thedenverpost--2020-11-22--Dakota Ridge scores on 12 straight possessions in 76-34 rout of Montrose

ENGLEWOOD — Motivation was rocket fuel for the soaring Dakota Ridge Eagles .
Colorado ’ s No .
1-seeded Class 4A team had heard whispers and hints that their perfect record and laughably lopsided victories were byproducts of a weak schedule .
“ Yeah , we kind of came out with a little chip on our shoulder , ” senior quarterback Ben Gultig said Saturday evening at chilly Pirates Stadium at Engelwood High School .
Gultig ’ s grin spread ear-to-ear .
And why not ?
His undefeated Eagles ( 7-0 ) had just blasted Montrose 76-34 in the 4A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ semifinals next week against undefeated Loveland ( 7-0 ) .
The Eagles ’ pyrotechnic offense put on a remarkable show Saturday .
On the game ’ s third play , Gultig blasted through the middle of the Indians ’ defense for a 53-yard touchdown sprint .
It was a hint of things to come .
Remarkably , Dakota Ridge scored on all 12 of its offensive possessions — scoring 10 touchdowns and adding two field goals by Tilo Pena , including a 46-yarder at the end of the half that would have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I never dreamed about us getting 76 points , ” said head coach Ron Woitalewicz , who made sure he credited offensive coordinator Jeremiah Behrendsen .
“ Part of it was us getting turnovers early and getting some short fields to work with .
Our offense is hard to stop when you have 80 yards to go .
You give us 30 or 35 yards and it ’ s really going to make it difficult for you.
” Montrose discovered that reality in a hurry .
Two fumbles in the first quarter were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a 2-yard run by Charlie Offerdahl and an 8-yard reception by Mason Galbreath .
The Eagles led 21-0 less than five minutes into the game .
Yes , the Indians ( 4-3 ) were clearly overmatched , but they played gusty , hard-hitting football .
As Woitalewicz put it : “ Our guys are going to feel it tomorrow.
” And had it not been for four lost fumbles and an interception , Montrose would have made it a closer game .
After getting stunned early , the Indians did what they do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of 80 yards on 18 plays ( a 3-yard TD pass from Keagen Goodwin to Trent Blundell ) , and 80 yards on 16 plays ( Austin Griffin busted in from the 1-yard line ) to cut the Dakota Ridge lead to 24-14 late in the first half .
But the Indians ’ momentum was short-circuited by a perfect 44-yard strike from Gultig to Galbreth .
“ Our line carries us on their backs , so I want to say that first off .
They lead us to victory , ” said Gultig @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ But Mason and I have been playing together for about five years now and we have just been growing that connection and it ’ s been showing these past few games.
” The Eagles have outscored opponents 384-36 this season .
It ’ s easy to see why .
Consider the speed of sophomore running back Noah Triplett , who burst up the middle for a 60-yard TD run to make it 56-28 late in the third quarter .
Or Dante Capoulungo , who jumped a pass in the flat for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was in the end zone after a 7-yard touchdown run .
Although the Indians were routed , they had some magic moments in their final game of 2020 , particularly speedy freshman Blake Griffin , who had a 21-yard touchdown run in the third quarter and a 56-yard run to set up another touchdown later in the quarter .

ENGLEWOOD — Motivation was rocket fuel for the soaring Dakota Ridge Eagles.
Colorado’s No. 1-seeded Class 4A team had heard whispers and hints that their perfect record and laughably lopsided victories were byproducts of a weak schedule.
“Yeah, we kind of came out with a little chip on our shoulder,” senior quarterback Ben Gultig said Saturday evening at chilly Pirates Stadium at Engelwood High School.
Gultig’s grin spread ear-to-ear. And why not? His undefeated Eagles (7-0) had just blasted Montrose 76-34 in the 4A quarterfinals, earning a trip to the semifinals next week against undefeated Loveland (7-0).
The Eagles’ pyrotechnic offense put on a remarkable show Saturday. On the game’s third play, Gultig blasted through the middle of the Indians’ defense for a 53-yard touchdown sprint. It was a hint of things to come. Remarkably, Dakota Ridge scored on all 12 of its offensive possessions — scoring 10 touchdowns and adding two field goals by Tilo Pena, including a 46-yarder at the end of the half that would have been good from 60 yards out.
“I never dreamed about us getting 76 points,” said head coach Ron Woitalewicz, who made sure he credited offensive coordinator Jeremiah Behrendsen. “Part of it was us getting turnovers early and getting some short fields to work with. Our offense is hard to stop when you have 80 yards to go. You give us 30 or 35 yards and it’s really going to make it difficult for you.”
Montrose discovered that reality in a hurry. Two fumbles in the first quarter were quickly converted into Dakota Ridge TDs — a 2-yard run by Charlie Offerdahl and an 8-yard reception by Mason Galbreath. The Eagles led 21-0 less than five minutes into the game.
Yes, the Indians (4-3) were clearly overmatched, but they played gusty, hard-hitting football. As Woitalewicz put it: “Our guys are going to feel it tomorrow.” And had it not been for four lost fumbles and an interception, Montrose would have made it a closer game.
After getting stunned early, the Indians did what they do best. They put together scoring drives of 80 yards on 18 plays (a 3-yard TD pass from Keagen Goodwin to Trent Blundell), and 80 yards on 16 plays (Austin Griffin busted in from the 1-yard line) to cut the Dakota Ridge lead to 24-14 late in the first half.
But the Indians’ momentum was short-circuited by a perfect 44-yard strike from Gultig to Galbreth.
“Our line carries us on their backs, so I want to say that first off. They lead us to victory,” said Gultig, who finished with three TD passes. “But Mason and I have been playing together for about five years now and we have just been growing that connection and it’s been showing these past few games.”
The Eagles have outscored opponents 384-36 this season. It’s easy to see why. Consider the speed of sophomore running back Noah Triplett, who burst up the middle for a 60-yard TD run to make it 56-28 late in the third quarter. Or Dante Capoulungo, who jumped a pass in the flat for an interception and then one play later was in the end zone after a 7-yard touchdown run.
Although the Indians were routed, they had some magic moments in their final game of 2020, particularly speedy freshman Blake Griffin, who had a 21-yard touchdown run in the third quarter and a 56-yard run to set up another touchdown later in the quarter.


thedenverpost--2020-11-22--Keeler: Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic are going to have to outscore teams. Because Nuggets just lost

Keeler: Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic are going to have to outscore teams. Because Nuggets just lost three of their best defenders.

Say you ’ re Nuggets coach Michael Malone .
Say you ’ re charged with sketching out the masterplan for another conference finals rhubarb with the Lakers .
Say the Clippers have the ball last , Nuggets up two , during a winner-take-all Game 7 of the Western Conference semis .
Come back , Paul Westhead .
All is forgiven .
After the bonkers opening hours of free agency , the 2020-21 Nuggets look like they ’ re going to have to outscore the snot out of people at altitude , like the Michael Adams and Orlando Woolridge days of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Western Conference runners-up saw a trio of their best defensive pieces , including two of their best wing defenders , walk out the door .
On Friday , forward Jerami Grant and backup center Mason Plumlee agreed to free-agent deals with the Detroit Pistons .
The next day , the Nuggets rescinded their qualifying offer to defensive specialist Torrey Craig , making him an unrestricted free agent .
Grant and Plumlee ranked No .
3 and No .
5 , respectively , on the Nuggets in terms of Basketball-Reference.com Defensive Win Shares during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ranked fifth , Craig sixth and Plumlee ninth in postseason Defensive Win Shares , although those numbers were skewed by playing time .
Millsap , who ’ s returning on a one-year , $ 10-million deal , ranked No .
3 among playoff defenders and No .
6 during the regular season .
And it ’ s true : Plumlee and Craig were non-factors , relatively speaking , during that magical Orlando run .
As for Grant , well , we ’ ll always have Disney .
The kid wanted more shots , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ here .
The Post ’ s Mike Singer reported that the contract offered by Nuggets president of basketball operations Tim Connelly was largely the same deal that the Pistons plopped on the table : three years at $ 60 million .
For a guy who scored a negative plus/minus on 35 out of his 71 regular-season appearances ( 49.3 % ) in ’ 19-20 , that ’ s a lot of bread .
The man Connelly more or less swapped out for Grant , former Clippers forward/center JaMychal Green , wound up with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 67 regular-season contests last season , or only 34.3 % of the time .
Where Grant stands taller is on the eye test .
The Nuggets will badly miss his defensive versatility , the ability to guard the 2-5 spots on the floor , depending on the opponent and circumstance .
The former Syracuse standout does the little things that stick out more in playoff series , where possessions get magnified and crapola defenses have long since gone fishing .
He became one of Malone ’ s favorite matchup toys in the bubble @ @ @ @ @ @ @ throw length at Utah sharpshooter Donovan Mitchell or bang with forwards such as Kawhi Leonard , LeBron James and Anthony Davis .
It was a glorious luxury to have in the postseason , where Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray needed defenders who could cover in space and pull more of the rope on that side of the floor .
Green is a physique like-for-like with Grant in terms of height ( 6-8 ) and wingspan ( 7-2 ½ ) .
He held his own against the Nuggets in Orlando as part of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at Big Honey .
He ’ s a better career shooter from distance ( 37.4 % on treys ) than Grant ( 34.7 % ) and more comfortable , allegedly , as a 3-and-D role guy .
But this isn ’ t about building the best regular-season roster , building for the marathon , anymore .
The Nuggets are supposed to be past that point now .
A playoff berth is assumed .
The goal is to add pieces to the superstar core of Murray-Joker-Porter who help push it through a Western bracket @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deep .
Or unsparing .
To put it another way , say you ’ re Malone , you ’ re down three games to two against the Jazz .
Say Mitchell ’ s on another one of those God-forsaken , NBA-Jam tears where the bugger can ’ t miss .
Who do you stick in his grill now ?
Who stops the bleeding ?
For a franchise that spent most of 2020 taking two steps forward , why did this weekend feel like three steps back ?

