thedenverpost--2020-05-02--Tara Reade: “I didn’t use sexual harassment” in Joe Biden complaint

WASHINGTON — Tara Reade , the former Senate staffer who alleges Joe Biden sexually assaulted her 27 years ago , says she filed a limited report with a congressional personnel office that did not explicitly accuse him of sexual assault or harassment .
“ I remember talking about him wanting me to serve drinks because he liked my legs and thought I was pretty and it made me uncomfortable , ” Reade said in an interview Friday with The Associated Press .
“ I know that I was too scared to write about the sexual assault.
” Reade said she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the main word I used — and I know I didn ’ t use sexual harassment — I used ‘ uncomfortable.
’ And I remember ‘ retaliation.
’ ” Reade described the report after the AP discovered additional transcripts and notes from its interviews with Reade last year in which she says she “ chickened out ” after going to the Senate personnel office .
The AP interviewed Reade in 2019 after she accused Biden of uncomfortable and inappropriate touching .
She did not raise allegations of sexual assault against Biden until this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee .
The existence of the Senate report has become a key element of the accusations against Biden , which he has flatly denied .
Reade says she doesn ’ t have a copy of the report , and Biden said Friday that he is not aware that any complaint against him exists .
He asked the Senate and the National Archives to search their records to try to locate a complaint from Reade .
But Reade is suggesting that even if the report surfaces , it would not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not to detail them at the time .
According to a transcript of her 2019 interview with the AP , Reade said : “ They have this counseling office or something , and I think I walked in there once , but then I chickened out.
” She made a similar statement in a second interview with AP that same day , according to written notes from the interview .
On Friday , Reade said she was referring to having “ chickened out ” by not filing full harassment or assault allegations against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ AP on Friday , Reade insisted she filed an “ intake form ” at the Senate personnel office , which included her contact information , the office she worked for and some broad details of her issues with Biden .
Reade was one of eight women who came forward last year with allegations that Biden made them feel uncomfortable with inappropriate displays of affection .
Biden acknowledged the complaints and promised to be “ more mindful about respecting personal space in the future.
” During one of the April 2019 interviews with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shoulders and neck and played with her hair .
She said she was asked by an aide in Biden ’ s Senate office to dress more conservatively and told “ don ’ t be so sexy.
” She said of Biden : “ I wasn ’ t scared of him , that he was going to take me in a room or anything .
It wasn ’ t that kind of vibe.
” The AP reviewed notes of its 2019 interviews with Reade after she came forward in March with allegations of sexual @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an additional transcript and notes from those interviews on Friday .
A recording of one of the interviews was deleted before Reade emerged in 2020 with new allegations against Biden , in keeping with the reporter ’ s standard practice for disposing of old interviews .
A portion of that interview was also recorded on video , but not the part in which she spoke of having “ chickened out.
” The AP declined to publish details of the 2019 interviews at the time because reporters were unable to corroborate her allegations , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reporting .
In recent weeks , Reade told the AP and other news organizations that Biden sexually assaulted her , pushing her against a wall in the basement of a Capitol Hill office building in 1993 , groping her and penetrating her with his fingers .
She says she was fired from Biden ’ s office after filing a complaint with the Senate alleging harassment .
The accusation has roiled Biden ’ s presidential campaign , sparking anxiety among Democrats .
Republicans have accused Biden backers of hypocrisy , arguing that they have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accused President Donald Trump and other conservatives of assault .
Trump has faced multiple accusations of assault and harassment , all of which he denies .
Reade says she was reluctant to share details of the assault during her initial conversations with reporters over a year ago because she was scared of backlash , and was still coming to terms with what happened to her .
Two of Reade ’ s associates said publicly this past week that Reade had conversations with them that they said corroborated aspects of her allegation .
One @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told her about the alleged assault a few years after Reade said it happened .
The other , a former coworker , said Reade told her she had been sexually harassed by her boss during her previous job in Washington .
The AP has also spoken to two additional people , who spoke on condition of anonymity to protect their families ’ privacy , who said Reade had told them about aspects of her allegations against Biden years ago .
One friend , who knew Reade in 1993 , said Reade told them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The second friend met Reade more than a decade after the alleged incident and confirmed that Reade had a conversation with the friend in 2007 or 2008 about experiencing sexual harassment from Biden while working in his Senate office .

WASHINGTON — Tara Reade, the former Senate staffer who alleges Joe Biden sexually assaulted her 27 years ago, says she filed a limited report with a congressional personnel office that did not explicitly accuse him of sexual assault or harassment.
“I remember talking about him wanting me to serve drinks because he liked my legs and thought I was pretty and it made me uncomfortable,” Reade said in an interview Friday with The Associated Press. “I know that I was too scared to write about the sexual assault.”
Reade said she described her issues with Biden but “the main word I used — and I know I didn’t use sexual harassment — I used ‘uncomfortable.’ And I remember ‘retaliation.’”
Reade described the report after the AP discovered additional transcripts and notes from its interviews with Reade last year in which she says she “chickened out” after going to the Senate personnel office. The AP interviewed Reade in 2019 after she accused Biden of uncomfortable and inappropriate touching. She did not raise allegations of sexual assault against Biden until this year, around the time he became the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee.
The existence of the Senate report has become a key element of the accusations against Biden, which he has flatly denied. Reade says she doesn’t have a copy of the report, and Biden said Friday that he is not aware that any complaint against him exists. He asked the Senate and the National Archives to search their records to try to locate a complaint from Reade.
But Reade is suggesting that even if the report surfaces, it would not corroborate her assault allegations because she chose not to detail them at the time.
According to a transcript of her 2019 interview with the AP, Reade said: “They have this counseling office or something, and I think I walked in there once, but then I chickened out.” She made a similar statement in a second interview with AP that same day, according to written notes from the interview.
On Friday, Reade said she was referring to having “chickened out” by not filing full harassment or assault allegations against Biden. In multiple interviews with the AP on Friday, Reade insisted she filed an “intake form” at the Senate personnel office, which included her contact information, the office she worked for and some broad details of her issues with Biden.
Reade was one of eight women who came forward last year with allegations that Biden made them feel uncomfortable with inappropriate displays of affection. Biden acknowledged the complaints and promised to be “more mindful about respecting personal space in the future.”
During one of the April 2019 interviews with the AP, she said Biden rubbed her shoulders and neck and played with her hair. She said she was asked by an aide in Biden’s Senate office to dress more conservatively and told “don’t be so sexy.”
She said of Biden: “I wasn’t scared of him, that he was going to take me in a room or anything. It wasn’t that kind of vibe.”
The AP reviewed notes of its 2019 interviews with Reade after she came forward in March with allegations of sexual assault against Biden. But reporters discovered an additional transcript and notes from those interviews on Friday.
A recording of one of the interviews was deleted before Reade emerged in 2020 with new allegations against Biden, in keeping with the reporter’s standard practice for disposing of old interviews. A portion of that interview was also recorded on video, but not the part in which she spoke of having “chickened out.”
The AP declined to publish details of the 2019 interviews at the time because reporters were unable to corroborate her allegations, and aspects of her story contradicted other reporting.
In recent weeks, Reade told the AP and other news organizations that Biden sexually assaulted her, pushing her against a wall in the basement of a Capitol Hill office building in 1993, groping her and penetrating her with his fingers. She says she was fired from Biden’s office after filing a complaint with the Senate alleging harassment.
The accusation has roiled Biden’s presidential campaign, sparking anxiety among Democrats. Republicans have accused Biden backers of hypocrisy, arguing that they have been quick to believe women who have accused President Donald Trump and other conservatives of assault. Trump has faced multiple accusations of assault and harassment, all of which he denies.
Reade says she was reluctant to share details of the assault during her initial conversations with reporters over a year ago because she was scared of backlash, and was still coming to terms with what happened to her.
Two of Reade’s associates said publicly this past week that Reade had conversations with them that they said corroborated aspects of her allegation. One, a former neighbor, said Reade told her about the alleged assault a few years after Reade said it happened. The other, a former coworker, said Reade told her she had been sexually harassed by her boss during her previous job in Washington.
The AP has also spoken to two additional people, who spoke on condition of anonymity to protect their families’ privacy, who said Reade had told them about aspects of her allegations against Biden years ago.
One friend, who knew Reade in 1993, said Reade told them about the alleged assault when it happened. The second friend met Reade more than a decade after the alleged incident and confirmed that Reade had a conversation with the friend in 2007 or 2008 about experiencing sexual harassment from Biden while working in his Senate office.
___
Thompson reported from Nevada City, California.


thedenverpost--2020-05-02--Colorado reports 832 coronavirus-related deaths as positive cases surpass 16,000

Colorado reported as many as 832 deaths from the new coronavirus Saturday as confirmed positive cases surpassed 16,000 .
There have been 2,793 people hospitalized since the outbreak was first confirmed in the state in March , but only 737 people were in Colorado hospitals with symptoms of the illness as of Friday afternoon , state data shows .
At least 67 people since Friday either went home or were transferred to a lower level of care , like a rehabilitation facility .
At least 16,225 people have tested positive for or are believed to have COVID-19 , the highly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — though health officials have said the true number is likely far higher .
Officials recorded 3,334 tests on Friday , as the the state ramps up its capabilities to better track the virus as businesses slowly reopen .
The 58.7 tests per 100,000 people per day still falls well short of the 152 per 100,000 each day pegged by health experts as necessary to safely monitor the outbreak .
The increased testing has been particularly focused on senior living facilities , where outbreaks reached 163 Saturday — two more than the previous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Veteran ’ s Community Living Center at Fitzsimons in Aurora , confirmed another resident had died and 13 more people living at the center had tested positive for COVID-19 , the Colorado Department of Human services said in a news release .
The veteran ’ s nursing home had previously announced two deaths and seven residents had the new coronavirus .
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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a particular day , they may have occurred any time in the past and are just now being reported to the state .
Health officials also announced Saturday that a second machine that can sanitize up to 80,000 masks per day will be placed at the Montrose County Fairgrounds to help keep health care workers safe as they battle the pandemic .
The Battelle Critical Care Decontamination Systems decontaminates N95 respirators , with a single respirator able to be reused up to 20 times without degradation .
The state placed the first machine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 23 .

