thedenverpost--2020-09-13--Fad or future? Telehealth expansion eyed beyond COVID-19 pandemic

WASHINGTON — Telehealth is a bit of American ingenuity that seems to have paid off in the coronavirus pandemic .
Medicare temporarily waived restrictions predating the smartphone era and now there ’ s a push to make telemedicine widely available in the future .
Consultations via tablets , laptops and phones linked patients and doctors when society shut down in early spring .
Telehealth visits dropped with the reopening , but they ’ re still far more common than before .
Permanently expanding access will involve striking a balance between costs and quality , dealing with privacy concerns and potential @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can reach marginalized patients , including people with mental health problems .
“ I don ’ t think it is ever going to replace in-person visits , because sometimes a doctor needs to put hands on a patient , ” said Seema Verma , head of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid and the Trump administration ’ s leading advocate for telehealth .
Caveats aside , “ it ’ s almost a modern-day house call , ” she added .
“ It ’ s fair to say that telemedicine was in its infancy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s come of age this year , ” said Murray Aitken of the data firm IQVIA , which tracks the impact .
In the depths of the coronavirus shutdown , telehealth accounted for more than 40 % of primary care visits for patients with traditional Medicare , up from a tiny 0.1 % sliver before the public health emergency .
As the government ’ s flagship health care program , Medicare covers more than 60 million people , including those age 65 and older , and younger disabled people .
A recent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Michigan Institute for Healthcare Policy & Innovation found that more than 7 in 10 are interested in using telehealth for follow-ups with their doctor , and nearly 2 out of 3 feel comfortable with video conferences .
But privacy was an issue , especially for those who hadn ’ t tried telehealth .
The poll found 27 % of older adults who had not had a telemedicine visit were concerned about privacy , compared with 17 % of those who tried it .
Those who tried telehealth weren ’ t completely sold @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the doctor couldn ’ t physically examine them , and 64 % worried the quality wasn ’ t as good .
“ After the initial excitement , in the afterglow , patients realize ‘ I can ’ t get my vaccine , ’ or ‘ You can ’ t see this thing in the back of my throat over the computer , ’ ” said Dr. Gary LeRoy of Dayton , Ohio , a primary care doctor and president of the American Academy of Family Physicians .
For Medicare beneficiary Jean Grady of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ relief .
She needed a checkup required by Medicare to continue receiving supplies for her wearable insulin pump .
Being in a high risk group for COVID-19 , Grady worried about potential exposure in a doctor ’ s waiting room , and even more about losing her diabetes supplies if she missed Medicare ’ s checkup deadline .
“ I would have had to go back to taking insulin by syringe , ” she said .
Grady prepared for the virtual visit by calling her clinician ’ s tech department and downloading teleconference @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some future visits by video , but not all .
For example , people with diabetes need periodic blood tests , and their feet must be checked for signs of circulatory problems .
Still , quite a few follow-ups “ could be done very efficiently and be just as useful to the physician and myself as going in and seeing them in person , ” Grady said .
Many private insurance plans , including those in Medicare Advantage , offer some level of telemedicine coverage .
But traditional Medicare has restricted it to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ travel to specially designated sites to connect .
Under the coronavirus public health emergency , the administration temporarily waived Medicare ’ s restrictions so enrollees anywhere could use telemedicine .
Patients could connect from home .
Making such changes permanent would require legislation from Congress , but there ’ s bipartisan interest .
Sen. Lamar Alexander , chairman of the Senate Health , Education , Labor and Pensions Committee , says he ’ d like to see broader access , without breaking the bank .
“ Our job should be to ensure that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ better outcomes and better patient experiences , at a lower cost , ” said Alexander , R-Tenn. Payment will be a sticky obstacle .
For now , Medicare is paying clinicians on par for virtual and in-person visits .
“ Policymakers seems to be in a rush to pass legislation , but I think it is worth taking a little more time , ” said Juliette Cubanski , a Medicare expert with the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation .
“ Fraud is one big area that policymakers need to be cognizant of.
” Telehealth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t have at this point a real sense of where the huge risks lie , ” said Andrew VanLandingham , a senior lawyer with the Health and Human Services inspector general ’ s office .
“ We are sort of in an experimental phase.
” Despite the risks , advocates see opportunities .
• Help move the nation closer to a long-sought goal of treating mental health the same as physical conditions .
Sen. Ron Wyden , D-Ore. , wants to use telemedicine as a springboard to improve mental health care .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ consults took place by telehealth during the shutdown .
• Increase access for people living in remote communities , in low-income urban areas and even nursing homes .
Medicare ’ s research shows low-income beneficiaries have had similar patterns of using telehealth for primary care as program enrollees overall .
• Improve coordination of care for people with chronic health conditions , a goal that requires patient and persistent monitoring .
Chronic care accounts for most program spending .
University of Michigan health policy expert Mark Fendrick says Medicare should figure out what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and taxpayers ’ wallets , and pay just for those .
Telehealth “ was an overnight sensation , ” Fendrick said .
“ Hopefully it ’ s not a one-hit wonder .
”

WASHINGTON — Telehealth is a bit of American ingenuity that seems to have paid off in the coronavirus pandemic. Medicare temporarily waived restrictions predating the smartphone era and now there’s a push to make telemedicine widely available in the future.
Consultations via tablets, laptops and phones linked patients and doctors when society shut down in early spring. Telehealth visits dropped with the reopening, but they’re still far more common than before.
Permanently expanding access will involve striking a balance between costs and quality, dealing with privacy concerns and potential fraud, and figuring out how telehealth can reach marginalized patients, including people with mental health problems.
“I don’t think it is ever going to replace in-person visits, because sometimes a doctor needs to put hands on a patient,” said Seema Verma, head of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid and the Trump administration’s leading advocate for telehealth.
Caveats aside, “it’s almost a modern-day house call,” she added.
“It’s fair to say that telemedicine was in its infancy prior to the pandemic, but it’s come of age this year,” said Murray Aitken of the data firm IQVIA, which tracks the impact.
In the depths of the coronavirus shutdown, telehealth accounted for more than 40% of primary care visits for patients with traditional Medicare, up from a tiny 0.1% sliver before the public health emergency. As the government’s flagship health care program, Medicare covers more than 60 million people, including those age 65 and older, and younger disabled people.
A recent poll of older adults by the University of Michigan Institute for Healthcare Policy & Innovation found that more than 7 in 10 are interested in using telehealth for follow-ups with their doctor, and nearly 2 out of 3 feel comfortable with video conferences.
But privacy was an issue, especially for those who hadn’t tried telehealth. The poll found 27% of older adults who had not had a telemedicine visit were concerned about privacy, compared with 17% of those who tried it.
Those who tried telehealth weren’t completely sold. About 4 in 5 were concerned the doctor couldn’t physically examine them, and 64% worried the quality wasn’t as good.
“After the initial excitement, in the afterglow, patients realize ‘I can’t get my vaccine,’ or ‘You can’t see this thing in the back of my throat over the computer,’” said Dr. Gary LeRoy of Dayton, Ohio, a primary care doctor and president of the American Academy of Family Physicians.
For Medicare beneficiary Jean Grady of Westford, Vt., telemedicine was a relief. She needed a checkup required by Medicare to continue receiving supplies for her wearable insulin pump. Being in a high risk group for COVID-19, Grady worried about potential exposure in a doctor’s waiting room, and even more about losing her diabetes supplies if she missed Medicare’s checkup deadline.
“I would have had to go back to taking insulin by syringe,” she said.
Grady prepared for the virtual visit by calling her clinician’s tech department and downloading teleconference software. She says she would do some future visits by video, but not all. For example, people with diabetes need periodic blood tests, and their feet must be checked for signs of circulatory problems.
Still, quite a few follow-ups “could be done very efficiently and be just as useful to the physician and myself as going in and seeing them in person,” Grady said.
Many private insurance plans, including those in Medicare Advantage, offer some level of telemedicine coverage.
But traditional Medicare has restricted it to rural residents, who generally had to travel to specially designated sites to connect.
Under the coronavirus public health emergency, the administration temporarily waived Medicare’s restrictions so enrollees anywhere could use telemedicine. Patients could connect from home. Making such changes permanent would require legislation from Congress, but there’s bipartisan interest.
Sen. Lamar Alexander, chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, says he’d like to see broader access, without breaking the bank.
“Our job should be to ensure that change is done with the goals of better outcomes and better patient experiences, at a lower cost,” said Alexander, R-Tenn.
That’s a tall order.
Payment will be a sticky obstacle. For now, Medicare is paying clinicians on par for virtual and in-person visits.
“Policymakers seems to be in a rush to pass legislation, but I think it is worth taking a little more time,” said Juliette Cubanski, a Medicare expert with the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation. “Fraud is one big area that policymakers need to be cognizant of.”
Fraud-busters agree.
Telehealth is so new that “we don’t have at this point a real sense of where the huge risks lie,” said Andrew VanLandingham, a senior lawyer with the Health and Human Services inspector general’s office. “We are sort of in an experimental phase.”
Despite the risks, advocates see opportunities.
Expanded Medicare telehealth could:
• Help move the nation closer to a long-sought goal of treating mental health the same as physical conditions. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., wants to use telemedicine as a springboard to improve mental health care. IQVIA data shows 60% of psychiatric consults took place by telehealth during the shutdown.
• Increase access for people living in remote communities, in low-income urban areas and even nursing homes. Medicare’s research shows low-income beneficiaries have had similar patterns of using telehealth for primary care as program enrollees overall.
• Improve coordination of care for people with chronic health conditions, a goal that requires patient and persistent monitoring. Chronic care accounts for most program spending.
University of Michigan health policy expert Mark Fendrick says Medicare should figure out what services add value for patients’ health and taxpayers’ wallets, and pay just for those.
Telehealth “was an overnight sensation,” Fendrick said. “Hopefully it’s not a one-hit wonder.”