Say you’re Nuggets coach Michael Malone. Say you’re charged with sketching out the masterplan for another conference finals rhubarb with the Lakers.
Who guards LeBron?
Who guards A.D.?
Paul Millsap?
Say the Clippers have the ball last, Nuggets up two, during a winner-take-all Game 7 of the Western Conference semis.
Who guards Kawhi?
Who guards Paul George?
Michael Porter Jr.?
Come back, Paul Westhead. All is forgiven.
We kid. Sort of.
After the bonkers opening hours of free agency, the 2020-21 Nuggets look like they’re going to have to outscore the snot out of people at altitude, like the Michael Adams and Orlando Woolridge days of old.
(Remember the winter of 1990-91? The Nuggs, in Westhead’s first wacky season as coach, scored 119.9 points per contest. They also gave up 130.8 points a tilt and wound up 20-62, the worst record in the West. Although it also helped ‘em land Dikembe Mutombo with the No. 4 pick of the ’91 NBA Draft, so there’s that.)
In a blink, the Western Conference runners-up saw a trio of their best defensive pieces, including two of their best wing defenders, walk out the door. On Friday, forward Jerami Grant and backup center Mason Plumlee agreed to free-agent deals with the Detroit Pistons. The next day, the Nuggets rescinded their qualifying offer to defensive specialist Torrey Craig, making him an unrestricted free agent.
Grant and Plumlee ranked No. 3 and No. 5, respectively, on the Nuggets in terms of Basketball-Reference.com Defensive Win Shares during the ’19-20 regular season. Grant ranked fifth, Craig sixth and Plumlee ninth in postseason Defensive Win Shares, although those numbers were skewed by playing time. Millsap, who’s returning on a one-year, $10-million deal, ranked No. 3 among playoff defenders and No. 6 during the regular season.
And it’s true: Plumlee and Craig were non-factors, relatively speaking, during that magical Orlando run. As for Grant, well, we’ll always have Disney.
The kid wanted more shots, allegedly, and that was never happening here. The Post’s Mike Singer reported that the contract offered by Nuggets president of basketball operations Tim Connelly was largely the same deal that the Pistons plopped on the table: three years at $60 million.
For a guy who scored a negative plus/minus on 35 out of his 71 regular-season appearances (49.3%) in ’19-20, that’s a lot of bread. The man Connelly more or less swapped out for Grant, former Clippers forward/center JaMychal Green, wound up with a negative score in 23 out of 67 regular-season contests last season, or only 34.3% of the time.
Where Grant stands taller is on the eye test. The Nuggets will badly miss his defensive versatility, the ability to guard the 2-5 spots on the floor, depending on the opponent and circumstance. The former Syracuse standout does the little things that stick out more in playoff series, where possessions get magnified and crapola defenses have long since gone fishing.
He became one of Malone’s favorite matchup toys in the bubble, a dude you could use to throw length at Utah sharpshooter Donovan Mitchell or bang with forwards such as Kawhi Leonard, LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
It was a glorious luxury to have in the postseason, where Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray needed defenders who could cover in space and pull more of the rope on that side of the floor.
Green is a physique like-for-like with Grant in terms of height (6-8) and wingspan (7-2 ½). He held his own against the Nuggets in Orlando as part of the three-headed anti-Joker platoon that Doc Rivers chucked at Big Honey. He’s a better career shooter from distance (37.4% on treys) than Grant (34.7%) and more comfortable, allegedly, as a 3-and-D role guy.
But this isn’t about building the best regular-season roster, building for the marathon, anymore. The Nuggets are supposed to be past that point now. A playoff berth is assumed. The goal is to add pieces to the superstar core of Murray-Joker-Porter who help push it through a Western bracket that hasn’t gotten any less deep. Or unsparing.
To put it another way, say you’re Malone, you’re down three games to two against the Jazz. Say Mitchell’s on another one of those God-forsaken, NBA-Jam tears where the bugger can’t miss.
Who do you stick in his grill now? Who stops the bleeding? For a franchise that spent most of 2020 taking two steps forward, why did this weekend feel like three steps back?


thedenverpost--2020-11-22--“Proud” Shiffrin comes runner-up to Vlhova in comeback race

LEVI , Finland — Mikaela Shiffrin , racing for the first time since January , settled for second place behind Petra Vlhova in a World Cup slalom on Saturday but still “ felt a lot of happiness ” to finally get back in the start gate .
“ I enjoy a second place more than I did ever before , ” said Shiffrin , a winner of 66 World Cup races , “ because I felt I was pushing and having some good skiing .
It was the best I could today .
I feel I can be more proud @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Vlhova , the World Cup slalom champion from Slovakia , posted the fastest times in both runs to beat the American by 0.18 seconds in Finnish Lapland , north of the Arctic Circle .
But for Shiffrin , the result wasn ’ t her biggest concern .
“ It ’ s been really hard to imagine being here again and racing .
And being on the podium , that ’ s just something I almost didn ’ t dare to really imagine , because you don ’ t want to be disappointed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ three-time overall champion said .
Shiffrin ’ s previous season ended prematurely after the death of her father , Jeff Shiffrin .
That was followed by the cancellation of the season-ending races amid the coronavirus outbreak , and then she sat out the first race of the new season in Austria in October with a back injury .
The 25-year-old Shiffrin had wondered whether she wanted to continue her ski racing career , but after Saturday ’ s race she sounded optimistic .
“ I hope from here I can keep going because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ I felt a lot of happiness skiing today , and racing .
I had fun and I felt I did some really good skiing .
After everything that has happened , it is really cool to just be able to ski race and get a podium , and get a second place , that ’ s like , wow !
” Racing the second run on a course set by her coach Livio Magoni , Vlhova earned her fourth straight slalom win .
“ I tried to take this advantage that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I did it , ” Vlhova said .
“ It wasn ’ t easy , as it started snowing and also the course was a bit destroyed .
But I did it and I am really happy .
First victory in the first slalom of the season is always good.
” Austria ’ s Katharina Liensberger was 0.57 behind in third , while the rest of the field , led by Swiss racer Wendy Holdener , was at least 1.35 off the lead .
Wearing bib No .
1 , Shiffrin had opened @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Vlhova trailed Shiffrin by 0.13 at the first split but was ahead of the American at all following check points before finishing 0.15 ahead .
In the final run , Vlhova initially extended her lead to 0.52 but lost over three tenths as she failed to match Shiffrin ’ s pace in the flat finish section .
“ In the second run you start last and want to confirm you first run .
That ’ s pressure .
It was not a perfect run because I did some mistakes .
But at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Vlhova , referring to the color in which leading times are displayed on a video-wall in the finish area .
In a streak that started in January 2017 , the last 27 World Cup slaloms have all been won by either Shiffrin , with 19 wins , or Vlhova .
Vlhova won the season-long slalom title last year , edging Shiffrin by 20 points , after the American had won it six times in the previous seven seasons .
The pair continued their dominance in Saturday ’ s race .
“ Nothing ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s changed , ” Shiffrin said .
“ But it ’ s really fun to be here , to see everybody skiing .
It ’ s fun to watch and for me it was fun to do.
” Federica Brignone , who ended Shiffrin ’ s three-year reign as overall champion last season , was 1.61 behind after the opening run but failed to finish her second and didn ’ t score World Cup points .
Italian teammate Marta Bassino , who won the season-opener last month , finished more than three seconds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Swenn Larsson missed the race as the entire Swedish team quarantined after a COVID-19 test for one of its coaches came back positive .
A limited number of spectators were allowed at the race .
Another women ’ s slalom is scheduled for Sunday .

LEVI, Finland — Mikaela Shiffrin, racing for the first time since January, settled for second place behind Petra Vlhova in a World Cup slalom on Saturday but still “felt a lot of happiness” to finally get back in the start gate.
“I enjoy a second place more than I did ever before,” said Shiffrin, a winner of 66 World Cup races, “because I felt I was pushing and having some good skiing. It was the best I could today. I feel I can be more proud of that than I used to be.”
Vlhova, the World Cup slalom champion from Slovakia, posted the fastest times in both runs to beat the American by 0.18 seconds in Finnish Lapland, north of the Arctic Circle.
But for Shiffrin, the result wasn’t her biggest concern.
“It’s been really hard to imagine being here again and racing. And being on the podium, that’s just something I almost didn’t dare to really imagine, because you don’t want to be disappointed again,” the double Olympic and three-time overall champion said.
Shiffrin’s previous season ended prematurely after the death of her father, Jeff Shiffrin. That was followed by the cancellation of the season-ending races amid the coronavirus outbreak, and then she sat out the first race of the new season in Austria in October with a back injury.
The 25-year-old Shiffrin had wondered whether she wanted to continue her ski racing career, but after Saturday’s race she sounded optimistic.
“I hope from here I can keep going because I want to,” she said. “I felt a lot of happiness skiing today, and racing. I had fun and I felt I did some really good skiing. After everything that has happened, it is really cool to just be able to ski race and get a podium, and get a second place, that’s like, wow!”
Racing the second run on a course set by her coach Livio Magoni, Vlhova earned her fourth straight slalom win.
“I tried to take this advantage that my coach set the course, and I did it,” Vlhova said. “It wasn’t easy, as it started snowing and also the course was a bit destroyed. But I did it and I am really happy. First victory in the first slalom of the season is always good.”
Austria’s Katharina Liensberger was 0.57 behind in third, while the rest of the field, led by Swiss racer Wendy Holdener, was at least 1.35 off the lead.
Wearing bib No. 1, Shiffrin had opened the race with an error-free run.
Vlhova trailed Shiffrin by 0.13 at the first split but was ahead of the American at all following check points before finishing 0.15 ahead.
In the final run, Vlhova initially extended her lead to 0.52 but lost over three tenths as she failed to match Shiffrin’s pace in the flat finish section.
“In the second run you start last and want to confirm you first run. That’s pressure. It was not a perfect run because I did some mistakes. But at the end it was green,” said Vlhova, referring to the color in which leading times are displayed on a video-wall in the finish area.
In a streak that started in January 2017, the last 27 World Cup slaloms have all been won by either Shiffrin, with 19 wins, or Vlhova.
Vlhova won the season-long slalom title last year, edging Shiffrin by 20 points, after the American had won it six times in the previous seven seasons.
The pair continued their dominance in Saturday’s race.
“Nothing’s changed, but also everything’s changed,” Shiffrin said. “But it’s really fun to be here, to see everybody skiing. It’s fun to watch and for me it was fun to do.”
Federica Brignone, who ended Shiffrin’s three-year reign as overall champion last season, was 1.61 behind after the opening run but failed to finish her second and didn’t score World Cup points.
Italian teammate Marta Bassino, who won the season-opener last month, finished more than three seconds behind in 18th.
Slalom specialist Anna Swenn Larsson missed the race as the entire Swedish team quarantined after a COVID-19 test for one of its coaches came back positive.
A limited number of spectators were allowed at the race.
Another women’s slalom is scheduled for Sunday.


