thedenverpost--2020-03-06--Brauchler: As lawmakers work to circumvent TABOR, again, voters should block the path

Is it like a boomerang , or a rash , or maybe a bad penny ?
Or is it a dumped boyfriend who believes he can finally win you over if he persistently repackages his pitch for a second chance ?
There are many tough-to-chose-from analogies to the big-government politicians ’ approach to raising state taxes on us .
But the tax vampires are trying again to drain our bank accounts of more of our hard-earned money , and they want to do it without our consent .
Again .
Coloradans need a garlic-like ballot measure to protect us before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the voter-approved excise tax on wacky tobaccy in 2013 , voters have rejected seven straight , ginormous statewide tax increases since 2011 , including last year ’ s soundly defeated Proposition CC .
During those same years of rejecting grandiose statewide tax increases , Colorado voters have repeatedly proven we will consent to raise taxes on ourselves at the local and school district level , but only when we trust the limited cause and the government officials spending our money .
Bottom line : voters will not trust the legislature yet to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the legislature can prove that they can appropriately spend the $ 34.5 billion budget they already have .
Coloradans trust themselves and the Taxpayer ’ s Bill of Rights far more than they do politicians .
Just like the bad-penny boyfriend , legislators think the problem is us , not them .
Rather than trying to earn our trust by changing the substance of their approach , the legislature has stopped trusting us and appears intent on trying to end-run around TABOR using semantics .
The enterprise model is being considered for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the discussion with a task force studying the issue .
It has not yet become part of the drafted legislation , though , and there is the potential for it to be part of a ballot measure instead which — to the supporters ’ credit — would require a vote .
It is not the first time they have broken out Roget ’ s thesaurus to avoid our consent .
Forty-two states have a “ bed tax , ” a charge on overnight patients collected by hospitals and sent to the state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ avoid allowing us vote on that tax — as our constitution requires , the legislature called it the hospital provider fee .
A fee can be approved by mere politicians .
The hugely successful tax , er … fee … raised so much money from us the legislature was confronted with having to give some back to us through a constitutionally-mandated refund .
The legislature does not like to return our money to us … ever .
So , they passed a law to move the entire $ 600 million out from under @ @ @ @ @ @ @ calling it an “ enterprise.
” Presto .
The legislature exploded the amount of our tax money they could spend and never once asked for our consent to do so .
As well , remember when the legislature dramatically increased or car registration taxes … dang it , I mean fees … in 2009 ?
They created another “ enterprise ” and put the new revenue in there to make sure it would never be subject to the limitations on government growth imposed by TABOR in our constitution .
It ’ s currently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year , legislators are back again for another bite , and again they would really like to avoid having to get our consent .
This time , Roget has revealed another synonym to describe hundreds of millions of dollars in additional gas taxes : a “ surcharge.
” Despite the fact that such a sur-tax-fee thing could raise our taxes by hundreds of millions of dollars , the legislature would deliberately deprive us of the right to vote on it .
We need a law to end this deception and protect our constitutional @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the ballot this year would mandate that any new fee or surcharge funded “ enterprise ” that exceeds $ 100 million over its first five years in existence would have to earn voter approval through the ballot .
Legislators would again be required to convince us , and not just each other , that they need more of our money .
This would help prevent the perennial end-runs around TABOR by politicians .
Coloradans are smart enough to know that whether the legislature calls the tax a levy , duty , tariff , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it all comes out of our pockets .
You can almost hear the eye roll from the progressive elitists who remain convinced that taxpayers just aren ’ t smart enough to make such important decisions about our money .
That ’ s why we elect them , to do the big thinking for us .
I am looking forward to their arguments explaining why allowing us the ability to vote on raising our taxes is bad .
In the absence of a ballot measure that protects us , legislators will continue to avoid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We must send this bad boyfriend packing .
It ’ s not us .
It ’ s you .
George H. Brauchler is the district attorney for the 18th Judicial District , which includes Arapahoe , Douglas , Elbert and Lincoln counties .
To send a letter to the editor about this article , submit online or check out our guidelines for how to submit by email or mail .

Is it like a boomerang, or a rash, or maybe a bad penny? Or is it a dumped boyfriend who believes he can finally win you over if he persistently repackages his pitch for a second chance? There are many tough-to-chose-from analogies to the big-government politicians’ approach to raising state taxes on us.
But the tax vampires are trying again to drain our bank accounts of more of our hard-earned money, and they want to do it without our consent. Again. Coloradans need a garlic-like ballot measure to protect us before the legislature bleeds us dry.
Except for the voter-approved excise tax on wacky tobaccy in 2013, voters have rejected seven straight, ginormous statewide tax increases since 2011, including last year’s soundly defeated Proposition CC. During those same years of rejecting grandiose statewide tax increases, Colorado voters have repeatedly proven we will consent to raise taxes on ourselves at the local and school district level, but only when we trust the limited cause and the government officials spending our money.
Bottom line: voters will not trust the legislature yet to spend any more of our money until the legislature can prove that they can appropriately spend the $34.5 billion budget they already have. Coloradans trust themselves and the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights far more than they do politicians.
Just like the bad-penny boyfriend, legislators think the problem is us, not them. Rather than trying to earn our trust by changing the substance of their approach, the legislature has stopped trusting us and appears intent on trying to end-run around TABOR using semantics.
The enterprise model is being considered for the paid family leave act and was part of the discussion with a task force studying the issue. It has not yet become part of the drafted legislation, though, and there is the potential for it to be part of a ballot measure instead which — to the supporters’ credit — would require a vote.
It is not the first time they have broken out Roget’s thesaurus to avoid our consent.
Forty-two states have a “bed tax,” a charge on overnight patients collected by hospitals and sent to the state. We do too. Specifically to avoid allowing us vote on that tax — as our constitution requires, the legislature called it the hospital provider fee. A fee can be approved by mere politicians. The hugely successful tax, er … fee … raised so much money from us the legislature was confronted with having to give some back to us through a constitutionally-mandated refund. The legislature does not like to return our money to us … ever. So, they passed a law to move the entire $600 million out from under the TABOR limit on government growth by calling it an “enterprise.” Presto. The legislature exploded the amount of our tax money they could spend and never once asked for our consent to do so.
As well, remember when the legislature dramatically increased or car registration taxes … dang it, I mean fees … in 2009? They created another “enterprise” and put the new revenue in there to make sure it would never be subject to the limitations on government growth imposed by TABOR in our constitution. It’s currently $250 million each year.
This year, legislators are back again for another bite, and again they would really like to avoid having to get our consent. This time, Roget has revealed another synonym to describe hundreds of millions of dollars in additional gas taxes: a “surcharge.” Despite the fact that such a sur-tax-fee thing could raise our taxes by hundreds of millions of dollars, the legislature would deliberately deprive us of the right to vote on it.
We need a law to end this deception and protect our constitutional rights.
One simple solution proposed for the ballot this year would mandate that any new fee or surcharge funded “enterprise” that exceeds $100 million over its first five years in existence would have to earn voter approval through the ballot. Legislators would again be required to convince us, and not just each other, that they need more of our money. This would help prevent the perennial end-runs around TABOR by politicians. Coloradans are smart enough to know that whether the legislature calls the tax a levy, duty, tariff, surcharge, contribution, or fee, it all comes out of our pockets.
You can almost hear the eye roll from the progressive elitists who remain convinced that taxpayers just aren’t smart enough to make such important decisions about our money. That’s why we elect them, to do the big thinking for us. I am looking forward to their arguments explaining why allowing us the ability to vote on raising our taxes is bad.
In the absence of a ballot measure that protects us, legislators will continue to avoid us through deceptive semantics and enterprises.
We must send this bad boyfriend packing. It’s not us. It’s you.
George H. Brauchler is the district attorney for the 18th Judicial District, which includes Arapahoe, Douglas, Elbert and Lincoln counties.
To send a letter to the editor about this article, submit online or check out our guidelines for how to submit by email or mail.


thedenverpost--2020-03-06--You have (a lot of) coronavirus questions. We have answers.

