thedenverpost--2020-12-08--Highway safety project for motorists and wildlife planned for southwest Colorado

Construction of a new wildlife highway overpass and underpass are part of an $ 11.3 million project to be built in southwestern Colorado in 2021 .
The wildlife mitigation project , scheduled to begin in the spring , will construct several features on U.S. 160 between Durango and Pagosa Springs , according to a Colorado Department of Transportation news release .
CDOT is partnering with Colorado Parks and Wildlife , the Southern Ute Indian Tribe and several other organizations on the project to reduce collisions between motor vehicles and wildlife along the section of highway , promoting safer travel for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ This is a heavily used corridor by vehicles and an important area in the San Juan Basin for big game , ” said Scott Wait , of CPW , in the release .
“ Deer and elk spend the warm months in the high country to the north ; but most big game move to the important winter range areas south of the highway during the winter .
So there is a huge number of deer and elk that cross the highway at that location.
” • None $ 317,000 from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is an extremely important component to the Southern Ute Indian Tribe and culture and it is considered vital to keep these traditions alive , ” said Steve Whiteman , acting director of natural resources .
“ The Tribe has long maintained a positive working relationship with the state of Colorado , and looks forward to the collaboration with CPW and CDOT to bring this important project into reality.
” The project site is in Archuleta County , near Lake Capote and Chimney Rock National Monument .
The project corridor , including fencing , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , will span about 2 miles , about 13 miles west of Pagosa Springs and 37 miles east of Durango .
Ralph L. Wadsworth Construction Co. , in Utah , was award the construction project for $ 7.95 million , the release said .
The work should be done by the fall 2021 .
More than 60 wildlife mitigation structures , crossing above or under highways , have been built throughout Colorado along with about 400 miles of big game fencing , CDOT said .

Construction of a new wildlife highway overpass and underpass are part of an $11.3 million project to be built in southwestern Colorado in 2021.
The wildlife mitigation project, scheduled to begin in the spring, will construct several features on U.S. 160 between Durango and Pagosa Springs, according to a Colorado Department of Transportation news release.
CDOT is partnering with Colorado Parks and Wildlife, the Southern Ute Indian Tribe and several other organizations on the project to reduce collisions between motor vehicles and wildlife along the section of highway, promoting safer travel for motorists and safe passage for animals.
“This is a heavily used corridor by vehicles and an important area in the San Juan Basin for big game,” said Scott Wait, of CPW, in the release. “Deer and elk spend the warm months in the high country to the north; but most big game move to the important winter range areas south of the highway during the winter. So there is a huge number of deer and elk that cross the highway at that location.”
Financial obligations of project partners include:
$8.6 million from CDOT
$1.3 million from the Southern Ute Indian Tribe
$750,000 from CPW
$317,000 from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
$100,000 from Mule Deer Foundation (via a private donor)
$75,000 from the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation
“Hunting is an extremely important component to the Southern Ute Indian Tribe and culture and it is considered vital to keep these traditions alive,” said Steve Whiteman, acting director of natural resources. “The Tribe has long maintained a positive working relationship with the state of Colorado, and looks forward to the collaboration with CPW and CDOT to bring this important project into reality.”
The project site is in Archuleta County, near Lake Capote and Chimney Rock National Monument. The project corridor, including fencing, deer guards and earthen berms and ramps, will span about 2 miles, about 13 miles west of Pagosa Springs and 37 miles east of Durango.
Ralph L. Wadsworth Construction Co., in Utah, was award the construction project for $7.95 million, the release said. The work should be done by the fall 2021.
More than 60 wildlife mitigation structures, crossing above or under highways, have been built throughout Colorado along with about 400 miles of big game fencing, CDOT said.


thedenverpost--2020-12-08--NHL, NHLPA discussing Jan. 13 start to season, 56-game schedule, report says

The NHL and the NHL Players ’ Association have moved past financial issues and are eyeing a Jan. 13 start to the 2020-21 season , according to TSN ’ s Darren Dreger .
Each team would play a 56-game schedule — 28 at home in front of limited or no fans — following a 10-day training camp .
The league and its players ’ union agreed on next season ’ s financial issues when extending the collective bargaining agreement in July , and later established a tentative Jan. 1 start date for 2020-21 .
But last month the NHL requested @ @ @ @ @ @ @ standstill .
That wall has apparently been removed .
“ We are moving forward with the process of working through all of the issues that need to be addressed and agreed to , and that are obviously unique to playing a season during a pandemic , ” NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly told TSN ’ s Pierre LeBrun on Tuesday .
Next season will likely have divisional realignment , with the seven Canadian teams in one division — and realignment requires two-thirds approval from the Board of Governors .
The Avalanche , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this season , would likely be placed in a western division with the three California teams ( Anaheim , Los Angeles , San Jose ) , plus Vegas , Arizona and current Central Division rivals Minnesota and Dallas .
Previously , discussions of playing mini-series consisting of two , three or four games inside a home team ’ s building were considered to alleviate travel .
Dreger reported the latest plan is to not play any preseason games , going straight into the regular season from training camp .

The NHL and the NHL Players’ Association have moved past financial issues and are eyeing a Jan. 13 start to the 2020-21 season, according to TSN’s Darren Dreger. Each team would play a 56-game schedule — 28 at home in front of limited or no fans — following a 10-day training camp.
The league and its players’ union agreed on next season’s financial issues when extending the collective bargaining agreement in July, and later established a tentative Jan. 1 start date for 2020-21. But last month the NHL requested further concessions from players, creating a standstill.
That wall has apparently been removed.
“We are moving forward with the process of working through all of the issues that need to be addressed and agreed to, and that are obviously unique to playing a season during a pandemic,” NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly told TSN’s Pierre LeBrun on Tuesday.
Next season will likely have divisional realignment, with the seven Canadian teams in one division — and realignment requires two-thirds approval from the Board of Governors.
The Avalanche, which will celebrate its 25th anniversary in Colorado this season, would likely be placed in a western division with the three California teams (Anaheim, Los Angeles, San Jose), plus Vegas, Arizona and current Central Division rivals Minnesota and Dallas.
Previously, discussions of playing mini-series consisting of two, three or four games inside a home team’s building were considered to alleviate travel. Dreger reported the latest plan is to not play any preseason games, going straight into the regular season from training camp.


thedenverpost--2020-12-08--Newman: Tim Patrick’s proven he should be part of Broncos’ deep wideout corps beyond 2020

If the real treasure to another lost Broncos season is the friends we made along the way , Denver diehards should consider Tim Patrick one of their newfound buds — and hope the front office sees it the same .
Patrick leads the team with 607 receiving yards on 40 catches with five touchdowns , and has proven to be an adequate fill-in for No .
1 wideout Courtland Sutton , who went down in Week 2 with a season-ending knee injury .
Patrick ’ s play indicates his side road to NFL relevancy will result in a productive career @ @ @ @ @ @ @ As a restricted free agent this upcoming offseason , Patrick , 27 , can be tendered at first-round ( projected at $ 4.87 million , per Over The Cap ) , second-round ( $ 3.42 million ) or his undrafted level ( $ 2.24 million ) .
Even with their wideout depth , the Broncos would be smart to make the best possible offer to retain him .
Bringing Patrick back would further bolster a wideout room set to have Sutton at full-strength for 2021 and ( hopefully ) some quarterback stability in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Meanwhile , all indications point to speedy rookies Jerry Jeudy ( 38 catches for 594 yards , two touchdowns ) and KJ Hamler ( 27 for 291 , one ) continuing to emerge as game-breakers in their own right .
Throw in the raw-but-promising Tyrie Cleveland , and the result is a completely re-worked wide receivers room for the Broncos in a matter of just three seasons .
The first major domino fell in 2018 with the drafting of Sutton in the second round .
The Broncos then traded Demaryius Thomas ( 2018 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in successive seasons before selecting Jeudy and Hamler with their first two picks last April .
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All along , Patrick @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , viewed as an NFL reserve — at best — and surely not talented enough for any team to make firm plans around .
The former Utah walk-on entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 2017 , and was cut by the Ravens and 49ers before landing on Denver ’ s practice squad later that year .
He recorded 23 catches for 315 yards in 2018 , moving himself up the Broncos ’ wideout totem pole while establishing himself on special teams .
Patrick then spent half the 2019 season on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Week 1 .
When he returned , he showed flashes of the skill and consistency he ’ s further demonstrated in a larger sample size this year .
With that production , Patrick no longer seems like some unlikely NFL success story .
Despite starting at a community college and then going undrafted , the 6-foot-4 , sure-handed Patrick has been a gamer-in-the-making all along .
Who finally believes this guy is one of the guys on any given Sunday ?
I do .
John Elway , how about you ?

