thedenverpost--2020-05-03--Keeler: Meet the Grandview girls basketball coach who rallied to beat coronavirus

The running joke , although it ’ s probably more of a flying one , is that Robert Dennis really is Superman ’ s grandson , more powerful than a locomotive .
The truth is more nuanced .
Also , pretty cool .
Grandpa Walt Dennis didn ’ t descend upon this Earth in a rocket from the doomed planet of Krypton .
But he was , as the legend goes , the physical model for Clark Kent in the late 1930s .
When you stick a picture of a young Walt next to one of Joe Shuster ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Same round specs .
Same square jaw .
In those thrilling days of yesteryear , Walt , like Clark , happened to be a mild-mannered reporter .
And a pen pal of Superman co-creators Shuster and Jerry Siegel , with whom the elder Dennis shared a love of science fiction .
“ It ’ s funny , because you can look back at the original ( Shuster ) drawing and Robert ’ s grandfather and say , ‘ Oh , wow , it still looks like him , ’ ” says Suzanne @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ So that ’ s why the grandkids said , ‘ Pop can ’ t die .
He ’ s a real-life super hero .
Superman doesn ’ t die.
’ They now really think he ’ s a real-life super hero because he ’ s gone from death ’ s door to up and walking and talking again.
” Superman hasn ’ t been able to leap a building taller than a matchbox for more than a month .
But he ’ s rallying .
Slowly .
He smiles .
On the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the way an AM radio signal does in the middle of a summer night .
“ Sorry , ” he says softly .
“ Have to breathe.
” The Grandview assistant girls basketball coach is calling via FaceTime from his bed at Spalding Rehabilitation Hospital , where he ’ s on the latest round of a month-long boxing match with the novel coronavirus .
Robert ’ s lungs are shot to holy heck .
His paragraphs have gone from single to double spaced .
But he ’ s leading on the judges @ @ @ @ @ @ @ considering that Dennis , 58 , spent the first third of the match eating nothing but canvas .
“ Literally , 10 days ago it took me an hour to walk 30 yards , ” he says .
“ I ’ m making incredible progress .
It ’ s just that it ’ s taken some time.
” “ I walked down and up nine stairs yesterday .
That ’ s the first time I ’ ve tried nine stairs .
Took me 40 minutes.
” “ They want me to get rid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on two liters right now .
I got down from three liters , and they want me to go down to one or none.
” “ So I ’ m learning how to sit up and catch my breath .
And nobody thinks about breathing until your lungs don ’ t work.
” This from a man who ’ s run 30 marathons , whose daily joy is walking his two dogs out on the trail about a mile and a half from home .
COVID-19 doesn ’ t mess around .
Or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t care if you ’ re rich or poor , urban or rural .
It doesn ’ t give a horse ’ s patootie if you lean red or blue , if you ’ re Von Miller or Robert Dennis .
He doesn ’ t know from where it came .
Or how .
Or why .
The days just after the Wolves topped Valor Christian in the Class 5A semis on March 12 , setting up a title game rematch with Cherry Creek , he felt fine .
Robert walked all 18 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and 18 .
No issues .
Two days later , he had a temperature of 103 .
He spent the weekend of the 21st and 22nd alternating between vomiting and diarrhea .
His grandkids were staying with he and Suzanne in their Centennial home at the time , and Robert quarantined himself to his bedroom as his breathing became more labored .
“ All I could think was , ‘ If they catch this , it will kill them , ’ ” he says .
“ And I couldn ’ t live with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the grandkids .
To his three daughters .
To the thoughts and tears of friends .
To Josh Ulitzky , Grandview ’ s girls basketball coach , the Phil Jackson to Robert ’ s Tex Winter .
To the staff at Overland High School , where he teaches social studies .
To the ICU nurses and doctors at Sky Ridge Medical Center .
To the therapy team at Spalding .
To Suzanne , after four decades , still his rock and his muse .
Suzanne , who ’ d checked him into the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The next day , he was intubated , followed by 13 days in a coma .
“ I ’ m alive because of those doctors , ” he says , “ All those controversial drugs ?
I ’ ve had them all .
None of them were working.
” After more than a week , they tried something that did : pronation .
Doctors put Robert on his belly , and the fluid started draining out of his lungs .
The appetite returned .
Ice chips and popsicles tasted like pure nectar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ turn the computer on or the television on and ( read that ) 10 more died overnight in Colorado , ” Suzanne says .
“ His chance of survival , when they called , there wasn ’ t a number low enough to give me a survival chance .
Watching these numbers go up exponentially , it ’ s hard to wrap your mind around anything positive.
” While Robert ’ s body fought back , Suzanne realized she ’ d contracted the virus herself .
Grandma spent 18 days at home in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wondering , praying , that her husband would do the same .
“ You have no strength , you have no will , ” she says .
“ You just feel so hopeless and helpless.
” Whenever she had to drop the rope , the kids stepped in to pick the thing back up again , to keep pulling .
“ I think that ’ s the toughest part on them , that when we were both sick , they were worried that they were going to lose us both , ” Suzanne @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from two ( parents ) to none , basically overnight ?
But they don ’ t have to worry about that anymore.
” They don ’ t have to worry about the occasional stogie , a treat that Robert saved for poker games with friends .
“ Cigars , ” one doctor scolded Suzanne , “ are a thing of the past.
” “ I hope you tell him that , ” she replied .
“ Oh , I ’ ll tell him .
He ’ s got 99 percent lung damage .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ s doing at least 3.5 hours of rehab a day .
An hour on re-learning the basics of dressing and bathing .
Roughly 90 minutes of exercise .
A half-hour or more of mental primers , word games , giving the brain a little jog .
“ I ’ m still razor-sharp with numbers , ” Robert says .
“ The words , that side of the brain , especially , it ’ s really good to slow down .
That ’ s the biggest thing I ’ m coming out of rehab @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
‘ Where are you going ?
What ’ s the hurry ?
’ “ I just went 90 miles per hour for 50 years .
And then I just got hit by a bus.
” The numbers hurt .
Robert is coming up on two weeks at Spalding .
It ’ s been more than 40 days since he last held or hugged Suzanne , the love of his life .
“ It ’ s hard as hell , ” he says .
“ And guess what ?
I ’ m lucky @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t have the resources of the insurance or whatever , and they ’ re out there , just suffering and dying ?
I ’ m really lucky.
” “ Everyone who didn ’ t make it has a family.
” Robert and Suzanne have five grandchildren .
The oldest , Bralyn , who ’ s 12 , “ thinks Robert just hung the moon , ” Suzanne says .
The pair FaceTimed on Easter Sunday .
Seeing Grandpa with the ventilator mask , taking those pauses to breathe , shook the boy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ever forget the first time you see your father cry .
Or the first time your heroes appear helpless and human .
“ I just can ’ t stand to see him hurting like that , ” he said to Suzanne .
“ You don ’ t have to ( talk ) , ” she replied .
“ You don ’ t have to FaceTime him anymore if you don ’ t want to .
When he gets home , you can love on him all you want.
” Superman ’ s almost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ caring hands , it ’ s amazing how far a man can fly .

The running joke, although it’s probably more of a flying one, is that Robert Dennis really is Superman’s grandson, more powerful than a locomotive.
The truth is more nuanced. Also, pretty cool. Grandpa Walt Dennis didn’t descend upon this Earth in a rocket from the doomed planet of Krypton. But he was, as the legend goes, the physical model for Clark Kent in the late 1930s. When you stick a picture of a young Walt next to one of Joe Shuster’s old drawings, the resemblance is uncanny. Same round specs. Same square jaw.
In those thrilling days of yesteryear, Walt, like Clark, happened to be a mild-mannered reporter. And a pen pal of Superman co-creators Shuster and Jerry Siegel, with whom the elder Dennis shared a love of science fiction.
“It’s funny, because you can look back at the original (Shuster) drawing and Robert’s grandfather and say, ‘Oh, wow, it still looks like him,’” says Suzanne Dennis, Robert’s wife.
“So that’s why the grandkids said, ‘Pop can’t die. He’s a real-life super hero. Superman doesn’t die.’ They now really think he’s a real-life super hero because he’s gone from death’s door to up and walking and talking again.”
***
Superman hasn’t been able to leap a building taller than a matchbox for more than a month. But he’s rallying. Slowly.
“Had a great day today,” Robert says. “In six minutes, I walked 60 yards.”
He smiles. On the last syllable, the voice trails away, the way an AM radio signal does in the middle of a summer night.
“Sorry,” he says softly. “Have to breathe.”
The Grandview assistant girls basketball coach is calling via FaceTime from his bed at Spalding Rehabilitation Hospital, where he’s on the latest round of a month-long boxing match with the novel coronavirus.
Robert’s lungs are shot to holy heck. His paragraphs have gone from single to double spaced. But he’s leading on the judges’ scorecards, which is pretty good considering that Dennis, 58, spent the first third of the match eating nothing but canvas.
“Literally, 10 days ago it took me an hour to walk 30 yards,” he says. “I’m making incredible progress. It’s just that it’s taken some time.”
Breath.
“I walked down and up nine stairs yesterday. That’s the first time I’ve tried nine stairs. Took me 40 minutes.”
Breath.
“They want me to get rid of the oxygen. I’m on two liters right now. I got down from three liters, and they want me to go down to one or none.”
Breath.
“So I’m learning how to sit up and catch my breath. And nobody thinks about breathing until your lungs don’t work.”
This from a man who’s run 30 marathons, whose daily joy is walking his two dogs out on the trail about a mile and a half from home.
COVID-19 doesn’t mess around. Or play favorites. The virus doesn’t care if you’re rich or poor, urban or rural. It doesn’t give a horse’s patootie if you lean red or blue, if you’re Von Miller or Robert Dennis.
He doesn’t know from where it came. Or how. Or why. The days just after the Wolves topped Valor Christian in the Class 5A semis on March 12, setting up a title game rematch with Cherry Creek, he felt fine. Robert walked all 18 holes at Meadow Hills on March 17 and 18. No issues.
Two days later, he had a temperature of 103.
He spent the weekend of the 21st and 22nd alternating between vomiting and diarrhea. His grandkids were staying with he and Suzanne in their Centennial home at the time, and Robert quarantined himself to his bedroom as his breathing became more labored.
“All I could think was, ‘If they catch this, it will kill them,’” he says. “And I couldn’t live with that.”
***
He’s obliged to the grandkids. To his three daughters.
To the thoughts and tears of friends. To Josh Ulitzky, Grandview’s girls basketball coach, the Phil Jackson to Robert’s Tex Winter. To the staff at Overland High School, where he teaches social studies. To the ICU nurses and doctors at Sky Ridge Medical Center. To the therapy team at Spalding.
To Suzanne, after four decades, still his rock and his muse. Suzanne, who’d checked him into the ICU at Sky Ridge on March 26.
The next day, he was intubated, followed by 13 days in a coma.
“I’m alive because of those doctors,” he says, “All those controversial drugs? I’ve had them all. None of them were working.”
After more than a week, they tried something that did: pronation. Doctors put Robert on his belly, and the fluid started draining out of his lungs. The appetite returned. Ice chips and popsicles tasted like pure nectar.
“Every day you’d turn the computer on or the television on and (read that) 10 more died overnight in Colorado,” Suzanne says. “His chance of survival, when they called, there wasn’t a number low enough to give me a survival chance. Watching these numbers go up exponentially, it’s hard to wrap your mind around anything positive.”
While Robert’s body fought back, Suzanne realized she’d contracted the virus herself. Grandma spent 18 days at home in self-quarantine, riding out the storm while wondering, praying, that her husband would do the same.
“You have no strength, you have no will,” she says. “You just feel so hopeless and helpless.”
Whenever she had to drop the rope, the kids stepped in to pick the thing back up again, to keep pulling.
“I think that’s the toughest part on them, that when we were both sick, they were worried that they were going to lose us both,” Suzanne recalls. “How do you go from two (parents) to none, basically overnight? But they don’t have to worry about that anymore.”
***
They don’t have to worry about the occasional stogie, a treat that Robert saved for poker games with friends.
“Cigars,” one doctor scolded Suzanne, “are a thing of the past.”
“I hope you tell him that,” she replied.
“Oh, I’ll tell him. He’s got 99 percent lung damage. He has no capacity.”
He’s doing at least 3.5 hours of rehab a day. An hour on re-learning the basics of dressing and bathing. Roughly 90 minutes of exercise. A half-hour or more of mental primers, word games, giving the brain a little jog.
“I’m still razor-sharp with numbers,” Robert says. “The words, that side of the brain, especially, it’s really good to slow down. That’s the biggest thing I’m coming out of rehab with, is to just slow down. ‘Where are you going? What’s the hurry?’
“I just went 90 miles per hour for 50 years. And then I just got hit by a bus.”
The numbers hurt. Robert is coming up on two weeks at Spalding. It’s been more than 40 days since he last held or hugged Suzanne, the love of his life.
“It’s hard as hell,” he says.
Breath.
“And guess what? I’m lucky. What about the people who don’t have the resources of the insurance or whatever, and they’re out there, just suffering and dying? I’m really lucky.”
Breath.
“Please. Six feet. Wear a mask. Wash your hands.
“Everyone who didn’t make it has a family.”
Robert and Suzanne have five grandchildren. The oldest, Bralyn, who’s 12, “thinks Robert just hung the moon,” Suzanne says.
The pair FaceTimed on Easter Sunday. Seeing Grandpa with the ventilator mask, taking those pauses to breathe, shook the boy up something fierce.
You never, ever forget the first time you see your father cry. Or the first time your heroes appear helpless and human.
Bralyn hung up and wept.
“I just can’t stand to see him hurting like that,” he said to Suzanne.
“You don’t have to (talk),” she replied. “You don’t have to FaceTime him anymore if you don’t want to. When he gets home, you can love on him all you want.”
Superman’s almost there. With enough love, enough caring hands, it’s amazing how far a man can fly.