Colorado reported as many as 832 deaths from the new coronavirus Saturday as confirmed positive cases surpassed 16,000.
There have been 2,793 people hospitalized since the outbreak was first confirmed in the state in March, but only 737 people were in Colorado hospitals with symptoms of the illness as of Friday afternoon, state data shows. At least 67 people since Friday either went home or were transferred to a lower level of care, like a rehabilitation facility.
At least 16,225 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 3,334 tests on Friday, as the the state ramps up its capabilities to better track the virus as businesses slowly reopen. The 58.7 tests per 100,000 people per day still falls well short of the 152 per 100,000 each day pegged by health experts as necessary to safely monitor the outbreak.
The increased testing has been particularly focused on senior living facilities, where outbreaks reached 163 Saturday — two more than the previous day. One of these facilities, the Veteran’s Community Living Center at Fitzsimons in Aurora, confirmed another resident had died and 13 more people living at the center had tested positive for COVID-19, the Colorado Department of Human services said in a news release. The veteran’s nursing home had previously announced two deaths and seven residents had the new coronavirus.
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.
Health officials also announced Saturday that a second machine that can sanitize up to 80,000 masks per day will be placed at the Montrose County Fairgrounds to help keep health care workers safe as they battle the pandemic.
The Battelle Critical Care Decontamination Systems decontaminates N95 respirators, with a single respirator able to be reused up to 20 times without degradation. The state placed the first machine at the Adams County Fairgrounds on April 23.


thedenverpost--2020-05-02--Man arrested trying to quarantine on private Disney island

ORLANDO , Fla. — Florida deputies arrested a man who had been living out his quarantine on a shuttered Disney World island , telling authorities it felt like a “ tropical paradise.
” Orange County Sheriff ’ s deputies found Richard McGuire on Disney ’ s Discovery Island on Thursday .
He said he ’ d been there since Monday or Tuesday and had planned to camp there for a week , according to an arrest report .
The 42-year-old said he didn ’ t hear numerous deputies searching the private island for him on foot , by boat and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a building .
He told the deputy he didn ’ t know it was a restricted area , despite there being numerous “ no trespassing ” signs .
“ Richard stated that he was unaware of that and that it looked like a tropical paradise , ” according to the arrest report .
Orange County Marine deputies on Bay Lake used a public address system to tell McGuire he was not allowed to be on the property , but he remained on the island , anyway , according to the arrest report .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ saw McGuire using a company boat Thursday , noting that the area had several “ no trespassing ” signs and two closed gates .
She asked the agency to press charges .
McGuire was arrested on a trespassing charge and taken to jail without incident .
It was not immediately clear whether he had an attorney who could comment .
Previously called Treasure Island , Discovery Island had been the site of a zoological park before the island was closed to the public in 1999 .

ORLANDO, Fla. — Florida deputies arrested a man who had been living out his quarantine on a shuttered Disney World island, telling authorities it felt like a “tropical paradise.”
Orange County Sheriff’s deputies found Richard McGuire on Disney’s Discovery Island on Thursday. He said he’d been there since Monday or Tuesday and had planned to camp there for a week, according to an arrest report.
The 42-year-old said he didn’t hear numerous deputies searching the private island for him on foot, by boat and by air because he was asleep in a building. He told the deputy he didn’t know it was a restricted area, despite there being numerous “no trespassing” signs.
“Richard stated that he was unaware of that and that it looked like a tropical paradise,” according to the arrest report.
Orange County Marine deputies on Bay Lake used a public address system to tell McGuire he was not allowed to be on the property, but he remained on the island, anyway, according to the arrest report.
A security representative for Disney said she saw McGuire using a company boat Thursday, noting that the area had several “no trespassing” signs and two closed gates. She asked the agency to press charges.
McGuire was arrested on a trespassing charge and taken to jail without incident. It was not immediately clear whether he had an attorney who could comment.
Previously called Treasure Island, Discovery Island had been the site of a zoological park before the island was closed to the public in 1999.


thedenverpost--2020-05-02--Most states fall short of coronavirus testing thresholds

ATLANTA — As more states begin to relax their coronavirus lockdowns , most are falling short of the minimum levels of testing suggested by the federal government and recommended by a variety of public health researchers , an Associated Press analysis has found .
Three months into an unprecedented public health emergency , the White House has largely resisted calls for a coordinated plan to conduct the millions of tests experts say are needed to contain the virus .
What federal officials outlined recently isn ’ t even an official benchmark , and AP ’ s analysis found that a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it .
With no specific guidelines , states are left to figure out what a successful testing program should be while they simultaneously try to reopen their shattered economies .
If states don ’ t have robust testing , public health experts say they will be unable to detect outbreaks quickly enough to contain them , which could lead to more shutdowns .
“ It ’ s dangerous and irresponsible , ” said Lawrence Gostin , a public health specialist at Georgetown University .
In many states , testing has been limited to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ workers .
But most public health experts agree that containing the virus will require a massive expansion of testing that eventually includes millions of patients without symptoms , which is not happening now .
A testing blueprint released Monday by the Trump administration lacked any metrics state officials could use to make informed decisions .
Instead , the document made clear that states are responsible for testing , saying the federal government is the “ supplier of last resort.
” The closest the White House has come to issuing a benchmark does not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a recent briefing , senior administration officials said the government would provide each state with enough tests , swabs and related materials to screen at least 2.6 % of their populations in May and June .
Those hit harder by the outbreak would be eligible for additional assistance .
It was unclear how the 2.6 % figure was reached .
When asked about it , officials with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services described it as 2 % of state populations per month without explaining the discrepancy .
Officials also did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ administration has a target for how many daily tests should be done nationwide or when it would issue more details .
Only about 40 % of states currently meet even the 2 % testing threshold , according to AP ’ s analysis .
The percentage is expected to rise as states increase their testing capabilities .
The AP based the monthly testing rate for each state on the average number of new daily tests over the most recent 7 days .
The data is from the COVID Tracking Project and includes counts up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spokesman said Friday that the administration ’ s testing threshold is only a suggestion and that states are ultimately responsible for deciding how to reopen in a “ safe and responsible manner.
” The administration says it is working to expand testing and has been highlighting plans first announced in March for additional testing sites at retail pharmacy chains .
States that do not meet the administration ’ s testing guidance , based on their current screening rates , include some that have been moving into the early stages of reopening , such @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Georgia , which has moved aggressively to ease restrictions and lift its stay-at-home order , is just under the 2 % threshold .
Louisiana and Kansas , where Republican lawmakers have been putting pressure on Democratic governors to reopen , are falling short , according to the AP analysis .
In Kansas , the governor and top health administrator expect to reach the 2 % mark this month .
Florida , which announced its first phase of reopening will start next week , also falls short but has said it will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a day if needed .
Michigan , where the Republican-led legislature has sued the Democratic governor over the state ’ s stay-at-home order , is on track to test 2.2 % of its population .
Former health officials and experts were critical of the testing blueprint and said the 2.6 % or 2 % population metric was too vague and didn ’ t take into account guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control on who should be tested .
“ Why don ’ t they say , ‘ We ’ ll test everybody @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their contacts ?
’ ” said Dr. James Curran , a former assistant U.S. surgeon general who worked at CDC for 25 years .
“ If that amounts to 2 % that ’ s fine , but the guidelines are not to test 2 % .
The guidelines are to test who needs it.
” Many experts already say the national testing rate falls short of what is needed to safely ease social distancing guidelines .
Researchers at Harvard have calculated that the U.S. needs to be testing roughly 500,000 people per day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ That ’ s a nearly 150 % increase from the recent daily tally of approximately 200,000 tests .
“ I ’ ve described it and I still describe it as an absolute bare minimum , ” said Ashish Jha , director of the Harvard Global Health Institute .
More than half of states are not testing their populations at the daily rate recommended by Jha and his colleagues .
The Harvard team developed their statistics in mid-April and noted that projections for U.S. cases have increased since then .
Many states hardest hit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ team ’ s testing recommendations , even if they were already testing more than 2 % of their populations , according to an AP analysis using state-by-state figures provided by Harvard .
States falling short of the Harvard numbers include many of the epicenters of the outbreak , including New York , New Jersey and Massachusetts .
Jha and his colleagues based their testing targets , in part , on the number of tests needed to screen enough people to push positive results below 10 % , the level that the World Health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
More than 16 % of U.S. tests nationwide are positive for the virus , according to figures compiled by the COVID Tracking Project website .
That compares with a rate of about 3 % in South Korea , a country praised for its aggressive testing .
Former CDC director Tom Frieden has recommended double the current testing levels .
He said the U.S. should be testing at minimum 400,000 people a day .
Officials in at least 20 states have indicated their testing capacity is not adequate and said they are taking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a review by the AP .
But there is little consensus among states on how many people should be tested or whether that should include those with no symptoms .
Georgia , where in-person dining at restaurants is now permitted with restrictions , has not said how many people it would like to test but recently touted its ability to test over 20,000 people on a single day and has encouraged more people to get tested .
New Jersey , which has a slightly smaller population and a higher number of COVID-19 cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conduct 20,000 to 30,000 tests a day to reopen .
Ohio wants to increase testing from 7,200 per day to 22,000 by May 27 .
Washington state , which has seen one of the largest U.S. outbreaks , has reported averaging 4,650 tests a day and wants to do more than 22,000 but lacks the necessary supplies .
Most states have convened advisory panels to help in setting guidelines , but they run the gamut in terms of expertise and will result in a patchwork of policies that experts say may be ineffective @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t respect state borders .
“ Treading water on testing is not going to get us out of this , ” said Jeremy Konyndyk , a disaster preparedness expert who helped lead the Obama administration response to Ebola .
Dearen reported from Gainesville , Florida ; Perrone , an AP health writer , reported from Washington , D.C. ; and Forster , a data journalist , reported from New York .
Associated Press writers Michelle R. Smith in Providence , Rhode Island ; Zeke Miller in Washington D.C. ; Rachel La Corte in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Savannah , Georgia ; and John D. Hanna in Topeka , Kansas , also contributed .
Subscribe to bi-weekly newsletter to get health news sent straight to your inbox .

