thedenverpost--2020-01-19--Conor McGregor holds all the UFC cards after comeback win over Cowboy Cerrone

LAS VEGAS — After three years without a victory , Conor McGregor needed only 40 seconds to reclaim his place at the center of the mixed martial arts world .
McGregor ’ s dynamic stoppage of Donald Cerrone in UFC 246 on Saturday night put the Irish superstar firmly in control of the future of two UFC divisions .
Every elite lightweight and welterweight will practically beg for his shot against a fighter who still commands the world ’ s attention like nobody else .
A refocused McGregor seems eager to make up for lost time after three years of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could fight three more times this year .
“ The whole world lights up when I fight , ” McGregor said .
“ So I want to get back out there again.
” He hadn ’ t made a decision by the time he left T-Mobile Arena late Saturday night with a broad smile on his face and a bottle of his own branded whiskey in hand .
McGregor plans to speak with UFC President Dana White and billionaire ex-UFC owner Lorenzo Fertitta before he decides whether to pursue a championship belt , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ boxing match or any combination of the three .
The contenders already are lining up .
Popular welterweight brawler Jorge Masvidal would welcome a showdown , while welterweight champion Kamaru Usman would love to defend his title against McGregor .
Both fighters watched McGregor ’ s victory from cageside , and Masvidal even tried to goad McGregor in curious fashion by wearing the same Versace robe that McGregor famously wore a few years ago to an open workout .
Lightweight contender Justin Gaethje fights in a reckless , crowd-pleasing style guaranteed to make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ McGregor .
Another must-see bout would be a third fight with imperious veteran Nate Diaz , who fought twice in 2019 after his own three-year break .
But White wants McGregor to wait for a fight against lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov , who beat McGregor in October 2018 and subsequently sparked an ugly brawl outside the cage .
The bad feelings from that promotion haven ’ t healed , and White believes the rematch could rival the profitability of McGregor ’ s boxing match with Floyd Mayweather .
“ With how Khabib won @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has become , we ’ re looking at Hagler-Hearns , ” White said .
“ We ’ re looking at like Ali-Foreman , Ali-Frazier .
This is a massive fight with global appeal .
This is the fight that you make .
This is the fight that makes sense.
” But Nurmagomedov is booked to face Tony Ferguson at UFC 249 in April , and McGregor would prefer not to wait until late summer for his next bout .
Instead , he half-seriously predicted the Nurmagomedov-Ferguson bout will be scrapped and he ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ McGregor also could bide his time with another absurdly lucrative boxing match .
While most fight fans scoff at this entire venture , the wider world still appears to be fascinated by these spectacles , as evidenced by the money made by McGregor and Mayweather in 2017 in one of the richest pay-per-view bouts in boxing history .
Mayweather turns 43 next month and has fought once since 2015 , but he immediately posted a mocked-up advertisement for the rematch on his Instagram page Saturday night .
McGregor ripped it because the graphic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for McGregor ’ s promotional company .
He jokingly suggested that slight means he ’ ll instead fight Manny Pacquiao , who has also declared his interest in the payday that comes with giving a boxing lesson to McGregor .
“ I certainly would love the rematch with Floyd , ” McGregor said .
“ It very well could happen this year .
The one with Manny will also be there whenever .
… Floyd is going through money fast .
He is far from retired .
That rematch will happen.
” Before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could fight again at UFC 248 on March 7 if he didn ’ t take too much punishment .
Cerrone failed to land a single strike , so McGregor came out totally unscathed — but it could still take a bit longer than seven weeks to sort out his next step .
At least the first simultaneous two-division champion in UFC history appears to be taking that next step with sure footing .
The spotlight never left McGregor , but he didn ’ t seem capable of meeting its demands in recent years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all , right ?
” McGregor said .
“ I broke the game before I was 30 years of age .
One belt became not enough .
I achieved it all .
( Coach ) John ( Kavanagh ) says it ’ s the worst nightmare for a coach if a student achieves it all .
I probably had to go through all that and then just come back for the love.
” • Cowboy Cerrone ’ s grandma talks UFC 246 , and why Conor McGregor “ knows absolutely nothing about grappling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the game even while he lost both of his UFC belts , dabbled in boxing and focused on whiskey , both as a successful distiller and an eager consumer .
McGregor and Nurmagomedov then engaged in a dark , ugly promotion of their first bout .
Away from the cameras , McGregor was training erratically and enjoying too much of the good life created by his stardom .
He says he escaped that cloud late last year , and McGregor believes his performance against Cerrone showed the way to even brighter days @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ I love that whiskey , but you ’ ve got to respect it , ” McGregor said .
“ You ’ ve got to respect that liquid , because if you don ’ t , it will come and get you .
”

LAS VEGAS — After three years without a victory, Conor McGregor needed only 40 seconds to reclaim his place at the center of the mixed martial arts world.
McGregor’s dynamic stoppage of Donald Cerrone in UFC 246 on Saturday night put the Irish superstar firmly in control of the future of two UFC divisions.
Every elite lightweight and welterweight will practically beg for his shot against a fighter who still commands the world’s attention like nobody else. A refocused McGregor seems eager to make up for lost time after three years of inactivity and outside-the-cage misbehavior, suggesting he could fight three more times this year.
“The whole world lights up when I fight,” McGregor said. “So I want to get back out there again.”
He hadn’t made a decision by the time he left T-Mobile Arena late Saturday night with a broad smile on his face and a bottle of his own branded whiskey in hand. McGregor plans to speak with UFC President Dana White and billionaire ex-UFC owner Lorenzo Fertitta before he decides whether to pursue a championship belt, a revenge fight, an absurdly lucrative boxing match or any combination of the three.
The contenders already are lining up.
Popular welterweight brawler Jorge Masvidal would welcome a showdown, while welterweight champion Kamaru Usman would love to defend his title against McGregor. Both fighters watched McGregor’s victory from cageside, and Masvidal even tried to goad McGregor in curious fashion by wearing the same Versace robe that McGregor famously wore a few years ago to an open workout.
Lightweight contender Justin Gaethje fights in a reckless, crowd-pleasing style guaranteed to make a compelling matchup for the similarly aggressive McGregor. Another must-see bout would be a third fight with imperious veteran Nate Diaz, who fought twice in 2019 after his own three-year break.
But White wants McGregor to wait for a fight against lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov, who beat McGregor in October 2018 and subsequently sparked an ugly brawl outside the cage. The bad feelings from that promotion haven’t healed, and White believes the rematch could rival the profitability of McGregor’s boxing match with Floyd Mayweather.
“With how Khabib won the first time and how famous Khabib has become, we’re looking at Hagler-Hearns,” White said. “We’re looking at like Ali-Foreman, Ali-Frazier. This is a massive fight with global appeal. This is the fight that you make. This is the fight that makes sense.”
But Nurmagomedov is booked to face Tony Ferguson at UFC 249 in April, and McGregor would prefer not to wait until late summer for his next bout. Instead, he half-seriously predicted the Nurmagomedov-Ferguson bout will be scrapped and he’ll be forced to step in.
McGregor also could bide his time with another absurdly lucrative boxing match. While most fight fans scoff at this entire venture, the wider world still appears to be fascinated by these spectacles, as evidenced by the money made by McGregor and Mayweather in 2017 in one of the richest pay-per-view bouts in boxing history.
Mayweather turns 43 next month and has fought once since 2015, but he immediately posted a mocked-up advertisement for the rematch on his Instagram page Saturday night. McGregor ripped it because the graphic artist didn’t include the logo for McGregor’s promotional company. He jokingly suggested that slight means he’ll instead fight Manny Pacquiao, who has also declared his interest in the payday that comes with giving a boxing lesson to McGregor.
“I certainly would love the rematch with Floyd,” McGregor said. “It very well could happen this year. The one with Manny will also be there whenever. … Floyd is going through money fast. He is far from retired. That rematch will happen.”
Before he beat Cerrone, McGregor suggested he could fight again at UFC 248 on March 7 if he didn’t take too much punishment. Cerrone failed to land a single strike, so McGregor came out totally unscathed — but it could still take a bit longer than seven weeks to sort out his next step.
At least the first simultaneous two-division champion in UFC history appears to be taking that next step with sure footing. The spotlight never left McGregor, but he didn’t seem capable of meeting its demands in recent years.
“I’d achieved it all, right?” McGregor said. “I broke the game before I was 30 years of age. One belt became not enough. I achieved it all. (Coach) John (Kavanagh) says it’s the worst nightmare for a coach if a student achieves it all. I probably had to go through all that and then just come back for the love.”
McGregor was still the biggest star in the game even while he lost both of his UFC belts, dabbled in boxing and focused on whiskey, both as a successful distiller and an eager consumer.
McGregor and Nurmagomedov then engaged in a dark, ugly promotion of their first bout. Away from the cameras, McGregor was training erratically and enjoying too much of the good life created by his stardom.
He says he escaped that cloud late last year, and McGregor believes his performance against Cerrone showed the way to even brighter days if he can stay on this path.
“I love that whiskey, but you’ve got to respect it,” McGregor said. “You’ve got to respect that liquid, because if you don’t, it will come and get you.”


thedenverpost--2020-01-19--Punter J.K. Scott active for Packers in NFC title game

SANTA CLARA , Calif. — Punter J.K. Scott is active for the Green Bay Packers in the NFC championship game @ @ @ @ @ 49ers despite being listed as questionable with an illness .
Scott , who starred at @ @ @ @ @ added to the injury report Saturday but is ready to go in the conference title @ @ @ @ @ relatively healthy heading into this game with the only players on the active roster missing @ @ @ @ @ Bay fullback Dan Vitale ( knee ) .
The 49ers had no one in doubt @ @ @ @ @ inactive players for San Francisco are quarterback C.J .
Beathard , running back Jeff Wilson @ @ @ @ @ , tight end Daniel Helm , defensive back Dontae Johnson , linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair and @ @ @ @ @ The other inactive players for Green Bay are receiver Ryan Grant , running back Dexter @ @ @ @ @ , cornerback Ka ’ dar Hollman , offensive lineman Alex Light and offensive lineman John @ @