thedenverpost--2020-05-03--Broncos Insider: Who’s the early frontrunner to be quarterback Drew Lock’s backup?

With 23-year-old quarterback Drew Lock carrying the collective hopes of Broncos Country on his shoulders heading into 2020 , Denver currently has three options for his backup .
Who is most likely to be the team ’ s No .
2 quarterback ?
Here ’ s a look at the too-early case for all three players , plus a prediction .
The 6-foot-2 , 202-pound second-year player was on the active roster for three weeks last year , and also spent ample time on the practice squad .
The 23-year-old originally signed with the team as an undrafted free agent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a historic career at Boise State in which he finished as the Mountain West Conference ’ s all-time leader in passing yards , completions and 300-yard passing games .
Denver signed the 27-year-old to a two-year , $ 5 million deal on March 26 .
The 6-foot-4 , 235-pounder is a fifth-year pro originally drafted by the 49ers in the sixth round in 2016 out of Louisiana Tech after playing four seasons at Florida .
He made five starts for the Bengals in 2018 , going 1-4 , and was 0-3 in his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ career completion percentage is 59.4 and his quarterback rating is 79.6 .
Neal agreed to terms with the team as an undrafted free agent out of Vanderbilt .
The 6-foot-6 , 225-pounder played his final college season with the Commodores as a graduate transfer , quarterbacking 11 games with 149 completions for 1,585 yards and nine touchdowns .
Before that , the 23-year-old was a four-year starter at Ball State , and had his eligibility extended due to a medical redshirt in 2017. Who will be the backup ?
John Elway brought Driskel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reason , to be the backup .
Despite his unspectacular 1-7 starting record , he ’ s a veteran Lock can lean on .
Driskel will be the backup , and beyond him and Lock on the active roster , Rypien and Neal will battle for a practice squad spot as the team ’ s No .
3 quarterback .
NEW 💥 If you enjoy The Denver Post ’ s sports coverage , we have a new subscription offer for you !
Try the first month for just 99¢ + Broncos Mailbag : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tap here to ask Ryan O ’ Halloran .
Transformed from lanky wideout to muscled tight end , Broncos rookie Albert Okwuegbunam can “ stretch the field all over ” Back when Albert Okwuegbunam was a lanky , speedy wideout at Sacred Heart-Griffin High School in Springfield , Ill. , the Cyclones ran what longtime coach Ken Leonard dubbed “ The Man ” offense .
Read more… Why Broncos GM John Elway ’ s bold move to draft two receivers in first two rounds just might work Recent history indicates Elway made a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , uncommon as it may have been .
Read more… Bolles , the team ’ s first-round draft pick in 2017 , is scheduled to make $ 3.5 million this year and will be a free agent next March .
Read more… + Hall of Fame safety Steve Atwater hosting four retrospective shows that examine Broncos ’ first two Super Bowl titles + Keeler : Nick Saban on why he thought Broncos ’ Jerry Jeudy might be first receiver taken in NFL draft + Keeler : Why Broncos rookie KJ Hamler would ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ + Broncos star Von Miller tweets that he is now “ negative ” for COVID-19 + Broncos rookie Jerry Jeudy could be better in the NFL than he was at Alabama , coaches say + Broncos add more defensive line depth by agreeing to terms with veteran Christian Covington + Want Terrell Davis to wish mom a happy birthday ?
Yes , dreams can come true .
+ Grading each AFC team ’ s haul in the 2020 NFL draft + Want to chat about the Broncos ?
Ask to join our closed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ edition of the First-and-Orange podcast , Denver Post sportswriters Kyle Newman and Kyle Fredrickson analyze each of the Broncos ’ 10 picks in the 2020 NFL draft .
Listen here… Who ’ s the greatest Colorado athlete of all-time ?
Vote in the Championship round of our bracket .
No .
1 ranked John Elway takes on No .
3 Joe Sakic in the final round .
That ’ s right , the “ Duke of Denver ” is going against “ Super Joe ” for all the marbles .
Make sure to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Vote here… If you see something that ’ s cause for question or have a comment , thought or suggestion , email me at dboniface @ denverpost.com or tweet me @ danielboniface .

With 23-year-old quarterback Drew Lock carrying the collective hopes of Broncos Country on his shoulders heading into 2020, Denver currently has three options for his backup.
Who is most likely to be the team’s No. 2 quarterback? Here’s a look at the too-early case for all three players, plus a prediction.
Brett Rypien
The 6-foot-2, 202-pound second-year player was on the active roster for three weeks last year, and also spent ample time on the practice squad. The 23-year-old originally signed with the team as an undrafted free agent on May 2, 2019, after a historic career at Boise State in which he finished as the Mountain West Conference’s all-time leader in passing yards, completions and 300-yard passing games.
Jeff Driskel
Denver signed the 27-year-old to a two-year, $5 million deal on March 26. The 6-foot-4, 235-pounder is a fifth-year pro originally drafted by the 49ers in the sixth round in 2016 out of Louisiana Tech after playing four seasons at Florida. He made five starts for the Bengals in 2018, going 1-4, and was 0-3 in his starts for Detroit last year. His career completion percentage is 59.4 and his quarterback rating is 79.6.
Riley Neal
Neal agreed to terms with the team as an undrafted free agent out of Vanderbilt. The 6-foot-6, 225-pounder played his final college season with the Commodores as a graduate transfer, quarterbacking 11 games with 149 completions for 1,585 yards and nine touchdowns. Before that, the 23-year-old was a four-year starter at Ball State, and had his eligibility extended due to a medical redshirt in 2017.
Who will be the backup?
John Elway brought Driskel in as a free agent for a reason, to be the backup. Despite his unspectacular 1-7 starting record, he’s a veteran Lock can lean on. Driskel will be the backup, and beyond him and Lock on the active roster, Rypien and Neal will battle for a practice squad spot as the team’s No. 3 quarterback.
— Kyle Newman, The Denver Post
NEW 💥 If you enjoy The Denver Post’s sports coverage, we have a new subscription offer for you! Try the first month for just 99¢
What’s on tap?
TV/RADIO: Here’s what sports are airing today
Ask the Expert
+ Broncos Mailbag: Have a question about the team? Tap here to ask Ryan O’Halloran.
Must-Read
Back when Albert Okwuegbunam was a lanky, speedy wideout at Sacred Heart-Griffin High School in Springfield, Ill., the Cyclones ran what longtime coach Ken Leonard dubbed “The Man” offense. Read more…
Recent history indicates Elway made a solid decision to hedge his receiver bet, uncommon as it may have been. Read more…
Bolles, the team’s first-round draft pick in 2017, is scheduled to make $3.5 million this year and will be a free agent next March. Read more…
Quick Hits
+ Hall of Fame safety Steve Atwater hosting four retrospective shows that examine Broncos’ first two Super Bowl titles
+ Broncos remaining flexible on season tickets, putting priority on partnership relations amid coronavirus pandemic
+ Keeler: Nick Saban on why he thought Broncos’ Jerry Jeudy might be first receiver taken in NFL draft
+ Keeler: Why Broncos rookie KJ Hamler would’ve had Henry Ruggs eating his dust
+ Broncos star Von Miller tweets that he is now “negative” for COVID-19
+ Broncos rookie Jerry Jeudy could be better in the NFL than he was at Alabama, coaches say
+ Broncos add more defensive line depth by agreeing to terms with veteran Christian Covington
+ Want Terrell Davis to wish mom a happy birthday? Yes, dreams can come true.
+ Grading each AFC team’s haul in the 2020 NFL draft
+ Want to chat about the Broncos? Ask to join our closed discussion group on Facebook.
2020 draft picks
Jerry Jeudy | KJ Hamler | Michael Ojemudia | Lloyd Cushenberry | McTelvin Agim | Albert Okwuegbunam | Justin Strnad | Netane Muti | Tyrie Cleveland | Derrek Tuszka
By The Numbers
Ep. 131
In this edition of the First-and-Orange podcast, Denver Post sportswriters Kyle Newman and Kyle Fredrickson analyze each of the Broncos’ 10 picks in the 2020 NFL draft. Listen here…
Parting Shot
No. 1 ranked John Elway takes on No. 3 Joe Sakic in the final round. That’s right, the “Duke of Denver” is going against “Super Joe” for all the marbles. Make sure to vote and share with friends and family. Vote here…
Get in Touch
If you see something that’s cause for question or have a comment, thought or suggestion, email me at dboniface@denverpost.com or tweet me @danielboniface.


