that journalists would not be interfered with following the Friday arrest of a CNN crew on live television and other reports of violence against reporters from the city where Floyd died, including freelance photographer Linda Tirado, who said she is blind in her left eye after being shot at by police.
Hey folks, took a tracer found to the face (I think, given my backpack) and am headed into surgery to see if we can save my left eye Am wisely not gonna be on Twitter while I’m on morphine Stay safe folks pic.twitter.com/apZOyGrcBO — Linda Tirado (@KillerMartinis) May 30, 2020
Dan Shelley, the executive director and chief operating officer of the Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA), said while all the attacks on journalists were “outrageous and unacceptable” that he was particularly upset about the Minneapolis incidents that happened after the Governor made his reassurances.
“They started deliberately attacking journalists who were clearly identifiable and identifying themselves as journalists,” Shelley said. “We’ve heard a number of instances of police officers, either through their words or actions, saying that they just didn’t care. To be a journalist in the Twin Cities last night, particularly in Minneapolis, if you were just arrested, you were lucky.”
Minneapolis Star Tribune reporter Chris Serres tweeted Sunday that he was twice ordered at gunpoint to hit the ground.
Serres wrote that he was, “Warned that if I moved “an inch” I’d be shot. This after being teargassed and hit in groin area by rubber bullet. Waiving a Star Tribune press badge made no difference.”
His Star Tribune colleague Ryan Faircloth’s car was also hit by what were “likely rubber bullets,” which shattered his window and left him with cuts on his arm and brow.
Los Angeles Times reporter Molly Hennessey-Fiske said in a video message on Twitter that she and about a dozen other press had identified themselves as such and that Minnesota State Patrol officers still “fired tear gun canisters on us at point blank range.”
Hennessey-Fiske said she got hit in the leg. She said she asked the officers where they should go but they didn’t give the reporters any direction.
“They just fired on us,” she said.
It wasn’t just Minneapolis where reporters found themselves in harm’s way. Saturday there were journalist injuries reported in cities like New York, Chicago, Washington D.C., Pittsburgh, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, San Diego, Detroit and Denver. Although the situation is fluid and developing, the RTDNA has counted more than 60 incidents across the country in the past 48 hours in which reporters have been, “injured, assaulted or harassed by either protesters or police officers.”
In Chicago, Vice reporter Michael Adams had a similar interaction to Velshi and Hennessey-Fiske when police raided the gas station he and his crew were sheltering at and said they “didn’t care” that they were press.
“After shouting press multiple times and raising my press card in the air, I was thrown to the ground,” Adams wrote on Twitter. “Then another cop came up and peppered sprayed me in the face while I was being held down.”
Huffington Post reporter Christopher Mathais was arrested Saturday while covering protests in New York.
CNN commentator Keith Boykin was also arrested by the NYPD Saturday after he identified himself as press.
In Los Angeles, Lexis-Olivier Ray said an LAPD officer hit him in the stomach after he’d identified himself as a journalist “multiple times.”
In Washington D.C., Huffington Post reporter Philip Lewis tweeted that he was hit in the leg with rubber bullets.
Detroit Free Press news director Jim Schaefer said several of their journalists showing their media badges were pepper-sprayed by Detroit police.
And in Denver, 9NEWS reporter Jeremy Jojola tweeted that he got hit with, “Something fired by police” even though he was holding a camera and lights.
I just got hit with something fired by police who were standing at the Capitol. I was clearly with a photographer just after I went live with a large camera and light. Whatever they fired hit my backpack. — Jeremy Jojola (@jeremyjojola) May 31, 2020
Sunday, he reflected that he’ll, “Never truly know if we were intentionally targeted or not. I’ll just say we were not doing anything wrong as we were in an area under curfew.”
Since the protests began, eight AP journalists have been hurt, though none seriously. Three have been hit by rubber bullets, one was punched, another was knocked down and others fell.
The acts of violence and deliberate harassment are further distressing to Shelley because it’s distracting from the real story.
“Journalists shouldn’t be the story,” Shelley said. “It is calamitous to see all of these journalists who are merely serving the public by covering these incidents of civil unrest being wantonly attacked…Journalists are representatives of the public and are there to serve the public and to tell the stories of the protesters and of the elected and other public officials trying to deal with the situation.”
He added: “It is really harming the public at large, not just the journalist. It’s interfering with their ability to be eyewitnesses and chroniclers of what’s occurring in this country right now.”


thedenverpost--2020-05-31--Denver police arrest suspect accused of crashing car into 3 officers and a civilian

Denver police arrested a suspect Sunday who is accused of crashing their car into a patrol vehicle in a late-night hit-and-run that injured three officers and a person being taken into custody as the night ’ s George Floyd demonstrations wound down .
The suspect has not been publicly identified , nor have charges been announced .
An earlier Denver Police Department bulletin described the crash as an “ attempted murder.
” “ Last night a person drove a car directly into three police officers and an innocent bystander , ” Denver police Chief Paul Pazen said at a news @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been located and we are actively investigating this crime.
” Three hours later , city officials announced in a news release that a suspect had been arrested but that investigators still were seeking more information about the crash .
One of the three officers remained hospitalized Sunday with what a police spokesman characterized as “ major fractures.
” “ He is expected to make a full recovery , ” Pazen said , noting the other two officers had been released from the hospital .
Pazen did not address the condition of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into custody .
Police have not provided any information about that person ’ s injuries .
The four were hurt late Saturday night when a Chevrolet Cobalt or Cruze ran into a police cruiser , according to the Denver Police Department .
The crash occurred around 11 p.m. near the Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception at Colfax Avenue and Logan Street , according to a Denver Post journalist at the scene .
While Denver police say they ’ ve found what may be the car involved in the crash that injured officers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ announcements about their search for the driver who struck a protester near the Capitol on Friday .

Denver police arrested a suspect Sunday who is accused of crashing their car into a patrol vehicle in a late-night hit-and-run that injured three officers and a person being taken into custody as the night’s George Floyd demonstrations wound down.
The suspect has not been publicly identified, nor have charges been announced. An earlier Denver Police Department bulletin described the crash as an “attempted murder.”
“Last night a person drove a car directly into three police officers and an innocent bystander,” Denver police Chief Paul Pazen said at a news conference. “…A vehicle of interest has been located and we are actively investigating this crime.”
Three hours later, city officials announced in a news release that a suspect had been arrested but that investigators still were seeking more information about the crash.
One of the three officers remained hospitalized Sunday with what a police spokesman characterized as “major fractures.”
“He is expected to make a full recovery,” Pazen said, noting the other two officers had been released from the hospital.
Pazen did not address the condition of the person who was injured while being taken into custody. Police have not provided any information about that person’s injuries.
The four were hurt late Saturday night when a Chevrolet Cobalt or Cruze ran into a police cruiser, according to the Denver Police Department. The crash occurred around 11 p.m. near the Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception at Colfax Avenue and Logan Street, according to a Denver Post journalist at the scene.
While Denver police say they’ve found what may be the car involved in the crash that injured officers, they have not made any public announcements about their search for the driver who struck a protester near the Capitol on Friday.


thedenverpost--2020-05-31--WATCH: Rockies vs. Giants MLB The Show 20 live stream, May 31, 2020