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Punter J.K. Scott is active for the Green Bay Packers in the NFC championship game Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers despite being listed as questionable with an illness.
Scott, who starred at Mullen High School, was added to the injury report Saturday but is ready to go in the conference title game.
Both teams are relatively healthy heading into this game with the only players on the active roster missing it with injuries being Green Bay fullback Dan Vitale (knee).
The 49ers had no one in doubt because of injuries. The inactive players for San Francisco are quarterback C.J. Beathard, running back Jeff Wilson Jr., receiver Jordan Matthews, tight end Daniel Helm, defensive back Dontae Johnson, linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair and defensive lineman Kevin Givens.
The other inactive players for Green Bay are receiver Ryan Grant, running back Dexter Williams, safety Raven Greene, cornerback Ka’dar Hollman, offensive lineman Alex Light and offensive lineman John Leglue.


thedenverpost--2020-01-19--Avalanche hosts the downtrodden Red Wings, the team it used to be

Jared Bednar is sympathetic toward coach Jeff Blashill and the Detroit Red Wings — by far the NHL ’ s worst team .
It wasn ’ t that long ago when Bednar coached “ that ” team .
In 2016-17 , Bednar ’ s first season behind the Avalanche ’ s bench , Colorado finished with league/franchise lows in victories ( 22 ) and points ( 48 ) .
It was the league ’ s worst season since the Atlanta Thrashers won just 14 games in 1999-2000 .
The Red Wings take a league-low 12 wins and 28 points in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Pepsi Center and are on pace for just 47 points .
Blashill is in his fifth season at the Wings ’ head coach and ninth in the organization .
“ It ’ s horrible .
Pure misery , ” Bednar of coaching the NHL ’ s worst team .
“ The morale in your room , you ’ re trying to get guys back in the right mental state to go win your next game , and there ’ s a lot of nights where you play hard , do everything you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just don ’ t have the horses to win the games.
” The Avs held their last practice before their 11-day break between games Sunday , a day after defeating the Western Conference-leading St. Louis Blues 5-3 at the Pepsi Center .
The Avs stand 27-15-6 and second in the Western Conference with 60 points , eight behind the defending Stanley Cup-champion Blues .
• Kiszla : Cale Makar is only 21 years old .
But are we watching emergence of best defenseman in Avalanche history ?
• Philipp Grubauer ’ s first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Avalanche Colorado has become a Stanley Cup contender less than three years after being the laughingstock of the league .
Win or lose , Bednar said adversity is always attached to the NHL .
“ It ’ s a long season .
We just went through a little bit of a slump , and it feels like your world is crashing down on you , ” he said .
“ It ’ s misery when you lose just one game , never mind four , six or whatever .
And then to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Detroit ) , it ’ s tough .
It ’ s mentally draining.
” Footnotes .
Monday ’ s matinee is Colorado ’ s second consecutive 1 p.m. start and concludes a five-game homestand in which the Avs are 2-0-2 .
The Avs won ’ t practice again until Jan. 30 , just two days before resuming play Feb. 1 at Philadelphia .
Colorado begins a five-game trip against the Flyers , with stops at Buffalo , Ottawa , Columbus and Minnesota .
… Winger Joonas Donskoi , who is recovering from a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sunday but will miss his fifth consecutive game for precautionary reasons .
… Bednar reinstated his stacked power-play unit Sunday , with Cale Makar running the show at the blue line , Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen , and Nazem Kadri and Gabe Landeskog down low .
Those five players began the season on the No .
1 power play .

Jared Bednar is sympathetic toward coach Jeff Blashill and the Detroit Red Wings — by far the NHL’s worst team.
It wasn’t that long ago when Bednar coached “that” team.
In 2016-17, Bednar’s first season behind the Avalanche’s bench, Colorado finished with league/franchise lows in victories (22) and points (48). It was the league’s worst season since the Atlanta Thrashers won just 14 games in 1999-2000. The Red Wings take a league-low 12 wins and 28 points in Monday’s matinee against Colorado at the Pepsi Center and are on pace for just 47 points.
Blashill is in his fifth season at the Wings’ head coach and ninth in the organization.
“It’s horrible. Pure misery,” Bednar of coaching the NHL’s worst team. “The morale in your room, you’re trying to get guys back in the right mental state to go win your next game, and there’s a lot of nights where you play hard, do everything you can, (but) you maybe just don’t have the horses to win the games.”
The Avs held their last practice before their 11-day break between games Sunday, a day after defeating the Western Conference-leading St. Louis Blues 5-3 at the Pepsi Center. The Avs stand 27-15-6 and second in the Western Conference with 60 points, eight behind the defending Stanley Cup-champion Blues.
Colorado has become a Stanley Cup contender less than three years after being the laughingstock of the league.
Win or lose, Bednar said adversity is always attached to the NHL.
“It’s a long season. We just went through a little bit of a slump, and it feels like your world is crashing down on you,” he said. “It’s misery when you lose just one game, never mind four, six or whatever. And then to go through a whole season like (Detroit), it’s tough. It’s mentally draining.”
Footnotes. Monday’s matinee is Colorado’s second consecutive 1 p.m. start and concludes a five-game homestand in which the Avs are 2-0-2. The Avs won’t practice again until Jan. 30, just two days before resuming play Feb. 1 at Philadelphia. Colorado begins a five-game trip against the Flyers, with stops at Buffalo, Ottawa, Columbus and Minnesota. … Winger Joonas Donskoi, who is recovering from a concussion, participated in a full practice Sunday but will miss his fifth consecutive game for precautionary reasons. … Bednar reinstated his stacked power-play unit Sunday, with Cale Makar running the show at the blue line, Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen, and Nazem Kadri and Gabe Landeskog down low. Those five players began the season on the No. 1 power play.


thedenverpost--2020-01-19--Suspect shot during Aurora apartment invasion

One of three people who intruded into an Aurora apartment early Saturday morning was shot , apparently by the apartment @ @ @ @ @ resident was interviewed by police and released , and the suspect who was shot remained @ @ @ @ @ suspects involved the incident have been arrested on suspicion of attempted second-degree murder , police @ @ @ @ @ “ If your friend gets shot during the commission of the crime , if your @ @ @ @ @ else , you can still be charged for that crime , ” he said Sunday @ @ @ @ @ , and Cubanicqua Lawrence , 23 , will both face the attempted murder charges , @ @ @ @ @ will also face burglary and robbery counts .
The third suspect has not been charged @ @ @ @ @ 2:30 a.m. Saturday in an apartment in the 2100 block of Rifle Way .
A @ @ @ @ @ to find the three suspects in his home , according to police .
A struggle @ @ @ @ @ the resident , and the third suspect was shot during that struggle .

One of three people who intruded into an Aurora apartment early Saturday morning was shot, apparently by the apartment’s resident.
The resident was interviewed by police and released, and the suspect who was shot remained hospitalized Sunday. Two other suspects involved the incident have been arrested on suspicion of attempted second-degree murder, police spokesman Anthony Camacho said.
“If your friend gets shot during the commission of the crime, if your friend gets shot by someone else, you can still be charged for that crime,” he said Sunday.
Marcus Smith, 25, and Cubanicqua Lawrence, 23, will both face the attempted murder charges, police said, and Lawrence will also face burglary and robbery counts. The third suspect has not been charged.
The incident began around 2:30 a.m. Saturday in an apartment in the 2100 block of Rifle Way. A resident in the apartment awoke to find the three suspects in his home, according to police.
A struggle ensued between the suspects and the resident, and the third suspect was shot during that struggle.


thedenverpost--2020-01-19--Jefferson County jail to release 31 inmates early due to overcrowding

Thirty-one inmates will be released early from the Jefferson County Detention Center Sunday due to overcrowding at the jail after a $ 5.5 million budget cut forced officials to close an entire floor on Jan. 1 .
It ’ s the first time since the closure that the jail has been forced to release inmates before they ’ ve finished their full sentences , the sheriff ’ s office said in a statement Sunday .
“ Releasing inmates early , before they have completed their full sentence , is…not the message we want to send to criminals , ” Sheriff @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Unfortunately , it is the action we have to take to meet the budgetary constraints we are currently faced with , and to maintain a safe environment for those who are incarcerated and our employees who work in the jail.
” The jail closed its seventh floor on Jan. 1 , which reduced the number of available beds from 1,392 to 1,148 .
Now , if the jail population rises above 1,171 inmates , then people must be released in order to prevent the jail from becoming too full .
The first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said in the statement , is to release qualifying inmates who have served at least half their sentence .
Inmates who have served the highest percentage of their sentence will be released first , according to the sheriff ’ s office .
People who must serve a particular minimum sentence under Colorado law can ’ t be released early , and neither can people who a judge has ordered not to be released early .
The seventh-floor closure — and accompanying cuts to jail staff through attrition — was brought about because the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s Taxpayer ’ s Bill of Rights , which requires local governments to return all tax money they collect above an amount calculated by a formula .
Jefferson County has returned tens of millions of dollars to its 600,000 residents over the last four years , which local leaders said is needed for services .
Voters in November voted down a measure that would allow the county to keep the revenues beyond the TABOR formula .
In December , the sheriff ’ s office said it expects the early release of inmates to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to reduce the jail ’ s population in the coming year .
If the early release of inmates isn ’ t sufficient , the jail will next refuse to admit people arrested for most misdemeanors and low-level felonies , and if at that point the jail is still overcrowded , it may refuse to accept any new arrivals .