thedenverpost--2020-05-03--Post Premium: Our best stories for the week of April 27-May 3

It ’ s hard to imagine a greater disruption to life as we know it than the coronavirus .
It has us working from home , working in a more dangerous environment or not working at all .
But the crisis is compounded in Weld County , where an oil and gas price war has devastated the industry that powers restaurants and hotels , charities , local governments and school systems .
Today , reporters John Aguilar and Judith Kohler check in with Weld County workers who have been laid off or seen a drop in work , and they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ come .
Colorado ’ s oil and gas country – and its people – suffer from twin hits to industry RELATED : New oil and gas permits in Colorado plunge by 96 % in April from a year earlier Five of our best stories from the past week Meet the Children ’ s Hospital Colorado doctor who fought off coronavirus and returned to the front lines Dr. Matthew Harris , 38 , is the pediatric emergency medical attending physician at Children ’ s Hospital in Aurora and a supervising emergency room doctor .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of 5-year-old twins .
He eats well , exercises and easily manages his mild asthma .
He had not used a sick day in two years .
But in the early stages of the coronavirus pandemic , with fewer than 100 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Colorado , Harris learned he had COVID-19 .
Read more from Kyle Frederickson .
RELATED : Are you a Colorado hospital worker ?
Tell us about your experience with coronavirus .
More than one in five cases in Colorado are related to residential facilities More than one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus in Colorado are related to housing for older people or those with disabilities , with additional outbreaks at food processing facilities and correctional facilities .
Read more from Meg Wingerter .
RELATED : 238 inmates test positive for coronavirus at Sterling prison , the largest known outbreak in Colorado It ’ s unclear just how many metro district seats are up for grabs Tuesday and how many are being challenged by residents who live there .
But some residents say they chose to run after reading Denver Post stories that detailed the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how developers work both sides of financial deals .
Read the latest in our Debt & Democracy series from David Migoya .
RELATED : Metro districts and developers create billions in debt , leaving homeowners with soaring tax bills Pandemic sucking the economic life out of several Colorado counties , hitting tourism spots especially hard Just as the novel coronavirus hits people in different ways , the job losses the pandemic have inflicted are not evenly distributed in Colorado , ranging from Great Depression-era dislocations in some counties to relatively manageable declines in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a deep dive on how different Coloardo counties are faring .
RELATED : Governor says you still shouldn ’ t go to the mountains during new “ safer at home ” phase — The Know Outdoors Colorado mountain lions hit with new hunting plan as people spread Among the world ’ s most elusive predators , mountain lions join black bears in Colorado as the last surviving large carnivores , eating mostly elk and deer .
These solitary cats weigh up to 150 pounds , run as fast as 50 mph and can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ face an uncertain future under a new state plan to let hunters kill up to 15 % a year across western Colorado , and more near subdivisions — rankling animal rights advocates who favor a live-and-let-live approach to wildlife .
Read more from Bruce Finley .
+ “ The differences between the haves and have-nots : ” Latino students disproportionately lack internet access + 93 % of CSU students living in dorms have gone home .
Here ’ s what it ’ s like being one of the few remaining .
+ What @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Denver Nuggets as the NBA tries to get back to work ?
+ Denver scientist leads discovery of new , bizarre mammal species that walked with dinosaurs 66 million years ago + Where to buy local flowers for your mother , your neighbor or yourself — The Know See more great photos like this on The Denver Post ’ s Instagram account .

It’s hard to imagine a greater disruption to life as we know it than the coronavirus. It has us working from home, working in a more dangerous environment or not working at all.
But the crisis is compounded in Weld County, where an oil and gas price war has devastated the industry that powers restaurants and hotels, charities, local governments and school systems.
Today, reporters John Aguilar and Judith Kohler check in with Weld County workers who have been laid off or seen a drop in work, and they look at the wider community impact to come.
— Cindi Andrews, senior editor
Colorado’s oil and gas country – and its people – suffer from twin hits to industry
RELATED: New oil and gas permits in Colorado plunge by 96% in April from a year earlier
Five of our best stories from the past week
Dr. Matthew Harris, 38, is the pediatric emergency medical attending physician at Children’s Hospital in Aurora and a supervising emergency room doctor. He is a husband and the father of 5-year-old twins. He eats well, exercises and easily manages his mild asthma. He had not used a sick day in two years.
But in the early stages of the coronavirus pandemic, with fewer than 100 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Colorado, Harris learned he had COVID-19. Read more from Kyle Frederickson.
RELATED: Are you a Colorado hospital worker? Tell us about your experience with coronavirus.
More than one in five known cases of the new coronavirus in Colorado are related to housing for older people or those with disabilities, with additional outbreaks at food processing facilities and correctional facilities. Read more from Meg Wingerter.
RELATED: 238 inmates test positive for coronavirus at Sterling prison, the largest known outbreak in Colorado
Metro district board candidates face election challenges because of coronavirus restrictions
It’s unclear just how many metro district seats are up for grabs Tuesday and how many are being challenged by residents who live there. But some residents say they chose to run after reading Denver Post stories that detailed the inner workings of metro districts, including how developers work both sides of financial deals. Read the latest in our Debt & Democracy series from David Migoya.
RELATED: Metro districts and developers create billions in debt, leaving homeowners with soaring tax bills
Just as the novel coronavirus hits people in different ways, the job losses the pandemic have inflicted are not evenly distributed in Colorado, ranging from Great Depression-era dislocations in some counties to relatively manageable declines in others. Business reporter Aldo Svaldi takes a deep dive on how different Coloardo counties are faring.
RELATED: Governor says you still shouldn’t go to the mountains during new “safer at home” phase — The Know Outdoors
Among the world’s most elusive predators, mountain lions join black bears in Colorado as the last surviving large carnivores, eating mostly elk and deer. These solitary cats weigh up to 150 pounds, run as fast as 50 mph and can leap 40 feet.
But, they face an uncertain future under a new state plan to let hunters kill up to 15% a year across western Colorado, and more near subdivisions — rankling animal rights advocates who favor a live-and-let-live approach to wildlife. Read more from Bruce Finley.
More important headlines
+ “The differences between the haves and have-nots:” Latino students disproportionately lack internet access
+ Colorado’s Muslims forgo community gatherings as they observe Ramadan amid a pandemic
+ 93% of CSU students living in dorms have gone home. Here’s what it’s like being one of the few remaining.
+ What does May 8 look like for the Denver Nuggets as the NBA tries to get back to work?
+ Gov. Jared Polis outlines state efforts to increase coronavirus testing
+ Development manger settles bid-rigging accusations in Denver convention center expansion
+ Denver scientist leads discovery of new, bizarre mammal species that walked with dinosaurs 66 million years ago
+ Denver sheriff’s deputy fired after lying about missing AR-15 rifle
+ Where to buy local flowers for your mother, your neighbor or yourself — The Know
Photo of the week
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thedenverpost--2020-05-03--Road to Retirement: Does the 4% withdrawal rate still apply?