Colorado announced its first two cases of COVID-19 , the disease caused by the new coronavirus spreading around the globe , on Thursday .
Denver Post readers had a lot of questions about what they should do , why authorities are reacting the way they are , and how serious the threat from the new disease might be .
We ’ ve answered what we can below .
Keep in mind that research is ongoing , and some answers may not become clear for months or longer .
Should I get tested if I feel I have a small cold @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a few exceptions .
If you ’ ve been to China or another country where the new coronavirus is spreading widely in the previous two weeks , or you ’ ve been physically close to a person who was diagnosed with COVID-19 , call your doctor if you develop symptoms to see if you should be tested .
Health officials are attempting to trace people who were close to the state ’ s two known COVID-19 patients .
If you get a call asking you to monitor yourself for symptoms , you should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sick .
If none of those situations apply to you , though , the state ’ s not recommending you get tested .
The best thing is just to stay home for a few days and get some rest .
If it spreads to major school districts or colleges , will they be required to shut down ?
It seems it ’ s too hard to contain in schools but also taking kids out of school would result in less summertime .
This one ’ s tough to predict .
Some countries dealing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and it ’ s possible the same thing could happen in Colorado .
Gov .
Jared Polis said earlier this week that his office could order public gathering places , including schools , to shut down in an extreme situation , but otherwise each district will decide for itself .
You ’ ve hit on a major problem : It ’ s very hard to keep kids from infecting each other in school , but closing school causes major disruption , especially for parents who have to be at work .
Since we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus will spread in Colorado , all you can do at this point is call your school district to find out what their plans are .
What is the difference between the flu and coronavirus ?
When should I call a doctor ?
The symptoms are similar , though they ’ re caused by different types of viruses .
There ’ s a vaccine to prevent the flu and some medications to reduce its symptoms , but neither exists yet for COVID-19 .
So far , it appears the new virus is more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are at risk of flu complications ) , and less severe for children .
It ’ s not entirely clear why .
If you ’ re a senior citizen or have a chronic condition , like lung problems , diabetes , kidney disease , or heart disease , call your doctor to talk about how closely you need to monitor any symptoms you have .
If you ’ re a younger person and basically healthy , you can probably just stay home and rest if you feel sick .
Regardless of your age @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trouble breathing , call and ask if you need to go to a hospital .
Is the virus more deadly or harmful to certain age groups ?
It ’ s particularly dangerous for older people .
There ’ s a lot of debate about how deadly the virus is overall , because it ’ s possible that mild cases aren ’ t being reported .
Data from China clearly shows that risk rises with age , though .
There have been almost no deaths in children , while almost 15 % of reported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in death .
Even if it turns out that they missed milder cases in older people or that some of those deaths could have been avoided with better treatment , it ’ s clear the oldest are at high risk .
What were the numbers and statistics for coronavirus prior to the outbreak ?
If it ’ s a strain of flu I ’ m sure people had already had it in the U.S. , right ?
COVID-19 looks a lot like the flu , but it ’ s caused by a different @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kind of like comparing apples and pears : lots of similarities , but two different species .
As far as anyone knows , the cases in China were the first time this particular virus leaped from animals to people .
That ’ s why there ’ s so much uncertainty about how easily it will spread and how dangerous it is for different groups of people .
You ’ re right that other types of coronaviruses circulate widely , though .
Two different types of coronaviruses are among the most common causes of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
( If we stick with the apple example , we ’ ve all been passing around granny smiths and red deliciouses for years , but this is a new variety . )
What we don ’ t know is whether having had one of the familiar types of coronaviruses gives your immune system any type of head-start on recognizing and fighting COVID-19 .
It ’ s going to take a lot of research to figure that out .
Now that we know there are or were infected persons in Colorado , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ period ( one article said perhaps six weeks ) , at what point is the public advised to stay home unless going out in public is necessary ?
Let me clarify one point .
There ’ s a study that shows the virus may have circulated in the Seattle area , passed from person to person , for about six weeks .
So far , the experts think any individual is contagious for about two weeks .
If you ’ re feeling sick , stay home .
If not , health officials aren @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your routine at this point .
Ultimately , you have to decide what you ’ re comfortable with , though .
If COVID-19 is a mild illness for most people and no worse than having the flu , why is the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and the CDC forcing 14-21 day in-home quarantines ?
Two major reasons .
One , it ’ s no worse than the flu for most people , but the initial data suggests it ’ s significantly more dangerous for senior citizens and people with chronic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be possible to stop COVID-19 from becoming established .
Most influenza and cold viruses are so widely spread that it ’ s no longer possible to wipe them out .
With a new virus , if you can stop transmission , you can keep it from becoming something that circulates and kills people every year , according to the World Health Organization .
Why aren ’ t people coming from places where there is an outbreak quarantined right away at the airport ?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has the authority @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” were exposed to COVID-19 or certain other diseases and could spread the diseases to other people .
If a person isn ’ t showing symptoms and hasn ’ t been in close contact with someone who was sick , it ’ s harder to meet that threshold .
There ’ s also the issue of logistics , particularly as the disease shows up in more places .
There ’ s a limited number of quarantine facilities , and it ’ s probably not feasible to hold everyone who visited a place where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if you test positive for COVID-19 , and you ’ re not able to stay home for financial reasons ?
Will mortgages , rent , bills , etc.
, be put on hold or will there be modifications from banks ?
There ’ s no official framework for this , though that could change .
For now , a person would have to individually ask their landlord and creditors to be patient , which may not be effective .
Why is coronavirus spreading so quickly ?
Any time there ’ s a new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it will spread quickly because people aren ’ t yet immune .
There are a lot of factors involved in that question that we can ’ t answer yet , like how many people the average person infects , and how easy it is to transmit the virus if you ’ re not showing symptoms .
I did not read or missed why it was said that the two cases announced Thursday were “ presumed ” to be COVID-19 .
Were test results positive ?
Are the test results not reliable — false @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no reason to believe the results from the state lab weren ’ t correct , though technically the CDC has the final word on confirming cases .
Gov .
Polis said that the risk Is low to infect other people if the infected does not show symptoms .
Would his statement mislead the public ?
It is possible to transmit the virus when you don ’ t have symptoms , but it ’ s not clear how easy it is .
It would make sense that a person who is coughing would spread @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who isn ’ t , but researchers are still trying to figure out how big the difference is .
Why does it make sense for Colorado to follow the CDC guidelines for testing ?
Specifically , meeting the coronavirus testing criteria of 1 ) known exposure and 2 ) severe lower respiratory symptoms will have obvious impacts .
Colorado ’ s criteria are somewhat looser than the CDC ’ s , because the state will test people who haven ’ t been hospitalized .
But you ’ ve hit on an important point @ @ @ @ @ @ @ catch everyone who has the virus .
The state doesn ’ t have the capacity to test everyone that has cold- or flu-like symptoms , so they ’ re focusing on the most likely cases and asking everyone else to stay home if they feel sick .
What is the federal government doing to supplement state efforts in regards to the coronavirus ?
Congress recently passed a $ 8.3 billion emergency response package , which the president is expected to sign .
Colorado would be eligible for about $ 9 million in grants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
There ’ s also substantial funding for vaccine and treatment research on the federal level .
I ’ m a taxi driver .
I drive a van with passengers less than 2 feet away .
We are the unofficial ambulance for those in need .
I wipe the taxi down at every exit and Lysol the rest .
Should I wear a mask ?
You might ask passengers who are sick to wear one .
Specialized respirators and masks can be effective at preventing a person from breathing in viruses , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up at your local pharmacy is more effective at stopping viruses from escaping when a person coughs or sneezes .
We ’ re leaving for France for a two-week trip .
What should we pack to help with sickness if it should happen ?
The CDC doesn ’ t recommend any specific precautions for COVID-19 in France .
They do recommend making sure you ’ re up to date on your vaccinations , especially for measles , which also has been spreading in Europe .
There ’ s no treatment for COVID-19 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taking medications to help with pain and fever .
Carrying large amounts of fluids probably isn ’ t necessary or feasible , but you could bring along whatever medication you typically take for colds , especially if you aren ’ t comfortable enough with the language to be sure you could get what you need at a French pharmacy .
The CDC also recommends bringing copies of any prescriptions and your health insurance information whenever you travel , just in case .
Are there plans to charge or fine the individuals who spread @ @ @ @ @ @ @ law for charging people who traveled while infected .
If someone is ordered to quarantine and breaks it , that ’ s a different story .
Some states have laws that allow for charging people who are infected with HIV if they don ’ t disclose their status to sexual partners , but that would be harder to implement , since we ’ re not testing everyone with respiratory symptoms ( and you don ’ t have to take a specific action , like having sex or sharing needles , to spread a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rethinking even those laws , because they could discourage people from getting tested and treated .
And we definitely don ’ t want people to avoid getting care because they ’ re afraid they ’ ll be charged for traveling when they didn ’ t know they had COVID-19 .
Is this a lot of media hype ?
As reporters , we have to walk a difficult balance to try to convey risks appropriately .
In my opinion , some overdo it , particularly when they invoke the mass death in 1918 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and antibiotics .
That said , dismissing it as media-manufactured hysteria isn ’ t right either , because this disease does carry some serious risks , particularly for older people .
We ’ re not perfect here at The Denver Post , but we ’ re doing our best to get you the information you need , in context .
Subscribe to bi-weekly newsletter to get health news sent straight to your inbox .

