thedenverpost--2020-11-26--Need a COVID-19 nurse? That’ll be $8,000 a week

DENVER — In March , Claire Tripeny was watching her dream job fall apart .
She ’ d been working as an intensive care nurse at St. Anthony Hospital in Lakewood and loved it , despite the mediocre pay typical for the region .
But when COVID-19 hit , that calculation changed .
She remembers her employers telling her and her colleagues to “ suck it up ” as they struggled to care for six patients each and patched their protective gear with tape until it fully fell apart .
The $ 800 or so a week she took home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I was not sleeping and having the most anxiety in my life , ” Tripeny said .
“ I ’ m like , ‘ I ’ m gon na go where my skills are needed and I can be guaranteed that I have the protection I need.
’ ” In April , she packed her bags for a two-month contract in then-COVID hot spot New Jersey , as part of what she called a “ mass exodus ” of nurses leaving the suburban Denver hospital to become traveling nurses .
Her new pay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and with a contract that required adequate protective gear .
Months later , the offerings — and the stakes — are even higher for nurses willing to move .
In Sioux Falls , S.D.
, nurses can make more than $ 6,200 a week .
A recent posting for a job in Fargo , N.D. , offered more than $ 8,000 a week .
Some can get as much as $ 10,000 .
Early in the pandemic , hospitals were competing for ventilators , COVID tests and personal protective equipment .
Now , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nurses .
The fall surge in COVID cases has turned hospital staffing into a sort of national bidding war , with hospitals willing to pay exorbitant wages to secure the nurses they need .
That threatens to shift the supply of nurses toward more affluent areas , leaving rural and urban public hospitals short-staffed as the pandemic worsens , and some hospitals unable to care for critically ill patients .
“ That is a huge threat , ” said Angelina Salazar , CEO of the Western Healthcare Alliance , a consortium of 29 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ There ’ s no way rural hospitals can afford to pay that kind of salary.
” Hospitals have long relied on traveling nurses to fill gaps in staffing without committing to long-term hiring .
Early in the pandemic , doctors and nurses traveled from unaffected areas to hot spots such as California , Washington state and New York to help with regional surges .
But now , with virtually every part of the country experiencing a surge — infecting medical professionals in the process — the competition for the finite number @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ We all thought , ‘ Well , when it ’ s Colorado ’ s turn , we ’ ll draw on the same resources ; we ’ ll call our surrounding states and they ’ ll send help , ’ ” said Julie Lonborg , a spokesperson for the Colorado Hospital Association .
“ Now it ’ s a national outbreak .
It ’ s not just one or two spots , as it was in the spring .
It ’ s really significant across the country , which means everybody @ @ @ @ @ @ @ North Dakota , Tessa Johnson said she ’ s getting multiple messages a day on LinkedIn from headhunters .
Johnson , president of the North Dakota Nurses Association , said the pandemic appears to be hastening a brain drain of nurses there .
She suspects more nurses may choose to leave or retire early after North Dakota Gov .
Doug Burgum told health care workers they could stay on the job even if they ’ ve tested positive for COVID-19 .
All four of Utah ’ s major health care systems have seen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Jordan Sorenson , a project manager for the Utah Hospital Association .
“ Nurses quit , join traveling nursing companies and go work for a different hospital down the street , making two to three times the rate , ” he said .
“ So , it ’ s really a kind of a rob-Peter-to-pay-Paul staffing situation.
” Hospitals not only pay the higher salaries offered to traveling nurses but also pay a commission to the traveling nurse agency , Sorenson said .
Utah hospitals are trying to avoid hiring away nurses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hiring from a neighboring state such as Colorado , though , could mean Colorado hospitals would poach from Utah .
“ In the wake of the current spike in COVID hospitalizations , calling the labor market for registered nurses ‘ cutthroat ’ is an understatement , ” said Adam Seth Litwin , an associate professor of industrial and labor relations at Cornell University .
“ Even if the health care sector can somehow find more beds , it can not just go out and buy more front-line caregivers.
” Litwin said he ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rewarding essential workers — disproportionately women and people of color — with higher wages .
Under normal circumstances , allowing markets to determine where people will work and for what pay is ideal .
“ On the other hand , we are not operating under normal circumstances , ” he said .
“ In the midst of a severe public health crisis , I worry that the individual incentives facing hospitals on the one side and individual RNs on the other conflict sharply with the needs of society as whole.
” Some hospitals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ without blowing the budget .
That could include changing nurse-to-patient ratios , although that would likely affect patient care .
In Utah , the hospital association has talked with the state nursing board about allowing nursing students in their final year of training to be certified early .
Meanwhile , business is booming for companies centered on health care staffing such as Wanderly and Krucial Staffing .
“ When COVID first started and New York was an epicenter , we at Wanderly kind of looked at it and said , ‘ OK , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ” said David Deane , senior vice president of Wanderly , a website that allows health care professionals to compare offers from various agencies .
“ ‘ This is our time to help nurses get to these destinations as fast as possible .
And help recruiters get those nurses.
’ ” Deane said the company has doubled its staff since the pandemic started .
Demand is surging — with Rocky Mountain states appearing in up to 20 times as many job postings on the site as in January .
And more people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , according to data from a national survey , about 31,000 traveling nurses worked nationwide .
Now , Deane estimated , there are at least 50,000 travel nurses .
Deane , who calls travel nurses “ superheroes , ” suspects a lot of them are postoperative nurses who were laid off when their hospitals stopped doing elective surgeries during the first lockdowns .
Competition for nurses , especially those with ICU experience , is stiff .
After all , a hospital in South Dakota isn ’ t competing just with facilities in other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nurses to Aruba , the Bahamas and Curacao because they ’ ve needed help with COVID , ” Deane said .
“ You ’ re going down there , you ’ re making $ 5,000 a week and all your expenses are paid , right ?
Who ’ s not gon na say yes ?
” Krucial Staffing specializes in sending health care workers to disaster locations , using military-style logistics .
It filled hotels and rented dozens of buses to get nurses to hot spots in New York and Texas .
CEO @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic started , the company has grown its administrative staff from 12 to more than 200 .
“ Right now we ’ re at our highest volume we ’ ve been , ” said Cleary , who added that over Halloween weekend alone about 1,000 nurses joined the roster of “ reservists.
” With a base rate of $ 95 an hour , he said , some nurses working overtime end up coming away with $ 10,000 a week , though there are downsides , like the fact that the gig doesn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s an unstable , boom-and-bust market .
Amber Hazard , who lives in Texas , started as a traveling ICU nurse before the pandemic and said eye-catching sums like that come with a hidden fee , paid in sanity .
“ How your soul is affected by this is nothing you can put a price on , ” she said .
At a high-paying job caring for COVID patients during New York ’ s first wave , she remembers walking into the break room in a hospital in the Bronx and seeing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the usual staff nurses were on strike .
“ It said , you know , ‘ We ’ re not doing this .
This is not safe , ’ ” said Hazard .
“ And it wasn ’ t safe .
But somebody had to do it.
” The highlight of her stint there was placing a wedding ring back on the finger of a recovered patient .
But Hazard said she secured far more body bags than rings on patients .
Tripeny , the traveling nurse who left Colorado , is now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
When that contract wraps up , she said , she might dive back into COVID care .
Earlier , in New Jersey , she was scarred by the times she couldn ’ t give people the care they needed , not to mention the times she would take a deceased patient off a ventilator , staring down the damage the virus can do as she removed tubes filled with blackened blood from the lungs .
She has to pay for mental health therapy out-of-pocket now , unlike when she was on staff @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so-called traveler , she knows each gig will be over in a matter of weeks .
At the end of each week in New Jersey , she said , “ I would just look at my paycheck and be like , ‘ OK .
This is OK .
I can do this.
’ ” Join our Facebook group for the latest updates on coronavirus in Colorado .