If you are retired or close to it , you ’ ve probably heard about the 4 % withdrawal rule .
That rule roughly says that if you withdraw 4 % of your retirement portfolio every year , you won ’ t run out of money over a typical 30-year retirement .
So does that rule still apply in an era of record-low interest rates and wild stock market returns ?
It ’ s an important question because your retirement lifestyle is primarily determined by your withdrawal rate — not how much you have saved .
And the withdrawal rate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Let ’ s say you have saved $ 1 million for retirement .
If a safe withdrawal rate is 4 % , then you are living off $ 40,000 a year .
But if a safe withdrawal rate is 6 % , then you can live off $ 60,000 per year .
It ’ s the same amount of savings , but the withdrawal rate determines how you ’ ll live .
So what drives the withdrawal rate ?
It ’ s your future returns that determine how much you can actually live @ @ @ @ @ @ @ earn 8 % on your money for the next 30 years , then you can afford to withdraw 6 % .
There are historical periods that averaged over 8 % on balanced portfolios of stocks and bonds .
For those lucky enough to have retired during one of those periods , they could have lived off of 6 % .
But if you only earn 3 % on your money , and you take out 6 % , you ’ ll run out of money in about 23 years , and that ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ If we have inflation of just 1.5 % , then you would be out of money in about 19 years .
To get a sense of how much you can withdraw , you have to make some estimates of future returns for stocks , bonds and inflation .
Those are the three big inputs that will determine your lifestyle in retirement .
How do we know if you ’ ll earn 8 % or 3 % ?
We don ’ t know , but you can make some reasonable assumptions based on what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ then plan accordingly .
The 4 % withdrawal rate comes from studying the history of stocks , bonds and inflation for about the past 100 years .
Over that time frame , stocks returned about 10 % annualized and U.S. Treasury bonds returned a little over 5 % .
If you had a portfolio that was simply half stocks and half bonds , your expected return would have been about 7.5 % , and would have been enough to support a 4 % withdrawal rate , adjusted each year for inflation .
Now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
For instance , not all periods produced these returns .
These are average returns over 100 years .
But hypothetically even the worst periods historically provided enough return to live off 4 % for about 30 years .
So will this 4 % rule roughly hold up going forward ?
It ’ s not so clear these days because financial market returns are running way below their long-term averages , and we still have some inflation .
That combination of factors will make it harder to live on 4 % .
Over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ return for the S & P 500 stock index is about 5 % annualized , or about half of its long-term average .
Today , bond interest rates are under 2 % , also less than half of their long-term averages .
If you have a portfolio that is 50 % stocks and 50 % bonds , and the stocks produce 5 % going forward and the bonds produce 2 % , your expected return is about 3.5 % for your portfolio .
If you earn 3.5 % a year and take out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , you should be alright .
You ’ ll be spending down your principal , but after 30 years you should still have about 30 % of your money left , which is a reasonable cushion .
Thus , it looks like the 4 % rule should still hold even in a period of lower returns .
Unfortunately , it ’ s not quite that simple .
You ’ ll have to monitor things closely because with such low returns , there is little margin for error .
For instance , let ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some inflation , and instead of inflation at 1.5 % , it goes to 3 % .
Under that scenario , you ’ d run out of money in 27 years .
Or , while stocks might produce 5 % going forward for the next 30 years , the returns from stocks tend to be very volatile .
If you retire and the first several years of returns for stocks are negative or flat , that will increase the risk you ’ ll run out of money in less than 30 years .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ living on 4 % , you don ’ t want to simply “ set it and forget it , ” or you may wake up 20 years from now and realize you don ’ t have enough to support yourself .
Here are a couple rules of thumb to help you navigate this uncertainly .
First , get your cost of living down as low as you can .
This gives you flexibility to drop your distribution rate below 4 % in a tough market and to manage inflation better .
If you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we have inflation , you won ’ t have to increase your distributions as much to pay your bills .
Second , if your portfolio value falls more than 20 % below what you started with because of a bear market , then you should work pretty hard to reduce your distributions .
Even going from 4 % to 3 % for a few years can make a big difference .
Third , if we have years of big stock market gains , consider “ banking ” some of those gains to use @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seen the last few years , we can have big gains , but then they can be gone a month or two later .
Investors are often reluctant to sell stocks when markets are up because they don ’ t want to pay taxes or miss out on future returns .
But in retirement , you are going to be spending the money , so if you have a chance to sell some things when prices are favorable , it ’ s probably smart to build a reservoir for the inevitable lean years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Northstar Investment Advisors LLC .
This article is for information and education purposes only .
Past performance is no guarantee of future returns , and all investing involves the permanent risk of loss .
Consult your individual financial adviser for guidance specific to your circumstances .

If you are retired or close to it, you’ve probably heard about the 4% withdrawal rule. That rule roughly says that if you withdraw 4% of your retirement portfolio every year, you won’t run out of money over a typical 30-year retirement.
So does that rule still apply in an era of record-low interest rates and wild stock market returns? It’s an important question because your retirement lifestyle is primarily determined by your withdrawal rate — not how much you have saved. And the withdrawal rate will be determined by future returns.
Let’s say you have saved $1 million for retirement. If a safe withdrawal rate is 4%, then you are living off $40,000 a year. But if a safe withdrawal rate is 6%, then you can live off $60,000 per year. It’s the same amount of savings, but the withdrawal rate determines how you’ll live. So what drives the withdrawal rate? It’s your future returns that determine how much you can actually live on.
If you retire and you earn 8% on your money for the next 30 years, then you can afford to withdraw 6%. There are historical periods that averaged over 8% on balanced portfolios of stocks and bonds. For those lucky enough to have retired during one of those periods, they could have lived off of 6%. But if you only earn 3% on your money, and you take out 6%, you’ll run out of money in about 23 years, and that’s assuming we have no inflation. If we have inflation of just 1.5%, then you would be out of money in about 19 years.
To get a sense of how much you can withdraw, you have to make some estimates of future returns for stocks, bonds and inflation. Those are the three big inputs that will determine your lifestyle in retirement. How do we know if you’ll earn 8% or 3%? We don’t know, but you can make some reasonable assumptions based on what’s currently happening in markets and then plan accordingly.
The 4% withdrawal rate comes from studying the history of stocks, bonds and inflation for about the past 100 years. Over that time frame, stocks returned about 10% annualized and U.S. Treasury bonds returned a little over 5%. If you had a portfolio that was simply half stocks and half bonds, your expected return would have been about 7.5%, and would have been enough to support a 4% withdrawal rate, adjusted each year for inflation.
Now there are many subtleties to this data. For instance, not all periods produced these returns. These are average returns over 100 years. But hypothetically even the worst periods historically provided enough return to live off 4% for about 30 years.
So will this 4% rule roughly hold up going forward? It’s not so clear these days because financial market returns are running way below their long-term averages, and we still have some inflation. That combination of factors will make it harder to live on 4%.
Over the last 20 years, the total return for the S&P 500 stock index is about 5% annualized, or about half of its long-term average. Today, bond interest rates are under 2%, also less than half of their long-term averages. If you have a portfolio that is 50% stocks and 50% bonds, and the stocks produce 5% going forward and the bonds produce 2%, your expected return is about 3.5% for your portfolio.
If you earn 3.5% a year and take out 4%, with 1.5% inflation, you should be alright. You’ll be spending down your principal, but after 30 years you should still have about 30% of your money left, which is a reasonable cushion.
Thus, it looks like the 4% rule should still hold even in a period of lower returns. Unfortunately, it’s not quite that simple. You’ll have to monitor things closely because with such low returns, there is little margin for error. For instance, let’s say all this government spending unleashes some inflation, and instead of inflation at 1.5%, it goes to 3%. Under that scenario, you’d run out of money in 27 years. Or, while stocks might produce 5% going forward for the next 30 years, the returns from stocks tend to be very volatile. If you retire and the first several years of returns for stocks are negative or flat, that will increase the risk you’ll run out of money in less than 30 years.
This means if you are planning on living on 4%, you don’t want to simply “set it and forget it,” or you may wake up 20 years from now and realize you don’t have enough to support yourself. Here are a couple rules of thumb to help you navigate this uncertainly.
First, get your cost of living down as low as you can. This gives you flexibility to drop your distribution rate below 4% in a tough market and to manage inflation better. If you have fewer fixed expenses, then if we have inflation, you won’t have to increase your distributions as much to pay your bills.
Second, if your portfolio value falls more than 20% below what you started with because of a bear market, then you should work pretty hard to reduce your distributions. Even going from 4% to 3% for a few years can make a big difference.
Third, if we have years of big stock market gains, consider “banking” some of those gains to use for future distributions. As we have seen the last few years, we can have big gains, but then they can be gone a month or two later. Investors are often reluctant to sell stocks when markets are up because they don’t want to pay taxes or miss out on future returns. But in retirement, you are going to be spending the money, so if you have a chance to sell some things when prices are favorable, it’s probably smart to build a reservoir for the inevitable lean years.
Charlie Farrell is a CEO of Northstar Investment Advisors LLC. This article is for information and education purposes only. Past performance is no guarantee of future returns, and all investing involves the permanent risk of loss. Consult your individual financial adviser for guidance specific to your circumstances.


thedenverpost--2020-05-03--Q&A: What are my rights during COVID-19?

Q : I am considered an essential worker .
I have run out of paid sick leave , but now think I have the COVID-19 .
Can I ask for time off from work ?
Do I have any right to paid time off ?
A : In a nutshell , yes .
If you have symptoms of COVID-19 , you are entitled to time off .
For many workers , that time off has to be paid .
In March , the state Division of Labor enacted the Colorado Health Emergency Leave with Pay Rules ( Colorado HELP ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ provide up to four days of paid medical leave for individuals who need to self-isolate or exhibit symptoms of COVID-19 .
These regulations cover employers in leisure and hospitality , retail stores that sell groceries , food and beverage manufacturing , food services , childcare , education ( including transportation , food service , and related work ) , home health care , nursing homes , and community living facilities .
Additionally , the United States Congress recently passed the Families First Coronavirus Response Act , including the Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and towns of any size , as well as private companies with fewer than 500 employees , to provide two weeks of paid leave to employees at their full rate of pay ( up to $ 511 a day ) , if an individual is being told to self-isolate or exhibits symptoms of COVID-19 and is awaiting diagnosis .
Although companies with over 500 employees do not fall under this law , larger companies must provide up to 12 weeks of unpaid , job-protected leave under the Family Medical Leave Act ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been with the company for more than a year .
If you are exhibiting severe symptoms of COVID-19 , you may also qualify for an accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act or Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act .
“ An employee who has COVID-19 may be entitled to an accommodation under the ADA , such as medical leave necessary for recovery , if their symptoms are serious enough to substantially limit major life activities like breathing and taking care of one ’ s self , ” says Rita Byrnes Kittle , Supervisory Trial Attorney @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S .
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission .
“ The focus of the ADA is on the severity and impact of the condition , not on how long the condition lasts .
Even temporary illnesses , like COVID-19 , if accompanied by serious enough symptoms , can constitute a disability under the ADA.
” Q : My children attend a school that has been closed down because of COVID-19 for the rest of the year , and I have to stay home from work to watch them .
Do I have any right to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it depends on the size of your employer .
Here again , the Families First Coronavirus Response Act provides for paid time off .
Companies with fewer than 500 employees must provide 10 additional weeks of paid leave , at two-thirds regular rate of pay ( up to $ 200 a day ) if you must stay home to care for a child .
To earn this benefit , you must have worked for the company for at least 30 days .
The first 10 days of that leave may be unpaid , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ getting paid .
Companies with fewer than 50 employees may seek exemptions from the Department of Labor on a case-by-case basis .
Unfortunately , larger employers do not have to provide similar leave for employees under the Family Medical Leave Act .
Q : I have been deemed an essential worker and have an underlying medical condition that makes me more susceptible to severe symptoms of COVID-19 , do I still have to go to work ?
What about when the stay-at-home order lifts ?
A : First off , it is important @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Are you generally worried about your safety , or are there documented medical issues you are battling that are considered high risk ?
If you are suffering from medical issues , it is possible they would constitute a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act and Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act .
And if you are disabled , then you have the right to ask for a reasonable accommodation .
In those circumstances , one reasonable accommodation might be to work from home .
Also , if you are pregnant and have an underlying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an accommodation under the Pregnancy Discrimination Act .
But what if your job is the type of job you can not do from home ?
Then under both these laws , mentioned above , you may be entitled to medical leave until your doctor thinks it is safe for you to return , so long as it is not an indefinite period of leave .
Q : I am afraid to ask for time off because I really need my job .
What do I do ?
A : It is important to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in this column include strict anti-retaliation provisions .
Your employer can not discipline you , cut your hours , reduce your wages , or fire you for asking about your options for taking leave , taking time off you are entitled to , or asking about your rights .
Retaliation is a separate potential legal claim .
You should reach out to an attorney if you think your rights may have been violated .
Qusair Mohamedbhai is a founding partner of the Colorado civil rights law firm Rathod Mohamedbhai LLC .
He is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ University of Denver where he has taught Employment and Human Resources Law , and at Sturm College of Law at Denver University where he has taught Constitutional Litigation .
Iris Halpern is an attorney at Rathod Mohamedbhai LLC .
She is adjunct faculty at the University of Colorado Boulder , School of Law where she teaches Employment Discrimination .

