thedenverpost--2020-08-28--Laura thrashes Louisiana, nearby states face tornado threats

LAKE CHARLES , La .
( AP ) — One of the strongest hurricanes ever to strike the U.S. , Laura barreled across Louisiana on Thursday , shearing off roofs , killing at least six people and maintaining ferocious strength while carving a destructive path hundreds of miles inland .
A full assessment of the damage wrought by the Category 4 system was likely to take days , and the threat of additional damage loomed as new tornado warnings were issued after dark in Arkansas and Mississippi .
But despite a trail of demolished buildings , entire neighborhoods left in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ without power , a sense of relief prevailed that Laura was not the annihilating menace forecasters had feared .
“ It is clear that we did not sustain and suffer the absolute , catastrophic damage that we thought was likely , ” Louisiana Gov .
John Bel Edwards said .
“ But we have sustained a tremendous amount of damage.
” He called Laura the most powerful hurricane to strike Louisiana , meaning it surpassed even Katrina , which was a Category 3 storm when it hit in 2005 .
The hurricane ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( 241 kph ) put it among the strongest systems on record in the U.S. Not until 11 hours after landfall did Laura finally lose hurricane status as it plowed north and thrashed Arkansas , and even by Thursday evening , it remained a tropical storm with winds of 40 mph ( 65 kph ) .
The storm came ashore in low-lying Louisiana and clobbered Lake Charles , an industrial and casino city of 80,000 people .
On Broad Street , many buildings had partially collapsed , and those that didn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out , awnings ripped away and trees split in half in eerily misshapen ways .
Police spotted a floating casino that came unmoored and hit a bridge .
At the local airport , planes were overturned , some on top of each other .
In front of the courthouse was a Confederate statue that local officials had voted to keep in place just days earlier .
After Laura , it was toppled .
“ It looks like 1,000 tornadoes went through here .
It ’ s just destruction everywhere , ” said Brett @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with three family members in Moss Bluff , near Lake Charles .
He described Laura passing over his house with the roar of a jet engine around 2 a.m. “ There are houses that are totally gone .
They were there yesterday , but now gone , ” he said .
Not long after daybreak gave the first glimpse of the destruction , a massive plume of smoke visible for miles began rising from a chemical plant .
Police said the leak was at a facility run by Biolab , which manufactures chemicals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bleach scrub and chlorine powder for pools .
Nearby residents were told to close their doors and windows and turn off air conditioners .
State and federal aircraft headed into the skies over the coast to look for signs of any other industrial damage .
The fatalities included a 14-year-old girl and a 68-year-old man who died when trees fell on their homes in Louisiana , as well as a 24-year-old man who died of carbon monoxide poisoning from a generator inside his residence .
Another man drowned in a boat that sank @ @ @ @ @ @ @ No deaths had been confirmed in Texas , which Republican Gov .
Greg Abbott said would amount to “ a miracle.
” Chevellce Dunn considered herself among the fortunate after a night spent huddling on a sofa with her son , daughter and four nieces and nephews as winds rocked their home in Orange , Texas .
Left without power in sweltering heat , she didn ’ t know when power might be restored .
“ It ain ’ t going to be easy .
As long as my kids are fine , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
President Donald Trump planned to visit the Gulf Coast this weekend to tour the damage .
More than 580,000 coastal residents evacuated under the shadow of a coronavirus pandemic and calls for masks and social distancing to combat its spread .
It was the largest evacuation order since the pandemic began and many people followed it , filling hotels and sleeping in cars .
Although not everyone fled from the coast , officials credited those who did leave for minimizing the loss of life .
Forecasters had warned that the storm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be “ unsurvivable ” and could push 40 miles inland .
Edwards said the storm surge wound up being measured in the range of 9 feet to 12 feet — still bad , but far from the worst forecast .
He was hopeful that damaged homes could quickly be made habitable .
The priority , Edwards said , was search and rescue , followed by efforts to find hotel or motel rooms for those unable to stay in their homes .
Officials in Texas and Louisiana have both sought to avoid traditional mass @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 , and Edwards was concerned that the storm would inhibit coronavirus testing as schools and universities are reopening .
Bucky Millet , 78 , of Lake Arthur , Louisiana , considered evacuating but decided to ride out the storm with family due to concerns about the coronavirus .
He said a small tornado blew the cover off the bed of his pickup and made him think the roof on his house was next .
“ You ’ d hear a crack and a boom and everything shaking , ” he said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ blew out every window of the living room in the Lake Charles house where Bethany Agosto survived the storm with her sister and two others .
They sought safety in a closet when the hurricane was at its worst .
“ It was like a jigsaw puzzle in this closet .
We were on top of each other , just holding each other and crying , ” Agosto said .
The storm was so powerful that it could regain strength after turning east and reaching the Atlantic Ocean , potentially threatening the densely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after killing nearly two dozen people on the island of Hispaniola , including 20 in Haiti and three in the Dominican Republic , where it knocked out power and caused intense flooding .
It was the seventh named storm to strike the U.S. this year , setting a new record for U.S. landfalls by the end of August .
The old record was six in 1886 and 1916 , according to Colorado State University hurricane researcher Phil Klotzbach .
Laura was tied with five other storms for fifth most powerful U.S. hurricane , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ storm , 1969 ’ s Camille , 1992 ’ s Andrew and 2004 ’ s Charley , Klotzbach said .
Associated Press contributors include Jeff Martin in Marietta , Georgia ; Kevin McGill in New Orleans ; John L. Mone in Holly Beach , Louisiana ; Paul J. Weber in Austin , Texas ; Seth Borenstein in Kensington , Maryland ; Juan A. Lozano in Houston ; Jay Reeves in Birmingham , Alabama ; Jill Bleed in Little Rock , Arkansas ; and Sophia Tulp in Atlanta .

