thedenverpost--2020-06-26--Kafer: Voters need to end the Taxpayer Bill of Rights runaround

Watch the hand that appears to be doing nothing .
It ’ s not as easy as it sounds .
The magician is staring at the other hand , talking about it , drawing your attention to it .
The hand that holds the coin is the one you ’ re supposed to ignore .
Managing the audience ’ s attention to distract it from what ’ s really happening is the secret to sleight of hand .
This art of misdirection has Colorado voters looking at the wrong hand .
While critics of the Taxpayer Bill of Rights ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ballot initiatives to dismantle this vital law , legislators have been quietly circumventing it .
TABOR , passed by Coloradans in 1992 , prevents lawmakers from raising taxes without the approval of voters .
The law also ensures revenue to the state that exceeds a cap ( based on inflation and population ) is refunded to the voters .
Because TABOR amended the Colorado constitution , the legislature can not tinker with it without the approval of voters .
It ’ s highly unlikely voters would consent to modifying or eliminating TABOR if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ revenue limits for five years in 2005 ( Referendum C ) , last year voters rejected a measure to essentially eliminate the revenue cap .
Moreover , voters have rejected all but three of the statewide tax increases— on tobacco , marijuana , and online sports betting—placed before them .
Even as the state has grown politically bluer , a majority of Coloradans continue to support TABOR limits on taxing and spending .
Since voters don ’ t want tax increases and won ’ t part with their TABOR refund checks , legislators @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and increase revenue by exploiting a little known provision in the law .
The Taxpayer Bill of Rights exempts revenue generated by State Enterprises .
Enterprises are government-owned businesses that receive less than 10 percent of their revenue from state and local government and are funded primarily through fees for service .
Enterprises include : Colorado public universities , the state unemployment insurance program , and Colorado Parks and Wildlife , which are funded primarily through tuition , premiums , and license fees respectively .
These fees for service are supposed to fund @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the general fund .
When exercised as intended , the enterprise exemption works well .
Colorado Parks and Wildlife does not have to go to the ballot box every time it intends to raise campsite fees .
Furniture sold by Colorado Correctional Industries contributes to the prison system and is not subject to the TABOR revenue cap .
Unfortunately , court decisions have made it easier for lawmakers to abuse the provision .
The courts have allowed enterprise revenue to contribute to the general fund .
When the government collects a “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ purpose , it is a tax that never received voter approval and the revenue from that tax should not be exempt from the TABOR revenue cap .
That ’ s how the legislature is using the enterprise exemption to levy new taxes via fees and to increase revenue beyond the annual cap .
According to the Common Sense Institute , “ In 1993 , the first year of TABOR limits , only 46 % of the total state spending was exempt , or $ 2,403 per Coloradan in 2019 inflation adjusted dollars .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Colorado state spending was exempt from TABOR , which equates to an amount of $ 5,787 per Coloradan.
” The amount of fees Coloradans pay has likewise increased .
The institute found , “ In the year 2000 , fees amounted to $ 222 per Coloradan , while General Fund spending amounted to $ 1,174 per resident .
By 2018 , fees equaled $ 3,136 per Coloradan , and General Fund spending equaled $ 1,864.
” The fee total will continue to increase .
The legislature created another new enterprise this year through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 130 million in fees from insurance companies and hospitals .
Through clever sleight of hand , legislators have thus increased taxes and revenues without voter consent .
The only recourse voters have is to pass a ballot initiative to rein in the abuse .
Initiative 295 will give Coloradans such an opportunity this November .
The measure would require voter approval for enterprises “ with projected or actual revenue from fees and surcharges of over $ 100,000,000.
” The initiative would not impact existing enterprises or small enterprise agencies .
It targets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ legislators may be tempted to employ in the future .
Now that we see through the deception , it ’ s time to put an end to the disappearing coin trick .
Krista L. Kafer is a weekly Denver Post columnist .
Follow her on Twitter : @ kristakafer

Watch the hand that appears to be doing nothing. It’s not as easy as it sounds. The magician is staring at the other hand, talking about it, drawing your attention to it. The hand that holds the coin is the one you’re supposed to ignore. Managing the audience’s attention to distract it from what’s really happening is the secret to sleight of hand.
This art of misdirection has Colorado voters looking at the wrong hand. While critics of the Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TABOR) launch dramatic legal challenges and ballot initiatives to dismantle this vital law, legislators have been quietly circumventing it.
TABOR, passed by Coloradans in 1992, prevents lawmakers from raising taxes without the approval of voters. The law also ensures revenue to the state that exceeds a cap (based on inflation and population) is refunded to the voters. Because TABOR amended the Colorado constitution, the legislature cannot tinker with it without the approval of voters.
It’s highly unlikely voters would consent to modifying or eliminating TABOR if asked. Although Coloradans voted to relax revenue limits for five years in 2005 (Referendum C), last year voters rejected a measure to essentially eliminate the revenue cap. Moreover, voters have rejected all but three of the statewide tax increases— on tobacco, marijuana, and online sports betting—placed before them. Even as the state has grown politically bluer, a majority of Coloradans continue to support TABOR limits on taxing and spending.
Since voters don’t want tax increases and won’t part with their TABOR refund checks, legislators have found a way to raise taxes and increase revenue by exploiting a little known provision in the law. The Taxpayer Bill of Rights exempts revenue generated by State Enterprises. Enterprises are government-owned businesses that receive less than 10 percent of their revenue from state and local government and are funded primarily through fees for service.
Enterprises include: Colorado public universities, the state unemployment insurance program, and Colorado Parks and Wildlife, which are funded primarily through tuition, premiums, and license fees respectively. These fees for service are supposed to fund the enterprises’ programs not add revenue to the general fund.
When exercised as intended, the enterprise exemption works well. Colorado Parks and Wildlife does not have to go to the ballot box every time it intends to raise campsite fees. Furniture sold by Colorado Correctional Industries contributes to the prison system and is not subject to the TABOR revenue cap. Unfortunately, court decisions have made it easier for lawmakers to abuse the provision. The courts have allowed enterprise revenue to contribute to the general fund. When the government collects a “fee” and uses it for another purpose, it is a tax that never
received voter approval and the revenue from that tax should not be exempt from the TABOR revenue cap.
That’s how the legislature is using the enterprise exemption to levy new taxes via fees and to increase revenue beyond the annual cap. According to the Common Sense Institute, “In 1993, the first year of TABOR limits, only 46% of the total state spending was exempt, or $2,403 per Coloradan in 2019 inflation adjusted dollars. In 2019, 69% of total Colorado state spending was exempt from TABOR, which equates to an amount of $5,787 per Coloradan.”
The amount of fees Coloradans pay has likewise increased. The institute found, “In the year 2000, fees amounted to $222 per Coloradan, while General Fund spending amounted to $1,174 per resident. By 2018, fees equaled $3,136 per Coloradan, and General Fund spending equaled $1,864.” The fee total will continue to increase. The legislature created another new enterprise this year through Senate Bill 215 to collect a projected $130 million in fees from insurance companies and hospitals. Through clever sleight of hand, legislators have thus increased taxes and revenues without voter consent.
The only recourse voters have is to pass a ballot initiative to rein in the abuse. Initiative 295 will give Coloradans such an opportunity this November. The measure would require voter approval for enterprises “with projected or actual revenue from fees and surcharges of over $100,000,000.” The initiative would not impact existing enterprises or small enterprise agencies. It targets only the most egregious TABOR runarounds that legislators may be tempted
to employ in the future.
Now that we see through the deception, it’s time to put an end to the disappearing coin trick.
Krista L. Kafer is a weekly Denver Post columnist. Follow her on Twitter: @kristakafer


thedenverpost--2020-06-26--Guest commentary: Colorado should do more to control PFAS contamination

There is growing scientific evidence that the COVID-19 virus disproportionately impacts those with compromised immune systems .
Unfortunately , segments of the Colorado public may be more at risk because of long standing contamination from per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances ( PFAS ) , also known as “ forever chemicals.
” PFAS are called “ forever chemicals ” because they do not break down in the environment and they bioaccumulate in the food chain .
They are associated with birth problems and damage to the liver , kidneys , and immune system , as well as cancer risk .
The incredible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the environment also means that even small amounts can effectively contaminate large quantities of ground and surface waters .
Unfortunately , PFAS are also ubiquitous .
They are used in the manufacture of an array of consumer goods , including cookware , flame-retardants , waterproofing , furniture and take-out containers .
Our military also extensively uses fire-fighting foam containing PFAS , as have many firefighters .
Therefore , it is concerning that PFAS can be found in Colorado ’ s drinking water .
North metro Denver , for example , has recorded high @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are also elevated levels of PFAS in the drinking water in the towns of Fountain , Windsor , and Widefield , near Peterson and Buckley Air Force bases .
In addition , the Air Force Academy has used firefighting foam containing PFAS and it appears to have contaminated the groundwater and at least two nearby drinking water wells .
Similarly , the Boulder Mountain and Sugarloaf Fire Districts in western Boulder County have contamination levels of groundwater wells .
Despite its toxicity , however , PFAS remains largely unregulated .
Without adequate testing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the extent of the contamination .
Hopefully , that will soon change .
Colorado has taken an important first step by developing a Narrative Policy .
This policy allows the state to identify and ultimately halt PFAS discharges into ground and surface water .
However , I am very concerned that Colorado will miss an important opportunity for prevention by setting unnecessarily high “ translation ” levels for ground and surface waters .
On July 13-14 , the Water Quality Control Commission will vote on a policy to set discharge limits for PFAS @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state for taking this next step and urge the Commission to pass this policy .
But we need to go further .
The Commission can also use this opportunity to look to what other states are doing and take steps to follow their leads .
At least seven other states have enacted protective measures for drinking water .
Vermont has banned PFAS in certain products .
Minnesota is recovering hundreds of millions of dollars from polluters so that they can clean up their state .
Michigan is also seeking compensation from manufactures .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ other states by setting levels for individual chemicals that , at a minimum , match those more protective limits set in other states .
Colorado can not depend on the federal government for protection .
On March 10 , the EPA issued a notice to consider developing regulations , with a timeline pushing out regulation another five years .
This year , the National Defense Authorization Act required that facilities report if they manufacture or use any of 172 of the more than 5,000 known PFAS chemicals .
Limited reporting is not enough @ @ @ @ @ @ @ As a career public health professional , I am convinced of the importance of preventing PFAS from entering the environment .
Their demonstrated toxicity to people and wildlife should compel the state to invest in preventing pollution , rather than paying the long-term price of water treatment and soil removal once contamination occurs .
As a mother and grandmother who has children and grandchildren living in Colorado , I urge the Colorado Water Quality Control Commission to take regulatory steps needed to protect the public .
The public health crisis posed by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ acting to protect the most vulnerable .
Linda Birnbaum is recently retired as director of the National Institute of Environmental Health , and of the Toxicology Program , as well as past president of the Society of Toxicology , and an elected member of the National Academy of Medicine .
She is currently a Scholar in Residence at Duke University and an adjunct professor at the University of North Carolina , Chapel Hill .

