thedenverpost--2020-12-30--Most-read Colorado Rockies stories of 2020, from Nolan Arenado trade rumors to Jake McGee’s success

Most-read Colorado Rockies stories of 2020, from Nolan Arenado trade rumors to Jake McGee’s success out of Denver

Here ’ s a look back at The Denver Post ’ s top 10 most popular Colorado Rockies stories of 2020 , as determined by our readers .
10 .
Analysis : What led Nolan Arenado to feel “ disrespected ” ?
A confrontation last fall created rift that remains , sources say .
Published Jan. 21 , 2020 .
Frustrated and disillusioned by the Rockies ’ 71-win season , the Rockies ’ all-star third baseman met with general manager Jeff Bridich shortly after the 2019 season ended and argued that the team needed to make aggressive moves in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when Bridich told Arenado that the Rockies were largely going to stand pat this winter , he expressed his displeasure .
9 .
Rockies Mailbag : Why is Jake McGee succeeding with the Dodgers when he couldn ’ t with Rox ?
Published Sept. 2 , 2020 .
“ The Rockies originally signed McGee primarily because they thought his fastball would play at altitude .
Sometimes it did , sometimes it didn ’ t , ” Patrick Saunders writes .
Published Feb. 10 , 2020 .
Nolan Arenado , born , bred and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ needed a baseball fix this winter .
So where did he go ?
Why ?
Because it ’ s the home of former Rockies and Cardinals all-star Matt Holliday , a longtime mentor .
7 .
What potential returns could the Rockies get if Nolan Arenado is traded ?
Published Jan. 13 , 2020 .
With a trade of Nolan Arenado looking more likely by the week , three particular clubs keep getting tied to a potential deal for the Rockies third baseman .
Those teams are St. Louis , Texas and Atlanta @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from each of those organizations that would make it worthwhile to trade a once-in-a-generation third baseman ?
6 .
Rockies ’ Nolan Arenado : Breaking down the trade rumors on star third baseman Published Dec. 8 , 2020 .
The possible trade of Rockies all-star third baseman Nolan Arenado , 29 , remains a hot topic .
For good reason .
Sources have told The Denver Post that a trade remains a “ realistic possibility , ” but also cautioned that a deal will take time to work out and that a number @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trevor Story on Rockies ’ decision not to play Thursday : “ We had a chance to stand up for our guy last night .
We didn ’ t do that.
” Published Aug. 27 , 2020 .
Matt Kemp stood alone in the visiting dugout at Chase Field on Wednesday as the only Rockies player to take a stand against racial injustice by sitting out Colorado ’ s game against the Arizona Diamondbacks .
A day later , with the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha , Wis. , weighing heavy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shortstop Trevor Story welled with emotion at a missed opportunity for solidarity .
4 .
Charlie Blackmon , two other Rockies test positive for coronavirus following workouts at Coors Field Published June 23 , 2020 .
Rockies players Charlie Blackmon , Phillip Diehl and Ryan Castellani all tested positive for coronavirus following workouts at Coors Field in June , major-league sources told The Denver Post .
Several Rockies had been working out at Coors Field in June , including taking live at-bats .
3 .
Jerry Schemmel loses job as voice of Rockies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2020 .
Jerry Schemmel , the longtime sports broadcaster on KOA radio who has called Rockies games for the past 10 seasons , lost his job in January .
Schemmel said he was laid off as part iHeartMedia ’ s massive job cuts around the country .
KOA is part of iHeartMedia , the largest radio conglomerate in the United States .
2 .
Rockies ’ Nolan Arenado might have , quietly , played his final home game at Coors Field Published Sept. 20 , 2020 .
Obscured by the victory was the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s final game at Coors Field as a Rockie .
And , perhaps , Arenado ’ s final game ever with Colorado .
Manager Bud Black said after the game that Arenado is undergoing tests on his shoulder and there is a possibility the third baseman will be shut down for the last week of the season .
Published Jan. 20 , 2020 .
On the same day Rockies general manager Jeff Bridich put the brakes on the Nolan Arenado trade rumors , the all-star third baseman broke his silence saying he felt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that Arenado would be with the Rockies when they opened spring training in Scottsdale , Ariz .

Here’s a look back at The Denver Post’s top 10 most popular Colorado Rockies stories of 2020, as determined by our readers.
Published Jan. 21, 2020. Frustrated and disillusioned by the Rockies’ 71-win season, the Rockies’ all-star third baseman met with general manager Jeff Bridich shortly after the 2019 season ended and argued that the team needed to make aggressive moves in the offseason in order to improve. But when Bridich told Arenado that the Rockies were largely going to stand pat this winter, he expressed his displeasure.
Published Sept. 2, 2020. “The Rockies originally signed McGee primarily because they thought his fastball would play at altitude. Sometimes it did, sometimes it didn’t,” Patrick Saunders writes.
Published Feb. 10, 2020. Nolan Arenado, born, bred and raised on baseball in Southern California, needed a baseball fix this winter. So where did he go?
Stillwater, Okla., naturally.
Why? Because it’s the home of former Rockies and Cardinals all-star Matt Holliday, a longtime mentor.
Published Jan. 13, 2020. With a trade of Nolan Arenado looking more likely by the week, three particular clubs keep getting tied to a potential deal for the Rockies third baseman.
Those teams are St. Louis, Texas and Atlanta. But who could Colorado feasibly get from each of those organizations that would make it worthwhile to trade a once-in-a-generation third baseman?
Published Dec. 8, 2020. The possible trade of Rockies all-star third baseman Nolan Arenado, 29, remains a hot topic. For good reason. Sources have told The Denver Post that a trade remains a “realistic possibility,” but also cautioned that a deal will take time to work out and that a number of obstacles remain.
Published Aug. 27, 2020. Matt Kemp stood alone in the visiting dugout at Chase Field on Wednesday as the only Rockies player to take a stand against racial injustice by sitting out Colorado’s game against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
A day later, with the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wis., weighing heavy on the national sports conscious, Colorado shortstop Trevor Story welled with emotion at a missed opportunity for solidarity.
Published June 23, 2020. Rockies players Charlie Blackmon, Phillip Diehl and Ryan Castellani all tested positive for coronavirus following workouts at Coors Field in June, major-league sources told The Denver Post. Several Rockies had been working out at Coors Field in June, including taking live at-bats.
Published Jan. 16, 2020. Jerry Schemmel, the longtime sports broadcaster on KOA radio who has called Rockies games for the past 10 seasons, lost his job in January. Schemmel said he was laid off as part iHeartMedia’s massive job cuts around the country. KOA is part of iHeartMedia, the largest radio conglomerate in the United States.
Published Sept. 20, 2020. Obscured by the victory was the possibility that it have been Arenado’s final game at Coors Field as a Rockie. And, perhaps, Arenado’s final game ever with Colorado. Manager Bud Black said after the game that Arenado is undergoing tests on his shoulder and there is a possibility the third baseman will be shut down for the last week of the season.
Published Jan. 20, 2020. On the same day Rockies general manager Jeff Bridich put the brakes on the Nolan Arenado trade rumors, the all-star third baseman broke his silence saying he felt “disrespected.” Bridich made it clear that Arenado would be with the Rockies when they opened spring training in Scottsdale, Ariz.


thedenverpost--2020-12-31--Claims for unemployment benefits fall to 787,000, down 19,000 nationwide

WASHINGTON — The number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits fell by 19,000 but remain elevated at 787,000 as a resurgent @ @ @ @ @ .
While at the lowest level in four weeks , the new figures released Thursday @ @ @ @ @ nearly four times higher than a year ago before the coronavirus struck .
Employers continue @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus infections keep many people at home while state and local governments re-impose restrictions .
@ @ @ @ @ 225,000 a week before the pandemic struck with force last March causing weekly jobless claims @ @ @ @ @ of 6.9 million in late March as efforts to contain the virus sent the economy @ @ @ @ @ The government said that the total number of people receiving traditional unemployment benefits fell by @ @ @ @ @ the week ending Dec. 19 compared to the previous week .

WASHINGTON — The number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits fell by 19,000 but remain elevated at 787,000 as a resurgent coronavirus grips the U.S. economy.
While at the lowest level in four weeks, the new figures released Thursday by the Labor Department are nearly four times higher than a year ago before the coronavirus struck. Employers continue to cut jobs as rising coronavirus infections keep many people at home while state and local governments re-impose restrictions.
Jobless claims were running around 225,000 a week before the pandemic struck with force last March causing weekly jobless claims to surge to a high of 6.9 million in late March as efforts to contain the virus sent the economy into a deep recession.
The government said that the total number of people receiving traditional unemployment benefits fell by 103,000 to 5.2 million for the week ending Dec. 19 compared to the previous week.


thedenverpost--2020-12-31--2020 finally ending, but New Year’s revelries muted by virus