If the real treasure to another lost Broncos season is the friends we made along the way, Denver diehards should consider Tim Patrick one of their newfound buds — and hope the front office sees it the same.
Patrick leads the team with 607 receiving yards on 40 catches with five touchdowns, and has proven to be an adequate fill-in for No. 1 wideout Courtland Sutton, who went down in Week 2 with a season-ending knee injury. Patrick’s play indicates his side road to NFL relevancy will result in a productive career, whether in Denver or elsewhere.
As a restricted free agent this upcoming offseason, Patrick, 27, can be tendered at first-round (projected at $4.87 million, per Over The Cap), second-round ($3.42 million) or his undrafted level ($2.24 million). Even with their wideout depth, the Broncos would be smart to make the best possible offer to retain him.
Bringing Patrick back would further bolster a wideout room set to have Sutton at full-strength for 2021 and (hopefully) some quarterback stability in Drew Lock’s third season. Meanwhile, all indications point to speedy rookies Jerry Jeudy (38 catches for 594 yards, two touchdowns) and KJ Hamler (27 for 291, one) continuing to emerge as game-breakers in their own right.
Throw in the raw-but-promising Tyrie Cleveland, and the result is a completely re-worked wide receivers room for the Broncos in a matter of just three seasons. The first major domino fell in 2018 with the drafting of Sutton in the second round. The Broncos then traded Demaryius Thomas (2018) and Emmanuel Sanders (2019) in successive seasons before selecting Jeudy and Hamler with their first two picks last April.
All along, Patrick’s remained mostly in the background, viewed as an NFL reserve — at best — and surely not talented enough for any team to make firm plans around.
The former Utah walk-on entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 2017, and was cut by the Ravens and 49ers before landing on Denver’s practice squad later that year. He recorded 23 catches for 315 yards in 2018, moving himself up the Broncos’ wideout totem pole while establishing himself on special teams. Patrick then spent half the 2019 season on injured reserve after breaking his hand in Week 1. When he returned, he showed flashes of the skill and consistency he’s further demonstrated in a larger sample size this year.
With that production, Patrick no longer seems like some unlikely NFL success story. Despite starting at a community college and then going undrafted, the 6-foot-4, sure-handed Patrick has been a gamer-in-the-making all along. Who finally believes this guy is one of the guys on any given Sunday?
I do. John Elway, how about you?


thedenverpost--2020-12-09--President-elect? GOP may wait for January to say Biden won

WASHINGTON — Americans waiting for Republicans in Congress to acknowledge Joe Biden as the president-elect may have to keep waiting until January as GOP leaders stick with President Donald Trump ’ s litany of legal challenges and unproven claims of fraud .
Tuesday ’ s deadline for states to certify their elections — once viewed as a pivot point for Republicans to mark Biden ’ s win — came and went without much comment .
Next week ’ s Dec. 14 Electoral College deadline may produce just a few more congratulatory GOP calls to Biden .
Increasingly , GOP lawmakers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to accept the Electoral College outcome may be when the presidential winner becomes official .
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has signaled Jan. 20 as the certain date when the country is “ going to have the swearing-in of the next president.
” The result is a risky standoff like none other in U.S. history .
The refusal to agree upon the facts of the election threatens to undermine voter confidence , chisel away at the legitimacy of Biden ’ s presidency and restack civic norms in still-unknowable ways .
Yet some GOP @ @ @ @ @ @ @ best shot at answering the fiery questions , calls and complaints of their constituents who voted for Trump and refuse to believe he legitimately lost the race to Biden .
“ The country needs to understand , at least , it was fair , ” Rep. Alex Mooney , R-W.Va. , said in an interview .
Mooney said he was being pressed by voters back home , including Republican Party activists at an event last month in Harper ’ s Ferry , demanding to know why no one was helping the president .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said , and so he stepped up .
He introduced a House resolution Tuesday that encourages neither Trump nor Biden to concede until all the investigations are completed .
“ The end is when the roll call is put up here , ” he said about the Jan. 6 vote in Congress .
Trump sent his party down this unprecedented path by claiming the election was “ rigged , ” but Republican officials enabled doubts to swell through their past four weeks of silence .
He personally called on some local elected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the disputed election has taken on a political life of its own that the party ’ s leadership may not be able to squash , even as Trump ’ s legal challenges crumble .
Republicans say it makes little political sense at this point for them to counter Trump ’ s views lest they risk a backlash from his supporters — their own constituents — back home .
They ’ re relying on Trump voters to power the Georgia runoff elections Jan. 5 that will determine control of the Senate .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s victory , most prefer to keep quiet , letting the process play out “ organically , ” as one aide put it , into January .
But election experts warn of long-term damage to the long-cherished American system .
“ It clearly hurts confidence in the elections , ” said Trey Grayson , the Republican former secretary of state for Kentucky and a past president of the National Association of Secretaries of State .
“ My hope , ” he said , is by Dec. 14 “ there will be some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it won ’ t be until the 6th ” ( of January ) .
Edward Foley , an elections expert and constitutional law professor at Ohio State University , said it ’ s true that the election winner is not officially the president-elect until the Congress declares it so with its vote on Jan. 6 to accept the Electoral College results .
“ I ’ m less concerned about the timing , but that it happens , ” he said .
For Americans to “ have faith ” in the elections , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ It ’ s very , very dangerous if the losing side can ’ t get to that , ” he said .
“ It ’ s essential for the parties to play by that ethos — even if one individual , Mr. Trump , can ’ t do it , the party has to do it , ” he said .
“ What ’ s so disturbing about the dynamic that has developed since Election Day is that the party has been incapable of conveying that message because they ’ re taking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House and the Senate , the standoff is playing out in ways large and small as lawmakers prolong the instability , some boosting their own profiles to pick up the mantle with Trump ’ s movement of voters and others fighting more broadly for an overhaul of election systems .
Sen. Ted Cruz , R-Texas , announced on Sean Hannity ’ s Fox News Channel show that he was prepared to deliver oral arguments for Pennsylvania lawmakers ’ legal challenge to the elections if the Supreme Court takes up the case .
Cruz @ @ @ @ @ @ @ court “ has a responsibility to the American people to ensure , with its powers , that we are following the law and following the Constitution.
” The Supreme Court on Tuesday rejected Republicans ’ bid to reverse Pennsylvania ’ s certification of Biden ’ s victory .
Rep. Mo Brooks , R-Ala. , is delivering daily House floor speeches ahead of his planned formal protest during the Jan. 6 voting that he believes will show Trump was reelected .
“ Others are joining me , ” he said in an interview .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ had a lot of pats on the back.
” Even the Republicans , led by McConnell , on the bipartisan inauguration committee refused to allow a Democratic motion Tuesday to publicly announce that planning was underway .
The committee that has organized every inauguration since 1901 is planning COVID-19 health and safety protocols for the traditional Jan. 20 swearing-in ceremony next year .
Committee chairman Sen. Roy Blunt , R-Mo.
, said , “ It is not the job of the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies to get ahead of the electoral @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Former congressman David McIntosh , who now heads the conservative Club for Growth , said in the new year there should be an independent , bipartisan commission established to investigate the 2020 election .
Until then , his group is trying to push Georgia ’ s Trump voters to the polls , even as the president disputes Biden ’ s win of the state .

WASHINGTON — Americans waiting for Republicans in Congress to acknowledge Joe Biden as the president-elect may have to keep waiting until January as GOP leaders stick with President Donald Trump’s litany of legal challenges and unproven claims of fraud.
Tuesday’s deadline for states to certify their elections — once viewed as a pivot point for Republicans to mark Biden’s win — came and went without much comment. Next week’s Dec. 14 Electoral College deadline may produce just a few more congratulatory GOP calls to Biden.
Increasingly, GOP lawmakers say the Jan. 6 vote in Congress to accept the Electoral College outcome may be when the presidential winner becomes official. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has signaled Jan. 20 as the certain date when the country is “going to have the swearing-in of the next president.”
The result is a risky standoff like none other in U.S. history. The refusal to agree upon the facts of the election threatens to undermine voter confidence, chisel away at the legitimacy of Biden’s presidency and restack civic norms in still-unknowable ways.
Yet some GOP officials see the dragged-out process as their best shot at answering the fiery questions, calls and complaints of their constituents who voted for Trump and refuse to believe he legitimately lost the race to Biden.
“The country needs to understand, at least, it was fair,” Rep. Alex Mooney, R-W.Va., said in an interview.
Mooney said he was being pressed by voters back home, including Republican Party activists at an event last month in Harper’s Ferry, demanding to know why no one was helping the president. They were “very concerned,” he said, and so he stepped up. He introduced a House resolution Tuesday that encourages neither Trump nor Biden to concede until all the investigations are completed.
“The end is when the roll call is put up here,” he said about the Jan. 6 vote in Congress.
Trump sent his party down this unprecedented path by claiming the election was “rigged,” but Republican officials enabled doubts to swell through their past four weeks of silence. He personally called on some local elected officials to reconsider the results. Now, the disputed election has taken on a political life of its own that the party’s leadership may not be able to squash, even as Trump’s legal challenges crumble.
Republicans say it makes little political sense at this point for them to counter Trump’s views lest they risk a backlash from his supporters — their own constituents — back home. They’re relying on Trump voters to power the Georgia runoff elections Jan. 5 that will determine control of the Senate. And while some GOP lawmakers have acknowledged Biden’s victory, most prefer to keep quiet, letting the process play out “organically,” as one aide put it, into January.
But election experts warn of long-term damage to the long-cherished American system.
“It clearly hurts confidence in the elections,” said Trey Grayson, the Republican former secretary of state for Kentucky and a past president of the National Association of Secretaries of State.
“My hope,” he said, is by Dec. 14 “there will be some more voices, but my gut is it won’t be until the 6th” (of January).
Edward Foley, an elections expert and constitutional law professor at Ohio State University, said it’s true that the election winner is not officially the president-elect until the Congress declares it so with its vote on Jan. 6 to accept the Electoral College results.
“I’m less concerned about the timing, but that it happens,” he said.
For Americans to “have faith” in the elections, the losing side has to accept defeat. “It’s very, very dangerous if the losing side can’t get to that,” he said.
“It’s essential for the parties to play by that ethos — even if one individual, Mr. Trump, can’t do it, the party has to do it,” he said.
“What’s so disturbing about the dynamic that has developed since Election Day is that the party has been incapable of conveying that message because they’re taking their cues from Trump.”
In the House and the Senate, the standoff is playing out in ways large and small as lawmakers prolong the instability, some boosting their own profiles to pick up the mantle with Trump’s movement of voters and others fighting more broadly for an overhaul of election systems.
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, announced on Sean Hannity’s Fox News Channel show that he was prepared to deliver oral arguments for Pennsylvania lawmakers’ legal challenge to the elections if the Supreme Court takes up the case.
Cruz said in a statement he believes the court “has a responsibility to the American people to ensure, with its powers, that we are following the law and following the Constitution.”
The Supreme Court on Tuesday rejected Republicans’ bid to reverse Pennsylvania’s certification of Biden’s victory.
Rep. Mo Brooks, R-Ala., is delivering daily House floor speeches ahead of his planned formal protest during the Jan. 6 voting that he believes will show Trump was reelected.
“Others are joining me,” he said in an interview. And back home, “I have had a lot of pats on the back.”
Even the Republicans, led by McConnell, on the bipartisan inauguration committee refused to allow a Democratic motion Tuesday to publicly announce that planning was underway. The committee that has organized every inauguration since 1901 is planning COVID-19 health and safety protocols for the traditional Jan. 20 swearing-in ceremony next year.
Committee chairman Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., said, “It is not the job of the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies to get ahead of the electoral process and decide who we are inaugurating.”
Former congressman David McIntosh, who now heads the conservative Club for Growth, said in the new year there should be an independent, bipartisan commission established to investigate the 2020 election.
Until then, his group is trying to push Georgia’s Trump voters to the polls, even as the president disputes Biden’s win of the state.