There is growing scientific evidence that the COVID-19 virus disproportionately impacts those with compromised immune systems. Unfortunately, segments of the Colorado public may be more at risk because of long standing contamination from per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), also known as “forever chemicals.”
PFAS are called “forever chemicals” because they do not break down in the environment and they bioaccumulate in the food chain. They are associated with birth problems and damage to the liver, kidneys, and immune system, as well as cancer risk. The incredible persistence and mobility of PFAS chemicals in the environment also means that even small amounts can effectively contaminate large quantities of ground and surface waters.
Unfortunately, PFAS are also ubiquitous. They are used in the manufacture of an array of consumer goods, including cookware, flame-retardants, waterproofing, furniture and take-out containers. Our military also extensively uses fire-fighting foam containing PFAS, as have many firefighters.
Therefore, it is concerning that PFAS can be found in Colorado’s drinking water. North metro Denver, for example, has recorded high levels in its drinking water. There are also elevated levels of PFAS in the drinking water in the towns of Fountain, Windsor, and Widefield, near Peterson and Buckley Air Force bases. In addition, the Air Force Academy has used firefighting foam containing PFAS and it appears to have contaminated the groundwater and at least two nearby drinking water wells. Similarly, the Boulder Mountain and Sugarloaf Fire Districts in western Boulder County have contamination levels of groundwater wells.
Despite its toxicity, however, PFAS remains largely unregulated. Without adequate testing and standards, we will never know the extent of the contamination. Hopefully, that will soon change. Colorado has taken an important first step by developing a Narrative Policy. This policy allows the state to identify and ultimately halt PFAS discharges into ground and surface water. However, I am very concerned that Colorado will miss an important opportunity for prevention by setting unnecessarily high “translation” levels for ground and surface waters.
On July 13-14, the Water Quality Control Commission will vote on a policy to set discharge limits for PFAS into Colorado waters. I applaud the state for taking this next step and urge the Commission to pass this policy. But we need to go further.
The Commission can also use this opportunity to look to what other states are doing and take steps to follow their leads. At least seven other states have enacted protective measures for drinking water. Vermont has banned PFAS in certain products. Minnesota is recovering hundreds of millions of dollars from polluters so that they can clean up their state. Michigan is also seeking compensation from manufactures. Colorado can build on the work of other states by setting levels for individual chemicals that, at a minimum, match those more protective limits set
in other states.
Colorado cannot depend on the federal government for protection. On March 10, the EPA issued a notice to consider developing regulations, with a timeline pushing out regulation another five years. This year, the National Defense Authorization Act required that facilities report if they manufacture or use any of 172 of the more than 5,000 known PFAS chemicals. Limited reporting is not enough, and Colorado can do more.
As a career public health professional, I am convinced of the importance of preventing PFAS from entering the environment. Their demonstrated toxicity to people and wildlife should compel the state to invest in preventing pollution, rather than paying the long-term price of water treatment and soil removal once contamination occurs.
As a mother and grandmother who has children and grandchildren living in Colorado, I urge the Colorado Water Quality Control Commission to take regulatory steps needed to protect the public. The public health crisis posed by the COVID 19 pandemic underlines the urgency of acting to protect the most vulnerable.
Linda Birnbaum is recently retired as director of the National Institute of Environmental Health, and of the Toxicology Program, as well as past president of the Society of Toxicology, and an elected member of the National Academy of Medicine. She is currently a Scholar in Residence at Duke University and an adjunct professor at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.


thedenverpost--2020-06-26--Denver statue with plaque honoring Christopher Columbus torn down overnight

Another statue has been torn down in downtown Denver , this one with ties to Christopher Columbus .
According to @ @ @ @ @ bronze sculpture was designed by Denver sculptor William F. Joseph .
It has four faces @ @ @ @ @ in four directions and encircled in rings , symbolizing the globe .
It ’ s @ @ @ @ @ Columbus .
The statue has a plaque at its base honoring Columbus .
In 1992 @ @ @ @ @ called for the removal of the plaque , but it still remains .
The statue @ @ @ @ @ on the sidewalk Friday morning .
Read more from our partners at Denver7 .

A statue erected in Denver’s Civic Center in the mid-1970s to honor Christopher Columbus was torn down by protesters late Thursday night, just a day after the state’s Civil War monument — which included a commemoration of the Sand Creek Massacre — met a similar fate.
The acts of the past two days spurred Denver officials to accelerate the removal of at least one other downtown statue, honoring Kit Carson, on Friday, as the city reexamines the names and depictions of hundreds of other buildings and statues — even as law enforcement increases patrols around landmarks that could be future targets.
The removal of the statues in Denver comes amid a national movement to tear down memorials honoring the perpetrators of racist acts — part of the growing push for racial justice and police reform sparked by the death last month of George Floyd, a Black man, after a white Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes.
Video tweeted around 12:40 a.m. Friday by a group called the Afro Liberation Front shows a number of people in Civic Center pulling on ropes attached to the 15-foot bronze statue, which sat on a pedestal bearing a plaque with the inscription “In Honor of Christopher Columbus.”
Doug Schepman, a Denver police spokesman, said the statue was pulled down around 11:15 p.m. Thursday. Investigators are working to identify the people involved, he said, but police do not know whether there was any overlap from those who toppled the Civil War statue outside the Capitol the night before.
Police had no specific plans to monitor statues in Denver on Thursday night, Schepman said.
But earlier in the day, the Colorado Information Analysis Center sent out a bulletin to law enforcement agencies identifying the Civic Center statue, along with seven others around the state, that could be targets, according to a copy obtained by The Denver Post.
The document, titled “Colorado’s Statues of Interest,” included the Columbus memorial in Denver, along with a Confederate statue that sits in the Riverside Cemetery in Commerce City, Colorado’s oldest operating cemetery.
Other landmarks on the list included confederate monuments in Pitkin and Fremont counties, a Civil War cannon in El Paso County, and two Civil War memorials and a Columbus statue in Pueblo County.
Micki Trost, spokeswoman for the state’s Department of Public Safety, would not comment on the bulletin, but said the Colorado Information Analysis Center shares information with local, state and federal partners about events or activity that could cause concern.
Moving forward, Schepman said, police will work with city agencies to conduct extra patrols around other sites or monuments that could potentially be targeted. He did not specify which sites.
In light of the previous two nights, Denver officials on Friday took down a statue of Kit Carson at the Pioneer Monument at the corner of Broadway and Colfax Avenue. The statue, conceived in 1905, commemorates Carson, a frontiersman who epitomized Western expansion in the mid-1800s, and whose memory also lives on through the name of a Colorado county on the Eastern Plains. Historians say Carson waged war on the Navajo Indians, many of whom had refused to move to a reservation set up by the government, according to a PBS report.
“In 1864 most surrendered to Carson, who forced nearly 8,000 Navajo men, women and children to take what came to be called the ‘Long Walk’ of 300 miles from Arizona to Fort Sumner, New Mexico, where they remained in disease-ridden confinement until 1868,” the story noted.
“We recognized that there are certain pieces such as the Pioneer very much tied to a history of genocide and colonial oppression,” said Tariana Navas-Nieves, director of cultural affairs for Denver Arts & Venues. “For us, this is the right thing to do.”
Honoring Columbus
The plaque on the Columbus statue’s base says the sculpture was created by William F. Joseph and gifted to the city of Denver by Alfred P. and Anne E. Adamo on June 24, 1970. The statue, “reminiscent of Leonardo Da Vinci’s Vitruvian Man,” was installed atop a concrete pedestal south of the park’s memorial gateway in 1975, according to the document filed to nominate Denver’s Civic Center as a National Historic Landmark.
The Columbus memorial has drawn criticism for years, and, more recently, increased scrutiny from a Denver City Council member and local activists — including Denver school board member Tay Anderson, who initially called on Mayor Michael Hancock to remove the statue before learning of the Vitruvian Man connection.
“I’m hoping that, one, we are able to take the plaque down,” Anderson told The Denver Post this week. “And two, we can be able to decide as a community: Is this the statue we want in Civic Center, and what can we replace it with?”
The city already had announced the creation of a commission to “evaluate Denver landmarks and public spaces, including public art, associated with racist groups or ideologies,” according to a news release. The commission, which includes the Agency for Human Rights and Community Partnerships’ Advisory Board and at-large City Council members, met for the first time Friday morning.
The commission will be evaluating 482 facilities and 400 pieces in the public art collection, Navas-Nieves said. The renaming commission is bringing together representatives from the African American, Latino, LGBTQ and American Indian communities, among others, in order to change the way the city’s history is told.
“The goal is not just to look at right now — at changing the name of Columbus to La Raza Park or Stapleton or changing a plaque — but really to create legacy and prophecy,” Navas-Nieves said. “When we are gone, when there are public processes in terms of naming buildings and streets, that there is process in place that is inclusive and diverse and addresses any type of racism and social injustice.”
Navas-Nieves said it’s important not to negate the feelings of those who are angry, those who feel the desire to rip down statues before a desired outcome has been reached.
“We need to have accurate portrayal of our history to build stronger relationships with communities,” she said.
And while the base of the Civic Center statue was removed Friday morning, that does not mean it might not be back up with a new plaque and a new name, depending on what the community decides, Navas-Nieves said.
Support for keeping statue
The American Indian Movement of Colorado and the sculptor’s son both support removing the plaque and changing the name, but keeping the statue up.
“My whole family was very disappointed in the people who violently removed it,” said Tim Joseph, who helped his father sculpt the Da Vinci-inspired piece as a teenager. “There was a way of going about change, and that is not the way. But yeah, we’d like the statue to be put back up with a revised plaque.”
In 1968, William Joseph was commissioned by a flamboyant Italian immigrant named Alfred Adamo to create a sculpture, Tim Joseph said. His father wanted it to be called “Man of All Nations,” but Adamo insisted the sculpture be named after Columbus because of his Italian heritage. Joseph remembers his father grumbling about the name as the two worked on it, but ultimately it was approved by the city. When the statue went up in 1975, it was all cheers.
“That’s what art should do,” Tim Joseph said. “It should be able to represent what’s going on. Fifty years ago it did exactly that — everyone was gung ho, so let the sculpture evolve. And if the people that object agree to that, then we found common ground.”
His hope is that it comes back — perhaps under the “Man of All Nations” name that his father originally wanted.
Despite announcements and commissions from city leaders, however, protesters have decided to take matters into their own hands.
In the early hours of Thursday morning, Denver police said, a group of four people pulled down the soldier atop the state’s Civil War monument on the west side of the Capitol.
That statue, erected in 1909, commemorates battles fought by Colorado soldiers and memorializes those who died. The last of the 22 battles listed on the statue’s base is Sand Creek — which was not a battle at all, but a massacre of more than 200 Cheyenne and Arapaho Indians, mostly women and children, by Col. John Chivington and his Colorado Volunteers.
Without acknowledging the memorial’s ties to the Sand Creek Massacre, Gov. Jared Polis on Thursday decried the removal of the statue, saying in a statement, “We will use every tool at our disposal to work with Denver police and to hold accountable those responsible for the damage whether they are hooligans, white supremacists, confederate sympathizers or drunk teenagers.”