By Qusair Mohamedbhai and Iris Halpern
Q: I am considered an essential worker. I have run out of paid sick leave, but now think I have the COVID-19. Can I ask for time off from work? Do I have any right to paid time off?
A: In a nutshell, yes. If you have symptoms of COVID-19, you are entitled to time off. For many workers, that time off has to be paid. In March, the state Division of Labor enacted the Colorado Health Emergency Leave with Pay Rules (Colorado HELP). These regulations temporarily require companies to provide up to four days of paid medical leave for individuals who need to self-isolate or exhibit symptoms of COVID-19. These regulations cover employers in leisure and hospitality, retail stores that sell groceries, food and beverage manufacturing, food services, childcare, education (including transportation, food service, and related work), home health care, nursing homes, and community living facilities.
Additionally, the United States Congress recently passed the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, including the Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act. These laws require states, cities, and towns of any size, as well as private companies with fewer than 500 employees, to provide two weeks of paid leave to employees at their full rate of pay (up to $511 a day), if an individual is being told to self-isolate or exhibits symptoms of COVID-19 and is awaiting diagnosis. Although companies with over 500 employees do not fall under this law, larger companies must provide up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave under the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) to any employee who has been with the company for more than a year.
If you are exhibiting severe symptoms of COVID-19, you may also qualify for an accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act or Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act. “An employee who has COVID-19 may be entitled to an accommodation under the ADA, such as medical leave necessary for recovery, if their symptoms are serious enough to substantially limit major life activities like breathing and taking care of one’s self,” says Rita Byrnes Kittle, Supervisory Trial Attorney of the Denver Field Office of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. “The focus of the ADA is on the severity and impact of the condition, not on how long the condition lasts. Even temporary illnesses, like COVID-19, if accompanied by serious enough symptoms, can constitute a disability under the ADA.”
Q: My children attend a school that has been closed down because of COVID-19 for the rest of the year, and I have to stay home from work to watch them. Do I have any right to time off?
A: Maybe — it depends on the size of your employer. Here again, the Families First Coronavirus Response Act provides for paid time off. Companies with fewer than 500 employees must provide 10 additional weeks of paid leave, at two-thirds regular rate of pay (up to $200 a day) if you must stay home to care for a child. To earn this benefit, you must have worked for the company for at least 30 days. The first 10 days of that leave may be unpaid, but after that, you should be getting paid. Companies with fewer than 50 employees may seek exemptions from the Department of Labor on a case-by-case basis. Unfortunately, larger employers do not have to provide similar leave for employees under the Family Medical Leave Act.
Q: I have been deemed an essential worker and have an underlying medical condition that makes me more susceptible to severe symptoms of COVID-19, do I still have to go to work? What about when the stay-at-home order lifts?
A: First off, it is important to understand the basis for your concern. Are you generally worried about your safety, or are there documented medical issues you are battling that are considered high risk? If you are suffering from medical issues, it is possible they would constitute a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act and Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act. And if you are disabled, then you have the right to ask for a reasonable accommodation. In those circumstances, one reasonable accommodation might be to work from home. Also, if you are pregnant and have an underlying condition, you might be entitled to an accommodation under the Pregnancy Discrimination Act.
But what if your job is the type of job you cannot do from home? Then under both these laws, mentioned above, you may be entitled to medical leave until your doctor thinks it is safe for you to return, so long as it is not an indefinite period of leave.
Q: I am afraid to ask for time off because I really need my job. What do I do?
A: It is important to know that all of the laws mentioned in this column include strict anti-retaliation provisions. Your employer cannot discipline you, cut your hours, reduce your wages, or fire you for asking about your options for taking leave, taking time off you are entitled to, or asking about your rights. Retaliation is a separate potential legal claim. You should reach out to an attorney if you think your rights may have been violated.
Qusair Mohamedbhai is a founding partner of the Colorado civil rights law firm Rathod Mohamedbhai LLC. He is an adjunct faculty member at Metropolitan State University of Denver where he has taught Employment and Human Resources Law, and at Sturm College of Law at Denver University where he has taught Constitutional Litigation.
Iris Halpern is an attorney at Rathod Mohamedbhai LLC. She is adjunct faculty at the University of Colorado Boulder, School of Law where she teaches Employment Discrimination.
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thedenverpost--2020-05-03--Colorado’s oil and gas country – and its people – suffer from twin hits to industry

Like many who make a living in Colorado ’ s oil fields , life has slowed to a crawl for Chris Golding , a mobile welder who makes repairs to rigs and pipelines throughout the oil-rich Denver-Julesburg Basin northeast of Denver .
His productivity has plummeted from a breakneck pace of up to 100 hours of work weekly to perhaps 20 to 30 hours a week .
“ I ’ ve been about trying to seek small jobs to stay afloat , ” said Golding , who last week took his metalwork talents to a Greeley restaurant undergoing a renovation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ built my business — out on the oil field.
” The state ’ s petroleum industry employs about 90,000 people , directly and indirectly , generates $ 13.5 billion in economic activity , and provides $ 1 billion in taxes to state and local governments , according to an analysis from the University of Colorado Boulder .
Or it did .
Jobs in the oil patch are disappearing amid the double whammy of the coronavirus pandemic and a global oil price war .
Weld County produces nearly 9 of every 10 barrels of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s safe to say there are few here who won ’ t be touched by the historic crash in energy prices .
For Justin Mapes , a laid-off quality control manager for a bankrupt oil and gas firm , there may be no return to the industry after nine years of making a living that way in Weld County .
He lost his job in January as the virus crossed into the United States and the price of oil began teetering .
“ It ’ s scary — I never thought I ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lifetime , ” he said .
“ It feels surreal.
” Mapes is pivoting away from the oil fields and trying his hand in the screenprinting business .
He bought an existing company in Greeley and is trying to make it his own .
His wife is working for food delivery service DoorDash to bring in some cash while Mapes tries to get the new enterprise going .
The 37-year-old father of three just bought a house in LaSalle at the end of last year .
“ There ’ s a lot of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Mapes said .
“ You get laid off in the oil and gas industry , and you could always find another job .
That ’ s not the case anymore.
” Mapes and Golding are just two of thousands of Colorado oil and gas-related workers who have seen hours cut or been handed the dreaded pink slip .
The price of oil has plunged from more than $ 60 a barrel in the early days of January to $ 15 a barrel last week , as the coronavirus pandemic has battered air @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the world .
At the same time , Russia and Saudi Arabia have been locked in a devastating oil price war that helped temporarily drag prices into negative territory in April .
Even before prices went subterranean , oil and gas companies had drastically cut spending and let workers go as the world economy started showing signs of slowing even before coronavirus , which causes the respiratory disease COVID-19 , appeared in China late last year .
April saw 96 % fewer oil and gas permits filed in Colorado — just 21 — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of rigs actively drilling in the state has fallen from 22 at the start of the year to 15 at the end of April , according to energy technology firm Baker-Hughes .
More than 2,000 mining jobs in Colorado — predominantly in oil and gas — have disappeared in the last year .
Halliburton , the oilfield services giant , laid off 130 employees in Weld County last month , which came on the heels of a decision by Liberty Oilfield Services to let go 183 workers based in Adams County .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , not just these last few months , ” Weld County Commissioner Barbara Kirkmeyer said .
“ Those are families , those are real people getting laid off and they ’ re out of jobs.
” The damage isn ’ t limited to the rig workers , truck drivers and industry executives — ancillary businesses like restaurants and lodging are taking a big hit , too .
Jose Casillas , who owns Mi Gallo Giro in Evans , said his daily orders for burritos have dropped from more than 1,000 to around 600 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and oil field workers are displaced .
The big burrito orders for breakfast meetings are dwindling , he said .
“ The oil and gas industry is vital to our business , ” Casillas said .
“ We ’ re busy beyond capacity when they ’ re busy.
” Casillas had to let a couple of his employees go in recent weeks as volume slowed , but he is surviving on takeout business .
“ It ’ s pretty difficult and it ’ s harder to operate that way — but we ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The hospitality sector in Weld County , where area hotels had for years been filled with oil and gas workers , has been one of the biggest victims of the energy industry ’ s misfortunes .
“ For the past three or four years , every single month we ’ ve been in the top two or three ( spots ) in lodging tax ” in Colorado , Greeley Mayor John Gates said .
“ That ’ s primarily due to oil and gas .
You could always tell by driving by our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trucks.
” This time of year , the Homewood Suites by Hilton is usually sold out , said Pam Evans , the hotel ’ s general manager and operations director .
“ In the past five weeks , we ’ ve been between 20 % and 40 % occupancy , ” she said .
“ At the beginning of March , we started seeing everything decline .
It ’ s hard to tell if it ’ s COVID-19 or oil and gas .
It all sort of happened at the same time.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Although wells are found mainly in the rural parts of Weld County , he said the economic benefits ripple through his city .
“ We certainly do reap the benefits of the industry and the fact that ( workers ) stay in Greeley .
They eat in Greeley .
They ’ re spending their money in Greeley , ” the mayor said .
The oil and industry is also a huge underwriter of schools and local governments .
Reduced production means the property and mineral severance paid by the industry will drop @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and special districts .
In 2019 , more than half the $ 890 million in property taxes paid to all government bodies in Weld County came from oil and gas .
“ We have about a $ 400 million budget right now , and we ’ re talking that we may have to cut a fourth of it next year , ” Kirkmeyer said .
“ We can do that without reducing services because we ’ ve kept our level of services appropriate with the amount of funds that we bring in and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a lag in when property taxes are paid , Weld County figures its big financial hit will come in 2022 .
That will also be the case for school districts in the county .
Glenn McClain , superintendent of 1,200-student Platte Valley School District Weld RE-7 in Kersey , said 90 % of the district ’ s budget comes from oil and gas property taxes .
He worries about financial stability going forward because unlike past downturns in the energy sector , this one came with a once-in-a-lifetime global health pandemic attached @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mill levy overrides and bond issues that voters have passed over the last 20 years , giving Platte Valley a $ 5 million reserve in its general fund .
He says that rainy day money “ gives us time.
” “ But this is about as rainy as it is going to get , ” McClain said .
More need , less money for charities When might the clouds part is a big discussion in Weld County .
Rich Werner , president and CEO of Upstate Colorado Economic Development , said in northern @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for approximately 8 % of the workforce .
“ There is a tremendous amount of concern regionwide about the industry , ” Werner said .
The travails in the oil patch are just starting to bleed down to county social service agencies , which serve the most vulnerable segments of the population .
United Way Weld County is concerned that as oil and gas continues to take a body blow , the effects will inevitably trickle down to the charitable organization .
“ Oil and gas has been very generous to the nonprofit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president and CEO of United Way Weld County .
“ When oil and gas isn ’ t doing as well , they can ’ t be as generous.
” The agency launched a Weld Recovers COVID-19 Relief Fund in March and has secured $ 250,000 in commitments to help support families and children impacted by the downturn and the pandemic .
But Truswell said that is less than half of what United Way took in seven years ago during the 2013 floods .
“ They just can ’ t be there — the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
At the Weld Food Bank , the number of individuals who came in for food jumped to more than 37,000 in the mid-March to mid-April period , well above the nearly 23,000 people who picked up food during the same period last year , according to Stephanie Gausch , the pantry ’ s chief development officer .
“ We anticipate we ’ ll maintain that level or increase , ” she said .
“ I couldn ’ t have imagined such a significant increase .
We don ’ t know what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the dire situation will continue .
Even after the COVID-19 crisis clears , there ’ s no assurance that commodity prices will regain their luster any time soon .
“ We ’ re not just concerned about the next month , but the next six months , ” Gausch said .
“ It ’ s not going to only impact drastically the people we ’ re serving but it ’ s going to impact our fundraising , too .
”