thedenverpost--2020-12-09--Colorado mask mandate extended for 30 more days

Gov .
Jared Polis extended the statewide mask mandate for 30 more days on Tuesday to help curve the spread @ @ @ @ @ order calls for masks to be covering faces when in public indoor locations .
A @ @ @ @ @ effect for Colorado in July and has continued to be extended since .
The Colorado @ @ @ @ @ Environment ( CDPHE ) entails that masks should be clean , fit snug , include @ @ @ @ @ receive daily cleaning .
Polis and Colorado ’ s First Gentleman Marlon Reis recently tested @ @ @ @ @ Reis was hospitalized for treatment and later released .
Join our Facebook group for the @ @ @ @ @ Colorado .

Gov. Jared Polis extended the statewide mask mandate for 30 more days on Tuesday to help curb the spread of COVID-19.
The executive order calls for masks to be covering faces when people are in public indoor locations.
A mask-wearing order first went into effect for Colorado in July and has continued to be extended since.
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment says that masks should be clean, fit snug, include multiple layers of fabric and receive daily cleaning.
Polis and Colorado’s first gentleman Marlon Reis recently tested positive for the virus. Reis was hospitalized for treatment and later released.
Join our Facebook group for the latest updates on coronavirus in Colorado.


thedenverpost--2020-12-09--Denver weather: Snow makes a late-week comeback

The latest round of near-record warmth is not going to last much longer .
In classic Colorado fashion , this stretch of 60-degree days is going to come to a screeching halt later this week .
The return to typical December-like temperatures will also come with the next chance for snow .
While a major snowfall still appears unlikely , much of the state could be covered with a fresh blanket of white after multiple rounds of steady snow between Thursday night and Saturday .
Forecast guidance continues to favor the most snow falling in southern Colorado and in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is where up to 6 inches will be possible .
A few inches of snow could also accumulate along the Interstate 25 urban corridor , including the Denver area .
The far eastern Plains have the lowest risk for measurable snow .
The upcoming storm looks to deliver the snow in two parts .
One round looks to push through the state Thursday night from south to north .
A break in the snow looks possible through much of the day Friday , before a second round crosses Colorado on Friday night into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ system could keep travel impacts to a minimum , especially in lower elevations .
Slick or snow-packed roads are still expected in the mountains .
If Denver records measurable snow from the late week storm , it would be the city ’ s first this month .
For the fourth straight year , Denver did not see any snow during the first week of December .
It looks like the second week of the month is going to change that this year .

The latest round of near-record warmth is not going to last much longer. In classic Colorado fashion, this stretch of 60-degree days is going to come to a screeching halt later this week. The return to typical December-like temperatures will also come with the next chance for snow.
While a major snowfall still appears unlikely, much of the state could be covered with a fresh blanket of white after multiple rounds of steady snow between Thursday night and Saturday.
Forecast guidance continues to favor the most snow falling in southern Colorado and in the highest mountains along Interstate 70. This is where up to 6 inches will be possible. A few inches of snow could also accumulate along the Interstate 25 urban corridor, including the Denver area. The far Eastern Plains have the lowest risk for measurable snow.
The upcoming storm looks to deliver the snow in two parts. One round looks to push through the state Thursday night from south to north. A break in the snow looks possible through much of the day Friday, before a second round crosses Colorado on Friday night into Saturday.
The drawn-out nature of the system could keep travel impacts to a minimum, especially in lower elevations. Slick or snow-packed roads are still expected in the mountains.
If Denver records measurable snow from the late week storm, it would be the city’s first this month. For the fourth straight year, Denver did not see any snow during the first week of December. It looks like the second week of the month is going to change that this year.


thedenverpost--2020-12-09--Offerpad joins the instant offer fray in metro Denver’s real estate market

Drawn by one of the hottest residential real estate markets in the nation , Offerpad plans to join the crowded scrum of companies in metro Denver providing sellers an instant offer on their homes .
“ Success for Offerpad is capturing markets that provide growth for not only the services and products we provide today , but those with the right environment to support dynamic growth as we continue to rapidly innovate offerings , ” Matt Brohn , Offerpad ’ s vice president of strategic initiatives , said in a release .
After studying the trends to understand where its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ company targeted Denver and Nashville for an expansion early next year , adding the cities and their suburbs to the 830 locations where the company is already active .
Offerpad , based outside of Phoenix , was one of the early pioneers when it came to using technology to give sellers a quick bid on their homes .
Rather than having to deal with getting a home ready for sale , a parade of potential buyers dropping by and the ping pong game between agents hammering out the fine print , working with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ approach .
A seller requests a bid .
An iBuyer offers one .
The price is then adjusted by the cost of repairs estimated after a visit .
Closing can happen within a few days or it can be timed to when the seller needs it , like the completion of a home under construction .
The iBuyer handles the repairs and sells the home .
Opendoor and Zillow Offers opened shop in Denver in October 2018 and were joined the following May by RedfinNow and Boulder-based 8z Real Estate .
The firms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the pandemic hit .
Prices were hard to pin down in March and April , and some sellers had their offers rescinded , leaving them high and dry .
Since this summer , the metro Denver market has run hot , with most properties under $ 750,000 often selling within two weeks , often in a weekend .
That has taken away a key advantage of working with iBuyers , a quick turnaround .
“ The consumer proposition of an ‘ instant sale ’ is a lot less compelling given how hot the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ want to leave money on the table with just one offer , and are more inclined to list traditionally to get top dollar for their home , ” said Mike DelPrete , a real estate technology strategist .
He adds there ’ s always demand for an instant sale , but the national numbers are showing it is a lot less now than it was pre-pandemic .
Offerpad plans to locate an office in Denver and is actively recruiting real estate talent and home renovation vendors .
Those opportunities will be listed on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they ’ re made available .

Drawn by one of the hottest residential real estate markets in the nation, Offerpad plans to join the crowded scrum of companies in metro Denver providing sellers an instant offer on their homes.
“Success for Offerpad is capturing markets that provide growth for not only the services and products we provide today, but those with the right environment to support dynamic growth as we continue to rapidly innovate offerings,” Matt Brohn, Offerpad’s vice president of strategic initiatives, said in a release.
After studying the trends to understand where its business model might work best, the company targeted Denver and Nashville for an expansion early next year, adding the cities and their suburbs to the 830 locations where the company is already active.
Offerpad, based outside of Phoenix, was one of the early pioneers when it came to using technology to give sellers a quick bid on their homes. Rather than having to deal with getting a home ready for sale, a parade of potential buyers dropping by and the ping pong game between agents hammering out the fine print, working with an iBuyer promises a much more direct approach.
A seller requests a bid. An iBuyer offers one. The price is then adjusted by the cost of repairs estimated after a visit. Closing can happen within a few days or it can be timed to when the seller needs it, like the completion of a home under construction. The iBuyer handles the repairs and sells the home.
Opendoor and Zillow Offers opened shop in Denver in October 2018 and were joined the following May by RedfinNow and Boulder-based 8z Real Estate. The firms were gaining traction in the market until the pandemic hit. Prices were hard to pin down in March and April, and some sellers had their offers rescinded, leaving them high and dry.
Since this summer, the metro Denver market has run hot, with most properties under $750,000 often selling within two weeks, often in a weekend. That has taken away a key advantage of working with iBuyers, a quick turnaround.
“The consumer proposition of an ‘instant sale’ is a lot less compelling given how hot the market is. Consumers won’t want to leave money on the table with just one offer, and are more inclined to list traditionally to get top dollar for their home,” said Mike DelPrete, a real estate technology strategist.
He adds there’s always demand for an instant sale, but the national numbers are showing it is a lot less now than it was pre-pandemic.
Offerpad plans to locate an office in Denver and is actively recruiting real estate talent and home renovation vendors. Those opportunities will be listed on the company’s Careers page once they’re made available.


thedenverpost--2020-12-09--Colorado’s low-wage workers are disproportionately impacted by coronavirus pandemic, report says

The pandemic has scrambled expectations for how quickly shifts in the workplace would take place , and that in turn has left the state scrambling to make sure lower-wage workers , hard hit by the downturn , aren ’ t left behind as the recovery takes hold .
“ Trends we initially thought would take more than 10 years to occur happened in a matter of weeks , requiring workforce , education , training , and the world to quickly adapt and adopt strategies to fit the current reality and new predicted future , ” according to the Colorado Workforce @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Report , which came out on Tuesday .
Colorado had the eighth-highest share of “ vulnerable ” jobs of any state at 21.4 % , with half of those jobs concentrated in the hospitality sector , which includes restaurants , bars and hotels , and a third in retail , the report found .
Vulnerable jobs are defined as those that pay low wages and do not provide benefits .
The Colorado Business Economic Outlook from the University of Colorado , out Monday , expects the state will likely end the year down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ counts won ’ t fully recover until 2023 .
“ The 2020 Talent Pipeline Report highlights that COVID-19 has disproportionately impacted lower-wage jobs .
With a job recovery rate of only 63.4 % , now is the time to invest in the strategies discussed in the report to help Coloradans transition to new jobs and industries that will have growth potential in this stage of the pandemic and beyond , ” said Lee Wheeler-Berliner , managing director of the CWDC , in an email .
So where has the hiring been happening ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ between March and September for the following occupations : heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers , registered nurses , software developers and analysts , retail salespersons and stockers and order fillers .
But in four of those five top hiring categories , average monthly postings were down anywhere from 15 % to 43 % from the same period in 2019 .
Ads for stockers and order fillers , which rose 26.2 % from the same period last year , were the exception .
Those workers are in high demand as more retail spending shifts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out annually and has contributed to 50 bills over the years to support talent development in the state .
This year , the council recommended the state focus on the themes of stabilize , accelerate and prepare .
Stabilize involves using existing programs and available jobs to help displaced workers earn a wage in the short term .
Accelerate involves speeding up the time it takes to get Coloradans back to work through job training , career coaching and support programs .
Prepare is about helping workers gain the skills , primarily digital @ @ @ @ @ @ @ workplace demands shift and automation becomes more prevalent .

