thedenverpost--2020-05-04--Tired of coronavirus doom and gloom? You’re not alone.

It ’ s been more than six weeks since our physical worlds began closing in on us , from school and business closures that marooned many at home to travel restrictions that put most of our big , beautiful state out of reach .
Even as much of the Denver metro area remains under a stay-at-home order through Friday , there are increasing signs of fatigue .
Each day under the uncomfortable new normal brings a stream of urgent coronavirus headlines and updates — as well as signs that people need an escape , from Denver parks and foothills trails @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suburban home-improvement stores , which never closed down .
Lucy East understands the reasons for the continuing call for masks , social distancing and other precautions .
She and her husband , Jonathan , both civil engineers , are working from home in Wheat Ridge .
They ’ re being careful by ordering grocery deliveries and keeping their toddler out of day care to limit the family ’ s exposure .
But the longer it lasts , the lockdown takes a quiet emotional toll .
The couple ’ s daughter , Alice , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are eager for family time .
“ It ’ s getting a bit harder as time goes on not to see friends and family , especially for a birthday , ” East said .
At times , frustrations have boiled over , as when a post on the Nextdoor site in northwest Denver declared last week : “ It ’ s time to get back to living life.
” The post quickly was met with competing torrents of applause and indignation .
A day later , it had been taken down .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Douglas County , began transitioning last week to Gov .
Jared Polis ’ “ safer-at-home ” order , which allowed many businesses to reopen with certain restrictions .
The order keeps certain social distancing measures in place , and Polis still is urging people to wear masks when out in public — though adherence to this is spotty , at best .
But even as the governor called for continued vigilance and sacrifice , a public health expert who ’ s helped develop state COVID-19 projections says it ’ s natural that people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ More as a human being , I understand how people over time are feeling cooped up and experiencing this restlessness , ” said Elizabeth Carlton , an assistant professor at the Colorado School of Public Health .
“ As someone who ’ s worked on the modeling team , I think the message that came through really clear when we were in our last set of simulations is that the next phase of this epidemic in Colorado will really be defined by how well we can maintain a certain amount of distance from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is.
” Uncertainty in the new normal How long variations on this new normal will last remains an unanswered question .
It ’ s unclear how much longer it will be before we can go to the movies , attend sporting events or gather to hear live music .
Or how long before younger children , after adapting to remote learning , can simply play with their friends again .
A look at the little data that ’ s available shows plenty of people have skirted the rules at times , whether it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ football in a park — despite Denver Mayor Michael Hancock ’ s order against group sports activities — or venturing outside the house for trips deemed “ unessential ” by government orders .
Google has released periodic reports tracking movement through aggregate location data from people ’ s mobile phones .
Through late March , its data for Colorado showed significant drops in travel to several types of destinations , compared to baseline levels prior to state and local restrictions taking effect .
But as April progressed , Google ’ s latest report @ @ @ @ @ @ @ compared to baselines was considerably less , especially for trips to shop , eat and seek entertainment .
When it comes to visiting parks and other outdoor places , Coloradans went from a 12 % average decrease from normal in the March 29 report to 15 % above the baseline in the April 26 report .
Some people are eager to move on .
When Echter ’ s Nursery and Garden Center in Arvada reopened its doors for in-person shopping on Thursday , after limiting sales to pickup orders for weeks , Gerald @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people in a line outside that snaked along the sidewalk and into the parking lot .
The Grants said they relied heavily on President Donald Trump ’ s near-daily press conferences , calling them “ encouraging.
” When asked how they were coping with the lockdown , Gerald laughed .
“ What lockdown ?
” he said , before his wife said : “ We ’ re off lockdown now.
” Another measure of fatigue came in a study released last week by the Pew Research Center .
When it comes to following @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bordering on burnout .
Pew found 71 % of more than 10,000 U.S. adults it surveyed in late April said they needed regular breaks from the news , compared to 28 % who said they needed to stay constantly tuned in .
More than 40 % said COVID-related news made them feel worse emotionally .
Early on , Lucy East said she followed the news incessantly .
Then a wellness challenge from her employer encouraged East and her coworkers to limit their news intake to 30 minutes per day .
She says doing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But Allea Ryan of Federal Heights still tunes in to broadcast news daily and receives breaking-news alerts on her phone .
She likes keeping up , especially since her daughter is considered an essential worker at Walmart .
“ I think if we stop hearing about it is when I ’ d become worried , ” Ryan said .
Grappling with “ what life might start to look like ” Given the unprecedented nature of the pandemic response , psychologist Michelle Rozenman says any fatigue that develops often is rooted in prolonged stress @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new situations in people ’ s work or home lives .
“ At this point , six weeks in , people have had an opportunity to see what life might start to look like , ” said Rozenman , an assistant professor of psychology at the University of Denver .
“ So whatever that means for them , however their routines have changed , if there ’ s a lack of consistency or structure , that may cause a problem.
” That upheaval has saddled children with anxiety and other challenges , too @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her doctoral students ’ remote therapy sessions with families in recent weeks .
Early last week , Polis acknowledged the pain brought by the stay-at-home orders .
He took the tack of applauding the state ’ s residents for largely abiding by them .
And he pleaded for patience , while announcing later in the week that his administration will put more emphasis on addressing the mental health effects of the crisis .
“ There ’ s no easy answers here at all , ” the governor said during his April 27 daily @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being challenged — we ’ re being asked to make sacrifices in our way .
God willing , we should continue to be patient and treat each other with respect and love , knowing that better days ( are ahead ) .
… It ’ s a time not for anxiety , not for fear , but for justified caution.
” Rozenman said adults and children alike can enhance their mental calm in times like this by establishing routines , engaging in some kind of daily exercise , eating healthy food and getting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Carlton , the public health professor , urged common sense as restrictions are relaxed , adding that the onus would increasingly be on elected officials to “ communicate what ’ s OK in addition to what ’ s not OK ” to put people at ease .
As some models predict a second wave of coronavirus infections , she worries about limits in the public ’ s patience with social and physical restrictions .
“ That has been a real big question that we ’ ve wrestled with , ” Carlton said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ for a very long period of time — or people will get restless.
” Join our Facebook group for the latest updates on coronavirus in Colorado .

It’s been more than six weeks since our physical worlds began closing in on us, from school and business closures that marooned many at home to travel restrictions that put most of our big, beautiful state out of reach.
Even as much of the Denver metro area remains under a stay-at-home order through Friday, there are increasing signs of fatigue. Each day under the uncomfortable new normal brings a stream of urgent coronavirus headlines and updates — as well as signs that people need an escape, from Denver parks and foothills trails crowded with sun-seekers to busy aisles at suburban home-improvement stores, which never closed down.
Lucy East understands the reasons for the continuing call for masks, social distancing and other precautions. She and her husband, Jonathan, both civil engineers, are working from home in Wheat Ridge. They’re being careful by ordering grocery deliveries and keeping their toddler out of day care to limit the family’s exposure.
But the longer it lasts, the lockdown takes a quiet emotional toll. The couple’s daughter, Alice, turned 1 on Thursday. Her grandparents are eager for family time.
“It’s getting a bit harder as time goes on not to see friends and family, especially for a birthday,” East said.
At times, frustrations have boiled over, as when a post on the Nextdoor site in northwest Denver declared last week: “It’s time to get back to living life.” The post quickly was met with competing torrents of applause and indignation. A day later, it had been taken down.
The rest of the state, along with Douglas County, began transitioning last week to Gov. Jared Polis’ “safer-at-home” order, which allowed many businesses to reopen with certain restrictions. The order keeps certain social distancing measures in place, and Polis still is urging people to wear masks when out in public — though adherence to this is spotty, at best.
But even as the governor called for continued vigilance and sacrifice, a public health expert who’s helped develop state COVID-19 projections says it’s natural that people are letting their guard down.
“More as a human being, I understand how people over time are feeling cooped up and experiencing this restlessness,” said Elizabeth Carlton, an assistant professor at the Colorado School of Public Health. “As someone who’s worked on the modeling team, I think the message that came through really clear when we were in our last set of simulations is that the next phase of this epidemic in Colorado will really be defined by how well we can maintain a certain amount of distance from each other, as hard as that is.”
Uncertainty in the new normal
How long variations on this new normal will last remains an unanswered question. It’s unclear how much longer it will be before we can go to the movies, attend sporting events or gather to hear live music. Or how long before younger children, after adapting to remote learning, can simply play with their friends again.
A look at the little data that’s available shows plenty of people have skirted the rules at times, whether it’s tossing a frisbee or a football in a park — despite Denver Mayor Michael Hancock’s order against group sports activities — or venturing outside the house for trips deemed “unessential” by government orders.
Google has released periodic reports tracking movement through aggregate location data from people’s mobile phones. Through late March, its data for Colorado showed significant drops in travel to several types of destinations, compared to baseline levels prior to state and local restrictions taking effect.
But as April progressed, Google’s latest report shows, the extent that travel declined compared to baselines was considerably less, especially for trips to shop, eat and seek entertainment. When it comes to visiting parks and other outdoor places, Coloradans went from a 12% average decrease from normal in the March 29 report to 15% above the baseline in the April 26 report.
Some people are eager to move on.
When Echter’s Nursery and Garden Center in Arvada reopened its doors for in-person shopping on Thursday, after limiting sales to pickup orders for weeks, Gerald and Sandra Grant were among dozens of people in a line outside that snaked along the sidewalk and into the parking lot. The Grants said they relied heavily on President Donald Trump’s near-daily press conferences, calling them “encouraging.”
When asked how they were coping with the lockdown, Gerald laughed.
“What lockdown?” he said, before his wife said: “We’re off lockdown now.”
Another measure of fatigue came in a study released last week by the Pew Research Center. When it comes to following coronavirus news, Americans seem to be bordering on burnout.
Pew found 71% of more than 10,000 U.S. adults it surveyed in late April said they needed regular breaks from the news, compared to 28% who said they needed to stay constantly tuned in. More than 40% said COVID-related news made them feel worse emotionally.
Early on, Lucy East said she followed the news incessantly. Then a wellness challenge from her employer encouraged East and her coworkers to limit their news intake to 30 minutes per day. She says doing that has improved her mental health.
How are we doing on masks/bandanas (as advised at trailhead)? Last 2mi running down, counted 19/59 trail parties w/ anything around necks. Those that had them were good about raising them when passing, as I did. Parking lot is now overflowing. Got here early & it was glorious. pic.twitter.com/MiISSvXrcB — Jon Murray (@JonMurray) May 3, 2020
But Allea Ryan of Federal Heights still tunes in to broadcast news daily and receives breaking-news alerts on her phone. She likes keeping up, especially since her daughter is considered an essential worker at Walmart.
“I think if we stop hearing about it is when I’d become worried,” Ryan said.
Grappling with “what life might start to look like”
Given the unprecedented nature of the pandemic response, psychologist Michelle Rozenman says any fatigue that develops often is rooted in prolonged stress, loneliness, guilt or exhaustion from new situations in people’s work or home lives.
“At this point, six weeks in, people have had an opportunity to see what life might start to look like,” said Rozenman, an assistant professor of psychology at the University of Denver. “So whatever that means for them, however their routines have changed, if there’s a lack of consistency or structure, that may cause a problem.”
That upheaval has saddled children with anxiety and other challenges, too, she said, citing observations from her doctoral students’ remote therapy sessions with families in recent weeks.
Early last week, Polis acknowledged the pain brought by the stay-at-home orders. He took the tack of applauding the state’s residents for largely abiding by them. And he pleaded for patience, while announcing later in the week that his administration will put more emphasis on addressing the mental health effects of the crisis.
“There’s no easy answers here at all,” the governor said during his April 27 daily news conference. “We’re being challenged — we’re being asked to make sacrifices in our way. God willing, we should continue to be patient and treat each other with respect and love, knowing that better days (are ahead). … It’s a time not for anxiety, not for fear, but for justified caution.”
Rozenman said adults and children alike can enhance their mental calm in times like this by establishing routines, engaging in some kind of daily exercise, eating healthy food and getting consistent sleep as often as possible.
Carlton, the public health professor, urged common sense as restrictions are relaxed, adding that the onus would increasingly be on elected officials to “communicate what’s OK in addition to what’s not OK” to put people at ease.
As some models predict a second wave of coronavirus infections, she worries about limits in the public’s patience with social and physical restrictions.
“That has been a real big question that we’ve wrestled with,” Carlton said. “Nobody sees stay-at-home orders as sustainable for a very long period of time — or people will get restless.”
Join our Facebook group for the latest updates on coronavirus in Colorado.