CANBERRA , Australia ( AP ) — This New Year ’ s Eve is being celebrated like no other , with pandemic restrictions limiting crowds and many people bidding farewell to a year they ’ d prefer to forget .
Australia was among the first nations to ring in 2021 because of its proximity to the International Date Line .
It was a grim end to the year for New South Wales and Victoria , the country ’ s two most populous states , which are battling new COVID-19 outbreaks .
In past years 1 million people crowded Sydney ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the Sydney Harbor Bridge , but most watched on television as authorities urged residents to stay home .
Locations on the harbor were fenced off , popular parks closed and famous night spots eerily deserted .
A heavy police presence populated the otherwise quiet site , which resembled a ghost town .
A 9 p.m. fireworks display was scrapped but a seven-minute pyrotechnics show at midnight brought momentary cheer as fireworks spectacularly lit up the iconic Harbor Bridge and its surroundings .
People were only allowed in downtown Sydney if they had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ five guests of an inner-city resident .
People weren ’ t allowed in the city center without a permit .
Some harborside restaurants were charging up to 1,690 Australian dollars ( $ 1,294 ) for a seat , Sydney ’ s The Daily Telegraph newspaper reported Wednesday .
Sydney is Australia ’ s most populous city and has had its most active local transmission of the coronavirus in recent weeks .
Melbourne , Australia ’ s second most populous city , canceled its fireworks this year .
“ For the first time in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ big decision , difficult decision to cancel the fireworks , ” Mayor Sally Capp said .
“ We did that because we know that it attracts up to 450,000 people into the city for one moment at midnight to enjoy a spectacular display and music .
We are not doing that this year.
” In notable contrast , the west coast city of Perth — which has not had community spread of the virus since April — celebrated the new year almost normally with large crowds flocking to watch two fireworks spectacles .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ahead of Sydney , and several of its South Pacific island neighbors have no current COVID-19 cases , and New Year celebrations there were the same as ever .
In Chinese societies , the Lunar New Year celebration that falls in February in 2021 generally takes precedence over the solar New Year , on Jan. 1 .
While celebrations of the Western holiday have been growing more common in recent decades , this year will be more muted .
Beijing is holding a countdown ceremony with just a few invited guests , while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And nighttime temperatures plunging to -15 Celsius ( -5 Fahrenheit ) will likely discourage people from spending the night out with friends .
Taiwan is hosting its usual New Year ’ s celebration , a fireworks display by its capital city ’ s iconic tower , Taipei 101 , as well as a flag-raising ceremony in front of the Presidential Office Building on New Year ’ s morning .
The flag raising will be limited to government officials and invited guests after a traveler who recently arrived in Taiwan was found to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus .
The island has been a success story in fighting the pandemic , registering only seven deaths and 700 confirmed cases of COVID-19 .
Hong Kong , with its British colonial history and large expatriate population , has usually seen raucous celebrations along the waterfront and in bar districts .
For the second year running , however , New Year ’ s Eve fireworks have been canceled , this time over coronavirus rather than public security concerns .
Hong Kong social distancing regulations restrict gatherings to only two people .
Restaurants have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ performances and dancing are not allowed .
But crowds still throng shopping centers .
Much of Japan was welcoming 2021 quietly at home , alarmed after Tokyo reported a record number of daily coronavirus cases at about 1,300 .
It was the first time that daily cases in the capital have topped 1,000 .
Tokyo Gov .
Yuriko Koike asked people to skip countdown ceremonies and expressed concern about crowds of shoppers .
“ The coronavirus knows no yearend or New Year ’ s holidays , ” she said .
Many people skipped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ return to ancestral homes for the holidays , hoping to lessen health risks for extended families .
Rural restaurants saw business drop , while home deliveries of traditional New Year ’ s “ good luck ” food called “ osechi ” boomed .
Emperor Naruhito is delivering a video message for the new year , instead of waving from a balcony as cheering crowds throng outside the palace .
Train services that usually carry people on shrine visits overnight , as well as some countdown ceremonies , were canceled .
Meiji Shrine in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of people during New Year holidays and is usually open all night on New Year ’ s Eve , closed at 4 p.m. this year .
In South Korea , Seoul ’ s city government canceled its annual New Year ’ s Eve bell-ringing ceremony in the Jongno neighborhood for the first time since the event was first held in 1953 , months after the end of the Korean War .
The ceremony , in which citizens ring a large bell in a traditional pavilion when the clock strikes midnight , normally draws @ @ @ @ @ @ @ live .
Authorities in eastern coastal areas closed beaches and other spots where hundreds of thousands of people typically gather on New Year ’ s Day to watch the sunrise .
The southeastern city of Pohang instead planned to broadcast live the sunrise at several beaches on its YouTube channel .
South Korea ’ s central government banned private social gatherings of more than five people and shut down ski resorts and major tourist spots nationwide from Christmas Eve until Jan. 3 to help bring a recent viral resurgence under control .
Millions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new year with subdued celebrations at home because of night curfews , a ban on beach parties and restrictions on movement in major cities and towns after the new , more contagious variant of the coronavirus reached the country .
In New Delhi , Mumbai and Chennai , hotels and bars were ordered to shut at 11 p.m .
The three cities have been the worst hit by the coronavirus pandemic .
Drones were keeping watch on people ’ s movements in Mumbai , India ’ s financial and entertainment capital .
Large @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no restrictions on visiting friends , relatives and public places in groups of not more than four people , police said .
Face masks and social distancing were mandatory , they said .
Many revelers flocked to Goa , a former Portuguese colony and popular backpacking destination with numerous beach resorts .
Authorities decided against imposing a curfew with coronavirus infections largely controlled there .
In Sri Lanka , public gatherings have been banned due to a resurgence of COVID-19 , and health and law enforcement authorities urged people to limit celebrations to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ warned of legal action against hotels and restaurants that hold parties .
Officials have also closed schools and restricted public transport in response to the renewed outbreak .

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — This New Year’s Eve is being celebrated like no other, with pandemic restrictions limiting crowds and many people bidding farewell to a year they’d prefer to forget.
Australia was among the first nations to ring in 2021 because of its proximity to the International Date Line. It was a grim end to the year for New South Wales and Victoria, the country’s two most populous states, which are battling new COVID-19 outbreaks.
In past years 1 million people crowded Sydney’s harbor to watch fireworks that center on the Sydney Harbor Bridge, but most watched on television as authorities urged residents to stay home.
Locations on the harbor were fenced off, popular parks closed and famous night spots eerily deserted. A heavy police presence populated the otherwise quiet site, which resembled a ghost town. A 9 p.m. fireworks display was scrapped but a seven-minute pyrotechnics show at midnight brought momentary cheer as fireworks spectacularly lit up the iconic Harbor Bridge and its surroundings.
People were only allowed in downtown Sydney if they had a restaurant reservation or were one of five guests of an inner-city resident. People weren’t allowed in the city center without a permit.
Some harborside restaurants were charging up to 1,690 Australian dollars ($1,294) for a seat, Sydney’s The Daily Telegraph newspaper reported Wednesday.
Sydney is Australia’s most populous city and has had its most active local transmission of the coronavirus in recent weeks.
Melbourne, Australia’s second most populous city, canceled its fireworks this year. “For the first time in many, many years we made the big decision, difficult decision to cancel the fireworks,” Mayor Sally Capp said.
“We did that because we know that it attracts up to 450,000 people into the city for one moment at midnight to enjoy a spectacular display and music. We are not doing that this year.”
In notable contrast, the west coast city of Perth — which has not had community spread of the virus since April — celebrated the new year almost normally with large crowds flocking to watch two fireworks spectacles.
New Zealand, which is two hours ahead of Sydney, and several of its South Pacific island neighbors have no current COVID-19 cases, and New Year celebrations there were the same as ever.
In Chinese societies, the Lunar New Year celebration that falls in February in 2021 generally takes precedence over the solar New Year, on Jan. 1. While celebrations of the Western holiday have been growing more common in recent decades, this year will be more muted.
Beijing is holding a countdown ceremony with just a few invited guests, while other planned events have been canceled. And nighttime temperatures plunging to -15 Celsius (-5 Fahrenheit) will likely discourage people from spending the night out with friends.
Taiwan is hosting its usual New Year’s celebration, a fireworks display by its capital city’s iconic tower, Taipei 101, as well as a flag-raising ceremony in front of the Presidential Office Building on New Year’s morning. The flag raising will be limited to government officials and invited guests after a traveler who recently arrived in Taiwan was found to be infected with the new variant of the coronavirus.
The island has been a success story in fighting the pandemic, registering only seven deaths and 700 confirmed cases of COVID-19.
Hong Kong, with its British colonial history and large expatriate population, has usually seen raucous celebrations along the waterfront and in bar districts. For the second year running, however, New Year’s Eve fireworks have been canceled, this time over coronavirus rather than public security concerns.
Hong Kong social distancing regulations restrict gatherings to only two people. Restaurants have to close by 6 p.m. and live performances and dancing are not allowed. But crowds still throng shopping centers.
Much of Japan was welcoming 2021 quietly at home, alarmed after Tokyo reported a record number of daily coronavirus cases at about 1,300. It was the first time that daily cases in the capital have topped 1,000.
Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike asked people to skip countdown ceremonies and expressed concern about crowds of shoppers.
“The coronavirus knows no yearend or New Year’s holidays,” she said.
Many people skipped what’s customarily a chance to return to ancestral homes for the holidays, hoping to lessen health risks for extended families.
Rural restaurants saw business drop, while home deliveries of traditional New Year’s “good luck” food called “osechi” boomed.
Emperor Naruhito is delivering a video message for the new year, instead of waving from a balcony as cheering crowds throng outside the palace.
Train services that usually carry people on shrine visits overnight, as well as some countdown ceremonies, were canceled.
Meiji Shrine in downtown Tokyo, which normally attracts millions of people during New Year holidays and is usually open all night on New Year’s Eve, closed at 4 p.m. this year.
In South Korea, Seoul’s city government canceled its annual New Year’s Eve bell-ringing ceremony in the Jongno neighborhood for the first time since the event was first held in 1953, months after the end of the Korean War.
The ceremony, in which citizens ring a large bell in a traditional pavilion when the clock strikes midnight, normally draws an estimated 100,000 people and is broadcast live.
Authorities in eastern coastal areas closed beaches and other spots where hundreds of thousands of people typically gather on New Year’s Day to watch the sunrise. The southeastern city of Pohang instead planned to broadcast live the sunrise at several beaches on its YouTube channel.
South Korea’s central government banned private social gatherings of more than five people and shut down ski resorts and major tourist spots nationwide from Christmas Eve until Jan. 3 to help bring a recent viral resurgence under control.
Millions of Indians planned to usher in the new year with subdued celebrations at home because of night curfews, a ban on beach parties and restrictions on movement in major cities and towns after the new, more contagious variant of the coronavirus reached the country.
In New Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai, hotels and bars were ordered to shut at 11 p.m. The three cities have been the worst hit by the coronavirus pandemic.
Drones were keeping watch on people’s movements in Mumbai, India’s financial and entertainment capital. Large gatherings were banned, but there were no restrictions on visiting friends, relatives and public places in groups of not more than four people, police said. Face masks and social distancing were mandatory, they said.
Many revelers flocked to Goa, a former Portuguese colony and popular backpacking destination with numerous beach resorts. Authorities decided against imposing a curfew with coronavirus infections largely controlled there.
In Sri Lanka, public gatherings have been banned due to a resurgence of COVID-19, and health and law enforcement authorities urged people to limit celebrations to close family members. Health officials have warned of legal action against hotels and restaurants that hold parties.
Officials have also closed schools and restricted public transport in response to the renewed outbreak.


