thedenverpost--2020-11-06--Snedeker takes Houston Open lead; Johnson and fans return

HOUSTON — Brandt Snedeker found a lot of fairways and greens at difficult Memorial Park , top-ranked Dustin Johnson returned from the coronavirus , and fans were back , too , Thursday at the Houston Open .
Snedeker shot a 5-under 65 in the afternoon to take a two-stroke lead in the last event before the Masters .
He ’ s one of 37 players in the field this week set to play at Augusta National .
“ Drove it great , ” Snedeker said .
“ Around this golf course you have to be in the fairway , otherwise @ @ @ @ @ @ @ long day for you .
Did a great job of that .
Made some putts .
And the par 5s , birdied every par 5 out there .
This course is a long , tough golf course , so to play well you need to take advantage of the scoring holes , which I did a great job of today.
” The tournament — at public Memorial Park for the first time since 1963 — is limiting ticket sales to 2,000 a day .
It ’ s the first domestic PGA Tour event @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on March 12 .
“ I think that ’ s a big reason why I played well today , ” Snedeker said .
“ I love having fans out here .
I kind of feed off their energy .
It ’ s great to hear some claps and people excited for good shots and some birdies.
” Johnson had a 72 — bogeying five of the last seven holes on his front nine — in his return after a positive coronavirus test knocked him out of the CJ Cup at Shadow Creek and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 39-year-old Snedeker won the last of his nine PGA Tour titles in 2018 .
He followed a birdie on the par-4 13th with a bogey on the par-4 14th after driving into the right rough , then birdied the par-3 15th and par-5 16th .
“ I ’ ve been driving it well , so it just kind of depended how I hit my irons and kind of hung in there , ” Snedeker said .
“ Did a great job of kind of thinking my way around the golf course.
” Jason @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Scheffler , Harold Varner III , Carlos Ortiz , Michael Thompson and Cameron Davis .
“ The golf course kind of forces you into being patient just because you can ’ t really miss too many greens , ” Scheffler said .
“ Around the greens out here is very , very difficult to get up-and-down and you can get into some spots where you start playing ping pong across these greens.
” Brooks Koepka also had a 72 .
He ’ s playing for the second time since a two-month layoff to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the winner last year at Golf Club of Houston , also shot 72 .
Jordan Spieth rounded out the morning threesome with a 72 .
“ It certainly felt more normal as we were playing today and especially as we were finishing up , ” Spieth said about the fans .
“ Just the look of it is way more normal than when it was just so bare.
” Koepka served as a consultant on course architect Tom Doak ’ s renovation .
“ I think every time Jordan hit it in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was my fault , ” Koepka said .
Phil Mickelson shot 76 .
He had two double bogeys and two bogeys .

HOUSTON — Brandt Snedeker found a lot of fairways and greens at difficult Memorial Park, top-ranked Dustin Johnson returned from the coronavirus, and fans were back, too, Thursday at the Houston Open.
Snedeker shot a 5-under 65 in the afternoon to take a two-stroke lead in the last event before the Masters. He’s one of 37 players in the field this week set to play at Augusta National.
“Drove it great,” Snedeker said. “Around this golf course you have to be in the fairway, otherwise it’s going to be a long day for you. Did a great job of that. Made some putts. And the par 5s, birdied every par 5 out there. This course is a long, tough golf course, so to play well you need to take advantage of the scoring holes, which I did a great job of today.”
The tournament — at public Memorial Park for the first time since 1963 — is limiting ticket sales to 2,000 a day. It’s the first domestic PGA Tour event to have fans since The Players Championship on March 12.
“I think that’s a big reason why I played well today,” Snedeker said. “I love having fans out here. I kind of feed off their energy. It’s great to hear some claps and people excited for good shots and some birdies.”
Johnson had a 72 — bogeying five of the last seven holes on his front nine — in his return after a positive coronavirus test knocked him out of the CJ Cup at Shadow Creek and the Zozo Championship at Sherwood.
The 39-year-old Snedeker won the last of his nine PGA Tour titles in 2018. He followed a birdie on the par-4 13th with a bogey on the par-4 14th after driving into the right rough, then birdied the par-3 15th and par-5 16th.
“I’ve been driving it well, so it just kind of depended how I hit my irons and kind of hung in there,” Snedeker said. “Did a great job of kind of thinking my way around the golf course.”
Jason Day was tied for second with Scottie Scheffler, Harold Varner III, Carlos Ortiz, Michael Thompson and Cameron Davis.
“The golf course kind of forces you into being patient just because you can’t really miss too many greens,” Scheffler said. “Around the greens out here is very, very difficult to get up-and-down and you can get into some spots where you start playing ping pong across these greens.”
Brooks Koepka also had a 72. He’s playing for the second time since a two-month layoff to heal injuries. Player partner Lanto Griffin, the winner last year at Golf Club of Houston, also shot 72. Jordan Spieth rounded out the morning threesome with a 72.
“It certainly felt more normal as we were playing today and especially as we were finishing up,” Spieth said about the fans. “Just the look of it is way more normal than when it was just so bare.”
Koepka served as a consultant on course architect Tom Doak’s renovation.
“I think every time Jordan hit it in the water, he told me that was my fault,” Koepka said.
Phil Mickelson shot 76. He had two double bogeys and two bogeys.


thedenverpost--2020-11-06--Trial for Mark Redwine, accused of killing son Dylan, paused amid judge’s coronavirus scare

The jury trial for a Colorado father accused of killing his 13-year-old son near Durango in 2012 was paused Thursday after the judge presiding over the case woke up with mild COVID-19 symptoms .
Sixth Judicial District Chief Judge Jeffrey Wilson stopped jury selection and took two tests for COVID-19 , with plans to declare a mistrial if the tests come back positive .
The first test returned a negative result Thursday evening , Court Executive Eric Hogue said .
The result of the second test is expected Saturday .
Hogue added that Wilson ’ s symptoms , which included @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were mild and had subsided within a few hours , but that he was tested for the virus out of an abundance of caution .
As long as the second test is also negative , jury selection should continue Monday in the trial of Mark Redwine , 59 , who is charged with second-degree murder and child abuse resulting in the death of his son , Dylan Redwine .
The boy went missing in November 2012 , shortly after he arrived at his father ’ s home for a court-ordered visit over the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s remains were found in 2013 , and his skull was discovered about a mile-and-a-half away from the first set of remains in 2015 .
Redwine was charged in the killing in 2017 ; all of Dylan ’ s remains were found within 10 miles of his Vallecito home .
The case garnered national attention , in part because Redwine has consistently denied any involvement in his son ’ s death .
“ What is out of the realm of possibility is that I would do anything to my son , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2014 interview .
Prosecutors , however , have pointed to the father and son ’ s strained relationship , and said they found blood inside Redwine ’ s home .
Investigators also said a police dog alerted to a “ cadaver scent ” inside Redwine ’ s home .
Opening statements in the trial , which had been expected to start Monday , will be pushed back by a day or two because of the coronavirus scare .
The trial is taking place in-person in Durango , but with a variety of health @ @ @ @ @ @ @

The jury trial for a Colorado father accused of killing his 13-year-old son near Durango in 2012 was paused Thursday after the judge presiding over the case woke up with mild COVID-19 symptoms.
Sixth Judicial District Chief Judge Jeffrey Wilson stopped jury selection and took two tests for COVID-19, with plans to declare a mistrial if the tests come back positive. The first test returned a negative result Thursday evening, Court Executive Eric Hogue said. The result of the second test is expected Saturday.
Hogue added that Wilson’s symptoms, which included the loss of taste and smell, were mild and had subsided within a few hours, but that he was tested for the virus out of an abundance of caution.
As long as the second test is also negative, jury selection should continue Monday in the trial of Mark Redwine, 59, who is charged with second-degree murder and child abuse resulting in the death of his son, Dylan Redwine.
The boy went missing in November 2012, shortly after he arrived at his father’s home for a court-ordered visit over the Thanksgiving holiday. Part of the boy’s remains were found in 2013, and his skull was discovered about a mile-and-a-half away from the first set of remains in 2015. Redwine was charged in the killing in 2017; all of Dylan’s remains were found within 10 miles of his Vallecito home.
The case garnered national attention, in part because Redwine has consistently denied any involvement in his son’s death.
“What is out of the realm of possibility is that I would do anything to my son,” he told The Denver Post in a 2014 interview.
Prosecutors, however, have pointed to the father and son’s strained relationship, and said they found blood inside Redwine’s home. Investigators also said a police dog alerted to a “cadaver scent” inside Redwine’s home.
Opening statements in the trial, which had been expected to start Monday, will be pushed back by a day or two because of the coronavirus scare. The trial is taking place in-person in Durango, but with a variety of health precautions, including mask-wearing and social-distancing.


thedenverpost--2020-11-06--Colorado wildfires update: Closed stretch of Colorado 125 reopens in East Troublesome fire area

Areas along Colorado 125 that were evacuated because of the East Troublesome fire reopened on Thursday , as did the highway which was shut down since October 17 .
“ The highway is now open for thru traffic and property owners may re-enter the area , ” according to the Grand County Office of Emergency Management .
Anyone entering the fire-ravaged area should be aware of hazards including smoldering fire and falling trees , emergency management said .
The section opened Thursday was the last remaining closed off residential area in the massive wildfire zone .
Utility companies are working @ @ @ @ @ @ @ area where many homes were burned to the ground .
In all , more than 300 homes and between 100 and 200 secondary structures , such as barns and garages , were destroyed by the wildfire .
The East Troublesome fire , the second-largest wildfire in Colorado history , has burned 193,804 acres , almost 303 square miles .
It is 37 % contained , according to fire officials .
At the Cameron Peak fire , burning in Larimer County , smoke was visible in some areas on Thursday , fire officials said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ahead of a weekend cold front , was expected Thursday , but fire behavior was limited mostly to single-tree torching , firefighters said .
“ The threat of fire-weakened trees falling in the gusty winds remains a hazard to firefighters and anyone in the burned area , ” fire officials said .
The weekend cold front is expected to bring moisture , beginning as rain on Saturday night , before changing to snow on Sunday and Monday , fire weather forecasters said .
The Cameron Peak fire , the largest wildfire in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , or 326 square miles , since starting on Aug. 13 .
It is 92 % contained and the cause of the wildfire remains under investigation .

