thedenverpost--2020-06-23--Fireworks causing alarm in Denver as complaints skyrocket

There ’ s been an explosive jump in reports of illegal fireworks in Denver and authorities say they are concerned about the noisy , and potentially dangerous , spike .
Since June 15 through Sunday , the city has fielded 750 firework calls with Sunday alone prompting 317 calls , according to the Denver Police Department .
The same seven-day period in 2017 prompted 245 calls for service regarding illegal fireworks .
“ When you look at those stats , wow , ” said Kurt Barnes , a police spokesman .
“ It ’ s pretty significant.
” People suffering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and residents looking for peace and quiet , are among those who are negatively impacted by illegal fireworks , Barnes said .
Authorities and first responders are also concerned about fire safety issues and injuries involving fireworks .
Setting off fireworks in Denver is punishable by up to a $ 999 fine and up to a year in jail .
“ If you have to light it or ignite it , it ’ s illegal , ” according to a Fireworks Are Illegal poster .
“ We do recognize the annoyance and dangers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Monday .
Setting off illegal fireworks in Denver is punishable by up to a $ 999 fine and up to a year in jail .
Police also said in a statement that : • None Complainants must sign an order for officers to cite someone who is using fireworks .
• None Reporting fireworks on social media is discouraged as police do not respond to such posts .
Marcus Schulzke , who lives in the College View neighborhood off of South Federal Boulevard and West Evans Avenue , said fireworks started in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ve recently increased in frequency and duration .
“ It ’ s definitely getting worse , ” Schulzke said .
Fireworks are going past midnight , into the early morning hours , and Schulzke described nearby Sunday night blasts as “ artillery shells.
” Schulzke and his wife , Amanda Carroll , have reached out to local officials , including the office of City Councilman Jolon Clark and District 4 Police Commander Mark Fleecs , about the ongoing issue .
They ’ ve also called the fireworks hotline and the police non-emergency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , city officials have been dismissive of the couple ’ s reports , Schulzke said .
“ The police made it clear during the calls that they don ’ t intend to respond to complaints , ” Schulzke said .
Meanwhile , the couple are having a difficult time getting a full night ’ s rest because of fireworks .
Schulzke said : “ We can ’ t sleep , even with ear plugs in.
” Denver police , the fire department and other city officials are having a 10 a.m. Wednesday news @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the situation .

There’s been a jump in reports of illegal fireworks in Denver and authorities say they are concerned about the noisy, and potentially dangerous, spike.
Since June 15 through Sunday, the city has fielded 750 firework calls with Sunday alone prompting 317 calls, according to the Denver Police Department. The same seven-day period in 2017 prompted 245 calls for service regarding illegal fireworks.
“When you look at those stats, wow,” said Kurt Barnes, a police spokesman. “It’s pretty significant.”
Want to report the illegal possession or use fireworks in #Denver? Call 720-913-2059. Please remain available for police contact — officers need a signature from the complainant in order to issue a citation. pic.twitter.com/wljP49PkQV — Denver Police Dept. (@DenverPolice) June 22, 2020
People suffering from PTSD, owners of pets, and residents looking for peace and quiet, are among those who are negatively impacted by illegal fireworks, Barnes said. Authorities and first responders are also concerned about fire safety and injuries involving fireworks.
Setting off fireworks in Denver is punishable by up to a $999 fine and up to a year in jail. “If you have to light it or ignite it, it’s illegal,” according to a Fireworks Are Illegal poster.
“We do recognize the annoyance and dangers of illegal fireworks,” police said on Monday.
Police also said in a statement that:
Officers will confiscate illegal fireworks.
Complainants must sign an order for officers to cite someone who is using fireworks.
Reporting fireworks on social media is discouraged as police do not respond to such posts.
Residents can report fireworks by calling 720-913-2059.
Marcus Schulzke, who lives in the College View neighborhood off of South Federal Boulevard and West Evans Avenue, said fireworks started in area back in late February and they’ve recently increased in frequency and duration.
“It’s definitely getting worse,” Schulzke said.
Fireworks are going past midnight, into the early morning hours, and Schulzke described nearby Sunday night blasts as “artillery shells.”
Schulzke and his wife, Amanda Carroll, have reached out to local officials, including the office of City Councilman Jolon Clark and District 4 Police Commander Mark Fleecs, about the ongoing problem. They’ve also called the fireworks hotline and the police nonemergency line to make reports.
So far, city officials have been dismissive of the couple’s reports, Schulzke said.
“The police made it clear during the calls that they don’t intend to respond to complaints,” Schulzke said.
Meanwhile, the couple are having a difficult time getting a full night’s rest because of fireworks.
Schulzke said: “We can’t sleep, even with ear plugs in.”
Denver police, the fire department and other city officials are having a 10 a.m. Wednesday news conference on fireworks and plans to deal with the situation.


thedenverpost--2020-06-23--MLB plans 60-game slate, shortest since 1878 as union balks

NEW YORK — Major League Baseball plans to unilaterally issue a 60-game schedule for its shortest season since 1878 after the players ’ association rejected a negotiated deal of the same length , putting the sport on track for a combative and possibly unhappy return to the field amid the coronavirus pandemic .
Six days after baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred and union head Tony Clark negotiated to expand the playoffs from 10 teams to 16 , widen use of the designated hitter to National League games and introduce an experiment to start extra innings with a runner on second base @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Major League Baseball Players Association ’ s executive board in a 33-5 vote .
“ Needless to say , we are disappointed by this development , ” MLB said in a statement .
“ The framework provided an opportunity for MLB and its players to work together to confront the difficulties and challenges presented by the pandemic .
It gave our fans the chance to see an exciting new postseason format .
And , it offered players significant benefits.
” MLB ’ s control owners approved going unilaterally with the 60-game schedule if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ place , a person familiar with the decision told The Associated Press .
The person spoke on condition of anonymity because no announcement was made .
MLB asked the union to respond by 5 p.m. EDT Tuesday as to whether players can report to training and whether the players ’ association will agree on the operating manual of health and safety protocols .
The schedule would be the shortest since the National League ’ s third season .
The union announced its rejection , and the vote total was confirmed by a person @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the AP on condition of anonymity because the balloting was not made public .
The decision likely will provoke what figures to be lengthy and costly litigation over the impact of the coronavirus on the sport , similar to the collusion cases that sent baseball spiraling to a a spring training lockout in 1990 and a 7 1/2-month strike in 1994-95 that wiped out the World Series for the first time in nine decades .
It also eliminates a $ 25 million postseason players ’ pool , meaning players will not get paid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and World Series , and $ 33 million in advance salary that would have been forgiven for 769 players at the bottom of the salary scale with lower rates of pay while in the minors .
“ It ’ s absolute death for this industry to keep acting as it has been .
Both sides , ” Cincinnati pitcher Trevor Bauer tweeted in a rare instance of a player criticizing the union .
“ We ’ re driving the bus straight off a cliff .
How is this good for anyone involved ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ lose situation and we ’ ve somehow found a way to make it worse .
Incredible.
” The union said in a statement that the “ board reaffirmed the players ’ eagerness to return to work as soon and as safely as possible.
” “ To that end we anticipate finalizing a comprehensive set of health and safety protocols with Major League Baseball in the coming days , and we await word from the league on the resumption of spring training camps and a proposed 2020 schedule , ” the union said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , playoffs are set to remain at 10 teams rather than expand to 16 .
The framework had included the expanded playoffs for both 2020 and 2021 , and Manfred offered to drop its inclusion in the second season if players feared it would decrease their future leverage .
Spring training was suspended on March 12 , two weeks ahead of scheduled openers , and the sides have reverted to the familiar financial infighting that fractured the sport in the past .
An initial deal March 26 called for players to receive prorated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the schedule , but that agreement did not require MLB to play in empty ballparks .
Players refused to alter from their insistence on prorated salaries , and MLB finally agreed last week during the one-on-one meeting between Manfred and Clark .
While Manfred called it framework for an agreement , Clark said it was merely a proposal and further angered MLB .
At that point , the sides remained about $ 275 million apart after weeks of talks .
MLB offered 60 games and $ 1.48 billion from salaries that originally totaled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 25 million postseason players ’ pool .
The union wanted 70 games and $ 1.73 billion plus a $ 50 million pool .
Players are expected to file a grievance , claiming MLB violated a provision in the March agreement requiring both sides to “ work in good faith to as soon as is practicable commence play , and complete the fullest 2020 championship season and postseason that is economically feasible ” consistent with several provisions .
MLB is expected to file a grievance accusing the union of negotiating in bad faith .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
If the union proves more games had been feasible , each game on the schedule would be worth $ 25 million in salary across the 30 teams .
All the while , the coronavirus upended plans of many clubs to resume training at their Florida facilities due to a rise in virus cases in the state .
Twenty-nine teams intend to work out in their regular-season ballparks , with Toronto awaiting additional talks with the Canadian federal and Ontario provincial governments .
More bickering and turmoil lies ahead .
Baseball ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 2021 , and the virus damaged the already deteriorated relationship and became just another of the financial issues that point toward a spring training lockout ahead of the 2022 season .
“ If there ’ s going to be a fight the time for that fight is after the ’ 21 season when a new CBA is negotiated .
5 years of potential change , ” Bauer tweeted .
“ We ’ re doing irreparable damage to our industry right now over rules that last AT MOST 16 months.
” This dispute @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of relatively flat salaries , a failed grievance alleging the Chicago Cubs manipulated the service time of Kris Bryant to delay the free agency of the star third baseman and accusations some teams did not use revenue sharing money as the labor contract specified , part of the union ’ s claim teams are “ tanking.
” MLB says clubs have the right to determine when prospects are ready for the majors and also are free to lower major league payrolls for rebuilding .
Further , the failed negotiations sparked criticism of Clark @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , though there is no evidence yet that the displeasure has extended to players .
Until now , the latest openers have been was May 1 during five seasons in the 1800s , according to Elias Sports , but since 1900 it had been April 25 following the end of the 1994-95 strike .
Players interrupted the 1981 season with a strike that started June 12 , and the second half of a split season started on Aug. 10 .