By Markian Hawryluk and Rae Ellen Bichell, Kaiser Health News
DENVER — In March, Claire Tripeny was watching her dream job fall apart. She’d been working as an intensive care nurse at St. Anthony Hospital in Lakewood and loved it, despite the mediocre pay typical for the region. But when COVID-19 hit, that calculation changed.
She remembers her employers telling her and her colleagues to “suck it up” as they struggled to care for six patients each and patched their protective gear with tape until it fully fell apart. The $800 or so a week she took home no longer felt worth it.
“I was not sleeping and having the most anxiety in my life,” Tripeny said. “I’m like, ‘I’m gonna go where my skills are needed and I can be guaranteed that I have the protection I need.’ ”
In April, she packed her bags for a two-month contract in then-COVID hot spot New Jersey, as part of what she called a “mass exodus” of nurses leaving the suburban Denver hospital to become traveling nurses. Her new pay? About $5,200 a week, and with a contract that required adequate protective gear.
Months later, the offerings — and the stakes — are even higher for nurses willing to move. In Sioux Falls, S.D., nurses can make more than $6,200 a week. A recent posting for a job in Fargo, N.D., offered more than $8,000 a week. Some can get as much as $10,000.
Early in the pandemic, hospitals were competing for ventilators, COVID tests and personal protective equipment. Now, sites across the country are competing for nurses. The fall surge in COVID cases has turned hospital staffing into a sort of national bidding war, with hospitals willing to pay exorbitant wages to secure the nurses they need. That threatens to shift the supply of nurses toward more affluent areas, leaving rural and urban public hospitals short-staffed as the pandemic worsens, and some hospitals unable to care for critically ill patients.
“That is a huge threat,” said Angelina Salazar, CEO of the Western Healthcare Alliance, a consortium of 29 small hospitals in rural Colorado and Utah. “There’s no way rural hospitals can afford to pay that kind of salary.”
Surge capacity
Hospitals have long relied on traveling nurses to fill gaps in staffing without committing to long-term hiring. Early in the pandemic, doctors and nurses traveled from unaffected areas to hot spots such as California, Washington state and New York to help with regional surges. But now, with virtually every part of the country experiencing a surge — infecting medical professionals in the process — the competition for the finite number of available nurses is becoming more intense.
“We all thought, ‘Well, when it’s Colorado’s turn, we’ll draw on the same resources; we’ll call our surrounding states and they’ll send help,’ ” said Julie Lonborg, a spokesperson for the Colorado Hospital Association. “Now it’s a national outbreak. It’s not just one or two spots, as it was in the spring. It’s really significant across the country, which means everybody is looking for those resources.”
In North Dakota, Tessa Johnson said she’s getting multiple messages a day on LinkedIn from headhunters. Johnson, president of the North Dakota Nurses Association, said the pandemic appears to be hastening a brain drain of nurses there. She suspects more nurses may choose to leave or retire early after North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum told health care workers they could stay on the job even if they’ve tested positive for COVID-19.
All four of Utah’s major health care systems have seen nurses leave for traveling nurse positions, said Jordan Sorenson, a project manager for the Utah Hospital Association.
“Nurses quit, join traveling nursing companies and go work for a different hospital down the street, making two to three times the rate,” he said. “So, it’s really a kind of a rob-Peter-to-pay-Paul staffing situation.”
Hospitals not only pay the higher salaries offered to traveling nurses but also pay a commission to the traveling nurse agency, Sorenson said. Utah hospitals are trying to avoid hiring away nurses from other hospitals within the state. Hiring from a neighboring state such as Colorado, though, could mean Colorado hospitals would poach from Utah.
“In the wake of the current spike in COVID hospitalizations, calling the labor market for registered nurses ‘cutthroat’ is an understatement,” said Adam Seth Litwin, an associate professor of industrial and labor relations at Cornell University. “Even if the health care sector can somehow find more beds, it cannot just go out and buy more front-line caregivers.”
Litwin said he’s glad to see the labor market rewarding essential workers — disproportionately women and people of color — with higher wages. Under normal circumstances, allowing markets to determine where people will work and for what pay is ideal.
“On the other hand, we are not operating under normal circumstances,” he said. “In the midst of a severe public health crisis, I worry that the individual incentives facing hospitals on the one side and individual RNs on the other conflict sharply with the needs of society as whole.”
Some hospitals are exploring ways to overcome staffing challenges without blowing the budget. That could include changing nurse-to-patient ratios, although that would likely affect patient care. In Utah, the hospital association has talked with the state nursing board about allowing nursing students in their final year of training to be certified early.
Growth industry
Meanwhile, business is booming for companies centered on health care staffing such as Wanderly and Krucial Staffing.
“When COVID first started and New York was an epicenter, we at Wanderly kind of looked at it and said, ‘OK, this is our time to shine,’ ” said David Deane, senior vice president of Wanderly, a website that allows health care professionals to compare offers from various agencies. “‘This is our time to help nurses get to these destinations as fast as possible. And help recruiters get those nurses.’ ”
Deane said the company has doubled its staff since the pandemic started. Demand is surging — with Rocky Mountain states appearing in up to 20 times as many job postings on the site as in January. And more people are meeting that demand.
In 2018, according to data from a national survey, about 31,000 traveling nurses worked nationwide. Now, Deane estimated, there are at least 50,000 travel nurses. Deane, who calls travel nurses “superheroes,” suspects a lot of them are postoperative nurses who were laid off when their hospitals stopped doing elective surgeries during the first lockdowns.
Competition for nurses, especially those with ICU experience, is stiff. After all, a hospital in South Dakota isn’t competing just with facilities in other states.
“We’ve sent nurses to Aruba, the Bahamas and Curacao because they’ve needed help with COVID,” Deane said. “You’re going down there, you’re making $5,000 a week and all your expenses are paid, right? Who’s not gonna say yes?”
Krucial Staffing specializes in sending health care workers to disaster locations, using military-style logistics. It filled hotels and rented dozens of buses to get nurses to hot spots in New York and Texas. CEO Brian Cleary said that, since the pandemic started, the company has grown its administrative staff from 12 to more than 200.
“Right now we’re at our highest volume we’ve been,” said Cleary, who added that over Halloween weekend alone about 1,000 nurses joined the roster of “reservists.”
With a base rate of $95 an hour, he said, some nurses working overtime end up coming away with $10,000 a week, though there are downsides, like the fact that the gig doesn’t come with health insurance and it’s an unstable, boom-and-bust market.
Hidden costs
Amber Hazard, who lives in Texas, started as a traveling ICU nurse before the pandemic and said eye-catching sums like that come with a hidden fee, paid in sanity.
“How your soul is affected by this is nothing you can put a price on,” she said.
At a high-paying job caring for COVID patients during New York’s first wave, she remembers walking into the break room in a hospital in the Bronx and seeing a sign on the wall about how the usual staff nurses were on strike.
“It said, you know, ‘We’re not doing this. This is not safe,’” said Hazard. “And it wasn’t safe. But somebody had to do it.”
The highlight of her stint there was placing a wedding ring back on the finger of a recovered patient. But Hazard said she secured far more body bags than rings on patients.
Tripeny, the traveling nurse who left Colorado, is now working in Kentucky with heart surgery patients. When that contract wraps up, she said, she might dive back into COVID care.
Earlier, in New Jersey, she was scarred by the times she couldn’t give people the care they needed, not to mention the times she would take a deceased patient off a ventilator, staring down the damage the virus can do as she removed tubes filled with blackened blood from the lungs.
She has to pay for mental health therapy out-of-pocket now, unlike when she was on staff at a hospital. But as a so-called traveler, she knows each gig will be over in a matter of weeks.
At the end of each week in New Jersey, she said, “I would just look at my paycheck and be like, ‘OK. This is OK. I can do this.’”
Join our Facebook group for the latest updates on coronavirus in Colorado.


thedenverpost--2020-11-26--Cathy Reynolds, Denver’s first councilwoman, dies

At first , Cathy Reynolds wasn ’ t so hot on the idea of moving to Denver .
But before long , Reynolds — the first woman elected to Denver City Council and its longest-serving member — fell in love with the city .
Reynolds died Tuesday , her husband , Rick Reynolds confirmed .
She was 75 .
“ The mountains weren ’ t so much a big deal , it was the city , ” Rick Reynolds said .
“ People doing things and growing .
She just loved to see the city develop and change for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at-large councilwoman in 1975 in the same election as Cathy Donohue .
But because Reynolds won her election outright and Donohue ’ s went to a runoff , the former ’ s position was certified first , said Councilman Kevin Flynn .
And due to a minor city charter change years later , Reynolds served about two weeks longer than any other council member who has served seven terms , Flynn said .
The general consensus among current and former council members is that if you look closely enough just about anywhere in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fingerprints .
The councilwoman was instrumental in the construction of Denver International Airport , the Pepsi Center ( now known as the Ball Arena ) , Empower Field at Mile High , the McNichols Arena , Coors Field , Colorado Convention Center and much more .
She led the charge to ban assault weapons in Denver — a move which drew more than a few death threats , Rick Reynolds said — passed a tax to benefit the developmentally disabled and championed equal rights for the LGTBQ community .
“ She was one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ former Councilwoman Elbra Wedgeworth .
“ She was smart and had integrity .
She was classy but could also be sassy and funny.
” “ I think a lot of women , and politicians in general , could learn a lot from Cathy , ” Wedgeworth added .
She was a dedicated friend , Wedgeworth and others said — someone with whom you could disagree without being disagreeable .
“ There has been no more consequential member of the Denver City Council in the last half of the 20th century than Cathy Reynolds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was the moving force behind so many of the progressive reforms that were taken by that body.
” Rick Reynolds said he and Cathy met at Shawnee Mission North High School in the suburbs of Kansas City .
The pair stuck together and ultimately moved to Lawrence , Kansas , to attend the University of Kansas .
“ She didn ’ t do well in school , hated school .
She didn ’ t like going , ” Rick Reynolds said .
But she found other ways to learn .
“ She ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in ‘ Jeopardy ’ or Trivial Pursuit .
She could process information .
And she learned new details ; she mastered them.
” The couple moved to Denver after Rick Reynolds finished graduate school and he received a job offer out West .
His wife was reluctant , in part because all her family was in Kansas .
It wasn ’ t long before Cathy Reynolds became involved in politics , Rick Reynolds said .
She ran for the statehouse twice in the early 1970s and lost , but then turned her attention @ @ @ @ @ @ @ platform rested on local issues .
When she was elected as an at-large council member , she hit the ground running , Rick Reynolds said .
“ She had no idea what zoning really was , but she became an expert in it , ” he said .
“ Or municipal bonds .
But she became the master of bond issues.
” And along the way , she bonded with people all over the city , said Councilwoman Debbie Ortega , who served with Reynolds for 16 years .
“ She was an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ job as one of our city leaders , ” Ortega said .
“ A lot of it was in her love for the city and just wanting to make a difference on any of the issues that she worked on.
” At any point , Ortega said , she could call on Reynolds for advice or for a friendly voice .
And that ’ s something she ’ ll miss the most .
Flynn offered a similar sentiment , saying news of Reynolds ’ death was devastating .
Flynn fondly recalled the days @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rocky Mountain News and gathered with council members after meetings on Monday nights .
He consulted Reynolds before he ran for council in 2014 , and she was his very first campaign contributor , handing him a $ 250 check .
“ That is the check I opened my account with , ” Flynn said .
“ I will never forget her , and she will always be my inspiration as a council member.
” • Denver mayor traveled for Thanksgiving despite pandemic and Twitter was not happy about it • Denver Mayor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ urging others not to travel due to COVID-19 Not only did Reynolds serve five terms as council president , but she is also the only woman to have served two terms as president of the Colorado Municipal League , Rick Reynolds said .
She also served as chair of the National League of Cities .
Had she not been forced off the council because of term limits , Reynolds never would have left , her husband said .
But in recent years she enjoyed diving into other hobbies , especially cooking , he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ husband , her two sons and four grandchildren , Rick Reynolds said .
Arrangements have not yet been announced .