Christina A. Cassidy, Matthew Perrone, Jason Dearen, Nicky Forster

ATLANTA — As more states begin to relax their coronavirus lockdowns, most are falling short of the minimum levels of testing suggested by the federal government and recommended by a variety of public health researchers, an Associated Press analysis has found.
Three months into an unprecedented public health emergency, the White House has largely resisted calls for a coordinated plan to conduct the millions of tests experts say are needed to contain the virus. What federal officials outlined recently isn’t even an official benchmark, and AP’s analysis found that a majority of states are not yet meeting it.
With no specific guidelines, states are left to figure out what a successful testing program should be while they simultaneously try to reopen their shattered economies. If states don’t have robust testing, public health experts say they will be unable to detect outbreaks quickly enough to contain them, which could lead to more shutdowns.
“It’s dangerous and irresponsible,” said Lawrence Gostin, a public health specialist at Georgetown University.
In many states, testing has been limited to hospitalized patients, high-risk individuals and front-line workers. But most public health experts agree that containing the virus will require a massive expansion of testing that eventually includes millions of patients without symptoms, which is not happening now.
A testing blueprint released Monday by the Trump administration lacked any metrics state officials could use to make informed decisions. Instead, the document made clear that states are responsible for testing, saying the federal government is the “supplier of last resort.”
The closest the White House has come to issuing a benchmark does not actually appear in the document. At a recent briefing, senior administration officials said the government would provide each state with enough tests, swabs and related materials to screen at least 2.6% of their populations in May and June. Those hit harder by the outbreak would be eligible for additional assistance.
It was unclear how the 2.6% figure was reached. When asked about it, officials with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services described it as 2% of state populations per month without explaining the discrepancy. Officials also did not respond to questions about whether the administration has a target for how many daily tests should be done nationwide or when it would issue more details.
Only about 40% of states currently meet even the 2% testing threshold, according to AP’s analysis. The percentage is expected to rise as states increase their testing capabilities. The AP based the monthly testing rate for each state on the average number of new daily tests over the most recent 7 days. The data is from the COVID Tracking Project and includes counts up to April 30th.
A White House spokesman said Friday that the administration’s testing threshold is only a suggestion and that states are ultimately responsible for deciding how to reopen in a “safe and responsible manner.” The administration says it is working to expand testing and has been highlighting plans first announced in March for additional testing sites at retail pharmacy chains.
States that do not meet the administration’s testing guidance, based on their current screening rates, include some that have been moving into the early stages of reopening, such as Colorado, South Carolina and Texas. Georgia, which has moved aggressively to ease restrictions and lift its stay-at-home order, is just under the 2% threshold.
Louisiana and Kansas, where Republican lawmakers have been putting pressure on Democratic governors to reopen, are falling short, according to the AP analysis. In Kansas, the governor and top health administrator expect to reach the 2% mark this month.
Florida, which announced its first phase of reopening will start next week, also falls short but has said it will be able to test 30,000 to 40,000 people a day if needed. Michigan, where the Republican-led legislature has sued the Democratic governor over the state’s stay-at-home order, is on track to test 2.2% of its population.
Former health officials and experts were critical of the testing blueprint and said the 2.6% or 2% population metric was too vague and didn’t take into account guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control on who should be tested.
“Why don’t they say, ‘We’ll test everybody with any symptoms of coronavirus and all their contacts?’” said Dr. James Curran, a former assistant U.S. surgeon general who worked at CDC for 25 years. “If that amounts to 2% that’s fine, but the guidelines are not to test 2%. The guidelines are to test who needs it.”
Many experts already say the national testing rate falls short of what is needed to safely ease social distancing guidelines.
Researchers at Harvard have calculated that the U.S. needs to be testing roughly 500,000 people per day before considering easing restrictions this month. That’s a nearly 150% increase from the recent daily tally of approximately 200,000 tests.
“I’ve described it and I still describe it as an absolute bare minimum,” said Ashish Jha, director of the Harvard Global Health Institute.
More than half of states are not testing their populations at the daily rate recommended by Jha and his colleagues. The Harvard team developed their statistics in mid-April and noted that projections for U.S. cases have increased since then.
Many states hardest hit by the crisis failed to reach the team’s testing recommendations, even if they were already testing more than 2% of their populations, according to an AP analysis using state-by-state figures provided by Harvard. States falling short of the Harvard numbers include many of the epicenters of the outbreak, including New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts.
Jha and his colleagues based their testing targets, in part, on the number of tests needed to screen enough people to push positive results below 10%, the level that the World Health Organization considers sufficient to contain the outbreak. More than 16% of U.S. tests nationwide are positive for the virus, according to figures compiled by the COVID Tracking Project website. That compares with a rate of about 3% in South Korea, a country praised for its aggressive testing.
Former CDC director Tom Frieden has recommended double the current testing levels. He said the U.S. should be testing at minimum 400,000 people a day.
Officials in at least 20 states have indicated their testing capacity is not adequate and said they are taking steps to address this, according to a review by the AP. But there is little consensus among states on how many people should be tested or whether that should include those with no symptoms.
Georgia, where in-person dining at restaurants is now permitted with restrictions, has not said how many people it would like to test but recently touted its ability to test over 20,000 people on a single day and has encouraged more people to get tested. New Jersey, which has a slightly smaller population and a higher number of COVID-19 cases, has said it would need to conduct 20,000 to 30,000 tests a day to reopen.
Ohio wants to increase testing from 7,200 per day to 22,000 by May 27. Washington state, which has seen one of the largest U.S. outbreaks, has reported averaging 4,650 tests a day and wants to do more than 22,000 but lacks the necessary supplies.
Most states have convened advisory panels to help in setting guidelines, but they run the gamut in terms of expertise and will result in a patchwork of policies that experts say may be ineffective in containing a virus that doesn’t respect state borders.
“Treading water on testing is not going to get us out of this,” said Jeremy Konyndyk, a disaster preparedness expert who helped lead the Obama administration response to Ebola.
Dearen reported from Gainesville, Florida; Perrone, an AP health writer, reported from Washington, D.C.; and Forster, a data journalist, reported from New York. Associated Press writers Michelle R. Smith in Providence, Rhode Island; Zeke Miller in Washington D.C.; Rachel La Corte in Olympia, Washington; Russ Bynum in Savannah, Georgia; and John D. Hanna in Topeka, Kansas, also contributed.
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thedenverpost--2020-05-02--Back in session: Senate risks a return but House stays away