Twenty-one inmates were released early from the Jefferson County Detention Center Sunday due to overcrowding at the jail after a $5.5 million budget cut forced officials to close an entire floor on Jan. 1.
It’s the first time since the closure that the jail has been forced to release inmates before they’ve finished their full sentences, the sheriff’s office said in a statement Sunday.
“Releasing inmates early, before they have completed their full sentence, is…not the message we want to send to criminals,” Sheriff Jeff Shrader said in the statement. “Unfortunately, it is the action we have to take to meet the budgetary constraints we are currently faced with, and to maintain a safe environment for those who are incarcerated and our employees who work in the jail.”
The jail closed its seventh floor on Jan. 1, which reduced the number of available beds from 1,392 to 1,148. Now, if the jail population rises above 1,171 inmates, then people must be released in order to prevent the jail from becoming too full.
The first step, the sheriff’s office said in the statement, is to release qualifying inmates who have served at least half their sentence. Inmates who have served the highest percentage of their sentence will be released first, according to the sheriff’s office.
People who must serve a particular minimum sentence under Colorado law can’t be released early, and neither can people who a judge has ordered not to be released early.
The seventh-floor closure — and accompanying cuts to jail staff through attrition — was brought about because the county is limited by the state’s Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights, which requires local governments to return all tax money they collect above an amount calculated by a formula.
Jefferson County has returned tens of millions of dollars to its 600,000 residents over the last four years, which local leaders said is needed for services. Voters in November voted down a measure that would allow the county to keep the revenues beyond the TABOR formula.
In December, the sheriff’s office said it expects the early release of inmates to be the first of several measures necessary to reduce the jail’s population in the coming year. If the early release of inmates isn’t sufficient, the jail will next refuse to admit people arrested for most misdemeanors and low-level felonies, and if at that point the jail is still overcrowded, it may refuse to accept any new arrivals.
Clarification: A previous version of this story said that 31 inmates were expected to be released based on information from the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office. Only 21 inmates were released.


thedenverpost--2020-01-19--Letters: Cramming for the school-choice exam; The climate battle reaches inside the state Capitol (1

Letters: Cramming for the school-choice exam; The climate battle reaches inside the state Capitol (1/19/20)

Re : “ Starting off on the right foot , ” Jan. 12 commentary I appreciate Megan Schrader ’ s efforts to educate Denver parents about the daunting school-choice process they face next month .
However , she reiterates Denver Public School ’ s mantra that this process is “ equitable.
” As far as I can determine , the only element that has a trace of equity is that high-performing schools with open seats — after accommodating students within their boundary — must prioritize those who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch .
That is assuming any such seats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not make a process equitable when some parents are not able to transport their children to schools beyond their neighborhood boundary .
Equal chances for lottery numbers and computer algorithms do not translate into equitable school choice .
Colorado students deserve equitable access to important academic resources , no matter which schools they attend .
Editor ’ s note : Morganstern is a candidate for the Colorado State Board of Education , CD1 .
I enjoyed reading about the various choices that parents of Denver Public School students have , and there are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there is a glaring piece of this puzzle missing : transportation .
There are many pupils who do not have the opportunity to attend a school other than their neighborhood school , because their parents work and are not available to transport their children .
As a result , this is causing resegregation in the schools .
This is why it is important that all schools be able to deliver a good education to their pupils .
As a grandmother of two students in a high-achieving elementary school — and after years of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — I can not help but wonder why so many parents are going through such hardship of having to arrange work schedules , spending time in the car driving their children to and from school 6 to 8 miles each day in heavy traffic , or of having to hire an Uber driver .
Think of all the car emissions and gasoline costs ; that can ’ t be good for the environment .
All this for attending a “ choice ” school ?
What if all schools were excellent ?
Teachers and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ students succeed .
What if students who need extra learning time had a chance at a longer school day , a longer school year .
Certainly that could be arranged with more teachers scheduled to meet their 40-hour workweek and the state-mandated 165 school days per year .
What if part of the money spent on all the testing could become much-needed resources to help all schools become excellent ?
What if our school funding was finally a priority , even if it means higher taxes but so much less stress on all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ school choice ?
And , what a benefit to all of Colorado ’ s students .
After 14 years of my children attending DPS , both neighborhood and magnet schools , with both kids now attending prestigious universities , I can say without a shred of doubt there are only two reasons not to attend your neighborhood school : ( 1 ) your child has exceedingly unique needs/interests , or ( 2 ) your neighborhood school is extremely dysfunctional .
In her column , Megan Schrader overcomplicates the school-selection rationale and overemphasizes the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ score .
I learned the only scores that mattered to me were my kids ’ scores .
We noticed that a school ’ s overall scores were impacted by students who were unable to fully engage in their education due to transitory families , language , economics and transportation .
Interestingly , we also observed that even when our school was rated “ yellow ” by the School Performance Framework , we still had a core group of high-performing students .
Perhaps because it seems obvious , Schrader did not bother to detail @ @ @ @ @ @ @ neighborhood school .
But , having one kid at our neighborhood school and the other at a school 7 miles away , I can say that the cumulative advantages to attending your neighborhood school are unquantifiable and much more impactful than I ever imagined .
Benefits include logistics ( not spending many hours commuting ) , kids walking to a neighborhood coffee shop to do homework and school projects , school service projects benefiting your neighborhood and community school spirit .
So , please don ’ t stress school choice , and check @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you will be glad you did .
Re : “ 38 protesters fueled by climate concern arrested after disruption at state Capitol , ” Jan. 10 news story ; and “ State Dems : Protesters at Capitol shouldn ’ t be charged , ” Jan. 15 news story During the State of the State address , Extinction Rebellion ( XR ) carried out a nonviolent protest to demand that Gov .
Jared Polis take bold action to address environmental injustice and the climate crisis .
Numerous supporters of XR and the Sunrise Movement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by state troopers .
In total , 38 people were arrested and processed , including five minors .
Charges included disrupting a lawful assembly , obstructing a peace officer and trespassing in a public building — all for speaking the truth and standing up for a more sustainable Colorado !
Gov .
Polis has stated that he will address climate change .
So far , he has neglected to take on Colorado ’ s biggest climate-change contributor : fossil fuel extraction .
The XR action was based on three demands : 1 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Romero Academy , which is a blatant example of environmental racism .
2 .
Declare a state of emergency to address the climate crisis .
3 .
End all fossil fuel extraction in Colorado by 2025 , and facilitate a just transition prioritizing marginalized communities and those most vulnerable .
We now include a fourth demand of Gov .
Polis : 4 .
Drop all charges against the 38 non-violent protesters , who were exercising their First Amendment rights .
Colorado has a vibrant and diverse economy .
Gov .
Polis has the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a just transition away from fossil fuels .
We will not be silenced .
The recent article regarding charging the Capitol protesters caught my eye — especially Rep. Jonathan Singer ’ s comment about how prosecution could put a chill on future acts of civil disobedience .
Call me silly , but isn ’ t that why we have laws — to put a chill on disobedience ?
I wonder how many of the horrible police shooting stories we hear about would never have happened if the perpetrator had just obeyed the officer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the greatest “ lessons in life ” we learn is that actions have consequences .
With the start of the legislative session amidst us , a lack of progressive legislation should be disappointing to all who are paying attention .
The climate catastrophe is happening , people are dying without access to health care and the socioeconomic mobility is at an extreme low .
Here in Colorado , we have the opportunity to pass a plethora of progressive laws with our democratic trifecta , yet we see incremental action only .
Our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have lost an estimated one billion animals ( and counting ) in Australia , we see earthquakes frequently and we are experiencing the warmest winter months on record .
The science is telling us we need to act now , so why aren ’ t Colorado lawmakers listening ?
Why aren ’ t the people in power representing the people who aren ’ t ?
We need lawmakers who are willing to stick their neck out for us .
We need to vote in champions of progressive policy to save our family , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ good as denialism .
Colorado Democrats need to be exposed for their lack of action on the most important contemporary issues , and we need to put pressure on the more progressive leaders to act stronger , harder and faster .
Some aren ’ t as lucky as us .
Some are already dying .
I am calling on all Colorado Democrats to use their position with integrity and responsibility to us , the people .
We need them to act immediately before the imminent threat finally reaches our doorstep .
Allowing camping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I have deep empathy and concern for the homeless , I do not see how allowing camping on the streets of Denver will alleviate the problem .
Permanent affordable housing , counseling , job training , substance abuse treatment — all of which will cost money — will do far more than allowing tents in Civic Center park .
Here are some of Cherry Creek State Park Campground ’ s published rules : “ Check-in time is 1 p.m. and check-out time is noon daily .
All camping permits must be renewed or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may be hung on , from , or attached in any way to trees , shrubs , or any park buildings or signs.
” “ Littering , including cigarette butts , is unlawful and harmful to wildlife and the environment.
” Other state campgrounds have similar rules , and even areas in National Forests where open camping is allowed , norms of behavior are expected .
Rangers will issue tickets if these rules are not followed .
How is this any different from the streets and parks of metro Denver ?
To send @ @ @ @ @ @ @ article , submit online or check out our guidelines for how to submit by email or mail .

