thedenverpost--2020-06-27--Kickin’ It with Kiz: Will NFL players have to die for young Americans to take coronavirus seriously?

Sports ’ re-opening will be a bellwether in our country ’ s attempted recovery .
My cousin complains about COVID-19 health precautions because the pandemic has not hit yet his rural town .
Upset about having to wear a mask to visit the Mayo Clinic , he bought a Donald Trump mask .
I can ’ t think of anything more ironic .
The under-50 crowd is losing patience and headed toward herd immunity as justification for increasingly dangerous behaviors .
Unless athletes die , the momentum to do your own thing will roll over all precautions .
I ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expendable , and sports are a vehicle that will make my part of the herd more vulnerable .
Kiz : Staffers here at Kickin ’ It Headquarters are naïve bumpkins .
So pardon us for asking : Aren ’ t sports supposed to teach the value of teamwork ?
So why has it been so difficult for a sports-crazy nation to understand the pandemic wins if there ’ s no teamwork or coordination in our ( allegedly ) United States ’ game plan against the virus ?
Forget about saving lives for a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wearing a mask might save the NFL season , would he do it ?
Kiz , I ’ m always glad to see The Denver Post on my lawn in the morning .
I ’ m also glad you pointed out the Big Three of Denver sports – Nikola Jokic , Von Miller and Charlie Blackmon – tested positive for COVID-19 .
Arrogant , ignorant and stupid seem the proper adjectives for our three sports idols .
Kiz : Forgive me , brother , for my sins .
In order to prepare my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , I ’ m making a quick weekend trip to Florida , where there ’ s a surge in cases .
Beneath my mask , I pray this family business trip won ’ t be remembered as arrogant , ignorant or stupid .
You present good information on hockey and I enjoy your writing , Kiz .
But stay away from spewing badly flawed political opinion .
I suggest you stick to hockey .
Kiz : Well , hate to disappoint , but I ’ m better at backwards thinking than skating backwards @ @ @ @ @ @ @ way .
More than 20 years ago , Broncos safety Steve Atwater entered my personal Hall of Fame .
I was mentoring a 10-year-old boy raised by a single parent .
While attending a Nuggets game , we spotted six Broncos sitting nearby .
Thinking my young friend could use role models , we approached them .
Gracious beyond words , Atwater introduced himself and his friends , then had everyone autograph a program .
Well , that young mentee is now a thirty-something who owns his own business .
Could you please @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being a great human being ?
Kiz : Consider it done .
And today ’ s parting shot campaigns for a new statue to honor a local sports hero , at a time when statues across the country are being torn down .
I ’ ve been talking to the Rockies , the city and local radio stations about erecting a statue of Don Baylor at Coors Field , saluting him as the Rockies ’ first manager , as well as a pioneering Black manager in Denver sports .

Sports’ re-opening will be a bellwether in our country’s attempted recovery. My cousin complains about COVID-19 health precautions because the pandemic has not hit yet his rural town. Upset about having to wear a mask to visit the Mayo Clinic, he bought a Donald Trump mask. I can’t think of anything more ironic. The under-50 crowd is losing patience and headed toward herd immunity as justification for increasingly dangerous behaviors. Unless athletes die, the momentum to do your own thing will roll over all precautions. I’m part of the herd viewed as expendable, and sports are a vehicle that will make my part of the herd more vulnerable.
Larry, cancer survivor
Kiz: Staffers here at Kickin’ It Headquarters are naïve bumpkins. So pardon us for asking: Aren’t sports supposed to teach the value of teamwork? So why has it been so difficult for a sports-crazy nation to understand the pandemic wins if there’s no teamwork or coordination in our (allegedly) United States’ game plan against the virus? Forget about saving lives for a moment. If I told your cousin wearing a mask might save the NFL season, would he do it?
Kiz, I’m always glad to see The Denver Post on my lawn in the morning. I’m also glad you pointed out the Big Three of Denver sports – Nikola Jokic, Von Miller and Charlie Blackmon – tested positive for COVID-19. Arrogant, ignorant and stupid seem the proper adjectives for our three sports idols.
Bob, Boulder
Kiz: Forgive me, brother, for my sins. In order to prepare my late mother’s house for sale, I’m making a quick weekend trip to Florida, where there’s a surge in cases. Beneath my mask, I pray this family business trip won’t be remembered as arrogant, ignorant or stupid.
You present good information on hockey and I enjoy your writing, Kiz. But stay away from spewing badly flawed political opinion. I suggest you stick to hockey.
Joe, finishes his checks
Kiz: Well, hate to disappoint, but I’m better at backwards thinking than skating backwards. So stick to hockey? No way.
More than 20 years ago, Broncos safety Steve Atwater entered my personal Hall of Fame. I was mentoring a 10-year-old boy raised by a single parent. While attending a Nuggets game, we spotted six Broncos sitting nearby. Thinking my young friend could use role models, we approached them. Gracious beyond words, Atwater introduced himself and his friends, then had everyone autograph a program. Well, that young mentee is now a thirty-something who owns his own business. Could you please extend my thanks to Mr. Atwater for being a great human being?
Mel, Denver
Kiz: Consider it done.
And today’s parting shot campaigns for a new statue to honor a local sports hero, at a time when statues across the country are being torn down.
I’ve been talking to the Rockies, the city and local radio stations about erecting a statue of Don Baylor at Coors Field, saluting him as the Rockies’ first manager, as well as a pioneering Black manager in Denver sports.
J.C., innovative thinker


thedenverpost--2020-06-26--Nuggets’ schedule in Orlando features five national TV games, matchups vs. Lakers, Clippers

After more than four months away from basketball , the Nuggets will officially return to play on August 1 when they take on the Miami Heat in Orlando in the first of their eight seeding games , according to the league ’ s schedule release Friday night .
The Nuggets will be featured on national television five times , twice on TNT , twice on ESPN and once on NBATV .
There will be no exclusive national telecasts during the seeding games , according to a league source .
That means all eight seeding games will be carried by Altitude @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Nuggets will face the Thunder , the Spurs , the Trail Blazers , the Jazz , the Lakers , the Clippers and the Raptors before heading to the postseason .
The last seeding games will be played on August .
14 .
The schedule that they ’ ll play was similar to the one that they would ’ ve faced in their next eight games had the season not been suspended .
The NBA said it devised the schedule first chronologically and second based on schedule balance .
When league play was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dallas , the Nuggets were 43-22 and in third place in the Western Conference .
They sat 1.5 games behind the Clippers for the No .
2 seed and 1.5 games up on the No .
4 seed Jazz .
The Nuggets ’ schedule in Mountain Time , including TV broadcasts , is as follows : One more man : The Nuggets are adding two-way forward Tyler Cook to their 17-man roster going down to Orlando , a league source confirmed to The Denver Post .
Two-way players will be eligible to play @ @ @ @ @ @ @ training camp before spending most of the season with the Cavs .

After more than four months away from basketball, the Nuggets will officially return to play on August 1 when they take on the Miami Heat in Orlando in the first of their eight seeding games, according to the league’s schedule release Friday night.
The Nuggets will be featured on national television five times, twice on TNT, twice on ESPN and once on NBATV.
There will be no exclusive national telecasts during the seeding games, according to a league source. That means all eight seeding games will be carried by Altitude.
After taking on the Heat, the Nuggets will face the Thunder, the Spurs, the Trail Blazers, the Jazz, the Lakers, the Clippers and the Raptors before heading to the postseason. The last seeding games will be played on August. 14.
The schedule that they’ll play was similar to the one that they would’ve faced in their next eight games had the season not been suspended. The NBA said it devised the schedule first chronologically and second based on schedule balance.
When league play was halted March 11 during a loss to Dallas, the Nuggets were 43-22 and in third place in the Western Conference. They sat 1.5 games behind the Clippers for the No. 2 seed and 1.5 games up on the No. 4 seed Jazz.
The Nuggets’ schedule in Mountain Time, including TV broadcasts, is as follows:
August 1 vs. Heat, 11 a.m. (ESPN)
August 3 vs. Thunder, 2 p.m (NBA TV)
August 5 vs. Spurs, 2 p.m.
August 6 vs. Blazers, 6 p.m.
August 8 vs. Jazz, 1:30 p.m. (TNT)
August 10 vs. Lakers, 7 p.m. (TNT)
August 12 vs. Clippers, 7 p.m. (ESPN)
August 14 vs. Raptors TBD
One more man: The Nuggets are adding two-way forward Tyler Cook to their 17-man roster going down to Orlando, a league source confirmed to The Denver Post. Two-way players will be eligible to play. Cook was with the Nuggets in training camp before spending most of the season with the Cavs.


thedenverpost--2020-06-26--Bustang to roll across Colorado again after a 3-month COVID-19 suspension of service

The popular statewide Bustang bus service will resume service this weekend , with buses rolling across Colorado highways for the first time since the service was suspended due to COVID-19 at the end of March .
Bustang ’ s Outrider service , which serves many far-flung areas in the state , will resume Sunday , while weekday service on the more heavily traveled Bustang routes picks back up Monday .
Visit ridebustang.com for specific route , schedule and fare information .
The Colorado Department of Transportation , which operates the service , is putting in place a number of cautionary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic .
They include certain seats being blocked off to keep Bustang buses at a 22-passenger maximum and Outrider buses at a 16-passenger maximum .
Face masks will be required for drivers and passengers , and drivers will be issued additional personal protective equipment .
Passengers will be offered hand sanitizer wipes when boarding .
Buses will be cleaned and disinfected upon completion of each route , including all seats , safety belt buckles , front and back head rests and armrests .
“ We have carefully monitored when to safely resume serving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doing so now , with significant precautions in place that follow guidance and best practices from public health officials , ” said CDOT Executive Director Shoshana Lew .
“ We ask passengers to purchase tickets in advance , to the extent possible , so that we can minimize physical interactions with drivers and maximize social distancing .
”