Areas along Colorado 125 that were evacuated because of the East Troublesome fire reopened on Thursday, as did the highway which was shut down since October 17.
“The highway is now open for thru traffic and property owners may re-enter the area,” according to the Grand County Office of Emergency Management.
Anyone entering the fire-ravaged area should be aware of hazards including smoldering fire and falling trees, emergency management said.
The section opened Thursday was the last remaining closed off residential area in the massive wildfire zone. Utility companies are working on restoring energy to the hard hit area where many homes were burned to the ground. In all, more than 300 homes and between 100 and 200 secondary structures, such as barns and garages, were destroyed by the wildfire.
The East Troublesome fire, the second-largest wildfire in Colorado history, has burned 193,804 acres, almost 303 square miles. It is 37% contained, according to fire officials.
At the Cameron Peak fire, burning in Larimer County, smoke was visible in some areas on Thursday, fire officials said in an update.
Strong southwest winds, ahead of a weekend cold front, was expected Thursday, but fire behavior was limited mostly to single-tree torching, firefighters said.
“The threat of fire-weakened trees falling in the gusty winds remains a hazard to firefighters and anyone in the burned area,” fire officials said.
The weekend cold front is expected to bring moisture, beginning as rain on Saturday night, before changing to snow on Sunday and Monday, fire weather forecasters said.
The Cameron Peak fire, the largest wildfire in Colorado history, has burned 208,913 acres, or 326 square miles, since starting on Aug. 13. It is 92% contained and the cause of the wildfire remains under investigation.


thedenverpost--2020-11-06--Colorado Proposition 117, asking for voter approval of new fees, slides into victory

Colorado voters have passed a measure that will require the state to request voters ’ permission before creating certain new @ @ @ @ @ means lawmakers will have to put on the ballot any new fees expected to bring @ @ @ @ @ million from fees and surcharges in the first five years .
Opponents conceded late Thursday @ @ @ @ @ of the statewide vote counted , Prop 117 had received almost 53 % support .
@ @ @ @ @ was led by conservative groups , with Colorado Rising State Action taking the lead .
@ @ @ @ @ way to close what they call a loophole in the Taxpayer ’ s Bill of @ @ @ @ @ of any new taxes but not new fees .
Opponents , however , argued that @ @ @ @ @ programs for Coloradans .

Colorado voters have passed a measure that will require the state to request voters’ permission before creating certain new state enterprises.
Proposition 117 means lawmakers will have to put on the ballot any new fees expected to bring in at least $100 million from fees and surcharges in the first five years.
Opponents conceded late Thursday afternoon. With 91% of the statewide vote counted, Prop 117 had received almost 53% support.
The campaign for the measure was led by conservative groups, with Colorado Rising State Action taking the lead. Proponents said it was a way to close what they call a loophole in the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights, which requires approval of any new taxes but not new fees.
Opponents, however, argued that the measure could hurt essential programs for Coloradans.


thedenverpost--2020-11-06--Colorado State vs. Wyoming live blog: Real-time updates from the Border War football game at Canvas

Colorado State vs. Wyoming live blog: Real-time updates from the Border War football game at Canvas Stadium

Live updates , tweets , photos , analysis and more from the Colorado State Rams game against the Wyoming Cowboys @ @ @ @ @ Collins on Nov. 5 , 2020 .
Mobile users , if you can ’ t @ @ @ @ @ tap here .

Rocky Mountain Showdown in ’28 and ’36? CSU Rams coach Jay Norvell is all for it. “I’d like to be able to play it whenever we can.”


thedenverpost--2020-11-06--Pat Shurmur believes Drew Lock’s first signature comeback win with Broncos is a good omen: “He showe

Pat Shurmur believes Drew Lock’s first signature comeback win with Broncos is a good omen: “He showed can he lead us to victory.”

In the wake of Drew Lock ’ s first signature NFL comeback last Sunday , Broncos offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur believes the moxie the quarterback displayed in the comeback victory over the Chargers is a good omen for Lock ’ s growth .
“ He showed great poise , ” Shurmur said .
“ We learned from a couple weeks previous — you have to take what ( the defense ) gives you at times… .
He executed well and he showed can he lead us to victory .
He can build on that.
” The 23-year-old second-year pro engineered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s final five possessions to erase a 21-point deficit in the 31-30 win and move the Broncos to 3-4 entering a Week 9 road test in Atlanta .
The rally culminated with Lock ’ s 1-yard , game-winning touchdown pass to KJ Hamler as time expired .
• 🔊 Broncos podcast : Denver looks to get back to .500 with road win in Atlanta • Broncos scouting report : How Denver matches up against Falcons and predictions • Jackson : Broncos QB Drew Lock needs to block out the noise if he wants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : How much does offense miss receiver Courtland Sutton ?
“ He was able to execute at a pretty high level late in the game , and then when forced to get one throw for the win , he was able to execute it , ” Shurmur said .
“ Being able to make clutch throws in critical situations , that ’ s very important.
” Lock has two game-winning drives to his credit , both of which have come against the Chargers .
Prior to last week ’ s comeback , Lock @ @ @ @ @ @ @ McManus ’ game-winning field goal against the Chargers in his NFL debut on Dec. 1 a year ago .
Shurmur doesn ’ t underestimate the importance of those milestones .
“ Somebody will eventually start doing the math and adding up all the game-winning drives that a ( young ) quarterback has been able to execute , ” Shurmur said .
And while Shurmur acknowledged things were “ hitting the fan ” in the first half against Los Angeles as the offense sputtered and drew boos from the home crowd , he said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the face of that adversity .
Still , the offensive coordinator said there ’ s plenty to address in Lock & Co. ’ s execution at the beginning of games , or lack thereof .
Denver ranks third-worst in first-half points scored with 61 , far off the league average of 97 .
“ We have to ask ourselves , ‘ How do we execute better early ? '
” Shurmur said .
“ That ’ s the challenge moving forward — I think we ’ d all agree , shooting three-pointers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to do this thing .
But in proving that you can do it , you draw confidence from that.
” Meanwhile , the trust between play-caller and quarterback has deepened , even as Lock posted the first two-interception games of his career against New England and Kansas City in Weeks 6 and 7 , respectively , after returning from a Week 2 shoulder injury .
“ Our relationship has grown a lot in this past season , ” Lock said .
“ Going into a Tuesday , where I ’ m waiting to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a pretty good idea of what ’ s going to come my way after watching the tape on Monday of what the defense we ’ re about to play does .
Those first couple weeks , it was a roll of the dice for me — I wasn ’ t exactly sure what we ’ d be calling or what our mindset would be going into that game.
” “ Now , I ’ ve got a pretty good idea of what we ’ re going to call and what we ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ That makes me feel comfortable and it makes me more relaxed .
( Shurmur and I ) are getting on the same page , and that ’ s exciting to see , especially this early in the season together as far as games I ’ ve actually played .
”

In the wake of Drew Lock’s first signature NFL comeback last Sunday, Broncos offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur believes the moxie the quarterback displayed in the comeback victory over the Chargers is a good omen for Lock’s growth.
“He showed great poise,” Shurmur said. “We learned from a couple weeks previous — you have to take what (the defense) gives you at times…. He executed well and he showed can he lead us to victory. He can build on that.”
The 23-year-old second-year pro engineered touchdown drives on four of Denver’s final five possessions to erase a 21-point deficit in the 31-30 win and move the Broncos to 3-4 entering a Week 9 road test in Atlanta. The rally culminated with Lock’s 1-yard, game-winning touchdown pass to KJ Hamler as time expired.
“He was able to execute at a pretty high level late in the game, and then when forced to get one throw for the win, he was able to execute it,” Shurmur said. “Being able to make clutch throws in critical situations, that’s very important.”
Lock has two game-winning drives to his credit, both of which have come against the Chargers. Prior to last week’s comeback, Lock helped set the Broncos up for Brandon McManus’ game-winning field goal against the Chargers in his NFL debut on Dec. 1 a year ago.
Shurmur doesn’t underestimate the importance of those milestones.
“Somebody will eventually start doing the math and adding up all the game-winning drives that a (young) quarterback has been able to execute,” Shurmur said.
And while Shurmur acknowledged things were “hitting the fan” in the first half against Los Angeles as the offense sputtered and drew boos from the home crowd, he said Lock “hung in there well” in the face of that adversity.
Still, the offensive coordinator said there’s plenty to address in Lock & Co.’s execution at the beginning of games, or lack thereof. Denver ranks third-worst in first-half points scored with 61, far off the league average of 97.
“We have to ask ourselves, ‘How do we execute better early?'” Shurmur said. “That’s the challenge moving forward — I think we’d all agree, shooting three-pointers at the buzzer is not the way to do this thing. But in proving that you can do it, you draw confidence from that.”
Meanwhile, the trust between play-caller and quarterback has deepened, even as Lock posted the first two-interception games of his career against New England and Kansas City in Weeks 6 and 7, respectively, after returning from a Week 2 shoulder injury.
“Our relationship has grown a lot in this past season,” Lock said. “Going into a Tuesday, where I’m waiting to get the game plan, I have a pretty good idea of what’s going to come my way after watching the tape on Monday of what the defense we’re about to play does. Those first couple weeks, it was a roll of the dice for me — I wasn’t exactly sure what we’d be calling or what our mindset would be going into that game.”
That’s changed.
“Now, I’ve got a pretty good idea of what we’re going to call and what we’re really liking,” Lock said. “That makes me feel comfortable and it makes me more relaxed. (Shurmur and I) are getting on the same page, and that’s exciting to see, especially this early in the season together as far as games I’ve actually played.”