thedenverpost--2020-05-04--Coronavirus in Colorado, May 4: A look at the latest updates on COVID-19

As of Sunday , the number of coronavirus cases in Colorado rose to 16,635 with 842 confirmed deaths .
More than 700 are currently hospitalized with COVID-19 .
On Monday , Colorado will enter a new “ safer at home ” stage where officers will be allowed to reopen , bringing employees back in under strict guidelines .
More Coloradans have died from COVID-19 in less than two months than died in any of the recent flu seasons – which last almost two-thirds of the year , Meg Wingerter reports .
Also , the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get a typical seasonal flu need hospital care , but it appears 10 % or more of those who get COVID-19 may need it .
Throughout the day , we will share the latest coverage from Denver Post journalists on the coronavirus outbreak on this page .
Also , bear in mind The Denver Post relies on support from its readers to provide this in-depth coverage of the coronavirus outbreak , so please consider buying a subscription if you haven ’ t already .
Here are the updates from May 3 .
• @ @ @ @ @ @ @ You ’ re not alone .
• As Colorado loosen stay-at-home restrictions , some businesses biding their time with safety in mind .
• $ 558 million in federal coronavirus help arrives on Colorado ’ s Front Range .
• These Colorado counties have extended their stay-at-home orders • Coronavirus timeline : An in-depth look at COVID-19 in Colorado • Colorado coronavirus map : Where are cases being reported ?
• Colorado unemployment FAQ : How to apply , details about missing PINs and more • Do I have the coronavirus ?
Here @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re not sure .
• What we know now : Updates to your coronavirus questions , a month after COVID-19 was confirmed in Colorado • How social distancing works and what it means for you Join our Facebook group for the latest updates on coronavirus in Colorado .

Gov. Jared Polis gave an update on coronavirus in Colorado at Monday. Watch the replay of the video below.
As of Sunday, the number of coronavirus cases in Colorado rose to 16,635 with 842 confirmed deaths. More than 700 are currently hospitalized with COVID-19. On Monday, Colorado will enter a new “safer at home” stage where officers will be allowed to reopen, bringing employees back in under strict guidelines.
Just like many cities, including Denver extended their stay-at-home orders further than the state’s, many cities and counties are also requiring people to wear masks while visiting businesses that are beginning to reopen.
More Coloradans have died from COVID-19 in less than two months than died in any of the recent flu seasons – which last almost two-thirds of the year, Meg Wingerter reports. Also, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates about 1.4% of people who get a typical seasonal flu need hospital care, but it appears 10% or more of those who get COVID-19 may need it.
Throughout the day, we will share the latest coverage from Denver Post journalists on the coronavirus outbreak on this page. Also, bear in mind The Denver Post relies on support from its readers to provide this in-depth coverage of the coronavirus outbreak, so please consider buying a subscription if you haven’t already.
Here are the updates from May 3.
What’s new
Resources
The numbers
Live blog
Join our Facebook group for the latest updates on coronavirus in Colorado.


thedenverpost--2020-05-04--Keeler: Jerry Jeudy and the Broncos are huge hits with Colorado sports gamblers, too

Once he looked at Sunday ’ s numbers , a half-dozen things from Colorado ’ s first weekend of legal sports gambling stood out to Johnny Avello : 1 .
Man , you ’ ve got a lot of faith in the Broncos .
2 .
Man , you ’ ve got a lot of faith in Jerry Jeudy .
3 .
Man , you ’ ve got a lot of faith in Drew Lock .
4 .
Man , you ’ ve got a lot of faith in the Avs .
5 .
Man , you ’ ve got @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
6 .
You ’ ve got , shall we say , less faith in the Nuggets .
“ One of the things I did find interesting was the Lakers were one of the higher team bets ( in Colorado ) as far as handle , ” Avello , director of race and sportsbook operations at DraftKings , told the Post .
“ Obviously , you have some Lakers fans in that area.
” Hey , the cardinal rule of sports wagering , which became legal here last Friday , is to bet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Then again , what fun is that ?
When it came to futures bets , the No .
1 teams in terms of betting handles — as in , total money wagered — and number of bets taken in Colorado via Draft Kings were pretty much local across the board : To win the Super Bowl — Broncos on handle , Broncos on most bets ; To win the Stanley Cup — Avs on handle , Avs on most bets ; To win the World Series — Rockies on handle , Rockies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ NBA Finals — Lakers on handle ; Nuggets on most bets ; To win the NFL MVP — Lamar Jackson on handle ; Lock on most bets ; To win the NFL Offensive ROY — Jeudy on handle ; Jeudy on most bets .
The North American teams with the most handle among Coloradoans over the weekend ?
The Broncos ( again ) at No .
1 , followed by the Avalanche and the Dallas Cowboys .
“ You can ’ t even compare it to ( when ) you had all these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
“ But just to be able to take wagers , any kind of wagers on those things , is good news .
“ We all know that everything ’ s going to resume here .
Whether it ’ s in the next month or the next four months , it ’ s going to happen .
And when it does , you guys are on board and full speed ahead.
” Until then , like a lot of things , sports betting here is going to get weird .
Table tennis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Chinese Professional Baseball League .
When we reached out to three online services — DraftKings , FanDuel , and BetRivers.com — to inquire about the first weekend of Colorado sports bets , this is what they shot back : • Chauncey Billups placed the first legal wager on BetRivers.com Friday morning , dropping $ 100 on Jeudy to win NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year at +2000 .
• The largest FanDuel bet was $ 882 on the Cowboys to win the Super Bowl at +1700 , with a payout of $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a single customer was $ 1400 , on a $ 500 bet in the Torpedo Belaz vs FC Minsk soccer match in Belarus .
• The largest BetRivers.com wager was $ 1,310 on the under — 14.5 runs !
— in the Chinese Professional Baseball League in Taiwan clash between the Rakuten Monkeys and the Chinastrust Brothers .
The Monkeys prevailed , 9-3 , cashing out at $ 2,397.96 .
• The first-ever beat on the FanDuel app in Colorado was $ 11 for a 10-leg parlay on table tennis .
Only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In Colorado , table tennis rules right now , even if it doesn ’ t always pay .
Those bets accounted for almost 53 % of the first 52 hours of in-state wagering on BetRivers.com , followed by action on darts ( 10.7 ) and baseball ( 8.2 ) .
“ Of course , we don ’ t have the content that we ’ d like to have , ” Avello said .
“ But what we ’ re doing is pretty good .
We ’ re happy with what we have because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In that context , it ’ s not perfect .
It ’ s not bad .
“ And in light of what we ’ re able to offer right now , yeah , I think it was good .
It shows me that the people from there are willing to look at other alternative sports.
” Just don ’ t expect them abandon an old friend .
When FanDuel asked , Will the Broncos Make the Playoffs ?
, 97 % of the weekend handle was on “ Yes.
” These days @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your heart , trust your gut .