thedenverpost--2020-09-13--Broncos Insider: A look at Denver’s 10 most memorable games on “Monday Night Football”

The Broncos are set to play on “ Monday Night Football ” for the 29th straight year , an NFL record .
As Denver heads into that season-opening matchup against the Titans , here ’ s a look at 10 of the Broncos ’ best games on “ MNF ” .
Oct. 22 , 1973 — Broncos 23 , Raiders 23 … The first MNF game was held in 1970 but the Broncos — who had no national acclaim at that point — had to wait three years for their primetime debut .
The result was a tie with their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Turner ’ s late field goal avoided a loss for the Broncos .
Oct. 15 , 1984 — Broncos 17 , Packers 14 … In John Elway ’ s second season , the Broncos beat the Packers in ankle-deep snow thanks to the defense .
In the game ’ s opening minute at Mile High , defensive backs Steve Foley and Louis Wright each returned a fumble for a score , and Denver then added on a field goal by barefooted kicker Rich Karlis .
Sept. 17 , 1990 — Broncos 24 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 132 yards and two scores to pace the Broncos to the win in Denver .
Meanwhile , safety Steve Atwater put a now-legendary hit on Kansas City ’ s Christian Okoye , when the Hall of Fame electee met the “ Nigerian Nightmare ” in the middle of the field and knocked him flat on his back .
Oct. 16 , 1995 — Broncos 27 , Raiders 0 … In one of the most lopsided editions of the classic rivalry , the Broncos owned Oakland from the opening whistle .
Elway passed for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Denver outgained the Raiders by 306 yards while racking up 14 more first downs in the Broncos ’ lone shutout of the season .
Sept. 7 , 1998 — Broncos 27 , Patriots 21 … Fresh off the franchise ’ s first Super Bowl victory , Denver defeated New England in the season opener at Mile High .
A Shannon Sharpe touchdown reception from Elway and a Terrell Davis touchdown run helped put Denver up 17-0 early .
Then Davis iced the game with another score in the fourth .
Nov. 22 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( OT ) …In their first season without Elway at the helm , the Broncos went up 15-0 in the first half but then needed Jason Elam ’ s 53-yard field goal with seven seconds left to send the game to overtime at Mile High .
In OT , Olandis Gary sealed the home-team win with a 24-yard rushing touchdown .
Nov. 13 , 2000 — Broncos 27 , Raiders 24 … Elam came through in the clutch once again in Denver , as his 41-yard field goal as time expired gave the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bill Romanowski both had interceptions , and thanks to Elam , the Broncos negated a late comeback attempt by quarterback Rich Gannon and the Oakland offense .
Sept. 10 , 2001 — Broncos 31 , Giants 20 … The night before the Sept. 11 attacks , the Broncos made their debut at Invesco Field ( now Empower Field at Mile High ) with a convincing victory over New York in the season opener .
Quarterback Brian Griese starred for Denver , throwing for 330 yards and three scores with a 144.3 rating .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Chargers 23 … Eddie Royal became a household name in Denver as the speedster became the first player in Broncos history to return a kickoff and a punt for touchdowns in the same game and the Broncos improved to 6-0 on the season .
Denver outscored San Diego 10-0 in the final quarter at Qualcomm Stadium .
Dec. 28 , 2015 — Broncos 20 , Bengals 17 ( OT ) … En route to their Super Bowl 50 win , the Broncos outlasted the Bengals in Denver , with Brandon McManus ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it was DeMarcus Ware who delivered the knockout blow , as he recovered a fumble by Cincinnati quarterback A.J .
McCarron to end the game .
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The Broncos are set to play on “Monday Night Football” for the 29th straight year, an NFL record. As Denver heads into that season-opening matchup against the Titans, here’s a look at 10 of the Broncos’ best games on “MNF”.
Oct. 22, 1973 — Broncos 23, Raiders 23 … The first MNF game was held in 1970 but the Broncos — who had no national acclaim at that point — had to wait three years for their primetime debut. The result was a tie with their rivals at Mile High Stadium after Jim Turner’s late field goal avoided a loss for the Broncos.
Oct. 15, 1984 — Broncos 17, Packers 14 … In John Elway’s second season, the Broncos beat the Packers in ankle-deep snow thanks to the defense. In the game’s opening minute at Mile High, defensive backs Steve Foley and Louis Wright each returned a fumble for a score, and Denver then added on a field goal by barefooted kicker Rich Karlis.
Sept. 17, 1990 — Broncos 24, Chiefs 23 … Bobby Humphrey ran for 132 yards and two scores to pace the Broncos to the win in Denver. Meanwhile, safety Steve Atwater put a now-legendary hit on Kansas City’s Christian Okoye, when the Hall of Fame electee met the “Nigerian Nightmare” in the middle of the field and knocked him flat on his back.
Oct. 16, 1995 — Broncos 27, Raiders 0 … In one of the most lopsided editions of the classic rivalry, the Broncos owned Oakland from the opening whistle. Elway passed for 324 yards and two touchdowns, while Denver outgained the Raiders by 306 yards while racking up 14 more first downs in the Broncos’ lone shutout of the season.
Sept. 7, 1998 — Broncos 27, Patriots 21 … Fresh off the franchise’s first Super Bowl victory, Denver defeated New England in the season opener at Mile High. A Shannon Sharpe touchdown reception from Elway and a Terrell Davis touchdown run helped put Denver up 17-0 early. Then Davis iced the game with another score in the fourth.
Nov. 22, 1999 — Broncos 27, Raiders 21 (OT) …In their first season without Elway at the helm, the Broncos went up 15-0 in the first half but then needed Jason Elam’s 53-yard field goal with seven seconds left to send the game to overtime at Mile High. In OT, Olandis Gary sealed the home-team win with a 24-yard rushing touchdown.
Nov. 13, 2000 — Broncos 27, Raiders 24 … Elam came through in the clutch once again in Denver, as his 41-yard field goal as time expired gave the Broncos the win. Ray Crockett and Bill Romanowski both had interceptions, and thanks to Elam, the Broncos negated a late comeback attempt by quarterback Rich Gannon and the Oakland offense.
Sept. 10, 2001 — Broncos 31, Giants 20 … The night before the Sept. 11 attacks, the Broncos made their debut at Invesco Field (now Empower Field at Mile High) with a convincing victory over New York in the season opener. Quarterback Brian Griese starred for Denver, throwing for 330 yards and three scores with a 144.3 rating.
Oct. 19, 2009 — Broncos 34, Chargers 23 … Eddie Royal became a household name in Denver as the speedster became the first player in Broncos history to return a kickoff and a punt for touchdowns in the same game and the Broncos improved to 6-0 on the season. Denver outscored San Diego 10-0 in the final quarter at Qualcomm Stadium.
Dec. 28, 2015 — Broncos 20, Bengals 17 (OT) … En route to their Super Bowl 50 win, the Broncos outlasted the Bengals in Denver, with Brandon McManus’ 37-yard field goal the difference. But it was DeMarcus Ware who delivered the knockout blow, as he recovered a fumble by Cincinnati quarterback A.J. McCarron to end the game.
— Kyle Newman, The Denver Post
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thedenverpost--2020-09-13--Lauren Boebert’s rise as right-wing Twitter celebrity gives her added visibility in close race