Colorado has announced that COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus spreading around the globe, is spreading in the community, meaning it’s no longer just people who traveled abroad or know someone who did who are at risk. Denver Post readers had a lot of questions about what they should do, why authorities are reacting the way they are, and how serious the threat from the new disease might be.
We’ve answered what we can below. Keep in mind that research is ongoing, and some answers may not become clear for months or longer.
Can I get tested for COVID-19?
With a doctor’s order, yes. Your doctor may tell you to come to a health facility for testing, or send you to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment’s drive-thru location. Don’t just show up seeking to get tested, though – hospitals and doctor’s offices are trying to limit contact between people who have the new virus and those who are vulnerable to complications. Don’t go to the emergency room unless your symptoms are severe enough to need immediate attention.
Some doctors may not order testing if they think that knowing what virus you have won’t affect the course of your disease. There’s no specific treatment for COVID-19, so most people manage it at home with rest, fluids and fever-reducing medications.
What are the odds of the virus being in public places like stores?
Studies suggest the virus can survive about three hours in the air after an infected person coughs, and up to three days on hard surfaces. That means you can’t rule out that it could be in public places. To reduce your odds of getting sick, wash your hands frequently and avoid touching your face, which can allow the virus access to your body.
If it spreads to major school districts or colleges, will they be required to shut down?
Some colleges have already decided to have students take classes remotely, and individual schools have temporarily closed for cleaning after students’ parents tested positive.
Gov. Jared Polis has said that his office could order public gathering places, including schools, to shut down in an extreme situation, but otherwise each district will decide for itself.
It’s very hard to keep kids from infecting each other in school, but closing school causes major disruption, especially for parents who have to be at work. Since we don’t know how widely the virus will spread in Colorado, all you can do at this point is call your school district to find out what their plans are.
Should I keep my kid home from school?
That depends on your child’s health. So far, there have been very few reports of serious complications in children and teens. For children who have health conditions that make them particularly susceptible to viruses, however, it may be safer to stay home. Talk to your child’s doctor and school to make a decision.
Should senior groups cancel events?
Public health officials are advising people older than 60 to avoid large gatherings, like concerts and rallies. There’s no clear guidance for smaller groups, like exercise classes or lunch groups. People who aren’t feeling well should definitely stay away, but others will have to decide how much risk they’re comfortable with.
Why are large public events still happening?
The governor’s office has significant power to close large gatherings, but so far hasn’t exercised that. That means it’s up to each group to decide whether to hold its event. If you have questions about a particular conference or sporting event, check with the organizers.
Isn’t this essentially like the flu?
Short answer: no, though the symptoms are similar. Top U.S. health officials say the death rate is about 10 times higher than what’s typical for the seasonal flu. One out of every 100 people who get sick with COVID-19 has died, compared to one out of every 1,000 who get the seasonal flu.
Another difference is that vulnerable people can get a vaccine to partially protect themselves from the seasonal flu. That’s not an option for COVID-19.
When should I call a doctor?
If you’re a senior citizen or have a chronic condition, like lung problems, diabetes, kidney disease, or heart disease, call your doctor to talk about how closely you need to monitor any symptoms you have. If you’re a younger person and basically healthy, you can probably just stay home and rest if you feel sick. Regardless of your age and health, if you have serious trouble breathing, call and ask if you need to go to a hospital.
Is the virus more deadly or harmful to certain age groups?
It’s particularly dangerous for older people. There’s a lot of debate about how deadly the virus is overall, because it’s possible that mild cases aren’t being reported. Data from China clearly shows that risk rises with age, though. There have been almost no deaths in children, while almost 15% of reported cases in people older than 80 resulted in death. Even if it turns out that they missed milder cases in older people or that some of those deaths could have been avoided with better treatment, it’s clear the oldest are at high risk.
Very few severe cases have been reported in children, which is different from other respiratory viruses like seasonal flu. It’s not clear why.
What were the numbers and statistics for coronavirus prior to the outbreak? If it’s a strain of flu I’m sure people had already had it in the U.S., right?
COVID-19 looks a lot like the flu, but it’s caused by a different type of virus. It’s kind of like comparing apples and pears: lots of similarities, but two different species.
As far as anyone knows, the cases in China were the first time this particular virus leaped from animals to people. Any time there’s a new virus, there’s a risk it will spread quickly because people aren’t yet immune. There are a lot of factors involved in that question that we can’t answer yet, like how many people the average person infects, and how easy it is to transmit the virus if you’re not showing symptoms.
Why is everyone saying I need to wash my hands for 20 seconds?
The science on this isn’t as precise as it might seem, though it’s not bad advice. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that studies have found that washing your hands for 15-30 seconds will knock off more germs than only lathering up for a few seconds. It doesn’t matter if the water is hot, or what kind of soap you use. The important thing is physically removing viruses.
Why aren’t people coming from places where there is an outbreak quarantined right away at the airport?
The CDC has the authority to quarantine people it “reasonably believes” were exposed to COVID-19 or certain other diseases and could spread the diseases to other people. If a person isn’t showing symptoms and hasn’t been in close contact with someone who was sick, it’s harder to meet that threshold. And once community spread starts, focusing on imported cases is less effective.
What happens if you test positive for COVID-19, and you’re not able to stay home for financial reasons? Will mortgages, rent, bills, etc., be put on hold or will there be modifications from banks?
There’s no official framework for this, though that could change. For now, a person would have to individually ask their landlord and creditors to be patient, which may not be effective. Polis has called for assistance for some workers who have to stay home while waiting for a diagnosis, but it’s not entirely clear how such a program would function. He also asked employers to voluntarily offer sick leave, particularly to employees who deal with the public.
What is the federal government doing to supplement state efforts in regards to the coronavirus?
Congress recently passed a $8.3 billion emergency response package, which the president is expected to sign. Colorado would be eligible for about $9 million in grants to help with costs related to COVID-19. There’s also substantial funding for vaccine and treatment research on the federal level.
I’m a taxi driver. I drive a van with passengers less than 2 feet away. Should I wear a mask?
You might ask passengers who are sick to wear one. Specialized respirators and masks can be effective at preventing a person from breathing in viruses, but the kind of mask you can pick up at your local pharmacy is more effective at stopping viruses from escaping when a person coughs or sneezes.
Are there plans to charge or fine the individuals who spread the virus?
There’s no law for charging people who traveled while infected. If someone is ordered to quarantine and breaks it, that’s a different story.
Some states have laws that allow for charging people who are infected with HIV if they don’t disclose their status to sexual partners, but that would be harder to implement, since we’re not testing everyone with respiratory symptoms (and you don’t have to take a specific action, like having sex or sharing needles, to spread a respiratory virus). But experts are rethinking even those laws, because they could discourage people from getting tested and treated. And we definitely don’t want people to avoid getting care because they’re afraid they’ll be charged for traveling when they didn’t know they had COVID-19.
Is this a lot of media hype?
As reporters, we have to walk a difficult balance to try to convey risks appropriately. In my opinion, some overdo it, particularly when they invoke the mass death in 1918, when we didn’t have ventilators and antibiotics. That said, dismissing it as media-manufactured hysteria isn’t right either, because this disease does carry some serious risks, particularly for older people. We’re not perfect here at The Denver Post, but we’re doing our best to get you the information you need, in context.
Subscribe to bi-weekly newsletter to get health news sent straight to your inbox.


thedenverpost--2020-03-06--Taylor Embree, son of Jon Embree, among six new coaches hired by CU Buffs football coach Karl Dorrel

Taylor Embree, son of Jon Embree, among six new coaches hired by CU Buffs football coach Karl Dorrell

A dozen days after he was hired , Karl Dorrell has completed his inaugural CU Buffs football coaching staff .
The university announced Friday afternoon six new assistant coaches , three on each side of the ball , to pair with the four coaches retained from former coach Mel Tucker ’ s regime .
Dorrell is adding Taylor Embree , son of former Buffs player and coach Jon Embree , as his tight ends coach , as well as former Nebraska and Oregon State offensive coordinator Danny Langsdorf as quarterbacks coach/passing game coordinator and Mitch Rodrigue as offensive line coach @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Buffs announced that former CU assistant Chris Wilson is returning to Boulder to coach the defensive line , where he ’ ll join Demetrice Martin ( cornerbacks ) and Brett Maxie ( safeties ) .
Wilson , 51 , had coached the Buffs ’ defensive linemen in 2000-04 under former coach and current CU radio analyst Gary Barnett .
The younger Embree , 31 , has spent the previous three years as an offensive quality control assistant with the San Francisco 49ers under Kyle Shanahan .
Dorrell on Friday also announced Drew Wilson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ; Brian Cook as defensive quality control coach ; Cordae Hankton as graduate assistant ; former CU linebacker and assistant coach Brian Cabral as character coach ; Bryan McGinnis as director of football operations ; Cymone George as director of player engagement and Scott Unrein as operations assistant .
The Buffs will open spring practice as scheduled on March 16 .
The Black & Gold spring game is slated for 1 p.m. on April 25 at Folsom Field .

A dozen days after he was hired, Karl Dorrell has completed his inaugural CU Buffs football coaching staff.
The university announced Friday afternoon six new assistant coaches, three on each side of the ball, to pair with the four coaches retained from former coach Mel Tucker’s regime.
Dorrell is adding Taylor Embree, son of former Buffs player and coach Jon Embree, as his tight ends coach, as well as former Nebraska and Oregon State offensive coordinator Danny Langsdorf as quarterbacks coach/passing game coordinator and Mitch Rodrigue as offensive line coach.
On the defensive side, the Buffs announced that former CU assistant Chris Wilson is returning to Boulder to coach the defensive line, where he’ll join Demetrice Martin (cornerbacks) and Brett Maxie (safeties).
Wilson, 51, had coached the Buffs’ defensive linemen in 2000-04 under former coach and current CU radio analyst Gary Barnett. The younger Embree, 31, has spent the previous three years as an offensive quality control assistant with the San Francisco 49ers under Kyle Shanahan.
Dorrell on Friday also announced Drew Wilson as his director of strength and conditioning; Brian Cook as defensive quality control coach; Cordae Hankton as graduate assistant; former CU linebacker and assistant coach Brian Cabral as character coach; Bryan McGinnis as director of football operations; Cymone George as director of player engagement and Scott Unrein as operations assistant.
The Buffs will open spring practice as scheduled on March 16. The Black & Gold spring game is slated for 1 p.m. on April 25 at Folsom Field.


thedenverpost--2020-03-06--Denver private school closes early after possible coronavirus exposure

Students at St. Anne ’ s Episcopal School in Denver started their weekend a few hours early , after the school asked parents to pick them up because of concerns about the new coronavirus .
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment confirmed the school had closed “ because of potential exposure to COVID-19.
” “ We respect an individual school or district ’ s need to make decisions about school closures and postponement of activities in collaboration with their local public health agencies , ” the department said in a statement .
The department didn ’ t specify @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Monday .
In China and Japan , school has been out for weeks to try to stem the spread of the new virus , but it ’ s not clear if such drastic measures will be necessary in Colorado .
Schools occasionally close for a few days to allow for deep cleaning and to stop students from infecting one another .
Adams County School District 14 closed Kearney Middle School for one day in December to stop the spread of a gastrointestinal illness , and Mesa County Valley School District closed all schools @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an outbreak that was believed to be norovirus .

Students at St. Anne’s Episcopal School in Denver started their weekend a few hours early, after the school asked parents to pick them up because of concerns about the new coronavirus.
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment confirmed the school had closed “because of potential exposure to COVID-19.”
“We respect an individual school or district’s need to make decisions about school closures and postponement of activities in collaboration with their local public health agencies,” the department said in a statement.
The school reported a parent of a student had tested positive for the new virus. The parent hadn’t been on school grounds in roughly a month, and health officials said the odds of contagion are “extremely low,” the school said in a statement.
Health officials didn’t direct St. Anne’s to close early, but the school opted to send students home to allow more time for a deep cleaning. Classes will go on as normal on Monday.
“We chose a cautious and proactive approach for our community,” the school said in a statement.
Schools occasionally close for a few days to allow for deep cleaning and to stop students from infecting one another. Adams County School District 14 closed Kearney Middle School for one day in December to stop the spread of a gastrointestinal illness, and Mesa County Valley School District closed all schools for several days in November because of an outbreak that was believed to be norovirus.


thedenverpost--2020-03-06--SXSW cancelled over coronavirus fears

SXSW cancelled over coronavirus fears

Austin city officials have canceled the South by Southwest arts and technology festival .
Mayor Steve Adler announced a local @ @ @ @ @ of the threat of the novel coronavirus , effectively cancelling the annual event .
The @ @ @ @ @ high-profile companies , including Netflix , tech news outlet Mashable , video-based social media platform @ @ @ @ @ Intel , pulled out of the festival .
More than 50,000 people had signed a @ @ @ @ @ festival cancelled .
The U.S. death toll from the coronavirus has climbed to 14 , @ @ @ @ @ in Washington state , while the number of infections swelled to over 200 scattered across @ @ @ @ @ including at least six cases in the Houston area .