Like many who make a living in Colorado’s oil fields, life has slowed to a crawl for Chris Golding, a mobile welder who makes repairs to rigs and pipelines throughout the oil-rich Denver-Julesburg Basin northeast of Denver.
His productivity has plummeted from a breakneck pace of up to 100 hours of work weekly to perhaps 20 to 30 hours a week.
“I’ve been about trying to seek small jobs to stay afloat,” said Golding, who last week took his metalwork talents to a Greeley restaurant undergoing a renovation. “That’s how I built my business — out on the oil field.”
The state’s petroleum industry employs about 90,000 people, directly and indirectly, generates $13.5 billion in economic activity, and provides $1 billion in taxes to state and local governments, according to an analysis from the University of Colorado Boulder.
Or it did.
Jobs in the oil patch are disappearing amid the double whammy of the coronavirus pandemic and a global oil price war. Weld County produces nearly 9 of every 10 barrels of oil in Colorado, and it’s safe to say there are few here who won’t be touched by the historic crash in energy prices.
For Justin Mapes, a laid-off quality control manager for a bankrupt oil and gas firm, there may be no return to the industry after nine years of making a living that way in Weld County. He lost his job in January as the virus crossed into the United States and the price of oil began teetering.
“It’s scary — I never thought I’d see it this bad in my lifetime,” he said. “It feels surreal.”
Mapes is pivoting away from the oil fields and trying his hand in the screenprinting business. He bought an existing company in Greeley and is trying to make it his own. His wife is working for food delivery service DoorDash to bring in some cash while Mapes tries to get the new enterprise going.
The 37-year-old father of three just bought a house in LaSalle at the end of last year.
“There’s a lot of despair, a lot of fear,” Mapes said. “You get laid off in the oil and gas industry, and you could always find another job. That’s not the case anymore.”
Mapes and Golding are just two of thousands of Colorado oil and gas-related workers who have seen hours cut or been handed the dreaded pink slip. The price of oil has plunged from more than $60 a barrel in the early days of January to $15 a barrel last week, as the coronavirus pandemic has battered air and auto travel and silenced factories around the world.
At the same time, Russia and Saudi Arabia have been locked in a devastating oil price war that helped temporarily drag prices into negative territory in April. Even before prices went subterranean, oil and gas companies had drastically cut spending and let workers go as the world economy started showing signs of slowing even before coronavirus, which causes the respiratory disease COVID-19, appeared in China late last year.
April saw 96% fewer oil and gas permits filed in Colorado — just 21 — compared with April 2019. The number of rigs actively drilling in the state has fallen from 22 at the start of the year to 15 at the end of April, according to energy technology firm Baker-Hughes.
More than 2,000 mining jobs in Colorado — predominantly in oil and gas — have disappeared in the last year. Halliburton, the oilfield services giant, laid off 130 employees in Weld County last month, which came on the heels of a decision by Liberty Oilfield Services to let go 183 workers based in Adams County.
“It’s been a tough year, not just these last few months,” Weld County Commissioner Barbara Kirkmeyer said. “Those are families, those are real people getting laid off and they’re out of jobs.”
“It’s all unprecedented”
The damage isn’t limited to the rig workers, truck drivers and industry executives — ancillary businesses like restaurants and lodging are taking a big hit, too.
Jose Casillas, who owns Mi Gallo Giro in Evans, said his daily orders for burritos have dropped from more than 1,000 to around 600, as energy companies cut back spending and oil field workers are displaced. The big burrito orders for breakfast meetings are dwindling, he said.
“The oil and gas industry is vital to our business,” Casillas said. “We’re busy beyond capacity when they’re busy.”
Casillas had to let a couple of his employees go in recent weeks as volume slowed, but he is surviving on takeout business.
“It’s pretty difficult and it’s harder to operate that way — but we’re operating,” he said.
The hospitality sector in Weld County, where area hotels had for years been filled with oil and gas workers, has been one of the biggest victims of the energy industry’s misfortunes.
“For the past three or four years, every single month we’ve been in the top two or three (spots) in lodging tax” in Colorado, Greeley Mayor John Gates said. “That’s primarily due to oil and gas. You could always tell by driving by our hotels and seeing the predominance of white trucks.”
This time of year, the Homewood Suites by Hilton is usually sold out, said Pam Evans, the hotel’s general manager and operations director.
“In the past five weeks, we’ve been between 20% and 40% occupancy,” she said. “At the beginning of March, we started seeing everything decline. It’s hard to tell if it’s COVID-19 or oil and gas. It all sort of happened at the same time.”
The uncertainty around the industry worries Gates. Although wells are found mainly in the rural parts of Weld County, he said the economic benefits ripple through his city.
“We certainly do reap the benefits of the industry and the fact that (workers) stay in Greeley. They eat in Greeley. They’re spending their money in Greeley,” the mayor said.
The oil and industry is also a huge underwriter of schools and local governments. Reduced production means the property and mineral severance paid by the industry will drop, cascading out across cities, counties and special districts. In 2019, more than half the $890 million in property taxes paid to all government bodies in Weld County came from oil and gas.
“We have about a $400 million budget right now, and we’re talking that we may have to cut a fourth of it next year,” Kirkmeyer said. “We can do that without reducing services because we’ve kept our level of services appropriate with the amount of funds that we bring in and we haven’t over-expanded.”
Because of a lag in when property taxes are paid, Weld County figures its big financial hit will come in 2022.
That will also be the case for school districts in the county. Glenn McClain, superintendent of 1,200-student Platte Valley School District Weld RE-7 in Kersey, said 90% of the district’s budget comes from oil and gas property taxes.
He worries about financial stability going forward because unlike past downturns in the energy sector, this one came with a once-in-a-lifetime global health pandemic attached.
“It’s all unprecedented,” McClain said.
He takes comfort in the four mill levy overrides and bond issues that voters have passed over the last 20 years, giving Platte Valley a $5 million reserve in its general fund. He says that rainy day money “gives us time.”
“But this is about as rainy as it is going to get,” McClain said.
More need, less money for charities
When might the clouds part is a big discussion in Weld County. Rich Werner, president and CEO of Upstate Colorado Economic Development, said in northern Colorado the oil and gas industry accounts for approximately 8% of the workforce.
“There is a tremendous amount of concern regionwide about the industry,” Werner said.
The travails in the oil patch are just starting to bleed down to county social service agencies, which serve the most vulnerable segments of the population. United Way Weld County is concerned that as oil and gas continues to take a body blow, the effects will inevitably trickle down to the charitable organization.
“Oil and gas has been very generous to the nonprofit community,” said Jeannine Truswell, president and CEO of United Way Weld County. “When oil and gas isn’t doing as well, they can’t be as generous.”
The agency launched a Weld Recovers COVID-19 Relief Fund in March and has secured $250,000 in commitments to help support families and children impacted by the downturn and the pandemic. But Truswell said that is less than half of what United Way took in seven years ago during the 2013 floods.
“They just can’t be there — the industry has been impacted,” she said.
At the Weld Food Bank, the number of individuals who came in for food jumped to more than 37,000 in the mid-March to mid-April period, well above the nearly 23,000 people who picked up food during the same period last year, according to Stephanie Gausch, the pantry’s chief development officer.
“We anticipate we’ll maintain that level or increase,” she said. “I couldn’t have imagined such a significant increase. We don’t know what to expect.”
Or just how long the dire situation will continue. Even after the COVID-19 crisis clears, there’s no assurance that commodity prices will regain their luster any time soon.
“We’re not just concerned about the next month, but the next six months,” Gausch said. “It’s not going to only impact drastically the people we’re serving but it’s going to impact our fundraising, too.”


thedenverpost--2020-05-03--Newman: Marc Johnson’s coaching genesis and eight other Colorado baseball icons the state won’t forg

Newman: Marc Johnson’s coaching genesis and eight other Colorado baseball icons the state won’t forget