The pandemic has scrambled expectations for how quickly shifts in the workplace would take place, and that in turn has left the state scrambling to make sure lower-wage workers, hard hit by the downturn, aren’t left behind as the recovery takes hold.
“Trends we initially thought would take more than 10 years to occur happened in a matter of weeks, requiring workforce, education, training, and the world to quickly adapt and adopt strategies to fit the current reality and new predicted future,” according to the Colorado Workforce Development Council’s 2020 Talent Pipeline Report, which came out on Tuesday.
Colorado had the eighth-highest share of “vulnerable” jobs of any state at 21.4%, with half of those jobs concentrated in the hospitality sector, which includes restaurants, bars and hotels, and a third in retail, the report found. Vulnerable jobs are defined as those that pay low wages and do not provide benefits.
The Colorado Business Economic Outlook from the University of Colorado, out Monday, expects the state will likely end the year down by about 149,000 jobs and that employment counts won’t fully recover until 2023.
“The 2020 Talent Pipeline Report highlights that COVID-19 has disproportionately impacted lower-wage jobs. With a job recovery rate of only 63.4%, now is the time to invest in the strategies discussed in the report to help Coloradans transition to new jobs and industries that will have growth potential in this stage of the pandemic and beyond,” said Lee Wheeler-Berliner, managing director of the CWDC, in an email.
So where has the hiring been happening? Colorado employers posted the most job ads between March and September for the following occupations: heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers, registered nurses, software developers and analysts, retail salespersons and stockers and order fillers.
But in four of those five top hiring categories, average monthly postings were down anywhere from 15% to 43% from the same period in 2019. Ads for stockers and order fillers, which rose 26.2% from the same period last year, were the exception. Those workers are in high demand as more retail spending shifts online.
The Talent Pipeline Report comes out annually and has contributed to 50 bills over the years to support talent development in the state. This year, the council recommended the state focus on the themes of stabilize, accelerate and prepare.
Stabilize involves using existing programs and available jobs to help displaced workers earn a wage in the short term. Accelerate involves speeding up the time it takes to get Coloradans back to work through job training, career coaching and support programs. Prepare is about helping workers gain the skills, primarily digital, they will need to succeed as workplace demands shift and automation becomes more prevalent.


thedenverpost--2020-12-09--With Vail simulation, Colorado practices moving Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine around the state

Leo Gomez sat in bumper-to-bumper traffic just outside of Idaho Springs .
The sky was clear and remnants of a previous day ’ s snow dusted the mountainside around him .
Little by little , his white SUV inched forward on Interstate 70 toward his destination : Vail .
There , staff at the local hospital awaited the arrival of the brown box sitting in the trunk of Gomez ’ s vehicle .
In that box was another filled with dry ice to keep the precious vials it held cold .
A COVID-19 vaccine was on its way — or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ playing out Tuesday wasn ’ t part of an exercise conducted by the Unified Coordination Center , created by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and the State Emergency Operations Center .
The simulated delivery from Denver International Airport was part of the state ’ s preparations for the first batch of Pfizer ’ s COVID-19 vaccine , which could land in Colorado as soon as this weekend if federal regulators issue an emergency authorization during a meeting Thursday .
Tuesday ’ s exercise was the first Colorado-led test of how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will soon be a mass vaccination campaign .
The state participated in a simulation led by the federal government in late November .
But in that exercise , a mock kit containing medical supplies ended up in Kentucky instead of Colorado .
The Department of Public Health and Environment ran similar exercises before the pandemic to prepare for such a major public health crisis .
The simulations are important because they help state officials make sure their plans are effective and can reveal gaps that need to be addressed .
It was unclear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tuesday ’ s simulation revealed about the state ’ s plans to distribute COVID-19 vaccines in Colorado .
State officials also conducted a concurrent , virtual tabletop exercise on Tuesday .
What the Vail exercise did demonstrate is how Colorado is preparing to handle a vaccine that is particularly challenging to ship and store , especially to rural communities .
Pfizer ’ s vaccine has to be stored at ultra-cold temperatures and will be delivered in thermal containers packed in dry ice .
The number of doses in each order will range from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vaccine requires people receive two shots , given 21 days apart .
Pfizer ’ s vaccine has to be stored at about -75 degrees Celsius , the equivalent of -103 degrees Fahrenheit .
The dry ice in the boxes can be replenished , but the containers can only be opened twice a day .
The vaccine can also be stored in a refrigerator at 2 to 8 degrees Celsius — or 35.6 to 46.4 degrees Fahrenheit — for five days , according to the state health department .
For smaller hospitals , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ down the doses into fewer quantities to distribute to local public health agencies and facilities to vaccinate health care workers , said Colorado National Guard Brig .
Gen. Scott Sherman , who is leading the state ’ s vaccine distribution task force .
“ The biggest challenge for smaller hospitals — especially ones that don ’ t have ultra-cold freezers — is receiving it , putting it in their refrigerators because it can be stored in the refrigerators at 2 to 8 degrees Celsius , ” he said .
“ But right when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have five days to administer the vaccine.
” After he arrived at Vail Health , Gomez , the owner of Swift Courier Services Inc. , loaded the box containing the mock COVID-19 vaccines onto a metal cart outside of the hospital .
He was screened for the novel coronavirus , then escorted to the pharmacy , where he got the pharmacist ’ s signature before handing over vaccine .
Then , staff members who were dressed in full personal protective gear diluted the vaccine with saline .
Once this process , which is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be five doses of the vaccine per vial .
“ Then once you reconstitute , it ’ s good for six hours , and then you need to make sure that you administer the vaccines , ” said Jessica Peterson , interim manager of inpatient pharmacy at the hospital .
Vail Health staff also practiced putting the box filled with the mock vaccine vials into the ultra-cold freezer that they will use when the real doses arrive .
The hospital has a second freezer in its lab if more space is needed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ When Pfizer receives approval for its vaccine , the company will ship the vials directly to hospitals and any other providers .
( For Tuesday ’ s exercise , the shipment was loaded into Gomez ’ s car at DIA and driven to Vail with a police escort and a small gaggle of state officials and journalists in tow ) .
The state Department of Public Health and Environment expects Pfizer can ship the first doses of the vaccine to states within 24 hours of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration granting it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is slated to meet on Thursday to consider approving the vaccine .
On Tuesday , it was announced that FDA scientists reanalyzed data from Pfizer ’ s still-unfinished study and found that so far , the vaccine appears safe and more than 90 % effective across patients of different ages , races and underlying health conditions .
The scientists specifically confirmed it works well in older people , who have experienced more severe symptoms from the novel coronavirus .
On Tuesday , as Colorado conducted its vaccine distribution simulation , Britain began vaccinations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ progress toward a viable vaccine becoming ready to use comes as a third wave of new coronavirus hospitalizations has gripped Colorado , sending both hospitalizations and deaths soaring once again .
While the vaccine brings hope to what is predicted to be a dark pandemic winter , it likely will take months before Coloradans can throw away their masks and stop social-distancing .
Public health officials expect there to be a very limited supply of any vaccine approved by federal regulators .
“ While we ’ re all excited about the potential that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ continue to remain vigilant , ” said Will Cook , president and chief executive officer of Vail Health “ This will help us in the long run .
We still are in the middle of dealing with this pandemic.
” When the state health department ’ s first vaccine order arrives , possibly this weekend , there will only be enough doses to give 46,800 people their first dose of Pfizer ’ s two-shot vaccine .
That ’ s not enough to cover the 331,533 people — health care workers , first responders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that are estimated to make up the first tier of Colorado ’ s vaccination plan .
The health department expects to receive vaccine doses in weekly batches , which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will allocate based on population .
Colorado is expected to received 1.69 % of available vaccine .
Vail Health is one of eight hubs in the state that has the ability to store and distribute the Pfizer vaccine .
Every region in the state will have a vaccine distribution hub , which will help get the doses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have not identified the other seven hubs .
Part of the reason the state will break down the Pfizer boxes into smaller doses is to also help with distribution — which will be done across the state based on population — while supplies are limited , Sherman said .
“ We don ’ t have that many doses to give to those smaller areas right now because our first distribution is only 46,800 , ” he said , adding , “ It ’ s just making sure they get the quantities that we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now.
” Denver Post photographer Helen H. Richardson and The Associated Press contributed to this report .
Subscribe to bi-weekly newsletter to get health news sent straight to your inbox .