At first, Cathy Reynolds wasn’t so hot on the idea of moving to Denver.
But before long, Reynolds — the first woman elected to Denver City Council and its longest-serving member — fell in love with the city. Reynolds died Tuesday, her husband, Rick Reynolds confirmed. She was 75.
“The mountains weren’t so much a big deal, it was the city,” Rick Reynolds said. “People doing things and growing. She just loved to see the city develop and change for the better.”
Reynolds was elected as an at-large councilwoman in 1975 in the same election as Cathy Donohue. But because Reynolds won her election outright and Donohue’s went to a runoff, the former’s position was certified first, said Councilman Kevin Flynn.
And due to a minor city charter change years later, Reynolds served about two weeks longer than any other council member who has served seven terms, Flynn said.
The general consensus among current and former council members is that if you look closely enough just about anywhere in Denver, you can see Reynolds’ fingerprints.
The councilwoman was instrumental in the construction of Denver International Airport, the Pepsi Center (now known as the Ball Arena), Empower Field at Mile High, the McNichols Arena, Coors Field, Colorado Convention Center and much more. She led the charge to ban assault weapons in Denver — a move which drew more than a few death threats, Rick Reynolds said — passed a tax to benefit the developmentally disabled and championed equal rights for the LGTBQ community.
“She was one of the strongest people,” said former Councilwoman Elbra Wedgeworth. “She was smart and had integrity. She was classy but could also be sassy and funny.”
“I think a lot of women, and politicians in general, could learn a lot from Cathy,” Wedgeworth added.
She was a dedicated friend, Wedgeworth and others said — someone with whom you could disagree without being disagreeable.
“There has been no more consequential member of the Denver City Council in the last half of the 20th century than Cathy Reynolds,” Flynn said. “She was the moving force behind so many of the progressive reforms that were taken by that body.”
Rick Reynolds said he and Cathy met at Shawnee Mission North High School in the suburbs of Kansas City. The pair stuck together and ultimately moved to Lawrence, Kansas, to attend the University of Kansas.
“She didn’t do well in school, hated school. She didn’t like going,” Rick Reynolds said. But she found other ways to learn. “She’d beat the hell out of you in ‘Jeopardy’ or Trivial Pursuit. She could process information. And she learned new details; she mastered them.”
The couple moved to Denver after Rick Reynolds finished graduate school and he received a job offer out West. His wife was reluctant, in part because all her family was in Kansas.
It wasn’t long before Cathy Reynolds became involved in politics, Rick Reynolds said. She ran for the statehouse twice in the early 1970s and lost, but then turned her attention to council after realizing most of her platform rested on local issues.
When she was elected as an at-large council member, she hit the ground running, Rick Reynolds said.
“She had no idea what zoning really was, but she became an expert in it,” he said. “Or municipal bonds. But she became the master of bond issues.”
And along the way, she bonded with people all over the city, said Councilwoman Debbie Ortega, who served with Reynolds for 16 years.
“She was an amazing woman who did such a phenomenal job as one of our city leaders,” Ortega said. “A lot of it was in her love for the city and just wanting to make a difference on any of the issues that she worked on.”
At any point, Ortega said, she could call on Reynolds for advice or for a friendly voice. And that’s something she’ll miss the most.
Flynn offered a similar sentiment, saying news of Reynolds’ death was devastating.
Flynn fondly recalled the days when he covered the city for the Rocky Mountain News and gathered with council members after meetings on Monday nights. He consulted Reynolds before he ran for council in 2014, and she was his very first campaign contributor, handing him a $250 check.
“That is the check I opened my account with,” Flynn said. “I will never forget her, and she will always be my inspiration as a council member.”
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Not only did Reynolds serve five terms as council president, but she is also the only woman to have served two terms as president of the Colorado Municipal League, Rick Reynolds said. She also served as chair of the National League of Cities.
Had she not been forced off the council because of term limits, Reynolds never would have left, her husband said. But in recent years she enjoyed diving into other hobbies, especially cooking, he said.
Reynolds is survived by her husband, her two sons and four grandchildren, Rick Reynolds said. Arrangements have not yet been announced.


thedenverpost--2020-11-26--Thrift stores thrive during pandemic, deluged with donations, then shoppers after shutdown

When the pandemic stopped cars from coming to the tour parking lot at the Coors Brewery in Golden , thrift store operator Kelly Ivan sensed the impact on her shop would be heavy .
For more than two decades , the modest-sized Christian Action Guild thrift store and food pantry at the corner of Ford and 14th streets on the city ’ s east side has relied on the people flocking to tour one of America ’ s oldest breweries just across the street .
Waiting to enter the brewery , or just leaving , people would wander into the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that came with the pandemic crisis put an immediate strain on the shop ’ s operations , though its pantry remained opened .
“ A lot of our business is generated from those tours , ” said Ivan , CAG ’ s executive director .
“ After we lost that exposure and the customers , it was hard , but things have picked up.
” But if customers weren ’ t pouring in , donations were .
“ We simply couldn ’ t handle what was coming in for us .
Carloads had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
“ Our space is so limited , we just couldn ’ t put it anywhere.
” Stay-at-home orders in the first months of the pandemic gave people something that wasn ’ t in great supply while at work : time .
“ People were cleaning out their closets and attics , and once they were done with theirs , they ’ d go over to their Mom ’ s and do it there , ” Ivan mused .
Up and down the Front Range , thrift shops that were closed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The pile-up of clothing , housewares , and furniture was unlike anything most had seen before .
“ Instead of people showing up in their car with a bag clothing , they were coming in with their 3-ton pickup truck and dropping off in massive volumes , ” said Bradd Hafer , marketing manager for Goodwill of Colorado .
“ We had to reduce our hours at the donation centers just to catch up.
” “ The biggest standout was the furniture , ” Hafer said .
“ People were homebound , looking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they were tired of it.
” At the Assistance League of Denver on the city ’ s east side , the stream of donations forced the staff to rent a PODS storage container .
“ We didn ’ t want to turn anyone away , but we were getting more donations than we ever have before and were having a problem keeping up , ” thrift chairperson Vada Robinson said .
“ We didn ’ t re-open until June 1 , and oh my gosh , they just kept coming in.
” But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wall-to-wall racks of clothing and housewares with small , often cramped aisles that are common in many thrift shops were suddenly unacceptable under the new rules to curtail the spread of COVID-19 .
Shop volunteers are frequently older people , deemed the most at-risk to the impacts of the virus , forcing some shops to reduce staffing even further .
“ With all the restrictions and the capacity and rules that Denver required , it was a great challenge look at opening again , ” Robinson said .
“ Then there were all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the donations , the quarantining for processing , and other safety precautions .
It was a whole laundry list of things that no one had ever dealt with before.
” At Goodwill , for instance , there were protective shields at the cash register , changing rooms were closed , courtesy coffee centers were removed and aisles were restricted to a single direction .
And still , the donations kept coming .
And then the shoppers .
“ It ’ s shown how critical we all are in providing essential services and relief @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public has been very generous about that .
When the economy is stressed and there ’ s more unemployment , our importance is emphasized .
”

When the pandemic stopped cars from coming to the tour parking lot at the Coors Brewery in Golden, thrift store operator Kelly Ivan sensed the impact on her shop would be heavy.
For more than two decades, the modest-sized Christian Action Guild thrift store and food pantry at the corner of Ford and 14th streets on the city’s east side has relied on the people flocking to tour one of America’s oldest breweries just across the street. Waiting to enter the brewery, or just leaving, people would wander into the shop.
The business closures and home-confinement that came with the pandemic crisis put an immediate strain on the shop’s operations, though its pantry remained opened.
“A lot of our business is generated from those tours,” said Ivan, CAG’s executive director. “After we lost that exposure and the customers, it was hard, but things have picked up.”
But if customers weren’t pouring in, donations were.
“We simply couldn’t handle what was coming in for us. Carloads had to be turned away,” Ivan said. “Our space is so limited, we just couldn’t put it anywhere.”
Stay-at-home orders in the first months of the pandemic gave people something that wasn’t in great supply while at work: time.
“People were cleaning out their closets and attics, and once they were done with theirs, they’d go over to their Mom’s and do it there,” Ivan mused.
Up and down the Front Range, thrift shops that were closed to bargain shoppers continued to accept donations. The pile-up of clothing, housewares, and furniture was unlike anything most had seen before.
“Instead of people showing up in their car with a bag clothing, they were coming in with their 3-ton pickup truck and dropping off in massive volumes,” said Bradd Hafer, marketing manager for Goodwill of Colorado. “We had to reduce our hours at the donation centers just to catch up.”
“The biggest standout was the furniture,” Hafer said. “People were homebound, looking at the same four walls and figured they were tired of it.”
At the Assistance League of Denver on the city’s east side, the stream of donations forced the staff to rent a PODS storage container.
“We didn’t want to turn anyone away, but we were getting more donations than we ever have before and were having a problem keeping up,” thrift chairperson Vada Robinson said. “We didn’t re-open until June 1, and oh my gosh, they just kept coming in.”
But the pandemic also brought additional challenges. Wall-to-wall racks of clothing and housewares with small, often cramped aisles that are common in many thrift shops were suddenly unacceptable under the new rules to curtail the spread of COVID-19.
Shop volunteers are frequently older people, deemed the most at-risk to the impacts of the virus, forcing some shops to reduce staffing even further.
“With all the restrictions and the capacity and rules that Denver required, it was a great challenge look at opening again,” Robinson said. “Then there were all the new rules on how to handle the donations, the quarantining for processing, and other safety precautions. It was a whole laundry list of things that no one had ever dealt with before.”
At Goodwill, for instance, there were protective shields at the cash register, changing rooms were closed, courtesy coffee centers were removed and aisles were restricted to a single direction.
And still, the donations kept coming. And then the shoppers.
“It’s shown how critical we all are in providing essential services and relief,” Lewis said. “The public has been very generous about that. When the economy is stressed and there’s more unemployment, our importance is emphasized.”
”


thedenverpost--2020-11-26--“Hurt, angry, sad and lost”: Coloradans endure pandemic Thanksgiving

