thedenverpost--2020-10-27--After spacecraft’s sample from asteroid runneth over, Lockheed Martin, partners prepare material for

After spacecraft’s sample from asteroid runneth over, Lockheed Martin, partners prepare material for long journey home

Confident that the spacecraft OSIRIS-REx captured a good-sized sample from the surface of an asteroid , the team working on the NASA project will start the process of stowing the material in a capsule set to return to Earth in 2023 .
Starting Tuesday , scientists and engineers on the Lockheed Martin Space campus in Jefferson County will work to release and stow the ring-shaped head at the end of a robotic arm .
The capsule , containing NASA ’ s first-ever sample of material from an asteroid , is expected to land in a Utah desert .
“ This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clock until we can get all those steps completed .
We believe that the earliest that things will be complete will be late on Wednesday , ” said Sandra Freund , the OSIRIS-REx mission operations manager for Lockheed Martin .
The mission is led by the University of Arizona and is part of NASA ’ s ongoing quest to learn more about the origins of the solar system and Earth .
The spacecraft , built by Lockheed Martin , was launched in September 2016 by Centennial-based United Launch Alliance from Cape Canaveral in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reached the asteroid Bennu , which is 200 million miles from Earth , and started taking images and mapping Bennu ’ s geology and other properties .
Freund said the quick touchdown Oct. 20 on the surface to get samples of regolith , dirt-like material , was “ pretty much picture perfect.
” The goal was to use the craft ’ s robotic arm , called Touch-And-Go Sample Acquisition Mechanism , or TAGSAM , to collect at least 60 grams , or 2.1 ounces , of regolith .
Photos showed that TAGSAM likely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also revealed that larger particles got wedged in a flap , creating a couple of gaps where some of the material drifted out .
As a result , Freund said it was decided to stow the sample container in the capsule about a week earlier than planned .
The team doesn ’ t know exactly how much material was collected because it is skipping a spin maneuver that would help determine the mass of the sample .
Scientists don ’ t want to risk losing more of the particles in space .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over 60 grams , which is the mission ’ s requirement .
Unfortunately , it looks like we ’ re going to have to wait until we ’ re back on Earth to know exactly how much we have , ” Freund said .
To collect the regolith , the TAGSAM ’ s arm extended and the device blew compressed nitrogen gas to stir up the dirt and collect the material in a filter in the ring-shaped canister .
The asteroid , a little over the size of the Empire State Building in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years old , according to NASA .
“ Bennu itself is a piece of the early solar system that formed the Earth , and we ourselves are a product of the Earth , ” said Beau Bierhaus , Lockheed Martin ’ s lead scientist on TAGSAM .
“ By virtue of learning about Bennu and learning about Jupiter or learning about Mars , we ’ re not only learning about those other destinations , we ’ re learning how they have affected Earth and how they have contributed to the evolution of Earth @ @ @ @ @ @

Confident that the spacecraft OSIRIS-REx captured a good-sized sample from the surface of an asteroid, the team working on the NASA project will start the process of stowing the material in a capsule set to return to Earth in 2023.
Starting Tuesday, scientists and engineers on the Lockheed Martin Space campus in Jefferson County will work to release and stow the ring-shaped head at the end of a robotic arm. The capsule, containing NASA’s first-ever sample of material from an asteroid, is expected to land in a Utah desert.
“This team is prepared to go around the clock until we can get all those steps completed. We believe that the earliest that things will be complete will be late on Wednesday,” said Sandra Freund, the OSIRIS-REx mission operations manager for Lockheed Martin.
The mission is led by the University of Arizona and is part of NASA’s ongoing quest to learn more about the origins of the solar system and Earth. The spacecraft, built by Lockheed Martin, was launched in September 2016 by Centennial-based United Launch Alliance from Cape Canaveral in Florida.
In 2018, the spacecraft reached the asteroid Bennu, which is 200 million miles from Earth, and started taking images and mapping Bennu’s geology and other properties. Freund said the quick touchdown Oct. 20 on the surface to get samples of regolith, dirt-like material, was “pretty much picture perfect.”
The goal was to use the craft’s robotic arm, called Touch-And-Go Sample Acquisition Mechanism, or TAGSAM, to collect at least 60 grams, or 2.1 ounces, of regolith. Photos showed that TAGSAM likely collected much more than that, but also revealed that larger particles got wedged in a flap, creating a couple of gaps where some of the material drifted out.
As a result, Freund said it was decided to stow the sample container in the capsule about a week earlier than planned. The team doesn’t know exactly how much material was collected because it is skipping a spin maneuver that would help determine the mass of the sample. Scientists don’t want to risk losing more of the particles in space.
“We’re confident that we have over 60 grams, which is the mission’s requirement. Unfortunately, it looks like we’re going to have to wait until we’re back on Earth to know exactly how much we have,” Freund said.
To collect the regolith, the TAGSAM’s arm extended and the device blew compressed nitrogen gas to stir up the dirt and collect the material in a filter in the ring-shaped canister. The asteroid, a little over the size of the Empire State Building in diameter, is more than 4.5 billion years old, according to NASA.
“Bennu itself is a piece of the early solar system that formed the Earth, and we ourselves are a product of the Earth,” said Beau Bierhaus, Lockheed Martin’s lead scientist on TAGSAM. “By virtue of learning about Bennu and learning about Jupiter or learning about Mars, we’re not only learning about those other destinations, we’re learning how they have affected Earth and how they have contributed to the evolution of Earth in the solar system.”


thedenverpost--2020-10-27--You asked, we answered: Can you trust COVID-19 test results?

Every time we write about new COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in Colorado , some variation of the same objection comes in : we ’ re making too much of nothing .
At first , it was that COVID-19 is no worse than flu .
That ’ s been thoroughly debunked , as the new coronavirus caused more hospitalizations and deaths than any flu season in recent memory — though for unknown reasons it does seem to be less risky than the flu for toddlers .
Then it was that so many infections cause mild or no symptoms that reporting on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while the number of reported cases can be influenced by how much testing a state does , each new wave of increased cases in Colorado has been followed by increased hospitalizations and deaths .
Now , it ’ s claims that testing is so unreliable that it ’ s not worth talking about increases in cases .
But that ’ s not true either .
Colorado only reports polymerase chain reaction ( PCR ) tests , which look for genetic material specific to the virus that causes COVID-19 .
Basically , through a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ amplifies any genetic material from the virus until there ’ s enough to detect a signal .
PCR tests are the most reliable type .
If you let the reactions run indefinitely , you could start generating false positives , but every brand of test comes with a cut-off point and guidelines to interpret the results , said Dr. David Kroll , a professor of pharmaceutical science the University of Colorado Anschutz campus .
The testing kits also come with positive and negative samples , to make sure the process is working correctly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he said .
“ These are exhaustive tests , ” he said .
Some PCR tests could pick up “ broken pieces ” of genetic material when a person is no longer contagious , Kroll said , though others look for more genetic markers and are less likely to rate those samples as positive .
That ’ s why the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises most people to isolate for 10 days after their symptoms clear up , rather than getting retested repeatedly , he said .
It ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ negative than to test positive when you ’ re no longer contagious , though , Kroll said .
If you get tested too soon after exposure , or the person collecting your sample doesn ’ t take enough from your nostrils , the test could miss the virus because there aren ’ t enough particles to show up as positive by the cut-off point , he said .
There isn ’ t enough research yet to be sure what level of virus in a sample means someone is no longer contagious , said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and virology at Texas Children ’ s Hospital .
If you feel fine but test positive , you have no way of knowing if you ’ re in the early stages of the disease , so the only way to ensure you don ’ t infect anyone is to isolate yourself until the contagious period passes , he said .
“ I think it ’ s better to err on the side of caution , ” he said .
Subscribe to bi-weekly newsletter to get health news sent straight to your inbox .

Every time we write about new COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in Colorado, some variation of the same objection comes in: we’re making too much of nothing.
At first, it was that COVID-19 is no worse than flu. That’s been thoroughly debunked, as the new coronavirus caused more hospitalizations and deaths than any flu season in recent memory — though for unknown reasons it does seem to be less risky than the flu for toddlers.
Then it was that so many infections cause mild or no symptoms that reporting on increases in cases was pointless. But while the number of reported cases can be influenced by how much testing a state does, each new wave of increased cases in Colorado has been followed by increased hospitalizations and deaths.
Now, it’s claims that testing is so unreliable that it’s not worth talking about increases in cases. But that’s not true either.
Colorado only reports polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests, which look for genetic material specific to the virus that causes COVID-19. Basically, through a series of chemical reactions, the test amplifies any genetic material from the virus until there’s enough to detect a signal. PCR tests are the most reliable type.
If you let the reactions run indefinitely, you could start generating false positives, but every brand of test comes with a cut-off point and guidelines to interpret the results, said Dr. David Kroll, a professor of pharmaceutical science the University of Colorado Anschutz campus. The testing kits also come with positive and negative samples, to make sure the process is working correctly before testing someone’s nasal swabs, he said.
“These are exhaustive tests,” he said.
Some PCR tests could pick up “broken pieces” of genetic material when a person is no longer contagious, Kroll said, though others look for more genetic markers and are less likely to rate those samples as positive. That’s why the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises most people to isolate for 10 days after their symptoms clear up, rather than getting retested repeatedly, he said.
It’s far more likely to get a false negative than to test positive when you’re no longer contagious, though, Kroll said. If you get tested too soon after exposure, or the person collecting your sample doesn’t take enough from your nostrils, the test could miss the virus because there aren’t enough particles to show up as positive by the cut-off point, he said.
There isn’t enough research yet to be sure what level of virus in a sample means someone is no longer contagious, said Jim Dunn, director of medical microbiology and virology at Texas Children’s Hospital. If you feel fine but test positive, you have no way of knowing if you’re in the early stages of the disease, so the only way to ensure you don’t infect anyone is to isolate yourself until the contagious period passes, he said.
“I think it’s better to err on the side of caution,” he said.
Subscribe to bi-weekly newsletter to get health news sent straight to your inbox.