Cramming for the school-choice exam
Re: “Starting off on the right foot,” Jan. 12 commentary
I appreciate Megan Schrader’s efforts to educate Denver parents about the daunting school-choice process they face next month. However, she reiterates Denver Public School’s mantra that this process is “equitable.” As far as I can determine, the only element that has a trace of equity is that high-performing schools with open seats — after accommodating students within their boundary — must prioritize those who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. That is assuming any such seats are available! A lottery system does not make a process equitable when some parents are not able to transport their children to schools beyond their neighborhood boundary. Equal chances for lottery numbers and computer algorithms do not translate into equitable school choice. Colorado students deserve equitable access to important academic resources, no matter which schools they attend.
Donna Morganstern, Denver
Editor’s note: Morganstern is a candidate for the Colorado State Board of Education, CD1.
I enjoyed reading about the various choices that parents of Denver Public School students have, and there are many very good ones. However, there is a glaring piece of this puzzle missing: transportation. There are many pupils who do not have the opportunity to attend a school other than their neighborhood school, because their parents work and are not available to transport their children. As a result, this is causing resegregation in the schools. This is why it is important that all schools be able to deliver a good education to their pupils.
Harriet Strong, Denver
As a grandmother of two students in a high-achieving elementary school — and after years of sharing transportation duties with the other grandparents — I cannot help but wonder why so many parents are going through such hardship of having to arrange work schedules, spending time in the car driving their children to and from school 6 to 8 miles each day in heavy traffic, or of having to hire an Uber driver. Think of all the car emissions and gasoline costs; that can’t be good for the environment. All this for attending a “choice” school?
What if all schools were excellent? Teachers and principals have the know-how of helping all students succeed. What if students who need extra learning time had a chance at a longer school day, a longer school year. Certainly that could be arranged with more teachers scheduled to meet their 40-hour workweek and the state-mandated 165 school days per year. What if part of the money spent on all the testing could become much-needed resources to help all schools become excellent? What if our school funding was finally a priority, even if it means higher taxes but so much less stress on all the young parents having to struggle with school choice? And, what a benefit to all of Colorado’s students.
Heidi MacAlpine, Lakewood
After 14 years of my children attending DPS, both neighborhood and magnet schools, with both kids now attending prestigious universities, I can say without a shred of doubt there are only two reasons not to attend your neighborhood school: (1) your child has exceedingly unique needs/interests, or (2) your neighborhood school is extremely dysfunctional. In her column, Megan Schrader overcomplicates the school-selection rationale and overemphasizes the importance of a school’s test score.
I learned the only scores that mattered to me were my kids’ scores. We noticed that a school’s overall scores were impacted by students who were unable to fully engage in their education due to transitory families, language, economics and transportation. Interestingly, we also observed that even when our school was rated “yellow” by the School Performance Framework, we still had a core group of high-performing students.
Perhaps because it seems obvious, Schrader did not bother to detail the many intangible benefits to attending your neighborhood school. But, having one kid at our neighborhood school and the other at a school 7 miles away, I can say that the cumulative advantages to attending your neighborhood school are unquantifiable and much more impactful than I ever imagined. Benefits include logistics (not spending many hours commuting), kids walking to a neighborhood coffee shop to do homework and school projects, school service projects benefiting your neighborhood and community school spirit.
So, please don’t stress school choice, and check out your neighborhood school. I know you will be glad you did.
Nick Bottinelli, Denver
The climate battle reaches inside the state Capitol
Re: “38 protesters fueled by climate concern arrested after disruption at state Capitol,” Jan. 10 news story; and “State Dems: Protesters at Capitol shouldn’t be charged,” Jan. 15 news story
During the State of the State address, Extinction Rebellion (XR) carried out a nonviolent protest to demand that Gov. Jared Polis take bold action to address environmental injustice and the climate crisis.
Numerous supporters of XR and the Sunrise Movement were removed from the Capitol and arrested by state troopers.
In total, 38 people were arrested and processed, including five minors. Charges included disrupting a lawful assembly, obstructing a peace officer and trespassing in a public building — all for speaking the truth and standing up for a more sustainable Colorado!
Gov. Polis has stated that he will address climate change. So far, he has neglected to take on Colorado’s biggest climate-change contributor: fossil fuel extraction.
The XR action was based on three demands:
1. Shut down the fracking operation at Bella Romero Academy, which is a blatant example of environmental racism.
2. Declare a state of emergency to address the climate crisis.
3. End all fossil fuel extraction in Colorado by 2025, and facilitate a just transition prioritizing marginalized communities and those most vulnerable.
We now include a fourth demand of Gov. Polis:
4. Drop all charges against the 38 non-violent protesters, who were exercising their First Amendment rights.
Colorado has a vibrant and diverse economy. Gov. Polis has the power to provide meaningful leadership in implementing a just transition away from fossil fuels.
We will not be silenced.
Michael W. Denslow, Boulder
Editor’s note: Denslow is a member of Extinction Rebellion.
The recent article regarding charging the Capitol protesters caught my eye — especially Rep. Jonathan Singer’s comment about how prosecution could put a chill on future acts of civil disobedience.
Call me silly, but isn’t that why we have laws — to put a chill on disobedience?
I wonder how many of the horrible police shooting stories we hear about would never have happened if the perpetrator had just obeyed the officer’s commands.
I believe one of the greatest “lessons in life” we learn is that actions have consequences.
Alan Richard Haynes, Aurora
With the start of the legislative session amidst us, a lack of progressive legislation should be disappointing to all who are paying attention. The climate catastrophe is happening, people are dying without access to health care and the socioeconomic mobility is at an extreme low.
Here in Colorado, we have the opportunity to pass a plethora of progressive laws with our democratic trifecta, yet we see incremental action only. Our planet is burning, literally.
We have lost an estimated one billion animals (and counting) in Australia, we see earthquakes frequently and we are experiencing the warmest winter months on record.
The science is telling us we need to act now, so why aren’t Colorado lawmakers listening? Why aren’t the people in power representing the people who aren’t?
We need lawmakers who are willing to stick their neck out for us. We need to vote in champions of progressive policy to save our family, friends and planet. Incrementalism is as good as denialism. Colorado Democrats need to be exposed for their lack of action on the most important contemporary issues, and we need to put pressure on the more progressive leaders to act stronger, harder and faster.
Some aren’t as lucky as us. Some are already dying.
I am calling on all Colorado Democrats to use their position with integrity and responsibility to us, the people. We need them to act immediately before the imminent threat finally reaches our doorstep.
Jack Tangel, Denver
Allowing camping solves nothing for the homeless
Much as I have deep empathy and concern for the homeless, I do not see how allowing camping on the streets of Denver will alleviate the problem. Permanent affordable housing, counseling, job training, substance abuse treatment — all of which will cost money — will do far more than allowing tents in Civic Center park.
How does regulating public camping violate anyone’s constitutional rights?
Here are some of Cherry Creek State Park Campground’s published rules: “Check-in time is 1 p.m. and check-out time is noon daily. All camping permits must be renewed or sites vacated by noon.” “Nothing may be hung on, from, or attached in any way to trees, shrubs, or any park buildings or signs.” “Littering, including cigarette butts, is unlawful and harmful to wildlife and the environment.”
Other state campgrounds have similar rules, and even areas in National Forests where open camping is allowed, norms of behavior are expected. Rangers will issue tickets if these rules are not followed. How is this any different from the streets and parks of metro Denver?
Suzanne Welles, Littleton
To send a letter to the editor about this article, submit online or check out our guidelines for how to submit by email or mail.


thedenverpost--2020-01-19--Letters: Hankering for farm-fresh food? (1/18/20)

With the National Western Stock Show in town , you may enjoy the experience with your friends and family .
When you leave , you may very well be inspired to buy a quarter- or a half-cow .
Where can one go to buy meat ?
This is a great question .
There are many ways of raising cattle and other animals .
Rock-star farmer Joel Salatin believes in raising his cattle on grass .
His farm , Polyface Farms , is the epicenter of the local food movement .
However , his farm recently made the technological switch to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the country via the website , polyfacefarms.com .
Another option is eatwild.com , which lists contact information for farms with pasture-raised meats by state .
Georgia-based White Oaks Pastures ’ website , whiteoak- pastures.com , sells events , artisan gifts , lodging and pasture-raised meats .
Here in Colorado , there are many small options to enjoy foods raised locally .
Through Farmers Markets and Community Supported Agriculture ( CSA ) farms , consumers enjoy a plethora of options .
The www.colorado.gov website has a PDF list of farmers markets throughout Colorado .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ be a cowboy or cowgirl , keep your boots on and go online .
Rural and urban resources abound .
You might learn about buying foods or becoming a grower yourself .
Yeehaw !
How will current history be told ?
The article reflects the great American perspective schism .
On one hand , a history text may explain post-Civil War Southern racism as motivated in part by the expense of reforms resulting in increased taxes .
The same publisher panders to another constituency by stating that lynchings in the same history attempted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Fast forward : A recent CNN report blasts President Donald Trump ’ s White House for failing to hold any news briefings since July , while White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham counters that Trump ’ s unorthodoxy will be remembered as prescient brilliance .
In the face of Trump ’ s evolving explanation for the killing of Iranian Gen. Qasem Soleimani , how will textbook publishers McGraw-Hill or Pearson evaluate his current openness with the press ?
There ’ s more to the fires story Re : “ Australia shows us @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 11 commentary Apart from global warming , Australia ’ s national science agency CSIRO identified urbanization as a significant cause of fires .
This urbanization includes the displacement of aboriginal people who previously burned off the dry undergrowth on land .
Most fires in Australia start in remote regions from lightning strikes .
Closer to town , arson plays a role .
Lightning will often cause a tree to internally hemorrhage and often smolder for weeks on end before the weather conditions enable it to burst into flame .
The CSIRO has developed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the United States .
All we need now is for the politicians to get out of the way as we address problem areas .
Certain commentators are hijacking what has happened in Australia to advocate prescriptive expensive solutions , regulations and political infrastructure spending that have nothing to do with Australia .
Paul Krugman is the best example .
America is not Australia .
They should all be acknowledging the CSIRO study .
The chapter on indigenous fire knowledge by the CSIRO is rarely mentioned by academics and never by Krugman and The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ letter to the editor about this article , submit online or check out our guidelines for how to submit by email or mail .