The rich incense of browning meats , bubbling casseroles and baked goods is Loa Esquilin ’ s front-runner for favorite Thanksgiving feature , but the holiday fragrance will smell slightly less sweet this year as Esquilin celebrates solo in hopes of keeping her loved ones virus-free .
“ Believe it or not , the day is not about the food for me , ” she said .
“ It ’ s the smells .
It reminds of family and warmth and childhood.
” Esquilin , 36 , leads outreach for Denver ’ s Office of Emergency Management , so she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ following public health guidance this year , even as she longs for a holiday spent surrounded by loved ones and laughter .
The Centers for Disease Control urged Americans not to gather outside their households for turkey-filled festivities due to the risks of spreading the highly contagious novel coronavirus .
The state health department asked Coloradans to keep Thanksgiving hullabaloo to their immediate households as overwhelming COVID-19 cases cause hospitals to face staff shortages and hit ICU capacity .
AAA forecasted the largest yearly decline in Thanksgiving travel in Colorado since the Great @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weeks ago , which was expected to decline as prospective travelers monitor the public health landscape .
Thanksgiving tables are sure to look more sparse this year with Coloradans foregoing planes , trains and automobiles amid a nationwide and statewide pandemic surge .
For some , staying home may dredge up feelings of isolation .
Others may turn to technology or alms-giving to soothe lingering loneliness .
The undeniably offbeat holiday year is an opportunity for Americans to sacrifice a good time for the greater good with lessons of the original Thanksgiving looming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and infecting Native Americans with deadly diseases does not have to be a theme repeated .
Esquilin made the heartbreaking decision to stay home by herself for Thanksgiving after consulting with her Denver family , the Lovetts .
Puerto Rico is home for Esquilin , but when she can ’ t make the trip to see her dad and extended family , the Lovett family , who she met at the gym a few years ago , always takes her in .
“ With me so being alone in Denver , having a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has always been super important for me , ” Esquilin said .
“ Every year we get together , have great meals , everybody brings a dish and there ’ s holiday music , games , lots of wine .
It really feels like home .
This year , as a family , we talked and decided to cancel Thanksgiving .
It was a very , very hard decision.
” To lift her spirits , Esquilin will fill her house with the fragrance of food , Puerto Rico style .
She plans to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ macaroni salad and other delights that remind her — and her nose — of better times .
Esquilin will do video calls with her family in Puerto Rico and then her Colorado family , making sure to ogle the legendary Lovett family mashed potatoes and maybe watch a card game .
When Esquilin logs off , the quiet settling over her home , she plans on eating and praying that others are making the same sacrifice to help save lives .
“ It ’ s really hard , but I ’ ve already @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
“ When I think about breaking the rules , I ’ m just like , ‘ it ’ s not worth it . '
” Allen Cowgill ’ s 70-year-old father survived cancer .
Cowgill doesn ’ t want preventable carelessness over a dinner to jeopardize his dad ’ s health .
That ’ s why Cowgill , his wife and their two young children opted for an alternative Thanksgiving this year .
The crew picked up turkey sandwiches from Panera Bread in early November , when the weather was unseasonably @ @ @ @ @ @ @ feet apart in Cowgill ’ s father ’ s Lakewood backyard and dined al fresco .
They wore masks when they weren ’ t eating , stayed distanced and still got to gobble up turkey in each other ’ s company .
“ Years from now , I want to be able to tell my kids that our family did everything we could to be part of the solution , to keep not just our family safe but to keep our neighbors from getting sick , ” Cowgill said .
“ We all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It was sad that was our Thanksgiving , but it felt like the right thing to do.
” As a silver lining , Cowgill hopes to use Thanksgiving Day as a chance to have video calls with family members across the country whom he normally doesn ’ t get time to spend the holidays with .
“ Unknown in the middle of nowhere ” Cooper Barnard-Mayers ’ silver lining : The Denver vegetarian won ’ t be in the presence of a turkey this Thanksgiving .
The 24-year-old moved to Denver shortly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she ’ s found herself working remotely as a social media coordinator in a city she hasn ’ t had the chance to explore due to COVID-19 .
“ I ’ m unknown in the middle of nowhere , ” Barnard-Mayers said .
Thanksgivings of yore have meant gathering in Barnard-Mayers ’ small Vermont village with her family and friends , sharing potluck meals , childhood memories and the annual turkey trot run .
This year , Barnard-Mayers ’ parents gave her a Whole Foods gift card so she can choose her own @ @ @ @ @ @ @ normally breakfast foods , so we ’ ll see how this goes , ” Barnard-Mayers said .
“ I ’ m probably just going to buy something funky and vegetarian to try to make the day a little bit special , but I ’ m going to be FaceTiming different members of my family every single hour .
“ It feels depressing , ” Barnard-Mayers said of spending the holiday alone .
“ I don ’ t think people who have roommates or live with their families understand how intense the isolation is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year .
What I do like about Denver is all the opportunities to get outdoors .
At least I don ’ t feel isolated from the natural world.
” June Gruber , assistant professor of psychology and neuroscience at University of Colorado Boulder , said the pandemic has posed unique and enduring stressors for many , including holiday loneliness .
However , the science of happiness can help , Gruber said .
Cultivating moments of gratitude for others can keep us connected to them and boost our own positive emotions , physical health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Consider taking a moment each day to recall who you are grateful for in your life and why , even if you can not be close to them physically during the holidays , ” Gruber said .
Still , it ’ s important for individuals to accept their emotions as they are , Gruber said .
“ Feeling upset , lonely and frustrated is a normative response to the uncertain world we are in , ” Gruber said .
“ Don ’ t expect or feel distressed if you are not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you in connection with this unusual world.
” Taj Cooke ’ s spirit thrives on surmounting isolation and building community — a feat made extra-challenging in the COVID-19 era when social distance reigns supreme .
The Denver chef is fulfilled by preparing and sharing his food with others , particularly those in need .
Last year , Cooke cooked up more than 500 meals with the help of donations , other chefs and volunteers , and this year he plans to more than double that .
Cooke said he knows struggle from his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , loneliness and juvenile detention centers .
When the pandemic hit , Biju ’ s Little Curry Shop — where Cooke was newly hired as a chef — closed .
“ People have been losing their jobs , their homes , ” Cooke said .
“ It ’ s crazy .
I was one of those individuals for quite some time until I was able to get back on my feet in some ways .
I know the pain .
People right now are hurt , angry , sad and lost .
By @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them a warm meal , letting them know that someone gives a damn — that ’ s what ’ s important .
With the help of countless sponsors , donations and volunteers , Cooke will spend Thanksgiving boxing up food his team has prepared throughout the week and sending it out to various homeless shelters , ministries and victims of the East Troublesome fire .
The year has been tough for Cooke and fellow members of the food scene as the pandemic has taken a severe toll on restaurants and small business owners @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fortunate with the help of his loved ones fills Cooke ’ s heart in a way not even the virus can thwart .
“ As humans , if we know we have support , we can find the strength to move forward , ” Cooke said .
“ Right now , we all need to be putting our hand on our neighbor ’ s shoulder — even if you ’ re six feet apart — to let them know you ’ re there to help .
”

The rich incense of browning meats, bubbling casseroles and baked goods is Loa Esquilin’s front-runner for favorite Thanksgiving feature, but the holiday fragrance will smell slightly less sweet this year as Esquilin celebrates solo in hopes of keeping her loved ones virus-free.
“Believe it or not, the day is not about the food for me,” she said. “It’s the smells. It reminds of family and warmth and childhood.”
Esquilin, 36, leads outreach for Denver’s Office of Emergency Management, so she knows all too well the importance of following public health guidance this year, even as she longs for a holiday spent surrounded by loved ones and laughter.
The Centers for Disease Control urged Americans not to gather outside their households for turkey-filled festivities due to the risks of spreading the highly contagious novel coronavirus. The state health department asked Coloradans to keep Thanksgiving hullabaloo to their immediate households as overwhelming COVID-19 cases cause hospitals to face staff shortages and hit ICU capacity. AAA forecasted the largest yearly decline in Thanksgiving travel in Colorado since the Great Recession, projecting 897,000 travelers about two weeks ago, which was expected to decline as prospective travelers monitor the public health landscape.
Thanksgiving tables are sure to look more sparse this year with Coloradans foregoing planes, trains and automobiles amid a nationwide and statewide pandemic surge. For some, staying home may dredge up feelings of isolation. Others may turn to technology or alms-giving to soothe lingering loneliness.
The undeniably offbeat holiday year is an opportunity for Americans to sacrifice a good time for the greater good with lessons of the original Thanksgiving looming large above us all: Outsiders gathering and infecting Native Americans with deadly diseases does not have to be a theme repeated.
“It’s not worth it”
Esquilin made the heartbreaking decision to stay home by herself for Thanksgiving after consulting with her Denver family, the Lovetts. Puerto Rico is home for Esquilin, but when she can’t make the trip to see her dad and extended family, the Lovett family, who she met at the gym a few years ago, always takes her in.
“With me so being alone in Denver, having a base family to go for the holidays has always been super important for me,” Esquilin said. “Every year we get together, have great meals, everybody brings a dish and there’s holiday music, games, lots of wine. It really feels like home. This year, as a family, we talked and decided to cancel Thanksgiving. It was a very, very hard decision.”
To lift her spirits, Esquilin will fill her house with the fragrance of food, Puerto Rico style. She plans to roast a pork, cook rice, macaroni salad and other delights that remind her — and her nose — of better times.
Esquilin will do video calls with her family in Puerto Rico and then her Colorado family, making sure to ogle the legendary Lovett family mashed potatoes and maybe watch a card game. When Esquilin logs off, the quiet settling over her home, she plans on eating and praying that others are making the same sacrifice to help save lives.
“It’s really hard, but I’ve already lost friends to COVID,” Esquilin said. “When I think about breaking the rules, I’m just like, ‘it’s not worth it.'”
“The right thing to do”
Allen Cowgill’s 70-year-old father survived cancer. Cowgill doesn’t want preventable carelessness over a dinner to jeopardize his dad’s health.
That’s why Cowgill, his wife and their two young children opted for an alternative Thanksgiving this year. The crew picked up turkey sandwiches from Panera Bread in early November, when the weather was unseasonably warm, laid out blankets about 25 feet apart in Cowgill’s father’s Lakewood backyard and dined al fresco. They wore masks when they weren’t eating, stayed distanced and still got to gobble up turkey in each other’s company.
“Years from now, I want to be able to tell my kids that our family did everything we could to be part of the solution, to keep not just our family safe but to keep our neighbors from getting sick,” Cowgill said. “We all want to be around a table together. It was sad that was our Thanksgiving, but it felt like the right thing to do.”
As a silver lining, Cowgill hopes to use Thanksgiving Day as a chance to have video calls with family members across the country whom he normally doesn’t get time to spend the holidays with.
“Unknown in the middle of nowhere”
Cooper Barnard-Mayers’ silver lining: The Denver vegetarian won’t be in the presence of a turkey this Thanksgiving.
The 24-year-old moved to Denver shortly before the pandemic hit. Since, she’s found herself working remotely as a social media coordinator in a city she hasn’t had the chance to explore due to COVID-19.
“I’m unknown in the middle of nowhere,” Barnard-Mayers said.
Thanksgivings of yore have meant gathering in Barnard-Mayers’ small Vermont village with her family and friends, sharing potluck meals, childhood memories and the annual turkey trot run. This year, Barnard-Mayers’ parents gave her a Whole Foods gift card so she can choose her own Thanksgiving adventure.
“My specialty is normally breakfast foods, so we’ll see how this goes,” Barnard-Mayers said. “I’m probably just going to buy something funky and vegetarian to try to make the day a little bit special, but I’m going to be FaceTiming different members of my family every single hour.
“It feels depressing,” Barnard-Mayers said of spending the holiday alone. “I don’t think people who have roommates or live with their families understand how intense the isolation is when you’re living alone this year. What I do like about Denver is all the opportunities to get outdoors. At least I don’t feel isolated from the natural world.”
June Gruber, assistant professor of psychology and neuroscience at University of Colorado Boulder, said the pandemic has posed unique and enduring stressors for many, including holiday loneliness. However, the science of happiness can help, Gruber said.
Cultivating moments of gratitude for others can keep us connected to them and boost our own positive emotions, physical health and long-term psychological functioning, Gruber said.
“Consider taking a moment each day to recall who you are grateful for in your life and why, even if you cannot be close to them physically during the holidays,” Gruber said.
Still, it’s important for individuals to accept their emotions as they are, Gruber said.
“Feeling upset, lonely and frustrated is a normative response to the uncertain world we are in,” Gruber said. “Don’t expect or feel distressed if you are not overjoyous. Know your emotions are keeping you in connection with this unusual world.”
Support from six-feet apart
Taj Cooke’s spirit thrives on surmounting isolation and building community — a feat made extra-challenging in the COVID-19 era when social distance reigns supreme.
The Denver chef is fulfilled by preparing and sharing his food with others, particularly those in need. Last year, Cooke cooked up more than 500 meals with the help of donations, other chefs and volunteers, and this year he plans to more than double that.
Cooke said he knows struggle from his turbulent childhood, where he faced homelessness, loneliness and juvenile detention centers. When the pandemic hit, Biju’s Little Curry Shop — where Cooke was newly hired as a chef — closed.
“People have been losing their jobs, their homes,” Cooke said. “It’s crazy. I was one of those individuals for quite some time until I was able to get back on my feet in some ways. I know the pain. People right now are hurt, angry, sad and lost. By reaching out to our neighbors and giving them a warm meal, letting them know that someone gives a damn — that’s what’s important.
With the help of countless sponsors, donations and volunteers, Cooke will spend Thanksgiving boxing up food his team has prepared throughout the week and sending it out to various homeless shelters, ministries and victims of the East Troublesome fire.
The year has been tough for Cooke and fellow members of the food scene as the pandemic has taken a severe toll on restaurants and small business owners, but serving those who are less fortunate with the help of his loved ones fills Cooke’s heart in a way not even the virus can thwart.
“As humans, if we know we have support, we can find the strength to move forward,” Cooke said. “Right now, we all need to be putting our hand on our neighbor’s shoulder — even if you’re six feet apart — to let them know you’re there to help.”


