thedenverpost--2020-05-19--Ask Amy: Partner’s proximity breeds contempt

Dear Amy : I ’ m 71 and live in Upstate New York , but during the winter months I stay at my girlfriend “ Wendy ’ s ” house in Florida .
She is 65 .
Wendy and I get along fine but have run into a snag regarding COVID-19 precautions .
Wendy ’ s son ( age 35 ) lives about 15 miles away .
She uses no COVID-19 precautions when she sees him , which is at least once a day .
When he comes to visit , I put on a face mask , and stay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tells me I am being rude to him by doing this .
She ’ s well aware of the criteria regarding COVID-19 , but ignores it when it comes to her son .
I have given up trying to reason with her , as it only leads to an argument .
( She says , “ I ’ m an adult , and can make my own decisions .
Don ’ t talk to me like I ’ m a child.
” ) I ’ ve given up being intimate with Wendy , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ birthday is today , so her son came over ( along with his girlfriend ) to cook dinner for her .
As I write this , I ’ m in another room ( with my mask on ) , preparing to eat my steak .
I feel trapped .
Any advice for me ?
Dear Stuck : Scores of people have figured out how to communicate , maintain family ties , and celebrate birthdays and other special occasions without risking their health , or the health of others .
As I write this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” is being discussed , and you can well imagine that the presence of just one extra person visiting your household might potentially bring you into possible viral contact with dozens of other people .
Obviously , if “ Wendy ” has close contact with her son , and also contact with you , you wearing a mask when around him might not protect you as much as you think ( although you should continue to do so ) .
All the same , this is Wendy ’ s house .
This could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conveys power .
You seem to be doing your best to stay safe within this household , and that is all you can do at this point .
Once you pack your bags and are able to safely decamp to your northern home , you will be able to consider the residual damage to your relationship .
Perhaps , in your frustration , you have treated your partner like a child .
Unfortunately , now she seems to be acting like one .
Dear Amy : My wife is an alcoholic .
Although @ @ @ @ @ @ @ times for in-patient rehab , she still drinks .
I ’ m dealing with this the best I can during the coronavirus pandemic , which has made all our lives more difficult — for various reasons .
My question to you is : Why were liquor stores allowed to remain open during this pandemic ?
Is this an “ essential business ” ?
So many businesses were forced to close , and this was one I thought we could do without .
Dear Wondering : My assumption is that this decision has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , no doubt , by powerful lobbying efforts .
You might also envision one state keeping liquor stores closed , while a neighboring state keeps theirs open ( and some states sell wine and liquor in grocery stores , further complicating the issue ) .
People living within driving distance of a state border might choose to travel ( potentially spreading the virus ) in order to purchase alcohol .
But this isn ’ t really about “ essential businesses.
” This is about your wife ’ s drinking , and how painful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
If you have not connected with a “ friends and family ” support group up to now , this is the ideal time to start .
The rehab facility where she sought treatment will likely have suggestions for ways to connect with the loved ones of addicts who have been treated there .
Dear Amy : I just read the letter from the “ Anxious Parents , ” whose mother-in-law refused to get a flu shot .
I totally agree with your response that it is very important for these young parents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with this grandmother and their at-risk child .
I would also add that new parents should also require that people coming in contact with a new baby be vaccinated against pertussis ( whooping cough ) .
Thanks for using your column to share honest health information .
Dear Grandma : It strains credulity that anyone would refuse a useful , proven , and safe vaccine .
Surely right now , we are all hoping for one .

Dear Amy: I’m 71 and live in Upstate New York, but during the winter months I stay at my girlfriend “Wendy’s” house in Florida. She is 65.
Wendy and I get along fine but have run into a snag regarding COVID-19 precautions.
Wendy’s son (age 35) lives about 15 miles away. She uses no COVID-19 precautions when she sees him, which is at least once a day.
When he comes to visit, I put on a face mask, and stay six feet away from him.
Wendy tells me I am being rude to him by doing this. She’s well aware of the criteria regarding COVID-19, but ignores it when it comes to her son.
I have given up trying to reason with her, as it only leads to an argument. (She says, “I’m an adult, and can make my own decisions. Don’t talk to me like I’m a child.”)
I’ve given up being intimate with Wendy, due to her unsafe behavior.
Her birthday is today, so her son came over (along with his girlfriend) to cook dinner for her.
As I write this, I’m in another room (with my mask on), preparing to eat my steak.
I feel trapped. Any advice for me?
— Stuck in Florida
Dear Stuck: Scores of people have figured out how to communicate, maintain family ties, and celebrate birthdays and other special occasions without risking their health, or the health of others.
As I write this, the concept of “contract tracing” is being discussed, and you can well imagine that the presence of just one extra person visiting your household might potentially bring you into possible viral contact with dozens of other people. Obviously, if “Wendy” has close contact with her son, and also contact with you, you wearing a mask when around him might not protect you as much as you think (although you should continue to do so).
All the same, this is Wendy’s house. This could be one of those times when ownership conveys power.
You seem to be doing your best to stay safe within this household, and that is all you can do at this point. Once you pack your bags and are able to safely decamp to your northern home, you will be able to consider the residual damage to your relationship.
Perhaps, in your frustration, you have treated your partner like a child.
Unfortunately, now she seems to be acting like one.
Dear Amy: My wife is an alcoholic. Although she has been to a facility two times for in-patient rehab, she still drinks.
I’m dealing with this the best I can during the coronavirus pandemic, which has made all our lives more difficult — for various reasons.
My question to you is: Why were liquor stores allowed to remain open during this pandemic? Is this an “essential business”? So many businesses were forced to close, and this was one I thought we could do without.
— Just Wondering
Dear Wondering: My assumption is that this decision has been made on a state-by-state basis — influenced, no doubt, by powerful lobbying efforts.
You might also envision one state keeping liquor stores closed, while a neighboring state keeps theirs open (and some states sell wine and liquor in grocery stores, further complicating the issue). People living within driving distance of a state border might choose to travel (potentially spreading the virus) in order to purchase alcohol.
But this isn’t really about “essential businesses.” This is about your wife’s drinking, and how painful and destructive her alcoholism is for you.
If you have not connected with a “friends and family” support group up to now, this is the ideal time to start. The rehab facility where she sought treatment will likely have suggestions for ways to connect with the loved ones of addicts who have been treated there.
Fortunately, Al-Anon is offering virtual meetings. Check Al-anon.org.
Dear Amy: I just read the letter from the “Anxious Parents,” whose mother-in-law refused to get a flu shot.
I totally agree with your response that it is very important for these young parents to set a firm boundary regarding interaction with this grandmother and their at-risk child.
I would also add that new parents should also require that people coming in contact with a new baby be vaccinated against pertussis (whooping cough).
Thanks for using your column to share honest health information.
— Oregon Grandma
Dear Grandma: It strains credulity that anyone would refuse a useful, proven, and safe vaccine. Surely right now, we are all hoping for one.
(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--2020-05-19--What was with Denver’s stunning sunset on Monday?

Did you catch Monday night ’ s stunning sunset over the Denver area ?
If you did , it ’ s probably firmly etched into your memory .
A fiery display of wispy , cotton candy-looking clouds perfectly combined with the setting sun to produce a dazzling show over Denver area skies on Monday night .
Here ’ s a look at some of those clouds , in case you missed Mother Nature ’ s spontaneously awesome show over the Front Range : Metro State University meteorology professor Dr. Sam Ng offered a brief explainer on Twitter on Monday night @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In short , the setting sun combined with virga , or rain that evaporates before it reaches the ground .
While enough instability was present to generate some thunderstorm activity ( that ’ s the reference to “ convective cells ” , as described by Dr. Ng in the tweet above ) , it was far too dry at the surface for those storms to form .
Temperatures soared to 88 degrees on Monday , making it the hottest day so far this year .
But , that heat came in typical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ heat .
While not exceptionally dry by Denver standards , there wasn ’ t quite enough moisture at the surface to allow storms to fully develop .
That forced the moisture to evaporate before it reached the ground , creating the wispy look to those clouds .
Coupled with a perfectly-timed setting sun , and the result was a brilliant sunset .