The popular statewide Bustang bus service will resume service this weekend, with buses rolling across Colorado highways for the first time since the service was suspended due to COVID-19 at the end of March.
Bustang’s Outrider service, which serves many far-flung areas in the state, will resume Sunday, while weekday service on the more heavily traveled Bustang routes picks back up Monday. Visit ridebustang.com for specific route, schedule and fare information.
The Colorado Department of Transportation, which operates the service, is putting in place a number of cautionary measures to deal with the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. They include certain seats being blocked off to keep Bustang buses at a 22-passenger maximum and Outrider buses at a 16-passenger maximum.
Face masks will be required for drivers and passengers, and drivers will be issued additional personal protective equipment. Passengers will be offered hand sanitizer wipes when boarding.
Buses will be cleaned and disinfected upon completion of each route, including all seats, safety belt buckles, front and back head rests and armrests.
“We have carefully monitored when to safely resume serving our Bustang and Outrider customers and are doing so now, with significant precautions in place that follow guidance and best practices from public health officials,” said CDOT Executive Director Shoshana Lew. “We ask passengers to purchase tickets in advance, to the extent possible, so that we can minimize physical interactions with drivers and maximize social distancing.”


thedenverpost--2020-06-26--Colorado bill tightening vaccine exemptions is signed into law

Colorado Gov .
Jared Polis signed a highly contested vaccine bill Friday afternoon with no fanfare or advance public notice .
Senate Bill 163 , which adds a step for parents who want to exempt their children from vaccines for nonmedical reasons , received final legislative approval in the last days of the session .
It ’ s aimed at increasing Colorado ’ s lowest-in-the-nation child vaccination rates .
“ I think it ’ s good that we ’ re dealing with facts and that we ’ re dealing in science , ” said sponsor Rep. Kyle Mullica , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The new law requires parents who choose not to vaccinate their kids for nonmedical reasons to either provide an exemption form signed by a medical professional or take an online module about vaccines and submit a completion certificate .
Schools will also have to provide students and parents with their vaccination and exemption rates .
Children who are home-schooled are exempt .
The Department of Public Health and Environment has until Jan. 1 to provide a standardized exemption form .
Schools have to report their rates annually for the measles , mumps and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state will keep the information in its immunization tracking system .
Polis gave his support for the bill after opposing a similar bill last year .
Republicans — except Senate sponsor Kevin Priola of Henderson — voted against the bill , saying it violates parents ’ rights and creates privacy issues .
Legislative support for the bill was not in question given that Democrats controlled both chambers of the General Assembly , but hundreds of parents rallied against the bill , making it more difficult to pass after the coronavirus pandemic shortened lawmakers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have indicated their support of tightening exemptions , according to polling by Keating Research .

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis signed a highly contested vaccine bill Friday afternoon with no fanfare or advance public notice.
Senate Bill 163, which adds a step for parents who want to exempt their children from vaccines for nonmedical reasons, received final legislative approval in the last days of the session. It’s aimed at increasing Colorado’s lowest-in-the-nation child vaccination rates.
“I think it’s good that we’re dealing with facts and that we’re dealing in science,” said sponsor Rep. Kyle Mullica, a Northglenn Democrat and emergency room nurse.
The new law requires parents who choose not to vaccinate their kids for nonmedical reasons to either provide an exemption form signed by a medical professional or take an online module about vaccines and submit a completion certificate. Schools will also have to provide students and parents with their vaccination and exemption rates. Children who are home-schooled are exempt.
The Department of Public Health and Environment has until Jan. 1 to provide a standardized exemption form. Schools have to report their rates annually for the measles, mumps and rubella vaccines by Feb. 15. The state will keep the information in its immunization tracking system.
Polis gave his support for the bill after opposing a similar bill last year.
Republicans — except Senate sponsor Kevin Priola of Henderson — voted against the bill, saying it violates parents’ rights and creates privacy issues. Legislative support for the bill was not in question given that Democrats controlled both chambers of the General Assembly, but hundreds of parents rallied against the bill, making it more difficult to pass after the coronavirus pandemic shortened lawmakers’ session.
A majority of Coloradans have indicated their support of tightening exemptions, according to polling by Keating Research.


thedenverpost--2020-06-26--Guest commentary: Meaningful change requires recognizing racism’s pervasiveness

Along with many others , I´ve been emotionally struck by the tragic death of George Floyd .
A resounding chorus of protests against the killings of Floyd and other Black people by police recently has rightly associated those killings with deeply entrenched racism that continues to infect our country .
As the cries and chants on the streets punctuated the pain and frustration that racism still yields , again another Black man , Rayshard Brooks , fell to the police in Atlanta .
When I was in the fifth grade , my teacher , calling out my indigenous heritage , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ peoples of the country as “ savages ” that deserved to be conquered .
Throughout my life , including recently , I ’ ve endured similar , although not always as blatantly racist , indignities because of characteristics owing to my indigenous and Chicano identity .
With my experiences , I remain wary of immigration officers , who might single me out and be especially probing about my citizenship , or of the police in my own almost all-white neighborhood , who might be curious about the reasons for my being there .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ aware of my position of privilege and power as the dean of a law school , and of not being nearly as vulnerable to racism ’ s indignities and tragedies as other Black or Brown people because of that .
But I am also aware of how far racism reaches .
Racism is rooted in a pattern of thinking , and its effects are amplified by indifference or ignorance .
Racism seizes upon difference and associates that difference with inferiority or undesirable traits .
Looking to the past , this pattern of thinking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ indigenous land and slavery to build the country , overtly discriminatory laws and practices , and more .
Over time it gave rise to a national narrative of greatness largely to the exclusion of the experiences , struggles , and contributions of people of color , while projecting a national identity that defines them as others .
Indifference to or ignorance about historical and ongoing acts of racism allow their effects to be normalized in social arrangements and public institutions .
The country ’ s educational and other institutions tend to uncritically embrace @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which begins with white pilgrims and carries a theme of white manifest destiny .
The indifference and ignorance are entrenched , making dominant actors numb to the country ’ s actual past ; blind to the link between that past and the disadvantages faced by Black and other people of color today ; and unable to envision our institutions as truly reflecting a multiracial , multicultural America .
Today , the racism that sees Black people as inferior or flawed – including in the sense of seeing Black men as prone to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to their realities , and can be lethal for them , as we ’ ve seen .
But racism exists beyond police and overt brutality , resulting in Black and other people of color suffering indignities continually and being disproportionately at the lower rungs of social hierarchy and access to opportunity .
Indifference and ignorance about racism , especially , are pervasive and can be seen at work daily , maintaining the structures of disadvantage and the otherness of people of color , and inflicting indignities on them by maintaining denigrating offensive patterns @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I was glad to read that Denver ’ s Stapleton neighborhood will change its name , a clear and overdue signal of distancing from the namesake ’ s Klan-laden racism .
All symbols whose pedigree is bound to white supremacy should be similarly discarded .
Educational institutions have a special role to not only eschew such symbols but to correct the national narrative to one of inclusion , an essential step to uproot racism .
The moment we are living calls our leaders , and all of us , to a heightened awareness @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a renewed commitment to the country ’ s founding promise of justice and equality , literally , for all .
S. James Anaya is dean of the University of Colorado Law School .
He has taught and written extensively on international human rights and issues concerning indigenous peoples .
From 2008 until 2014 he served as the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples .

Along with many others, I´ve been emotionally struck by the tragic death of George Floyd. A resounding chorus of protests against the killings of Floyd and other Black people by police recently has rightly associated those killings with deeply entrenched racism that continues to infect our country. As the cries and chants on the streets punctuated the pain and frustration that racism still yields, again another Black man, Rayshard Brooks, fell to the police in Atlanta.
When I was in the fifth grade, my teacher, calling out my indigenous heritage, glared at me while describing the first peoples of the country as “savages” that deserved to be conquered. Throughout my life, including recently, I’ve endured similar, although not always as blatantly racist, indignities because of characteristics owing to my indigenous and Chicano identity. With my experiences, I remain wary of immigration officers, who might single me out and be especially probing about my citizenship, or of the police in my own almost all-white neighborhood, who might be curious about the reasons for my being there.
In saying this, I am keenly aware of my position of privilege and power as the dean of a law school, and of not being nearly as vulnerable to racism’s indignities and tragedies as other Black or Brown people because of that. But I am also aware of how far racism reaches.
Racism is rooted in a pattern of thinking, and its effects are amplified by indifference or ignorance. Racism seizes upon difference and associates that difference with inferiority or undesirable traits. Looking to the past, this pattern of thinking generated the justifications for the theft of indigenous land and slavery to build the country, overtly discriminatory laws and practices, and more. Over time it gave rise to a national narrative of greatness largely to the exclusion of the experiences, struggles, and contributions of people of color, while projecting a national identity that defines them as others.
Indifference to or ignorance about historical and ongoing acts of racism allow their effects to be normalized in social arrangements and public institutions. The country’s educational and other institutions tend to uncritically embrace and replicate the historically incomplete national narrative, which begins with white pilgrims and carries a theme of white manifest destiny. The indifference and ignorance are entrenched, making dominant actors numb to the country’s actual past; blind to the link between that past and the disadvantages faced by Black and other people of color today; and unable to envision our institutions as truly reflecting a multiracial, multicultural America.
Today, the racism that sees Black people as inferior or flawed – including in the sense of seeing Black men as prone to be dangerous – is ignorant or indifferent to their realities, and can be lethal for them, as we’ve seen. But racism exists beyond police and overt brutality, resulting in Black and other people of color suffering indignities continually and being disproportionately at the lower rungs of social hierarchy and access to opportunity. Indifference and ignorance about racism, especially, are pervasive and can be seen at work daily, maintaining the structures of disadvantage and the otherness of people of color, and inflicting indignities on them by maintaining denigrating offensive patterns of social interaction and public symbols.
I was glad to read that Denver’s Stapleton neighborhood will change its name, a clear and overdue signal of distancing from the namesake’s Klan-laden racism. All symbols whose pedigree is bound to white supremacy should be similarly discarded. Educational institutions have a special role to not only eschew such symbols but to correct the national narrative to one of inclusion, an essential step to uproot racism.
The moment we are living calls our leaders, and all of us, to a heightened awareness of racism’s pervasiveness, and to a renewed commitment to the country’s founding promise of justice and equality, literally, for all.
S. James Anaya is dean of the University of Colorado Law School. He has taught and written extensively on international human rights and issues concerning indigenous peoples. From 2008 until 2014 he served as the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.