thedenverpost--2020-11-21--Chicago’s Wrigley Field granted top historic landmark status

CHICAGO — Wrigley Field , the 106-year-old baseball shrine that ’ s the Chicago Cubs ’ home , has been designated a National Historic Landmark .
U.S. Secretary of the Interior David L. Bernhardt announced the designation Thursday , saying the ballpark has played a significant role in Chicago ’ s history and the history of professional sports .
“ The historical significance of Wrigley Field is interwoven into our nation ’ s story and a key part of what has become America ’ s beloved pastime for over a century , ” he said in a statement .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ family , who own the Cubs and spent about $ 1 billion renovating the ballpark , access to federal income tax credits on the “ 1060 Project ” that started at the end of the 2014 season .
National Historic Landmarks are buildings , sites , districts , structures and objects that have been determined by the secretary of the interior to be nationally significant in American history and culture , federal officials said .
Wrigley Field now joins other renowned historic places , including Fenway Park in Boston , among some 2,600 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 1914 , Wrigley Field has been the home of the Chicago Cubs since 1916 .
The ballpark is two years younger than Fenway Park , is the second-oldest ballpark in Major League Baseball , and is also the National League ’ s oldest ballpark .

CHICAGO — Wrigley Field, the 106-year-old baseball shrine that’s the Chicago Cubs’ home, has been designated a National Historic Landmark.
U.S. Secretary of the Interior David L. Bernhardt announced the designation Thursday, saying the ballpark has played a significant role in Chicago’s history and the history of professional sports.
“The historical significance of Wrigley Field is interwoven into our nation’s story and a key part of what has become America’s beloved pastime for over a century,” he said in a statement.
The historic landmark status will give the Ricketts family, who own the Cubs and spent about $1 billion renovating the ballpark, access to federal income tax credits on the “1060 Project” that started at the end of the 2014 season.
National Historic Landmarks are buildings, sites, districts, structures and objects that have been determined by the secretary of the interior to be nationally significant in American history and culture, federal officials said.
Wrigley Field now joins other renowned historic places, including Fenway Park in Boston, among some 2,600 other landmarks across the country.
Built in 1914, Wrigley Field has been the home of the Chicago Cubs since 1916. The ballpark is two years younger than Fenway Park, is the second-oldest ballpark in Major League Baseball, and is also the National League’s oldest ballpark.


thedenverpost--2020-11-21--Man dies after being shot multiple times in Thornton

Thornton police are investigating a case in which a man was shot multiple times Friday night , resulting in his @ @ @ @ @ a shots fired call at 11:20 p.m. Friday at the 1100 block of West 96th @ @ @ @ @ a male , was found with multiple gunshot wounds .
The man was transported to @ @ @ @ @ was pronounced dead .

Thornton police are investigating a case in which a man was shot multiple times Friday night, resulting in his death.
Police responded to a shots fired call at 11:20 p.m. Friday at the 1100 block of West 96th Avenue. The victim, a male, was found with multiple gunshot wounds. The man was transported to an area hospital where he was pronounced dead.


thedenverpost--2020-11-21--Nuggets pivot, re-sign Paul Millsap to one-year deal after Jerami Grant’s stunning departure in free

Nuggets pivot, re-sign Paul Millsap to one-year deal after Jerami Grant’s stunning departure in free agency

The start of free agency Friday night didn ’ t begin the way anyone in the Nuggets organization envisioned .
Jerami Grant ’ s jarring decision to leave Denver for Detroit , despite identical three-year , $ 60 million offers , would leave any front office spinning , let alone one that strongly believed Grant was returning .
But Nuggets president of basketball operations Tim Connelly didn ’ t wallow in the disappointment .
First , he secured a two-year , $ 15 million commitment from free-agent forward JaMychal Green late Friday night , according to a league source .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ reached an agreement on a one-year , $ 10 million deal with veteran free agent Paul Millsap that includes potential bonuses , according to another league source .
The back-to-back frontcourt splashes helped insulate the Nuggets from disaster , having already lost Mason Plumlee and Grant to Detroit on the first day of free agency Friday .
But it was the shock from the Grant news that set everything in motion .
For Grant , the allure of a more featured role held a lot of sway , according to league sources .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ idea of being the fourth option on a team full of budding stars .
For the majority of last season , Grant came off the bench behind the aging Millsap .
In Grant ’ s mind , despite the team ’ s success , that was a sacrifice , according to a league source .
In Denver , Grant wasn ’ t sure whether he could maximize his potential .
In their pitch , the Nuggets told him they ’ d further his growth as a player .
It didn ’ t matter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Nuggets ’ riveting postseason run , Grant had eyes for Detroit .
Grant ’ s long-standing relationship with new Pistons executive Troy Weaver carried weight .
The Millsap signing was , partially , a reflection of the team ’ s financial predicament under the NBA salary cap .
Denver had Millsap ’ s Bird rights , which allowed them to go over the salary cap — an allowance they didn ’ t have for free agents outside their organization .
The Nuggets had interest in Green , a savvy defensive forward , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those interests aligned in the immediate aftermath of Grant ’ s departure .
Green ’ s deal will utilize the majority of Denver ’ s mid-level exception , according to another league source .
Argentinian point guard Facundo Campazzo will take up the majority of Denver ’ s bi-annual exception .
His two-year deal is worth $ 6 million , according to a league source .
Green , a more traditional power forward than Grant , plugged an immediate gap .
Given the temporary uncertainty over Millsap ’ s free agency , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it in Green ’ s physical post defense coupled with his perimeter shooting .
It isn ’ t immediately clear whether Green will slot into the starting lineup .
If not , one possibility could be starting Michael Porter Jr. at power forward , and keeping Will Barton at small forward , depending on his health .
Those questions , though , won ’ t be answered before the start of training camp , which opens in 10 days .
The Nuggets did what they could given Grant ’ s unexpected decision .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 15 million deal is a relative bargain compared to Grant ’ s 3-year , $ 60 million contract — a number significantly higher than what several league sources predicted he ’ d get .
After Green , the Nuggets ’ priority became Millsap , and they worked diligently to get that deal done .
His return adds depth in the frontcourt and a measure of security defensively .
This is where the roster gets tricky .
As of Saturday afternoon following the Millsap deal , there was one roster spot open .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ keep forward Keita Bates-Diop , a league source said , which will open up a second roster spot .
That spot should be filled by Bol Bol , whose two-way contract the Nuggets plan to convert , a source said .
Following Millsap , the next priority was restricted free agent Torrey Craig , but ESPN reported the Nuggets pulled Craig ’ s qualifying offer Saturday , making him an unrestricted free agent .
If the Nuggets don ’ t keep Craig , they ’ ll look to add a mobile big man @ @ @ @ @ @ @ free agent Mason Plumlee left for Detroit .
The Nuggets have already identified at least two potential fits , according to a source , in the event their plan goes awry .
If Denver can ’ t find another suitable big man , that role may fall to Arizona rookie Zeke Nnaji , who the Nuggets drafted Wednesday night .
In the wake of Grant ’ s decision , the Nuggets acted fast .
The swift additions of Green and Millsap helped avoid a major setback .