thedenverpost--2020-11-26--Denver Thanksgiving climatology: A smorgasbord of weather statistics

Late autumn in Colorado usually features a vast variety of weather .
One day we can get stuffed with warmth and sunshine , while the next could feature of a three-course meal of cold , snow and wind .
Given this year ’ s forecast for a relatively tranquil Thanksgiving Day , it seemed like a fun opportunity to look back at what Mother Nature has served up in previous years .
Let ’ s begin with a short trip back to last year .
While snow did not fall on Thanksgiving Day , the holiday was sandwiched in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ More than 8 inches of snow fell on the Mile High City two days earlier , with a snow depth of 7 inches still present on Thanksgiving Day itself .
It was the third highest Thanksgiving snow depth to get observed in Denver in the 148-year period of record .
Thanksgiving 2019 was also the coldest since 1993 .
The morning kicked off at 10 degrees , with temperatures only rising to 23 degrees during the afternoon .
The wintry theme of last year was more the exception than the rule in recent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ six of the 10 Thanksgivings had high temperatures climb past 50 degrees , with three of those years soaring into the 60s .
There was a lot of hot turkey to go around in 2017 , when the mercury rose to a balmy 72 degrees .
That came just four days before Denver notched its latest 80 degrees high on record on Nov. 27 , and narrowly missed the top spot for Denver ’ s warmest Thanksgiving .
First place is still held by Thanksgiving 1909 , when the high temperature reached 73 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to shiver through the city ’ s coldest Thanksgiving .
That record was set in 1877 , when the morning low was a bone-chilling -18 degrees .
It was just one of five Thanksgivings when Denver thermometers plunged below zero , with the most recent one being in 1993 .
You need to go back to 1928 to find Denver ’ s snowiest Thanksgiving on record .
The city was buffeted by 8.5 inches of snow that day .
The snow melted down to nearly a half an inch of liquid , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Thanksgiving Day in the history books .
Historically , family gatherings for Thanksgiving have not frequently been disrupted by weather in Denver .
Precipitation has only fallen 26 times in the 148-year period of record , with 17 of those 26 occurrences resulting in measurable snow .
This means that the city typically sees a wet Thanksgiving once every six years , and a white Thanksgiving once every nine years .

Late autumn in Colorado usually features a vast variety of weather. One day we can get stuffed with warmth and sunshine, while the next could feature of a three-course meal of cold, snow and wind.
Given this year’s forecast for a relatively tranquil Thanksgiving Day, it seemed like a fun opportunity to look back at what Mother Nature has served up in previous years.
Let’s begin with a short trip back to last year. While snow did not fall on Thanksgiving Day, the holiday was sandwiched in the middle of a very wintry week. More than 8 inches of snow fell on the Mile High City two days earlier, with a snow depth of 7 inches still present on Thanksgiving Day itself.
It was the third highest Thanksgiving snow depth to get observed in Denver in the 148-year period of record. Thanksgiving 2019 was also the coldest since 1993. The morning kicked off at 10 degrees, with temperatures only rising to 23 degrees during the afternoon.
The wintry theme of last year was more the exception than the rule in recent Denver history. In the 2010s, six of the 10 Thanksgivings had high temperatures climb past 50 degrees, with three of those years soaring into the 60s.
There was a lot of hot turkey to go around in 2017, when the mercury rose to a balmy 72 degrees. That came just four days before Denver notched its latest 80 degrees high on record on Nov. 27, and narrowly missed the top spot for Denver’s warmest Thanksgiving. First place is still held by Thanksgiving 1909, when the high temperature reached 73 degrees.
Thankfully none of us had to shiver through the city’s coldest Thanksgiving. That record was set in 1877, when the morning low was a bone-chilling -18 degrees. It was just one of five Thanksgivings when Denver thermometers plunged below zero, with the most recent one being in 1993.
You need to go back to 1928 to find Denver’s snowiest Thanksgiving on record. The city was buffeted by 8.5 inches of snow that day. The snow melted down to nearly a half an inch of liquid, which also made it Denver’s wettest Thanksgiving Day in the history books.
Historically, family gatherings for Thanksgiving have not frequently been disrupted by weather in Denver. Precipitation has only fallen 26 times in the 148-year period of record, with 17 of those 26 occurrences resulting in measurable snow.
This means that the city typically sees a wet Thanksgiving once every six years, and a white Thanksgiving once every nine years.


thedenverpost--2020-11-26--Ask Amy: Grandparents treated like toddlers, act like teens

Dear Amy : My husband and I have a family member living with us who is fighting cancer .
My ( adult ) daughter volunteered to stay with my parents during the pandemic , since she ’ s able to telework .
She is now at her wits ’ end .
My parents are sneaking out while she is out of their sight for more than 10 minutes .
She said it ’ s like she ’ s a mom to two teenagers .
They ’ re waiting for her to turn her back before they sneak out .
We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deadly .
They ’ re in their 70s and healthy .
We don ’ t think they should stay with us because of the health of our other family member .
We are trying to get them interested in some indoor hobbies , to no avail .
They say they ’ re being safe , but then admit to running into old friends and standing around chatting .
My daughter tried to take the car keys , but they invited HER to leave !
( Of course , she won ’ t do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that if nothing else , I ’ m going to get their car keys .
Should I leave my sick one at home in order to watch over two healthy parents ?
Dear Desperate : My suggestion is that your daughter should get tested , and if she tests negative for the virus , she should leave her grandparents ’ household , leaving their car keys behind .
You don ’ t mention that your parents are needy or impaired ( other than their judgment ) , so I ’ m assuming that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health or the health of others .
As the nation faces a dramatic surge of the virus , surely they know by now that if either one of them gets sick , they put all of their contacts at great risk , and that their hospital stay will be a very lonely one .
You and your daughter should make sure that they have all of the basic knowledge and tools for cutting down their risk : Hand-washing and sanitizer in the car and at home , masks up when they enter a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appropriate distance when they are visiting with others .
( Where I live , there is a mandatory mask mandate inside all public buildings , which really cuts out the guesswork ) .
You are treating your parents like toddlers , and they are responding like teenagers , so stop .
This would mean that you won ’ t be able to spend time with them until the all-clear , but that is a consequence of the choices they are making .
Dear Amy : My brother and his wife have been borrowing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not paid him back , and now they are not speaking to each other .
When I visit my father , he will ask me if I have heard anything from my brother .
My father expects me to say something to my brother about paying him back , but I don ’ t want to be the middleman .
My brother has also put me in a tough spot .
He doesn ’ t want me to tell my father anything about his health problems , which he says is the reason @ @ @ @ @ @ @ paid Dad back .
I ’ ve asked my brother to please talk to Dad .
They are both very stubborn .
I know my father will be upset with me for not telling him about my brother ’ s health .
What should I do ?
Dear Middle : In theory , I completely agree with your stance , but you are also stubbornly sticking to your guns , when you might be able to offer a pathway out .
Tell your brother , “ Sorry .
I can ’ t keep @ @ @ @ @ @ @ put me in a terrible position , and now it is affecting my relationship with both you and Dad.
” The next time you are with your dad , call your brother from your phone , and after he answers , hand it to your dad , saying , “ Here .
You two need to catch up.
” Dear Amy : We just adopted our first family dog and we ’ ve been having difficulty teaching our 8-year-old son how to interact with the dog gently .
His desire to hug and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a growl .
Based on your recent advice , I played the stopthe77.com video for my son and it resonated for him in a way that our words did not .
He is now able to approach our dog with empathy .
Dear Family : An estimated 77 percent of dog bites come from a family or friend ’ s dog .
It turns out that , despite how much we love them , dogs do NOT like to be hugged .