thedenverpost--2020-12-31--Denver weather: Sunny seasonal days to kick off the new year

Uneventful weather will end 2020 and start 2021 .
Expect seasonal , clear forecasts for the days ahead .
Thursday @ @ @ @ @ will be 44 degrees under mostly sunny skies , according to the National Weather Service @ @ @ @ @ once again dip overnight , dropping to 22 degrees for New Year ’ s Eve @ @ @ @ @ clouds move in and block a nearly full moon .
New Year ’ s Day @ @ @ @ @ 40 degrees with parity sunny skies as light winds will pick up from the northeast @ @ @ @ @ night will be chilly with a low of 19 degrees .
Saturday warms up even @ @ @ @ @ over , and the high will reach 49 degrees .
The temperature will slip into @ @ @ @ @ .
Sunday and Monday could both have highs in the 50s .

Uneventful weather will end 2020 and start 2021. Expect seasonal, clear forecasts for the days ahead.
Thursday’s high for Denver will be 44 degrees under mostly sunny skies, according to the National Weather Service in Boulder. Temperatures will once again dip overnight, dropping to 22 degrees for New Year’s Eve in the metro area as clouds move in and block a nearly full moon.
New Year’s Day will be back up to 40 degrees with parity sunny skies as light winds will pick up from the northeast in the afternoon. Friday night will be chilly with a low of 19 degrees.
Saturday warms up even more as the sun takes over, and the high will reach 49 degrees. The temperature will slip into the 20s in the evening. Sunday and Monday could both have highs in the 50s.


thedenverpost--2020-12-31--At risk of extinction, black-footed ferrets in Colorado get experimental COVID-19 vaccine

In late summer , as researchers accelerated the first clinical trials of COVID-19 vaccines for humans , a group of scientists in Colorado worked to inoculate a far more fragile species .
About 120 black-footed ferrets , among the most endangered mammals in North America , were injected with an experimental COVID vaccine aimed at protecting the small , weasel-like creatures rescued from the brink of extinction four decades ago .
The effort came months before U.S. Department of Agriculture officials began accepting applications from veterinary drugmakers for a commercial vaccine for minks , a close cousin of the ferrets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ valuable fur , have died by the tens of thousands in the U.S. and been culled by the millions in Europe after catching the COVID virus from infected humans .
Vaccinating such vulnerable species against the disease is important not only for the animals ’ sake , experts say , but potentially for the protection of people .
Some of the most pernicious human diseases have originated in animals , including the new coronavirus , which is believed to have spread from bats to an intermediary species before jumping to humans and sparking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comes to animals like farmed minks , which are kept in crowded pens , is that the virus , contracted from humans , can mutate as it spreads rapidly in the susceptible animals , posing a new threat if it spills back to people .
Danish health officials in November reported detecting more than 200 COVID cases in humans that had variants associated with farmed minks , including a dozen with a mutation scientists feared could undermine the effectiveness of vaccines .
However , officials now say that variant appears to be extinct @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not found similar COVID mutations in the domestic farmed mink populations , though they recently noted with concern the discovery of the first case of the virus in a wild mink in Utah .
“ For highly contagious respiratory viruses , it ’ s really important to be mindful of the animal reservoir , ” said Dr. Corey Casper , a vaccinologist and chief executive of the Infectious Disease Research Institute in Seattle .
“ If the virus returns to the animal host and mutates , or changes , in such a way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , then the humans would no longer have that immunity .
That makes me very concerned.
” For the newly vaccinated ferrets , the main risk is to the animals themselves .
They ’ re part of a captive population at the National Black-footed Ferret Conservation Center outside Fort Collins , where there have been no cases of COVID-19 to date .
But the slender , furry creatures — known for their distinctive black eye mask , legs and feet — are feared to be highly vulnerable to the ravages of the disease @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scientist at the National Wildlife Health Center who is testing the ferret vaccine .
They ’ re all genetically similar , having come from a narrow breeding pool , which weakens their immune systems .
And they likely share many of the features that have made the disease so deadly to minks .
“ We don ’ t have direct evidence that black-footed ferrets are susceptible to COVID-19 , but given their close relationship to minks , we wouldn ’ t want to find out , ” Rocke said .
Rocke began working @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as she and Pete Gober , black-footed ferret recovery coordinator for the U.S .
Fish and Wildlife Service , watched reports about the new coronavirus with growing alarm .
An exotic disease is “ the biggest nemesis for ferret recovery , ” said Gober , who has worked with black-footed ferrets for 30 years .
“ It can knock you right back down to zero.
” The ferrets are a native species that once roamed vast areas of the American West .
Their ranks declined precipitously over many decades as populations of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ source of food and shelter , were decimated by farming , grazing and other human activity .
In 1979 , black-footed ferrets were declared extinct — until a small population was discovered on a ranch in Wyoming .
Most of those rare animals were then lost to disease , including sylvatic plague , the animal version of the Black Death that has plagued humans .
The species survived only because biologists rescued 18 ferrets to form the basis of a captive breeding program , Gober said .
With the threat of new disease @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infection prevention precautions at the center , which houses more than half of the 300 black-footed ferrets in captivity .
An additional 400 have been reintroduced to the wild .
Then he called Rocke , who previously created a vaccine shown to protect ferrets from sylvatic plague .
It uses a purified protein from Yersinia pestis , the bacterium that causes the disease .
Would the same technique work against the virus that causes COVID-19 ?
Under the research authority granted by the Fish and Wildlife Service , the scientists were free to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sorts of things experimentally in animals that we can ’ t do in humans , ” Rocke noted .
Rocke acquired purified protein of a key component of the SARS-CoV-2 virus , the spike protein , from a commercial producer .
She mixed the liquid protein with an adjuvant , a substance that enhances immune response , and injected it under the animals ’ skin .
The first doses were given in late spring to 18 black-footed ferrets , all male , all about a year old , followed by a booster dose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of getting the second shots , tests of the animals ’ blood showed antibodies to the virus , a good — and expected — sign .
By early fall , 120 of the 180 ferrets housed at the center were inoculated , with the rest remaining unvaccinated in case something went wrong with the animals , which generally live four to six years in captivity .
So far , the vaccine appears safe , but there ’ s no data yet to show whether it protects the animals from disease .
“ I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ idea if it will work , ” said Rocke , who plans to conduct efficacy tests this winter .
But Rocke ’ s effort makes sense , said Casper , who has created several vaccines for humans .
Rocke ’ s approach — introducing an inactivated virus in an animal to stimulate an immune response — is the basis for many common vaccines , such as those that prevent polio and influenza .
Vaccines containing inactivated virus to prevent COVID-19 have been tested in certain animals — and in human vaccines , including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sinovac Life Sciences .
But the effort in Colorado may be among the first aimed at preventing COVID-19 in a specific animal population , Rocke said .
Gober said he is optimistic that the ferrets are protected , but it will take a well-designed study to settle the question .
Until then , he ’ ll work to keep the fragile ferrets free of COVID-19 .
“ The price of peace is eternal vigilance , they say .
We can ’ t let our guard down.
” The tougher task is doing the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ We ’ re just holding our breath , hoping we can get all the humans vaccinated in the country .
That will give us all a sigh of relief.
” Kaiser Health News is a national health policy news service .
It is an editorially independent program of the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation which is not affiliated with Kaiser Permanente .