The Nuggets pivoted fast.
The start of free agency Friday night didn’t begin the way anyone in the Nuggets organization envisioned. Jerami Grant’s jarring decision to leave Denver for Detroit, despite identical three-year, $60 million offers, would leave any front office spinning, let alone one that strongly believed Grant was returning.
But Nuggets president of basketball operations Tim Connelly didn’t wallow in the disappointment. First, he secured a two-year, $15 million commitment from free-agent forward JaMychal Green late Friday night, according to a league source. Next, on Saturday afternoon, he reached an agreement on a one-year, $10 million deal with veteran free agent Paul Millsap that includes potential bonuses, according to another league source.
The back-to-back frontcourt splashes helped insulate the Nuggets from disaster, having already lost Mason Plumlee and Grant to Detroit on the first day of free agency Friday.
But it was the shock from the Grant news that set everything in motion.
For Grant, the allure of a more featured role held a lot of sway, according to league sources. He didn’t necessarily love the idea of being the fourth option on a team full of budding stars. For the majority of last season, Grant came off the bench behind the aging Millsap. In Grant’s mind, despite the team’s success, that was a sacrifice, according to a league source.
In Denver, Grant wasn’t sure whether he could maximize his potential. In their pitch, the Nuggets told him they’d further his growth as a player. It didn’t matter. Despite being a central figure in the Nuggets’ riveting postseason run, Grant had eyes for Detroit. Grant’s long-standing relationship with new Pistons executive Troy Weaver carried weight.
The Millsap signing was, partially, a reflection of the team’s financial predicament under the NBA salary cap. Denver had Millsap’s Bird rights, which allowed them to go over the salary cap — an allowance they didn’t have for free agents outside their organization.
The Nuggets had interest in Green, a savvy defensive forward, for years. Late Friday night, those interests aligned in the immediate aftermath of Grant’s departure. Green’s deal will utilize the majority of Denver’s mid-level exception, according to another league source. Argentinian point guard Facundo Campazzo will take up the majority of Denver’s bi-annual exception. His two-year deal is worth $6 million, according to a league source.
Green, a more traditional power forward than Grant, plugged an immediate gap. Given the temporary uncertainty over Millsap’s free agency, the Nuggets needed some insurance. They got it in Green’s physical post defense coupled with his perimeter shooting.
It isn’t immediately clear whether Green will slot into the starting lineup. If not, one possibility could be starting Michael Porter Jr. at power forward, and keeping Will Barton at small forward, depending on his health. Those questions, though, won’t be answered before the start of training camp, which opens in 10 days.
The Nuggets did what they could given Grant’s unexpected decision. Ultimately, Green’s two-year, $15 million deal is a relative bargain compared to Grant’s 3-year, $60 million contract — a number significantly higher than what several league sources predicted he’d get.
After Green, the Nuggets’ priority became Millsap, and they worked diligently to get that deal done. His return adds depth in the frontcourt and a measure of security defensively.
This is where the roster gets tricky. As of Saturday afternoon following the Millsap deal, there was one roster spot open. The Nuggets don’t intend to keep forward Keita Bates-Diop, a league source said, which will open up a second roster spot. That spot should be filled by Bol Bol, whose two-way contract the Nuggets plan to convert, a source said.
Following Millsap, the next priority was restricted free agent Torrey Craig, but ESPN reported the Nuggets pulled Craig’s qualifying offer Saturday, making him an unrestricted free agent.
If the Nuggets don’t keep Craig, they’ll look to add a mobile big man, a league source said, after free agent Mason Plumlee left for Detroit. The Nuggets have already identified at least two potential fits, according to a source, in the event their plan goes awry. If Denver can’t find another suitable big man, that role may fall to Arizona rookie Zeke Nnaji, who the Nuggets drafted Wednesday night.
In the wake of Grant’s decision, the Nuggets acted fast. The swift additions of Green and Millsap helped avoid a major setback.


thedenverpost--2020-11-21--Illinois teen charged in Wisconsin killings poses with ‘Silver Spoons’ actor

KENOSHA , Wis. — An Illinois 17-year-old accused of killing two people during a protest in Wisconsin was seen smiling in a photo with his lawyer and “ Silver Spoons ” actor Ricky Schroder after being released from custody by posting a $ 2 million bond .
Kyle Rittenhouse is accused of fatally shooting Joseph Rosenbaum and Anthony Huber and wounding Gaige Grosskreutz during a demonstration Aug. 25 that followed the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha .
He posted bond through his attorney at about 2 p.m. Friday .
Hours after being released , L. Lin Wood of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rittenhouse ’ s defense team , tweeted a photo of Rittenhouse , Ricky Schroder and attorney John Pierce , under a title of “ FREE AT LAST !
!
!
” Lin earlier tweeted that a donation from Schroder helped put Rittenhouse ’ s bond fundraising effort “ over the top.
” Rittenhouse , of Antioch , Illinois , told police he was attacked while he was guarding a business and that he fired in self-defense .
He faces multiple charges , including intentional homicide , reckless endangerment and being a minor in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doesn ’ t permit minors to carry or possess a gun unless they ’ re hunting .
He is due back in court on Dec. 3 for a preliminary hearing .
His case has taken on political overtones .
Supporters of the Black Lives Matter movement have painted Rittenhouse as a trigger-happy white supremacist .
Conservatives upset over property destruction during recent protests have portrayed him as a patriot who was exercising his right to bear arms during unrest .
A legal defense fund for Rittenhouse has raised millions of dollars in donations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ovation from women at a Waukesha County GOP function in September .

KENOSHA, Wis. — An Illinois 17-year-old accused of killing two people during a protest in Wisconsin was seen smiling in a photo with his lawyer and “Silver Spoons” actor Ricky Schroder after being released from custody by posting a $2 million bond.
Kyle Rittenhouse is accused of fatally shooting Joseph Rosenbaum and Anthony Huber and wounding Gaige Grosskreutz during a demonstration Aug. 25 that followed the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha. He posted bond through his attorney at about 2 p.m. Friday.
Hours after being released, L. Lin Wood of Atlanta, who is a member of Rittenhouse’s defense team, tweeted a photo of Rittenhouse, Ricky Schroder and attorney John Pierce, under a title of “FREE AT LAST!!!” Lin earlier tweeted that a donation from Schroder helped put Rittenhouse’s bond fundraising effort “over the top.”
Rittenhouse, of Antioch, Illinois, told police he was attacked while he was guarding a business and that he fired in self-defense.
He faces multiple charges, including intentional homicide, reckless endangerment and being a minor in possession of a firearm. Wisconsin law doesn’t permit minors to carry or possess a gun unless they’re hunting. He is due back in court on Dec. 3 for a preliminary hearing.
His case has taken on political overtones. Supporters of the Black Lives Matter movement have painted Rittenhouse as a trigger-happy white supremacist. Conservatives upset over property destruction during recent protests have portrayed him as a patriot who was exercising his right to bear arms during unrest. A legal defense fund for Rittenhouse has raised millions of dollars in donations, and his mother got a standing ovation from women at a Waukesha County GOP function in September.


thedenverpost--2020-11-21--Week offers snapshot of how Trump, Biden approach presidency

WASHINGTON — One spent the week at his home in Delaware carefully trying to build a government and preparing to take on a pandemic .
The other largely kept to himself behind closed doors at a mostly empty White House , angrily tweeting and using his office and allies to try to subvert the results of an American election in a dangerous breach of democracy .
If the differences between President-elect Joe Biden and President Donald Trump were not already clear , the days since the Nov. 3 election was decided have demonstrated the dramatically divergent ways in which each @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Trump has largely abandoned governing , despite a pandemic that has now killed more than 250,000 people in the U.S. and is raging out of control .
He has rejected the results of the election , concocted conspiracies that are now believed by his most loyal supporters and refused to allow his government to participate in the peaceful transition of power to the next administration while trying to pressure state legislators and election officials to overturn the will of the voters .
Denied the briefings , access to agencies and funding that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden has nonetheless tried to move forward .
He has named senior staff , decided on Cabinet members and attempted to glean information about policy and national security from former government officials and others , including governors , who have worked with the Trump administration .
At the White House , the West Wing was largely empty , with few staffers and little of the hustle and bustle typically seen in the tight warren of offices before the election and before yet another COVID-19 outbreak .
The circle around the president has grown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ normally would leap at the chance to set foot in the Oval Office now try to avoid it for fear of crossing a temperamental president who has been angrily demanding answers from aides as to how to further contest the election .
Even his personal attorney , Rudy Giuliani , has been forced to steer clear of the White House after the former New York mayor ’ s son , a White House staffer , announced he had tested positive for the virus .
Rudy Giuliani has taken over the president ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ despite a lack of evidence behind those challenges .
Trump snapped at aides when he was told that Giuliani and the rest of his legal team could not meet at the White House on Friday after they , too , had been exposed .
And he complained to confidants that Giuliani had embarrassed himself during a Thursday news conference when what appeared to be hair dye dripped down Giuliani ’ s sweating face as he asserted falsehood after conspiratorial falsehood about the results .
The Trump West Wing , never a well-oiled machine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Staffers in the press office , who control the White House briefing room , found out from reporters on Thursday that the coronavirus task force , led by Vice President Mike Pence , had scheduled a briefing there .
Trump finally made an appearance Friday to discuss prescription drug prices — an event he had demanded , to push back against the storyline that he was in hiding .
But he again skirted reporters ’ questions , as he has for more than two weeks now .
Just beyond the White House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from which spectators will watch the inauguration parade in honor of President-elect Joe Biden in January .
Just about two hours ’ drive away , in Delaware , Biden focused on the business of governing rather than social media or baseless claims of voter fraud .
It was his second full week as president-elect .
Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris gathered each day at a makeshift transition headquarters at a theater in downtown Wilmington where they held a series of virtual meetings .
They met with business and labor leaders Monday , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ care workers Wednesday , governors Thursday and the two most powerful Democrats in Congress on Friday , House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer .
“ It was more of an information gathering meeting .
They didn ’ t put forth any policies or say , ‘ This is what we want to change , ’ ” said GOP Gov .
Larry Hogan of Maryland , who participated in Thursday ’ s call that was focused on the coronavirus .
“ They were mostly listening mode.
” Indeed , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their contents , were focused almost exclusively on the pandemic and how the Biden administration might try to stop the exponential spread of the disease immediately after his Jan. 20 inauguration — or even before .
Biden repeatedly called on congressional leaders to end their stalemate and pass a sweeping COVID-19 relief bill by year ’ s end .
While at home , he was in regular contact with a small group of senior aides , including newly appointed chief of staff Ron Klain , to begin the complicated process of filling key @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had finalized his pick for treasury secretary .
By Friday , he had announced more than a dozen senior White House hires .
He also made a series of thank-you calls to members of the disparate factions of the Democratic Party who had helped achieve his victory and whose continued support will be critical to rallying Americans behind his agenda .
Biden answered questions during two brief news conferences during the week , and both times , he condemned the Republican president ’ s unprecedented push to block his transition .
But even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the challenge of governing .
He said Thursday that Trump ’ s intransigence was “ another incident where he will go down in history as being one of the most irresponsible presidents in American history.
” “ Let me choose my words here .
I think they ’ re witnessing incredible irresponsibility , incredibly damaging messages being sent to the rest of the world about how democracy functions , ” he told reporters .
Asked what he would say to people concerned about Trump ’ s push to undermine the election , Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on .
I ’ m on my way .
”