Editor ’ s Note : This column complements the conclusion of The Denver Post ’ s five-part series on Colorado baseball icons .
We profiled Scott Bullock , Jenny Cavnar , Chris Hanks , Jim Danley and Bob Bote .
Drafted into the Army in 1969 during the Vietnam War , Marc Johnson ’ s first baseball coaching job was managing the 2nd Armored Division for two years on a base in Fort Hood , Texas .
There , the longtime Cherry Creek coach first got an opportunity to show what he could do running a team .
“ We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because there were guys drafted from all over who were in the Army at that time , ” Johnson said .
“ I learned a lot , as I wasn ’ t a whole lot older than the players at 22 , and most of those guys were 18 to 20 .
Four or five of them went on to play professional baseball , so just like I was at Cherry Creek , I was fortunate to be surrounded by some very gifted athletes.
” The talent pipeline at Cherry Creek , where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1972 , isn ’ t the only reason for the Bruins ’ success .
Johnson is , arguably , Colorado ’ s preeminent baseball icon , having won eight state championships .
He became so by building a baseball behemoth at a football school .
The Bruins were 4-14 in Johnson ’ s first season , but haven ’ t had a losing record since .
Johnson quickly made it his mission to recruit “ all the school ’ s best athletes ” to play baseball .
The result has been 32 league @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Eaton ’ s Jim Danley for Colorado ’ s all-time mark .
Individual success has mirrored team dominance in Greenwood Village .
By Johnson ’ s best estimate , Cherry Creek has pumped out some 400 collegians during his tenure and around 80 draft picks , six of whom have been selected in the first round .
The program has also produced eight big leaguers .
It ’ s a dynasty that , sometime in the near future , will be looking for someone to fill Johnson ’ s enormous shoes .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ getting very , very close ” to the end of his prep coaching career .
“ I know a lot of how long I can go is going to be determined on health , ” Johnson said .
“ I feel really good right now , and I ’ d love to coach another year or two.
” The Norfolk , Neb.
, native is but one example why our five-part icon series could ’ ve been a lot longer .
Here are eight other Colorado baseball icons you should know .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assistant under Tom Petroff at the University of Northern Colorado .
The Denver native began coaching at his alma mater , Denver East , in 1981 and stayed for 17 years .
The Angels ’ 1994 state title is the last time a Denver Public League team won a baseball championship .
Petroff , who was an accomplished professional fastpitch softball player , ended his career with eight seasons at Regis Jesuit , where the Raiders were twice state runner-up .
The 71-year-old ’ s career record is 348-100 .
Eaton made his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Chaparral ( 1997-08 ) and now Cherokee Trail , where he ’ s been the head coach the past three years .
With a career record of 352-146-1 , Eaton ’ s a seven-time conference coach of the year who has his last name on the fields at Gateway ( JR Eaton Field was named for his disabled son , who died in 1993 ) and Chaparral ( Steve Eaton Field in honor of the program ’ s founding coach ) .
The 63-year-old is an Aurora native and 1974 Aurora Central @ @ @ @ @ @ @ head coach at Alamosa for a couple seasons , but he made his name as the longtime boss at Arvada West from 1987-2012 .
The 63-year-old Edgewater native , who ’ s been the coach at his alma mater Division II Adams State since 2013 , racked up over 300 prep wins .
He coached a dominant Wildcats team in the early 1990s that won the 1994 state title and featured future Hall of Fame pitcher Roy Halladay .
He began coaching in 1981 as an assistant at Littleton , the start of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lead multiple programs around the area .
Gillman ’ s first head coaching job was at Bishop Machebeuf .
He then went on to coach for nine years at Thomas Jefferson and 16 at Columbine .
The Decatur , Ga. , native racked up 377 wins along the way as the Rebels were a perennial Jeffco force .
Columbine won the Class 5A title in 2006 when Gillman ’ s son CJ scored on a suicide squeeze in the eighth inning .
One of a select few coaches to lead two different schools @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lansing , Mich. , native began his career as the freshman coach at Michigan State in 1955 .
He guided Northern Colorado to six NCAA Division I playoff appearances from 1970-1985 , including a berth in the 1974 College World Series .
He coached the U.S. team in the 1984 Olympics and was the head coach for the Netherlands at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul .
The 93-year-old resides in Chambersburg , Penn .
Well known as the owner of the Colorado Rockies , Monfort has done a lot for baseball in Colorado @ @ @ @ @ @ @ level in his hometown of Greeley .
The 66-year-old Greeley West graduate received the United Way of Weld County Humanitarian of the Year Award in 2008 for his continued philanthropy in the area , and he ’ s done extensive community outreach through the Monfort Family Foundation .
And to conclude , I ’ d be remiss if I didn ’ t give Bill Fanning and Robert “ Bus ” Campbell their respective dues .
Fanning , who died in 2013 at age 91 , was a Western Slope staple and member of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fame .
After playing baseball at CU , Fanning coached Grand Junction for 35 years , with a record of 467-172 , including three state titles .
Meanwhile , Campbell coached 115 pitchers who later played in the majors , including Halladay , and was the pitching coach for the dominant Boulder Collegians from 1969-1980 .
Campbell died in 2008 at age 87 .

Editor’s Note: This column complements the conclusion of The Denver Post’s five-part series on Colorado baseball icons. We profiled Scott Bullock, Jenny Cavnar, Chris Hanks, Jim Danley and Bob Bote.
Drafted into the Army in 1969 during the Vietnam War, Marc Johnson’s first baseball coaching job was managing the 2nd Armored Division for two years on a base in Fort Hood, Texas.
There, the longtime Cherry Creek coach first got an opportunity to show what he could do running a team.
“We had a really good baseball team, because there were guys drafted from all over who were in the Army at that time,” Johnson said. “I learned a lot, as I wasn’t a whole lot older than the players at 22, and most of those guys were 18 to 20. Four or five of them went on to play professional baseball, so just like I was at Cherry Creek, I was fortunate to be surrounded by some very gifted athletes.”
The talent pipeline at Cherry Creek, where Johnson has been at the helm since 1972, isn’t the only reason for the Bruins’ success. Johnson is, arguably, Colorado’s preeminent baseball icon, having won eight state championships.
He became so by building a baseball behemoth at a football school. The Bruins were 4-14 in Johnson’s first season, but haven’t had a losing record since. Johnson quickly made it his mission to recruit “all the school’s best athletes” to play baseball. The result has been 32 league titles and 806 wins, one shy of Eaton’s Jim Danley for Colorado’s all-time mark.
Individual success has mirrored team dominance in Greenwood Village. By Johnson’s best estimate, Cherry Creek has pumped out some 400 collegians during his tenure and around 80 draft picks, six of whom have been selected in the first round. The program has also produced eight big leaguers.
It’s a dynasty that, sometime in the near future, will be looking for someone to fill Johnson’s enormous shoes. The 75-year-old knows he’s “getting very, very close” to the end of his prep coaching career.
“I know a lot of how long I can go is going to be determined on health,” Johnson said. “I feel really good right now, and I’d love to coach another year or two.”
The Norfolk, Neb., native is but one example why our five-part icon series could’ve been a lot longer. Here are eight other Colorado baseball icons you should know.
Tom Severtson
He got his coaching start as a graduate assistant under Tom Petroff at the University of Northern Colorado. The Denver native began coaching at his alma mater, Denver East, in 1981 and stayed for 17 years. The Angels’ 1994 state title is the last time a Denver Public League team won a baseball championship. Petroff, who was an accomplished professional fastpitch softball player, ended his career with eight seasons at Regis Jesuit, where the Raiders were twice state runner-up. The 71-year-old’s career record is 348-100.
Steve Eaton
Eaton made his name coaching at Gateway (1983-92), Chaparral (1997-08) and now Cherokee Trail, where he’s been the head coach the past three years. With a career record of 352-146-1, Eaton’s a seven-time conference coach of the year who has his last name on the fields at Gateway (JR Eaton Field was named for his disabled son, who died in 1993) and Chaparral (Steve Eaton Field in honor of the program’s founding coach). The 63-year-old is an Aurora native and 1974 Aurora Central graduate.
Jim Capra
His career began as the head coach at Alamosa for a couple seasons, but he made his name as the longtime boss at Arvada West from 1987-2012. The 63-year-old Edgewater native, who’s been the coach at his alma mater Division II Adams State since 2013, racked up over 300 prep wins. He coached a dominant Wildcats team in the early 1990s that won the 1994 state title and featured future Hall of Fame pitcher Roy Halladay.
Chuck Gillman
He began coaching in 1981 as an assistant at Littleton, the start of a long career that saw the 68-year-old lead multiple programs around the area. Gillman’s first head coaching job was at Bishop Machebeuf. He then went on to coach for nine years at Thomas Jefferson and 16 at Columbine. The Decatur, Ga., native racked up 377 wins along the way as the Rebels were a perennial Jeffco force. Columbine won the Class 5A title in 2006 when Gillman’s son CJ scored on a suicide squeeze in the eighth inning.
Tom Petroff
One of a select few coaches to lead two different schools to the College World Series. The Lansing, Mich., native began his career as the freshman coach at Michigan State in 1955. He guided Northern Colorado to six NCAA Division I playoff appearances from 1970-1985, including a berth in the 1974 College World Series. He coached the U.S. team in the 1984 Olympics and was the head coach for the Netherlands at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul. The 93-year-old resides in Chambersburg, Penn.
Dick Monfort
Well known as the owner of the Colorado Rockies, Monfort has done a lot for baseball in Colorado, both professionally and on a local level in his hometown of Greeley. The 66-year-old Greeley West graduate received the United Way of Weld County Humanitarian of the Year Award in 2008 for his continued philanthropy in the area, and he’s done extensive community outreach through the Monfort Family Foundation.
And to conclude, I’d be remiss if I didn’t give Bill Fanning and Robert “Bus” Campbell their respective dues. Fanning, who died in 2013 at age 91, was a Western Slope staple and member of the National High School Sports Hall of Fame. After playing baseball at CU, Fanning coached Grand Junction for 35 years, with a record of 467-172, including three state titles. Meanwhile, Campbell coached 115 pitchers who later played in the majors, including Halladay, and was the pitching coach for the dominant Boulder Collegians from 1969-1980. Campbell died in 2008 at age 87.


thedenverpost--2020-05-04--Pilot dies after small aircraft, possibly homemade, crashes while trying to land at Delta airport

The sole occupant of a small , possibly homemade aircraft was killed Sunday while trying to land at Delta ’ s Blake Field airport in southwestern Colorado , sheriff ’ s office authorities confirmed .
Emergency crews found wreckage of the aircraft off the east end of the runway and , inside , the dead pilot , according to a bulletin that the authorities posted on a county social media page .
A Delta County dispatcher said officials would not discuss what happened until Monday when they planned to issue a press release .
The crash happened shortly before noon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of “ a small plane that had crashed while trying to land ” on the airport property , the county posting said .
Sheriff deputies , Delta police , firefighters and ambulances went to the scene of the crash .
They found “ the wreckage of a small , single occupant , possibly home-made plane off the east end of the runway , but still on the airport property.
” The Delta County Coroner ’ s Office was notifying relatives .
Other information about the pilot wasn ’ t available , authorities said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Administration and federal investigators were to head to the airport Monday to begin an investigation .