By JoNel Aleccia, Kaiser Health News
In late summer, as researchers accelerated the first clinical trials of COVID-19 vaccines for humans, a group of scientists in Colorado worked to inoculate a far more fragile species.
About 120 black-footed ferrets, among the most endangered mammals in North America, were injected with an experimental COVID vaccine aimed at protecting the small, weasel-like creatures rescued from the brink of extinction four decades ago.
The effort came months before U.S. Department of Agriculture officials began accepting applications from veterinary drugmakers for a commercial vaccine for minks, a close cousin of the ferrets. Farmed minks, raised for their valuable fur, have died by the tens of thousands in the U.S. and been culled by the millions in Europe after catching the COVID virus from infected humans.
Vaccinating such vulnerable species against the disease is important not only for the animals’ sake, experts say, but potentially for the protection of people. Some of the most pernicious human diseases have originated in animals, including the new coronavirus, which is believed to have spread from bats to an intermediary species before jumping to humans and sparking the pandemic.
The worry when it comes to animals like farmed minks, which are kept in crowded pens, is that the virus, contracted from humans, can mutate as it spreads rapidly in the susceptible animals, posing a new threat if it spills back to people. Danish health officials in November reported detecting more than 200 COVID cases in humans that had variants associated with farmed minks, including a dozen with a mutation scientists feared could undermine the effectiveness of vaccines. However, officials now say that variant appears to be extinct.
In the U.S., scientists have not found similar COVID mutations in the domestic farmed mink populations, though they recently noted with concern the discovery of the first case of the virus in a wild mink in Utah.
“For highly contagious respiratory viruses, it’s really important to be mindful of the animal reservoir,” said Dr. Corey Casper, a vaccinologist and chief executive of the Infectious Disease Research Institute in Seattle. “If the virus returns to the animal host and mutates, or changes, in such a way that it could be reintroduced to humans, then the humans would no longer have that immunity. That makes me very concerned.”
For the newly vaccinated ferrets, the main risk is to the animals themselves. They’re part of a captive population at the National Black-footed Ferret Conservation Center outside Fort Collins, where there have been no cases of COVID-19 to date.
But the slender, furry creatures — known for their distinctive black eye mask, legs and feet — are feared to be highly vulnerable to the ravages of the disease, said Tonie Rocke, a research scientist at the National Wildlife Health Center who is testing the ferret vaccine. They’re all genetically similar, having come from a narrow breeding pool, which weakens their immune systems. And they likely share many of the features that have made the disease so deadly to minks.
“We don’t have direct evidence that black-footed ferrets are susceptible to COVID-19, but given their close relationship to minks, we wouldn’t want to find out,” Rocke said.
Rocke began working on the experimental vaccine in the spring, as she and Pete Gober, black-footed ferret recovery coordinator for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, watched reports about the new coronavirus with growing alarm. An exotic disease is “the biggest nemesis for ferret recovery,” said Gober, who has worked with black-footed ferrets for 30 years. “It can knock you right back down to zero.”
The ferrets are a native species that once roamed vast areas of the American West. Their ranks declined precipitously over many decades as populations of prairie dogs, the ferrets’ primary source of food and shelter, were decimated by farming, grazing and other human activity.
In 1979, black-footed ferrets were declared extinct — until a small population was discovered on a ranch in Wyoming. Most of those rare animals were then lost to disease, including sylvatic plague, the animal version of the Black Death that has plagued humans. The species survived only because biologists rescued 18 ferrets to form the basis of a captive breeding program, Gober said.
With the threat of new disease looming, Gober doubled-down on the strict infection prevention precautions at the center, which houses more than half of the 300 black-footed ferrets in captivity. An additional 400 have been reintroduced to the wild. Then he called Rocke, who previously created a vaccine shown to protect ferrets from sylvatic plague. It uses a purified protein from Yersinia pestis, the bacterium that causes the disease.
Would the same technique work against the virus that causes COVID-19? Under the research authority granted by the Fish and Wildlife Service, the scientists were free to try.
“We can do these sorts of things experimentally in animals that we can’t do in humans,” Rocke noted.
Rocke acquired purified protein of a key component of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, the spike protein, from a commercial producer. She mixed the liquid protein with an adjuvant, a substance that enhances immune response, and injected it under the animals’ skin.
The first doses were given in late spring to 18 black-footed ferrets, all male, all about a year old, followed by a booster dose a few weeks later. Within weeks of getting the second shots, tests of the animals’ blood showed antibodies to the virus, a good — and expected — sign.
By early fall, 120 of the 180 ferrets housed at the center were inoculated, with the rest remaining unvaccinated in case something went wrong with the animals, which generally live four to six years in captivity. So far, the vaccine appears safe, but there’s no data yet to show whether it protects the animals from disease. “I can tell you, we have no idea if it will work,” said Rocke, who plans to conduct efficacy tests this winter.
But Rocke’s effort makes sense, said Casper, who has created several vaccines for humans. Rocke’s approach — introducing an inactivated virus in an animal to stimulate an immune response — is the basis for many common vaccines, such as those that prevent polio and influenza.
Vaccines containing inactivated virus to prevent COVID-19 have been tested in certain animals — and in human vaccines, including CoronaVac, created by the Chinese firm Sinovac Life Sciences. But the effort in Colorado may be among the first aimed at preventing COVID-19 in a specific animal population, Rocke said.
Gober said he is optimistic that the ferrets are protected, but it will take a well-designed study to settle the question. Until then, he’ll work to keep the fragile ferrets free of COVID-19. “The price of peace is eternal vigilance, they say. We can’t let our guard down.”
The tougher task is doing the same for people, Gober observed.
“We’re just holding our breath, hoping we can get all the humans vaccinated in the country. That will give us all a sigh of relief.”
Kaiser Health News is a national health policy news service. It is an editorially independent program of the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation which is not affiliated with Kaiser Permanente.


thedenverpost--2020-12-31--Former Denver police chief known for giving his phone number to gang members dies at 80

Even though his rank rarely required him to respond to calls , former Denver police Chief David Michaud always wore his radio — just in case .
If he was nearby when a call came in , he would respond himself and sometimes provided back-up for his officers .
He believed a police officer ’ s foremost job was to protect the public regardless of an officer ’ s rank , Denver police Chief Paul Pazen said .
“ That ’ s one of the aspects that made Michaud special , ” Pazen said .
“ He never lost sight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all police officers , it doesn ’ t matter rank or assignment.
” Michaud died Saturday at the age of 80 .
He spent the first 36 years of his career in Colorado criminal justice putting criminals in prison as a police officer and the last three years deciding whether they should be released as the head of Colorado ’ s parole board .
Mayor Micheal Hancock called Michaud “ a great , dedicated public servant.
” After serving in the U.S. Marine Corps , Michaud entered law enforcement in 1963 as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ joined the Denver Police Department in 1967 and rose to the highest rank in the department over a 31-year career that included assignments in homicide , internal affairs , traffic , the gang unit and property crimes .
For four years in the early 1970s , Michaud and Ari Zavaras worked as detectives together .
Zavaras , who later became Michaud ’ s predecessor as chief and the director of the state ’ s Department of Corrections , said the two men cemented their 50-year friendship during their time as detectives .
Michaud @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deep compassion for everyone he met and even as chief was known to give his personal phone number to people who might need him , including gang members , Zavaras said .
Michaud worked more than 600 homicides as a detective , according to The Denver Post archives .
“ If I were involved in a life of crime , the one person I wouldn ’ t want chasing me is him , ” Zavaras said .
When Zavaras stepped down as chief , Denver Mayor Wellington Webb appointed Michaud to take the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ six years , Michaud led the department through several high-profile events , including Pope John Paul II ‘ s visit to Denver , the Oklahoma City bombing trials and the Summit of Eight , when global leaders convened in the city .
Michaud retired from the department in 1998 but was appointed head of the Colorado Parole Board in 2007 .
For three years he reviewed prisoners ’ applications for release and during his tenure parole release rates went from 13 % to about 20 % , according to previous reporting by The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ position in 2010 .
Even in retirement , he served as a mentor to Denver police chiefs , including Pazen .
Michaud was chief when Pazen entered the training academy in 1995 .
The two had a long conversation after Michaud learned that Pazen was a Marine Corps veteran as well .
“ The chief of police generally isn ’ t engaging in a long conversation with a police recruit , but he did , ” Pazen said .
As chief , Pazen has regularly called Michaud for advice and emulates him by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said he spoke with the former chief several times this year while dealing with the effects of the pandemic as well as mass protests of racism and police brutality .
“ He brought a lot to this department , he brought a lot to this city , ” Pazen said .
“ I ’ ll miss my conversations with him .
”

Even though his rank rarely required him to respond to calls, former Denver police Chief David Michaud always wore his radio — just in case.
If he was nearby when a call came in, he would respond himself and sometimes provided back-up for his officers. He believed a police officer’s foremost job was to protect the public regardless of an officer’s rank, Denver police Chief Paul Pazen said.
“That’s one of the aspects that made Michaud special,” Pazen said. “He never lost sight of the fact that we’re all police officers, it doesn’t matter rank or assignment.”
Michaud died Saturday at the age of 80. He spent the first 36 years of his career in Colorado criminal justice putting criminals in prison as a police officer and the last three years deciding whether they should be released as the head of Colorado’s parole board. Mayor Micheal Hancock called Michaud “a great, dedicated public servant.”
After serving in the U.S. Marine Corps, Michaud entered law enforcement in 1963 as a police officer in Fort Lupton. He joined the Denver Police Department in 1967 and rose to the highest rank in the department over a 31-year career that included assignments in homicide, internal affairs, traffic, the gang unit and property crimes.
For four years in the early 1970s, Michaud and Ari Zavaras worked as detectives together. Zavaras, who later became Michaud’s predecessor as chief and the director of the state’s Department of Corrections, said the two men cemented their 50-year friendship during their time as detectives.
Michaud was a dogged investigator who worked with deep compassion for everyone he met and even as chief was known to give his personal phone number to people who might need him, including gang members, Zavaras said. Michaud worked more than 600 homicides as a detective, according to The Denver Post archives.
“If I were involved in a life of crime, the one person I wouldn’t want chasing me is him,” Zavaras said.
When Zavaras stepped down as chief, Denver Mayor Wellington Webb appointed Michaud to take the position in 1992. Over the next six years, Michaud led the department through several high-profile events, including Pope John Paul II‘s visit to Denver, the Oklahoma City bombing trials and the Summit of Eight, when global leaders convened in the city.
Michaud retired from the department in 1998 but was appointed head of the Colorado Parole Board in 2007. For three years he reviewed prisoners’ applications for release and during his tenure parole release rates went from 13% to about 20%, according to previous reporting by The Denver Post. Michaud retired from that position in 2010.
Even in retirement, he served as a mentor to Denver police chiefs, including Pazen.
Michaud was chief when Pazen entered the training academy in 1995. The two had a long conversation after Michaud learned that Pazen was a Marine Corps veteran as well.
“The chief of police generally isn’t engaging in a long conversation with a police recruit, but he did,” Pazen said.
As chief, Pazen has regularly called Michaud for advice and emulates him by wearing his radio while working. Pazen said he spoke with the former chief several times this year while dealing with the effects of the pandemic as well as mass protests of racism and police brutality.
“He brought a lot to this department, he brought a lot to this city,” Pazen said. “I’ll miss my conversations with him.”