thedenverpost--2020-06-26--Hand-hewn 3-bedroom log home 10 minutes from Black Hawk is ready for action with furnishings, a Jeep

Hand-hewn 3-bedroom log home 10 minutes from Black Hawk is ready for action with furnishings, a Jeep Wrangler with plow

Realtor Jason Cummings with Compass Real Estate/Team Colorado Homes has a mountain property coming on the market this weekend that ’ s a perfect shelter-in-place for somebody wanting to keep the reopening casinos in Black Hawk nearby .
At 495 Old Hughesville Road , a mile farther up Colo. 119 beyond the town , he ’ ll show you a hand-hewn log home that ’ s a new , stylized version of the traditional cabin , showing real chinking and lots of recreational extras .
It ’ s a 3-bedroom/3-bath plan with wide-open entertaining area and a loft overhead , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ James Peak .
You ’ ll see vaulted ceilings , a window wall taking in the view of the Continental Divide , 2-story , stone-stacked , Napoleon High Country wood burning fireplace ; wood plank floors , and a kitchen with farmhouse sink , a large island , wood beams , and broken-edge granite island and countertops .
There ’ s a built-in woodwork shop in the finished basement and a wrap-around deck that has 360-degree views .
Cummings notes that this property is ready to go for mountain entertaining and adds that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fully furnished and comes with a Generac 22-kilowatt generator with an automatic transfer switch ; a built-in hot tub ; and a 2004 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited that has 40,000 miles on it and that comes complete with a Snow-Way plow .
Samantha Ennis at Compass can arrange a showing by appointment for you today or this week ; call her at 727-244-0220 .
The news and editorial staffs of The Denver Post had no role in this post ’ s preparation .

Realtor Jason Cummings with Compass Real Estate/Team Colorado Homes has a mountain property coming on the market this weekend that’s a perfect shelter-in-place for somebody wanting to keep the reopening casinos in Black Hawk nearby.
Where: 495 Old Hughesville Rd., Black Hawk, from Golden take U.S. 6 west 11 mi. to CO 119, west on 119, continue through town of Black Hawk, then west on 119 1.5 mi. to Old Hughesville Rd Price: $695,000 When: By appointment June 28 and daily Phone: 720-409-7330
At 495 Old Hughesville Road, a mile farther up Colo. 119 beyond the town, he’ll show you a hand-hewn log home that’s a new, stylized version of the traditional cabin, showing real chinking and lots of recreational extras.
It’s a 3-bedroom/3-bath plan with wide-open entertaining area and a loft overhead, on a five-acre site with views of James Peak.
You’ll see vaulted ceilings, a window wall taking in the view of the Continental Divide, 2-story, stone-stacked, Napoleon High Country wood burning fireplace; wood plank floors, and a kitchen with farmhouse sink, a large island, wood beams, and broken-edge granite island and countertops. There’s a built-in woodwork shop in the finished basement and a wrap-around deck that has 360-degree views.
Cummings notes that this property is ready to go for mountain entertaining and adds that it has Airbnb potential. It is fully furnished and comes with a Generac 22-kilowatt generator with an automatic transfer switch; a built-in hot tub; and a 2004 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited that has 40,000 miles on it and that comes complete with a Snow-Way plow.
Samantha Ennis at Compass can arrange a showing by appointment for you today or this week; call her at 727-244-0220.
The news and editorial staffs of The Denver Post had no role in this post’s preparation.


thedenverpost--2020-06-27--Jason Jennings Adaptive Field continues to provide platform, opportunities for ballplayers with disa

Jason Jennings Adaptive Field continues to provide platform, opportunities for ballplayers with disabilities

LAKEWOOD — As the lone baseball diamond in Colorado with a rubberized surface , Jason Jennings Adaptive Field is where the Miracle League of Metro Denver hosts competitive and recreational games for those with disabilities .
It ’ s also a field where everyone , from participants to volunteers to league organizers , gets a chance to grow into , and alongside of , the national pastime — regardless of the physical or intellectual limitations faced by those playing the game .
“ No matter what kind of a hit these kids get , they light up like a Christmas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ big hit to the outfield or a tiny little blip barely past home plate , ” said Monica Greenfield , whose 17-year-old son Matthew has been playing at the field for nine years .
“ It doesn ’ t matter if they ’ re in a wheelchair being pushed , or if they ’ re like our son who can walk and run but it ’ s not a typical run .
You just can ’ t help but smile watching these kids play , and neither can they.
” Built in 2006 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s No .
1 starting pitcher ) , the Rockies and private donors raised about $ 400,000 for the initial construction of the field , according to Miracle League of Metro Denver president Jim Morgan .
Jennings donated $ 50,000 and the Rockies chipped in another $ 50,000 to match .
Jennings said he and the team ’ s contribution was worked into his arbitration contract the previous offseason .
The field was one of 58 youth and high school diamonds built by the Rockies as part of their “ Field of Dreams @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ It was really the first time I ’ d seen the concept of the rubberized surface all over and the flat bases that were accessible to anyone , ” Jennings recalled .
“ It was a no-brainer for me to be involved in it and it ’ s still an honor to have my name permanently fixated with that field .
Hopefully long after I ’ m gone down the road , it will still be there , and people will probably have to Google me but the impact of the field @ @ @ @ @ @ @ evident in families like the Greenfields , who have seen promising progress with Matthew that they attribute to his playing for the Cardinals , a competitive team in the Miracle League of Metro Denver .
Matthew , a junior at Cherry Creek , has neurological disorders because of a gene mutation and is also autistic .
Baseball has become an important pillar in his development .
“ He can talk about his baseball experience with family and friends , and it makes him feel good as he watches his siblings do all these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ He ’ s built confidence , it ’ s helped him socially , and it ’ s even helped from a physical therapy standpoint .
Fine motor , gross motor , speech and language , cognitively — Matthew is affected by his disability across the board , so the fact that baseball helps him with coordination and balance and his gait makes it like a fun way to incorporate physical therapy into his week.
” And in the recreational league , volunteer “ buddies ” often seem to get as much out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do .
“ What ’ s been awesome to see grow are the relationships between the players and those volunteers , ” Morgan said .
“ We have a lot of school teams that come and help out , and we ’ re partnered with Metro State softball .
What you start to see is that what we ’ re really building is … an experience and an opportunity for all ranges of ages of kids who can interact with peers who have disabilities , and maybe they ’ ve never gotten to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a valuable , insightful experience for those kids.
” In a normal year , the Miracle League of Metro Denver has upwards of 125 players across its two leagues , and has both a spring and fall season .
It provides opportunities for tee-ball age players all the way through adults , and , as Morgan explained , the non-profit is focused on sustaining the field ’ s legacy for decades to come .
That began with replacing the field ’ s aging surface with a sparkling new one this summer , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new surface cost about $ 350,000 and was funded by 60 % private donations and 40 % contributions from the Foothills Parks and Recreation District , which manages the field .
Looking forward , Morgan said the district and Miracle League of Metro Denver are looking at building an “ all-inclusive baseball complex for individuals with disabilities ” within the Schaefer Athletic Complex and adjacent to the current adaptive field .
While Morgan and his board are planning on pressing ahead with a fall season beginning on Aug. 15 amid “ extraordinary safety @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the preliminary stages of figuring out how to raise up to the $ 1 million necessary to build an accessible dirt field as well as a pavilion with bathrooms and a concession stand .
“ Some of our more competitive kids want to play on an actual dirt field , so we want to give them that opportunity , ” Morgan said .
“ And we ’ ve got port-a-potties out there ( in the park ) for kids with disabilities , and that ’ s something that doesn ’ t sit well @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the most glamorous things to ask for donations for , but it ’ s really important .
”

LAKEWOOD — As the lone baseball diamond in Colorado with a rubberized surface, Jason Jennings Adaptive Field is where the Miracle League of Metro Denver hosts competitive and recreational games for those with disabilities.
It’s also a field where everyone, from participants to volunteers to league organizers, gets a chance to grow into, and alongside of, the national pastime — regardless of the physical or intellectual limitations faced by those playing the game.
“No matter what kind of a hit these kids get, they light up like a Christmas tree, whether it’s a big hit to the outfield or a tiny little blip barely past home plate,” said Monica Greenfield, whose 17-year-old son Matthew has been playing at the field for nine years. “It doesn’t matter if they’re in a wheelchair being pushed, or if they’re like our son who can walk and run but it’s not a typical run. You just can’t help but smile watching these kids play, and neither can they.”
Built in 2006, Jennings (then the team’s No. 1 starting pitcher), the Rockies and private donors raised about $400,000 for the initial construction of the field, according to Miracle League of Metro Denver president Jim Morgan. Jennings donated $50,000 and the Rockies chipped in another $50,000 to match.
Jennings said he and the team’s contribution was worked into his arbitration contract the previous offseason. The field was one of 58 youth and high school diamonds built by the Rockies as part of their “Field of Dreams” program from 1995 to 2009.
“It was really the first time I’d seen the concept of the rubberized surface all over and the flat bases that were accessible to anyone,” Jennings recalled. “It was a no-brainer for me to be involved in it and it’s still an honor to have my name permanently fixated with that field. Hopefully long after I’m gone down the road, it will still be there, and people will probably have to Google me but the impact of the field will be clear.”
That impact is evident in families like the Greenfields, who have seen promising progress with Matthew that they attribute to his playing for the Cardinals, a competitive team in the Miracle League of Metro Denver. Matthew, a junior at Cherry Creek, has neurological disorders because of a gene mutation and is also autistic. Baseball has become an important pillar in his development.
“He can talk about his baseball experience with family and friends, and it makes him feel good as he watches his siblings do all these exciting things,” Greenfield explained. “He’s built confidence, it’s helped him socially, and it’s even helped from a physical therapy standpoint. Fine motor, gross motor, speech and language, cognitively — Matthew is affected by his disability across the board, so the fact that baseball helps him with coordination and balance and his gait makes it like a fun way to incorporate physical therapy into his week.”
And in the recreational league, volunteer “buddies” often seem to get as much out of the action as those with disabilities do.
“What’s been awesome to see grow are the relationships between the players and those volunteers,” Morgan said. “We have a lot of school teams that come and help out, and we’re partnered with Metro State softball. What you start to see is that what we’re really building is … an experience and an opportunity for all ranges of ages of kids who can interact with peers who have disabilities, and maybe they’ve never gotten to do that before. It’s a valuable, insightful experience for those kids.”
In a normal year, the Miracle League of Metro Denver has upwards of 125 players across its two leagues, and has both a spring and fall season. It provides opportunities for tee-ball age players all the way through adults, and, as Morgan explained, the non-profit is focused on sustaining the field’s legacy for decades to come.
That began with replacing the field’s aging surface with a sparkling new one this summer, a project that is nearing completion. The new surface cost about $350,000 and was funded by 60% private donations and 40% contributions from the Foothills Parks and Recreation District, which manages the field.
Looking forward, Morgan said the district and Miracle League of Metro Denver are looking at building an “all-inclusive baseball complex for individuals with disabilities” within the Schaefer Athletic Complex and adjacent to the current adaptive field.
While Morgan and his board are planning on pressing ahead with a fall season beginning on Aug. 15 amid “extraordinary safety conditions”, they are also in the preliminary stages of figuring out how to raise up to the $1 million necessary to build an accessible dirt field as well as a pavilion with bathrooms and a concession stand.
“Some of our more competitive kids want to play on an actual dirt field, so we want to give them that opportunity,” Morgan said. “And we’ve got port-a-potties out there (in the park) for kids with disabilities, and that’s something that doesn’t sit well with us. Bathrooms aren’t the most glamorous things to ask for donations for, but it’s really important.”


