thedenverpost--2020-11-26--College basketball begins strange season in empty arenas

The strangest anticipated season in college basketball history kicked off Wednesday with dozens of games at arenas across the country .
Like everything else in this pandemic world , it was odd and disjointed .
Cancellations , protests , quarantined players , piped-in crowd noise , masked cheerleaders , socially distanced bench seating — the start of the season matched the chaotic build up to it .
One day down , who knows how many more left .
“ I ’ d like normalcy , I ’ d like a routine , but that ’ s not what we have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Roy Williams said .
“ You can do everything you can possibly do and still have a slipup .
But the process , you need to do everything you can possibly do and be prepared to handle everything as well.
” College basketball , like the rest of the sports world , was thrown into disarray last March when the surging coronavirus pandemic shut down everything .
Cancelation of the NCAA Tournament cost the NCAA $ 375 million in revenue , so the organization that runs college sports was determined to get through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wednesday ’ s start followed the lead of a college football season filled with cancelations , shutdowns and last-minute replacement games .
Dozens of college basketball programs shut down for positive COVID-19 tests , big-name coaches like Tom Izzo , Scott Drew , Jim Boeheim among them .
Games canceled almost hourly .
Programs moved in and out of multi-team events like a game of whack-a-mole .
The first big event in Connecticut dubbed Bubbleville became more like Juggleville as teams dropped out , replacements moved in and crafting a schedule became like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ socially distanced inside the Mohegan Sun casino , no fans were allowed in the 10,000-seat arena for the opening game between Virginia and Towson , a late replacement for coronavirus-affected Maine .
Cardboard cutouts filled the areas behind the baskets and recorded crowd noise was piped in to replace the full-throated roars of real fans .
Yelling coaches and squeaking sneakers echoed off the empty seats , and seats on the benches were spread out for social distancing — as they were in arenas across the country .
Kentucky ’ s Rupp Arena @ @ @ @ @ @ @ venues in college basketball , was limited to 15 % capacity and felt like the doors had just opened instead of the usual buzz at tipoff .
“ We have to create our own energy , ” said Iowa preseason All-American Luka Garza , who had 26 points and 10 rebounds in a win over North Carolina Central .
“ As a basketball player , I have no problem doing that .
I play the same whether I ’ m at LA Fitness or in front of 15,000 fans.
” Ten members of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ team followed the social justice lead of the NBA and WNBA by remaining seated for the national anthem before their 119-38 win over Charleston .
“ We just wanted everyone to know we haven ’ t forgotten about what ’ s going on , ” guard Zia Cooke said .
“ Of course , this is a basketball game , but we wanted to use our platform.
” Numerous other teams sat or knelt during the anthem , including North Carolina State ’ s women .
The Virginia men ’ s team had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Towson ’ s players had a raised fist on their backs .
Georgetown coach Patrick Ewing made a different kind of statement during the Hoyas ’ season-opening game against Maryland-Baltimore County , draping a white towel over his shoulder in memory John Thompson .
Several other coaches followed suit to honor the Hall of Fame coach who died in August at 78 .
Some teams never made it to the floor .
Georgia ’ s opener against Columbus State was canceled just hours before tipoff due to positive COVID-19 tests within the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ game against Campbellsville Harrodsburg also was canceled due to coronavirus issues .
On the women ’ s side , No .
9 UCLA had its game called off after an 80-minute wait for Cal State Fullerton to get COVID-19 test results and Rutgers ’ opener was called off due to a positive test in Monmouth ’ s program .
“ This is obviously a situation unlike any other I ’ ve had to deal with in my 31 seasons of coaching college basketball , ” Georgia coach Tom Crean said .
“ This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ around .
This is truly that.
” Oklahoma and Monmouth became the latest teams to pause all activities due to positive COVID-19 tests .
The game went on mostly as usual on the court .
Drake pulled off the first upset of the season , winning 80-70 at Kansas State .
Illinois senior Ayo Dosunmu showed off why he was a preseason All-American , finishing with 28 points , 10 rebounds and five assists in a 122-60 win over North Carolina A & T .
Heralded Oklahoma State freshman Cade Cunningham , another @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , finishing with 21 points and 10 rebounds in a 75-68 win over Texas-Arlington .
The day before Thanksgiving , players , coaches and fans were thankful to have college basketball back .
Where it goes from here , nobody knows .
AP Sports Writers Pat Eaton-Robb , Doug Feinberg , Paul Newberry , Beth Harris , Steve Megargee , Aaron Beard , Noah Trister and Pete Iacobelli contributed to this report .

The strangest anticipated season in college basketball history kicked off Wednesday with dozens of games at arenas across the country.
Like everything else in this pandemic world, it was odd and disjointed.
Cancellations, protests, quarantined players, piped-in crowd noise, masked cheerleaders, socially distanced bench seating — the start of the season matched the chaotic build up to it.
One day down, who knows how many more left.
“I’d like normalcy, I’d like a routine, but that’s not what we have right now,” North Carolina coach Roy Williams said. “You can do everything you can possibly do and still have a slipup. But the process, you need to do everything you can possibly do and be prepared to handle everything as well.”
College basketball, like the rest of the sports world, was thrown into disarray last March when the surging coronavirus pandemic shut down everything.
Cancelation of the NCAA Tournament cost the NCAA $375 million in revenue, so the organization that runs college sports was determined to get through the 2020-21 season.
The prelude to Wednesday’s start followed the lead of a college football season filled with cancelations, shutdowns and last-minute replacement games.
Dozens of college basketball programs shut down for positive COVID-19 tests, big-name coaches like Tom Izzo, Scott Drew, Jim Boeheim among them. Games canceled almost hourly. Programs moved in and out of multi-team events like a game of whack-a-mole.
The first big event in Connecticut dubbed Bubbleville became more like Juggleville as teams dropped out, replacements moved in and crafting a schedule became like sorting through AAU brackets.
While gamblers socially distanced inside the Mohegan Sun casino, no fans were allowed in the 10,000-seat arena for the opening game between Virginia and Towson, a late replacement for coronavirus-affected Maine.
Cardboard cutouts filled the areas behind the baskets and recorded crowd noise was piped in to replace the full-throated roars of real fans. Yelling coaches and squeaking sneakers echoed off the empty seats, and seats on the benches were spread out for social distancing — as they were in arenas across the country.
Kentucky’s Rupp Arena, typically one of the toughest road venues in college basketball, was limited to 15% capacity and felt like the doors had just opened instead of the usual buzz at tipoff.
“We have to create our own energy,” said Iowa preseason All-American Luka Garza, who had 26 points and 10 rebounds in a win over North Carolina Central. “As a basketball player, I have no problem doing that. I play the same whether I’m at LA Fitness or in front of 15,000 fans.”
Ten members of the top-ranked South Carolina women’s team followed the social justice lead of the NBA and WNBA by remaining seated for the national anthem before their 119-38 win over Charleston.
“We just wanted everyone to know we haven’t forgotten about what’s going on,” guard Zia Cooke said. “Of course, this is a basketball game, but we wanted to use our platform.”
Numerous other teams sat or knelt during the anthem, including North Carolina State’s women. The Virginia men’s team had “UNITY” on their warm-up shirts and Towson’s players had a raised fist on their backs.
Georgetown coach Patrick Ewing made a different kind of statement during the Hoyas’ season-opening game against Maryland-Baltimore County, draping a white towel over his shoulder in memory John Thompson. Several other coaches followed suit to honor the Hall of Fame coach who died in August at 78.
Some teams never made it to the floor.
Georgia’s opener against Columbus State was canceled just hours before tipoff due to positive COVID-19 tests within the Division II team. Lipscomb’s game against Campbellsville Harrodsburg also was canceled due to coronavirus issues.
On the women’s side, No. 9 UCLA had its game called off after an 80-minute wait for Cal State Fullerton to get COVID-19 test results and Rutgers’ opener was called off due to a positive test in Monmouth’s program.
“This is obviously a situation unlike any other I’ve had to deal with in my 31 seasons of coaching college basketball,” Georgia coach Tom Crean said. “This season already was a surreal experience all around. This is truly that.”
Oklahoma and Monmouth became the latest teams to pause all activities due to positive COVID-19 tests.
The game went on mostly as usual on the court.
Drake pulled off the first upset of the season, winning 80-70 at Kansas State. Illinois senior Ayo Dosunmu showed off why he was a preseason All-American, finishing with 28 points, 10 rebounds and five assists in a 122-60 win over North Carolina A&T.
Heralded Oklahoma State freshman Cade Cunningham, another preseason All-American, had a stellar debut, finishing with 21 points and 10 rebounds in a 75-68 win over Texas-Arlington.
The day before Thanksgiving, players, coaches and fans were thankful to have college basketball back. Where it goes from here, nobody knows.
___
AP Sports Writers Pat Eaton-Robb, Doug Feinberg, Paul Newberry, Beth Harris, Steve Megargee, Aaron Beard, Noah Trister and Pete Iacobelli contributed to this report.


thedenverpost--2020-11-26--Cowboys assistant Markus Paul dies day after medical event

FRISCO , Texas — Dallas Cowboys strength coach Markus Paul died Wednesday , a day after being taken to the hospital after experiencing a medical emergency at the team ’ s facility .
He was 54 .
The team said the cause of death was pending .
Paul was in his third season with the Cowboys after previous being a strength and conditioning coach with the New Orleans Saints , New England Patriots , New York Jets and 12 seasons with the New York Giants .
Paul was part of five Super Bowl championships , three with the Patriots and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ NFL safety played for the Chicago Bears ( 1989-93 ) and Tampa Bay Buccaneers ( 1993 ) .
He played in 71 games with 17 starts over those five seasons .
He was a fourth-round draft pick out of Syracuse , where he was an AP All-American as a senior in 1998 .
“ The loss of a family member is a tragedy , and Markus Paul was a loved and valued member of our family , ” Dallas owner Jerry Jones said .
“ He was a pleasant and calming influence in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ practice Tuesday after Paul was taken to the hospital .
The team practiced Wednesday , a day before its Thanksgiving game against Washington .