Austin city officials have canceled the South by Southwest arts and technology festival.
Mayor Steve Adler announced a local disaster as a precaution because of the threat of the novel coronavirus, effectively cancelling the annual event.
The announcement comes days after several high-profile companies, including Netflix, tech news outlet Mashable, video-based social media platform TikTok and U.S. chip maker Intel, pulled out of the festival.
More than 50,000 people had signed a petition seeking to get the festival cancelled.
The U.S. death toll from the coronavirus has climbed to 14, with all but one victim in Washington state, while the number of infections swelled to over 200 scattered across at least 18 states, including at least six cases in the Houston area.


thedenverpost--2020-03-06--Colorado coronavirus count hits 8 with new patients in Denver and Douglas, El Paso, Eagle counties

Two people in Denver , two others in Douglas County and one patient each in El Paso and Eagle counties have tested positive for COVID-19 , the disease caused by the new coronavirus that ’ s spreading globally , county health officials announced Friday afternoon .
This brings the total number of coronavirus cases in Colorado to eight .
Neither of the Denver patients has symptoms severe enough to require hospitalization , according to a news release from the Denver Department of Public Health and Environment .
Both were listed as “ presumptive positive , ” meaning their test results @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
It typically takes about 48 hours to confirm test results , state officials said .
The department said “ several ” other people who had been in close contact with those two patients will be quarantined .
None showed symptoms as of Friday .
State officials said both patients had recently traveled overseas , but there is no connection between the two .
One traveled to Vancouver , on Canada ’ s west coast , and the other took a cruise .
They didn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ docked .
One Denver patient was a man in his 40s , and the other was a woman in her 70s , according to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment .
It wasn ’ t clear which patient traveled to which destination .
The two Douglas County patients also had recently traveled abroad .
One , a woman in her 40s , had recently traveled to Italy , and the other , a school-aged girl , had visited the Philippines .
The Tri-County Health Department said the girl didn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Both of these new cases are from known international exposure , have mild illnesses , and are isolated at home , not in a hospital .
There is no indication of additional community exposure at this time .
Tri-County Health Department staff is monitoring the people who may have been exposed , ” Dr. John M. Douglas Jr. , the department ’ s executive director , said in a statement .
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment also confirmed in a statement that St. Anne ’ s Episcopal School in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exposure to COVID-19.
” It ’ s not clear if that is connected to the two new Denver cases .
A man in El Paso County also tested positive for the coronavirus , making it the fifth case to be reported in Colorado on Friday .
The man , who is in his 40s , recently traveled to California .
He is in isolation at home and in “ stable condition , ” said El Paso County Public Health officials , who announced the new case Friday afternoon .
“ We hope he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quick recovery , ” said Susan Wheelan , director of El Paso County Public Health in a statement .
“ Protecting the health of our community is our top priority , and we are doing everything possible to make sure the public is safe.
” The sixth new case , in Eagle County , was a woman in her 50s who was exposed to the virus while traveling abroad .
State officials didn ’ t say what country she had visited .
Colorado announced its first two cases of COVID-19 on Thursday : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ County , and an older Douglas County woman who had recently returned from a cruise .
It ’ s not clear if the two new cases had any connection to the prior cases .
The health department advised Denver residents to wash their hands well , avoid touching their faces , cover coughs and sneezes , and stay home if they feel sick .
If you need medical care and are concerned you might have COVID-19 , call your doctor so the office can take precautions to avoid spreading the disease to other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who have symptoms and traveled to an area where the new virus is circulating or had close contact with an infected person , or who had to be hospitalized because of severe symptoms .

Colorado went from two cases of the new coronavirus to eight in one day, but health officials say there’s no evidence the disease is spreading through the community or presents a risk to the general public.
Two people in Denver, two more in Douglas County and one patient each in El Paso and Eagle counties tested positive Friday for COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus that’s spreading globally, county health officials announced.
On Thursday, state officials had announced a Douglas County resident and a California man visiting Summit County had both tested positive.
At least seven of the patients recently had traveled overseas. Two had taken a trip together, but otherwise, there are no known connections between any of the other cases.
Bob McDonald, executive director of the Denver health department and the city’s public health administrator, said there’s no need for residents to change their plans or avoid going out in public. The best thing to do is to practice good hand hygiene, and move away if someone is coughing or sneezing, he said.
“People don’t need to start staying at home,” he said.
All of the cases are listed as “presumptive positive” because they haven’t been confirmed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, but the state lab results are considered reliable. It typically takes 24 to 48 hours to confirm test results, according to officials with the Denver Department of Public Health and Environment.
The patient in Summit County initially went to a hospital with difficulty breathing and was brought by a private car to Jefferson County, where the altitude was low enough to ease his symptoms. All of the other patients are in isolation in their homes.
Cali Zimmerman, emergency management coordinator for the Denver Department of Public Health and Environment, said public health workers conducted extensive interviews with the two Denver patients and determined there is no risk to the general public. They do that by determining when a person started having symptoms, with a cushion built in to account for people’s imperfect memories, she said.
“We ask a lot of questions about where they were when they became symptomatic,” she said.
Neither of the Denver patients, a man in his 40s and a woman in her 70s, visited any places where they could expose significant numbers of people after developing symptoms, Zimmerman said.
Seven other Denver residents who either traveled to an area where the virus is spreading or live with a person who has been diagnosed with COVID-19 are quarantined in their homes. It’s not clear how many people may be in quarantine statewide. None of the seven had shown symptoms as of Friday, city health officials said.
People who are in quarantine have to stay there for 14 days after their last exposure, or essentially, two weeks after the sick person gets better, Zimmerman said.
St. Anne’s Episcopal School, a private school with students in preschool through eighth grade, asked parents to pick up their children early on Friday after learning one of the Denver patients is the father of a student there. City and state health officials said there wasn’t a significant risk to students, but the school could make its own decision.
The parent hadn’t been on school grounds in roughly a month, but the school opted to send students home to allow more time for a deep cleaning. Classes will go on as normal on Monday.
“We chose a cautious and proactive approach for our community,” the school said in a statement.
Schools occasionally close for a few days to allow for deep cleaning and to stop students from infecting one another. Adams County School District 14 closed Kearney Middle School for one day in December to stop the spread of a gastrointestinal illness, and Mesa County Valley School District closed all schools for several days in November because of an outbreak that was believed to be norovirus.
Health officials in the other counties also said they saw no signs of increased danger to the community. All of the Douglas County patients had traveled abroad recently, according to the Tri-County Health Department. They include a school-aged girl who visited the Philippines, but didn’t return to class after developing symptoms; a woman in her 40s who visited Italy; and a woman in her 70s who took a cruise, whose case was announced Thursday.
“Both of these new cases are from known international exposure, have mild illnesses and are isolated at home, not in a hospital. There is no indication of additional community exposure at this time. Tri-County Health Department staff is monitoring the people who may have been exposed,” Dr. John M. Douglas Jr., the department’s executive director, said in a statement.
An El Paso County man in his 40s tested positive after traveling to California and is in “stable condition,” El Paso County Public Health officials said.
“We hope he is able to make a full and quick recovery,” said Susan Wheelan, director of El Paso County Public Health, in a statement. “Protecting the health of our community is our top priority, and we are doing everything possible to make sure the public is safe.”
An Eagle County woman in her 50s was exposed during international travel. Officials didn’t specify where she had traveled.
The health department advised Denver residents to wash their hands well, avoid touching their faces, cover coughs and sneezes, and stay home if they feel sick. If you need medical care and are concerned you might have COVID-19, call your doctor so the office can take precautions to avoid spreading the disease to other patients.
Colorado is only testing people who have symptoms and traveled to an area where the new virus is circulating or had close contact with an infected person, or who had to be hospitalized because of severe symptoms.
McDonald said he expects additional positive cases, but thinks state and local health departments will be able to keep the situation under control.
“We’re prepared to manage it,” he said.
Denver Post staff writer Jessica Seaman contributed to this report.


thedenverpost--2020-03-07--Ask Amy: Brother’s cheating creates a wave of drama

I love the baby , my brother , and the woman he is with .
Except , it isn ’ t one woman .
It ’ s never just one woman .
My brother has a history of womanizing and being with many women at once .
My family and I usually grow attached to the primary woman he ’ s with , only to have them hate us in the end because they find out about his cheating and we “ never told them.
” I don ’ t want that to happen with the mother of this baby @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
On one hand , I say something to the poor girl , and I break my brother ’ s trust .
On the other , if I don ’ t say anything , I break her trust .
Either way , it seems I ’ m stuck in a tidal wave of drama .
Is there a way I can at least lessen the storm ?
Dear Morally Confused : You see this as a matter of trust-breaking — or perhaps the other principals involved gaslight you into believing that you have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ secrets .
You are not in charge of policing your adult brother .
You don ’ t owe it to either party to tell — or lie .
You have to imagine that the women your brother chooses must have some awareness of his womanizing , because — presumably — he is cheating on someone else when he takes up with them .
Because there is a baby in the picture , the stakes are different now , and you might give your wonderful brother a “ heads up ” by telling him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know that the next time I find out you ’ re cheating , I ’ m not going to keep your secret for you.
” You could also say to the woman , “ My brother has a history of cheating on his partners .
I hope he behaves differently with you.
” Unfortunately , this does not keep you out of the tidal wave of drama — it means you would be surfing on the first wave .
And — I assure you — if you tell a woman your brother is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a way to blame you ( or “ hate ” you ) , anyway .
Plant your family flag with this baby , and assume that at some point your brother will cheat .
If you want ( or feel forced ) to declare your loyalty in order to maintain a close relationship with the child and its mother , you might say to him , “ Um … this time , I choose her.
” Dear Amy : A few months ago , I offered to my 45-year-old niece our home for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ third wedding and his second .
What I thought was going to be an afternoon ceremony with 50 attendees has turned into an evening ceremony with 90 , followed by an outdoor party with a DJ and loud music into the wee hours .
While we would be issued an event permit , we will not be permitted to have a DJ play past 9 p.m. That hasn ’ t phased my niece , who asked , “ What would the police do , arrest me ?
” I told her at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and me for noise violation .
We also have limited parking on our road .
We can accommodate eight to 10 vehicles , but if 70 people show up , there will probably be 35 cars to find parking for .
I discussed this all with our town ’ s police chief ( who issues the permits ) and he said that he would be happy to do a walk-through with all of us next week .
Then there is the issue of porta-potty rental , the use of our small kitchen by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ obvious answer here is to tell my niece and her fiancé that they will have to make other plans .
Can you suggest how to do that ?
Dear Aunt : Double-check your insurance policy .
And then say , “ I blame myself for not communicating this more emphatically earlier , but your wedding has outgrown our ability to host it .
I think you ’ ll have to find a professional event space.
” Do not delay .
Do this now .
Dear Amy : “ Caring Friend ” reported that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into a “ green card ” same-sex marriage .
I disagree with your response .
These marriages are wrong , and illegal .
This friend should call him out .
Dear Upset : This so-called “ green card ” relationship was actually a genuine “ love connection ” — at least on one man ’ s part .
I agree that there were many red flags here , but blaming and shaming wouldn ’ t serve the greater good .