Did you catch Monday night’s stunning sunset over the Denver area? If you did, it’s probably firmly etched into your memory.
A fiery display of wispy, cotton candy-looking clouds perfectly combined with the setting sun to produce a dazzling show over Denver area skies on Monday night. Here’s a look at some of those clouds, in case you missed Mother Nature’s spontaneously awesome show over the Front Range:
Wow!! Holy smokes!! What a cloud over the Mike~High tonight!! Nice job, Denver!! pic.twitter.com/WW3eel8ESK — Eric English (@EricEnglish777) May 19, 2020
Why a beautiful night- I can hear my neighbor’s wind chimes- the sunset- grateful. pic.twitter.com/OSPeWDB9pI — Theresa Marchetta (@TheresaDenverCO) May 19, 2020
Metro State University meteorology professor Dr. Sam Ng offered a brief explainer on Twitter on Monday night, shortly after the sunset display ended.
Just observed a regenerative line of unrealized convective cells that were producing virga. It even had a flanking line. 😂 It looked very cool with the backlit sunlight making it fiery red. h/t: #cowx #virga #ColoradoWeatherNeverDisappoint #StormHour pic.twitter.com/IEoaN7mzQR — Sam Ng (@DocWX) May 19, 2020
In short, the setting sun combined with virga, or rain that evaporates before it reaches the ground. While enough instability was present to generate some thunderstorm activity (that’s the reference to “convective cells”, as described by Dr. Ng in the tweet above), it was far too dry at the surface for those storms to form.
Temperatures soared to 88 degrees on Monday, making it the hottest day so far this year. But, that heat came in typical Denver fashion: it was a dry heat. While not exceptionally dry by Denver standards, there wasn’t quite enough moisture at the surface to allow storms to fully develop.
That forced the moisture to evaporate before it reached the ground, creating the wispy look to those clouds. Coupled with a perfectly-timed setting sun, and the result was a brilliant sunset.


thedenverpost--2020-05-19--Starling Marte says his wife died of a heart attack

PHOENIX — Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Starling Marte announced on social media that his wife Noelia has died of a heart @ @ @ @ @ go through the great pain of making public the unfortunate death of my wife Noelia @ @ @ @ @ attack , ” Marte wrote on Instagram on Monday .
“ It is a moment @ @ @ @ @ behalf of my family , I am grateful for the expressions of esteem and solidarity @ @ @ @ @ “ We are deeply saddened to learn of tragic passing of Noelia Marte , ” @ @ @ @ @ media .
“ Starling and his family are part of the D-backs ’ family and @ @ @ @ @ can to support him and their children during this incredibly difficult time.
” The 31-year-old @ @ @ @ @ eight-year big league career with the Pittsburgh Pirates before being traded to the Diamondbacks during @ @ @ @ @ also responded on social media , saying “ the entire Pirates family extend our deepest @ @ @ @ @ family during this terrible time .
”

PHOENIX — Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Starling Marte announced on social media that his wife Noelia has died of a heart attack.
“Today I go through the great pain of making public the unfortunate death of my wife Noelia, due to a heart attack,” Marte wrote on Instagram on Monday. “It is a moment of indescribable pain. On behalf of my family, I am grateful for the expressions of esteem and solidarity in this difficult time.”
“We are deeply saddened to learn of tragic passing of Noelia Marte,” the Diamondbacks wrote on social media. “Starling and his family are part of the D-backs’ family and we will do all we can to support him and their children during this incredibly difficult time.”
The 31-year-old Marte has played his entire eight-year big league career with the Pittsburgh Pirates before being traded to the Diamondbacks during the offseason.
The Pirates also responded on social media, saying “the entire Pirates family extend our deepest condolences to Starling Marte and family during this terrible time.”


thedenverpost--2020-05-19--Les Shapiro and Vic Lombardi’s new “Unstoppable” podcast celebrates personal triumphs in face of adv

Les Shapiro and Vic Lombardi’s new “Unstoppable” podcast celebrates personal triumphs in face of adversity

When Les Shapiro initially birthed the notion of a podcast about overcoming adversity , he had no idea truly how much adversity was coming in 2020 .
For all of us .
“ We wanted to do something unique , ” the longtime Denver-area talk-show host told The Post this week .
“ There are a lot of podcasts out there now.
” And yet , from a timing perspective , the theme of “ We Are Unstoppable , ” Shapiro and Vic Lombardi ’ s new podcast , feels more apropos than ever during a global coronavirus pandemic .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ this month in partnership with BurstMarketing and sponsorship from the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Center , features interviews with sports and entertainment figures reflecting on how they overcame a specific challenge in their personal lives .
Olympic swimmer Missy Franklin in a recent episode opened up on her struggles with depression and anxiety .
Legendary ESPN broadcaster Dick Vitale discusses being bullied as a youngster after a childhood injury gave him a drifting left eye .
Former Rockies manager Clint Hurdle talks about overcoming alcoholism and bladder cancer , the latter of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It was never made public , ” Shapiro said of the former Colorado and Pittsburgh skipper .
“ At the time , he was the manager with the Pirates and he didn ’ t feel it was necessary for everybody to know this .
They got it taken care of and he ’ s been clean ever since.
” The podcast ’ s title and mantra were inspired by the personal experiences of Shapiro and Lombardi , Emmy-winning broadcasters who both have battled cancer in recent years .
The format includes a segment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the clinical side of whatever crisis the celebrity on the podcast has navigated .
“ Unstoppable ” is slated to drop two episodes per month and is available via all major podcast providers and at unstoppablepodcasts.com .
“ When it comes to athletics , athletes , coaches and front office people don ’ t always want to talk about their vulnerabilities , ” said Shapiro , who left Mile High Sports radio in February and moved to Scottsdale , Ariz. “ But Vic and I have been able to extract that … to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ And you find out they ’ re not all that bashful about it .
I think a lot of it has to do with them wanting to help other people .
”

When Les Shapiro initially birthed the notion of a podcast about overcoming adversity, he had no idea truly how much adversity was coming in 2020. For all of us.
“We wanted to do something unique,” the longtime Denver-area talk-show host told The Post this week. “There are a lot of podcasts out there now.”
And yet, from a timing perspective, the theme of “We Are Unstoppable,” Shapiro and Vic Lombardi’s new podcast, feels more apropos than ever during a global coronavirus pandemic.
“Unstoppable,” which launched earlier this month in partnership with BurstMarketing and sponsorship from the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Center, features interviews with sports and entertainment figures reflecting on how they overcame a specific challenge in their personal lives.
Olympic swimmer Missy Franklin in a recent episode opened up on her struggles with depression and anxiety. Legendary ESPN broadcaster Dick Vitale discusses being bullied as a youngster after a childhood injury gave him a drifting left eye. Former Rockies manager Clint Hurdle talks about overcoming alcoholism and bladder cancer, the latter of which was diagnosed in 2015.
“It was never made public,” Shapiro said of the former Colorado and Pittsburgh skipper. “At the time, he was the manager with the Pirates and he didn’t feel it was necessary for everybody to know this. They got it taken care of and he’s been clean ever since.”
The podcast’s title and mantra were inspired by the personal experiences of Shapiro and Lombardi, Emmy-winning broadcasters who both have battled cancer in recent years. The format includes a segment with a medical expert from Anschutz discussing the clinical side of whatever crisis the celebrity on the podcast has navigated.
“Unstoppable” is slated to drop two episodes per month and is available via all major podcast providers and at unstoppablepodcasts.com.
“When it comes to athletics, athletes, coaches and front office people don’t always want to talk about their vulnerabilities,” said Shapiro, who left Mile High Sports radio in February and moved to Scottsdale, Ariz. “But Vic and I have been able to extract that … to get them to open up about it.
“And you find out they’re not all that bashful about it. I think a lot of it has to do with them wanting to help other people.”