FRISCO, Texas — Dallas Cowboys strength coach Markus Paul died Wednesday, a day after being taken to the hospital after experiencing a medical emergency at the team’s facility. He was 54.
The team said the cause of death was pending.
Paul was in his third season with the Cowboys after previous being a strength and conditioning coach with the New Orleans Saints, New England Patriots, New York Jets and 12 seasons with the New York Giants. Paul was part of five Super Bowl championships, three with the Patriots and two with the Giants.
The former NFL safety played for the Chicago Bears (1989-93) and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1993). He played in 71 games with 17 starts over those five seasons. He was a fourth-round draft pick out of Syracuse, where he was an AP All-American as a senior in 1998.
“The loss of a family member is a tragedy, and Markus Paul was a loved and valued member of our family,” Dallas owner Jerry Jones said. “He was a pleasant and calming influence in our strength room.”
The Cowboys canceled practice Tuesday after Paul was taken to the hospital. The team practiced Wednesday, a day before its Thanksgiving game against Washington.


thedenverpost--2020-11-26--Unemployment filings in Colorado increase by 69%, reach highest level since May

More Coloradans filed for state unemployment aid last week than at any point since May as the COVID-19 pandemic ’ s third wave continues sends shockwaves through hospitals and the economy .
The U.S. Department of Labor reported on Wednesday that 15,528 people opened initial unemployment claims in Colorado last week .
That ’ s a 69.3 % increase over the 9,171 people the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment said filed for regular unemployment support the week ending Nov. 14 and more than double 7,483 claims see in the first week in November .
It ’ s the highest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ late May , state data shows .
At that time , the initial shock of the virus and public health orders that it generated results in mass layoffs across numerous industries .
The latest wave of jobless claims follows a spike in the virus and tightening public health restrictions that include shutting down dine-in service at restaurants in counties where the virus is spreading at high rates .
Health officials in the state have already moved 25 counties to the red level of the state ’ s recently updated COVID-19 restriction dial , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is put in place .
“ Recovery is dependent on getting COVID-19 under control , ” state labor economist Ryan Gedney said in a media call last week .
For the second week in a row , the state did not share the numbers of new filings for the federally funded Pandemic Unemployment Assitance program with the U.S. Department of Labor .
That program has been fraught with fraud and the state is investigating the latest spike in new claims for that program .
Colorado is not alone in seeing its unemployment numbers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nationally , new claims totals rose to 778,000 last week , up from 748,000 a week prior .
The Associated Press contributed to this report .

More Coloradans filed for state unemployment aid last week than at any point since May as the COVID-19 pandemic’s third wave continues sends shockwaves through hospitals and the economy.
The U.S. Department of Labor reported on Wednesday that 15,528 people opened initial unemployment claims in Colorado last week.
That’s a 69.3% increase over the 9,171 people the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment said filed for regular unemployment support the week ending Nov. 14 and more than double 7,483 claims see in the first week in November.
It’s the highest weekly total for new state claims since late May, state data shows. At that time, the initial shock of the virus and public health orders that it generated results in mass layoffs across numerous industries.
The latest wave of jobless claims follows a spike in the virus and tightening public health restrictions that include shutting down dine-in service at restaurants in counties where the virus is spreading at high rates. Health officials in the state have already moved 25 counties to the red level of the state’s recently updated COVID-19 restriction dial, the strictest level before a stay-at-home order is put in place.
“Recovery is dependent on getting COVID-19 under control,” state labor economist Ryan Gedney said in a media call last week.
For the second week in a row, the state did not share the numbers of new filings for the federally funded Pandemic Unemployment Assitance program with the U.S. Department of Labor. That program has been fraught with fraud and the state is investigating the latest spike in new claims for that program.
Colorado is not alone in seeing its unemployment numbers rise along with its COVID-19 infections. Nationally, new claims totals rose to 778,000 last week, up from 748,000 a week prior.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.


thedenverpost--2020-11-25--After first start, Saints quarterback Taysom Hill has attention of Broncos’ defense

Standing in the Broncos ’ way of taking another step toward .500 sustained four season-ending injuries at BYU , wasn ’ t drafted three years ago , was cut after his first training camp and made his initial NFL impact in a Swiss Army Knife role for the New Orleans Saints .
What Taysom Hill lacks in starting quarterback experience he makes up for in athleticism , arm strength and play-making ability , and he has the Broncos ’ attention .
In his 47th career game , Hill made his first start at quarterback in Sunday ’ s 24-9 win @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who is on injured reserve with multiple broken ribs .
Hill completed 18 of 23 passes for 233 yards and rushed 10 times for 49 yards and two touchdowns .
“ He performed his duties as a quarterback , ” Broncos coach Vic Fangio said .
“ I don ’ t think the Saints changed their offense at all because he was the quarterback.
” And that was surprising to Fangio and just about everybody else who half-expected Saints coach Sean Payton to draw up a run-the-quarterback-scheme that is the opposite of what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A wise move by Payton was not exposing Hill to first-half hits on designated run plays .
Eight of his 10 carries were in the second half when he used his 6-foot-2 , 221-pound frame to pound away at Atlanta ’ s defense .
“ I turned on the tape looking to maybe see something different , but it was the Saints ’ offense they ’ ve been running since Sean has been there and they ’ ve evolved with the addition of his ability to ( call ) quarterback-designed runs , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comfort play to begin the game — roll right and an eight-yard pass to receiver Michael Thomas .
But the Saints ’ offense started punt , field goal , missed field goal and punt to trail 9-3 .
Late in the second quarter , Hill led a touchdown drive that had completions of 16 yards to Thomas and 45 yards to Emmanuel Sanders .
“ Like any quarterback in his first start , there were some early-game jitters but I felt as the second quarter and second half took place , he did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said in a conference call with the Denver media .
The Saints still presented a wide variety of personnel groupings ( six ) and wrinkles ( jet motions , wildcat , sixth offensive lineman on the field , etc. )
.
New Orleans used “ 11 ” personnel ( three receivers ) on 30 snaps and “ 12 ” ( two receivers/two tight ends ) on 21 snaps .
The Falcons ’ defense rushed five or more players on only 10 of Hill ’ s drop-backs , choosing to use a three-man rush @ @ @ @ @ @ @ twice and forced to scramble once against the three-man pressure .
Hill ’ s running game picked up in the second half with a quarterback power play .
He gained 38 yards on six fourth-quarter carries .
“ He can run and has a strong arm , ” Broncos safety Kareem Jackson said .
“ Preparing for a dual-threat quarterback is always the toughest because you can ’ t really mimic that look in practice.
” Hill getting a chance to start and perhaps be the future quarterback of the Saints is already @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at BYU , he sustained knee , leg , foot and elbow injuries , each that ended a season .
• Broncos Briefs : Rejuvenated running game will face test against on-a-roll New Orleans defense • 🔊 Broncos podcast : Previewing Sunday ’ s Week 12 home game as Saints come to Denver • Jackson : In win over Dolphins , Broncos find template for run game success Undrafted , Hill spent the 2017 training camp with Green Bay and was claimed by the Saints on waivers .
He was called up from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the season and then Payton spent the 2018 offseason in a figurative lab creating ways to involve Hill .
In ’ 18 , Hill had 37 rushes , 14 kick returns , seven passes and three catches .
In ’ 19 , Hill had 27 rushes , 19 catches and six passes .
He signed a two-year , $ 21 million contract as a restricted free agent .
Before taking over for Brees this year , Hill had 34 rushes , six catches and five passes and also played 68 special teams @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Jackson said .
“ We have to be ready for it all .
”