thedenverpost--2020-12-31--Health care magnate Kent Thiry wants to fix democracy — starting in Colorado

In the final weeks before the Nov. 3 election , supporters of a down-in-the-weeds effort to overturn a tax law in Colorado received a cascade of big checks , for a grand total of more than $ 2 million .
All came from Kent Thiry , the former CEO of DaVita , one of the largest kidney care companies in the country .
This was not the first time he donated big to a ballot initiative aimed at tweaking the nitty-gritty details of how Colorado functions .
Nor will it be the last .
Thiry has given at least $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2011 — and all of them won , according to a KHN review of Colorado campaign finance data .
According to data from the National Institute on Money in Politics , Thiry ’ s donations to ballot measures in that state are second only to those of billionaire Pat Stryker , an heiress whose grandfather founded a medical technology company .
Campaign finance records show that before that , he gave to ballot issue committees in California , where he used to live , dating to at least 2007 .
It ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ successfully used in California .
As KHN has reported , in 2018 DaVita was among several companies to break an industry record in campaign spending for a ballot measure by any one side in California .
This year , the industry came close to breaking that record to defeat a measure that would have further regulated dialysis clinics and that DaVita said would have limited access to care .
Ballot initiatives , which are allowed in about half the states , enable individuals and groups to circumvent legislatures and ask voters to decide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ states , the campaigns for and against them are bankrolled by the rich : either corporations fighting to preserve their profits or multimillionaires with a political shopping list .
“ Wealthy individuals have been pouring money into ballot measures , even seemingly unrelated to their industry , for over a century , ” Daniel Smith , a political scientist studying direct democracy at the University of Florida , wrote in an email to KHN .
Given that health care is a $ 3.6 trillion industry , its top executives are among the ranks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ impact in ballot measure politics .
This year , Kent Thiry and Mike Fernandez , chairman and CEO of private equity firm MBF Healthcare Partners , were among the 19 individuals or couples who spent $ 1 million or more on ballot issue campaigns this year , according to Bloomberg .
In previous elections , medical equipment company owner Loren Parks has also given big money to ballot initiatives .
Overall , those in the health industry have spent more on ballot measures in Colorado than in any other state except Missouri and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ National Institute on Money in Politics , and that ’ s largely due to Thiry .
“ He really has become the 800-pound gorilla of the ballot initiative process in Colorado , ” said Josh Penry , a Republican campaign strategist in Denver who has worked with Thiry , including on a ballot measure campaign Thiry helped fund .
“ He wields more power in an informal way than virtually all the elected officials , if you look at the impact he ’ s had.
” Even though Thiry and his wife , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ venture capitalist on the board of directors of medical device company Medtronic , have made hefty earnings from health care , Thiry ’ s ballot initiative donations as an individual have nothing to do with the industry .
“ I prefer things that have systemic impact , ” said Thiry .
Measures he has bankrolled have eliminated the caucus system for presidential primaries , brought unaffiliated voters into the primaries and created a system intended to eliminate gerrymandering .
“ Democracy is not a spectator sport , ” he said .
Thiry previously @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , to prevent changes to term limits and to create a system for redistricting led jointly by Democrats , Republicans and citizens unaffiliated with a political party .
After moving his company ’ s headquarters from Los Angeles to Denver in 2010 , he began backing ballot measures in his new state , too , with equal success and bigger sums , jumping from the tens of thousands to the millions .
He spent more than $ 2 million backing a pair of measures to allow unaffiliated voters to participate in primaries .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ helping break an election spending record to defeat a California measure that would have capped the industry ’ s profits , Thiry was putting more than $ 1.2 million toward redistricting efforts in Colorado very similar to the one he backed in his previous home state to help reduce gerrymandering .
His latest donations went to a measure that successfully overturned a tax law from the 1980s that may have helped Colorado homeowners , but which critics said left public services like education and fire districts underfunded in some rural areas .
Thiry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
As the online newspaper The Colorado Independent has pointed out , Thiry ’ s offices played a large role in bringing two warring groups with different ideas about redistricting to the same table .
His efforts tend to revolve around raising the power of unaffiliated voters , who make up about 40 % of Colorado ’ s active voters , according to state data .
Fernandez , the private equity billionaire , said he has similar motivations .
He donated $ 7.3 million to a Florida initiative to change how primaries work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like himself into the fold .
“ I ’ ve never spent so much money [ on ] something that I have no business reason to be in at all , ” he said .
The effort was , he said , nearly “ a one-man show ” in terms of financing .
But it still failed , garnering 57 % of votes when it needed 60 % to pass .
Fernandez said he ’ ll try again in 2022 .
“ I come from a country where you can see that control @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is deadly , ” said Fernandez , who was born in Cuba .
“ Florida has been controlled by the Republican Party for the last three decades .
And when I was a Republican , that was great.
” But , he said , it quickly became clear that bringing the issue to legislators was a dead end .
That ’ s expected , according to John Matsusaka , executive director of the Initiative and Referendum Institute at the University of Southern California .
Ballot initiatives are a natural route to tweak electoral @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have a conflict of interest on issues like gerrymandering and term limits .
In fact , Matsusaka thinks the U.S. could use national ballot initiatives , which other democracies have , as a route to restoring confidence in the federal government .
“ I don ’ t look at ballot propositions as a way to drive a progressive agenda or conservative agenda or any sort of agenda , ” he said .
“ I view it as a way to put the people in control .
And they can go where they want @ @ @ @ @ @ @ eroding their own power a little .
One of the first initiatives Thiry donated to in Colorado is something Matsusaka considers “ anti-democracy ” — an effort called Raise the Bar , a ballot initiative about ballot initiatives .
It required petitioners to get signatures from every corner of the state to put an initiative on the ballot .
Some view this as problematic .
“ You have to now collect signatures in every senate district of Colorado , ” said Corrine Rivera Fowler , director of policy and legal advocacy with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ organization that supports progressive ballot initiatives .
“ That ’ s a tremendous undertaking for grassroots communities.
” Thiry , meanwhile , intends to take what he ’ s learned in Colorado and apply it elsewhere .
He said he ’ s getting more involved in several national democracy reform groups , including Unite America , an effort to break what ’ s been called the “ doom loop ” of partisanship .
Thiry said he hopes to help create “ a tidal tsunami of political momentum.
” “ One of my goals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in places like Colorado — or elsewhere — move from being an ad hoc collection of activist projects to a true movement , ” he said .
“ Kind of like the civil rights movement , kind of like the gay marriage movement , and like the # MeToo movement or Black Lives Matter.
” He no longer works for DaVita , after stepping down as executive chairman earlier this year .
“ I have no title anymore .
Just ‘ citizen.
’ It ’ s a title I wear with great pride @ @ @ @ @ @ @ As for the next measure Thiry will back , he ’ s open to recommendations .
Kaiser Health News is a national health policy news service .
It is an editorially independent program of the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation which is not affiliated with Kaiser Permanente .