thedenverpost--2020-06-26--Andrew Romanoff needs Colorado’s progressive voters. Can he unite them?

The progressive wing of the Democratic Party is a fickle bunch — free-thinking and untethered , willing to sit out an election when unimpressed by the candidates .
U.S. Senate candidate Andrew Romanoff needs as many of these progressives as possible to line up behind his candidacy if he stands any chance of pulling off what his campaign says would be “ one of the biggest political upsets of our time ” — a defeat of John Hickenlooper in the Democratic primary Tuesday .
Progressives are ascendant in Colorado , and Romanoff brought them aboard his campaign this year and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democratic field seeking to challenge Republican incumbent Cory Gardner .
But in that time , he has routinely faced questions about his centrist past and heard the animosity of progressives skeptical of his lurch to the left .
“ Progressives are absolutely not a monolith , and I know many who personally are struggling with this primary , as they don ’ t see either Senate candidate as a progressive , ” said Stephany Rose Spaulding , a progressive and former Senate candidate who lost to Romanoff at the Democratic state assembly in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ either candidate for this very reason.
” Lorena Garcia , arguably the most progressive candidate to run for Senate in Colorado this year , disagreed often with Romanoff , whom she calls a “ fauxgressive.
” “ I think there are efforts to unify the progressives around Romanoff , but it ’ s not working , ” Garcia said Wednesday .
“ I think it ’ s not working because many of these progressive leaders who are now pushing energy his way had originally denounced Romanoff when he entered the race and are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ progressive champion .
This is not only insincere , it ’ s inauthentic , and progressives demand authenticity .
People may still vote because he says the right things , but the excitement for this race is gone.
” One area where Romanoff has excelled is in uniting climate-focused progressives .
National climate leaders have endorsed him , and the youth-led Sunrise Movement has worked the phones and hit the streets for months to help Romanoff .
Former Senate candidate Diana Bray , a climate activist , has endorsed Romanoff .
“ It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only former candidate who is now backing Andrew , ” Bray says .
“ Not one other person came out in support of him , but I don ’ t think this is reflective at all as to how the public sees him.
” She said Romanoff has unified the climate movement and will win Tuesday , defying conventional wisdom .
“ Romanoff ’ s consistent trajectory has been from relatively centrist to progressive to ultra-progressive : Green New Deal , Medicare for All , reparations , systemic change , ” Bray added @ @ @ @ @ @ @ masked and ready.
” Romanoff also believes progressives are united behind him .
In an interview this week , he listed national progressive advocates who have endorsed him — Ady Barkan , Bill McKibben , Wendell Potter — as evidence of that .
“ The way Romanoff has been playing this as an ‘ outsider ’ candidate running against an establishment candidate is pretty much by the playbook , ” said Kyle Saunders , a political science professor at Colorado State University .
“ You try to court anti-establishment groups , you try @ @ @ @ @ @ @ party , and he has done that relatively successfully.
” The Progressive Change Campaign Committee , which helped liberal U.S. Senate candidate Charles Booker turn a Kentucky primary competitive Tuesday , endorsed Romanoff this week and raised $ 10,000 for him by Wednesday .
Its members will work the phones for him through Election Day , in tandem with Sunrise volunteers .
“ This is obviously one of the most winnable Senate seats in 2020 , a year that Democrats really want to win back the Senate , ” said Maria Langholz , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ and there ’ s really no excuse for electing a corporate Democrat who is fighting against progress on a lot of key issues.
” What Romanoff lacks — and what some of his supporters have long awaited — is an endorsement from a nationally known progressive elected official , namely Sen. Bernie Sanders .
David Sirota , a Colorado-based Sanders adviser , supports Romanoff and state Rep. Emily Sirota , his wife , says she and all of Colorado ’ s Sanders delegates to the Democratic National Convention back Romanoff , too @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He ’ s our best shot to win the Senate seat in November and actually use that representation to do the work that needs to be done , ” said Emily Sirota .
“ That ’ s why I support Andrew .
I think many progressives feel similarly .
”

The progressive wing of the Democratic Party is a fickle bunch — free-thinking and untethered, willing to sit out an election when unimpressed by the candidates.
U.S. Senate candidate Andrew Romanoff needs as many of these progressives as possible to line up behind his candidacy if he stands any chance of pulling off what his campaign says would be “one of the biggest political upsets of our time” — a defeat of John Hickenlooper in the Democratic primary Tuesday.
Progressives are ascendant in Colorado, and Romanoff brought them aboard his campaign this year and last better than anyone in a crowded Democratic field seeking to challenge Republican incumbent Cory Gardner. But in that time, he has routinely faced questions about his centrist past and heard the animosity of progressives skeptical of his lurch to the left.
“Progressives are absolutely not a monolith, and I know many who personally are struggling with this primary, as they don’t see either Senate candidate as a progressive,” said Stephany Rose Spaulding, a progressive and former Senate candidate who lost to Romanoff at the Democratic state assembly in April. “I have not endorsed either candidate for this very reason.”
Lorena Garcia, arguably the most progressive candidate to run for Senate in Colorado this year, disagreed often with Romanoff, whom she calls a “fauxgressive.”
“I think there are efforts to unify the progressives around Romanoff, but it’s not working,” Garcia said Wednesday.
“I think it’s not working because many of these progressive leaders who are now pushing energy his way had originally denounced Romanoff when he entered the race and are now trying to claim he is the progressive champion. This is not only insincere, it’s inauthentic, and progressives demand authenticity. People may still vote because he says the right things, but the excitement for this race is gone.”
One area where Romanoff has excelled is in uniting climate-focused progressives. National climate leaders have endorsed him, and the youth-led Sunrise Movement has worked the phones and hit the streets for months to help Romanoff. Former Senate candidate Diana Bray, a climate activist, has endorsed Romanoff.
“It is very interesting that I am the only former candidate who is now backing Andrew,” Bray says. “Not one other person came out in support of him, but I don’t think this is reflective at all as to how the public sees him.”
She said Romanoff has unified the climate movement and will win Tuesday, defying conventional wisdom.
“Romanoff’s consistent trajectory has been from relatively centrist to progressive to ultra-progressive: Green New Deal, Medicare for All, reparations, systemic change,” Bray added. “The people of Colorado are masked and ready.”
Romanoff also believes progressives are united behind him. In an interview this week, he listed national progressive advocates who have endorsed him — Ady Barkan, Bill McKibben, Wendell Potter — as evidence of that.
“The way Romanoff has been playing this as an ‘outsider’ candidate running against an establishment candidate is pretty much by the playbook,” said Kyle Saunders, a political science professor at Colorado State University. “You try to court anti-establishment groups, you try to court the progressive wing of the party, and he has done that relatively successfully.”
The Progressive Change Campaign Committee, which helped liberal U.S. Senate candidate Charles Booker turn a Kentucky primary competitive Tuesday, endorsed Romanoff this week and raised $10,000 for him by Wednesday. Its members will work the phones for him through Election Day, in tandem with Sunrise volunteers.
“This is obviously one of the most winnable Senate seats in 2020, a year that Democrats really want to win back the Senate,” said Maria Langholz, a press secretary for the PCCC, “and there’s really no excuse for electing a corporate Democrat who is fighting against progress on a lot of key issues.”
What Romanoff lacks — and what some of his supporters have long awaited — is an endorsement from a nationally known progressive elected official, namely Sen. Bernie Sanders. David Sirota, a Colorado-based Sanders adviser, supports Romanoff and state Rep. Emily Sirota, his wife, says she and all of Colorado’s Sanders delegates to the Democratic National Convention back Romanoff, too. But Sanders does not.
“He’s our best shot to win the Senate seat in November and actually use that representation to do the work that needs to be done,” said Emily Sirota. “That’s why I support Andrew. I think many progressives feel similarly.”


