thedenverpost--2020-04-25--The Broncos have five picks in Day 3 of NFL draft. Who are some names to consider?

The Broncos have five picks on Saturday : One apiece in rounds 4-6 and two in round 7 .
Here is a look at some players that might ( should ? )
be on their radar .
The Broncos return reserve Trey Marshall , but they may want to look at a developmental safety who could be coached up to play in dime personnel ( six defensive backs ) this year .
Geno Stone , Iowa : A 1 1/2-year starter for the Hawkeyes , Stone had 126 tackles and six interceptions in 39 games ( 21 starts ) .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ pick in 2019 .
Alohi Gilman , Notre Dame : Gilman is well-traveled .
Grew up in Hawaii .
Attended Naval Academy Prep School ( 2015 ) .
Attended Navy ( 2016 ) .
Sat out as a transfer ( 2017 ) .
And , finally , started all 26 Irish games in 2018-19 .
In his college career , he had 245 tackles and three interceptions .
K ’ Von Wallace , Clemson : Listed at 5-11/206 , Wallace played a ton of football — 59 games ( 36 starts ) .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.53 seconds at the combine .
General manager John Elway said late Friday no decision on left tackle Garett Bolles ’ fifth-year option has been made , but said Bolles will compete with Elijah Wilkinson for the spot .
Big deal or little deal ?
Some of both .
Last year , the Broncos wanted Wilkinson to challenge Bolles in-season , but couldn ’ t because or right tackle Ja ’ Wuan James ’ multiple injuries .
Drafting a tackle on Saturday to add to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Washington : Knee and back injuries have impacted his stock even though he played 12 games at left tackle in 2019 .
Listed at 6-8/318 , he may be worth a flier in the sixth or seventh rounds .
Saahdiq Charles , LSU : Suspended for six games in 2019 .
Started 26 games at left tackle and one apiece at right tackle and right guard .
Declared for the draft as a third-year junior .
Prince Tega Wanogho , Auburn : The fifth-year senior moved from defensive line to left tackle early @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 32 games .
Colton McKivitz , West Virginia : Started 47 games for the Mountaineers — 33 at right tackle , 13 at left tackle and one at right guard .
He was second-team All-America ( left tackle ) last year .
Ben Bartch , St. John ’ s ( Minn. ) : A former tight end who converted to left tackle and started 27 games the last two years for the Division III program .
Bartch didn ’ t work out at the combine ( knee ) .
When Elway said on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from No .
46 to late in the first round , our guess is they were targeting LSU linebacker Patrick Queen , who was selected by Baltimore .
Friday came and went with no linebacker additions .
Shaq Quarterman , Miami : If the Broncos are looking for special teams competition late in the day , Quarterman could be the answer .
He started all 52 games of his college career and piled up 356 tackles ( only one interception ) .
You can never have enough edge rushers .
Akeem Davis-Gaither , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Listed at 6-1 and 224 pounds , Davis-Gaither played in 55 games ( 30 starts ) and had 258 tackles , eight sacks and 18 pass break-ups .
You can never have enough cornerbacks .
Bryce Hall , Virginia : Teams are obviously concerned about Hall ’ s foot surgery from last October .
He has good size ( 6-1/202 ) and production ( FBS-leading 24 pass break-ups in 2018 ) .
Troy Pride , Notre Dame : Pride played 45 games ( 32 starts ) for the Irish .
Listed at 5-11/193 @ @ @ @ @ @

The Broncos have five picks on Saturday: One apiece in rounds 4-6 and two in round 7.
Here is a look at some players that might (should?) be on their radar.
Safety
The Broncos return reserve Trey Marshall, but they may want to look at a developmental safety who could be coached up to play in dime personnel (six defensive backs) this year.
Geno Stone, Iowa: A 1 1/2-year starter for the Hawkeyes, Stone had 126 tackles and six interceptions in 39 games (21 starts). A team captain and second-team All-Big 10 pick in 2019.
Alohi Gilman, Notre Dame: Gilman is well-traveled. Grew up in Hawaii. Attended Naval Academy Prep School (2015). Attended Navy (2016). Sat out as a transfer (2017). And, finally, started all 26 Irish games in 2018-19. In his college career, he had 245 tackles and three interceptions.
K’Von Wallace, Clemson: Listed at 5-11/206, Wallace played a ton of football — 59 games (36 starts). He had 178 tackles and five interceptions. He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.53 seconds at the combine.
Offensive tackle
General manager John Elway said late Friday no decision on left tackle Garett Bolles’ fifth-year option has been made, but said Bolles will compete with Elijah Wilkinson for the spot. Big deal or little deal? Some of both. Last year, the Broncos wanted Wilkinson to challenge Bolles in-season, but couldn’t because or right tackle Ja’Wuan James’ multiple injuries. Drafting a tackle on Saturday to add to the mix makes sense.
Trey Adams, Washington: Knee and back injuries have impacted his stock even though he played 12 games at left tackle in 2019. Listed at 6-8/318, he may be worth a flier in the sixth or seventh rounds.
Saahdiq Charles, LSU: Suspended for six games in 2019. Started 26 games at left tackle and one apiece at right tackle and right guard. Declared for the draft as a third-year junior.
Prince Tega Wanogho, Auburn: The fifth-year senior moved from defensive line to left tackle early in college career and ended up starting 32 games.
Colton McKivitz, West Virginia: Started 47 games for the Mountaineers — 33 at right tackle, 13 at left tackle and one at right guard. He was second-team All-America (left tackle) last year.
Ben Bartch, St. John’s (Minn.): A former tight end who converted to left tackle and started 27 games the last two years for the Division III program. Bartch didn’t work out at the combine (knee).
Inside linebacker
When Elway said on Thursday the Broncos tried to trade up from No. 46 to late in the first round, our guess is they were targeting LSU linebacker Patrick Queen, who was selected by Baltimore. Friday came and went with no linebacker additions.
Shaq Quarterman, Miami: If the Broncos are looking for special teams competition late in the day, Quarterman could be the answer. He started all 52 games of his college career and piled up 356 tackles (only one interception).
Outside linebacker
You can never have enough edge rushers.
Akeem Davis-Gaither, Appalachian State: Surprisingly still available. Listed at 6-1 and 224 pounds, Davis-Gaither played in 55 games (30 starts) and had 258 tackles, eight sacks and 18 pass break-ups.
Cornerback
You can never have enough cornerbacks.
Bryce Hall, Virginia: Teams are obviously concerned about Hall’s foot surgery from last October. He has good size (6-1/202) and production (FBS-leading 24 pass break-ups in 2018).
Troy Pride, Notre Dame: Pride played 45 games (32 starts) for the Irish. Listed at 5-11/193, he had four interceptions.


thedenverpost--2020-04-25--Volatile days ahead for Colorado’s Front Range housing markets