Once he looked at Sunday’s numbers, a half-dozen things from Colorado’s first weekend of legal sports gambling stood out to Johnny Avello:
1. Man, you’ve got a lot of faith in the Broncos.
2. Man, you’ve got a lot of faith in Jerry Jeudy.
3. Man, you’ve got a lot of faith in Drew Lock.
4. Man, you’ve got a lot of faith in the Avs.
5. Man, you’ve got a lot of faith in the Rockies.
6. You’ve got, shall we say, less faith in the Nuggets.
“One of the things I did find interesting was the Lakers were one of the higher team bets (in Colorado) as far as handle,” Avello, director of race and sportsbook operations at DraftKings, told the Post. “Obviously, you have some Lakers fans in that area.”
Hey, the cardinal rule of sports wagering, which became legal here last Friday, is to bet with your head and not your heart. Then again, what fun is that?
When it came to futures bets, the No. 1 teams in terms of betting handles — as in, total money wagered — and number of bets taken in Colorado via Draft Kings were pretty much local across the board:
To win the Super Bowl — Broncos on handle, Broncos on most bets;
To win the Stanley Cup — Avs on handle, Avs on most bets;
To win the World Series — Rockies on handle, Rockies on most bets;
To win the NBA Finals — Lakers on handle; Nuggets on most bets;
To win the NFL MVP — Lamar Jackson on handle; Lock on most bets;
To win the NFL Offensive ROY — Jeudy on handle; Jeudy on most bets.
The North American teams with the most handle among Coloradoans over the weekend? The Broncos (again) at No. 1, followed by the Avalanche and the Dallas Cowboys.
“You can’t even compare it to (when) you had all these other major sports going,” Avello said. “But just to be able to take wagers, any kind of wagers on those things, is good news.
“We all know that everything’s going to resume here. Whether it’s in the next month or the next four months, it’s going to happen. And when it does, you guys are on board and full speed ahead.”
Until then, like a lot of things, sports betting here is going to get weird. Table tennis. Soccer in Belarus. Darts. The Chinese Professional Baseball League. When we reached out to three online services — DraftKings, FanDuel, and BetRivers.com — to inquire about the first weekend of Colorado sports bets, this is what they shot back:
• Chauncey Billups placed the first legal wager on BetRivers.com Friday morning, dropping $100 on Jeudy to win NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year at +2000.
• The largest FanDuel bet was $882 on the Cowboys to win the Super Bowl at +1700, with a payout of $15,000.
• The largest FanDuel payout to a single customer was $1400, on a $500 bet in the Torpedo Belaz vs FC Minsk soccer match in Belarus.
• The largest BetRivers.com wager was $1,310 on the under — 14.5 runs! — in the Chinese Professional Baseball League in Taiwan clash between the Rakuten Monkeys and the Chinastrust Brothers. The Monkeys prevailed, 9-3, cashing out at $2,397.96.
• The first-ever beat on the FanDuel app in Colorado was $11 for a 10-leg parlay on table tennis. Only seven of the 10 bets won.
In Colorado, table tennis rules right now, even if it doesn’t always pay. Those bets accounted for almost 53% of the first 52 hours of in-state wagering on BetRivers.com, followed by action on darts (10.7) and baseball (8.2).
“Of course, we don’t have the content that we’d like to have,” Avello said. “But what we’re doing is pretty good. We’re happy with what we have because there’s nothing else out there. In that context, it’s not perfect. It’s not bad.
“And in light of what we’re able to offer right now, yeah, I think it was good. It shows me that the people from there are willing to look at other alternative sports.”
Just don’t expect them abandon an old friend. When FanDuel asked, Will the Broncos Make the Playoffs?, 97% of the weekend handle was on “Yes.” These days, if you can’t trust your heart, trust your gut.


thedenverpost--2020-05-05--Loveland pipe-bomb suspect tells FBI that explosives were meant to defend his home

The Loveland man arrested last week after making threats that drew the attention of the FBI told agents he ’ d planned to use the four pipe bombs discovered at his house in the event people tried to force entry in the middle of the night , according to court records .
Bradley Bunn , 53 , was involved in online discussions about a rally last Friday at Colorado ’ s Capitol to protest the state ’ s coronavirus restrictions , but the threats that drew the attention of the FBI were unrelated to the protest , a law enforcement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Bunn told the FBI he thought the pipe bombs would be effective against a 3 a.m. “ hard entry ” if people were bunched together in front of his door at the start of some sort of raid , according to a criminal complaint .
Bunn was arrested Friday morning after authorities said they found the pipe bombs and bomb-making materials inside his home at 5512 Gabriel Drive in Loveland .
In a subsequent interview with agents , Bunn described himself as an amateur bomb maker and said he bought some of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outdoor retailer Jax .
He said he wasn ’ t sure how stable the bombs were after he filled the pipes with gunpowder , according to the complaint , so he threw them down in a field to see if they ’ d explode on impact .
They did not .
Bunn had planned to use a lighter to set fire to the fuses on the pipe bombs , which he thought would burn for about five to seven seconds before causing them to explode .
He said he didn ’ t put @ @ @ @ @ @ @ create shrapnel .
“ I was considering buck shot , ” he told the agents , according to the complaint .
“ I mean if you ’ re gon na do a job , do it right .
But because I don ’ t have sufficient knowledge of what interacts with what , I didn ’ t want to put coating on a ball bearing or something that would interact with the gunpowder and cause some kind of chemical reaction I didn ’ t expect.
” Bunn told agents where to find the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 7 a.m. raid .
Bunn has had previous brushes with the law .
He pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor count of child abuse in 2016 in Larimer County , court records show .
He was charged with negligently causing bodily injury to a child .
The details of that case were not immediately available Monday , although the plea agreement shows he was sentenced to 12 months of unsupervised probation , prohibited from using drugs or alcohol and required to attend anger management and parenting classes .
In his conversation with FBI agents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ former “ infantry commander , ” according to the complaint , and also used the term “ slapper , ” which is a slang term for a combat engineer trained in explosives .
Two military branches did not return requests for comment Monday about whether Bunn served with them .
Bunn was charged with possessing an unregistered destructive device and faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted .
His next court hearing is set for Wednesday .
His immediate family did not return requests for comment Monday .

The Loveland man arrested last week after making threats that drew the attention of the FBI told agents he’d planned to use the four pipe bombs discovered at his house in the event people tried to force entry in the middle of the night, according to court records.
Bradley Bunn, 53, was involved in online discussions about a rally last Friday at Colorado’s Capitol to protest the state’s coronavirus restrictions, but the threats that drew the attention of the FBI were unrelated to the protest, a law enforcement official told The Denver Post on Monday.
Bunn told the FBI he thought the pipe bombs would be effective against a 3 a.m. “hard entry” if people were bunched together in front of his door at the start of some sort of raid, according to a criminal complaint.
Bunn was arrested Friday morning after authorities said they found the pipe bombs and bomb-making materials inside his home at 5512 Gabriel Drive in Loveland. In a subsequent interview with agents, Bunn described himself as an amateur bomb maker and said he bought some of his supplies online and some from the outdoor retailer Jax.
He said he wasn’t sure how stable the bombs were after he filled the pipes with gunpowder, according to the complaint, so he threw them down in a field to see if they’d explode on impact. They did not.
Bunn had planned to use a lighter to set fire to the fuses on the pipe bombs, which he thought would burn for about five to seven seconds before causing them to explode.
He said he didn’t put any material inside the bombs intended to create shrapnel.
“I was considering buck shot,” he told the agents, according to the complaint. “I mean if you’re gonna do a job, do it right. But because I don’t have sufficient knowledge of what interacts with what, I didn’t want to put coating on a ball bearing or something that would interact with the gunpowder and cause some kind of chemical reaction I didn’t expect.”
Bunn told agents where to find the bomb-making supplies inside his house during the 7 a.m. raid.
Bunn has had previous brushes with the law. He pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor count of child abuse in 2014 in Larimer County, court records show. He was charged with negligently causing bodily injury to a child. The details of that case were not immediately available Monday, although the plea agreement shows he was sentenced to 12 months of unsupervised probation, prohibited from using drugs or alcohol and required to attend anger management and parenting classes.
In his conversation with FBI agents, Bunn referred to himself as a former “infantry commander,” according to the complaint, and also used the term “sapper,” which is a slang term for a combat engineer trained in explosives. Two military branches did not return requests for comment Monday about whether Bunn served with them.
Bunn was charged with possessing an unregistered destructive device and faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted. His next court hearing is set for Wednesday.
His immediate family did not return requests for comment Monday.


thedenverpost--2020-05-05--Lone Tree’s corporate buildings remained quiet Monday as coronavirus office closures were rolled bac

Lone Tree’s corporate buildings remained quiet Monday as coronavirus office closures were rolled back