thedenverpost--2020-11-05--With counting winding down, Trump lawsuits dismissed in Georgia and Michigan

WASHINGTON — Judges in Georgia and Michigan quickly dismissed Trump campaign lawsuits Thursday , undercutting a campaign legal strategy to attack the integrity of the voting process in states where the result could mean President Donald Trump ’ s defeat .
The rulings came as Democrat Joe Biden inched closer to the 270 Electoral College votes needed to win the White House and Trump and his campaign promised even more legal action based on unsubstantiated allegations of voter fraud .
A Biden campaign lawyer called the lawsuits meritless , more political strategy than legal .
“ I want to emphasize @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t have to have merit .
That ’ s not the purpose .
… It is to create an opportunity for them to message falsely about what ’ s taking place in the electoral process , ” lawyer Bob Bauer said Thursday , accusing the Trump campaign of “ continually alleging irregularities , failures of the system and fraud without any basis.
” Bauer spoke just hours before Trump tweeted , “ All of the recent Biden claimed States will be legally challenged by us for Voter Fraud and State Election Fraud @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out the Media .
WE WILL WIN !
America First !
” Trump is used to suing and being sued .
A USA Today analysis found that he and his businesses were involved in at least 3,500 state and federal court actions in the three decades before he became president .
In this election , the court battles so far have been small-scale efforts to get a closer look at local elections officials as they process absentee ballots .
A Michigan judge noted that the state ’ s ballot count is over as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In Georgia , a state judge dismissed a case over concerns about 53 absentee ballots in Chatham County after elections officials in the Savannah-area county testified that all of those ballots had been received on time .
Campaign officials said earlier they were considering similar challenges in a dozen other counties around the state .
In Pennsylvania , meanwhile , the Trump campaign won an appellate ruling to get party and campaign observers closer to election workers who are processing mail-in ballots in Philadelphia .
But the order did not affect the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pennsylvania and elsewhere , as elections officials are dealing with an avalanche of mail ballots driven by fears of voting in person during a pandemic .
The lawsuits in multiple states highlight that the Trump campaign could be confronting a political map in which it might have to persuade courts in two or more states to set aside enough votes to overturn the results .
That ’ s a substantially different scenario than in the contested presidential election of 2000 , which eventually was effectively settled by the Supreme Court , when the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ electoral votes and involved a recount as opposed to trying to halt balloting .
Biden , for his part , has said he expects to win the election , but he counseled patience Thursday , saying : “ Each ballot must be counted.
” Trump campaign officials , meanwhile , accused Democrats of trying to steal the election , despite no evidence anything of the sort was taking place .
Trump campaign manager Bill Stepien , in a call with reporters Thursday morning , said that “ every night the president goes to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ night new votes “ are mysteriously found in a sack.
” It is quite common in presidential elections to have vote counting continue after election day .
Trump campaign spokesman Jason Miller said additional legal action was expected and would be focused on giving campaign officials access to where ballots were being counted .
Trump ’ s campaign has also announced that it will ask for a recount in Wisconsin .
Stepien previously cited “ irregularities in several Wisconsin counties , ” without providing specifics .
The Associated Press called Wisconsin and Michigan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has not called Georgia , Nevada or Pennsylvania .
The president ’ s lawyers have asked to intervene in a pending Republican appeal to the Supreme Court over the three-day extension for the receipt and counting of mailed ballots ordered by Pennsylvania ’ s top court .
Democrats in the state told the justices Thursday that they should put off granting the request because they “ may well not need to hear and decide ” the matter if Pennsylvania is not critical to the outcome or the late-arriving ballots wouldn ’ t make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Colvin in Washington , Ed White in Detroit , Marc Levy in Harrisburg , Pennsylvania , Maryclaire Dale in Philadelphia , and Sudhin Thanawala in Atlanta contributed to this report .

WASHINGTON — Judges in Georgia and Michigan quickly dismissed Trump campaign lawsuits Thursday, undercutting a campaign legal strategy to attack the integrity of the voting process in states where the result could mean President Donald Trump’s defeat.
The rulings came as Democrat Joe Biden inched closer to the 270 Electoral College votes needed to win the White House and Trump and his campaign promised even more legal action based on unsubstantiated allegations of voter fraud.
A Biden campaign lawyer called the lawsuits meritless, more political strategy than legal. “I want to emphasize that for their purposes these lawsuits don’t have to have merit. That’s not the purpose. … It is to create an opportunity for them to message falsely about what’s taking place in the electoral process,” lawyer Bob Bauer said Thursday, accusing the Trump campaign of “continually alleging irregularities, failures of the system and fraud without any basis.”
Bauer spoke just hours before Trump tweeted, “All of the recent Biden claimed States will be legally challenged by us for Voter Fraud and State Election Fraud. Plenty of proof – just check out the Media. WE WILL WIN! America First!”
Trump is used to suing and being sued. A USA Today analysis found that he and his businesses were involved in at least 3,500 state and federal court actions in the three decades before he became president.
In this election, the court battles so far have been small-scale efforts to get a closer look at local elections officials as they process absentee ballots. A Michigan judge noted that the state’s ballot count is over as she tossed the campaign’s lawsuit.
In Georgia, a state judge dismissed a case over concerns about 53 absentee ballots in Chatham County after elections officials in the Savannah-area county testified that all of those ballots had been received on time. Campaign officials said earlier they were considering similar challenges in a dozen other counties around the state.
In Pennsylvania, meanwhile, the Trump campaign won an appellate ruling to get party and campaign observers closer to election workers who are processing mail-in ballots in Philadelphia.
But the order did not affect the counting of ballots that is proceeding in Pennsylvania and elsewhere, as elections officials are dealing with an avalanche of mail ballots driven by fears of voting in person during a pandemic.
The lawsuits in multiple states highlight that the Trump campaign could be confronting a political map in which it might have to persuade courts in two or more states to set aside enough votes to overturn the results. That’s a substantially different scenario than in the contested presidential election of 2000, which eventually was effectively settled by the Supreme Court, when the entire fight was over Florida’s electoral votes and involved a recount as opposed to trying to halt balloting.
Biden, for his part, has said he expects to win the election, but he counseled patience Thursday, saying: “Each ballot must be counted.”
Trump campaign officials, meanwhile, accused Democrats of trying to steal the election, despite no evidence anything of the sort was taking place.
Trump campaign manager Bill Stepien, in a call with reporters Thursday morning, said that “every night the president goes to bed with a lead” and every night new votes “are mysteriously found in a sack.” It is quite common in presidential elections to have vote counting continue after election day.
Trump campaign spokesman Jason Miller said additional legal action was expected and would be focused on giving campaign officials access to where ballots were being counted.
Trump’s campaign has also announced that it will ask for a recount in Wisconsin. Stepien previously cited “irregularities in several Wisconsin counties,” without providing specifics.
The Associated Press called Wisconsin and Michigan for Biden on Wednesday. The AP has not called Georgia, Nevada or Pennsylvania.
The president’s lawyers have asked to intervene in a pending Republican appeal to the Supreme Court over the three-day extension for the receipt and counting of mailed ballots ordered by Pennsylvania’s top court. Democrats in the state told the justices Thursday that they should put off granting the request because they “may well not need to hear and decide” the matter if Pennsylvania is not critical to the outcome or the late-arriving ballots wouldn’t make a difference.
Associated Press writers Jill Colvin in Washington, Ed White in Detroit, Marc Levy in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Maryclaire Dale in Philadelphia, and Sudhin Thanawala in Atlanta contributed to this report.


thedenverpost--2020-11-05--Republicans break with Trump over push to halt vote count

WASHINGTON — Some Republicans are breaking with President Donald Trump ’ s attempts to falsely declare victory in the election and halt vote counting in Pennsylvania and other states , leaving him without key voices of support as he continues to trail Democrat Joe Biden in his bid for reelection .
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell , a Trump ally who won reelection Tuesday in Kentucky , told reporters that “ claiming you ’ ve won the election is different from finishing the counting.
” Sen. Marco Rubio , a Florida Republican who spoke at a recent Trump campaign rally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taking days to count legally cast votes is NOT fraud.
” And Sen. Lisa Murkowski , R-Alaska , urged “ everyone to be patient ” as results come in .
“ It is critical that we give election officials time to complete their jobs , and that we ensure all lawfully cast ballots are allowed and counted , ” she said in a statement .
Rep. Adam Kinzinger , R-Ill. , addressed Trump directly on Twitter : “ Stop .
Full stop , ” he wrote Wednesday in response to Trump ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ steal ” the election .
“ The votes will be counted and you will either win or lose , ” Kinzinger told Trump .
“ And America will accept that .
Patience is a virtue.
” The comments by the Republican lawmakers and other GOP leaders were rare , public rebukes of Trump , who has demanded — and generally received — loyalty from fellow Republicans throughout his four-year term .
Most in the GOP take pains to avoid directly criticizing Trump , even when they find his conduct unhelpful or offensive to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s tweets declaring victory and calling for officials to “ STOP THE COUNT ” were an early test of how strongly he can keep Republicans in line as he tries to challenge the voting process in court .
While Biden was close Thursday to the 270 Electoral College votes needed to win the White House , it was unclear when a national winner would be determined after a long , bitter campaign dominated by the coronavirus pandemic and its effects on Americans and the national economy .
In remarks Wednesday at the White @ @ @ @ @ @ @ alleged “ major fraud on our nation ” as state election officials continued counting ballots amid a huge increase in voter turnout .
Former New Jersey Gov .
Chris Christie , a Trump ally who is an analyst for ABC News , said there was no basis for Trump ’ s argument .
“ All these votes have to be counted that are in now , ” he said .
Christie called Trump ’ s attack on the integrity of the election “ a bad strategic decision ” and “ a bad political @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the kind of decision you would expect someone to make … who holds the position he holds.
” Ohio Gov .
Mike DeWine , a Republican , said Wednesday on Fox News that while he supports Trump , “ if it ends up being Biden , all of us will accept that.
” As elected officials , Republicans and Democrats “ believe in the rule of law , ” DeWine said .
“ Every vote has to be counted .
We as a country accept election results.
” Maryland Gov .
Larry Hogan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump for the Republican nomination , called Trump ’ s comments “ outrageous and uncalled for and a terrible mistake.
” “ Regardless of where you stand on this race and what party you are and who you voted for , most Americans really want a free and fair election process , and they want us to count the votes , ” Hogan said at a Washington Post event .
Trump ’ s family , never shy about expressing their support , took to Twitter to question why GOP lawmakers were not rushing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Where are Republicans !
Have some backbone .
Fight against this fraud .
Our voters will never forget you if your sheep !
” Trump ’ s son Eric tweeted .
Sen .
Rob Portman , R-Ohio , said states administer U.S. elections , not the federal government .
“ We should respect that process and ensure that all ballots cast in accordance with state laws are counted .
It ’ s that simple , ” Portman said in a statement .
“ It ’ s best for everyone to step back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ counters to do their job , ” added Sen. Mike Lee , R-Utah .
John Bolton , Trump ’ s former national security adviser who has become a Trump critic since leaving the White House , called Trump ’ s false claim that he had won reelection a “ disgrace.
” In an interview with the British network Sky News , Bolton said Trump ’ s claims were “ some of the most irresponsible comments that a president of the United States has ever made.
” Even as Trump pushed to stop vote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ results were trending against him , he and some Republicans pushed to finish counting ballots in Arizona and Nevada , where Trump narrowly trailed Biden but hoped to catch up to the former vice president .
“ Let ’ s count the votes — all the votes — before making declarations , ” Arizona Gov .
Doug Ducey , a Republican , tweeted .
“ Arizonans turned out in historic numbers for this election , and we owe it to them to count their vote.
” On that point , at least , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ writer Mary Clare Jalonick contributed to this report .