NEW YORK — Major League Baseball plans to unilaterally issue a 60-game schedule for its shortest season since 1878 after the players’ association rejected a negotiated deal of the same length, putting the sport on track for a combative and possibly unhappy return to the field amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Six days after baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred and union head Tony Clark negotiated to expand the playoffs from 10 teams to 16, widen use of the designated hitter to National League games and introduce an experiment to start extra innings with a runner on second base, the deal was rejected by the Major League Baseball Players Association’s executive board in a 33-5 vote.
“Needless to say, we are disappointed by this development,” MLB said in a statement. “The framework provided an opportunity for MLB and its players to work together to confront the difficulties and challenges presented by the pandemic. It gave our fans the chance to see an exciting new postseason format. And, it offered players significant benefits.”
MLB’s control owners approved going unilaterally with the 60-game schedule if the final arrangements can be put in place, a person familiar with the decision told The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because no announcement was made.
MLB asked the union to respond by 5 p.m. EDT Tuesday as to whether players can report to training and whether the players’ association will agree on the operating manual of health and safety protocols. The schedule would be the shortest since the National League’s third season.
The union announced its rejection, and the vote total was confirmed by a person familiar with that meeting who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the balloting was not made public. The decision likely will provoke what figures to be lengthy and costly litigation over the impact of the coronavirus on the sport, similar to the collusion cases that sent baseball spiraling to a a spring training lockout in 1990 and a 7 1/2-month strike in 1994-95 that wiped out the World Series for the first time in nine decades.
It also eliminates a $25 million postseason players’ pool, meaning players will not get paid anything above meal money during the playoffs and World Series, and $33 million in advance salary that would have been forgiven for 769 players at the bottom of the salary scale with lower rates of pay while in the minors.
“It’s absolute death for this industry to keep acting as it has been. Both sides,” Cincinnati pitcher Trevor Bauer tweeted in a rare instance of a player criticizing the union. “We’re driving the bus straight off a cliff. How is this good for anyone involved? Covid 19 already presented a lose lose lose situation and we’ve somehow found a way to make it worse. Incredible.”
The union said in a statement that the “board reaffirmed the players’ eagerness to return to work as soon and as safely as possible.”
“To that end we anticipate finalizing a comprehensive set of health and safety protocols with Major League Baseball in the coming days, and we await word from the league on the resumption of spring training camps and a proposed 2020 schedule,” the union said.
With the collapse of a negotiated deal, playoffs are set to remain at 10 teams rather than expand to 16. The framework had included the expanded playoffs for both 2020 and 2021, and Manfred offered to drop its inclusion in the second season if players feared it would decrease their future leverage.
Spring training was suspended on March 12, two weeks ahead of scheduled openers, and the sides have reverted to the familiar financial infighting that fractured the sport in the past. An initial deal March 26 called for players to receive prorated salaries and gave Manfred power to set the schedule, but that agreement did not require MLB to play in empty ballparks.
Players refused to alter from their insistence on prorated salaries, and MLB finally agreed last week during the one-on-one meeting between Manfred and Clark. While Manfred called it framework for an agreement, Clark said it was merely a proposal and further angered MLB. At that point, the sides remained about $275 million apart after weeks of talks. MLB offered 60 games and $1.48 billion from salaries that originally totaled $4 billion, plus a $25 million postseason players’ pool. The union wanted 70 games and $1.73 billion plus a $50 million pool.
Players are expected to file a grievance, claiming MLB violated a provision in the March agreement requiring both sides to “work in good faith to as soon as is practicable commence play, and complete the fullest 2020 championship season and postseason that is economically feasible” consistent with several provisions. MLB is expected to file a grievance accusing the union of negotiating in bad faith.
Arbitrator Mark Irvings would hear the case. If the union proves more games had been feasible, each game on the schedule would be worth $25 million in salary across the 30 teams.
All the while, the coronavirus upended plans of many clubs to resume training at their Florida facilities due to a rise in virus cases in the state. Twenty-nine teams intend to work out in their regular-season ballparks, with Toronto awaiting additional talks with the Canadian federal and Ontario provincial governments.
More bickering and turmoil lies ahead. Baseball’s collective bargaining agreement expires on Dec. 1, 2021, and the virus damaged the already deteriorated relationship and became just another of the financial issues that point toward a spring training lockout ahead of the 2022 season.
“If there’s going to be a fight the time for that fight is after the ’21 season when a new CBA is negotiated. 5 years of potential change,” Bauer tweeted. “We’re doing irreparable damage to our industry right now over rules that last AT MOST 16 months.”
This dispute has played out following five straight years of relatively flat salaries, a failed grievance alleging the Chicago Cubs manipulated the service time of Kris Bryant to delay the free agency of the star third baseman and accusations some teams did not use revenue sharing money as the labor contract specified, part of the union’s claim teams are “tanking.”
MLB says clubs have the right to determine when prospects are ready for the majors and also are free to lower major league payrolls for rebuilding.
Further, the failed negotiations sparked criticism of Clark and chief negotiator Bruce Meyer by agents, though there is no evidence yet that the displeasure has extended to players.
Until now, the latest openers have been was May 1 during five seasons in the 1800s, according to Elias Sports, but since 1900 it had been April 25 following the end of the 1994-95 strike. Players interrupted the 1981 season with a strike that started June 12, and the second half of a split season started on Aug. 10.


thedenverpost--2020-06-23--Family identifies teenager killed at Juneteenth celebration in Aurora

The 17-year-old boy killed during a Juneteenth celebration in Aurora was identified by his family Monday as Xaviyar Lawrence Sturges .
The teenager was shot to death in Rocky Ridge Park on East Mississippi Avenue on Friday during a large informal Juneteenth gathering , said his uncle , Taeshaud Jackson .
A rising junior at Smoky Hill High School who loved to play video games , wrestle and spend time with his family , Xaviyar would eat just about anything , Jackson said .
He was smart , outgoing and articulate .
“ He had a smile that was just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It would brighten up anyone ’ s room.
” The shooting happened during a large gathering of young people , according to police and at least one video of the shooting that was taken by a bystander and later posted publicly to social media .
That video shows several young men fighting with each other in a grassy area as a larger group of young people mills around , with some in the crowd shouting and screaming , some squaring off and some trying to break up the fighting .
At one point @ @ @ @ @ @ @ standing beside a group that is fighting , watching .
A few moments later , as two young men square off , gunshots are fired outside the frame of the video , causing panic .
The crowd , including the person shooting the video , runs away as several more shots are heard .
“ From my perception , if you can see in one of the videos , he was never involved in the fights , he was actually observing and recording during the fights , ” Jackson said .
“ He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was never in the midst of any of the fights between the so-called gang members.
” He said he believes Xaviyar may have been bumped by one of the young men who was fighting , then turned around in a “ defensive stance ” and was immediately shot .
“ This is a kid not knowing how to operate a firearm , ” he said of the shooter .
“ He shot and he didn ’ t hit his enemy , or the person he was engaging in the fight with , he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ made any arrests in the case by Monday evening .
The department said in a statement hours after the shooting that investigators believed the attack was an “ isolated incident between the victim and the suspect ( s ) ” and that there was no ongoing threat to the public .
Police did not respond to additional requests for comment Sunday or Monday .
The police department did not answer questions about whether Xaviyar was involved in the fighting or was a bystander in the crowd when he was shot .
Jackson said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ He didn ’ t belong to anything or any particular group , ” he said .
“ But sometimes you are guilty by association .
You might know someone who knows someone who is engaged in negativity , like gangs or the wrong crowd.
” Xaviyar “ had a few run-ins at school , ” was bullied and had a poor attendance record , Jackson said .
But the teenager also worked two jobs and strove to be successful , his uncle said .
He hopes police find and arrest the killer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ person , ” Jackson said , “ and an intricate part of this family .
”

The 17-year-old boy killed during a Juneteenth celebration in Aurora was identified by his family Monday as Xaviyar Lawrence Sturges.
The teenager was shot to death in Rocky Ridge Park on East Mississippi Avenue on Friday during a large informal Juneteenth gathering, said his uncle, Taeshaud Jackson.
A rising junior at Smoky Hill High School who loved to play video games, wrestle and spend time with his family, Xaviyar would eat just about anything, Jackson said. He was smart and outgoing.
“He had a smile that was just incredible,” Jackson said. “It would brighten up anyone’s room.”
The shooting happened during a large gathering of young people, according to police and at least one video of the shooting that was taken by a bystander and later posted publicly to social media.
That video shows several young men fighting with each other in a grassy area as a larger group of young people mills around, with some in the crowd shouting and screaming, some squaring off and some trying to break up the fighting. At one point in the video, Xaviyar is seen standing beside a group that is fighting, watching.
A few moments later, as two young men square off, gunshots are fired outside the frame of the video, causing panic. The crowd, including the person shooting the video, runs away as several more shots are heard.
“From my perception, if you can see in one of the videos, he was never involved in the fights, he was actually observing and recording during the fights,” Jackson said. “He was always on the outskirts. He was never in the midst of any of the fights between the so-called gang members.”
He said he believes Xaviyar may have been bumped by one of the young men who was fighting, then turned around in a “defensive stance” and was immediately shot.
“This is a kid not knowing how to operate a firearm,” he said of the shooter. “He shot and he didn’t hit his enemy, or the person he was engaging in the fight with, he hit Xaviyar.”
Aurora police had not made any arrests in the case by Monday evening. The department said in a statement hours after the shooting that investigators believed the attack was an “isolated incident between the victim and the suspect(s)” and that there was no ongoing threat to the public.
Police did not respond to additional requests for comment Sunday or Monday. The police department did not answer questions about whether Xaviyar was involved in the fighting or was a bystander in the crowd when he was shot.
Jackson said Xaviyar was not a gang member.
“He didn’t belong to anything or any particular group,” he said. “But sometimes you are guilty by association. You might know someone who knows someone who is engaged in negativity, like gangs or the wrong crowd.”
Xaviyar “had a few run-ins at school,” was bullied and had a poor attendance record, Jackson said. But the teenager also worked two jobs and strove to be successful, his uncle said.
He hopes police find and arrest the killer.
“He took away a great person,” Jackson said, “and an intricate part of this family.”