Standing in the Broncos’ way of taking another step toward .500 sustained four season-ending injuries at BYU, wasn’t drafted three years ago, was cut after his first training camp and made his initial NFL impact in a Swiss Army Knife role for the New Orleans Saints.
What Taysom Hill lacks in starting quarterback experience he makes up for in athleticism, arm strength and play-making ability, and he has the Broncos’ attention.
In his 47th career game, Hill made his first start at quarterback in Sunday’s 24-9 win over Atlanta, replacing Drew Brees, who is on injured reserve with multiple broken ribs. Hill completed 18 of 23 passes for 233 yards and rushed 10 times for 49 yards and two touchdowns.
“He performed his duties as a quarterback,” Broncos coach Vic Fangio said. “I don’t think the Saints changed their offense at all because he was the quarterback.”
And that was surprising to Fangio and just about everybody else who half-expected Saints coach Sean Payton to draw up a run-the-quarterback-scheme that is the opposite of what Brees has operated.
But no. A wise move by Payton was not exposing Hill to first-half hits on designated run plays. Eight of his 10 carries were in the second half when he used his 6-foot-2, 221-pound frame to pound away at Atlanta’s defense.
“I turned on the tape looking to maybe see something different, but it was the Saints’ offense they’ve been running since Sean has been there and they’ve evolved with the addition of his ability to (call) quarterback-designed runs,” Fangio said.
Payton dialed up a comfort play to begin the game — roll right and an eight-yard pass to receiver Michael Thomas. But the Saints’ offense started punt, field goal, missed field goal and punt to trail 9-3.
Late in the second quarter, Hill led a touchdown drive that had completions of 16 yards to Thomas and 45 yards to Emmanuel Sanders.
“Like any quarterback in his first start, there were some early-game jitters but I felt as the second quarter and second half took place, he did a really good job,” Payton said in a conference call with the Denver media.
The Saints still presented a wide variety of personnel groupings (six) and wrinkles (jet motions, wildcat, sixth offensive lineman on the field, etc.). New Orleans used “11” personnel (three receivers) on 30 snaps and “12” (two receivers/two tight ends) on 21 snaps.
The Falcons’ defense rushed five or more players on only 10 of Hill’s drop-backs, choosing to use a three-man rush on seven drop-backs. Hill was sacked twice and forced to scramble once against the three-man pressure.
Hill’s running game picked up in the second half with a quarterback power play. He gained 38 yards on six fourth-quarter carries.
“He can run and has a strong arm,” Broncos safety Kareem Jackson said. “Preparing for a dual-threat quarterback is always the toughest because you can’t really mimic that look in practice.”
Hill getting a chance to start and perhaps be the future quarterback of the Saints is already a terrific story. Over five years at BYU, he sustained knee, leg, foot and elbow injuries, each that ended a season. Related Articles Denver Broncos | Race for Broncos roster spots intensifies for young players after first preseason game: “There is a sense of urgency”
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Undrafted, Hill spent the 2017 training camp with Green Bay and was claimed by the Saints on waivers. He was called up from the practice squad for the final month of the season and then Payton spent the 2018 offseason in a figurative lab creating ways to involve Hill.
In ’18, Hill had 37 rushes, 14 kick returns, seven passes and three catches.
In ’19, Hill had 27 rushes, 19 catches and six passes. He signed a two-year, $21 million contract as a restricted free agent.
Before taking over for Brees this year, Hill had 34 rushes, six catches and five passes and also played 68 special teams snaps.
“A versatile guy,” Jackson said. “We have to be ready for it all.”


thedenverpost--2020-11-25--Colorado’s COVID-19 hospitalizations increase ahead of Thanksgiving holiday

The number of people hospitalized with the novel coronavirus Wednesday in Colorado increased by 39 patients from the day before , with 1,652 people now being treated for the disease , according to the state health department .
The Department of Public Health and Environment reported 3,503 new cases of COVID-19 , the disease caused by the novel coronavirus on Wednesday .
That ’ s up from 3,161 new cases the day before .
The percentage of tests coming back positive over the past seven days is 11.45 % .
The high positivity — well above the recommended 5 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is increasing and that the rise in new cases is not simply due to more testing .
Staffing continues to be a challenge for hospitals as 36 % of facilities anticipate a shortage in employees in the next week , according to the health department .
Public health officials are also concerned that Thanksgiving gatherings could also drive up infections over the holiday .
On Wednesday , the Department of Public Health and Environment issued an open letter once again urging Coloradans to cancel Thanksgiving gatherings with people outside their household , to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out and stay at least six feet from others .
“ This year , we have seen cases surge after most major holidays , ” the health department wrote in the letter , adding , “ What we do in the coming days and weeks could save our lives and the lives of others .
This is not an exaggeration and we are thankful in advance for your consideration of each other this holiday season .
”

The number of people hospitalized with the novel coronavirus Wednesday in Colorado increased by 39 patients from the day before, with 1,652 people now being treated for the disease, according to the state health department.
The Department of Public Health and Environment reported 3,503 new cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus on Wednesday. That’s up from 3,161 new cases the day before.
The percentage of tests coming back positive over the past seven days is 11.45%. The high positivity — well above the recommended 5% threshold — means transmission of the disease is increasing and that the rise in new cases is not simply due to more testing.
Staffing continues to be a challenge for hospitals as 36% of facilities anticipate a shortage in employees in the next week, according to the health department.
Public health officials are also concerned that Thanksgiving gatherings could also drive up infections over the holiday. On Wednesday, the Department of Public Health and Environment issued an open letter once again urging Coloradans to cancel Thanksgiving gatherings with people outside their household, to wear a mask when they do go out and stay at least six feet from others.
“This year, we have seen cases surge after most major holidays,” the health department wrote in the letter, adding, “What we do in the coming days and weeks could save our lives and the lives of others. This is not an exaggeration and we are thankful in advance for your consideration of each other this holiday season.”


thedenverpost--2020-11-25--Recount ordered in 18th Judicial District Attorney race after threshold missed by 5 votes

Because of five votes , the race to become the next district attorney in the state ’ s largest judicial district will go to a mandatory recount .
John Kellner , a Republican , leads Democrat Amy Padden by a margin of 1,433 votes in a race that 573,359 people voted in .
But that ’ s not a big enough lead to avoid a recount mandated by Colorado law .
State statute mandates an automatic recount in any race where the leading candidate ’ s margin is less than or equal to half of 1 % of the total @ @ @ @ @ @ @ law , Kellner needed 1,438 more votes than Padden to avoid a mandatory recount — five more votes than his current margin .
The recount will begin Tuesday and must be finished by Dec. 8 , according to the Secretary of State ’ s election calendar .
Kellner on Nov. 14 claimed victory in a post to his campaign Facebook page , though he acknowledged the race could still go to a recount .
“ But I ’ m very confident in the county clerks of Arapahoe , Douglas , Elbert and Lincoln @ @ @ @ @ @ @ every vote and report accurate results , ” he wrote .
“ So now I ’ m going to turn my focus to serving the People of the 18th Judicial District and keeping our community safe .
Thank you !
” Padden has not conceded the race and previously said she would wait for the recount process to end .
“ We have overcome all odds to have been in the lead for the 46 hours of returns and to currently be within fractions of a percentage point of winning this historically Republican @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ensuring that every vote is accurately counted in the recount , ” Padden said Wednesday in a news release .
“ A mandatory recount ( like ballot curing ) is a part of this process established by the legislature in close races , such as this one , to make sure that every vote counts.
” The 18th Judicial District Attorney ’ s seat has been held by Republicans since 1969 .
The district — which includes Arapahoe , Douglas , Elbert and Lincoln counties — will be broken into two districts in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be comprised of solely Arapahoe County and the other three will become the state ’ s 23rd Judicial District .

Because of five votes, the race to become the next district attorney in the state’s largest judicial district will go to a mandatory recount.
John Kellner, a Republican, leads Democrat Amy Padden by a margin of 1,433 votes in a race that 573,359 people voted in. But that’s not a big enough lead to avoid a recount mandated by Colorado law.
State statute mandates an automatic recount in any race where the leading candidate’s margin is less than or equal to half of 1% of the total votes that candidate received. Under that law, Kellner needed 1,438 more votes than Padden to avoid a mandatory recount — five more votes than his current margin.
The recount will begin Tuesday and must be finished by Dec. 8, according to the Secretary of State’s election calendar.
Kellner on Nov. 14 claimed victory in a post to his campaign Facebook page, though he acknowledged the race could still go to a recount.
“But I’m very confident in the county clerks of Arapahoe, Douglas, Elbert and Lincoln Counties and their hard work to count every vote and report accurate results,” he wrote. “So now I’m going to turn my focus to serving the People of the 18th Judicial District and keeping our community safe. Thank you!”
Padden has not conceded the race and previously said she would wait for the recount process to end.
“We have overcome all odds to have been in the lead for the 46 hours of returns and to currently be within fractions of a percentage point of winning this historically Republican seat, and we are committed to ensuring that every vote is accurately counted in the recount,” Padden said Wednesday in a news release. “A mandatory recount (like ballot curing) is a part of this process established by the legislature in close races, such as this one, to make sure that every vote counts.”
The 18th Judicial District Attorney’s seat has been held by Republicans since 1969. The district — which includes Arapahoe, Douglas, Elbert and Lincoln counties — will be broken into two districts in 2024. The 18th Judicial District will be comprised of solely Arapahoe County and the other three will become the state’s 23rd Judicial District.