WASHINGTON — Some Republicans are breaking with President Donald Trump’s attempts to falsely declare victory in the election and halt vote counting in Pennsylvania and other states, leaving him without key voices of support as he continues to trail Democrat Joe Biden in his bid for reelection.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Trump ally who won reelection Tuesday in Kentucky, told reporters that “claiming you’ve won the election is different from finishing the counting.” Sen. Marco Rubio, a Florida Republican who spoke at a recent Trump campaign rally, said in a tweet that “taking days to count legally cast votes is NOT fraud.” And Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, urged “everyone to be patient” as results come in. “It is critical that we give election officials time to complete their jobs, and that we ensure all lawfully cast ballots are allowed and counted,” she said in a statement.
Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill., addressed Trump directly on Twitter: “Stop. Full stop,” he wrote Wednesday in response to Trump’s claim that Democrats were trying to “steal” the election.
“The votes will be counted and you will either win or lose,” Kinzinger told Trump. “And America will accept that. Patience is a virtue.”
The comments by the Republican lawmakers and other GOP leaders were rare, public rebukes of Trump, who has demanded — and generally received — loyalty from fellow Republicans throughout his four-year term. Most in the GOP take pains to avoid directly criticizing Trump, even when they find his conduct unhelpful or offensive to their values and goals.
Trump’s tweets declaring victory and calling for officials to “STOP THE COUNT” were an early test of how strongly he can keep Republicans in line as he tries to challenge the voting process in court.
While Biden was close Thursday to the 270 Electoral College votes needed to win the White House, it was unclear when a national winner would be determined after a long, bitter campaign dominated by the coronavirus pandemic and its effects on Americans and the national economy.
In remarks Wednesday at the White House, Trump baselessly claimed victory and alleged “major fraud on our nation” as state election officials continued counting ballots amid a huge increase in voter turnout.
Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, a Trump ally who is an analyst for ABC News, said there was no basis for Trump’s argument. “All these votes have to be counted that are in now,” he said.
Christie called Trump’s attack on the integrity of the election “a bad strategic decision” and “a bad political decision, and it’s not the kind of decision you would expect someone to make … who holds the position he holds.”
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, a Republican, said Wednesday on Fox News that while he supports Trump, “if it ends up being Biden, all of us will accept that.”
As elected officials, Republicans and Democrats “believe in the rule of law,” DeWine said. “Every vote has to be counted. We as a country accept election results.”
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, a moderate who briefly considered challenging Trump for the Republican nomination, called Trump’s comments “outrageous and uncalled for and a terrible mistake.”
“Regardless of where you stand on this race and what party you are and who you voted for, most Americans really want a free and fair election process, and they want us to count the votes,” Hogan said at a Washington Post event.
Trump’s family, never shy about expressing their support, took to Twitter to question why GOP lawmakers were not rushing to the president’s defense. “Where are Republicans! Have some backbone. Fight against this fraud. Our voters will never forget you if your sheep!” Trump’s son Eric tweeted.
Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, said states administer U.S. elections, not the federal government. “We should respect that process and ensure that all ballots cast in accordance with state laws are counted. It’s that simple,” Portman said in a statement.
“It’s best for everyone to step back from the spin and allow the vote counters to do their job,” added Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah.
John Bolton, Trump’s former national security adviser who has become a Trump critic since leaving the White House, called Trump’s false claim that he had won reelection a “disgrace.”
In an interview with the British network Sky News, Bolton said Trump’s claims were “some of the most irresponsible comments that a president of the United States has ever made.”
Even as Trump pushed to stop vote counting in Pennsylvania and other states where results were trending against him, he and some Republicans pushed to finish counting ballots in Arizona and Nevada, where Trump narrowly trailed Biden but hoped to catch up to the former vice president.
“Let’s count the votes — all the votes — before making declarations,” Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey, a Republican, tweeted. “Arizonans turned out in historic numbers for this election, and we owe it to them to count their vote.”
On that point, at least, both parties could agree.
Associated Press writer Mary Clare Jalonick contributed to this report.


thedenverpost--2020-11-06--Unemployment drops to 6.9% as U.S. adds a solid 638,000 jobs

WASHINGTON — U.S. employers added 638,000 jobs in October , a solid pace though far fewer than needed to regain most of the jobs lost to the pandemic recession just as new viral cases are setting record highs .
The gain suggested that a tentative economic recovery may remain intact even in the face of a surging viral outbreak .
The report Friday from the Labor Department said the unemployment rate fell to 6.9 % from 7.9 % in September .
But eight months after the virus struck the United States , the economy still has recovered barely half the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the pandemic .
The job market and the overall economy are under intense pressure from the accelerating pandemic .
On Thursday , the nation broke another record in the seven-day rolling average for new cases , hitting nearly 90,000 .
Daily new cases were also on track for another day above 100,000 , with surging numbers reported all around the country , including a combined nearly 25,000 in Texas , Illinois and Florida .
The economy , which had rebounded sharply in the July-September quarter as businesses reopened from virus-related shutdowns , is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , especially restaurants and bars that had made use of outdoor seating , face a dim future as the weather turns colder .
Consumers may also pull back again on shopping , traveling and other activities to avoid contracting the virus .
Friday ’ s report follows the expiration of government stimulus for struggling individuals , businesses and state and local governments and the failure of Congress to provide further aid .
Consumer spending on services like restaurants , health care and haircuts is rising much more slowly this fall after having rebounded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 7 % below the pre-pandemic level — a decline that threatens many labor-intensive parts of the economy .
The restaurant reservations website OpenTable shows , for example , that just three-quarters of restaurants are now taking reservations , a decline from three weeks ago .
The slowdown has coincided with the waning of $ 1,200 checks that were sent to most adults in the spring and a $ 600-a-week federal jobless benefit that expired in July .
That was followed by an additional $ 300 that lasted through mid-September .
A study by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two-thirds of such money by the end of August .
“ The economy is on its own against the virus , ” said AnnElizabeth Konkel , an economist at the job-posting website Indeed .
“ Accelerating cases are an ever-present threat during winter , and a virus surge means economic uncertainty for businesses .
Until that uncertainty is eliminated , the labor market will struggle to return to what it used to be .
”

WASHINGTON — U.S. employers added 638,000 jobs in October, a solid pace though far fewer than needed to regain most of the jobs lost to the pandemic recession just as new viral cases are setting record highs.
The gain suggested that a tentative economic recovery may remain intact even in the face of a surging viral outbreak.
The report Friday from the Labor Department said the unemployment rate fell to 6.9% from 7.9% in September. But eight months after the virus struck the United States, the economy still has recovered barely half the 22 million jobs that were lost to the pandemic.
The job market and the overall economy are under intense pressure from the accelerating pandemic. On Thursday, the nation broke another record in the seven-day rolling average for new cases, hitting nearly 90,000. Daily new cases were also on track for another day above 100,000, with surging numbers reported all around the country, including a combined nearly 25,000 in Texas, Illinois and Florida.
The economy, which had rebounded sharply in the July-September quarter as businesses reopened from virus-related shutdowns, is now expanding more slowly. Many businesses, especially restaurants and bars that had made use of outdoor seating, face a dim future as the weather turns colder. Consumers may also pull back again on shopping, traveling and other activities to avoid contracting the virus.
Friday’s report follows the expiration of government stimulus for struggling individuals, businesses and state and local governments and the failure of Congress to provide further aid.
Consumer spending on services like restaurants, health care and haircuts is rising much more slowly this fall after having rebounded in May and June. It remains 7% below the pre-pandemic level — a decline that threatens many labor-intensive parts of the economy. The restaurant reservations website OpenTable shows, for example, that just three-quarters of restaurants are now taking reservations, a decline from three weeks ago.
The slowdown has coincided with the waning of $1,200 checks that were sent to most adults in the spring and a $600-a-week federal jobless benefit that expired in July. That was followed by an additional $300 that lasted through mid-September. A study by JPMorgan Chase found that Americans spent roughly two-thirds of such money by the end of August.
“The economy is on its own against the virus,” said AnnElizabeth Konkel, an economist at the job-posting website Indeed. “Accelerating cases are an ever-present threat during winter, and a virus surge means economic uncertainty for businesses. Until that uncertainty is eliminated, the labor market will struggle to return to what it used to be.”


thedenverpost--2020-11-06--Denver voters repealed the city’s pit bull ban. What’s next?