thedenverpost--2020-06-23--Paid family leave supporters in Colorado push forward on petition effort

Efforts to create a paid family and medical leave program in Colorado ran aground at the statehouse again this year with coronavirus partly to blame .
With the sponsors of that would-be legislation backing them , a group of supporters on Monday formally launched their campaign to get paid leave on Colorado ’ s November ballot and passed into law .
The group , Colorado Families First , has been perusing on a ballot measure since January , working in parallel as Democratic lawmakers tried — and failed — to create a leave program through the General Assembly .
With @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the group has until Aug. 3 to collect 124,632 valid signatures to get its Initiative 283 before Colorado voters this fall .
“ Whether it is to take care of a seriously ill loved one , to recover from an extended illness or to welcome a new baby , all of us will at some point in time need time off from our jobs to focus on our families , ” Carmen Medrano , a member of the Colorado Families First coalition said during a webinar Monday .
Medrano noted that roughly 80 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have access to paid leave .
If those people have a baby or a serious illness and run out of sick or vacation time , they must either return to work or risk losing their jobs .
Initiative 283 would provide most Colorado workers with up to 12 weeks of partial pay and job security in the event they need to take a leave of absence from their jobs .
That total goes up to 16 weeks if the employee has certain complications related to pregnancy or childbirth .
The insurance program would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on employees ’ wages with the premiums split down the middle between workers and their employers .
Companies with fewer than 10 employees would be exempt .
Collections would begin in 2023 .
The Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce and the businesses it represents have been staunchly opposed to a state-run paid leave program like the one Initiative 283 would create .
On Monday , executive director Kelly Brough said between paid leave policies available through private insurance companies , traditional paid sick and vacation time packages and the option to self insure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ already have free-market alternatives to a new state program .
Right now , the state ’ s focus should be helping the more than 568,000 people who have filed unemployment claims since the pandemic began get back to work , she said , not charging employers and employees more .
“ For us , when we look at the proposal to create a state-run paid leave program , I would say that we continue to hear from employers and employees who have a lot of concerns about their paychecks being reduced , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Fort Collins ’ “ bean-to-bar ” chocolate business Nuance Chocolate , is supporting the measure .
With just 11 employees including himself and his wife , Gadd could likely seek an exemption from the measure if it were to pass , but he sees providing paid leave as the right thing to do morally and from a business perspective .
It cosst more to train new employees than it does to support those you already have .
“ I need to have regular employees and to not to have to lose an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Gadd said during Monday ’ s webinar .
The 2020 session marked the sixth time Sen .
Faith Winter , D-Westminster , and Democratic colleagues have tried to get paid leave into the Colorado Revised Statutes .
This year , the legislation was never even formally introduced .
In February , Rep. Monica Duran and Sen. Angela Williams dropped off as bill sponsors after learning of concessions that would have created a program that did not cover part-time , gig-economy and some low-income workers .
New sponsors , Sen. Dominick Moreno and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but before they could to debut their bill with Winter and Rep. Matt Gray , the COVID-19 pandemic temporarily froze the legislative session .
Conversations with the business community , which has opposed these proposals , all but stopped , and early last month the legislators acknowledged that no bill would be passed in 2020 .
A spokeswoman for Colorado Families First said in an email Monday that supporters “ don ’ t anticipate having any trouble getting the necessary signatures.
” The campaign is encouraging people to request a petition by mail @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , sign it and send it back .
Gov .
Jared Polis issued an executive order clearing the way for remote and electronic petitioning during the pandemic .
Groups , including the Denver Metro Chamber , have come out in opposition to the remote signature gathering .
Brough said it violates the state constitution and puts groups with less access to technology — including seniors , people in rural areas and people of color — at a disadvantage .
A Denver District Court Judge upheld Polis ’ order last month but the issue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Colorado Supreme Court .

Efforts to create a paid family and medical leave program in Colorado ran aground at the statehouse again this year with coronavirus partly to blame. With the sponsors of that would-be legislation backing them, a group of supporters on Monday formally launched their campaign to get paid leave on Colorado’s November ballot and passed into law.
The group, Colorado Families First, has been perusing on a ballot measure since January, working in parallel as Democratic lawmakers tried — and failed — to create a leave program through the General Assembly. With the pandemic-interrupted legislative session now over, the group has until Aug. 3 to collect 124,632 valid signatures to get its Initiative 283 before Colorado voters this fall.
“Whether it is to take care of a seriously ill loved one, to recover from an extended illness or to welcome a new baby, all of us will at some point in time need time off from our jobs to focus on our families,” Carmen Medrano, a member of the Colorado Families First coalition said during a webinar Monday.
Medrano noted that roughly 80% of Colorado workers don’t have access to paid leave. If those people have a baby or a serious illness and run out of sick or vacation time, they must either return to work or risk losing their jobs.
Initiative 283 would provide most Colorado workers with up to 12 weeks of partial pay and job security in the event they need to take a leave of absence from their jobs. That total goes up to 16 weeks if the employee has certain complications related to pregnancy or childbirth.
The insurance program would be funded by a .9% tax on employees’ wages with the premiums split down the middle between workers and their employers. Companies with fewer than 10 employees would be exempt. Collections would begin in 2023.
The Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce and the businesses it represents have been staunchly opposed to a state-run paid leave program like the one Initiative 283 would create. On Monday, executive director Kelly Brough said between paid leave policies available through private insurance companies, traditional paid sick and vacation time packages and the option to self insure workers’ leave, businesses in Colorado already have free-market alternatives to a new state program. Right now, the state’s focus should be helping the more than 568,000 people who have filed unemployment claims since the pandemic began get back to work, she said, not charging employers and employees more.
“For us, when we look at the proposal to create a state-run paid leave program, I would say that we continue to hear from employers and employees who have a lot of concerns about their paychecks being reduced,” Brough said.
Toby Gadd, owner of Fort Collins’ “bean-to-bar” chocolate business Nuance Chocolate, is supporting the measure. With just 11 employees including himself and his wife, Gadd could likely seek an exemption from the measure if it were to pass, but he sees providing paid leave as the right thing to do morally and from a business perspective. It cosst more to train new employees than it does to support those you already have.
“I need to have regular employees and to not to have to lose an employee because they’re sick,” Gadd said during Monday’s webinar.
The 2020 session marked the sixth time Sen. Faith Winter, D-Westminster, and Democratic colleagues have tried to get paid leave into the Colorado Revised Statutes.
This year, the legislation was never even formally introduced. In February, Rep. Monica Duran and Sen. Angela Williams dropped off as bill sponsors after learning of concessions that would have created a program that did not cover part-time, gig-economy and some low-income workers. New sponsors, Sen. Dominick Moreno and Rep. Yadira Caraveo, eventually joined on but before they could to debut their bill with Winter and Rep. Matt Gray, the COVID-19 pandemic temporarily froze the legislative session.
Conversations with the business community, which has opposed these proposals, all but stopped, and early last month the legislators acknowledged that no bill would be passed in 2020.
A spokeswoman for Colorado Families First said in an email Monday that supporters “don’t anticipate having any trouble getting the necessary signatures.”
The campaign is encouraging people to request a petition by mail or to print one out at home, sign it and send it back. Gov. Jared Polis issued an executive order clearing the way for remote and electronic petitioning during the pandemic. Groups, including the Denver Metro Chamber, have come out in opposition to the remote signature gathering. Brough said it violates the state constitution and puts groups with less access to technology — including seniors, people in rural areas and people of color — at a disadvantage.
A Denver District Court Judge upheld Polis’ order last month but the issue is now set to be considered by the Colorado Supreme Court.


thedenverpost--2020-06-23--Ryan Blaney wins at Talladega after NASCAR unites behind Bubba Wallace

TALLADEGA , Ala. — Ryan Blaney held onto the lead after a restart with two laps to go Monday , earning his second straight win at Talladega Superspeedway on a day that began with NASCAR drivers throwing their support behind Bubba Wallace .
Blaney edged Ricky Stenhouse Jr. at the finish line for his fourth win and first since Talladega in October , albeit this time before a mostly empty venue .
It was a race marked by support for Wallace instead of another Big One at Talladega , though there was mayhem behind Blaney on the final lap and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wall near the finish .
“ Just trying to block , block the best we could , ” said Blaney , one of Wallace ’ s best friends .
“ Block the top , block the bottom … just beating and banging to the line .
” Aric Almirola spun at the end and crossed the line almost backward .
The racing was overshadowed by an extraordinary act of solidarity with NASCAR ’ s only Black driver .
Dozens of drivers pushed Wallace ’ s car to the front of the field before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tried to find out who left a noose in his garage stall over the weekend .
He was emotional after finishing 14th and spending time in the top five , slapping hands with a group of mostly African-American fans .
” I ’ m proud to stand where I ’ m at .
… This sport is changing , ” Wallace said .
“ The deal that happened ( Saturday ) I wanted to show whoever it was , you are not going to take away my smile .
I am going to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ series was left reeling and angered by the racist act that came less than two weeks after it banned the Confederate flag on its properties at Wallace ’ s urging .
It has vowed to permanently bar the person responsible , but the investigation was in its early stages .
The 26-year-old Wallace was surrounded by all 39 other drivers in the moments before the race and they were joined by their crews in a march down pit road as they pushed his No .
43 to the front of the line .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ wept .
It was a stirring move to support Wallace at a track in the heart of the South where Confederate flags have flown for decades and were seen outside the superspeedway all weekend long by fans opposed to NASCAR ’ s ban .
Standing alongside Wallace for the national anthem was Richard Petty , the 82-year-old Hall of Fame driver known as “ The King.
” Wallace drives for Petty , who issued a scathing rebuke after the noose was found that called for the “ sick person ” to be expelled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ President Steve Phelps insisted would happen should they be caught .
The race began with Martin Truex Jr. on the pole , and Tyler Reddick won the first stage , which ended in a weather caution that lasted 58-plus minutes .
The crowd had dwindled significantly from Sunday , when up to 5,000 fans were allowed into Talladega — only the second race with fans since NASCAR returned from the pandemic-forced shutdown .
Workers painted “ # IStandWithBubbaWallace ” on the infield grass before the race and Confederate flags were nowhere to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hold 80,000-plus and usually sees dozens of RVs lined up across the infield .
In the stands , fan Luke Johnson said he is against the flag ban , saying : “ All the NASCAR tracks need to keep on flying them.
” As for the noose left for Wallace , he said : “ I thought it was funny myself.
” Another fan , Robert Chaisson , said he didn ’ t have a strong opinion on the ban .
He certainly did on what happened to Wallace .
“ That was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that guy with a hate crime , ” Chaisson , who lives in Alabaster , Alabama , said .
“ It doesn ’ t matter what your opinion is , it ’ s when you cross that line , then your opinion no longer matters .
That ’ s trying to inflict harm on someone else .
”