With the start of the Major League Baseball season postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic , we here at The @ @ @ @ @ at how the Rockies would fare in MLB The Show 20 on PlayStation 4 .
@ @ @ @ @ for every game that had been scheduled until real-life baseball returns .
Here ’ s @ @ @ @ @ Rockies ’ preseason preview .
Entering Sunday ’ s game , the Rockies were 37-20 @ @ @ @ @ play the third of their three-game series .
Colorado is up 2-0 in the series @ @ @ @ @ ) takes the mound for the Rockies Sunday against Drew Smyly ( 1-6 ) .
@ @ @ @ @ at 3 p.m. MT .
Mobile users , if you can ’ t see the @ @ @ @ @

With the start of the Major League Baseball season postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic, we here at The Denver Post took a look at how the Rockies would fare in MLB The Show 20 on PlayStation 4. We will have a story for every game that had been scheduled until real-life baseball returns. Here’s a look at the virtual Rockies’ preseason preview. Entering Sunday’s game, the Rockies were 37-20.
SAN FRANCISCO — The Rockies crushed four home runs, including two by shortstop Trevor Story, en route to a 8-2 victory Sunday over the Giants for a series sweep in Oracle Park.
Colorado got on the board in the first inning off of back-to-back solo shots by third baseman Nolan Arenado and Story. The Rockies shortstop added two more on a two-run blast in the third inning that drove in Arenado. Outfielder Ian Desmond had his own two-run homer in the fifth, driving in Garrett Hampson to make it 6-0.
Senzatela (5-0) kept his record perfect, allowing one run on five hits in five innings of work. His counterpart, Giants starter Drew Smyly (1-7), had a tough outing, giving up six runs on eight hits in 4 2/3 innings.
Colorado improves to 38-20, maintains a three-game lead over the Dodgers (35-23) in the National League West. The Giants fall to 26-33 into a tie for the bottom of the division with Arizona.
Kyle Freeland (5-4) takes the mound for the Rockies Monday against Diamondbacks starter Alex Young (3-7). The live stream will begin at 11 a.m. MT.
Box score
COL — 202-020-002 — 8-10-0
SFG — 010-000-100 — 2-8-1
Colorado — Dahl 5-1-1-0, Blackmon 5-0-0-0, Arenado 5-2-2-1, Story 4-3-2-3, McMahon 4-0-2-0, Hampson 5-1-2-2, Desmond 4-1-1-2, Wolters 3-0-0-0, Senzatela 1-0-0-0, Estevez 0-0-0-0, Tapia 1-0-0-0, Shaw 0-0-0-0. Totals — 37-8-10-8.
San Francisco — Duggar 4-0-1-0, Crawford 4-0-0-0, Flores 4-0-3-0, Yastrzemski 4-1-2-0, Pence 3-0-0-0, Belt 4-0-0-0, Longoria 4-1-2-1, Garcia 3-0-0-0, Smyly 1-0-0-0, Webb 1-0-0-0, Anderson 0-0-0-0, Solano 1-0-0-1, Gustave 0-0-0-0, Watson 0-0-0-0. Totals — 33-2-8-2.
E — Crawford. 2B — McMahon 2, Hampson; Yastrzemski, Longoria, Flores. HR — Story 2, Arenado, Desmond. WP — Senzatela (5-0). LP — Smyly (1-7).
Mobile users, if you can’t see the video, tap here.


thedenverpost--2020-06-01--Killed bills: 9 measures Colorado lawmakers won’t vote on this year because of COVID-19

Colorado lawmakers killed a bunch of bills in their first days back to work after a more than two-month hiatus , and they expect the “ bloodbath , ” as many have called it , to continue .
Rep. Jonathan Singer , a Longmont Democrat , said the House Public Health Care and Human Services Committee alone killed more bills in two hours than probably in the last two years combined .
“ These are gut-wrenching decisions , ” he said .
“ There ’ s not going to be a lot of dry eyes at the end of this.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ he wanted to get done this year — his last in the House .
But the pandemic had other plans .
Lawmakers will likely deep-six more bills than they pass as they try to wrap up their 2020 session in just three weeks .
The legislature , which recessed in March because of the coronavirus pandemic , resumed Tuesday .
It ’ s unclear if lawmakers will change their projected end date after shutting down the Capitol on Friday and Saturday amid Denver protests over the George Floyd killing .
Leaders say the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no financial cost , be urgent or related to the coronavirus , and not require a lot of time .
Bills that can move quickly are those that don ’ t have opposition or are already at least halfway through the process .
Wednesday ’ s lengthy debate on remote voting , which Republicans opposed , painted a clear picture of why the Democratic majority can ’ t afford to schedule many controversial bills if they want to finish in three weeks .
That ’ s why some of Democrats ’ biggest priorities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bills , the public health insurance option , and paid family and medical leave .
Here are nine of the most high-profile bills that were killed in committees this week : Bill : Safe2Tell , House Bill 1005 What it would do : The bill would make improvements to the state ’ s Safe2Tell tip line , which allows users to submit anonymous reports about issues related to safety of a student or someone else in the school system .
The bill carried a $ 50,000 price tag to develop training materials , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ operator answer crisis calls and an educational campaign about using and misusing the program .
It came out of the interim school safety committee .
How it died : The bill was postponed indefinitely on a 3-2 vote .
Bill : Human body composting , House Bill 1060 What it would do : The bill would allow Coloradans to compost bodies after death as an alternative to burial or cremation .
How it died : The Senate State , Veterans and Military Affairs Committee postponed it indefinitely .
Bill : Colorectal cancer screening @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do : The bill would require insurers to provide colorectal cancer screenings for Coloradans who are 45 and older .
How it died : The Senate Committee on Health and Human Services postponed the bill indefinitely on a 5-0 vote .
Bill : Gay or transgender panic defense , House Bill 1307 What it would do : The bill would prohibit using a person ’ s actual or perceived gender , gender identity , gender expression or sexual orientation as an argument in a criminal case , including if the victim made unwanted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bill because it is bipartisan and carries no cost .
Though it ’ s hard to track how many times such a defense has been used , advocates said the bill was about sending a message .
How it died : The Senate Judiciary postponed the bill indefinitely on a 3-2 vote .
Bill : Phone use while driving , Senate Bill 65 What the bill would do : The bill would establish penalties for people who use their phones while driving except through a hands-free device .
How it died : The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the bill on an 11-0 vote .
Bill : Citizenship status , Senate Bill 108 What the bill would do : The bill would prohibit landlords from asking tenants questions about citizenship status or disclosing that information to anyone .
How it died : The House Business Affairs and Labor Committee postponed the bill indefinitely on a 10-0 vote .
Bill : Gray wolves , Senate Bill 121 What the bill would do : The bill would create a management plan for reintroducing gray wolves in Colorado .
Sponsor Sen. Kerry Donovan , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a ballot measure seeking to reintroduce gray wolves failed to adequately address potential issues .
How it died : The Senate Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources postponed the bill indefinitely on a 4-0 vote .
Bill : RTD , Senate Bill 151 What the bill would do : The bill would add more oversight and transparency to the Regional Transportation District board and its management structure amid concerns about the transit system ’ s operation and dropping ridership .
How it died : The Senate Judiciary postponed the bill indefinitely on a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in schools , House Bill 1058 What the bill would do : This was part Democrats ’ mental health agenda along with expanded behavioral health training for educators — another bill that has been laid over .
How it died : The Senate Education Committee postponed the bill indefinitely on a 5-0 vote .
Also nixed were bills to expand multilingual ballot access , ban exotic animals in traveling circuses and require the use of plain language in hospital bills .
The two chambers have also laid over bills until lawmakers are long @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the calendar .
That list includes bills to prohibit restaurants from using polystyrene to-go containers , limit single-use plastics and prohibit selling flavored nicotine products .
A number of draft bills that weren ’ t introduced before the break are unlikely to see the light of day this year , including one to automatically clear past marijuana convictions and another to limit driver ’ s license suspensions over unpaid court fines .