For many Colorado employers , Monday was the first time in almost six weeks that they were able to reopen their offices and bring workers back to their desks , so long as they took some strict coronavirus-related precautions , of course .
Having Gov .
Jared Polis ’ permission to return to the office and actually doing it are different matters , as Jeff Howell , economic development director for the City of Lone Tree , can attest .
Located along a busy stretch of Interstate 25 south of the Denver Tech Center , Lone Tree is home to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ estimates .
With nearby counties including Denver and Arapahoe extending stay-at-home orders through Friday , Lone Tree ’ s collection of office buildings and corporate campuses was among the few metro area job hubs subject to the regulatory roll-back on Monday .
“ I would say that office openings will happen incrementally , ” Howell said after driving around the city to get a feel for how many businesses were bringing back workers .
“ That is my observation so far.
” Retailers , which have been allowed to be open in Douglas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ place , were much more visibly active on Monday , Howell said .
Financial services giant Charles Schwab operates a multi-building campus in Lone Tree .
Around 4,500 employees work on the campus when things are operating normally , Howell said .
But that campus remained relatively quiet Monday .
Schwab officials declined to say just how many people are expected to report this week to the Lone Tree campus , but across the country roughly 95 % of the company ’ s employees are working from home .
“ As we look @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we return to the office will be in a way that safeguards and supports our employees and clients , ” company spokesman Pete Greenley said in an email .
“ Any return will be based on how the recovery from the pandemic progresses , as well as guidance from health experts like the Centers for Disease Control and the government.
” In south Denver , Andrew Graham , the president and CEO of Clinic Service , is preparing to be part of an online panel on Friday organized by the South Metro Denver @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what it ’ s like to manage a large office in the age of coronavirus .
Graham ’ s company , which provides business infrastructure services for independent medical practices , has remained open as an essential business through the pandemic .
Occupying a three-story building near Kennedy Golf Course , Clinic Service ’ s 50 staffers have been able to spread out so each has a separate room .
Even so , one of them contracted COVID-19 a few weeks ago .
The employee has since fully recovered and returned to work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the building after their colleague became sick , Graham said .
Clinic Service keeps its doors locked to everyone except the company ’ s postal carrier , cleans entry areas three times per day with a bleach solution and has containers of hand sanitizer at virtually every desk .
Continual communication with staff has been key to navigating the challenges , Graham said .
“ Just be smart , ” Graham said of his advice to fellow employers .
“ This thing still exists .
It will always exist , and when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) it ’ ll be another one .
So wash your hands , turn off your TV , take a walk and appreciate it .
”

For many Colorado employers, Monday was the first time in almost six weeks that they were able to reopen their offices and bring workers back to their desks, so long as they took some strict coronavirus-related precautions, of course.
Having Gov. Jared Polis’ permission to return to the office and actually doing it are different matters, as Jeff Holwell, economic development director for the City of Lone Tree, can attest.
Located along a busy stretch of Interstate 25 south of the Denver Tech Center, Lone Tree is home to more than 10,000 office jobs, Holwell estimates. With nearby counties including Denver and Arapahoe extending stay-at-home orders through Friday, Lone Tree’s collection of office buildings and corporate campuses was among the few metro area job hubs subject to the regulatory roll-back on Monday.
“I would say that office openings will happen incrementally,” Holwell said after driving around the city to get a feel for how many businesses were bringing back workers. “That is my observation so far.”
Retailers, which have been allowed to be open in Douglas County since Friday with certain restrictions in place, were much more visibly active on Monday, Holwell said.
Financial services giant Charles Schwab operates a multi-building campus in Lone Tree. Around 4,500 employees work on the campus when things are operating normally, Holwell said. But that campus remained relatively quiet Monday.
Schwab officials declined to say just how many people are expected to report this week to the Lone Tree campus, but across the country roughly 95% of the company’s employees are working from home.
“As we look to the future, when and how we return to the office will be in a way that safeguards and supports our employees and clients,” company spokesman Pete Greenley said in an email. “Any return will be based on how the recovery from the pandemic progresses, as well as guidance from health experts like the Centers for Disease Control and the government.”
In south Denver, Andrew Graham, the president and CEO of Clinic Service, is preparing to be part of an online panel on Friday organized by the South Metro Denver Chamber of Commerce to provide insight into what it’s like to manage a large office in the age of coronavirus.
Graham’s company, which provides business infrastructure services for independent medical practices, has remained open as an essential business through the pandemic. Occupying a three-story building near Kennedy Golf Course, Clinic Service’s 50 staffers have been able to spread out so each has a separate room. Even so, one of them contracted COVID-19 a few weeks ago. The employee has since fully recovered and returned to work but some other employees took time away from the building after their colleague became sick, Graham said.
Clinic Service keeps its doors locked to everyone except the company’s postal carrier, cleans entry areas three times per day with a bleach solution and has containers of hand sanitizer at virtually every desk. Continual communication with staff has been key to navigating the challenges, Graham said.
“Just be smart,” Graham said of his advice to fellow employers. “This thing still exists. It will always exist, and when it’s not this (virus) it’ll be another one. So wash your hands, turn off your TV, take a walk and appreciate it.”
Updated May 5, 2020, at 8:25 a.m. Because of an error by a reporter, Jeff Holwell’s name was originally misspelled in this story.


thedenverpost--2020-05-04--Michelle Waterson: UFC 249 without fans “might be a little weird”

It ’ s not the grappling that drives her nuts .
It ’ s the geometry .
Like a lot of working moms , UFC strawweight and Aurora Central alum Michelle Waterson the last eight weeks tacked on the part-time job of being an at-home tutor , too , during the coronavirus pandemic .
Daughter Araya , 9 , is wrapping up the third grade .
“ The only thing is , she likes to take a lot of potty breaks .
And she likes to eat more snacks than I think she would at school , ” laughed Waterson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Esparza on Saturday as part of the undercard for UFC 249 in Jacksonville , Fla. “ My husband ( Josh ) is the one who has to do the math with her , because I ’ m really impatient.
” Which explains part of why Waterson ( 17-7 ) , No .
8 in the strawweight rankings , has been so jacked to get back into the octagon .
Her tussle with Esparza had originally been slated for Portland on April 11 before COVID-19 concerns forced UFC president Dana White to shut things @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kind of the story for any fighter , really , is having to understand that every fight is different , ” said Waterson , whose last fight was a loss by unanimous decision to Joanna Jedrzejczyk last October .
“ And that you ’ re always going to encounter some obstacles.
” And Saturday figures to be a different beast , as UFC cards go .
While fighters will be allowed their full corners , no fans can attend .
• UFC to hold 3 shows without fans in Jacksonville , Florida • @ @ @ @ @ @ @ family deaths , manager says • Dana White says UFC 249 is being cautious .
Is that good enough ?
• UFC 249 , skirting coronavirus limits , is set for tribal land in California “ I ’ m not concerned at all ( about the coronavirus ) , ” Waterson said by phone from her home in New Mexico .
“ I ’ m young .
I ’ m healthy .
My immune system is really strong .
If there ’ s anybody to kind of go out on a limb and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being out there , it ’ s the young and the healthy .
It ’ s us , the fighters.
” On the flip side , her daughter and mother , two constants , won ’ t be in the stands .
And Araya ’ s been to every one of Mom ’ s fights since her birth .
“ It might be a little weird , ” Waterson said .
“ But you have to deal with different circumstances in every fight .
And at the end of the day , when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s only you and your opponent in there anyway .
Regardless of whether it ’ s a back alley or it ’ s in front of millions of people , it ’ s just you and your opponent when the bell rings .
”

It’s not the grappling that drives her nuts. It’s the geometry.
Like a lot of working moms, UFC strawweight and Aurora Central alum Michelle Waterson the last eight weeks tacked on the part-time job of being an at-home tutor, too, during the coronavirus pandemic. Daughter Araya, 9, is wrapping up the third grade.
“The only thing is, she likes to take a lot of potty breaks. And she likes to eat more snacks than I think she would at school,” laughed Waterson, who’ll take on Carla Esparza on Saturday as part of the undercard for UFC 249 in Jacksonville, Fla. “My husband (Josh) is the one who has to do the math with her, because I’m really impatient.”
Which explains part of why Waterson (17-7), No. 8 in the strawweight rankings, has been so jacked to get back into the octagon. Her tussle with Esparza had originally been slated for Portland on April 11 before COVID-19 concerns forced UFC president Dana White to shut things down indefinitely.
“That’s kind of the story for any fighter, really, is having to understand that every fight is different,” said Waterson, whose last fight was a loss by unanimous decision to Joanna Jedrzejczyk last October. “And that you’re always going to encounter some obstacles.”
And Saturday figures to be a different beast, as UFC cards go. While fighters will be allowed their full corners, no fans can attend.
“I’m not concerned at all (about the coronavirus),” Waterson said by phone from her home in New Mexico. “I’m young. I’m healthy. My immune system is really strong. If there’s anybody to kind of go out on a limb and continue to move forward with the virus being out there, it’s the young and the healthy. It’s us, the fighters.”
On the flip side, her daughter and mother, two constants, won’t be in the stands. And Araya’s been to every one of Mom’s fights since her birth.
“It might be a little weird,” Waterson said. “But you have to deal with different circumstances in every fight. And at the end of the day, when they close the cage, it’s only you and your opponent in there anyway. Regardless of whether it’s a back alley or it’s in front of millions of people, it’s just you and your opponent when the bell rings.”


thedenverpost--2020-05-04--More than 850 coronavirus deaths in Colorado as confirmed cases near 17,000

Confirmed coronavirus cases in Colorado rose to 16,907 on Monday and 851 people now have died from COVID-19 , the highly contagious respiratory disease caused by the virus .
Officials believe the number of infections is much higher than the number confirmed through lab testing both because of limited testing and due to asymptomatic carriers of the virus .
About 83,266 people — or just shy of 1.25 % of the state ’ s population — have been tested for the virus to date , Gov .
Jared Polis told reporters Monday .
He added that the state is now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sites across Colorado , and is working to expand the total number of people tested .
The state is tracking 163 outbreaks at nursing homes , prisons and other group situations , like meat processing plants .
Currently , about 689 people are hospitalized in Colorado with COVID-19 , and 43 patients recovered enough to be discharged from hospitals or transferred to lower levels of care in the past 24 hours , according to the data .
Since Friday , some Colorado businesses have been allowed to reopen under limited capacity , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to their physical workplaces , though the governor continues to urge companies to allow as many workers as possible to stay at home .
Restaurants and bars , which since March have been allowed to offer only takeout and delivery , are still several weeks away from being able to reopen , Polis said at Monday ’ s news conference .
Polis also announced the membership of the Governor ’ s Advisory Committee for Cooperation and Implementation , which he said will advise him and state officials on policies related to social distancing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reopen in Colorado .
• Kyle Martinez of the Economic Recovery and Stabilization Council • Stan Hilkey , executive director of the state Department of Public Safety • Jill Ryan , executive director of the state Department of Public Health and Environment • Patty Salazar , executive director of the state Department of Regulatory Agencies Join our Facebook group for the latest updates on coronavirus in Colorado .