Anyone wanting to buy or sell a home in metro Denver this year needs to buckle up and prepare for a wild ride in the months ahead .
“ Our forecast suggests the housing market recovery will look like a “ flying W , ” with an initial sharp drop this spring , a noticeable rebound in the summer followed by another dip in the fall , and on a final solid road to recovery by spring 2021 , ” predicts Ralph McLaughlin , chief economist with Haus , a startup that co-invests in homes with individuals .
The housing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ started the year on a strong footing , with a lot of younger households looking to buy and older households looking to upgrade or downsize .
Now metro Denver is among several areas in the country looking at sales declines over the next several months .
Home and condo sales dropped 5.12 % in March on an annual basis in metro Denver , according to the Denver Metro Association of Realtors .
Nationally , they still rose 0.8 % year-over-year , but fell 8.5 % between February and March .
“ Unfortunately , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ March due to the coronavirus outbreak , ” Lawrence Yun , chief economist at the National Association of Realtors , said in a release .
“ More temporary interruptions to home sales should be expected in the next couple of months , though home prices will still likely rise.
” The Haus model , which McLaughlin has been working on since December , shows some large declines in homes sales coming Denver ’ s way .
It predicts a 33 % year-over-year drop this month , a 43.1 % drop in May , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a 24.1 % drop in July .
Declines that large will mean reduced commission income for agents , fewer purchases at home improvement and furniture stores and less work for movers and remodelers .
But declines will ease up into the fall as consumers gain confidence — until that confidence gets shaken yet again .
“ We think the economy will open back up in a limited fashion in late spring and early summer .
There will be a flood of pent-up demand , ” McLaughlin said .
Many forecasts call for a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ either a sharp or more prolonged path back , know as a V-shaped or U-shaped recovery .
“ It all depends on the virus , ” said Frank Nothaft , chief economist with CoreLogic , during a webinar Tuesday .
If the outbreak recedes and doesn ’ t return in the fall , then chances improve for a V-shape recovery in both the economy and housing markets bounce back .
But given the severity of job losses , he concedes that a U-shape or slower rebound might show up .
Mike DelPrete , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Boulder , forecasts a checkmark-shaped recovery is in store , a sharp drop followed by a steady but prolonged road to recovery .
Some have a different name for it : the Nike Swoosh .
“ Rather than a V- or U-shaped recovery , the current evidence supports more of a checkmark-shape .
It begins with a severe , immediate drop , lasts three to four weeks , and is followed by a gradual recovery , ” he said in a blog post .
McLaughlin ’ s forecast diverges from the others because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comeback in the fall with the return of cold weather , disrupting the economy and derailing the housing market a second time .
That ’ s what makes for a W-shaped recovery .
That view gained more credence after Robert Redfield , director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , told the Washington Post on Tuesday that the return of the COVID-19 outbreak could align with the start of the flu season , straining health care resources .
“ There ’ s a possibility that the assault of the virus on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even more difficult than the one we just went through , ” he said .
Despite the sharp drop in sales and a sharp drop in mortgages for home purchases , home prices won ’ t move much in metro Denver .
McLaughlin argues that ’ s possible because home prices are sticky on the way down .
If they don ’ t receive the offer they want , many sellers will take their listings off the market .
So long as reduced supply can match up with reduced demand , a market @ @ @ @ @ @ @ readjustment in prices .
Most homeowners are sitting on record amounts of home equity and if they were paying attention , holding a mortgage rate in the 3 % range .
That ’ s a big difference from the last real estate cycle when many homeowners had minimal or even negative equity and were stuck with mortgages with escalating payments .
The Haus model predicts that metro Denver home prices will flatten in June on a year-over-year basis and then turn negative in July .
Price declines will stick around until January or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t come anywhere close to those experienced in the late 2000s .
The worst decline in metro Denver will come in October and run just 1.2 % .
Boulder ’ s home price declines won ’ t show up until late in the year , and they will last two or three months at most .
Colorado Springs home prices will go negative in November , and that weakness will last through February .
Fort Collins ’ price dip will run from December to February .
But what about the 26.5 million @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who have filed for unemployment assistance since mid-March ?
Gad Levanon , vice president of labor markets for The Conference Board , estimates that the U.S. unemployment rate could soar above 20 % in April and May and will remain in double-digit rates this year .
That will have consequences for the housing market , but more so for multi-family than single-family .
Jobs at the lower end of the pay scale are being hardest hit by social distancing requirements , and those who are losing their jobs are more likely to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ losses will hurt purchasing demand , but McLaughlin argues that stimulus payments and the sweetened federal unemployment benefits at $ 600 a week will help many households stay current .
For those who can ’ t stay current , deferrals and suspensions are being offered on federally-backed mortgages , which are the large majority out there .
As of April 23 , 3.4 million U.S. homeowners had forbearance plans representing 6.4 % of all active mortgages , according to Black Knight , a real estate data firm .
McLaughlin estimates forbearance agreements could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this summer .
Forbearance simply pushes back mortgage payments , tacking them onto the end of the loan .
It will forestall foreclosure notices and auction sales , which were big contributors to price declines in the housing crash .
And those who are able to stay current will have the chance to refinance to shore up their financial positions .
“ This will lead to fewer distressed properties than during the Great Recession , and as such very little downward pressure on home prices , ” McLaughlin predicts .
Although metro Denver @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some areas from the downturn , McLaughlin doesn ’ t put it in the camp of the most damaged housing markets , which he predicts will be in the Pacific Northwest , Nevada , and large parts of Florida .
“ Denver , for the most part , won ’ t get off scot-free , but it won ’ t be hit as hard as some of the other markets in the U.S. , ” he said .
Nevada and Florida have a much larger concentration of jobs and spending in tourism and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those states suffering a bigger hit in home prices .
One area where metro Denver will see declines is in new home construction .
The Haus model predicts permits to build new homes are likely down by a nearly a third this month , and will be nearly cut in half by June .
They will remain negative year-over-year through February .
That lack of new supply could prove problematic in the long run , especially if the region remains popular for those relocating , and it will mean fewer construction workers employed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will remain a mixed bag .
Tighter loan underwriting standards , reduced household incomes , and damaged credit scores may knock more potential homebuyers out of the running , reducing purchase mortgages .
But with interest rates at historic lows , because of the Federal Reserve intervening in the market , the demand to refinance mortgages will be intense .
The Haus model predicts year-over-year increases in mortgage refinancings of 155 % or more from April to July in metro Denver , with a 119 % increase in August .
That will keep @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the loss of new mortgage originations , which are projected to fall from now until February 2021 in metro Denver .
The biggest year-over-year declines will top 46 % in May and June .
Nothaft said applications nationally for mortgages to purchase a home are down 28 % in early April compared to a year earlier , according to a CoreLogic database .
But he notes that those declines are coming mostly among older buyers , who are more fearful about venturing out and catching the virus .
The Conference Board places remodeling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home into the “ somewhat ” contagious category .
They aren ’ t as dangerous as going to a concert or jumping on a commercial flight , but both involve an elevated level of risk .
Next month , real estate agents in Colorado can again market homes to buyers in person .
Among millennials , some of whom are anxious to transition from renting to owning their first homes , the declines in mortgage originations have been minimal so far .
That would indicate in the months ahead that entry-level homes should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , especially luxury homes , which are vulnerable to gyrations in the stock market .
Join our Facebook group for the latest updates on coronavirus in Colorado .

Anyone wanting to buy or sell a home in metro Denver this year needs to buckle up and prepare for a wild ride in the months ahead.
“Our forecast suggests the housing market recovery will look like a “flying W,” with an initial sharp drop this spring, a noticeable rebound in the summer followed by another dip in the fall, and on a final solid road to recovery by spring 2021,” predicts Ralph McLaughlin, chief economist with Haus, a startup that co-invests in homes with individuals.
The housing market in Denver and many metro areas started the year on a strong footing, with a lot of younger households looking to buy and older households looking to upgrade or downsize. Now metro Denver is among several areas in the country looking at sales declines over the next several months.
Home and condo sales dropped 5.12% in March on an annual basis in metro Denver, according to the Denver Metro Association of Realtors. Nationally, they still rose 0.8% year-over-year, but fell 8.5% between February and March.
“Unfortunately, we knew home sales would wane in March due to the coronavirus outbreak,” Lawrence Yun, chief economist at the National Association of Realtors, said in a release. “More temporary interruptions to home sales should be expected in the next couple of months, though home prices will still likely rise.”
The Haus model, which McLaughlin has been working on since December, shows some large declines in homes sales coming Denver’s way. It predicts a 33% year-over-year drop this month, a 43.1% drop in May, and 38.3% drop in June and a 24.1% drop in July.
Declines that large will mean reduced commission income for agents, fewer purchases at home improvement and furniture stores and less work for movers and remodelers.
But declines will ease up into the fall as consumers gain confidence — until that confidence gets shaken yet again.
“We think the economy will open back up in a limited fashion in late spring and early summer. There will be a flood of pent-up demand,” McLaughlin said.
Many forecasts call for a sharp decline, now underway, and either a sharp or more prolonged path back, know as a V-shaped or U-shaped recovery.
“It all depends on the virus,” said Frank Nothaft, chief economist with CoreLogic, during a webinar Tuesday.
If the outbreak recedes and doesn’t return in the fall, then chances improve for a V-shape recovery in both the economy and housing markets bounce back. But given the severity of job losses, he concedes that a U-shape or slower rebound might show up.
Mike DelPrete, a real estate tech strategist based in Boulder, forecasts a checkmark-shaped recovery is in store, a sharp drop followed by a steady but prolonged road to recovery. Some have a different name for it: the Nike Swoosh.
“Rather than a V- or U-shaped recovery, the current evidence supports more of a checkmark-shape. It begins with a severe, immediate drop, lasts three to four weeks, and is followed by a gradual recovery,” he said in a blog post.
McLaughlin’s forecast diverges from the others because he predicts the novel coronavirus makes a comeback in the fall with the return of cold weather, disrupting the economy and derailing the housing market a second time. That’s what makes for a W-shaped recovery.
That view gained more credence after Robert Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, told the Washington Post on Tuesday that the return of the COVID-19 outbreak could align with the start of the flu season, straining health care resources.
“There’s a possibility that the assault of the virus on our nation next winter will actually be even more difficult than the one we just went through,” he said.
Prices will be sticky
Despite the sharp drop in sales and a sharp drop in mortgages for home purchases, home prices won’t move much in metro Denver.
McLaughlin argues that’s possible because home prices are sticky on the way down. If they don’t receive the offer they want, many sellers will take their listings off the market. So long as reduced supply can match up with reduced demand, a market can see lower activity without a significant readjustment in prices.
Most homeowners are sitting on record amounts of home equity and if they were paying attention, holding a mortgage rate in the 3% range. That’s a big difference from the last real estate cycle when many homeowners had minimal or even negative equity and were stuck with mortgages with escalating payments.
The Haus model predicts that metro Denver home prices will flatten in June on a year-over-year basis and then turn negative in July. Price declines will stick around until January or February 2021. But the declines won’t come anywhere close to those experienced in the late 2000s. The worst decline in metro Denver will come in October and run just 1.2%.
Boulder’s home price declines won’t show up until late in the year, and they will last two or three months at most. Colorado Springs home prices will go negative in November, and that weakness will last through February. Fort Collins’ price dip will run from December to February.
But what about the 26.5 million workers, including nearly 280,000 in Colorado, who have filed for unemployment assistance since mid-March? Gad Levanon, vice president of labor markets for The Conference Board, estimates that the U.S. unemployment rate could soar above 20% in April and May and will remain in double-digit rates this year.
That will have consequences for the housing market, but more so for multi-family than single-family. Jobs at the lower end of the pay scale are being hardest hit by social distancing requirements, and those who are losing their jobs are more likely to be renters, not owners. Job losses will hurt purchasing demand, but McLaughlin argues that stimulus payments and the sweetened federal unemployment benefits at $600 a week will help many households stay current.
For those who can’t stay current, deferrals and suspensions are being offered on federally-backed mortgages, which are the large majority out there. As of April 23, 3.4 million U.S. homeowners had forbearance plans representing 6.4% of all active mortgages, according to Black Knight, a real estate data firm. McLaughlin estimates forbearance agreements could surpass 10% of all mortgages by this summer.
Forbearance simply pushes back mortgage payments, tacking them onto the end of the loan. It will forestall foreclosure notices and auction sales, which were big contributors to price declines in the housing crash. And those who are able to stay current will have the chance to refinance to shore up their financial positions.
“This will lead to fewer distressed properties than during the Great Recession, and as such very little downward pressure on home prices,” McLaughlin predicts.
Denver not immune
Although metro Denver won’t be as insulated as some areas from the downturn, McLaughlin doesn’t put it in the camp of the most damaged housing markets, which he predicts will be in the Pacific Northwest, Nevada, and large parts of Florida.
“Denver, for the most part, won’t get off scot-free, but it won’t be hit as hard as some of the other markets in the U.S.,” he said.
Nevada and Florida have a much larger concentration of jobs and spending in tourism and hospitality, contributing to metro areas in those states suffering a bigger hit in home prices.
One area where metro Denver will see declines is in new home construction. The Haus model predicts permits to build new homes are likely down by a nearly a third this month, and will be nearly cut in half by June. They will remain negative year-over-year through February. That lack of new supply could prove problematic in the long run, especially if the region remains popular for those relocating, and it will mean fewer construction workers employed in the short-run.
The mortgage markets will remain a mixed bag. Tighter loan underwriting standards, reduced household incomes, and damaged credit scores may knock more potential homebuyers out of the running, reducing purchase mortgages. But with interest rates at historic lows, because of the Federal Reserve intervening in the market, the demand to refinance mortgages will be intense.
The Haus model predicts year-over-year increases in mortgage refinancings of 155% or more from April to July in metro Denver, with a 119% increase in August. That will keep the mortgage industry busy and compensate for the loss of new mortgage originations, which are projected to fall from now until February 2021 in metro Denver. The biggest year-over-year declines will top 46% in May and June.
Nothaft said applications nationally for mortgages to purchase a home are down 28% in early April compared to a year earlier, according to a CoreLogic database. But he notes that those declines are coming mostly among older buyers, who are more fearful about venturing out and catching the virus.
The Conference Board places remodeling a home or moving into a new home into the “somewhat” contagious category. They aren’t as dangerous as going to a concert or jumping on a commercial flight, but both involve an elevated level of risk. Next month, real estate agents in Colorado can again market homes to buyers in person.
Among millennials, some of whom are anxious to transition from renting to owning their first homes, the declines in mortgage originations have been minimal so far. That would indicate in the months ahead that entry-level homes should see more interest than more expensive homes, especially luxury homes, which are vulnerable to gyrations in the stock market.
Join our Facebook group for the latest updates on coronavirus in Colorado.