Colorado lawmakers killed a bunch of bills in their first days back to work after a more than two-month hiatus, and they expect the “bloodbath,” as many have called it, to continue.
Rep. Jonathan Singer, a Longmont Democrat, said the House Public Health Care and Human Services Committee alone killed more bills in two hours than probably in the last two years combined.
“These are gut-wrenching decisions,” he said. “There’s not going to be a lot of dry eyes at the end of this.”
Singer had a list of what he wanted to get done this year — his last in the House. But the pandemic had other plans. Lawmakers will likely deep-six more bills than they pass as they try to wrap up their 2020 session in just three weeks.
The legislature, which recessed in March because of the coronavirus pandemic, resumed Tuesday. It’s unclear if lawmakers will change their projected end date after shutting down the Capitol on Friday and Saturday amid Denver protests over the George Floyd killing.
Leaders say the bills that stay have to have essentially no financial cost, be urgent or related to the coronavirus, and not require a lot of time.
Bills that can move quickly are those that don’t have opposition or are already at least halfway through the process. Wednesday’s lengthy debate on remote voting, which Republicans opposed, painted a clear picture of why the Democratic majority can’t afford to schedule many controversial bills if they want to finish in three weeks.
That’s why some of Democrats’ biggest priorities are being sidelined, including gun safety bills, the public health insurance option, and paid family and medical leave.
Here are nine of the most high-profile bills that were killed in committees this week:
Bill: Safe2Tell, House Bill 1005
What it would do: The bill would make improvements to the state’s Safe2Tell tip line, which allows users to submit anonymous reports about issues related to safety of a student or someone else in the school system. The bill carried a $50,000 price tag to develop training materials, a process that would have a crisis operator answer crisis calls and an educational campaign about using and misusing the program. It came out of the interim school safety committee.
How it died: The bill was postponed indefinitely on a 3-2 vote.
Bill: Human body composting, House Bill 1060
What it would do: The bill would allow Coloradans to compost bodies after death as an alternative to burial or cremation.
How it died: The Senate State, Veterans and Military Affairs Committee postponed it indefinitely.
Bill: Colorectal cancer screening, House Bill 1103
What it would do: The bill would require insurers to provide colorectal cancer screenings for Coloradans who are 45 and older.
How it died: The Senate Committee on Health and Human Services postponed the bill indefinitely on a 5-0 vote.
Bill: Gay or transgender panic defense, House Bill 1307
What it would do: The bill would prohibit using a person’s actual or perceived gender, gender identity, gender expression or sexual orientation as an argument in a criminal case, including if the victim made unwanted sexual advances. Sponsors opposed killing the bill because it is bipartisan and carries no cost. Though it’s hard to track how many times such a defense has been used, advocates said the bill was about sending a message.
How it died: The Senate Judiciary postponed the bill indefinitely on a 3-2 vote.
Bill: Phone use while driving, Senate Bill 65
What the bill would do: The bill would establish penalties for people who use their phones while driving except through a hands-free device.
How it died: The House Transportation and Local Government Committee postponed the bill on an 11-0 vote.
Bill: Citizenship status, Senate Bill 108
What the bill would do: The bill would prohibit landlords from asking tenants questions about citizenship status or disclosing that information to anyone.
How it died: The House Business Affairs and Labor Committee postponed the bill indefinitely on a 10-0 vote.
Bill: Gray wolves, Senate Bill 121
What the bill would do: The bill would create a management plan for reintroducing gray wolves in Colorado. Sponsor Sen. Kerry Donovan, D-Vail, introduced it because she felt a ballot measure seeking to reintroduce gray wolves failed to adequately address potential issues.
How it died: The Senate Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources postponed the bill indefinitely on a 4-0 vote.
Bill: RTD, Senate Bill 151
What the bill would do: The bill would add more oversight and transparency to the Regional Transportation District board and its management structure amid concerns about the transit system’s operation and dropping ridership.
How it died: The Senate Judiciary postponed the bill indefinitely on a 5-0 vote.
Bill: Behavior analysts in schools, House Bill 1058
What the bill would do: This was part Democrats’ mental health agenda along with expanded behavioral health training for educators — another bill that has been laid over.
How it died: The Senate Education Committee postponed the bill indefinitely on a 5-0 vote.
Also nixed were bills to expand multilingual ballot access, ban exotic animals in traveling circuses and require the use of plain language in hospital bills.
The two chambers have also laid over bills until lawmakers are long gone — known as letting them die on the calendar. That list includes bills to prohibit restaurants from using polystyrene to-go containers, limit single-use plastics and prohibit selling flavored nicotine products.
A number of draft bills that weren’t introduced before the break are unlikely to see the light of day this year, including one to automatically clear past marijuana convictions and another to limit driver’s license suspensions over unpaid court fines.


thedenverpost--2020-06-01--Pair of Broncos lands on Pro Football Focus’ all-clutch team

Defensive lineman Shelby Harris and cornerback A.J .
Bouye , who played for Jacksonville last season , were named to the squad .
The selections were made based on those who “ graded the best in the fourth quarter and overtime of one-score games ( within eight points ) , ” PFF ’ s Ben Linsey writes .
“ Harris wasn ’ t quite as effective as ( Rams lineman Aaron ) Donald in the pressure department , but he provided strong play against the run ( 84.3 run-defense grade ) and got his hands on a position-high three batted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ writes on the Broncos ’ interior lineman .
As for Bouye , he writes : “ Bouye had easily his worst season overall since breaking out with the Houston Texans in 2016 , but he was able to produce in the clutch .
In 42 coverage snaps , Bouye was targeted five times , allowing just one first down while intercepting a pass.
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A couple of current Broncos landed on Pro Football Focus’ 2019 all-clutch team.
Defensive lineman Shelby Harris and cornerback A.J. Bouye, who played for Jacksonville last season, were named to the squad. The selections were made based on those who “graded the best in the fourth quarter and overtime of one-score games (within eight points),” PFF’s Ben Linsey writes.
“Harris wasn’t quite as effective as (Rams lineman Aaron) Donald in the pressure department, but he provided strong play against the run (84.3 run-defense grade) and got his hands on a position-high three batted passes in the clutch,” Linsey writes on the Broncos’ interior lineman.
As for Bouye, he writes: “Bouye had easily his worst season overall since breaking out with the Houston Texans in 2016, but he was able to produce in the clutch. In 42 coverage snaps, Bouye was targeted five times, allowing just one first down while intercepting a pass.”
— Joe Nguyen, The Denver Post
If you enjoy the Denver Sports Omelette, tell a friend it’s easy to sign up here for our daily sports roundup. If you have any questions or suggestions, hit me up on Twitter @joenguyen or by email.
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thedenverpost--2020-06-01--Colorado lawmakers launch bipartisan effort to repeal Gallagher Amendment