Confirmed coronavirus cases in Colorado rose to 16,907 on Monday and 851 people now have died from COVID-19, the highly contagious respiratory disease caused by the virus.
Officials believe the number of infections is much higher than the number confirmed through lab testing both because of limited testing and due to asymptomatic carriers of the virus.
About 83,266 people — or just shy of 1.25% of the state’s population — have been tested for the virus to date, Gov. Jared Polis told reporters Monday. He added that the state is now providing a map online of community testing sites across Colorado, and is working to expand the total number of people tested.
The state is tracking 163 outbreaks at nursing homes, prisons and other group situations, like meat processing plants.
Currently, about 689 people are hospitalized in Colorado with COVID-19, and 43 patients recovered enough to be discharged from hospitals or transferred to lower levels of care in the past 24 hours, according to the data.
Since Friday, some Colorado businesses have been allowed to reopen under limited capacity, and many employees are now allowed to return to their physical workplaces, though the governor continues to urge companies to allow as many workers as possible to stay at home.
Restaurants and bars, which since March have been allowed to offer only takeout and delivery, are still several weeks away from being able to reopen, Polis said at Monday’s news conference.
Polis also announced the membership of the Governor’s Advisory Committee for Cooperation and Implementation, which he said will advise him and state officials on policies related to social distancing as more of the economy continues to reopen in Colorado.
The committee includes:
Larimer County Commissioner Steve Johnson
San Miguel County Commissioner Hilary Cooper
Pueblo Mayor Nick Gradisar
Montrose Mayor Barbara Bynum
Robert McDonald, Denver public health director
Heath Harmon, Eagle County public health director
Jefferson County Sheriff Jeff Shrader
Broomfield police Chief Gary Creager
Poudre Fire Chief Thomas DeMint
Kyle Martinez of the Economic Recovery and Stabilization Council
Polis Chief of Staff Lisa Kaufmann
Stan Hilkey, executive director of the state Department of Public Safety
Jill Ryan, executive director of the state Department of Public Health and Environment
Patty Salazar, executive director of the state Department of Regulatory Agencies
Join our Facebook group for the latest updates on coronavirus in Colorado.


thedenverpost--2020-05-04--Denver police identify man killed in Friday night officer-involved shooting

The man who was shot to death Friday night by Denver police pointed a gun at officers after he was stopped for speeding about a half mile from Empower Field at Mile High .
William Debose , 21 , pointed a handgun at officers as he was running away from them in the parking lot of the Rodolfo “ Corky ” Gonzales public library branch at West Colfax Avenue and Irving Street .
An officer fired four shots , striking Debose multiple times , Lt. Matt Clark said during a Monday news conference .
Debose was declared dead at a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ extremely fast on westbound Interstate 70 , near the Interstate 25 interchange , when they began tracking him from the Denver Police Department helicopter .
The driver sped onto I-25 , exited at Colfax Avenue where officers attempted a traffic stop .
The driver sped away .
During the pursuit , the vehicle stopped once on Colfax Avenue and Federal Boulevard where a man got out and was detained without incident by police , Clark said .
The car stopped again at West Colfax Avenue and Irivng Street .
After a minute , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ began walking away .
As police approached , the man ran back toward the car in the library parking lot , and Clark said that ’ s when he pulled a semi-automatic handgun from his waistband .
The woman avoided police , and detectives are trying to track her down , Clark said .
He does not expect to press charges against her .
The officer who shot Debose is a corporal with the department ’ s gang unit and was hired in 2005 .
He has not been involved in prior officer-involved @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was not named .

The man who was shot to death Friday night by Denver police pointed a gun at officers after he was stopped for speeding about a half mile from Empower Field at Mile High, according to police.
The Denver Police Department said William DeBose, 21, pointed a handgun at officers as he was running away from them in the parking lot of the Rodolfo “Corky” Gonzales public library branch at West Colfax Avenue and Irving Street. An officer fired four shots, striking DeBose multiple times, Lt. Matt Clark said during a Monday news conference. DeBose was declared dead at a hospital.
Police said officers had spotted DeBose driving extremely fast on westbound Interstate 70, near the Interstate 25 interchange, when they began tracking him from the Denver Police Department helicopter. The driver sped onto I-25 and exited at Colfax Avenue where officers attempted a traffic stop. The driver sped away.
During the pursuit, the vehicle stopped once on Colfax Avenue and Federal Boulevard where a man got out and was detained without incident by police, Clark said.
The car stopped again at West Colfax Avenue and Irving Street. After a minute, DeBose and a woman got out and began walking away, police said. As police approached, the man ran back toward the car in the library parking lot, and Clark said that’s when he pulled a semi-automatic handgun from his waistband.
The woman avoided police, and detectives are trying to track her down, Clark said. He does not expect to press charges against her.
The officer who shot DeBose is a corporal with the department’s gang unit and was hired in 2005. He has not been involved in prior officer-involved shootings, Clark said. The officer was not named.


thedenverpost--2020-05-04--Avalanche goalie Philipp Grubauer cycling “about 100 miles per day” in Denver area

Avalanche goalie Philipp Grubauer of Germany has remained in Denver during the NHL “ pause ” and says he has become an avid cyclist riding “ about 100 miles per day , ” according to NHL.com .
Grubauer sustained a lower-body injury Feb. 15 against the Los Angeles Kings at the Air Force Academy and was listed out indefinitely .
But he was back on the ice and taking shots and days from returning to the lineup March 12 when the NHL suspended play because of the coronavirus pandemic .
“ Shortly before the lockdown came I was ready to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ little more , ” Grubauer told NHL.com .
“ At ( that ) time we had many injuries , many important players were sidelined , so the pause came at a good time … Everybody wants to play hockey.
” All public Colorado ice rinks have been closed , so any Avalanche players in the area have not been able to skate .
“ My hand-eye coordination has reached the zero point ; you don ’ t get 500 or 600 shots fired in your direction each day , ” Grubauer said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ that for three or two weeks , then you are losing it , but I think that it ’ ll come back fast .
You can work with a tennis ball and a tennis racket , hit the wall and put some shots on you , but there ’ s not much ( else ) that you can do .
It ’ s difficult at the moment.
” But at least he ’ s practicing social distancing in a beautiful area .
“ The Rocky Mountains are one reason why I stayed here @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ I bought a racing bike and I am cycling about 100 miles per day as well as doing a workout with weights .
I ’ d love to go hiking in the mountains as well , but you have to watch out that there are not too many people out there , which wouldn ’ t be too good .
I prefer cycling .
”

Avalanche goalie Philipp Grubauer of Germany has remained in Denver during the NHL “pause” and says he has become an avid cyclist riding “about 100 miles per day,” according to NHL.com.
Grubauer sustained a lower-body injury Feb. 15 against the Los Angeles Kings at the Air Force Academy and was listed out indefinitely. But he was back on the ice and taking shots and days from returning to the lineup March 12 when the NHL suspended play because of the coronavirus pandemic.
“Shortly before the lockdown came I was ready to go, so it hurts even a little more,” Grubauer told NHL.com. “At (that) time we had many injuries, many important players were sidelined, so the pause came at a good time … Everybody wants to play hockey.”
All public Colorado ice rinks have been closed, so any Avalanche players in the area have not been able to skate.
“My hand-eye coordination has reached the zero point; you don’t get 500 or 600 shots fired in your direction each day,” Grubauer said. “If you don’t have that for three or two weeks, then you are losing it, but I think that it’ll come back fast. You can work with a tennis ball and a tennis racket, hit the wall and put some shots on you, but there’s not much (else) that you can do. It’s difficult at the moment.”
But at least he’s practicing social distancing in a beautiful area.
“The Rocky Mountains are one reason why I stayed here in Denver,” he said. “I bought a racing bike and I am cycling about 100 miles per day as well as doing a workout with weights. I’d love to go hiking in the mountains as well, but you have to watch out that there are not too many people out there, which wouldn’t be too good. I prefer cycling.”


thedenverpost--2020-05-04--Denver Public Schools’ summer courses will be held remotely, all district summer camps canceled

Denver Public Schools ’ summer classes will be held remotely , and all DPS summer camps are canceled , the @ @ @ @ @ “ This decision was made with the goal of protecting the safety , health and @ @ @ @ @ and families as the district works to limit the spread of the novel coronavirus , @ @ @ @ @ in a news release .
“ Amid the uncertainty this pandemic brings , DPS remains @ @ @ @ @ health officials , elected leaders and other school districts , and will continue sharing information @ @ @ @ @ ” • Remote summer professional learning , including June and July leadership weeks and New @ @ @ @ @ Jared Polis ordered a closure of all public and private schools across Colorado on March @ @ @ @ @ stop the spread of the highly contagious new coronavirus .
Polis continued to extend the @ @ @ @ @ April the closure of all schools in the state for in-person learning through the rest @ @ @ @ @

Denver Public Schools’ summer classes will be held remotely, and all DPS summer camps are canceled, the school district announced Monday.
“This decision was made with the goal of protecting the safety, health and wellness of students, staff and families as the district works to limit the spread of the novel coronavirus,” the school district wrote in a news release. “Amid the uncertainty this pandemic brings, DPS remains in close contact with public health officials, elected leaders and other school districts, and will continue sharing information as it’s available.”
Impacted DPS summer programs include:
All district camps canceled
Remote Summer Academy
Remote high school credit recovery
Remote sixth- and ninth-grade academies
Remote extended year services for special education
Remote summer professional learning, including June and July leadership weeks and New Educator Welcome Week
Continued grab-and-go food distribution
Gov. Jared Polis ordered a closure of all public and private schools across Colorado on March 18 in an effort to stop the spread of the highly contagious new coronavirus. Polis continued to extend the order, eventually mandating in April the closure of all schools in the state for in-person learning through the rest of the academic year.