The sole occupant of a small, possibly homemade aircraft was killed Sunday while trying to land at Delta’s Blake Field airport in southwestern Colorado, sheriff’s office authorities confirmed.
Emergency crews found wreckage of the aircraft off the east end of the runway and, inside, the dead pilot, according to a bulletin that the authorities posted on a county social media page.
A Delta County dispatcher said officials would not discuss what happened until Monday when they planned to issue a press release.
The crash happened shortly before noon. Delta County dispatchers received multiple reports of “a small plane that had crashed while trying to land” on the airport property, the county posting said.
Sheriff deputies, Delta police, firefighters and ambulances went to the scene of the crash. They found “the wreckage of a small, single occupant, possibly home-made plane off the east end of the runway, but still on the airport property.”
The Delta County Coroner’s Office was notifying relatives. Other information about the pilot wasn’t available, authorities said.
Sheriff officials notified the Federal Aviation Administration and federal investigators were to head to the airport Monday to begin an investigation.


thedenverpost--2020-05-04--Man faces murder charge after Friday night stabbing in Westminster garage

Westminster police have arrested a 36-year-old man and charged him with murder following a fatal stabbing Friday night in a @ @ @ @ @ said Sunday .
The police arrested Wesley Lougee and charged him with murder after learning @ @ @ @ @ were in the garage at a house when the stabbing occurred , Westminster police investigator @ @ @ @ @ then ran from the scene , Lopez said .
When police were dispatched to the @ @ @ @ @ , at the 10300 hundred block of 107th Circle , they found a man suffering @ @ @ @ @ .
Police tried to revive him until paramedics arrived .
Paramedics took him to a @ @ @ @ @ Police within a few minutes caught their suspect .
The Jefferson County Coroner ’ s @ @ @ @ @ the identify of the victim after notifying relatives .

Westminster police have arrested a 36-year-old man and charged him with murder following a fatal stabbing Friday night in a garage, an agency investigator said Sunday.
The police arrested Wesley Lougee and charged him with murder after learning that Lougee and the victim were in the garage at a house when the stabbing occurred, Westminster police investigator Luis Lopez said. Lougee then ran from the scene, Lopez said.
When police were dispatched to the house Friday around 7:30 p.m., at the 10300 hundred block of 107th Circle, they found a man suffering from an apparent stab wound. Police tried to revive him until paramedics arrived. Paramedics took him to a hospital but he died.
Police within a few minutes caught their suspect. The Jefferson County Coroner’s Office is expected to release the identify of the victim after notifying relatives.


thedenverpost--2020-05-04--Faced with 20,000 coronavirus deaths, care homes seek shield from lawsuits

NEW YORK — Faced with 20,000 coronavirus deaths and counting , the nation ’ s nursing homes are pushing back against a potential flood of lawsuits with a sweeping lobbying effort to get states to grant them emergency protection from claims of inadequate care .
At least 15 states have enacted laws or governors ’ orders that explicitly or apparently provide nursing homes and long-term care facilities some protection from lawsuits arising from the crisis .
And in the case of New York , which leads the nation in deaths in such facilities , a lobbying group wrote the first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it the only state with specific protection from both civil lawsuits and criminal prosecution .
Now the industry is forging ahead with a campaign to get other states on board with a simple argument : This was an unprecedented crisis and nursing homes should not be liable for events beyond their control , such as shortages of protective equipment and testing , shifting directives from authorities , and sicknesses that have decimated staffs .
“ As our care providers make these difficult decisions , they need to know they will not be prosecuted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sent this month from several major hospital and nursing home groups to their next big goal , California , where Gov .
Gavin Newsom has yet to make a decision .
Other states in their sights include Florida , Pennsylvania and Missouri .
Watchdogs , patient advocates and lawyers argue that immunity orders are misguided .
At a time when the crisis is laying bare such chronic industry problems as staffing shortages and poor infection control , they say legal liability is the last safety net to keep facilities accountable .
They also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the crisis to protect their bottom lines .
Almost 70 % of the nation ’ s more than 15,000 nursing homes are run by for-profit companies , and hundreds have been bought and sold in recent years by private-equity firms .
“ What you ’ re really looking at is an industry that always wanted immunity and now has the opportunity to ask for it under the cloak of saying , ‘ Let ’ s protect our heroes , ’ ” said Mike Dark , an attorney for California Advocates for Nursing Home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s efforts played out more starkly than in New York , which has a fifth of the nation ’ s known nursing home and long-term care deaths .
New York ’ s immunity law signed by Democratic Gov .
Andrew Cuomo was drafted by the Greater New York Hospital Association , an influential lobbying group for both hospitals and nursing homes that donated more than $ 1 million to the state Democratic Party in 2018 and has pumped more than $ 7 million into lobbying over the past three years .
While the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ workers doesn ’ t cover intentional misconduct , gross negligence and other such acts , it makes clear those exceptions don ’ t include “ decisions resulting from a resource or staffing shortage.
” Cuomo ’ s administration said the measure was a necessary part of getting the state ’ s entire health care apparatus to work together to respond to the crisis and save lives .
Nationally , the lobbying effort is being led by the American Health Care Association , which represents nearly all of the nation ’ s nursing homes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lobbying efforts in the past six years .
Other states that have emergency immunity measures are Alabama , Arizona , Connecticut , Georgia , Illinois , Kentucky , Massachusetts ; Michigan , Mississippi , New Jersey , Nevada , Rhode Island , Vermont and Wisconsin .
Their provisions vary but largely apply to injuries , deaths and care decisions , sometimes even to property damage .
But there are limitations : Most make exceptions for gross negligence and willful misconduct .
Toby Edelman of the Center for Medicare Advocacy said immunity declarations could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ harder since homes could argue any deficiencies were somehow tied to the pandemic .
“ Everything can ’ t be blamed on COVID-19 .
Other things can happen that are terrible , ” she said .
“ Just to say we ’ re in this pandemic so anything goes , that seems too far.
” All the new immunity laws notwithstanding , there is a potential wave of lawsuits coming .
Illinois lawyer Steven Levin said he ’ s received dozens of calls from people considering suing homes over the outbreak .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s gotten maybe 70 from families with relatives at homes struck by the virus .
“ We ’ re getting inundated , ” said David Hoey , whose practice near Boston has been suing homes for 25 years .
“ They ’ re grieving and they ’ re confused .
… ‘ My loved one just died from COVID .
What can I do ?
’ ” American Health Care Association CEO Mark Parkinson said the notion of lawyers gearing up for lawsuits now is “ pathetic.
” “ These lawsuits are distracting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taking care of people , ” he said .
“ We are in the middle of a battle right now.
” Subscribe to bi-weekly newsletter to get health news sent straight to your inbox .

Bernard Condon, Jim Mustian, Jennifer Peltz

NEW YORK — Faced with 20,000 coronavirus deaths and counting, the nation’s nursing homes are pushing back against a potential flood of lawsuits with a sweeping lobbying effort to get states to grant them emergency protection from claims of inadequate care.
At least 15 states have enacted laws or governors’ orders that explicitly or apparently provide nursing homes and long-term care facilities some protection from lawsuits arising from the crisis. And in the case of New York, which leads the nation in deaths in such facilities, a lobbying group wrote the first draft of a measure that apparently makes it the only state with specific protection from both civil lawsuits and criminal prosecution.
Now the industry is forging ahead with a campaign to get other states on board with a simple argument: This was an unprecedented crisis and nursing homes should not be liable for events beyond their control, such as shortages of protective equipment and testing, shifting directives from authorities, and sicknesses that have decimated staffs.
“As our care providers make these difficult decisions, they need to know they will not be prosecuted or persecuted,” read a letter sent this month from several major hospital and nursing home groups to their next big goal, California, where Gov. Gavin Newsom has yet to make a decision. Other states in their sights include Florida, Pennsylvania and Missouri.
Watchdogs, patient advocates and lawyers argue that immunity orders are misguided. At a time when the crisis is laying bare such chronic industry problems as staffing shortages and poor infection control, they say legal liability is the last safety net to keep facilities accountable.
They also contend nursing homes are taking advantage of the crisis to protect their bottom lines. Almost 70% of the nation’s more than 15,000 nursing homes are run by for-profit companies, and hundreds have been bought and sold in recent years by private-equity firms.
“What you’re really looking at is an industry that always wanted immunity and now has the opportunity to ask for it under the cloak of saying, ‘Let’s protect our heroes,’” said Mike Dark, an attorney for California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform.
Nowhere have the industry’s efforts played out more starkly than in New York, which has a fifth of the nation’s known nursing home and long-term care deaths.
New York’s immunity law signed by Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo was drafted by the Greater New York Hospital Association, an influential lobbying group for both hospitals and nursing homes that donated more than $1 million to the state Democratic Party in 2018 and has pumped more than $7 million into lobbying over the past three years.
While the law covering both hospital and nursing care workers doesn’t cover intentional misconduct, gross negligence and other such acts, it makes clear those exceptions don’t include “decisions resulting from a resource or staffing shortage.”
Cuomo’s administration said the measure was a necessary part of getting the state’s entire health care apparatus to work together to respond to the crisis and save lives.
Nationally, the lobbying effort is being led by the American Health Care Association, which represents nearly all of the nation’s nursing homes and has spent $23 million on lobbying efforts in the past six years.
Other states that have emergency immunity measures are Alabama, Arizona, Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Massachusetts; Michigan, Mississippi, New Jersey, Nevada, Rhode Island, Vermont and Wisconsin.
Their provisions vary but largely apply to injuries, deaths and care decisions, sometimes even to property damage. But there are limitations: Most make exceptions for gross negligence and willful misconduct.
Toby Edelman of the Center for Medicare Advocacy said immunity declarations could make even gross or willful negligence suits harder since homes could argue any deficiencies were somehow tied to the pandemic.
“Everything can’t be blamed on COVID-19. Other things can happen that are terrible,” she said. “Just to say we’re in this pandemic so anything goes, that seems too far.”
All the new immunity laws notwithstanding, there is a potential wave of lawsuits coming. Illinois lawyer Steven Levin said he’s received dozens of calls from people considering suing homes over the outbreak. And a lawyer in Massachusetts said he’s gotten maybe 70 from families with relatives at homes struck by the virus.
“We’re getting inundated,” said David Hoey, whose practice near Boston has been suing homes for 25 years. “They’re grieving and they’re confused. … ‘My loved one just died from COVID. What can I do?’”
American Health Care Association CEO Mark Parkinson said the notion of lawyers gearing up for lawsuits now is “pathetic.”
“These lawsuits are distracting facilities from being able to focus on taking care of people,” he said. “We are in the middle of a battle right now.”
Subscribe to bi-weekly newsletter to get health news sent straight to your inbox.