WASHINGTON — The Senate will reopen on Monday as the coronavirus crisis rages and the House stays shuttered , a risky strategy that leaves Congress as divided as the nation .
It ’ s a politically and physically fraught move by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell , convening 100 senators at the U.S. Capitol during a pandemic .
The Senate ’ s return gives President Donald Trump the imagery he wants of America getting back to work , despite the health risks .
But with the Washington , D.C. , region still under stay-at-home orders as a virus hot spot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus and putting at risk all of the cooks , cleaners , cops and others who serve them lunch and keep the lights on at the Capitol complex .
Until a last-minute intervention on Saturday by Trump , the Senate had no access to an instant virus test system like that used to screen visitors to the White House .
For Senate Republicans it ’ s an attempt to set the terms of debate as Democrats push for another pricey coronavirus relief bill .
Frustrated after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi boosted Democratic priorities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 3 trillion in emergency spending , they are resisting more .
Republicans are counting on the country ’ s reopening and an economic rebound as their best hope to limit a new round of big spending on virus aid .
As the Senate gavels in and the 430-member House stays away on the Capitol physician ’ s advice , the Congress provides a snapshot of a divided America struggling to confront the COVID-19 crisis .
In the states , some are reopening , others are staying closed and questions abound .
Senators @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the pandemic beyond the recommendations that they wear masks — blue face coverings will be available for free — keep their distance and leave most staff at home .
Hand sanitizer is back in stock .
But public access will be limited , including at public hearings .
The Capitol itself remains closed to visitors and tours .
Democrats complain they are returning to a noticeably light agenda , packed with confirmation hearings for Trump ’ s judicial and executive branch nominees , but with little emphasis on the pandemic and Great Depression-level @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to fight like hell , ” Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said on a conference call with Latino leaders .
“ We ’ re going to make sure people have enough money to live and get back on their feet.
” In making his snap decision to return , McConnell said the Senate can not “ sit on the sidelines.
” He compared the senators to the essential work force of grocery clerks , truck drivers and others keeping Americans fed during the crisis .
But Capitol Hill erupted after the attending physician @ @ @ @ @ @ @ earlier in the week , said the health office did not have the means to perform instant virus tests on returning lawmakers .
“ There is tremendous CoronaVirus testing capacity in Washington for the Senators returning to Capital Hill on Monday , ” Trump tweeted , flagging the note to his chief of staff Mark Meadows .
Ninety minutes later , Health Secretary Alex Azar tweeted that the administration would be sending three machines and 1,000 virus tests to Capitol Hill .
The haphazard approach — to testing , health guidelines and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is inadequate in the Republican response to the crisis .
“ If we ’ re going to go back , let ’ s do something about COVID , ” Schumer said .
With more than 65,000 U.S. deaths due to the virus and 30 million Americans suddenly unemployed , Democratic senators say the focus needs to be singular — to ease this crisis and prevent a second wave of infections .
Instead , the agenda is focused on the president ’ s nominees .
Among them is Justin Walker , a conservative , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the U.S. Courts of Appeal in the District of Columbia Circuit , which is seen as a stepping stone to the Supreme Court .
“ It has nothing to do with COVID , ” Schumer said .
A nomination hearing also is scheduled for John Ratcliffe , the Texas Republican congressman who is Trump ’ s choice to lead the Office of the Director of National Intelligence .
Several committees will meet to debate issues related to the virus outbreak , including the Oversight Committee .
The Health Committee will hold a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Committee a hearing on the airline industry .
Yet as much as the world has changed during the global pandemic , the Senate remains a place of traditions .
Republican senators still plan to sit down for their regular luncheons , though the physician ’ s social distancing guidance limits them to three to a table .
It was after one of their lunches in March that several senators went into self-quarantine because of their exposure to fellow GOP Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky , who tested positive .
Democrats , who will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are assessing whether to appear in person for the committee hearings or dial in remotely .
The physician ’ s office sent guidelines late Friday encouraging Senate offices to minimize staff presence and reschedule any visitors who are visibly ill with “ shaking chills ” or “ vomiting.
” Politically , operating the Senate even in a diminished capacity aligns with Trump ’ s effort to return to a sense of normalcy .
It also draws a stark contrast with Pelosi ’ s House , which is only holding scattered committee hearings , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mocked House Democrats as enjoying a “ vacation.
” Republicans worry that support for Trump is drifting as he responds to the coronavirus , a drag on the GOP that threatens McConnell ’ s majority .
Confronting his own reelection in fall , McConnell is eager to show the Senate is working .
Drawing GOP senators back to Washington , McConnell can more directly involve them in the new round of deliberations .
“ I look forward to seeing my colleagues on Monday , ” he said in a statement .
“ We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ American people — even as we stand six feet apart .
”

WASHINGTON — The Senate will reopen on Monday as the coronavirus crisis rages and the House stays shuttered, a risky strategy that leaves Congress as divided as the nation.
It’s a politically and physically fraught move by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, convening 100 senators at the U.S. Capitol during a pandemic. The Senate’s return gives President Donald Trump the imagery he wants of America getting back to work, despite the health risks.
But with the Washington, D.C., region still under stay-at-home orders as a virus hot spot, senators face exposing themselves to the virus and putting at risk all of the cooks, cleaners, cops and others who serve them lunch and keep the lights on at the Capitol complex.
Until a last-minute intervention on Saturday by Trump, the Senate had no access to an instant virus test system like that used to screen visitors to the White House.
For Senate Republicans it’s an attempt to set the terms of debate as Democrats push for another pricey coronavirus relief bill. Frustrated after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi boosted Democratic priorities in earlier aid packages, an unprecedented $3 trillion in emergency spending, they are resisting more. Republicans are counting on the country’s reopening and an economic rebound as their best hope to limit a new round of big spending on virus aid.
As the Senate gavels in and the 430-member House stays away on the Capitol physician’s advice, the Congress provides a snapshot of a divided America struggling to confront the COVID-19 crisis. In the states, some are reopening, others are staying closed and questions abound.
Senators face few new rules for operating in the pandemic beyond the recommendations that they wear masks — blue face coverings will be available for free — keep their distance and leave most staff at home. Hand sanitizer is back in stock. But public access will be limited, including at public hearings. The Capitol itself remains closed to visitors and tours.
Democrats complain they are returning to a noticeably light agenda, packed with confirmation hearings for Trump’s judicial and executive branch nominees, but with little emphasis on the pandemic and Great Depression-level economic collapse.
“Democrats are going to fight like hell,” Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said on a conference call with Latino leaders. “We’re going to make sure people have enough money to live and get back on their feet.”
In making his snap decision to return, McConnell said the Senate cannot “sit on the sidelines.” He compared the senators to the essential work force of grocery clerks, truck drivers and others keeping Americans fed during the crisis.
But Capitol Hill erupted after the attending physician, facing questions from top GOP officials earlier in the week, said the health office did not have the means to perform instant virus tests on returning lawmakers.
On Saturday, Trump stepped in.
“There is tremendous CoronaVirus testing capacity in Washington for the Senators returning to Capital Hill on Monday,” Trump tweeted, flagging the note to his chief of staff Mark Meadows.
Ninety minutes later, Health Secretary Alex Azar tweeted that the administration would be sending three machines and 1,000 virus tests to Capitol Hill.
The haphazard approach — to testing, health guidelines and the broader reopening — is what Democrats say is inadequate in the Republican response to the crisis.
“If we’re going to go back, let’s do something about COVID,” Schumer said.
With more than 65,000 U.S. deaths due to the virus and 30 million Americans suddenly unemployed, Democratic senators say the focus needs to be singular — to ease this crisis and prevent a second wave of infections.
Instead, the agenda is focused on the president’s nominees. Among them is Justin Walker, a conservative, McConnell-backed pick to be a federal judge on the U.S. Courts of Appeal in the District of Columbia Circuit, which is seen as a stepping stone to the Supreme Court.
“It has nothing to do with COVID,” Schumer said.
A nomination hearing also is scheduled for John Ratcliffe, the Texas Republican congressman who is Trump’s choice to lead the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.
Several committees will meet to debate issues related to the virus outbreak, including the Oversight Committee. The Health Committee will hold a session on potential cures and the Commerce Committee a hearing on the airline industry.
Yet as much as the world has changed during the global pandemic, the Senate remains a place of traditions.
Republican senators still plan to sit down for their regular luncheons, though the physician’s social distancing guidance limits them to three to a table. It was after one of their lunches in March that several senators went into self-quarantine because of their exposure to fellow GOP Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, who tested positive.
Democrats, who will meet for lunch over conference call, are assessing whether to appear in person for the committee hearings or dial in remotely.
The physician’s office sent guidelines late Friday encouraging Senate offices to minimize staff presence and reschedule any visitors who are visibly ill with “shaking chills” or “vomiting.”
Politically, operating the Senate even in a diminished capacity aligns with Trump’s effort to return to a sense of normalcy.
It also draws a stark contrast with Pelosi’s House, which is only holding scattered committee hearings, its return date uncertain. Trump has mocked House Democrats as enjoying a “vacation.”
Republicans worry that support for Trump is drifting as he responds to the coronavirus, a drag on the GOP that threatens McConnell’s majority. Confronting his own reelection in fall, McConnell is eager to show the Senate is working.
Drawing GOP senators back to Washington, McConnell can more directly involve them in the new round of deliberations.
“I look forward to seeing my colleagues on Monday,” he said in a statement. “We will continue to stand together for the American people — even as we stand six feet apart.”


thedenverpost--2020-05-02--NBA Journal: “Bad Boy” Scott Hastings on Michael Jordan’s Bulls, “The Last Dance” and Pistons’ infam

NBA Journal: “Bad Boy” Scott Hastings on Michael Jordan’s Bulls, “The Last Dance” and Pistons’ infamous walkoff

If Michael Jordan ’ s dominance was born out of torment , then the “ Bad Boys ” Detroit Pistons were his recurring nightmare .
That is until he broke them in the 1991 playoffs .
But before Jordan pounded Isiah Thomas , Joe Dumars , Bill Laimbeer , Dennis Rodman , and yes , Scott Hastings , leading to the infamous “ walkoff ” that signaled the end of the Pistons ’ run , they knocked Jordan ’ s block off .
Three straight times , from 1988-90 , the Pistons ousted Jordan ’ s Bulls from the playoffs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in ESPN ’ s riveting “ The Last Dance ” documentary that peels back the layers of Jordan ’ s reign , the Pistons helped build a monster .
“ The Game 7 ( 1990 Eastern Conference Finals ) , when we beat them , they weren ’ t ready yet mentally , ” said Hastings , a member of the 1990 title-winning Pistons before finishing his career with the Nuggets .
“ They got right the next year , by far .
When I go back and look , and you saw @ @ @ @ @ @ @ four , the first three games were close .
A break here or there , we could ’ ve won a game in Chicago and maybe won that Game 3 at home , but once they got up 3-0 , man , it was done.
” So was Detroit ’ s unapologetic run atop the NBA .
Hastings , who played his college ball at Arkansas , had a relationship with Scottie Pippen , who went to Central Arkansas .
It ’ s why , after Chicago ’ s four-game sweep of Detroit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Bulls after they ’ d finally broke through and not ducking handshakes like Thomas and Laimbeer had done .
“ I was out there and I hugged and congratulated them , ” Hastings said .
“ I don ’ t remember if I ever congratulated Michael or hugged him , but , you know , what ’ s he want from an 11th man on the team ?
“ … I think the walkoff is more , we didn ’ t even talk about it in the locker room , ” he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more about , that was the end .
You did get a sense that that run with the Pistons was over.
” Still , Hastings relished his two years with the Bad Boys and the bruising imprint they left on the league .
He fondly recalled the physical practices – fights broke out often – and the way in which Detroit ’ s nasty frontcourt protected its star guards .
“ I remember my first or second day of practice , in training camp , Laimbeer took myself and David Greenwood out for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ straight out of ‘ The Untouchables , ’ and he was Sean Connery , ” he said .
“ Basically , laying down the law .
‘ Our guards run the team .
No one touches our guards .
If someone knocks our guards down we put their guards out of the game.
’ That type of lecture.
” Hastings can draw a direct lineage from that environment to today ’ s Nuggets , where Michael Malone , the son of then-Pistons assistant Brendan Malone , sometimes coaches with the same passion that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a cherished era of gritty basketball , where teams didn ’ t like each other and fraternizing with opponents was discouraged .
There ’ s also no surprise that the documentary has opened Pandora ’ s Box of basketball debates .
“ This reaffirms to me , watching this , why I go with ( MJ ) as the greatest player of all time because we tried to punish him , ” Hastings said .
“ When I say ‘ we , ’ I ’ m not just saying the Pistons .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the Hawks .
Everybody , when you played him , you tried to physically pound him .
And he still was able to do what he did under those circumstances .
”