The vision of an empty fire station in Glenwood Springs keeps Fire Chief Gary Tillotson up nights .
Should a fire break out or someone need medical aid , help would have to come from further away — meaning much longer response times when people can least afford them .
The vast majority of the fire department ’ s calls are for medical emergencies like heart attacks and strokes , Tillotson said — situations in which the chances of death escalate dramatically if responders don ’ t arrive within five to seven minutes .
But if the department ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ further , that vision of empty fire stations and delayed response times will become a reality .
The coronavirus pandemic has already meant a costly drop in sales tax revenue for the Glenwood Springs Fire Department , and the economic devastation the pandemic is wreaking — combined with a state law called the Gallagher Amendment — means local governments ’ property tax revenues will suffer for years to come .
“ It ’ s an insurmountable obstacle , ” Tillotson said .
“ We work on a relatively meager operations budget anyway and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tax , we ’ re already having to cut back and basically we ’ re furloughing our firefighters .
Any further cuts are going to reduce service.
” Gallagher ties residential property taxes to commercial property taxes , so the pandemic ’ s extreme impact on Colorado businesses ’ bottom lines will result in significant property-tax decreases across the board for years to come , experts expect .
Unless the amendment is removed from the state Constitution .
To head off the upcoming financial crisis , Sen. Jack Tate , R-Centennial , said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are proposing to repeal the 1982 Gallagher Amendment , which they say has become a twisted version of what was once a good idea .
The measure will be introduced Monday , said Sen. Chris Hansen , D-Denver .
It will be followed by a second measure to freeze residential property tax rates for several years .
Lawmakers have wanted to do away with the amendment for decades , but the pandemic has created a new sense of urgency .
“ Right now we ’ re in a moment because of a pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a lot of people are therefore hurting as well , ” said Rep. Daneya Esgar , a Pueblo Democrat who ’ s chair of the Joint Budget Committee .
“ If we don ’ t fix the Gallagher Amendment that hurt can be felt even deeper.
” The amendment ’ s namesake , Dennis Gallagher , said he ’ s abstaining from an opinion until he sees the specific proposal .
In theory , a repeal makes sense , he said .
“ I understand it completely , ” he said .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ maintain the idea behind the amendment , Gallagher added .
What is the Gallagher Amendment ?
In short , the Gallagher Amendment is meant to protect homeowners by keeping residential tax rates lower than commercial rates , Gallagher said .
Property owners “ back east ” in New Jersey pay through the nose each month , he said in an interview , and he wanted to prevent that from happening in Colorado .
The amendment categorizes all properties as either residential or commercial and mandates that homeowners pay no more than 45 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ properties are always billed 29 % of their building ’ s value , and the residential rate floats to maintain the 55/45 split .
“ It leveled property taxes for residential property owners and ratepayers in Colorado , and it ’ s been working , ” Gallagher said .
The issue is that while the commercial property tax rate is constant , the values of commercial properties are not , Tate said .
Those properties are largely assessed based on the income of the businesses inside them .
And that income is falling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shutdowns and the overall economic slowdown brought on by the coronavirus pandemic , Tate said .
As income drops , so do property values and commercial tax revenue .
To maintain the legally required 45/55 ratio , residential property tax rates will also have to drop .
Estimates from the state ’ s property tax administrator show that residential rates could drop from the current 7.15 % to 5.88 % , spelling a $ 491 million cut for school districts statewide and a $ 204 million cut for county governments , as Chalkbeat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is going to be brutal if we don ’ t repeal Gallagher , ” Hansen said .
“ Massive.
” And that lost revenue will stay lost , Esgar said .
While the Gallagher Amendment allows residential rates to float up and down as needed , a second amendment passed in 1992 , the Taxpayer ’ s Bill of Rights , prevents the taxes from rising again , she said .
“ If we get rid of Gallagher before the residential assessment rate drops , we can at least maintain where it is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Otherwise , “ we ’ ll never be able to get back to where we are now.
” Repealing the amendment would prevent residential property taxes from falling in conjunction with commercial rates , but it wouldn ’ t raise rates for homeowners , Esgar said .
“ We ’ re not raising your taxes , ” she said .
“ We can ’ t. ” If Gallagher isn ’ t repealed , fire departments across the state will lose a substantial amount of cash .
Already the Glenwood Springs department ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but another hit to the budget would mean fire stations would go unstaffed , Tillotson said .
Emergency calls would be answered by other stations across town or from neighboring departments dealing with their own budget shortfalls .
“ Some of those are a 10- or 20-minute drive away , ” he said .
“ If you ’ re having a heart attack , you don ’ t want that to happen.
” The same goes for house fires , he said .
“ The size of a fire escalates exponentially for every @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” he said .
“ We work really , really hard to build fire stations and staff them within five miles of our major populations .
So when one of those stations closes and now we ’ re eight or 10 miles to the nearest staffed fire station , that exponentially affects the response time.
” The amendment already has been particularly problematic for Western Slope communities , where property values haven ’ t risen as high or as fast as those on the Front Range .
But the pandemic has touched @ @ @ @ @ @ @ revenue drops would hit every agency that depends on property taxes — hospitals , libraries , ambulance services , cities and state government , in addition to schools and fire departments .
“ This is community-level impact that we ’ re talking about , ” Esgar said .
The legislature can address the problem putting a measure on the fall ballot asking voters to repeal the amendment , she said .
It will be difficult , she acknowledged .
Both chambers of the legislature must approve the measure with a two-thirds majority .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the support is there .
Then the measure would only need a simple majority from voters for passage , Hansen said .
The effort is sure to face opposition , although none has announced itself so far .
“ We are studying it , ” said Jon Caldera , president of the conservative Independence Institute and a frequent opponent of tax changes .
But if there ’ s strong bipartisan support in the legislature , Hansen said , that should help in November .
Tillotson said education will be key in the push @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of libraries , fire departments , schools and other affected agencies will be happy to do the educating .
“ Gallagher ’ s been on the books for a very long time , and as homeowners that ’ s a tough sell , ” he said .
It ’ s a tradeoff , Tillotson said .
Repeal would mean that property taxes remain where they are , but then so , too , would the firefighters in Glenwood Springs ’ fire stations .