thedenverpost--2020-05-04--Greg Zanis, who made crosses for the victims of Columbine, Aurora and other mass violence, has died

Greg Zanis , known to many as the “ Cross Man , ” died Monday after spending 23 years building wooden crosses for thousands of mass-shooting victims across the United States , including the 13 victims killed in the 1999 Columbine High School massacre .
He was 69 .
“ Greg Zanis was a giant among men .
He was a man of action who simply wanted to honor the lives of others .
In return , his life was one of honor and one that was celebrated throughout our nation and world , ” Aurora , Ill. , Mayor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s website Monday .
“ His legacy shall forever be remembered in Aurora and around the globe.
” Zanis died of cancer a few days after a drive-by parade of cars in front of his home to commemorate his work , according news accounts and Irvin ’ s office .
Zanis began building crosses in 1997 after seeing his father-in-law and best friend gunned down in his hometown of Aurora , Ill. , according to a Denver Post article shortly after the April 20 , 1999 , Columbine killings .
“ I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thought it would be a fitting tribute , ” he told the Post reporter at the time .
“ I ’ m willing to make crosses for anybody , anytime .
It ’ s just nice to be asked to do something like this.
” Frank DeAngelis , former longtime Columbine High School principal , never met Zanis , but he has vivid memories of the crosses that were placed atop Rebel Hill in Robert F. Clement Park adjacent to the school .
“ I remember the crosses .
Clement Park turned into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much , ” DeAngelis said Monday .
Zanis drove halfway across the country to place his crosses in the park as part of a Columbine memorial .
“ There were so many people reaching out , ” DeAngelis said .
Zanis returned to Colorado in 2012 with crosses for the 12 people killed in the Aurora theater shooting .

Greg Zanis, known to many as the “Cross Man,” died Monday after spending 23 years building wooden crosses for thousands of mass-shooting victims across the United States, including the 13 victims killed in the 1999 Columbine High School massacre. He was 69.
“Greg Zanis was a giant among men. He was a man of action who simply wanted to honor the lives of others. In return, his life was one of honor and one that was celebrated throughout our nation and world,” Aurora, Ill., Mayor Richard C. Irvin wrote on the city’s website Monday. “His legacy shall forever be remembered in Aurora and around the globe.”
Zanis died of cancer a few days after a drive-by parade of cars in front of his home to commemorate his work, according news accounts and Irvin’s office.
Zanis began building crosses in 1997 after seeing his father-in-law and best friend gunned down in his hometown of Aurora, Ill., according to a Denver Post article shortly after the April 20, 1999, Columbine killings.
“I’m just a carpenter. I thought it would be a fitting tribute,” he told the Post reporter at the time. “I’m willing to make crosses for anybody, anytime. It’s just nice to be asked to do something like this.”
Frank DeAngelis, former longtime Columbine High School principal, never met Zanis, but he has vivid memories of the crosses that were placed atop Rebel Hill in Robert F. Clement Park adjacent to the school.
“I remember the crosses. Clement Park turned into a makeshift memorial. It meant so much,” DeAngelis said Monday.
Zanis drove halfway across the country to place his crosses in the park as part of a Columbine memorial.
“There were so many people reaching out,” DeAngelis said.
Zanis returned to Colorado in 2012 with crosses for the 12 people killed in the Aurora theater shooting.


thedenverpost--2020-05-04--Colorado Supreme Court rules U.S. Senate candidate doesn’t belong on ballot after all

The Colorado Supreme Court on Monday overturned a lower court decision to put Senate candidate Michelle Ferrigno Warren ’ s name on the June 30 Democratic primary ballot , siding with the Secretary of State ’ s Office .
After Ferrigno Warren fell short of collecting enough valid signatures to get on the ballot , she sued , alleging the pandemic had unfairly hampered signature-gathering efforts .
A Denver District Court judge ruled in her favor , and Democratic Secretary of State Jena Griswold appealed the decision .
Warren turned in 5,383 valid signatures , just over half of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , despite the problems posed by the coronavirus pandemic , only the legislature could change the number of signatures required .
The Supreme Court ruling was specific to Ferrigno Warren ’ s case , but it could also affect Lorena Garcia , another Democrat who fell well short of the required signatures .
That would leave only John Hickenlooper and Andrew Romanoff competing to take on Republican Sen. Cory Gardner in the fall .
State election law requires strict compliance , according to the Supreme Court ruling .
“ While we recognize that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ difficult this year are unprecedented , we do not have the authority to rewrite the Election Code in response to the COVID-19 virus , ” the ruling stated .
“ Only the General Assembly can do that.
” The legislature should have taken action , Ferrigno Warren told The Denver Post on Monday , but she won ’ t pursue the matter further .
“ My campaign decided this will be the end , ” she said .
Although the General Assembly passed a law before it went into recess making changes to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ processes because of the public health crisis , it did not alter signature requirements for candidates .
The Secretary of State ’ s Office did not immediately return a request for comment Thursday .
The office has until Thursday to certify the ballot before it goes to county clerks .

The Colorado Supreme Court on Monday overturned a lower court decision to put Senate candidate Michelle Ferrigno Warren’s name on the June 30 Democratic primary ballot, siding with the Secretary of State’s Office.
After Ferrigno Warren fell short of collecting enough valid signatures to get on the ballot, she sued, alleging the pandemic had unfairly hampered signature-gathering efforts. A Denver District Court judge ruled in her favor, and Democratic Secretary of State Jena Griswold appealed the decision.
Warren turned in 5,383 valid signatures, just over half of the 10,500 required. The court determined that, despite the problems posed by the coronavirus pandemic, only the legislature could change the number of signatures required.
The Supreme Court ruling was specific to Ferrigno Warren’s case, but it could also affect Lorena Garcia, another Democrat who fell well short of the required signatures. That would leave only John Hickenlooper and Andrew Romanoff competing to take on Republican Sen. Cory Gardner in the fall.
State election law requires strict compliance, according to the Supreme Court ruling.
“While we recognize that the circumstances that made signature collection more difficult this year are unprecedented, we do not have the authority to rewrite the Election Code in response to the COVID-19 virus,” the ruling stated. “Only the General Assembly can do that.”
The legislature should have taken action, Ferrigno Warren told The Denver Post on Monday, but she won’t pursue the matter further.
“My campaign decided this will be the end,” she said.
Although the General Assembly passed a law before it went into recess making changes to the state’s major party assembly processes because of the public health crisis, it did not alter signature requirements for candidates.
“The Supreme Court instead indicated that it is incumbent upon the legislature to make changes to existing law, despite the extenuating circumstances,” said Betsy Hart, spokesperson for the Secretary of State’s Office.
The office has until Thursday to certify the ballot before it goes to county clerks.


thedenverpost--2020-05-04--AP FACT CHECK: Trump won’t admit failures in coronavirus testing

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump was displeased when the Republican and Democratic leaders of Congress joined in a statement declining to use coronavirus testing machines from the White House for lawmakers .
The statement affirmed what U.S. officials already know but Trump won ’ t admit — the U.S. is still short of the tests crucial to ending the pandemic .
Trump responded to their statement with a falsehood .
TRUMP : “ Interesting ?
By Congress not wanting the special 5 minute testing apparatus , they are saying that they are not ‘ essential ’ .
In any event @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and have performed 6.5 million tests , which is more than every country in the world , combined !
” — tweet Monday .
THE FACTS : This is not remotely true .
The U.S. has tested far fewer people than all other countries combined .
It also lags dozens of countries in testing its population proportionally .
Together , just three countries — Russia , Germany and Italy — have tested about 9.4 million people , compared with about 7.2 million in the United States , by the latest count .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ each tested more than 1 million .
And the count does not include China , the world ’ s most populous country and the one where the virus started , because it has not reported national numbers .
In their weekend statement , House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell together thanked Trump for offering to send over rapid-test machines from the White House but “ respectfully ” declined .
“ Our country ’ s testing capacities are continuing to scale up nationwide and Congress wants to keep directing resources @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do the most good the most quickly , ” they said .
The polite pushback underscored the persistent U.S. failure to make diagnostic testing available in sufficient numbers , a shortfall also experienced on Capitol Hill .
The Senate convened Monday for the first time since March while the House held off .
Trump relentlessly boasts about U.S. testing in the face of its striking shortcomings .
“ We have an incredible testing , ” he said Sunday in a Fox News interview .
“ We have the best testing system , right @ @ @ @ @ @ @ total number of tests performed country to country is a poor measure of success because populations obviously differ hugely .
On a more telling measure — the proportion of a country ’ s population that gets tested — the U.S. was not only late getting started but is still way behind .
More than 40 other countries have tested a greater proportion of their populations than has the United States .
Some are geographically compact , making people easier to reach , but the world ’ s two largest countries by area , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that have outperformed the U.S .
So have Germany , Spain , Italy , Australia and dozens more .
China remains a question mark .
The U.S now has surpassed South Korea in proportional as well as total testing .
Trump specifically bragged about his country doing better than South Korea in testing people before that was so .