Dear Amy: My husband and I have a family member living with us who is fighting cancer.
My (adult) daughter volunteered to stay with my parents during the pandemic, since she’s able to telework. She is now at her wits’ end.
My parents are sneaking out while she is out of their sight for more than 10 minutes.
She said it’s like she’s a mom to two teenagers. They’re waiting for her to turn her back before they sneak out. We all believe that their behavior could prove deadly.
They’re in their 70s and healthy. We don’t think they should stay with us because of the health of our other family member.
We are trying to get them interested in some indoor hobbies, to no avail. They say they’re being safe, but then admit to running into old friends and standing around chatting.
My daughter tried to take the car keys, but they invited HER to leave! (Of course, she won’t do that.)
I told my husband that if nothing else, I’m going to get their car keys.
Should I leave my sick one at home in order to watch over two healthy parents?
Your suggestions?
— Desperate
Dear Desperate: My suggestion is that your daughter should get tested, and if she tests negative for the virus, she should leave her grandparents’ household, leaving their car keys behind.
You don’t mention that your parents are needy or impaired (other than their judgment), so I’m assuming that they simply have minimal regard for their health or the health of others.
As the nation faces a dramatic surge of the virus, surely they know by now that if either one of them gets sick, they put all of their contacts at great risk, and that their hospital stay will be a very lonely one.
You and your daughter should make sure that they have all of the basic knowledge and tools for cutting down their risk: Hand-washing and sanitizer in the car and at home, masks up when they enter a building or encounter anyone, and maintaining appropriate distance when they are visiting with others. (Where I live, there is a mandatory mask mandate inside all public buildings, which really cuts out the guesswork).
You are treating your parents like toddlers, and they are responding like teenagers, so stop. This would mean that you won’t be able to spend time with them until the all-clear, but that is a consequence of the choices they are making.
Dear Amy: My brother and his wife have been borrowing money from my father.
They have not paid him back, and now they are not speaking to each other.
When I visit my father, he will ask me if I have heard anything from my brother.
My father expects me to say something to my brother about paying him back, but I don’t want to be the middleman.
My brother has also put me in a tough spot. He doesn’t want me to tell my father anything about his health problems, which he says is the reason he and his wife haven’t paid Dad back.
I’ve asked my brother to please talk to Dad. They are both very stubborn.
I know my father will be upset with me for not telling him about my brother’s health.
What should I do?
— In the Middle
Dear Middle: In theory, I completely agree with your stance, but you are also stubbornly sticking to your guns, when you might be able to offer a pathway out.
Tell your brother, “Sorry. I can’t keep this secret for you. It has put me in a terrible position, and now it is affecting my relationship with both you and Dad.”
The next time you are with your dad, call your brother from your phone, and after he answers, hand it to your dad, saying, “Here. You two need to catch up.”
Dear Amy: We just adopted our first family dog and we’ve been having difficulty teaching our 8-year-old son how to interact with the dog gently. His desire to hug and kiss the dog is sometimes met with a growl.
Based on your recent advice, I played the stopthe77.com video for my son and it resonated for him in a way that our words did not.
He is now able to approach our dog with empathy.
— New Dog Family
Dear Family: An estimated 77 percent of dog bites come from a family or friend’s dog. It turns out that, despite how much we love them, dogs do NOT like to be hugged.
(You can email Amy Dickinson at askamy@amydickinson.com or send a letter to Ask Amy, P.O. Box 194, Freeville, NY 13068. You can also follow her on Twitter @askingamy or Facebook.)


thedenverpost--2020-11-26--Colorado Gov. Jared Polis to quarantine after being exposed to COVID-19

Colorado Gov .
Jared Polis will quarantine after learning he was exposed to someone who tested positive for COVID-19 .
@ @ @ @ @ with results coming back negative , he said in a tweet .
According to the @ @ @ @ @ Polis will be monitored closely while in quarantine and will be tested again in later @ @ @

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis will quarantine after learning he was exposed to someone who tested positive for COVID-19.
Polis was tested Wednesday night with results coming back negative, he said in a tweet.
According to the CDC and CDPHE guidance, Polis will be monitored closely while in quarantine and will be tested again in later this week.


thedenverpost--2020-11-26--No fans allowed at CHSAA championship football games in Pueblo County

Fans banned from attending CHSAA championship football games in Pueblo County due to widespread transmission of COVID-19 .
Parents and other spectators of CHSAA-sponsored championship football games will be banned from attending the games in Pueblo County starting the weekend of Dec. 4-5 as the county “ continues to have widespread transmission of COVID-19 , ” according to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment ( CDPHE ) .
Experts at the Colorado School of Public Health estimate that 1 in 29 people in Pueblo and surrounding areas are contagious with the virus , and so attendance will only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ athletic staff , cheerleaders , band members , broadcast staff , and other essential personnel .
“ We appreciate the ongoing partnership with the Colorado High School Activities Association as we navigate these tough times , ” said Jill Hunsaker Ryan , Executive Director , CDPHE .
“ Early in the season , our organizations both agreed that additional safety measures like these might need to be taken , and now unfortunately we are there .
These decisions aren ’ t made lightly , but they ’ re necessary.
” CHSAA commissioner Rhonda @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

Fans banned from attending CHSAA championship football games in Pueblo County due to widespread transmission of COVID-19.
Parents and other spectators of CHSAA-sponsored championship football games will be banned from attending the games in Pueblo County starting the weekend of Dec. 4-5 as the county “continues to have widespread transmission of COVID-19,” according to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE).
Experts at the Colorado School of Public Health estimate that 1 in 29 people in Pueblo and surrounding areas are contagious with the virus, and so attendance will only be limited solely to football teams, athletic staff, cheerleaders, band members, broadcast staff, and other essential personnel.
“We appreciate the ongoing partnership with the Colorado High School Activities Association as we navigate these tough times,” said Jill Hunsaker Ryan, Executive Director, CDPHE. “Early in the season, our organizations both agreed that additional safety measures like these might need to be taken, and now unfortunately we are there. These decisions aren’t made lightly, but they’re necessary.”
CHSAA commissioner Rhonda Blanford-Green said they supported the new restrictions.
More via Denver7


thedenverpost--2020-11-27--Plane crash near Telluride airport kills two

Emergency responders in San Miguel County are investigating a plane crash in the Telluride area that killed both people on board on Thursday afternoon .
The San Miguel County Sheriff ’ s Office reported on its Facebook page that the single-engine plane was approaching Telluride Regional Airport around 1:30 p.m. Thursday when witnesses reported seeing it go down in the area .
It took authorities an hour to find the crash site .
When they got there , they found that both people in the plane were dead .
“ It ’ s difficult and rough terrain all around Telluride @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it , ” Sheriff Bill Masters said .
“ Some citizens heard impact near their house.
” It is unclear at this point what caused the plane to crash , Masters said .
One commenter on the sheriff ’ s Facebook post said they were cross-country skiing in the area , saw the plane and that it sounded like it was in distress before the crash .
Masters said the county coroner is working to identify the two people killed and further information will be released when authorities can notify next of kin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two victims as of this time , ” Masters said around 6 p.m. Thursday .
“ It ’ s a really unfortunate Thanksgiving Day tragedy.
” The sheriff ’ s office is working with San Miguel Search and Rescue , the Telluride Fire Protection District and the county coroner at the scene .
Federal aviation authorities have been notified .

Emergency responders in San Miguel County are investigating a plane crash in the Telluride area that killed both people on board on Thursday afternoon.
The San Miguel County Sheriff’s Office reported on its Facebook page that the single-engine plane was approaching Telluride Regional Airport around 1:30 p.m. Thursday when witnesses reported seeing it go down in the area. It took authorities an hour to find the crash site. When they got there, they found that both people in the plane were dead.
“It’s difficult and rough terrain all around Telluride so we couldn’t easily find it,” Sheriff Bill Masters said. “Some citizens heard impact near their house.”
It is unclear at this point what caused the plane to crash, Masters said. One commenter on the sheriff’s Facebook post said they were cross-country skiing in the area, saw the plane and that it sounded like it was in distress before the crash.
Masters said the county coroner is working to identify the two people killed and further information will be released when authorities can notify next of kin.
“We have not identified the two victims as of this time,” Masters said around 6 p.m. Thursday. “It’s a really unfortunate Thanksgiving Day tragedy.”
The sheriff’s office is working with San Miguel Search and Rescue, the Telluride Fire Protection District and the county coroner at the scene. Federal aviation authorities have been notified.


thedenverpost--2020-11-26--Browns place DE Gustin on COVID list, team hit hard by virus

CLEVELAND — The Browns didn ’ t dodge COVID-19 on the holiday .
Cleveland placed defensive end Porter Gustin on the reserve/COVID-19 list Thursday , further weakening a group already missing star Myles Garrett and the latest move for a Browns team hit hard by the virus in recent weeks .
Gustin ’ s positive test forced the Browns to close their facility for the third day in a row to conduct contact tracing .
It also altered coach Kevin Stefanski ’ s practice schedule again as he prepares the Browns ( 7-3 ) for Sunday ’ s game at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not get on the field on Thanksgiving as the unit was limited to only virtual meetings .
The Browns won ’ t be close to being at full strength this week , and it ’ s good they ’ ll be playing the Jaguars ( 1-9 ) , who are dealing with their own COVID issues .
With Gustin now out , the Browns will be missing five players , including Garrett and defensive end Joe Jackson to coronavirus , which has been spiking in the NFL and across the country .
Starting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are also on the COVID list after testing positive .
Top cornerback Denzel Ward will also sit out Sunday ’ s game with a calf strain that is expected to keep him off the field for several weeks .
Garrett also missed last week ’ s 22-17 win over Philadelphia after testing positive for the virus .
Stefanski didn ’ t give any details on Garrett ’ s condition Wednesday , but said he hoped the 2017 No .
1 pick , who has 9 1/2 sacks , will return for the Dec. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the Browns placed Takitaki on the COVID list and kept eight players out of practice as a precaution .
Stefanski had his team practice in shifts inside the team ’ s field house to try and control possible spread of the virus .
Takitaki returned an interception for a touchdown against the Eagles and the Browns had five sacks , including a safety , to continue their best start since 1994 .
The Browns did have some good news as offensive lineman Chris Hubbard was activated from the COVID list after testing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two games .
Hubbard has played in seven games and made four starts this season .
He filled in at right guard when Wyatt Teller was sidelined with a calf strain for three weeks , and Hubbard played right tackle while Jack Conklin was hurt .