Republican congressional candidate Lauren Boebert has amassed a Twitter following of more than 200,000 supporters — more than Colorado ’ s current governor , its former governor , and a U.S. senator — giving the conservative upstart an online edge over her Democratic opponent in Colorado ’ s 3rd Congressional District race , which is expected to be a close contest .
“ Somebody who knows how to use social media has an advantage , ” says Michael Cornfield , a George Washington University professor who studies Twitter use by congressional campaigns .
“ That doesn ’ t guarantee victory @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an advantage.
” Boebert ’ s rise to conservative social media stardom coincided with her stunning win over Rep. Scott Tipton , a Cortez Republican who rarely uses the website , on June 30 .
Twitter is well suited for the time and place Boebert finds herself in , campaigning across half of Colorado on a relatively small budget during a pandemic that has drastically shrunk crowd sizes .
“ It adds to name ID , which brings in money , ” said Trish Zornio , a former Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ It ’ s just another way to add to your campaign .
It ’ s not the end-all and be-all but it is something that contributes .
She ’ s got a pretty solid platform.
” Boebert ’ s posts on the social media site — which has become a playpen for politicos and the reporters who cover them — are a mix of Trumpian antagonism , conservative platitudes , culture war charges , policy ideas and the occasional conspiracy theory .
They rarely mention her opponent , Diane Mitsch Bush @ @ @ @ @ @ @ garner immediate attention from disparagers and devotees alike .
It wasn ’ t always that way .
Boebert ’ s Twitter account was born when her campaign was , in December 2019 , and was little used for the first several months .
By mid-February , she was asking supporters to help her reach 3,000 followers .
She would go a dozen days without tweeting at times and in April posted only 13 times .
In May , her approach changed , and her following skyrocketed to 30,000 by May 6 .
Posts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ likes .
At times in May she tweeted more in a day than she had in all of April .
She tweeted at popular accounts , namely Trump , bringing her more attention from his fans .
Boebert , 33 , quickly found an audience in conservative circles decrying shutdowns meant to slow the coronavirus pandemic .
Closing small businesses was “ criminal , ” she wrote May 6 .
Three days later she alleged , “ If Hillary ( Clinton ) was President , no one would even be talking about this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ criticized Anthony Fauci , America ’ s top infectious disease expert .
On May 15 , she accused Democrats of prolonging shutdowns to hurt Trump .
Posts that Boebert has clicked the “ like ” button on have delved deeper into the online world of conspiracy theories .
In early July , she liked a post that featured the hashtag # WWG1WGA , or “ where we go one , we go all , ” a rallying cry for believers in QAnon , a far-right conspiracy theory that alleges Trump is secretly fighting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ operate a child sex trafficking ring .
Boebert expressed some interest in QAnon while appearing on a QAnon talk show in mid-May but she and her campaign spokesperson have since stated on several occasions that Boebert does not believe in the conspiracy theory .
On June 13 , she liked a tweet from QAnon believer DeAnne Lorraine that claimed the “ world is waking up ” and used the hashtag # ExposeBillGates , reference to a far-right conspiracy theory that the Microsoft founder is trying to track and control the world ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ On June 3 , Boebert liked a tweet from a parody account that called former President Barack Obama a “ Kenyan terrorist ” and claimed Michelle Obama is a man .
The tweet was later unliked by Boebert .
Boebert ’ s most popular tweets came in May , the month of her Twitter rise .
One listing prominent Democrats and their time in office ended , “ Yet somehow Trump is the one who created the problems in America , ” and was shared 22,700 times .
Another accusing Democrats of favoring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 17,900 retweets .
A star of right-wing Twitter was born .
“ If you ’ re on a campaign and you want to know how you ’ re doing on Twitter , you look at retweets , ” said Cornfield .
“ If people are retweeting what the candidate is saying , that ’ s an approximate sign of support .
That is peer-to-peer communication , which in our age is more trusted than communication from the media.
” Boebert ’ s campaign has told reporters she is still studying policies before taking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she has posted some policy ideas to Twitter .
Among them : that open carry should be legal nationwide , for example , and that “ there shouldn ’ t even be a federal Department of Education.
” In May , she wrote she would “ veto any legislation that raises taxes , ” a power that members of Congress do not have .
Trump ’ s transformation of Twitter into the tech world ’ s loudest megaphone has spurred considerable research of its effects on elections since 2016 .
A Cornfield study @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House members avoided Twitter in the months before the election and half lost .
Five Democrats who used Twitter far more than their opponents beat Republican incumbents that year .
“ And the primacy of digital campaigning has risen because of the pandemic , ” he said Thursday .
Zornio , despite a Twitter following of 109,000 that rivaled that of her top opponents , did not win the Democratic primary this year .
But it helped the political novice make a run .
“ I didn ’ t make any fundraising calls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people in a Rolodex .
I wasn ’ t that kind of candidate .
So , the six-figures-plus that I raised came almost exclusively from Twitter posts , ” she said .
Mitsch Bush has about 8,300 Twitter followers , as of Friday .
Using analysis software , Cornfield calculated the number of times her name was mentioned on Twitter and the number of times Boebert ’ s name was mentioned between July 1 — the day their race began — and Thursday .
“ The numbers are kind of staggering , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. , Boebert ’ s name has been mentioned in this two month and 10 day period almost 51,000 times .
50,920 to be exact .
Mitsch Bush ’ s name has been mentioned 2,531 times .
That ’ s a 20-fold difference in mentions.
” Within Colorado , Boebert ’ s name was mentioned 3,629 times compared to 687 times for Mitsch Bush , a less drastic difference .
The Democrat has criticized Boebert ’ s tweets for containing little mention of Colorado or the 3rd District .
An Aug. 20 fundraising @ @ @ @ @ @ @ looked at 24 hours of tweets from Boebert .
“ Just like we thought : not a single mention of Colorado .
Instead , she made a nod to her QAnon followers by attacking Tom Hanks , talked about rapper Cardi B , and topped off the 24 hours with an attack on the intelligence of her favorite bogeywoman , AOC , ” the email stated , referring to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez , a New York Democrat that Boebert has tweeted about 37 times .
Scant polling in the race between Boebert and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a district Republicans won easily four years ago .
On Thursday , Boebert received the endorsement of Trump , the Republican president she idolizes .
It was announced on Twitter .

Republican congressional candidate Lauren Boebert has amassed a Twitter following of more than 200,000 supporters — more than Colorado’s current governor, its former governor, and a U.S. senator — giving the conservative upstart an online edge over her Democratic opponent in Colorado’s 3rd Congressional District race, which is expected to be a close contest.
“Somebody who knows how to use social media has an advantage,” says Michael Cornfield, a George Washington University professor who studies Twitter use by congressional campaigns. “That doesn’t guarantee victory, of course, but that is an advantage.”
Boebert’s rise to conservative social media stardom coincided with her stunning win over Rep. Scott Tipton, a Cortez Republican who rarely uses the website, on June 30. Twitter is well suited for the time and place Boebert finds herself in, campaigning across half of Colorado on a relatively small budget during a pandemic that has drastically shrunk crowd sizes.
“It adds to name ID, which brings in money,” said Trish Zornio, a former Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate who also has a large Twitter following. “It’s just another way to add to your campaign. It’s not the end-all and be-all but it is something that contributes. She’s got a pretty solid platform.”
Boebert’s posts on the social media site — which has become a playpen for politicos and the reporters who cover them — are a mix of Trumpian antagonism, conservative platitudes, culture war charges, policy ideas and the occasional conspiracy theory. They rarely mention her opponent, Diane Mitsch Bush, but have a Trump-like ability to garner immediate attention from disparagers and devotees alike.
It wasn’t always that way. Boebert’s Twitter account was born when her campaign was, in December 2019, and was little used for the first several months. By mid-February, she was asking supporters to help her reach 3,000 followers. She would go a dozen days without tweeting at times and in April posted only 13 times.
In May, her approach changed, and her following skyrocketed to 30,000 by May 6. Posts were suddenly garnering thousands of retweets and likes. At times in May she tweeted more in a day than she had in all of April. She tweeted at popular accounts, namely Trump, bringing her more attention from his fans.
Boebert, 33, quickly found an audience in conservative circles decrying shutdowns meant to slow the coronavirus pandemic. Closing small businesses was “criminal,” she wrote May 6. Three days later she alleged, “If Hillary (Clinton) was President, no one would even be talking about this virus.” On May 12, she criticized Anthony Fauci, America’s top infectious disease expert. On May 15, she accused Democrats of prolonging shutdowns to hurt Trump.
Posts that Boebert has clicked the “like” button on have delved deeper into the online world of conspiracy theories. In early July, she liked a post that featured the hashtag #WWG1WGA, or “where we go one, we go all,” a rallying cry for believers in QAnon, a far-right conspiracy theory that alleges Trump is secretly fighting an elite cabal of Satanist pedophiles who operate a child sex trafficking ring.
Boebert expressed some interest in QAnon while appearing on a QAnon talk show in mid-May but she and her campaign spokesperson have since stated on several occasions that Boebert does not believe in the conspiracy theory.
On June 13, she liked a tweet from QAnon believer DeAnne Lorraine that claimed the “world is waking up” and used the hashtag #ExposeBillGates, reference to a far-right conspiracy theory that the Microsoft founder is trying to track and control the world’s population through microchips in coronavirus vaccines.
On June 3, Boebert liked a tweet from a parody account that called former President Barack Obama a “Kenyan terrorist” and claimed Michelle Obama is a man. The tweet was later unliked by Boebert.
Boebert’s most popular tweets came in May, the month of her Twitter rise. One listing prominent Democrats and their time in office ended, “Yet somehow Trump is the one who created the problems in America,” and was shared 22,700 times. Another accusing Democrats of favoring undocumented immigrants over small business owners received 17,900 retweets. A star of right-wing Twitter was born.
“If you’re on a campaign and you want to know how you’re doing on Twitter, you look at retweets,” said Cornfield. “If people are retweeting what the candidate is saying, that’s an approximate sign of support. That is peer-to-peer communication, which in our age is more trusted than communication from the media.”
Boebert’s campaign has told reporters she is still studying policies before taking positions and laying out plans, but she has posted some policy ideas to Twitter. Among them: that open carry should be legal nationwide, for example, and that “there shouldn’t even be a federal Department of Education.” In May, she wrote she would “veto any legislation that raises taxes,” a power that members of Congress do not have.
Trump’s transformation of Twitter into the tech world’s loudest megaphone has spurred considerable research of its effects on elections since 2016. A Cornfield study of 2018 midterm campaigns found four incumbent House members avoided Twitter in the months before the election and half lost. Five Democrats who used Twitter far more than their opponents beat Republican incumbents that year.
“And the primacy of digital campaigning has risen because of the pandemic,” he said Thursday.
Zornio, despite a Twitter following of 109,000 that rivaled that of her top opponents, did not win the Democratic primary this year. But it helped the political novice make a run.
“I didn’t make any fundraising calls. I didn’t have wealthy people in a Rolodex. I wasn’t that kind of candidate. So, the six-figures-plus that I raised came almost exclusively from Twitter posts,” she said.
Mitsch Bush has about 8,300 Twitter followers, as of Friday. Using analysis software, Cornfield calculated the number of times her name was mentioned on Twitter and the number of times Boebert’s name was mentioned between July 1 — the day their race began — and Thursday.
“The numbers are kind of staggering,” the professor said. “In the U.S., Boebert’s name has been mentioned in this two month and 10 day period almost 51,000 times. 50,920 to be exact. Mitsch Bush’s name has been mentioned 2,531 times. That’s a 20-fold difference in mentions.”
Within Colorado, Boebert’s name was mentioned 3,629 times compared to 687 times for Mitsch Bush, a less drastic difference. The Democrat has criticized Boebert’s tweets for containing little mention of Colorado or the 3rd District. An Aug. 20 fundraising email from Mitsch Bush’s campaign looked at 24 hours of tweets from Boebert.
“Just like we thought: not a single mention of Colorado. Instead, she made a nod to her QAnon followers by attacking Tom Hanks, talked about rapper Cardi B, and topped off the 24 hours with an attack on the intelligence of her favorite bogeywoman, AOC,” the email stated, referring to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a New York Democrat that Boebert has tweeted about 37 times.
Scant polling in the race between Boebert and Mitsch Bush has shown a close contest in a district Republicans won easily four years ago. On Thursday, Boebert received the endorsement of Trump, the Republican president she idolizes.
It was announced on Twitter.