The vision of an empty fire station in Glenwood Springs keeps Fire Chief Gary Tillotson up nights. Should a fire break out or someone need medical aid, help would have to come from further away — meaning much longer response times when people can least afford them.
The vast majority of the fire department’s calls are for medical emergencies like heart attacks and strokes, Tillotson said — situations in which the chances of death escalate dramatically if responders don’t arrive within five to seven minutes.
But if the department’s $4 million annual budget dwindles any further, that vision of empty fire stations and delayed response times will become a reality.
The coronavirus pandemic has already meant a costly drop in sales tax revenue for the Glenwood Springs Fire Department, and the economic devastation the pandemic is wreaking — combined with a state law called the Gallagher Amendment — means local governments’ property tax revenues will suffer for years to come.
“It’s an insurmountable obstacle,” Tillotson said. “We work on a relatively meager operations budget anyway and with the current devastation to our sales tax, we’re already having to cut back and basically we’re furloughing our firefighters. Any further cuts are going to reduce service.”
Gallagher ties residential property taxes to commercial property taxes, so the pandemic’s extreme impact on Colorado businesses’ bottom lines will result in significant property-tax decreases across the board for years to come, experts expect.
Unless the amendment is removed from the state Constitution.
To head off the upcoming financial crisis, Sen. Jack Tate, R-Centennial, said he and a bipartisan group of lawmakers are proposing to repeal the 1982 Gallagher Amendment, which they say has become a twisted version of what was once a good idea.
The measure will be introduced Monday, said Sen. Chris Hansen, D-Denver. It will be followed by a second measure to freeze residential property tax rates for several years.
Lawmakers have wanted to do away with the amendment for decades, but the pandemic has created a new sense of urgency.
“Right now we’re in a moment because of a pandemic, where the economy is hurting and a lot of people are therefore hurting as well,” said Rep. Daneya Esgar, a Pueblo Democrat who’s chair of the Joint Budget Committee. “If we don’t fix the Gallagher Amendment that hurt can be felt even deeper.”
The amendment’s namesake, Dennis Gallagher, said he’s abstaining from an opinion until he sees the specific proposal. In theory, a repeal makes sense, he said.
“I understand it completely,” he said.
But something must be put in place to maintain the idea behind the amendment, Gallagher added.
What is the Gallagher Amendment?
In short, the Gallagher Amendment is meant to protect homeowners by keeping residential tax rates lower than commercial rates, Gallagher said. Property owners “back east” in New Jersey pay through the nose each month, he said in an interview, and he wanted to prevent that from happening in Colorado.
The amendment categorizes all properties as either residential or commercial and mandates that homeowners pay no more than 45% of the property tax total. Commercial properties are always billed 29% of their building’s value, and the residential rate floats to maintain the 55/45 split.
“It leveled property taxes for residential property owners and ratepayers in Colorado, and it’s been working,” Gallagher said.
What’s the problem?
The issue is that while the commercial property tax rate is constant, the values of commercial properties are not, Tate said. Those properties are largely assessed based on the income of the businesses inside them.
And that income is falling drastically after two to three months of shutdowns and the overall economic slowdown brought on by the coronavirus pandemic, Tate said. As income drops, so do property values and commercial tax revenue.
To maintain the legally required 45/55 ratio, residential property tax rates will also have to drop.
Estimates from the state’s property tax administrator show that residential rates could drop from the current 7.15% to 5.88%, spelling a $491 million cut for school districts statewide and a $204 million cut for county governments, as Chalkbeat reported.
“The impact on schools is going to be brutal if we don’t repeal Gallagher,” Hansen said. “Massive.”
And that lost revenue will stay lost, Esgar said. While the Gallagher Amendment allows residential rates to float up and down as needed, a second amendment passed in 1992, the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights, prevents the taxes from rising again, she said.
“If we get rid of Gallagher before the residential assessment rate drops, we can at least maintain where it is right now,” Esgar said. Otherwise, “we’ll never be able to get back to where we are now.”
Repealing the amendment would prevent residential property taxes from falling in conjunction with commercial rates, but it wouldn’t raise rates for homeowners, Esgar said.
“We’re not raising your taxes,” she said. “We can’t.”
If Gallagher isn’t repealed, fire departments across the state will lose a substantial amount of cash. Already the Glenwood Springs department’s 28 full-time employees face staggered furloughs, but another hit to the budget would mean fire stations would go unstaffed, Tillotson said. Emergency calls would be answered by other stations across town or from neighboring departments dealing with their own budget shortfalls.
“Some of those are a 10- or 20-minute drive away,” he said. “If you’re having a heart attack, you don’t want that to happen.”
The same goes for house fires, he said.
“The size of a fire escalates exponentially for every minute that we’re not there,” he said. “We work really, really hard to build fire stations and staff them within five miles of our major populations. So when one of those stations closes and now we’re eight or 10 miles to the nearest staffed fire station, that exponentially affects the response time.”
The amendment already has been particularly problematic for Western Slope communities, where property values haven’t risen as high or as fast as those on the Front Range.
But the pandemic has touched every corner of the state, and revenue drops would hit every agency that depends on property taxes — hospitals, libraries, ambulance services, cities and state government, in addition to schools and fire departments.
“This is community-level impact that we’re talking about,” Esgar said.
The legislature can address the problem putting a measure on the fall ballot asking voters to repeal the amendment, she said. It will be difficult, she acknowledged. Both chambers of the legislature must approve the measure with a two-thirds majority. But she and Tate said they believe the support is there.
Then the measure would only need a simple majority from voters for passage, Hansen said.
The effort is sure to face opposition, although none has announced itself so far.
“We are studying it,” said Jon Caldera, president of the conservative Independence Institute and a frequent opponent of tax changes.
But if there’s strong bipartisan support in the legislature, Hansen said, that should help in November.
Tillotson said education will be key in the push to repeal the amendment, and representatives of libraries, fire departments, schools and other affected agencies will be happy to do the educating.
“Gallagher’s been on the books for a very long time, and as homeowners that’s a tough sell,” he said.
It’s a tradeoff, Tillotson said. Repeal would mean that property taxes remain where they are, but then so, too, would the firefighters in Glenwood Springs’ fire stations.


thedenverpost--2020-06-01--Coronavirus-related disruptions in the beef supply chain have spurred changes. Will they last?