By MELINDA DESLATTE, STACEY PLAISANCE and GERALD HERBERT
LAKE CHARLES, La. (AP) — One of the strongest hurricanes ever to strike the U.S., Laura barreled across Louisiana on Thursday, shearing off roofs and killing at least six people while carving a destructive path hundreds of miles inland.
A full assessment of the damage wrought by the Category 4 system was likely to take days, and the threat of additional damage loomed as new tornado warnings were issued after dark in Arkansas and Mississippi even as the storm weakened into a depression.
But despite a trail of demolished buildings, entire neighborhoods left in ruins and almost 900,000 homes and businesses without power, a sense of relief prevailed that Laura was not the annihilating menace forecasters had feared.
“It is clear that we did not sustain and suffer the absolute, catastrophic damage that we thought was likely,” Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards said. “But we have sustained a tremendous amount of damage.”
He called Laura the most powerful hurricane to strike Louisiana, meaning it surpassed even Katrina, which was a Category 3 storm when it hit in 2005. The storm toppled trees and damaged structures as far north as central Arkansas.
Laura’s top wind speed of 150 mph (241 kph) put it among the strongest systems on record in the U.S. Not until 11 hours after landfall did Laura finally lose hurricane status as it plowed north and thrashed Arkansas, and even by Thursday evening, it remained a tropical storm with winds of 40 mph (65 kph).
The storm crashed ashore in low-lying Louisiana and clobbered Lake Charles, an industrial and casino city of 80,000 people. On Broad Street, many buildings had partially collapsed. Windows were blown out, awnings ripped away and trees split in eerily misshapen ways. Police spotted a floating casino that came unmoored and hit a bridge. At the local airport, planes were overturned, some on top of each other. Part of a transmission tower toppled into the emptied-out studios of KPLC-TV, whose staff evacuated hours before landfall to broadcast from other locations.
In front of the courthouse was a Confederate statue that local officials had voted to keep in place just days earlier. After Laura, it was toppled.
“It looks like 1,000 tornadoes went through here. It’s just destruction everywhere,” said Brett Geymann, who rode out the storm with three family members in Moss Bluff, near Lake Charles. He described Laura passing over his house with the roar of a jet engine around 2 a.m.
“There are houses that are totally gone. They were there yesterday, but now gone,” he said.
Following Laura’s passage, a massive plume of smoke visible for miles began rising from a chemical plant. Police said the leak was at a facility run by Biolab, which manufactures chemicals used in household cleaners such as Comet bleach scrub and chlorine powder for pools.
Nearby residents were told to close their doors and windows and turn off air conditioners, and the fire smoldered into the night. State and federal aircraft headed into the skies over the coast to look for signs of any other industrial damage.
The fatalities included a 14-year-old girl and a 68-year-old man who died when trees fell on their homes in Louisiana, as well as a 24-year-old man who died of carbon monoxide poisoning from a generator inside his residence. Another man drowned in a boat that sank during the storm, authorities said.
No deaths had been confirmed in Texas, which Republican Gov. Greg Abbott said would amount to “a miracle.”
Chevellce Dunn considered herself among the fortunate after a night spent huddling on a sofa with her son, daughter and four nieces and nephews as winds rocked their home in Orange, Texas. Left without power in sweltering heat, she didn’t know when electricity might be restored.
“It ain’t going to be easy. As long as my kids are fine, I’m fine,” Dunn said.
President Donald Trump planned to visit the Gulf Coast this weekend to tour the damage.
More than 580,000 coastal residents evacuated under the shadow of a coronavirus pandemic and calls for masks and social distancing to combat its spread. It was the largest evacuation order since the pandemic began and many people followed it, filling hotels and sleeping in cars. Although not everyone fled from the coast, officials credited those who did leave for minimizing the loss of life.
Forecasters had warned that the storm surge of 15 to 20 feet would be “unsurvivable” and could push 40 miles inland. Edwards said the storm surge wound up in the range of 9 feet to 12 feet — still bad, but far from the worst forecast. He was hopeful damaged homes could quickly be made habitable.
The priority, Edwards said, was search and rescue, followed by efforts to find hotel or motel rooms for those unable to stay in their homes. Officials in Texas and Louisiana have both sought to avoid traditional mass shelters for evacuees over fears of spreading COVID-19, and Edwards was concerned that the storm would inhibit coronavirus testing as schools and universities are reopening.
Bucky Millet, 78, of Lake Arthur, Louisiana, considered evacuating but decided to ride out the storm with family due to concerns about the coronavirus. He said a small tornado blew the cover off the bed of his pickup and made him think the roof on his house was next.
“You’d hear a crack and a boom and everything shaking,” he said.
The force of Laura’s winds blew out every window of the living room in the Lake Charles house where Bethany Agosto survived the storm with her sister and two others. They fled to a closet when the hurricane was at its worst.
“It was like a jigsaw puzzle in this closet. We were on top of each other, just holding each other and crying,” Agosto said.
The storm was so powerful that it could regain strength after turning east and reaching the Atlantic Ocean, potentially threatening the densely populated Northeast.
Laura hit the U.S. after killing nearly two dozen people on the island of Hispaniola, including 20 in Haiti and three in the Dominican Republic, where it knocked out power and caused intense flooding.
It was the seventh named storm to strike the U.S. this year, setting a new record for U.S. landfalls by the end of August. The old record was six in 1886 and 1916, according to Colorado State University hurricane researcher Phil Klotzbach.
Laura was tied with five other storms for fifth most powerful U.S. hurricane, behind the 1935’s Labor Day storm, 1969’s Camille, 1992’s Andrew and 2004’s Charley, Klotzbach said.
___
Associated Press contributors include Jeff Martin in Marietta, Georgia; Kevin McGill in New Orleans; John L. Mone in Holly Beach, Louisiana; Paul J. Weber in Austin, Texas; Seth Borenstein in Kensington, Maryland; Juan A. Lozano in Houston; Jay Reeves in Birmingham, Alabama; Jill Bleed in Little Rock, Arkansas; and Sophia Tulp in Atlanta.