If Michael Jordan’s dominance was born out of torment, then the “Bad Boys” Detroit Pistons were his recurring nightmare.
That is until he broke them in the 1991 playoffs.
But before Jordan pounded Isiah Thomas, Joe Dumars, Bill Laimbeer, Dennis Rodman, and yes, Scott Hastings, leading to the infamous “walkoff” that signaled the end of the Pistons’ run, they knocked Jordan’s block off.
Three straight times, from 1988-90, the Pistons ousted Jordan’s Bulls from the playoffs. Over that time, as unveiled in ESPN’s riveting “The Last Dance” documentary that peels back the layers of Jordan’s reign, the Pistons helped build a monster.
“The Game 7 (1990 Eastern Conference Finals), when we beat them, they weren’t ready yet mentally,” said Hastings, a member of the 1990 title-winning Pistons before finishing his career with the Nuggets. “They got right the next year, by far. When I go back and look, and you saw a little bit of it in episode four, the first three games were close. A break here or there, we could’ve won a game in Chicago and maybe won that Game 3 at home, but once they got up 3-0, man, it was done.”
So was Detroit’s unapologetic run atop the NBA. Hastings, who played his college ball at Arkansas, had a relationship with Scottie Pippen, who went to Central Arkansas. It’s why, after Chicago’s four-game sweep of Detroit, Hastings was on the court congratulating the Bulls after they’d finally broke through and not ducking handshakes like Thomas and Laimbeer had done.
“I was out there and I hugged and congratulated them,” Hastings said. “I don’t remember if I ever congratulated Michael or hugged him, but, you know, what’s he want from an 11th man on the team?
“… I think the walkoff is more, we didn’t even talk about it in the locker room,” he added. “The locker room was more about, that was the end. You did get a sense that that run with the Pistons was over.”
Still, Hastings relished his two years with the Bad Boys and the bruising imprint they left on the league. He fondly recalled the physical practices – fights broke out often – and the way in which Detroit’s nasty frontcourt protected its star guards.
“I remember my first or second day of practice, in training camp, Laimbeer took myself and David Greenwood out for dinner and it was like a scene straight out of ‘The Untouchables,’ and he was Sean Connery,” he said. “Basically, laying down the law. ‘Our guards run the team. No one touches our guards. If someone knocks our guards down we put their guards out of the game.’ That type of lecture.”
Hastings can draw a direct lineage from that environment to today’s Nuggets, where Michael Malone, the son of then-Pistons assistant Brendan Malone, sometimes coaches with the same passion that those Pistons played with. It was a cherished era of gritty basketball, where teams didn’t like each other and fraternizing with opponents was discouraged.
There’s also no surprise that the documentary has opened Pandora’s Box of basketball debates.
“This reaffirms to me, watching this, why I go with (MJ) as the greatest player of all time because we tried to punish him,” Hastings said. “When I say ‘we,’ I’m not just saying the Pistons. The Knicks and the Sixers and the Celtics and the Hawks. Everybody, when you played him, you tried to physically pound him. And he still was able to do what he did under those circumstances.”


thedenverpost--2020-05-02--Here’s why you may hear extra noise and see dust flying late at night

Coloradans up and down the Front Range and throughout northern and southern parts of the state may notice an uptick @ @ @ @ @ Monday , courtesy of the Army .
The Special Operations Aviation Training Battalion — part @ @ @ @ @ Command — will conduct noise-generating training starting Monday and ending May 14 throughout the Front @ @ @ @ @ Saturday in a news release .
Increased noise and dust can be expected into the @ @ @ @ @ , the release said .
The training helps student pilots and other crew member train @ @ @ @ @ should they be called into duty around the world , the Army said .
Noise @ @ @ @ @ the Fort Carson Public Affairs Office at 719-526-9849 .
For more information , the public @ @ @ @ @ Fort Carson Public Affairs Office at 719-526-4143 or 719-526-7525 .
After hours , call the @ @ @ @ @ at 719-526-5500 and ask for the on-call public affairs officer .

Coloradans up and down the Front Range and throughout northern and southern parts of the state may notice an uptick in noise and dust come Monday, courtesy of the Army.
The Special Operations Aviation Training Battalion — part of the Special Operations Aviation Command — will conduct noise-generating training starting Monday and ending May 14 throughout the Front Range, the Army announced Saturday in a news release.
Increased noise and dust can be expected into the evenings and through the night, the release said.
The training helps student pilots and other crew member train in mountain and desert environments should they be called into duty around the world, the Army said.
Noise complaints can be directed to the Fort Carson Public Affairs Office at 719-526-9849.
For more information, the public is encouraged to call the Fort Carson Public Affairs Office at 719-526-4143 or 719-526-7525. After hours, call the 24-hour Fort Carson Operations Center at 719-526-5500 and ask for the on-call public affairs officer.


thedenverpost--2020-05-03--Colorado mountain lions hit with new hunting plan as people spread

Mountain lions face an uncertain future under a new state plan to let hunters kill up to 15 % a year across western Colorado , and more near subdivisions — rankling animal rights advocates who favor a live-and-let-live approach to wildlife .
Among the world ’ s most elusive predators , mountain lions join black bears in Colorado as the last surviving large carnivores , eating mostly elk and deer .
These solitary cats weigh up to 150 pounds , run as fast as 50 mph and can leap 40 feet .
Colorado Parks and Wildlife managers say they ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mountain lion numbers amid a human population growth and development boom drawing more people onto lion habitat .
They point to “ conflicts , ” saying staffers received 116 calls about lions over 13 months from people in the Roaring Fork and Eagle River valleys .
In one case , a lion was brushing up against stopped vehicles before it and another lion were found dead a few days later along Highway 82 .
Lions also have raised alarms by wandering near a school and homes , where they occasionally snatch pets .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a statewide estimate of 4,000 to 5,500 lions today , half a century after bounty killing pushed this species toward extinction .
The CPW 10-year plan , up for approval this summer by state wildlife commissioners , calls for preserving mountain lions while also giving opportunities to hunters , who currently are allowed to kill lions at levels intended to reduce numbers across 11,372 square miles in western Colorado designated for “ suppression.
” These western suppression zones where lions could be hunted at levels higher than a 15 % overall kill rate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , to 1,829 square miles — a new “ special management area ” around Glenwood Springs encompassing the Roaring Fork and Eagle River valleys , where towns such as Edwards ( pop .
10,266 ) are expanding on lion habitat .
The plan would replace existing plans for 13 game units in western Colorado but wouldn ’ t change hunting in foothills west of the heavily-populated Front Range , where hunting is done at levels designed to reduce lion numbers with kill rates set as high as 28 % .
Colorado would remain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of mountain lions , which number roughly 30,000 around the West amid widening support for peaceful coexistence .
Hunters harvested 541 mountain lions statewide last year .
California voters in 1990 prohibited lion hunting , and wildlife managers there have not seen increased conflicts .
“ We are attempting to manage for a stable mountain lion population , ” said CPW biologist Mark Vieira , architect of Colorado ’ s plan .
While nobody knows for sure how many lions inhabit Colorado , agency officials are confident from extrapolations , small-scale density studies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ population estimated at 4,000 to 5,500 has been steady or increasing and that 15 % a year could be killed sustainably , Vieira said .
“ As we live and recreate more , with our pets in this habitat , and bring deer and elk right up to towns , we ’ re bringing in lions as well — something we have to deal with .
The real threat to lions is the loss of their habitat , ” he said .
Colorado wildlife managers “ are not trying to suppress mountain lions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ amazing that we ’ ve got these top predators existing at these densities , at these numbers , in Colorado .
We should be proud of the lion populations we have.
” But animal rights groups , and some lion hunters , are fighting the plan .
“ We are on a road to losing lions , ” said Delia Malone , director of the Sierra Club ’ s wildlife program , who lives near Redstone and recently marveled at a lion in her driveway and on a neighbor ’ s porch .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ population would be 3,000 , Malone said .
“ And we don ’ t need to ‘ manage ’ them .
This ‘ management ’ is mostly about trophy hunting .
Lions will not overpopulate and become rampant marauders invading human neighborhoods .
If you have a population that is unhunted , the adult lions will keep younger lions out of their territory .
And if lions don ’ t have territory , they die — a natural population control process , ” she said .
Critics contend the plan exploits fears of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ live near people , whipped up after rare , extraordinary incidents : A lion bit a boy in Bailey southwest of Denver last year , and an orphan male cub lunged at a Fort Collins jogger on Horsetooth Mountain who fought back and killed the lion .
“ Just because you see a mountain lion does not mean that lion is threatening you .
It is just there , ” said Lindsay Larris , attorney and wildlife program director for WildEarth Guardians .
“ WildEarth Guardians does not support any plan that assumes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to avoid human-wildlife conflict.
” Mountain lion hunters , too , question this plan .
Allout Guiding and Outfitting owner J.T .
Robbins , west of Grand Junction , said CPW appears driven by concerns that deer and elk herds in parts of the state are decreasing , with lions playing a role .
“ Too many lions are going to be harvested , ” Robbins said .
“ If we wipe out lion populations , I go out of business .
We all care about sustainability , ” he said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lions there are to begin with ?
” A review of the state ’ s documented conflicts in the proposed new special management area around Glenwood Springs reveals that most of the 39 calls made to CPW dispatchers over 19 days in February and March were sightings : residents living in lion habitat who spotted lions near subdivisions , driveways , cul-de-sacs , porches , golf courses .
But one lion in the area last year killed a dog that was walking with its owner , leading to the owner attacking the lion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Children weren ’ t let out .
And in the Homestead subdivision , residents took photos showing lions dragging deer through yards .
Public sentiment for reducing mountain lions nevertheless remains weak in Carbondale , just south of Glenwood Springs .
Mayor Dan Richardson , who has hunted elk in the area , noted “ very few negative interactions ” with mountain lions .
“ No , I would not want to eliminate more lions , ” Richardson said .
“ One side is the impact on humans .
The other side @ @ @ @ @ @ @ impact on ecosystems ?
I would err on the side of leaving them be unless there ’ s a really significant threat.
” Colorado lets hunters track lions using hounds .
The new plan also would allow , in some areas , electronic calls that mimic distressed deer to lure lions .
Over the past three years , hunters have killed an average of 495 mountain lions a year , state records show .
This hunting harvest adds to deaths from vehicle collisions , ranchers protecting livestock and a few cases where problem @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new plan also calls for monitoring lions over large landscapes because studies have shown they wander widely , sometimes across multiple states .
No more than 22 % of those killed in western Colorado could be females .
The current hunting cap of 532 in western Colorado would be lowered initially to 461 , officials said , with a statewide cap at about 661 .
State rules say hunters can kill lions only with the intent of consuming “ all harvested lion meat.
” A CPW spokesman said game wardens issue citations to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We do support an updated plan , and looking at how to preserve mountain lions on a larger scale makes sense .
But it is fundamentally cruel and inhumane to be killing these animals primarily for sport , ” said Haley Stewart , wildlife protection manager for the Humane Society of the United States .