thedenverpost--2020-06-27--Discovery of Forrest Fenn’s chest of gold leaves treasure hunters demanding answers

Miriam DeFronzo learned Forrest Fenn ’ s treasure had been found while she was in a Texas hotel room a few hours outside of New Mexico , on the third day of a road trip west from Florida to search for the long-hidden bounty rumored to be worth $ 2 million .
It was the fourth time she ’ d struck out in search of the treasure chest , which Fenn , an eccentric New Mexico antiquities dealer , said in a self-published 2010 memoir he ’ d hidden somewhere in the Rocky Mountains .
Fenn , now 89 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ location in a cryptic poem in that memoir , “ The Thrill of the Chase.
” Over the last decade , thousands joined the hunt and at least four Colorado men died searching for the cache .
Online communities of treasure hunters grew and flourished as thousands speculated on where the chest might be hidden .
Searchers spent countless hours puzzling through clues and maps ; some spent thousands of dollars or quit their jobs in the pursuit .
But on June 6 , Fenn told the world the treasure chest had been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ I was dejected , ” DeFronzo said .
“ We just turned around and headed back home.
” Now she — and thousands of others — want some answers .
Fenn posted photos of the treasure after it was found — the images show a chest filled with what appear to be gold coins , gold nuggets , jewelry and other valuable items .
But he ’ s refused to say where the treasure chest was discovered or who found it , except that the man who discovered the chest was a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scarce details have left some treasure hunters feeling jilted , and prompted others to call the whole thing a hoax .
Some believe the treasure was real and want to know how close they came , if they might have walked past the chest and just missed it .
Some who spent years analyzing Fenn ’ s every word for hints to the treasure ’ s location are frustrated by his silence now .
Anger boiled up in some of the online communities built around the hunt for Fenn ’ s treasure .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the quest end .
“ You owe us something here , Forrest , ” said Terry Kasberg , a Florida man who searched for the treasure for several years .
“ People have put thousands of hours into this , thousands .
I mean day and night .
People lived and breathed this thing for 10 years .
And to cut everybody short like this is just so depressing for a lot of people.
” In an email Wednesday , Fenn declined an interview with The Denver Post .
The treasure hunters invested @ @ @ @ @ @ @ search , and some likely formed their identities around the effort , said Ryan Curtis , senior instructor of psychology at the University of Colorado Boulder .
“ In the same way we would form an identity around our job or a relationship , ” he said .
“ If someone dumps you , you often want to know why , because this is such a big part of how you identify yourself and how you think and feel .
It ’ s over , but you still want to come to that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on.
” Since Fenn ’ s blockbuster announcement , very few people have left a 4,300-member Facebook group dedicated to the hunt , said Janet Landgard , a former Colorado resident who started the group about three years ago .
She ’ s been searching for the treasure since 2012 .
“ Everybody is waiting to hear what Forrest is going to say next , ” she said , adding that he once said whoever found the treasure should wait 30 days before doing anything with it — which could mean more information @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s made friends through the group , she said , and built a tight-knit community with fellow searchers , who sometimes met up in the real world as well as online .
“ We ’ ve been through people ’ s cancer , we ’ ve helped with GoFundMe pages , when someone had a problem we were there for them , ” she said .
“ One of our girls went through the California fires , and we ended up raising about $ 35,000 , $ 40,000 for her to start @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ fascinating adventure.
” DeFronzo said she has no regrets about her trips to New Mexico in search of the treasure .
“ We had the time of our lives , ” she said .
“ We live in Florida , and our kids never saw mountains .
We took them on two trips and they got to see mountains.
” She still hopes Fenn puts out more details , but speculated the handful of lawsuits that have been filed — like one in which a Chicago woman claimed the person who found @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stop him from doing so , at least immediately .
“ I hope he doesn ’ t take his secret to the grave with him , ” she said .
After the treasure was found , Landgard changed the name of her Facebook group from “ Forrest Fenn ’ s Treasure Galore ” to “ Treasures Galore.
” She hopes to pivot the group to another treasure hunt — looking for some other bounty that has yet to be found .
“ The hunt will go on , ” she said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ talked about for a long time .
”

Miriam DeFronzo learned Forrest Fenn’s treasure had been found while she was in a Texas hotel room a few hours outside of New Mexico, on the third day of a road trip west from Florida to search for the long-hidden bounty rumored to be worth $2 million.
It was the fourth time she’d struck out in search of the treasure chest, which Fenn, an eccentric New Mexico antiquities dealer, said in a self-published 2010 memoir he’d hidden somewhere in the Rocky Mountains. Fenn, now 89, offered clues to the treasure’s location in a cryptic poem in that memoir, “The Thrill of the Chase.”
Over the last decade, thousands joined the hunt and at least four Colorado men died searching for the cache. Online communities of treasure hunters grew and flourished as thousands speculated on where the chest might be hidden. Searchers spent countless hours puzzling through clues and maps; some spent thousands of dollars or quit their jobs in the pursuit.
But on June 6, Fenn told the world the treasure chest had been found. The chase was over.
“I was dejected,” DeFronzo said. “We just turned around and headed back home.”
Now she — and thousands of others — want some answers.
Fenn posted photos of the treasure after it was found — the images show a chest filled with what appear to be gold coins, gold nuggets, jewelry and other valuable items. But he’s refused to say where the treasure chest was discovered or who found it, except that the man who discovered the chest was a stranger from “back East.”
The scarce details have left some treasure hunters feeling jilted, and prompted others to call the whole thing a hoax. Some believe the treasure was real and want to know how close they came, if they might have walked past the chest and just missed it. Some who spent years analyzing Fenn’s every word for hints to the treasure’s location are frustrated by his silence now. Anger boiled up in some of the online communities built around the hunt for Fenn’s treasure. Some searchers were just sad to see the quest end.
“You owe us something here, Forrest,” said Terry Kasberg, a Florida man who searched for the treasure for several years. “People have put thousands of hours into this, thousands. I mean day and night. People lived and breathed this thing for 10 years. And to cut everybody short like this is just so depressing for a lot of people.”
In an email Wednesday, Fenn declined an interview with The Denver Post.
The treasure hunters invested time, energy and money into the search, and some likely formed their identities around the effort, said Ryan Curtis, senior instructor of psychology at the University of Colorado Boulder.
“In the same way we would form an identity around our job or a relationship,” he said. “If someone dumps you, you often want to know why, because this is such a big part of how you identify yourself and how you think and feel. It’s over, but you still want to come to that closure and find out what is going on.”
Since Fenn’s blockbuster announcement, very few people have left a 4,300-member Facebook group dedicated to the hunt, said Janet Landgard, a former Colorado resident who started the group about three years ago. She’s been searching for the treasure since 2012.
“Everybody is waiting to hear what Forrest is going to say next,” she said, adding that he once said whoever found the treasure should wait 30 days before doing anything with it — which could mean more information comes out around July 4.
She’s made friends through the group, she said, and built a tight-knit community with fellow searchers, who sometimes met up in the real world as well as online.
“We’ve been through people’s cancer, we’ve helped with GoFundMe pages, when someone had a problem we were there for them,” she said. “One of our girls went through the California fires, and we ended up raising about $35,000, $40,000 for her to start over.”
Landgard called the quest a “fascinating adventure.” DeFronzo said she has no regrets about her trips to New Mexico in search of the treasure.
“We had the time of our lives,” she said. “We live in Florida, and our kids never saw mountains. We took them on two trips and they got to see mountains.”
She still hopes Fenn puts out more details, but speculated the handful of lawsuits that have been filed — like one in which a Chicago woman claimed the person who found the treasure stole her solution — might stop him from doing so, at least immediately.
“I hope he doesn’t take his secret to the grave with him,” she said.
After the treasure was found, Landgard changed the name of her Facebook group from “Forrest Fenn’s Treasure Galore” to “Treasures Galore.”
She hopes to pivot the group to another treasure hunt — looking for some other bounty that has yet to be found.
“The hunt will go on,” she said. “And the Forrest Fenn treasure will be talked about for a long time.”


thedenverpost--2020-06-27--As Colorado’s COVID-19 cases increase, teens and young adults see higher rates of infections