Jill Colvin, Steve Peoples, Jonathan Lemire

WASHINGTON — One spent the week at his home in Delaware carefully trying to build a government and preparing to take on a pandemic.
The other largely kept to himself behind closed doors at a mostly empty White House, angrily tweeting and using his office and allies to try to subvert the results of an American election in a dangerous breach of democracy.
If the differences between President-elect Joe Biden and President Donald Trump were not already clear, the days since the Nov. 3 election was decided have demonstrated the dramatically divergent ways in which each approaches the job of commander in chief.
Trump has largely abandoned governing, despite a pandemic that has now killed more than 250,000 people in the U.S. and is raging out of control. He has rejected the results of the election, concocted conspiracies that are now believed by his most loyal supporters and refused to allow his government to participate in the peaceful transition of power to the next administration while trying to pressure state legislators and election officials to overturn the will of the voters.
Denied the briefings, access to agencies and funding that are part of a traditional transition, Biden has nonetheless tried to move forward. He has named senior staff, decided on Cabinet members and attempted to glean information about policy and national security from former government officials and others, including governors, who have worked with the Trump administration.
At the White House, the West Wing was largely empty, with few staffers and little of the hustle and bustle typically seen in the tight warren of offices before the election and before yet another COVID-19 outbreak.
The circle around the president has grown smaller in recent weeks. Staffers who normally would leap at the chance to set foot in the Oval Office now try to avoid it for fear of crossing a temperamental president who has been angrily demanding answers from aides as to how to further contest the election.
Even his personal attorney, Rudy Giuliani, has been forced to steer clear of the White House after the former New York mayor’s son, a White House staffer, announced he had tested positive for the virus. Rudy Giuliani has taken over the president’s legal efforts to contest the election, despite a lack of evidence behind those challenges.
Trump snapped at aides when he was told that Giuliani and the rest of his legal team could not meet at the White House on Friday after they, too, had been exposed. And he complained to confidants that Giuliani had embarrassed himself during a Thursday news conference when what appeared to be hair dye dripped down Giuliani’s sweating face as he asserted falsehood after conspiratorial falsehood about the results.
The Trump West Wing, never a well-oiled machine, was even less organized than usual.
Staffers in the press office, who control the White House briefing room, found out from reporters on Thursday that the coronavirus task force, led by Vice President Mike Pence, had scheduled a briefing there.
Trump finally made an appearance Friday to discuss prescription drug prices — an event he had demanded, to push back against the storyline that he was in hiding. But he again skirted reporters’ questions, as he has for more than two weeks now.
Just beyond the White House gates, construction continues on the stands from which spectators will watch the inauguration parade in honor of President-elect Joe Biden in January.
Just about two hours’ drive away, in Delaware, Biden focused on the business of governing rather than social media or baseless claims of voter fraud. It was his second full week as president-elect.
Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris gathered each day at a makeshift transition headquarters at a theater in downtown Wilmington where they held a series of virtual meetings.
They met with business and labor leaders Monday, national security experts Tuesday, front-line health care workers Wednesday, governors Thursday and the two most powerful Democrats in Congress on Friday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.
“It was more of an information gathering meeting. They didn’t put forth any policies or say, ‘This is what we want to change,’” said GOP Gov. Larry Hogan of Maryland, who participated in Thursday’s call that was focused on the coronavirus. “They were mostly listening mode.”
Indeed, the conversations, according to people familiar with their contents, were focused almost exclusively on the pandemic and how the Biden administration might try to stop the exponential spread of the disease immediately after his Jan. 20 inauguration — or even before.
Biden repeatedly called on congressional leaders to end their stalemate and pass a sweeping COVID-19 relief bill by year’s end.
While at home, he was in regular contact with a small group of senior aides, including newly appointed chief of staff Ron Klain, to begin the complicated process of filling key administration posts. By Thursday, he had finalized his pick for treasury secretary. By Friday, he had announced more than a dozen senior White House hires.
He also made a series of thank-you calls to members of the disparate factions of the Democratic Party who had helped achieve his victory and whose continued support will be critical to rallying Americans behind his agenda.
Biden did not completely ignore Trump.
Biden answered questions during two brief news conferences during the week, and both times, he condemned the Republican president’s unprecedented push to block his transition. But even in his criticism, Biden focused on the challenge of governing.
He said Thursday that Trump’s intransigence was “another incident where he will go down in history as being one of the most irresponsible presidents in American history.”
“Let me choose my words here. I think they’re witnessing incredible irresponsibility, incredibly damaging messages being sent to the rest of the world about how democracy functions,” he told reporters.
Asked what he would say to people concerned about Trump’s push to undermine the election, Biden had a simple message: “Hang on. I’m on my way.”


thedenverpost--2020-11-21--Mountain View police seek three for breaking into cannabis businesses

Mountain View police are searching for three people who have used battering rams to break into buildings throughout the state @ @ @ @ @ , three people used a trash dumpster pushed by a Jeep to smash through a @ @ @ @ @ brick wall at a cannabis business in the 5400 block of West 44th Avenue , @ @ @ @ @ a news release Friday .
They also attempted , but failed , to get into @ @ @ @ @ , police said .
The suspects had heavy weaponry , including what police said appeared @ @ @ @ @ and have attempted the same crime in Denver and possibly other locations in Colorado , @ @ @ @ @ is driving a stolen Jeep Liberty , dark blue with license plate DBF646 .
The @ @ @ @ @ heavy damage to the left rear quarter .
Police asked anyone with information to call @ @ @ @ @ at Mountain View police : 303-425-1748 .
Authorities warned that the suspects are heavily armed @ @ @ @

Mountain View Police Department Mountain View police are searching for three suspects who have allegedly used battering rams to break into multiple buildings throughout the state.
Mountain View Police Department Mountain View police are searching for three suspects who have allegedly used battering rams to break into multiple buildings throughout Colorado.
Mountain View police are searching for three people who have used battering rams to break into buildings throughout the state.
About 11:30 p.m. Monday, three people used a trash dumpster pushed by a Jeep to smash through a metal security door and surrounding brick wall at a cannabis business in the 5400 block of West 44th Avenue, Mountain View police said in a news release Friday.
They also attempted, but failed, to get into a dispensary across the alley, police said.
The suspects had heavy weaponry, including what police said appeared to be an AK-47, and have attempted the same crime in Denver and possibly other locations in Colorado, authorities said.
The group is driving a stolen Jeep Liberty, dark blue with license plate DBF646. The Jeep has hail dents and heavy damage to the left rear quarter.
Police asked anyone with information to call Sgt. T.C. Hough at Mountain View police: 303-425-1748.
Authorities warned that the suspects are heavily armed and extremely dangerous.


thedenverpost--2020-11-21--Pedestrian dies after being hit by car in north Denver

A pedestrian died after being hit by a car in north Denver on Friday night , police said .
The @ @ @ @ @ Avenue and North Alcott Street in Denver ’ s Sunnyside neighborhood , police tweeted just @ @ @ @ @ pedestrian was transported to a hospital and died later , police said .
No additional @ @ @ @ @

A pedestrian died after being hit by a car in north Denver on Friday night, police said.
The incident occurred at West 38th Avenue and North Alcott Street in Denver’s Sunnyside neighborhood, police tweeted just before 9 p.m.
The pedestrian was transported to a hospital and died later, police said.
No additional information was immediately available.


thedenverpost--2020-11-22--Guest Commentary: Colorado students need to be in school. Here’s why.