thedenverpost--2020-11-25--Broncos Briefs: Rejuvenated running game will face test against on-a-roll New Orleans defense

The rejuvenated Broncos running game , which produced a season-high 189 yards in last week ’ s win over Miami , will face arguably their most difficult test Sunday against New Orleans .
The Saints , who have won seven consecutive games and are an NFC-best 8-2 , are allowing only 74.3 yards rushing per game and 3.4 yards per carry , both second-best in the NFL .
In the last three games , the Saints have allowed eight rushing yards at Tampa Bay and 49 and 52 in home wins over San Francisco and Atlanta , respectively .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , really hard , ” Broncos quarterback Drew Lock said after practice Wednesday .
“ It ’ s different when you have guys who are extremely talented and can get away with talent , but when you have a team that has guys who are extremely talented and bust their butt — and you can see how hard they ’ re working on film — that ’ s what this Saints defense is .
“ You go down the lineup , you can name every single one of their players and they all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year in the league .
Flying around .
Hitting .
Making the big plays.
” The Saints haven ’ t allowed a 100-yard rusher this year ( Las Vegas ’ Josh Jacobs is tops at 88 yards in Week 2 ) and have allowed only two teams to reach 100 yards ( Raiders 116 , Los Angeles Chargers 111 ) .
Fourteen Saints have at least one tackle for lost yardage in the run game .
Linebacker Demario Davis and defensive end Cameron Jordan lead with 35 and 31 run-game tackles , respectively @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re trying to play the game on their side of the line of scrimmage and you need to have gap discipline and players need to understand their fits and then the obvious would be , you have to tackle well , ” Saints coach Sean Payton said in a conference call with Denver media .
“ We ’ ve gone against a multitude of offenses and yet , those same things have to be in place for you to defend the run and defend it well.
” Glasgow , Callahan sit .
Four @ @ @ @ @ @ @ guard Graham Glasgow ( calf ) , safety Trey Marshall ( shin ) , right tackle Demar Dotson ( hand/groin/rest ) and cornerback Bryce Callahan ( foot ) .
Limited participants were cornerback Duke Dawson ( chest ) , receiver Jerry Jeudy ( ankle/Achilles ) , nose tackle Sylvester Williams ( elbow ) and inside linebackers Josey Jewell ( ankle ) and Joe Jones ( calf ) .
Lock ( ribs ) and tight end Noah Fant ( ribs ) were listed as full-go .
Defensive end Shelby Harris , out the last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Atlanta ) and a positive COVID-19 test ( Las Vegas and Miami ) , remains on the reserve list .
“ He ’ s getting better and improving , but not enough yet to get off the list , ” coach Vic Fangio said .
Fangio on Hall of Fame .
Fangio was asked about Pro Football Hall of Fame semifinalists Peyton Manning and John Lynch and also used the forum to promote two of his former linebackers — Sam Mills ( New Orleans ) and Patrick Willis ( San Francisco ) .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Peyton was going to be pretty special when he was about 14 or 15 years old and came to the Saints ’ facility ( where Fangio was an assistant ) to throw passes in the offseason.
” On Mills : “ Sam Mills deserves to be in there .
Everybody thinks I ’ m biased and I probably am , but I will tell you for a fact that there have been guys in this league who have been around Sam and other players that are in the Hall of Fame and they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an inside linebacker than some of those in the Hall of Fame.
” On Willis : “ He was a tremendous inside linebacker for ( eight years ) in San Francisco .
Fastest inside linebacker I ’ ve ever coached .
He was a great player , too.
” Fangio said Lynch “ will eventually get in , I ’ m sure.
” More praise for Manning .
Also delivering high marks to Manning was Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre during his weekly co-hosting appearance on The Sirius XM Blitz with Bruce @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Manning ) — and he had great protection for the most part ( in ) his career — he would just slice and dice you apart , ” Favre said .
“ Obviously , I was never a defensive coordinator , but I got to be thinking about ( going against Manning ) was a chess match that you knew you were not going to win .
… “ One of my greater games was against the Colts in Indianapolis and man , I couldn ’ t miss .
And I was about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It was like , ‘ I can ’ t do anymore and he ’ s unbelievably just completing every pass.
” Favre ’ s recall is on-point .
In September 2004 , Favre was 30-of-44 passing for 360 yards , four touchdowns , no interceptions and a 123.3 rating … and Green Bay lost 45-31 to Indianapolis .
Manning was 28-of-40 for 343 yards , five touchdowns ( including two scores to Denver resident/radio host Brandon Stokley ) no interceptions and a 140.9 rating .
Footnotes .
Fangio said defensive coordinator Ed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the team .
“ Hopefully it will be sooner rather than later that he can start coming in here ( to work ) , even if it ’ s in a part-time basis , ” Fangio said .
… The Broncos waived running back LeVante Bellamy and activated inside linebacker Mark Barron from injured reserve .
Barron sustained a hamstring injury in training camp and hasn ’ t played this year .
Right tackle Jake Rodgers , waived on Tuesday , was claimed by Baltimore .

The rejuvenated Broncos running game, which produced a season-high 189 yards in last week’s win over Miami, will face arguably their most difficult test Sunday against New Orleans.
The Saints, who have won seven consecutive games and are an NFC-best 8-2, are allowing only 74.3 yards rushing per game and 3.4 yards per carry, both second-best in the NFL.
In the last three games, the Saints have allowed eight rushing yards at Tampa Bay and 49 and 52 in home wins over San Francisco and Atlanta, respectively.
“Those guys up front just play really, really hard,” Broncos quarterback Drew Lock said after practice Wednesday. “It’s different when you have guys who are extremely talented and can get away with talent, but when you have a team that has guys who are extremely talented and bust their butt — and you can see how hard they’re working on film — that’s what this Saints defense is.
“You go down the lineup, you can name every single one of their players and they all play like it’s their first year in the league. Flying around. Hitting. Making the big plays.”
The Saints haven’t allowed a 100-yard rusher this year (Las Vegas’ Josh Jacobs is tops at 88 yards in Week 2) and have allowed only two teams to reach 100 yards (Raiders 116, Los Angeles Chargers 111).
Fourteen Saints have at least one tackle for lost yardage in the run game. Linebacker Demario Davis and defensive end Cameron Jordan lead with 35 and 31 run-game tackles, respectively.
“Generally speaking, you’re trying to play the game on their side of the line of scrimmage and you need to have gap discipline and players need to understand their fits and then the obvious would be, you have to tackle well,” Saints coach Sean Payton said in a conference call with Denver media. “We’ve gone against a multitude of offenses and yet, those same things have to be in place for you to defend the run and defend it well.”
Glasgow, Callahan sit. Four Broncos did not practice Wednesday — right guard Graham Glasgow (calf), safety Trey Marshall (shin), right tackle Demar Dotson (hand/groin/rest) and cornerback Bryce Callahan (foot). Limited participants were cornerback Duke Dawson (chest), receiver Jerry Jeudy (ankle/Achilles), nose tackle Sylvester Williams (elbow) and inside linebackers Josey Jewell (ankle) and Joe Jones (calf).
Lock (ribs) and tight end Noah Fant (ribs) were listed as full-go. Defensive end Shelby Harris, out the last three games because of contact tracing (Atlanta) and a positive COVID-19 test (Las Vegas and Miami), remains on the reserve list.
“He’s getting better and improving, but not enough yet to get off the list,” coach Vic Fangio said.
Fangio on Hall of Fame. Fangio was asked about Pro Football Hall of Fame semifinalists Peyton Manning and John Lynch and also used the forum to promote two of his former linebackers — Sam Mills (New Orleans) and Patrick Willis (San Francisco).
On Manning: “I figured out Peyton was going to be pretty special when he was about 14 or 15 years old and came to the Saints’ facility (where Fangio was an assistant) to throw passes in the offseason.”
On Mills: “Sam Mills deserves to be in there. Everybody thinks I’m biased and I probably am, but I will tell you for a fact that there have been guys in this league who have been around Sam and other players that are in the Hall of Fame and they will tell you Sam was better as an inside linebacker than some of those in the Hall of Fame.”
On Willis: “He was a tremendous inside linebacker for (eight years) in San Francisco. Fastest inside linebacker I’ve ever coached. He was a great player, too.”
Fangio said Lynch “will eventually get in, I’m sure.”
More praise for Manning. Also delivering high marks to Manning was Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre during his weekly co-hosting appearance on The Sirius XM Blitz with Bruce Murray.
“If you protected (Manning) — and he had great protection for the most part (in) his career — he would just slice and dice you apart,” Favre said. “Obviously, I was never a defensive coordinator, but I got to be thinking about (going against Manning) was a chess match that you knew you were not going to win. …
“One of my greater games was against the Colts in Indianapolis and man, I couldn’t miss. And I was about two touchdowns shy of winning that game. It was like, ‘I can’t do anymore and he’s unbelievably just completing every pass.”
Favre’s recall is on-point. In September 2004, Favre was 30-of-44 passing for 360 yards, four touchdowns, no interceptions and a 123.3 rating … and Green Bay lost 45-31 to Indianapolis. Manning was 28-of-40 for 343 yards, five touchdowns (including two scores to Denver resident/radio host Brandon Stokley) no interceptions and a 140.9 rating.
Footnotes. Fangio said defensive coordinator Ed Donatell (COVID-19) remains away from the team. “Hopefully it will be sooner rather than later that he can start coming in here (to work), even if it’s in a part-time basis,” Fangio said. … The Broncos waived running back LeVante Bellamy and activated inside linebacker Mark Barron from injured reserve. Barron sustained a hamstring injury in training camp and hasn’t played this year. Right tackle Jake Rodgers, waived on Tuesday, was claimed by Baltimore.