thedenverpost--2020-05-19--Guest Commentary: Coronavirus bails out the oil patch

The huge financial aid package enacted by Congress this spring entailed a sprawling array of programs to direct funding , guarantee loans , relieve debt and more to support businesses laid low by a global pandemic .
It also opened the door to a money grab .
As a result , hundreds of millions of dollars are likely to end up in the pockets of oil and coal investors and executives in what may be the biggest campaign donor payoff in U.S. history .
Failing oil and coal companies quickly moved to exploit the bailout as a financial lifeline .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ sent a letter in April to the Federal Reserve , effectively urging the use of coronavirus rescue funds to bail out bad coal and oil debt .
In a separate letter to President Donald Trump , a group of three dozen senators and representatives argued that banks should be punished for “ discriminating against America ’ s energy sector ” by denying financing to sinking fossil fuel companies .
Conservatives have long demanded that the market should decide such matters .
But the oil patch plays by different political rules .
Funneling taxpayer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ industry that wreaks trillions of dollars in damage on the environment is not an easily justified investment .
Yet the Federal Reserve , which sets loan guidelines for some of the rescue package , changed the rules of its “ Main Street ” lending program to allow companies to use taxpayer loans to pay off existing debt instead of retaining workers .
Under pressure from Republicans , the Federal Reserve also increased the maximum loan amount in the Main Street program to $ 200 million .
At the same time , the rules @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be ignored .
A separate bond buyback plan could end up bailing out 90 fossil fuel producers along with 150 electric utilities that have financial exposure to the sector , according to one analysis .
In addition , a small business assistance program intended for mom and pop companies was raided early by coal and oil companies , which collected a combined $ 50 million .
Three of the bailed-out companies have employed executives who have worked in the Trump administration , including the scandal-tarred former Environmental Protection Agency administrator , Scott Pruitt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public subsidy of environmental degradation and business failure , the Fed insisted that its program changes were not targeted to help coal , oil and gas companies .
However , oil-state senators and Secretary of Energy Dan Brouillette couldn ’ t help bragging that the goal was exactly that .
The largesse has little to do with preserving jobs .
Coal and oil companies had already begun large-scale layoffs , and they won ’ t bring those workers back no matter how much money the government showers on them .
The reason is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their product .
Some shale-oil drillers are paying to have oil taken off their hands because they have no place to store it .
The rig count in the Permian Basin , around West Texas , fell by 50 percent in the past five weeks .
As new wells are completed , employment will fall further .
The decline in fossil energy long preceded Covid-19 .
Most of the nation ’ s coal companies had been through at least one bankruptcy .
Shale oil producers lost a collective $ 189 billion over the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last 11 years the oil industry was the largest issuer of junk bonds .
The rationale behind the giveaways to favored oil , coal and gas interests isn ’ t economic , it ’ s simple smash-and-grab .
According to Bloomberg News , Diamond Offshore Drilling Inc. obtained a $ 9.7 million tax refund through the rescue package .
Then , it turned around and requested that a bankruptcy judge authorize that same amount in bonuses for nine executives .
Republicans intend to redirect hundreds of millions from American workers into the pockets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ failing oil and coal companies .
The source of the oil slick is in the swamp .
Carl Pope is a former chairman of the Sierra Club and an adviser to Michael R. Bloomberg .
To send a letter to the editor about this article , submit online or check out our guidelines for how to submit by email or mail .

The huge financial aid package enacted by Congress this spring entailed a sprawling array of programs to direct funding, guarantee loans, relieve debt and more to support businesses laid low by a global pandemic. It also opened the door to a money grab. As a result, hundreds of millions of dollars are likely to end up in the pockets of oil and coal investors and executives in what may be the biggest campaign donor payoff in U.S. history.
Failing oil and coal companies quickly moved to exploit the bailout as a financial lifeline. They had help. Seventeen Republican senators sent a letter in April to the Federal Reserve, effectively urging the use of coronavirus rescue funds to bail out bad coal and oil debt.
In a separate letter to President Donald Trump, a group of three dozen senators and representatives argued that banks should be punished for “discriminating against America’s energy sector” by denying financing to sinking fossil fuel companies. Conservatives have long demanded that the market should decide such matters. But the oil patch plays by different political rules.
Funneling taxpayer funds to failing companies in a declining industry that wreaks trillions of dollars in damage on the environment is not an easily justified investment. Yet the Federal Reserve, which sets loan guidelines for some of the rescue package, changed the rules of its “Main Street” lending program to allow companies to use taxpayer loans to pay off existing debt instead of retaining workers.
Under pressure from Republicans, the Federal Reserve also increased the maximum loan amount in the Main Street program to $200 million. At the same time, the rules were tweaked so that credit ratings could be ignored. A separate bond buyback plan could end up bailing out 90 fossil fuel producers along with 150 electric utilities that have financial exposure to the sector, according to one analysis.
In addition, a small business assistance program intended for mom and pop companies was raided early by coal and oil companies, which collected a combined $50 million. Three of the bailed-out companies have employed executives who have worked in the Trump administration, including the scandal-tarred former Environmental Protection Agency administrator, Scott Pruitt.
When Democrats in Congress complained about public subsidy of environmental degradation and business failure, the Fed insisted that its program changes were not targeted to help coal, oil and gas companies. However, oil-state senators and Secretary of Energy Dan Brouillette couldn’t help bragging that the goal was exactly that.
The largesse has little to do with preserving jobs. Coal and oil companies had already begun large-scale layoffs, and they won’t bring those workers back no matter how much money the government showers on them. The reason is elementary: The market wants less of their product. Some shale-oil drillers are paying to have oil taken off their hands because they have no place to store it. The rig count in the Permian Basin, around West Texas, fell by 50 percent in the past five weeks. As new wells are completed, employment will fall further.
The decline in fossil energy long preceded Covid-19. Most of the nation’s coal companies had been through at least one bankruptcy. Shale oil producers lost a collective $189 billion over the past decade. In 10 of the last 11 years the oil industry was the largest issuer of junk bonds.
The rationale behind the giveaways to favored oil, coal and gas interests isn’t economic, it’s simple smash-and-grab. According to Bloomberg News, Diamond Offshore Drilling Inc. obtained a $9.7 million tax refund through the rescue package. Then, it turned around and requested that a bankruptcy judge authorize that same amount in bonuses for nine executives.
Republicans intend to redirect hundreds of millions from American workers into the pockets of investors who made bad bets on failing oil and coal companies. The source of the oil slick is in the swamp.
Carl Pope is a former chairman of the Sierra Club and an adviser to Michael R. Bloomberg.
To send a letter to the editor about this article, submit online or check out our guidelines for how to submit by email or mail.


thedenverpost--2020-05-19--Denver breaks record high temperature on Tuesday

Strong winds out of the south helped turn up the heat in Denver Tuesday as the city set a record @ @ @ @ @ at 92 degrees .
The new record temperature was recorded at 4:22 p.m. at Denver @ @ @ @ @ , meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Boulder , said .
The previous record @ @ @ @ @ May 19 was 90 degrees set in 2009 .
“ Downslope winds help bump it @ @ @ @ @ Kalina said of Tuesday ’ s winds , and heat , along the Front Range @ @ @ @ @ Denver reached 41 mph , according to the weather service .
Strong winds , low @ @ @ @ @ concerns for fire danger in Colorado , including along the southern foothills and the Palmer @ @ @ @ @ the Eastern Plains , especially in areas of Weld and Larimer counties , could be @ @ @ @ @ and large hail .
Wednesday ’ s weather in Denver should be slightly cooler , @ @ @ @ @ with a forecast high temperature of 87 degrees .

Strong winds out of the south helped turn up the heat in Denver Tuesday as the city set a record high temperature for May 19 at 92 degrees.
The new record temperature was recorded at 4:22 p.m. at Denver International Airport, Jim Kalina, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Boulder, said. The previous record high temperature in Denver on May 19 was 90 degrees set in 2009.
“Downslope winds help bump it up a bit,” Kalina said of Tuesday’s winds, and heat, along the Front Range.
Wind gusts reached in Denver reached 41 mph, according to the weather service.
Strong winds, low humidity and heat raised the concerns for fire danger in Colorado, including along the southern foothills and the Palmer Divide. Afternoon thunderstorms on the Eastern Plains, especially in areas of Weld and Larimer counties, could be severe with 60 mph winds and large hail.
Wednesday’s weather in Denver should be slightly cooler, but still unseasonably warm, with a forecast high temperature of 87 degrees.


thedenverpost--2020-05-19--Motorcyclist killed in crash with semitrailer on I-70 in Denver

A motorcyclist died Tuesday in Denver in a crash with a semitrailer , police said .
The crash happened on @ @ @ @ @ Street .
The interstate was temporarily closed by the incident .
The motorcyclist , a @ @ @ @ @ at the scene , police said .
The cause of the crash is under investigation @

A motorcyclist died Tuesday in Denver in a crash with a semitrailer, police said.
The crash happened on westbound Interstate 70 near Havana Street. The interstate was temporarily closed by the incident.
The motorcyclist, a man, was pronounced dead at the scene, police said. The cause of the crash is under investigation.


thedenverpost--2020-05-19--Colorado reports 1,257 people have died with COVID-19 in their systems as outbreaks at contained fac

Colorado reports 1,257 people have died with COVID-19 in their systems as outbreaks at contained facilities rise