Coronavirus infections have increased among younger Coloradans in recent weeks , a trend that mirrors what is happening in states like Arizona , Florida and Texas where COVID-19 cases are surging .
Overall , the number of novel coronavirus cases in Colorado has increased slightly in recent weeks , but the state has not yet seen the same level of spikes in cases as some other states .
As a result , public health officials are urging residents to forgo large gatherings to prevent Colorado from following in those states ’ footsteps .
“ We ’ re certainly at a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rachel Herlihy , the state epidemiologist , adding , “ If we need to take action to potentially decrease transmission we ’ ll look into what those strategies need to be for Colorado.
” The number of new COVID-19 cases in Colorado rose last week for the first time since late April , and appear to be continuing that upward trend this week .
In the past four weeks , total COVID-19 infections statewide have increased by about 25 % .
But among children , teens and young adults that rate is even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those between the ages 10 and 19jumped 53.5 % over the same period , according to a Denver Post analysis of data from the state health department .
The infection rate among those under 10 years old also increased by 47.5 % .
And for those in their 20s and 30s , the infection rate grew by 40.3 % and 26 % , respectively .
It ’ s unclear exactly why there has been an increase in the number of COVID-19 infections , but local public health officials have reported clusters of cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ counties .
Young adults and teens also are more likely to be mobile and interact with each other , which increases their risk of exposure to the novel coronavirus , according to public health experts .
So far , there are no indications that the racial justice protests that have taken place over the past month have led to a surge in COVID-19 cases .
In fact , one study by the National Bureau of Economic Research , found that during the demonstrations more people stayed home .
So while the disease may @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there was overall an increase in social distancing in the cities with civil unrest .
“ That could change , ” said Glen Mays , a professor of health policy at the Colorado School of Public Health .
“ But at this stage , I don ’ t think we have any strong evidence that protesters themselves encountered any heightened risk.
” The concern over social gatherings is such that Gov .
Jared Polis earlier this week repeatedly discouraged Coloradans from coming together in large groups , including for July 4 celebrations .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the reverse the state ’ s reopening process , which could soon allow for bigger events .
“ We ’ re not saying that individuals shouldn ’ t be out enjoying Colorado this summer , ” Herlihy said .
“ But they should be doing it in a safe way.
” Other states also have reported jumps in infections among younger people .
In Arizona , almost half of the state ’ s cases are made up of people 20 to 44years old , according to the state ’ s health department .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ lower risk of complications from COVID-19 , but they can still face difficulties and hospitalizations from the disease .
They can also be asymptomatic carriers , meaning they can transmit the virus to those who are more at risk of complications without experiencing severe symptoms themselves .
Herlihy has estimated that the asymptomatic rate among young people is about 50 % .
So far , the outbreak in Colorado has affected older individuals at a higher rate than their younger peers .
For example , individuals 80 and older make up just more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s population , but account for 7.15 % of cases and 53.5 % of deaths , according to the state Department of Public Health and Environment .
A concern about these clusters of cases is that they indicate continued community transmission of the disease , said Eagle County spokeswoman Kris Widlak .
“ What we ’ re trying to do is slow the spread , ” Widlak said .
“ So if any group is spreading it more quickly , we have concern.
” Herlihy estimated that Colorado ’ s “ R-naught ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of people infected by one person , likely surpassed 1 in mid-June .
This means each person with the virus is potentially transmitting the disease to more people .
“ Now is not the time to feel like the battle is won and that we can relax things , ” Mays said .
“ We ’ re still at a very tenuous time.
” On Friday , the state reported 317 new cases of the novel coronavirus .
Of those , 313 were for people who tested positive in recent days , while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , more than 31,790 people have tested positive for the respiratory disease COVID-19 since March , according to the state Department of Public Health and Environment .
Positivity rates have increased slightly , although hospitalizations for COIVD-19 have plateaued .
On Friday , there were 129 people in the hospital with the disease across the state .
The health department also confirmed another seven people have died , bringing the total number of deaths due to COVID-19 to 1,482 .
The new cases among young Coloradans comes as local public health officials reported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , more than 100 people tested positive for the disease following a mixture of college parties , protests and travel .
In Eagle County , public officials also confirmed cases among teenagers and young adults following social gatherings .
San Miguel County officials reported a rise in cases in recent weeks , with 11 active cases as of Friday .
While not all of the cases are related , teenagers are among some of those to test positive for COVID-19 .
After one 17-year-old from Telluride tested positive , public health officials released @ @ @ @ @ @ @ take precautions — such as curbing their contact with others — if their child also had been at a social gathering the teen previously attended .
“ We realize that teenagers are social beings and this pandemic is cramping their style , ” the public health department wrote .
“ But we know we must collectively change our behaviors , to change the trajectory of this pandemic.
” Subscribe to bi-weekly newsletter to get health news sent straight to your inbox .

Coronavirus infections have increased among younger Coloradans in recent weeks, a trend that mirrors what is happening in states like Arizona, Florida and Texas where COVID-19 cases are surging.
Overall, the number of novel coronavirus cases in Colorado has increased slightly in recent weeks, but the state has not yet seen the same level of spikes in cases as some other states. As a result, public health officials are urging residents to forgo large gatherings to prevent Colorado from following in those states’ footsteps.
“We’re certainly at a critical point right now,” said Rachel Herlihy, the state epidemiologist, adding, “If we need to take action to potentially decrease transmission we’ll look into what those strategies need to be for Colorado.”
The number of new COVID-19 cases in Colorado rose last week for the first time since late April, and appear to be continuing that upward trend this week.
In the past four weeks, total COVID-19 infections statewide have increased by about 25%. But among children, teens and young adults that rate is even higher.
The rate of infection among those between the ages 10 and 19jumped 53.5% over the same period, according to a Denver Post analysis of data from the state health department.
The infection rate among those under 10 years old also increased by 47.5%. And for those in their 20s and 30s, the infection rate grew by 40.3% and 26%, respectively.
It’s unclear exactly why there has been an increase in the number of COVID-19 infections, but local public health officials have reported clusters of cases among teens and young adults in various counties.
Young adults and teens also are more likely to be mobile and interact with each other, which increases their risk of exposure to the novel coronavirus, according to public health experts.
So far, there are no indications that the racial justice protests that have taken place over the past month have led to a surge in COVID-19 cases.
In fact, one study by the National Bureau of Economic Research, found that during the demonstrations more people stayed home. So while the disease may have been transmitted during the protests, there was overall an increase in social distancing in the cities with civil unrest.
“That could change,” said Glen Mays, a professor of health policy at the Colorado School of Public Health. “But at this stage, I don’t think we have any strong evidence that protesters themselves encountered any heightened risk.”
The concern over social gatherings is such that Gov. Jared Polis earlier this week repeatedly discouraged Coloradans from coming together in large groups, including for July 4 celebrations. However, he made no move to the reverse the state’s reopening process, which could soon allow for bigger events.
“We’re not saying that individuals shouldn’t be out enjoying Colorado this summer,” Herlihy said. “But they should be doing it in a safe way.”
Rising cases among teens and young adults
Other states also have reported jumps in infections among younger people. In Arizona, almost half of the state’s cases are made up of people 20 to 44years old, according to the state’s health department.
Young adults and teenagers are at a lower risk of complications from COVID-19, but they can still face difficulties and hospitalizations from the disease. They can also be asymptomatic carriers, meaning they can transmit the virus to those who are more at risk of complications without experiencing severe symptoms themselves.
COVID-19 basics Symptoms of COVID-19 — including fever, cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, loss of taste and smell, and nausea — can appear between two and 14 days after exposure, the CDC says. Public health recommendations: — Wear masks that cover your mouth and nose — Stay at least 6 feet from others — Wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds More guidelines: covid19.colorado.gov
Herlihy has estimated that the asymptomatic rate among young people is about 50%.
So far, the outbreak in Colorado has affected older individuals at a higher rate than their younger peers. For example, individuals 80 and older make up just more than 3% of the state’s population, but account for 7.15% of cases and 53.5% of deaths, according to the state Department of Public Health and Environment.
A concern about these clusters of cases is that they indicate continued community transmission of the disease, said Eagle County spokeswoman Kris Widlak.
“What we’re trying to do is slow the spread,” Widlak said. “So if any group is spreading it more quickly, we have concern.”
Herlihy estimated that Colorado’s “R-naught” value, which reflects the average number of people infected by one person, likely surpassed 1 in mid-June. This means each person with the virus is potentially transmitting the disease to more people.
“Now is not the time to feel like the battle is won and that we can relax things,” Mays said. “We’re still at a very tenuous time.”
On Friday, the state reported 317 new cases of the novel coronavirus. Of those, 313 were for people who tested positive in recent days, while the rest were older cases. Overall, more than 31,790 people have tested positive for the respiratory disease COVID-19 since March, according to the state Department of Public Health and Environment.
Positivity rates have increased slightly, although hospitalizations for COIVD-19 have plateaued. On Friday, there were 129 people in the hospital with the disease across the state.
The health department also confirmed another seven people have died, bringing the total number of deaths due to COVID-19 to 1,482.
Counties report spikes in cases
The new cases among young Coloradans comes as local public health officials reported spikes in cases.
In Boulder County, more than 100 people tested positive for the disease following a mixture of college parties, protests and travel. In Eagle County, public officials also confirmed cases among teenagers and young adults following social gatherings.
San Miguel County officials reported a rise in cases in recent weeks, with 11 active cases as of Friday. While not all of the cases are related, teenagers are among some of those to test positive for COVID-19.
After one 17-year-old from Telluride tested positive, public health officials released a letter to parents asking families to take precautions — such as curbing their contact with others — if their child also had been at a social gathering the teen previously attended.
“We realize that teenagers are social beings and this pandemic is cramping their style,” the public health department wrote. “But we know we must collectively change our behaviors, to change the trajectory of this pandemic.”
Subscribe to bi-weekly newsletter to get health news sent straight to your inbox.


thedenverpost--2020-06-27--Colorado native Kylee Shook embarks on rookie WNBA season: “It feels great representing my state”