Denver officials are preparing to welcome pit bulls back in city limits with 2J , the measure to repeal the city ’ s ban , leading by a comfortable enough margin to declare victory Denver joins a nationwide trend to repeal legislation banning pit bulls , which many say discriminates against communities of color .
The path toward repeal was rocky .
Mayor Michael Hancock shot down Councilman Chris Herndon ’ s attempt to pass it via City Council earlier this year with his first and only veto in three terms .
Herndon took it to voters instead , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up to the election .
The ban will officially be repealed on Jan. 1 and replaced with a type of restricted license .
Pit bull owners will be asked to bring their pets — a limit of two pit bulls per home — to the Denver Animal Shelter in Valverde for an assessment , which should take 30 to 45 minutes , city spokesman Kyle Wagner said in a release .
The assessment will cost $ 25 .
If a dog does not share a majority of its characteristics with typical pit bulls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ without a restricted license , Wagner said .
If its appearance does match a pit bull ’ s , the dog will be issued a breed-restricted permit .
That permit will include documentation for the name and address of the dog ’ s owner , emergency contacts , a description and recent photograph of the dog , and proof that it ’ s neutered or spayed , microchipped and vaccinated , Wagner said .
The permit will cost an additional $ 30 annually .
Should the dog remain in Denver for three years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can be removed , Wagner said .
Additional information is available online at denvergov.org .

Denver officials are preparing to welcome pit bulls back in city limits with 2J, the measure to repeal the city’s ban, leading by a comfortable enough margin to declare victory
Denver joins a nationwide trend to repeal legislation banning pit bulls, which many say discriminates against communities of color. The path toward repeal was rocky. Mayor Michael Hancock shot down Councilman Chris Herndon’s attempt to pass it via City Council earlier this year with his first and only veto in three terms. Herndon took it to voters instead, and it drew no major organized opposition leading up to the election.
The ban will officially be repealed on Jan. 1 and replaced with a type of restricted license.
Pit bull owners will be asked to bring their pets — a limit of two pit bulls per home — to the Denver Animal Shelter in Valverde for an assessment, which should take 30 to 45 minutes, city spokesman Kyle Wagner said in a release. The assessment will cost $25.
If a dog does not share a majority of its characteristics with typical pit bulls, it will be allowed in Denver without a restricted license, Wagner said. If its appearance does match a pit bull’s, the dog will be issued a breed-restricted permit.
That permit will include documentation for the name and address of the dog’s owner, emergency contacts, a description and recent photograph of the dog, and proof that it’s neutered or spayed, microchipped and vaccinated, Wagner said. The permit will cost an additional $30 annually.
Should the dog remain in Denver for three years without incident, the breed-restricted permit requirement can be removed, Wagner said.
Additional information is available online at denvergov.org.


thedenverpost--2020-11-06--Colorado regulators give initial OK to ban on flaring of oil, gas wells to curb methane pollution

Under rules given preliminary approval Thursday , Colorado will be one of only two states to prohibit companies from routinely venting and flaring natural gas from well sites .
The Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission also gave initial approval to a rule requiring companies and regulators to assess the cumulative impacts of oil and gas development locally and on a broader scale .
The COGCC and other state agencies will evaluate the ongoing effects on air and water quality , greenhouse gas emissions and provide reports .
The rules , up for a final vote Nov. 20 , are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 181 , a 2019 law mandating that oil and gas be regulated in a way that protects public health , safety and the environment .
The provisions on flaring and venting prohibit routine releases of natural gas from oil and gas equipment .
Alaska is the only other state that bans the releases , said Dan Grossman , the regional director of the Environmental Defense Fund .
“ The draft that you all are considering now would be among the strongest in the nation , with perhaps the exception of Alaska , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Grossman said .
Flaring occurs when companies producing oil burn associated natural gas as waste , usually because there are no pipelines to ship the natural gas to market or because it ’ s uneconomical to ship it .
Gas is also flared during maintenance or for safety when the pipeline pressure rises .
Efforts to prevent the flaring and venting of natural gas from wells have taken on urgency as the impacts of climate change have intensified .
Methane , the main component of natural gas , is a potent greenhouse gas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ carbon dioxide at trapping heat over the short term .
Flaring and venting also emit nitrogen dioxide and volatile organic compounds , which contribute to ground-level ozone pollution .
“ Having Colorado continue to serve as a model for eliminating that practice is just terrific .
It ’ s really important for our climate goals because methane is a very serious climate pollutant , ” said Kelly Nordini , ( executive director of Conservation Colorado .
In 2014 , Colorado approved the nation ’ s first state-level methane regulations .
A federal rule @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was modeled after Colorado ’ s law , which was developed by state and industry officials and environmentalists .
The average volume of natural gas vented and flared in Colorado is 24 times below the national average , Dan Haley , president and CEO off the Colorado Oil and Gas Association said in an email .
“ Colorado companies are committed to keeping product in the pipe , venting or flaring only 0.2 percent of its natural gas in 2019 , ” Haley said .
“ Quite frankly , there was no evidence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ venting and flaring rules , because it ’ s incredibly rare in Colorado.
” It ’ s a different picture nationally .
The World Bank says four countries — Russia , Iran , Iraq and the U.S. — are responsible for nearly half of the gas flaring worldwide .
Flaring in the U.S. rose 48 % from 2017 to 2018 , according to the World Bank .
Activity in North Dakota ’ s Bakken oil and field and the Permian Basin in southeastern New Mexico and Texas accounted for the overwhelming majority of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Energy Information Administration .
In Colorado , companies must submit a form seeking permission to vent and flare and must regularly report the volumes of gas .
Under the new rules , companies will have to ship the gas in a pipeline or put it to some kind of beneficial use , such as generating energy .
Operators can seek approval of flaring or venting gas under certain conditions and must notify regulators .
Companies will have a year to submit plans to bring existing sites into compliance .
Environmental and community groups @ @ @ @ @ @ @ long enough because the COGCC made it clear a year ago that the change was likely .
The industry argued for consistency between the COGCC and the Air Quality Control Commission , which also regulates oil and gas , said Carrie Hackenberger , associate director of the American Petroleum Institute-Colorado .
She said after discussions and input from the various parties , the industry “ is largely OK with where the rules ended up.
” But the industry will continue to seek more clarity when it comes to some of the details , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s oil- and gas-producing areas have pipelines and other infrastructure to transport natural gas .
One exception is Jackson County in northern Colorado , where drilling has grown the past few years .
Barbara Vasquez has lived in Jackson County since 2005 .
She said the amount of natural gas being flared has substantially increased .
Large combustion units are used to flare the gas .
“ They ’ re wasting a natural resource and opportunities for royalties and tax benefits for the state and local governments — and putting unknown amounts of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Vasquez , who testified in favor of the ban on flaring .

Under rules given preliminary approval Thursday, Colorado will be one of only two states to prohibit companies from routinely venting and flaring natural gas from well sites.
The Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission also gave initial approval to a rule requiring companies and regulators to assess the cumulative impacts of oil and gas development locally and on a broader scale. The COGCC and other state agencies will evaluate the ongoing effects on air and water quality, greenhouse gas emissions and provide reports.
The rules, up for a final vote Nov. 20, are part of the implementation of Senate Bill 181, a 2019 law mandating that oil and gas be regulated in a way that protects public health, safety and the environment.
The provisions on flaring and venting prohibit routine releases of natural gas from oil and gas equipment. Alaska is the only other state that bans the releases, said Dan Grossman, the regional director of the Environmental Defense Fund.
“The draft that you all are considering now would be among the strongest in the nation, with perhaps the exception of Alaska, as far as flaring regulations go,” Grossman said.
Flaring occurs when companies producing oil burn associated natural gas as waste, usually because there are no pipelines to ship the natural gas to market or because it’s uneconomical to ship it. Gas is also flared during maintenance or for safety when the pipeline pressure rises.
Efforts to prevent the flaring and venting of natural gas from wells have taken on urgency as the impacts of climate change have intensified. Methane, the main component of natural gas, is a potent greenhouse gas and is 84 times more effective than carbon dioxide at trapping heat over the short term.
Flaring and venting also emit nitrogen dioxide and volatile organic compounds, which contribute to ground-level ozone pollution.
“Having Colorado continue to serve as a model for eliminating that practice is just terrific. It’s really important for our climate goals because methane is a very serious climate pollutant,” said Kelly Nordini, (executive director of Conservation Colorado.
In 2014, Colorado approved the nation’s first state-level methane regulations. A federal rule recently rolled back by the Trump administration was modeled after Colorado’s law, which was developed by state and industry officials and environmentalists.
The average volume of natural gas vented and flared in Colorado is 24 times below the national average, Dan Haley, president and CEO off the Colorado Oil and Gas Association said in an email.
“Colorado companies are committed to keeping product in the pipe, venting or flaring only 0.2 percent of its natural gas in 2019,” Haley said. “Quite frankly, there was no evidence presented that demonstrates a need for new venting and flaring rules, because it’s incredibly rare in Colorado.”
It’s a different picture nationally. The World Bank says four countries — Russia, Iran, Iraq and the U.S. — are responsible for nearly half of the gas flaring worldwide. Flaring in the U.S. rose 48% from 2017 to 2018, according to the World Bank. Activity in North Dakota’s Bakken oil and field and the Permian Basin in southeastern New Mexico and Texas accounted for the overwhelming majority of the flaring, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
In Colorado, companies must submit a form seeking permission to vent and flare and must regularly report the volumes of gas.
Under the new rules, companies will have to ship the gas in a pipeline or put it to some kind of beneficial use, such as generating energy. Operators can seek approval of flaring or venting gas under certain conditions and must notify regulators.
Companies will have a year to submit plans to bring existing sites into compliance. Environmental and community groups argued that a six-month grace period was long enough because the COGCC made it clear a year ago that the change was likely.
The industry argued for consistency between the COGCC and the Air Quality Control Commission, which also regulates oil and gas, said Carrie Hackenberger, associate director of the American Petroleum Institute-Colorado. She said after discussions and input from the various parties, the industry “is largely OK with where the rules ended up.”
But the industry will continue to seek more clarity when it comes to some of the details, Hackenberger said.
Most of Colorado’s oil- and gas-producing areas have pipelines and other infrastructure to transport natural gas. One exception is Jackson County in northern Colorado, where drilling has grown the past few years.
Barbara Vasquez has lived in Jackson County since 2005. She said the amount of natural gas being flared has substantially increased. Large combustion units are used to flare the gas.
“They’re wasting a natural resource and opportunities for royalties and tax benefits for the state and local governments — and putting unknown amounts of pollutants in the air,” said Vasquez, who testified in favor of the ban on flaring.