As Colorado leaders enact a patchwork set of COVID-19 regulations , one thing has become abundantly clear .
We are prioritizing our adult playgrounds — bars , gyms , and restaurants — over the urgent need to ensure that schools remain open .
Our actions prove where our real priorities lie .
When we choose short-term comforts over education , we fail to invest in our future .
As the leader of an organization that prioritizes evidence-driven health policy , it may seem counterintuitive that I would speak out on the importance of in-person learning .
But as an organization @ @ @ @ @ @ @ increasingly learning that social factors — including education — have a far greater impact on health than one might expect .
This realization prompted me to become more engaged in our state ’ s education community , and I chair the board of Adams State University in Alamosa , which shifted to online-only classes last week .
When we invest in our education , we invest in our health .
Right now , town by town , schools are closing .
They closed two weeks ago in the Sheridan and Cherry Creek school @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the Roaring Fork Valley .
By the time Thanksgiving break is over , school will be online for most students in Jefferson , Douglas , and Adams counties , Aurora , Colorado Springs , Denver , Boulder , Greeley , and other places .
I am often in meetings — Zoom meetings , of course — where we discuss the reluctance of our leadership at the local , state , and national level to “ close down the economy.
” A move to a stay-at-home order is politically untenable because the perceived @ @ @ @ @ @ @ too great .
While I appreciate the sentiment , we need to think again .
Closing our schools for in-person learning — or not opening them in the first place — comes at an enormous cost , especially for younger children .
The argument I hear most often is that we need kids at school so that their parents are free to work .
We need schools as child care providers .
And as true as this may be , this argument only skims the surface of the true costs of keeping kids @ @ @ @ @ @ @ • Our children are falling behind in skill development , and students of color are disproportionately impacted .
McKinsey , which has researched the consequences of lower-quality education for Black and Hispanic students , projects that all students will fall behind if school is online through 2020 .
Black and Hispanic students will be hurt the most .
• Some kids — and by some I mean too many — have not even shown up this year .
Average daily attendance over the first two weeks of school this fall was about 88 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than during springtime remote learning , it ’ s about 5 percentage points lower than the same period in 2019 , when attendance in classrooms was 93 % , according to Chalkbeat Colorado .
If we think that the summer gap and other manifestations of inequities in our education system were pronounced before this pandemic , imagine what they will be like after it .
• Children aren ’ t just missing out on developing the hard skills of reading , writing , math , and science .
School is critical to social-emotional @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ways that are best nurtured in social environments : Building friendships , becoming resilient , learning empathy , and cooperating with others are just some of the softer skills our kids need to learn .
• The social engagement and support found in schools are also critical to children ’ s emotional well-being .
In fact , student well-being already appears to have dropped significantly from the spring , with the percentage of Denver students saying they are good or great psychologically dropping from 66 % in the spring to 54 % in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ survey .
As we respond to the pandemic , we must remember the importance of collaboration , compromise , civics , and civil discourse .
I hear dismay about how divided we are as a country .
If we want to create something other than vitriol and divisiveness , there ’ s no better place to start than by valuing our education system .
Colorado , it ’ s not too late to make safely reopening schools our top priority .
Schools can and should still be responsive to the evolving context of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and COVID-19 cases spike , policymakers and health organizations are suggesting that older students , especially , should continue to learn at home for the immediate future .
But our actions can support the primacy of education and help clear the way for a faster , healthier return to school .
Mask up , keep your distance , wash your hands , stay at home .
Abide and respect public health orders .
And keep your holiday celebrations small .
I encourage our local , state and national leaders to make the calls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Make the tough calls on public health orders .
Support the governor ’ s call to pass an economic relief package in the upcoming special legislative session so that businesses can remain closed and schools can open .
Call on our congressional delegation to do the same at the federal level .
Support efforts to scale testing as quickly as possible .
And support educators and education leaders with the resources and guidance they need as they navigate the complicated logistics of keeping schools running during the pandemic .
The safety and education @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ability to do their jobs well .
The Colorado Health Institute has written about these calls to leadership in a new report released in partnership with The Denver Foundation , A New Better .
When we can not have it all , when we can not fully reopen , the choices that we make about what to prioritize speak volumes about who we are .
There ’ s little doubt that stay-at-home orders are economically damaging in the short term .
Taking a year of two off from educating our children in person @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to come .
Michele Lueck is president of the Colorado Health Institute and chair of the Adams State University Board of Trustees .
To send a letter to the editor about this article , submit online or check out our guidelines for how to submit by email or mail .

As Colorado leaders enact a patchwork set of COVID-19 regulations, one thing has become abundantly clear. We are prioritizing our adult playgrounds — bars, gyms, and restaurants — over the urgent need to ensure that schools remain open.
Our actions prove where our real priorities lie.
When we choose short-term comforts over education, we fail to invest in our future.
As the leader of an organization that prioritizes evidence-driven health policy, it may seem counterintuitive that I would speak out on the importance of in-person learning. But as an organization and as a community, we are increasingly learning that social factors — including education — have a far greater impact on health than one might expect.
This realization prompted me to become more engaged in our state’s education community, and I chair the board of Adams State University in Alamosa, which shifted to online-only classes last week. When we invest in our education, we invest in our health.
Right now, town by town, schools are closing. They closed two weeks ago in the Sheridan and Cherry Creek school districts, and last week in Aspen and the Roaring Fork Valley. By the time Thanksgiving break is over, school will be online for most students in Jefferson, Douglas, and Adams counties, Aurora, Colorado Springs, Denver, Boulder, Greeley, and other places.
I am often in meetings — Zoom meetings, of course — where we discuss the reluctance of our leadership at the local, state, and national level to “close down the economy.” A move to a stay-at-home order is politically untenable because the perceived costs to our economic recovery are just too great.
While I appreciate the sentiment, we need to think again.
Closing our schools for in-person learning — or not opening them in the first place — comes at an enormous cost, especially for younger children. The argument I hear most often is that we need kids at school so that their parents are free to work. We need schools as child care providers. And as true as this may be, this argument only skims the surface of the true costs of keeping kids home, even with remote learning.
Our children are falling behind in skill development, and students of color are disproportionately impacted. McKinsey, which has researched the consequences of lower-quality education for Black and Hispanic students, projects that all students will fall behind if school is online through 2020. Black and Hispanic students will be hurt the most.
Some kids — and by some I mean too many — have not even shown up this year. Average daily attendance over the first two weeks of school this fall was about 88%. While that’s higher than during springtime remote learning, it’s about 5 percentage points lower than the same period in 2019, when attendance in classrooms was 93%, according to Chalkbeat Colorado. If we think that the summer gap and other manifestations of inequities in our education system were pronounced before this pandemic, imagine what they will be like after it.
Children aren’t just missing out on developing the hard skills of reading, writing, math, and science. School is critical to social-emotional development. Elementary school students develop in ways that are best nurtured in social environments: Building friendships, becoming resilient, learning empathy, and cooperating with others are just some of the softer skills our kids need to learn.
The social engagement and support found in schools are also critical to children’s emotional well-being. In fact, student well-being already appears to have dropped significantly from the spring, with the percentage of Denver students saying they are good or great psychologically dropping from 66% in the spring to 54% in the fall, according to a district survey.
As we respond to the pandemic, we must remember the importance of collaboration, compromise, civics, and civil discourse. I hear dismay about how divided we are as a country. If we want to create something other than vitriol and divisiveness, there’s no better place to start than by valuing our education system.
Colorado, it’s not too late to make safely reopening schools our top priority. Schools can and should still be responsive to the evolving context of the pandemic. As the holidays approach and COVID-19 cases spike, policymakers and health organizations are suggesting that older students, especially, should continue to learn at home for the immediate future.
But our actions can support the primacy of education and help clear the way for a faster, healthier return to school. Mask up, keep your distance, wash your hands, stay at home. Abide and respect public health orders. And keep your holiday celebrations small.
I encourage our local, state and national leaders to make the calls that brave, ethical leadership demands. Make the tough calls on public health orders. Support the governor’s call to pass an economic relief package in the upcoming special legislative session so that businesses can remain closed and schools can open. Call on our congressional delegation to do the same at the federal level. Support efforts to scale testing as quickly as possible.
And support educators and education leaders with the resources and guidance they need as they navigate the complicated logistics of keeping schools running during the pandemic. The safety and education of our young people depend on their ability to do their jobs well.
The Colorado Health Institute has written about these calls to leadership in a new report released in partnership with The Denver Foundation, A New Better. When we cannot have it all, when we cannot fully reopen, the choices that we make about what to prioritize speak volumes about who we are.
There’s little doubt that stay-at-home orders are economically damaging in the short term. Taking a year of two off from educating our children in person? That’s damaging for generations to come.
Michele Lueck is president of the Colorado Health Institute and chair of the Adams State University Board of Trustees.
To send a letter to the editor about this article, submit online or check out our guidelines for how to submit by email or mail.


thedenverpost--2020-11-22--Post Premium: Top stories for Nov. 16-22, 2020

Eight months into the pandemic , COVID-19 is spreading uncontrolled across Colorado , sparking a third wave that first brought surging case numbers , then record leaps in hospitalizations and , now , the threat that the state ’ s intensive-care units will be flooded in the coming weeks .
As much of the Denver region moves to Level Red on the state ’ s dial of coronavirus restrictions , Denver Post health reporters Jessica Seaman and Meg Wingerter examined the state of Colorado ’ s hospitals , interviewing more than a dozen doctors , nurses and other health care @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on COVID-19 is taking .
What Meg and Jessica found included hospitals running short on beds and , even more disconcertingly , staff , as the pandemic ’ s third wave hits harder than even the first surge last spring .
Hospitals now are treating COVID-19 patients on top of everything else they normally see , since , unlike in the spring , people no longer are avoiding medical treatment out of fear of the virus .
There ’ s also no backup for beleaguered health care workers , as a nationwide surge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ everyone ’ s competing for finite resources .
On top of that , more medical professionals are contracting the virus themselves — and not necessarily from work .
The coronavirus is spreading so widely in the community that , one doctor said , “ I feel like it ’ s knocking on our windows and doors.
” We hope you ’ ll take time to read this important look at the state of the pandemic in Colorado .
Five don ’ t-miss stories from last week Colorado moving Denver , 14 other counties @ @ @ @ @ @ @ avoid COVID-19 lockdown Level Red used to be the highest level on Colorado ’ s dial and would have triggered a stay-at-home order , but state officials have pushed back the threshold that counties need to qualify for a lockdown by adding an even higher status — Level Purple — that Polis said won ’ t be invoked unless hospitals are overflowing .
“ We must act now to save lives , ” the governor said .
“ We must act now to avoid a shutdown or lockdown.
” Read More… What restrictions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s color-coded COVID-19 dial ?
Here ’ s an updated breakdown Here is the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment ’ s latest breakdown of what restrictions come with each level of Colorado ’ s color-coded COVID dial , including Level Red — where 15 counties including Denver are headed Friday — and the brand-new Level Purple .
The following counties will move to Level Red on Friday , November 20 , 2020 : Adams , Arapahoe , Boulder , Broomfield , Clear Creek , Denver , Douglas , Jefferson , La @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Routt , Summit and Washington .
Read More… People waiting in line Friday to gobble down In-N-Out Burger fare had better packed a lunch or dinner , the wait time at the newly opened location in Aurora was 14 hours , according to police .
An extremely long line of vehicles snaked into the new eatery throughout the day , where six moonlighting Aurora police officers were keeping a collective eye on the crowd and the traffic .
Read More… Workers laid off , food given away as restaurants prepare for new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Red restrictions , Denver restaurants are in the process of shutting down indoor dining and moving last call to 8 p.m .
But some businesses have decided to close altogether for now , while others will rely solely on takeout .
A relative few are able to accommodate heated , outdoor single-family seating .
The effects of these latest restrictions remain to be seen and felt , but as of Nov. 14 , new unemployment applications in the state reached 22.6 % higher than the previous week , with 9,171 regular claims filed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nov. 7 .
During the last week of October , accommodation and food service workers filed the most initial unemployment claims of any industry in Colorado , accounting for 16.9 % of regular claims filed .
Read More… Fear of economic ruin makes Colorado leaders hesitant to issue stay-at-home order as COVID-19 spreads uncontrolled When Gov .
Jared Polis issued a statewide stay-at-home order in March , he did so with the knowledge that federal coronavirus relief — including $ 1,200 checks , $ 600 weekly unemployment benefits and small business loans — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ facing economic ruin and all that can come with it : hunger , housing instability , mental health crises , joblessness .
Things are even worse today , virus-wise , than they were when he issued that order , which shut down the majority of retail business in the state for more than a month and preceded a temporary flattening of the COVID-19 curve in Colorado .
But this time , there ’ s no federal financial safety net , since Congress has failed to agree on a new stimulus package .
Read @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on The Denver Post ’ s Instagram account .