thedenverpost--2020-09-13--Hickenlooper and Gardner run low-visibility campaigns in high-stakes Senate race

The pandemic has made for a duller campaign season across the board — dominated by paid media and Zoom sessions — but that ’ s especially true in the all-important U.S. Senate race between Democrat John Hickenlooper and Republican incumbent Cory Gardner , according to a dozen political scientists and veteran Colorado politicos .
People with knowledge of the campaigns say this is very much by design , and that the two men have distinct reasons for playing this race safe .
For Hickenlooper , the consensus is that he ’ s not taking any risks because , one , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — though some polls show the margin tightening — and , two , he ’ s gaffe-prone .
Gardner faces what may be an insurmountable challenge : retaining the Donald Trump base to which he long ago allied himself while also attracting independent voters who overwhelmingly disapprove of the president .
It ’ s difficult to satisfy one group without rankling the other , and the upshot is frequently silence , or a paid advertisement .
The two have appeared in zero combined candidate events to date .
Only recently did the two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be held Oct. 9 and Oct. 13 .
Wendy Schiller , professor and chair of political science at Brown University , has examined Senate contests across the country , and she says Colorado ’ s stands out nationally for how low-key and scripted it ’ s been .
“ I think it ’ s unusual , ” she said , “ and I don ’ t think it ’ s emblematic of most of the really contested races.
” Pueblo Democrat Sal Pace , a former Colorado House minority leader , served in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ governor , and he knows both men well .
He said the COVID effect on campaigns has been profound , and that the dullness of the race make sense .
“ In the case of Hickenlooper , he ’ s seen the polling and he knows that ( Joe ) Biden ’ s going to win Colorado .
It ’ s in his campaign ’ s best interest to ride the blue wave that Colorado ’ s going to be in in 2020 .
… When you ’ ve got the wind at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fine with people voting along party ID , ” Pace said .
“ Gardner has a little more of a complex problem , because he can ’ t ride Trump ’ s coattails to a win in Colorado .
He ’ s working on both ends , trying to solidify his support amongst Trump voters so that they vote all the way down the ticket for him , while simultaneously trying to win over more of the independents than John Hickenlooper .
He needs to win over more ticket-splitters.
” Both men are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at their respective bests when chatting up strangers and small groups .
That ’ s what each has mostly stuck to in this campaign , but the pandemic presents fewer opportunities for those kinds of interactions .
Hickenlooper ’ s general election approach — to invite select local reporters and then tweet after the fact about how he was out meeting people — has coincidentally been Gardner ’ s preferred approach .
On his official social media accounts , Gardner routinely shares pictures of himself on small-town Main Streets or articles from small @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Neither candidate is followed consistently by any semblance of a press corps , primarily because their campaigns are highly selective about how and to whom they advertise campaign stops , even though many of those stops are outdoors or in other settings that allow for social distancing .
The lack of scheduling notice also means fewer chances for “ trackers ” — people assigned by the opposition to video a candidate in hopes of collecting dirt — to keep their eyes on either Gardner or Hickenlooper .
Spokespeople for Gardner declined to respond @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Hickenlooper spoke with The Denver Post , laughing off the suggestion that he ’ s running a cautious , scripted campaign .
“ It ’ s sort of like when you go outside when there ’ s been a heavy snow .
Every sound is muted , it doesn ’ t seem as loud .
And with the pandemic , it is hard to get people ’ s attention , ” he said .
“ I don ’ t think it ’ s boring .
It just doesn ’ t — because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have the same volume.
” The stakes couldn ’ t be higher in this race .
Democrats need to net four seats to take control of the Senate , gaining the ability to confirm or block presidential judicial appointments along with more control over legislation .
Hickenlooper said he won ’ t let himself dwell on the enormity of it all .
“ There is pressure .
I don ’ t really feel it , ” he said .
“ When I walk through King Soopers , I get people all the time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Hick !
More than any campaign I ’ ve been on , people are encouraging me wherever I go.
” While the candidate may attest to his supporters ’ enthusiasm , those interviewed by The Post aren ’ t seeing it .
Most Colorado political observers declined to speak on the record , but Brown professor Schiller said Hickenlooper ’ s campaign “ looks like complacency .
It looks like Hillary Clinton in 2016 .
And I think it ’ s a mistake.
” “ For Hickenlooper , ” she added , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mistake to stay so scripted , because he misses the opportunity to ride the wave of Democratic enthusiasm in 2020 .
I think enthusiasm beats everything else , and if Joe Biden loses this race against Donald Trump , it ’ s because he stayed inside too long .
For Gardner , he could be lifted back into the Senate by Trump enthusiasts who get out the door.
” Gardner ’ s cautious campaign is smart , Schiller said .
“ If he can hang onto those Trump votes , it ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it is for Hickenlooper .
”