Dear Amy: My brother has recently fathered a child.
I love the baby, my brother, and the woman he is with. Except, it isn’t one woman. It’s never just one woman.
My brother has a history of womanizing and being with many women at once.
My family and I usually grow attached to the primary woman he’s with, only to have them hate us in the end because they find out about his cheating and we “never told them.”
I don’t want that to happen with the mother of this baby, but how do I approach this?
On one hand, I say something to the poor girl, and I break my brother’s trust.
On the other, if I don’t say anything, I break her trust.
Either way, it seems I’m stuck in a tidal wave of drama. Is there a way I can at least lessen the storm?
— A Morally Confused Sister
Dear Morally Confused: You see this as a matter of trust-breaking — or perhaps the other principals involved gaslight you into believing that you have a duty to either keep or disclose secrets. You are not in charge of policing your adult brother. You don’t owe it to either party to tell — or lie.
You have to imagine that the women your brother chooses must have some awareness of his womanizing, because — presumably — he is cheating on someone else when he takes up with them.
Because there is a baby in the picture, the stakes are different now, and you might give your wonderful brother a “heads up” by telling him, “I just want you to know that the next time I find out you’re cheating, I’m not going to keep your secret for you.” You could also say to the woman, “My brother has a history of cheating on his partners. I hope he behaves differently with you.”
Unfortunately, this does not keep you out of the tidal wave of drama — it means you would be surfing on the first wave. And — I assure you — if you tell a woman your brother is cheating on her, she could find a way to blame you (or “hate” you), anyway.
Plant your family flag with this baby, and assume that at some point your brother will cheat. If you want (or feel forced) to declare your loyalty in order to maintain a close relationship with the child and its mother, you might say to him, “Um … this time, I choose her.”
Dear Amy: A few months ago, I offered to my 45-year-old niece our home for her wedding. This will be her third wedding and his second.
What I thought was going to be an afternoon ceremony with 50 attendees has turned into an evening ceremony with 90, followed by an outdoor party with a DJ and loud music into the wee hours.
While we would be issued an event permit, we will not be permitted to have a DJ play past 9 p.m. That hasn’t phased my niece, who asked, “What would the police do, arrest me?” I told her at the very least they would cite my husband and me for noise violation.
We also have limited parking on our road. We can accommodate eight to 10 vehicles, but if 70 people show up, there will probably be 35 cars to find parking for.
I discussed this all with our town’s police chief (who issues the permits) and he said that he would be happy to do a walk-through with all of us next week.
Then there is the issue of porta-potty rental, the use of our small kitchen by the catering staff, etc.
The obvious answer here is to tell my niece and her fiancé that they will have to make other plans. Can you suggest how to do that?
— Anxious Aunt
Dear Aunt: Double-check your insurance policy. And then say, “I blame myself for not communicating this more emphatically earlier, but your wedding has outgrown our ability to host it. I think you’ll have to find a professional event space.”
Do not delay. Do this now.
Dear Amy: “Caring Friend” reported that her dear friend was about to enter into a “green card” same-sex marriage. I disagree with your response. These marriages are wrong, and illegal. This friend should call him out.
— Upset
Dear Upset: This so-called “green card” relationship was actually a genuine “love connection” — at least on one man’s part. I agree that there were many red flags here, but blaming and shaming wouldn’t serve the greater good.
(You can email Amy Dickinson at askamy@amydickinson.com or send a letter to Ask Amy, P.O. Box 194, Freeville, NY 13068. You can also follow her on Twitter @askingamy or Facebook.)


thedenverpost--2020-03-07--Zack MacEwen scores 2, Canucks double up Avalanche 6-3

VANCOUVER , British Columbia — Zack MacEwen scored two goals and the Vancouver Canucks beat the Colorado Avalanche 6-3 on Friday night to snap a four-game losing streak and move into contention for a playoff spot in the tight Western Conference .
J.T .
Miller and Antoine Roussel each had a goal and an assist for Vancouver , which managed to hang on to a third-period lead .
Troy Stecher added a goal and Tanner Pearson scored into an an empty net for the Canucks , who had squandered third-period leads in their last two losses .
Erik Johnson and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an assist for the Avalanche , who lost in regulation for the first time in 10 games ( 7-1-2 ) .
Valeri Nichushkin added a goal and Nathan MacKinnon had two assists .
The win moves Vancouver into a tie with Winnipeg for the first wild-card spot in the West with 76 points .
Colorado remains second in the West with 88 points , two back of St. Louis .
Vancouver goaltender Thatcher Demko , making his fifth start for the injured Jacob Markstrom , stopped 29 shots .
Avalanche goalie Pavel Francouz @ @ @ @ @ @ @ game away at 16:13 of the third when he took a pass from behind the net from Roussel and beat Francouz .
The Canucks scored twice in the second period and got a big save from Demko to lead 4-3 after 40 minutes .
Vancouver took a 3-1 lead at 2:13 when MacEwen collected a puck as his own blue line , skated the length of the ice and beat Francouz with a low , hard shot .
The Avalanche scored just 1:13 later when Landeskog beat Demko on the stick side .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a 2-on-1 breakaway .
Roussel put Vancouver back in front at 12:17 by deflecting in an Adam Gaudette pass .
Demko had the crowd on its feet cheering when he stopped MacKinnon on a breakaway , then managed to get his heel on Vladislav Kamenev ’ s shot on the rebound .
Kamenev crashed into Demko , but the puck stayed out of the net .
The Canucks led 2-1 after the first period despite being outshot 17-7 and outplayed for long stretches .
Stecher scored just 82 seconds into the game .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ blasted a shot from the top of the face-off circle that sailed over Francouz ’ s glove .
Elias Pettersson showed patience setting up Miller ’ s goal at 12:29 .
After picking up a puck chipped along the boards , Pettersson broke into the Colorado zone then waited for defenseman Ian Cole to commit himself before passing to Miller , who had an open net for his 27th of the season .
The Avs scored 48 seconds later when MacKinnon drove to the net , stopped , turned and passed to Johnson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
NOTES : There was a video tribute during the first period for Montreal Canadiens ’ legend Henri Richard who died Friday .
… Defenseman Tyler Myers returned to the Canucks lineup after missing Wednesday ’ s game due to injury .
… Defenseman Alex Edler collected his 300th NHL assist on Vancouver ’ s first goal .
… After taking a 2-0 lead , Vancouver didn ’ t have a shot on goal for the final 7:31 of the first period .

VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Zack MacEwen scored two goals and the Vancouver Canucks beat the Colorado Avalanche 6-3 on Friday night to snap a four-game losing streak and move into contention for a playoff spot in the tight Western Conference.
J.T. Miller and Antoine Roussel each had a goal and an assist for Vancouver, which managed to hang on to a third-period lead. Troy Stecher added a goal and Tanner Pearson scored into an an empty net for the Canucks, who had squandered third-period leads in their last two losses.
Erik Johnson and Gabriel Landeskog each had a goal and an assist for the Avalanche, who lost in regulation for the first time in 10 games (7-1-2). Valeri Nichushkin added a goal and Nathan MacKinnon had two assists.
The win moves Vancouver into a tie with Winnipeg for the first wild-card spot in the West with 76 points. Colorado remains second in the West with 88 points, two back of St. Louis.
Vancouver goaltender Thatcher Demko, making his fifth start for the injured Jacob Markstrom, stopped 29 shots. Avalanche goalie Pavel Francouz made 19 saves.
MacEwen put the game away at 16:13 of the third when he took a pass from behind the net from Roussel and beat Francouz.
The Canucks scored twice in the second period and got a big save from Demko to lead 4-3 after 40 minutes.
Vancouver took a 3-1 lead at 2:13 when MacEwen collected a puck as his own blue line, skated the length of the ice and beat Francouz with a low, hard shot.
The Avalanche scored just 1:13 later when Landeskog beat Demko on the stick side. Nichushkin tied the game at 8:04 on a 2-on-1 breakaway. Roussel put Vancouver back in front at 12:17 by deflecting in an Adam Gaudette pass.
Demko had the crowd on its feet cheering when he stopped MacKinnon on a breakaway, then managed to get his heel on Vladislav Kamenev’s shot on the rebound. Kamenev crashed into Demko, but the puck stayed out of the net.
The Canucks led 2-1 after the first period despite being outshot 17-7 and outplayed for long stretches.
Stecher scored just 82 seconds into the game. He took a feed from Miller and blasted a shot from the top of the face-off circle that sailed over Francouz’s glove.
Elias Pettersson showed patience setting up Miller’s goal at 12:29. After picking up a puck chipped along the boards, Pettersson broke into the Colorado zone then waited for defenseman Ian Cole to commit himself before passing to Miller, who had an open net for his 27th of the season.
The Avs scored 48 seconds later when MacKinnon drove to the net, stopped, turned and passed to Johnson, who shot the puck through Demko.
NOTES: There was a video tribute during the first period for Montreal Canadiens’ legend Henri Richard who died Friday. … Defenseman Tyler Myers returned to the Canucks lineup after missing Wednesday’s game due to injury. … Defenseman Alex Edler collected his 300th NHL assist on Vancouver’s first goal. … After taking a 2-0 lead, Vancouver didn’t have a shot on goal for the final 7:31 of the first period.
UP NEXT
Avalanche: At San Jose Sharks on Sunday.
Canucks: Host Columbus Blue Jackets Sunday.


thedenverpost--2020-03-07--NBA: Teams should get plan in place if virus keeps fans away