Leo Gomez sat in bumper-to-bumper traffic just outside of Idaho Springs. The sky was clear and remnants of a previous day’s snow dusted the mountainside around him.
Little by little, his white SUV inched forward on Interstate 70 toward his destination: Vail.
There, staff at the local hospital awaited the arrival of the brown box sitting in the trunk of Gomez’s vehicle. In that box was another filled with dry ice to keep the precious vials it held cold.
A COVID-19 vaccine was on its way — or it would have been if the scene playing out Tuesday wasn’t part of an exercise conducted by the Unified Coordination Center, created by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and the State Emergency Operations Center.
The simulated delivery from Denver International Airport was part of the state’s preparations for the first batch of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine, which could land in Colorado as soon as this weekend if federal regulators issue an emergency authorization during a meeting Thursday.
Tuesday’s exercise was the first Colorado-led test of how prepared the state is to undertake what will soon be a mass vaccination campaign. The state participated in a simulation led by the federal government in late November. But in that exercise, a mock kit containing medical supplies ended up in Kentucky instead of Colorado.
The Department of Public Health and Environment ran similar exercises before the pandemic to prepare for such a major public health crisis. The simulations are important because they help state officials make sure their plans are effective and can reveal gaps that need to be addressed.
It was unclear what potential issues — if any — Tuesday’s simulation revealed about the state’s plans to distribute COVID-19 vaccines in Colorado. State officials also conducted a concurrent, virtual tabletop exercise on Tuesday.
An ultra-cold challenge
What the Vail exercise did demonstrate is how Colorado is preparing to handle a vaccine that is particularly challenging to ship and store, especially to rural communities. Pfizer’s vaccine has to be stored at ultra-cold temperatures and will be delivered in thermal containers packed in dry ice. The number of doses in each order will range from 975 to 4,875. Pfizer’s vaccine requires people receive two shots, given 21 days apart.
Pfizer’s vaccine has to be stored at about -75 degrees Celsius, the equivalent of -103 degrees Fahrenheit. The dry ice in the boxes can be replenished, but the containers can only be opened twice a day. The vaccine can also be stored in a refrigerator at 2 to 8 degrees Celsius — or 35.6 to 46.4 degrees Fahrenheit — for five days, according to the state health department.
For smaller hospitals, the state is going to have to break down the doses into fewer quantities to distribute to local public health agencies and facilities to vaccinate health care workers, said Colorado National Guard Brig. Gen. Scott Sherman, who is leading the state’s vaccine distribution task force.
“The biggest challenge for smaller hospitals — especially ones that don’t have ultra-cold freezers — is receiving it, putting it in their refrigerators because it can be stored in the refrigerators at 2 to 8 degrees Celsius,” he said. “But right when it gets in the refrigerators, they have five days to administer the vaccine.”
After he arrived at Vail Health, Gomez, the owner of Swift Courier Services Inc., loaded the box containing the mock COVID-19 vaccines onto a metal cart outside of the hospital. He was screened for the novel coronavirus, then escorted to the pharmacy, where he got the pharmacist’s signature before handing over vaccine.
Then, staff members who were dressed in full personal protective gear diluted the vaccine with saline. Once this process, which is called reconstitution, is completed, there will be five doses of the vaccine per vial.
“Then once you reconstitute, it’s good for six hours, and then you need to make sure that you administer the vaccines,” said Jessica Peterson, interim manager of inpatient pharmacy at the hospital.
Vail Health staff also practiced putting the box filled with the mock vaccine vials into the ultra-cold freezer that they will use when the real doses arrive. The hospital has a second freezer in its lab if more space is needed, said safety manager Kimberly Flynn.
Approval expected soon
When Pfizer receives approval for its vaccine, the company will ship the vials directly to hospitals and any other providers. (For Tuesday’s exercise, the shipment was loaded into Gomez’s car at DIA and driven to Vail with a police escort and a small gaggle of state officials and journalists in tow).
The state Department of Public Health and Environment expects Pfizer can ship the first doses of the vaccine to states within 24 hours of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration granting it an emergency authorization use.
The FDA is slated to meet on Thursday to consider approving the vaccine. On Tuesday, it was announced that FDA scientists reanalyzed data from Pfizer’s still-unfinished study and found that so far, the vaccine appears safe and more than 90% effective across patients of different ages, races and underlying health conditions. The scientists specifically confirmed it works well in older people, who have experienced more severe symptoms from the novel coronavirus.
On Tuesday, as Colorado conducted its vaccine distribution simulation, Britain began vaccinations with Pfizer’s shots.
The progress toward a viable vaccine becoming ready to use comes as a third wave of new coronavirus hospitalizations has gripped Colorado, sending both hospitalizations and deaths soaring once again.
While the vaccine brings hope to what is predicted to be a dark pandemic winter, it likely will take months before Coloradans can throw away their masks and stop social-distancing. Public health officials expect there to be a very limited supply of any vaccine approved by federal regulators.
“While we’re all excited about the potential that the vaccine brings, we have to continue to remain vigilant,” said Will Cook, president and chief executive officer of Vail Health “This will help us in the long run. We still are in the middle of dealing with this pandemic.”
Spreading limited doses
When the state health department’s first vaccine order arrives, possibly this weekend, there will only be enough doses to give 46,800 people their first dose of Pfizer’s two-shot vaccine. That’s not enough to cover the 331,533 people — health care workers, first responders and residents of long-term care facilities — that are estimated to make up the first tier of Colorado’s vaccination plan.
The health department expects to receive vaccine doses in weekly batches, which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will allocate based on population. Colorado is expected to received 1.69% of available vaccine.
Vail Health is one of eight hubs in the state that has the ability to store and distribute the Pfizer vaccine. Every region in the state will have a vaccine distribution hub, which will help get the doses to rural and mountain communities. Officials have not identified the other seven hubs.
Part of the reason the state will break down the Pfizer boxes into smaller doses is to also help with distribution — which will be done across the state based on population — while supplies are limited, Sherman said.
“We don’t have that many doses to give to those smaller areas right now because our first distribution is only 46,800,” he said, adding, “It’s just making sure they get the quantities that we’re able to give them right now.”
Denver Post photographer Helen H. Richardson and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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thedenverpost--2020-12-09--Aurora doctor is leading the push to change cornea donation restrictions for gay, bisexual men

An Aurora doctor is helping lead a push to allow more gay and bisexual men to donate corneas and other tissues after death .
Under federal regulations , men who have had sex with a man in the last five years can ’ t donate their corneas , which can restore sight in people with some degenerative eye conditions .
The rule dates back to 1994 , when HIV testing was unreliable for as long as six months after a person was infected .
Today , tests can identify the virus within eight days of infection , which is unlikely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because it doesn ’ t receive blood from outside the eye , said Dr. Michael Puente , an eye surgeon affiliated with University of Colorado Hospital and Children ’ s Hospital of Colorado .
There are no known cases of HIV being transmitted through a cornea , even in the 1980s and early 90s , when at least 10 people unknowingly received transplants from positive donors .
That means the United States could shorten or eliminate its exclusion period , as some European and Latin American countries have done , making more corneas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ think it would be very reasonable to at least shorten the deferral from five years to three months , ” he said .
“ This policy is unnecessarily depriving thousands of patients around the world of the opportunity to see again.
” Puente surveyed “ eye banks ” that collect donated tissue and estimated anywhere from 1,558 to 3,217 corneas were rejected in 2018 due to the donor ’ s sexual history .
Other tissues not considered lifesaving , like skin and bone , also can ’ t be donated if a male @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the last five years , but it ’ s a less pressing problem because donors who are eligible can give substantial amounts , he said .
“ People only have two corneas , but your body is full of bone and covered in skin , ” he said .
In April , the U.S. Food and Drug Administration loosened the exclusion for blood donors , requiring gay and bisexual men to abstain for three months before donating , rather than one year .
There is no automatic exclusion for donating other organs , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ potential recipients are told why the donor was flagged as higher-risk and asked if they ’ re comfortable receiving the organ .
Kevin Corcoran , president and CEO of the Eye Bank Association of America , said the United States as a whole has enough corneas to serve its residents who need transplants , but most countries don ’ t , either because they don ’ t have the organ donation infrastructure or because certain infections that damage the cornea are more common .
The United States exports about 25,000 corneas annually , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 12.7 million .
The eye bank association is pushing the FDA to shorten the deferral period , if not eliminate it altogether , he said .
“ The policy probably was draconian ( in the ’ 90s ) , ” he said .
“ It certainly is now.
” Blood samples from cornea donors are tested for HIV , syphilis and hepatitis B and C before their corneas can be implanted into a recipient , according to the Eye Bank Association of America .
Donors who tests positive for one of those blood-borne @ @ @ @ @ @ @ corneas , though they might be able to give organs like the heart to people who already have HIV or hepatitis .
Robert Austin , spokesman for the Rocky Mountain Lions Eye Bank , said they were required to reject 10 corneas in 2018 because of a donor ’ s sexual history .
About 70 % of Colorado residents who have a driver ’ s license have signed up to be organ and tissue donors , so there ’ s no shortage of corneas locally , he said .
When a person who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and tissue donor dies , a representative from the eye bank meets with the potential donor ’ s closest relative and asks questions about the donor ’ s history , which are similar to those asked when someone donates blood .
While men who have sex with men are still at a higher statistical risk of contracting HIV than the overall population , focusing on behaviors like having multiple partners could identify high-risk donors , without ruling out those who could donate safely , Austin said .
Sheryl Moore , a Des Moines @ @ @ @ @ @ @ donor exclusion rules after her son died at 16 , said she ’ s seen more interest in the scientific and medical communities about making changes lately than she did when she first began talking to her congressman in 2014 .
Her son , A.J .
Betts , died by suicide after being bullied for being gay , and learning some of his tissues were “ wasted ” was a kind of the final insult , she said .
“ Getting the law changed so gay men can donate corneas would mean my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
“ When you lose a child , your greatest fear is that they will be forgotten .
”