thedenverpost--2020-10-27--“Life and death.” 78-year-old Denver woman whose rental is up for sale fears move during pandemic

The prospect of having to find a new place to live can be a challenge any time .
During a pandemic , it can be overwhelming , especially if you ’ re in the highest risk categories That ’ s the situation Patricia Leslie finds herself in .
The 78-year-old has mostly stayed put in her apartment since the coronavirus outbreak hit Colorado in March .
She gets her groceries delivered or friends take her to the store for pick-up orders .
Leslie said she has been exceedingly careful because of her age and a disability .
She has a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shared with The Denver Post , that says she is “ at high risk of complications and death if she should contract COVID-19.
” But the sale of the Denver apartment building where she has lived for 13 years has her “ on pins and needles ” about having to go out in public more and run the risk of contracting the coronavirus .
She wants to talk to the prospective owners about staying in the building at least through January , when she hopes a vaccine will be available .
She has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her request , but hasn ’ t heard anything yet .
Gov .
Jared Polis has issued a new executive order that reinstates a moratorium on evictions for people struggling to pay their rent because of job losses or other financial problems caused by the pandemic .
But it ’ s unclear if those protections would apply to Leslie .
She hasn ’ t had problems paying her rent , although she said the building owner told her that rents “ will go way up ” if the sale goes through .
She @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will turn into a life-and-death situation for her with COVID-19 cases on the rise .
“ I can read the data about the people who ’ ve died , ” Leslie said .
“ I think if we are truly concerned in this community and state about elderly protections , I would like to see my landlord go the extra mile and help me work something out with the prospective new owners , or at least make them aware.
” The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the risk of severe illness @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people with underlying medical conditions .
Data from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment show that of the state ’ s 2,223 deaths among COVID-19 cases , 23.26 % were in the 70-79 age group and 52.72 % were in people 80 and older .
Angela Cortez , spokeswoman for AARP Colorado , said before the pandemic , during workshops and seminars , she heard stories from older renters who had their homes or apartment buildings “ sold from right under them.
” She remembers one person whose rent jumped an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ For something like this to happen at a time like this is just the worst possible scenario , ” Cortez said .
“ The best thing we can do is ensure that there are policies in place that address issues like this and ensure that they are widely communicated in many languages , especially to low-income older adults who really need this information.
” The state of Colorado is a member of AARP ’ s network of age-friendly states and communities .
Cortez said community officials make a commitment to work with AARP @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to accommodate people of all ages .
Patrick Noonan with Brothers Redevelopment , which develops affordable housing and offers non-emergency housing-related services , said health considerations might affect when an owner can show a tenant ’ s unit .
But Noonan , the manager of the nonprofit ’ s Colorado Housing Connects program , said he ’ s not aware of rental protections “ purely for public health purposes.
” A spokeswoman with the Denver Department of Public Health said she wasn ’ t aware of such provisions , either .
Brandon Blue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Leslie lives , said the sale of the site in the University of Denver neighborhood is set to close Nov. 2 .
He said he would notify the tenants this week .
He declined to say who the buyer is .
“ We ’ re working with Patricia .
We ’ re passing on as much information as we can , ” Blue said .
“ We ’ re not wanting to sell it , we just have to sell it.
” However , Leslie said a few days later that she hadn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ calls and letters to Blue about discussing her ability to stay in the building for a while when the property changes hands .
“ It ’ s really scary .
It ’ s life and death , ” Leslie said .
Noonan said Brothers Redevelopment offers help in landlord-tenant disputes and could look at Leslie ’ s situation .
“ We would try to understand her situation in regards to rights and responsibilities , talk through her financial situation .
Is this a situation where she might be protected by the eviction moratorium @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for help “ spiked through the roof ” when the coronavirus first started spreading through Colorado , Noonan said .
Activity slowed a little , but has picked up again .
The organization is getting about 3,000 inquiries a month , compared to roughly 2,000 a month before the pandemic .
A piece of advice Noonan has for renters is to check whether their lease has expired .
He said people who ’ ve lived for a while in one place don ’ t think about having the lease renewed and just continue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ times it ’ s risky for somebody who wants to live in a place long term because a landlord could give a tenant 21-days notice that they need to move or face a rent increase , ” Noonan said .
People sacrifice critical protections if they don ’ t have a lease , he said .
People across the state can call Colorado Housing Connects with nonemergency questions at 844-926-6632 .

The prospect of having to find a new place to live can be a challenge any time. During a pandemic, it can be overwhelming, especially if you’re in the highest risk categories
That’s the situation Patricia Leslie finds herself in. The 78-year-old has mostly stayed put in her apartment since the coronavirus outbreak hit Colorado in March. She gets her groceries delivered or friends take her to the store for pick-up orders.
Leslie said she has been exceedingly careful because of her age and a disability. She has a letter from her doctor, which she shared with The Denver Post, that says she is “at high risk of complications and death if she should contract COVID-19.”
But the sale of the Denver apartment building where she has lived for 13 years has her “on pins and needles” about having to go out in public more and run the risk of contracting the coronavirus. She wants to talk to the prospective owners about staying in the building at least through January, when she hopes a vaccine will be available. She has asked the current owner to pass along her request, but hasn’t heard anything yet.
Gov. Jared Polis has issued a new executive order that reinstates a moratorium on evictions for people struggling to pay their rent because of job losses or other financial problems caused by the pandemic.
But it’s unclear if those protections would apply to Leslie. She hasn’t had problems paying her rent, although she said the building owner told her that rents “will go way up” if the sale goes through. She’s afraid that having to move will turn into a life-and-death situation for her with COVID-19 cases on the rise.
“I can read the data about the people who’ve died,” Leslie said. “I think if we are truly concerned in this community and state about elderly protections, I would like to see my landlord go the extra mile and help me work something out with the prospective new owners, or at least make them aware.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the risk of severe illness from COVID-19 increases with age and for people with underlying medical conditions. Data from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment show that of the state’s 2,223 deaths among COVID-19 cases, 23.26% were in the 70-79 age group and 52.72% were in people 80 and older.
Angela Cortez, spokeswoman for AARP Colorado, said before the pandemic, during workshops and seminars, she heard stories from older renters who had their homes or apartment buildings “sold from right under them.” She remembers one person whose rent jumped an addition $1,000 a month.
“For something like this to happen at a time like this is just the worst possible scenario,” Cortez said. “The best thing we can do is ensure that there are policies in place that address issues like this and ensure that they are widely communicated in many languages, especially to low-income older adults who really need this information.”
The state of Colorado is a member of AARP’s network of age-friendly states and communities. Cortez said community officials make a commitment to work with AARP on such issues as housing and transportation to accommodate people of all ages.
Patrick Noonan with Brothers Redevelopment, which develops affordable housing and offers non-emergency housing-related services, said health considerations might affect when an owner can show a tenant’s unit. But Noonan, the manager of the nonprofit’s Colorado Housing Connects program, said he’s not aware of rental protections “purely for public health purposes.”
A spokeswoman with the Denver Department of Public Health said she wasn’t aware of such provisions, either.
Brandon Blue, whose family owns the building where Leslie lives, said the sale of the site in the University of Denver neighborhood is set to close Nov. 2. He said he would notify the tenants this week. He declined to say who the buyer is.
“We’re working with Patricia. We’re passing on as much information as we can,” Blue said. “We’re not wanting to sell it, we just have to sell it.”
However, Leslie said a few days later that she hadn’t received an answer to her calls and letters to Blue about discussing her ability to stay in the building for a while when the property changes hands.
“It’s really scary. It’s life and death,” Leslie said.
Noonan said Brothers Redevelopment offers help in landlord-tenant disputes and could look at Leslie’s situation. “We would try to understand her situation in regards to rights and responsibilities, talk through her financial situation. Is this a situation where she might be protected by the eviction moratorium?”
Brothers Redevelopment’s calls for help “spiked through the roof” when the coronavirus first started spreading through Colorado, Noonan said. Activity slowed a little, but has picked up again. The organization is getting about 3,000 inquiries a month, compared to roughly 2,000 a month before the pandemic.
A piece of advice Noonan has for renters is to check whether their lease has expired. He said people who’ve lived for a while in one place don’t think about having the lease renewed and just continue month to month. That is what Leslie is doing.
“In normal times it’s risky for somebody who wants to live in a place long term because a landlord could give a tenant 21-days notice that they need to move or face a rent increase,” Noonan said.
People sacrifice critical protections if they don’t have a lease, he said.
People across the state can call Colorado Housing Connects with nonemergency questions at 844-926-6632.