TALLADEGA, Ala. — Ryan Blaney held onto the lead after a restart with two laps to go Monday, earning his second straight win at Talladega Superspeedway on a day that began with NASCAR drivers throwing their support behind Bubba Wallace.
Blaney edged Ricky Stenhouse Jr. at the finish line for his fourth win and first since Talladega in October, albeit this time before a mostly empty venue. It was a race marked by support for Wallace instead of another Big One at Talladega, though there was mayhem behind Blaney on the final lap and he also pushed Erik Jones into the wall near the finish.
“Just trying to block, block the best we could,” said Blaney, one of Wallace’s best friends. “Block the top, block the bottom … just beating and banging to the line. ”
Aric Almirola spun at the end and crossed the line almost backward.
The racing was overshadowed by an extraordinary act of solidarity with NASCAR’s only Black driver. Dozens of drivers pushed Wallace’s car to the front of the field before Monday’s race as FBI agents tried to find out who left a noose in his garage stall over the weekend.
He was emotional after finishing 14th and spending time in the top five, slapping hands with a group of mostly African-American fans.
”I’m proud to stand where I’m at. … This sport is changing,” Wallace said. “The deal that happened (Saturday) I wanted to show whoever it was, you are not going to take away my smile. I am going to keep on going.”
The stock car series was left reeling and angered by the racist act that came less than two weeks after it banned the Confederate flag on its properties at Wallace’s urging. It has vowed to permanently bar the person responsible, but the investigation was in its early stages.
The 26-year-old Wallace was surrounded by all 39 other drivers in the moments before the race and they were joined by their crews in a march down pit road as they pushed his No. 43 to the front of the line. Wallace climbed out of his car and wept.
It was a stirring move to support Wallace at a track in the heart of the South where Confederate flags have flown for decades and were seen outside the superspeedway all weekend long by fans opposed to NASCAR’s ban.
Standing alongside Wallace for the national anthem was Richard Petty, the 82-year-old Hall of Fame driver known as “The King.” Wallace drives for Petty, who issued a scathing rebuke after the noose was found that called for the “sick person” to be expelled from NASCAR forever — a move NASCAR President Steve Phelps insisted would happen should they be caught.
The race began with Martin Truex Jr. on the pole, and Tyler Reddick won the first stage, which ended in a weather caution that lasted 58-plus minutes.
The crowd had dwindled significantly from Sunday, when up to 5,000 fans were allowed into Talladega — only the second race with fans since NASCAR returned from the pandemic-forced shutdown. Workers painted “#IStandWithBubbaWallace” on the infield grass before the race and Confederate flags were nowhere to be seen inside the sprawling facility that can hold 80,000-plus and usually sees dozens of RVs lined up across the infield.
In the stands, fan Luke Johnson said he is against the flag ban, saying: “All the NASCAR tracks need to keep on flying them.”
As for the noose left for Wallace, he said: “I thought it was funny myself.”
Another fan, Robert Chaisson, said he didn’t have a strong opinion on the ban. He certainly did on what happened to Wallace.
“That was messed up. I hope they charge that guy with a hate crime,” Chaisson, who lives in Alabaster, Alabama, said. “It doesn’t matter what your opinion is, it’s when you cross that line, then your opinion no longer matters. That’s trying to inflict harm on someone else.”


thedenverpost--2020-06-23--Doomsday cult leader in Colorado gets 64 years in deaths of 2 girls

TELLURIDE — A woman who considered herself the spiritual leader of a doomsday cult in Colorado has been sentenced to 64 years in prison for her role in the deaths of two children who were banished to a car without food or water because the girls were thought to have been impure .
Madani Ceus was sentenced Friday on two counts of felony child abuse resulting in death , the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel reported .
Sisters Makayla Roberts , 10 , and Hannah Marshall , 8 , were found dead inside a vehicle parked on a farm in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2017 .
Investigators say they believe Ceus , of Haiti , declared that the two girls were possessed by unclean spirits during a past life and ordered them kept in the car as the group waited for the apocalypse before the 2017 solar eclipse .
The girls likely died of starvation , heat and dehydration , but because the bodies were in a partly mummified condition , pathologists could not determine the exact cause of death .
“ This cult found their way to our county and committed horrific abuse to these little @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the inhumanity of Ms. Ceus and her associates , ” San Miguel County Sheriff Bill Masters said after the sentencing .
The children ’ s mother , Nashika Bramble , was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced in September to life in prison without parole .
Ceus ’ s husband , Ashford Archer , was convicted of two counts of fatal child abuse and one count of being an accessory to a crime and was sentenced to 24 years in prison .
Frederick “ Alec ” Blair , who owned the farm where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with prosecutors and pleaded guilty to the accessory charge .
He was sentenced to 12 years in prison .
A fifth member who was charged , Ika Eden of Jamaica , was found mentally incompetent to stand trial and is being treated at the state mental hospital in Pueblo .
Norwood is a town of about 500 people 30 miles ( 48 kilometers ) west of the Telluride ski resort .

TELLURIDE — A woman who considered herself the spiritual leader of a doomsday cult in Colorado has been sentenced to 64 years in prison for her role in the deaths of two children who were banished to a car without food or water because the girls were thought to have been impure.
Madani Ceus was sentenced Friday on two counts of felony child abuse resulting in death, the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel reported. Sisters Makayla Roberts, 10, and Hannah Marshall, 8, were found dead inside a vehicle parked on a farm in the town of Norwood in the summer of 2017.
Investigators say they believe Ceus, of Haiti, declared that the two girls were possessed by unclean spirits during a past life and ordered them kept in the car as the group waited for the apocalypse before the 2017 solar eclipse.
The girls likely died of starvation, heat and dehydration, but because the bodies were in a partly mummified condition, pathologists could not determine the exact cause of death.
“This cult found their way to our county and committed horrific abuse to these little girls who died as a result of the inhumanity of Ms. Ceus and her associates,” San Miguel County Sheriff Bill Masters said after the sentencing.
The children’s mother, Nashika Bramble, was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced in September to life in prison without parole.
Ceus’s husband, Ashford Archer, was convicted of two counts of fatal child abuse and one count of being an accessory to a crime and was sentenced to 24 years in prison.
Frederick “Alec” Blair, who owned the farm where the children died, struck a deal with prosecutors and pleaded guilty to the accessory charge. He was sentenced to 12 years in prison.
A fifth member who was charged, Ika Eden of Jamaica, was found mentally incompetent to stand trial and is being treated at the state mental hospital in Pueblo.
Norwood is a town of about 500 people 30 miles (48 kilometers) west of the Telluride ski resort.


thedenverpost--2020-06-23--Aurora officer who fired shot through windshield of SUV justified in use of force

An Aurora police officer who fired a single-shot through the front windshield of a stolen SUV , hitting a juvenile who was holding a cellphone , in the hand , was justified in his use of force , according to a review of the incident .
Just before 8:30 a.m. on Jan. 8 , Officer Darryll Huntsman responded to a 911 call reporting a possible burglary in the 17000 block of East Tennessee Drive , according to an incident investigation .
Huntsman knew a stolen red Honda CRV had been seen in the area .
He pulled in front of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vehicle with his weapon drawn .
Huntsman ordered people inside the vehicle to “ show their hands , ” the letter said .
He saw someone “ pop up ” in the backseat with a “ black object ” in hand .
Fearing the object was a gun , Huntsman fired one shot , through the front windshield of the Honda , hitting the phone .
A 15-year-old white juvenile , identified as S.R .
in the review letter , suffered a “ blister ” on his finger and injury from glass shard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Children ’ s Hospital , treated and released .
The teen was then arrested for an “ outstanding , unrelated warrant.
” “ Based on my review of all the evidence in this case , I conclude the evidence supports Officer Huntsman reasonably believed he was in imminent danger when he fired one round , striking the black object in S.R.
’ s hand , ” said the letter , signed by Chief Deputy District Attorney Vicki Klingensmith , 18th Judicial District .
“ Applying the law to the facts of this @ @ @ @ @ @ @