Colorado health officials on Tuesday reported 1,257 people have died with COVID-19 in their systems , and that death-certificate data shows 968 fatalities were due to the virus .
On Friday , the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment revamped the way it reports deaths related to the new coronavirus , listing the total number of fatalities in which the person had contracted the virus as well as the number of deaths that can be attributed directly to COVID-19 .
There have been 3,955 people hospitalized since the outbreak first was confirmed in the state in early March , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ symptoms of the illness as of Tuesday afternoon , state data shows .
At least 43 people since Monday either went home or were transferred to a lower level of care , like a rehabilitation facility .
Additionally , as of Tuesday , there were 358 critical care ventilators being used across the state , down from 463 a month ago , according to state data .
More than 22,400 people have tested positive for or are believed to have COVID-19 , the highly infectious respiratory illness causes by the virus , though @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is likely far higher .
Officials recorded 3,164 tests on Monday as the state ramps up its capabilities to better track the virus .
The testing rate — 55.6 tests per 100,000 people per day — has improved drastically since the beginning of the pandemic but remains roughly one-third of the 152-per-100,000 daily number that health experts say is necessary to safely monitor the outbreak .
Much of the testing has been focused on senior living facilities and other care homes , though Gov .
Jared Polis on Monday announced that anybody in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get tested for free .
Officials have confirmed outbreaks at 240 contained facilities across the state , including nursing homes , jails and factories .
That ’ s 12 more than the previous day .
The state health department announces new totals daily of coronavirus deaths and confirmed cases based on what ’ s reported up from Colorado ’ s counties ; though the deaths and positive test results may be announced on a particular day , they may have occurred any time in the past and are just now being reported to @ @ @

Colorado health officials on Tuesday reported 1,257 people have died with COVID-19 in their systems, and that death-certificate data shows 968 fatalities were due to the virus.
On Friday, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment revamped the way it reports deaths related to the new coronavirus, listing the total number of fatalities in which the person had contracted the virus as well as the number of deaths that can be attributed directly to COVID-19.
There have been 3,955 people hospitalized since the outbreak first was confirmed in the state in early March, though only 463 people were hospitalized with symptoms of the illness as of Tuesday afternoon, state data shows. At least 43 people since Monday either went home or were transferred to a lower level of care, like a rehabilitation facility.
Additionally, as of Tuesday, there were 358 critical care ventilators being used across the state, down from 463 a month ago, according to state data.
More than 22,400 people have tested positive for or are believed to have COVID-19, the highly infectious respiratory illness causes by the virus, though health officials have said the true number is likely far higher.
Officials recorded 3,164 tests on Monday as the state ramps up its capabilities to better track the virus. The testing rate — 55.6 tests per 100,000 people per day — has improved drastically since the beginning of the pandemic but remains roughly one-third of the 152-per-100,000 daily number that health experts say is necessary to safely monitor the outbreak.
Much of the testing has been focused on senior living facilities and other care homes, though Gov. Jared Polis on Monday announced that anybody in the state showing COVID-19 symptoms can now get tested for free. Officials have confirmed outbreaks at 240 contained facilities across the state, including nursing homes, jails and factories. That’s 12 more than the previous day.
The state health department announces new totals daily of coronavirus deaths and confirmed cases based on what’s reported up from Colorado’s counties; though the deaths and positive test results may be announced on a particular day, they may have occurred any time in the past and are just now being reported to the state.
—


thedenverpost--2020-05-19--Colorado group seeking to ban late-term abortions sues over governor’s order

An organizer of a ballot initiative to make abortions after 22 weeks illegal in Colorado has filed a lawsuit over the governor ’ s executive order on collecting signatures for ballot measures , making it the second such legal challenge since the governor changed how the process works .
Giuliana Day of the group Due Date Too Late filed the complaint in U.S. District Court on Monday evening against Gov .
Jared Polis and Secretary of State Jena Griswold .
The lawsuit alleges that Polis ’ executive order suspending certain statutes discriminates against Day because it excludes Initiative 120 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ allows campaigns to collect the required 124,632 signatures over mail and email and suspends the requirement that petitions have to be filed within six months of being set , except for those that are already in their 15-day cure period .
The only initiative in that period — where the group is working to collect nearly 10,000 more valid signatures because they fell short — is the abortion ban .
The secretary of state ’ s office is tasked with creating temporary rules to go into effect for the other initiatives in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ want to be treated fairly and we don ’ t want to have our viewpoint discriminated against just because they might not support our measure , ” said attorney Suzanne Staiert , a former Republican deputy secretary of state and state senate candidate .
“ Defendant Polis has , in effect , stated that if you are a pro-life Coloradan , you have no right to free speech or the protection of your health during a pandemic , ” the lawsuit stated .
The group is asking for an expedited hearing because its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a judge previously granted them an extension to collect signatures .
At a news conference Monday , Polis said the changes are about the rights of citizens to get measures placed on the ballot during a public health emergency that makes gathering “ next to impossible.
” But they only apply to those that haven ’ t already submitted signatures .
“ Obviously no initiatives were separated out based on whether I like them or not , ” he said .
“ There ’ s many initiatives that are going to be using @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I don ’ t like .
”

An organizer of a ballot initiative to make abortions after 22 weeks illegal in Colorado has filed a lawsuit over the governor’s executive order on collecting signatures for ballot measures, making it the second such legal challenge since the governor changed how the process works.
Giuliana Day of the group Due Date Too Late filed the complaint in U.S. District Court on Monday evening against Gov. Jared Polis and Secretary of State Jena Griswold. The lawsuit alleges that Polis’ executive order suspending certain statutes discriminates against Day because it excludes Initiative 120.
The governor’s order signed Friday allows campaigns to collect the required 124,632 signatures over mail and email and suspends the requirement that petitions have to be filed within six months of being set, except for those that are already in their 15-day cure period. The only initiative in that period — where the group is working to collect nearly 10,000 more valid signatures because they fell short — is the abortion ban. The secretary of state’s office is tasked with creating temporary rules to go into effect for the other initiatives in the coming weeks.
“We just want want to be treated fairly and we don’t want to have our viewpoint discriminated against just because they might not support our measure,” said attorney Suzanne Staiert, a former Republican deputy secretary of state and state senate candidate.
“Defendant Polis has, in effect, stated that if you are a pro-life Coloradan, you have no right to free speech or the protection of your health during a pandemic,” the lawsuit stated.
The group is asking for an expedited hearing because its signatures are due May 29, after a judge previously granted them an extension to collect signatures.
At a news conference Monday, Polis said the changes are about the rights of citizens to get measures placed on the ballot during a public health emergency that makes gathering “next to impossible.” But they only apply to those that haven’t already submitted signatures.
“Obviously no initiatives were separated out based on whether I like them or not,” he said. “There’s many initiatives that are going to be using this that I like and many that I don’t like.”


thedenverpost--2020-05-19--Water World won’t open in 2020

Water World won’t open in 2020

Those hoping to cool off at Water World in Federal Heights will have to wait till next summer .
The water park announced Tuesday that it will not be opening for the 2020 season due to the novel coronavirus pandemic .
“ At this time and in direct consultation with public officials , there is no indication that an aquatic park of our size and scope , which operates with larger guest attendance , will be permitted to open within our short summer operating season , ” Water World Director Bob Owens wrote in a letter on the company website @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in hand , we ’ ve made the difficult decision to cancel our 2020 operating season .
We are deeply disappointed , and this is not a decision that comes lightly .
Ultimately though , we care about our community and we ’ ll do our part to get our great State of Colorado back on its feet.
” The water park had previously delayed its scheduled Memorial Day opening as it monitored the global outbreak .
All passes purchased for this summer have been extended to 2021 , Owens wrote in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ questions to visit their Frequently Asked Questions page .
While businesses have slowly reopened across Colorado , high-capacity venues such as sporting arenas , concert halls and theme parks have not been given any indication that restrictions could be lifted in the near future .

Those hoping to cool off at Water World in Federal Heights will have to wait till next summer.
The water park announced Tuesday that it will not be opening for the 2020 season due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.
“At this time and in direct consultation with public officials, there is no indication that an aquatic park of our size and scope, which operates with larger guest attendance, will be permitted to open within our short summer operating season,” Water World Director Bob Owens wrote in a letter on the company website. “With this information and guidance in hand, we’ve made the difficult decision to cancel our 2020 operating season. We are deeply disappointed, and this is not a decision that comes lightly. Ultimately though, we care about our community and we’ll do our part to get our great State of Colorado back on its feet.”
The water park had previously delayed its scheduled Memorial Day opening as it monitored the global outbreak.
All passes purchased for this summer have been extended to 2021, Owens wrote in the letter. The park directed anyone with questions to visit their Frequently Asked Questions page.
While businesses have slowly reopened across Colorado, high-capacity venues such as sporting arenas, concert halls and theme parks have not been given any indication that restrictions could be lifted in the near future.


thedenverpost--2020-05-19--Denver puts arena, expo hall plans on hold for National Western Center project