thedenverpost--2020-11-25--President Trump pardons Michael Flynn, taking direct aim at Russia probe

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump pardoned former national security adviser Michael Flynn on Wednesday , taking direct aim in the final days of his administration at a Russia investigation that he has long insisted was motivated by political bias .
“ It is my Great Honor to announce that General Michael T. Flynn has been granted a Full Pardon , ” Trump tweeted .
“ Congratulations to @ GenFlynn and his wonderful family , I know you will now have a truly fantastic Thanksgiving !
” Flynn is the second Trump associate convicted in the Russia probe to be granted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the sentence of longtime confidant Roger Stone just days before he was to report to prison .
It is part of a broader effort to undo the results of an investigation that for years has shadowed his administration and yielded criminal charges against a half dozen associates .
The action voids the criminal case against Flynn just as a federal judge was weighing , skeptically , whether to grant a Justice Department request to dismiss the prosecution despite Flynn ’ s own guilty plea to lying to the FBI about his Russia contacts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ winds down his single term , is likely to energize supporters who have taken up the case as a cause celebre and rallied around the retired Army lieutenant general as the victim of what they assert is an unfair prosecution .
Trump himself has repeatedly spoken warmly about Flynn , even though special counsel Robert Mueller ’ s prosecutors once praised him as a model cooperator in their probe into ties between Russia and the 2016 Trump campaign .
House Judiciary Committee Chair Jerry Nadler said the pardon was undeserved and unprincipled .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ constructed an elaborate narrative in which Trump and Flynn are victims and the Constitution is subject to the whims of the president , ” the Democratic congressman said in a statement .
“ Americans soundly rejected this nonsense when they voted out President Trump .
” The pardon is the final step in a case defined by twists and turns over the last year after the Justice Department abruptly move to dismiss the case , insisting that Flynn should have never been interviewed by the FBI in the first place , only to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the request and appoint a former judge to argue against the federal government ’ s position .
In the months since , a three-judge panel ’ s decision ordering Sullivan to dismiss the case was overturned by the full appeals court , which sent the matter back to Sullivan .
At a hearing in September , Flynn lawyer Sidney Powell told the judge that she had discussed the Flynn case with Trump but also said she did not want a pardon — presumably because she wanted him to be vindicated in the courts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a public face of the Trump ’ s efforts to overturn the results of his election loss to President-elect Joe Biden , but the Trump legal team ultimately distanced itself from her after she advanced a series of uncorroborated conspiracy claims .
The pardon spares Flynn the possibility of any prison sentence , which Sullivan could potentially have imposed had he ultimately decided to reject the Justice Department ’ s dismissal request .
That request was made in May after a review of the case by a federal prosecutor from St. Louis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ General William Barr .
Flynn acknowledged lying during the FBI interview by saying he had not discussed with the then-Russian ambassador , Sergey Kislyak , sanctions that had just been imposed on Russia for election interference by the outgoing Obama administration .
During that conversation , Flynn urged Kislyak for Russia to be “ even-keeled ” in response to the punitive measures , and assured him “ we can have a better conversation ” about relations between the two countries after Trump became president .
The conversation alarmed the FBI , which at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaign and Russia had coordinated to sway the election ’ s outcome .
In addition , White House officials were stating publicly that Flynn and Kislyak had not discussed sanctions .
But last May , the Justice Department abruptly reversed its position in the case .
It said the FBI had no basis to interview Flynn about Kislyak , then the Russian ambassador to the United States , and that any statements he may have made were not relevant to the FBI ’ s broader counterintelligence probe .
It cited internal FBI notes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out their investigation into Flynn weeks earlier .
Flynn was ousted from his position in February 2017 after news broke that he had indeed discussed sanctions with Kislyak and that former Obama administration officials had warned the White House that he could be vulnerable to blackmail .
Flynn , of Middletown , Rhode Island , was among the first of the president ’ s aides to admit guilt in Mueller ’ s investigation and cooperated extensively for months .
He provided such extensive cooperation that prosecutors did not recommend any prison time and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ probation .
But on the morning he was to have been sentenced , after a stern rebuke about his behavior from Sullivan , Flynn asked for the hearing to be cut short so that he could continue cooperating and earn credit toward a more lenient sentence .
After that , though , he hired new attorneys — including Powell , a conservative commentator and outspoken critic of Mueller ’ s investigation — who took a far more confrontational stance to the government .
The lawyers accused prosecutors of withholding documents and evidence they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ repeatedly noted that one of the two agents who interviewed Flynn was fired from the FBI for having sent derogatory text messages about Trump during the 2016 campaign .

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump pardoned former national security adviser Michael Flynn on Wednesday, taking direct aim in the final days of his administration at a Russia investigation that he has long insisted was motivated by political bias.
“It is my Great Honor to announce that General Michael T. Flynn has been granted a Full Pardon,” Trump tweeted. “Congratulations to @GenFlynn and his wonderful family, I know you will now have a truly fantastic Thanksgiving!”
Flynn is the second Trump associate convicted in the Russia probe to be granted clemency by the president. Trump commuted the sentence of longtime confidant Roger Stone just days before he was to report to prison. It is part of a broader effort to undo the results of an investigation that for years has shadowed his administration and yielded criminal charges against a half dozen associates.
The action voids the criminal case against Flynn just as a federal judge was weighing, skeptically, whether to grant a Justice Department request to dismiss the prosecution despite Flynn’s own guilty plea to lying to the FBI about his Russia contacts.
The move, coming as Trump winds down his single term, is likely to energize supporters who have taken up the case as a cause celebre and rallied around the retired Army lieutenant general as the victim of what they assert is an unfair prosecution. Trump himself has repeatedly spoken warmly about Flynn, even though special counsel Robert Mueller’s prosecutors once praised him as a model cooperator in their probe into ties between Russia and the 2016 Trump campaign.
House Judiciary Committee Chair Jerry Nadler said the pardon was undeserved and unprincipled.
“The President’s enablers have constructed an elaborate narrative in which Trump and Flynn are victims and the Constitution is subject to the whims of the president,” the Democratic congressman said in a statement. “Americans soundly rejected this nonsense when they voted out President Trump. ”
The pardon is the final step in a case defined by twists and turns over the last year after the Justice Department abruptly move to dismiss the case, insisting that Flynn should have never been interviewed by the FBI in the first place, only to have U.S. District Justice Emmet Sullivan refuse the request and appoint a former judge to argue against the federal government’s position.
In the months since, a three-judge panel’s decision ordering Sullivan to dismiss the case was overturned by the full appeals court, which sent the matter back to Sullivan. At a hearing in September, Flynn lawyer Sidney Powell told the judge that she had discussed the Flynn case with Trump but also said she did not want a pardon — presumably because she wanted him to be vindicated in the courts.
Powell emerged separately in recent weeks as a public face of the Trump’s efforts to overturn the results of his election loss to President-elect Joe Biden, but the Trump legal team ultimately distanced itself from her after she advanced a series of uncorroborated conspiracy claims.
The pardon spares Flynn the possibility of any prison sentence, which Sullivan could potentially have imposed had he ultimately decided to reject the Justice Department’s dismissal request. That request was made in May after a review of the case by a federal prosecutor from St. Louis who had been specially appointed by Attorney General William Barr.
Flynn acknowledged lying during the FBI interview by saying he had not discussed with the then-Russian ambassador, Sergey Kislyak, sanctions that had just been imposed on Russia for election interference by the outgoing Obama administration. During that conversation, Flynn urged Kislyak for Russia to be “even-keeled” in response to the punitive measures, and assured him “we can have a better conversation” about relations between the two countries after Trump became president.
The conversation alarmed the FBI, which at the time was investigating whether the Trump campaign and Russia had coordinated to sway the election’s outcome. In addition, White House officials were stating publicly that Flynn and Kislyak had not discussed sanctions.
But last May, the Justice Department abruptly reversed its position in the case. It said the FBI had no basis to interview Flynn about Kislyak, then the Russian ambassador to the United States, and that any statements he may have made were not relevant to the FBI’s broader counterintelligence probe. It cited internal FBI notes showing that agents had planned to close out their investigation into Flynn weeks earlier.
Flynn was ousted from his position in February 2017 after news broke that he had indeed discussed sanctions with Kislyak and that former Obama administration officials had warned the White House that he could be vulnerable to blackmail.
Flynn, of Middletown, Rhode Island, was among the first of the president’s aides to admit guilt in Mueller’s investigation and cooperated extensively for months. He provided such extensive cooperation that prosecutors did not recommend any prison time and suggested that they would be fine with probation.
But on the morning he was to have been sentenced, after a stern rebuke about his behavior from Sullivan, Flynn asked for the hearing to be cut short so that he could continue cooperating and earn credit toward a more lenient sentence.
After that, though, he hired new attorneys — including Powell, a conservative commentator and outspoken critic of Mueller’s investigation — who took a far more confrontational stance to the government.
The lawyers accused prosecutors of withholding documents and evidence they said was favorable to the case and repeatedly noted that one of the two agents who interviewed Flynn was fired from the FBI for having sent derogatory text messages about Trump during the 2016 campaign.