Kylee Shook learned her basketball dreams came true from the place where they all began .
And she wouldn ’ t have it any other way .
Shook — a former Mesa Ridge High School star who set Colorado prep records for career blocks , rebounds , double-doubles and triple-doubles — watched on TV with her family in Colorado Springs in April when a familiar name flashed across the screen .
With the No .
13 overall pick of the 2020 WNBA draft , the New York Liberty selected Shook .
“ We were all jumping around and congratulating each @ @ @ @ @ @ @ moment I ’ ll never forget , ” Shook told the Denver Post on Friday .
“ There ’ s no way to describe it because you work so hard for something and then , finally , you get a chance to achieve your goal.
” Shook , a 6-foot-4 forward , was a five-star high school recruit who lived up to the hype at Louisville .
She became the program ’ s all-time leader in blocks ( 223 ) and garnered ACC Defensive Player of the Year and All-ACC first-team honors as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ WNBA marks just the ninth time in Colorado history that a girls ’ basketball player went on to be drafted in the pros — with none selected higher than Shook , according to CHSAA .
She hopes the trend continues .
“ I feel like Colorado can be put on the map with athletes , ” Shook said .
“ We just keep getting better and better as the years go on .
Next year , I ’ m sure Michaela Onyenwere ( Grandview to UCLA ) will get drafted .
That will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the list .
“ It feels great representing my state .
When I come back , I try to do my best to talk with people and visit gyms that helped me out on my journey.
” To prevent the spread of coronavirus , the WNBA will play its 2020 season on a shortened 22-game schedule ( followed by a traditional playoff format ) while isolated at IMG Academy in Bradenton , Fla .
Shook arrived in New York last week to begin voluntary team workouts ; one hour per day in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ single rebounder for practice help .
Team meetings are held on video chat .
Shook is confident the league has taken health precautions seriously , with a COVID-19 intake exam for players followed by regular temperature and symptom checks .
The WNBA season is expected to begin in late July .
“ There are nerves because of the whole COVID situation .
And this is a higher level where everything is different and you ’ re going against the best — idols who I ’ ve looked up to forever , ” Shook @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of emotions , but I ’ m ready .
”

Kylee Shook learned her basketball dreams came true from the place where they all began. And she wouldn’t have it any other way.
Shook — a former Mesa Ridge High School star who set Colorado prep records for career blocks, rebounds, double-doubles and triple-doubles — watched on TV with her family in Colorado Springs in April when a familiar name flashed across the screen.
With the No. 13 overall pick of the 2020 WNBA draft, the New York Liberty selected Shook.
“We were all jumping around and congratulating each other. It was surreal and a moment I’ll never forget,” Shook told The Denver Post on Friday. “There’s no way to describe it because you work so hard for something and then, finally, you get a chance to achieve your goal.”
Shook, a 6-foot-4 forward, was a five-star high school recruit who lived up to the hype at Louisville. She became the program’s all-time leader in blocks (223) and garnered ACC Defensive Player of the Year and All-ACC first-team honors as a senior.
Her leap to the WNBA marks just the ninth time in Colorado history that a girls basketball player went on to be drafted in the pros — with none selected higher than Shook, according to CHSAA. She hopes the trend continues.
“I feel like Colorado can be put on the map with athletes,” Shook said. “We just keep getting better and better as the years go on. Next year, I’m sure Michaela Onyenwere (Grandview to UCLA) will get drafted. That will be an extra person to add on to the list.
“It feels great representing my state. When I come back, I try to do my best to talk with people and visit gyms that helped me out on my journey.”
To prevent the spread of coronavirus, the WNBA will play its 2020 season on a shortened 22-game schedule (followed by a traditional playoff format) while isolated at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla. Shook arrived in New York last week to begin voluntary team workouts; one hour per day in the gym, masked, with a single rebounder for practice help. Team meetings are held on video chat.
Shook is confident the league has taken health precautions seriously, with a COVID-19 intake exam for players followed by regular temperature and symptom checks. The WNBA season is expected to begin in late July.
“There are nerves because of the whole COVID situation. And this is a higher level where everything is different and you’re going against the best — idols who I’ve looked up to forever,” Shook said. “There is a mix of emotions, but I’m ready.”


thedenverpost--2020-06-27--Colorado State researchers scaling up production of potential COVID-19 vaccine

A possible vaccine for the new coronavirus has shown good enough results in animals to attract federal money to take it to the next level , but the Colorado State University researchers involved caution that it has many hurdles to clear before going to the public .
CSU ’ s labs have produced a small amount of a vaccine and tested it on hamsters , said Ray Goodrich , executive director of the university ’ s Infectious Disease Research Center .
The hamsters have formed an immune defense and don ’ t get sick if they ’ re exposed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ looks promising in small animals works as well in humans .
The results are interesting enough to attract about $ 700,000 in funding from the federal Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority , though .
CSU is adding about $ 448,000 to help scale up production of the vaccine for eventual human tests .
Viruses inject their genetic material into their host ’ s cells , essentially hijacking the host ’ s body to produce more copies of the virus .
The body , in turn , recognizes proteins on the outside of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The process being studied at CSU destroys the virus ’ s genetic material , while leaving the outside intact , so the body forms defenses but isn ’ t at risk , Goodrich said .
It ’ s something like shaking an egg — the egg won ’ t hatch , but it ’ s not damaged on the outside .
“ We ’ re scrambling the ( genetic material ) on the inside and leaving the shell , ” he said .
The process involves using ultraviolet light and riboflavin , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ viruses .
It ’ s already used to sterilize donated blood in some countries , though it isn ’ t approved in the United States , and has been shown to kill some other types of coronaviruses .
CSU already has a biocontainment lab and a biomedical manufacturing facility built to work with highly infectious viruses and bacteria , thanks to funding from the state and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases , Goodrich said .
There , a team of researchers will grow large numbers of cells that the virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of viruses they will kill to make the vaccine , he said .
The grants will help with the costs of making sure everything is done up to strict standards from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration , Goodrich said .
They have to prove the process is working at every step : that they ’ ve successfully grown the virus , removed any impurities and killed it , and that manufacturing is up to standard .
If the process works as expected , they would then give the candidate vaccine to healthy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in their blood , while monitoring for any side effects , Goodrich said .
If small studies look good , they would gradually test it in a larger pool of volunteers , and see if they contract the virus while going about their lives .
“ Those require very careful and well thought out clinical studies , ” he said .
If increasingly large studies show the vaccine protects people , CSU would partner with either a government entity or a pharmaceutical company to produce it for the commercial market .
He couldn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work , but said a prediction from Dr. Anthony Fauci , director of the NIAID , that a vaccine will take at least 18 months seems reasonable .
And that ’ s quite a bit less time than the process sometimes takes — for example , it took seven years for the polio vaccine to move from the lab to the doctor ’ s office , he said .
“ There ’ s still a long way to go , but we ’ ve made great strides , ” he said .
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A possible vaccine for the new coronavirus has shown good enough results in animals to attract federal money to take it to the next level, but the Colorado State University researchers involved caution that it has many hurdles to clear before going to the public.
CSU’s labs have produced a small amount of a vaccine and tested it on hamsters, said Ray Goodrich, executive director of the university’s Infectious Disease Research Center. The hamsters have formed an immune defense and don’t get sick if they’re exposed to the virus, but not everything that looks promising in small animals works as well in humans.
The results are interesting enough to attract about $700,000 in funding from the federal Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, though. CSU is adding about $448,000 to help scale up production of the vaccine for eventual human tests.
Viruses inject their genetic material into their host’s cells, essentially hijacking the host’s body to produce more copies of the virus. The body, in turn, recognizes proteins on the outside of the virus and learns to attack it. The process being studied at CSU destroys the virus’s genetic material, while leaving the outside intact, so the body forms defenses but isn’t at risk, Goodrich said.
It’s something like shaking an egg — the egg won’t hatch, but it’s not damaged on the outside.
“We’re scrambling the (genetic material) on the inside and leaving the shell,” he said.
The process involves using ultraviolet light and riboflavin, also called vitamin B2, to kill viruses. It’s already used to sterilize donated blood in some countries, though it isn’t approved in the United States, and has been shown to kill some other types of coronaviruses.
CSU already has a biocontainment lab and a biomedical manufacturing facility built to work with highly infectious viruses and bacteria, thanks to funding from the state and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Goodrich said. There, a team of researchers will grow large numbers of cells that the virus will infect, generating a steady supply of viruses they will kill to make the vaccine, he said.
The grants will help with the costs of making sure everything is done up to strict standards from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Goodrich said. They have to prove the process is working at every step: that they’ve successfully grown the virus, removed any impurities and killed it, and that manufacturing is up to standard.
If the process works as expected, they would then give the candidate vaccine to healthy volunteers and look for an immune response in their blood, while monitoring for any side effects, Goodrich said. If small studies look good, they would gradually test it in a larger pool of volunteers, and see if they contract the virus while going about their lives.
“Those require very careful and well thought out clinical studies,” he said.
If increasingly large studies show the vaccine protects people, CSU would partner with either a government entity or a pharmaceutical company to produce it for the commercial market. He couldn’t put a timeline on the work, but said a prediction from Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the NIAID, that a vaccine will take at least 18 months seems reasonable. And that’s quite a bit less time than the process sometimes takes — for example, it took seven years for the polio vaccine to move from the lab to the doctor’s office, he said.
“There’s still a long way to go, but we’ve made great strides,” he said.
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thedenverpost--2020-06-27--Elijah McClain is becoming a household name. His mother is hurt that it’s taken so long.