An Aurora doctor is helping lead a push to allow more gay and bisexual men to donate corneas and other tissues after death.
Under federal regulations, men who have had sex with a man in the last five years can’t donate their corneas, which can restore sight in people with some degenerative eye conditions. The rule dates back to 1994, when HIV testing was unreliable for as long as six months after a person was infected.
Today, tests can identify the virus within eight days of infection, which is unlikely to pass through the cornea anyway, because it doesn’t receive blood from outside the eye, said Dr. Michael Puente, an eye surgeon affiliated with University of Colorado Hospital and Children’s Hospital of Colorado.
There are no known cases of HIV being transmitted through a cornea, even in the 1980s and early 90s, when at least 10 people unknowingly received transplants from positive donors. That means the United States could shorten or eliminate its exclusion period, as some European and Latin American countries have done, making more corneas available, he said.
“I think it would be very reasonable to at least shorten the deferral from five years to three months,” he said. “This policy is unnecessarily depriving thousands of patients around the world of the opportunity to see again.”
Puente surveyed “eye banks” that collect donated tissue and estimated anywhere from 1,558 to 3,217 corneas were rejected in 2018 due to the donor’s sexual history. Other tissues not considered lifesaving, like skin and bone, also can’t be donated if a male donor had sex with a man in the last five years, but it’s a less pressing problem because donors who are eligible can give substantial amounts, he said.
“People only have two corneas, but your body is full of bone and covered in skin,” he said.
In April, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration loosened the exclusion for blood donors, requiring gay and bisexual men to abstain for three months before donating, rather than one year. There is no automatic exclusion for donating other organs, like the heart or kidneys, though potential recipients are told why the donor was flagged as higher-risk and asked if they’re comfortable receiving the organ.
Kevin Corcoran, president and CEO of the Eye Bank Association of America, said the United States as a whole has enough corneas to serve its residents who need transplants, but most countries don’t, either because they don’t have the organ donation infrastructure or because certain infections that damage the cornea are more common. The United States exports about 25,000 corneas annually, but the worldwide demand is estimated at 12.7 million.
The eye bank association is pushing the FDA to shorten the deferral period, if not eliminate it altogether, he said.
“The policy probably was draconian (in the ’90s),” he said. “It certainly is now.”
Blood samples from cornea donors are tested for HIV, syphilis and hepatitis B and C before their corneas can be implanted into a recipient, according to the Eye Bank Association of America. Donors who tests positive for one of those blood-borne diseases can’t donate tissue like corneas, though they might be able to give organs like the heart to people who already have HIV or hepatitis.
Robert Austin, spokesman for the Rocky Mountain Lions Eye Bank, said they were required to reject 10 corneas in 2018 because of a donor’s sexual history. About 70% of Colorado residents who have a driver’s license have signed up to be organ and tissue donors, so there’s no shortage of corneas locally, he said.
When a person who has signed up to be an organ and tissue donor dies, a representative from the eye bank meets with the potential donor’s closest relative and asks questions about the donor’s history, which are similar to those asked when someone donates blood. While men who have sex with men are still at a higher statistical risk of contracting HIV than the overall population, focusing on behaviors like having multiple partners could identify high-risk donors, without ruling out those who could donate safely, Austin said.
Sheryl Moore, a Des Moines mom who started lobbying to change the donor exclusion rules after her son died at 16, said she’s seen more interest in the scientific and medical communities about making changes lately than she did when she first began talking to her congressman in 2014. Her son, A.J. Betts, died by suicide after being bullied for being gay, and learning some of his tissues were “wasted” was a kind of the final insult, she said.
“Getting the law changed so gay men can donate corneas would mean my son changed the world,” she said. “When you lose a child, your greatest fear is that they will be forgotten.”


thedenverpost--2020-12-09--Denver police chief promises change after scathing report on George Floyd protest response

Denver ’ s police chief on Tuesday promised to implement sweeping changes to how his department handles protests in response to a report from the city ’ s police watchdog that slammed the department ’ s response to the George Floyd protests earlier this year .
Chief Paul Pazen agreed to 15 of the 16 policy changes the Office of the Independent Monitor recommended in a report released Tuesday morning that criticized the police department ’ s poor communication , revealed its nonexistent record keeping and noted several examples of officers using excessive force against peaceful protesters .
“ I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ department ’ s actions , ” Pazen said during a Tuesday afternoon new conference .
“ We will use this report to improve.
” The independent monitor ’ s investigation found that Denver police failed to record body camera footage during the protests , failed to adequately track uses of force , failed to communicate effectively internally and failed to display identification .
These failures not only made it difficult for police leaders to track the effectiveness of their efforts and make adjustments during the protests , but also made it extremely difficult @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and investigate allegations of officers ’ wrongdoing , the report found .
Pazen repeatedly blamed the mistakes on the unplanned nature of the protests and their enormous scale and said the department did not have time to prepare , even though the protests lasted several days .
He said officers did not complete use-of-force reports in a timely manner because they were exhausted after 12- to 14-hour shifts .
He said many officers ’ riot gear made it difficult for them to affix body cameras and identification .
“ The word unprecedented has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
“ It is underused when talking about the challenges we faced.
” The independent monitor ’ s recommendations are wide-ranging — from creating a system to track the use of less-lethal weapons to participating in joint crowd-control trainings with other law enforcement agencies in the Denver area .
Some are more basic , like requiring the department to keep track of which officers are responding to a demonstration , which the department did not do during the George Floyd protests .
The main findings of the report resonated with what protesters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ between May 28 and June 1 .
“ As a community member and a community organizer , I think it validated our experiences , ” said Apryl Alexander , an organizer with Black Lives Matter 5280 and a member of Denver ’ s Citizen Oversight Board who attended protests .
“ We saw what was happening downtown with the indiscriminate use of chemical weapons.
” The report ’ s findings were also no surprise to organizers at the Colorado branch of the National Lawyers Guild , which had legal observers at the protests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The observers ’ notes provided a good overview of tactics and problems , said Jes Jones , an organizer with the Colorado chapter and a criminal defense attorney .
“ That excessive force was apparent from every story , ” Jones said .
“ There were protesters who described themselves as being hunted by police , as being corralled by police .
The stories were consistent and egregious.
” No officers have been disciplined in connection with the protests besides an officer Pazen fired for a social media post .
More than 50 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
At least 56 internal investigations have been closed , according to the independent monitor ’ s report , including 20 that were closed in part because the offending officer could not be identified .
Tim Lomas , 58 , still has an internal affairs case open after he was injured by police May 30 .
Lomas had been peacefully protesting for about 30 minutes when an officer sprayed him in the face with pepper spray without warning .
Video that Lomas recorded shows the officer was off to his right when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which burned his skin for at least a day .
Lomas reported the incident to Denver police internal affairs on June 2 but has not heard whether the officer has even been identified .
An email chain he shared with The Denver Post showed he had to follow up repeatedly with internal affairs investigators about his case , which has been reassigned at least once .
“ There ’ s really been no information , nobody has really been forthcoming , ” he said .
Identifying a specific officer has also been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was a bystander when a Denver police officer shot him in the eye with a less-lethal round .
Denver prosecutors told Feldmann that they could not prosecute the officer who shot him , permanently blinding him in one eye , because that specific officer could not be identified , said Birk Baumgartner , who is representing both Feldmann and Lomas .
“ For the Denver police , this was not about crowd control , this was about retaliation against protesters , ” said Baumgartner , who has been working on a lawsuit against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The independent monitor ’ s report recommended that the department : • Track the use of less-lethal munitions , like pepper ball and tear gas • Create lists of which officers respond to a demonstration • Require all officers responding to a protest to wear and use body cameras • Require officers to issue complete dispersal orders before using less-lethal weapons and that those orders are recorded • Enforce rules that officers must display their name and badge number during crowd-control events • Ban the use of rubber pellet grenades during crowd-control @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can use flash-bang grenades and creating stricter standards for when they can use pepper-ball guns • Create written mutual aid agreements with other law enforcement agencies and participate in joint training Pazen said the department would post all of the independent monitor ’ s recommendations to its website and would indicate whether the change has been made or provide a timeline for when the change would happen .
The only recommendation Pazen did not fully agree with was that officers from other agencies must comply with Denver ’ s use-of-force standards and are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Changes insufficient for some But these changes aren ’ t enough , Jones and others said .
“ The idea that body cameras and transparency is going to solve the over-policing and excessive force against our minority communities is just not true , ” she said , noting the many police officers chose to not use body cameras during the protests .
City Councilwoman Candi CdeBaca called for the police department ’ s budget to be reduced in response to the report .
“ When we are transforming an inherently racist and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be off the table — including changes in leadership and immediately redirecting a portion of the DPD budget to repairing the harm and rebuilding the public ’ s trust , ” she said in a statement .
Alexandra Barbour , a doctoral candidate at the University of Colorado who was injured by police while protested on May 31 , said the report shows that Denver ’ s accountability systems are broken .
“ Based on my experience it really felt like my right to be protesting was not being respected , as an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” she said .
“ It felt like they were trying by any means necessary to end the protests , to make them stop .
”