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump was displeased when the Republican and Democratic leaders of Congress joined in a statement declining to use coronavirus testing machines from the White House for lawmakers. The statement affirmed what U.S. officials already know but Trump won’t admit — the U.S. is still short of the tests crucial to ending the pandemic.
Trump responded to their statement with a falsehood.
TRUMP: “Interesting? By Congress not wanting the special 5 minute testing apparatus, they are saying that they are not ‘essential’. In any event, we have great testing capacity, and have performed 6.5 million tests, which is more than every country in the world, combined!” — tweet Monday.
THE FACTS: This is not remotely true.
The U.S. has tested far fewer people than all other countries combined. It also lags dozens of countries in testing its population proportionally.
Together, just three countries — Russia, Germany and Italy — have tested about 9.4 million people, compared with about 7.2 million in the United States, by the latest count. The next six countries in the ranking have each tested more than 1 million. And the count does not include China, the world’s most populous country and the one where the virus started, because it has not reported national numbers.
In their weekend statement, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell together thanked Trump for offering to send over rapid-test machines from the White House but “respectfully” declined.
“Our country’s testing capacities are continuing to scale up nationwide and Congress wants to keep directing resources to the front-line facilities where they can do the most good the most quickly,” they said. The polite pushback underscored the persistent U.S. failure to make diagnostic testing available in sufficient numbers, a shortfall also experienced on Capitol Hill.
The Senate convened Monday for the first time since March while the House held off.
Trump relentlessly boasts about U.S. testing in the face of its striking shortcomings. “We have an incredible testing,” he said Sunday in a Fox News interview. “We have the best testing system, right now, in the world.”
The total number of tests performed country to country is a poor measure of success because populations obviously differ hugely. On a more telling measure — the proportion of a country’s population that gets tested — the U.S. was not only late getting started but is still way behind.
More than 40 other countries have tested a greater proportion of their populations than has the United States. Some are geographically compact, making people easier to reach, but the world’s two largest countries by area, Russia and Canada, are among those that have outperformed the U.S.
So have Germany, Spain, Italy, Australia and dozens more. China remains a question mark. The U.S now has surpassed South Korea in proportional as well as total testing. Trump specifically bragged about his country doing better than South Korea in testing people before that was so.


thedenverpost--2020-05-05--Denver weather: Sunny skies with temperatures reaching 70 degrees

Early morning frost in some areas will give way to warm temperatures and sunny skies Tuesday in Denver , forecasters @ @ @ @ @ until around 7 a.m .
The high temperature is expected to reach near 70 degrees @ @ @ @ @ Weather Service in Boulder .
Wednesday will also be a pleasant day with mostly sunny @ @ @ @ @ near 72 degrees .
Breezy conditions with wind gusts as high as 20 mph are @ @ @ @ @ .
The low temperature overnight will be about 44 degrees .
Thursday will be sunny @ @ @ @ @ 68 degrees .
Winds could gust up to 30 mph .
There ’ s a @ @ @ @ @ rain showers and thunderstorms on Friday , but it will be mostly sunny with a @ @ @ @ @ degrees , forecasters said .
The weekend will be mostly sunny with high temperatures of @ @ @ @ @ and 65 on Sunday , the NWS said .

Early morning frost in some areas will give way to warm temperatures and sunny skies Tuesday in Denver, forecasters said.
Frost is possible until around 7 a.m. The high temperature is expected to reach near 70 degrees, according to the National Weather Service in Boulder.
Wednesday will also be a pleasant day with mostly sunny skies and a high temperature near 72 degrees. Breezy conditions with wind gusts as high as 20 mph are expected, the NWS said. The low temperature overnight will be about 44 degrees.
Thursday will be sunny with a high temperature near 68 degrees. Winds could gust up to 30 mph.
There’s a 10% chance of afternoon rain showers and thunderstorms on Friday, but it will be mostly sunny with a high temperature of around 60 degrees, forecasters said.
The weekend will be mostly sunny with high temperatures of about 69 degrees on Saturday and 65 on Sunday, the NWS said.


thedenverpost--2020-05-05--Broncos Mailbag: Should receiver KJ Hamler’s dropped passes be concerning as he enters NFL?

Denver Post Broncos writer Ryan O ’ Halloran posts his Broncos Mailbag periodically during the offseason .
You can pose a Broncos- or NFL-related question for the Broncos Mailbag here .
Follow Ryan for more daily updates on Twitter .
A question about KJ Hamler : The stats show he had a drop rate of around 17 % last year and around 14 % for his career at Penn State .
Those numbers won ’ t fly in the NFL regardless of how fast he is .
Is there something that makes these numbers inflated like an off-target pass or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on a kick returner ?
Broncos general manager John Elway acknowledged Hamler ’ s drops after he was drafted , but called them , “ concentration drops , which are the easy drops that ( happen when ) you don ’ t concentrate looking ( the football ) in .
We felt those are things that are obviously very coachable.
” Fair enough , but it bears watching .
If Hamler ’ s biggest contribution this year is catching kickoffs for touchbacks , that ’ s a problem ; the Broncos used the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can be a stretch-the-field option at wide receiver right away .
It is unclear to me why running back Phillip Lindsay is not yet signed long-term .
Is there a plan for a deal and what do you suspect the Broncos ’ plans are for him within the lineup ?
It seems absurd to me to pay Melvin Gordon millions a year when we have Lindsay and he has produced 1,000-yard seasons on guts and tenacity .
Another Elway head-scratcher !
Lindsay ’ s salary cap number remains $ 755,000 , which ranks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the recent draft picks ) .
A tremendous bargain .
But it ’ s clear why the Broncos haven ’ t signed Lindsay long-term .
1 .
They don ’ t have to ( he ’ s under contract for 2020 ) and 2 .
The presence of Gordon ( $ 7 million cap number ) .
Gordon ’ s arrival will mean fewer carries for Lindsay .
To paraphrase your term , the head-scratching part is the decision to allocate so much money to Gordon instead of waiting for the draft and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ obviously felt the kind of boost Gordon could provide justified the contract .
Jerry Jeudy had one of the lowest Wonderlic scores in history .
How much stock do you put in the test ?
— Kevin , Wheat Ridge • Keeler vs. O ’ Halloran : John Elway ’ s bigger gamble — not doing more at offensive tackle or cornerback ?
• Broncos ’ trip to London nixed as NFL says no international games this year According to long-time colleague Bob McGinn , Jeudy scored nine on the 50-question Wonderlic test @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pittman led the receivers ( 29 ) and was drafted by Indianapolis and the Broncos ’ KJ Hamler scored 20 .
A concern ?
The Broncos won ’ t know until they get Jeudy in the playbook and see how he takes the coaching .
Before the combine in February , I asked director of player personnel Matt Russell about a low Wonderlic score being flagged .
“ I ’ ve seen book-smart guys that when the football is snapped , they have a hard time playing because from an instinctual standpoint , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a test ) , ” he said .
“ And I ’ ve seen great , instinctual football players with low test scores .
It ’ s incumbent on us to do the work to determine , ‘ This guy ’ s test score isn ’ t great , but that could be for a lot of reasons.
’ ” Coach Vic Fangio has a strong record of developing tough , stingy defenses wherever he ’ s been .
What are the key elements of his system that are essential to his success @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have some/most of those elements in place now ?
Looking at Fangio ’ s best years in San Francisco and Chicago , the commonalities are a stud inside linebacker ( Patrick Willis with the 49ers and Roquan Smith with the Bears ) , premier edge pass rushers ( Aldon Smith with the 49ers and Khalil Mack with the Bears ) , solid safeties ( Donte Whitner/Dashon Goldson with the 49ers and Adrian Amos/Eddie Jackson with the Bears ) and a reliable defensive end/tackle combo guy ( Justin Smith with the 49ers and Akiem @ @ @ @ @ @ @ good players .
The Broncos have edge rushers Von Miller and Bradley Chubb and safeties Justin Simmons and Kareem Jackson .
Fangio has admitted the Broncos ’ inside linebacker play ( Todd Davis/Alexander Johnson ) needs to improve and Shelby Harris is the most versatile lineman .
Why do the Broncos have eight tight ends on their roster ?
The Broncos had nine tight ends until last week when they waived Bug Howard .
The eight players : Noah Fant , Nick Vannett , Jeff Heuerman , Albert Okwuegbunam , Andrew Beck , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fort .
Butt and Fort are rehabilitating injuries , which is why they remain on the roster .
I count Beck as a tight end even though he ’ ll be a tight end/H-back/fullback hybrid .
Fant , Vannett and Okwuegbunam are locks to make the roster and I think Heuerman provides a veteran presence .
We are season ticket holders and have paid for our 2020 season tickets .
If the season is shortened , or worse , canceled , will the Broncos refund the cost of the tickets ?
I don @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year .
My wife and I are both 75 and , with the coronavirus creating so much hardship , we could actually use that money this year .
I passed your question along to the Broncos , who provided me with these details : If a game is canceled or is played without fans being allowed to attend , you can choose refund or account credit .
And for all season ticket holders , any questions or concerns can be directed to the Broncos ’ ticket office .
Do any of last year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Josh Watson or Austin Fort have a legitimate chance to make the roster this year ?
Watson earned a promotion to the active roster at the end of 2019 and Fort ( ACL ) spent all season on injured reserve .
Watson will compete with Joe Jones and rookie fifth-round pick Justin Strnad for the No .
4 inside linebacker spot .
Fort was making a positive impression when he went down in the second preseason game at Seattle , but since then , the Broncos have added Vannett and Okwuegbunam .
If @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fort is facing a tough climb .
With the draft in the rearview mirror and the Broncos still having a need at offensive tackle , what options are left ?
Any chance they make a trade before training camp ?
Also , who ’ s the sleeper draft pick or undrafted signee that we should watch out for in 2020 ?
Thanks for the insight !
That ’ s the issue with not doing anything at offensive tackle in the draft : There aren ’ t very many options remaining .
The remaining @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Kelvin Beachum , Chris Clark and Greg Robinson .
Beachum , 30 , most recently with the New York Jets , played two years ( 2014-15 ) for current Broncos offensive line coach Mike Munchak in Pittsburgh .
Peters is the most accomplished of the bunch .
As for a sleeper draft pick/undrafted prospect to monitor , I ’ m intrigued by McTelvin Agim because he can play defensive end and tackle and undrafted cornerback Essang Bassey .
I know there are high expectations for receiver Jerry Jeudy and center Lloyd Cushenberry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ draft picks expected to do much in their rookie season ?
Second-round receiver KJ Hamler will be expected to be a vertical complement to Courtland Sutton .
Cornerback Michael Ojemudia could start opposite A.J .
Bouye .
Defensive lineman McTelvin Agim could be a rotational player if he transitions well to the NFL .
Tight end Albert Okwuegbunam will get a chance as a “ move ” player that creates good matchups .
I am curious as to how poorly or how good John Elway is actually doing as a general manager ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the GMs ( or equivalent position ) of the other NFL teams over the term that Elway has held the position ?
I believe he has earned the right to keep the job as long as he wants it .
A breakdown of Elway ’ s record since he returned to the Broncos in 2011 .
From 2011-15 , the Broncos ’ 58 wins were second-most .
From 2016-19 , the Broncos ’ 27 wins are tied for 22nd .
Overall , the 85 regular-season wins is eighth .
How many general managers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the playoffs ?
Tampa Bay ’ s Jason Licht hasn ’ t made the postseason in his six years and Arizona ’ s Steve Keim also has a current streak of four consecutive non-playoff seasons .
Jacksonville ’ s Dave Caldwell had four non-playoff years ( 2013-16 ) before losing final say on personnel , but keeping his title .
Denver Post Broncos writer Ryan O ’ Halloran posts his Broncos Mailbag periodically during the offseason .
You can pose a Broncos- or NFL-related question for the Broncos Mailbag here .
Follow Ryan @ @ @ @ @ @ @