thedenverpost--2020-11-25--Colorado announces temporary tax break for bars and restaurants

Colorado bars and eateries that have been ordered to limit their capacity are getting a temporary tax break from the state at a time of profound challenge and uncertainty for the industry .
Gov .
Jared Polis announced Wednesday that via executive order he has suspended collection of the 2.9 % sales tax that businesses must typically return to the government .
That means businesses affected by the executive order — bars , restaurants and food trucks — can hang onto an extra $ 2.90 per $ 100 in revenue .
“ Colorado ’ s restaurants , bars , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that have been hit the hardest by the pandemic , ” Polis said in a statement .
“ We all want to keep these businesses open as a vital part of our lives and culture , which is why I ’ m proud to be working with a group of bipartisan legislators to provide much needed tax relief.
” Beth Gruitch , co-owner of Denver restaurants Rioja , Bistro Vendome , Stoic & Genuine and Ultreia welcomed the Thanksgiving eve news .
“ Restaurants are in serious trouble without federal stimulus help , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ governor ’ s 2.9 % sales tax break is part of a pandemic relief package that the state is considering , it will certainly help .
If it ’ s the only piece , it just isn ’ t nearly enough to keep restaurants alive.
” The governor has the authority to suspend collection of the taxes , but only temporarily .
The legislature has the authority to actually forgive the obligation to return these revenues to the state — and it plans to do just that when it convenes next week for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Among a slew of stimulus policies , the General Assembly is expected to adopt is a forgiveness of sales tax obligations up to $ 2,000 per month for affected businesses through at least February .
“ The intent of the executive order is to give advance notice to bars and restaurants now about extending the November collections deadline , ahead of the special legislative session , ” the governor ’ s office stated in a press release .
Lawmakers and Polis remain deeply frustrated by the lack of recent congressional action to pass @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can not afford to float all struggling businesses .
“ Nor should the state , ” said state Sen. Jack Tate , R-Centennial , who plans to be a sponsor of the bill next week to forgive this tax into next year .
“ You can ’ t have the state underwrite the entire business community , but you can protect it from unfair and adverse actions.
” Added state Sen. Jeff Bridges , D-Greenwood Village , who also plans to sponsor the bill , “ This isn ’ t going to relieve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s on us to do as much as we can to help those small businesses that have been hardest hit by the pandemic.
” Indeed , the hits keep coming for many businesses — particularly those in counties at Level Red on the state COVID-19 dial .
Bars and restaurants , which generally operate on tight margins , have been among the businesses most impacted by the pandemic .
But the suspension of the tax won ’ t be a cure-all , by any stretch ; in-person dining is shut down across large @ @ @ @ @ @ @ entire Denver metro , and a recent survey by the Colorado Restaurant Association found that roughly 4 in 5 restaurants here say they would have to consider shutting down within six months as long as in-person dining is suspended .
Bridges said that the forthcoming bill includes the $ 2,000 monthly cap in part because the legislature does not want to offer major relief to big corporations that don ’ t need it as badly as small companies do .
“ The goal is to help small business owners who are most impacted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most help right now to make it through the winter and keeps folks employed , ” he said .
“ So we ’ re targeting these funds in a way to make sure that those who need the most help get the most out of it .
”

Colorado bars and eateries that have been ordered to limit their capacity are getting a temporary tax break from the state at a time of profound challenge and uncertainty for the industry.
Gov. Jared Polis announced Wednesday that via executive order he has suspended collection of the 2.9% sales tax that businesses must typically return to the government. That means businesses affected by the executive order — bars, restaurants and food trucks — can hang onto an extra $2.90 per $100 in revenue.
“Colorado’s restaurants, bars, and food trucks are among the small businesses that have been hit the hardest by the pandemic,” Polis said in a statement. “We all want to keep these businesses open as a vital part of our lives and culture, which is why I’m proud to be working with a group of bipartisan legislators to provide much needed tax relief.”
Beth Gruitch, co-owner of Denver restaurants Rioja, Bistro Vendome, Stoic & Genuine and Ultreia welcomed the Thanksgiving eve news.
“Restaurants are in serious trouble without federal stimulus help,” Gruitch said. “If the governor’s 2.9% sales tax break is part of a pandemic relief package that the state is considering, it will certainly help. If it’s the only piece, it just isn’t nearly enough to keep restaurants alive.”
The governor has the authority to suspend collection of the taxes, but only temporarily. The legislature has the authority to actually forgive the obligation to return these revenues to the state — and it plans to do just that when it convenes next week for a special session on COVID-19 relief. Among a slew of stimulus policies, the General Assembly is expected to adopt is a forgiveness of sales tax obligations up to $2,000 per month for affected businesses through at least February.
“The intent of the executive order is to give advance notice to bars and restaurants now about extending the November collections deadline, ahead of the special legislative session,” the governor’s office stated in a press release.
Lawmakers and Polis remain deeply frustrated by the lack of recent congressional action to pass a new federal stimulus. The state cannot afford to float all struggling businesses.
“Nor should the state,” said state Sen. Jack Tate, R-Centennial, who plans to be a sponsor of the bill next week to forgive this tax into next year. “You can’t have the state underwrite the entire business community, but you can protect it from unfair and adverse actions.”
Added state Sen. Jeff Bridges, D-Greenwood Village, who also plans to sponsor the bill, “This isn’t going to relieve all the burdens, but it’s on us to do as much as we can to help those small businesses that have been hardest hit by the pandemic.”
Indeed, the hits keep coming for many businesses — particularly those in counties at Level Red on the state COVID-19 dial. Bars and restaurants, which generally operate on tight margins, have been among the businesses most impacted by the pandemic.
But the suspension of the tax won’t be a cure-all, by any stretch; in-person dining is shut down across large swaths of Colorado, including in the entire Denver metro, and a recent survey by the Colorado Restaurant Association found that roughly 4 in 5 restaurants here say they would have to consider shutting down within six months as long as in-person dining is suspended.
Bridges said that the forthcoming bill includes the $2,000 monthly cap in part because the legislature does not want to offer major relief to big corporations that don’t need it as badly as small companies do.
“The goal is to help small business owners who are most impacted by COVID, and who need the most help right now to make it through the winter and keeps folks employed,” he said. “So we’re targeting these funds in a way to make sure that those who need the most help get the most out of it.”
Reporter Josie Sexton contributed.


thedenverpost--2020-11-26--Fantasy football Week 12 players to start and sit: Derek Carr, Kirk Cousins, Tom Brady