The pandemic has made for a duller campaign season across the board — dominated by paid media and Zoom sessions — but that’s especially true in the all-important U.S. Senate race between Democrat John Hickenlooper and Republican incumbent Cory Gardner, according to a dozen political scientists and veteran Colorado politicos.
People with knowledge of the campaigns say this is very much by design, and that the two men have distinct reasons for playing this race safe. For Hickenlooper, the consensus is that he’s not taking any risks because, one, he has consistently led Gardner in polls — though some polls show the margin tightening — and, two, he’s gaffe-prone.
Gardner faces what may be an insurmountable challenge: retaining the Donald Trump base to which he long ago allied himself while also attracting independent voters who overwhelmingly disapprove of the president. It’s difficult to satisfy one group without rankling the other, and the upshot is frequently silence, or a paid advertisement.
The two have appeared in zero combined candidate events to date. Only recently did the two campaigns agree to televised debates, to be held Oct. 9 and Oct. 13.
Wendy Schiller, professor and chair of political science at Brown University, has examined Senate contests across the country, and she says Colorado’s stands out nationally for how low-key and scripted it’s been.
“I think it’s unusual,” she said, “and I don’t think it’s emblematic of most of the really contested races.”
Pueblo Democrat Sal Pace, a former Colorado House minority leader, served in the legislature with Gardner while Hickenlooper was governor, and he knows both men well. He said the COVID effect on campaigns has been profound, and that the dullness of the race make sense.
“In the case of Hickenlooper, he’s seen the polling and he knows that (Joe) Biden’s going to win Colorado. It’s in his campaign’s best interest to ride the blue wave that Colorado’s going to be in in 2020. … When you’ve got the wind at your back, you’re typically fine with people voting along party ID,” Pace said.
“Gardner has a little more of a complex problem, because he can’t ride Trump’s coattails to a win in Colorado. He’s working on both ends, trying to solidify his support amongst Trump voters so that they vote all the way down the ticket for him, while simultaneously trying to win over more of the independents than John Hickenlooper. He needs to win over more ticket-splitters.”
Both men are known for being skilled retail politicians, at their respective bests when chatting up strangers and small groups. That’s what each has mostly stuck to in this campaign, but the pandemic presents fewer opportunities for those kinds of interactions. Hickenlooper’s general election approach — to invite select local reporters and then tweet after the fact about how he was out meeting people — has coincidentally been Gardner’s preferred approach. On his official social media accounts, Gardner routinely shares pictures of himself on small-town Main Streets or articles from small papers that he gave interviews to.
Neither candidate is followed consistently by any semblance of a press corps, primarily because their campaigns are highly selective about how and to whom they advertise campaign stops, even though many of those stops are outdoors or in other settings that allow for social distancing.
The lack of scheduling notice also means fewer chances for “trackers” — people assigned by the opposition to video a candidate in hopes of collecting dirt — to keep their eyes on either Gardner or Hickenlooper.
Spokespeople for Gardner declined to respond to multiple interview requests for this story. Hickenlooper spoke with The Denver Post, laughing off the suggestion that he’s running a cautious, scripted campaign.
“It’s sort of like when you go outside when there’s been a heavy snow. Every sound is muted, it doesn’t seem as loud. And with the pandemic, it is hard to get people’s attention,” he said. “I don’t think it’s boring. It just doesn’t — because of COVID, it doesn’t have the same volume.”
The stakes couldn’t be higher in this race. Democrats need to net four seats to take control of the Senate, gaining the ability to confirm or block presidential judicial appointments along with more control over legislation.
Hickenlooper said he won’t let himself dwell on the enormity of it all.
“There is pressure. I don’t really feel it,” he said.
“When I walk through King Soopers, I get people all the time saying, ‘Go get ’em, Hick! More than any campaign I’ve been on, people are encouraging me wherever I go.”
While the candidate may attest to his supporters’ enthusiasm, those interviewed by The Post aren’t seeing it. Most Colorado political observers declined to speak on the record, but Brown professor Schiller said Hickenlooper’s campaign “looks like complacency. It looks like Hillary Clinton in 2016. And I think it’s a mistake.”
“For Hickenlooper,” she added, “I think it’s a mistake to stay so scripted, because he misses the opportunity to ride the wave of Democratic enthusiasm in 2020. I think enthusiasm beats everything else, and if Joe Biden loses this race against Donald Trump, it’s because he stayed inside too long. For Gardner, he could be lifted back into the Senate by Trump enthusiasts who get out the door.”
Gardner’s cautious campaign is smart, Schiller said.
“If he can hang onto those Trump votes, it’s probably a better strategy for him than it is for Hickenlooper.”
Justin Wingerter contributed to this report


thedenverpost--2020-09-13--Post Premium: Top stories for Sept. 7-13

Six months after the coronavirus pandemic first was confirmed in Colorado , the state is nearing a grim milestone of 2,000 deaths related to the virus .
Colorado ’ s toll — 1,988 deaths as of Saturday — reflects the number of people who died this year with COVID-19 in their system .
Most of those deaths , around 1,890 , were directly caused by the virus , according to the state health department .
The Denver Post took this opportunity to share some of the stories of loss in our state , talking to families mourning parents , children @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
What reporters Jon Murray , Elise Schmelzer , Conrad Swanson and Noelle Phillips have assembled is a heartbreaking tribute to just some of the lives cut short , Coloradans who each made a vital impact on others in untold ways .
We hope you ’ ll spend some time today reflecting on what ’ s been lost to COVID-19 and the families that have paid such a terrible price .
As Colorado nears a milestone in COVID-19 deaths , remembering several of those we ’ ve lost Five don ’ t-miss stories @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Colorado school reopenings , but experts say it ’ s too early to celebrate So far there ’ s no sign of a COVID-19 spike from the first schools in Colorado returning to in-person classes in mid-August , but it ’ s too early to declare the reopening experiment was successful , experts said .
Read More… One in five Coloradans worry about affording food , rent during COVID-19 pandemic , survey finds One in five Coloradans surveyed said they were worried about losing their homes or being unable to feed their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nearly that many said they already struggled to afford necessities .
Read More… RTD weighing more than 600 layoffs to close budget hole The Regional Transportation District gave notice Tuesday that more than 600 union and salaried workers may face layoffs as the agency tries to close a $ 166 million projected shortfall in next year ’ s budget .
Read More… Increase in home prices wipes out savings from lower mortgage rates for Denver metro Lower mortgage rates during the pandemic have meant lower monthly payments , providing buyers across the country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home .
But in metro Denver , home prices have appreciated so rapidly this summer that the benefits of that cheaper money have evaporated .
Read More… Snow days threatened by the rise of online learning amid coronavirus The COVID-19 pandemic has halted many traditions — from shaking hands to sports events — at least temporarily , and now it ’ s threatening a pleasure as old as school itself : snow days .
Read More… See more great photos like this on The Denver Post ’ s Instagram account .

Six months after the coronavirus pandemic first was confirmed in Colorado, the state is nearing a grim milestone of 2,000 deaths related to the virus.
Colorado’s toll — 1,988 deaths as of Saturday — reflects the number of people who died this year with COVID-19 in their system. Most of those deaths, around 1,890, were directly caused by the virus, according to the state health department.
The Denver Post took this opportunity to share some of the stories of loss in our state, talking to families mourning parents, children and siblings who succumbed to the virus. What reporters Jon Murray, Elise Schmelzer, Conrad Swanson and Noelle Phillips have assembled is a heartbreaking tribute to just some of the lives cut short, Coloradans who each made a vital impact on others in untold ways.
We hope you’ll spend some time today reflecting on what’s been lost to COVID-19 and the families that have paid such a terrible price.
— Matt Sebastian, The Denver Post
Five don’t-miss stories from last week
So far there’s no sign of a COVID-19 spike from the first schools in Colorado returning to in-person classes in mid-August, but it’s too early to declare the reopening experiment was successful, experts said. Read More…
One in five Coloradans surveyed said they were worried about losing their homes or being unable to feed their families over the next year — and nearly that many said they already struggled to afford necessities. Read More…
The Regional Transportation District gave notice Tuesday that more than 600 union and salaried workers may face layoffs as the agency tries to close a $166 million projected shortfall in next year’s budget. Read More…
Lower mortgage rates during the pandemic have meant lower monthly payments, providing buyers across the country with a strong motivation to purchase a home. But in metro Denver, home prices have appreciated so rapidly this summer that the benefits of that cheaper money have evaporated. Read More…
The COVID-19 pandemic has halted many traditions — from shaking hands to sports events — at least temporarily, and now it’s threatening a pleasure as old as school itself: snow days. Read More…
Photo of the week
See more great photos like this on The Denver Post’s Instagram account.


thedenverpost--2020-09-13--In wake of rocky economic times, Metro State University offers free skills training