thedenverpost--2020-10-27--Porn was found on a shared 17th Judicial District laptop — law enforcement was never told

A laptop computer that rotated among the judges of Adams and Broomfield counties ’ judicial district and contained dozens of pornographic images was never turned over to law enforcement for investigation or reported up the chain of command when the images were discovered , The Denver Post has learned .
Reasons vary for why law enforcement was not involved at the start to determine whether the images were illegal .
The former administrator of the 17th Judicial District , Benjamin Stough , said he was ordered by his boss , the chief judge , to make the images “ go @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The now-retired chief judge , Patrick Murphy , says it was Stough who handled the incident and that he was merely following his subordinate ’ s advice not to be concerned about it .
The incident comes to light months after Stough lost his battle for unemployment benefits .
He was fired last year for not reporting the matter to authorities when it happened or detailing what he did with the pornography when asked .
Stough says Murphy ordered him to destroy the images after learning the laptop had been assigned to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the pornography was downloaded , according to documents obtained by The Post that detail the incident .
He has said it was unclear whether the images were of children and maintains Murphy should have ordered them investigated .
Murphy told The Post that it was actually Stough who recommended not reporting the images and he recalls Stough assuring him they did not depict minors .
Details surrounding the allegation are laid out in several state records obtained by The Post including a whistle-blower complaint Stough filed with the State Personnel Board in August @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of hearings held regarding his claims for unemployment insurance benefits months afterward .
The password-protected laptop is rotated weekly among judges and magistrates in the district for evening and weekend duties such as issuing police warrants for searches or emergency custody orders .
Stough said a female judge in the rotation reported the images to the district ’ s computer technicians , who reported it to Stough .
He then took the laptop directly to Murphy , according to the documents .
While Murphy recalls the exchange differently , Stough said he told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ depicted children .
Stough said that although the senior judge never viewed the images , he “ directed me to ‘ make it go away ' ” after the magistrate said they weren ’ t his , according to the whistle-blower complaint .
The complaint was dismissed because Stough was an at-will employee and not covered by the state ’ s career service rules .
“ I believe Judge Murphy covered it up , ” Stough said during an August 2019 interview with the current chief judge who later fired him , according @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ He had a duty to call law enforcement , to try to find out ( what ) those images were , who these people were , and ascertain their age .
He didn ’ t do it.
” Stough said he kept quiet because he feared for his job if he spoke out .
The best anyone can recall , the incident occurred around Christmas 2016 or 2017 and only recently came to light as Stough unsuccessfully battled for unemployment benefits .
He was fired last year from his $ 175,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to state authorities or law enforcement when it happened and for not disclosing what he did with the pornography .
That firing came under the current chief judge , Emily Anderson .
Murphy , a former assistant federal prosecutor who served 11 years on the bench , said he would never have sought to destroy evidence .
“ There absolutely was not a conspiracy to hide anything whatsoever , ” Murphy told The Post .
The images were discovered after the computer had been assigned to former Adams County Chief Magistrate Peter Stapp @ @ @ @ @ @ @ images or how they got onto the laptop when confronted by Murphy and Stough , the whistle-blower documents show .
The former magistrate , however , told The Post that he told the two men that it was likely teenaged relatives who visited the pornographic websites when he loaned them the laptop during a family gathering over the holidays .
He said Stough told him not to be concerned about it .
“ He said , ‘ Don ’ t worry about it , it ’ s not a big deal , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ' ” Stapp told The Post , adding he did not confront those relatives or ask if it was them .
“ I assumed it was the end of it.
” Stapp said all he saw was a list of websites from Stough , not any images .
He said the next he heard about the incident was from the attorney general ’ s office in connection with Stough ’ s unemployment claim last year .
Stapp agreed that he , like all other judges and district employees , had signed a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Colorado Supreme Court restricting access to judicial laptops to employees only , as well as a requirement to report any misuse or unauthorized access .
Both Murphy and Stapp have since retired from the bench .
Murphy currently works with the Judicial Arbiter Group , a company made up of retired judges who provide alternative dispute resolution and other legal services .
Stapp runs his own legal mediation service in Denver .
The first time Stough disclosed the episode was in March 2019 when the Judicial Department ’ s director of human resources @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unrelated reasons , according to the whistle-blower complaint .
Stough replied that he would file an age-discrimination lawsuit over his firing , then revealed he would also send information about the pornography incident to the FBI .
A laptop was sent to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation in March 2019 , but it turned out to be the one that replaced the laptop they sought , according to CBI reports obtained by The Post via an open-records request .
The laptop used by Stapp had already been recycled and its hard drive removed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hard drive was destroyed or lay among hundreds scheduled to be incinerated .
Stough , now a consultant in Fort Collins , said that he brought up the pornography incident in March 2019 because he believed he had been fired and was free to disclose it since he no longer feared losing his position , according to the documents .
Stough was actually placed on paid administrative leave , records show , and he said he heard from no one within the Judicial Department until Anderson contacted him in August 2019 .
Anderson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the laptop incident after becoming chief judge in May 2019 , when Stough was still on administrative leave , and immediately “ asked for a thorough , independent investigation by the Attorney General.
” She said she was unaware of the CBI inquiry .
Anderson told The Post she contacted Stough in August to discuss the incident at the request of the attorney general ’ s office .
“ A report that pornography was found on a laptop computer used in the 17th Judicial District is very upsetting , ” Anderson told The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ possibility that child pornography may have been involved is appalling.
” Anderson questioned Stough in August 2019 , according to a transcript of that interview obtained by The Post , and later fired him because he refused to divulge what he had done with the pornography and for not reporting the incident to other authorities at the time it occurred , according to documents from the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment .
Anderson told The Post the firing was in consultation with the AG ’ s office .
“ I figured out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ care , just didn ’ t care , just make it go away .
His position was to protect his judges , at whatever cost , any kind of judicial misconduct , ” Stough told Anderson .
He said he kept silent because it would have been “ career suicide ” to take the matter further or “ go around ( Murphy ’ s ) back ” after he was directed to destroy the images , according to the transcript .
“ My boss knew about it and he had a duty to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ He also had the ability to fire me .
So , I had a duty to support my family.
” Anderson also asked about the age of the females in the images .
“ Did any of the women appear to be underage ?
” she asked Stough .
“ It ’ s impossible to tell , ” he said .
“ They were young , but they were heavily made up.
” Stough later said he refused to divulge to Anderson what became of the material because he feared it would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ given to law enforcement , according to a recording of his unemployment hearing .
Stough actually chose not to destroy the files and instead changed their designation on the computer so that they would remain hidden from public view and removed a desktop icon that linked to them , according to a recording of the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment hearing in November 2019 regarding his unemployment claim .
Stough mailed information about the incident to the FBI the day after Anderson fired him but never heard back from that agency .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ told The Post that it does not comment about complaints it receives or whether an investigation was conducted .
Stough said he was never contacted by agents at CBI , either .
Murphy said he was interviewed about the incident by the AG ’ s office , but only as it related to Stough ’ s claim for unemployment benefits .
The same was true for Stapp , the former magistrate said .
Stough eventually lost his fight for unemployment benefits when a hearing officer agreed with lawyers for the state that he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ incident to authorities other than Murphy , and for insubordination for not telling Anderson where the images were located , according to a copy of the decision obtained by The Post .