Mountain lions face an uncertain future under a new state plan to let hunters kill up to 15% a year across western Colorado, and more near subdivisions — rankling animal rights advocates who favor a live-and-let-live approach to wildlife.
Among the world’s most elusive predators, mountain lions join black bears in Colorado as the last surviving large carnivores, eating mostly elk and deer. These solitary cats weigh up to 150 pounds, run as fast as 50 mph and can leap 40 feet.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife managers say they’re compelled to allow hunting to control mountain lion numbers amid a human population growth and development boom drawing more people onto lion habitat. They point to “conflicts,” saying staffers received 116 calls about lions over 13 months from people in the Roaring Fork and Eagle River valleys. In one case, a lion was brushing up against stopped vehicles before it and another lion were found dead a few days later along Highway 82. Lions also have raised alarms by wandering near a school and homes, where they occasionally snatch pets.
Colorado officials are basing their plan on a statewide estimate of 4,000 to 5,500 lions today, half a century after bounty killing pushed this species toward extinction.
The CPW 10-year plan, up for approval this summer by state wildlife commissioners, calls for preserving mountain lions while also giving opportunities to hunters, who currently are allowed to kill lions at levels intended to reduce numbers across 11,372 square miles in western Colorado designated for “suppression.”
These western suppression zones where lions could be hunted at levels higher than a 15% overall kill rate would shrink, in the new plan, to 1,829 square miles — a new “special management area” around Glenwood Springs encompassing the Roaring Fork and Eagle River valleys, where towns such as Edwards (pop. 10,266) are expanding on lion habitat.
The plan would replace existing plans for 13 game units in western Colorado but wouldn’t change hunting in foothills west of the heavily-populated Front Range, where hunting is done at levels designed to reduce lion numbers with kill rates set as high as 28%.
Colorado would remain among the 14 states that allow hunting of mountain lions, which number roughly 30,000 around the West amid widening support for peaceful coexistence. Hunters harvested 541 mountain lions statewide last year.
California voters in 1990 prohibited lion hunting, and wildlife managers there have not seen increased conflicts.
“We are attempting to manage for a stable mountain lion population,” said CPW biologist Mark Vieira, architect of Colorado’s plan.
While nobody knows for sure how many lions inhabit Colorado, agency officials are confident from extrapolations, small-scale density studies, and informal assessments that the statewide population estimated at 4,000 to 5,500 has been steady or increasing and that 15% a year could be killed sustainably, Vieira said.
“As we live and recreate more, with our pets in this habitat, and bring deer and elk right up to towns, we’re bringing in lions as well — something we have to deal with. The real threat to lions is the loss of their habitat,” he said.
Colorado wildlife managers “are not trying to suppress mountain lions in western Colorado. It’s amazing that we’ve got these top predators existing at these densities, at these numbers, in Colorado. We should be proud of the lion populations we have.”
But animal rights groups, and some lion hunters, are fighting the plan.
“We are on a road to losing lions,” said Delia Malone, director of the Sierra Club’s wildlife program, who lives near Redstone and recently marveled at a lion in her driveway and on a neighbor’s porch. A more accurate estimate of the statewide population would be 3,000, Malone said.
“And we don’t need to ‘manage’ them. This ‘management’ is mostly about trophy hunting. Lions will not overpopulate and become rampant marauders invading human neighborhoods. If you have a population that is unhunted, the adult lions will keep younger lions out of their territory. And if lions don’t have territory, they die — a natural population control process,” she said.
Critics contend the plan exploits fears of lions as ambush predators too dangerous to live near people, whipped up after rare, extraordinary incidents: A lion bit a boy in Bailey southwest of Denver last year, and an orphan male cub lunged at a Fort Collins jogger on Horsetooth Mountain who fought back and killed the lion.
“Just because you see a mountain lion does not mean that lion is threatening you. It is just there,” said Lindsay Larris, attorney and wildlife program director for WildEarth Guardians. “WildEarth Guardians does not support any plan that assumes killing mountain lions is necessary in order to avoid human-wildlife conflict.”
Mountain lion hunters, too, question this plan. Allout Guiding and Outfitting owner J.T. Robbins, west of Grand Junction, said CPW appears driven by concerns that deer and elk herds in parts of the state are decreasing, with lions playing a role. “Too many lions are going to be harvested,” Robbins said.
“If we wipe out lion populations, I go out of business. We all care about sustainability,” he said. “How do they really know how many lions there are to begin with?”
A review of the state’s documented conflicts in the proposed new special management area around Glenwood Springs reveals that most of the 39 calls made to CPW dispatchers over 19 days in February and March were sightings: residents living in lion habitat who spotted lions near subdivisions, driveways, cul-de-sacs, porches, golf courses.
But one lion in the area last year killed a dog that was walking with its owner, leading to the owner attacking the lion. Edwards Elementary School officials reported lions. Children weren’t let out. And in the Homestead subdivision, residents took photos showing lions dragging deer through yards.
Public sentiment for reducing mountain lions nevertheless remains weak in Carbondale, just south of Glenwood Springs. Mayor Dan Richardson, who has hunted elk in the area, noted “very few negative interactions” with mountain lions.
“No, I would not want to eliminate more lions,” Richardson said. “One side is the impact on humans. The other side is: What would be the negative impact on ecosystems? I would err on the side of leaving them be unless there’s a really significant threat.”
Colorado lets hunters track lions using hounds. The new plan also would allow, in some areas, electronic calls that mimic distressed deer to lure lions.
Over the past three years, hunters have killed an average of 495 mountain lions a year, state records show. This hunting harvest adds to deaths from vehicle collisions, ranchers protecting livestock and a few cases where problem lions were euthanized.
Colorado’s new plan also calls for monitoring lions over large landscapes because studies have shown they wander widely, sometimes across multiple states. No more than 22% of those killed in western Colorado could be females. The current hunting cap of 532 in western Colorado would be lowered initially to 461, officials said, with a statewide cap at about 661.
State rules say hunters can kill lions only with the intent of consuming “all harvested lion meat.” A CPW spokesman said game wardens issue citations to enforce this rule against waste.
Animal rights groups contend hunters kill mountain lions mostly as trophies.
“We do support an updated plan, and looking at how to preserve mountain lions on a larger scale makes sense. But it is fundamentally cruel and inhumane to be killing these animals primarily for sport,” said Haley Stewart, wildlife protection manager for the Humane Society of the United States.


thedenverpost--2020-05-03--Transformed from lanky wideout to muscled tight end, Broncos rookie Albert Okwuegbunam can “stretch

Transformed from lanky wideout to muscled tight end, Broncos rookie Albert Okwuegbunam can “stretch the field all over”