thedenverpost--2020-04-25--From caution to defiance, Colorado counties differ on whether to accept shift to “safer at home”

With Gov .
Jared Polis ’ stay-at-home mandate set to shift to “ safer at home ” on Monday , counties across Colorado are grappling with how much leeway they should give to reopening businesses , while weighing the serious life-and-death risks that less social distancing might entail .
Some of the Front Range ’ s largest population centers — including Denver , Boulder , Arapahoe , Jefferson and Adams counties — are proceeding cautiously , electing to extend local stay-at-home orders until May 8 , as they ramp up testing and contact tracing to better control the novel coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Others , such as Eagle and Mesa counties , have seen positive COVID-19 cases dwindle so much they ’ ve asked the state to loosen regulations .
Weld County ’ s leaders have gone their own way , openly clashing with Polis ’ s plan , saying the governor has no right “ to pick winners and losers ” by deciding which businesses can and can ’ t open .
The result of Polis relaxing some restrictions has been a hodgepodge of rules , reflecting the varying degrees of COVID-19 ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of statewide mandates in some parts of Colorado .
In Denver , city officials need more time to expand testing , train staff and establish clear guidelines and regulations for safely allowing more and more people out of their homes , Mayor Michael Hancock said Friday in a news conference .
The Mile High City aims to nearly double the amount of testing for the new coronavirus before its stay-at-home order will be lifted , Hancock said .
That would mean going from about 550 people being tested currently to about 1,000 each @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well within Denver ’ s capabilities , Public Health Director Bob McDonald said .
“ We ’ re not there yet , but we ’ re making great progress , ” he said .
In addition , McDonald said Denver must train about 100 people to trace the contacts of those who test positive for the new coronavirus , and watch new cases moving forward .
Testing and tracing are crucial for tracking the transmission of the virus , which could surge at different points in the future , Hancock said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ continue and worst-case scenarios include an outbreak during our winter flu season , ” Hancock said .
In a best-case scenario , most of Denver ’ s restrictions could be relaxed over two-to-four months , though some officials are preparing for a longer haul than that .
Much of metro area follows Denver ’ s lead A day after Denver announced it would extend its stay-at-home directive , much of the metro area followed suit , with Jefferson , Arapahoe , Boulder and Adams counties extending their orders to the same May 8 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ metro counties ’ extensions is that they — like Polis ’ “ safer-at-home ” plan — will allow non-essential business to begin offering curbside pickup of products on Monday .
That will still not be allowed in Denver , a city spokeswoman confirmed .
The county public health departments indicated that they have not seen significant enough declines in daily cases , nor do they have the testing capacity or comfort that their hospitals could weather a surge in COVID-19 patients .
“ No two communities in Colorado are the same , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ look to the next stages of response to the COVID-19 pandemic , ” Dr. Mark B. Johnson , executive director of Jefferson County Public Health , said in a statement .
“ We have to consider what impact opening too soon could have on those in our community and region , and take a phased , science-based approach to reopening.
” According to the Tri-County Health Department , Douglas County has seen COVID-19 case numbers level off enough in recent weeks that it will not join Arapahoe and Adams counties in extending stay-at-home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ follow the governor ’ s new “ safer-at-home ” timetable of gradual business reopenings .
Republican lawmakers from Douglas County last month urged county commissioners to sever ties with Tri-County Health after the agency rolled out its initial stay-at-home order covering Douglas , Arapahoe and Adams counties .
While most metro area jurisdictions opted to keep the stay-at-home mandate into at least early May , Weld County officials indicated they intend to operate on their own timeline — and by their own rules .
On Thursday , the chairman of Weld County ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a radio interview that any businesses that follow the county ’ s new “ safer-at-work ” social-distancing guidelines can open their doors to the public beginning on Monday — regardless of Polis ’ s plans to slowly phase in categories of business reopenings .
“ We ’ ve been picking winners and losers in this state for the last six weeks , or however long it ’ s been , ” Commissioner Mike Freeman told KFKA-1310 AM radio .
“ We made a decision — not us , the governor made a decision @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I have no idea how you determine that pot shops are essential businesses , but those were included in this.
” In a statement Friday , the Weld County commissioners said they “ took the proactive response of preparing best practices and guidance that could be used as business owners look to reopen — whenever they feel comfortable to do so .
An informed public is a strong public.
” Weld County ’ s actions drew a strong rebuke Friday afternoon from Polis , who said he would “ take whatever steps necessary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lives .
“ Weld has had a very high number of cases — it ’ s a hot spot — and this is not the time to further ease off of restrictions , even beyond what the state is trying to allow , ” Polis said on a conference call with reporters .
“ We want to work with the commissioners — we don ’ t want to participate in political games.
” As of Friday , Weld County had the third-highest total of COVID-19 infections and deaths among counties in Colorado , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 82 deaths .
The county also has seen deadly outbreaks at a meat-packing plant and several nursing homes .
Counties who are out of compliance can lose state emergency preparedness grants , Polis said , while businesses could lose their licenses to operate .
Colorado counties have the ability to receive waivers on some statewide restrictions if they submit a plan to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment , showing 14 days of decreasing total cases along with other indicators .
Freeman , in the radio interview , said Weld County @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state health department .
“ We are going to rely on the Weld County health department to make decisions in Weld County , ” he said .
Eagle County on Friday announced it was instituting a revised public health order after receiving clearance from the state to relax some of its social-distancing requirements .
The order will allow groups up to 10 people , reopen some outdoor recreation spaces and allow more nonessential businesses to resume operations as long as social distancing can be practiced .
Mesa County is expected to receive a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it to introduce similar changes in the near future .
Join our Facebook group for the latest updates on coronavirus in Colorado .

With Gov. Jared Polis’ stay-at-home mandate set to shift to “safer at home” on Monday, counties across Colorado are grappling with how much leeway they should give to reopening businesses, while weighing the serious life-and-death risks that less social distancing might entail.
Some of the Front Range’s largest population centers — including Denver, Boulder, Arapahoe, Jefferson and Adams counties — are proceeding cautiously, electing to extend local stay-at-home orders until May 8, as they ramp up testing and contact tracing to better control the novel coronavirus’ spread when they do ease restrictions.
Others, such as Eagle and Mesa counties, have seen positive COVID-19 cases dwindle so much they’ve asked the state to loosen regulations. Weld County’s leaders have gone their own way, openly clashing with Polis’s plan, saying the governor has no right “to pick winners and losers” by deciding which businesses can and can’t open.
The result of Polis relaxing some restrictions has been a hodgepodge of rules, reflecting the varying degrees of COVID-19’s severity, as well as deep-rooted resentment of statewide mandates in some parts of Colorado.
In Denver, city officials need more time to expand testing, train staff and establish clear guidelines and regulations for safely allowing more and more people out of their homes, Mayor Michael Hancock said Friday in a news conference.
The Mile High City aims to nearly double the amount of testing for the new coronavirus before its stay-at-home order will be lifted, Hancock said. That would mean going from about 550 people being tested currently to about 1,000 each day.
That testing expansion should be well within Denver’s capabilities, Public Health Director Bob McDonald said.
“We’re not there yet, but we’re making great progress,” he said.
In addition, McDonald said Denver must train about 100 people to trace the contacts of those who test positive for the new coronavirus, and watch new cases moving forward.
Testing and tracing are crucial for tracking the transmission of the virus, which could surge at different points in the future, Hancock said.
“We must be prepared for COVID-19 to continue and worst-case scenarios include an outbreak during our winter flu season,” Hancock said.
In a best-case scenario, most of Denver’s restrictions could be relaxed over two-to-four months, though some officials are preparing for a longer haul than that.
Much of metro area follows Denver’s lead
A day after Denver announced it would extend its stay-at-home directive, much of the metro area followed suit, with Jefferson, Arapahoe, Boulder and Adams counties extending their orders to the same May 8 deadline.
One significant change in these metro counties’ extensions is that they — like Polis’ “safer-at-home” plan — will allow non-essential business to begin offering curbside pickup of products on Monday. That will still not be allowed in Denver, a city spokeswoman confirmed.
The county public health departments indicated that they have not seen significant enough declines in daily cases, nor do they have the testing capacity or comfort that their hospitals could weather a surge in COVID-19 patients.
“No two communities in Colorado are the same, and each community has different needs as we look to the next stages of response to the COVID-19 pandemic,” Dr. Mark B. Johnson, executive director of Jefferson County Public Health, said in a statement. “We have to consider what impact opening too soon could have on those in our community and region, and take a phased, science-based approach to reopening.”
According to the Tri-County Health Department, Douglas County has seen COVID-19 case numbers level off enough in recent weeks that it will not join Arapahoe and Adams counties in extending stay-at-home restrictions. Instead, Douglas County will follow the governor’s new “safer-at-home” timetable of gradual business reopenings.
Republican lawmakers from Douglas County last month urged county commissioners to sever ties with Tri-County Health after the agency rolled out its initial stay-at-home order covering Douglas, Arapahoe and Adams counties.
Weld County clashes with Polis’s plan
While most metro area jurisdictions opted to keep the stay-at-home mandate into at least early May, Weld County officials indicated they intend to operate on their own timeline — and by their own rules.
On Thursday, the chairman of Weld County’s board of county commissioners said in a radio interview that any businesses that follow the county’s new “safer-at-work” social-distancing guidelines can open their doors to the public beginning on Monday — regardless of Polis’s plans to slowly phase in categories of business reopenings.
“We’ve been picking winners and losers in this state for the last six weeks, or however long it’s been,” Commissioner Mike Freeman told KFKA-1310 AM radio. “We made a decision — not us, the governor made a decision of what is an essential business. I have no idea how you determine that pot shops are essential businesses, but those were included in this.”
In a statement Friday, the Weld County commissioners said they “took the proactive response of preparing best practices and guidance that could be used as business owners look to reopen — whenever they feel comfortable to do so. An informed public is a strong public.”
Weld County’s actions drew a strong rebuke Friday afternoon from Polis, who said he would “take whatever steps necessary” to prevent county officials from endangering lives.
“Weld has had a very high number of cases — it’s a hot spot — and this is not the time to further ease off of restrictions, even beyond what the state is trying to allow,” Polis said on a conference call with reporters. “We want to work with the commissioners — we don’t want to participate in political games.”
As of Friday, Weld County had the third-highest total of COVID-19 infections and deaths among counties in Colorado, with a total of 1,353 cases and 82 deaths. The county also has seen deadly outbreaks at a meat-packing plant and several nursing homes.
Counties who are out of compliance can lose state emergency preparedness grants, Polis said, while businesses could lose their licenses to operate.
Colorado counties have the ability to receive waivers on some statewide restrictions if they submit a plan to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, showing 14 days of decreasing total cases along with other indicators.
Freeman, in the radio interview, said Weld County had not submitted a plan to the state health department. “We are going to rely on the Weld County health department to make decisions in Weld County,” he said.
Eagle County on Friday announced it was instituting a revised public health order after receiving clearance from the state to relax some of its social-distancing requirements. The order will allow groups up to 10 people, reopen some outdoor recreation spaces and allow more nonessential businesses to resume operations as long as social distancing can be practiced.
Mesa County is expected to receive a similar waiver from the state, allowing it to introduce similar changes in the near future.
Join our Facebook group for the latest updates on coronavirus in Colorado.