A laptop computer that rotated among the judges of Adams and Broomfield counties’ judicial district and contained dozens of pornographic images was never turned over to law enforcement for investigation or reported up the chain of command when the images were discovered, The Denver Post has learned.
Reasons vary for why law enforcement was not involved at the start to determine whether the images were illegal. The former administrator of the 17th Judicial District, Benjamin Stough, said he was ordered by his boss, the chief judge, to make the images “go away” after he learned of them. The now-retired chief judge, Patrick Murphy, says it was Stough who handled the incident and that he was merely following his subordinate’s advice not to be concerned about it.
The incident comes to light months after Stough lost his battle for unemployment benefits. He was fired last year for not reporting the matter to authorities when it happened or detailing what he did with the pornography when asked.
Stough says Murphy ordered him to destroy the images after learning the laptop had been assigned to a magistrate and friend at the time the pornography was downloaded, according to documents obtained by The Post that detail the incident. He has said it was unclear whether the images were of children and maintains Murphy should have ordered them investigated.
Murphy told The Post that it was actually Stough who recommended not reporting the images and he recalls Stough assuring him they did not depict minors.
Details surrounding the allegation are laid out in several state records obtained by The Post including a whistle-blower complaint Stough filed with the State Personnel Board in August 2019 when he was fired and recordings of hearings held regarding his claims for unemployment insurance benefits months afterward.
The password-protected laptop is rotated weekly among judges and magistrates in the district for evening and weekend duties such as issuing police warrants for searches or emergency custody orders. Stough said a female judge in the rotation reported the images to the district’s computer technicians, who reported it to Stough. He then took the laptop directly to Murphy, according to the documents.
While Murphy recalls the exchange differently, Stough said he told Murphy he was unsure whether the images depicted children. Stough said that although the senior judge never viewed the images, he “directed me to ‘make it go away'” after the magistrate said they weren’t his, according to the whistle-blower complaint.
The complaint was dismissed because Stough was an at-will employee and not covered by the state’s career service rules.
“I believe Judge Murphy covered it up,” Stough said during an August 2019 interview with the current chief judge who later fired him, according to a transcript obtained by The Post. “He had a duty to call law enforcement, to try to find out (what) those images were, who these people were, and ascertain their age. He didn’t do it.”
Stough said he kept quiet because he feared for his job if he spoke out.
The best anyone can recall, the incident occurred around Christmas 2016 or 2017 and only recently came to light as Stough unsuccessfully battled for unemployment benefits. He was fired last year from his $175,000 job for failing to report the matter to state authorities or law enforcement when it happened and for not disclosing what he did with the pornography. That firing came under the current chief judge, Emily Anderson.
Murphy, a former assistant federal prosecutor who served 11 years on the bench, said he would never have sought to destroy evidence. “There absolutely was not a conspiracy to hide anything whatsoever,” Murphy told The Post.
The images were discovered after the computer had been assigned to former Adams County Chief Magistrate Peter Stapp. Stapp denied any knowledge of the images or how they got onto the laptop when confronted by Murphy and Stough, the whistle-blower documents show.
The former magistrate, however, told The Post that he told the two men that it was likely teenaged relatives who visited the pornographic websites when he loaned them the laptop during a family gathering over the holidays. He said Stough told him not to be concerned about it.
“He said, ‘Don’t worry about it, it’s not a big deal, I’ll just take care of it,'” Stapp told The Post, adding he did not confront those relatives or ask if it was them. “I assumed it was the end of it.”
Stapp said all he saw was a list of websites from Stough, not any images. He said the next he heard about the incident was from the attorney general’s office in connection with Stough’s unemployment claim last year.
Stapp agreed that he, like all other judges and district employees, had signed a directive from the chief justice of the Colorado Supreme Court restricting access to judicial laptops to employees only, as well as a requirement to report any misuse or unauthorized access.
Both Murphy and Stapp have since retired from the bench. Murphy currently works with the Judicial Arbiter Group, a company made up of retired judges who provide alternative dispute resolution and other legal services. Stapp runs his own legal mediation service in Denver.
The first time Stough disclosed the episode was in March 2019 when the Judicial Department’s director of human resources told him Murphy was firing Stough for unrelated reasons, according to the whistle-blower complaint. Stough replied that he would file an age-discrimination lawsuit over his firing, then revealed he would also send information about the pornography incident to the FBI.
A laptop was sent to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation in March 2019, but it turned out to be the one that replaced the laptop they sought, according to CBI reports obtained by The Post via an open-records request. The laptop used by Stapp had already been recycled and its hard drive removed. It’s unclear if the hard drive was destroyed or lay among hundreds scheduled to be incinerated.
Stough, now a consultant in Fort Collins, said that he brought up the pornography incident in March 2019 because he believed he had been fired and was free to disclose it since he no longer feared losing his position, according to the documents. Stough was actually placed on paid administrative leave, records show, and he said he heard from no one within the Judicial Department until Anderson contacted him in August 2019.
Anderson told The Post that she learned of the laptop incident after becoming chief judge in May 2019, when Stough was still on administrative leave, and immediately “asked for a thorough, independent investigation by the Attorney General.” She said she was unaware of the CBI inquiry.
Anderson told The Post she contacted Stough in August to discuss the incident at the request of the attorney general’s office.
“A report that pornography was found on a laptop computer used in the 17th Judicial District is very upsetting,” Anderson told The Post in an email. “The possibility that child pornography may have been involved is appalling.”
Anderson questioned Stough in August 2019, according to a transcript of that interview obtained by The Post, and later fired him because he refused to divulge what he had done with the pornography and for not reporting the incident to other authorities at the time it occurred, according to documents from the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment. Anderson told The Post the firing was in consultation with the AG’s office.
“I figured out … that (Murphy) did not care, just didn’t care, just make it go away. His position was to protect his judges, at whatever cost, any kind of judicial misconduct,” Stough told Anderson.
He said he kept silent because it would have been “career suicide” to take the matter further or “go around (Murphy’s) back” after he was directed to destroy the images, according to the transcript.
“My boss knew about it and he had a duty to report,” Stough told Anderson. “He also had the ability to fire me. So, I had a duty to support my family.”
Anderson also asked about the age of the females in the images.
“Did any of the women appear to be underage?” she asked Stough.
“It’s impossible to tell,” he said. “They were young, but they were heavily made up.”
Stough later said he refused to divulge to Anderson what became of the material because he feared it would be destroyed or otherwise disappear instead of given to law enforcement, according to a recording of his unemployment hearing.
Stough actually chose not to destroy the files and instead changed their designation on the computer so that they would remain hidden from public view and removed a desktop icon that linked to them, according to a recording of the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment hearing in November 2019 regarding his unemployment claim.
Stough mailed information about the incident to the FBI the day after Anderson fired him but never heard back from that agency. The agency, through a spokeswoman, told The Post that it does not comment about complaints it receives or whether an investigation was conducted.
Stough said he was never contacted by agents at CBI, either.
Murphy said he was interviewed about the incident by the AG’s office, but only as it related to Stough’s claim for unemployment benefits. The same was true for Stapp, the former magistrate said.
Stough eventually lost his fight for unemployment benefits when a hearing officer agreed with lawyers for the state that he violated department policies by not reporting the incident to authorities other than Murphy, and for insubordination for not telling Anderson where the images were located, according to a copy of the decision obtained by The Post.


thedenverpost--2020-10-27--Rockies facing major roster decisions soon after World Series ends

Decisions , large and small , are on the docket for the Rockies , a team with a .437 winning percentage over the past two seasons .
How general manager Jeff Bridich and his front office deal with those decisions will help determine the makeup of the 2021 team .
The Rockies must begin making those decisions this week , once the World Series ends .
Free agents : Six players — catcher Drew Butera , outfielders Matt Kemp and Kevin Pillar , utility man Chris Owings , first baseman Daniel Murphy and right-hander AJ Ramos — will become free @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the day after the World Series ends .
None of those six players will receive a qualifying offer .
The Rockies could be interested in re-signing Pillar , who played very well after coming over in a midseason trade from Boston .
Pillar appeared in 24 games for Colorado and was excellent in the outfield .
He slashed .308/.351/.451 in 91 plate appearances .
Kemp has said he would be interested in returning to the Rockies , but that would happen only if the National League adopts the designated hitter for 2021 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Colorado won ’ t be picking up any contract options , but they do owe money to a number of players .
The Rockies owe buyouts to the following players : — Right-hander Wade Davis , $ 1 million .
The former closer was released late in the season .
— Murphy , $ 6 million , as part of his guaranteed , two-year , $ 24 million deal .
— Left-hander Jake McGee ( now with the Dodgers ) is owed $ 2 million , as is right-hander Bryan Shaw ( who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were released before the season started .
The Rockies have 13 players eligible for arbitration .
All-star shortstop Trevor Story would have been eligible , but he signed a two-year , $ 27.5-million extension last year that covered his final two years of arbitration .
Here are the other players eligible for arbitration : Third-time eligible : right-handers Mychal Givens and Jon Gray , and catcher Tony Wolters .
Gray , who made $ 5.65 million in 2020 , will likely get a modest raise that takes his 2021 salary above $ 6 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not all of the players will be tendered contracts .
The roster is currently full but there will be a lot of shuffling over the coming weeks .
Six spots will open up when the aforementioned six players become free agents .
Five days after the conclusion of the World Series is the deadline for Colorado to reinstate four players currently on the 45-day injured list : Gray , and fellow right-handers Peter Lambert and Joe Harvey , as well as Dahl .
Also , major league teams have until the fifth day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who opted out or elected not to play in 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic .
Outfielder Ian Desmond was the only Rockies player who elected not to play .
The Rockies have not said whether Desmond , 33 , will continue to play or decide to retire .
The Rockies have several players who must be added to the 40-man roster in order to be protected from being eligible in this winter ’ s Rule 5 Draft .
The Rockies face a tough call regarding hard-throwing right-hander Riley Pint , the fourth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pint has yet to pitch above low-A Ashville and has been slowed by injuries and control issues .
Decisions almost must be made regarding left-hander Helcris Olivarez , right-hander Chad Smith , first baseman/third baseman Colton Welker , infielder Alan Trejo and infielder/outfielder Bret Boswell .
All of those players spent the summer at Colorado ’ s alternate training site .
Nov. 20 is the deadline for protecting players on the 40-man roster .