Denver’s police chief on Tuesday promised to implement sweeping changes to how his department handles protests in response to a report from the city’s police watchdog that slammed the department’s response to the George Floyd protests earlier this year.
Chief Paul Pazen agreed to 15 of the 16 policy changes the Office of the Independent Monitor recommended in a report released Tuesday morning that criticized the police department’s poor communication, revealed its nonexistent record keeping and noted several examples of officers using excessive force against peaceful protesters.
“I do take accountability and responsibility for our department’s actions,” Pazen said during a Tuesday afternoon new conference. “We will use this report to improve.”
The independent monitor’s investigation found that Denver police failed to record body camera footage during the protests, failed to adequately track uses of force, failed to communicate effectively internally and failed to display identification. These failures not only made it difficult for police leaders to track the effectiveness of their efforts and make adjustments during the protests, but also made it extremely difficult to evaluate the department after the fact and investigate allegations of officers’ wrongdoing, the report found.
Pazen repeatedly blamed the mistakes on the unplanned nature of the protests and their enormous scale and said the department did not have time to prepare, even though the protests lasted several days. He said officers did not complete use-of-force reports in a timely manner because they were exhausted after 12- to 14-hour shifts. He said many officers’ riot gear made it difficult for them to affix body cameras and identification.
“The word unprecedented has been overused in 2020,” Pazen said. “It is underused when talking about the challenges we faced.”
The independent monitor’s recommendations are wide-ranging — from creating a system to track the use of less-lethal weapons to participating in joint crowd-control trainings with other law enforcement agencies in the Denver area. Some are more basic, like requiring the department to keep track of which officers are responding to a demonstration, which the department did not do during the George Floyd protests.
“Validated our experiences”
The main findings of the report resonated with what protesters saw during five tumultuous days of protests between May 28 and June 1.
“As a community member and a community organizer, I think it validated our experiences,” said Apryl Alexander, an organizer with Black Lives Matter 5280 and a member of Denver’s Citizen Oversight Board who attended protests. “We saw what was happening downtown with the indiscriminate use of chemical weapons.”
The report’s findings were also no surprise to organizers at the Colorado branch of the National Lawyers Guild, which had legal observers at the protests watching how police interacted with people. The observers’ notes provided a good overview of tactics and problems, said Jes Jones, an organizer with the Colorado chapter and a criminal defense attorney.
“That excessive force was apparent from every story,” Jones said. “There were protesters who described themselves as being hunted by police, as being corralled by police. The stories were consistent and egregious.”
No officers have been disciplined in connection with the protests besides an officer Pazen fired for a social media post. More than 50 internal affairs investigations are ongoing, Pazen said. At least 56 internal investigations have been closed, according to the independent monitor’s report, including 20 that were closed in part because the offending officer could not be identified.
Tim Lomas, 58, still has an internal affairs case open after he was injured by police May 30. Lomas had been peacefully protesting for about 30 minutes when an officer sprayed him in the face with pepper spray without warning. Video that Lomas recorded shows the officer was off to his right when the officer sprayed him in the face, which burned his skin for at least a day.
Lomas reported the incident to Denver police internal affairs on June 2 but has not heard whether the officer has even been identified. An email chain he shared with The Denver Post showed he had to follow up repeatedly with internal affairs investigators about his case, which has been reassigned at least once.
“There’s really been no information, nobody has really been forthcoming,” he said.
Identifying a specific officer has also been a problem for Jax Feldmann, who was a bystander when a Denver police officer shot him in the eye with a less-lethal round. Denver prosecutors told Feldmann that they could not prosecute the officer who shot him, permanently blinding him in one eye, because that specific officer could not be identified, said Birk Baumgartner, who is representing both Feldmann and Lomas.
“For the Denver police, this was not about crowd control, this was about retaliation against protesters,” said Baumgartner, who has been working on a lawsuit against the department in connection to the protests.
The independent monitor’s report recommended that the department:
Track the use of less-lethal munitions, like pepper ball and tear gas
Create lists of which officers respond to a demonstration
Require all officers responding to a protest to wear and use body cameras
Require officers to issue complete dispersal orders before using less-lethal weapons and that those orders are recorded
Enforce rules that officers must display their name and badge number during crowd-control events
Ban the use of rubber pellet grenades during crowd-control situations
Create rules for when officers can use flash-bang grenades and creating stricter standards for when they can use pepper-ball guns
Require officers to promptly write detailed use-of-force reports
Create written mutual aid agreements with other law enforcement agencies and participate in joint training
Pazen said the department would post all of the independent monitor’s recommendations to its website and would indicate whether the change has been made or provide a timeline for when the change would happen.
The only recommendation Pazen did not fully agree with was that officers from other agencies must comply with Denver’s use-of-force standards and are limited to weapons approved by the city.
Changes insufficient for some
But these changes aren’t enough, Jones and others said.
“The idea that body cameras and transparency is going to solve the over-policing and excessive force against our minority communities is just not true,” she said, noting the many police officers chose to not use body cameras during the protests.
City Councilwoman Candi CdeBaca called for the police department’s budget to be reduced in response to the report.
“When we are transforming an inherently racist and persistently violent institution, no option should be off the table — including changes in leadership and immediately redirecting a portion of the DPD budget to repairing the harm and rebuilding the public’s trust,” she said in a statement.
Alexandra Barbour, a doctoral candidate at the University of Colorado who was injured by police while protested on May 31, said the report shows that Denver’s accountability systems are broken.
“Based on my experience it really felt like my right to be protesting was not being respected, as an individual and part of the group,” she said. “It felt like they were trying by any means necessary to end the protests, to make them stop.”


thedenverpost--2020-12-09--Rockies Mailbag: Did Larry Walker open the door for Todd Helton to the Baseball Hall of Fame?

Denver Post sports writer Patrick Saunders with the latest installment of his Rockies Mailbag .
Pose a Rockies — or MLB — related question for the Rockies Mailbag .
Hey Patrick , as always , appreciate your continued great writing !
My question is about the Hall of Fame voting .
You wrote a great column last month about Todd Helton ’ s candidacy .
Already in early vote releases , he ’ s picked up an additional six votes vs. 2019 .
While it ’ s clear that he won ’ t make it this year , if things @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % .
Have you talked recently with your fellow baseball writers about their thoughts on his candidacy , and if Larry Walker ’ s vote for induction last year affected their views ?
Or is there an increasing appreciation of advanced metrics , or something else ?
Thanks !
Hey , Ron , thanks for the compliment and thanks for reading .
I think your prognosis regarding Helton is pretty accurate and breaking 50 % in 2021 is possible .
But reaching the magic 75 % threshold is a different matter .
Talking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opinions as well , I ’ ve received mixed messages regarding Helton .
I get the sense that a lot of writers , particularly those on the East Coast who didn ’ t not see Helton play very often , view him as a very good , perhaps even great player .
But they don ’ t think he ’ s a Hall of Fame player .
So it ’ s going to be an uphill road for Helton to make it to Cooperstown .
Yes , I do think Walker ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the door a bit for Helton by reducing some of the Coors Field stigma .
The use of advanced metrics as a Hall of Fame barometer cuts both ways .
And those who support Helton ’ s bid for induction ( such as myself ) and those who oppose it , will pick and choose their numbers to state their case .
That ’ s how it works these days .
I would suggest you read Jay Jaffe ’ s analysis of Helton .
I think it ’ s fair and incredibly in-depth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ OPS+ , Helton doesn ’ t stand out quite as much .
For example , he had five top-10 appearances in OPS+ ( three of them in the top five ) , and his career mark of 133 is excellent , but not world-beating .
He trails 14 of the 21 enshrined first basemen and is tied with another ( Orlando Cepeda ) and ranks last among the aforementioned 19 .300/.400/.500 hitters , eight points behind the two players tied for 17th , Walker and Chipper Jones .
If that ’ s the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that Helton ’ s longevity was worth something in this context , even given his end-of-career struggles .
His 424 batting runs , the primary offensive component of WAR , is 14th among all first basemen , only nine of whom are enshrined .
And this is how Jaffe sums up the case for Helton : “ Like Walker before him , Helton ’ s supporters are going to have to stick around for the long haul .
He won ’ t face anything close to the same crunch for space on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year or in the next few , but his case also isn ’ t quite as strong .
One way or another , this isn ’ t going to happen overnight.
” What are the current odds ( your guess ) that both Nolan Arenado and Trevor Story are on the Rockies for the 2022 season ?
Kent , my guess ( I hope it ’ s educated ) is that the chance is very slim that both players will suit up for the Rockies in 2022 .
As I ’ m sure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ become a free agent after 2021 and he ’ s going to be a popular target .
Arenado ’ s career in Colorado remains in limbo , which I explored in a story in Wednesday ’ s Denver Post .
If Arenado is traded , I could see the Rockies attempting to sign Story to a long-term deal before he becomes a free agent .
If Arenado is still on the team in 2021 and he accepts that he ’ s in Colorado for the long haul , I think Story is gone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you think the Rockies ’ MiLB system will look like in 2021 ?
Thanks !
Hey Renee , I answered this question , as best I could , in last week ’ s mailbag .
I ’ ll repeat my response here : “ I asked farm director Zach Wilson to address your question and he said he didn ’ t want to comment until final decisions have been made .
As I ’ m sure you are aware , the Grand Junction Rockies are no longer Colorado ’ s rookie-league team , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ revamped Pioneer League .
I ’ m pretty sure that Triple-A Albuquerque will remain the Rockies ’ highest-level farm team , but after that , nothing is certain .
There have been reports that the Rockies will have their Class-A Advanced team moved to Fresno , Calif. , and drop Lancaster but that ’ s not a certainty .
I believe the Rockies will stay tied to Double-A Hartford and Class-A Asheville , but that ’ s not a certainty .
Major League Baseball is trying to “ regionalize ” minor league teams.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ being let go we will see more of the Josh-Fuentes-in-the-outfield experiment or will they just roll with him at first base .
Or neither ?
Michael , as it stands now , Fuentes is the favorite to start at first base .
Is he Colorado ’ s long-term solution at first base ?
As I noted in a recent story , that remains to be seen .
Personally , I would love to see him thrive and have a great career because he ’ s the kind of guy you root for and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the idea of using Fuentes in the outfield and they might experiment with that during spring training , but I think of him primarily as a first baseman and secondarily as a third baseman .
Are general manager Jeff Bridich and owner Dick Monfort aware of how bad they ’ re alienating their fans ?
I ’ ve been a fan since 1993 and have never been so disinterested in this team .
Corey , I ’ m sure they are aware that fans are disgruntled .
They have to be .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ seasons but bad baseball during those two seasons — have soured many Rockies fans .
That ’ s what losing does , regardless of what franchise in being talked about .
I also think fans who play close attention to the team are understandably frustrated by moves that backfired : spending $ 106 million for a bullpen that turned out to be far from super ; giving Ian Desmond a five-year $ 70 million deal with little to show for it ; signing Daniel Murphy for two years and $ 24 million only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disappointment ; and not attempting to re-sign DJ LeMahieu , who went on to shine with the Yankees after signing a two-year , $ 24 million deal .
I will say , however , that I ’ m certain that a lot of Rockies fans will return to Coors Field when the pandemic ends .
While working on a project about COVID-19 and its impact on sports , I heard from a lot of fans who are eager to get back to rooting for the team .
Assuming nothing changes with the roster @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spot ?
Aaron , from top to bottom , this would be my rotation for 2021 : Right-hander German Marquez , right-hander Antonio Senzatela , lefty Kyle Freeland , right-hander Jon Gray and right-hander Ryan Castellani .
Castellani , obviously , has a lot of growth ahead of him , but if Gray can rebound , the Rockies ’ rotation looks relatively solid .
I ’ m excited to see lefty Ryan Rolison make his big-league debut .
He ’ s only reached the high-A level but he impressed in summer camp .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 2021 .
Patrick , I hope things are well with you .
It seems like the Rockies ’ downfall began with Jeff Bridich not re-signing DJ LeMahieu .
Ever since , the team ’ s just been tumbling down flights of stairs to the basement .
But my question isn ’ t about DJ — it ’ s a foregone conclusion he would have been amazing .
My query is about guys like Gerardo Parra and Carlos Gonzalez .
Parra became the Nationals ’ spark plug with his lighthearted clubhouse presence .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ made him a sweetheart with the fans , too .
And just having CarGo around for his veteran experience and Nolan Arenado ’ s running mate goes a long ways .
Do you think the Rockies would have made a run at the playoffs in 2019 if they kept both those guys ?
If they did , Nolan Arenado probably wouldn ’ t be so disgruntled .
Phil , no I don ’ t think the Rockies would have made the playoffs in 2019 with CarGo and Parra on the roster .
Colorado @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disaster and no amount of spirit in the clubhouse would have made up for that .
And let ’ s face it , the time was up for both CarGo and Parra in Colorado and it was time to move on .
Arenado ’ s beef had little to do with losing CarGo .
He wanted the team to make bold moves to improve the team after success in 2017-18 .
His quarrel is with the front office and I don ’ t think CarGo would have soothed those hard feelings .
Denver @ @ @ @ @ @ @ latest installment of his Rockies Mailbag .
Pose a Rockies — or MLB — related question for the Rockies Mailbag .