thedenverpost--2020-04-26--Offseason approach for Broncos’ John Elway, Vic Fangio? All about Kansas City

Broncos general manager John Elway ’ s 2020 Offseason Mission Statement should be called , “ How We Will Catch Kansas City.
” This draft was all about the Chiefs .
Receivers who can help Courtland Sutton challenge Kansas City ’ s defense ?
The Broncos drafted two with their first two picks for the first time in franchise history .
And a tight end who can form a productive tandem with Noah Fant ?
The Broncos started Saturday by adding one even though seven were already under contract .
Get guys who can run fast and can develop into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Only until the Broncos stop being bad and boring offensively will they challenge the Chiefs in the AFC West .
“ We have to put points on the board , ” Elway said after the Broncos completed a 10-player draft .
“ Seventeen points a game is not nearly enough .
The first step was this year in the draft.
” The first step actually was last year ’ s draft , when the Broncos selected tight end Noah Fant and quarterback Drew Lock .
The second step was this weekend , when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ KJ Hamler and tight end Albert Okwuegbunam .
The Broncos averaged 17.6 points per game last year , 28th in league , and everything was difficult .
They were terrible on third down .
They were awful in the red zone .
They couldn ’ t consistently get the big strike .
Coach Vic Fangio ’ s charges fought the good fight last year , losing five games by eight or fewer points .
But their two games against the Chiefs showed how the Broncos ’ offense and defense had to play left-handed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Chiefs won 30-6 at Mile High in October and 23-3 in the Arrowhead snow in December .
A day after the 7-9 season was completed , Elway mentioned the lack of production against Kansas City , which won the Super Bowl a month later .
If one opponent was the driving force behind the plan formulated by Elway and Fangio , that ’ s great .
That ’ s the way it should be .
The NFL is still set up to reward the division champion ( guaranteed one home playoff game @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kansas City and coach Andy Reid , quarterback Patrick Mahomes , tight end Travis Kelce , receiver Tyreek Hill and a defense that gradually found itself over the final half of 2019 .
For the Broncos , that meant acquiring offensive players who can budge the scoring average up to 25 points a game , which would have been enough to win 12 games last year .
“ Offensively , we felt for us to compete and give Drew a chance to be successful and for us to be successful on the offensive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ speed and some explosiveness , ” Elway said .
Jeudy ( 4.45-second 40 ) .
Hamler ( his camp says he ran 4.27 in pre-combine training ) .
Okwuegbunam ( 4.49 ) .
Speed to create downfield separation against every opponent and create all-field mismatches against the Chiefs ’ linebackers in the form of Okwuegbunam ( Lock ’ s college teammate ) .
“ We had some good players on offense , but we had to add to that , ” Elway said .
Adding to the offense for Elway has been like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an aircraft carrier .
Unsuccessful and expensive .
Lock will be the fourth Week 1 quarterback in as many years and Pat Shurmur will be the fifth offensive play-caller in as many years .
All in the name of breaking the current nine-game losing streak to Kansas City .
How long has it been since the Broncos beat the Chiefs ?
The starting quarterback that night in Kansas City was Peyton Manning … who is eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2021 .
The play-calling head coach was Gary Kubiak @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a coaching consultant and now Minnesota ’ s offensive coordinator .
No Broncos offensive players remain on the roster from that September 2015 game .
In the nine losses : *Kansas City has outscored the Broncos 28.7 to 11.7 and won five games by at least 10 points .
*The Chiefs outgained the Broncos by an average of 354.6-320.3 .
*In plays of at least 15 yards , the Chiefs had a 61-54 advantage .
The Broncos have transitioned from Super Bowl champion to general irrelevance on the league scene .
They hope @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the draft ) finally produces a course correction .
It is all about Kansas City and will continue to be all about Kansas City .
“ We feel like we ’ re still in good shape defensively , ” Elway said .
“ And the way Drew played , we saw the signs of a guy who has a chance to be very successful in this league .
”

Broncos general manager John Elway’s 2020 Offseason Mission Statement should be called, “How We Will Catch Kansas City.”
This draft was all about the Chiefs.
Receivers who can help Courtland Sutton challenge Kansas City’s defense? The Broncos drafted two with their first two picks for the first time in franchise history. And a tight end who can form a productive tandem with Noah Fant? The Broncos started Saturday by adding one even though seven were already under contract.
Get guys who can run fast and can develop into NFL contributors by stressing a defense. Only until the Broncos stop being bad and boring offensively will they challenge the Chiefs in the AFC West.
“We have to put points on the board,” Elway said after the Broncos completed a 10-player draft. “Seventeen points a game is not nearly enough. The first step was this year in the draft.”
The first step actually was last year’s draft, when the Broncos selected tight end Noah Fant and quarterback Drew Lock. The second step was this weekend, when the Broncos added receivers Jerry Jeudy and KJ Hamler and tight end Albert Okwuegbunam.
The Broncos averaged 17.6 points per game last year, 28th in league, and everything was difficult. They were terrible on third down. They were awful in the red zone. They couldn’t consistently get the big strike.
Coach Vic Fangio’s charges fought the good fight last year, losing five games by eight or fewer points. But their two games against the Chiefs showed how the Broncos’ offense and defense had to play left-handed (not enough good players).
The Chiefs won 30-6 at Mile High in October and 23-3 in the Arrowhead snow in December. A day after the 7-9 season was completed, Elway mentioned the lack of production against Kansas City, which won the Super Bowl a month later.
If one opponent was the driving force behind the plan formulated by Elway and Fangio, that’s great. That’s the way it should be. The NFL is still set up to reward the division champion (guaranteed one home playoff game).
All divisional roads go through Kansas City and coach Andy Reid, quarterback Patrick Mahomes, tight end Travis Kelce, receiver Tyreek Hill and a defense that gradually found itself over the final half of 2019.
For the Broncos, that meant acquiring offensive players who can budge the scoring average up to 25 points a game, which would have been enough to win 12 games last year.
“Offensively, we felt for us to compete and give Drew a chance to be successful and for us to be successful on the offensive side, we had to get some speed and some explosiveness,” Elway said.
Jeudy (4.45-second 40). Hamler (his camp says he ran 4.27 in pre-combine training). Okwuegbunam (4.49).
Speed to create downfield separation against every opponent and create all-field mismatches against the Chiefs’ linebackers in the form of Okwuegbunam (Lock’s college teammate).
“We had some good players on offense, but we had to add to that,” Elway said.
Adding to the offense for Elway has been like trying to land a transport plane on an aircraft carrier. Unsuccessful and expensive. Lock will be the fourth Week 1 quarterback in as many years and Pat Shurmur will be the fifth offensive play-caller in as many years. All in the name of breaking the current nine-game losing streak to Kansas City.
How long has it been since the Broncos beat the Chiefs? The starting quarterback that night in Kansas City was Peyton Manning … who is eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2021. The play-calling head coach was Gary Kubiak … who has since been semi-retired, a coaching consultant and now Minnesota’s offensive coordinator.
No Broncos offensive players remain on the roster from that September 2015 game. In the nine losses:
*Kansas City has outscored the Broncos 28.7 to 11.7 and won five games by at least 10 points.
*The Chiefs outgained the Broncos by an average of 354.6-320.3.
*In plays of at least 15 yards, the Chiefs had a 61-54 advantage.
The Broncos have transitioned from Super Bowl champion to general irrelevance on the league scene. They hope this offseason (trades, free agency and the draft) finally produces a course correction. It is all about Kansas City and will continue to be all about Kansas City.
“We feel like we’re still in good shape defensively,” Elway said. “And the way Drew played, we saw the signs of a guy who has a chance to be very successful in this league.”


thedenverpost--2020-04-26--Keeler: Garett Bolles was the biggest winner of Broncos’ 2020 draft