Back when Albert Okwuegbunam was a lanky , speedy wideout at Sacred Heart-Griffin High School in Springfield , Ill. , the Cyclones ran what longtime coach Ken Leonard dubbed “ The Man ” offense .
“ The Man ” offense — a colloquialism used to describe the Cyclones ’ spread attack — featured Okwuegbunam as its centerpiece .
And with good reason : Okwuegbunam was a critical part of state title runs as a sophomore and junior before leading the team to an undefeated regular season as a senior .
“ Our philosophy was all about getting ‘ The Man @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ‘ The Man ’ , no question about it , ” Leonard said .
“ Especially his senior year and a lot of his junior year , too .
He had great raw hand-eye skills and could catch the ball , and he was 6-foot-5 and could run — so we had plenty of mismatches at the high school level , and we took advantage of them.
” But despite his designation as “ The Man ” for the majority of his time at Sacred Heart-Griffin , Leonard described Okwuegbunam as a “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ until he got to Missouri that he transformed into the 258-pound brick of a tight end the Broncos selected in the fourth round ( No .
118 overall ) of last week ’ s NFL draft .
“ When we recruited him , he was a skilled athlete , but he was really 215 pounds , I think , when he stepped on campus , ” former Missouri head coach Barry Odom told Broncos.com .
“ I remember watching him in a basketball tournament over the Christmas holiday during the recruiting process .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ thought , ‘ We ’ ve got an athlete here , but I don ’ t know how big he can get.
’ As Okwuegbunam packed on muscle , his combination of size and speed ( his 4.49-second 40-yard dash at the combine was the fastest of all tight ends ) made him an SEC force .
While those physical tools didn ’ t necessarily make Okwuegbunam “ The Man ” in Missouri ’ s offense , it at least made him one of them .
After redshirting as a freshman , Okwuegbunam @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 33 games in three seasons ( 24 starts ) with 23 touchdowns — so nearly a quarter of his receptions went for scores .
In the two years he played with Broncos quarterback Drew Lock in Columbia , Okwuegbunam had 17 touchdowns among his 72 catches .
That ’ s a connection Okwuegbunam expects to translate to the NFL .
“ A lot of the times in tough situations , I was the guy that ( Lock ) always felt comfortable with just knowing that he always had an open throw in me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Okwuegbunam said .
“ If we needed a big play , his eyes are coming to me .
Just the amount of confidence he had in me ( was big ) , and coming out of routes I feel like we ’ re always on the same page .
All across the board , that chemistry is there.
” On top of size and speed , Okwuegbunam ’ s length ( he had the longest arms of any tight end at the combine at 34 1/8 inches ) has him believing in his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over ” at the professional level .
“ ( I ’ m ) going to put a lot of strain on the corners and safeties , ” he said .
“ They can ’ t favor one side of the field .
We can hit them everywhere… ( I ’ ll be ) too fast for a linebacker and be too big for a ( defensive back ) .
” The 22-year-old enters a crowded tight end room led by Noah Fant , who blossomed into a playmaker as a rookie in 2019 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nick Vannett , Jeff Heuerman , Troy Fumagalli , Jake Butt and Austin Fort .
Okwuegbunam said he ’ s looking forward to developing alongside Fant .
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“ I definitely remember him from the draft process ( in 2019 ) , ” Okwuegbunam said .
“ I ’ m excited though , because iron @ @ @ @ @ @ @ great dude and I hear a lot of great things from Drew .
It ’ s going to be fun to see how we elevate each other.
” Back in Springfield , where Okwuegbunam is the only Sacred Heart-Griffin player ever drafted , Leonard believes his former do-all wideout , defensive end and returner will prove to be much better than the six other tight ends taken ahead of him in this year ’ s draft .
“ I ’ m predicting that he ’ s going to come out as the best @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that he ’ s going to be a problem for Broncos ’ opponents for years to come , ” Leonard said .
“ We saw how much he accelerated his play throughout high school and then again at Missouri .
I really believe he ’ s primed for another leap .
”

Back when Albert Okwuegbunam was a lanky, speedy wideout at Sacred Heart-Griffin High School in Springfield, Ill., the Cyclones ran what longtime coach Ken Leonard dubbed “The Man” offense.
“The Man” offense — a colloquialism used to describe the Cyclones’ spread attack — featured Okwuegbunam as its centerpiece. And with good reason: Okwuegbunam was a critical part of state title runs as a sophomore and junior before leading the team to an undefeated regular season as a senior.
“Our philosophy was all about getting ‘The Man’ the ball, and Albert was ‘The Man’, no question about it,” Leonard said. “Especially his senior year and a lot of his junior year, too. He had great raw hand-eye skills and could catch the ball, and he was 6-foot-5 and could run — so we had plenty of mismatches at the high school level, and we took advantage of them.”
But despite his designation as “The Man” for the majority of his time at Sacred Heart-Griffin, Leonard described Okwuegbunam as a “late bloomer.” It wasn’t until he got to Missouri that he transformed into the 258-pound brick of a tight end the Broncos selected in the fourth round (No. 118 overall) of last week’s NFL draft.
“When we recruited him, he was a skilled athlete, but he was really 215 pounds, I think, when he stepped on campus,” former Missouri head coach Barry Odom told Broncos.com. “I remember watching him in a basketball tournament over the Christmas holiday during the recruiting process. He scored 30-something points. And I thought, ‘We’ve got an athlete here, but I don’t know how big he can get.’
As Okwuegbunam packed on muscle, his combination of size and speed (his 4.49-second 40-yard dash at the combine was the fastest of all tight ends) made him an SEC force.
While those physical tools didn’t necessarily make Okwuegbunam “The Man” in Missouri’s offense, it at least made him one of them. After redshirting as a freshman, Okwuegbunam accumulated 98 catches for 1,187 yards over 33 games in three seasons (24 starts) with 23 touchdowns — so nearly a quarter of his receptions went for scores.
In the two years he played with Broncos quarterback Drew Lock in Columbia, Okwuegbunam had 17 touchdowns among his 72 catches. That’s a connection Okwuegbunam expects to translate to the NFL.
“A lot of the times in tough situations, I was the guy that (Lock) always felt comfortable with just knowing that he always had an open throw in me, regardless of the situation,” Okwuegbunam said. “If we needed a big play, his eyes are coming to me. Just the amount of confidence he had in me (was big), and coming out of routes I feel like we’re always on the same page. All across the board, that chemistry is there.”
On top of size and speed, Okwuegbunam’s length (he had the longest arms of any tight end at the combine at 34 1/8 inches) has him believing in his “ability to stretch the field all over” at the professional level.
“(I’m) going to put a lot of strain on the corners and safeties,” he said. “They can’t favor one side of the field. We can hit them everywhere… (I’ll be) too fast for a linebacker and be too big for a (defensive back).”
The 22-year-old enters a crowded tight end room led by Noah Fant, who blossomed into a playmaker as a rookie in 2019. Also competing for time will be Nick Vannett, Jeff Heuerman, Troy Fumagalli, Jake Butt and Austin Fort.
Okwuegbunam said he’s looking forward to developing alongside Fant.
“I definitely remember him from the draft process (in 2019),” Okwuegbunam said. “I’m excited though, because iron sharpens iron. He’s a great dude and I hear a lot of great things from Drew. It’s going to be fun to see how we elevate each other.”
Back in Springfield, where Okwuegbunam is the only Sacred Heart-Griffin player ever drafted, Leonard believes his former do-all wideout, defensive end and returner will prove to be much better than the six other tight ends taken ahead of him in this year’s draft.
“I’m predicting that he’s going to come out as the best tight end in the draft, and that he’s going to be a problem for Broncos’ opponents for years to come,” Leonard said. “We saw how much he accelerated his play throughout high school and then again at Missouri. I really believe he’s primed for another leap.”


thedenverpost--2020-05-03--From Colorado to Chicago, “Bote Ball” has delivered baseball excellence