Two weeks remain in the fantasy regular season , making Week 12 an all-or-nothing proposition for owners scratching and clawing their way into the playoffs .
The good news is that there are no bye weeks , giving owners an unlimited landscape to work with .
On the other side of the spectrum is the reality some will face if failure during the Thanksgiving Day games fails to offer a needed springboard .
START : Derek Carr , QB , Raiders : Easily the best streaming option at the position , Carr is in line to have a big Sunday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which remains the most fantasy friendly unit against opposing quarterbacks .
Only the Seahawks have allowed more passing yards than Atlanta , which also ranks tied for 30th with 22 touchdown passes allowed .
SIT : Kirk Cousins , QB , Vikings : Cousins may be without WR Adam Thielen — the league leader with 11 touchdown receptions — expect the Minnesota offense to be heavily run-focused against the Panthers , who rank 27th in fantasy points per game allowed to opposing running backs .
That means a hefty dose of RB Dalvin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Cousins to continue a hot streak that ’ s seen him throw for eight touchdowns in the past three games .
START : David Montgomery , RB , Bears : Week 12 may be the opportunity for Montgomery to reward his frustrated owners .
Scheduled to return off concussion protocol , Montgomery gets a favorable matchup on Sunday night when he runs against a Packers defense that is third worst in fantasy points per game allowed to opposing RBs and has allowed an opposing back to rush for at least 90 yards @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
SIT : Ronald Jones , RB , Buccaneers : Outside of his huge Week 10 performance against the Panthers , Jones has been a fantasy disappointment , having rushed for 34 or fewer yards in four of his past five games .
Don ’ t count on the good times to suddenly return as Jones and the slumping Buccaneers run headlong into a Chiefs run defense that is less fantasy friendly to opposing runners over the past month than they were earlier in the season .
START : Jalen Reagor , WR @ @ @ @ @ @ @ here , especially with the inconsistency of QB Carson Wentz , but Reagor is the one Philadelphia wideout most capable of exploiting the matchup against a Seattle defense that continues to allow the most fantasy points per game to opposing receivers .
Fantasy owners willing to take a gamble could find themselves striking gold Monday night .
SIT : Jakobi Meyers , WR , Patriots : Meyers ’ reign atop the New England WR pecking order was brief as N ’ Keal Harry and a solid Week 11 outing from Damiere Byrd resulted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chances for a Week 12 rebound are slim despite playing against a Cardinals defense that has allowed the seventh-most fantasy points per game to opposing wideouts .
Adding to Meyers ’ woes : he ’ ll likely be shadowed by All-Pro CB Patrick Peterson .
START : Dawson Knox , TE , Bills : Why take a chance on a TE that has been injured all season and has just 16 total targets ?
Simple : Knox has a very favorable matchup as the Bills meet a Chargers defense that has allowed at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ games to opposing tight ends .
With much of the focus going toward slowing down WR Stefon Diggs , Knox should emerge as a stealth option , especially as Buffalo gets inside the red zone .
SIT : Robert Tonyan , TE , Packers : Tonyan scored for the first time since his three-TD performance in Week 4 , but remains an afterthought in the Green Bay offense , having been targeted just 10 times in the past three games .
The Bears are the ninth-worst fantasy defense against opposing TEs , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 65 yards in a game this season , a feat Tonyan has achieved just twice in 2020 .
START : Michael Pittman , Jr. , WR , Colts : The rookie has pulled in 14 of his 18 targets for 223 yards and a touchdown over the past three games , slowly emerging as the go-to option for QB Philip Rivers .
Pittman has an excellent opportunity to continue evolving into a fantasy threat when he lines up against a Titans defense ranked 28th in fantasy points allowed per game to opposing WRs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 21 touchdown passes allowed .
SIT : Tom Brady , QB , Buccaneers : This is not the week to gamble with Brady , who takes on a Chiefs defense that allows the 10th-fewest fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks .
The fact that Brady has not completed a pass attempt of better than 20 yards ( 0 for 19 ) over the past month is also unnerving to fantasy owners who rely on Tampa Bay wideouts Mike Evans and Chris Godwin .
START : Nick Chubb , RB , Browns : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a clear sign Chubb has re-established himself as a must-start runner .
A third straight 100-yard game is in the offing when Chubb and Cleveland ’ s power running attack gets to feast on a Jaguars run defense that gives up the ninth-most rushing yards per game .
Even better for Chubb ’ s fantasy owners is the fact Jacksonville is the fifth worst in fantasy points allowed per game to opposing RBs .
• Keeler : Jeff Bridich is a coward .
He should be thankful Rockies fans still care .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the day .
• Broncos Briefs : Rejuvenated running game will face test against on-a-roll New Orleans defense • 🔊 Broncos podcast : Previewing Sunday ’ s Week 12 home game as Saints come to Denver SIT : Anthony Miller , WR , Bears : The targets are there ( 26 in the past three games ) , but the production has fallen short for Miller ’ s owners , who have yet to see him score a touchdown since Week 3 .
Miller hasn ’ t had a 100-yard game this season @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ll do so Sunday night against a Packers defense that gives up the ninth-fewest fantasy points per game to opposing wideouts .
START : Cooper Kupp , WR , Rams : Targeted a whopping 40 times over the past three games , Kupp will remain the hot hand in the Los Angeles passing game when the Rams take on a 49ers team that held Kupp to just 11 yards and three receptions in Week 6 .
Don ’ t bank on a repeat performance now that the Rams appear to have opened up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ryan , QB , Falcons : Ryan has either thrown just one touchdown pass or failed to do so five times this season , including three of his past four .
With WR Julio Jones ( hamstring ) possibly missing the game , fantasy owners should look elsewhere for better production at the position .
This column was provided to The Associated Press by SportsGrid Inc. , www.sportsgrid.com

Two weeks remain in the fantasy regular season, making Week 12 an all-or-nothing proposition for owners scratching and clawing their way into the playoffs.
The good news is that there are no bye weeks, giving owners an unlimited landscape to work with. On the other side of the spectrum is the reality some will face if failure during the Thanksgiving Day games fails to offer a needed springboard.
START: Derek Carr, QB, Raiders: Easily the best streaming option at the position, Carr is in line to have a big Sunday at the expense of a Falcons defense which remains the most fantasy friendly unit against opposing quarterbacks. Only the Seahawks have allowed more passing yards than Atlanta, which also ranks tied for 30th with 22 touchdown passes allowed.
SIT: Kirk Cousins, QB, Vikings: Cousins may be without WR Adam Thielen — the league leader with 11 touchdown receptions — expect the Minnesota offense to be heavily run-focused against the Panthers, who rank 27th in fantasy points per game allowed to opposing running backs. That means a hefty dose of RB Dalvin Cook, so don’t look to Cousins to continue a hot streak that’s seen him throw for eight touchdowns in the past three games.
START: David Montgomery, RB, Bears: Week 12 may be the opportunity for Montgomery to reward his frustrated owners. Scheduled to return off concussion protocol, Montgomery gets a favorable matchup on Sunday night when he runs against a Packers defense that is third worst in fantasy points per game allowed to opposing RBs and has allowed an opposing back to rush for at least 90 yards in four of their past six games.
SIT: Ronald Jones, RB, Buccaneers: Outside of his huge Week 10 performance against the Panthers, Jones has been a fantasy disappointment, having rushed for 34 or fewer yards in four of his past five games. Don’t count on the good times to suddenly return as Jones and the slumping Buccaneers run headlong into a Chiefs run defense that is less fantasy friendly to opposing runners over the past month than they were earlier in the season.
START: Jalen Reagor, WR, Eagles: There’s risk here, especially with the inconsistency of QB Carson Wentz, but Reagor is the one Philadelphia wideout most capable of exploiting the matchup against a Seattle defense that continues to allow the most fantasy points per game to opposing receivers. Fantasy owners willing to take a gamble could find themselves striking gold Monday night.
SIT: Jakobi Meyers, WR, Patriots: Meyers’ reign atop the New England WR pecking order was brief as N’Keal Harry and a solid Week 11 outing from Damiere Byrd resulted in him being an afterthought. His chances for a Week 12 rebound are slim despite playing against a Cardinals defense that has allowed the seventh-most fantasy points per game to opposing wideouts. Adding to Meyers’ woes: he’ll likely be shadowed by All-Pro CB Patrick Peterson.
START: Dawson Knox, TE, Bills: Why take a chance on a TE that has been injured all season and has just 16 total targets? Simple: Knox has a very favorable matchup as the Bills meet a Chargers defense that has allowed at least one touchdown pass in four straight games to opposing tight ends. With much of the focus going toward slowing down WR Stefon Diggs, Knox should emerge as a stealth option, especially as Buffalo gets inside the red zone.
SIT: Robert Tonyan, TE, Packers: Tonyan scored for the first time since his three-TD performance in Week 4, but remains an afterthought in the Green Bay offense, having been targeted just 10 times in the past three games. The Bears are the ninth-worst fantasy defense against opposing TEs, but have yet to allow one to eclipse 65 yards in a game this season, a feat Tonyan has achieved just twice in 2020.
START: Michael Pittman, Jr., WR, Colts: The rookie has pulled in 14 of his 18 targets for 223 yards and a touchdown over the past three games, slowly emerging as the go-to option for QB Philip Rivers. Pittman has an excellent opportunity to continue evolving into a fantasy threat when he lines up against a Titans defense ranked 28th in fantasy points allowed per game to opposing WRs along with being tied for 28th with 21 touchdown passes allowed.
SIT: Tom Brady, QB, Buccaneers: This is not the week to gamble with Brady, who takes on a Chiefs defense that allows the 10th-fewest fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks. The fact that Brady has not completed a pass attempt of better than 20 yards (0 for 19) over the past month is also unnerving to fantasy owners who rely on Tampa Bay wideouts Mike Evans and Chris Godwin.
START: Nick Chubb, RB, Browns: Back-to-back 100-yard games since his four-game absence is a clear sign Chubb has re-established himself as a must-start runner. A third straight 100-yard game is in the offing when Chubb and Cleveland’s power running attack gets to feast on a Jaguars run defense that gives up the ninth-most rushing yards per game. Even better for Chubb’s fantasy owners is the fact Jacksonville is the fifth worst in fantasy points allowed per game to opposing RBs.
SIT: Anthony Miller, WR, Bears: The targets are there (26 in the past three games), but the production has fallen short for Miller’s owners, who have yet to see him score a touchdown since Week 3. Miller hasn’t had a 100-yard game this season and it’s unlikely he’ll do so Sunday night against a Packers defense that gives up the ninth-fewest fantasy points per game to opposing wideouts.
START: Cooper Kupp, WR, Rams: Targeted a whopping 40 times over the past three games, Kupp will remain the hot hand in the Los Angeles passing game when the Rams take on a 49ers team that held Kupp to just 11 yards and three receptions in Week 6. Don’t bank on a repeat performance now that the Rams appear to have opened up their passing game.
SIT: Matt Ryan, QB, Falcons: Ryan has either thrown just one touchdown pass or failed to do so five times this season, including three of his past four. With WR Julio Jones (hamstring) possibly missing the game, fantasy owners should look elsewhere for better production at the position.
This column was provided to The Associated Press by SportsGrid Inc., www.sportsgrid.com


thedenverpost--2020-11-26--Essay: When Coloradans can’t gather around a Thanksgiving dinner table, they hit the slopes instead