An Aurora police officer who fired a single-shot through the front windshield of a stolen SUV, hitting a juvenile who was holding a cellphone, in the hand, was justified in his use of force, according to a review of the incident.
Just before 8:30 a.m. on Jan. 8, Officer Darryll Huntsman responded to a 911 call reporting a possible burglary in the 17000 block of East Tennessee Drive, according to an incident investigation.
Huntsman knew a stolen red Honda CRV had been seen in the area. He pulled in front of the Honda and got out of his vehicle with his weapon drawn.
Huntsman ordered people inside the vehicle to “show their hands,” the letter said. He saw someone “pop up” in the backseat with a “black object” in hand.
Fearing the object was a gun, Huntsman fired one shot, through the front windshield of the Honda, hitting the phone. A 15-year-old white juvenile, identified as S.R. in the review letter, suffered a “blister” on his finger and injury from glass shard in his eyes. He was taken to Children’s Hospital, treated and released. The teen was then arrested for an “outstanding, unrelated warrant.”
“Based on my review of all the evidence in this case, I conclude the evidence supports Officer
Huntsman reasonably believed he was in imminent danger when he fired one round, striking the
black object in S.R.’s hand,” said the letter, signed by Chief Deputy District Attorney Vicki Klingensmith, 18th Judicial District.
“Applying the law to the facts of this incident…justified his use of force.”


thedenverpost--2020-06-22--Mail voting: Mike Pence, aides embrace practice panned by Trump

WASHINGTON — Vice President Mike Pence and a half-dozen other senior advisers to President Donald Trump have repeatedly voted by mail , according to election records obtained by The Associated Press .
That undercuts the president ’ s argument that the practice will lead to widespread fraud this November .
More than three years after leaving the Indiana governor ’ s residence , Pence still lists that as his official residence and votes absentee accordingly .
Education Secretary Betsy DeVos has permanent absentee voting status in her home state of Michigan .
Brad Parscale , Trump ’ s campaign manager @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and didn ’ t vote in the general election two years earlier when Trump ’ s name was on the ballot .
Two other senior Trump campaign officials — chief operating officer Michael Glassner and deputy campaign manager Bill Stepien — have repeatedly voted by mail in New Jersey .
And Nick Ayers , a senior campaign adviser who was previously chief of staff to Vice President Mike Pence , has voted by mail in Georgia since 2014 .
In most election years , voting by mail is an unremarkable event .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ railed against state efforts to expand access to mail-in voting as an alternative to waiting in lines at polling places during a pandemic .
He has argued without evidence that mail-in voting will lead to fraud and warned Monday that foreign countries could print ballots .
That , some experts say , is a double standard that amounts to voter suppression .
“ These are people who are taking advantage of — which is perfectly legal — their right to vote absentee , ” said Trevor Potter , the president of the nonpartisan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a general counsel on both of John McCain ’ s Republican presidential campaigns .
“ But they don ’ t want other people to do the same thing.
” Trump himself voted by mail in the Florida primary earlier this year .
White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany has a lengthy history of voting by mail , which has been detailed in recent news stories .
And Attorney General William Barr , who has also raised concern about the practice , voted absentee in Virginia in 2012 and 2019 , The Washington @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Trump campaign ’ s communications director , defended the Trump aides who have voted by mail .
In a statement , he said there ’ s a “ vast difference between voting absentee by mail when you can ’ t get to the polls on Election Day versus mailing every registered voter a ballot , even those who didn ’ t request one.
” Amid the pandemic , some states — governed by both Democrats and Republicans — send applications for absentee ballots to voters , but not ballots themselves .
Six @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Others are taking less dramatic steps .
“ The media thinks they ’ re playing ‘ gotcha ’ by purposefully ignoring that difference , ” Murtaugh continued .
“ Voter rolls are notorious for having bad addresses or even listing dead people as active voters.
” The campaign declined to make the Trump advisers who vote by mail available for interviews .
The coronavirus has upended primaries across the U.S. this year , leading to postponed elections , shortages of poll workers , the shuttering of some polling locations and hours-long lines at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s raised Democratic fears that similar complications in November could alter the outcome of the contest between Trump and Democratic challenger Joe Biden .
Justin Clark , the Trump campaign ’ s top attorney , told Republicans during a meeting in Wisconsin last year that the GOP relies on voter suppression to be competitive in swing states , while calling for the party to “ start playing offense a little bit , ” according to a recording that was previously obtained by the AP .
While instances of voter fraud are rare @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recent news stories detailing how a Philadelphia election judge recently pleaded guilty to stuffing ballot boxes in exchange for bribes between 2014 and 2016 .
In Texas , where Parscale voted by mail in 2018 , there are stiff absentee ballot laws , requiring a person to be over 65 , disabled , or out of the county where they are registered during early voting , as well as on Election Day .
Parscale was in Houston for a Trump rally on Oct. 22 , 2018 , the day early voting began in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the time , according to records and several tweets he sent .
The day after , he signed a statement of residence that was submitted to county election officials to clarify his address .
Yet it ’ s unclear if he traveled to San Antonio , where his presence would have disqualified him from voting absentee .
The Texas Supreme Court has ruled that fear of contracting the coronavirus does not make voters eligible to cast their ballot by mail .
Parscale acknowledged the difficulty he faced casting an absentee ballot in 2016 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vote .
“ I was in New York working to elect Donald Trump and encountered a series of problems receiving my absentee ballot from Texas and missed the deadline , ” Parscale said in a statement to CBS News , which first reported that he didn ’ t vote that year .
“ Just further proof that vote-by-mail is not the flawless solution Democrats and the media pretend it is.
” DeVos , the education secretary , has voted absentee in all but three Michigan elections over the past decade , according to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ withhold federal funding after Michigan ’ s Democratic secretary of state mailed out absentee ballot applications to registered voters .
DeVos ’ family has donated millions of dollars to Republican causes , including groups that are now part of a fierce court fight to limit the expansion of vote-by-mail .
Glassner and Stepien have both voted repeatedly by mail in New Jersey , where Glassner has voted absentee four times since 2016 .
That includes a general election ballot that rejected by election officials in 2019 .
Stepien has voted seven times by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Some Republicans question the wisdom of Trump ’ s anti-vote-by-mail strategy .
Former Pennsylvania Gov .
Tom Ridge , a Republican , said it is “ counterproductive.
” “ You ’ re the incumbent president of the United States .
You have a bully pulpit , you ’ ve got this massive war chest , and you ’ ve got a huge electronic following , ” he said .
“ Why would you not encourage them to vote , number one , and say , well if you can ’ t get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make sure you fill out that absentee ballot and vote for me ?
”

WASHINGTON — Vice President Mike Pence and a half-dozen other senior advisers to President Donald Trump have repeatedly voted by mail, according to election records obtained by The Associated Press. That undercuts the president’s argument that the practice will lead to widespread fraud this November.
More than three years after leaving the Indiana governor’s residence, Pence still lists that as his official residence and votes absentee accordingly. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos has permanent absentee voting status in her home state of Michigan.
Brad Parscale, Trump’s campaign manager, voted absentee in Texas in 2018 and didn’t vote in the general election two years earlier when Trump’s name was on the ballot.
Two other senior Trump campaign officials — chief operating officer Michael Glassner and deputy campaign manager Bill Stepien — have repeatedly voted by mail in New Jersey. And Nick Ayers, a senior campaign adviser who was previously chief of staff to Vice President Mike Pence, has voted by mail in Georgia since 2014.
In most election years, voting by mail is an unremarkable event. But this year is different because Trump has railed against state efforts to expand access to mail-in voting as an alternative to waiting in lines at polling places during a pandemic. He has argued without evidence that mail-in voting will lead to fraud and warned Monday that foreign countries could print ballots.
That, some experts say, is a double standard that amounts to voter suppression.
“These are people who are taking advantage of — which is perfectly legal — their right to vote absentee,” said Trevor Potter, the president of the nonpartisan Campaign Legal Center, who previously served as a general counsel on both of John McCain’s Republican presidential campaigns. “But they don’t want other people to do the same thing.”
Trump himself voted by mail in the Florida primary earlier this year. White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany has a lengthy history of voting by mail, which has been detailed in recent news stories. And Attorney General William Barr, who has also raised concern about the practice, voted absentee in Virginia in 2012 and 2019, The Washington Post previously reported.
Tim Murtaugh, the Trump campaign’s communications director, defended the Trump aides who have voted by mail. In a statement, he said there’s a “vast difference between voting absentee by mail when you can’t get to the polls on Election Day versus mailing every registered voter a ballot, even those who didn’t request one.”
Amid the pandemic, some states — governed by both Democrats and Republicans — send applications for absentee ballots to voters, but not ballots themselves. Six states will send ballots in November. Others are taking less dramatic steps.
“The media thinks they’re playing ‘gotcha’ by purposefully ignoring that difference,” Murtaugh continued. “Voter rolls are notorious for having bad addresses or even listing dead people as active voters.”
The campaign declined to make the Trump advisers who vote by mail available for interviews.
The coronavirus has upended primaries across the U.S. this year, leading to postponed elections, shortages of poll workers, the shuttering of some polling locations and hours-long lines at some that have remained open. That’s raised Democratic fears that similar complications in November could alter the outcome of the contest between Trump and Democratic challenger Joe Biden.
Justin Clark, the Trump campaign’s top attorney, told Republicans during a meeting in Wisconsin last year that the GOP relies on voter suppression to be competitive in swing states, while calling for the party to “start playing offense a little bit,” according to a recording that was previously obtained by the AP.
While instances of voter fraud are rare, Trump’s campaign seized on recent news stories detailing how a Philadelphia election judge recently pleaded guilty to stuffing ballot boxes in exchange for bribes between 2014 and 2016.
In Texas, where Parscale voted by mail in 2018, there are stiff absentee ballot laws, requiring a person to be over 65, disabled, or out of the county where they are registered during early voting, as well as on Election Day.
Parscale was in Houston for a Trump rally on Oct. 22, 2018, the day early voting began in San Antonio, where he lived at the time, according to records and several tweets he sent. The day after, he signed a statement of residence that was submitted to county election officials to clarify his address. Yet it’s unclear if he traveled to San Antonio, where his presence would have disqualified him from voting absentee.
The Texas Supreme Court has ruled that fear of contracting the coronavirus does not make voters eligible to cast their ballot by mail.
Parscale acknowledged the difficulty he faced casting an absentee ballot in 2016, when wasn’t able to vote.
“I was in New York working to elect Donald Trump and encountered a series of problems receiving my absentee ballot from Texas and missed the deadline,” Parscale said in a statement to CBS News, which first reported that he didn’t vote that year. “Just further proof that vote-by-mail is not the flawless solution Democrats and the media pretend it is.”
DeVos, the education secretary, has voted absentee in all but three Michigan elections over the past decade, according to records. Trump threatened last month to withhold federal funding after Michigan’s Democratic secretary of state mailed out absentee ballot applications to registered voters.
DeVos’ family has donated millions of dollars to Republican causes, including groups that are now part of a fierce court fight to limit the expansion of vote-by-mail.
Glassner and Stepien have both voted repeatedly by mail in New Jersey, where Glassner has voted absentee four times since 2016. That includes a general election ballot that rejected by election officials in 2019. Stepien has voted seven times by mail since 2006, the records show.
Some Republicans question the wisdom of Trump’s anti-vote-by-mail strategy.
Former Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge, a Republican, said it is “counterproductive.”
“You’re the incumbent president of the United States. You have a bully pulpit, you’ve got this massive war chest, and you’ve got a huge electronic following,” he said. “Why would you not encourage them to vote, number one, and say, well if you can’t get to the polls for whatever reason, make sure you fill out that absentee ballot and vote for me?”