CLEVELAND — The Browns didn’t dodge COVID-19 on the holiday.
Cleveland placed defensive end Porter Gustin on the reserve/COVID-19 list Thursday, further weakening a group already missing star Myles Garrett and the latest move for a Browns team hit hard by the virus in recent weeks.
Gustin’s positive test forced the Browns to close their facility for the third day in a row to conduct contact tracing. It also altered coach Kevin Stefanski’s practice schedule again as he prepares the Browns (7-3) for Sunday’s game at Jacksonville.
Cleveland’s defense did not get on the field on Thanksgiving as the unit was limited to only virtual meetings.
The Browns won’t be close to being at full strength this week, and it’s good they’ll be playing the Jaguars (1-9), who are dealing with their own COVID issues.
With Gustin now out, the Browns will be missing five players, including Garrett and defensive end Joe Jackson to coronavirus, which has been spiking in the NFL and across the country.
Starting linebacker Sione Takitaki and fullback Andy Janovich are also on the COVID list after testing positive.
Top cornerback Denzel Ward will also sit out Sunday’s game with a calf strain that is expected to keep him off the field for several weeks.
Garrett also missed last week’s 22-17 win over Philadelphia after testing positive for the virus. Stefanski didn’t give any details on Garrett’s condition Wednesday, but said he hoped the 2017 No. 1 pick, who has 9 1/2 sacks, will return for the Dec. 6 game at Tennessee.
Also Wednesday, the Browns placed Takitaki on the COVID list and kept eight players out of practice as a precaution. Stefanski had his team practice in shifts inside the team’s field house to try and control possible spread of the virus.
Takitaki returned an interception for a touchdown against the Eagles and the Browns had five sacks, including a safety, to continue their best start since 1994.
The Browns did have some good news as offensive lineman Chris Hubbard was activated from the COVID list after testing positive on Nov. 13. He missed two games.
Hubbard has played in seven games and made four starts this season. He filled in at right guard when Wyatt Teller was sidelined with a calf strain for three weeks, and Hubbard played right tackle while Jack Conklin was hurt.


thedenverpost--2020-11-26--Deshaun Watson’s 4 touchdowns lift Texans to 41-25 win over Lions

DETROIT — Deshaun Watson dropped back in a protected pocket at midfield and perfectly lofted one of his four touchdown passes , connecting with Will Fuller in stride just before he reached the end zone .
Houston ’ s star quarterback made it look easy , and the Detroit Lions did their part to not put up much of a fight .
Watson had a pair of go-ahead touchdown passes in the first half and threw for two more scores in the fourth quarter to help Houston pull away and beat Detroit 41-25 Thursday .
And still , he wasn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ definitely good , but I missed two touchdowns , ” Watson said .
The dynamic quarterback finished 17 of 25 for 318 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions .
He has thrown 15 touchdown passes without getting picked off once in the past six games .
“ You ’ ve got to give some credit to the guys up front , ” interim coach Romeo Crennel said .
“ If they give him time , he ’ s able to make plays .
Guys can get open and he can hit them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Texans star defensive end J.J. Watt had an early pick-6 and Fuller had six receptions for 171 yards and two touchdowns , including a 40-yard touchdown catch in which it looked like he and Watson were all alone on a practice field .
The Texans ( 4-7 ) have won two straight for the first time this season and three of their past four games with Crennel .
“ That ’ s good , but we haven ’ t won enough , ” Crennel said .
The Lions haven ’ t , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ least one man his job .
Detroit ( 4-7 ) might end the season with interim leaders after losing consecutive games for the third time this season , dropping coach Matt Patricia ’ s record to 13-29-1 and general manager Bob Quinn ’ s mark to 12 games under .500 over five seasons .
Patricia was peppered with questions about his job being in jeopardy , and evaded each query .
“ My focus every day is on the guys in that locker room and working as hard as I can to help @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Lions retained Patricia and Quinn for this season and ownership said there was an expectation they contend for the playoffs by playing in meaningful games in December .
And , that seems highly unlikely .
Detroit quarterback Matthew Stafford said the scrutiny on Patricia has not appeared to affect him .
“ He ’ s the same guy every day , ” Stafford said .
“ The guy comes to work , grinds , and wants to win like all of us .
He ’ s a passionate coach , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had a lot of respect with how he ’ s continued to come to work.
” Detroit , which was coming off its first shutout loss since 2009 , scored first before collapsing with turnovers on two straight snaps and three consecutive possessions in the first half .
Houston ’ s defense entered the game with an NFL-low five forced turnovers .
Watt put his hands up on a rush just in time to pick off Stafford ’ s pass and returned it 19 yards for a touchdown in the first quarter .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ throw quickly so I stopped rushing and jumped up , ” Watt recalled .
“ It hit me square in the hands.
” On Detroit ’ s next snap , Jonathan Williams fumbled and Houston took advantage with Watson ’ s 2-yard touchdown pass to C.J .
Prosise to go ahead 13-6 .
“ Three turnovers early in the game killed the momentum , ” Stafford said .
Watson ’ s 33-yard touchdown pass to Duke Johnson gave the Texans a 20-14 lead early in the second quarter .
Watson ’ s first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fourth put Houston ahead 34-17 .
He connected again with Fuller , who was wide open , with a 34-yard touchdown on a trick play after handing the ball off and getting it back on a lateral .
Stafford was 28 of 42 for 295 yards with a 14-yard touchdown pass to Mohamed Sanu in the fourth and an interception that Watt returned for a score .
Detroit ’ s Adrian Peterson had a pair of 1-yard touchdown runs in the first half — and tried to take some blame off Patricia for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nothing to do with the head coach , ” Peterson said .
Detroit defensive back C.J .
Moore and Houston defensive back A.J .
Moore , identical twins , embraced before the game and played against each other for the first time .
Watt became the third NFL player to have at least 100 sacks and six touchdowns in a career .
The others are Jason Taylor and Julius Peppers .
Watson and Stafford were among a handful of players on both teams that took a knee during the national anthem , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sit well with President Donald Trump .
Lions : CB Desmond Trufant aggravated a hamstring injury in the second quarter in another setback for a secondary that had rookie CB Jeff Okudah ( shoulder ) and CB Mike Ford ( concussion ) inactive .
RB D ’ Andre Swift ( concussion ) along with WRs Kenny Golladay ( hip ) also missed the game .

DETROIT — Deshaun Watson dropped back in a protected pocket at midfield and perfectly lofted one of his four touchdown passes, connecting with Will Fuller in stride just before he reached the end zone.
Houston’s star quarterback made it look easy, and the Detroit Lions did their part to not put up much of a fight.
Watson had a pair of go-ahead touchdown passes in the first half and threw for two more scores in the fourth quarter to help Houston pull away and beat Detroit 41-25 Thursday.
And still, he wasn’t satisfied.
“It was definitely good, but I missed two touchdowns,” Watson said.
The dynamic quarterback finished 17 of 25 for 318 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions. He has thrown 15 touchdown passes without getting picked off once in the past six games.
“You’ve got to give some credit to the guys up front,” interim coach Romeo Crennel said. “If they give him time, he’s able to make plays. Guys can get open and he can hit them. He has that kind of accuracy.”
Texans star defensive end J.J. Watt had an early pick-6 and Fuller had six receptions for 171 yards and two touchdowns, including a 40-yard touchdown catch in which it looked like he and Watson were all alone on a practice field.
The Texans (4-7) have won two straight for the first time this season and three of their past four games with Crennel.
“That’s good, but we haven’t won enough,” Crennel said.
The Lions haven’t, either, and it might cost at least one man his job.
Detroit (4-7) might end the season with interim leaders after losing consecutive games for the third time this season, dropping coach Matt Patricia’s record to 13-29-1 and general manager Bob Quinn’s mark to 12 games under .500 over five seasons.
Patricia was peppered with questions about his job being in jeopardy, and evaded each query.
“My focus every day is on the guys in that locker room and working as hard as I can to help them be successful,” he said.
The Lions retained Patricia and Quinn for this season and ownership said there was an expectation they contend for the playoffs by playing in meaningful games in December. And, that seems highly unlikely.
Detroit quarterback Matthew Stafford said the scrutiny on Patricia has not appeared to affect him.
“He’s the same guy every day,” Stafford said. “The guy comes to work, grinds, and wants to win like all of us. He’s a passionate coach, who loves the game. I’ve had a lot of respect with how he’s continued to come to work.”
Detroit, which was coming off its first shutout loss since 2009, scored first before collapsing with turnovers on two straight snaps and three consecutive possessions in the first half. Houston’s defense entered the game with an NFL-low five forced turnovers.
Watt put his hands up on a rush just in time to pick off Stafford’s pass and returned it 19 yards for a touchdown in the first quarter.
“I saw he was going to throw quickly so I stopped rushing and jumped up,” Watt recalled. “It hit me square in the hands.”
On Detroit’s next snap, Jonathan Williams fumbled and Houston took advantage with Watson’s 2-yard touchdown pass to C.J. Prosise to go ahead 13-6.
“Three turnovers early in the game killed the momentum,” Stafford said.
Watson’s 33-yard touchdown pass to Duke Johnson gave the Texans a 20-14 lead early in the second quarter.
Watson’s first touchdown pass to Fuller early in the fourth put Houston ahead 34-17. He connected again with Fuller, who was wide open, with a 34-yard touchdown on a trick play after handing the ball off and getting it back on a lateral.
Stafford was 28 of 42 for 295 yards with a 14-yard touchdown pass to Mohamed Sanu in the fourth and an interception that Watt returned for a score. Detroit’s Adrian Peterson had a pair of 1-yard touchdown runs in the first half — and tried to take some blame off Patricia for the latest loss.
“It has nothing to do with the head coach,” Peterson said.
BROTHERLY LOVE
Detroit defensive back C.J. Moore and Houston defensive back A.J. Moore, identical twins, embraced before the game and played against each other for the first time.
ELITE COMPANY
Watt became the third NFL player to have at least 100 sacks and six touchdowns in a career. The others are Jason Taylor and Julius Peppers.
TRUMP’S TAKE
Watson and Stafford were among a handful of players on both teams that took a knee during the national anthem, a social justice statement that didn’t sit well with President Donald Trump.
“No thanks!” Trump tweeted.
INJURY REPORT
Texans: FB Cullen Gillaspia (back) and WR Kenny Stills (quadricep) were inactive.
Lions: CB Desmond Trufant aggravated a hamstring injury in the second quarter in another setback for a secondary that had rookie CB Jeff Okudah (shoulder) and CB Mike Ford (concussion) inactive. RB D’Andre Swift (concussion) along with WRs Kenny Golladay (hip) also missed the game.
UP NEXT
Texans host Indianapolis on Dec. 6.
Lions play at Chicago on Dec. 6.


thedenverpost--2020-11-26--Bronco Garettt Bolles living up to first-round status at age 28