NEW YORK — The NBA told its teams Friday that they should be developing processes in case it becomes necessary to play games without fans or media because of the coronavirus crisis .
The league sent a memo detailing potential actions teams could need to take “ if it were to become necessary to play a game with only essential staff present.
” The memo , obtained by The Associated Press , says teams should identify which team and arena people would be necessary to conduct games , and be able to communicate quickly with non-essential staff , as well @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Teams should also be prepared “ for the possibility of implementing temperature checks on players , team staff , referees , and anyone else who is essential to conducting such a game in the team ’ s arena.
” Contents of the memo were first reported by The Athletic .
The letter also says teams should plan for scenarios in which media could attend games under revised media policies .
The league had already sent a memo to teams this week offering 10 recommendations to players with hopes of decreasing risks of getting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taking items such as pens , markers , balls and jerseys from autograph seekers .
An NCAA Division III men ’ s basketball tournament game on the campus of Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore , Maryland , was played in an empty gym Friday in what was believed to be the first U.S. sports event held without fans because of the coronavirus , though an NCAA COVID-19 advisory panel said it is “ not recommending cancellation or public spacing of athletic and related events scheduled to occur in public spaces across the United @ @ @

NEW YORK — The NBA told its teams Friday that they should be developing processes in case it becomes necessary to play games without fans or media because of the coronavirus crisis.
The league sent a memo detailing potential actions teams could need to take “if it were to become necessary to play a game with only essential staff present.”
The memo, obtained by The Associated Press, says teams should identify which team and arena people would be necessary to conduct games, and be able to communicate quickly with non-essential staff, as well as ticket holders and corporate partners.
Teams should also be prepared “for the possibility of implementing temperature checks on players, team staff, referees, and anyone else who is essential to conducting such a game in the team’s arena.”
Contents of the memo were first reported by The Athletic.
The letter also says teams should plan for scenarios in which media could attend games under revised media policies.
The league had already sent a memo to teams this week offering 10 recommendations to players with hopes of decreasing risks of getting the virus — among them, not taking items such as pens, markers, balls and jerseys from autograph seekers.
An NCAA Division III men’s basketball tournament game on the campus of Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, was played in an empty gym Friday in what was believed to be the first U.S. sports event held without fans because of the coronavirus, though an NCAA COVID-19 advisory panel said it is “not recommending cancellation or public spacing of athletic and related events scheduled to occur in public spaces across the United States.”


thedenverpost--2020-03-07--5A girls basketball: Grandview girls smother Fruita Monument; Clark carries Creek to Final Four

Too big , too strong , too fast .
The fourth-seeded Grandview Wolves smothered No .
4 Fruita Monument on Friday night , blocking , denying and stealing their way to a 77-38 win in Great 8 girls basketball action at Denver Coliseum .
Sophomore post Lauren Betts scored 12 of her 31 points in the first quarter , as Grandview ( 23-3 ) raced out to a 18-9 lead and steadily grew it from there .
Whether it was fronting , zoning , double- or triple-teaming , Fruita did all it could to limit the 6-foot-7 Betts in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sank 15-of-18 shots , starting with two buckets on the low block in the opening 50 seconds .
“ She ’ s a special kid , there ’ s no doubt about it , ” Grandview coach Josh Ulitzky said .
On the other end , the long , active arms of the Wolves harassed Fruita ( 23-3 ) into 18 turnovers as they racked up 15 steals and seven blocks .
Betts accounted for four of the latter and also grabbed 12 rebounds , including seven on the offensive end .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and we ’ re not , and they play really aggressive and physical , ” Fruita coach Michael Wells said .
“ That ’ s one of the things we don ’ t see on a regular basis on the Western Slope.
” Guard Bailey Rigsby led Fruita with 16 points .
But Callie Allen , the team ’ s leading scorer entering the game , managed just six as the Wildcats were held to their second-lowest scoring output of the season .
Marya Hudgins added 13 points for Grandivew , which will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in next Thursday ’ s semifinals at Denver Coliseum .
No .
2 Cherry Creek 46 , No .
7 Ralston Valley 33 .
The Mustangs weren ’ t about to let Gatorade state player of the year Jana Van Gytenbeek beat them in Friday night ’ s Great 8 matchup .
Cali Clark did instead .
Facing a variety of junk defenses focused largely on Van Gytenbeek , including a box-and-one , Cherry Creek ( 24-2 ) looked to Clark to punish Ralston Valley ( 20-6 ) in the post .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , knocking down 9-of-14 from the field for a game-high 20 points .
Clark also grabbed 15 rebounds for the Bruins , who will face Highlands Ranch next Thursday in the Final Four at Denver Coliseum .
“ We ’ ve seen it ( before ) , ” Creek coach Cint Evans said of RV ’ s box-and-one .
“ But the unique thing that they did — it wasn ’ t just box-and-one .
If you heard ( their ) coach ’ s calls , he had another little hybrid defense , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had a box-and-1 and sometimes where they would drop and go into a 2-3 , and I think that was probably to stop Jana and Cali.
” While that was effective in holding Van Gytenbeek to a season-low two points on 1-of-5 shooting , Clark found more than enough room to operate .
And with the Creek defense limiting the Mustangs to 32.5 % shooting ( 13-of-40 ) and single digits in each of the first three quarters , it wasn ’ t nearly enough .
Only guard Saya Sabus ’ s 6-of-7 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bruins from completely running away with things in the second half .
“ We rebounded , I thought , really well .
Didn ’ t give them a whole lot of easy looks , ” Evans said .
“ They didn ’ t have any flow on offense either .
The game didn ’ t have any flow .
It just was not a pretty basketball game.
” No .
1 Valor Christian 63 , No .
8 Fossil Ridge 22 .
The Eagles have been waiting all season for a Colorado team @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
They ’ ll have to wait a little longer .
Blitzing the Sabercats ( 21-5 ) with a full-court press from the opening tip in Friday ’ s nightcap , Valor ( 25-1 ) ripped off a 13-0 run in the first four minutes of the first quarter and didn ’ t look back , cruising to a Final Four showdown with Grandview next Thursday .
Sydney Beers ( 13 ) , Jenna Siebert ( 12 ) , Karissa Lukasiewicz ( 12 ) , Kindyll Wetta ( 10 ) and Skyler Boylan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ figures for Valor , which shot 57.4 % from the field and outscored Fossil Ridge 38-6 in the paint .
Meanwhile , Fossil Ridge struggled under Valor ’ s unrelenting defensive pressure with only five less turnovers ( 17 ) than it had total points .
Sophie Hadad led the Sabercats with seven points .

Too big, too strong, too fast.
The fourth-seeded Grandview Wolves smothered No. 4 Fruita Monument on Friday night, blocking, denying and stealing their way to a 77-38 win in Great 8 girls basketball action at Denver Coliseum.
Sophomore post Lauren Betts scored 12 of her 31 points in the first quarter, as Grandview (23-3) raced out to a 18-9 lead and steadily grew it from there.
Whether it was fronting, zoning, double- or triple-teaming, Fruita did all it could to limit the 6-foot-7 Betts in the post. No matter, she still sank 15-of-18 shots, starting with two buckets on the low block in the opening 50 seconds.
“She’s a special kid, there’s no doubt about it,” Grandview coach Josh Ulitzky said.
On the other end, the long, active arms of the Wolves harassed Fruita (23-3) into 18 turnovers as they racked up 15 steals and seven blocks. Betts accounted for four of the latter and also grabbed 12 rebounds, including seven on the offensive end.
“They are long at every position, and we’re not, and they play really aggressive and physical,” Fruita coach Michael Wells said. “That’s one of the things we don’t see on a regular basis on the Western Slope.”
Guard Bailey Rigsby led Fruita with 16 points. But Callie Allen, the team’s leading scorer entering the game, managed just six as the Wildcats were held to their second-lowest scoring output of the season.
Marya Hudgins added 13 points for Grandivew, which will face either Valor Christian or Fossil Ridge in next Thursday’s semifinals at Denver Coliseum.
No. 2 Cherry Creek 46, No. 7 Ralston Valley 33. The Mustangs weren’t about to let Gatorade state player of the year Jana Van Gytenbeek beat them in Friday night’s Great 8 matchup. Cali Clark did instead.
Facing a variety of junk defenses focused largely on Van Gytenbeek, including a box-and-one, Cherry Creek (24-2) looked to Clark to punish Ralston Valley (20-6) in the post. The 6-foot-3 Colorado State commit did just that, knocking down 9-of-14 from the field for a game-high 20 points.
Clark also grabbed 15 rebounds for the Bruins, who will face Highlands Ranch next Thursday in the Final Four at Denver Coliseum.
“We’ve seen it (before),” Creek coach Cint Evans said of RV’s box-and-one. “But the unique thing that they did — it wasn’t just box-and-one. If you heard (their) coach’s calls, he had another little hybrid defense, so there were some times where they had a box-and-1 and sometimes where they would drop and go into a 2-3, and I think that was probably to stop Jana and Cali.”
While that was effective in holding Van Gytenbeek to a season-low two points on 1-of-5 shooting, Clark found more than enough room to operate. And with the Creek defense limiting the Mustangs to 32.5% shooting (13-of-40) and single digits in each of the first three quarters, it wasn’t nearly enough.
Only guard Saya Sabus’s 6-of-7 night (14 points) kept the Bruins from completely running away with things in the second half.
“We rebounded, I thought, really well. Didn’t give them a whole lot of easy looks,” Evans said. “They didn’t have any flow on offense either. The game didn’t have any flow. It just was not a pretty basketball game.”
No. 1 Valor Christian 63, No. 8 Fossil Ridge 22. The Eagles have been waiting all season for a Colorado team to challenge them in the fourth quarter. They’ll have to wait a little longer.
Blitzing the Sabercats (21-5) with a full-court press from the opening tip in Friday’s nightcap, Valor (25-1) ripped off a 13-0 run in the first four minutes of the first quarter and didn’t look back, cruising to a Final Four showdown with Grandview next Thursday.
Sydney Beers (13), Jenna Siebert (12), Karissa Lukasiewicz (12), Kindyll Wetta (10) and Skyler Boylan (10) all scored in double figures for Valor, which shot 57.4% from the field and outscored Fossil Ridge 38-6 in the paint.
Meanwhile, Fossil Ridge struggled under Valor’s unrelenting defensive pressure with only five less turnovers (17) than it had total points. Sophie Hadad led the Sabercats with seven points.