thedenverpost--2020-06-22--Colorado’s COVID-19 cases rose last week for first time since April

The number of new COVID-19 cases in Colorado rose during the week that ended Sunday — the first time that ’ s happened since late April .
It ’ s not clear whether the rise in confirmed cases is a blip or the start of a pattern .
Boulder County reported a spike in cases on Wednesday , which health officials blamed on a mix of student parties , protests and out-of-state travel — but those infections don ’ t explain the full increase .
A Denver Post analysis of data from the state health department found 1,407 new coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Sunday , up from 1,087 in the previous week .
New cases had fallen every week since the one that began April 20 .
Few new coronavirus deaths have been recorded in the last week , though , with six reported to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment since June 15 .
It can take several days for death reports to reach the state health department , however , so that number could increase .
Hospitalizations for COVID-19 remain steady .
The Colorado Hospital Association reported 149 people were receiving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ afternoon .
That number had bounced around between 151 and 166 during the previous week , and is down significantly from the state ’ s mid-April peak , when the daily hospitalization figure hovered just under 900 people .
Nineteen coronavirus patients had been released or transferred to a lower level of care in the past 24 hours .
Only 271 of the state ’ s 1,096 critical-care ventilators were in use as of Monday afternoon , hospitals reported to the state .
No facilities reported that they expect to see ICU bed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Colorado has seen 30,705 cases of the new virus , an increase of 166 from Sunday ’ s total reported by state health officials .
Additionally , 5,343 people have been hospitalized since the coronavirus first was detected in the state in early March .
The state health department reports 1,438 people have died directly due to COVID-19 , and another 213 had the virus but may have died of other causes .
More than 285,000 people now have been tested for the coronavirus statewide , according to data released Monday , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sunday .

The number of new COVID-19 cases in Colorado rose during the week that ended Sunday — the first time that’s happened since late April.
It’s not clear whether the rise in confirmed cases is a blip or the start of a pattern. Boulder County reported a spike in cases on Wednesday, which health officials blamed on a mix of student parties, protests and out-of-state travel — but those infections don’t explain the full increase.
A Denver Post analysis of data from the state health department found 1,407 new coronavirus cases reported in Colorado between June 15 and Sunday, up from 1,087 in the previous week. New cases had fallen every week since the one that began April 20.
Few new coronavirus deaths have been recorded in the last week, though, with six reported to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment since June 15. It can take several days for death reports to reach the state health department, however, so that number could increase.
Hospitalizations for COVID-19 remain steady. The Colorado Hospital Association reported 149 people were receiving care for the virus as of Monday afternoon. That number had bounced around between 151 and 166 during the previous week, and is down significantly from the state’s mid-April peak, when the daily hospitalization figure hovered just under 900 people.
Nineteen coronavirus patients had been released or transferred to a lower level of care in the past 24 hours.
Only 271 of the state’s 1,096 critical-care ventilators were in use as of Monday afternoon, hospitals reported to the state. No facilities reported that they expect to see ICU bed shortages within the next week.
Altogether, Colorado has seen 30,705 cases of the new virus, an increase of 166 from Sunday’s total reported by state health officials. Additionally, 5,343 people have been hospitalized since the coronavirus first was detected in the state in early March.
The state health department reports 1,438 people have died directly due to COVID-19, and another 213 had the virus but may have died of other causes.
More than 285,000 people now have been tested for the coronavirus statewide, according to data released Monday, with 6,252 people having been tested on Sunday.


thedenverpost--2020-06-23--Doctor sentenced to jail for choking Lone Tree nurse

A Colorado doctor who choked a nurse at Sky Ridge Medical Center in Lone Tree last fall was sentenced to @ @ @ @ @ Mark Randle Ryan , 58 , was sentenced Monday after he pled guilty in March @ @ @ @ @ assault by strangulation , a felony , and one count of third-degree assault , according @ @ @ @ @ the 18th Judicial District .
The sentence includes a three-year deferred judgment and three years @ @ @ @ @ 100 hours of community service , mental health treatment and anger management therapy .
Ryan @ @ @ @ @ .
The assault took place Oct. 8 inside a patient ’ s room at the @ @ @ @ @ was working as a contract anesthesiologist when he and the charge nurse in the recovery @ @ @ @ @ him turning off the vital-sign machines of patients recovering from surgery , according to the @ @ @ @ @ our partners at Denver7 .

A Colorado doctor who choked a nurse at Sky Ridge Medical Center in Lone Tree last fall was sentenced to 30 days in jail.
Mark Randle Ryan, 58, was sentenced Monday after he pled guilty in March to one count of second-degree assault by strangulation, a felony, and one count of third-degree assault, according to a release Tuesday from the 18th Judicial District.
The sentence includes a three-year deferred judgment and three years probation, as well as 100 hours of community service, mental health treatment and anger management therapy. Ryan has relinquished his medical license.
The assault took place Oct. 8 inside a patient’s room at the Lone Tree hospital. Ryan was working as a contract anesthesiologist when he and the charge nurse in the recovery room had a disagreement about him turning off the vital-sign machines of patients recovering from surgery, according to the release.
Read more from our partners at Denver7.


thedenverpost--2020-06-23--Newman: Amid coronavirus and MLB’s bitter dispute with players, my love for the game has intensified

Newman: Amid coronavirus and MLB’s bitter dispute with players, my love for the game has intensified, and simplified, in the best ways

As millionaire players and billionaire owners inch closer to officially ending their embarrassing public dispute over MLB ’ s return to play , I have spent the last several months contemplating the sport I love .
Having basically no live baseball at any level this spring made me relish the game more .
And though watching MLB do damage to itself with a posturing contest with the players amid a global pandemic has disappointed me as a baseball diehard , I ’ m as amped as can be that the sport is beginning to resume on a local level .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ team as one of my emotional bookends , and my journeyman men ’ s league career as the other , the pandemic and its negative effects on big-league ball ( and my job covering it ) have somehow rolled off my back .
While the pros struggled to figure out how to stop sniping at each other and get back on the field , my love for the game deepened and correspondingly simplified in the best ways possible .
My son ’ s team of 4- and 5-year-olds , the Castle Rock Rookies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
One game in , the squirts are already learning how to properly run to first base ( instead of chasing after the ball when they hit it ) and that defense doesn ’ t mean the entire infield fighting over every groundball .
My assistant coaches include my dad , who coached me when I was young , as well as my 11-year-old daughter and my best friend .
Our sole focus is to cultivate a love for the game that will keep the kids coming back to the diamond forever , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ then as fans and eventually as fosterers .
The fundamentals of throwing are important , as is making sure they understand the concept of hustle .
But nothing is as important as cultivating the glint in a young ballplayer ’ s eye , and I saw many glints as the Rookies madly rounded the bases to close practice Monday night .
Meanwhile , my wood bat men ’ s league team , the Colorado Cutthroats of the Denver chapter of the National Adult Baseball Association , has been ramping up with “ spring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Our season is set to start on Sunday night under the lights at Long Lake Ranch in Arvada .
In my 25th consecutive summer of playing baseball , the game is still an ongoing education for me in discipline , mental toughness and prioritizing process over results — all tenants I try to duplicate in my everyday life .
Through those two outlets — and surely the most trying season MLB has faced in modern times — I ’ ve emerged with a greater appreciation for baseball and the peace it can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ regardless of whether the Rockies are playing .
As a baseball lover I ’ ve now vowed that whatever happens with the growing divide in MLB between players and owners , and with the looming fight over a new Collective Bargaining Agreement following the 2021 season , I won ’ t become angry at the game .
If anything , the nightmare of a non-MLB season so far has emphatically reminded me that a ticket and a television are far from the best ways to seep in the seams .
MLB should be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a 60-game schedule expected and the regular season projected to start around July 24 .
While the league and players figure out logistics , don ’ t worry about this sportswriter worrying .
I ’ ll be just fine between the lines with the Rookies and the Cutthroats , grabbing every handful of dirt and turf I can get .