Denver city officials have hit pause on ambitious plans for a new arena and expo hall in the National Western Center project as the coronavirus pandemic sends tourist-generated taxes nosediving .
Mayor Michael Hancock sent formal notices of the delay Tuesday to two teams that are vying for a public-private partnership estimated to be worth $ 528 million .
The city , after seeking public input for months , has put on hold the bid process that was set to begin Sept. 1 for “ The Triangle ” portion of the National Western campus .
“ Due to the impacts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expected to take a projected 62 % loss in 2020 ” compared to the city ’ s original projections , Hancock wrote .
“ This presents a challenge unlike anything we ’ ve ever seen.
” The National Western Center redevelopment is a marquee project for Hancock , the chief backer of plans to expand and remake the Stock Show campus northeast of downtown into a year-round tourism , event , education and agricultural center .
But its financing depends heavily on revenue from hotel stays and car rentals , both of which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ months .
The project ’ s new difficulties stand in stark contrast with Denver International Airport ’ s plans to accelerate big improvement projects during the downturn .
Early National Western Center phases worth $ 1 billion broke ground in 2018 and are expected to continue , the city says .
The project ’ s partners include Colorado State University , which recently began work on a three-building “ Spur ” complex .
But the future is less clear for The Triangle , which covers the southeast area between the BNSF Railway tracks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Denver Coliseum and its parking lots .
Later-phase plans for that area include a new 10,000-seat arena , an exposition hall and renovation of the 1909 Stadium Arena into a public market .
As it stood , the city was seeking a private partnership team to help finance and operate those structures , and it was dangling the potential of private development on some of the land .
Hancock wrote in his letters to the teams that he remained committed to fulfilling “ the full mission and vision ” of the National @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re definitely committed to picking it back up , ” said Jenna Espinoza-Garcia , a spokeswoman for the city ’ s National Western Center office .
“ We ’ ll reexamine in six months and see what kind of a financial state we ’ re in .
”

Denver city officials have hit pause on ambitious plans for a new arena and expo hall in the National Western Center project as the coronavirus pandemic sends tourist-generated taxes nosediving.
Mayor Michael Hancock sent formal notices of the delay Tuesday to two teams that are vying for a public-private partnership estimated to be worth $528 million. The city, after seeking public input for months, has put on hold the bid process that was set to begin Sept. 1 for “The Triangle” portion of the National Western campus.
“Due to the impacts of COVID-19, lodgers taxes alone are expected to take a projected 62% loss in 2020” compared to the city’s original projections, Hancock wrote. “This presents a challenge unlike anything we’ve ever seen.”
The National Western Center redevelopment is a marquee project for Hancock, the chief backer of plans to expand and remake the Stock Show campus northeast of downtown into a year-round tourism, event, education and agricultural center.
But its financing depends heavily on revenue from hotel stays and car rentals, both of which have taken a heavy hit in recent months. The project’s new difficulties stand in stark contrast with Denver International Airport’s plans to accelerate big improvement projects during the downturn.
Early National Western Center phases worth $1 billion broke ground in 2018 and are expected to continue, the city says. The project’s partners include Colorado State University, which recently began work on a three-building “Spur” complex.
But the future is less clear for The Triangle, which covers the southeast area between the BNSF Railway tracks and Brighton Boulevard, as well as the Denver Coliseum and its parking lots. Later-phase plans for that area include a new 10,000-seat arena, an exposition hall and renovation of the 1909 Stadium Arena into a public market.
As it stood, the city was seeking a private partnership team to help finance and operate those structures, and it was dangling the potential of private development on some of the land.
Hancock wrote in his letters to the teams that he remained committed to fulfilling “the full mission and vision” of the National Western Center plan.
“We’re definitely committed to picking it back up,” said Jenna Espinoza-Garcia, a spokeswoman for the city’s National Western Center office. “We’ll reexamine in six months and see what kind of a financial state we’re in.”


thedenverpost--2020-05-19--Hundreds gather along Boulder Creek prompting warnings from health officials

It wasn ’ t quite on the level of the masses taking a dip in the holy Ganges in India , but Boulder Creek at Eben G. Fine Park on Monday offered a remarkable — and , disturbing to many — tableau featuring hundreds of young people in the water and on its banks .
Any notion of social distancing had seemingly washed well downstream with the rest of the spring runoff .
Members of the Boulder County Public Health were alerted to the situation on Monday , and don ’ t like what video clips were showing .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ve gained — we may have already , ” said Boulder County Public Health spokesperson Chana Goussetis .
No police citations were issued Monday for public health violations , despite the display of indifference to public health orders in the heart of the city .
Violations of a public health order are punishable by a fine of up to $ 1,000 and a year in jail .
In a statement , Boulder County Public Health Executive Director Jeff Zayach said , “ I know it ’ s been difficult , but the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ creek not only shows groups larger than 10 people , but there was also not adequate social distancing .
“ Situations like these not only violate the state and local public health orders , but they put our whole community , our businesses , and our economy at risk .
Please remember that it takes up to 14 days before we see who will become sick and spread the disease from this large gathering of people along the creek.
” Zayach once again urged people to “ take this virus seriously ” and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and remain at least six feet from each other .
“ Individual actions are putting our businesses and our most vulnerable in the community at further risk.
” Goussetis , who noted that the community had succeeded in lowering the numbers of new COVID-19 cases and keeping area hospital and health care workers safer , said it was nevertheless “ disappointing ” to see local residents not considering the impact of their actions on others .
“ We understand that this is a difficult time for all of us , ” she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and we want to finally get out and enjoy .
But we ’ re not there yet.
” County health personnel were in contact with the Boulder Police Department on Tuesday to discuss the Eben G. Fine Park situation .
On Tuesday morning , however , the police department did not indicate a significant change in its approach was in the offing .
“ Boulder Police will continue to focus on a strong educational approach to emphasize wearing a mask and social distancing of six feet or more to encourage personal responsibility rather @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spokesperson Laurie Ogden .
“ Boulder County is launching a regional media campaign this week to support these approaches .
”

It wasn’t quite on the level of the masses taking a dip in the holy Ganges in India, but Boulder Creek at Eben G. Fine Park on Monday offered a remarkable — and, disturbing to many — tableau featuring hundreds of young people in the water and on its banks. Any notion of social distancing had seemingly washed well downstream with the rest of the spring runoff.
Members of the Boulder County Public Health were alerted to the situation on Monday, and don’t like what video clips were showing.
“We can quickly lose all that we’ve gained — we may have already,” said Boulder County Public Health spokesperson Chana Goussetis.
No police citations were issued Monday for public health violations, despite the display of indifference to public health orders in the heart of the city. Violations of a public health order are punishable by a fine of up to $1,000 and a year in jail.
In a statement, Boulder County Public Health Executive Director Jeff Zayach said, “I know it’s been difficult, but the video of people clearly gathering along the creek not only shows groups larger than 10 people, but there was also not adequate social distancing.
“Situations like these not only violate the state and local public health orders, but they put our whole community, our businesses, and our economy at risk. Please remember that it takes up to 14 days before we see who will become sick and spread the disease from this large gathering of people along the creek.”
Zayach once again urged people to “take this virus seriously” and limit gatherings to 10 people or less, and remain at least six feet from each other.
“Individual actions are putting our businesses and our most vulnerable in the community at further risk.”
Goussetis, who noted that the community had succeeded in lowering the numbers of new COVID-19 cases and keeping area hospital and health care workers safer, said it was nevertheless “disappointing” to see local residents not considering the impact of their actions on others.
“We understand that this is a difficult time for all of us,” she said. “The days are beautiful and we want to finally get out and enjoy. But we’re not there yet.”
County health personnel were in contact with the Boulder Police Department on Tuesday to discuss the Eben G. Fine Park situation.
On Tuesday morning, however, the police department did not indicate a significant change in its approach was in the offing.
“Boulder Police will continue to focus on a strong educational approach to emphasize wearing a mask and social distancing of six feet or more to encourage personal responsibility rather than issue citations,” said department spokesperson Laurie Ogden. “Boulder County is launching a regional media campaign this week to support these approaches.”


thedenverpost--2020-05-19--Pier 1 Imports becomes latest national retailer to announce it will close

Pier 1 Imports , the home store known for its candles , bright dishes and trendy furniture , announced Monday it will close all 541 stores across the nation , including 10 in Colorado .
The company wants to liquidate its merchandise as a soon a possible once its stores are allowed to reopen from closures caused by the coronavirus pandemic , according to a company news release .
Pier 1 filed for bankruptcy protection earlier this year but was unable to find a potential buyer .
With a struggling retail sector and the uncertainty surrounding the pandemic , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ close its stores , the Fort Worth , Texas-based company said in the news release Robert Riesbeck , Pier 1 ’ s Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer said in the release , “ We are grateful to our dedicated and hardworking associates , millions of customers and committed vendors who have collectively supported Pier 1 for decades .
We deeply value our associates , customers , business partners and the communities in which we operate , and this is not the outcome we expected or hoped to achieve .
This decision @ @ @ @ @ @ @ buyer who would continue to operate our business going forward .
Unfortunately , the challenging retail environment has been significantly compounded by the profound impact of COVID-19 , hindering our ability to secure such a buyer and requiring us to wind down.
” Pier 1 intends to hold store-closing sales once its locations can reopen .
While stores in Colorado have been allowed to open under specific guidelines , Pier 1 ’ s outlets remains closed , according to their various websites .
The company ’ s online sales continue .
Pier 1 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ store but in recent years , its sales have fallen as it struggled to compete with online retailers Wayfair and Amazon , which sell sofas and coffee tables at a lower price and deliver them quickly .
The pandemic has quickened the pace of bankruptcy filings and closures for struggling retailers , including J.C. Penney and J.Crew .
The Associated Press contributed to this report .