thedenverpost--2020-06-26--CSU basketball’s Niko Medved encouraged by student athlete social activism: “These guys are learning

CSU basketball’s Niko Medved encouraged by student athlete social activism: “These guys are learning that they have a voice”

Niko Medved has held countless video meetings with his Colorado State men ’ s basketball players since the end of last season .
But their most important conversations were often not about hoops at all .
Nationwide protests against police brutality and racial injustice in recent months gave the Rams , and everyone involved with college athletics , a moment to reflect .
“ It ’ s hard to do what we do and have relationships with young men , especially young men of color , and not be impacted and disturbed by a lot of the things you see @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ We have a really good culture on our team and a lot of guys who really want to learn and listen .
And , I think this is a really good opportunity for us to learn more .
“ We were talking about this with our guys , that sometimes , you don ’ t know what you don ’ t know .
There are a lot of people , and especially white people , that are naïve to what ’ s going on and what that feels like to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been great for us to be open-minded , learn , and have those discussions with our team.
” NCAA athletes across the country have used their platforms for social activism to hold coaches and schools responsible for inequality .
It ’ s already producing results .
One example : Nearly every college football coach in the state of Mississippi on Thursday lobbied at the state legislature to change the state flag , which features a confederate symbol .
At CSU , budding star forward David Roddy spent recent months in his hometown of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where Roddy participated in protests and city recovery efforts .
Roddy was pictured on Twitter earlier this month donating goods to an “ essential needs ” drive in his local community .
Increased dialogue about race relations back in Fort Collins also led to a greater push for the Rams to recognize Juneteenth — the annual June 19 celebration marking the emancipation of slaves back in 1865 .
“ We were talking to our team about Juneteenth and it was amazing how many of our guys , even me , didn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Medved said .
“ We ’ ve had discussions about what we can do to push and make that a national holiday and to draw more awareness to that.
” Medved also agreed with a movement within the NCAA to suspend all activities on Nov. 3 , Election Day , to allow for student-athletes to vote .
Medved called the idea a “ no brainer ” and added that it is “ not just getting out and voting .
It ’ s also having a willingness to learn and understand what that vote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than any , really has an opportunity to impact change , ” Medved said .
“ I ’ m really moved by their positivity behind this , their willingness to make a difference and to understand that they can be heard .
I think my job as a coach is to help empower players to be able to do that .
“ These guys are learning that they have a voice .
”

Niko Medved has held countless video meetings with his Colorado State men’s basketball players since the end of last season. But their most important conversations were often not about hoops at all.
Nationwide protests against police brutality and racial injustice in recent months gave the Rams, and everyone involved with college athletics, a moment to reflect.
“It’s hard to do what we do and have relationships with young men, especially young men of color, and not be impacted and disturbed by a lot of the things you see,” Medved told The Denver Post. “We have a really good culture on our team and a lot of guys who really want to learn and listen. And, I think this is a really good opportunity for us to learn more.
“We were talking about this with our guys, that sometimes, you don’t know what you don’t know. There are a lot of people, and especially white people, that are naïve to what’s going on and what that feels like to be an African American. It’s been great for us to be open-minded, learn, and have those discussions with our team.”
NCAA athletes across the country have used their platforms for social activism to hold coaches and schools responsible for inequality. It’s already producing results. One example: Nearly every college football coach in the state of Mississippi on Thursday lobbied at the state legislature to change the state flag, which features a confederate symbol.
At CSU, budding star forward David Roddy spent recent months in his hometown of Minneapolis, Minn., Medved said, where Roddy participated in protests and city recovery efforts. Roddy was pictured on Twitter earlier this month donating goods to an “essential needs” drive in his local community.
Increased dialogue about race relations back in Fort Collins also led to a greater push for the Rams to recognize Juneteenth — the annual June 19 celebration marking the emancipation of slaves back in 1865.
“We were talking to our team about Juneteenth and it was amazing how many of our guys, even me, didn’t really understand what that meant,” Medved said. “We’ve had discussions about what we can do to push and make that a national holiday and to draw more awareness to that.”
Medved also agreed with a movement within the NCAA to suspend all activities on Nov. 3, Election Day, to allow for student-athletes to vote. Medved called the idea a “no brainer” and added that it is “not just getting out and voting. It’s also having a willingness to learn and understand what that vote means.”
“This generation, maybe more than any, really has an opportunity to impact change,” Medved said. “I’m really moved by their positivity behind this, their willingness to make a difference and to understand that they can be heard. I think my job as a coach is to help empower players to be able to do that.
“These guys are learning that they have a voice.”


thedenverpost--2020-06-26--Rockies announcer Drew Goodman talks unique rules in 2020, calling road games from Denver and more

Drew Goodman , now in his 19th season calling the Rockies , prides himself in being a “ baseball purist.
” But even he is embracing the unusual wrinkles in a condensed 60-game season that is slated to begin July 23 or 24 .
That includes the designated hitter being used in both leagues as well as the institution of a rule commonly referred to in youth baseball as the “ California tiebreaker , ” where extra-inning games in the regular season will begin with a runner on second base .
“ This year , and even going forward , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” said Goodman .
“ So I have no issue with tinkering in a lot of ways , and especially this year .
Even though I ’ ve always been a huge fan of the National League and the fact that managers really have to strategize late in ballgames and how they use their ‘ pen… certainly this year I think ( the DH ) is appropriate , and going forward I know what the ( hitting ) numbers are for pitchers , so maybe it is time we see the DH @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tiebreaker , that could bring a lot of intrigue to the end of ballgames.
” While the 57-year-old laments the lack of an expanded playoff format — something that would ’ ve occurred had MLB and the players ’ association coming to an agreement without commissioner Rob Manfred having to mandate a season — Goodman also believes a shortened schedule helps the Rockies ’ playoff chances .
After finishing 71-91 last year to finish fourth in the National League West last year , Colorado was widely picked to finish in the bottom half @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic .
“ With the sprint of the season , there ’ s a lot of teams who will flash back to how they feel in February where everyone ’ s optimistic , ” Goodman said .
“ I certainly am , because I think the Rockies can put a competitive ( expanded ) roster out there , although they don ’ t have great depth on the mound , especially when it comes to starting pitching .
There , the old health question becomes even more of a concern for the Rockies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Goodman and his fellow broadcasters with AT & T are preparing to call this season ’ s road games from the network ’ s home studio .
“ For the road games , we ’ ll be calling it off a monitor , so we will all have to adjust and that will be a challenge , ” Goodman said .
“ But hey , I ’ d jog down to Coors Field from my house right now if someone said there was a game somewhere tonight and a broadcast to go with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ report to Spring Training 2.0 on July 1 in Denver , Goodman said he ’ s most excited about the potential of two particular players this summer .
“ ( Infielder ) Ryan McMahon is in a position to make a big jump and break out , especially after what he showed last year , ” Goodman said .
“ And ( left-hander ) Kyle Freeland , who was off to a really good start in the spring , he needs to bounce back and he ’ d be the first person to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s in position to do that .
”

Drew Goodman, now in his 19th season calling the Rockies, prides himself in being a “baseball purist.” But even he is embracing the unusual wrinkles in a condensed 60-game season that is slated to begin July 23 or 24.
That includes the designated hitter being used in both leagues as well as the institution of a rule commonly referred to in youth baseball as the “California tiebreaker,” where extra-inning games in the regular season will begin with a runner on second base.
“This year, and even going forward, the sport has to continue to evolve,” said Goodman. “So I have no issue with tinkering in a lot of ways, and especially this year. Even though I’ve always been a huge fan of the National League and the fact that managers really have to strategize late in ballgames and how they use their ‘pen… certainly this year I think (the DH) is appropriate, and going forward I know what the (hitting) numbers are for pitchers, so maybe it is time we see the DH for both leagues. And the California tiebreaker, that could bring a lot of intrigue to the end of ballgames.”
While the 57-year-old laments the lack of an expanded playoff format — something that would’ve occurred had MLB and the players’ association come to an agreement without commissioner Rob Manfred having to mandate a season — Goodman also believes a shortened schedule helps the Rockies’ playoff chances.
After finishing 71-91 last year to finish fourth in the National League West, Colorado was widely picked to finish in the bottom half of the division once again before the pandemic.
“With the sprint of the season, there’s a lot of teams who will flash back to how they feel in February where everyone’s optimistic,” Goodman said. “I certainly am, because I think the Rockies can put a competitive (expanded) roster out there, although they don’t have great depth on the mound, especially when it comes to starting pitching. There, the old health question becomes even more of a concern for the Rockies than some other teams, potentially.”
Goodman and his fellow broadcasters with AT&T are preparing to call this season’s road games from the network’s home studio.
“For the road games, we’ll be calling it off a monitor, so we will all have to adjust and that will be a challenge,” Goodman said. “But hey, I’d jog down to Coors Field from my house right now if someone said there was a game somewhere tonight and a broadcast to go with it.”
As Colorado players prepare to report to Spring Training 2.0 on July 1 in Denver, Goodman said he’s most excited about the potential of two particular players this summer.
“(Infielder) Ryan McMahon is in a position to make a big jump and break out, especially after what he showed last year,” Goodman said. “And (left-hander) Kyle Freeland, who was off to a really good start in the spring, he needs to bounce back and he’d be the first person to say that. I think he’s in position to do that.”