Hankering for farm-fresh food?
With the National Western Stock Show in town, you may enjoy the experience with your friends and family. When you leave, you may very well be inspired to buy a quarter- or a half-cow. Where can one go to buy meat?
This is a great question. There are many ways of raising cattle and other animals. Rock-star farmer Joel Salatin believes in raising his cattle on grass. His farm, Polyface Farms, is the epicenter of the local food movement. However, his farm recently made the technological switch to making his meats available to anyone in the country via the website, polyfacefarms.com. Another option is eatwild.com, which lists contact information for farms with pasture-raised meats by state. Georgia-based White Oaks Pastures’ website, whiteoak- pastures.com, sells events, artisan gifts, lodging and pasture-raised meats.
Here in Colorado, there are many small options to enjoy foods raised locally. Through Farmers Markets and Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farms, consumers enjoy a plethora of options. The www.colorado.gov website has a PDF list of farmers markets throughout Colorado.
Now that you are fully motivated to be a cowboy or cowgirl, keep your boots on and go online. Rural and urban resources abound. You might learn about buying foods or becoming a grower yourself. Yeehaw!
Valerie Bruce, Evans
How will current history be told?
Re: “Calif., Texas textbooks tell stories diﬀerently,” Jan. 13 news story
The article reflects the great American perspective schism. On one hand, a history text may explain post-Civil War Southern racism as motivated in part by the expense of reforms resulting in increased taxes. The same publisher panders to another constituency by stating that lynchings in the same history attempted to discourage black political and economic influence.
Fast forward: A recent CNN report blasts President Donald Trump’s White House for failing to hold any news briefings since July, while White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham counters that Trump’s unorthodoxy will be remembered as prescient brilliance.
In the face of Trump’s evolving explanation for the killing of Iranian Gen. Qasem Soleimani, how will textbook publishers McGraw-Hill or Pearson evaluate his current openness with the press?
Mike Gallagher, Centennial
There’s more to the fires story
Re: “Australia shows us the road to hell,” Jan. 11 commentary
Apart from global warming, Australia’s national science agency CSIRO identified urbanization as a significant cause of fires. This urbanization includes the displacement of aboriginal people who previously burned off the dry undergrowth on land.
Most fires in Australia start in remote regions from lightning strikes. Closer to town, arson plays a role. Lightning will often cause a tree to internally hemorrhage and often smolder for weeks on end before the weather conditions enable it to burst into flame. The CSIRO has developed lightning tracking. Similar technology exists in the United States. All we need now is for the politicians to get out of the way as we address problem areas.
Certain commentators are hijacking what has happened in Australia to advocate prescriptive expensive solutions, regulations and political infrastructure spending that have nothing to do with Australia. Paul Krugman is the best example. America is not Australia.
They should all be acknowledging the CSIRO study. The chapter on indigenous fire knowledge by the CSIRO is rarely mentioned by academics and never by Krugman and The New York Times.
John Kimber, Denver
To send a letter to the editor about this article, submit online or check out our guidelines for how to submit by email or mail.


thedenverpost--2020-01-20--Ask Amy: Online bully embarrasses family

Dear Amy : My father is a stubborn man .
He has a lot of energy and many strong opinions .
We do not have a close relationship .
He has recently retired , and now spends much of his time on social media , posting long-winded political rants , and engaging in emotional arguments with anyone who dares to comment on his posts .
These “ conversations , ” unsurprisingly , often devolve into name-calling and petty insults .
I am disgusted by this highly public airing of false information and closed-minded views .
It was getting to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ app was giving me anxiety , with the anticipation of a new bigoted diatribe from my father .
I deactivated my account , and I ’ ve never felt better !
My immediate family continues to feel mortified by his behavior and this has led to some awkward family gatherings .
I recently looked at my father ’ s social media account on my husband ’ s phone , which I immediately regretted , as his behavior seems to have gotten even worse .
I ’ m afraid to discuss this directly with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the high likelihood that he will share our conversation publicly on social media .
I want to keep our family matters private .
What should I do ?
Is there a way to make it clear to my extended family that his closed-minded beliefs do not align with my own , without descending into the drama myself ?
How can I bring myself to spend time with a person who causes me so much embarrassment ?
Dear Embarrassed : I applaud you for deactivating your social media account in order to avoid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( and others ’ ) abusive online behavior .
You could have “ unfollowed ” or blocked him and perhaps experienced the same relief , but — I wholeheartedly endorse stepping away altogether for your mental and emotional health .
Now that you are removed from your father ’ s noxious postings , you are going to have to learn to trust other people .
Your family members know him — and they also know you .
You should trust that they understand and can differentiate between the two of you .
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to issue blanket or public apologies for someone else ’ s behavior .
Your father embarrasses himself , but you should not give him the important role — and the power — to embarrass you .
Your father sounds like a bully .
You should not trust him to keep anything private .
All the same , you might feel better if you stood up to him : “ Dad , I wish you would find a different hobby .
Your online ranting is quite disturbing.
” It would be wise for him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Being a bigoted bully does not necessarily indicate mental decline , but because your father ’ s behavior seems to be getting worse , there is reason to wonder .
Dear Amy : My son just gave us the great news that he ’ s getting married .
Our daughter is in a serious , five-year relationship with a young man , “ James.
” We expect they will be engaged in the near future ( within the next two years ) .
We have met James ’ parents several times .
Should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ son ’ s wedding ?
Dear Wondering : Does your son know James ’ parents ?
Does his future bride know these people ?
This marrying couple may want to have some say over who attends their nuptials .
Traditionally , with larger weddings the marrying couple will get half of the total guest list to invite those close to them , while each set of parents will get one-fourth of the guest total to invite people from their own list ( colleagues or childhood friends , for instance ) .
If you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to fill at will at this wedding , and if you have developed a friendship with your daughter ’ s boyfriend ’ s parents , then by all means invite them .
However , you are not socially obligated to issue this invitation .
Dear Readers : I ’ ve received many positive responses to my annual giving column .
Since that column was published , the world has become aware of the devastation caused by wildfires sweeping through parts of Australia .
As of this writing , 20 people , including three @ @ @ @ @ @ @ toll on the unique wildlife of Australia is almost incalculable : Millions of animals have perished — some estimates bring the toll as high as 1 billion animals .
Please do not send food or material goods — transporting goods brings on more hazards .
Here are some ways to give money :

Dear Amy: My father is a stubborn man. He has a lot of energy and many strong opinions. We do not have a close relationship. He has recently retired, and now spends much of his time on social media, posting long-winded political rants, and engaging in emotional arguments with anyone who dares to comment on his posts.
These “conversations,” unsurprisingly, often devolve into name-calling and petty insults.
I am disgusted by this highly public airing of false information and closed-minded views. It was getting to the point that merely opening the social media app was giving me anxiety, with the anticipation of a new bigoted diatribe from my father.
I deactivated my account, and I’ve never felt better!
My immediate family continues to feel mortified by his behavior and this has led to some awkward family gatherings. I recently looked at my father’s social media account on my husband’s phone, which I immediately regretted, as his behavior seems to have gotten even worse. I’m afraid to discuss this directly with him, due to his short temper and the high likelihood that he will share our conversation publicly on social media. I want to keep our family matters private.
What should I do? Is there a way to make it clear to my extended family that his closed-minded beliefs do not align with my own, without descending into the drama myself? How can I bring myself to spend time with a person who causes me so much embarrassment?
— Embarrassed
Dear Embarrassed: I applaud you for deactivating your social media account in order to avoid being triggered by your father’s (and others’) abusive online behavior.
You could have “unfollowed” or blocked him and perhaps experienced the same relief, but — I wholeheartedly endorse stepping away altogether for your mental and emotional health.
Now that you are removed from your father’s noxious postings, you are going to have to learn to trust other people. Your family members know him — and they also know you. You should trust that they understand and can differentiate between the two of you.
I don’t think it is useful to issue blanket or public apologies for someone else’s behavior. Your father embarrasses himself, but you should not give him the important role — and the power — to embarrass you.
Your father sounds like a bully. You should not trust him to keep anything private. All the same, you might feel better if you stood up to him: “Dad, I wish you would find a different hobby. Your online ranting is quite disturbing.”
It would be wise for him to get a mental health screening. Being a bigoted bully does not necessarily indicate mental decline, but because your father’s behavior seems to be getting worse, there is reason to wonder.
Dear Amy: My son just gave us the great news that he’s getting married.
Our daughter is in a serious, five-year relationship with a young man, “James.” We expect they will be engaged in the near future (within the next two years).
We have met James’ parents several times.
Should we invite James’ parents to our son’s wedding?
— Wondering
Dear Wondering: Does your son know James’ parents? Does his future bride know these people? This marrying couple may want to have some say over who attends their nuptials.
Traditionally, with larger weddings the marrying couple will get half of the total guest list to invite those close to them, while each set of parents will get one-fourth of the guest total to invite people from their own list (colleagues or childhood friends, for instance).
If you have been granted a number of seats to fill at will at this wedding, and if you have developed a friendship with your daughter’s boyfriend’s parents, then by all means invite them. However, you are not socially obligated to issue this invitation.
Dear Readers: I’ve received many positive responses to my annual giving column. Since that column was published, the world has become aware of the devastation caused by wildfires sweeping through parts of Australia. As of this writing, 20 people, including three firefighters, have died. The heartbreaking toll on the unique wildlife of Australia is almost incalculable: Millions of animals have perished — some estimates bring the toll as high as 1 billion animals.
Please do not send food or material goods — transporting goods brings on more hazards.
Here are some ways to give money:
Helping fire victims: St. Vincent DePaul Society: donate.vinnies.org.au.
Helping “firies” (firefighters): Rural Fire Service, New South Wales: rfs.nsw.gov.au.
Helping wildlife: RSPCA of Australia: rspcansw.org.au.
(You can email Amy Dickinson at askamy@amydickinson.com or send a letter to Ask Amy, P.O. Box 194, Freeville, NY 13068. You can also follow her on Twitter @askingamy or Facebook.)


thedenverpost--2020-01-20--Fires set stage for irreversible forest losses in Australia