What do you do if you ’ re a rancher with five semitrailer loads of cattle ready to go but there ’ s no room at the feedlots because COVID-19 outbreaks at the big meatpacking plants have thrown the system out of whack ?
If you ’ re Jean Seymour , you quickly line up slots at a couple of small , local processing plants , use Facebook and word of mouth to let people know you have a lot of beef for sale and hit the road , driving from one part of the state to another to make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Olathe , pulled her trailer loaded with beef into the back parking lot of the Grizzly Rose nightclub in Denver last week to make her last delivery .
She , her daughter , Amanda , and a family friend , Kaydee Cavender , handed out the boxes of meat , the equivalent of a little over six animals , and collected the payments .
The delivery included an anonymous donation of 800 pounds of beef for the Colorado Association of Family and Children ’ s Agencies .
“ I sold three semi @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) a half an animal at a time .
So , I basically have 210 customers , ” Seymour said as she waited for the final buyer to show up .
She also has 5,000 more miles on her truck after crisscrossing Colorado .
Her journey started when the JBS USA meatpacking plant in Greeley shut down because of an outbreak of the novel coronavirus among employees .
It was closed for two weeks in April so it could be cleaned and the work spaces could be modified .
Seymour drove the other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plant in Utah .
Eight Greeley JBS employees have died from COVID-19 and at least 300 have tested positive for the virus .
Beef , poultry and pork processing plants nationwide have had outbreaks during the pandemic , due in part to the fact that employees work close to each other for several hours .
Recent testing showed that 277 workers at a Long Prairie , Minn. , beef plant had the coronavirus , the Star Tribune reported .
The result has been a backup at feedlots and lower prices for ranchers because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the pipeline .
On the other end of the supply chain , people are paying more for meat in the stores and can ’ t always find what they ’ re looking for .
Grocery stores have put per-customer limits on some meat purchases .
Other results have been a huge surge in demand by both ranchers and consumers for the services of smaller processing plants around the state .
The question that ranchers , processors and agriculture experts are asking is whether current concerns about the health and reliability of the beef @ @ @ @ @ @ @ There ’ s been some awakening in the general public about some of the challenges of how the food product system currently works with its centralization and control by a very small group of large packers .
There ’ s just a renewed interest in buying locally and regionally , ” said Julie Sullivan .
( Sullivan and her husband , George Whitten , raise cattle on their ranch near Saguache in the San Luis Valley .
The animals don ’ t go to feedlots before being slaughtered .
They are certified as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pasture to small processing plants in the area and a larger facility in Brush .
Sullivan , a member of the Western Landowners Alliance , which works on conservation and land management , said she and her husband helped start the rancher-owned Sweet Grass Cooperative , which sells beef in Colorado and New Mexico .
“ I ’ m not disparaging people who choose to sell into the commodity market , who choose to raise their animals and sell them into the more industrial system , ” Sullivan said .
“ I personally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to participate in it.
” Sullivan said she and other like-minded ranchers are exploring whether the coronavirus-related disturbances are an opportunity to give local processors more business , allowing them to expand their facilities and add more jobs .
It might be an opportunity to make the food system more resilient , she added .
Keith Belk , head of the Department of Animal Sciences at Colorado State University , said the smaller processing plants across the state are experiencing big increases in business .
“ There ’ s clearly an opportunity for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ construct or enter the business at the small plant level , ” Belk said .
The large beef plants have stepped up production again , nearing 80 % -90 % of their capacity , Belk said .
But he doesn ’ t expect them to ever return to their former levels because of structural changes needed to separate workers .
And one sign that the system is still backed up is that cattle being slaughtered now weigh about 47 pounds more than usual , meaning they were held in feedlots longer than normal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ delegation have asked the U.S. Department of Agriculture to make it easier for meat and poultry producers to get their product to market .
One suggestion is to help cover federal inspection fees for USDA-certified processing plants that work overtime .
“ We ’ ve seen demand at our local facilities and for local meat kind of go through the roof , and our system right now is not set up to meet that demand , ” said Kate Greenberg , the Colorado state agriculture commissioner .
“ The conversation has really started @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like from here on out to build greater resilience into our food system.
” One option Greenberg and others have discussed is starting a state meat inspection program , which Colorado hasn ’ t had since the 1970s .
States with their own programs can seek federal approval that would allow processing plants to sell their meat across state lines .
In Colorado , the state inspects small , custom processors , but the meat can ’ t be sold commercially .
Homestead Meats in Delta is USDA certified and has federal inspectors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the plants where Seymour , the Olathe rancher , took her beef when JBS in Greeley temporarily closed .
The plant is owned and operated by six ranch families , who also have a small retail store in town .
The store ’ s business has been on the rise since the pandemic hit and some chain stores started limiting meat purchases , said Gary Peebles , the plant manager .
Employees have had to take time with some new customers who aren ’ t used to buying a quarter or half @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to appreciate that the animals are locally grown and processed , he said .
That is increasingly a draw for consumers , “ foodies ” and sustainable agriculture advocates say .
The Good Meat Project , which provides consumer education and works with farmers and ranchers across the country , is collaborating with the Western Landowners Alliance to promote interest in local and regional food operations .
The Good Meat Project has added resources on its website for individuals looking for locally produced meat and producers looking for customers .
“ We want @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to those farmers .
Right now it ’ s so important because there ’ s such an increase in consumer demand to buy meat directly from farmers , ” said Camas Davis , the project ’ s executive director .
No one ’ s really talking about local and regional meatpacking processors and cooperatives replacing the existing system in which four large companies — JBS , Cargill , Tyson and National Beef — control more than 80 % of the beef supply .
A large , efficient system helps keep food affordable , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Davis said the issue is more about expanding local and regional food supply chains that can work within the larger system rather than compete with it .
“ This pandemic has shined a light on opportunities in which we can kind of restructure big food , big ag and help both small ranchers and producers and consumers at the same time , ” she said .

What do you do if you’re a rancher with five semitrailer loads of cattle ready to go but there’s no room at the feedlots because COVID-19 outbreaks at the big meatpacking plants have thrown the system out of whack?
If you’re Jean Seymour, you quickly line up slots at a couple of small, local processing plants, use Facebook and word of mouth to let people know you have a lot of beef for sale and hit the road, driving from one part of the state to another to make deliveries.
Seymour, whose family ranches in Olathe, pulled her trailer loaded with beef into the back parking lot of the Grizzly Rose nightclub in Denver last week to make her last delivery. She, her daughter, Amanda, and a family friend, Kaydee Cavender, handed out the boxes of meat, the equivalent of a little over six animals, and collected the payments.
The delivery included an anonymous donation of 800 pounds of beef for the Colorado Association of Family and Children’s Agencies.
“I sold three semi loads, 105 head (of cattle) a half an animal at a time. So, I basically have 210 customers,” Seymour said as she waited for the final buyer to show up.
She also has 5,000 more miles on her truck after crisscrossing Colorado. Her journey started when the JBS USA meatpacking plant in Greeley shut down because of an outbreak of the novel coronavirus among employees. It was closed for two weeks in April so it could be cleaned and the work spaces could be modified.
Seymour drove the other two semis of cattle to a JBS plant in Utah.
Eight Greeley JBS employees have died from COVID-19 and at least 300 have tested positive for the virus. Beef, poultry and pork processing plants nationwide have had outbreaks during the pandemic, due in part to the fact that employees work close to each other for several hours. Recent testing showed that 277 workers at a Long Prairie, Minn., beef plant had the coronavirus, the Star Tribune reported.
The result has been a backup at feedlots and lower prices for ranchers because of the growing number of cattle in the pipeline. On the other end of the supply chain, people are paying more for meat in the stores and can’t always find what they’re looking for. Grocery stores have put per-customer limits on some meat purchases.
Other results have been a huge surge in demand by both ranchers and consumers for the services of smaller processing plants around the state. The question that ranchers, processors and agriculture experts are asking is whether current concerns about the health and reliability of the beef supply will produce lasting changes.
“There’s been some awakening in the general public about some of the challenges of how the food product system currently works with its centralization and control by a very small group of large packers. There’s just a renewed interest in buying locally and regionally,” said Julie Sullivan.(
Sullivan and her husband, George Whitten, raise cattle on their ranch near Saguache in the San Luis Valley. The animals don’t go to feedlots before being slaughtered. They are certified as grass-fed and organic and go from the pasture to small processing plants in the area and a larger facility in Brush.
Sullivan, a member of the Western Landowners Alliance, which works on conservation and land management, said she and her husband helped start the rancher-owned Sweet Grass Cooperative, which sells beef in Colorado and New Mexico.
“I’m not disparaging people who choose to sell into the commodity market, who choose to raise their animals and sell them into the more industrial system,” Sullivan said. “I personally have never liked that system or wanted to participate in it.”
Sullivan said she and other like-minded ranchers are exploring whether the coronavirus-related disturbances are an opportunity to give local processors more business, allowing them to expand their facilities and add more jobs. It might be an opportunity to make the food system more resilient, she added.
Keith Belk, head of the Department of Animal Sciences at Colorado State University, said the smaller processing plants across the state are experiencing big increases in business.
“There’s clearly an opportunity for companies that want to open, or construct or enter the business at the small plant level,” Belk said.
The large beef plants have stepped up production again, nearing 80%-90% of their capacity, Belk said. But he doesn’t expect them to ever return to their former levels because of structural changes needed to separate workers.
And one sign that the system is still backed up is that cattle being slaughtered now weigh about 47 pounds more than usual, meaning they were held in feedlots longer than normal.
Members of Colorado’s congressional delegation have asked the U.S. Department of Agriculture to make it easier for meat and poultry producers to get their product to market. One suggestion is to help cover federal inspection fees for USDA-certified processing plants that work overtime.
“We’ve seen demand at our local facilities and for local meat kind of go through the roof, and our system right now is not set up to meet that demand,” said Kate Greenberg, the Colorado state agriculture commissioner. “The conversation has really started to shift to what does it look like from here on out to build greater resilience into our food system.”
One option Greenberg and others have discussed is starting a state meat inspection program, which Colorado hasn’t had since the 1970s. States with their own programs can seek federal approval that would allow processing plants to sell their meat across state lines.
In Colorado, the state inspects small, custom processors, but the meat can’t be sold commercially.
Homestead Meats in Delta is USDA certified and has federal inspectors on site. It’s one of the plants where Seymour, the Olathe rancher, took her beef when JBS in Greeley temporarily closed. The plant is owned and operated by six ranch families, who also have a small retail store in town.
The store’s business has been on the rise since the pandemic hit and some chain stores started limiting meat purchases, said Gary Peebles, the plant manager. Employees have had to take time with some new customers who aren’t used to buying a quarter or half of an animal. They do seem to appreciate that the animals are locally grown and processed, he said.
That is increasingly a draw for consumers, “foodies” and sustainable agriculture advocates say. The Good Meat Project, which provides consumer education and works with farmers and ranchers across the country, is collaborating with the Western Landowners Alliance to promote interest in local and regional food operations. The Good Meat Project has added resources on its website for individuals looking for locally produced meat and producers looking for customers.
“We want to give consumers a vocabulary to talk to those farmers. Right now it’s so important because there’s such an increase in consumer demand to buy meat directly from farmers,” said Camas Davis , the project’s executive director.
No one’s really talking about local and regional meatpacking processors and cooperatives replacing the existing system in which four large companies — JBS, Cargill, Tyson and National Beef — control more than 80% of the beef supply. A large, efficient system helps keep food affordable, said Belk, the CSU professor.
Davis said the issue is more about expanding local and regional food supply chains that can work within the larger system rather than compete with it.
“This pandemic has shined a light on opportunities in which we can kind of restructure big food, big ag and help both small ranchers and producers and consumers at the same time,” she said.