thedenverpost--2020-06-26--Von Miller snubbed in CBS Sports’ list of NFL’s top 10 edge rushers

CBS Sports unveiled on Thursday its list of the NFL ’ s top 10 edge rushers and there was one name that was noticeably absent .
Broncos linebacker Von Miller came in somewhere between Nos .
11-15 as an honorable mention for the list .
Miller , who was a Pro Bowl selection in each of the last six years , finished with eight sacks in 15 games .
It was his first non-double-digit total since recording five in nine games after suffering a torn ACL in 2013 .
“ Von Miller isn ’ t on this list in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on this list , ” CBS Sports ’ Ryan Wilson , who wrote the article , said after the list came out .
“ He just didn ’ t play well last year , so that ’ s one name you left off the list because you felt historically why shouldn ’ t Von Miller be there ?
” CBS Sports ’ NFL analyst Bryant McFadden also chimed in , saying : “ To his standard , he had a down year .
… But what I like about Von Miller … was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ four sacks for the Denver Broncos .
In totality , the entire defense played well toward the back end of 2019 .
“ Leading into 2020 , the expectation with the defense being fully healthy , you add ( Bradley ) Chubb back into the lineup , you add Jurrell Casey , he can easily get back into that 14-sack plateau , something he did in 2018 and years beyond past that.
” One name that did make the list was former CSU Rams and Broncos star Shaquil Barrett , who came in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ It wasn ’ t until he landed in Tampa Bay last season that he emerged as one of the best pass rushers in the league .
In 16 starts he totaled 19.5 sacks , nine of which game in the first four games , ” Wilson writes .
CBS Sports has released top 10 lists for quarterbacks , running backs , wide receivers , tight ends , offensive linemen , defensive backs and linebackers .
No Broncos have made any of the lists .
If you enjoy the Denver Sports Omelette @ @ @ @ @ @ @ easy to sign up here for our daily sports roundup .
If you have any questions or suggestions , hit me up on Twitter @ joenguyen or by email .
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Ask Patrick Saunders here .
Rockies announcer Drew Goodman talks unique rules in 2020 , calling road games from Denver and more Drew Goodman , now in his 19th season calling the Rockies , prides himself in being a “ baseball purist.
” But even he is embracing the unusual wrinkles in a condensed 60-game season that is slated to begin July 23 or 24 .
Read more… “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : Denver South to reconsider Rebels nickname For nearly half a century , Denver South High School ’ s nickname — the Rebels — has been a point of controversy among students , faculty , and alumni .
Now , in the midst of protests nationwide regarding monuments and names deemed offensive , the nickname may soon be no longer .
Read more… Kiszla : Weddings .
Funerals .
Hall of Fame ceremonies .
“ All those plans are up in smoke , ” Broncos safety Steve Atwater says We curse COVID-19 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mercy .
This pandemic is also a dirty-rotten scoundrel that mindlessly wrecks wedding plans , heartlessly steals the hugs from a funeral service and wickedly messes with the biggest day in a football player ’ s life .
Read more… + CSU basketball ’ s Niko Medved encouraged by student athlete social activism : “ These guys are learning that they have a voice.
” + Special edition podcast : Breaking down the return of MLB , NBA and NHL .
+ Ski resorts are opening for the summer .
Here ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred : “ We owe it to our fans to be better.
” If you see something that ’ s cause for question or have a comment , thought or suggestion , email me at dboniface @ denverpost.com or tweet me @ danielboniface .

CBS Sports unveiled on Thursday its list of the NFL’s top 10 edge rushers and there was one name that was noticeably absent.
Broncos linebacker Von Miller came in somewhere between Nos. 11-15 as an honorable mention for the list. Miller, who was a Pro Bowl selection in each of the last six years, finished with eight sacks in 15 games. It was his first non-double-digit total since recording five in nine games after suffering a torn ACL in 2013.
“Von Miller isn’t on this list in the top 10. Von Miller is always on this list,” CBS Sports’ Ryan Wilson, who wrote the article, said after the list came out. “He just didn’t play well last year, so that’s one name you left off the list because you felt historically why shouldn’t Von Miller be there?”
CBS Sports’ NFL analyst Bryant McFadden also chimed in, saying: “To his standard, he had a down year. … But what I like about Von Miller … was the last six games, he provided four sacks for the Denver Broncos. In totality, the entire defense played well toward the back end of 2019.
“Leading into 2020, the expectation with the defense being fully healthy, you add (Bradley) Chubb back into the lineup, you add Jurrell Casey, he can easily get back into that 14-sack plateau, something he did in 2018 and years beyond past that.”
One name that did make the list was former CSU Rams and Broncos star Shaquil Barrett, who came in at No. 6 for the Buccaneers.
“It wasn’t until he landed in Tampa Bay last season that he emerged as one of the best pass rushers in the league. In 16 starts he totaled 19.5 sacks, nine of which game in the first four games,” Wilson writes.
CBS Sports has released top 10 lists for quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers, tight ends, offensive linemen, defensive backs and linebackers. No Broncos have made any of the lists.
— Joe Nguyen, The Denver Post
If you enjoy the Denver Sports Omelette, tell a friend it’s easy to sign up here for our daily sports roundup. If you have any questions or suggestions, hit me up on Twitter @joenguyen or by email.
A special offer for Sports Omelette readers! Subscribe to The Denver Post’s sports coverage for just 99¢ for the first month and only $6.99/month thereafter. Cancel anytime.
Ask The Experts
+ Broncos Mailbag: Have a question about the team? Ask Ryan O’Halloran here.
+ Nuggets Mailbag: Have a question about the team? Ask Mike Singer here.
+ Avs Mailbag: Have a question about the team? Ask Mike Chambers here.
+ Rockies Mailbag: Have a question about the team? Ask Patrick Saunders here.
Must-Read
Drew Goodman, now in his 19th season calling the Rockies, prides himself in being a “baseball purist.” But even he is embracing the unusual wrinkles in a condensed 60-game season that is slated to begin July 23 or 24. Read more…
For nearly half a century, Denver South High School’s nickname — the Rebels — has been a point of controversy among students, faculty, and alumni. Now, in the midst of protests nationwide regarding monuments and names deemed offensive, the nickname may soon be no longer. Read more…
We curse COVID-19, and not only because it kills without mercy. This pandemic is also a dirty-rotten scoundrel that mindlessly wrecks wedding plans, heartlessly steals the hugs from a funeral service and wickedly messes with the biggest day in a football player’s life. Read more…
Quick Hits
+ CSU basketball’s Niko Medved encouraged by student athlete social activism: “These guys are learning that they have a voice.”
+ Special edition podcast: Breaking down the return of MLB, NBA and NHL.
+ Ski resorts are opening for the summer. Here’s what they’re offering.
+ Niwot’s Taylor James named Gatorade Colorado girls track & field athlete of the year.
+ NFL cancels Hall of Fame game, delays inductions until 2021.
+ MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred: “We owe it to our fans to be better.”
+ Vince Carter, 43, retires after record 22 NBA seasons.
+ Australia, New Zealand to co-host 2023 Women’s World Cup.
Get in Touch
If you see something that’s cause for question or have a comment, thought or suggestion, email me at dboniface@denverpost.com or tweet me @danielboniface.


thedenverpost--2020-06-26--Elijah McClain timeline: What happened that night and what has happened since

Nearly 10 months after Elijah McClain ’ s death following an encounter with Aurora police , the 23-year-old ’ s story is being spread by celebrities , politicians and national news organizations .
The increased interest in the incident , and others like it , has prompted Colorado lawmakers and Gov .
Jared Polis to take action .
Below is a timeline of how we got to this moment , as reported by The Denver Post .
Elijah McClain , 23 , was walking home from a store around 10:30 p.m. on a Saturday evening when authorities contacted him near @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Someone had called 911 to report a “ suspicious person ” who was wearing a ski mask and waving his arms .
McClain routinely wore masks when he was outside because he had anemia — a blood condition — and became cold easily , according to his family .
Police said McClain refused to stop walking when they asked him to and he battled when they attempted to take him into custody .
Police body cam footage would show that an officer got close to McClain and touched him .
“ Stop @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up , ” the officer said .
McClain replied : “ I am going home .
… Leave me alone , ” and “ Let me go .
No , let me go .
I am an introvert .
Please respect my boundaries that I am speaking.
” After a struggle , McClain was handcuffed and officers requested medical assistance .
Aurora Fire Rescue later injected him with ketamine in an attempt to sedate him , police said .
He suffered cardiac arrest during the ambulance ride to a nearby hospital .
Aurora @ @ @ @ @ @ @ days later and The Denver Post published an brief story on the incident based on their release .
The following Friday McClain was declared “ brain dead ” and was expected to be taken off life support that afternoon , family members said .
He died later that day .
McClain ’ s family called for the prosecution of the officers involved during a news conference in Aurora about a month later .
The 23-year-old was unarmed , suspected of no crime and posed no threat to officers , his family ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In early November the Adams County Coroner ’ s Office said that the cause and manner of McClain ’ s death were “ undetermined.
” “ The decedent was violently struggling with officers who were attempting to restrain him .
Most likely the decedent ’ s physical exertion contributed to death , ” the autopsy report said .
“ It is unclear if the officers ’ actions contributed as well.
” Regarding the use of ketamine , which McClain ’ s family had called into question weeks earlier , the report said : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a theraputic level but and idiosyncratic drug reaction ( unexpected reaction to a drug even at a therapeutic level ) can not be excluded ” as a possible contributing factor to his death .
“ Based on my review of the EMS reports , hospital records , bodycam footage from the restraining officers , and the autopsy findings , I can not determine which manner of death is most likely , ” the report concludes .
Two weeks later , District Attorney Dave Young announced that no criminal charges will be filed against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ incident .
( In June 2020 , Young would defend his decision after intense national interest . )
Later that day , at 7 p.m. , Aurora police held a news conference and released body camera footage from the incident on YouTube .
Mari Newman , the attorney representing McClain and his family , blasted the police department , describing its announcement as a “ surprise closed-door press conference about its killing of Elijah McClain.
” Newman , in a written statement , said McClain ’ s family wasn ’ t notified of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a promise of “ transparency ” by police .
The Aurora police chief said he made the decision to hold the Friday-night news conference because of the decision letter .
In response to Young ’ s decision , McClain ’ s family and supporters held a rally the following day .
Nearly six months after McClain ’ s death , an excessive force review board with the Aurora Police Department found that the actions taken by its officers were “ within policy and consistent with training.
” In the wake of George Floyd @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , demonstrators gathered on a Saturday in early June to decry the death and honor the life of McClain .
The 23-year-old is just one of several controversial police killings in Colorado over the past two decades .
Days later , three members of Aurora ’ s city council called on the city manager to begin an independent investigation into McClain ’ s death .
During a news conference later that day , however , Aurora City Manager Jim Twombly said that he already had initiated a review of the death .
This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s family , the city council and taxpayers .
Twombly said that back in February the city had hired attorney Eric Daigle , a former Connecticut State Police officer , to lead an independent investigation .
The following day Twombly would cancel that contract following a public outcry .
“ I hear and understand Council ’ s concerns—as well as the community ’ s—about the individual that was hired to conduct the review , ” Twombly said in a statement .
“ Therefore , I have canceled Mr. Daigle ’ s contract and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ soon as possible to determine our next steps initiating a new review.
” The news conference that brought this information to light was intended to announce police police chances , including a ban on carotid pressure holds , a maneuver used to restrain McClain .
In late June , with growing national interest , Gov .
Jared Polis designated Attorney General Phil Weiser as a special prosecutor to investigate the death of McClain a day after he said he would examine the state ’ s options .
The governor ’ s office said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Weiser would also criminally prosecute any individuals whose actions caused McClain ’ s death .
This timeline will be updated as needed .
Check denverpost.com/tag/elijah-mcclain/ for the latest information .
Rob Denton , Elise Schmelzer , Kieran Nicholson and Elizabeth Hernandez contributed to this report .