Denver Post Broncos writer Ryan O’Halloran posts his Broncos Mailbag periodically during the offseason.
You can pose a Broncos- or NFL-related question for the Broncos Mailbag here. Follow Ryan for more daily updates on Twitter.
A question about KJ Hamler: The stats show he had a drop rate of around 17% last year and around 14% for his career at Penn State. Those numbers won’t fly in the NFL regardless of how fast he is. Is there something that makes these numbers inflated like an off-target pass or have we just spent a second-round pick on a kick returner?
— Dave G., Seattle
Broncos general manager John Elway acknowledged Hamler’s drops after he was drafted, but called them, “concentration drops, which are the easy drops that (happen when) you don’t concentrate looking (the football) in. We felt those are things that are obviously very coachable.” Fair enough, but it bears watching. If Hamler’s biggest contribution this year is catching kickoffs for touchbacks, that’s a problem; the Broncos used the 46th overall pick because they believe he can be a stretch-the-field option at wide receiver right away.
It is unclear to me why running back Phillip Lindsay is not yet signed long-term. Is there a plan for a deal and what do you suspect the Broncos’ plans are for him within the lineup? It seems absurd to me to pay Melvin Gordon millions a year when we have Lindsay and he has produced 1,000-yard seasons on guts and tenacity. Another Elway head-scratcher!
— Vance Valerio, Omaha, Neb.
Lindsay’s salary cap number remains $755,000, which ranks 37th on the Broncos (not including the recent draft picks). A tremendous bargain. But it’s clear why the Broncos haven’t signed Lindsay long-term. 1. They don’t have to (he’s under contract for 2020) and 2. The presence of Gordon ($7 million cap number). Gordon’s arrival will mean fewer carries for Lindsay. To paraphrase your term, the head-scratching part is the decision to allocate so much money to Gordon instead of waiting for the draft and finding a back. But the Broncos obviously felt the kind of boost Gordon could provide justified the contract.
Jerry Jeudy had one of the lowest Wonderlic scores in history. How much stock do you put in the test?
— Kevin, Wheat Ridge
According to long-time colleague Bob McGinn, Jeudy scored nine on the 50-question Wonderlic test (30-minute time limit). Michael Pittman led the receivers (29) and was drafted by Indianapolis and the Broncos’ KJ Hamler scored 20. A concern? The Broncos won’t know until they get Jeudy in the playbook and see how he takes the coaching. Before the combine in February, I asked director of player personnel Matt Russell about a low Wonderlic score being flagged. “I’ve seen book-smart guys that when the football is snapped, they have a hard time playing because from an instinctual standpoint, it’s different (than taking a test),” he said. “And I’ve seen great, instinctual football players with low test scores. It’s incumbent on us to do the work to determine, ‘This guy’s test score isn’t great, but that could be for a lot of reasons.’”
Coach Vic Fangio has a strong record of developing tough, stingy defenses wherever he’s been. What are the key elements of his system that are essential to his success? And, do you think we have some/most of those elements in place now?
— Christopher, Berthoud
Looking at Fangio’s best years in San Francisco and Chicago, the commonalities are a stud inside linebacker (Patrick Willis with the 49ers and Roquan Smith with the Bears), premier edge pass rushers (Aldon Smith with the 49ers and Khalil Mack with the Bears), solid safeties (Donte Whitner/Dashon Goldson with the 49ers and Adrian Amos/Eddie Jackson with the Bears) and a reliable defensive end/tackle combo guy (Justin Smith with the 49ers and Akiem Hicks with the Bears). All good players. The Broncos have edge rushers Von Miller and Bradley Chubb and safeties Justin Simmons and Kareem Jackson. Fangio has admitted the Broncos’ inside linebacker play (Todd Davis/Alexander Johnson) needs to improve and Shelby Harris is the most versatile lineman.
Why do the Broncos have eight tight ends on their roster?
— Josh, Germany
The Broncos had nine tight ends until last week when they waived Bug Howard. The eight players: Noah Fant, Nick Vannett, Jeff Heuerman, Albert Okwuegbunam, Andrew Beck, Troy Fumagalli, Jake Butt and Austin Fort. Butt and Fort are rehabilitating injuries, which is why they remain on the roster. I count Beck as a tight end even though he’ll be a tight end/H-back/fullback hybrid. Fant, Vannett and Okwuegbunam are locks to make the roster and I think Heuerman provides a veteran presence.
We are season ticket holders and have paid for our 2020 season tickets. If the season is shortened, or worse, canceled, will the Broncos refund the cost of the tickets? I don’t want them to credit next year. My wife and I are both 75 and, with the coronavirus creating so much hardship, we could actually use that money this year.
— Joseph Garcia, Thornton
I passed your question along to the Broncos, who provided me with these details: If a game is canceled or is played without fans being allowed to attend, you can choose refund or account credit. And for all season ticket holders, any questions or concerns can be directed to the Broncos’ ticket office.
Do any of last year’s practice squad members such as Josh Watson or Austin Fort have a legitimate chance to make the roster this year?
— Calvin Green, Aurora
Watson earned a promotion to the active roster at the end of 2019 and Fort (ACL) spent all season on injured reserve. Watson will compete with Joe Jones and rookie fifth-round pick Justin Strnad for the No. 4 inside linebacker spot. Fort was making a positive impression when he went down in the second preseason game at Seattle, but since then, the Broncos have added Vannett and Okwuegbunam. If the Broncos keep four tight ends, Fort is facing a tough climb.
With the draft in the rearview mirror and the Broncos still having a need at offensive tackle, what options are left? Any chance they make a trade before training camp? Also, who’s the sleeper draft pick or undrafted signee that we should watch out for in 2020? Thanks for the insight!
— Brandon Brown, Rogers, Minn.
That’s the issue with not doing anything at offensive tackle in the draft: There aren’t very many options remaining. The remaining free agent left tackles are Jason Peters, Kelvin Beachum, Chris Clark and Greg Robinson. Beachum, 30, most recently with the New York Jets, played two years (2014-15) for current Broncos offensive line coach Mike Munchak in Pittsburgh. Peters is the most accomplished of the bunch. As for a sleeper draft pick/undrafted prospect to monitor, I’m intrigued by McTelvin Agim because he can play defensive end and tackle and undrafted cornerback Essang Bassey.
I know there are high expectations for receiver Jerry Jeudy and center Lloyd Cushenberry. Are any of the other Broncos draft picks expected to do much in their rookie season?
— Carl, Denver
Second-round receiver KJ Hamler will be expected to be a vertical complement to Courtland Sutton. Cornerback Michael Ojemudia could start opposite A.J. Bouye. Defensive lineman McTelvin Agim could be a rotational player if he transitions well to the NFL. Tight end Albert Okwuegbunam will get a chance as a “move” player that creates good matchups.
I am curious as to how poorly or how good John Elway is actually doing as a general manager? Can you please do a comparison to the GMs (or equivalent position) of the other NFL teams over the term that Elway has held the position? I believe he has earned the right to keep the job as long as he wants it.
— Michael Hert, Durango
A breakdown of Elway’s record since he returned to the Broncos in 2011. From 2011-15, the Broncos’ 58 wins were second-most. From 2016-19, the Broncos’ 27 wins are tied for 22nd. Overall, the 85 regular-season wins is eighth. How many general managers have survived four consecutive years out of the playoffs? Tampa Bay’s Jason Licht hasn’t made the postseason in his six years and Arizona’s Steve Keim also has a current streak of four consecutive non-playoff seasons. Jacksonville’s Dave Caldwell had four non-playoff years (2013-16) before losing final say on personnel, but keeping his title.
Denver Post Broncos writer Ryan O’Halloran posts his Broncos Mailbag periodically during the offseason.
You can pose a Broncos- or NFL-related question for the Broncos Mailbag here. Follow Ryan for more daily updates on Twitter.