Eight months into the pandemic, COVID-19 is spreading uncontrolled across Colorado, sparking a third wave that first brought surging case numbers, then record leaps in hospitalizations and, now, the threat that the state’s intensive-care units will be flooded in the coming weeks.
As much of the Denver region moves to Level Red on the state’s dial of coronavirus restrictions, Denver Post health reporters Jessica Seaman and Meg Wingerter examined the state of Colorado’s hospitals, interviewing more than a dozen doctors, nurses and other health care workers about the toll this latest spike on COVID-19 is taking.
What Meg and Jessica found included hospitals running short on beds and, even more disconcertingly, staff, as the pandemic’s third wave hits harder than even the first surge last spring. Hospitals now are treating COVID-19 patients on top of everything else they normally see, since, unlike in the spring, people no longer are avoiding medical treatment out of fear of the virus. There’s also no backup for beleaguered health care workers, as a nationwide surge means hospitals are stressed everywhere, and everyone’s competing for finite resources.
On top of that, more medical professionals are contracting the virus themselves — and not necessarily from work. The coronavirus is spreading so widely in the community that, one doctor said, “I feel like it’s knocking on our windows and doors.”
We hope you’ll take time to read this important look at the state of the pandemic in Colorado.
— Matt Sebastian, The Denver Post
Five don’t-miss stories from last week
Level Red used to be the highest level on Colorado’s dial and would have triggered a stay-at-home order, but state officials have pushed back the threshold that counties need to qualify for a lockdown by adding an even higher status — Level Purple — that Polis said won’t be invoked unless hospitals are overflowing.
“We must act now to save lives,” the governor said. “We must act now to avoid a shutdown or lockdown.” Read More…
Here is the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment’s latest breakdown of what restrictions come with each level of Colorado’s color-coded COVID dial, including Level Red — where 15 counties including Denver are headed Friday — and the brand-new Level Purple.
The following counties will move to Level Red on Friday, November 20, 2020: Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomfield, Clear Creek, Denver, Douglas, Jefferson, La Plata, Logan, Mesa, Morgan, Routt, Summit and Washington. Read More…
People waiting in line Friday to gobble down In-N-Out Burger fare had better packed a lunch or dinner, the wait time at the newly opened location in Aurora was 14 hours, according to police.
An extremely long line of vehicles snaked into the new eatery throughout the day, where six moonlighting Aurora police officers were keeping a collective eye on the crowd and the traffic. Read More…
In accordance with the latest Level Red restrictions, Denver restaurants are in the process of shutting down indoor dining and moving last call to 8 p.m. But some businesses have decided to close altogether for now, while others will rely solely on takeout. A relative few are able to accommodate heated, outdoor single-family seating.
The effects of these latest restrictions remain to be seen and felt, but as of Nov. 14, new unemployment applications in the state reached 22.6% higher than the previous week, with 9,171 regular claims filed compared to 7,483 for the week ending Nov. 7. During the last week of October, accommodation and food service workers filed the most initial unemployment claims of any industry in Colorado, accounting for 16.9% of regular claims filed. Read More…
When Gov. Jared Polis issued a statewide stay-at-home order in March, he did so with the knowledge that federal coronavirus relief — including $1,200 checks, $600 weekly unemployment benefits and small business loans — would buoy a wide range of Coloradans facing economic ruin and all that can come with it: hunger, housing instability, mental health crises, joblessness.
Things are even worse today, virus-wise, than they were when he issued that order, which shut down the majority of retail business in the state for more than a month and preceded a temporary flattening of the COVID-19 curve in Colorado. But this time, there’s no federal financial safety net, since Congress has failed to agree on a new stimulus package. Read More…
Photo of the week
See more great photos like this on The Denver Post’s Instagram account.


thedenverpost--2020-11-22--Friednash: We are witnessing the normalization of hatred in America

With increased frequency and intensity , violence and anger have spilled into our streets in spite of a pandemic that cries out for public restraint .
Against this backdrop of social unrest , our raging president , a would-be “ dictator ” , toys with our democracy .
Donald Trump ’ s outright lie about winning the presidential election not only undermines the integrity of our institutions but needlessly stirs the passions of an already deeply divided nation .
Meanwhile , key Republican leaders stay silent for fear of retribution and targeting , while our media pushes out an increasingly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has covered three presidential administrations and his photos have appeared in publications across the political spectrum .
His photos have notoriously captured these uncertain times .
At the infamous 2017 “ Unite the Right ” Charlottesville rally , Roberts took a photo of white nationalists marching through the University of Virginia campuses with burning tiki torches .
And , he took one of Time magazine ’ s top 100 photos of 2017 : a picture of DeAndra Harris , a black man , being brutally attacked and almost killed during protests by six @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supremacists , near a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville .
His photo aided in the arrest of of some of the assailants who attacked Harris that day .
Roberts covered the recent Million MAGA March and told Slate magazine , “ it was disturbing that the Proud Boys were marching through the main crowd , which included a lot of just ordinary MAGA people , and they cheered the Proud Boys on as part of the Trumpworld and their protectors … now some guy who has right-wing views is welcoming actual far-right groups @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or the Groypers.
” Roberts , who has covered Trump rallies since the beginning of the presidential campaign , notes that , “ half the people are militia , Boogaloo boys and the other half are MAGA people .
And they ’ re just acting like they believe the same things.
” The Proud Boys , whom the president told to “ stand back and stand by , ” have been labeled an extremist group with ties to white nationalism by the FBI , and have been associated with violence at political rallies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , America ’ s largest far-right , anti-government militia organization , said he will not recognize Joe Biden as president .
Then there ’ s QAnon , which spews right-wing conspiracy theories with anti-semitic and anti-LGBTQ elements that falsely claim the world is run by a secret cabal of pedophiles who worship Satan .
The Southern Poverty Law Center estimates that roughly 90 candidates running for office in 2020 shared the QAnon messaging or stated their openness to these conspiracy theories .
We are witnessing the uprising of far right-wing activity and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , there exists disgraceful , bigoted actions and words from the left on occasion too that can never be tolerated , but a sense of proportion and recognition of the different dynamics is necessary here .
A recent Associated Press review of thousands of court documents shows that very few of those arrested in nationwide protests appear to be affiliated with any left-wing highly organized extremist groups .
Much is heard from Trump and others demanding that Antifa be treated as a terrorist organization .
Recently , however , FBI Director Chris Wray @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chorus of experts who have debunked this argument .
Wray told Congress that Antifa , short for “ antifascist ” , is an ideology , not an organization .
Antifa is based on a loose collection of groups , networks and individuals who are opposed to far right-wing movements .
Meanwhile , according to an FBI report released this week , hate crimes rose to the highest level in more than a decade .
Federal officials also recorded the highest number of hate-motivated killings since the FBI began collecting that data in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Reread it .
Because that is the point I ’ m trying to convey .
Hate crimes are not American .
Racism is not American .
Religious persecution is not American .
Not Democrat , not Republican , just not American .
Our country may be imperfect , yes , but give us a true/false question on hate crimes , racism and religious persecution ?
We get it right every single time .
In 1933 , Germany transformed from a deeply divided republic into a horrific Nazi dictatorship led by mass murderer Adolf @ @ @ @ @ @ @ young people , veterans and disgruntled Germans long before Hitler came to power there .
As a Jew , I have never stopped reading about the Holocaust .
I ’ ve been to Yad Vashem several times and visited a German concentration camp .
And , yes , our democracy is , indeed , different – more resilient and mature .
History requires us to be vigilant and recognize those elements that undermine our democracy .
We are required to speak up and speak out as when we witness such strategically placed violence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fascist elements attempting to mobilize our young people , veterans , and disgruntled citizens .
It ’ s time tell the Proud Boys and other hate groups to go away , not simply stand back or stand by .
They are not welcome in America .
Imperfect as we are , we should all be able to agree on this : our leaders can not coddle or normalize extremist groups .
We can not look away .
Albert Einstein famously said , “ the world is a dangerous place to live , not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but because of the people who don ’ t do anything about it.
” Doug Friednash is a Denver native , a partner with the law firm Brownstein Hyatt Farber and Schreck and the former chief of staff for Gov .
John Hickenlooper .
To send a letter to the editor about this article , submit online or check out our guidelines for how to submit by email or mail .