thedenverpost--2020-08-28--Four men now sentenced for injuring Arvada officer with a chlorine bomb

Four men have now been sentenced in Jefferson County for throwing a chlorine bomb at a police officer who was injured in the incident .
Three of the four defendants in the case were sentenced Thursday , with one man being sentenced earlier , according to a district attorney ’ s office news release .
The Arvada police officer was injured around midnight April 6 , 2019 , when he attempted to clear a road hazard at West 72nd Avenue and Beech Street , the release said .
The defendants had “ built ” the hazard , with street signs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make a target for their plastic bottle chlorine bombs .
When the officer began removing the hazard , the men yelled obscenities and hurled the bomb , the release said .
The bottle hit the ground near the officer , releasing a cloud of chlorine gas .
The officer coughed , became nauseous and lost consciousness , falling to the ground .
He was taken to a local hospital .
The officer suffered serious heart damage and spent months going to medical appointments and missing work .
He continues to suffer the effects @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , all 20 , had detonated at least seven additional incendiary devices in the area , the release said .
Gavin Beret Dawson and Maxwell Cade McCann were sentenced to probation for two years , with 60 days in the jail ’ s Alternative Sentencing Program , which includes jail work release and in-home detention .
Both men had pleaded guilty to attempted second-degree assault of a peace officer – toxic caustic device , a felony .
Braiden John Ulmer was sentenced to probation for two years , with 30 days in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He pleaded guilty to the same charge as Dawson and McCann .
Isaac Carl Koch was granted a two-year deferred judgement and sentence after pleading guilty on Dec. 9 , 2019 , to conspiracy to possess and explosive/incendiary device , a felony .
“ These men set up an ambush for police .
When the first Arvada officer arrived to clear away the road hazard , he was a fixed target for their toxic chemical bombs , ” said DA Pete Weir , in the release .
“ These young men purchased the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mixed the bombs and then set up their targets for ambush .
”

Four men have now been sentenced in Jefferson County for throwing a chlorine bomb at a police officer who was injured in the incident.
Three of the four defendants in the case were sentenced Thursday, with one man being sentenced earlier, according to a district attorney’s office news release.
The Arvada police officer was injured around midnight April 6, 2019, when he attempted to clear a road hazard at West 72nd Avenue and Beech Street, the release said.
The defendants had “built” the hazard, with street signs pulled out of the ground, to make a target for their plastic bottle chlorine bombs. When the officer began removing the hazard, the men yelled obscenities and hurled the bomb, the release said.
The bottle hit the ground near the officer, releasing a cloud of chlorine gas. The officer coughed, became nauseous and lost consciousness, falling to the ground. He was taken to a local hospital.
Four men were sentenced for throwing home made chlorine bomb at @ArvadaPolice officer after they created a road hazard to lure them to the area. https://t.co/9ABmj16A1M pic.twitter.com/vfqBCzPfjc — DA Peter A. Weir (@DA1Colorado) August 27, 2020
The officer suffered serious heart damage and spent months going to medical appointments and missing work. He continues to suffer the effects of the chlorine gas.
The defendants, all 20, had detonated at least seven additional incendiary devices in the area, the release said.
Gavin Beret Dawson and Maxwell Cade McCann were sentenced to probation for two years, with 60 days in the jail’s Alternative Sentencing Program, which includes jail work release and in-home detention. Both men had pleaded guilty to attempted second-degree assault of a peace officer – toxic caustic device, a felony.
Braiden John Ulmer was sentenced to probation for two years, with 30 days in the jail’s Alternative Sentencing Program. He pleaded guilty to the same charge as Dawson and McCann.
Isaac Carl Koch was granted a two-year deferred judgement and sentence after pleading guilty on Dec. 9, 2019, to conspiracy to possess and explosive/incendiary device, a felony.
“These men set up an ambush for police. When the first Arvada officer arrived to clear away the road hazard, he was a fixed target for their toxic chemical bombs,” said DA Pete Weir, in the release. “These young men purchased the chemicals and plastic bottles at Walmart, mixed the bombs and then set up their targets for ambush.”