Decisions, large and small, are on the docket for the Rockies, a team with a .437 winning percentage over the past two seasons. How general manager Jeff Bridich and his front office deal with those decisions will help determine the makeup of the 2021 team.
The Rockies must begin making those decisions this week, once the World Series ends.
Following is a Rockies’ offseason checklist:
Free agents
Six players — catcher Drew Butera, outfielders Matt Kemp and Kevin Pillar, utility man Chris Owings, first baseman Daniel Murphy and right-hander AJ Ramos — will become free agents at 7 a.m. (MDT) the day after the World Series ends.
None of those six players will receive a qualifying offer. The Rockies could be interested in re-signing Pillar, who played very well after coming over in a midseason trade from Boston. Pillar appeared in 24 games for Colorado and was excellent in the outfield. He slashed .308/.351/.451 in 91 plate appearances.
Kemp has said he would be interested in returning to the Rockies, but that would happen only if the National League adopts the designated hitter for 2021. That has yet to be determined.
Buyouts
Colorado won’t be picking up any contract options, but they do owe money to a number of players. The Rockies owe buyouts to the following players:
— Right-hander Wade Davis, $1 million. The former closer was released late in the season.
— Murphy, $6 million, as part of his guaranteed, two-year, $24 million deal.
— Left-hander Jake McGee (now with the Dodgers) is owed $2 million, as is right-hander Bryan Shaw (who signed with Seattle). Both relievers were released before the season started.
Arbitration eligible
The Rockies have 13 players eligible for arbitration. All-star shortstop Trevor Story would have been eligible, but he signed a two-year, $27.5-million extension last year that covered his final two years of arbitration.
Here are the other players eligible for arbitration:
— First-time eligible: right-handers Jairo Díaz, Antonio Senzatela and Chi Chi González; infielder Ryan McMahon; and outfielder Raimel Tapia.
— Second-time eligible: right-handers Daniel Bard and Carlos Estévez, left-hander Kyle Freeland, catcher Elias Díaz and outfielder David Dahl.
— Third-time eligible: right-handers Mychal Givens and Jon Gray, and catcher Tony Wolters. Gray, who made $5.65 million in 2020, will likely get a modest raise that takes his 2021 salary above $6 million.
It should be noted that not all of the players will be tendered contracts.
40-man roster
The roster is currently full but there will be a lot of shuffling over the coming weeks. Six spots will open up when the aforementioned six players become free agents. Five days after the conclusion of the World Series is the deadline for Colorado to reinstate four players currently on the 45-day injured list: Gray, and fellow right-handers Peter Lambert and Joe Harvey, as well as Dahl.
Also, major league teams have until the fifth day after the World Series to reinstate players who opted out or elected not to play in 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic. Outfielder Ian Desmond was the only Rockies player who elected not to play. The Rockies have not said whether Desmond, 33, will continue to play or decide to retire.
Rule 5 Draft
The Rockies have several players who must be added to the 40-man roster in order to be protected from being eligible in this winter’s Rule 5 Draft. The Rockies face a tough call regarding hard-throwing right-hander Riley Pint, the fourth overall pick in the 2016 draft. Pint has yet to pitch above low-A Ashville and has been slowed by injuries and control issues.
Decisions almost must be made regarding left-hander Helcris Olivarez, right-hander Chad Smith, first baseman/third baseman Colton Welker, infielder Alan Trejo and infielder/outfielder Bret Boswell. All of those players spent the summer at Colorado’s alternate training site.
Nov. 20 is the deadline for protecting players on the 40-man roster.


thedenverpost--2020-10-27--Broncos Mailbag: Why aren’t Jerry Jeudy, KJ Hamler performing as well as other rookie WRs?

Denver Post Broncos writer Ryan O ’ Halloran posts his Broncos Mailbag weekly during the season .
Submit questions to Ryan here .
It ’ s very hard for me to be optimistic about the team when there is so much controversy at the top of the organization .
When can we expect the team to be sold to Jeff Bezos and can you even begin to comprehend the implications of that ?
— Matthew Booth , El Paso , Texas According to a Google search , I came across a 2018 Forbes story stating that there are 2,200 billionaires @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be a good place to start since the Broncos could fetch as much as $ 3 billion .
Bezos could afford that , easily .
To your question/comment about a lack of optimism in the Broncos .
You ’ re not alone , Matthew .
I hear from fans on a weekly basis saying they love the franchise , but are fed up with the on-field performance and off-field tumult .
A new owner , which seems like a safe bet since the Bowlen children aren ’ t expected to unanimously endorse Brittany @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be a fascinating story to watch in terms of how much they pay , who they keep and who they bring in .
Stop me when this sounds familiar : The defense played the Chiefs ’ offense about as well as you could ask for three quarters .
Of course , the offense lost the game .
It ’ s happened under three head coaches and a handful of quarterbacks and offensive coordinators .
Doesn ’ t that make John Elway the common denominator ?
— Steve , Forks , Wash. As I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the Broncos ’ defense didn ’ t allow a third-down conversion and only one offensive touchdown in the first three quarters .
But they also allowed 15 plays that gained at least 10 yards .
The Broncos ’ pass rush is starting to get cranked up ( 14 sacks in last three games ) , but they need to boost their anemic offense by creating more takeaways ( six this year ) .
Yes , Elway is the thread between all of the head coaches and all of the coordinators and all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he deserves a share of the blame if this season really spirals downward .
Jerry Jeudy and KJ Hamler came to the Broncos with a lot of hype .
So far , other rookie receivers like Chase Claypool and Justin Jefferson have been more productive .
I know Hamler ’ s been limited by injury , but is this more a result of poor QB play or poor performance ?
— Robert , Orlando Jefferson would have been the receiver I targeted if Jeudy wasn ’ t on the board at No .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He has 28 catches for 537 yards ( eye-popping 19.2-yard average ) and three touchdowns for Minnesota .
Claypool was a second-round pick by Pittsburgh and has 18 catches for 333 yards and six total touchdowns .
Jeudy has 19 catches for 286 yards and one touchdown ( six games ) and Hamler has eight catches for 102 yards ( three games ) .
Jefferson and Claypool are catching passes from veteran quarterbacks , Kirk Cousins and Ben Roethlisberger , respectively .
That plays into it since veteran passers are more willing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has had some good moments since we ’ ve signed him , but man , can he not hold on to the rock ?
Any chance we can trade him for some draft capital or a young prospect ?
Signing Gordon was definitely the most perplexing move we made in the offseason .
— Peter , Denver Gordon can ’ t stay out of his own way due to fumbles ( he ’ s lost two this year , not including the errant flea-flicker flip ) , an illness that sidelined him for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ course , his DUI earlier this month .
A league suspension appears inevitable .
On the field , Gordon has 82 carries for 349 yards and four touchdowns and carries great value to the Broncos because Phillip Lindsay ( concussion ) is injured .
I don ’ t think Gordon would have any kind of trade market because of his legal issues .
Why would a contending team with a tailback need acquire him knowing he may not be eligible to play in December ?
Drew Lock has not looked all that great @ @ @ @ @ @ @ injury .
Is his timing off or is he not as good as the hype that surrounded him ?
Also , why were we playing Noah Fant so much on Sunday ?
The dude was not 100 % and he looked every bit of it .
— Mychal , Wheat Ridge Fant , after missing the New England game with an ankle injury , played 54-of-77 offensive snaps ( 70 % ) against Kansas City .
Jake Butt and Andrew Beck were inactive with hamstring injuries , so that equaled more playing time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ snaps ) and Albert Okwuegbunam ( 31 ) .
You ’ re right — Fant did look hobbled from time to time , but he fought through it .