thedenverpost--2020-06-01--Rookie quarterback Riley Neal hopes college experiences benefit him with Broncos

Nothing should have gone right for Riley Neal in his first college start .
He was an 18-year-old true freshman quarterback for Ball State playing at No .
17 Northwestern , which was allowing an FBS-low 5.6 points per game and was a 19 1/2-point favorite .
“ I had quite the welcoming to college football , but it was good , ” Neal said in a phone interview last week .
Good was Neal ’ s play that night ( 14-of-35 passing for 178 yards and two touchdowns ) in a 24-19 loss and good is how he describes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I had talked to them a little bit going ( into the draft ) and I knew that would hopefully be a possible destination for me , ” Neal said .
Realistically , Neal ’ s roster prospects are thin .
The Broncos have Drew Lock , Jeff Driskel and Brett Rypien in front of him and they kept two quarterbacks on the roster last year .
Neal ( 6-foot-6 , 225 pounds ) is embracing the challenge with the Broncos instead of worrying about his odds .
Kind of like the Northwestern @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and played really hard , ” he said .
“ I remember being pretty sore after the game and it didn ’ t feel like high school ( football ) at all.
” Joey Lynch was Ball State ’ s offensive coordinator during Neal ’ s four years with the Cardinals .
“ He played very well and definitely not like a true freshman , so we knew then the stage wasn ’ t too big for him , ” said Lynch , who joined Colorado State ’ s staff as offensive coordinator/quarterbacks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — four at Ball State and one at Vanderbilt — Neal totaled 8,978 passing yards , 55 touchdowns and 30 interceptions .
He faced Northwestern , Indiana , Illinois and Notre Dame as a Ball State starter and the SEC gauntlet last year ( No .
3 Georgia , No .
4 LSU and No .
10 Florida ) with Vanderbilt .
Neal , 23 , grew up in Yorktown , Ind.
, and started 36 games in high school ( 27-9 record ) and set school records for passing yards ( 7,285 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He went to the summer camps to showcase himself for college recruiters , but there were only two takers : Ball State and Illinois State .
Choosing Ball State was easy — its campus in Muncie was the next town east of Yorktown , Neal ’ s father ( Jesse ) and uncle ( Jay ) both played there and he already had a good rapport with Lynch .
“ He was a young player I saw a bunch of , ” Lynch said .
“ He was a tall , skinny kid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ By the time he got to his senior year ( of high school ) , he looked how a Division I quarterback is supposed to look .
To be honest , I think he was a little bit under-recruited out of high school .
We were fortunate to know him.
” Neal started 2015 fall camp as the third-team quarterback , but moved up to No .
2 before the season started and played as a reserve in two of the first three games .
“ I don ’ t think the plan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” he said .
“ It was always in my mind that I was playing that year.
” Neal survived Northwestern and started the next eight games ( 1-8 record .
16 touchdowns and six interceptions ) .
His 2,276 passing yards were sixth among FBS true freshmen in 2015 ; Rypien was third ( 3,353 ) for Boise State .
Neal started 11 games ( 4-7 , 13 touchdowns and 12 interceptions ) as a sophomore and was ready for a breakthrough 2017 season .
“ No question , I thought we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lynch said .
But in the Cardinals ’ third game , Neal sustained a tibial plateau fracture ( break in the upper part of the shin bone ) and took a redshirt year .
He returned in 2018 to start nine games ( 11 touchdowns and four interceptions ) before injuring his knee .
Having graduated with a business degree and looking for a change , Neal chose to transfer .
“ I talked to a lot of coaches , definitely more than I did in high school , ” he said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Muncie area ) my whole life so I wanted to do something different .
Vanderbilt had a pro-style offense and a degree from Vanderbilt is something nice to have , too.
” Neal earned a graduate degree in education and started nine games ( nine touchdowns and five interceptions ) .
“ I think it benefited me a lot , just like the week in and week out competition would for anybody , ” he said .
“ Sometimes in the MAC ( Mid-American Conference ) , I got those ( tough ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ every week.
” When the Broncos start camp , Neal knows his practice snaps will be limited , but that won ’ t stop his learning progression .
“ Just taking the mental reps when you don ’ t get the opportunities is a good way to ( make up ) for not getting a lot of reps , ” he said .
“ You have four quarterbacks and there ’ s no rookie minicamp and the team will be getting ready to play in games so it won ’ t be a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
”