As millionaire players and billionaire owners inch closer to officially ending their embarrassing public dispute over MLB’s return to play, I have spent the last several months contemplating the sport I love.
Having basically no live baseball at any level this spring made me relish the game more. And though watching MLB do damage to itself with a posturing contest with the players amid a global pandemic has disappointed me as a baseball diehard, I’m as amped as can be that the sport is beginning to resume on a local level.
With coaching my son’s tee-ball team as one of my emotional bookends, and my journeyman men’s league career as the other, the pandemic and its negative effects on big-league ball (and my job covering it) have somehow rolled off my back. While the pros struggled to figure out how to stop sniping at each other and get back on the field, my love for the game deepened and correspondingly simplified in the best ways possible.
My son’s team of 4- and 5-year-olds, the Castle Rock Rookies, fired its season up last week. One game in, the squirts are already learning how to properly run to first base (instead of chasing after the ball when they hit it) and that defense doesn’t mean the entire infield fighting over every groundball. My assistant coaches include my dad, who coached me when I was young, as well as my 11-year-old daughter and my best friend.
Our sole focus is to cultivate a love for the game that will keep the kids coming back to the diamond forever, initially as players, yes, but then as fans and eventually as fosterers. The fundamentals of throwing are important, as is making sure they understand the concept of hustle. But nothing is as important as cultivating the glint in a young ballplayer’s eye, and I saw many glints as the Rookies madly rounded the bases to close practice Monday night.
Meanwhile, my wood bat men’s league team, the Colorado Cutthroats of the Denver chapter of the National Adult Baseball Association, has been ramping up with “spring training” scrimmages the past couple weeks. Our season is set to start on Sunday night under the lights at Long Lake Ranch in Arvada. In my 25th consecutive summer of playing baseball, the game is still an ongoing education for me in discipline, mental toughness and prioritizing process over results — all tenets I try to duplicate in my everyday life.
Through those two outlets — and surely the most trying season MLB has faced in modern times — I’ve emerged with a greater appreciation for baseball and the peace it can bring one on an individual level, regardless of whether the Rockies are playing.
As a baseball lover I’ve now vowed that whatever happens with the growing divide in MLB between players and owners, and with the looming fight over a new Collective Bargaining Agreement following the 2021 season, I won’t become angry at the game. If anything, the nightmare of a non-MLB season so far has emphatically reminded me that a ticket and a television are far from the best ways to seep in the seams.
MLB should be getting into action soon enough, with a 60-game schedule expected and the regular season projected to start around July 24. While the league and players figure out logistics, don’t worry about this sportswriter worrying. I’ll be just fine between the lines with the Rookies and the Cutthroats, grabbing every handful of dirt and turf I can get.


thedenverpost--2020-06-23--Guest commentary: “Dear White Friends, where were you?”

I want to come to you with my raw feelings of pain , anguish , tears , and a heavy heart .
I want you to feel and see my vulnerability .
I plead with you to not disregard or diminish my sorrow .
I am grieving My Dear White Friends !
You are My White Friends that welcomed me with an open heart when you saw me at the office , grocery store , library , school , park , church , movie theater , community center , gym , City Hall and restaurant .
Even though I could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did not want you to think of me as timid or aggressive , I am carrying years of pain caused by the implicit and explicit bias of discrimination .
Unfortunately , to make you feel safe and comfortable , I made sure to stay in the imaginary box you created for me and continue to be an abiding citizen in the system and institution you chose for me .
My Dear White Friends , you might say , “ I was not there to create those systems and institutions to choke you literally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , “ Where were you when they chose to defund the education system so my neighborhood school was left without support while expected to educate me ?
Where were you when they left my neighborhoods without grocery stores for miles and filled it with liquor and convenience stores ?
Where were you when they decided my neighborhood did not need parks , sidewalks , and street lights that function ?
” My Dear White Friends , I know you are health conscious , but did you know that I am stricken with chronic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if I was able to access healthy food and medical care ?
Where were you when the police officer who swore to serve and protect all pulled me over and made me pray that I wouldn ’ t die that day ?
My Dear White Friends , the education , health , justice , political , and economic systems have been putting their knees on my neck , only allowing me the breath needed for mere basic survival — but you chose silence !
I beg you , My Dear White Friends , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ understand my frustration if you see me cry , scream , and protest peacefully .
Do you not agree that I should breathe the same air you breathe ?
Walk and drive on the streets without fear as you do ?
Would you not agree that I should receive a quality education and good health care ?
Why should I be denied the same opportunities and promotions you are afforded simply based on the amount of melanin in my skin ?
My Dear White Friends , hear me out .
I have gifts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and aspirations as you do .
Do not disqualify me because of my skin color .
I have great things to offer to our nation .
Our differences make us beautiful , strong , and great .
Please , do not let adversity lead us to utter destruction .
My Dear White Friends , your silence is blocking my breathing .
You are the privileged who must use your privilege for a good cause to ‘ unchain ’ and ‘ unlock ’ your friends like me who do not have that privilege .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ she attended high school and college .

My Dear White Friends,
I want to come to you with my raw feelings of pain, anguish, tears, and a heavy heart. I want you to feel and see my vulnerability. I plead with you to not disregard or diminish my sorrow. I am grieving My Dear White Friends! You are My White Friends that welcomed me with an open heart when you saw me at the office, grocery store, library, school, park, church, movie theater, community center, gym, City Hall and restaurant. Even though I could not show you my vulnerability because I did not want you to think of me as timid or aggressive, I am carrying years of pain caused by the implicit and explicit bias of discrimination. Unfortunately, to make you feel safe and comfortable, I made sure to stay in the imaginary box you created for me and continue to be an abiding citizen in the system and institution you chose for me.
My Dear White Friends, you might say, “I was not there to create those systems and institutions to choke you literally and figuratively.”
But, I ask, “Where were you when they chose to defund the education system so my neighborhood school was left without support while expected to educate me? Where were you when they left my neighborhoods without grocery stores for miles and filled it with liquor and convenience stores? Where were you when they decided my neighborhood did not need parks, sidewalks, and street lights that function?” My Dear White Friends, I know you are health conscious, but did you know that I am stricken with chronic illnesses, which could have been prevented if I was able to access healthy food and medical care? Where were you when the police officer who swore to serve and protect all pulled me over and made me pray that I wouldn’t die that day? My Dear White Friends, the education, health, justice, political, and economic systems have been putting their knees on my neck, only allowing me the breath needed for mere basic survival — but you chose silence!
I beg you, My Dear White Friends, find it deep in your heart to understand my frustration if you see me cry, scream, and protest peacefully. Do you not agree that I should breathe the same air you breathe? Walk and drive on the streets without fear as you do? Would you not agree that I should receive a quality education and good health care? Why should I be denied the same opportunities and promotions you are afforded simply based on the amount of melanin in my skin?
My Dear White Friends, hear me out. I have gifts, talents, passions, hopes, and aspirations as you do. Do not disqualify me because of my skin color. I have great things to offer to our nation. Our differences make us beautiful, strong, and great. Please, do not let adversity lead us to utter destruction. My Dear White Friends, your silence is blocking my breathing. You are the privileged who must use your privilege for a good cause to ‘unchain’ and ‘unlock’ your friends like me who do not have that privilege.
Sincerely,
Your Black Friend
Rahem Mulatu was raised in Thornton where she attended high school and college.


thedenverpost--2020-06-23--Meeting off between Denver police and Black man who was handcuffed after officers pointed a gun at c

Meeting off between Denver police and Black man who was handcuffed after officers pointed a gun at children

Denver police canceled a meeting that was scheduled for last week between the police chief and a Black man who was handcuffed last month after officers pointed a gun at children who were in his care .
Naphtali Israel and his lawyer had planned to meet with Chief Paul M. Pazen last Thursday at the request of Denver police after the May 7 case gained attention in the wake of the George Floyd protests .
But the meeting set for last Thursday was canceled .
Police did not give a full explanation but requested that they meet with Israel privately @ @ @ @ @ @ @ NAACP , Israel said in an interview Monday .
Police in the incident last month responded to a 911 call from a supermarket manager saying there was a Black man in a car with a gun in the supermarket parking lot .
Arriving officers went to a car matching the make described to them and security footage released by Israel ’ s attorney shows a white sergeant point his gun for about 15 seconds at Israel ’ s fiancee ’ s three Black children in the car .
Israel had been shopping inside @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outside to see what was happening .
He was then released , the footage showed .
Police confirmed that Thursday ’ s meeting was canceled and has not been rescheduled .
They have not said why the Denver chief wanted to meet privately with Israel .
Representatives of the NAACP and parents from a school that one of Israel ’ s finacee ’ s children attends had planned to march to the office of Israel ’ s lawyer , where the meeting had been scheduled to take place .
Israel said that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the meeting ’ s cancellation of the meeting .
Sondra Young , president of the NAACP ’ s Denver chapter , said her organization became involved after Denver school officials said a 7-year-old girl in the car suffered trauma because of the gun pointed at her .
“ That ’ s when we got involved with it because we know how trauma impacts our children and learning and in education , ” Young said .
Also in the car were the 2-year-old and 14-year-old .
The teen and 7-year-old are in therapy for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nieberg is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative .
Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues .

Denver police canceled a meeting that was scheduled for last week between the police chief and a Black man who was handcuffed last month after officers pointed a gun at children who were in his care.
Naphtali Israel and his lawyer had planned to meet with Chief Paul M. Pazen last Thursday at the request of Denver police after the May 7 case gained attention in the wake of the George Floyd protests.
But the meeting set for last Thursday was canceled. Police did not give a full explanation but requested that they meet with Israel privately after plans were made to involve the NAACP, Israel said in an interview Monday.
Police in the incident last month responded to a 911 call from a supermarket manager saying there was a Black man in a car with a gun in the supermarket parking lot.
Arriving officers went to a car matching the make described to them and security footage released by Israel’s attorney shows a white sergeant point his gun for about 15 seconds at Israel’s fiancee’s three Black children in the car.
Israel had been shopping inside and was handcuffed briefly when he came outside to see what was happening. He was then released, the footage showed.
Police confirmed that Thursday’s meeting was canceled and has not been rescheduled. They have not said why the Denver chief wanted to meet privately with Israel.
Representatives of the NAACP and parents from a school that one of Israel’s finacee’s children attends had planned to march to the office of Israel’s lawyer, where the meeting had been scheduled to take place. Israel said that the prospect of that publicity could have prompted the meeting’s cancellation of the meeting.
Sondra Young, president of the NAACP’s Denver chapter, said her organization became involved after Denver school officials said a 7-year-old girl in the car suffered trauma because of the gun pointed at her.
“That’s when we got involved with it because we know how trauma impacts our children and learning and in education,” Young said.
Also in the car were the 2-year-old and 14-year-old.
The teen and 7-year-old are in therapy for treatment of trauma, Israel said.
Nieberg is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.


thedenverpost--2020-06-23--As Nuggets begin mandatory coronavirus testing, there’s a good chance team looks for insurance

Tuesday marks the most formal operations the NBA has seen since the coronavirus abruptly forced a stoppage in play more than 100 days ago .
All Nuggets players and staffers will undergo mandatory coronavirus testing beginning Tuesday , which includes a high-sensitivity PCR ( polymerase chain reaction ) and a high-sensitivity serology/antibody test .
Players , team staffers and even Nuggets officials who aren ’ t planning on traveling to Orlando to resume the season must undergo the testing .
PCR testing ( nasal swabs ) will be conducted every other day for the duration of the season , in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ temperature checks .
The antibody test will be repeated in the event of a positive test .
For the next week , Nuggets players are required to self-quarantine aside from essential activities like grocery shopping and commuting to the practice facility .
The NBA ’ s 113-page health and safety memo also clarifies that players can participate in protests .
Tuesday also marks the start of the one-week transaction window where the Nuggets could bolster their frontcourt , supplement their backcourt depth or add the most talented player available .
The Nuggets have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ season , and there ’ s a good chance they ’ ll add someone as insurance , according to two team sources .
Teams can bring up to 17 players , including their two-way players , to Orlando .
That means two-way guard P.J .
Dozier , who showed he was more than capable of having an impact , can participate in Orlando even if he ’ s not converted to a standard contract .
Teams can sign a player who played in the NBA or the G League this season and wasn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after Sept. 30 , 2019 , according to ESPN .
The extra player would serve as insurance in case of injury , if a player gets sick from the virus or in the event a player doesn ’ t want to play , for whatever reason .
Players must notify their teams by Wednesday if they don ’ t intend to participate .
Players may be eligible for “ excused ” or “ protected ” status , in which case their pay wouldn ’ t be docked .
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• Why Harvey Grant is one of the “ proudest dads in the world ” on Father ’ s Day • Life inside the NBA bubble : What to know from the NBA ’ s 113-page memo Teams can also replace a player who tests positive for COVID-19 after teams arrive in Orlando .
According to a memo sent to teams on Tuesday morning and obtained by The Denver Post , “ any such replacement must occur no later than seven days following the date that the confirmed positive player @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tuesday marks the official start of “ Phase 2 ” of the NBA ’ s re-start , teams are still forbidden from holding group workouts .
From June 23-30 , a maximum of four players can take part in voluntary , individual workouts at Pepsi Center and up to 10 coaches can be in the facility .
For the first time , that includes Nuggets coach Michael Malone .
Beginning on July 1 , up to eight players can be in the facility for the start of mandatory individual workouts .
It ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Orlando ( between July 7-9 ) that the Nuggets will be permitted to hold group workouts .
What may seem like granular steps toward a resumption are all individually significant .
All point to the massive — and unprecedented — undertaking the NBA is trying to attempt .

Tuesday marks the most formal activity the NBA has seen since the coronavirus abruptly forced a stoppage in play more than 100 days ago.
All Nuggets players and staffers will undergo mandatory coronavirus testing beginning Tuesday, which includes a high-sensitivity PCR (polymerase chain reaction) and a high-sensitivity serology/antibody test. Players, team staffers and even Nuggets officials who aren’t planning on traveling to Orlando to resume the season must undergo the testing.
PCR testing (nasal swabs) will be conducted every other day for the duration of the season, in addition to daily health monitoring such as temperature checks. The antibody test will be repeated in the event of a positive test.
For the next week, Nuggets players are required to self-quarantine aside from essential activities like grocery shopping and commuting to the practice facility. The NBA’s 113-page health and safety memo also clarifies that players can participate in protests.
Tuesday also marks the start of the one-week transaction window where the Nuggets could bolster their frontcourt, supplement their backcourt depth or add the most talented player available. The Nuggets have had one open roster spot the entire season, and there’s a good chance they’ll add someone as insurance, according to two team sources. Any player the Nuggets look to add must fit personality-wise with the team and would have to understand their role as a reserve, one source said.
Teams can bring up to 17 players, including their two-way players, to Orlando. That means two-way guard P.J. Dozier, who showed he was more than capable of having an impact, can participate in Orlando even if he’s not converted to a standard contract.
Teams can sign a player who played in the NBA or the G League this season and wasn’t on a non-NBA professional team after Sept. 30, 2019, according to ESPN.
The extra player would serve as insurance in case of injury, if a player gets sick from the virus or in the event a player doesn’t want to play, for whatever reason. Players must notify their teams by Wednesday if they don’t intend to participate. Players may be eligible for “excused” or “protected” status, in which case their pay wouldn’t be docked.
Teams can also replace a player who tests positive for COVID-19 after teams arrive in Orlando. According to a memo sent to teams on Tuesday morning and obtained by The Denver Post, “any such replacement must occur no later than seven days following the date that the confirmed positive player may ‘resume training.’”
Though Tuesday marks the official start of “Phase 2” of the NBA’s re-start, teams are still forbidden from holding group workouts. From June 23-30, a maximum of four players can take part in voluntary, individual workouts at Pepsi Center and up to 10 coaches can be in the facility. For the first time, that includes Nuggets coach Michael Malone.
Beginning on July 1, up to eight players can be in the facility for the start of mandatory individual workouts. It’s not until the team arrives in Orlando (between July 7-9) that the Nuggets will be permitted to hold group workouts.
What may seem like granular steps toward a resumption are all individually significant. All point to the massive — and unprecedented — undertaking the NBA is trying to attempt.


thedenverpost--2020-06-23--Eli Manning wins football writers’ Good Guy Award

Eli Manning has won the Pro Football Writers of America ’ s Good Guy Award for his cooperation with the media .
Manning , who retired after the 2019 season , has been lauded for years for his dealings with local and national media .
He ’ s the second member of the New York Giants to win the award , joining Tiki Barber ( 2006 ) .
“ Eli Manning exemplified professionalism with the media since his rookie season in 2004 , and he did so in the league ’ s largest market , ” said PFWA president and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ covered Manning during his entire career .
“ Eli often spoke of the example set by his father , and being around Archie Manning was certainly a great way to learn about being around the media .
“ Even so , playing in New York has unique pressures that Eli dealt with consistently and fairly .
Media sessions at his locker would often start with as many as 50 reporters , photographers and camera operators , but he answered every last question — even when only one reporter was left .
A pro @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Giants ’ starting quarterback for nearly every game in his first 15 years in the league .
He was replaced by first-round draft pick Daniel Jones after the first two games of 2019 .
Jones started the next 10 games , but after an ankle injury , Manning returned as the starter for two more contests , including a home victory against Miami in Week 15 in which he threw for two touchdowns before being lifted to a standing ovation .
Manning retired in January having won a pair of Super Bowls over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trophies .
He threw for over 57,000 yards and 366 touchdowns in his career .
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15 .
Pro Football Focus ?
Not so much .
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Bouye makes it a point to help rookies facing tall odds The Good Guy Award is given to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ professional style in helping pro football writers do their jobs .
The award has been presented annually by the PFWA since 2005 , with Philadelphia ’ s Chris Long winning the previous two years .
Other nominees for the Good Guy Award were recently retired Buffalo Bills linebacker Lorenzo Alexander ; New England Patriots All-Pro cornerback Stephon Gilmore , the AP ’ s Defensive Player of the Year in 2019 ; former Los Angeles Chargers , now Indianapolis Colts quarterback Philip Rivers ; Denver Broncos safety Justin Simmons ; and recently retired San @ @ @ @ @ @ @

Eli Manning has won the Pro Football Writers of America’s Good Guy Award for his cooperation with the media.
Manning, who retired after the 2019 season, has been lauded for years for his dealings with local and national media. He’s the second member of the New York Giants to win the award, joining Tiki Barber (2006).
“Eli Manning exemplified professionalism with the media since his rookie season in 2004, and he did so in the league’s largest market,” said PFWA president and Newsday NFL columnist Bob Glauber, who covered Manning during his entire career. “Eli often spoke of the example set by his father, and being around Archie Manning was certainly a great way to learn about being around the media.
“Even so, playing in New York has unique pressures that Eli dealt with consistently and fairly. Media sessions at his locker would often start with as many as 50 reporters, photographers and camera operators, but he answered every last question — even when only one reporter was left. A pro’s pro.”
Manning was the Giants’ starting quarterback for nearly every game in his first 15 years in the league. He was replaced by first-round draft pick Daniel Jones after the first two games of 2019. Jones started the next 10 games, but after an ankle injury, Manning returned as the starter for two more contests, including a home victory against Miami in Week 15 in which he threw for two touchdowns before being lifted to a standing ovation.
Manning retired in January having won a pair of Super Bowls over New England, earning Super Bowl MVP trophies. He threw for over 57,000 yards and 366 touchdowns in his career.
The Good Guy Award is given to an NFL player for his qualities and professional style in helping pro football writers do their jobs. The award has been presented annually by the PFWA since 2005, with Philadelphia’s Chris Long winning the previous two years.
Other nominees for the Good Guy Award were recently retired Buffalo Bills linebacker Lorenzo Alexander; New England Patriots All-Pro cornerback Stephon Gilmore, the AP’s Defensive Player of the Year in 2019; former Los Angeles Chargers, now Indianapolis Colts quarterback Philip Rivers; Denver Broncos safety Justin Simmons; and recently retired San Francisco 49ers offensive tackle Joe Staley.