In the weeks following Elijah McClain ’ s death last summer , his mother , Sheneen , would sit in her car and cry for up to three hours at a time .
“ Now it ’ s down to about an hour and a half , ” Sheneen says .
She cries when she sees his face in pictures .
She drives around with dozens of photos of Elijah , and sometimes gifts them to others so that , as one family friend put it , “ they can hold that weight , too.
” She cries when she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Evergreen Avenue in Aurora .
Elijah lived in an apartment at that corner , along a frontage road to a highway that ’ s dotted with low-income housing complexes .
A quarter-mile down Billings sits the gas station where Elijah bought some iced tea last Aug. 24 .
On the short walk home , he was confronted by police who accused him of being “ suspicious ” because he had been reported wearing a mask and waving his arms .
Elijah — who wore the mask because he was anemic and got @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ I am an introvert .
Please respect my boundaries that I am speaking.
” Three officers — Jason Rosenblatt , Nathan Woodyard and Randy Roedema — took Elijah , a pacifist , to the ground .
The cops , who ’ ve kept their jobs and who ’ ve faced no charges , called for medical aid for Elijah , and Aurora Fire Rescue later injected ketamine into his body in an attempt to sedate him .
He went into cardiac arrest before he reached the hospital and was taken off of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was 23 .
After he died , Sheneen McClain would drive to Billings and Evergreen often .
Sometimes she ’ d tend to the grassy area along Billings where a small memorial site still stands , with a cross , flowers , lights and candles .
She grew up gardening and finds peace in it , and so she ’ d pull out weeds around the memorial and sometimes that made her feel a little bit better .
But she doesn ’ t go there as much these days .
“ It ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Every time I ride by , it hurts .
His blood is on the ground in that area.
” Sometimes , Sheneen says , she cries just because .
“ The wind will blow , and I ’ ll think about him , ” she told The Denver Post this week .
For a long time , there weren ’ t too many others sharing in her burden .
Elijah ’ s been dead for almost a year , but he only became a household name after George Floyd was killed by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Colorado and across the world .
Sheneen has spoken publicly about how much it hurt her to see locals show up in force for Floyd , but not for her son .
“ I ’ m appreciative that you guys are out here now , ” she said earlier this month on the Colorado Capitol steps , to a large crowd .
“ Maybe you guys were a little too busy in August last year.
” It took a while , but they ’ re showing up now .
“ Say his name @ @ @ @ @ @ @ common refrain at protests , and his name and story are all over social media .
Sheneen has done more media interviews in the last few weeks than she can count .
Politicians and celebrities are tweeting about Elijah , and photos and video of him have racked up millions of views .
A GoFundMe page for the McClain family had collected more than $ 1.8 million as of late Friday afternoon — money that will help open a foundation and community center in Elijah ’ s name .
On Saturday , thousands @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a march to demand justice for him .
This is all of little comfort to Sheneen .
“ It doesn ’ t make me feel better that a year later people are becoming aware of it , ” she says .
“ It ’ s still the same for me , because what was taken from me can never be taken back.
” Where , she wonders , were all the hashtags and celebrities and protest chants last summer and fall ?
Terrance Roberts , a community activist who got to know the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the early demonstrations for Elijah .
“ The first time , it was literally like six people there , maybe seven people , right there at the Aurora Municipal Center , right at the police station .
We had a bullhorn , we talked a little crap on the bullhorn .
No one cared .
The next time we had maybe 10 people , ” he says .
“ I ’ m happy that they ’ re showing up now , because without that we wouldn ’ t have it on ‘ The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t have Katie Couric tweeting about it , and Kourtney Kardashian and all these different people .
But I ’ m also cognizant , and I remember , that initially people weren ’ t interested .
They just weren ’ t. ” Last year Sheneen tried to gin up interest , reaching out to Black celebrities who never got back to her .
No major politicians got in touch , she says , except for U.S. Rep. Jason Crow , who represents Aurora .
To this day , Sheneen says , she hasn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Coffman , who , Westword reported in November just before Coffman took office , vowed to make the McClain case his top priority .
On Nov. 23 , a few dozen people gathered at the Municipal Center , crying , “ Murderers !
Murderers !
” in reaction to news that the officers in Elijah ’ s case would not be charged .
It was a larger crowd than some earlier rallies had attracted , but it was still a minor event , with no real audience beyond a few journalists .
Sheneen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was too emotional .
She sobbed in the background as others took the mic .
Later , after crying , she offered brief remarks : “ I don ’ t want to be here , ” she said , adding , “ Let ’ s get ourselves together and do something to make some real shit happen.
” Nothing much did happen in the months that followed .
“ I ’ m not going to say we wanted to give it a rest , ” says Roberts , “ but were we a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Yes , we were .
We just felt like no one ’ s ever going to care.
” One big reason that people seem to care now is that Elijah was , by all accounts , an unusually gentle person .
The viral social media posts have mostly not concerned the details of the police violence against him , or the ketamine injection .
Instead , they ’ ve been videos of him smiling and dancing , or stories about him playing the violin for cats , or posts noting that he was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flies .
It ’ s sad , says local activist and protest organizer Isabella Dominique , that Elijah almost had to be so angelic to get everyone ’ s attention .
“ It ’ s incredibly important to talk about victims of police murder as people , as they were , to get to know them so we aren ’ t desensitizing and dwindling them down to a hashtag , ” Dominique says .
“ But at the same time , the way people are talking about him , it ’ s almost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to die because he was such a sweet boy .
He didn ’ t deserve to die because he didn ’ t deserve to die.
” On Thursday afternoon at the memorial site on Billings Street , Roberts and McClain family friend and activist Candice Bailey looked over to the spot where McClain was first confronted by police , and they wondered aloud whether there ’ d be any public outcry had they , and not Elijah , been the victims that night .
“ I ’ m a felon .
She ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ I ’ m an ex-gang member .
I was in prison 10 years , and I ’ ve been gunned down twice .
And if it was me , people probably would ’ ve cared even less.
” Says Bailey : Elijah ’ s story “ grabs ahold of the little old white lady that loves cats , that ’ s raising some grandbabies and could potentially keep this cycle of hate going .
He grabs the violin player .
My white friend who happens to be ( in ) an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ So this is what grabs people ’ s humanity , but the saddest part is that they didn ’ t ( care ) even when he was that great all along.
” Last summer , before the world found out how great he was , Elijah spent his last days in a medically induced coma .
His hospital room was under heavy police surveillance , Sheneen says , and family members were told not to record video or take down doctors ’ names .
She says she was kicked out of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s comatose body could be released to her , and that she did not see his body again until a couple months later , at the morgue .
All the while , she had , and still has , no choice but to keep busy .
She has five surviving kids , four of whom rely on her for transportation .
She doesn ’ t have much money , and up until recently she drove a 1994 Toyota Corolla , the hood of which had blown off on the highway .
She ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and after Elijah died she taped photos of him to the windows .
That car failed , and now she has a roomier one — a Dodge that she says she bought with donated money — to drop off her kids at work and pick them up when their shifts are over .
She doesn ’ t want them walking home .
“ I just don ’ t feel safe with my kids in the streets anymore , ” she says .
On Thursday , Gov .
Jared Polis ordered Attorney General Phil @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a new investigation into Elijah ’ s death , and , “ if deemed necessary , ” to charge the officers .
Bailey says she ’ s glad that happened , but that those who ’ ve been in this fight since last year will have trouble believing anyone will be charged or convicted until they see it happen .
In lieu of justice for her son — Sheneen says that would involve life in prison for the officers , and humiliation for their supporters — she ’ s so far had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ awareness .
She still doesn ’ t understand why the world is only just now speaking Elijah ’ s name .
“ The selective protesting , the selective accountability , is terrible in America , ” she says .
“ So many times we don ’ t do what ’ s right until other people do it first.
” Asked whether she is hopeful that actual justice , as she defines it , will ever be served , Sheneen says , “ Not at all .
”