Denver Post Broncos writer Ryan O’Halloran posts his Broncos Mailbag weekly during the season. Submit questions to Ryan here.
It’s very hard for me to be optimistic about the team when there is so much controversy at the top of the organization. When can we expect the team to be sold to Jeff Bezos and can you even begin to comprehend the implications of that?
— Matthew Booth, El Paso, Texas
According to a Google search, I came across a 2018 Forbes story stating that there are 2,200 billionaires in the world. That list would be a good place to start since the Broncos could fetch as much as $3 billion. Bezos could afford that, easily.
To your question/comment about a lack of optimism in the Broncos. You’re not alone, Matthew. I hear from fans on a weekly basis saying they love the franchise, but are fed up with the on-field performance and off-field tumult.
A new owner, which seems like a safe bet since the Bowlen children aren’t expected to unanimously endorse Brittany as the next controlling owner, will be a fascinating story to watch in terms of how much they pay, who they keep and who they bring in.
Stop me when this sounds familiar: The defense played the Chiefs’ offense about as well as you could ask for three quarters. Of course, the offense lost the game. It’s happened under three head coaches and a handful of quarterbacks and offensive coordinators. Doesn’t that make John Elway the common denominator?
— Steve, Forks, Wash.
As I pointed out in Tuesday’s paper, the Broncos’ defense didn’t allow a third-down conversion and only one offensive touchdown in the first three quarters. But they also allowed 15 plays that gained at least 10 yards.
The Broncos’ pass rush is starting to get cranked up (14 sacks in last three games), but they need to boost their anemic offense by creating more takeaways (six this year).
Yes, Elway is the thread between all of the head coaches and all of the coordinators and all of the quarterbacks. So yes, he deserves a share of the blame if this season really spirals downward.
Jerry Jeudy and KJ Hamler came to the Broncos with a lot of hype. So far, other rookie receivers like Chase Claypool and Justin Jefferson have been more productive. I know Hamler’s been limited by injury, but is this more a result of poor QB play or poor performance?
— Robert, Orlando
Jefferson would have been the receiver I targeted if Jeudy wasn’t on the board at No. 15 and the Broncos possibly traded down. He has 28 catches for 537 yards (eye-popping 19.2-yard average) and three touchdowns for Minnesota.
Claypool was a second-round pick by Pittsburgh and has 18 catches for 333 yards and six total touchdowns.
Jeudy has 19 catches for 286 yards and one touchdown (six games) and Hamler has eight catches for 102 yards (three games).
Jefferson and Claypool are catching passes from veteran quarterbacks, Kirk Cousins and Ben Roethlisberger, respectively. That plays into it since veteran passers are more willing to throw into traffic.
Melvin Gordon has had some good moments since we’ve signed him, but man, can he not hold on to the rock? Any chance we can trade him for some draft capital or a young prospect? Signing Gordon was definitely the most perplexing move we made in the offseason.
— Peter, Denver
Gordon can’t stay out of his own way due to fumbles (he’s lost two this year, not including the errant flea-flicker flip), an illness that sidelined him for the New England game and, of course, his DUI earlier this month. A league suspension appears inevitable.
On the field, Gordon has 82 carries for 349 yards and four touchdowns and carries great value to the Broncos because Phillip Lindsay (concussion) is injured.
I don’t think Gordon would have any kind of trade market because of his legal issues. Why would a contending team with a tailback need acquire him knowing he may not be eligible to play in December?
Drew Lock has not looked all that great since he’s come back from injury. Is his timing off or is he not as good as the hype that surrounded him? Also, why were we playing Noah Fant so much on Sunday? The dude was not 100% and he looked every bit of it.
— Mychal, Wheat Ridge
Fant, after missing the New England game with an ankle injury, played 54-of-77 offensive snaps (70%) against Kansas City.
Jake Butt and Andrew Beck were inactive with hamstring injuries, so that equaled more playing time for Fant, Nick Vannett (35 snaps) and Albert Okwuegbunam (31).
You’re right — Fant did look hobbled from time to time, but he fought through it.


thedenverpost--2020-10-27--Who’s next for Justin Gaethje? Here’s what one oddsmaker has as the UFC fighter’s next opponent.

Justin Gaethje fell short in his bid to win the UFC lightweight championship Saturday , succumbing to a triangle choke in the second round against the undefeated Khabib Nurmagomedov .
So what ’ s next for the former Northern Colorado All-American wrestler ?
Here ’ s a look at what oddsmaker MyBookie has : With Nurmagomedov retiring after his win on Saturday , there ’ s a vacancy for the lightweight title .
With McGregor , who ’ s the No .
4-ranked contender in the UFC lightweight division , set to face No .
2 Dustin Poirier on Jan. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ round for a title fight .
Whether McGregor wins or loses , it could set up a big-money bout with the equally exciting Gaethje .
This would be a rematch of their April 2018 fight in which Poirier won via technical knockout in the fourth round .
Gaethje would go on a four-fight win streak after before losing to Nurmagomedov .
This would be a rematch of their May 9 fight at UFC 249 where Gaethje wore down Ferguson through four and a half rounds before winning via technical knockout — and ending @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Diaz hasn ’ t fought in the lightweight division since 2015 but could make for an interesting opponent for Gaethje .
He has a big chin and an bigger mouth that could create some fun pre-fight entertainment .
The former three-time Bellator lightweight champion has yet to make his debut for the UFC after signing with the company in September .
He was the potential replacement for either Gaethje or Nurmagomedov on Saturday .
Whhat better way to make a debut than against the previous No .
1 contender ?
• Justin Gaethje @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the UFC octagon , helping Denver kids • Pick 6 : Odds the CU Buffs win the Pac-12 , Avalanche spends the most money on free agency in October Colorado ’ s own Cowboy Cerrone fought Gaethje last September , losing via technical knockout early in the first round .
A rematch ?
It seems highly unlikely as Nurmagomedov ( 29-0 ) announced from mixed martial arts after winning Saturday ’ s fight .
But stranger things have happened .

Justin Gaethje fell short in his bid to win the UFC lightweight championship Saturday, succumbing to a triangle choke in the second round against the undefeated Khabib Nurmagomedov.
So what’s next for the former Northern Colorado All-American wrestler? Here’s a look at what oddsmaker MyBookie has:
Conor McGregor (+110)
With Nurmagomedov retiring after his win on Saturday, there’s a vacancy for the lightweight title. With McGregor, who’s the No. 4-ranked contender in the UFC lightweight division, set to face No. 2 Dustin Poirier on Jan. 23 in what could be a play-in round for a title fight. Whether McGregor wins or loses, it could set up a big-money bout with the equally exciting Gaethje.
Dustin Poirier (+125)
This would be a rematch of their April 2018 fight in which Poirier won via technical knockout in the fourth round. Gaethje would go on a four-fight win streak after before losing to Nurmagomedov.
Tony Ferguson (+350)
This would be a rematch of their May 9 fight at UFC 249 where Gaethje wore down Ferguson through four and a half rounds before winning via technical knockout — and ending hopes of a long-awaited Ferguson-Nurmagomedov fight.
Nate Diaz (+400)
Diaz hasn’t fought in the lightweight division since 2015 but could make for an interesting opponent for Gaethje. He has a big chin and an bigger mouth that could create some fun pre-fight entertainment.
Michael Chandler (+500)
The former three-time Bellator lightweight champion has yet to make his debut for the UFC after signing with the company in September. He was the potential replacement for either Gaethje or Nurmagomedov on Saturday. Whhat better way to make a debut than against the previous No. 1 contender?
Donald Cerrone (+800)
Colorado’s own Cowboy Cerrone fought Gaethje last September, losing via technical knockout early in the first round.
Khabib Nurmagomedov (+2,000)
A rematch? It seems highly unlikely as Nurmagomedov (29-0) announced from mixed martial arts after winning Saturday’s fight. But stranger things have happened.


thedenverpost--2020-10-27--Ask Amy: Facebook dustup affects the whole family

Dear Amy : “ Sally ” and I were “ friends ” on Facebook .
We weren ’ t close , but our husbands were pals and my husband would often help hers with home projects .
Sally tended to be needy and volatile , cutting people off when she disagreed with them .
Recently , Sally put a political post on FB and I responded to it in a way that she found offensive .
She removed my comment .
I then messaged her that I was sorry , and that I realized I had erred .
I asked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ talk about it .
In response , she unfriended me and sent what I consider to be a very nasty message .
I understand that she does not have to forgive me nor maintain any kind of contact .
Meanwhile , Sally ’ s husband asked mine for help with some cabinetry in their new home .
My husband spent the day working there .
That same day Sally ( who I had not heard from in a long time ) , texted me in a friendly way .
My husband is supposed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work again on this project .
I asked him not to go , but later I told him I was over this and would not interfere .
However , I can not let it go .
I keep thinking we both should take the high ground , but I don ’ t think my husband should help them out after Sally attacked me .
Dear Perplexed : It is somewhat baffling that after your lengthy narrative , which is all about “ Sally ’ s ” terrible behavior toward you , your problem @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your husband .
This whole time , he has been minding his own business .
But now he has emerged as the problem .
Your conflict with Sally has nothing to do with your husband , or hers .
The two men are friends .
You and she never were .
Yes , you should take the high ground .
In my opinion , the high ground here would be where your husband is permitted to do something he enjoys doing with his friend without you trying to control him , while you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ across all platforms .
Ignoring her attempt to sweep this under the rug should give you some satisfaction , as this is evidence of you taking care of yourself and keeping your distance .
Dear Amy : I have been dating my guy for two years .
We are very serious and exclusive .
This is the healthiest relationship I ’ ve ever had .
I don ’ t want to ever lose him .
The only issue is that he goes through spells where he constantly accuses me of talking to someone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t accusing me of “ cheating , ” just talking to someone .
He says he has proof , but refuses to tell me why he is suspicious .
I stopped using Facebook , except to message him , but then he said THAT was suspicious , so I went on FB more often , but now he thinks that ’ s suspicious , too .
He says he is suspicious because I don ’ t use my phone much around him , but I have no friends and he is the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ live five hours apart and have gone from seeing each other weekly to now only once a month .
He stays on his phone for hours at a time , saying its business , but he always took business calls in front of me before .
I have done everything I can think of to change and reassure him .
I am almost 40 and have never cheated on anyone !
The way he goes on about this makes me wonder if HE is the one talking to someone else .
I am @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Your guy is gaslighting you .
He is creating ever-smaller hoops for you to jump through , and he is isolating you and separating you from your own intuition and sense of proportion .
This is alarming and controlling behavior .
I am very sorry you are going through this , but this is very unhealthy .
I hope you will regain your equilibrium and move away from this relationship for your own good .
Dear Amy : The reader who commented that healthy bodies don ’ t smell ( and don ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ factual correction — in addition to your masterful ( as usual ) reframing of the issue .
How much one sweats plus the makeup of one ’ s native bacteria contribute to body odor .
Entirely healthy people sometimes really smell .
At least that ’ s my 31-year experience as a dermatologist .
Dear Lisa : Like a nasty rash that is now fading , you ’ ve cleared that up !
Thank you .