thedenverpost--2020-08-28--Sport-by-sport snapshot of racial injustice protests

Moved by the videotaped shooting of Jacob Blake , many professional athletes — some who had previously donned Black Lives Matter T-Shirts and knelt for the national anthem to protest racial injustice — made a more dramatic statement .
NBA players led the way Wednesday and Thursday by sitting out of scheduled playoff games in the “ bubble ” in Florida , the league ’ s answer to finishing up the season amid the coronavirus pandemic .
The movement quickly spread to the other professional sports .
“ We are scared as Black people in America , ” LeBron James @ @ @ @ @ @ @ women , Black kids .
We are terrified.
” Athletes similarly came together after the death of George Floyd , another Black man who died when an officer pressed his knee into his neck for more than seven minutes .
Some players knelt during the national anthem or stood in silence , fists raised , while others wore Black Lives Matter T-shirts or had names of Black people killed by police on their jerseys .
But then the cellphone video of Blake getting shot in the back seven times by police in Kenosha @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Milwaukee , emerged .
Athletes say the moment has forced them to act .
Here ’ s a look at what they are doing across the major professional sports to call for an end to racial injustice : NBA : The Milwaukee Bucks set off a wave of postponements in professional sports Wednesday , when players refused to take the court for a playoff game against Orlando .
The two other playoff games for that day were also postponed , as were the three games set for Thursday .
NBA Executive Vice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said : “ We are hopeful to resume games either Friday or Saturday , ” and added that a group of players and representatives from the teams in the bubble were going to hold a video conference call with the league ’ s front office and union officials about the next step .
“ We don ’ t want lip service anymore , ” said San Jose ’ s Chris Wondolowski , who is of Native American descent .
“ It ’ s time for actual actions to be made , and time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : Seven games were postponed Thursday , a day after three games were called off .
“ In this world , I ’ ve always believed , there ’ s two things you can ’ t live without .
It has nothing to do with food and water .
It ’ s love and hope .
And I don ’ t think we ’ re doing a good job in our country giving that to everyone and I think that needs to be the focus here , ” Philadelphia Phillies manager Joe Girardi @ @ @ @ @ @ @ practice Thursday .
The league is set to start its season on Sept. 10 .
NHL : Announced Thursday that it postponed two days of playoff games .
The league ’ s games went on as scheduled Wednesday .
San Jose Sharks forward Evander Kane , who is Black , was vocal about the issue on Twitter , saying it would send “ a clear message that human rights take priority over sports.
” GOLF : The PGA Tour event at Olympia Fields outside Chicago — less than 100 miles from Kenosha , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Cameron Champ , who has a Black father and a white mother , wore a black show and a white shoe .
On the white shoe he wrote : “ Jacob Blake BLM.
” The LPGA Tour is set to begin play Friday in Rogers , Arkansas .
TENNIS : Naomi Osaka withdrew from her Western & Southern Open semifinal match Thursday , prompting organizers to announce that there would be no matches that day , but the event would resume in New York City on Friday .
“ As a Black @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much more important matters at hand that need immediate attention , rather than watching me play tennis , ” Osaka said in a statement posted on social media .
“ I don ’ t expect anything drastic to happen with me not playing , but if I can get a conversation started in a majority white sport I consider that a step in the right direction.
” WNBA : The six WNBA games set for Wednesday and Thursday were postponed in the league ’ s bubble in Bradenton , Florida .
Players from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Blake ’ s name on the front and seven holes in the back .
Later , players held a candlelight vigil .
The league had just passed its halfway mark of the 22-game season .
MLS : Five of six scheduled matches Wednesday were postponed .
Players for the other game , between Nashville SC and Orlando City , said they had already taken the field in preparation for their game before a collective decision was made .
The MLS had no games scheduled for Thursday .

Moved by the videotaped shooting of Jacob Blake, many professional athletes — some who had previously donned Black Lives Matter T-Shirts and knelt for the national anthem to protest racial injustice — made a more dramatic statement.
They refused to play.
NBA players led the way Wednesday and Thursday by sitting out of scheduled playoff games in the “bubble” in Florida, the league’s answer to finishing up the season amid the coronavirus pandemic. The movement quickly spread to the other professional sports.
“We are scared as Black people in America,” LeBron James said. “Black men, Black women, Black kids. We are terrified.”
Athletes similarly came together after the death of George Floyd, another Black man who died when an officer pressed his knee into his neck for more than seven minutes. Some players knelt during the national anthem or stood in silence, fists raised, while others wore Black Lives Matter T-shirts or had names of Black people killed by police on their jerseys.
But then the cellphone video of Blake getting shot in the back seven times by police in Kenosha, Wisconsin, about 40 miles south of Milwaukee, emerged.
Athletes say the moment has forced them to act. Here’s a look at what they are doing across the major professional sports to call for an end to racial injustice:
NBA: The Milwaukee Bucks set off a wave of postponements in professional sports Wednesday, when players refused to take the court for a playoff game against Orlando. The two other playoff games for that day were also postponed, as were the three games set for Thursday.
NBA Executive Vice President Mike Bass issued a statement that said: “We are hopeful to resume games either Friday or Saturday,” and added that a group of players and representatives from the teams in the bubble were going to hold a video conference call with the league’s front office and union officials about the next step.
“We don’t want lip service anymore,” said San Jose’s Chris Wondolowski, who is of Native American descent. “It’s time for actual actions to be made, and time for a change.”
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL: Seven games were postponed Thursday, a day after three games were called off.
“In this world, I’ve always believed, there’s two things you can’t live without. It has nothing to do with food and water. It’s love and hope. And I don’t think we’re doing a good job in our country giving that to everyone and I think that needs to be the focus here,” Philadelphia Phillies manager Joe Girardi said.
NFL: Nine teams canceled practice Thursday. The league is set to start its season on Sept. 10.
NHL: Announced Thursday that it postponed two days of playoff games. The league’s games went on as scheduled Wednesday. San Jose Sharks forward Evander Kane, who is Black, was vocal about the issue on Twitter, saying it would send “a clear message that human rights take priority over sports.”
GOLF: The PGA Tour event at Olympia Fields outside Chicago — less than 100 miles from Kenosha, Wisconsin — went on as scheduled Thursday. Cameron Champ, who has a Black father and a white mother, wore a black show and a white shoe. On the white shoe he wrote: “Jacob Blake BLM.” The LPGA Tour is set to begin play Friday in Rogers, Arkansas.
TENNIS: Naomi Osaka withdrew from her Western & Southern Open semifinal match Thursday, prompting organizers to announce that there would be no matches that day, but the event would resume in New York City on Friday.
“As a Black woman I feel as though there are much more important matters at hand that need immediate attention, rather than watching me play tennis,” Osaka said in a statement posted on social media. “I don’t expect anything drastic to happen with me not playing, but if I can get a conversation started in a majority white sport I consider that a step in the right direction.”
WNBA: The six WNBA games set for Wednesday and Thursday were postponed in the league’s bubble in Bradenton, Florida. Players from the Washington Mystics wore T-shirts that had Blake’s name on the front and seven holes in the back. Later, players held a candlelight vigil. The league had just passed its halfway mark of the 22-game season.
MLS: Five of six scheduled matches Wednesday were postponed. Players for the other game, between Nashville SC and Orlando City, said they had already taken the field in preparation for their game before a collective decision was made. The MLS had no games scheduled for Thursday.