Shuffling deck chairs isn ’ t an open competition .
An open competition is adding a draft pick or two , maybe a free agent , to stir the pot .
An open competition raises the bar .
An open competition lights a fire underneath Broncos left tackle Garett Bolles .
Instead , John Elway reached over and gave Holding , No .
72 a gentle slap on the wrist and a playful pat on the head .
“ We ’ ve got to get better there , ” the Broncos ’ general manager said on a conference call shortly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ afternoon .
“ There ’ s no question that ’ s a position that we have to get better at.
” Here ’ s how you don ’ t get better : By failing to draft a single player — especially when you had 10 bloody picks — at one of your biggest positions of need .
The closest Elway got to showing Bolles , his mercurial left tackle , some tough love was a Friday night declaration that the privilege of protecting Drew Lock ’ s blind side was now an open @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tackle Elijah Wilkinson .
A stance Elway affirmed Saturday after three consecutive days , 10 draft choices , and no new tackles .
“ We just didn ’ t feel like we were in a situation where we could add to that , ” the Broncos executive continued .
“ We felt like we can be very competitive with the tackles that we have .
We ’ ll have the competition and the best player is going to play.
” Mercy .
Elway talks about Bolles the way you talk about the one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that it didn ’ t rain .
Tuesday , man .
We ’ ll always , always have Tuesday .
Meanwhile , Elway ’ s buddy John Lynch , who ’ s coming off a Super Bowl berth in San Francisco , traded two draft picks to Washington in order to bag left tackle Trent Williams .
When the scribes asked No .
7 if he ’ d considered bidding on Williams , Elway replied : “ With where the compensation was , we felt like it wasn ’ t something we wanted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ competition wants a piece of that action .
An open competition deals from depth — or , you know , 10 draft picks — to help plug a hole someplace else .
Clearly , Elway and Vic Fangio see something at tackle that your eyes don ’ t .
Maybe Ja ’ Wuan James ’ knee truly is ready to catch up on all those lost snaps at right tackle .
Maybe offensive line coach Mike Munchak , where the buck should always stop when it comes to the big uglies , saw @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2019 to give Elway assurances to stand pat .
Or Munchak , who got on the Dalton Risner bandwagon early , didn ’ t see a similar flyer at tackle worth taking this time around .
Which is a pity , because the new-look Broncos interior has the mojo to be all kinds of nasty .
If 2020 was a Lock draft , it was a Munchak draft , too .
Already blessed with Risner and Graham Glasgow , new center Lloyd Cushenberry is a plug-and-play masher with SEC bona fides .
At @ @ @ @ @ @ @ part at guard , even if the injury history raises red flags .
Overall , the biggest boxes got checked .
Day 2 landed you a potential No .
2 corner to pair with A.J .
Bouye .
Day 3 saw the Broncos nab a tight end who can fly and a linebacker who brings wheels to third-down packages and the special-teams units .
This draft was about speed , Lock and countering the Kansas City Chiefs , who won a Super Bowl for the first time in forever and , sure enough @ @ @ @ @ @ @ end , Elway gave Lock everything he could ’ ve asked for .
Everything , that is , except better odds that No .
3 won ’ t be running for his life .

Shuffling deck chairs isn’t an open competition. An open competition is adding a draft pick or two, maybe a free agent, to stir the pot. An open competition raises the bar. An open competition lights a fire underneath Broncos left tackle Garett Bolles.
Instead, John Elway reached over and gave Holding, No. 72 a gentle slap on the wrist and a playful pat on the head.
“We’ve got to get better there,” the Broncos’ general manager said on a conference call shortly after the NFL draft ended late Saturday afternoon. “There’s no question that’s a position that we have to get better at.”
Here’s how you don’t get better: By failing to draft a single player — especially when you had 10 bloody picks — at one of your biggest positions of need.
The closest Elway got to showing Bolles, his mercurial left tackle, some tough love was a Friday night declaration that the privilege of protecting Drew Lock’s blind side was now an open competition between No. 72 and swing tackle Elijah Wilkinson. A stance Elway affirmed Saturday after three consecutive days, 10 draft choices, and no new tackles.
“We just didn’t feel like we were in a situation where we could add to that,” the Broncos executive continued. “We felt like we can be very competitive with the tackles that we have. We’ll have the competition and the best player is going to play.”
Mercy. Elway talks about Bolles the way you talk about the one day of your week-long vacation in Antigua that it didn’t rain. Tuesday, man. We’ll always, always have Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Elway’s buddy John Lynch, who’s coming off a Super Bowl berth in San Francisco, traded two draft picks to Washington in order to bag left tackle Trent Williams.
When the scribes asked No. 7 if he’d considered bidding on Williams, Elway replied:
“With where the compensation was, we felt like it wasn’t something we wanted to get involved in.”
An open competition wants a piece of that action. An open competition deals from depth — or, you know, 10 draft picks — to help plug a hole someplace else.
Clearly, Elway and Vic Fangio see something at tackle that your eyes don’t. Maybe Ja’Wuan James’ knee truly is ready to catch up on all those lost snaps at right tackle. Maybe offensive line coach Mike Munchak, where the buck should always stop when it comes to the big uglies, saw enough out of the last month of 2019 to give Elway assurances to stand pat. Or Munchak, who got on the Dalton Risner bandwagon early, didn’t see a similar flyer at tackle worth taking this time around.
Which is a pity, because the new-look Broncos interior has the mojo to be all kinds of nasty.
If 2020 was a Lock draft, it was a Munchak draft, too. Already blessed with Risner and Graham Glasgow, new center Lloyd Cushenberry is a plug-and-play masher with SEC bona fides. At 315 pounds, Netane Muti looks the part at guard, even if the injury history raises red flags.
Overall, the biggest boxes got checked. Day 2 landed you a potential No. 2 corner to pair with A.J. Bouye. Day 3 saw the Broncos nab a tight end who can fly and a linebacker who brings wheels to third-down packages and the special-teams units.
This draft was about speed, Lock and countering the Kansas City Chiefs, who won a Super Bowl for the first time in forever and, sure enough, a plague hits.
To that end, Elway gave Lock everything he could’ve asked for. Everything, that is, except better odds that No. 3 won’t be running for his life.


thedenverpost--2020-04-26--Colorado nonprofit lenders lack funds to help borrowers overlooked in first round of PPP

The Gates Family Foundation , the Colorado Office of Economic Development and FirstBank are scrambling this weekend to extend funds to the state ’ s three nonprofit microlenders so they can , in turn , provide loans through the federal Paycheck Protection Program when it reopens at 8:30 a.m. on Monday .
“ Banks are saying they have $ 200 billion in the queue .
This money might only last a few hours or a few days , ” Jeff Kraft , director of business funding and incentives at COEDIT told the Colorado Economic Development Commission during an emergency meeting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our nonprofit lenders to feel comfortable they have the capital to process as many loans as possible , ” he said of the second round of the PPP , which will issue $ 320 billion in loans after pushing out $ 349 billion in just 13 days in the first round .
The U.S. Small Business Administration reserved $ 30 billion of the second round specifically for community development financial institutions and other small lenders .
The hope is they can better reach the smallest of small-business borrowers , including the women-owned , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ critics say were largely passed over in the first round .
But Colorado has a problem in that regard .
The Colorado Enterprise Fund , Colorado Lending Source and DreamSpring say they are tapped out after making loans in round one of the PPP and dealing with defaults from existing borrowers .
Ceyl Prinster , president and CEO of the Colorado Enterprise Fund , said her $ 37 million loan fund had largely lent out what it had available prior to the COVID-19 outbreak .
Now , about two-thirds of its loan portfolio @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are only paying interest .
“ We just need the liquidity , ” she said .
Another drain on the lenders has been the size of the PPP loans borrowers are requesting .
DreamSpring ’ s prior loans averaged around $ 13,500 , but PPP borrowers averaged $ 35,000 , said Michael Burns , chief operating officer at the lender .
Mike O ’ Donnell , executive director of the Colorado Lending Source , said his fund has tried to scrape money together , borrowing at 3.75 % interest to fund PPP loans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are trying to help businesses that no one else will help , ” he said .
“ Many of the big , big banks were self-serving .
They would only work with their big customers.
” That ’ s where the Gates Family Foundation is looking to step in .
It has assets it can offer as collateral , but not enough cash on hand to make a difference for the microlenders come Monday morning .
FirstBank can provide a large loan in short order , provided collateral is there to back it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have demand for $ 21.4 million in PPP loans .
But board members at Gates were only comfortable providing $ 5 million in collateral , given other COVID-19 assistance efforts the foundation is trying to support .
“ We are looking for someone to share the losses at the end of the day , ” said Tom Gougeon , president of the Gates Family Foundation .
Gates has a verbal commitment for another $ 5 million from Gary Community Investments , Gougeon said , and it also asked the state to join in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its Cash Collateral Support program , which came out of the Great Recession as a way to convince hesitant banks to lend to small businesses by providing collateral .
COEDIT is willing to pitch in $ 2 million from that program .
Kraft told commissioners that any losses would likely be minimal .
If PPP borrowers use 75 % of loan proceeds to cover payroll costs by June 30 , then their loans will be forgiven .
The SBA will refund the three microlenders , who then can pay back FirstBank , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and foundations provided .
If borrowers don ’ t get forgiveness , they will have to carry a loan at 1 % interest for two years .
Some may or may not be able to repay that , depending on how severe the downturn is .
The SBA then will step in with its loan guarantees , provided the loans weren ’ t made fraudulently .
At Kraft ’ s request , the EDC approved five waivers that would allow the state ’ s cash collateral fund to participate , basically by parking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with FirstBank .
Currently , the fund only takes the last loss position on a loan , meaning it only pays out when all the other collateral is claimed .
The EDC agreed to share losses proportionally with Gates and any other foundations that participate .
Normally , the state provides around $ 250,000 in collateral support on a single loan , but the commission approved providing up to $ 2 million .
It will also waive the 3 % fee that lenders are usually charged when it helps shore up a loan @