Pier 1 Imports, the home store known for its candles, bright dishes and trendy furniture, announced Monday it will close all 541 stores across the nation, including 10 in Colorado.
The company wants to liquidate its merchandise as a soon a possible once its stores are allowed to reopen from closures caused by the coronavirus pandemic, according to a company news release. Pier 1 filed for bankruptcy protection earlier this year but was unable to find a potential buyer. With a struggling retail sector and the uncertainty surrounding the pandemic, the company decided it had no choice but close its stores, the Fort Worth, Texas-based company said in the news release
Robert Riesbeck, Pier 1’s Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer said in the release, “We are grateful to our dedicated and hardworking associates, millions of customers and committed vendors who have collectively supported Pier 1 for decades. We deeply value our associates, customers, business partners and the communities in which we operate, and this is not the outcome we expected or hoped to achieve. This decision follows months of working to identify a buyer who would continue to operate our business going forward. Unfortunately, the challenging retail environment has been significantly compounded by the profound impact of COVID-19, hindering our ability to secure such a buyer and requiring us to wind down.”
Pier 1 intends to hold store-closing sales once its locations can reopen. While stores in Colorado have been allowed to open under specific guidelines, Pier 1’s outlets remains closed, according to their various websites. The company’s online sales continue.
Pier 1 was founded in 1962 with a single store but in recent years, its sales have fallen as it struggled to compete with online retailers Wayfair and Amazon, which sell sofas and coffee tables at a lower price and deliver them quickly. The pandemic has quickened the pace of bankruptcy filings and closures for struggling retailers, including J.C. Penney and J.Crew.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.


thedenverpost--2020-05-20--As insurance companies exclude COVID-19 from business liability policies, some look to lawmakers for

As insurance companies exclude COVID-19 from business liability policies, some look to lawmakers for help

The Royal Gorge Route Railroad is a highly visible piece of the Fremont County economy , bringing 150,000 riders and $ 30 million in economic activity per year to south-central Colorado , owner Mark Greksa says .
Of the many business challenges stampeding through Greksa ’ s mind these days , one has emerged in recent weeks as a major hurdle to reopening : Liability insurance , specifically the lack of available liability insurance coverage for COVID-19 .
The absence of such coverage could be a real show-stopper for the railroad , Greksa said , as it could for Colorado @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , theaters , beer halls , and basically any business where employees have direct contact with customers .
Greksa is calling on state lawmakers to take action to insulate businesses like his from lawsuits around the coronavirus-caused disease .
It ’ s becoming clear the insurance industry doesn ’ t intend to provide that protection .
“ I think it ’ s crucial for the state of Colorado that we take action now , ” Greksa said .
“ Otherwise businesses are going to be very reluctant to reopen and it ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ economy.
” The Cañon City-based railroad is looking to buy a $ 10 million liability insurance policy after its last provider exited the market .
A potential new provider recently added an exclusion to its policies when it comes to covering claims related to COVID-19 .
At least one other insurer the railroad has checked in with was in the process of writing an exclusion of its own .
Greksa has a workers ’ compensation policy that he is confident will cover his employees in the event they contract the illness .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back to work .
Some of the staffers he had to lay off after business shutdowns went into effect in March are now facing evictions or relying on government food assistance .
His pared-back staff of 40 is floating on a raft of federal Paycheck Protection Program money that runs out in June .
Without liability coverage , though , the railroad is exposed to lawsuits from potential future passengers related to the virus .
Even with expanded cleaning protocols , plans to limit trips to fewer than 300 riders on trains that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ measures , it ’ s a risk Greksa says he can ’ t afford to take .
“ I don ’ t want to deal with frivolous lawsuits that take time and money , ” Greksa said .
“ When you have an insurance company that won ’ t cover you , you are flapping out in the breeze and that will put any business out of business.
” Tom Henderson , an attorney with Denver ’ s Burg Simpson Law Firm who represents policyholders in disputes with insurers , said he ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ moving to build walls in liability policies that exclude COVID-19 coverage .
He speculated that such exclusions could have major impacts on amusement parks , sports franchises and other businesses dependent on bringing masses of people through their gates .
He expects that the practice will soon be widespread if it isn ’ t already .
“ I would assume that that type of process is in the works , that insurance companies will come up with a more comprehensively worded exclusion because of the concern that gee , that customer-oriented business might @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Denver restauranteur Paul Reilly has been vocal about only reopening his businesses when he has a clear picture of what safe operations amid the pandemic .
Right now , he is preparing to file applications with the city of Denver to expand outdoor seating for his restaurants , Beast + Bottle and Coperta , in accordance with new guidelines released this week .
He just renewed his liability coverage in February .
If COVID-19 were not part of his coverage , “ that would seriously change our business plans , ” Reilly said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scenario.
” Virus and bacteria exclusions are already part of many policies covering business interruption claims , Carole Walker , executive director of industry trade group the Rocky Mountain Insurance Association , said .
It ’ s an industry position that has stuck in the craw of many Colorado business owners , including Greksa , but Walker and others say the pandemic is a burden large enough to bankrupt the industry or at least leave it unable to cover other natural disasters like wildfires and hail .
The concern around coronavirus liability coverage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chatter at the federal level about legislation protecting businesses .
At least 26 states have already provided liability protection to health care entities and/or first responders , according to research by Walker ’ s organization .
Colorado is not among them .
In Oklahoma , the state Senate last week passed a bill that would protect businesses from lawsuits related to the inadvertent spread of COVID-19 , though opponents feel it is too broad , according to a report from local TV station KWTV .
That measure is now before the state House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are reopening , we need to make them feel secure to do business , especially if they are taking all the right precautions , ” Walker said .
The appropriate sources for that security are the state legislature or an emergency order from Gov .
Jared Polis , Walker said .
• Pier 1 Imports becomes latest national retailer to announce it will close • 72,000 on pandemic unemployment assistance in Colorado had private information exposed • Colorado ’ s job recovery will be full of fits and starts in months ahead • @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to announce it will close • 72,000 on pandemic unemployment assistance in Colorado had private information exposed • Colorado ’ s job recovery will be full of fits and starts in months ahead Such a bill may be hard to come by when Colorado ’ s 2020 legislative session resumes next week .
Lawmakers will be focused on addressing a state budget that is now billions of dollars short , school financing shortfalls and other red-alert emergency priorities .
Rep. Tracy Kraft-Tharp , D-Arvada , chairs the Colorado House ’ s business affairs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from people who would like to see the liability issue addressed by the General Assembly but , at this point , she said she is not planning to introduce a bill on that topic .
For one , the issue is already been looked at the federal level , she said .
And she feels the key to restarting the economy is consumer confidence .
Insulating businesses for liability around coronavirus , even those businesses that might not be following rules and regulations set forth by state and local health officials , sends @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t see that that right now would increase confidence , ” she said .