Nearly one year after Elijah McClain’s death following an encounter with Aurora police, the 23-year-old’s story is being spread by celebrities, politicians and national news organizations. The increased interest in the incident, and others like it, has prompted Colorado lawmakers and Gov. Jared Polis to take action.
Below is a timeline of how we got to this moment, as reported by The Denver Post.
Aug. 24, 2019
Elijah McClain, 23, was walking home from a store around 10:30 p.m. on a Saturday evening when authorities contacted him near Billings Street and Colfax Avenue in Denver. Someone had called 911 to report a “suspicious person” who was wearing a ski mask and waving his arms.
McClain routinely wore masks when he was outside because he had anemia — a blood condition — and became cold easily, according to his family.
Police said McClain refused to stop walking when they asked him to and he battled when they attempted to take him into custody.
Police body cam footage would show that an officer got close to McClain and touched him. “Stop tensing up, dude. Stop tensing up,” the officer said. McClain replied: “I am going home. … Leave me alone,” and “Let me go. No, let me go. I am an introvert. Please respect my boundaries that I am speaking.”
After a struggle, McClain was handcuffed and officers requested medical assistance. Aurora Fire Rescue later injected him with ketamine in an attempt to sedate him, police said. He suffered cardiac arrest during the ambulance ride to a nearby hospital.
Aurora police released information on the incident two days later and The Denver Post published a brief story on the incident based on their release.
Aug. 30
The following Friday McClain was declared “brain dead” and was expected to be taken off life support that afternoon, family members said. He died later that day.
Oct. 1
McClain’s family called for the prosecution of the officers involved during a news conference in Aurora about a month later. The 23-year-old was unarmed, suspected of no crime and posed no threat to officers, his family’s attorney, Mari Newman, said.
Nov. 8
In early November the Adams County Coroner’s Office said that the cause and manner of McClain’s death were “undetermined.”
“The decedent was violently struggling with officers who were attempting to restrain him. Most likely the decedent’s physical exertion contributed to death,” the autopsy report said. “It is unclear if the officers’ actions contributed as well.”
Regarding the use of ketamine, which McClain’s family had called into question weeks earlier, the report said: “The blood ketamine concentration was at a theraputic level but and idiosyncratic drug reaction (unexpected reaction to a drug even at a therapeutic level) cannot be excluded” as a possible contributing factor to his death.
“Based on my review of the EMS reports, hospital records, bodycam footage from the restraining officers, and the autopsy findings, I cannot determine which manner of death is most likely,” the report concludes.
Nov. 22
Two weeks later, District Attorney Dave Young announced that no criminal charges will be filed against the Aurora police officers involved in the incident. (In June 2020, Young would defend his decision after intense national interest.)
Later that day, at 7 p.m., Aurora police held a news conference and released body camera footage from the incident on YouTube. Mari Newman, the attorney representing McClain and his family, blasted the police department, describing its announcement as a “surprise closed-door press conference about its killing of Elijah McClain.”
Newman, in a written statement, said McClain’s family wasn’t notified of the DA’s decision letter despite a promise of “transparency” by police. The Aurora police chief said he made the decision to hold the Friday-night news conference because of the decision letter.
In response to Young’s decision, McClain’s family and supporters held a rally the following day.
Feb. 6, 2020
Nearly six months after McClain’s death, an excessive force review board with the Aurora Police Department found that the actions taken by its officers were “within policy and consistent with training.”
June 6
In the wake of George Floyd’s death and nationwide police protests, demonstrators gathered on a Saturday in early June to decry the death and honor the life of McClain. The 23-year-old is just one of several controversial police killings in Colorado over the past two decades.
June 9
Days later, three members of Aurora’s city council called on the city manager to begin an independent investigation into McClain’s death.
During a news conference later that day, however, Aurora City Manager Jim Twombly said that he already had initiated a review of the death. This came as a surprise to McClain’s family, the city council and taxpayers.
Twombly said that back in February the city had hired attorney Eric Daigle, a former Connecticut State Police officer, to lead an independent investigation.
The following day Twombly would cancel that contract following a public outcry.
“I hear and understand Council’s concerns—as well as the community’s—about the individual that was hired to conduct the review,” Twombly said in a statement. “Therefore, I have canceled Mr. Daigle’s contract and will be meeting with the Council as soon as possible to determine our next steps initiating a new review.”
The news conference that brought this information to light was intended to announce police policy changes, including a ban on carotid pressure holds, a maneuver used to restrain McClain.
June 25
In late June, with growing national interest, Gov. Jared Polis designated Attorney General Phil Weiser as a special prosecutor to investigate the death of McClain a day after he said he would examine the state’s options.
The governor’s office said that if the facts support prosecution, Weiser would also criminally prosecute any individuals whose actions caused McClain’s death.
June 27
Thousands of people filled Aurora’s municipal center and shut down an Interstate 225 marching and protesting for justice for McClain. No injuries or arrests were reported during the day but as evening fell, tensions rose and police announced that the protest was now an “illegal gathering.” Police said protesters were throwing rocks and bottles and confirmed they used pepper spray on the crowd. That scene contrasted sharply with the violinists who were performing at the same time, honoring McClain who played the instrument.
Two days later, Aurora’s interim police chief said it was necessary to use lines of riot police to clear out a Saturday protest after undercover police officers heard people talking about rushing the department’s headquarters and saw people in the crowd passing out rocks.
June 29
The following week, Aurora police announced that multiple officers had been placed on administrative leave pending an internal investigation into photographs of officers in connection to the death of McClain.
Interim Chief of Police Vanessa Wilson released a statement at 10 p.m. Monday saying she was apprised the previous Thursday of “allegations reported to Internal Affairs by an Aurora Police Officer alleging multiple Aurora Police officers were depicted in photographs near the site where Elijah McClain died.”
An Aurora police spokesman would not talk specifically about the photographs when questioned by The Denver Post on Monday night, pending later public release.
June 30
One day after acknowledging the internal investigation, Aurora police said that it could take weeks for the department to release its investigation if any of the officers involved decide to appeal the decision.
Meanwhile, federal law enforcement agencies revealed that, since last year, they’ve been investigating McClain’s death, in addition to the city and state inquiries. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado, the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division and the Denver Division of the FBI said in a news release that the recent international attention around the death of McClain in August caused them to disclose their ongoing investigation.
July 2
One of the Aurora police officers under investigation for posing for photos at the site where McClain was arrested tendered his resignation, the department said less than a week after the investigation was announced. Jaron Jones had been with the department since October 2016, police said.
July 3
The following day, Aurora police released the images at the center of the investigation and interim Chief Vanessa Wilson fired two of the three officers in the photos from last October. The third officer pictured resigned earlier in the week. A fourth officer who received the photo was also terminated.
In one of the images, officers are seen reenacting a carotid pressure hold at the site of McClain’s arrest.
The department also released the full internal affairs investigation into the incident.
That fourth officer was Jason Rosenblatt, one of the three officers involved in McClain’s death last summer. Wilson said that he recieved the photo in a group text message and replied “ha ha.”
Erica Marrero and Kyle Dittrich were the two officers terminated who were in the photos. Jaron Jones, the third officer in the photos had already resigned. The following week, Marrero and Dittrich appealed their terminations for snapping selfies mocking the death of Elijah McClain at the site where he was put into a carotid chokehold. Rosenblatt also appealed his firing for texting “ha ha” in response to the pictures. Rosenblatt has sued the city and interim Chief Vanessa Wilson over his dismissal.
July 6
City Manager Jim Twombly, speaking to Mayor Mike Coffman and city council members in a study session, said the job of investigating the death of Elijah McClain is too big for one person and a team will be assembled including both local and national members.
A panel is currently being put together by Twombly and Councilwoman Allison Hiltz. The pair expect to have names of candidates ready for the July 20 study session.
Once assembled, and passed by a city council vote, the team will go about its work looking at prior reviews and investigations with the goal of making recommendations and changes to police and fire department policies, directives and training. It will not be a criminal investigation.
July 11 – 13
A candlelight vigil was held at Utah Park in Aurora. Demonstrators organized a car protest that included more than 200 vehicles and blocked traffic for several blocks, calling for justice for Elijah McClain and to defund the Aurora Police Department. For weeks prior, murals began popping up across Denver as part of the #SprayTheirName art campaign.
July 23
Aurora community leaders filed a class action lawsuit against the city’s police department and its interim chief, accusing them of unconstitutional treatment while breaking up a protest and violin vigil for Elijah McClain. The suit, filed in U.S. District Court in Denver, addresses police response to the June 27 protest, when thousands gathered outside the department’s headquarters to rally for justice for McClain. After hours of peaceful protest and marches, police showed up in riot gear and clashed with protesters.
July 25
The shrieks came from the back of the crowd on Interstate 225 in Aurora, where demonstrators shut down the highway in both directions to protest the death of Elijah McClain. They had been peacefully marching, chanting and shouting. But this screaming was different.
Those in the back of the group screamed to get off the road, to get out of the way, according to witness accounts and videos taken at the scene. Aurora police said a protester fired a weapon — eyewitnesses said that firing may have been aimed at the driver — hitting another protester, who was taken to a hospital in stable condition. Two protesters were shot or grazed, and another fell or jumped from the highway, breaking her leg. The police response to the protest questioned by community members and city leaders.
The Arapahoe County District Attorney later charged Samuel Alvin Young, 23, of Wheat Ridge, with four counts of attempted first-degree murder and other felonies for firing a revolver into a crowd of people at the protest.
July 29
Colorado’s public health department reopened its investigation into the use of ketamine on Elijah McClain after a torrent of requests prompted by international attention to McClain’s death in Aurora.
Aug. 11
Elijah McClain‘s parents filed a federal lawsuit alleging the Aurora police officers and paramedics involved in his death violated his constitutional rights and that McClain’s death is yet another example of how systemic racism in the police department harms the city’s Black residents.
The same day, Colorado’s Attorney General said that his office has been conducting a broad investigation into the policies and practices of the Aurora Police Department, which also announced it would participate in a city-led review of its policing.
Aug. 22
Colorado’s health department announced it plans to review the state’s ketamine waiver program — an announcement that comes nearly one year to the day that Aurora paramedics used the strong sedative on Elijah McClain. The state department grants waivers to first responders to use ketamine to treat extreme agitation in a non-hospital setting. About 90 fire departments and emergency medical service agencies in the state have such waivers.
Aug. 23
Hundreds gathered in a Denver park with McClain’s family to remember the young man with dancing and music. The joyful event was held in lieu of a previously planned march and marked the one-year anniversary of when McClain was detained by Aurora police.
Sept. 14
Aurora City Council voted to temporarily ban the city’s first responders from using ketamine in the field. The ban lasts until 30 days after the completion of a city-commissioned investigation into McClain’s death.
Jan. 8, 2021
Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser announced he will open a grand jury investigation into McClain’s death. Grand jury investigations are by nature secretive. The public will not have access to information about evidence or witnesses presented in the case, though the grand jury will have the discretion to issue a report on its findings if the investigation does not result in charges.
July 7
Gov. Jared Polis signed a bill into law banning police officers from directing paramedics and other medical professionals to use ketamine on someone — a piece of legislation inspired by McClain’s death.
HB21-1251 requires those professionals to weigh people (or make a weight estimate confirmed by at least two other experts) before injecting someone with ketamine. The law also bars medical providers from using ketamine to subdue someone suspected of criminal behavior except in a justifiable medical emergency.
Aug. 24
Ahead of the two-year anniversary of her son’s death, Sheneen McClain asked people not to hold rallies in Elijah’s honor, saying “there’s no way to celebrate this anniversary.”
“His legacy has to be about what’s right in this world, but, unfortunately, his death is highlighted by what is wrong in the world,” Sheneen told The Denver Post. “Elijah’s legacy is about how humanity matters, how our lives matter.”
Sept. 1
Weiser, the Colorado attorney general, announces that a statewide grand jury has returned a 32-count criminal indictment against the Aurora police officers and paramedics who were involved in McClain’s death.
This timeline will be updated as needed. Check denverpost.com/tag/elijah-mcclain/ for the latest information.
Rob Denton, Sam Tabachnik, Elise Schmelzer, Kieran Nicholson and Elizabeth Hernandez contributed to this report.