Editor ’ s Note : Last of a five-part series on Colorado baseball icons .
The first four profiled were Scott Bullock , Jenny Cavnar , Chris Hanks , Jim Danley .
Back in the day , when Bob Bote was a fiery young coach at Niwot High School , he preached a certain kind of baseball .
He required knowledge , discipline and exactitude from his young players .
Heroic plays in big moments were thrilling , and truth be told , not all that unexpected .
Around Boulder County , it became known as “ Bote Ball.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most , ” said Bote ’ s oldest son , Danny , who played shortstop and second base for his dad ’ s Niwot teams that won three consecutive Class 4A state championships from 1998-2000 .
“ He has this keen mental approach to the game and knows all of the skills .
He always taught us how to approach the game correctly and play the game the right way .
And everything this family has done in baseball is just an extension of what our father taught us.
” The pinnacle of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , at Wrigley Field .
On that summer night in Chicago , David Bote , the Cubs ’ 25-year-old rookie and Bob ’ s third son , came up to the plate as a pinch hitter with two outs , the bases loaded and his team trailing the Washington Nationals 3-0 .
Washington closer Ryan Madson needed two more strikes against Bote to get out of the jam .
“ There was a called strike which looked like a ball and it stood out to me the David didn ’ t blanch , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did not get upset , ” then-Cubs manager Joe Maddon told reporters after the game .
“ He went on to the next pitch .
All those things are good indicators.
” On a 2-2 count , Bote hit a low Madson fastball into the center-field bleachers for a 4-3 Cubs victory .
Bedlam ensued .
Bote ’ s blast was just the 25th known “ ultimate slam ” in baseball history — a walk-off shot with the bases loaded and his club down three .
“ It ’ s magical , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It ’ s incredible .
It ’ s an unbelievable feeling.
” While David ’ s ultimate slam stands as the apex of his family ’ s baseball legacy , the essence of Bote Ball came years earlier at Greeley ’ s Jackson Field .
On May 27 , 2011 , in the Class 3A state semifinals , the Faith Christian Academy Eagles were locked in a tight game with Hotchkiss .
Danny Bote , the Eagles ’ head coach , was in the third-base box .
His dad , the assistant coach @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , The Post ’ s 3A player of the year , was perched on third base .
“ David looked at me on the bench and I knew exactly what he was thinking , ” Bob recalled .
“ Nobody said a word .
I just gave him the steal home sign.
” Added Danny : “ It was a very , very close game .
I was thinking , ‘ We have to get this run in.
’ I ’ d been practicing that steal all year with the team and it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ looked over to my dad , saw the look , and gave the sign.
” So David stole home and Faith Christian went on to beat Hotchkiss 3-2 .
Then the Eagles beat Holy Family 10-8 to win the state title .
All told , the Bote trio won six state titles , five under Bob ’ s leadership at Niwot to go along with the 2011 championship at Faith Christian .
Bob began coaching at Niwot in 1978 , where he compiled a 459-123 record before moving on to Erie , Faith @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He stepped down as a head coach this year and caught on as an assistant at Ralson Valley to keep himself involved in youth baseball .
Bob planned to spend much of his time watching David play for the Cubs .
“ I ’ m 66 now and I thought to myself , ‘ I don ’ t want to be a head coach anymore , ” Bob said .
“ As long as David is playing , I want to be free to go and watch him .
And then , of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was expected to be a pivotal season for David , who made his major-league debut on April 21 , 2018 , at Coors Field against the Rockies and hit a double in his first at-bat .
Last season , he slashed .257/.362/.422 with 11 home runs and a .785 OPS .
It was an inconsistent season for David , but his future is bright enough that last spring the Cubs signed him to a five-year , $ 15 million contract extension .
He plays play third and second base , as well as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ extension was a remarkable chapter in David ’ s unlikely story .
In 2012 , Bote was cut from Liberty University ’ s baseball team as a walk-on and transferred to Neosho County Community College in Chanute , Kan .
But the Cubs took a flyer on him , drafting him in the 18th round as the 554th overall selection in 2012 .
He spent six-plus seasons climbing up , and sometimes sliding down , the minor-league ladder .
Bote Ball is not limited to the aforementioned trio .
Mark , 30 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one year at Manhattan Christian College in Kansas .
Luke , 22 , also a Faith Christian graduate , played three years at Colorado Christian University .
Sports took up huge chunks of the Botes ’ lives .
Bob ’ s wife , Therese , was the linchpin of the family , organizing , scheduling and putting untold miles on the family car .
High school baseball games in the spring were followed by summer leagues and tournaments .
Throw in the volleyball talent and passion of daughter , Sarah , and it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it all , and bonding the family together , is their strong Christian faith .
“ Faith is our foundation , ” said Danny , the executive pastor at North Metro Church in Thornton , where he ’ s been on staff for 14 years .
“ No matter the circumstances that have come into our lives , our faith has been there and it ’ s bonded us.
” That faith helped carry David through some trying times in the minors .
When he was playing at Double-A Knoxville , Tenn. , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for an injury rehab stint .
“ Ben , like David , is a devout Christian , ” Bob said .
“ He took David under his wing and he taught him a lot .
When Ben got back up to the big leagues , he sent David money every month , because he knew that David had two kids and he knew how hard it is live on a minor-league salary .
“ David thought that was so cool that he now adopts somebody from the Cubs ’ minor-league system and sends @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bote Ball more than four decades ago remains a true believer in the power of sports .
“ Sports teaches kids so much , ” he said .
“ It teaches them hard work and about reaching for goals .
But the first thing that I taught my kids — and David was as good as any of them about this — was knowing that they were going to fail .
So when you strike out as a little kid , I don ’ t want to see you throw your bat and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you cry .
“ I don ’ t want anybody to know whether you hit a home run or whether you struck out .
I want you to act exactly the same , every time .
They took that to heart.
” Of course , when David launched his historic slam to beat the Nationals , he was a volcano of emotions , rounding the bases with his arms spread wide and leaping into his teammates ’ embrace at home plate .
“ That was cool , that was OK , ” Bob @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for that .
”

Editor’s Note: Last of a five-part series on Colorado baseball icons. The first four profiled were Scott Bullock, Jenny Cavnar, Chris Hanks, Jim Danley.
Back in the day, when Bob Bote was a fiery young coach at Niwot High School, he preached a certain kind of baseball.
He required knowledge, discipline and exactitude from his young players. Heroic plays in big moments were thrilling, and truth be told, not all that unexpected.
Around Boulder County, it became known as “Bote Ball.”
“My dad knows baseball better than most,” said Bote’s oldest son, Danny, who played shortstop and second base for his dad’s Niwot teams that won three consecutive Class 4A state championships from 1998-2000. “He has this keen mental approach to the game and knows all of the skills. He always taught us how to approach the game correctly and play the game the right way. And everything this family has done in baseball is just an extension of what our father taught us.”
The pinnacle of Bote Ball arrived Aug. 12, 2018, at Wrigley Field.
On that summer night in Chicago, David Bote, the Cubs’ 25-year-old rookie and Bob’s third son, came up to the plate as a pinch hitter with two outs, the bases loaded and his team trailing the Washington Nationals 3-0. Washington closer Ryan Madson needed two more strikes against Bote to get out of the jam.
“There was a called strike which looked like a ball and it stood out to me the David didn’t blanch, he did not turn around, he did not get upset,” then-Cubs manager Joe Maddon told reporters after the game. “He went on to the next pitch. All those things are good indicators.”
On a 2-2 count, Bote hit a low Madson fastball into the center-field bleachers for a 4-3 Cubs victory. Bedlam ensued. Bote’s blast was just the 25th known “ultimate slam” in baseball history — a walk-off shot with the bases loaded and his club down three.
“It’s magical,” David said after the game. “It’s incredible. It’s an unbelievable feeling.”
While David’s ultimate slam stands as the apex of his family’s baseball legacy, the essence of Bote Ball came years earlier at Greeley’s Jackson Field. On May 27, 2011, in the Class 3A state semifinals, the Faith Christian Academy Eagles were locked in a tight game with Hotchkiss. Danny Bote, the Eagles’ head coach, was in the third-base box. His dad, the assistant coach, was on the bench. David, The Post’s 3A player of the year, was perched on third base.
“David looked at me on the bench and I knew exactly what he was thinking,” Bob recalled. “Nobody said a word. I just gave him the steal home sign.”
Added Danny: “It was a very, very close game. I was thinking, ‘We have to get this run in.’ I’d been practicing that steal all year with the team and it was the right time. I also looked over to my dad, saw the look, and gave the sign.”
So David stole home and Faith Christian went on to beat Hotchkiss 3-2. Then the Eagles beat Holy Family 10-8 to win the state title.
All told, the Bote trio won six state titles, five under Bob’s leadership at Niwot to go along with the 2011 championship at Faith Christian.
Bob began coaching at Niwot in 1978, where he compiled a 459-123 record before moving on to Erie, Faith Christian, Littleton and Standley Lake. He stepped down as a head coach this year and caught on as an assistant at Ralson Valley to keep himself involved in youth baseball. Bob planned to spend much of his time watching David play for the Cubs.
“I’m 66 now and I thought to myself, ‘I don’t want to be a head coach anymore,” Bob said. “As long as David is playing, I want to be free to go and watch him. And then, of course, the coronavirus happened.”
This was expected to be a pivotal season for David, who made his major-league debut on April 21, 2018, at Coors Field against the Rockies and hit a double in his first at-bat. Last season, he slashed .257/.362/.422 with 11 home runs and a .785 OPS. It was an inconsistent season for David, but his future is bright enough that last spring the Cubs signed him to a five-year, $15 million contract extension. He plays play third and second base, as well as shortstop in a pinch.
The contract extension was a remarkable chapter in David’s unlikely story.
In 2012, Bote was cut from Liberty University’s baseball team as a walk-on and transferred to Neosho County Community College in Chanute, Kan. But the Cubs took a flyer on him, drafting him in the 18th round as the 554th overall selection in 2012. He spent six-plus seasons climbing up, and sometimes sliding down, the minor-league ladder.
Bote Ball is not limited to the aforementioned trio. Mark, 30, played baseball at Faith Christian and then one year at Manhattan Christian College in Kansas. Luke, 22, also a Faith Christian graduate, played three years at Colorado Christian University.
Sports took up huge chunks of the Botes’ lives. Bob’s wife, Therese, was the linchpin of the family, organizing, scheduling and putting untold miles on the family car. High school baseball games in the spring were followed by summer leagues and tournaments. Throw in the volleyball talent and passion of daughter, Sarah, and it was a non-stop circus.
Central to it all, and bonding the family together, is their strong Christian faith.
“Faith is our foundation,” said Danny, the executive pastor at North Metro Church in Thornton, where he’s been on staff for 14 years. “No matter the circumstances that have come into our lives, our faith has been there and it’s bonded us.”
That faith helped carry David through some trying times in the minors.
When he was playing at Double-A Knoxville, Tenn., Cubs veteran Ben Zobrist was sent down for an injury rehab stint.
“Ben, like David, is a devout Christian,” Bob said. “He took David under his wing and he taught him a lot. When Ben got back up to the big leagues, he sent David money every month, because he knew that David had two kids and he knew how hard it is live on a minor-league salary.
“David thought that was so cool that he now adopts somebody from the Cubs’ minor-league system and sends them money.”
The man who unveiled Bote Ball more than four decades ago remains a true believer in the power of sports.
“Sports teaches kids so much,” he said. “It teaches them hard work and about reaching for goals. But the first thing that I taught my kids — and David was as good as any of them about this — was knowing that they were going to fail. So when you strike out as a little kid, I don’t want to see you throw your bat and I don’t want to see you cry.
“I don’t want anybody to know whether you hit a home run or whether you struck out. I want you to act exactly the same, every time. They took that to heart.”
Of course, when David launched his historic slam to beat the Nationals, he was a volcano of emotions, rounding the bases with his arms spread wide and leaping into his teammates’ embrace at home plate.
“That was cool, that was OK,” Bob said. “The time was right for that.”