Australia ’ s forests are burning at a rate unmatched in modern times and scientists say the landscape is being permanently altered as a warming climate brings profound changes to the island continent .
Heat waves and drought have fueled bigger and more frequent fires in parts of Australia , so far this season torching some 40,000 square miles ( 104,000 square kilometers ) , an area about as big as Ohio .
With blazes still raging in the country ’ s southeast , government officials are drawing up plans to reseed burned areas to speed up forest recovery that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But some scientists and forestry experts doubt that reseeding and other intervention efforts can match the scope of the destruction .
The fires since September have killed 28 people and burned more than 2,600 houses .
Before the recent wildfires , ecologists divided up Australia ’ s native vegetation into two categories : fire-adapted landscapes that burn periodically , and those that don ’ t burn .
In the recent fires , that distinction lost meaning — even rainforests and peat swamps caught fire , likely changing them forever .
Flames have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , such as Eungella National Park , where shrouds of mist have been replaced by smoke .
“ Anybody would have said these forests don ’ t burn , that there ’ s not enough material and they are wet .
Well they did , ” said forest restoration expert Sebastian Pfautsch , a research fellow at Western Sydney University .
“ Climate change is happening now , and we are seeing the effects of it , ” he said .
High temperatures , drought and more frequent wildfires — all linked to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for even fire-adapted forests to be fully restored , scientists say .
“ The normal processes of recovery are going to be less effective , going to take longer , ” said Roger Kitching , an ecologist at Griffith University in Queensland .
“ Instead of an ecosystem taking a decade , it may take a century or more to recover , all assuming we don ’ t get another fire season of this magnitude soon.
” Young stands of mountain ash trees — which are not expected to burn because they have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Australian Alps , the highest mountain range on the continent .
Fire this year wiped out stands reseeded following fires in 2013 .
Mountain ash , the world ’ s tallest flowering trees , reach heights of almost 90 meters ( 300 feet ) and live hundreds of years .
They ’ re an iconic presence in southeast Australia , comparable to the redwoods of Northern California , and are highly valued by the timber industry .
“ I ’ m expecting major areas of ( tree ) loss this year , mainly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to sow them , ” said Owen Bassett of Forest Solutions , a private company that works with government agencies to reseed forests by helicopter following fires .
Bassett plans to send out teams to climb trees in parts of Victoria that did not burn to harvest seed pods .
But he expects to get at most a ton of seeds this year , about one-tenth of what he said is needed .
Fire is a normal part of an ash forest life cycle , clearing out older stands to make way for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ intensity of this year ’ s fires left few surviving trees in many areas .
Already ash forests in parts of Victoria had been hit by wildfire every four to five years , allowing less marketable tree species to take over or meadows to form .
“ If a young ash forest is burned and killed and we can ’ t resow it , then it is lost , ” Bassett said .
The changing landscape has major implications for Australia ’ s diverse wildlife .
The fires in Eungella National Park , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reptiles that don ’ t live anywhere else , ” said University of Queensland ecologist Diana Fisher .
Fires typically burn through the forest in a patchwork pattern , leaving unburned refuges from which plant and animal species can spread .
However , megafires are consuming everything in their path and leaving little room for that kind of recovery , said Griffith University ’ s Kitching .
In both Australia and western North America , climate experts say , fires will continue burning with increased frequency as warming temperatures and drier weather transform @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in so many places offers the “ clearest signal yet ” that climate change is driving fire activity , said Leroy Westerling , a fire science professor at the University of Alberta .
“ It ’ s in Canada , California , Greece , Portugal , Australia , ” Westerling said .
“ This portends what we can expect — a new reality .
I prefer not to use the term ‘ new normal ’ … This is more like a downward spiral.
” Forests can shift locations over time .
However , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , not the decades over which the climate has been warming .
Most of the nearly 25,000 square miles ( 64,000 square kilometers ) that have burned in Victoria and New South Wales has been forest , according to scientists in New South Wales and the Victorian government .
By comparison , an average of about 1,600 square miles ( 4,100 square kilometers ) of forest burned annually in Australia dating to 2002 , according to data compiled by NASA research scientist Niels Andela and University of Maryland research professor Louis Giglio .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ majority of Australia ’ s huge annual wildfire damage , forests are unable to regenerate in a couple of years .
“ For forests , we ’ re talking about decades , particularly in more arid climates , ” Andela said .
Most forested areas can be expected to eventually regenerate , said Owen Price , a senior research fellow at the University of Wollongong specializing in bushfire risk management .
But he said repeated fires will make it more likely that some will become grasslands or open woodlands .
Price and others @ @ @ @ @ @ @ combat the changes , such as installing sprinkler systems in rainforests to help protect them against drought and fire , or shutting down forested areas to all visitors during times of high fire danger to prevent accidental ignitions .
Officials may also need to radically rethink accepted forest management practices , .
said Pfautsch , the researcher from Western Sydney .
That could involve planting trees in areas where they might not be suitable now but would be in 50 years as climate change progresses .
“ We can not expect species will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to reach a cooler climate , ” said Pfautsch .
“ It ’ s not looking like there ’ s a reversal trend in any of this .
It ’ s only accelerating .
”

Australia’s forests are burning at a rate unmatched in modern times and scientists say the landscape is being permanently altered as a warming climate brings profound changes to the island continent.
Heat waves and drought have fueled bigger and more frequent fires in parts of Australia, so far this season torching some 40,000 square miles (104,000 square kilometers), an area about as big as Ohio.
With blazes still raging in the country’s southeast, government officials are drawing up plans to reseed burned areas to speed up forest recovery that could otherwise take decades or even centuries.
But some scientists and forestry experts doubt that reseeding and other intervention efforts can match the scope of the destruction. The fires since September have killed 28 people and burned more than 2,600 houses.
Before the recent wildfires, ecologists divided up Australia’s native vegetation into two categories: fire-adapted landscapes that burn periodically, and those that don’t burn. In the recent fires, that distinction lost meaning — even rainforests and peat swamps caught fire, likely changing them forever.
Flames have blazed through jungles dried out by drought, such as Eungella National Park, where shrouds of mist have been replaced by smoke.
“Anybody would have said these forests don’t burn, that there’s not enough material and they are wet. Well they did,” said forest restoration expert Sebastian Pfautsch, a research fellow at Western Sydney University.
“Climate change is happening now, and we are seeing the effects of it,” he said.
High temperatures, drought and more frequent wildfires — all linked to climate change — may make it impossible for even fire-adapted forests to be fully restored, scientists say.
“The normal processes of recovery are going to be less effective, going to take longer,” said Roger Kitching, an ecologist at Griffith University in Queensland. “Instead of an ecosystem taking a decade, it may take a century or more to recover, all assuming we don’t get another fire season of this magnitude soon.”
Young stands of mountain ash trees — which are not expected to burn because they have minimal foliage — have burned in the Australian Alps, the highest mountain range on the continent. Fire this year wiped out stands reseeded following fires in 2013.
Mountain ash, the world’s tallest flowering trees, reach heights of almost 90 meters (300 feet) and live hundreds of years. They’re an iconic presence in southeast Australia, comparable to the redwoods of Northern California, and are highly valued by the timber industry.
“I’m expecting major areas of (tree) loss this year, mainly because we will not have sufficient seed to sow them,” said Owen Bassett of Forest Solutions, a private company that works with government agencies to reseed forests by helicopter following fires.
Bassett plans to send out teams to climb trees in parts of Victoria that did not burn to harvest seed pods. But he expects to get at most a ton of seeds this year, about one-tenth of what he said is needed.
Fire is a normal part of an ash forest life cycle, clearing out older stands to make way for new growth. But the extent and intensity of this year’s fires left few surviving trees in many areas.
Already ash forests in parts of Victoria had been hit by wildfire every four to five years, allowing less marketable tree species to take over or meadows to form.
“If a young ash forest is burned and killed and we can’t resow it, then it is lost,” Bassett said.
The changing landscape has major implications for Australia’s diverse wildlife. The fires in Eungella National Park, for example, threaten “frogs and reptiles that don’t live anywhere else,” said University of Queensland ecologist Diana Fisher.
Fires typically burn through the forest in a patchwork pattern, leaving unburned refuges from which plant and animal species can spread. However, megafires are consuming everything in their path and leaving little room for that kind of recovery, said Griffith University’s Kitching.
In both Australia and western North America, climate experts say, fires will continue burning with increased frequency as warming temperatures and drier weather transform ecosystems .
The catastrophic scale of blazes in so many places offers the “clearest signal yet” that climate change is driving fire activity, said Leroy Westerling, a fire science professor at the University of Alberta.
“It’s in Canada, California, Greece, Portugal, Australia,” Westerling said. “This portends what we can expect — a new reality. I prefer not to use the term ‘new normal’… This is more like a downward spiral.”
Forests can shift locations over time. However, that typically unfolds over thousands of years, not the decades over which the climate has been warming.
Most of the nearly 25,000 square miles (64,000 square kilometers) that have burned in Victoria and New South Wales has been forest, according to scientists in New South Wales and the Victorian government.
By comparison, an average of about 1,600 square miles (4,100 square kilometers) of forest burned annually in Australia dating to 2002, according to data compiled by NASA research scientist Niels Andela and University of Maryland research professor Louis Giglio.
Unlike grasslands, which see the vast majority of Australia’s huge annual wildfire damage, forests are unable to regenerate in a couple of years. “For forests, we’re talking about decades, particularly in more arid climates,” Andela said.
Most forested areas can be expected to eventually regenerate, said Owen Price, a senior research fellow at the University of Wollongong specializing in bushfire risk management. But he said repeated fires will make it more likely that some will become grasslands or open woodlands.
Price and others have started thinking up creative ways to combat the changes, such as installing sprinkler systems in rainforests to help protect them against drought and fire, or shutting down forested areas to all visitors during times of high fire danger to prevent accidental ignitions.
Officials may also need to radically rethink accepted forest management practices,. said Pfautsch, the researcher from Western Sydney.
That could involve planting trees in areas where they might not be suitable now but would be in 50 years as climate change progresses.
“We cannot expect species will move 200 kilometers (125 miles) to reach a cooler climate,” said Pfautsch. “It’s not looking like there’s a reversal trend in any of this. It’s only accelerating.”