thedenverpost--2020-06-26--Silverii: Colorado doesn’t need a fairweather friend as U.S. Senator

We all have that one friend who randomly shows up every few years , seemingly out of the blue , and then suddenly they ’ re emailing , texting , calling , telling you how cute the pictures of your baby are on Instagram , wondering what you ’ ve been up to .
And then , once they feel like they ’ ve spent enough time on pleasantries , like clockwork , they need a favor .
They need to borrow $ 50 , or they ’ re hoping you can be a reference for a job — or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hey , can you help me move ?
” My mom used to call these people “ fairweather friends , ” her mother who preferred Yiddish to English would call them “ Shnorrers.
” Here in Colorado , we have our own fairweather friend , our likely one-term junior U.S. senator , Cory Gardner .
We sure saw a lot of then-Congressman Gardner in 2014 when he was running for the seat he now holds .
We saw Gardner ’ s ad where he lunges in front of windmills , calling himself a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ saw Gardner traipsing around in the woods in a spotless bomber jacket , claiming , “ when my party is wrong , I ’ ll say it , and when something ’ s broken , I ’ ll fix it.
” Two years later , we heard Gardner say he couldn ’ t bring himself to vote for Donald Trump .
But after Trump unexpectedly won that November , Gardner “ evolved ” from calling for Trump to withdraw to being one of the first to endorse his re-election .
We ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when his party is wrong .
When Donald Trump used the racist epithet “ kung flu ” last weekend to describe the deadly pandemic coronavirus , which has claimed the lives of over 123,000 Americans so far , Gardner had another golden opportunity to say something .
But Gardner just couldn ’ t seem to find the words .
We ’ re still waiting for Gardner to “ fix it , ” like he promised to fix the Affordable Care Act but instead he voted to repeal it dozens of times .
Gardner @ @ @ @ @ @ @ materialized .
Today , while tens of millions of Americans are losing their employer-sponsored health insurance as the pandemic continues to wreak havoc on the economy , Gardner still supports a legal effort to repeal the ACA in the courts .
Cory Gardner was “ socially distancing ” from Coloradans well before the pandemic hit .
It has been over 950 days since our junior senator held an in-person town hall meeting , opting instead for telephone town halls where his political staff filters questions for him .
These scripted events create a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s first and most likely last term in the U.S. Senate .
The questions are always softballs , hand-picked by his staff to give the impression that Sen. Gardner ’ s been with us all along , that he ’ s been in Washington working hard for us .
“ Sorry it ’ s been so long , missed your face !
” The truth is , Gardner hasn ’ t been a fairweather friend to a few people out in Washington , namely Mitch McConnell , Donald Trump , and Republican donors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cringeworthy fundraising video for Sen. Gardner , the GOP donor class have booked at least a million dollars in television ads trying to tear down one of Sen. Gardner ’ s opponents , and when Trump came to Colorado Springs in February to rally for Gardner , the President , who prizes loyalty above all else said , “ there was no waver with Cory , he ’ s been with us 100 % ” .
But , like all fairweather friends , Sen. Gardner is suddenly everywhere these days !
He ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the personal protective equipment gifted to us from Taiwan and South Korea .
He ’ s in Donald Trump ’ s tweets getting favors from the President for his loyalty in the form of life-saving medical equipment .
He ’ s all over television with a shockingly tone-deaf ad where he plays a therapist who mocks his patient .
Senator Gardner is everywhere right now telling you everything he thinks you want to hear .
But he ’ s just another fairweather friend who butters you up before asking for that favor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years in the US Senate .
In the unlikely event Gardner is re-elected , Colorado won ’ t hear from him again until 2026 .
The big difference between Sen. Gardner and other fairweather friends I ’ ve had in my life is that after the November election , I ’ ll be the first one volunteering to help Cory Gardner move out of his office in Washington .
Ian Silverii is the executive director of ProgressNow Colorado , the state ’ s largest progressive advocacy group .