thedenverpost--2020-03-07--5A girls basketball: Clutch free throws push Highlands Ranch into Final Four

Payton Muma stepped to the free-throw line six times over the final minute Friday night in the Class 5A girls basketball state quarterfinals .
The Highlands Ranch starting point guard embraced the pressure against Regis Jesuit inside the Denver Coliseum .
“ I just thought : ‘ These need to go in , ’ ” Muma said .
“ I practiced with my dad at the gym .
Those last free-throw shots , I had to make them.
” Six attempts , six made buckets , and moments later Muma hoisted a CHSAA Final Four plaque in celebration with jumping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ victory .
Muma paced the Falcons with 18 points , seven assists and four steals .
No .
6 Highlands Ranch ( 21-5 ) will now face the winner of Cherry Creek and Ralston Valley next Thursday in the semifinals .
Highlands Ranch coach Caryn Jarocki beamed with pride outside the Falcons postgame locker room .
She might have predicted the championship-level poise from her starting point guard .
“ I talked to ( Muma ) this week about moving from being good to being great , ” Jarocki said .
“ Great @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and make those .
Great players don ’ t turn the ball over in the end .
Great players finish the last shot , they don ’ t just take it .
I was hoping she could move from good to great , and she did that a little bit today.
” No .
3 Regis ( 21-4 ) began the game in a hole with only five points in the first quarter .
The Raiders also lost starting junior guard Gracie Weigand to an apparent right knee injury during a scary moment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pain on the floor for several minutes , was carried to the bench by athletic training staff , and did not return to play .
“ It was tough , ” Regis coach Carl Mattei said .
“ We lost Gracie in the beginning there , she ’ s going to Notre Dame to play lacrosse , and she ’ s my best defensive player .
She ’ s a top-20 ( lacrosse recruit ) .
That ’ s why it was so devastating.
” The Raiders surged in the second quarter behind @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sickle , who dropped 10 of her game-high 22 points before halftime , including four baskets from deep .
When Regis senior Jada Moore drilled a triple as the third period closed , a double-digit Falcons lead had dwindled to 7 points .
But the interior length of Highlands Ranch frustrated Moore , a Kansas State signee , and the Raiders all game .
Highlands Ranch racked up 10 blocks and limited Moore to 11 points on 4-of-18 shooting from the floor .
“ Stopping that dribble penetration and being able to trust @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was huge , ” Jarocki said .
“ They ’ ve really bought into playing defense .
You can ’ t win without playing defense and rebounding .
… It was a total team win today.
” Muma , still clutching that Final Four plaque long after the final buzzer , explained why the Falcons aren ’ t done yet .
Highlands Ranch is home to seven girls basketball state titles , the second-most in Colorado history , but none since 2011 .
Muma , with ice in her veins at the charity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ It ’ s amazing winning here , I love it , ” Muma said .
“ My teammates are wonderful … We ’ re going to try to make it and win the state championship .
”

Payton Muma stepped to the free-throw line six times over the final minute Friday night in the Class 5A girls basketball state quarterfinals.
The Highlands Ranch starting point guard embraced the pressure against Regis Jesuit inside the Denver Coliseum.
“I just thought: ‘These need to go in,’” Muma said. “I practiced with my dad at the gym. Those last free-throw shots, I had to make them.”
Six attempts, six made buckets, and moments later Muma hoisted a CHSAA Final Four plaque in celebration with jumping teammates at midcourt after a dramatic 51-44 victory. Muma paced the Falcons with 18 points, seven assists and four steals. No. 6 Highlands Ranch (21-5) will now face the winner of Cherry Creek and Ralston Valley next Thursday in the semifinals.
Highlands Ranch coach Caryn Jarocki beamed with pride outside the Falcons postgame locker room. She might have predicted the championship-level poise from her starting point guard.
“I talked to (Muma) this week about moving from being good to being great,” Jarocki said. “Great players get up at that free-throw line and make those. Great players don’t turn the ball over in the end. Great players finish the last shot, they don’t just take it. I was hoping she could move from good to great, and she did that a little bit today.”
No. 3 Regis (21-4) began the game in a hole with only five points in the first quarter. The Raiders also lost starting junior guard Gracie Weigand to an apparent right knee injury during a scary moment beneath the basket. Weigand writhed in pain on the floor for several minutes, was carried to the bench by athletic training staff, and did not return to play.
“It was tough,” Regis coach Carl Mattei said. “We lost Gracie in the beginning there, she’s going to Notre Dame to play lacrosse, and she’s my best defensive player. She’s a top-20 (lacrosse recruit). That’s why it was so devastating.”
The Raiders surged in the second quarter behind the scoring of junior guard Avery Van Sickle, who dropped 10 of her game-high 22 points before halftime, including four baskets from deep. When Regis senior Jada Moore drilled a triple as the third period closed, a double-digit Falcons lead had dwindled to 7 points.
But the interior length of Highlands Ranch frustrated Moore, a Kansas State signee, and the Raiders all game. Highlands Ranch racked up 10 blocks and limited Moore to 11 points on 4-of-18 shooting from the floor.
“Stopping that dribble penetration and being able to trust my bigs in the back to defend was huge,” Jarocki said. “They’ve really bought into playing defense. You can’t win without playing defense and rebounding. … It was a total team win today.”
Muma, still clutching that Final Four plaque long after the final buzzer, explained why the Falcons aren’t done yet. Highlands Ranch is home to seven girls basketball state titles, the second-most in Colorado history, but none since 2011.
Muma, with ice in her veins at the charity stripe, plans to change all that.
“It’s amazing winning here, I love it,” Muma said. “My teammates are wonderful … We’re going to try to make it and win the state championship.”


thedenverpost--2020-03-07--NHL urges players to limit fan contact because of virus

TORONTO — The NHL has sent a memo to teams urging players to limit contact with fans because of the coronavirus outbreak .
NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly confirmed the league issued the memo in an email to The Canadian Press on Friday .
The move follows a similar directive this month by the NBA , which has told its players to stop high-fiving fans and strangers , and avoid taking items for autographs .
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said Wednesday at the close of the annual general managers meetings in Florida that he ’ s ordered a halt to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ league employees .
And if an individual ends up in a location affected by the virus on their own , the NHL is mandating a two-week quarantine before that person can return to work .
The Ottawa Senators ’ road game against the San Jose Sharks on Saturday night remains on schedule despite a recommendation to cancel large gatherings in the county where the arena is located .
The Sharks encouraged fans to follow another suggestion from the Santa Clara County ’ s Public Health Department , which recommends that “ persons at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parades , sporting events , and concerts where large numbers of people are within arm ’ s length of one another.
” The Sharks announced Friday that all events at SAP Center this weekend will go on as scheduled .

TORONTO — The NHL has sent a memo to teams urging players to limit contact with fans because of the coronavirus outbreak.
NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly confirmed the league issued the memo in an email to The Canadian Press on Friday.
The move follows a similar directive this month by the NBA, which has told its players to stop high-fiving fans and strangers, and avoid taking items for autographs.
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said Wednesday at the close of the annual general managers meetings in Florida that he’s ordered a halt to all business-related travel outside North America for league employees.
And if an individual ends up in a location affected by the virus on their own, the NHL is mandating a two-week quarantine before that person can return to work.
The Ottawa Senators’ road game against the San Jose Sharks on Saturday night remains on schedule despite a recommendation to cancel large gatherings in the county where the arena is located.
The Sharks encouraged fans to follow another suggestion from the Santa Clara County’s Public Health Department, which recommends that “persons at higher risk avoid mass gatherings such as parades, sporting events, and concerts where large numbers of people are within arm’s length of one another.”
The Sharks announced Friday that all events at SAP Center this weekend will go on as scheduled.