By Rae Ellen Bichell, Kaiser Health News
In the final weeks before the Nov. 3 election, supporters of a down-in-the-weeds effort to overturn a tax law in Colorado received a cascade of big checks, for a grand total of more than $2 million.
All came from Kent Thiry, the former CEO of DaVita, one of the largest kidney care companies in the country. This was not the first time he donated big to a ballot initiative aimed at tweaking the nitty-gritty details of how Colorado functions. Nor will it be the last.
Thiry has given at least $5.9 million to Colorado ballot measures since 2011 — and all of them won, according to a KHN review of Colorado campaign finance data. According to data from the National Institute on Money in Politics, Thiry’s donations to ballot measures in that state are second only to those of billionaire Pat Stryker, an heiress whose grandfather founded a medical technology company. Campaign finance records show that before that, he gave to ballot issue committees in California, where he used to live, dating to at least 2007.
It’s the same playbook his former company has successfully used in California. As KHN has reported, in 2018 DaVita was among several companies to break an industry record in campaign spending for a ballot measure by any one side in California. This year, the industry came close to breaking that record to defeat a measure that would have further regulated dialysis clinics and that DaVita said would have limited access to care.
Ballot initiatives, which are allowed in about half the states, enable individuals and groups to circumvent legislatures and ask voters to decide on a law. And in many states, the campaigns for and against them are bankrolled by the rich: either corporations fighting to preserve their profits or multimillionaires with a political shopping list.
“Wealthy individuals have been pouring money into ballot measures, even seemingly unrelated to their industry, for over a century,” Daniel Smith, a political scientist studying direct democracy at the University of Florida, wrote in an email to KHN.
Given that health care is a $3.6 trillion industry, its top executives are among the ranks of those who can have an enormous impact in ballot measure politics. This year, Kent Thiry and Mike Fernandez, chairman and CEO of private equity firm MBF Healthcare Partners, were among the 19 individuals or couples who spent $1 million or more on ballot issue campaigns this year, according to Bloomberg. In previous elections, medical equipment company owner Loren Parks has also given big money to ballot initiatives.
Overall, those in the health industry have spent more on ballot measures in Colorado than in any other state except Missouri and California, according to data from the National Institute on Money in Politics, and that’s largely due to Thiry.
“He really has become the 800-pound gorilla of the ballot initiative process in Colorado,” said Josh Penry, a Republican campaign strategist in Denver who has worked with Thiry, including on a ballot measure campaign Thiry helped fund. “He wields more power in an informal way than virtually all the elected officials, if you look at the impact he’s had.”
Even though Thiry and his wife, Denise O’Leary, a former venture capitalist on the board of directors of medical device company Medtronic, have made hefty earnings from health care, Thiry’s ballot initiative donations as an individual have nothing to do with the industry.
“I prefer things that have systemic impact,” said Thiry. Measures he has bankrolled have eliminated the caucus system for presidential primaries, brought unaffiliated voters into the primaries and created a system intended to eliminate gerrymandering.
“Democracy is not a spectator sport,” he said.
Thiry previously donated to ballot measure committees in California, to prevent changes to term limits and to create a system for redistricting led jointly by Democrats, Republicans and citizens unaffiliated with a political party.
After moving his company’s headquarters from Los Angeles to Denver in 2010, he began backing ballot measures in his new state, too, with equal success and bigger sums, jumping from the tens of thousands to the millions. He spent more than $2 million backing a pair of measures to allow unaffiliated voters to participate in primaries.
In 2018, while his company was helping break an election spending record to defeat a California measure that would have capped the industry’s profits, Thiry was putting more than $1.2 million toward redistricting efforts in Colorado very similar to the one he backed in his previous home state to help reduce gerrymandering.
His latest donations went to a measure that successfully overturned a tax law from the 1980s that may have helped Colorado homeowners, but which critics said left public services like education and fire districts underfunded in some rural areas.
Thiry doesn’t just shell out cash. As the online newspaper The Colorado Independent has pointed out, Thiry’s offices played a large role in bringing two warring groups with different ideas about redistricting to the same table. His efforts tend to revolve around raising the power of unaffiliated voters, who make up about 40% of Colorado’s active voters, according to state data.
Fernandez, the private equity billionaire, said he has similar motivations. He donated $7.3 million to a Florida initiative to change how primaries work in that state and bring unaffiliated voters like himself into the fold.
“I’ve never spent so much money [on] something that I have no business reason to be in at all,” he said.
The effort was, he said, nearly “a one-man show” in terms of financing. But it still failed, garnering 57% of votes when it needed 60% to pass. Fernandez said he’ll try again in 2022.
“I come from a country where you can see that control of a government by a single party is deadly,” said Fernandez, who was born in Cuba. “Florida has been controlled by the Republican Party for the last three decades. And when I was a Republican, that was great.”
But, he said, it quickly became clear that bringing the issue to legislators was a dead end. That’s expected, according to John Matsusaka, executive director of the Initiative and Referendum Institute at the University of Southern California. Ballot initiatives are a natural route to tweak electoral machinery, he said, because legislators have a conflict of interest on issues like gerrymandering and term limits.
In fact, Matsusaka thinks the U.S. could use national ballot initiatives, which other democracies have, as a route to restoring confidence in the federal government.
“I don’t look at ballot propositions as a way to drive a progressive agenda or conservative agenda or any sort of agenda,” he said. “I view it as a way to put the people in control. And they can go where they want to go.”
Even if that means eroding their own power a little. One of the first initiatives Thiry donated to in Colorado is something Matsusaka considers “anti-democracy” — an effort called Raise the Bar, a ballot initiative about ballot initiatives. It required petitioners to get signatures from every corner of the state to put an initiative on the ballot. Some view this as problematic.
“You have to now collect signatures in every senate district of Colorado,” said Corrine Rivera Fowler, director of policy and legal advocacy with the Ballot Initiative Strategy Center, a national organization that supports progressive ballot initiatives. “That’s a tremendous undertaking for grassroots communities.”
Thiry, meanwhile, intends to take what he’s learned in Colorado and apply it elsewhere. He said he’s getting more involved in several national democracy reform groups, including Unite America, an effort to break what’s been called the “doom loop” of partisanship. Thiry said he hopes to help create “a tidal tsunami of political momentum.”
“One of my goals is to have this democracy reform energy in places like Colorado — or elsewhere — move from being an ad hoc collection of activist projects to a true movement,” he said. “Kind of like the civil rights movement, kind of like the gay marriage movement, and like the #MeToo movement or Black Lives Matter.”
He no longer works for DaVita, after stepping down as executive chairman earlier this year.
“I have no title anymore. Just ‘citizen.’ It’s a title I wear with great pride and energy,” he said.
As for the next measure Thiry will back, he’s open to recommendations.
Kaiser Health News is a national health policy news service. It is an editorially independent program of the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation which is not affiliated with Kaiser Permanente.


thedenverpost--2020-12-31--The Denver Post’s top 9 Instagram photos of 2020

Our Instagram followers double-tapped more than 374,000 times this year , but a select few images climbed to the top of the list .
Everything from human rights celebrations , criminal justice reform and the felines of Tiger King graced our timeline .
Here are our most-liked Instagram photos of 2020 , and the stories that accompanied them .
Follow @ denverpost for more .
A concerned passerby dialed 911 to report a sobbing woman sitting alone on a curb in downtown Denver. Instead of a police officer , dispatchers sent Carleigh Sailon , a seasoned mental health professional , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The woman , who was unhoused , was overwhelmed and scared .
She ’ d ended up in an unfamiliar part of town .
It was blazing hot and she didn ’ t know where to go .
Sailon gave the woman a snack and some water and asked how she could help .
The woman was pleasantly surprised. This is Denver ’ s new Support Team Assistance Response program , STAR , which sends a mental health professional and a paramedic to some 911 calls instead of police .
The combination of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ police units creates a sort of continuum of response that dispatchers can choose from , Chris Richardson , seen in the above photo , said .
⠀ ⠀ Though it had been years in the making , the program launched just four days after protests erupted in Denver calling for transformational changes to policing in response to the death of George Floyd .
Between when the program launched on June 1 and Sept. 6 when the story posted , the STAR van had responded to more than 350 calls , replacing police in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ safety and are often connected to unmet mental or physical needs .
⠀ ⠀ Read the full story and see more photos here .
After days of agonizing limbo over the state of the presidential race , the election came to a sudden close Saturday , Nov. 7.⠀ ⠀ And with it came jubilation in the streets of deep-blue Denver , as hundreds of people descended on Colorado ’ s Capitol building to cheer and wave signs , cry and pop champagne .
The outpouring of joy mirrored celebrations in Democratic cities across @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tracking the race announced that former Vice President Joe Biden had won enough electoral votes to unseat President Donald Trump.⠀ ⠀ Saturday saw little conflict , save for some yelling between Trump and Biden supporters in front of the Capitol .
Colorado State Patrol and Denver police officers clad in riot gear formed a wall between the two groups and roped off the area to prevent the two sides from getting face-to-face.⠀ ⠀ Read the full story and see more photos here .
It ’ s never , ever too late to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at 90 years old came out as gay .
⠀ ⠀ “ He ’ s just so brave and he doesn ’ t even realize that he is , but it ’ s extraordinary , ” said his daughter , Rebecca Mayes.⠀ ⠀ Felts never planned to come out — he planned to take his secret to the grave .
But while isolated during the coronavirus pandemic , Felts began working on his autobiography , which brought back a flood of memories , including the memory of his one true love .
⠀ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the closet all my life — deep in the closet , behind rows and rows of clothing .
I ’ m way back there , ” he said .
“ Opening that door at the front , I had great trepidation as to what people would say .
I was very concerned because I needed people and I couldn ’ t stand the thought of losing them just because I decided to finally be who I really was.
” ⠀ ⠀ These days , Felts is enthusiastically out and proud .
He can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hoodie and says he is done hiding and wants to make a bold statement that can ’ t be ignored or misinterpreted .
Read the full story and see more photos here .
Colorado passed one of the most comprehensive police reform packages in the country Saturday afternoon , June 13 , and Gov .
Jared Polis said he would sign the historic bill into law. Senate Bill 217 requires all officers to use body-worn cameras and release footage within 45 days , bans the use of chokeholds , limits when police are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ away , requires officers to intervene in cases of excessive force or face criminal charges , mandates data collection to ensure cops who are fired from one agency don ’ t get rehired by another and allows for officers to be held personally liable for civil rights violations .
⠀ ⠀ In the above image , Sheneen McClain , the mother of Elijah McClain , killed by Aurora police in August 2019 , is supported by her attorney Mari Newman as McClain family members celebrate from the balcony of the house chambers as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pass with bipartisan support .
Pastor Promise Lee , left , is in attendance to represent the Bailey family and the killing of De ’ Von Bailey by Colorado Springs police .
Read the full story and see more photos here .
Thunderbirds stream over Denver on Saturday , April 18 after the Air Force Academy ’ s graduation ceremony , expanding the traditional fly-over from the academy to other parts of Colorado .
The F-16 Fighting Falcon pilots broke with tradition to perform a series of community flyovers in honor of Colorado @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ⠀ Earlier , at an Air Force Academy graduation unlike any other in the school ’ s storied history , cadets sat 8 feet apart , their faces uncovered , as Vice President Mike Pence told them a weary nation needs their leadership now more than ever.⠀ ⠀ “ America is being tested , ” the vice president told 967 graduating cadets .
“ While there are signs that we are making progress in slowing the spread , as we stand here today , more than 700,000 Americans have contracted the coronavirus and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have lost their lives.⠀ ⠀ “ But as each of you has shown in your time here , ” he went on , “ and as the American people always show in challenging times , when hardship comes , Americans come together .
We rise to the challenge .
The courage , compassion and generosity of the nation you will defend are shining through every day.
”  Read the full story and see more photos here .
Artists “ Detour ” Thomas Evans , left , and “ Hiero ” worked together @ @ @ @ @ @ @ near the corner of High Street and East Colfax Avenue in Denver.⠀ ⠀ Meanwhile , a ninth night of protests over the death of Floyd launched with multiple marches and rallies in the heart of Denver .
While the first four nights of protests saw demonstrators clash with police firing tear gas and nonlethal projectiles , recent nights have brought large , but calm crowds .
Marches planned by various groups continue to come and go from the Capitol grounds throughout the night .
Read the full story and see more photos here @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your tank and head to Red Rocks to see a few American cult classics .
Film on the Rocks opened for its 21st season at Red Rocks Amphitheatre on Thursday , Aug 13 with a screening of “ Grease.
” In response to the pandemic , this year ’ s Denver Film series is drive-in style , with screenings of “ The Goonies , ” “ Straight Outta Compton , ” “ Clueless ” and more .
The screen is the biggest drive-in movie screen in Colorado , according to Denver Film , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with drive-in movies .
Tickets are sold one per car , and include snacks and drinks. Read the full story and see more photos here .
An explosive new wildfire erupted in the Boulder County foothills Saturday , Oct. 17 , forcing the evacuation of Jamestown and wide swaths of the foothills north of Boulder while sending skyward a tower of billowing smoke that could be seen across the metro area.⠀ ⠀ The fast-moving CalWood fire burned more than 7,000 acres on a dry , windy day that also saw continued growth of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ County — the largest wildfire in Colorado ’ s recorded history — and the more recent East Troublesome fire in Grand County. In this photo , a slurry bomber drops retardant over the CalWood fire near Buckingham Park northwest of Boulder.⠀ Read the full story and see more photos here .
Where are the tigers from “ Tiger King ” now ?
Many of them live in Colorado , just 45 minutes from Denver. Three bears and 39 tigers that were held at an Oklahoma animal sanctuary made famous by the Netflix docu-series @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2017 as part of a court-settlement transfer assisted by PETA.⠀ ⠀ The revelation , detailed in a 2017 story by The Oklahoman , underscores the role that Colorado ’ s biggest animal sanctuary has played in a tale that has only recently captured national attention .
“ Tiger King , ” which details the life and crimes of Joseph “ Joe Exotic ” Maldonado-Passage , is the colorful , tawdry , profane and ultimately sad story of the Oklahoma man and his exotic animal park.⠀ Read the full story and see more photos @ @