Garett Bolles went back to the basics to transform himself from a grabby , penalty-prone lineman into one of the top left tackles in the NFL .
That focus on the fundamentals has turned him from a player who was flagged 46 times in 48 games to one who has just a pair of post-snap penalties in 2020 , who hasn ’ t allowed a single sack all season and who is deemed by Pro Football Focus and other analytic buffs as the game ’ s best at his position .
Adding to the remarkable nature of his transformation from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lacked football instincts is this : he ’ s done it during the pandemic year that began with a remote offseason that forced players to get creative in training on their own .
To work on his fundamentals , Bolles first had to recruit his wife , Natalie , to play the part of Joey Bosa , Maxx Crosby and Chris Jones .
“ I took sets in my kitchen barefoot , so when I get to my proper spot , I know exactly how my weight is between my feet and my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I had my wife line up and she would run after me and I would take sets and I ’ d put my hands on her — not hard of course — but just enough so I can get into a repetition of continuing to do the same thing over and over again.
” He ’ d also “ go to the park and set up a tree or put cones on the ground ” to refine his game .
Bolles credits his blossoming at the ripe NFL age of 28 to these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tutelage of his position coach , Hall of Famer Mike Munchak , whose work with Bolles began to pay dividends down the stretch in 2019 .
“ I always found something to do to continue to get my body in shape and get my mind where it needs to be mentally and physically and really dial in what I needed to do , ” Bolles said .
” … I think that ’ s why I ’ m having a successful season is because I ’ m doing the little things right that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ important early on in my career.
” Bolles said a better diet , proper sleep and a proper work-life balance have helped him make this leap .
“ Now I know how important it is eating right , sleeping right , training my body to a high extent so when I get into a game I ’ m not tired when we ’ re running a two-minute drive or when the game is on the line like a couple weeks ago against the Chargers , ” he said .
“ Just giving myself @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on myself .
I think that was the most important thing being a rookie and the last couple years I really just went through the motions .
“ Now that I understand what it means to be an NFL left tackle — a franchise left tackle — I took it upon myself to really dial in the little things and I think that ’ s what ’ s paying off.
” After Bolles helped Denver gain a season-best 189 yards on the ground last week when he and left guard Dalton Risner led @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Miami , running back Phillip Lindsay declared , “ the stuff he is doing is Pro Bowl.
” New Orleans coach Sean Payton concurs with that sentiment .
“ I know the ( scouting ) report this week is he ’ s playing at a Pro Bowl level and you pay attention to that , ” said Payton , whose Saints ( 8-2 ) visit the Broncos ( 4-6 ) this weekend .
“ Obviously , that ’ s hard to do at left tackle because there are some elite left tackles .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ you can see his athleticism .
He hasn ’ t given up a sack yet this year , and that ’ s pretty impressive considering where we ’ re at in the season.
” Asked for the umpteenth time on a Zoom call this week about Bolles ’ improvement in 2020 , Broncos coach Vic Fangio said , “ Well , you should keep beating that dead horse because you were beating it when it was the other way around.
” “ I think the key to his turnaround is just persistence both @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Fangio added .
“ Both Mike and ( assistant O-line coach Chris Kuper ) and myself have had faith in him , we ’ ve stayed with him and we ’ ve talked to him regularly .
We all have a good relationship with him .
“ He had a great offseason .
He stuck to it , he didn ’ t let the outside noise , which at times was appropriate , stop his determination to keep improving .
I think he ’ s finally being rewarded for that approach .
@

Garett Bolles went back to the basics to transform himself from a grabby, penalty-prone lineman into one of the top left tackles in the NFL.
That focus on the fundamentals has turned him from a player who was flagged 46 times in 48 games to one who has just a pair of post-snap penalties in 2020, who hasn’t allowed a single sack all season and who is deemed by Pro Football Focus and other analytic buffs as the game’s best at his position.
Adding to the remarkable nature of his transformation from an athletic, converted lacrosse star who lacked football instincts is this: he’s done it during the pandemic year that began with a remote offseason that forced players to get creative in training on their own.
To work on his fundamentals, Bolles first had to recruit his wife, Natalie, to play the part of Joey Bosa, Maxx Crosby and Chris Jones.
“I took sets in my kitchen barefoot, so when I get to my proper spot, I know exactly how my weight is between my feet and my toes,” Bolles recounted. “I had my wife line up and she would run after me and I would take sets and I’d put my hands on her — not hard of course — but just enough so I can get into a repetition of continuing to do the same thing over and over again.”
He’d also “go to the park and set up a tree or put cones on the ground” to refine his game.
Bolles credits his blossoming at the ripe NFL age of 28 to these details he concentrated on and to the tutelage of his position coach, Hall of Famer Mike Munchak, whose work with Bolles began to pay dividends down the stretch in 2019.
“I always found something to do to continue to get my body in shape and get my mind where it needs to be mentally and physically and really dial in what I needed to do,” Bolles said. ”… I think that’s why I’m having a successful season is because I’m doing the little things right that I didn’t really think were important early on in my career.”
Bolles said a better diet, proper sleep and a proper work-life balance have helped him make this leap.
“Now I know how important it is eating right, sleeping right, training my body to a high extent so when I get into a game I’m not tired when we’re running a two-minute drive or when the game is on the line like a couple weeks ago against the Chargers,” he said. “Just giving myself time so that I can really focus on myself. I think that was the most important thing being a rookie and the last couple years I really just went through the motions.
“Now that I understand what it means to be an NFL left tackle — a franchise left tackle — I took it upon myself to really dial in the little things and I think that’s what’s paying off.”
After Bolles helped Denver gain a season-best 189 yards on the ground last week when he and left guard Dalton Risner led a revival of the Lombardi Sweep against Miami, running back Phillip Lindsay declared, “the stuff he is doing is Pro Bowl.”
New Orleans coach Sean Payton concurs with that sentiment.
“I know the (scouting) report this week is he’s playing at a Pro Bowl level and you pay attention to that,” said Payton, whose Saints (8-2) visit the Broncos (4-6) this weekend.
“Obviously, that’s hard to do at left tackle because there are some elite left tackles. But he’s settled in and you can see his athleticism. He hasn’t given up a sack yet this year, and that’s pretty impressive considering where we’re at in the season.”
Asked for the umpteenth time on a Zoom call this week about Bolles’ improvement in 2020, Broncos coach Vic Fangio said, “Well, you should keep beating that dead horse because you were beating it when it was the other way around.”
“I think the key to his turnaround is just persistence both on his part and our part,” Fangio added. “Both Mike and (assistant O-line coach Chris Kuper) and myself have had faith in him, we’ve stayed with him and we’ve talked to him regularly. We all have a good relationship with him.
“He had a great offseason. He stuck to it, he didn’t let the outside noise, which at times was appropriate, stop his determination to keep improving. I think he’s finally being rewarded for that approach.”


thedenverpost--2020-11-26--College basketball: Gonzaga beats Kansas in season opener, Illinois defeats Chicago State, VCU falls

College basketball: Gonzaga beats Kansas in season opener, Illinois defeats Chicago State, VCU falls to West Virginia

NO .
1 GONZAGA 102 , NO .
6 KANSAS 90 FORT MYERS , Fla. — Drew Timme scored 25 points , Jalen Suggs added 24 and Corey Kispert had 23 to help No .
1 Gonzaga beat No .
6 Kansas 102-90 on Thursday in the season opener for both teams .
The Bulldogs built a double-digit lead in the first half at the Rocket Mortgage Fort Myers Tip-Off , then saw the Jayhawks tie it twice in the second half before putting them away .
Gonzaga went on a 22-7 run to go up 96-78 .
Suggs , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first half , scored 17 of his 24 in the second half .
Marcus Garrett led Kansas with 22 points , and Ochai Agbaji added 17 points .
Agbai picked up his fourth foul midway through the second half , which hurt the Jayhawks .
When he left , Kansas trailed 70-67 .
The Jayhawks rallied from a 14-point deficit in the first half to tie it at 57 .
On Friday , Gonzaga will play Auburn , and Kansas will face St. Joseph ’ s .
The Illini ( 2-0 ) scored @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at halftime .
They will host Ohio in the third round of the multi-team event Friday before facing No .
2 Baylor on Wednesday .
Adam Miller added 15 points and Kofi Cockburn finished with 14 points and 11 rebounds .
Illinois shot 60 % from the field .
Xavier Johnson led Chicago State ( 0-2 ) with 10 points .
Chicago State coach Lance Irvin has opted out of the season due to COVID-19 concerns .
Assistant Rodell Davis is coaching the team in Irvin ’ s absence .
SIOUX FALLS , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ points and 15 rebounds to help No .
15 West Virginia beat VCU 78-66 in the Bad Boys Mowers Crossover Classic semifinals .
West Virginia ( 2-0 ) will face Western Kentucky in the final Friday .
Culver rebounded from a seven-point game Wednesday night in the Mountaineers ’ opening victory over South Dakota State , finishing two shy of his career high .
He was 8 of 14 from the field .
Sean McNeil added 16 points , and Oscar Tshiebwe had 11 points and 16 rebounds .

NO. 1 GONZAGA 102, NO. 6 KANSAS 90
FORT MYERS, Fla. — Drew Timme scored 25 points, Jalen Suggs added 24 and Corey Kispert had 23 to help No. 1 Gonzaga beat No. 6 Kansas 102-90 on Thursday in the season opener for both teams.
The Bulldogs built a double-digit lead in the first half at the Rocket Mortgage Fort Myers Tip-Off, then saw the Jayhawks tie it twice in the second half before putting them away. Gonzaga went on a 22-7 run to go up 96-78.
Suggs, who got in foul trouble in the first half, scored 17 of his 24 in the second half.
Marcus Garrett led Kansas with 22 points, and Ochai Agbaji added 17 points. Agbai picked up his fourth foul midway through the second half, which hurt the Jayhawks. When he left, Kansas trailed 70-67.
The Jayhawks rallied from a 14-point deficit in the first half to tie it at 57.
On Friday, Gonzaga will play Auburn, and Kansas will face St. Joseph’s.
NO. 8 ILLINOIS 97, CHICAGO STATE 38
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Ayo Dosunmu scored 22 points, freshman Andres Curbelo added 18 and Illinois routed Chicago State.
The Illini (2-0) scored the first nine points and led 47-17 at halftime. They will host Ohio in the third round of the multi-team event Friday before facing No. 2 Baylor on Wednesday.
Adam Miller added 15 points and Kofi Cockburn finished with 14 points and 11 rebounds. Illinois shot 60% from the field.
Xavier Johnson led Chicago State (0-2) with 10 points. Chicago State coach Lance Irvin has opted out of the season due to COVID-19 concerns. Assistant Rodell Davis is coaching the team in Irvin’s absence.
NO. 15 WEST VIRGINIA 78, VCU 66
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — Derek Culver had 23 points and 15 rebounds to help No. 15 West Virginia beat VCU 78-66 in the Bad Boys Mowers Crossover Classic semifinals.
West Virginia (2-0) will face Western Kentucky in the final Friday.
Culver rebounded from a seven-point game Wednesday night in the Mountaineers’ opening victory over South Dakota State, finishing two shy of his career high. He was 8 of 14 from the field.
Sean McNeil added 16 points, and Oscar Tshiebwe had 11 points and 16 rebounds.
Nah’Shon Hyland led the Rams (1-1) with 13 points.