thedenverpost--2020-11-06--Coloradan Jenna Ellis is fighting for President Trump on vote-counting

From the get-go , leaders at Colorado Christian University ’ s Centennial Institute recognized Jenna Ellis ’ talents and they moved to put her in front of as many cameras and microphones as they could .
Ellis — a young conservative from Longmont — was a fighter then , said Jeff Hunt , the institute ’ s president .
And now she ’ s taken the fight to the national stage as legal adviser for President Donald Trump ’ s 2020 campaign .
“ We always knew she was talented and smart and was going to help lead this country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was a very good candidate for the Trump campaign.
” Ellis ’ position has risen to an even higher national prominence in the days following Tuesday ’ s election as she — echoing the president ’ s remarks — called results into question and accused Democrats of foul play without evidence .
“ Remember when cats and dogs were receiving ballots , the dead people were receiving ballots , ” Ellis told Fox News on Thursday .
“ They want all of those ballots to count as well.
” Ellis , 35 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the president ’ s main message is that every legal vote counts .
“ We have a system of free and fair elections in this country that must be preserved , ” she said .
“ We are fighting for election integrity , not just for the outcome of the 2020 presidential race , but for all elections in the future.
” When asked , she did not provide evidence of people casting ballots illegally but said campaign officials — for both Trump and Biden — should be allowed to observe the count @ @ @ @ @ @ @ counted.
” Already judges have thrown out lawsuits filed by the Trump campaign in Georgia and Michigan , with one judge saying there was no evidence ballots that had been cast were invalid .
Conservatives are mistrustful of political systems and the media , Hunt said .
And they appreciate people like Ellis and Trump calling them into question .
“ They want the election to be honest , ” Hunt said .
“ There ’ s a lot of shenanigans going on right now.
” That fight is a continuation of Ellis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Early in her career Ellis , an attorney , took a strong interest in constitutional law , particularly as it relates to religious liberties .
She joined the Centennial Institute in 2015 as a fellow in constitutional law and policy after working as a deputy district attorney in Colorado , a contract attorney for the U.S. Department of State and law clerk for the Colorado Attorney General ’ s Office , according to her LinkedIn profile .
Bill Armstrong , then president of Colorado Christian University , quickly recognized her intellect , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Make sure you get her out there and see what she can do .
Let ’ s help her out , ’ ” Hunt said .
“ And she did really well .
She was one of those people who didn ’ t mind taking a 3 a.m. interview from a conservative talk station in Wisconsin.
” Ellis also took to the halls of the Colorado Capitol , lobbying on behalf of pro-life and religious liberty causes , among others .
Before long local political players realized that she was operating at a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and encouraged her to take her talents to Washington , D.C. She joined Trump ’ s campaign in early 2019 .
Ellis has inspired conservative women — showing them that women don ’ t have to be liberal , said Kristi Burton Brown , vice chair of the Colorado Republican Party .
“ She ’ s a real go-getter .
She doesn ’ t stand on the sidelines , ” Burton Brown said .
“ She takes action and gets things done.
” Ellis sits in the pantheon with Penny Young Nance , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lila Rose , each prominent heads of national anti-abortion organizations , Hunt said .
“ It ’ s a season for conservative women , for sure , ” he said .
Ellis said serving Trump has been the honor and privilege of her lifetime and she hopes to impart that American rights are divinely granted and the government ’ s role is to preserve those rights .
She said she aims to inspire others to love the Constitution and the freedoms it grants : Liberty and justice for all .
“ I hope @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to love the God of the Bible and come to know Jesus Christ as their own personal Lord and Savior .
And because of that , understand why our American system matters .
Our first freedoms are speech , assembly , and free exercise of religion , ” Ellis said .

From the get-go, leaders at Colorado Christian University’s Centennial Institute recognized Jenna Ellis’ talents and they moved to put her in front of as many cameras and microphones as they could.
Ellis — a young conservative from Longmont — was a fighter then, said Jeff Hunt, the institute’s president. And now she’s taken the fight to the national stage as legal adviser for President Donald Trump’s 2020 campaign.
“We always knew she was talented and smart and was going to help lead this country,” Hunt said. “She was a very good candidate for the Trump campaign.”
Ellis’ position has risen to an even higher national prominence in the days following Tuesday’s election as she — echoing the president’s remarks — called results into question and accused Democrats of foul play without evidence.
“Remember when cats and dogs were receiving ballots, the dead people were receiving ballots,” Ellis told Fox News on Thursday. “They want all of those ballots to count as well.”
Ellis, 35, told The Denver Post by email that the president’s main message is that every legal vote counts.
“We have a system of free and fair elections in this country that must be preserved,” she said. “We are fighting for election integrity, not just for the outcome of the 2020 presidential race, but for all elections in the future.”
When asked, she did not provide evidence of people casting ballots illegally but said campaign officials — for both Trump and Biden — should be allowed to observe the count “to ensure no illegal votes are counted.”
Already judges have thrown out lawsuits filed by the Trump campaign in Georgia and Michigan, with one judge saying there was no evidence ballots that had been cast were invalid.
Conservatives are mistrustful of political systems and the media, Hunt said. And they appreciate people like Ellis and Trump calling them into question.
“They want the election to be honest,” Hunt said. “There’s a lot of shenanigans going on right now.”
That fight is a continuation of Ellis’ work in Colorado, he said.
Early in her career Ellis, an attorney, took a strong interest in constitutional law, particularly as it relates to religious liberties. She joined the Centennial Institute in 2015 as a fellow in constitutional law and policy after working as a deputy district attorney in Colorado, a contract attorney for the U.S. Department of State and law clerk for the Colorado Attorney General’s Office, according to her LinkedIn profile.
Bill Armstrong, then president of Colorado Christian University, quickly recognized her intellect, Hunt said.
“He said ‘Make sure you get her out there and see what she can do. Let’s help her out,’” Hunt said. “And she did really well. She was one of those people who didn’t mind taking a 3 a.m. interview from a conservative talk station in Wisconsin.”
Ellis also took to the halls of the Colorado Capitol, lobbying on behalf of pro-life and religious liberty causes, among others.
Before long local political players realized that she was operating at a “pro level,” Hunt said and encouraged her to take her talents to Washington, D.C. She joined Trump’s campaign in early 2019.
Ellis has inspired conservative women — showing them that women don’t have to be liberal, said Kristi Burton Brown, vice chair of the Colorado Republican Party.
“She’s a real go-getter. She doesn’t stand on the sidelines,” Burton Brown said. “She takes action and gets things done.”
Ellis sits in the pantheon with Penny Young Nance, Jeanne Mancini, Marjorie Jones Dannenfelser and Lila Rose, each prominent heads of national anti-abortion organizations, Hunt said.
“It’s a season for conservative women, for sure,” he said.
Ellis said serving Trump has been the honor and privilege of her lifetime and she hopes to impart that American rights are divinely granted and the government’s role is to preserve those rights. She said she aims to inspire others to love the Constitution and the freedoms it grants: Liberty and justice for all.
“I hope my greatest legacy will be teaching people to love the God of the Bible and come to know Jesus Christ as their own personal Lord and Savior. And because of that, understand why our American system matters. Our first freedoms are speech, assembly, and free exercise of religion,” Ellis said.


thedenverpost--2020-11-06--Keeler: These aren’t Mike Bobo’s CSU Rams anymore, kids. Steve Addazio’s guys looked more like Wyomi

Keeler: These aren’t Mike Bobo’s CSU Rams anymore, kids. Steve Addazio’s guys looked more like Wyoming than Wyoming did.