Our Instagram followers double-tapped more than 374,000 times this year, but a select few images climbed to the top of the list. Everything from human rights celebrations, criminal justice reform and the felines of Tiger King graced our timeline. Here are our most-liked Instagram photos of 2020, and the stories that accompanied them. Follow @denverpost for more.
A concerned passerby dialed 911 to report a sobbing woman sitting alone on a curb in downtown Denver. Instead of a police officer, dispatchers sent Carleigh Sailon, a seasoned mental health professional, to see what was going on.

The woman, who was unhoused, was overwhelmed and scared. She’d ended up in an unfamiliar part of town. It was blazing hot and she didn’t know where to go. Sailon gave the woman a snack and some water and asked how she could help. The woman was pleasantly surprised. This is Denver’s new Support Team Assistance Response program, STAR, which sends a mental health professional and a paramedic to some 911 calls instead of police. The combination of STAR, the co-responder program and regular police units creates a sort of continuum of response that dispatchers can choose from, Chris Richardson, seen in the above photo, said.

Though it had been years in the making, the program launched just four days after protests erupted in Denver calling for transformational changes to policing in response to the death of George Floyd. Between when the program launched on June 1 and Sept. 6 when the story posted, the STAR van had responded to more than 350 calls, replacing police in matters that don’t threaten public safety and are often connected to unmet mental or physical needs.

Read the full story and see more photos here.
After days of agonizing limbo over the state of the presidential race, the election came to a sudden close Saturday, Nov. 7.

And with it came jubilation in the streets of deep-blue Denver, as hundreds of people descended on Colorado’s Capitol building to cheer and wave signs, cry and pop champagne. The outpouring of joy mirrored celebrations in Democratic cities across the nation Saturday morning after media organizations tracking the race announced that former Vice President Joe Biden had won enough electoral votes to unseat President Donald Trump.

Saturday saw little conflict, save for some yelling between Trump and Biden supporters in front of the Capitol. Colorado State Patrol and Denver police officers clad in riot gear formed a wall between the two groups and roped off the area to prevent the two sides from getting face-to-face.

Read the full story and see more photos here.
It’s never, ever too late to be yourself. So says Kenneth Felts, who at 90 years old came out as gay.

“He’s just so brave and he doesn’t even realize that he is, but it’s extraordinary,” said his daughter, Rebecca Mayes.

Felts never planned to come out — he planned to take his secret to the grave. But while isolated during the coronavirus pandemic, Felts began working on his autobiography, which brought back a flood of memories, including the memory of his one true love.

“I’ve been in the closet all my life — deep in the closet, behind rows and rows of clothing. I’m way back there,” he said. “Opening that door at the front, I had great trepidation as to what people would say. I was very concerned because I needed people and I couldn’t stand the thought of losing them just because I decided to finally be who I really was.”

These days, Felts is enthusiastically out and proud. He can often be found in his iconic rainbow hoodie and says he is done hiding and wants to make a bold statement that can’t be ignored or misinterpreted.
Read the full story and see more photos here.
Colorado passed one of the most comprehensive police reform packages in the country Saturday afternoon, June 13, and Gov. Jared Polis said he would sign the historic bill into law.
Senate Bill 217 requires all officers to use body-worn cameras and release footage within 45 days, bans the use of chokeholds, limits when police are allowed to shoot at a person running away, requires officers to intervene in cases of excessive force or face criminal charges, mandates data collection to ensure cops who are fired from one agency don’t get rehired by another and allows for officers to be held personally liable for civil rights violations.

In the above image, Sheneen McClain, the mother of Elijah McClain, killed by Aurora police in August 2019, is supported by her attorney Mari Newman as McClain family members celebrate from the balcony of the house chambers as they watch the police reform bill SB217 pass with bipartisan support. Pastor Promise Lee, left, is in attendance to represent the Bailey family and the killing of De’Von Bailey by Colorado Springs police.
Read the full story and see more photos here.
Thunderbirds stream over Denver on Saturday, April 18 after the Air Force Academy’s graduation ceremony, expanding the traditional fly-over from the academy to other parts of Colorado. The F-16 Fighting Falcon pilots broke with tradition to perform a series of community flyovers in honor of Colorado’s frontline COVID-19 responders.

Earlier, at an Air Force Academy graduation unlike any other in the school’s storied history, cadets sat 8 feet apart, their faces uncovered, as Vice President Mike Pence told them a weary nation needs their leadership now more than ever.

“America is being tested,” the vice president told 967 graduating cadets. “While there are signs that we are making progress in slowing the spread, as we stand here today, more than 700,000 Americans have contracted the coronavirus and tragically more than 37,000 of our countrymen have lost their lives.

“But as each of you has shown in your time here,” he went on, “and as the American people always show in challenging times, when hardship comes, Americans come together. We rise to the challenge. The courage, compassion and generosity of the nation you will defend are shining through every day.”
Read the full story and see more photos here.
Artists “Detour” Thomas Evans, left, and “Hiero” worked together to create a mural of George Floyd near the corner of High Street and East Colfax Avenue in Denver.

Meanwhile, a ninth night of protests over the death of Floyd launched with multiple marches and rallies in the heart of Denver. While the first four nights of protests saw demonstrators clash with police firing tear gas and nonlethal projectiles, recent nights have brought large, but calm crowds. Marches planned by various groups continue to come and go from the Capitol grounds throughout the night.
Read the full story and see more photos here.
Pack a cooler, fill up your tank and head to Red Rocks to see a few American cult classics. Film on the Rocks opened for its 21st season at Red Rocks Amphitheatre on Thursday, Aug 13 with a screening of “Grease.”
In response to the pandemic, this year’s Denver Film series is drive-in style, with screenings of “The Goonies,” “Straight Outta Compton,” “Clueless” and more. The screen is the biggest drive-in movie screen in Colorado, according to Denver Film, and marks Red Rocks’ first-ever experiment with drive-in movies. Tickets are sold one per car, and include snacks and drinks.
Read the full story and see more photos here.
An explosive new wildfire erupted in the Boulder County foothills Saturday, Oct. 17, forcing the evacuation of Jamestown and wide swaths of the foothills north of Boulder while sending skyward a tower of billowing smoke that could be seen across the metro area.