Dear Amy: “Sally” and I were “friends” on Facebook. We weren’t close, but our husbands were pals and my husband would often help hers with home projects. Sally tended to be needy and volatile, cutting people off when she disagreed with them.
Recently, Sally put a political post on FB and I responded to it in a way that she found offensive. She removed my comment. I then messaged her that I was sorry, and that I realized I had erred. I asked for reconciliation and asked if we could talk about it.
In response, she unfriended me and sent what I consider to be a very nasty message. I understand that she does not have to forgive me nor maintain any kind of contact.
Meanwhile, Sally’s husband asked mine for help with some cabinetry in their new home.
My husband spent the day working there.
That same day Sally (who I had not heard from in a long time), texted me in a friendly way.
My husband is supposed to go over there this week to work again on this project. I asked him not to go, but later I told him I was over this and would not interfere.
However, I cannot let it go. I keep thinking we both should take the high ground, but I don’t think my husband should help them out after Sally attacked me.
— Perplexed
Dear Perplexed: It is somewhat baffling that after your lengthy narrative, which is all about “Sally’s” terrible behavior toward you, your problem isn’t with her, but your husband. This whole time, he has been minding his own business. But now he has emerged as the problem.
Your conflict with Sally has nothing to do with your husband, or hers. The two men are friends. You and she never were.
Yes, you should take the high ground. In my opinion, the high ground here would be where your husband is permitted to do something he enjoys doing with his friend without you trying to control him, while you continue to stay away from Sally, across all platforms. Ignoring her attempt to sweep this under the rug should give you some satisfaction, as this is evidence of you taking care of yourself and keeping your distance.
Dear Amy: I have been dating my guy for two years. We are very serious and exclusive.
This is the healthiest relationship I’ve ever had. I don’t want to ever lose him.
The only issue is that he goes through spells where he constantly accuses me of talking to someone else. He says that he isn’t accusing me of “cheating,” just talking to someone.
He says he has proof, but refuses to tell me why he is suspicious. I stopped using Facebook, except to message him, but then he said THAT was suspicious, so I went on FB more often, but now he thinks that’s suspicious, too.
He says he is suspicious because I don’t use my phone much around him, but I have no friends and he is the main person I talk too.
We live five hours apart and have gone from seeing each other weekly to now only once a month. He stays on his phone for hours at a time, saying its business, but he always took business calls in front of me before.
I have done everything I can think of to change and reassure him. I am almost 40 and have never cheated on anyone!
The way he goes on about this makes me wonder if HE is the one talking to someone else. I am faithful and loyal.
— Faithful
Dear Faithful: Your guy is gaslighting you. He is creating ever-smaller hoops for you to jump through, and he is isolating you and separating you from your own intuition and sense of proportion. This is alarming and controlling behavior. I am very sorry you are going through this, but this is very unhealthy. I hope you will regain your equilibrium and move away from this relationship for your own good.
Dear Amy: The reader who commented that healthy bodies don’t smell (and don’t need deodorant) could use some factual correction — in addition to your masterful (as usual) reframing of the issue.
How much one sweats plus the makeup of one’s native bacteria contribute to body odor. Entirely healthy people sometimes really smell. At least that’s my 31-year experience as a dermatologist.
— Lisa from Pittsburgh
Dear Lisa: Like a nasty rash that is now fading, you’ve cleared that up! Thank you.
(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--2020-10-28--For Broncos inside linebacker Alexander Johnson, studying every issue, every candidate is beneficial

As he readies to submit his first Colorado election ballot since joining the Broncos in 2018 , inside linebacker Alexander Johnson has a message for his fellow citizens : Research the candidates and issues .
“ I would say this close to the election is when people may get misled , ” he said in a phone interview .
“ You see a lot of people promoting the vote , but I don ’ t feel like they ’ re teaching people the proper way to vote.
” Johnson grew up in Tennessee and related his request to when he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ That first time , I just voted for the president my grandmother voted for , ” he said .
“ That ’ s not the proper way to vote .
When you go into the ( voting booth ) , you need to have done your research and study the people in the state because there are different levels to the system .
Start with the governor and everybody else in the state and then you vote for the president you want in office.
” Asked if he has reminded teammates and family @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said : “ I was one of those guys when I was in college .
But then I learned a bit about the system and the electoral votes and that ’ s been my biggest thing , electing the people under the president because they ’ re the ones who speak on our behalf.
” Johnson said the election isn ’ t a major talking point in the Broncos ’ locker room , which has been closed to the media this year due to league-mandated social distancing measures .
“ A few people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it , but it ’ s not something we ’ re talking about every day , ” he said .
The Broncos haven ’ t sat on the political sidelines , though .
The bill SB20-217 called for accountability and integrity in the law enforcement community .
Part of the bill required body cameras , collecting data on the use of force and making the findings public , banning chokeholds and prohibiting tear gas before ordering citizens to disperse .
Johnson served as a lobbyist of sorts .
The bill was passed by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Polis in mid-June , a week after the Broncos marched through downtown Denver to address racial inequality .
Johnson spent several minutes at the head of the march .
Johnson said he didn ’ t vote in the last election , but is “ paying close attention and doing my research , ” this year .
“ A lot of people sit back and think , ‘ You don ’ t need to go into politics , ’ ” he said .
“ But at end of the day , politics is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re not into it , you ’ re at a disadvantage in trying to represent yourself .
”

As he readies to submit his first Colorado election ballot since joining the Broncos in 2018, inside linebacker Alexander Johnson has a message for his fellow citizens: Research the candidates and issues.
“I would say this close to the election is when people may get misled,” he said in a phone interview. “You see a lot of people promoting the vote, but I don’t feel like they’re teaching people the proper way to vote.”
Johnson grew up in Tennessee and related his request to when he was first eligible to vote.
“That first time, I just voted for the president my grandmother voted for,” he said. “That’s not the proper way to vote. When you go into the (voting booth), you need to have done your research and study the people in the state because there are different levels to the system. Start with the governor and everybody else in the state and then you vote for the president you want in office.”
Asked if he has reminded teammates and family members that every vote counts, Johnson said: “I was one of those guys when I was in college. But then I learned a bit about the system and the electoral votes and that’s been my biggest thing, electing the people under the president because they’re the ones who speak on our behalf.”
Johnson said the election isn’t a major talking point in the Broncos’ locker room, which has been closed to the media this year due to league-mandated social distancing measures.
“A few people mention it and will say something about it, but it’s not something we’re talking about every day,” he said.
The Broncos haven’t sat on the political sidelines, though.
The bill SB20-217 called for accountability and integrity in the law enforcement community. Part of the bill required body cameras, collecting data on the use of force and making the findings public, banning chokeholds and prohibiting tear gas before ordering citizens to disperse. Johnson served as a lobbyist of sorts. The bill was passed by Colorado State Senate and signed by Gov. Polis in mid-June, a week after the Broncos marched through downtown Denver to address racial inequality. Johnson spent several minutes at the head of the march.
Johnson said he didn’t vote in the last election, but is “paying close attention and doing my research,” this year.
“A lot of people sit back and think, ‘You don’t need to go into politics,’” he said. “But at end of the day, politics is about the people. If you’re not into it, you’re at a disadvantage in trying to represent yourself.”


thedenverpost--2020-10-28--Effort underway to aid first responders who lost homes to East Troublesome fire

A volunteer firefighter with the Grand Lake Fire Protection lost his home , and his two dogs , to the East Troublesome fire and efforts are underway to help him and six other first responders who , like him , have lost their homes to the wildfire .
Ellie St. Germain , wife of the assistant chief of the fire protection district , started a GoFundMe page Sunday for seven first responders whose homes have burned down , destroyed by the second-largest fire in Colorado history .
“ These are selfless people who would never ask anything of anyone else @ @ @ @ @ @ @ entire lives for others , ” St. Germain said .
Among the first responders who lost a home is 63-year-old Kevin Piercy .
Piercy lived in a small A-frame home off of Grand County Road 4956 , where Piercy was a property caretaker for Camp Riverside , a 45-acre camp for summer youth programs operated by Riverside Church in Denver and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro South .
He lived in the A-frame for the past 14 years .
He also works as a truck driver .
“ The whole place @ @ @ @ @ @ @ premises , the whole place was totally demolished , ” Piercy said .
“ It looks like someone dropped a nuclear bomb , it ’ s been taken off the face of the earth.
” Piercy ’ s two dogs , his “ family ” — Kuma , a Shiba Inu , and Tashia , a husky malamute mix — were killed by the fire .
“ This past week has been devastating to many , many families , ” St. Germain said in her GoFundMe post , which will benefit the seven @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fire protection district ’ s family .
“ The East troublesome Fire ripped through the heart of Grand Lake and took homes left and right.
” As of Tuesday afternoon , the GoFundMe page , which has a goal of $ 500,000 , had raised $ 156,090 from 941 donors .