Nothing should have gone right for Riley Neal in his first college start.
He was an 18-year-old true freshman quarterback for Ball State playing at No. 17 Northwestern, which was allowing an FBS-low 5.6 points per game and was a 19 1/2-point favorite.
“I had quite the welcoming to college football, but it was good,” Neal said in a phone interview last week.
Good was Neal’s play that night (14-of-35 passing for 178 yards and two touchdowns) in a 24-19 loss and good is how he describes the opportunity with the Broncos.
“I had talked to them a little bit going (into the draft) and I knew that would hopefully be a possible destination for me,” Neal said.
Realistically, Neal’s roster prospects are thin. The Broncos have Drew Lock, Jeff Driskel and Brett Rypien in front of him and they kept two quarterbacks on the roster last year.
Neal (6-foot-6, 225 pounds) is embracing the challenge with the Broncos instead of worrying about his odds. Kind of like the Northwestern game.
“We played with them and played really hard,” he said. “I remember being pretty sore after the game and it didn’t feel like high school (football) at all.”
Joey Lynch was Ball State’s offensive coordinator during Neal’s four years with the Cardinals.
“He played very well and definitely not like a true freshman, so we knew then the stage wasn’t too big for him,” said Lynch, who joined Colorado State’s staff as offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach in January.
In five years — four at Ball State and one at Vanderbilt — Neal totaled 8,978 passing yards, 55 touchdowns and 30 interceptions. He faced Northwestern, Indiana, Illinois and Notre Dame as a Ball State starter and the SEC gauntlet last year (No. 3 Georgia, No. 4 LSU and No. 10 Florida) with Vanderbilt.
Neal, 23, grew up in Yorktown, Ind., and started 36 games in high school (27-9 record) and set school records for passing yards (7,285) and touchdowns (78). He went to the summer camps to showcase himself for college recruiters, but there were only two takers: Ball State and Illinois State.
Choosing Ball State was easy — its campus in Muncie was the next town east of Yorktown, Neal’s father (Jesse) and uncle (Jay) both played there and he already had a good rapport with Lynch.
“He was a young player I saw a bunch of,” Lynch said. “He was a tall, skinny kid who kept growing into his body. By the time he got to his senior year (of high school), he looked how a Division I quarterback is supposed to look. To be honest, I think he was a little bit under-recruited out of high school. We were fortunate to know him.”
Neal started 2015 fall camp as the third-team quarterback, but moved up to No. 2 before the season started and played as a reserve in two of the first three games.
“I don’t think the plan was ever for me to redshirt,” he said. “It was always in my mind that I was playing that year.”
Neal survived Northwestern and started the next eight games (1-8 record. 16 touchdowns and six interceptions). His 2,276 passing yards were sixth among FBS true freshmen in 2015; Rypien was third (3,353) for Boise State.
Neal started 11 games (4-7, 13 touchdowns and 12 interceptions) as a sophomore and was ready for a breakthrough 2017 season.
“No question, I thought we were on the right track,” Lynch said.
But in the Cardinals’ third game, Neal sustained a tibial plateau fracture (break in the upper part of the shin bone) and took a redshirt year. He returned in 2018 to start nine games (11 touchdowns and four interceptions) before injuring his knee.
Having graduated with a business degree and looking for a change, Neal chose to transfer.
“I talked to a lot of coaches, definitely more than I did in high school,” he said. “I had been in (the Muncie area) my whole life so I wanted to do something different. Vanderbilt had a pro-style offense and a degree from Vanderbilt is something nice to have, too.”
Neal earned a graduate degree in education and started nine games (nine touchdowns and five interceptions).
“I think it benefited me a lot, just like the week in and week out competition would for anybody,” he said. “Sometimes in the MAC (Mid-American Conference), I got those (tough) games, but it wasn’t every week.”
When the Broncos start camp, Neal knows his practice snaps will be limited, but that won’t stop his learning progression.
“Just taking the mental reps when you don’t get the opportunities is a good way to (make up) for not getting a lot of reps,” he said. “You have four quarterbacks and there’s no rookie minicamp and the team will be getting ready to play in games so it won’t be a normal situation for me in a sense.”


thedenverpost--2020-06-01--How I got hooked on sports: My “Wonder Years” in Arvada, when all that mattered was sports

Suburban Arvada in the 1960s and ’ 70s had acres of open fields .
Kids gathered on the corner on warm summer nights , snuggled by an overwhelming feeling of safety and comfort .
The Murnan clan , my cousins , lived just three houses away .
Day after day , night after night , hour after hour , we played sports .
Baseball , football , basketball , tennis , boxing and golf .
The closest we came to video games was electric football , with its vibrating field and those little plastic players who linked arms and danced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Steve , and I lined our backyard with flour , trying to make it look like a genuine NFL field .
It killed the grass .
We played hoops on my cousins ’ 8-foot hoop so we could dunk like Dr. J .
We built our own Augusta National in our backyard , hand-clipping the grass to create a bumpy green .
My cousin , Mark , was Jack Nicklaus , Steve was Arnie and I was Lee Trevino .
Our stray golf balls broke more than a few windows .
We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tackle football in the snow .
We threw tennis balls off the brick wall of our neighbor ’ s house , fielding caroms like hot grounders .
One summer , Steve and I constructed a tennis net made out of garden fencing .
We set it up in our backyard .
The idea was to play grass-court tennis like they did at Wimbledon .
It didn ’ t work out too well .
We strung up ropes to create a ring and then beat each other up with oversized boxing gloves .
My @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Denver journalist , was a sports fanatic and the inspiration behind all of this madness .
He was born in Denver but was raised as a St. Louis Cardinals fan , thanks to the power of KMOX radio .
On many a night , we would hop in the family station wagon and drive to the top of Arvada ’ s Hackberry Hill where KMOX ’ s signal came in stronger and the static didn ’ t drive my mom crazy .
A few blocks away from my house , across one of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that looked like a river to me , lived Dick Connor and his family .
Dick — godfather to my younger brother , Bryan — was a renowned sports columnist for The Denver Post and Rocky Mountain News .
He had Floyd Little over to his house for dinner !
He made his living writing about sports !
How cool was that ?
!
?
!
As I write this , the memories return like an avalanche .
Floor hockey in the basement , putt-putt golf down the carpeted stairs of our house @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ali-Frazier on the radio and collecting precious copies of Sports Illustrated .
Those were my Wonder Years .

I grew up in sports paradise.
Suburban Arvada in the 1960s and ’70s had acres of open fields. Kids gathered on the corner on warm summer nights, snuggled by an overwhelming feeling of safety and comfort.
The Murnan clan, my cousins, lived just three houses away. Day after day, night after night, hour after hour, we played sports. Baseball, football, basketball, tennis, boxing and golf. The closest we came to video games was electric football, with its vibrating field and those little plastic players who linked arms and danced in a crazy circle.
Imagination was our constant companion.
My brother, Steve, and I lined our backyard with flour, trying to make it look like a genuine NFL field. It killed the grass.
We played hoops on my cousins’ 8-foot hoop so we could dunk like Dr. J.
We built our own Augusta National in our backyard, hand-clipping the grass to create a bumpy green. My cousin, Mark, was Jack Nicklaus, Steve was Arnie and I was Lee Trevino. Our stray golf balls broke more than a few windows.
We played touch football in the street and tackle football in the snow. We threw tennis balls off the brick wall of our neighbor’s house, fielding caroms like hot grounders.
One summer, Steve and I constructed a tennis net made out of garden fencing. We set it up in our backyard. The idea was to play grass-court tennis like they did at Wimbledon. It didn’t work out too well.
We strung up ropes to create a ring and then beat each other up with oversized boxing gloves.
My dad, Dusty Saunders, the longtime Denver journalist, was a sports fanatic and the inspiration behind all of this madness. He was born in Denver but was raised as a St. Louis Cardinals fan, thanks to the power of KMOX radio. On many a night, we would hop in the family station wagon and drive to the top of Arvada’s Hackberry Hill where KMOX’s signal came in stronger and the static didn’t drive my mom crazy.
A few blocks away from my house, across one of those open fields with an irrigation ditch that looked like a river to me, lived Dick Connor and his family. Dick — godfather to my younger brother, Bryan — was a renowned sports columnist for The Denver Post and Rocky Mountain News. He had Floyd Little over to his house for dinner! He made his living writing about sports! How cool was that?!?!
As I write this, the memories return like an avalanche. Floor hockey in the basement, putt-putt golf down the carpeted stairs of our house, listening to a radio reenactment of Ali-Frazier on the radio and collecting precious copies of Sports Illustrated.
Those were my Wonder Years.