The Royal Gorge Route Railroad is a highly visible piece of the Fremont County economy, bringing 150,000 riders and $30 million in economic activity per year to south-central Colorado, owner Mark Greksa says.
Of the many business challenges stampeding through Greksa’s mind these days, one has emerged in recent weeks as a major hurdle to reopening: Liability insurance, specifically the lack of available liability insurance coverage for COVID-19. The absence of such coverage could be a real show-stopper for the railroad, Greksa said, as it could for Colorado’s ski industry, its restaurants, theaters, beer halls, and basically any business where employees have direct contact with customers.
Greksa is calling on state lawmakers to take action to insulate businesses like his from lawsuits around the coronavirus-caused disease. It’s becoming clear the insurance industry doesn’t intend to provide that protection.
“I think it’s crucial for the state of Colorado that we take action now,” Greksa said. “Otherwise businesses are going to be very reluctant to reopen and it’s going to be very damaging to our economy.”
The Cañon City-based railroad is looking to buy a $10 million liability insurance policy after its last provider exited the market. A potential new provider recently added an exclusion to its policies when it comes to covering claims related to COVID-19. At least one other insurer the railroad has checked in with was in the process of writing an exclusion of its own.
Greksa has a workers’ compensation policy that he is confident will cover his employees in the event they contract the illness. He’s more concerned about bringing them back to work. Some of the staffers he had to lay off after business shutdowns went into effect in March are now facing evictions or relying on government food assistance. His pared-back staff of 40 is floating on a raft of federal Paycheck Protection Program money that runs out in June.
Without liability coverage, though, the railroad is exposed to lawsuits from potential future passengers related to the virus. Even with expanded cleaning protocols, plans to limit trips to fewer than 300 riders on trains that could accommodate 700 people and other safety measures, it’s a risk Greksa says he can’t afford to take.
“I don’t want to deal with frivolous lawsuits that take time and money,” Greksa said. “When you have an insurance company that won’t cover you, you are flapping out in the breeze and that will put any business out of business.”
Tom Henderson, an attorney with Denver’s Burg Simpson Law Firm who represents policyholders in disputes with insurers, said he’s not surprised to hear of companies moving to build walls in liability policies that exclude COVID-19 coverage.
He speculated that such exclusions could have major impacts on amusement parks, sports franchises and other businesses dependent on bringing masses of people through their gates. He expects that the practice will soon be widespread if it isn’t already.
“I would assume that that type of process is in the works, that insurance companies will come up with a more comprehensively worded exclusion because of the concern that gee, that customer-oriented business might get sued,” he said.
Denver restauranteur Paul Reilly has been vocal about only reopening his businesses when he has a clear picture of what safe operations amid the pandemic. Right now, he is preparing to file applications with the city of Denver to expand outdoor seating for his restaurants, Beast + Bottle and Coperta, in accordance with new guidelines released this week.
He just renewed his liability coverage in February. If COVID-19 were not part of his coverage, “that would seriously change our business plans,” Reilly said. “That sounds like a worrisome scenario.”
Virus and bacteria exclusions are already part of many policies covering business interruption claims, Carole Walker, executive director of industry trade group the Rocky Mountain Insurance Association, said. It’s an industry position that has stuck in the craw of many Colorado business owners, including Greksa, but Walker and others say the pandemic is a burden large enough to bankrupt the industry or at least leave it unable to cover other natural disasters like wildfires and hail.
The concern around coronavirus liability coverage is large enough that there has been chatter at the federal level about legislation protecting businesses. At least 26 states have already provided liability protection to health care entities and/or first responders, according to research by Walker’s organization. Colorado is not among them.
In Oklahoma, the state Senate last week passed a bill that would protect businesses from lawsuits related to the inadvertent spread of COVID-19, though opponents feel it is too broad, according to a report from local TV station KWTV. That measure is now before the state House of Representatives.
“As our businesses are reopening, we need to make them feel secure to do business, especially if they are taking all the right precautions,” Walker said.
The appropriate sources for that security are the state legislature or an emergency order from Gov. Jared Polis, Walker said.
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Such a bill may be hard to come by when Colorado’s 2020 legislative session resumes next week. Lawmakers will be focused on addressing a state budget that is now billions of dollars short, school financing shortfalls and other red-alert emergency priorities.
Rep. Tracy Kraft-Tharp, D-Arvada, chairs the Colorado House’s business affairs and labor committee. She has heard from people who would like to see the liability issue addressed by the General Assembly but, at this point, she said she is not planning to introduce a bill on that topic.
For one, the issue is already been looked at the federal level, she said. And she feels the key to restarting the economy is consumer confidence. Insulating businesses for liability around coronavirus, even those businesses that might not be following rules and regulations set forth by state and local health officials, sends the wrong message.
“I don’t see that that right now would increase confidence,” she said.


thedenverpost--2020-05-20--Do Colorado hospitals get extra money for coronavirus cases and deaths? Yes and no.

A claim that states and hospitals inflate coronavirus death counts so they ’ ll receive more money from the federal government has been circling for weeks on social media , with questions raised anew after Colorado ’ s health department recently changed how it reports COVID-19 fatalities .
The Denver Post sought to verify whether there ’ s any financial benefit related to coronavirus diagnoses , and found the government does pay hospitals a higher reimbursement for patients with COVID-19 under the federal Coronavirus Aid , Relief and Economic Security Act , or CARES Act .
But that ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those who are on Medicare , the federal health insurance that covers people 65 and older .
In Colorado , state health data shows people 60 and older make up 27.4 % of all confirmed cases — and 91 % of the state ’ s coronavirus-related deaths .
Yet industry experts say that even with that increase for COVID-19 patients , Medicare reimbursements still remain well below the actual cost of care .
“ The idea that hospitals and doctors are falsely inflating COVID numbers and even putting patients on ventilators to drive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but it ’ s insulting to the doctors who are putting their own lives at risk , ” said Joe Hanel , spokesperson for the Colorado Health institute .
As of Friday , the state Department of Public Health and Environment is breaking up its tally of COVID-19 deaths into two categories .
The first category has been used by the health department since the start of the pandemic and includes the total number of people who died who have COVID-19 , regardless of whether it was the virus that ultimately killed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at 1,257 deaths as of Tuesday , comes from reports made to the state health department by doctors , laboratories and coroners .
The second comes solely from death certificates that listed COVID-19 as a cause of death .
That data shows that there were 968 people who died directly from COVID-19 , as of Tuesday .
There ’ s a several-week lag in the death certificate data so public health officials expect that number to increase .
Tracking the overall number of people who died while they had COVID-19 is important because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ factors among cases , such as where a person traveled and any underlying health conditions , said Rachel Herlihy , the state epidemiologist .
But there is no financial benefit to having a death certificate state that a person ’ s cause of death was directly tied to COVID-19 , said Dr. Leon Kelly , El Paso County ’ s coroner , who also has served as deputy medical director for the county ’ s public health department during the coronavirus crisis .
“ The coroner ’ s office is obviously funded by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a fixed budget decided the year before , ” he said .
“ There ’ s no additional funding that ’ s tied to the number of COVID deaths that are ruled in your county , or even autopsied and ruled by your coroner ’ s office.
” Any money that a coroner ’ s office might get under the CARES Act is based on the county ’ s population and needs .
For example , Kelly said , if the coroner ’ s office needs to order more refrigerator units to store @ @ @ @ @ @ @ receive a reimbursement from the government for the cost of the units .
“ But it ’ s not tied in any way to the number of COVID deaths that you have , ” he said .
In most cases , Kelly said , patients with COVID-19 are dying at hospitals , so medical examiners often are not directly involved in ruling the cause of death .
Under the CARES Act , the government will pay hospitals 20 % more for Medicare patients with COVID-19 .
These payments are for Medicare patients with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doesn ’ t change based on whether someone is discharged or dies .
They also do not cover those who seek medical care for the coronavirus at emergency rooms and are not admitted for hospital stays , said Julie Lonborg , senior vice president of the Colorado Hospital Association .
The Kaiser Family Foundation estimates that the total amount of payments to U.S. hospitals for treating uninsured patients during the pandemic could range from $ 13.9 billion to $ 41.8 billion .
The foundation found that the average Medicare payment to hospitals for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 13,297 to $ 40,218 , depending on the severity of the illness .
In Colorado , Medicare reimbursement typically equates to 70 cents per dollar for the cost of care provided to a patient .
Under the CARES Act , the reimbursement increases to 84 cents per dollar for care for COVID-19 patients , Lonborg said .
“ They definitely pay us more for these patients but we still lose money for every ( Medicare ) patient that we provide this care , ” she said .
Part of the concern over hospital @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid has told providers they can use the COVID-19 diagnosis code for patients who not only have tested positive for the virus , but also those who are believed to likely have the respiratory disease .
This is different from other illnesses , such as heart attacks , where the diagnosis is more concrete , Lonborg said .
The reason probable cases of COVID-19 are included , she said , is because testing for the disease has been limited .
“ The notion that we get paid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that died , in reality you get paid for the care that we provide and I think that ’ s a really big distinction , ” Lonborg said .
Tracking the total number of deaths among people with COVID-19 is important because there ’ s much that medical and public health officials don ’ t know about the disease , Lonborg said .
For example , she said , there are concerns the new coronavirus is causing blood clotting that can lead to strokes .
“ You want to know if it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Or is there something else in this virus that we don ’ t know yet.
” It can also help understand any indirect deaths related to the pandemic , such as fatalities among people putting off care when they are sick or how the mental health toll of social distancing is playing out , Lonborg said .
Overall , deaths in Colorado were up 20 % in March and April , compared to the same period in 2019 .
The increase was largely due to COVID-19 .
“ That ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reality check of the scope of the pandemic , ” Hanel said .
“ In most cases that I ’ ve seen , if the COVID death counts are wrong , it ’ s that they are too low .
”