In the weeks following Elijah McClain’s death last summer, his mother, Sheneen, would sit in her car and cry for up to three hours at a time.
“Now it’s down to about an hour and a half,” Sheneen says.
She cries when she sees his face in pictures. She drives around with dozens of photos of Elijah, and sometimes gifts them to others so that, as one family friend put it, “they can hold that weight, too.”
She cries when she drives by the intersection of Billings Street and Evergreen Avenue in Aurora. Elijah lived in an apartment at that corner, along a frontage road to a highway that’s dotted with low-income housing complexes.
A quarter-mile down Billings sits the gas station where Elijah bought some iced tea last Aug. 24. On the short walk home, he was confronted by police who accused him of being “suspicious” because he had been reported wearing a mask and waving his arms. Elijah — who wore the mask because he was anemic and got cold easily — pleaded with them: “I am an introvert. Please respect my boundaries that I am speaking.” Three officers — Jason Rosenblatt, Nathan Woodyard and Randy Roedema — took Elijah, a pacifist, to the ground. The cops, who’ve kept their jobs and who’ve faced no charges, called for medical aid for Elijah, and Aurora Fire Rescue later injected ketamine into his body in an attempt to sedate him. He went into cardiac arrest before he reached the hospital and was taken off of life support on Aug. 30. He was 23.
After he died, Sheneen McClain would drive to Billings and Evergreen often. Sometimes she’d tend to the grassy area along Billings where a small memorial site still stands, with a cross, flowers, lights and candles. She grew up gardening and finds peace in it, and so she’d pull out weeds around the memorial and sometimes that made her feel a little bit better. But she doesn’t go there as much these days.
“It’s heartbreaking,” she says. “Every time I ride by, it hurts. His blood is on the ground in that area.”
Sometimes, Sheneen says, she cries just because.
“The wind will blow, and I’ll think about him,” she told The Denver Post this week.
For a long time, there weren’t too many others sharing in her burden. Elijah’s been dead for almost a year, but he only became a household name after George Floyd was killed by police in Minneapolis, sparking protests in Colorado and across the world. Sheneen has spoken publicly about how much it hurt her to see locals show up in force for Floyd, but not for her son.
Kathryn Scott, Special to The Denver Post Sheneen McClain, the mother of Elijah McClain, leaves the balcony of the House of Representative after the police reform bill, Senate Bill 20-217, passed with bipartisan support at the Capitol in Denver on June 12, 2020.
Kathryn Scott, Special to The Denver Post Sheneen McClain, bottom right, the mother of Elijah McClain, is supported by her attorney Mari Newman, bottom second from left, as McCLain along with family members celebrate from the balcony of the house chambers as they watch the police reform bill, Senate Bill 20-217, pass with bipartisan support on Friday, June 12, 2020.
Andy Cross, The Denver Post Sheneen McClain, Elijah McClain's mother, looks over to Natalia Marshall during testimony before a House Finance committee in support of SB-217 regarding police reform at the State Capitol June 10, 2020.
Hyoung Chang, The Denver Post Demonstrators gathered to decry the death and honor the life of Elijah McClain in Aurora on June 6, 2020. Rallies and other events organized for McClain began to be held more frequently over the summer amid the widespread national resurgence of Black Lives Matter protests, which erupted after the killing of Minneapolis man George Floyd by police there in May.
Hyoung Chang, The Denver Post Demonstrators gathered to decry the death and honor the life of Elijah McClain in Aurora, Colorado on June 6, 2020.
Hyoung Chang, The Denver Post An afternoon storm pushed demonstrators inside the Aurora Municipal building as they gathered for an event to decry the death and honor the life of Elijah McClain on June 6, 2020.
“I’m appreciative that you guys are out here now,” she said earlier this month on the Colorado Capitol steps, to a large crowd. “Maybe you guys were a little too busy in August last year.”
It took a while, but they’re showing up now. “Say his name: Elijah McClain!” is a common refrain at protests, and his name and story are all over social media. Sheneen has done more media interviews in the last few weeks than she can count. Politicians and celebrities are tweeting about Elijah, and photos and video of him have racked up millions of views. A GoFundMe page for the McClain family had collected more than $1.8 million as of late Friday afternoon — money that will help open a foundation and community center in Elijah’s name. On Saturday, thousands are expected to gather in Aurora for a march to demand justice for him.
This is all of little comfort to Sheneen.
“It doesn’t make me feel better that a year later people are becoming aware of it,” she says. “It’s still the same for me, because what was taken from me can never be taken back.”
Where, she wonders, were all the hashtags and celebrities and protest chants last summer and fall?
Terrance Roberts, a community activist who got to know the McClains last October, recalls some of the early demonstrations for Elijah.
“The first time, it was literally like six people there, maybe seven people, right there at the Aurora Municipal Center, right at the police station. We had a bullhorn, we talked a little crap on the bullhorn. No one cared. The next time we had maybe 10 people,” he says. “I’m happy that they’re showing up now, because without that we wouldn’t have it on ‘The Today Show,’ we wouldn’t have Katie Couric tweeting about it, and Kourtney Kardashian and all these different people. But I’m also cognizant, and I remember, that initially people weren’t interested. They just weren’t.”
Last year Sheneen tried to gin up interest, reaching out to Black celebrities who never got back to her. No major politicians got in touch, she says, except for U.S. Rep. Jason Crow, who represents Aurora. To this day, Sheneen says, she hasn’t heard from Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman, who, Westword reported in November just before Coffman took office, vowed to make the McClain case his top priority.
On Nov. 23, a few dozen people gathered at the Municipal Center, crying, “Murderers! Murderers!” in reaction to news that the officers in Elijah’s case would not be charged. It was a larger crowd than some earlier rallies had attracted, but it was still a minor event, with no real audience beyond a few journalists.
Sheneen was supposed to speak that day but was too emotional. She sobbed in the background as others took the mic.
Later, after crying, she offered brief remarks: “I don’t want to be here,” she said, adding, “Let’s get ourselves together and do something to make some real shit happen.”
Nothing much did happen in the months that followed.
“I’m not going to say we wanted to give it a rest,” says Roberts, “but were we a bit dejected and depressed about it? Yes, we were. We just felt like no one’s ever going to care.”
One big reason that people seem to care now is that Elijah was, by all accounts, an unusually gentle person. The viral social media posts have mostly not concerned the details of the police violence against him, or the ketamine injection. Instead, they’ve been videos of him smiling and dancing, or stories about him playing the violin for cats, or posts noting that he was a vegetarian who literally refused to hurt flies.
It’s sad, says local activist and protest organizer Isabella Dominique, that Elijah almost had to be so angelic to get everyone’s attention.
“It’s incredibly important to talk about victims of police murder as people, as they were, to get to know them so we aren’t desensitizing and dwindling them down to a hashtag,” Dominique says. “But at the same time, the way people are talking about him, it’s almost as though he didn’t deserve to die because he was such a sweet boy. He didn’t deserve to die because he didn’t deserve to die.”
On Thursday afternoon at the memorial site on Billings Street, Roberts and McClain family friend and activist Candice Bailey looked over to the spot where McClain was first confronted by police, and they wondered aloud whether there’d be any public outcry had they, and not Elijah, been the victims that night.
“I’m a felon. She’s a felon,” Roberts says. “I’m an ex-gang member. I was in prison 10 years, and I’ve been gunned down twice. And if it was me, people probably would’ve cared even less.”
Says Bailey: Elijah’s story “grabs ahold of the little old white lady that loves cats, that’s raising some grandbabies and could potentially keep this cycle of hate going. He grabs the violin player. My white friend who happens to be (in) an orchestra, she brings her people.
“So this is what grabs people’s humanity, but the saddest part is that they didn’t (care) even when he was that great all along.”
Last summer, before the world found out how great he was, Elijah spent his last days in a medically induced coma. His hospital room was under heavy police surveillance, Sheneen says, and family members were told not to record video or take down doctors’ names. She says she was kicked out of the hospital after asking about whether Elijah’s comatose body could be released to her, and that she did not see his body again until a couple months later, at the morgue.
All the while, she had, and still has, no choice but to keep busy. She has five surviving kids, four of whom rely on her for transportation. She doesn’t have much money, and up until recently she drove a 1994 Toyota Corolla, the hood of which had blown off on the highway. She’d replaced it with a tarp, and after Elijah died she taped photos of him to the windows.
That car failed, and now she has a roomier one — a Dodge that she says she bought with donated money — to drop off her kids at work and pick them up when their shifts are over. She doesn’t want them walking home.
“I just don’t feel safe with my kids in the streets anymore,” she says.
On Thursday, Gov. Jared Polis ordered Attorney General Phil Weiser to serve as a special prosecutor in a new investigation into Elijah’s death, and, “if deemed necessary,” to charge the officers. Bailey says she’s glad that happened, but that those who’ve been in this fight since last year will have trouble believing anyone will be charged or convicted until they see it happen. In lieu of justice for her son — Sheneen says that would involve life in prison for the officers, and humiliation for their supporters — she’s so far had to settle for mere support, and awareness. She still doesn’t understand why the world is only just now speaking Elijah’s name.
“The selective protesting, the selective accountability, is terrible in America,” she says. “So many times we don’t do what’s right until other people do it first.”
Asked whether she is hopeful that actual justice, as she defines it, will ever be served, Sheneen says, “Not at all.”


thedenverpost--2020-06-27--Will Saharan dust reach Colorado skies this weekend?

A large plume of Saharan dust is moving its way through the southern United States , and some of it could find its way into parts of eastern Colorado this weekend .
By Saturday and Sunday , parts of the Saharan dust cloud could skirt the far eastern parts of the state , leading to a slightly hazier tint to the skies of Colorado ’ s Eastern Plains .
In general , the further east you go in Colorado , the more impacts from the Saharan dust you may experience .
Limited impacts , mainly in the form of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ far eastern reaches of Colorado , and there probably won ’ t be any noticeable reduction in air quality , as opposed to other parts of the Plains and Midwest , where the dust will be significantly thicker .
Below , you can see a look at a NASA animation of the Saharan dust , and how it ’ s expected to move over the next few days .
Notice how little fringes of the dust could graze the Eastern Plains of Colorado , bringing perhaps an extra reddish tint to sunsets here @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Several times a year , often during the late spring and early summer , trade winds carry Saharan dust from the world ’ s largest non-polar desert into the Caribbean , and sometimes into the United States .
The dust helps suppress tropical storms and hurricanes as they move through tropical regions due to the mixing of dry , desert air with a tropical air mass .
This week ’ s plume of dust is especially large , allowing it to better hold together as it moved across the Atlantic and into the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be felt across the southern and central Plains and into the Southeast , where the bulk of the dust will move through this weekend .
There , a substantial reduction in air quality and a far more noticeable haze will be present , mainly on Saturday and Sunday .
By early next week , the dust is expected to fizzle out as it moves east .
Any eastern Colorado impacts from the dust are expected Saturday and Sunday .
Keep an extra eye on the sunset : It may be slightly redder @ @ @

A large plume of Saharan dust is moving its way through the southern United States, and some of it could find its way into parts of eastern Colorado this weekend.
By Saturday and Sunday, parts of the Saharan dust cloud could skirt the far eastern parts of the state, leading to a slightly hazier tint to the skies of Colorado’s Eastern Plains.
In general, the further east you go in Colorado, the more impacts from the Saharan dust you may experience. Limited impacts, mainly in the form of a slightly enhanced sunset, are possible in far eastern reaches of Colorado, and there probably won’t be any noticeable reduction in air quality, as opposed to other parts of the Plains and Midwest, where the dust will be significantly thicker.
Below, you can see a look at a NASA animation of the Saharan dust, and how it’s expected to move over the next few days. Notice how little fringes of the dust could graze the Eastern Plains of Colorado, bringing perhaps an extra reddish tint to sunsets here on Saturday and Sunday in particular:
This NASA forecast shows a large Saharan dust cloud reaching the Gulf Coast on Wednesday, with the major part of the plume reaching the region on Friday. (Weather Bell) pic.twitter.com/MJP7GQsEkV — Chuck Davis 😷 (@cedavis) June 22, 2020
Several times a year, often during the late spring and early summer, trade winds carry Saharan dust from the world’s largest non-polar desert into the Caribbean, and sometimes into the United States. The dust helps suppress tropical storms and hurricanes as they move through tropical regions due to the mixing of dry, desert air with a tropical air mass.
This week’s plume of dust is especially large, allowing it to better hold together as it moved across the Atlantic and into the southern United States.
The greatest impacts will be felt across the southern and central Plains and into the Southeast, where the bulk of the dust will move through this weekend. There, a substantial reduction in air quality and a far more noticeable haze will be present, mainly on Saturday and Sunday.
By early next week, the dust is expected to fizzle out as it moves east. Any eastern Colorado impacts from the dust are expected Saturday and Sunday.
Keep an extra eye on the sunset: It may be slightly redder than usual.