We all have that one friend who randomly shows up every few years, seemingly out of the blue, and then suddenly they’re emailing, texting, calling, telling you how cute the pictures of your baby are on Instagram, wondering what you’ve been up to.
And then, once they feel like they’ve spent enough time on pleasantries, like clockwork, they need a favor. They need to borrow $50, or they’re hoping you can be a reference for a job — or maybe it’s the dreaded “Hey, can you help me move?” My mom used to call these people “fairweather friends,” her mother who preferred Yiddish to English would call them “Shnorrers.”
Here in Colorado, we have our own fairweather friend, our likely one-term junior U.S. senator, Cory Gardner. We sure saw a lot of then-Congressman Gardner in 2014 when he was running for the seat he now holds.
We saw Gardner’s ad where he lunges in front of windmills, calling himself a “different kind of Republican.” We saw Gardner traipsing around in the woods in a spotless bomber jacket, claiming, “when my party is wrong, I’ll say it, and when something’s broken, I’ll fix it.” Two years later, we heard Gardner say he couldn’t bring himself to vote for Donald Trump. But after Trump unexpectedly won that November, Gardner “evolved” from calling for Trump to withdraw to being one of the first to endorse his re-election.
We’re still waiting for him to say something when his party is wrong. When Donald Trump used the racist epithet “kung flu” last weekend to describe the deadly pandemic coronavirus, which has claimed the lives of over 123,000 Americans so far, Gardner had another golden opportunity to say something. But Gardner just couldn’t seem to find the words.
We’re still waiting for Gardner to “fix it,” like he promised to fix the Affordable Care Act but instead he voted to repeal it dozens of times. Gardner promised a replacement for Obamacare that never materialized. Today, while tens of millions of Americans are losing their employer-sponsored health insurance as the pandemic continues to wreak havoc on the economy, Gardner still supports a legal effort to repeal the ACA in the courts.
Cory Gardner was “socially distancing” from Coloradans well before the pandemic hit. It has been over 950 days since our junior senator held an in-person town hall meeting, opting instead for telephone town halls where his political staff filters questions for him. These scripted events create a warped and distorted interpretation of Gardner’s first and most likely last term in the U.S. Senate. The questions are always softballs, hand-picked by his staff to give the impression that Sen. Gardner’s been with us all along, that he’s been in Washington working hard for us. “Sorry it’s been so long, missed your face!”
The truth is, Gardner hasn’t been a fairweather friend to a few people out in Washington, namely Mitch McConnell, Donald Trump, and Republican donors. Mitch McConnell just made a very cringeworthy fundraising video for Sen. Gardner, the GOP donor class have booked at least a million dollars in television ads trying to tear down one of Sen. Gardner’s opponents, and when Trump came to Colorado Springs in February to rally for Gardner, the President, who prizes loyalty above all else said, “there was no waver with Cory, he’s been with us 100%”.
But, like all fairweather friends, Sen. Gardner is suddenly everywhere these days! He’s on the nightly news taking credit for the personal protective equipment gifted to us from Taiwan and South Korea. He’s in Donald Trump’s tweets getting favors from the President for his loyalty in the form of life-saving medical equipment. He’s all over television with a shockingly tone-deaf ad where he plays a therapist who mocks his patient.
Senator Gardner is everywhere right now telling you everything he thinks you want to hear. But he’s just another fairweather friend who butters you up before asking for that favor — in this case, another six years in the US Senate. In the unlikely event Gardner is re-elected, Colorado won’t hear from him again until 2026.
The big difference between Sen. Gardner and other fairweather friends I’ve had in my life is that after the November election, I’ll be the first one volunteering to help Cory Gardner move out of his office in Washington.
Ian Silverii is the executive director of ProgressNow Colorado, the state’s largest progressive advocacy group.


thedenverpost--2020-06-27--Van with animals bound for pet stores is stolen in Westminster

A van with animals being delivered to local pet stores was stolen Thursday night in Westminster .
A white 2017 @ @ @ @ @ license plate 02027L2 was stolen about 11 p.m. from a hotel parking lot near 104th @ @ @ @ @ , police said in a news release .
The parked van had been left running @ @ @ @ @ keep the animals cool , the release said .
The number 16 is on the @ @ @ @ @ .
The van , which has a GPS feature , was last known to be @ @ @ @ @ Wadsworth Boulevard .
The GPS signal has gone dark .
There were 10 to 15 @ @ @ @ @ birds , guinea pigs and other pets , police said .
Anyone with information on @ @ @ @ @ of the van is asked to call 911 or Westminster police at 303-658-4360 .

A van with animals being delivered to local pet stores was stolen Thursday night in Westminster.
A white 2017 Mercedes Sprinter van with California license plate 02027L2 was stolen about 11 p.m. from a hotel parking lot near 104th Avenue and Church Ranch Boulevard, police said in a news release.
The parked van had been left running so a refrigeration unit could keep the animals cool, the release said. The number 16 is on the back door of the van.
The van, which has a GPS feature, was last known to be near West 64th Avenue and Wadsworth Boulevard. The GPS signal has gone dark.
There were 10 to 15 crates in the vehicle with birds, guinea pigs and other pets, police said.
Anyone with information on the incident or the whereabouts of the van is asked to call 911 or Westminster police at 303-658-4360.


thedenverpost--2020-06-27--Brighton police looking for truck driver in fatal motorcycle crash

Brighton police are trying to find the driver of a pickup involved in the death of a motorcyclist .
About @ @ @ @ @ a furniture cushion dislodged from a truck bed on the Bridge Street off-ramp of southbound @ @ @ @ @ a news release .
A motorcyclist swerved to avoid the cushion and crashed .
Police @ @ @ @ @ made contact with the motorcycle , and the truck driver may have been unaware of @ @ @ @ @ scene , the release said .
Anyone with information about the crash , the truck @ @ @ @ @ to call police at 303-655-2382 or email amgarcia @ brightonco.gov .

Brighton police are trying to find the driver of a pickup involved in the death of a motorcyclist.
About 2 p.m. June 20, a furniture cushion dislodged from a truck bed on the Bridge Street off-ramp of southbound U.S. 85, according to a news release.
A motorcyclist swerved to avoid the cushion and crashed. Police do not believe the truck made contact with the motorcycle, and the truck driver may have been unaware of the crash when leaving the scene, the release said.
Anyone with information about the crash, the truck or truck driver is asked to call police at 303-655-2382 or email amgarcia@brightonco.gov.


thedenverpost--2020-06-27--FBI, police ask for public’s help in identifying Thornton bank robber

The FBI and Thornton police are asking for the public ’ s help in identifying a bank robber .
The @ @ @ @ @ Thursday at Key Bank , 3505 E. 104th Ave. , according to a news release @ @ @ @ @ demand note to a teller threatening that he was armed , but a weapon was @ @ @ @ @ the release .
The robber fled in a U-Haul pickup .
The robber is described @ @ @ @ @ his late 20s to early 30s , about 5-foot-7 with facial hair or facial tattoos @ @ @ @ @ white Denver Nuggets hat , sunglasses , dark-colored bandanna around his neck , an orange @ @ @ @ @ and construction boots .
Anyone with information on the robbery or a suspect is asked @ @ @ @ @ 303-629-7171 or Crime Stoppers at 720-913-7867 ( STOP ) .

The FBI and Thornton police are asking for the public’s help in identifying a bank robber.
The robbery happened about 4:15 p.m. Thursday at Key Bank, 3505 E. 104th Ave., according to a news release.
The robber gave a demand note to a teller threatening that he was armed, but a weapon was not seen, according to the release. The robber fled in a U-Haul pickup.
Please read & call Metro Denver Crime Stoppers at 720-913-7867 if you have any information about the below person. Remain anonymous and earn up to $2,000. #TPDsafertogether#TPDcommUNITY pic.twitter.com/ke7iNhRteJ — Thornton Police Dept (@ThorntonPolice) June 26, 2020
The robber is described as a Latino man in his late 20s to early 30s, about 5-foot-7 with facial hair or facial tattoos. He was wearing a white Denver Nuggets hat, sunglasses, dark-colored bandanna around his neck, an orange construction-style jacket, blue jeans and construction boots.
Anyone with information on the robbery or a suspect is asked to call the FBI at 303-629-7171 or Crime Stoppers at 720-913-7867 (STOP).


thedenverpost--2020-06-27--One worker killed, three injured by suspected DUI driver in Fort Collins

A pickup driver in Fort Collins hit several construction workers Friday morning , killing a person and injuring three others .
The driver was arrested on suspicion of DUI and vehicular homicide .
The incident happened about 10 a.m. at the intersection of Prospect Road and Azalea Drive , according to a news release from the police .
A construction crew with the city ’ s broadband provider was working in the area .
Witnesses told police the truck left the roadway and hit the workers with AEG construction .
Police said a 2000 Chevrolet Silverado truck was westbound on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ oncoming traffic before driving off the southeast corner of the intersection with Azalea Drive , where the four workers were struck .
Three victims suffered serious injuries and were taken to hospitals .
One worker died at the scene .
The truck driver , Scott Duwaldt , 52 , of Laramie , was not injured .
He was arrested for investigation of vehicular homicide , vehicular assault and driving under the influence .
Investigators suspect Duwaldt of being under the influence of drugs .
“ The safety of our employees and contractors who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our top priority , and we rely on every community member to help ensure they can go home to their families safely each day , ” said Colman Keane , broadband executive director for Connexion .
“ Please be alert ( and ) cautious and drive slowly near construction zones.
” Keane extended “ deepest condolences to the victims , their families and their fellow crew members ” on behalf of the city .
Anyone with information on the incident who has not already given a statement to police is asked to call @ @ @ @ @ @

A pickup driver in Fort Collins hit several construction workers Friday morning, killing a person and injuring three others. The driver was arrested on suspicion of DUI and vehicular homicide.
The incident happened about 10 a.m. at the intersection of Prospect Road and Azalea Drive, according to a news release from the police.
A construction crew with the city’s broadband provider was working in the area. Witnesses told police the truck left the roadway and hit the workers with AEG construction.
Police said a 2000 Chevrolet Silverado truck was westbound on Prospect Road when the driver crossed into oncoming traffic before driving off the southeast corner of the intersection with Azalea Drive, where the four workers were struck.
Three victims suffered serious injuries and were taken to hospitals. One worker died at the scene.
The truck driver, Scott Duwaldt, 52, of Laramie, was not injured. He was arrested for investigation of vehicular homicide, vehicular assault and driving under the influence. Investigators suspect Duwaldt of being under the influence of drugs.
“The safety of our employees and contractors who provide critical infrastructure services every day is our top priority, and we rely on every community member to help ensure they can go home to their families safely each day,” said Colman Keane, broadband executive director for Connexion. “Please be alert (and) cautious and drive slowly near construction zones.”
Keane extended “deepest condolences to the victims, their families and their fellow crew members” on behalf of the city.
Anyone with information on the incident who has not already given a statement to police is asked to call Officer Drew Jurkofsky at 970-416-2224.