thedenverpost--2020-08-28--Hideki Matsuyama leads on long birdie to end tough day at Olympia Fields

OLYMPIA FIELDS , Ill. — One of the toughest tests of the year made it clear that par would be a great score at Olympia Fields .
Leave it to Hideki Matsuyama to make a 65-foot birdie putt on his final hole Thursday to lead the BMW Championship .
Matsuyama , the Japanese player who has gone three years since his last victory , birdied two of his last three holes for a 3-under 67 , one of only three rounds under par on a course that was long , tough , firm , fast and nothing like the last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outside the top 30 as he tries to earn his first trip to the Tour Championship , made an 8-foot par putt on his last hole for a 68 .
Mackenzie Hughes , one of only four players who reached 3 under at any point in his round , was another shot behind .
“ I ’ m not sure really what I had going today , but that last putt , the long putt that went in , very happy with that one , ” Matsuyama said .
“ So we ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who won The Northern Trust last week at 30-under par , opened with a 71 and felt like it was a good day ’ s work .
He was told that even three straight rounds of 60 would not be enough to reach 30 under at Olympia Fields .
“ Yeah , but I would win , ” he said .
Tiger Woods needs to finish around fourth to have any hope of returning to East Lake next week in Atlanta to chase the $ 15 million bonus for the FedEx Cup @ @ @ @ @ @ @ par a few shots out of the lead .
He finished with three straight bogeys for a 73 and was running hotter than the weather .
A three-time U.S. Open champion , Woods knows all about control and patience and key pars putts .
And then he let a reasonable round get away from him .
“ The course was fine .
The course is in perfect shape .
Not the way I wanted to finish , ” Woods said in brief comments .
The average score was 72.8 , and only four @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
That included both par 5s .
This is what the U.S. Open could have used in 2003 , instead of rain-softened conditions .
It was hot in the morning , baking out a dry course .
The rough is 5 inches in spots .
The greens were hard , making it tough to get the ball close and nearly impossible to get shots to stop on the green from out of the rough .
“ I think when golf courses become like this and pars are a premium , I think I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because you don ’ t feel like you ’ ll ever get left behind when you ’ re running off a few pars in a row , ” Hughes said .
“ Like last week , if you got off to a slow start and you were even par through six holes you felt like you were getting run over.
” Rory McIlroy was among 10 players who finished at 70 and felt the day was a success .
He hasn ’ t registered a top 10 since golf returned from the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to being lethargic without fan energy .
“ I said last week if you need someone to shoot between like even par and 2 under , I ’ m your man , ” McIlroy said .
“ So I ’ m loving these conditions .
It ’ s sort of weird .
The way my game feels at the minute , it ’ s just as easy for me to shoot even par here as it was last week in Boston , for whatever reason that is .
“ But this is proper @ @ @ @ @ @ @ You ’ ve really got to think about stuff .
… It ’ s nice to play around of golf like that again.
” Also in that group at even par was Carlos Ortiz of Mexico , notable because he was the latest player to be grouped with Woods for the first time .
He raved about how Woods controls the flight of his irons .
He missed out on the massive crowd because there are no spectators , only carts carrying the broadcast crew .
“ It ’ s probably the least @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in front of , ” Ortiz said , “ and the most for me .
”