The Gates Family Foundation, the Colorado Office of Economic Development and FirstBank are scrambling this weekend to extend funds to the state’s three nonprofit microlenders so they can, in turn, provide loans through the federal Paycheck Protection Program when it reopens at 8:30 a.m. on Monday.
“Banks are saying they have $200 billion in the queue. This money might only last a few hours or a few days,” Jeff Kraft, director of business funding and incentives at COEDIT told the Colorado Economic Development Commission during an emergency meeting on Saturday afternoon.
“We want our nonprofit lenders to feel comfortable they have the capital to process as many loans as possible,” he said of the second round of the PPP, which will issue $320 billion in loans after pushing out $349 billion in just 13 days in the first round.
The U.S. Small Business Administration reserved $30 billion of the second round specifically for community development financial institutions and other small lenders. The hope is they can better reach the smallest of small-business borrowers, including the women-owned, minority-owned, rural enterprises and nonprofits that critics say were largely passed over in the first round.
But Colorado has a problem in that regard. The Colorado Enterprise Fund, Colorado Lending Source and DreamSpring say they are tapped out after making loans in round one of the PPP and dealing with defaults from existing borrowers.
Ceyl Prinster, president and CEO of the Colorado Enterprise Fund, said her $37 million loan fund had largely lent out what it had available prior to the COVID-19 outbreak. Now, about two-thirds of its loan portfolio is on principal deferment, meaning borrowers are only paying interest.
“We just need the liquidity,” she said.
Another drain on the lenders has been the size of the PPP loans borrowers are requesting. DreamSpring’s prior loans averaged around $13,500, but PPP borrowers averaged $35,000, said Michael Burns, chief operating officer at the lender.
Mike O’Donnell, executive director of the Colorado Lending Source, said his fund has tried to scrape money together, borrowing at 3.75% interest to fund PPP loans earning only 1%.
“We are trying to help businesses that no one else will help,” he said. “Many of the big, big banks were self-serving. They would only work with their big customers.”
That’s where the Gates Family Foundation is looking to step in. It has assets it can offer as collateral, but not enough cash on hand to make a difference for the microlenders come Monday morning. FirstBank can provide a large loan in short order, provided collateral is there to back it up.
The Colorado microlenders estimate they have demand for $21.4 million in PPP loans. But board members at Gates were only comfortable providing $5 million in collateral, given other COVID-19 assistance efforts the foundation is trying to support.
“We are looking for someone to share the losses at the end of the day,” said Tom Gougeon, president of the Gates Family Foundation.
Gates has a verbal commitment for another $5 million from Gary Community Investments, Gougeon said, and it also asked the state to join in.
Colorado has $17 million in its Cash Collateral Support program, which came out of the Great Recession as a way to convince hesitant banks to lend to small businesses by providing collateral. COEDIT is willing to pitch in $2 million from that program.
Kraft told commissioners that any losses would likely be minimal. If PPP borrowers use 75% of loan proceeds to cover payroll costs by June 30, then their loans will be forgiven. The SBA will refund the three microlenders, who then can pay back FirstBank, which will then return the collateral the state and foundations provided.
If borrowers don’t get forgiveness, they will have to carry a loan at 1% interest for two years. Some may or may not be able to repay that, depending on how severe the downturn is. The SBA then will step in with its loan guarantees, provided the loans weren’t made fraudulently.
At Kraft’s request, the EDC approved five waivers that would allow the state’s cash collateral fund to participate, basically by parking a $2 million certificate of deposit with FirstBank. Currently, the fund only takes the last loss position on a loan, meaning it only pays out when all the other collateral is claimed. The EDC agreed to share losses proportionally with Gates and any other foundations that participate.
Normally, the state provides around $250,000 in collateral support on a single loan, but the commission approved providing up to $2 million. It will also waive the 3% fee that lenders are usually charged when it helps shore up a loan.


thedenverpost--2020-04-26--Broncos’ Lloyd Cushenberry pick closes books on 2019 trade with Pittsburgh Steelers. Who won the dea

Broncos’ Lloyd Cushenberry pick closes books on 2019 trade with Pittsburgh Steelers. Who won the deal?

The Broncos ’ selection of LSU center Lloyd Cushenberry closed the book on last year ’ s trade with the Pittsburgh Steelers .
The Steelers traded Nos .
20 and 52 in 2019 and No .
83 this year to the Broncos to move up to No .
10 and take inside linebacker Devin Bush , a foundation defender .
The Broncos drafted tight end Noah Fant ( 20th ) and quarterback Drew Lock ( 42nd after a trade-up with Cincinnati ) last year and Cushenberry ( the presumed new starter ) this year .
Who won the trade ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and moved to get him .
The Broncos capitalized on their extra draft capital to find starters .
Also completed was the October trade with San Francisco .
The 49ers sent third- and fourth-round picks to the Broncos for receiver Emmanuel Sanders and a fifth-round pick .
At No .
95 , the Broncos selected Arkansas defensive lineman McTelvin Agim .
They traded No .
131 to Jacksonville for cornerback A.J .
Bouye ; the Jaguars drafted Michigan State cornerback Josiah Scott .
And No .
156 , the pick traded to San @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the trade for Williams ; the Redskins added San Diego State center Keith Ismael .

The Broncos’ selection of LSU center Lloyd Cushenberry closed the book on last year’s trade with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The Steelers traded Nos. 20 and 52 in 2019 and No. 83 this year to the Broncos to move up to No. 10 and take inside linebacker Devin Bush, a foundation defender.
The Broncos drafted tight end Noah Fant (20th) and quarterback Drew Lock (42nd after a trade-up with Cincinnati) last year and Cushenberry (the presumed new starter) this year.
Who won the trade? Both teams. The Steelers coveted Bush and moved to get him. The Broncos capitalized on their extra draft capital to find starters.
Also completed was the October trade with San Francisco. The 49ers sent third- and fourth-round picks to the Broncos for receiver Emmanuel Sanders and a fifth-round pick.
At No. 95, the Broncos selected Arkansas defensive lineman McTelvin Agim. They traded No. 131 to Jacksonville for cornerback A.J. Bouye; the Jaguars drafted Michigan State cornerback Josiah Scott. And No. 156, the pick traded to San Francisco, was used by the 49ers in the trade for Williams; the Redskins added San Diego State center Keith Ismael.


thedenverpost--2020-04-26--Broncos Briefs: 10 draft picks, but no offensive tackles for John Elway and Co.

Seven rounds came and went and the Broncos did not use one of their 10 draft picks on an offensive tackle .
“ We just didn ’ t feel like we were in a situation to add , ” general manager John Elway said Saturday .
“ The tackle never fell for us ( on the board ) as far as somebody we felt was a player who could help us.
” Elway said Garett Bolles and Elijah Wilkinson will have an “ open competition ” at left tackle and the Broncos are banking on right tackle Ja ’ Wuan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to get better there , there ’ s no question , ” Elway said .
“ We have great expectations for ( James ) coming back and being the right tackle and playing like we believe he ’ s capable of playing.
” And at left tackle , Elway said : “ The best player is going to play.
” Elway said the Broncos weren ’ t involved in trade talks for Washington left tackle Trent Williams , who was dealt to San Francisco on Saturday morning .
“ We heard what the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ feel it was something we wanted to get involved in , ” Elway said .
Self-proclaimed steal .
After getting his starting center on Friday in LSU ’ s Lloyd Cushenberry , Elway fortified the Broncos ’ guard depth by selecting Fresno State ’ s Netane Muti with the 181st overall pick ( sixth round ) .
Muti was team captain as a junior in 2019 but saw his season end after three games due to a Lisfranc foot injury .
He ’ s played in just five games over the past two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his 2018 season .
“ My foot is doing great right now — everything is positive and moving in the right direction , ” Muti said .
“ The doctors say the recovery is going good , and I feel great.
” Muti believes the Broncos “ definitely ” got a steal if he ’ s able to stay healthy at the professional level .
He ’ s projected to head into camp and compete with Austin Schlottmann for a backup guard spot .
“ I think I ’ m the best guard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Muti said .
“ I feel like my film shows what it shows — I ’ m a dominant guard , I can pass pro as well.
” Elway said the Broncos had a third-round grade on Muti .
Strnad feeling good .
Like Muti , Wake Forest linebacker Justin Strnad ’ s 2019 ended early ; he sustained a torn biceps tendon in his seventh game that required surgery .
“ It was honestly a tough time , ” he said after being selected 178th overall ( fifth round ) by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ me helped me get through that and obviously it brings us to ( Saturday ) , which is still a great opportunity .
It ’ s something that I ’ ve worked my whole life for.
” Strnad said he returned to 100 % “ right around the time of the combine.
” Strnad , 23 , had 244 tackles in 46 college games .
Coach Vic Fangio said the Broncos will begin by working Strnad at inside linebacker .
“ I feel very comfortable in pass coverage , ” he said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ so it ’ s something I ’ ve been doing for a long time .
… In college , we didn ’ t play too much man coverage so I think just continuing to work on my man-to-man skills and being able to match up on some tight ends and running backs will obviously be ( important ) .
” Briefly .
Jordan Glasgow , a younger brother of Broncos right guard Graham Glasgow , was drafted No .
213 overall by Indianapolis .
Jordan had 140 tackles in 53 games as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ virtual offseason program begins Monday .
Safety Justin Simmons has yet to sign his franchise tender allowing him to participate .
“ If you look at his agent ’ s history , they usually don ’ t sign ( the tag ) , ” said Elway , referring to Todd France .
“ We ’ ll continue to negotiate and we ’ re hoping to get something done with Justin .
”

Seven rounds came and went and the Broncos did not use one of their 10 draft picks on an offensive tackle.
“We just didn’t feel like we were in a situation to add,” general manager John Elway said Saturday. “The tackle never fell for us (on the board) as far as somebody we felt was a player who could help us.”
Elway said Garett Bolles and Elijah Wilkinson will have an “open competition” at left tackle and the Broncos are banking on right tackle Ja’Wuan James staying healthy.
“We have to get better there, there’s no question,” Elway said. “We have great expectations for (James) coming back and being the right tackle and playing like we believe he’s capable of playing.”
And at left tackle, Elway said: “The best player is going to play.”
Elway said the Broncos weren’t involved in trade talks for Washington left tackle Trent Williams, who was dealt to San Francisco on Saturday morning.
“We heard what the compensation was and we didn’t feel it was something we wanted to get involved in,” Elway said.
Self-proclaimed steal. After getting his starting center on Friday in LSU’s Lloyd Cushenberry, Elway fortified the Broncos’ guard depth by selecting Fresno State’s Netane Muti with the 181st overall pick (sixth round).
Muti was team captain as a junior in 2019 but saw his season end after three games due to a Lisfranc foot injury. He’s played in just five games over the past two seasons, as a ruptured Achilles ended his 2018 season.
“My foot is doing great right now — everything is positive and moving in the right direction,” Muti said. “The doctors say the recovery is going good, and I feel great.”
Muti believes the Broncos “definitely” got a steal if he’s able to stay healthy at the professional level. He’s projected to head into camp and compete with Austin Schlottmann for a backup guard spot.
“I think I’m the best guard in this (draft) class,” Muti said. “I feel like my film shows what it shows — I’m a dominant guard, I can pass pro as well.”
Elway said the Broncos had a third-round grade on Muti.
Strnad feeling good. Like Muti, Wake Forest linebacker Justin Strnad’s 2019 ended early; he sustained a torn biceps tendon in his seventh game that required surgery.
“It was honestly a tough time,” he said after being selected 178th overall (fifth round) by the Broncos. “The people around me helped me get through that and obviously it brings us to (Saturday), which is still a great opportunity. It’s something that I’ve worked my whole life for.”
Strnad said he returned to 100% “right around the time of the combine.”
Strnad, 23, had 244 tackles in 46 college games. Coach Vic Fangio said the Broncos will begin by working Strnad at inside linebacker.
“I feel very comfortable in pass coverage,” he said. “I played safety in high school so it’s something I’ve been doing for a long time. … In college, we didn’t play too much man coverage so I think just continuing to work on my man-to-man skills and being able to match up on some tight ends and running backs will obviously be (important).”
Briefly. Jordan Glasgow, a younger brother of Broncos right guard Graham Glasgow, was drafted No. 213 overall by Indianapolis. Jordan had 140 tackles in 53 games as a linebacker for Michigan. … The Broncos’ virtual offseason program begins Monday. Safety Justin Simmons has yet to sign his franchise tender allowing him to participate. “If you look at his agent’s history, they usually don’t sign (the tag),” said Elway, referring to Todd France. “We’ll continue to negotiate and we’re hoping to get something done with Justin.”