This Thanksgiving , I ’ ll be carving turns with my Dad instead of a turkey .
Like many families this holiday , we decided against the traditional meal and the risk of passing more than the mashed potatoes to our older relatives .
And like those many families , it was a tough decision to make .
As we ’ ve had to do throughout the COVID-19 pandemic , Americans heading into the holiday season are once again being forced to weigh the risks and benefits of activities we ’ ve always taken for granted .
We ’ ve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ through eight months of grocery shopping , school , exercise , recreation and celebrations , but Thanksgiving has posed our biggest challenge yet .
How are you supposed to stay 6 feet apart while bringing the generations together around a dinner table ?
Who among us can eat with a mask on ?
And , let ’ s be honest , it would be impossible to get into the inevitable heated debate about the presidential election without exchanging some airborne droplets .
We considered having the holiday feast outside ; I mean , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was held , after all .
But with a forecasted high temperature in the 40s for the holiday , the gathering would inevitably migrate indoors .
And we ’ ve seen how outdoor gatherings go , even the warmest of months .
Things start outside , but then people get cold ( or hot ) and head indoors “ just for a few minutes , ” with the intention of keeping their masks on .
But then guests take their masks off to take a drink and as time passes the masks spend @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than covering their mouths .
Next thing you know , you wake up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat worried that you may have just gotten your 80-year-old dad ill. And those summer gatherings were before my daughters went back to school and I taught in person at Colorado State University for 13 weeks , increasing the risk that we could be carrying COVID-19 into our home .
So this Thanksgiving , we ’ re keeping the generations outside by gathering on the slopes instead of around the dinner @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s many outdoor activities that is safe this winter season .
You ’ re already wearing a mask , and it ’ s difficult to get within 6 feet of each other with your boards on .
Skiing has always been my family ’ s favorite way to spend a winter day , but Dad and I have the most deeply seated FOMO when it comes to slope time .
Whenever snowflakes appear in the forecast , it ’ s a toss-up at to which one of us will email the other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where we live in Northern Colorado to our favorite resorts .
For at least 15 years , people have been marveling at the fact Dad still skis “ at his age.
” My money is on him skiing at least 15 more .
After all , the man still couch surfs at condos around the high country to get in as many days as possible .
Case in point : Dad was staying on the couch in the living room of the hotel suite that my daughters , husband and I had rented @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the lifts stopped running .
The next morning , when I returned from the sad errand of retrieving my skis from slope-side storage , Dad was gone .
“ He was watching COVID coverage on CNN , ” my husband said by way of explanation .
I ’ ve been missing my Dad , and skiing , ever since .
We ’ ve gotten together a few times when we could figure out how to do it safely .
On Father ’ s Day , we went on a hike after driving to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ roof down on my convertible .
So this Thanksgiving , I ’ m grateful to be returning to the slopes with my Dad .
This season will look different .
I ( and members of my immediate household ) will drive up separately from Dad .
I ’ ll be sure to keep my mask on when riding the lift and we will eat our sack lunches across the parking lot from each other .
But the important stuff , the shared experience of being outside doing something we both love , Dad @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you and your family can , too .
As things close down this holiday season and we endure the final challenging months of this pandemic , remember that nature remains open .
( And , as of this writing , so are the slopes at Wolf Creek , Breckenridge , Keystone , Arapahoe Basin , Eldora , Loveland , Purgatory , Vail and Beaver Creek . )
RELATED : Check out the opening days for the rest of Colorado ’ s ski areas COVID-19 is forcing us to create new traditions for our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not all bad .
We might just find we like some of the new ways of celebrating more than the old .
You may not be having the Thanksgiving meal with your parents or grandparents , but maybe you can meet up for that walk you traditionally take after the dishes are done .
Building some outside time into your holiday plans will help you reconnect in a way that just isn ’ t possible through a computer screen .
Subscribe to our weekly newsletter , The Adventurist , to get outdoors news @ @ @ @ @ @

This Thanksgiving, I’ll be carving turns with my Dad instead of a turkey.
Like many families this holiday, we decided against the traditional meal and the risk of passing more than the mashed potatoes to our older relatives. And like those many families, it was a tough decision to make.
As we’ve had to do throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Americans heading into the holiday season are once again being forced to weigh the risks and benefits of activities we’ve always taken for granted. We’ve reimagined, compromised and adapted our way through eight months of grocery shopping, school, exercise, recreation and celebrations, but Thanksgiving has posed our biggest challenge yet.
How are you supposed to stay 6 feet apart while bringing the generations together around a dinner table? Who among us can eat with a mask on? And, let’s be honest, it would be impossible to get into the inevitable heated debate about the presidential election without exchanging some airborne droplets.
We considered having the holiday feast outside; I mean, that’s where the original Thanksgiving was held, after all. But with a forecasted high temperature in the 40s for the holiday, the gathering would inevitably migrate indoors.
And we’ve seen how outdoor gatherings go, even the warmest of months. Things start outside, but then people get cold (or hot) and head indoors “just for a few minutes,” with the intention of keeping their masks on. But then guests take their masks off to take a drink and as time passes the masks spend more time on people’s chins than covering their mouths.
Next thing you know, you wake up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat worried that you may have just gotten your 80-year-old dad ill.
And those summer gatherings were before my daughters went back to school and I taught in person at Colorado State University for 13 weeks, increasing the risk that we could be carrying COVID-19 into our home.
So this Thanksgiving, we’re keeping the generations outside by gathering on the slopes instead of around the dinner table. Skiing is one of Colorado’s many outdoor activities that is safe this winter season. You’re already wearing a mask, and it’s difficult to get within 6 feet of each other with your boards on.
Skiing has always been my family’s favorite way to spend a winter day, but Dad and I have the most deeply seated FOMO when it comes to slope time. Whenever snowflakes appear in the forecast, it’s a toss-up at to which one of us will email the other first to set up a carpool from where we live in Northern Colorado to our favorite resorts.
For at least 15 years, people have been marveling at the fact Dad still skis “at his age.” My money is on him skiing at least 15 more. After all, the man still couch surfs at condos around the high country to get in as many days as possible. Case in point: Dad was staying on the couch in the living room of the hotel suite that my daughters, husband and I had rented in Steamboat on the dark March day the lifts stopped running.
Ideas for family holiday outings during the pandemic Cross-country/nordic centers
Equipment rentals
Ice skating
Skiing & snowboarding
Sledding/snowtubing
Sleigh rides
Snowshoeing Source: Colorado.gov
The next morning, when I returned from the sad errand of retrieving my skis from slope-side storage, Dad was gone.
“He was watching COVID coverage on CNN,” my husband said by way of explanation.
I’ve been missing my Dad, and skiing, ever since.
We’ve gotten together a few times when we could figure out how to do it safely. On Father’s Day, we went on a hike after driving to the trailhead with masks on and the roof down on my convertible.
So this Thanksgiving, I’m grateful to be returning to the slopes with my Dad. This season will look different. I (and members of my immediate household) will drive up separately from Dad. I’ll be sure to keep my mask on when riding the lift and we will eat our sack lunches across the parking lot from each other.
But the important stuff, the shared experience of being outside doing something we both love, Dad and I will do together — and you and your family can, too.
As things close down this holiday season and we endure the final challenging months of this pandemic, remember that nature remains open. (And, as of this writing, so are the slopes at Wolf Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone, Arapahoe Basin, Eldora, Loveland, Purgatory, Vail and Beaver Creek.)
RELATED: Check out the opening days for the rest of Colorado’s ski areas
COVID-19 is forcing us to create new traditions for our families, but maybe that’s not all bad. We might just find we like some of the new ways of celebrating more than the old.
You may not be having the Thanksgiving meal with your parents or grandparents, but maybe you can meet up for that walk you traditionally take after the dishes are done. Building some outside time into your holiday plans will help you reconnect in a way that just isn’t possible through a computer screen.
One-horse open sleigh, anyone?
Subscribe to our weekly newsletter, The Adventurist, to get outdoors news sent straight to your inbox.