FORT COLLINS — A year ago , they blow this .
Don ’ t they ?
Concentration would lapse , brain cramps would pile up , and the cameras would catch the CSU Rams celebrating before the job was actually done .
Some linebacker misses a tackle .
Some defensive back blows a coverage .
Some kicker scuffs a chippie .
And some other team runs over and grabs the flipping trophy as time expires .
“ It ’ s the best energy I ’ ve felt since I ’ ve been here , ” CSU quarterback Patrick O ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for a 34-24 win over rival Wyoming late Thursday night , the program ’ s first victory in the Border War since 2015 .
“ It ’ s really special for me .
But it ’ s ( more ) special for the guys that have been here longer than I have.
” These Rams barely resembled those teams .
CSU didn ’ t just hit the Cowboys first .
It hit ‘ em hard .
It hit ‘ em repeatedly .
These Rams ( 1-1 ) were relentless , feisty , winning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the little things .
The 112th iteration of the Border War saw two old , familiar sidelines experience a total body and identity switch , like something out of the movie “ Freaky Friday.
” In the game that mattered most to the CSU fans watching everywhere but Canvas Stadium , the Rams managed to out-Bohl Wyoming coach Craig Bohl .
CSU wasn ’ t perfect , by any stretch .
But man , did it play clean .
The Rams of Steve Addazio , Week 2 , looked nothing like the Keystone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ physical .
Smart .
Poised .
Disciplined .
They found a way to be air-tight when it mattered most .
Especially late , after cushions of 17-0 and 24-7 began to slowly , methodically , wither away .
The Cowboys ( 1-2 ) , meanwhile , were a hot mess pretty much from the jump : three turnovers , eight penalties , and an offense that converted on just four of 15 third-down tries on the night .
Wyoming burned through its first two timeouts of the tilt in a hurry , looking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many empty seats on Pitkin Street staring back at them .
“ I wish I had the answer to that , ” Bohl told reporters when asked why the Pokes needed jumper cables to turn the engine over .
The Rams , conversely , came out of the gate with smoke blowing out of every nostril .
Cornerback Marshaun Cameron set the tone for the first half with a pick-6 that snuffed the Pokes ’ first possession .
The next time Wyoming had the ball , with 10:03 left in the first quarter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ third-and-12 at the Wyoming 36 , setting up the Rams ’ second touchdown of the contest .
“ We ’ re going to keep doing this every week , ” Cameron vowed .
“ If it ’ s up to me , ” CSU linebacker Dequan Jackson said .
“ ( Thursday is ) exactly what we can expect.
” Corners don ’ t turn in Week 2 , Year 1 of a new coaching regime .
Not completely .
But Thursday was a marker , a snapshot , a teaser , of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ look like at its apex .
Addazio , a lifetime East Coaster , is still learning the Front Range .
But he knows that trophy games are trophy games , in any region .
He also knew enough to let Rams senior defensive tackle Toby McBride take the baton on the Border War , even giving the Fort Morgan native the floor during practice on Wednesday .
All of which made it doubly satisfying to watch McBride , whose Rams tenure has been marred by injuries and heartbreak in big games , record @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Cowboys .
And blissfully cathartic to see that 285-pound plugger with the bad back lead a dead sprint to retrieve the Bronze Boot .
“ Oh , man , I knew my brother was hauling it , ” laughed CSU tight end Trey McBride , who scored twice on the Pokes , dragging a hapless Wyoming defender into the end zone during the second .
“ I had no idea he was that fast.
” We had no idea they were this tough .
“ It felt good winning , to get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I think that those guys know what it takes to win and we just won a big-time rivalry game … that first ( loss ) was unfortunate .
But going forward , I think the guys , we ’ re going to put on a show.
” We may not know who they are yet , these Rams .
But if Thursday taught us anything , it ’ s that we know for dang sure who they aren ’ t .

FORT COLLINS — A year ago, they blow this. Don’t they? Concentration would lapse, brain cramps would pile up, and the cameras would catch the CSU Rams celebrating before the job was actually done.
Some defensive back blows a coverage. Some kicker scuffs a chippie. Some other team runs over and grabs the @#$&*! trophy as time expires.
These ain’t Mike Bobo’s Rams anymore.
“It’s the best energy I’ve felt since I’ve been here,” CSU quarterback Patrick O’Brien said after his Rams held on for a 34-24 win over rival Wyoming late Thursday night, the program’s first victory in the Border War since 2015. “It’s really special for me. But it’s (more) special for the guys that have been here longer than I have.”
These Rams barely resembled those teams. CSU didn’t just hit the Cowboys first. It hit ‘em hard. It hit ‘em repeatedly. These Rams (1-1) were relentless, feisty, winning at the of scrimmage, winning at the little things.
The 112th iteration of the Border War saw two old, familiar sidelines experience a total body-and-identity switch, like something out of the movie “Freaky Friday.” In the game that mattered most to the CSU fans watching everywhere but Canvas Stadium, the Rams managed to out-Bohl Wyoming coach Craig Bohl.
CSU wasn’t perfect, by any stretch. But man, did it play clean. The Rams of Steve Addazio, Week 2, looked nothing like the Keystone Kops of Week 1.
They were physical. Smart. Poised. Disciplined. They found a way to be air-tight when it mattered most. Especially late, after cushions of 17-0 and 24-7 began to slowly, methodically, wither away.
The Cowboys (1-2), meanwhile, were a hot mess pretty much from the jump: three turnovers, eight penalties, and an offense that converted on just four of 15 third-down tries. Wyoming burned through its first two timeouts in a hurry, looking almost rattled by the sight of that many empty seats on Pitkin Street staring back at them.
“I wish I had the answer to that,” Bohl told reporters when asked why the Pokes needed jumper cables to turn the engine over.
The Rams, conversely, had plenty. CSU came out of the gate with smoke blowing out of every nostril. Cornerback Marshaun Cameron set the tone for the first half with a pick-6 that snuffed the Pokes’ first possession. The next time Wyoming had the ball, with 10:03 left in the first quarter, Cameron strip-sacked quarterback Levi Williams on third-and-12 at the Wyoming 36, setting up the Rams’ second touchdown.
“We’re going to keep doing this every week,” Cameron vowed.
Six sacks?
Fourteen tackles for loss?
Every week?
“If it’s up to me,” CSU linebacker Dequan Jackson said. “(Thursday is) exactly what we can expect.”
These ain’t Mike Bobo’s Rams anymore.
Corners don’t turn in Week 2, Year 1 of a new coaching regime. Not completely. But Thursday was a marker, a snapshot, a teaser, of what Daz Ball — done right — could look like at its apex.
Addazio, a lifetime East Coaster, is still learning the Front Range. But he knows that trophy games are trophy games, in any region. He also knew enough to let Rams senior defensive tackle Toby McBride take the baton on the Border War, even giving the Fort Morgan native the floor during practice on Wednesday.
All of which made it doubly satisfying to watch McBride, whose Rams tenure has been marred by injuries and heartbreak in big games, record two TFLs and force a fumble. And blissfully cathartic to see that 285-pound plugger with the bad back lead a dead sprint to retrieve the Bronze Boot.
“Oh, man, I knew my brother was hauling it,” laughed CSU tight end Trey McBride, who scored twice on the Pokes, dragging a hapless Wyoming defender into the end zone during the second. “I had no idea he was that fast.”
We had no idea they were this tough.
“It felt good winning, to get rolling,” Jackson said. “I think that those guys know what it takes to win and we just won a big-time rivalry game … that first (loss) was unfortunate. But going forward, I think the guys, we’re going to put on a show.”
We may not know who they are yet, these Rams. But if Thursday taught us anything, it’s that we know for dang sure who they aren’t.


thedenverpost--2020-11-06--Pick 6: Odds Jerami Grant rejoins the Nuggets, CU Buffs’ championship chances and more

Will Jerami Grant be back with the Nuggets next year ?
One oddsmaker thinks so .
The versatile forward was key in Denver ’ s playoff run this past season but is expected to opt out of his player option .
Bovada places his odds of returning to the team at -400 , meaning a $ 400 bet would win $ 100 .
The oddsmaker also has an all-star who could potentially join the team in 23-year-old Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram .
Though those odds are far worse .
Here ’ s a look at some of the current odds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over-under for Sunday ’ s Broncos-Falcons game , according to BetMGM .
The odds Nuggets center Nikola Jokic will win the MVP award for the 2020-21 season , according to Bovada .
The odds Jerami Grant will play with the Nuggets next season , according to Bovada .
The Miami Heat are the next favorites at +850 .
The odds Brandon Ingram will play with the Nuggets next season , according to Bovada .
The Pelicans are favored at -800 .
The odds the Colorado Buffaloes will win the NCAA football championship , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ State are favored at +200 , followed by Clemson at +225 .

Will Jerami Grant be back with the Nuggets next year? One oddsmaker thinks so.
The versatile forward was key in Denver’s playoff run this past season but is expected to opt out of his player option. Bovada places his odds of returning to the team at -400, meaning a $400 bet would win $100.
The oddsmaker also has an all-star who could potentially join the team in 23-year-old Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram. Though those odds are far worse.
Here’s a look at some of the current odds in the world of sports.
49.5
The over-under for Sunday’s Broncos-Falcons game, according to BetMGM.
+3,000
The odds Nuggets center Nikola Jokic will win the MVP award for the 2020-21 season, according to Bovada.
-400
The odds Jerami Grant will play with the Nuggets next season, according to Bovada. The Miami Heat are the next favorites at +850.
+1,400
The odds Brandon Ingram will play with the Nuggets next season, according to Bovada. The Pelicans are favored at -800.
+25,000
The odds the Colorado Buffaloes will win the NCAA football championship, according to BetOnline. Alabama and Ohio State are favored at +200, followed by Clemson at +225.


thedenverpost--2020-11-06--Ask Amy: Political differences impact a father’s bequest