Denver Post sports writer Patrick Saunders with the latest installment of his Rockies Mailbag.
Pose a Rockies — or MLB — related question for the Rockies Mailbag.
Hey Patrick, as always, appreciate your continued great writing!
My question is about the Hall of Fame voting. You wrote a great column last month about Todd Helton’s candidacy. Already in early vote releases, he’s picked up an additional six votes vs. 2019. While it’s clear that he won’t make it this year, if things go well, he might break 50%. Have you talked recently with your fellow baseball writers about their thoughts on his candidacy, and if Larry Walker’s vote for induction last year affected their views? Or is there an increasing appreciation of advanced metrics, or something else? Thanks!
— Ron Anderson, Denver
Hey, Ron, thanks for the compliment and thanks for reading.
I think your prognosis regarding Helton is pretty accurate and breaking 50% in 2021 is possible. But reaching the magic 75% threshold is a different matter.
Talking with other writers, and reading their opinions as well, I’ve received mixed messages regarding Helton. I get the sense that a lot of writers, particularly those on the East Coast who didn’t not see Helton play very often, view him as a very good, perhaps even great player. But they don’t think he’s a Hall of Fame player. So it’s going to be an uphill road for Helton to make it to Cooperstown.
Yes, I do think Walker’s election into the Hall of Fame opened the door a bit for Helton by reducing some of the Coors Field stigma.
The use of advanced metrics as a Hall of Fame barometer cuts both ways. And those who support Helton’s bid for induction (such as myself) and those who oppose it, will pick and choose their numbers to state their case. That’s how it works these days.
I would suggest you read Jay Jaffe’s analysis of Helton. I think it’s fair and incredibly in-depth.
Here is an example:
By OPS+, Helton doesn’t stand out quite as much. For example, he had five top-10 appearances in OPS+ (three of them in the top five), and his career mark of 133 is excellent, but not world-beating. He trails 14 of the 21 enshrined first basemen and is tied with another (Orlando Cepeda) and ranks last among the aforementioned 19 .300/.400/.500 hitters, eight points behind the two players tied for 17th, Walker and Chipper Jones.
If that’s the bad news, the good news is that Helton’s longevity was worth something in this context, even given his end-of-career struggles. His 424 batting runs, the primary offensive component of WAR, is 14th among all first basemen, only nine of whom are enshrined.
And this is how Jaffe sums up the case for Helton: “Like Walker before him, Helton’s supporters are going to have to stick around for the long haul. He won’t face anything close to the same crunch for space on the ballot as Walker did, either this year or in the next few, but his case also isn’t quite as strong. One way or another, this isn’t going to happen overnight.”
What are the current odds (your guess) that both Nolan Arenado and Trevor Story are on the Rockies for the 2022 season?
— Kent, Greeley
Kent, my guess (I hope it’s educated) is that the chance is very slim that both players will suit up for the Rockies in 2022. As I’m sure you know, Story is set to become a free agent after 2021 and he’s going to be a popular target. Arenado’s career in Colorado remains in limbo, which I explored in a story in Wednesday’s Denver Post.
If Arenado is traded, I could see the Rockies attempting to sign Story to a long-term deal before he becomes a free agent. If Arenado is still on the team in 2021 and he accepts that he’s in Colorado for the long haul, I think Story is gone.
So, Patrick, what do you think the Rockies’ MiLB system will look like in 2021? Thanks!
— Renee Dechert, Powell, Wyo.
Hey Renee, I answered this question, as best I could, in last week’s mailbag. I’ll repeat my response here:
“I asked farm director Zach Wilson to address your question and he said he didn’t want to comment until final decisions have been made.
As I’m sure you are aware, the Grand Junction Rockies are no longer Colorado’s rookie-league team, having become an independent team in the revamped Pioneer League.
I’m pretty sure that Triple-A Albuquerque will remain the Rockies’ highest-level farm team, but after that, nothing is certain. There have been reports that the Rockies will have their Class-A Advanced team moved to Fresno, Calif., and drop Lancaster but that’s not a certainty.
I believe the Rockies will stay tied to Double-A Hartford and Class-A Asheville, but that’s not a certainty. Major League Baseball is trying to “regionalize” minor league teams.”
Do you think with David Dahl being let go we will see more of the Josh-Fuentes-in-the-outfield experiment or will they just roll with him at first base. Or neither?
— Michael Wade, Mission Viejo, Calif.
Michael, as it stands now, Fuentes is the favorite to start at first base. Is he Colorado’s long-term solution at first base? As I noted in a recent story, that remains to be seen.
Personally, I would love to see him thrive and have a great career because he’s the kind of guy you root for and hope succeeds.
The Rockies have toyed with the idea of using Fuentes in the outfield and they might experiment with that during spring training, but I think of him primarily as a first baseman and secondarily as a third baseman.
Are general manager Jeff Bridich and owner Dick Monfort aware of how bad they’re alienating their fans? I’ve been a fan since 1993 and have never been so disinterested in this team.
— Corey, Tucson, Ariz.
Corey, I’m sure they are aware that fans are disgruntled. They have to be.
Two losing seasons – not just losing seasons but bad baseball during those two seasons — have soured many Rockies fans. That’s what losing does, regardless of what franchise in being talked about.
I also think fans who play close attention to the team are understandably frustrated by moves that backfired: spending $106 million for a bullpen that turned out to be far from super; giving Ian Desmond a five-year $70 million deal with little to show for it; signing Daniel Murphy for two years and $24 million only to see Murphy turn into a huge disappointment; and not attempting to re-sign DJ LeMahieu, who went on to shine with the Yankees after signing a two-year, $24 million deal.
I will say, however, that I’m certain that a lot of Rockies fans will return to Coors Field when the pandemic ends. While working on a project about COVID-19 and its impact on sports, I heard from a lot of fans who are eager to get back to rooting for the team.
Assuming nothing changes with the roster, who slots into the fifth rotation spot?
— Aaron, Emporia, Kan.
Aaron, from top to bottom, this would be my rotation for 2021: Right-hander German Marquez, right-hander Antonio Senzatela, lefty Kyle Freeland, right-hander Jon Gray and right-hander Ryan Castellani.
Castellani, obviously, has a lot of growth ahead of him, but if Gray can rebound, the Rockies’ rotation looks relatively solid.
I’m excited to see lefty Ryan Rolison make his big-league debut. He’s only reached the high-A level but he impressed in summer camp. I think we’ll see him in 2021.
Patrick, I hope things are well with you. It seems like the Rockies’ downfall began with Jeff Bridich not re-signing DJ LeMahieu. Ever since, the team’s just been tumbling down flights of stairs to the basement.
But my question isn’t about DJ — it’s a foregone conclusion he would have been amazing. My query is about guys like Gerardo Parra and Carlos Gonzalez. Parra became the Nationals’ spark plug with his lighthearted clubhouse presence. That whole “Baby Shark” thing made him a sweetheart with the fans, too. And just having CarGo around for his veteran experience and Nolan Arenado’s running mate goes a long ways. Do you think the Rockies would have made a run at the playoffs in 2019 if they kept both those guys? If they did, Nolan Arenado probably wouldn’t be so disgruntled.
— Phil, Longmont
Phil, no I don’t think the Rockies would have made the playoffs in 2019 with CarGo and Parra on the roster. Colorado’s pitching in 2019 was a disaster and no amount of spirit in the clubhouse would have made up for that. And let’s face it, the time was up for both CarGo and Parra in Colorado and it was time to move on.
Arenado’s beef had little to do with losing CarGo. He wanted the team to make bold moves to improve the team after success in 2017-18. His quarrel is with the front office and I don’t think CarGo would have soothed those hard feelings.
Denver Post sports writer Patrick Saunders with the latest installment of his Rockies Mailbag.
Pose a Rockies — or MLB — related question for the Rockies Mailbag.