thedenverpost--2020-04-26--Grading Broncos’ 2020 NFL draft: The Post’s sports staff weigh in on John Elway’s weekend

OK , what to make of this draft ?
I love it , I hate it and sometimes I just plain don ’ t get it .
Yes , John Elway found some cool new toys for Drew Lock , but if either Garett Bolles or Elijah Wilkinson is expected to protect the young QB ’ s blindside , there are serious cracks in Denver ’ s offensive foundation .
During much of Day 2 , in the meat of the selection process , the Broncos strained way too hard to prove their scouts are smarter than everybody else in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hamler and Michael Ojemudia made no sense to me .
Now , let ’ s get to the good stuff : Jerry Jeudy can be much more than a complement to Courtland Sutton .
In fact , I expect the rookie from Alabama to begin breaking ankles of defensive backs and establishing himself as Lock ’ s favorite passing target in short order .
What ’ s more , there ’ s reason to believe the penciling in of Lloyd Cushenberry as starting center can quickly be changed to etched in stone .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , this draft will be declared a success , even if it ’ s not going to scare Patrick Mahomes or upend the pecking order of the AFC West .
Like the direction of the team itself , John Elway ’ s 2020 haul was good but … schizophrenic .
Needed stud wideouts .
Took two .
Needed another starter on the interior of the offensive line .
Took two .
Ticked off boxes at cornerback and an inside linebacker on passing downs , but waited maybe a round too long to address @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , or someone to give you a non-Bolles , non-James option in case one implodes and the other can ’ t go .
Nada .
This is a better team than four months ago , no question .
On paper .
It ’ s not complete , though , on either side of the ball , by any stretch .
And you ’ re still an injury away at offensive tackle , cornerback or — Heaven forbid — quarterback from the roof potentially caving in .
Again .
It was a solid draft @ @ @ @ @ @ @ couple of head-scratching picks on Day 2 ( Penn State wideout K.J .
Hamler at No .
46 overall and Iowa cornerback Michael Ojemudia at No .
77 ) .
But Elway ’ s last couple draft classes have proved fruitful… so , it ’ s fair to give him the benefit of the doubt on those surprising selections , in addition to drafting a guy like injury-prone Fresno State guard Netane Muti .
The sixth-round pick has played just five games in the last two years .
LSU center Lloyd Cushenberry was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and he and first-round wideout Jerry Jeudy are a sure pair of plug-and-play starters .
Plus , the selection of Wake Forest ’ s Justin Strnad in the fifth round shored up the team ’ s linebacking depth .
Overall , one can nitpick Denver ’ s draft performance , but quarterback Drew Lock sure won ’ t be complaining .
The Broncos came into the draft with one goal : Improve the offense .
Well , mission accomplished .
Of the 10 picks Denver had , six went to the offensive side @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has a bevy of new weapons at his disposal in tight end Albert Okwuegbunam , a familiar target from his Missouri days , and receivers Jerry Jeudy and KJ Hamler .
It ’ s hard to not be excited for Jeudy , who has the potential to be the standout in this stacked wideout class .
The offensive line was bolstered by center Lloyd Cushenberry , who could be a Day 1 starter to replace Connor McGovern , and guard Netane Muti .
The defensive additions look like they ’ re depth pieces @ @ @ @ @ @ @ right — somebody had to step up and give John Elway and his crew a top grade for this draft .
For the last several years , the Broncos ’ offense was a horrible combination ( boring and bad ) .
Enter receiver Jerry Jeudy and tight end Albert Okwuegbunam , two guys whose speed and route-running ability should immediately stress opposing defenses .
Those two players and center Lloyd Cushenberry make up the core of this class .
If they all work out , great .
I would have drafted an offensive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a safety later .
Overall , the Broncos were patient and didn ’ t have to trade up for Jeudy or Cushenberry .
If John Elway and the Broncos scouting department know what they ’ re doing , this offense is about transform from a Zippo into a weapons-grade flame thrower .
They nabbed two receivers with their first two picks — the former an All-American and the latter a world-class burner .
They added a tight end ( yes , another ) with wheels and a ready-made connection to quarterback Drew Lock @ @ @ @ @ @ @ center who was voted MVP of one of the most explosive offenses in college football history .
Oh boy , someone hose me down .
Of course , if Elway and Co. are wrong , they may have whiffed on a chance to make an already good defense elite at pick No .
46 , or find someone who can push Garett Bolles , Elijah Wilkinson and Ja-Wuan James at the tackle spots .
A gamble was made , and the rake could bring in one heck of a pot .

Mark Kiszla, Sean Keeler, Kyle Newman, Ryan O’Halloran, Matt Schubert

Mark Kiszla, columnist
Grade: B-minus
OK, what to make of this draft? I love it, I hate it and sometimes I just plain don’t get it. Yes, John Elway found some cool new toys for Drew Lock, but if either Garett Bolles or Elijah Wilkinson is expected to protect the young QB’s blindside, there are serious cracks in Denver’s offensive foundation. During much of Day 2, in the meat of the selection process, the Broncos strained way too hard to prove their scouts are smarter than everybody else in the NFL. The picks of KJ Hamler and Michael Ojemudia made no sense to me. Now, let’s get to the good stuff: Jerry Jeudy can be much more than a complement to Courtland Sutton. In fact, I expect the rookie from Alabama to begin breaking ankles of defensive backs and establishing himself as Lock’s favorite passing target in short order. What’s more, there’s reason to believe the penciling in of Lloyd Cushenberry as starting center can quickly be changed to etched in stone. And if that’s the case, this draft will be declared a success, even if it’s not going to scare Patrick Mahomes or upend the pecking order of the AFC West.
Sean Keeler, columnist
Grade: B-minus
Like the direction of the team itself, John Elway’s 2020 haul was good but … schizophrenic. Needed stud wideouts. Took two. Needed another starter on the interior of the offensive line. Took two. Ticked off boxes at cornerback and an inside linebacker on passing downs, but waited maybe a round too long to address either slot. Needed depth at tackle, or someone to give you a non-Bolles, non-James option in case one implodes and the other can’t go. Nada. This is a better team than four months ago, no question. On paper. It’s not complete, though, on either side of the ball, by any stretch. And you’re still an injury away at offensive tackle, cornerback or — Heaven forbid — quarterback from the roof potentially caving in. Again.
Kyle Newman, Broncos beat reporter
Grade: B
It was a solid draft overall for the Broncos, despite a couple of head-scratching picks on Day 2 (Penn State wideout K.J. Hamler at No. 46 overall and Iowa cornerback Michael Ojemudia at No. 77). But Elway’s last couple draft classes have proved fruitful… so, it’s fair to give him the benefit of the doubt on those surprising selections, in addition to drafting a guy like injury-prone Fresno State guard Netane Muti. The sixth-round pick has played just five games in the last two years. LSU center Lloyd Cushenberry was the steal of the third round, and he and first-round wideout Jerry Jeudy are a sure pair of plug-and-play starters. Plus, the selection of Wake Forest’s Justin Strnad in the fifth round shored up the team’s linebacking depth. Overall, one can nitpick Denver’s draft performance, but quarterback Drew Lock sure won’t be complaining.
Joe Nguyen, online editor
Grade: B
The Broncos came into the draft with one goal: Improve the offense. Well, mission accomplished. Of the 10 picks Denver had, six went to the offensive side of the ball. Quarterback Drew Lock has a bevy of new weapons at his disposal in tight end Albert Okwuegbunam, a familiar target from his Missouri days, and receivers Jerry Jeudy and KJ Hamler. It’s hard to not be excited for Jeudy, who has the potential to be the standout in this stacked wideout class. The offensive line was bolstered by center Lloyd Cushenberry, who could be a Day 1 starter to replace Connor McGovern, and guard Netane Muti. The defensive additions look like they’re depth pieces in 2020.
Ryan O’Halloran, Broncos beat reporter
Grade:A-minus
That’s right — somebody had to step up and give John Elway and his crew a top grade for this draft. For the last several years, the Broncos’ offense was a horrible combination (boring and bad). Enter receiver Jerry Jeudy and tight end Albert Okwuegbunam, two guys whose speed and route-running ability should immediately stress opposing defenses. Those two players and center Lloyd Cushenberry make up the core of this class. If they all work out, great. I would have drafted an offensive tackle early on Day 3 and then a safety later. Overall, the Broncos were patient and didn’t have to trade up for Jeudy or Cushenberry.
Matt Schubert, deputy sports editor
Grade: B-plus
If John Elway and the Broncos scouting department know what they’re doing, this offense is about transform from a Zippo into a weapons-grade flame thrower. They nabbed two receivers with their first two picks — the former an All-American and the latter a world-class burner. They added a tight end (yes, another) with wheels and a ready-made connection to quarterback Drew Lock. And then they picked up a center who was voted MVP of one of the most explosive offenses in college football history. Oh boy, someone hose me down. Of course, if Elway and Co. are wrong, they may have whiffed on a chance to make an already good defense elite at pick No. 46, or find someone who can push Garett Bolles, Elijah Wilkinson and Ja-Wuan James at the tackle spots. A gamble was made, and the rake could bring in one heck of a pot.


thedenverpost--2020-04-25--Crews battling 60-acre wildfire on old Hayman burn scar in Jefferson County

Firefighters were working to control a 60-acre wildland blaze on the burn scar of the 2002 Hayman fire in Jefferson @ @ @ @ @ sheriff ’ s officials said was not threatening any structures or requiring evacuations .
The @ @ @ @ @ been named the 560 fire is “ human accidental , ” the Jefferson County Sheriff @ @ @ @ @ a tweet .
It ’ s located approximately thee miles northwest of Cheesman Reservoir in @ @ @ @ @ the area of Forest Road 560 and Forest Road 541 , officials said .
Firefighters @ @ @ @ @ night , and will receive air support on Sunday , sheriff ’ s officials said @ @ @ @ @ around 12:30 p.m. Saturday and is burning through heavy standing dead and downed trees on @ @ @ @ @ , according to the Pike & San Isabel National Forests Fire Information website .
There @ @ @ @ @ of Saturday evening .