A claim that states and hospitals inflate coronavirus death counts so they’ll receive more money from the federal government has been circling for weeks on social media, with questions raised anew after Colorado’s health department recently changed how it reports COVID-19 fatalities.
The Denver Post sought to verify whether there’s any financial benefit related to coronavirus diagnoses, and found the government does pay hospitals a higher reimbursement for patients with COVID-19 under the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act, or CARES Act.
But that’s limited to a specific patient population — those who are on Medicare, the federal health insurance that covers people 65 and older.
In Colorado, state health data shows people 60 and older make up 27.4% of all confirmed cases — and 91% of the state’s coronavirus-related deaths.
Yet industry experts say that even with that increase for COVID-19 patients, Medicare reimbursements still remain well below the actual cost of care.
“The idea that hospitals and doctors are falsely inflating COVID numbers and even putting patients on ventilators to drive up their payments is not just ridiculous, but it’s insulting to the doctors who are putting their own lives at risk,” said Joe Hanel, spokesperson for the Colorado Health Institute.
As of Friday, the state Department of Public Health and Environment is breaking up its tally of COVID-19 deaths into two categories.
The first category has been used by the health department since the start of the pandemic and includes the total number of people who died who have COVID-19, regardless of whether it was the virus that ultimately killed them. This number, which sat at 1,257 deaths as of Tuesday, comes from reports made to the state health department by doctors, laboratories and coroners.
The second comes solely from death certificates that listed COVID-19 as a cause of death. That data shows that there were 968 people who died directly from COVID-19, as of Tuesday. There’s a several-week lag in the death certificate data so public health officials expect that number to increase.
Tracking the overall number of people who died while they had COVID-19 is important because it helps public health officials identify risk factors among cases, such as where a person traveled and any underlying health conditions, said Rachel Herlihy, the state epidemiologist.
“No additional funding” tied to deaths
But there is no financial benefit to having a death certificate state that a person’s cause of death was directly tied to COVID-19, said Dr. Leon Kelly, El Paso County’s coroner, who also has served as deputy medical director for the county’s public health department during the coronavirus crisis.
“The coroner’s office is obviously funded by the county budget and it’s a fixed budget decided the year before,” he said. “There’s no additional funding that’s tied to the number of COVID deaths that are ruled in your county, or even autopsied and ruled by your coroner’s office.”
Any money that a coroner’s office might get under the CARES Act is based on the county’s population and needs. For example, Kelly said, if the coroner’s office needs to order more refrigerator units to store bodies during a surge, it could receive a reimbursement from the government for the cost of the units.
“But it’s not tied in any way to the number of COVID deaths that you have,” he said.
In most cases, Kelly said, patients with COVID-19 are dying at hospitals, so medical examiners often are not directly involved in ruling the cause of death.
Under the CARES Act, the government will pay hospitals 20% more for Medicare patients with COVID-19.
These payments are for Medicare patients with the disease who are hospitalized, and doesn’t change based on whether someone is discharged or dies. They also do not cover those who seek medical care for the coronavirus at emergency rooms and are not admitted for hospital stays, said Julie Lonborg, senior vice president of the Colorado Hospital Association.
The Kaiser Family Foundation estimates that the total amount of payments to U.S. hospitals for treating uninsured patients during the pandemic could range from $13.9 billion to $41.8 billion.
The foundation found that the average Medicare payment to hospitals for respiratory infections in 2017 ranged from $13,297 to $40,218, depending on the severity of the illness.
In Colorado, Medicare reimbursement typically equates to 70 cents per dollar for the cost of care provided to a patient. Under the CARES Act, the reimbursement increases to 84 cents per dollar for care for COVID-19 patients, Lonborg said.
“They definitely pay us more for these patients but we still lose money for every (Medicare) patient that we provide this care,” she said.
Probable COVID-19 cases included
Part of the concern over hospital payments is driven by the fact that the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid has told providers they can use the COVID-19 diagnosis code for patients who not only have tested positive for the virus, but also those who are believed to likely have the respiratory disease. This is different from other illnesses, such as heart attacks, where the diagnosis is more concrete, Lonborg said.
The reason probable cases of COVID-19 are included, she said, is because testing for the disease has been limited.
“The notion that we get paid based on a code for a patient that died, in reality you get paid for the care that we provide and I think that’s a really big distinction,” Lonborg said.
Tracking the total number of deaths among people with COVID-19 is important because there’s much that medical and public health officials don’t know about the disease, Lonborg said.
For example, she said, there are concerns the new coronavirus is causing blood clotting that can lead to strokes.
“You want to know if it’s a coincidence,” Lonborg said. “Or is there something else in this virus that we don’t know yet.”
It can also help understand any indirect deaths related to the pandemic, such as fatalities among people putting off care when they are sick or how the mental health toll of social distancing is playing out, Lonborg said.
Overall, deaths in Colorado were up 20% in March and April, compared to the same period in 2019. The increase was largely due to COVID-19.
“That’s one way of kind of doing a reality check of the scope of the pandemic,” Hanel said. “In most cases that I’ve seen, if the COVID death counts are wrong, it’s that they are too low.”


thedenverpost--2020-05-20--Denver Sports Omelette: Should more professional athletes give back during these troubling times?

Sports fans across the country are missing some of the best sporting events this time of year as the coronavirus pandemic has shuttered all major sports leagues .
The NBA and NHL should be playing postseason games , MLB should be into its second month of games and the NFL is normally meeting with players getting ready for offseason activities .
With the shutdown of sports causes owners to make difficult decisions .
The latest decision comes from Los Angeles Angels and their plans to furlough staff starting June 1 .
The Angels are just the latest MLB team to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t be the last .
The Angels have an MVP and clubhouse leader in Mike Trout , who signed a 12-year contract worth $ 430 million in guaranteed money back in 2019 .
Trout , who is scheduled to make $ 37 million-plus through the remainder of his deal , might want to think about giving back to those furloughed with an assist .
It ’ s always easy to spend other folks ’ money , but when leaders like former Broncos QB Peyton Manning has been giving back with his time and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a position to help should as well .
What do you think : Should high salaried professional players do more and give back to those in need ?
If you enjoy the Denver Sports Omelette , tell a friend it ’ s easy to sign up here for our daily sports roundup .
If you have any questions or suggestions , hit me up on Twitter @ joenguyen or by email .
A special offer for Sports Omelette readers !
Get 1 year of The Denver Post for just $ 65 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ about the team ?
Ask Ryan O ’ Halloran here .
+ Nuggets Mailbag : Have a question about the team ?
Ask Mike Singer here .
+ Avs Mailbag : Have a question about the team ?
Ask Mike Chambers here .
+ Rockies Mailbag : Have a question about the team ?
Ask Patrick Saunders here .

Sports fans across the country are missing some of the best sporting events this time of year as the coronavirus pandemic has shuttered all major sports leagues. The NBA and NHL should be playing postseason games, MLB should be into its second month of games and the NFL is normally meeting with players getting ready for offseason activities.
With the shutdown of sports causes owners to make difficult decisions. The latest decision comes from Los Angeles Angels and their plans to furlough staff starting June 1. The Angels are just the latest MLB team to to announce the decision and shouldn’t be the last.
The Angels have an MVP and clubhouse leader in Mike Trout, who signed a 12-year contract worth $430 million in guaranteed money back in 2019. Trout, who is scheduled to make $37 million-plus through the remainder of his deal, might want to think about giving back to those furloughed with an assist.
It’s always easy to spend other folks’ money, but when leaders like former Broncos QB Peyton Manning has been giving back with his time and money, it makes one think others in a position to help should as well.
What do you think: Should high salaried professional players do more and give back to those in need?
— Jeff Bailey, The Denver Post
If you enjoy the Denver Sports Omelette, tell a friend it’s easy to sign up here for our daily sports roundup. If you have any questions or suggestions, hit me up on Twitter @joenguyen or by email.
A special offer for Sports Omelette readers!
Get 1 year of The Denver Post for just $65.
Ask The Experts
+ Broncos Mailbag: Have a question about the team? Ask Ryan O’Halloran here.
+ Nuggets Mailbag: Have a question about the team? Ask Mike Singer here.
+ Avs Mailbag: Have a question about the team? Ask Mike Chambers here.
+ Rockies Mailbag: Have a question about the team? Ask Patrick Saunders here.