Imagine a website specially tailored to the local job market , one that singles out opportunities in growing fields , identifies the required skills — and then offers sessions by university faculty or with industry-supplied software for free .
The staff at Metropolitan State University of Denver did imagine such a service , built it and launched it on the first of September .
The program called Skills Lab was designed by MSU Denver ’ s Innovative and Lifelong Learning office to respond to the job loss and upheaval caused by the coronavirus pandemic .
“ The Bureau of Labor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ February and July , which was a 7.4 % drop , ” said Terry Bower , associate vice president of the Innovative and Lifelong Learning office .
“ I pretty much knew I wanted to create some kind of skills offering for the community.
” Bower and her staff studied other job and training websites to help shape their approach .
“ When I went to those job sites , it was really hard to navigate .
You put in some information and a whole bunch of stuff comes up .
You have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” said Bower , who previously worked at the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce .
“ I wondered , couldn ’ t MSU Denver try to curate some offerings aligned with job growth and demand and make it really simple and straightforward ?
” To do that , the staff worked all summer to collect state and federal employment data and talk to chambers of commerce and people with the Georgetown University workforce center .
“ They all kept pointing toward these specific industries , ” Bower said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to our industry partners in those fields to validate what we ’ re doing , to find out what jobs they were having a hard time filling , what are the skills for those jobs , what should we be offering and what haven ’ t we thought of.
” As a result , Bower and her staff believed they were on the right track .
The result is 10-hour sessions each in the following fields , all identified as high-growth : • E-commerce : This refers to any form of business transaction @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , online auctions , payment gateways , online ticketing and internet banking .
Colorado expects e-commerce employment to grow by 8 percent by the end of 2021 .
• Cybersecurity and information technology : As of May 2020 , there were 2,432 IT and cybersecurity-related job openings in Colorado , MSU Denver said .
The state is expected to have high growth in IT and cybersecurity jobs .
• Data science : As of May 2020 , there were 740 data science-related jobs in Colorado , according to MSU Denver .
The state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % by the end of 2021 .
• Health and human services : As of August 2020 , there were 1,050 health and human service related job openings in Colorado .
The state projects the field will grow by 12 % by 2021 .
The team added another skills lab called “ essential office skills , ” which allows people to learn more about software programs regularly used in most workplaces .
So far , the university has received a total of 1,593 registrations for all the labs , with the essential office @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by data science , e-commerce and then IT and cybersecurity .
Darrin Vohs , vice president of information technology at Molson Coors , was one of the people Bower and her staff consulted about the skills program .
Vohs thinks the program is taking the right approach .
“ The way I look at it , schools and training programs tend to churn out lots of people with generic skills or generic training , ” Vohs said .
“ But many companies and industry , really , are looking at more niche-type skills.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ is offering , Vohs said those are “ huge , huge growing areas , ” especially e-commerce .
“ In the COVID era , e-commerce is booming .
Even lots of traditional , brick-and-mortar companies are very aggressively hiring in the e-commerce space , ” Vohs said .
Bower said she and her staff talked to people like Vohs to understand what specific skills companies are looking for .
“ The focus of the training is to take the skills and figure out how to apply them , ” Bower added .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ employer partners was that we need people who know these software tools , know these skills and can apply them to real-world situations.
” Successful participants will receive a digital badge saying they completed a lab and identifying the areas in which they are deemed competent .
Bower said people can add it to their resumes and online profiles .
“ In no way are these labs replacements for university-level courses , ” Bower said .
“ What we ’ re really doing is providing basic skills so people can dip their toe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this tool .
I ’ ve applied it to some data analytic projects.
’ ” People might decide to go to school to earn a degree in a particular field after going through the training , Bower added .
Or people could talk to employers to find out what additional training they need to enter a new field .
“ We ’ re going to see what happens and where the demand is , or if we ’ re hearing that we ’ ve missed something that folks want , ” Bower said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ offer deeper dives into certain areas .
Those interested in registering can go to MSU Denver Skills Lab , https : //www.msudenver.edu/skillslab/ , and click on one of the labs .
That will bring up a page that has registration forms for either the faculty- or industry-led sessions .
And again , the labs are free of charge .
“ MSU Denver is offering it for the community because of how devastated the Denver metro area is by COVID-19 .
We come up with different products and services every day to serve the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We very much expect to keep this running for a long time.
” ,

Imagine a website specially tailored to the local job market, one that singles out opportunities in growing fields, identifies the required skills — and then offers sessions by university faculty or with industry-supplied software for free.
The staff at Metropolitan State University of Denver did imagine such a service, built it and launched it on the first of September. The program called Skills Lab was designed by MSU Denver’s Innovative and Lifelong Learning office to respond to the job loss and upheaval caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
“The Bureau of Labor Statistics shows Colorado lost 208,000 jobs between February and July, which was a 7.4% drop,” said Terry Bower, associate vice president of the Innovative and Lifelong Learning office. “I pretty much knew I wanted to create some kind of skills offering for the community.”
Bower and her staff studied other job and training websites to help shape their approach.
“When I went to those job sites, it was really hard to navigate. You put in some information and a whole bunch of stuff comes up. You have no idea where you fit in,” said Bower, who previously worked at the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. “I wondered, couldn’t MSU Denver try to curate some offerings aligned with job growth and demand and make it really simple and straightforward?”
To do that, the staff worked all summer to collect state and federal employment data and talk to chambers of commerce and people with the Georgetown University workforce center.
“They all kept pointing toward these specific industries,” Bower said. “The next thing we did was talk to our industry partners in those fields to validate what we’re doing, to find out what jobs they were having a hard time filling, what are the skills for those jobs, what should we be offering and what haven’t we thought of.”
As a result, Bower and her staff believed they were on the right track. The result is 10-hour sessions each in the following fields, all identified as high-growth:
E-commerce : This refers to any form of business transaction conducted online, such as online shopping, online auctions, payment gateways, online ticketing and internet banking. Colorado expects e-commerce employment to grow by 8 percent by the end of 2021.
: This refers to any form of business transaction conducted online, such as online shopping, online auctions, payment gateways, online ticketing and internet banking. Colorado expects e-commerce employment to grow by 8 percent by the end of 2021. Cybersecurity and information technology: As of May 2020, there were 2,432 IT and cybersecurity-related job openings in Colorado, MSU Denver said. The state is expected to have high growth in IT and cybersecurity jobs.
As of May 2020, there were 2,432 IT and cybersecurity-related job openings in Colorado, MSU Denver said. The state is expected to have high growth in IT and cybersecurity jobs. Data science: As of May 2020, there were 740 data science-related jobs in Colorado, according to MSU Denver. The state is projecting a growth rate of 14% by the end of 2021.
As of May 2020, there were 740 data science-related jobs in Colorado, according to MSU Denver. The state is projecting a growth rate of 14% by the end of 2021. Health and human services: As of August 2020, there were 1,050 health and human service related job openings in Colorado. The state projects the field will grow by 12% by 2021.
The team added another skills lab called “essential office skills,” which allows people to learn more about software programs regularly used in most workplaces. So far, the university has received a total of 1,593 registrations for all the labs, with the essential office skills as the most popular, followed by data science, e-commerce and then IT and cybersecurity.
Darrin Vohs, vice president of information technology at Molson Coors, was one of the people Bower and her staff consulted about the skills program. Vohs thinks the program is taking the right approach.
“The way I look at it, schools and training programs tend to churn out lots of people with generic skills or generic training,” Vohs said. “But many companies and industry, really, are looking at more niche-type skills.”
Referring to the labs the university is offering, Vohs said those are “huge, huge growing areas,” especially e-commerce.
“In the COVID era, e-commerce is booming. Even lots of traditional, brick-and-mortar companies are very aggressively hiring in the e-commerce space,” Vohs said.
Bower said she and her staff talked to people like Vohs to understand what specific skills companies are looking for.
“The focus of the training is to take the skills and figure out how to apply them,” Bower added. “What we heard from all of our employer partners was that we need people who know these software tools, know these skills and can apply them to real-world situations.”
Successful participants will receive a digital badge saying they completed a lab and identifying the areas in which they are deemed competent. Bower said people can add it to their resumes and online profiles.
“In no way are these labs replacements for university-level courses,” Bower said. “What we’re really doing is providing basic skills so people can dip their toe in and say, ‘I learned this tool. I’ve applied it to some data analytic projects.’ ”
People might decide to go to school to earn a degree in a particular field after going through the training, Bower added. Or people could talk to employers to find out what additional training they need to enter a new field.
“We’re going to see what happens and where the demand is, or if we’re hearing that we’ve missed something that folks want,” Bower said.
The program might expand offerings or offer deeper dives into certain areas. Those interested in registering can go to MSU Denver Skills Lab, https://www.msudenver.edu/skillslab/, and click on one of the labs. That will bring up a page that has registration forms for either the faculty- or industry-led sessions.
And again, the labs are free of charge.
“MSU Denver is offering it for the community because of how devastated the Denver metro area is by COVID-19. We come up with different products and services every day to serve the community,” Bower said. “We very much expect to keep this running for a long time.”,


thedenverpost--2020-09-13--As Coloradans look to an uncertain Halloween, COVID-19 looms as season’s biggest scare