thedenverpost--2020-01-20--2 dead, 5 injured after shooting in San Antonio club, police say

SAN ANTONIO — The search for a suspect continued Sunday night after two people were killed and five others were @ @ @ @ @ a concert at a San Antonio club , Texas authorities said .
Police said officers @ @ @ @ @ p.m. Sunday to the Ventura , a music venue located along San Antonio ’ s @ @ @ @ @ River Walk .
San Antonio Police Chief William McManus said an argument broke out inside @ @ @ @ @ group of individuals and one person pulled out a gun and started shooting .
One @ @ @ @ @ , and another six were transported to a hospital , where one was pronounced dead @ @ @ @ @ victims have not been identified .
McManus said the victim who died at the club @ @ @ @ @ he is confident that a suspect will be soon identified and apprehended .
No further @ @ @ @ @

SAN ANTONIO — Two people were killed and at least five were injured when someone opened fire during an argument at a concert in San Antonio, Texas, and police are hunting for the shooter who fled the scene.
Officers were called shortly after 8 p.m. Sunday to the Ventura, a music venue and bar located along the Museum Reach portion of the San Antonio River Walk, police said. It was not the only shooting at an entertainment venue Sunday night. Two people were shot and killed and at least 15 were injured in a shooting outside a bar in Kansas City, Missouri, just before midnight. Police believe the shooter is one of the two who was killed.
In Texas, an argument broke out inside the club and one person pulled out a gun and started shooting, San Antonio Police Chief William McManus said. One victim died at the scene, and another six were transported to a hospital, where one was pronounced dead shortly after arrival.
The victims have not been identified. McManus said the victim who died at the club was a 21-year-old man. He said preliminary information indicates the people shot were all patrons, rather than staff.
McManus said he’s confident that a suspect will be soon identified and apprehended. No further information was immediately available.
A since-deleted Facebook event indicated Sunday night’s concert at the Ventura was “Living the DREAM,” a showcase featuring multiple performers. Advertisements for the concert were also posted to websites advertising local events and listed performers’ social media pages. An email to the apparent promoters wasn’t immediately returned.


thedenverpost--2020-01-20--Fatal head-on crash of semi truck with car on high plains leads to hazmat spill, forces five-hour cl

Fatal head-on crash of semi truck with car on high plains leads to hazmat spill, forces five-hour closure

A head-on crash between a semi truck and a car Sunday afternoon left one person dead and led to a @ @ @ @ @ 100 gallons of diesel fuel , forcing a five-hour closure along Colorado 71 on the @ @ @ @ @ .
The crash happened around 2:30 p.m. in Morgan County south of Fort Morgan .
@ @ @ @ @ a trooper to help deal with the diesel spill , agency spokesman Cpl .
Ivan @ @ @ @ @ was available on the person killed in the crash , Alvarado said .
It wasn @ @ @ @ @ diesel contaminated water .

A head-on crash between a semi truck and a car Sunday afternoon left one person dead and led to a hazardous spill of more than 100 gallons of diesel fuel, forcing a five-hour closure along Colorado 71 on the high plains northeast of Denver.
The crash happened around 2:30 p.m. in Morgan County south of Fort Morgan. Colorado State Patrol dispatchers sent a trooper to help deal with the diesel spill, agency spokesman Cpl. Ivan Alvarado said.
Local authorities re-opened the highway around 8 p.m.
No information was available on the person killed in the crash, Alvarado said. It wasn’t clear whether the diesel contaminated water.


thedenverpost--2020-01-20--Pacers spoil Nikola Jokic’s 30-point effort, snap Nuggets’ three-game win streak

Nikola Jokic was in the process of a late All-Star Game push before Indiana Pacers sharpshooter Doug McDermott spoiled it .
McDermott drilled one huge 3-pointer after another , and the Pacers surged in the fourth quarter at the Pepsi Center to steal Sunday ’ s game 115-107 .
McDermott scored 18 in the fourth quarter , including four 3-pointers .
If it wasn ’ t McDermott burning the Nuggets , it was Indiana forward Domantas Sabonis , who recorded his first-ever triple-double with 22 points , 15 rebounds and 10 assists .
“ After that first quarter we didn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nuggets coach Michael Malone said .
“ One-on-one containment , Doug McDermott killed us , Sabonis killed us .
Fourth quarter they had six offensive rebounds .
The very few times they did miss , they just pushed us around , much more physical than us.
” “ They were making us pay on every mistake that we made , ” Jokic said of his team ’ s porous defense .
All-Star Game voting ends Monday , and Jokic is in all likelihood headed to next month ’ s showcase in Chicago .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ didn ’ t offer him much help Sunday .
Will Barton and Jerami Grant were their two other primary sources of offense , and neither one could connect from outside .
Denver shot just 3-for-23 from 3-point range .
The loss snapped Denver ’ s three-game winning streak heading into a three-game road trip that begins Monday night at Minnesota .
Jokic carried on his special performance with a dazzling third quarter .
He bullied the Pacers for 12 points and three assists , including Denver ’ s first seven of the quarter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to his smooth 3-point stroke was working .
By the end of his personal assault , the Nuggets held an 81-74 lead heading into the fourth .
Their momentary lead was even more encouraging due to Denver ’ s injury report .
Paul Millsap ( knee ) missed his sixth consecutive game , Gary Harris ( adductor ) missed his third straight and Jamal Murray rested for the second game in a row .
They were replaced in the starting lineup by Torrey Craig , Monte Morris and Grant respectively .
Less than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ close family and friends , Michael Porter Jr. had his breakout game against these Pacers in Indiana .
That night , he dropped a career-high 25 points on 11-of-12 shooting from the field .
Since then he has had scoring outputs of 13 , 18 and 19 points , respectively , while becoming a fixture in the rotation .
At this point , teams would be foolish not to scheme for the talented rookie .
“ I think the more minutes he gets , people will study him more , ” Malone said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ll be somebody they pay more attention to because they know what he ’ s capable of.
” At least in the first half , the Pacers had a better plan for him .
Porter finished 0 for 4 from the field with five rebounds .
By the end of the game , Porter had worked his way to 10 points and eight rebounds , including 4-of-4 from the free throw line .
• Nuggets injury bug opens door for extended bench minutes : “ I know I ’ ll be playing a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ keeps Nuggets , Avalanche games dark on Colorado ’ s largest TV provider : Will fan apathy set in for title contenders ?
• Nuggets defend Malik Beasley amid trying season : “ ( He ’ s ) not going to fade on us ” • Michael Porter Jr. needs to be Nuggets ’ second-best player , Charles Barkley says “ I think what teams are also looking to do is , I think it was the Clippers game , they try to put him in a lot of actions defensively , making @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the floor , ” Malone said .
“ That ’ s great .
That ’ s a great challenge for him .
That ’ s only going to help him learn that much faster and take that much more pride on the defensive end.
” It was hardly a pretty first half , but the Nuggets did their damage in the trenches to build a 50-44 lead .
Jokic took advantage of whichever Pacers big man tried to slow him en route to 16 points and eight rebounds over the first two quarters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nuggets to 32 points in the paint and a 29-19 rebounding advantage .
Barton did his part by stabilizing the second unit .
He poured in 11 points and snatched five rebounds as the bridge between the starters and the reserves .
The highlight of the first half came when Craig swatted Myles Turner on one end and dropped in an and-1 layup on the other .
Craig ’ s three blocks helped keep the Pacers well below 40 percent shooting over the first two quarters .

Nikola Jokic was in the process of a late All-Star Game push before Indiana Pacers sharpshooter Doug McDermott spoiled it.
McDermott drilled one huge 3-pointer after another, and the Pacers surged in the fourth quarter at the Pepsi Center to steal Sunday’s game 115-107. McDermott scored 18 in the fourth quarter, including four 3-pointers.
If it wasn’t McDermott burning the Nuggets, it was Indiana forward Domantas Sabonis, who recorded his first-ever triple-double with 22 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists.
“After that first quarter we didn’t play any defense,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said. “One-on-one containment, Doug McDermott killed us, Sabonis killed us. Fourth quarter they had six offensive rebounds. The very few times they did miss, they just pushed us around, much more physical than us.”
Indiana’s 71-point second-half wasted Jokic’s 30-point, 10-rebound effort.
“They were making us pay on every mistake that we made,” Jokic said of his team’s porous defense.
All-Star Game voting ends Monday, and Jokic is in all likelihood headed to next month’s showcase in Chicago. But the Nuggets, now 29-13, didn’t offer him much help Sunday.
Will Barton and Jerami Grant were their two other primary sources of offense, and neither one could connect from outside. Denver shot just 3-for-23 from 3-point range.
The loss snapped Denver’s three-game winning streak heading into a three-game road trip that begins Monday night at Minnesota.
Jokic carried on his special performance with a dazzling third quarter. He bullied the Pacers for 12 points and three assists, including Denver’s first seven of the quarter. Everything from his soft inside touch to his smooth 3-point stroke was working. By the end of his personal assault, the Nuggets held an 81-74 lead heading into the fourth.
Their momentary lead was even more encouraging due to Denver’s injury report. Paul Millsap (knee) missed his sixth consecutive game, Gary Harris (adductor) missed his third straight and Jamal Murray rested for the second game in a row.
They were replaced in the starting lineup by Torrey Craig, Monte Morris and Grant respectively.
Less than three weeks ago, in front of close family and friends, Michael Porter Jr. had his breakout game against these Pacers in Indiana. That night, he dropped a career-high 25 points on 11-of-12 shooting from the field. Since then he has had scoring outputs of 13, 18 and 19 points, respectively, while becoming a fixture in the rotation.
At this point, teams would be foolish not to scheme for the talented rookie.
“I think the more minutes he gets, people will study him more,” Malone said before the game. “He’ll be somebody they pay more attention to because they know what he’s capable of.”
At least in the first half, the Pacers had a better plan for him. Porter finished 0 for 4 from the field with five rebounds. By the end of the game, Porter had worked his way to 10 points and eight rebounds, including 4-of-4 from the free throw line.
“I think what teams are also looking to do is, I think it was the Clippers game, they try to put him in a lot of actions defensively, making him have to play both ends of the floor,” Malone said. “That’s great. That’s a great challenge for him. That’s only going to help him learn that much faster and take that much more pride on the defensive end.”
It was hardly a pretty first half, but the Nuggets did their damage in the trenches to build a 50-44 lead. Jokic took advantage of whichever Pacers big man tried to slow him en route to 16 points and eight rebounds over the first two quarters. His dogged play inside helped the Nuggets to 32 points in the paint and a 29-19 rebounding advantage.
Barton did his part by stabilizing the second unit. He poured in 11 points and snatched five rebounds as the bridge between the starters and the reserves.
The highlight of the first half came when Craig swatted Myles Turner on one end and dropped in an and-1 layup on the other. Craig’s three blocks helped keep the Pacers well below 40 percent shooting over the first two quarters.