OLYMPIA FIELDS, Ill. — One of the toughest tests of the year made it clear that par would be a great score at Olympia Fields. Leave it to Hideki Matsuyama to make a 65-foot birdie putt on his final hole Thursday to lead the BMW Championship.
Matsuyama, the Japanese player who has gone three years since his last victory, birdied two of his last three holes for a 3-under 67, one of only three rounds under par on a course that was long, tough, firm, fast and nothing like the last two weeks.
Tyler Duncan, just outside the top 30 as he tries to earn his first trip to the Tour Championship, made an 8-foot par putt on his last hole for a 68. Mackenzie Hughes, one of only four players who reached 3 under at any point in his round, was another shot behind.
“I’m not sure really what I had going today, but that last putt, the long putt that went in, very happy with that one,” Matsuyama said. “So we’ll remember that one.”
Dustin Johnson, who won The Northern Trust last week at 30-under par, opened with a 71 and felt like it was a good day’s work. He was told that even three straight rounds of 60 would not be enough to reach 30 under at Olympia Fields.
“Yeah, but I would win,” he said.
By a landslide, no doubt.
Tiger Woods needs to finish around fourth to have any hope of returning to East Lake next week in Atlanta to chase the $15 million bonus for the FedEx Cup winner. He was hovering around even par a few shots out of the lead. He finished with three straight bogeys for a 73 and was running hotter than the weather.
A three-time U.S. Open champion, Woods knows all about control and patience and key pars putts. And then he let a reasonable round get away from him.
“The course was fine. The course is in perfect shape. Not the way I wanted to finish,” Woods said in brief comments.
The average score was 72.8, and only four of the 18 holes played under par. That included both par 5s. This is what the U.S. Open could have used in 2003, instead of rain-softened conditions. It was hot in the morning, baking out a dry course. The rough is 5 inches in spots. The greens were hard, making it tough to get the ball close and nearly impossible to get shots to stop on the green from out of the rough.
“I think when golf courses become like this and pars are a premium, I think I’m almost more comfortable at times because you don’t feel like you’ll ever get left behind when you’re running off a few pars in a row,” Hughes said. “Like last week, if you got off to a slow start and you were even par through six holes you felt like you were getting run over.”
Rory McIlroy was among 10 players who finished at 70 and felt the day was a success. He hasn’t registered a top 10 since golf returned from the coronavirus shutdown in June, and he conceded to being lethargic without fan energy.
“I said last week if you need someone to shoot between like even par and 2 under, I’m your man,” McIlroy said. “So I’m loving these conditions. It’s sort of weird. The way my game feels at the minute, it’s just as easy for me to shoot even par here as it was last week in Boston, for whatever reason that is.
“But this is proper golf,” he said. “You’ve really got to think about stuff. … It’s nice to play around of golf like that again.”
Also in that group at even par was Carlos Ortiz of Mexico, notable because he was the latest player to be grouped with Woods for the first time. He raved about how Woods controls the flight of his irons. He missed out on the massive crowd because there are no spectators, only carts carrying the broadcast crew.
“It’s probably the least amount of people he’s played in front of,” Ortiz said, “and the most for me.”


thedenverpost--2020-08-27--Mesa County DA clears officers and deputies in fatal shooting of armed man in Fruita

Fruita police officers and Mesa County deputies will not face criminal charges for using deadly force in self-defense after they shot an armed man who pointed a gun at them , according to a review of the incident by the Mesa County District Attorney ’ s Office .
David Martin , 28 , was shot in the early mourning hours of July 18 when Fruita police and Mesa County Sheriff deputies responded to a domestic violence call in the 1100 block of East Carolina Avenue , according to a letter explaining the decision written by District Attorney Daniel Rubenstein .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ reported that Martin had tried to push her down the stairs .
She also told dispatchers that Martin was intoxicated and armed with handgun .
When officers and deputies arrived they encountered Martin who was armed and uncooperative , pointing the handgun at his own head , the letter said .
Officers Logan Hunt and Dylan Moody and deputies Mitchell Meens and Ryan Reasoner , “ made repeated attempts to negotiate a peaceful surrender , ” according to the letter .
After pointing the gun at his own head , Martin pointed it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at him .
“ The actions of Officers Hunt and Moody , and Deputies Meens and Reasoner fall squarely within both use of deadly force in self-defense or defense of others justification , ” said District Attorney Daniel P. Rubinstein in the review .
Martin was shot 17 times , an autopsy found .
The Aug. 26 letter was addressed to Charles Rojo , lead detective Grand Junction Police Department .

Fruita police officers and Mesa County deputies will not face criminal charges for using deadly force in self-defense after they shot an armed man who pointed a gun at them, according to a review of the incident by the Mesa County District Attorney’s Office.
David Martin, 28, was shot in the early morning hours of July 18 when Fruita police and Mesa County Sheriff deputies responded to a domestic violence call in the 1100 block of East Carolina Avenue, according to a letter explaining the decision written by District Attorney Daniel Rubenstein.
Martin’s girlfriend called 911 and reported that Martin had tried to push her down the stairs. She also told dispatchers that Martin was intoxicated and armed with handgun.
When officers and deputies arrived they encountered Martin who was armed and uncooperative, pointing the handgun at his own head, the letter said.
Officers Logan Hunt and Dylan Moody and deputies Mitchell Meens and Ryan Reasoner, “made repeated attempts to negotiate a peaceful surrender,” according to the letter. After pointing the gun at his own head, Martin pointed it at the cops and all four fired at him.
“The actions of Officers Hunt and Moody, and Deputies Meens and Reasoner fall squarely within both use of deadly force in self-defense or defense of others justification,” said District Attorney Daniel P. Rubinstein in the review.
Martin was shot 17 times, an autopsy found. The Aug. 26 letter was addressed to Charles Rojo, lead detective Grand Junction Police Department.


thedenverpost--2020-08-27--Rockies’ game against Diamondbacks postponed as players protest social injustice

The Rockies and Diamondbacks postponed their series finale Thursday in Arizona as Major League Baseball joined sports leagues across the @ @ @ @ @ .
Colorado released the following statement : “ After reflecting and meeting as a group @ @ @ @ @ not to play today ’ s game against the Arizona Diamondbacks , standing in solidarity @ @ @ @ @ against social injustice.
” The last-minute postponement was unexpected , though , with the Rockies @ @ @ @ @ 2:30 p.m. in addition to manager Bud Black speaking with reporters prior to the scheduled @ @ @ @ @ Matt Kemp – who sat out of Wednesday ’ s game following the police shooting @ @ @ @ @ – was expected to return to the lineup Thursday as Colorado ’ s designated hitter @ @ @ @ @ when conversations are happening and emotions are being shown , ” Black said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ we ’ re talking about situations in our country that are real and need to @ @ @ @ @ , hopefully , over time will make for change .
”