thedenverpost--2020-03-07--Projecting the Rockies’ 2020 opening day roster

SCOTTSDALE , Ariz. — There is a lot of Cactus League baseball remaining to be played but the Rockies ’ 2020 opening-day roster is beginning to emerge .
Position battles for the fifth starter , the outfield and much of the bullpen will be evaluated carefully by manager Bud Black , his coaches and the front office between now and the season-opener at San Diego on March 26 .
There are some tough choices to make to whittle down to 26 players .
A look at how things appear at this point : Starting rotation : Four pitchers — right-handers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Senzatela , and lefty Kyle Freeland — are locked into starting roles .
That leaves right-handers Chi Chi Gonzalez , Peter Lambert and Jeff Hoffman as prime candidates for the fifth spot .
Gonzalez , coming off an excellent September , had a fine Cactus League start on Thursday and the Rockies love his grit and potential .
The jury is still out on Hoffman , who ’ s tinkered with his delivery in search of better pitch command .
The bullpen is a possibility for him .
Lambert , just 22 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Black likes , but after his rough rookie season , he ’ ll likely begin 2020 in Triple-A .
The wild card is right-hander Ubaldo Jimenez , a Rockies star 10 years ago .
He has not pitched in two years but he still brings some heat .
Bullpen : It ’ s tough to sort out right now and pitchers will be mixed and matched throughout the regular season .
Right now , the locks are Wade Davis as the closer and Scott Oberg , Jairo Díaz , and Carlos Estévez as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ impressed and lefty Jake McGee is almost certain to make the squad .
Right-hander Bryan Shaw , who struggled last season , also has struggled this spring , but he ’ s owed $ 9 million and that ’ s a factor .
However , if others clearly outpitch Shaw , he could lose his roster spot .
Other relievers in the mix are lefties James Pazos , Phillip Diehl and Tim Collins , and righties Joe Harvey and Jesus Tinoco .
Catcher : Fan favorite Tony Wolters is the starter and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of him .
The race for the backup job is close between Elias Diaz and Drew Buetra , both non-roster invites .
Díaz has more pop in his bat and played 101 games for the Pirates last season .
But Butera is familiar with Rockies pitchers and Black values his defense .
Diaz appears to have a slight edge .
First base : Veteran Daniel Murphy , hoping to rebound from a subpar , injury-plagued 2019 season , will start .
His primary backup is starting second baseman Ryan McMahon but the door @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could bring a right-handed bat to the position when Murphy has a day off .
Second base : McMahon , coming off a 24-home run season , just keeps getting better and he ’ s swinging a hot bat this spring .
There is serious competition for the backup role .
Garrett Hampson and Chris Owings ( who ’ s had a great camp ) can both play outfield , too , so either would add versatility .
The wild card is top prospect Brendan Rodgers , who ’ s returned much quicker @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rodgers puts on a show over the final 18 days of spring training , he could make the squad , but he ’ s likely to begin at Triple-A where he ’ ll see more at-bats .
Shortstop : All-star power hitter Trevor Story might be the best shortstop in baseball and the Rockies can ill afford to lose him .
Backing up Story will likely be either Garrett Hampson or Owings .
Third base : After a tumultuous offseason , perennial all-star Nolan Arenado is ready to shine again .
His primary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Arenado ’ s younger cousin , could make the team because of his ability to play corner infield .
Outfield : There are a number of players in the mix and many of them will fill multiple outfield spots .
The standard lineup will feature David Dahl in center , Charlie Blackmon in right and either Ian Desmond or left-handed hitting Raimel Tapia in left .
If Hampson makes the team , he can play center field .
Two intriguing rookies to watch down the spring training stretch are Sam Hilliard , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who is a plus-fielder and has sparkled in camp .
Both , however , require playing time to improve .
Friday roster moves : The Rockies optioned left-handed pitcher Ben Bowden and infielder Tyler Nevin to Triple-A Albuquerque , and right-handed pitcher Antonio Santos to Double-A Hartford .
Bowden is dealing with a back injury .
The club also reassigned the following non-roster players to minor-league camp : right-handed pitchers Tommy Doyle , Julian Fernández , Alexander Guillen , Tim Melville and Wes Parsons , along with lefty Ryan Rolison , infielders Ryan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Serven .
On the mound : Right-hander German Marquez , working on his developing changeup , pitched three innings , allowing two runs on three hits with one walk and three strikeouts .
Marquez ran into trouble in the third when he left the ball up in the zone .
… Relievers James Pazos , Jairo Díaz and Bryan Shaw all tossed scoreless innings .
It was a good day for Shaw , who has been struggling .
At the plate : Second baseman Ryan McMahon is heating up .
He smashed a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he ’ s 5-for-11 with three doubles and a homer over his last four games .
… Utility player , Garrett Hampson , battling Chris Owings to make the 26-man roster , went 3-for-3 with a double .
Worth noting : McMahon notched the first multi-homer game of the spring for Colorado and his four RBIs are the most by a Rockie so far .
Up next : Rockies ( 7-6-1 ) at Dodgers ( 7-5 ) , 1:05 p.m. Saturday , Camelback Ranch Rockies pitchers : RHP Ubaldo Jiménez , RHP Daniel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jake McGee , RHP Jesus Tinoco , LHP Tim Collins Dodgers pitchers : LHP David Price , RHP Blake Treinen , RHP Zach McAllister , RHP Brusdar Graterol , LHP Scott Alexander , LHP Adam Kolarek — Patrick Saunders , The Denver Post

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — There is a lot of Cactus League baseball remaining to be played but the Rockies’ 2020 opening-day roster is beginning to emerge.
Position battles for the fifth starter, the outfield and much of the bullpen will be evaluated carefully by manager Bud Black, his coaches and the front office between now and the season-opener at San Diego on March 26. There are some tough choices to make to whittle down to 26 players.
A look at how things appear at this point:
Starting rotation: Four pitchers — right-handers German Marquez, Jon Gray and Antonio Senzatela, and lefty Kyle Freeland — are locked into starting roles. That leaves right-handers Chi Chi Gonzalez, Peter Lambert and Jeff Hoffman as prime candidates for the fifth spot.
Gonzalez, coming off an excellent September, had a fine Cactus League start on Thursday and the Rockies love his grit and potential. The jury is still out on Hoffman, who’s tinkered with his delivery in search of better pitch command. The bullpen is a possibility for him. Lambert, just 22, is the kind of cerebral pitcher that Black likes, but after his rough rookie season, he’ll likely begin 2020 in Triple-A.
The wild card is right-hander Ubaldo Jimenez, a Rockies star 10 years ago. He has not pitched in two years but he still brings some heat.
Bullpen: It’s tough to sort out right now and pitchers will be mixed and matched throughout the regular season. Right now, the locks are Wade Davis as the closer and Scott Oberg, Jairo Díaz, and Carlos Estévez as set-up men. Right-hander Tyler Kinley has impressed and lefty Jake McGee is almost certain to make the squad.
Right-hander Bryan Shaw, who struggled last season, also has struggled this spring, but he’s owed $9 million and that’s a factor. However, if others clearly outpitch Shaw, he could lose his roster spot. Other relievers in the mix are lefties James Pazos, Phillip Diehl and Tim Collins, and righties Joe Harvey and Jesus Tinoco.
Catcher: Fan favorite Tony Wolters is the starter and the Rockies hope to get 100-110 games out of him. The race for the backup job is close between Elias Diaz and Drew Buetra, both non-roster invites. Díaz has more pop in his bat and played 101 games for the Pirates last season. But Butera is familiar with Rockies pitchers and Black values his defense. Diaz appears to have a slight edge.
First base: Veteran Daniel Murphy, hoping to rebound from a subpar, injury-plagued 2019 season, will start. His primary backup is starting second baseman Ryan McMahon but the door is open for Josh Fuentes, who could bring a right-handed bat to the position when Murphy has a day off.
Second base: McMahon, coming off a 24-home run season, just keeps getting better and he’s swinging a hot bat this spring. There is serious competition for the backup role. Garrett Hampson and Chris Owings (who’s had a great camp) can both play outfield, too, so either would add versatility.
The wild card is top prospect Brendan Rodgers, who’s returned much quicker than expected from shoulder surgery. If Rodgers puts on a show over the final 18 days of spring training, he could make the squad, but he’s likely to begin at Triple-A where he’ll see more at-bats.
Shortstop: All-star power hitter Trevor Story might be the best shortstop in baseball and the Rockies can ill afford to lose him. Backing up Story will likely be either Garrett Hampson or Owings.
Third base: After a tumultuous offseason, perennial all-star Nolan Arenado is ready to shine again. His primary backup is McMahon, but Fuentes, Arenado’s younger cousin, could make the team because of his ability to play corner infield.
Outfield: There are a number of players in the mix and many of them will fill multiple outfield spots. The standard lineup will feature David Dahl in center, Charlie Blackmon in right and either Ian Desmond or left-handed hitting Raimel Tapia in left. If Hampson makes the team, he can play center field.
Two intriguing rookies to watch down the spring training stretch are Sam Hilliard, who supplies power, and Yonathan Daza, who is a plus-fielder and has sparkled in camp. Both, however, require playing time to improve.
Friday roster moves: The Rockies optioned left-handed pitcher Ben Bowden and infielder Tyler Nevin to Triple-A Albuquerque, and right-handed pitcher Antonio Santos to Double-A Hartford. Bowden is dealing with a back injury.
The club also reassigned the following non-roster players to minor-league camp: right-handed pitchers Tommy Doyle, Julian Fernández, Alexander Guillen, Tim Melville and Wes Parsons, along with lefty Ryan Rolison, infielders Ryan Vilade and Colton Welker and catcher Brian Serven.
Rockies 6, Diamondbacks 6
At Salt River Fields, Scottsdale, Ariz.
On the mound: Right-hander German Marquez, working on his developing changeup, pitched three innings, allowing two runs on three hits with one walk and three strikeouts. Marquez ran into trouble in the third when he left the ball up in the zone. … Relievers James Pazos, Jairo Díaz and Bryan Shaw all tossed scoreless innings. It was a good day for Shaw, who has been struggling.
At the plate: Second baseman Ryan McMahon is heating up. He smashed a pair of long, two-run homers and he’s 5-for-11 with three doubles and a homer over his last four games. … Utility player, Garrett Hampson, battling Chris Owings to make the 26-man roster, went 3-for-3 with a double.
Worth noting: McMahon notched the first multi-homer game of the spring for Colorado and his four RBIs are the most by a Rockie so far.
Up next: Rockies (7-6-1) at Dodgers (7-5), 1:05 p.m. Saturday, Camelback Ranch
Rockies pitchers: RHP Ubaldo Jiménez, RHP Daniel Bard, RHP Yency Almonte, LHP Jake McGee, RHP Jesus Tinoco, LHP Tim Collins
Dodgers pitchers: LHP David Price, RHP Blake Treinen, RHP Zach McAllister, RHP Brusdar Graterol, LHP Scott Alexander, LHP Adam Kolarek
— Patrick Saunders, The Denver Post


thedenverpost--2020-03-07--Salvadoran man convicted of vehicular homicide in Weld County now in ICE custody

A Salvadoran man convicted of vehicular homicide in Weld County is in custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement .
@ @ @ @ @ , was convicted on Feb. 26 and sentenced to one-year in jail and four years @ @ @ @ @ ICE news release .
ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations “ arrested ” Portillo-Contreras on Wednesday @ @ @ @ @ awaiting the outcome of his immigration proceedings , ” the release said .
Portillo-Contreras was @ @ @ @ @ Dec. 11 , 2018 , in the vehicular homicide case .
“ All of those @ @ @ @ @ may be subject to immigration arrest , detention and , if found removable by final @ @ @ @ @ United States , ” the release said .
“ ICE remains committed to our public @ @ @ @ @ continue to do our sworn duty to seek out dangerous criminal aliens and other immigration @ @ @ @ @ cooperation with all local law enforcement and elected officials .
”

A Salvadoran man convicted of vehicular homicide in Weld County is in custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Jairo David Portillo-Contreras, 20, was convicted on Feb. 26 and sentenced to one-year in jail and four years probation, according to an ICE news release.
ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations “arrested” Portillo-Contreras on Wednesday and he is now “awaiting the outcome of his immigration proceedings,” the release said.
Portillo-Contreras was arrested by Greeley police on Dec. 11, 2018, in the vehicular homicide case.
“All of those in violation of immigration laws may be subject to immigration arrest, detention and, if found removable by final order, removal from the United States,” the release said. “ICE remains committed to our public safety mission and we will continue to do our sworn duty to seek out dangerous criminal aliens and other immigration violators. ICE seeks straightforward cooperation with all local law enforcement and elected officials.”