Firefighters were working to control a 60-acre wildland blaze on the burn scar of the 2002 Hayman fire in Jefferson County on Saturday evening that sheriff’s officials said was not threatening any structures or requiring evacuations.
The cause of what’s been named the 560 fire is “human accidental,” the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office said in a tweet. It’s located approximately thee miles northwest of Cheesman Reservoir in Pike National Forest, in the area of Forest Road 560 and Forest Road 541, officials said.
Firefighters plan to work through the night, and will receive air support on Sunday, sheriff’s officials said.
The 560 fire started around 12:30 p.m. Saturday and is burning through heavy standing dead and downed trees on very steep and rugged terrain, according to the Pike & San Isabel National Forests Fire Information website.
There was no containment reported as of Saturday evening.
Responding agencies include Northfork Fire, U.S. Forrest Service, Evergreen Fire, Elk Creek Fire, Genesee Fire, Inter Canyon Fire, Indian Hills Fire, Foothills Fire and Platte Canyon Fire.


thedenverpost--2020-04-25--Davion Taylor’s late bloom into third-round pick highlights locals selected in 2020 NFL draft

Davion Taylor ’ s unlikely ascent to the NFL as a third-round pick , where the Eagles took him at No .
103 overall on Friday night , highlighted the contingent of local high school and college players selected in the final five rounds of the 2020 draft .
Taylor , a two-year starter at outside linebacker for CU , did not play high school football due to his religious beliefs , as his family is Seventh Day Adventists .
But the abnormality of not playing high school ball in Magnolia , Miss.
, did not deter his football goals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at Coahoma Community College ( Clarksdale , Miss . )
, and used his performance there to get a scholarship to CU .
All along , he remained insatiable .
“ When I went into JUCO , I wanted to learn , ” Taylor said .
“ I came in there , I was watching ( film ) , I had the coaches to teach me .
I would ask so many questions after practice .
If I was doing something wrong , I wanted to make sure I get it right .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the whole four years… I just had this itch to keep on learning about the game.
” At CU , Taylor played in 23 games with 19 starts , accumulating 136 tackles and 20 tackles for loss .
He was honorable mention All-Pac-12 , and his 4.39-second time in the 40-yard dash at CU ’ s pro day is evidence of the speed and closing ability that scouts liked in the All-Pac-12 track athlete ( 100-meter dash ) .
He acknowledged his game still has strides to make .
“ The big part @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , taking on blocks , shedding blocks and just making big plays , ” Taylor said .
At 6-foot and 228 pounds , Taylor projects as a versatile safety/linebacker in the NFL .
The former Chatfield star was selected in the third round at No .
101 overall by the Patriots on Friday night , making him the third Chargers player to be drafted .
Keene is a 6-foot-4 , 251-pound tight end who had 21 receptions for 240 yards and five touchdowns as a junior at Virginia Tech .
The 21-year-old ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ GM/coach Bill Belichick .
“ That ’ s why I ’ m so excited that I got picked up by the Patriots because I think they do so many different things with their tight ends and are really creative there , ” Keene said .
“ I couldn ’ t be happier right now with where I ended up.
” Keene played linebacker , quarterback , H-back and tailback for the Chargers from 2013-16 , leading Chatfield to the Class 4A semifinals as a senior .
He emerged as an offensive swiss-army knife @ @ @ @ @ @ @ too , playing H-back , out wide and in the backfield in addition to tight end .
He said he aspires to mold his game after San Francisco ’ s All-Pro tight end George Kittle .
“ He ’ s a super versatile tight end and they do a lot of different things there ( with him ) , ” Keene said .
“ That ’ s what I pride myself on doing , being a versatile tight end and being able to do a lot of different things – playing from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ traditional tight end.
” New England took UCLA tight end Devin Asiasi at No .
91 overall just before Keene .
The duo are the highest-drafted tight ends by the Patriots since they selected Rob Gronkowski in the second round in 2010 .
“ I was a little kid and watching him on TV , so it ’ s just crazy that I ’ m in his shoes right now , ” Keene said .
“ I ’ m privileged.
” The Bengals took Wilson in the third round at No .
65 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of two Wyoming players to be named captain three times .
The 6-foot-2 , 250-pound Casper native was a linchpin of the school ’ s defense the past four years .
An effective block shedder , Wilson figures to immediately compete for a spot in Cincinnati .
He had 253 tackles , and 35 tackles for loss , in 52 games .
The Patriots took the Wyoming inside linebacker in the sixth round at No .
204 overall .
Maluia , a 6-foot , 248-pound native of Compton , Calif. , had 101 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 50 games for the Cowboys .
CU ’ s 6-foot-5 , 300-pound offensive lineman was selected in the seventh round at No .
226 overall by the Bears .
Versatile and athletic , Hambright can play inside or outside on the line , and started all 11 games for the Buffs as a graduate transfer in 2019 .
The Ypsilanti , Mich. , native previously played at Oklahoma State and Garden City ( Kansas ) Community College .
The CU quarterback did not get selected , but signed as an undrafted free @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Brown signed with Cleveland .

Davion Taylor’s unlikely ascent to the NFL as a third-round pick, where the Eagles took him at No. 103 overall on Friday night, highlighted the contingent of local high school and college players selected in the final five rounds of the 2020 draft.
Taylor, a two-year starter at outside linebacker for CU, did not play high school football due to his religious beliefs, as his family is Seventh Day Adventists.
But the abnormality of not playing high school ball in Magnolia, Miss., did not deter his football goals. Taylor tried out for the team at Coahoma Community College (Clarksdale, Miss.), and used his performance there to get a scholarship to CU. All along, he remained insatiable.
“When I went into JUCO, I wanted to learn,” Taylor said. “I came in there, I was watching (film), I had the coaches to teach me. I would ask so many questions after practice. If I was doing something wrong, I wanted to make sure I get it right. That’s the mentality I had the whole four years… I just had this itch to keep on learning about the game.”
At CU, Taylor played in 23 games with 19 starts, accumulating 136 tackles and 20 tackles for loss. He was honorable mention All-Pac-12, and his 4.39-second time in the 40-yard dash at CU’s pro day is evidence of the speed and closing ability that scouts liked in the All-Pac-12 track athlete (100-meter dash).
He acknowledged his game still has strides to make.
“The big part is just being more and more physical, taking on blocks, shedding blocks and just making big plays,” Taylor said.
At 6-foot and 228 pounds, Taylor projects as a versatile safety/linebacker in the NFL.
Dalton Keene
The former Chatfield star was selected in the third round at No. 101 overall by the Patriots on Friday night, making him the third Chargers player to be drafted. Keene is a 6-foot-4, 251-pound tight end who had 21 receptions for 240 yards and five touchdowns as a junior at Virginia Tech. The 21-year-old’s versatility was no doubt attractive to GM/coach Bill Belichick.
“That’s why I’m so excited that I got picked up by the Patriots because I think they do so many different things with their tight ends and are really creative there,” Keene said. “I couldn’t be happier right now with where I ended up.”
Keene played linebacker, quarterback, H-back and tailback for the Chargers from 2013-16, leading Chatfield to the Class 4A semifinals as a senior. He emerged as an offensive swiss-army knife in three seasons for the Hokies, too, playing H-back, out wide and in the backfield in addition to tight end. He said he aspires to mold his game after San Francisco’s All-Pro tight end George Kittle.
“He’s a super versatile tight end and they do a lot of different things there (with him),” Keene said. “That’s what I pride myself on doing, being a versatile tight end and being able to do a lot of different things – playing from the slot, or playing fullback or playing traditional tight end.”
New England took UCLA tight end Devin Asiasi at No. 91 overall just before Keene. The duo are the highest-drafted tight ends by the Patriots since they selected Rob Gronkowski in the second round in 2010.
“I was a little kid and watching him on TV, so it’s just crazy that I’m in his shoes right now,” Keene said. “I’m privileged.”
Logan Wilson
The Bengals took Wilson in the third round at No. 65 overall. The inside linebacker is one of two Wyoming players to be named captain three times. The 6-foot-2, 250-pound Casper native was a linchpin of the school’s defense the past four years. An effective block shedder, Wilson figures to immediately compete for a spot in Cincinnati. He had 253 tackles, and 35 tackles for loss, in 52 games.
Cassh Maluia
The Patriots took the Wyoming inside linebacker in the sixth round at No. 204 overall. Maluia, a 6-foot, 248-pound native of Compton, Calif., had 101 solo tackles and 16.5 tackles for loss in 50 games for the Cowboys.
Arlington Hambright
CU’s 6-foot-5, 300-pound offensive lineman was selected in the seventh round at No. 226 overall by the Bears. Versatile and athletic, Hambright can play inside or outside on the line, and started all 11 games for the Buffs as a graduate transfer in 2019. The Ypsilanti, Mich., native previously played at Oklahoma State and Garden City (Kansas) Community College.
Laviska Shenault
CU’s star wideout was drafted in the second round by Jacksonville at No. 42 overall. One of the more explosive Colorado players of recent memory, Shenault recorded a first down or a touchdown on 101 of his 191 touches at CU. He became the first CU player taken before No. 45 overall since 2011, when ex-Buffs Nate Solder and Jimmy Smith were both selected in the first round.
Steven Montez
The CU quarterback did not get selected, but signed as an undrafted free agent with the Redskins. Wideout Tony Brown signed with Cleveland.