Dear Amy : My 75-year-old father told me that he has decided that his stepson ( my stepbrother ) will no longer receive anything in his will .
Why ?
Well , my stepbrother has challenged my father ’ s political opinions a few times while talking to him on the phone .
I ’ ve heard both sides of these stories , and while my stepbrother never yelled or made personal attacks against my father , it was apparently too much for my stepbrother to even question my father ’ s beliefs .
My father is not speaking to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ago , and it seems my father is not considering any wishes she would have had , or he simply doesn ’ t care what she would have wanted .
Like my stepbrother , I am diametrically opposed to the political opinions of my father .
Dad never holds back his opinions ; you get them , regardless .
Unlike my stepbrother , however , I do not challenge him ; I just listen and nod to avoid causing any angst .
I think my father ’ s decision to remove my stepbrother @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I do not know what I should do about it .
Should I let my stepbrother know ?
Should I try to convince my father otherwise ?
I ’ m at a loss .
Dear Flummoxed : No , I don ’ t think you should notify your stepbrother about your father ’ s plans , which may change .
Yes , I do think you should advocate for your stepbrother , reflecting your own compassionate opinion that his mother would have wanted him to be treated fairly in your father ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be brave enough to judiciously tell your father that you also disagree with his political views , but you have been keeping quiet because he seems to link his own happiness and relationships to a person ’ s political views : “ Dad , I don ’ t always agree with your politics , but I still love and respect you .
It makes me sad that you don ’ t seem able to do the same .
This is our family .
We have a lifetime of history together.
” I applaud @ @ @ @ @ @ @ behalf .
You can ’ t force your father to the table , and you can ’ t force him to leave money to your stepbrother ( or you ) in his will , but when that time comes , you could choose to address the inequity by sharing your inheritance with him .
Dear Amy : “ What are your plans for the rest of the day ?
” I have been asked this question by an assistant at a drug store , and various personnel at my dental office .
This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at one other business I frequent .
I hope you can help me understand if this question is an icebreaker , a conversation starter , or something else entirely ?
I struggle to answer because I think that what I ’ m doing the rest of the day is no one ’ s business but mine .
How do I politely answer without offending the asker ?
And what is the intent of asking such a question ?
Dear Perplexed : This question is an icebreaker , a conversation starter AND something else @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is sending you off into the world with a question , versus the old standby : “ Have a nice day !
” I agree that the question is awkward .
It seems like a social “ throwaway , ” and yet it is so specific that it puts you in a jam .
And do you have to answer ?
Please understand that these people are not trying to pry into your private life .
Like all of us , they are plugging along during a global pandemic .
Many people yearn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is glancing .
These various employees may be aware that some of their clients and customers are a little starved for conversation , and this is a way to nudge one along .
A polite answer would be : “ Oh , same old , same old .
I hope you have a nice rest of your day.
” My mother was so private that she thought , “ How are you ?
” was intrusive .
Here is how she would have answered : “ Well , I ’ m planning to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ afternoon .
Then I ’ ll be on the lam .
Shh , don ’ t tell.
” Dear Amy : You recently ran a call-back reply from “ Sad and Confused , ” following up on her original question to you about whether she should visit her dying father .
I was so gratified that she got back in touch to tell you that she had done so , and that she had shared a magical half-hour with him before his death .
It truly brought tears to my eyes .

Dear Amy: My 75-year-old father told me that he has decided that his stepson (my stepbrother) will no longer receive anything in his will. Why?
Well, my stepbrother has challenged my father’s political opinions a few times while talking to him on the phone. I’ve heard both sides of these stories, and while my stepbrother never yelled or made personal attacks against my father, it was apparently too much for my stepbrother to even question my father’s beliefs. My father is not speaking to him.
My stepmother died many years ago, and it seems my father is not considering any wishes she would have had, or he simply doesn’t care what she would have wanted.
Like my stepbrother, I am diametrically opposed to the political opinions of my father. Dad never holds back his opinions; you get them, regardless. Unlike my stepbrother, however, I do not challenge him; I just listen and nod to avoid causing any angst.
I think my father’s decision to remove my stepbrother from his will is ridiculous, but I do not know what I should do about it.
Should I let my stepbrother know? Should I try to convince my father otherwise? I’m at a loss.
— Flummoxed
Dear Flummoxed: No, I don’t think you should notify your stepbrother about your father’s plans, which may change.
Yes, I do think you should advocate for your stepbrother, reflecting your own compassionate opinion that his mother would have wanted him to be treated fairly in your father’s will.
I also think you should be brave enough to judiciously tell your father that you also disagree with his political views, but you have been keeping quiet because he seems to link his own happiness and relationships to a person’s political views: “Dad, I don’t always agree with your politics, but I still love and respect you. It makes me sad that you don’t seem able to do the same. This is our family. We have a lifetime of history together.”
I applaud your advocacy on your stepbrother’s behalf. You can’t force your father to the table, and you can’t force him to leave money to your stepbrother (or you) in his will, but when that time comes, you could choose to address the inequity by sharing your inheritance with him.
Dear Amy: “What are your plans for the rest of the day?” I have been asked this question by an assistant at a drug store, and various personnel at my dental office.
This question has also been asked multiple times at one other business I frequent.
I hope you can help me understand if this question is an icebreaker, a conversation starter, or something else entirely?
I struggle to answer because I think that what I’m doing the rest of the day is no one’s business but mine.
How do I politely answer without offending the asker? And what is the intent of asking such a question?
— Perplexed and Private
Dear Perplexed: This question is an icebreaker, a conversation starter AND something else entirely. The “something else” is sending you off into the world with a question, versus the old standby: “Have a nice day!”
I agree that the question is awkward. It seems like a social “throwaway,” and yet it is so specific that it puts you in a jam. And do you have to answer?
Please understand that these people are not trying to pry into your private life. Like all of us, they are plugging along during a global pandemic. Many people yearn for connection, even if that connection is glancing. These various employees may be aware that some of their clients and customers are a little starved for conversation, and this is a way to nudge one along.
A polite answer would be: “Oh, same old, same old. I hope you have a nice rest of your day.”
My mother was so private that she thought, “How are you?” was intrusive. Here is how she would have answered: “Well, I’m planning to go on a crime spree later this afternoon. Then I’ll be on the lam. Shh, don’t tell.”
Dear Amy: You recently ran a call-back reply from “Sad and Confused,” following up on her original question to you about whether she should visit her dying father. I was so gratified that she got back in touch to tell you that she had done so, and that she had shared a magical half-hour with him before his death. It truly brought tears to my eyes.
— Grateful
Dear Grateful: Me too.
(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--2020-11-06--Here’s why the AP hasn’t called Georgia’s close race

WASHINGTON — Tens of thousands of still-uncounted ballots — many in counties where Democrat Joe Biden was in the lead — are what ’ s making the Georgia contest between President Donald Trump and Biden too early to call .
Trump and Biden were locked in a tight contest Thursday to secure the 270 electoral votes needed to win the presidency .
Georgia is a must-win state for Trump , who has a narrower path to victory than Biden .
Trump prematurely declared he was winning it early Wednesday morning .
Yet by early Friday Biden had overtaken him by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of state ’ s office said Thursday that 18,936 absentee ballots still needed to be counted in seven counties .
That did not include provisional ballots and absentee ballots that have to be “ cured ” before being scanned .
Ballots cast before Election Day by military voters and citizens living overseas and received by 5 p.m. Friday also will be tallied .
Additionally , Biden ’ s vote margins grew after a handful of rural pro-Trump counties processed mail ballots cast in his favor , an analysis by the AP showed .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ could go to a recount .
Under Georgia law , if the margin between Biden and Trump is under half a percentage point of difference , a recount can be requested .
Georgia has long been a Republican stronghold .
Voters there haven ’ t swung for a Democratic presidential candidate since Bill Clinton in 1992 .
Trump beat Hillary Clinton there by 5 percentage points in 2016 .
And the state ’ s government is dominated by the GOP .
But the party ’ s grip has loosened .
As older , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are being replaced by younger and more racially diverse cast of people , many of whom moved to the booming Atlanta area from other states — and brought their politics with them .
Overall , demographic trends show that the state ’ s electorate is becoming younger and more diverse each year .
Like other metro areas , Atlanta ’ s suburbs have also moved away from Republicans .
In 2016 , Hillary Clinton flipped both Cobb and Gwinnett counties , where Biden is currently leading .
In 2018 , Democrat Stacey Abrams @ @ @ @ @ @ @ become the country ’ s first African American woman to lead a state , a campaign she narrowly lost .
Many political analysts say it ’ s not a question of if , but rather when Georgia becomes a swing state .
That much was clear in the closing weeks of the campaign as Biden , his running mate .
Sen. Kamala Harris , and former President Barack Obama barnstormed the state .
Trump , too , visited the state to play defense .

WASHINGTON — Tens of thousands of still-uncounted ballots — many in counties where Democrat Joe Biden was in the lead — are what’s making the Georgia contest between President Donald Trump and Biden too early to call.
Trump and Biden were locked in a tight contest Thursday to secure the 270 electoral votes needed to win the presidency. Georgia is a must-win state for Trump, who has a narrower path to victory than Biden.
Trump prematurely declared he was winning it early Wednesday morning. Yet by early Friday Biden had overtaken him by more than 900 votes.
THE DETAILS
The secretary of state’s office said Thursday that 18,936 absentee ballots still needed to be counted in seven counties.
That did not include provisional ballots and absentee ballots that have to be “cured” before being scanned. Ballots cast before Election Day by military voters and citizens living overseas and received by 5 p.m. Friday also will be tallied.
Additionally, Biden’s vote margins grew after a handful of rural pro-Trump counties processed mail ballots cast in his favor, an analysis by the AP showed.
There is a potential that the race could go to a recount. Under Georgia law, if the margin between Biden and Trump is under half a percentage point of difference, a recount can be requested.
GEORGIA’S POLITICAL PROFILE
Georgia has long been a Republican stronghold. Voters there haven’t swung for a Democratic presidential candidate since Bill Clinton in 1992. Trump beat Hillary Clinton there by 5 percentage points in 2016. And the state’s government is dominated by the GOP.
But the party’s grip has loosened. As older, white, Republican-leaning voters die, they are being replaced by younger and more racially diverse cast of people, many of whom moved to the booming Atlanta area from other states — and brought their politics with them.
Overall, demographic trends show that the state’s electorate is becoming younger and more diverse each year. Like other metro areas, Atlanta’s suburbs have also moved away from Republicans. In 2016, Hillary Clinton flipped both Cobb and Gwinnett counties, where Biden is currently leading.
In 2018, Democrat Stacey Abrams galvanized Black voters in her bid to become the country’s first African American woman to lead a state, a campaign she narrowly lost.
Many political analysts say it’s not a question of if, but rather when Georgia becomes a swing state.
That much was clear in the closing weeks of the campaign as Biden, his running mate. Sen. Kamala Harris, and former President Barack Obama barnstormed the state. Trump, too, visited the state to play defense.