thedenverpost--2020-01-20--After cashing in on QB gambles, 49ers and Chiefs are in Super Bowl LIV

A little more than two years ago , a pair of teams gambled on quarterbacks who had all kinds of potential but were far from a sure thing .
The Kansas City Chiefs will meet the San Francisco 49ers in the Super Bowl on Feb. 2 in Miami .
Oddsmakers opened the line at pick ’ em in a title game featuring one franchise , the Niners , trying to win a record-tying sixth Lombardi Trophy against another , the Chiefs , making their first appearance in the big game in 50 years .
Mahomes , whose gaudy college stats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country in 2016 ) were a byproduct of playing at pass-happy Texas Tech , was generally viewed as no better than the second-best quarterback in a 2017 draft that wasn ’ t considered strong on quarterbacks to begin with .
Chiefs coach Andy Reid disagreed .
He gave up a first-round pick in the following year ’ s draft to move up to select Mahomes in 2017 .
Now , in his third season , Mahomes is a Super Bowl quarterback .
He has 11 postseason touchdown passes , not a single interception @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in rushing the last two weeks .
With its 35-24 win over Tennessee on Sunday in the AFC title game , Kansas City became the first team in NFL history to go from trailing by double digits to winning by double digits in consecutive playoff games .
“ Everybody liked this guy , ” Reid said , in 2017 , about the reaction from the Kansas City front office and scouting department after they ’ d spent time with Mahomes in advance of the draft .
“ Everybody fell in love with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ business and how he played .
That ’ s not something that happens every year.
” Garoppolo , a second-round pick by the Patriots in 2014 , was considered the quarterback-in-waiting in New England , despite a limited resume as Tom Brady ‘ s backup .
But with the Patriots not ready to part ways with their franchise cornerstone , and with Garoppolo ’ s contract running out , the quarterback became expendable .
San Francisco acquired him in the middle of the 2017 season for a second-round pick .
Garoppolo won his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , before the season was out , he had a five-year contract extension that , at the time , included the highest average yearly salary in NFL history .
“ When you find the right guy at that position , it ’ s really good for your franchise , ” Niners GM John Lynch said , not long after the trade .
Though Garoppolo ’ s 102 passer rating this season was only 3.3 points less than Mahomes ’ , San Francisco doesn ’ t depend on its franchise QB the way Kansas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ threw only eight passes and totaled only 77 yards in San Francisco ’ s 37-20 win over Green Bay in the NFC title game Sunday .
He is helped by a bruising running game recently anchored by Raheem Mostert ( 220 yards and four TDs on Sunday ) .
And the Niners have found a game-wrecking defensive end in rookie Nick Bosa .
The second pick in the 2019 draft had a sack Sunday to go with the nine he recorded over the regular season to fuel a defense that gave up the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all helped the 49ers return to the Super Bowl for the first time since Colin Kaepernick took them in 2013 .
The departure of coach Jim Harbaugh and Kaepernick ’ s kneeling saga ushered in a period of instability .
It included a carousel of four head coaches in four years that finally settled when Kyle Shanahan — the son of two-time Super Bowl winning coach Mike Shanahan — got the job in 2017 and soon was joined by Garoppolo .
But when it comes to Super Bowl droughts — outside of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have never been , nobody has waited longer to get to the title game than the Chiefs .
• Raheem Mostert lifts 49ers to Super Bowl with win over Packers in NFC championship game • WATCH : 49ers ’ Raheem Mostert scores 3 touchdowns in first half vs. Packers • Patrick Mahomes lifts Chiefs to first Super Bowl in 50 years in win over Titans • Packers vs. 49ers live blog : Real-time updates from the NFC championship game The team that lost to Green Bay in the very first Super Bowl , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1970 , to win its first NFL championship .
The Chiefs had their ups and downs in the decades since .
The stat that stuck out the most was their 3-8 home playoff record since that victory over the Vikings in 1970 that marked the last game before the NFL and its old rival , the AFL , officially merged and began playing as a single league the next season .
Now , in a season filled with celebrations for the 100th anniversary of the NFL , the Chiefs are back , coached @ @ @ @ @ @ @ compiled over 20 seasons do not include a ‘ W ’ in the biggest game of all .
Could the quarterback he took a chance on — a nimble-footed , strong-armed , next-generation talent — be the one to finally put him over the top ?
Garoppolo , to say nothing of San Francisco ’ s running game and its top-ranked pass defense , will have plenty to say about that two weeks from now .

A little more than two years ago, a pair of teams gambled on quarterbacks who had all kinds of potential but were far from a sure thing.
Both teams guessed right.
The Kansas City Chiefs will meet the San Francisco 49ers in the Super Bowl on Feb. 2 in Miami. Oddsmakers opened the line at pick ’em in a title game featuring one franchise, the Niners, trying to win a record-tying sixth Lombardi Trophy against another, the Chiefs, making their first appearance in the big game in 50 years.
Their quarterbacks: Patrick Mahomes (KC) and Jimmy Garoppolo (SF).
Mahomes, whose gaudy college stats (his 5,052 passing yards led the country in 2016) were a byproduct of playing at pass-happy Texas Tech, was generally viewed as no better than the second-best quarterback in a 2017 draft that wasn’t considered strong on quarterbacks to begin with.
Chiefs coach Andy Reid disagreed. He gave up a first-round pick in the following year’s draft to move up to select Mahomes in 2017. Now, in his third season, Mahomes is a Super Bowl quarterback. He has 11 postseason touchdown passes, not a single interception, and has even led the Chiefs in rushing the last two weeks. With its 35-24 win over Tennessee on Sunday in the AFC title game, Kansas City became the first team in NFL history to go from trailing by double digits to winning by double digits in consecutive playoff games.
“Everybody liked this guy,” Reid said, in 2017, about the reaction from the Kansas City front office and scouting department after they’d spent time with Mahomes in advance of the draft. “Everybody fell in love with the kid and how he went about his business and how he played. That’s not something that happens every year.”
Garoppolo, a second-round pick by the Patriots in 2014, was considered the quarterback-in-waiting in New England, despite a limited resume as Tom Brady‘s backup. But with the Patriots not ready to part ways with their franchise cornerstone, and with Garoppolo’s contract running out, the quarterback became expendable. San Francisco acquired him in the middle of the 2017 season for a second-round pick.
Garoppolo won his first five starts in San Francisco and, before the season was out, he had a five-year contract extension that, at the time, included the highest average yearly salary in NFL history.
“When you find the right guy at that position, it’s really good for your franchise,” Niners GM John Lynch said, not long after the trade.
Though Garoppolo’s 102 passer rating this season was only 3.3 points less than Mahomes’, San Francisco doesn’t depend on its franchise QB the way Kansas City does.
Exhibit A: Garoppolo threw only eight passes and totaled only 77 yards in San Francisco’s 37-20 win over Green Bay in the NFC title game Sunday. He is helped by a bruising running game recently anchored by Raheem Mostert (220 yards and four TDs on Sunday). And the Niners have found a game-wrecking defensive end in rookie Nick Bosa. The second pick in the 2019 draft had a sack Sunday to go with the nine he recorded over the regular season to fuel a defense that gave up the fewest passing yards this season.
It all helped the 49ers return to the Super Bowl for the first time since Colin Kaepernick took them in 2013. The departure of coach Jim Harbaugh and Kaepernick’s kneeling saga ushered in a period of instability. It included a carousel of four head coaches in four years that finally settled when Kyle Shanahan — the son of two-time Super Bowl winning coach Mike Shanahan — got the job in 2017 and soon was joined by Garoppolo.
But when it comes to Super Bowl droughts — outside of the Jets and a handful of teams who have never been, nobody has waited longer to get to the title game than the Chiefs.
The team that lost to Green Bay in the very first Super Bowl, returned three years after that, in 1970, to win its first NFL championship. The Chiefs had their ups and downs in the decades since. The stat that stuck out the most was their 3-8 home playoff record since that victory over the Vikings in 1970 that marked the last game before the NFL and its old rival, the AFL, officially merged and began playing as a single league the next season.
Now, in a season filled with celebrations for the 100th anniversary of the NFL, the Chiefs are back, coached by Reid, whose 14 postseason wins compiled over 20 seasons do not include a ‘W’ in the biggest game of all.
Could the quarterback he took a chance on — a nimble-footed, strong-armed, next-generation talent — be the one to finally put him over the top?
Garoppolo, to say nothing of San Francisco’s running game and its top-ranked pass defense, will have plenty to say about that two weeks from now.