Juniper Koelliker ’ s daydreams of a final , blowout year of trick-or-treating in 2020 deflated like a rotting pumpkin when the 13-year-old realized the pandemic would disrupt lives longer than first anticipated .
The Denver teenager lives for the costumes , candy and spooky vibes customary with any Halloween that ’ s up to snuff .
But Juniper , like many in Colorado , is bracing for a tricky year for tricks and treats .
Most state public health officials say it ’ s too early to conjure predictions about what will come of Halloween , but a holiday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strangers as possible in one night is sure to look different during the COVID-19 era as social-distancing continues to reign supreme .
“ It might not be until mid-October that we know more about what Halloween will look like in Denver , ” said Tammy Vigil , spokeswoman for the Denver Department of Public Health .
“ It ’ s possible we may have to re-examine traditional Halloween gatherings and events based on the data presented closer to that time .
So for now , we ask that the community keeps doing what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vigilant to help keep the virus in check.
” The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment did not have Halloween-specific guidance to share yet , but pointed to its standing guidelines for holidays and celebrations , which say Coloradans should wear masks ; gather in groups of 10 people or fewer , preferably outside ; stay six feet apart from others ; avoid risky activities that could lead to exposure ; and follow all COVID-19 guidelines .
Some health agencies have been more stringent .
In Los Angeles last week , county @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but then quickly walked that ban back to a suggestion that trick-or-treating and other Halloween activities such as haunted houses were not recommended , according to The Los Angeles Times .
Juniper and her mom Jenn Koelliker have decided on their own that Juniper ’ s final year of trick-or-treating has likely met its untimely demise .
“ You ’ d be very high risk taking stuff from random people ’ s houses , ” Juniper said .
“ People are making the argument that you wear masks anyway for Halloween , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ want to wear a mask with their costume if they ’ re not already wearing one .
Maybe everyone will wear that ‘ Scream ’ mask this year.
” Party retailers like Oriental Trading Company are touting low contact trick-or-treating merchandise including driveway treat kits filled with themed table decorations , goodies and cups .
The accessories are intended to top a decked-out table in the front yard , where trick-or-treaters can swing by and pick up their loot without ever having to step foot near somebody ’ s front door or dunk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bag .
Juniper plans on going all out on decorations this year — pumpkins and spider webs galore — and hopes to keep her bedroom Halloween-y until Christmas , allowing time for the macabre majesty to fully soak in .
“ I love everything about Halloween , ” Juniper said , adding that her everyday style is Halloween-inspired from wild hair colors and dark clothing to tons of jewelry .
“ The divide between kids that is usually there is gone around that time of year .
You can ’ t make fun @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Everybody has kind of leveled out on the same playing field.
” Not only did the new coronavirus cut short Boulder High School ’ s spring production of the spooktacular “ Addams Family ” musical , but the boys and ghouls of Boulder High ’ s theater department have temporarily laid to rest their annual haunted house .
The haunted house , 13 years strong , transformed the school ’ s stage into an attraction filled with jump scares , chilling props and student actors who promised an experience that stacked up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
This year , Boulder High theater teacher Marlee Smith said the crew couldn ’ t figure out how to whittle themselves down from the typical 100-student operation to something that would fit public health guidance , not to mention how to regulate guest attendance safely .
“ They ’ re so bummed , ” said Rachel Zaring , theater teacher , when asked how her students were taking the news .
“ We were getting emails from them in May , June , July asking what we were doing with the haunted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on nailing down virtual performance options with more details to come .
The haunted house is the Boulder High theater department ’ s biggest fundraiser of the year , so Zaring and Smith encouraged any patrons of the arts interested in donating to email them at marlee.smith @ bvsd.org .
The big name haunts in town , including Denver ’ s 13th Floor Haunted House and Westminster ’ s Frightmare Compound , still plan to offer folks something new to be scared about in 2020 .
Both list COVID-19 guidelines on their websites @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wearing face masks , actors having their temperature screened , limiting capacity in the venue and wiping down high-touch surfaces .
“ We are excited to scare the pants off you this Halloween season… We could all use a little escape from reality , ” the Frightmare Compound advertises on its website .
With the holiday uncertainty looming large as a ghost in the attic , Joe Hengstler , executive director of Olde Town Arvada Business Improvement District , said the future of the trick-or-treat street along Arvada ’ s main drag remained @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The annual event normally features local businesses handing out candy to little ones , but Hengstler said they don ’ t have concrete plans yet on how to re-envision such a communal event for pandemic times .
“ In the past , it ’ s been a free-for-all with the streets completely lined with kids , ” Hengstler said .
“ If we find that the situation has changed where we can do this in a safe way , we won ’ t have to worry about the additional step of shutting down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ closed to accommodate the expanded patios for our restaurants.
” Alyssa Manny , vice president of the Tennyson Berkeley Business Association , said the group is working to create an Oct. 31 event at Cesar Chavez Park along Tennyson Street with three zones — a kids ’ play zone ; a yoga , trick-or-treat and pet parade area ; and a space for vendors .
“ We are working intimately with the city in order to properly barrier each zone ( 175 person capacity per zone ) , provide proper social distancing and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Manny wrote in an email about the event .
With a hodge-podge of Halloween activities looming that may or may not transpire depending on a virus with an unpredictable trajectory , Juniper isn ’ t letting the unknowns dull the glow of her jack-o ’ -lantern heart .
The teen intends to dress up as Hello Kitty characters with her sister and devour the finest of sugary confections .
“ Purchasing your own candy is not the same as getting fistfuls of Twizzlers you can eat from a stranger ’ s house @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to express yourself , ” Juniper said .
“ I ’ m still going to get into the spirit .
”

Juniper Koelliker’s daydreams of a final, blowout year of trick-or-treating in 2020 deflated like a rotting pumpkin when the 13-year-old realized the pandemic would disrupt lives longer than first anticipated.
The Denver teenager lives for the costumes, candy and spooky vibes customary with any Halloween that’s up to snuff. But Juniper, like many in Colorado, is bracing for a tricky year for tricks and treats.
Most state public health officials say it’s too early to conjure predictions about what will come of Halloween, but a holiday season that culminates in visiting as many strangers as possible in one night is sure to look different during the COVID-19 era as social-distancing continues to reign supreme.
“It might not be until mid-October that we know more about what Halloween will look like in Denver,” said Tammy Vigil, spokeswoman for the Denver Department of Public Health. “It’s possible we may have to re-examine traditional Halloween gatherings and events based on the data presented closer to that time. So for now, we ask that the community keeps doing what it’s doing, and stay vigilant to help keep the virus in check.”
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment did not have Halloween-specific guidance to share yet, but pointed to its standing guidelines for holidays and celebrations, which say Coloradans should wear masks; gather in groups of 10 people or fewer, preferably outside; stay six feet apart from others; avoid risky activities that could lead to exposure; and follow all COVID-19 guidelines.
Some health agencies have been more stringent. In Los Angeles last week, county health officials issued guidance banning trick-or-treating, but then quickly walked that ban back to a suggestion that trick-or-treating and other Halloween activities such as haunted houses were not recommended, according to The Los Angeles Times.
Juniper and her mom Jenn Koelliker have decided on their own that Juniper’s final year of trick-or-treating has likely met its untimely demise.
“You’d be very high risk taking stuff from random people’s houses,” Juniper said. “People are making the argument that you wear masks anyway for Halloween, but I doubt a lot of kids will want to wear a mask with their costume if they’re not already wearing one. Maybe everyone will wear that ‘Scream’ mask this year.”
Party retailers like Oriental Trading Company are touting low contact trick-or-treating merchandise including driveway treat kits filled with themed table decorations, goodies and cups. The accessories are intended to top a decked-out table in the front yard, where trick-or-treaters can swing by and pick up their loot without ever having to step foot near somebody’s front door or dunk a candy-coated hand in a communal grab bag.
Juniper plans on going all out on decorations this year — pumpkins and spider webs galore — and hopes to keep her bedroom Halloween-y until Christmas, allowing time for the macabre majesty to fully soak in.
“I love everything about Halloween,” Juniper said, adding that her everyday style is Halloween-inspired from wild hair colors and dark clothing to tons of jewelry. “The divide between kids that is usually there is gone around that time of year. You can’t make fun of somebody for dressing up for Halloween. Everybody has kind of leveled out on the same playing field.”
“So bummed”
Juniper isn’t the only kid mourning a COVID-19 Halloween.
Not only did the new coronavirus cut short Boulder High School’s spring production of the spooktacular “Addams Family” musical, but the boys and ghouls of Boulder High’s theater department have temporarily laid to rest their annual haunted house.
The haunted house, 13 years strong, transformed the school’s stage into an attraction filled with jump scares, chilling props and student actors who promised an experience that stacked up with big-name haunted mazes in the area. This year, Boulder High theater teacher Marlee Smith said the crew couldn’t figure out how to whittle themselves down from the typical 100-student operation to something that would fit public health guidance, not to mention how to regulate guest attendance safely.
“They’re so bummed,” said Rachel Zaring, theater teacher, when asked how her students were taking the news. “We were getting emails from them in May, June, July asking what we were doing with the haunted house.”
Instead, the students plan on nailing down virtual performance options with more details to come. The haunted house is the Boulder High theater department’s biggest fundraiser of the year, so Zaring and Smith encouraged any patrons of the arts interested in donating to email them at marlee.smith@bvsd.org.
The big name haunts in town, including Denver’s 13th Floor Haunted House and Westminster’s Frightmare Compound, still plan to offer folks something new to be scared about in 2020.
Both list COVID-19 guidelines on their websites consisting of precautions like actors and guests wearing face masks, actors having their temperature screened, limiting capacity in the venue and wiping down high-touch surfaces.
“We are excited to scare the pants off you this Halloween season… We could all use a little escape from reality,” the Frightmare Compound advertises on its website.
“Time to express yourself”
With the holiday uncertainty looming large as a ghost in the attic, Joe Hengstler, executive director of Olde Town Arvada Business Improvement District, said the future of the trick-or-treat street along Arvada’s main drag remained murky this early in the season. The annual event normally features local businesses handing out candy to little ones, but Hengstler said they don’t have concrete plans yet on how to re-envision such a communal event for pandemic times.
“In the past, it’s been a free-for-all with the streets completely lined with kids,” Hengstler said. “If we find that the situation has changed where we can do this in a safe way, we won’t have to worry about the additional step of shutting down the street because it’s already closed to accommodate the expanded patios for our restaurants.”
Alyssa Manny, vice president of the Tennyson Berkeley Business Association, said the group is working to create an Oct. 31 event at Cesar Chavez Park along Tennyson Street with three zones — a kids’ play zone; a yoga, trick-or-treat and pet parade area; and a space for vendors.
“We are working intimately with the city in order to properly barrier each zone (175 person capacity per zone), provide proper social distancing and successfully direct traffic through the area,” Manny wrote in an email about the event.
With a hodge-podge of Halloween activities looming that may or may not transpire depending on a virus with an unpredictable trajectory, Juniper isn’t letting the unknowns dull the glow of her jack-o’-lantern heart.
The teen intends to dress up as Hello Kitty characters with her sister and devour the finest of sugary confections.
“Purchasing your own candy is not the same as getting fistfuls of Twizzlers you can eat from a stranger’s house, but Halloween is really a time to express yourself,” Juniper said. “I’m still going to get into the spirit.”