The fast-moving CalWood fire burned more than 7,000 acres on a dry, windy day that also saw continued growth of the 2-month-old Cameron Peak fire in Larimer County — the largest wildfire in Colorado’s recorded history — and the more recent East Troublesome fire in Grand County. In this photo, a slurry bomber drops retardant over the CalWood fire near Buckingham Park northwest of Boulder.
Read the full story and see more photos here.
Where are the tigers from “Tiger King” now? Many of them live in Colorado, just 45 minutes from Denver. Three bears and 39 tigers that were held at an Oklahoma animal sanctuary made famous by the Netflix docu-series began making their way to Colorado in 2017 as part of a court-settlement transfer assisted by PETA.

The revelation, detailed in a 2017 story by The Oklahoman, underscores the role that Colorado’s biggest animal sanctuary has played in a tale that has only recently captured national attention. “Tiger King,” which details the life and crimes of Joseph “Joe Exotic” Maldonado-Passage, is the colorful, tawdry, profane and ultimately sad story of the Oklahoma man and his exotic animal park.
Read the full story and see more photos here.


thedenverpost--2020-12-31--COVID-19 has more people going cashless. Will the virus do away with the greenback?

The dollar may be almighty but with COVID-19 circulating , its physical form is perhaps less useful than ever before .
Many businesses , particularly restaurants , in Colorado and across the nation have gone cashless amid the pandemic to cut down on contact points between the customer and service provider .
Try spending a $ 100 bill these days and more than a few retailers will politely ask you to put that strange looking greenback away and insert your card in the chip reader .
( Or tap it , for those with even more advanced credit cards .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ existed before the virus — working from home , shopping online — the pandemic has acted as an accelerant on the cash-free lifestyle trend that already had traction .
A survey performed in August found that a majority of Americans are ready to give up cash for good even after the pandemic subsides .
“ COVID-19 has caused many to re-evaluate the way they approach paper bills and coins out of concern for their health and safety , ” Kylie Moore , a content strategist with Digital Third Coast wrote of the survey @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Southern California-based Travis Credit Union .
“ Thus , the possibility of a cashless future has never felt more real.
” The Travis Credit Union survey reached more than 2,000 people across the country from Aug. 20-21 .
Roughly one in three people surveyed said they preferred to use cash when paying for things , while 59 % say they preferred their credit or debit cards , which were viewed as more convenient and safer .
It found that during the pandemic , 50 % of people say they are using cash @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people survey said the U.S. should move to a cashless financial system .
“ It ’ s not hugely surprising that half of Americans are using less cash during COVID , ” Moore said of the survey ’ s findings in an interview with The Denver Post earlier this month .
“ But we were surprised that find that three in five planned to stop using it entirely after COVID-19.
” Especially surprising to Moore : It ’ s not just Millennials planning to ditch dollar bills .
More than half of respondents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they planned to transition and two in five Baby Boomers did too .
Denverites Steve and Amy Angeles , both in their 50s , got a taste of the cashless economy on the slopes in Breckenridge earlier this month .
Amy put $ 20 in her snow pants for purchases on the mountain only to find none of the vendors would take it .
“ I ’ m OK with not using cash , ” she said .
“ I do feel guilty though if it ’ s for something under $ 5 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if I see someone who is homeless , I often have nothing to give them.
” Steve said he pays for things with cards most of the time too but , “ I do feel like small businesses get screwed in the transaction sometimes.
” Don ’ t worry about the impact of card processing fees when buying a latte or pastries at Denver ’ s Blue Sparrow Coffee , owner Jeffrey Knott said .
He ’ s done that math and it ’ s cheaper for him than dealing with cash .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ banker before embracing his love for coffee , said cash has always been a drag on his shops ’ efficiency .
It takes time to make change in cash transactions , something that matters in a high-volume business like coffee .
It takes time and effort to balance cash drawers at end of a day .
Mistakes and shortages are common .
It takes time to go to the bank to make deposits .
Even before the pandemic , a vast majority of transactions inside Blue Sparrow ’ s two locations were made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the onset of the pandemic , Knott has gone cashless and hasn ’ t looked back .
“ I think going cashless can help out a lot of small businesses , ” he said .
“ It ’ s a more accurate , easier business to run with similar or better margins.
” Of course , going cashless , like the pandemic itself , has disparate impacts on different populations .
State Rep. Alex Valdez , D-Denver , plans to pursue a bill in the Colorado legislature that will make it illegal for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reported earlier this month , a measure that would follow in the footsteps of several other states .
Valdez said the measure is about fighting discrimination , according to CBS .
A Federal Reserve System study found that in 2018 , 6 % of American families did not have bank accounts .
Families making less than $ 40,000 per year were the most likely to be unbanked , at 14 % .
Black people and Latinos were also more likely than white people to not have bank accounts , at ratios of 14 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to 4 % respectively .
While Knott would like Blue Sparrow to go cashless permanently , he is looking for an in-house workaround to allow people without bank accounts to keep using cash , perhaps by allowing people to buy gift cards with cash .
Moore said that a cashless system runs the risk of creating an uneven economic playing field .
Her survey found that the national coin shortage created by the pandemic disproportionately impacted lower-income people and minority groups .
“ That ’ s something that we need to watch for @ @ @ @ @

The dollar may be almighty but with COVID-19 circulating, its physical form is perhaps less useful than ever before.
Many businesses, particularly restaurants, in Colorado and across the nation have gone cashless amid the pandemic to cut down on contact points between the customer and service provider. Try spending a $100 bill these days and more than a few retailers will politely ask you to put that strange looking greenback away and insert your card in the chip reader. (Or tap it, for those with even more advanced credit cards.)
As with many other trends that existed before the virus — working from home, shopping online — the pandemic has acted as an accelerant on the cash-free lifestyle trend that already had traction. A survey performed in August found that a majority of Americans are ready to give up cash for good even after the pandemic subsides.
“COVID-19 has caused many to re-evaluate the way they approach paper bills and coins out of concern for their health and safety,” Kylie Moore, a content strategist with Digital Third Coast wrote of the survey, which her company performed on behalf of Southern California-based Travis Credit Union. “Thus, the possibility of a cashless future has never felt more real.”
The Travis Credit Union survey reached more than 2,000 people across the country from Aug. 20-21. Roughly one in three people surveyed said they preferred to use cash when paying for things, while 59% say they preferred their credit or debit cards, which were viewed as more convenient and safer.
It found that during the pandemic, 50% of people say they are using cash and coins less. Fifty-eight percent of people survey said the U.S. should move to a cashless financial system.
“It’s not hugely surprising that half of Americans are using less cash during COVID,” Moore said of the survey’s findings in an interview with The Denver Post earlier this month. “But we were surprised that find that three in five planned to stop using it entirely after COVID-19.”
Especially surprising to Moore: It’s not just Millennials planning to ditch dollar bills. More than half of respondents who are part of Generation X said they planned to transition and two in five Baby Boomers did too.
Denverites Steve and Amy Angeles, both in their 50s, got a taste of the cashless economy on the slopes in Breckenridge earlier this month. Amy put $20 in her snow pants for purchases on the mountain only to find none of the vendors would take it.
“I’m OK with not using cash,” she said. “I do feel guilty though if it’s for something under $5. And it’s true that if I see someone who is homeless, I often have nothing to give them.”
Steve said he pays for things with cards most of the time too but, “I do feel like small businesses get screwed in the transaction sometimes.”
Don’t worry about the impact of card processing fees when buying a latte or pastries at Denver’s Blue Sparrow Coffee, owner Jeffrey Knott said. He’s done that math and it’s cheaper for him than dealing with cash.
Knott, who worked as an investment banker before embracing his love for coffee, said cash has always been a drag on his shops’ efficiency.
It takes time to make change in cash transactions, something that matters in a high-volume business like coffee. It takes time and effort to balance cash drawers at end of a day. Mistakes and shortages are common. It takes time to go to the bank to make deposits.
Even before the pandemic, a vast majority of transactions inside Blue Sparrow’s two locations were made with credit or debit cards. Since the onset of the pandemic, Knott has gone cashless and hasn’t looked back.
“I think going cashless can help out a lot of small businesses,” he said. “It’s a more accurate, easier business to run with similar or better margins.”
Of course, going cashless, like the pandemic itself, has disparate impacts on different populations.
State Rep. Alex Valdez, D-Denver, plans to pursue a bill in the Colorado legislature that will make it illegal for businesses not to accept cash, CBS4 reported earlier this month, a measure that would follow in the footsteps of several other states. Valdez said the measure is about fighting discrimination, according to CBS.
A Federal Reserve System study found that in 2018, 6% of American families did not have bank accounts. Families making less than $40,000 per year were the most likely to be unbanked, at 14%. Black people and Latinos were also more likely than white people to not have bank accounts, at ratios of 14% to 4% and 11% to 4% respectively.
While Knott would like Blue Sparrow to go cashless permanently, he is looking for an in-house workaround to allow people without bank accounts to keep using cash, perhaps by allowing people to buy gift cards with cash.
Moore said that a cashless system runs the risk of creating an uneven economic playing field. Her survey found that the national coin shortage created by the pandemic disproportionately impacted lower-income people and minority groups.
“That’s something that we need to watch for,” Moore said.