These are dangerous times, America.
With increased frequency and intensity, violence and anger have spilled into our streets in spite of a pandemic that cries out for public restraint.
Against this backdrop of social unrest, our raging president, a would-be “dictator”, toys with our democracy. Donald Trump’s outright lie about winning the presidential election not only undermines the integrity of our institutions but needlessly stirs the passions of an already deeply divided nation. Meanwhile, key Republican leaders stay silent for fear of retribution and targeting, while our media pushes out an increasingly partisan narrative.
Democracy has come unhinged.
Freelance photojournalist Zach Roberts has covered three presidential administrations and his photos have appeared in publications across the political spectrum. His photos have notoriously captured these uncertain times.
At the infamous 2017 “Unite the Right” Charlottesville rally, Roberts took a photo of white nationalists marching through the University of Virginia campuses with burning tiki torches. And, he took one of Time magazine’s top 100 photos of 2017: a picture of DeAndra Harris, a black man, being brutally attacked and almost killed during protests by six men, some with ties to white supremacists, near a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville. His photo aided in the arrest of of some of the assailants who attacked Harris that day.
Roberts covered the recent Million MAGA March and told Slate magazine, “it was disturbing that the Proud Boys were marching through the main crowd, which included a lot of just ordinary MAGA people, and they cheered the Proud Boys on as part of the Trumpworld and their protectors … now some guy who has right-wing views is welcoming actual far-right groups like Patriot Front, the Proud Boys or the Groypers.”
Roberts, who has covered Trump rallies since the beginning of the presidential campaign, notes that, “half the people are militia, Boogaloo boys and the other half are MAGA people. And they’re just acting like they believe the same things.”
The Proud Boys, whom the president told to “stand back and stand by,” have been labeled an extremist group with ties to white nationalism by the FBI, and have been associated with violence at political rallies. The leader of the Oath Keepers, America’s largest far-right, anti-government militia organization, said he will not recognize Joe Biden as president.
Then there’s QAnon, which spews right-wing conspiracy theories with anti-semitic and anti-LGBTQ elements that falsely claim the world is run by a secret cabal of pedophiles who worship Satan. The Southern Poverty Law Center estimates that roughly 90 candidates running for office in 2020 shared the QAnon messaging or stated their openness to these conspiracy theories.
We are witnessing the uprising of far right-wing activity and the normalization of hatred. And, yes, there exists disgraceful, bigoted actions and words from the left on occasion too that can never be tolerated, but a sense of proportion and recognition of the different dynamics is necessary here. A recent Associated Press review of thousands of court documents shows that very few of those arrested in nationwide protests appear to be affiliated with any left-wing highly organized extremist groups. Much is heard from Trump and others demanding that Antifa be treated as a terrorist organization. Recently, however, FBI Director Chris Wray, a Trump appointee, joined the chorus of experts who have debunked this argument. Wray told Congress that Antifa, short for “antifascist”, is an ideology, not an organization. Antifa is based on a loose collection of groups, networks and individuals who are opposed to far right-wing movements.
Meanwhile, according to an FBI report released this week, hate crimes rose to the highest level in more than a decade. Federal officials also recorded the highest number of hate-motivated killings since the FBI began collecting that data in the early 1990s.
Pause on that. Reread it. Because that is the point I’m trying to convey. Hate crimes are not American. Racism is not American. Religious persecution is not American. Not Democrat, not Republican, just not American. Our country may be imperfect, yes, but give us a true/false question on hate crimes, racism and religious persecution? We get it right every single time.
In 1933, Germany transformed from a deeply divided republic into a horrific Nazi dictatorship led by mass murderer Adolf Hitler. Patriotic and fascist elements mobilized young people, veterans and disgruntled Germans long before Hitler came to power there. As a Jew, I have never stopped reading about the Holocaust. I’ve been to Yad Vashem several times and visited a German concentration camp. And, yes, our democracy is, indeed, different – more resilient and mature.
History requires us to be vigilant and recognize those elements that undermine our democracy. We are required to speak up and speak out as when we witness such strategically placed violence, propaganda laced mass demonstrations, and fascist elements attempting to mobilize our young people, veterans, and disgruntled citizens. It’s time tell the Proud Boys and other hate groups to go away, not simply stand back or stand by. They are not welcome in America. Imperfect as we are, we should all be able to agree on this: our leaders cannot coddle or normalize extremist groups. We cannot look away.
Albert Einstein famously said, “the world is a dangerous place to live, not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don’t do anything about it.”
Doug Friednash is a Denver native, a partner with the law firm Brownstein Hyatt Farber and Schreck and the former chief of staff for Gov. John Hickenlooper.
To send a letter to the editor about this article, submit online or check out our guidelines for how to submit by email or mail.


thedenverpost--2020-11-22--Food Bank of the Rockies fills increasing hunger gap in Colorado and Wyoming

When the coronavirus pandemic hit this spring , Erin Pulling , president and CEO of the Food Bank of the Rockies , said she knew her organization would have to step up .
Sure enough , the nonprofit saw a nearly immediate increase in the need for food across its service area of Colorado and Wyoming , Pulling said .
The increase was so stark that the nonprofit was forced to gamble and buy much more food than normal .
Increasing their operating budget by about 50 % , Pulling said they had to hope that an increase in donations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ When COVID hit we were reading the news about people losing their jobs , and we knew that economic hardship would follow , ” Pulling said .
“ And food insecurity would be an immediate consequence of that , and likely long lasting.
” By October , Pulling said , the food bank had jumped from providing 155,000 meals daily to about 230,000 meals .
That food is distributed through the organization ’ s many food pantry partners .
Much of the pronounced food insecurity can be found in Denver — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ food bank — and in Colorado ’ s mountain towns , Pulling said .
The organization also hosts mobile pantries , where a large semi sets up shop and passes out food in an area without a brick-and-mortar pantry , said Aditi Desai , vice president of marketing and communications .
One at Dick ’ s Sporting Goods Park in Denver served over 900 people .
Fortunately just as the need increased , so did the cash donations and volunteers stepping up , Pulling said .
Some who lost their jobs kept donating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ checks to the cause .
“ It has been tremendously inspiring to see people make financial gifts and people to show up to volunteer , ” Pulling said .
The 42-year-old organization is also a recipient of funding from The Denver Post Community Foundation ’ s Season to Share program .
But Pulling said more is still needed as the nonprofit seeks to feed all those in need .
Estimates now show that the increased food insecurity could last another 18 months .
Not only has the price of food gone up , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new drivers , staff a new warehouse and add a night shift .
There is no typical person who benefits from the pantries , Desai said , and there ’ s no limit to who might need help .
“ You can ’ t stereotype anyone in terms of the type of person that needs to come and get additional food support , ” Desai said , recalling a line of vehicles she saw outside a mobile pantry .
“ There were Escalades , there were beautiful cars in this line .
Food @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in time.
” While some volunteers are needed , Pulling said the organization needs cash the most .
That provides versatility to direct resources to where they need is greatest .
Every dollar donated can buy enough food for four meals , she said .
“ We ’ re depending on those financial gifts to get through the holidays and then for the long term , ” Pulling said .
“ Because we are still going to be here , responding to this crisis.
” Anyone seeking more information or wishing to donate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Number of volunteers : More than 15,000 annually for a total of more than 155,000 hours Number of partners : More than 700 food pantry and other hunger relief partners across Colorado and Wyoming

When the coronavirus pandemic hit this spring, Erin Pulling, president and CEO of the Food Bank of the Rockies, said she knew her organization would have to step up.
Sure enough, the nonprofit saw a nearly immediate increase in the need for food across its service area of Colorado and Wyoming, Pulling said. The increase was so stark that the nonprofit was forced to gamble and buy much more food than normal.
Increasing their operating budget by about 50%, Pulling said they had to hope that an increase in donations and volunteers would help cover those costs.
“When COVID hit we were reading the news about people losing their jobs, and we knew that economic hardship would follow,” Pulling said. “And food insecurity would be an immediate consequence of that, and likely long lasting.”
By October, Pulling said, the food bank had jumped from providing 155,000 meals daily to about 230,000 meals.
That food is distributed through the organization’s many food pantry partners. Much of the pronounced food insecurity can be found in Denver — the largest metropolitan area covered by the food bank — and in Colorado’s mountain towns, Pulling said.
The organization also hosts mobile pantries, where a large semi sets up shop and passes out food in an area without a brick-and-mortar pantry, said Aditi Desai, vice president of marketing and communications. One at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Denver served over 900 people.
Fortunately just as the need increased, so did the cash donations and volunteers stepping up, Pulling said. Some who lost their jobs kept donating, others even gave the government stimulus checks to the cause.
“It has been tremendously inspiring to see people make financial gifts and people to show up to volunteer,” Pulling said.
The 42-year-old organization is also a recipient of funding from The Denver Post Community Foundation’s Season to Share program.
But Pulling said more is still needed as the nonprofit seeks to feed all those in need. Estimates now show that the increased food insecurity could last another 18 months. Not only has the price of food gone up, but the organization has had to hire new drivers, staff a new warehouse and add a night shift.
There is no typical person who benefits from the pantries, Desai said, and there’s no limit to who might need help.
“You can’t stereotype anyone in terms of the type of person that needs to come and get additional food support,” Desai said, recalling a line of vehicles she saw outside a mobile pantry. “There were Escalades, there were beautiful cars in this line. Food insecurity can hit anyone at any point in time.”
While some volunteers are needed, Pulling said the organization needs cash the most. That provides versatility to direct resources to where they need is greatest. Every dollar donated can buy enough food for four meals, she said.
“We’re depending on those financial gifts to get through the holidays and then for the long term,” Pulling said. “Because we are still going to be here, responding to this crisis.”
Anyone seeking more information or wishing to donate or volunteer should go to foodbankrockies.org.
Food Bank of the Rockies
Address: 10700 E. 45th Avenue, Denver
In operation since: 1978
Number of employees: 130
Number of volunteers: More than 15,000 annually for a total of more than 155,000 hours
Number of partners: More than 700 food pantry and other hunger relief partners across Colorado and Wyoming