thedenverpost--2020-09-13--On Philanthropy: How donors can advance racial justice

George Floyd , Breonna Taylor , Daniel Prude , Jacob Blake .
The long road to racial justice in this country has been rocky and painful .
It started long before these four people became household names and will , tragically , go well beyond their injuries and deaths .
In response to these tragedies , many donors – whether in private or public foundations , donor-advised funds , or less structured philanthropy – have , internally and externally , offered important statements of support for the Black Lives Matter movement and racial justice and equity , with a commitment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ commendable , and they are also just the beginning of the transformational work that must be done in philanthropy .
As Richard Woo , Senior Advisor in Philanthropy and Impact Investing , says : “ The pledges of solidarity with the Black Community and standing against systemic racism go far beyond the polite statements of diversity , equity and inclusion that existed before in foundations , if they existed at all .
Now is the moment to back bold words with bolder actions to transform broken systems to be more whole and just.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
Understand that being anti-racist involves much more work and commitment than simply not being racist ; the latter is passive while the former is active .
This column ’ s space limitations make it impossible to address the issue comprehensively .
Nonetheless , here are some steps funders can take toward transformational change .
Begin by looking internally and deeply at your own organization ( foundation , family , corporate philanthropy , etc . )
and take inventory of what you ’ ve already done on the diversity , equity and inclusion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ DEI work is interdependent ; you can ’ t effectively concentrate on one aspect without intentionally doing all .
Examine your own personal and organizational barriers to achieving equity by looking at your : • Leadership , both professional and volunteer , and ask whether it reinforces a culture and system in which positions of power uphold the status quo or whether the lived experiences of the community being served are reflected in the makeup of leadership from the board to executives and staff .
• Operations , to determine if they serve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ support grantees and communities in achieving their • Investments and banking relationships , to determine if they perpetuate systemic racism and exploitation of human capital or if they replenish community wealth and build community assets .
• Pay-out limits , to ask if you are treating the 5 % minimum payout requirement for foundations as the floor or the ceiling for grant-making .
Is the goal of growing or maintaining an endowment more important than the goal of serving communities and funding transformational change ?
• Employment policies , to see if they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more about people counting , seeking to understand and support the lived experiences and needs of the people with whom you work .
All of the internal reflection is a prelude to tangible , external actions in support of Black , Indigenous & People of Color ( BIPOC ) communities .
This means philanthropy that increases funding , builds capacity , advocates just policies , and transfers power — regardless of your philanthropic mission .
Race and racial inequities are evident across all missions including health care , education , housing , hunger @ @ @ @ @ @ @ environment , criminal justice , voting rights and more .
Examine the role that impacted people and communities play in your decision making around grants .
Are their voices being heard ?
Are they involved in developing grant making strategies and in making grant decisions ?
Are BIPOC – led organizations the recipients of your grants ?
Make a long-term commitment to address racial inequality .
Congressman John Lewis taught us , “ Take a long , hard look down the road you will have to travel once you have made a commitment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this transformation will not happen right away .
… We used to say that ours is not the struggle of one day , one week , or one year .
Ours is not the struggle of one judicial appointment or presidential term .
Ours is the struggle of a lifetime , or maybe even many lifetimes , and each one of us in every generation must do our part .
And if we believe in the change we seek , then it is easy to commit to doing all we can , because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a better society and a more peaceful world.
” There are many resources available for people and organizations committed to doing the work .
Among them are : “ Just Transition for Philanthropy ” by Justice Funders ; “ Awake to Woke to Work : Building a Race Equity Culture ” by Equity in the Center ; and “ We Must be in it for the Long Haul ” by the Association of Black Foundation Executives .
Since 2005 , the Center for African American Health ( CAAH ) has provided culturally responsive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to promote the health and wellbeing of Denver ’ s Black community .
A Family Resource Center , CAAH also supports family resiliency and self-sufficiency .
A capital campaign to purchase a new facility at 3550 Hudson Street will enable CAAH to increase access to primary care , behavioral health counseling , job readiness training and family support programming .
www.caahealth.org Bruce DeBoskey , J.D.
, is a philanthropic strategist working across the United States with The DeBoskey Group to help families , businesses , foundations and family offices design and implement thoughtful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a frequent keynote speaker at conferences and workshops on philanthropy .
Visit deboskeygroup.com or @ BDeBo .

George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Daniel Prude, Jacob Blake. The long road to racial justice in this country has been rocky and painful. It started long before these four people became household names and will, tragically, go well beyond their injuries and deaths.
In response to these tragedies, many donors – whether in private or public foundations, donor-advised funds, or less structured philanthropy – have, internally and externally, offered important statements of support for the Black Lives Matter movement and racial justice and equity, with a commitment to anti-racism efforts.
These statements are commendable, and they are also just the beginning of the transformational work that must be done in philanthropy. As Richard Woo, Senior Advisor in Philanthropy and Impact Investing, says: “The pledges of solidarity with the Black Community and standing against systemic racism go far beyond the polite statements of diversity, equity and inclusion that existed before in foundations, if they existed at all. Now is the moment to back bold words with bolder actions to transform broken systems to be more whole and just.”
How do we walk the walk?
Understand that being anti-racist involves much more work and commitment than simply not being racist; the latter is passive while the former is active. This column’s space limitations make it impossible to address the issue comprehensively. Nonetheless, here are some steps funders can take toward transformational change.
Begin by looking internally and deeply at your own organization (foundation, family, corporate philanthropy, etc.) and take inventory of what you’ve already done on the diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) spectrum. Understand that DEI work is interdependent; you can’t effectively concentrate on one aspect without intentionally doing all. Examine your own personal and organizational barriers to achieving equity by looking at your:
Leadership, both professional and volunteer, and ask whether it reinforces a culture and system in which positions of power uphold the status quo or whether the lived experiences of the community being served are reflected in the makeup of leadership from the board to executives and staff.
Operations, to determine if they serve the wishes of the donor or best support grantees and communities in achieving their vision of social change;
Investments and banking relationships, to determine if they perpetuate systemic racism and exploitation of human capital or if they replenish community wealth and build community assets.
Pay-out limits, to ask if you are treating the 5% minimum payout requirement for foundations as the floor or the ceiling for grant-making. Is the goal of growing or maintaining an endowment more important than the goal of serving communities and funding transformational change?
Employment policies, to see if they’re less about counting people and more about people counting, seeking to understand and support the lived experiences and needs of the people with whom you work.
All of the internal reflection is a prelude to tangible, external actions in support of Black, Indigenous & People of Color (BIPOC) communities. This means philanthropy that increases funding, builds capacity, advocates just policies, and transfers power — regardless of your philanthropic mission. Race and racial inequities are evident across all missions including health care, education, housing, hunger, employment, the arts, the environment, criminal justice, voting rights and more.
Examine the role that impacted people and communities play in your decision making around grants. Are their voices being heard? Are they involved in developing grant making strategies and in making grant decisions? Are BIPOC – led organizations the recipients of your grants?
Make a long-term commitment to address racial inequality. Congressman John Lewis taught us, “Take a long, hard look down the road you will have to travel once you have made a commitment to work for change. Know that this transformation will not happen right away. … We used to say that ours is not the struggle of one day, one week, or one year. Ours is not the struggle of one judicial appointment or presidential term. Ours is the struggle of a lifetime, or maybe even many lifetimes, and each one of us in every generation must do our part. And if we believe in the change we seek, then it is easy to commit to doing all we can, because the responsibility is ours alone to build a better society and a more peaceful world.”
Additional resources for a “deeper dive”
There are many resources available for people and organizations committed to doing the work. Among them are: “Just Transition for Philanthropy” by Justice Funders; “Awake to Woke to Work: Building a Race Equity Culture” by Equity in the Center; and “We Must be in it for the Long Haul” by the Association of Black Foundation Executives.
Nonprofit of the Month
Since 2005, the Center for African American Health (CAAH) has provided culturally responsive, health prevention programs and health screenings to promote the health and wellbeing of Denver’s Black community. A Family Resource Center, CAAH also supports family resiliency and self-sufficiency. A capital campaign to purchase a new facility at 3550 Hudson Street will enable CAAH to increase access to primary care, behavioral health counseling, job readiness training and family support programming. www.caahealth.org
Bruce DeBoskey, J.D., is a philanthropic strategist working across the United States with The DeBoskey Group to help families, businesses, foundations and family offices design and implement thoughtful philanthropic strategies and actionable plans. He is a frequent keynote speaker at conferences and workshops on philanthropy. Visit deboskeygroup.com or @BDeBo.