A volunteer firefighter with the Grand Lake Fire Protection lost his home, and his two dogs, to the East Troublesome fire and efforts are underway to help him and six other first responders who, like him, have lost their homes to the wildfire.
Ellie St. Germain, wife of the assistant chief of the fire protection district, started a GoFundMe page Sunday for seven first responders whose homes have burned down, destroyed by the second-largest fire in Colorado history.
“These are selfless people who would never ask anything of anyone else, and yet they lay down their entire lives for others,” St. Germain said.
Among the first responders who lost a home is 63-year-old Kevin Piercy.
Piercy lived in a small A-frame home off of Grand County Road 4956, where Piercy was a property caretaker for Camp Riverside, a 45-acre camp for summer youth programs operated by Riverside Church in Denver and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro South. He lived in the A-frame for the past 14 years. He also works as a truck driver.
“The whole place back there, I lived on the premises, the whole place was totally demolished,” Piercy said. “It looks like someone dropped a nuclear bomb, it’s been taken off the face of the earth.”
Piercy’s two dogs, his “family” — Kuma, a Shiba Inu, and Tashia, a husky malamute mix — were killed by the fire.
“This past week has been devastating to many, many families,” St. Germain said in her GoFundMe post, which will benefit the seven fire victims who are part of the fire protection district’s family. “The East troublesome Fire ripped through the heart of Grand Lake and took homes left and right.”
As of Tuesday afternoon, the GoFundMe page, which has a goal of $500,000, had raised $156,090 from 941 donors.


thedenverpost--2020-10-28--Denver Public Schools shifts more students to remote learning following COVID-19 surge

Less than one week after Denver Public Schools reopened facilities to all elementary students , the district has decided to send many of them back to remote learning as the city of Denver imposes tighter community restrictions to curb the spread of COVID-19 .
Students in third through fifth grade will return to online learning beginning Monday and attend classes virtually through the end of November , according to an announcement .
After delaying the start of in-person learning for middle and high school students , the district decided to postpone any in-person classes for secondary grades until next semester @ @ @ @ @ @ @ focus on quality remote learning , ” the district said .
The current semester ends on Dec. 18 .
Schools will remain open for in-person learning for early childhood education students , kindergartners , first-graders and second-graders , as well as special education students and newcomers to the district .
Support centers will also remain open for students who need help with remote learning .
“ I am heartbroken that we are here .
I believe that our efforts to gradually reopen our school buildings and educate and care for our children has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and at the same time , it is clear that we need to balance this with the needs of our community to drive the COVID rates down , ” Superintendent Susan Cordova said in a note to families .
DPS administrators met with public health experts Monday to discuss recent trends in COVID-19 cases .
The three metrics that DPS tracks closely — number of COVID-19 cases in Denver County , the degree to which cases are increasing or decreasing and test positivity rate — all recently crossed into or hovered near the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ possibly unsafe to host in-person classes .
Tuesday morning , Denver reported 371.3 cases per 100,000 people over the last two weeks , a nearly 44 % increase of the same time period .
( That figure does not include cases reported in congregate settings , such as nursing homes and jails . )
The city also reported an 8.1 % seven-day positivity rate .
That is , in part , what prompted Mayor Michael Hancock to move to the second-highest level of restrictions meant to control COVID-19 , shuttering gyms and forcing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of their capacity .
Although Denver parents have expressed discontent about the lack in-person schooling , DPS is not alone in its approach .
As cases have surged recently , Aurora Public Schools , Adams County District 14 and Sheridan District No .
2 moved their entire student bodies to online learning .

Less than one week after Denver Public Schools reopened facilities to all elementary students, the district has decided to send many of them back to remote learning as the city of Denver imposes tighter community restrictions to curb the spread of COVID-19.
Students in third through fifth grade will return to online learning beginning Monday and attend classes virtually through the end of November, according to an announcement.
After delaying the start of in-person learning for middle and high school students, the district decided to postpone any in-person classes for secondary grades until next semester to allow “teachers and students to focus on quality remote learning,” the district said. The current semester ends on Dec. 18.
Schools will remain open for in-person learning for early childhood education students, kindergartners, first-graders and second-graders, as well as special education students and newcomers to the district. Support centers will also remain open for students who need help with remote learning.
“I am heartbroken that we are here. I believe that our efforts to gradually reopen our school buildings and educate and care for our children has been the right thing to do, and at the same time, it is clear that we need to balance this with the needs of our community to drive the COVID rates down,” Superintendent Susan Cordova said in a note to families.
DPS administrators met with public health experts Monday to discuss recent trends in COVID-19 cases. The three metrics that DPS tracks closely — number of COVID-19 cases in Denver County, the degree to which cases are increasing or decreasing and test positivity rate — all recently crossed into or hovered near the red zone, meaning it’s possibly unsafe to host in-person classes.
Tuesday morning, Denver reported 371.3 cases per 100,000 people over the last two weeks, a nearly 44% increase of the same time period. (That figure does not include cases reported in congregate settings, such as nursing homes and jails.) The city also reported an 8.1% seven-day positivity rate.
That is, in part, what prompted Mayor Michael Hancock to move to the second-highest level of restrictions meant to control COVID-19, shuttering gyms and forcing most businesses to operate at a quarter of their capacity.
Although Denver parents have expressed discontent about the lack in-person schooling, DPS is not alone in its approach. As cases have surged recently, Aurora Public Schools, Adams County District 14 and Sheridan District No. 2 moved much of their student bodies to online learning.


thedenverpost--2020-10-27--Rapids’ playoff push travels to Minnesota in need of positive result

After the team ’ s most lopsided loss of the season , the Rapids are running out of time to turn their season around .
With four scheduled matches left on its schedule , Colorado heads to St. Paul in need of a positive result against defensive-led Minnesota United FC on Wednesday .
The Loons , unbeaten in their last five matches , are just a few points shy of locking in a playoff spot , while the Rapids have some work to do to secure their own .
“ Minnesota ’ s obviously a very good team .
They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ve got players who are healthy and coming back , so it ’ ll be a big challenge for us for sure , ” Rapids coach Robin Fraser said .
Wednesday will be the second meeting of the season between these teams .
The Rapids and Loons played to a 2-2 draw at the MLS is Back Tournament in Orlando .
But it ’ s not the only interaction these two clubs have had in 2020 .
On Sept. 19 , the Rapids traded striker Kei Kamara to the Twin Cities in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Money and a second-round pick in the 2022 MLS SuperDraft .
Kamara has one goal and one assist in six games with the Loons , but he will not be playing against the Rapids due to a “ gentleman ’ s agreement ” in the trade terms between the two teams .
Kellyn Acosta missed Saturday ’ s 4-0 loss to Sporting Kansas City due to a yellow card suspension .
Acosta may miss Wednesday ’ s match due to an injury .
His backup , Collen Warner , left the game in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leaving the Rapids short-handed in the midfield .
“ Kellyn is certainly a player that we rely on a great deal for the amount of ground that he covers and his ability to play both sides of the field , ” Fraser said .
“ We have a number of players that we have a good deal of faith in and we have players that are kind of interchangeable in playing different positions so we certainly are looking at all options possible.
” The Rapids will play again Sunday in their final regular-season @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Decision Day is Nov. 8 , but MLS has yet to specify how it will decide which eight teams make the playoffs .
Colorado has played fewer games than its peers due to the month-long break brought on by a COVID-19 outbreak .
“ I don ’ t think anything changes in our approach to get to the playoffs , we need to win games and we need to acquire points , ” Fraser said .

After the team’s most lopsided loss of the season, the Rapids are running out of time to turn their season around.
With four scheduled matches left on its schedule, Colorado heads to St. Paul in need of a positive result against defensive-led Minnesota United FC on Wednesday. The Loons, unbeaten in their last five matches, are just a few points shy of locking in a playoff spot, while the Rapids have some work to do to secure their own.
“Minnesota’s obviously a very good team. They’re in decent form and they’ve got players who are healthy and coming back, so it’ll be a big challenge for us for sure,” Rapids coach Robin Fraser said.
Wednesday will be the second meeting of the season between these teams. The Rapids and Loons played to a 2-2 draw at the MLS is Back Tournament in Orlando. But it’s not the only interaction these two clubs have had in 2020. On Sept. 19, the Rapids traded striker Kei Kamara to the Twin Cities in exchange for $150,000 in General Allocation Money and a second-round pick in the 2022 MLS SuperDraft.
Kamara has one goal and one assist in six games with the Loons, but he will not be playing against the Rapids due to a “gentleman’s agreement” in the trade terms between the two teams.
Kellyn Acosta missed Saturday’s 4-0 loss to Sporting Kansas City due to a yellow card suspension. Acosta may miss Wednesday’s match due to an injury. His backup, Collen Warner, left the game in Kansas City early due to injury, leaving the Rapids short-handed in the midfield.
“Kellyn is certainly a player that we rely on a great deal for the amount of ground that he covers and his ability to play both sides of the field,” Fraser said. “We have a number of players that we have a good deal of faith in and we have players that are kind of interchangeable in playing different positions so we certainly are looking at all options possible.”
The Rapids will play again Sunday in their final regular-season home game, which is against Seattle. Decision Day is Nov. 8, but MLS has yet to specify how it will decide which eight teams make the playoffs. Colorado has played fewer games than its peers due to the month-long break brought on by a COVID-19 outbreak.
“I don’t think anything changes in our approach to get to the playoffs, we need to win games and we need to acquire points,” Fraser said.