The Rockies and Diamondbacks postponed their series finale Thursday in Arizona as Major League Baseball joined sports leagues across the nation in protesting racial injustice.
Colorado released the following statement: “After reflecting and meeting as a group, Rockies players have decided not to play today’s game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, standing in solidarity with athletes and sports teams against social injustice.”
RELATED: Emotional Trevor Story on Rockies’ decision not to play Thursday: “We had a chance to stand up for our guy last night. We didn’t do that.”
The last-minute postponement was unexpected, though, with the Rockies announcing their lineup at about 2:30 p.m. in addition to manager Bud Black speaking with reporters prior to the scheduled 4:10 p.m. first pitch.
Matt Kemp – who sat out of Wednesday’s game following the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Wisconsin – was expected to return to the lineup Thursday as Colorado’s designated hitter.
“These are times when conversations are happening and emotions are being shown,” Black said. “These are good things because we’re talking about situations in our country that are real and need to change. … These discussions, hopefully, over time will make for change.”
After reflecting and meeting as a group, Rockies players have decided not to play today’s game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, standing in solidarity with athletes and sports teams against social injustice. — Colorado Rockies (@Rockies) August 27, 2020
We stand with our brothers at the @Rockies. https://t.co/4RO8Cdhz1o — Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) August 27, 2020
On Deck
Padres RHP Zach Davies (4-2, 3.03 ERA) at Rockies LHP Kyle Freeland (2-1, 2.87 ERA)
6:40 p.m. Friday, Coors Field
TV: AT&T SportsNet
Radio: KOA 850 AM/94.1 AM
Freeland has established himself as the Rockies’ most consistent starting pitcher, with the left-hander earning a quality start in all six of his outings this season — the second-longest streak in team history. Freeland put Colorado in position to beat the Dodgers in L.A. in his previous start, but a shaky bullpen wasted his 3-2 lead in the sixth for a Rockies loss. Freeland is 3-3 lifetime against the Padres with a 3.60 ERA over 10 games (eight starts). At home this year, Freeland carries a 2.29 ERA. Davies has gone at least six innings in five of his six starts this season, and he enters Friday’s game with back-to-back wins. However, the Rockies beat Davies, 9-6, in an Aug. 2 game in which he allowed three earned runs (two homers) over five innings pitched. This will mark Davies’ second career start against Colorado.
Trending: The Rockies’ starting rotation entered Thursday night leading the NL in total innings pitched (175.2) and quality starts (17). Colorado ranks second in MLB behind the Cleveland Indians with 182.1 IP and 22 QS.
At issue: Colorado has lost nine of its last 13 games after starting out the year 11-3. Prior to the postponement of Thursday’s game in Arizona, though, the Rockies had won three straight against the Diamondbacks.
Pitching Probables:
Saturday: Padres RHP Adrian Merjon (0-0, 5.79) at Rockies RHP Antonio Senzatela (3-1, 3.96 ERA), 6:10 p.m., ATTRM
Sunday: Padres RHP Chris Paddack (2-3, 5.15) at Rockies RHP Ryan Castellani (1-1, 3.54), 1:10 p.m., ATTRM
Monday: Padres TBD at Rockies RHP German Marquez (2-4, 4.50), 7:40 p.m., ATTRM


thedenverpost--2020-08-27--Broncos podcast: Team cancels practice due to police shooting of Jacob Blake, plus training camp ana

Broncos podcast: Team cancels practice due to police shooting of Jacob Blake, plus training camp analysis

In this edition of the 1st-and-Orange podcast , Denver Post beat writers Kyle Newman and Ryan O ’ Halloran talk @ @ @ @ @ decision to cancel practice on Thursday to protest the police shooting of Jacob Blake in @ @ @ @ @ and O ’ Halloran offer analysis on Denver ’ s early injury issues , who @ @ @ @ @ in camp and who ’ s hurting themselves .
Subscribe to our Broncos Insider newsletter @ @ @ @ @ news sent straight to your inbox .

In this edition of the 1st-and-Orange podcast, Denver Post beat writers Kyle Newman and Ryan O’Halloran talk about the team’s decision to cancel practice on Thursday to protest the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Wisconsin.
Also, Newman and O’Halloran offer analysis on Denver’s early injury issues, who’s helping their prospects in camp and who’s hurting themselves.
Subscribe to the podcast
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Subscribe to our Broncos Insider newsletter to get the latest team news sent straight to your inbox.


thedenverpost--2020-08-27--Boulder fraternity to be fined over large gathering of CU students without masks or social distancin

Boulder fraternity to be fined over large gathering of CU students without masks or social distancing

The Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity in Boulder will be fined for a gathering that drew 120 students to the organization ’ s house on University Hill this week , flouting COVID-19 health protocols .
Marc Stine , who oversees the Interfraternity Council on the Hill , would not disclose the amount of the fine the governing organization is levying against Sigma Alpha Epsilon , but described it as “ significant.
” “ That fine is for violating public health rules , but it ’ s also for embarrassing the fraternity community so publicly , ” Stine said Thursday .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had evidence of a large gathering of students on a fraternity property without masks or social distancing.
” Wednesday ’ s gathering was planned as a pre-rush get-together under the incorrect assumption that the fraternity was classified as a venue that was allowed to host 40 people , Stine said .
However , the event grew larger , with about 80 University of Colorado students there at any given point and a total of 120 students passing through together , Stine said .
Chana Goussetis , spokeswoman for Boulder County Public Health , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people with social distancing , mask wearing and hygiene guidance being followed if the people attending do not live in the same household .
Leaders of Sigma Alpha Epsilon ’ s Boulder chapter could not be reached Thursday .
CU Boulder , along with other colleges , has been upfront about placing responsibility for a safe and successful in-person semester on its students , asking them to alter their behavior in the face of the pandemic or face consequences .
Because CU Boulder is unaffiliated from the majority of the fraternities that line @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t impose sanctions on fraternity chapters , but university officials do have the authority to enforce the student code of conduct on individual students .
In a Thursday message to the campus community , CU said there were large gatherings off campus this week and that the Office of Student Conduct and Conflict Resolution was “ working through the adjudication process for instances where they received sufficient information.
” A university email was to be sent to all students later Thursday reinforcing expectations and explaining how to address large gatherings that may occur @ @ @ @ @ @ @ large crowds of unmasked young men outside the fraternity house , made their way around social media , with students and community members chiding the get-together for shirking public health guidelines .
Stine said one woman drove around the Hill searching for parties or gatherings she could photograph .
“ I ’ ll say that ’ s not because she hates fraternities , although she may , ” Stine said .
“ I ’ ll give her the benefit of the doubt and say she doesn ’ t want to die from those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be a challenging year as recruitment events will have to be held largely online .
Nevertheless , Stine said 533 undergraduate men at CU Boulder have registered to rush with IFC on the Hill , up 30 % from this time last year .
“ It ’ s a seller ’ s market , as they say , ” Stine said .

The Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity in Boulder will be fined for a gathering that drew 120 students to the organization’s house on University Hill this week, flouting COVID-19 health protocols.
Marc Stine, who oversees the Interfraternity Council on the Hill, said the governing organization will fine Sigma Alpha Epsilon $10 per member, or about $1,750 total, for this first infraction.
“That fine is for violating public health rules, but it’s also for embarrassing the fraternity community so publicly,” Stine said Thursday. “Yesterday was the first time that we had evidence of a large gathering of students on a fraternity property without masks or social distancing.”
Wednesday’s gathering was planned as a pre-rush get-together under the incorrect assumption that the fraternity was classified as a venue that was allowed to host 40 people, Stine said. However, the event grew larger, with about 80 University of Colorado students there at any given point and a total of 120 students passing through together, Stine said.
Chana Goussetis, spokeswoman for Boulder County Public Health, said gatherings should be limited to 10 people with social distancing, mask wearing and hygiene guidance being followed if the people attending do not live in the same household.
Leaders of Sigma Alpha Epsilon’s Boulder chapter could not be reached Thursday.
CU Boulder, along with other colleges, has been upfront about placing responsibility for a safe and successful in-person semester on its students, asking them to alter their behavior in the face of the pandemic or face consequences.
Because CU Boulder is unaffiliated from the majority of the fraternities that line its campus, the university can’t impose sanctions on fraternity chapters, but university officials do have the authority to enforce the student code of conduct on individual students.
In a Thursday message to the campus community, CU said there were large gatherings off campus this week and that the Office of Student Conduct and Conflict Resolution was “working through the adjudication process for instances where they received sufficient information.”
A university email was to be sent to all students later Thursday reinforcing expectations and explaining how to address large gatherings that may occur.
Pictures of the gathering, showing large crowds of unmasked young men outside the fraternity house, made their way around social media, with students and community members chiding the get-together for shirking public health guidelines.
Stine said one woman drove around the Hill searching for parties or gatherings she could photograph.
“I’ll say that’s not because she hates fraternities, although she may,” Stine said. “I’ll give her the benefit of the doubt and say she doesn’t want to die from those kinds of gatherings.”
Stine said this will be a challenging year as recruitment events will have to be held largely online. Nevertheless, Stine said 533 undergraduate men at CU Boulder have registered to rush with IFC on the Hill, up 30% from this time last year.
“It’s a seller’s market, as they say,” Stine said.


thedenverpost--2020-08-27--Frisbee golfer finds human skull while looking for stray disc in Highlands Ranch

A person playing Frisbee golf in Highlands Ranch Wednesday went looking for a stray disc and stumbled upon a human skull .
The Frisbee golfer found the skull and some bone fragments in a gully in an open area behind Christ Lutheran Church in the 9000 block of South Broadway around 5:20 p.m. , Douglas County Sheriff ’ s Office Deputy Lauren Childress said .
The gully , which is near a short hiking trail , was covered with thick bushes .
Authorities have not yet determined the gender or identity of the skeletal remains , and a cause and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The work to identify the remains will be done by the county coroner ’ s office , Childress said , adding that sheriff ’ s investigators were still at the scene Thursday collecting evidence .
“ At this point it is just a matter of making sure we get everything they can that is out there that may be related , and then they ’ ll start to put pieces together to figure out the big picture , ” she said .
“ Obviously the first thing is identifying who it is.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how long the remains have been at the site , but said it appeared the bones had been there for “ a while .
”

A person playing Frisbee golf in Highlands Ranch Wednesday went looking for a stray disc and stumbled upon a human skull.
The Frisbee golfer found the skull and some bone fragments in a gully in an open area behind Christ Lutheran Church in the 9000 block of South Broadway around 5:20 p.m., Douglas County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Lauren Childress said.
The gully, which is near a short hiking trail, was covered with thick bushes. Authorities have not yet determined the gender or identity of the skeletal remains, and a cause and manner of death is also unknown.
The work to identify the remains will be done by the county coroner’s office, Childress said, adding that sheriff’s investigators were still at the scene Thursday collecting evidence.
“At this point it is just a matter of making sure we get everything they can that is out there that may be related, and then they’ll start to put pieces together to figure out the big picture,” she said. “Obviously the first thing is identifying who it is.”
She said investigators are not yet sure how long the remains have been at the site, but said it appeared the bones had been there for “a while.”


thedenverpost--2020-08-28--U.S. consumer spending rose a moderate 1.9% in July

WASHINGTON — U.S. consumers increased their spending by 1.9 % last month , a dose of support for an economy struggling to emerge from the grip of a pandemic that has held back a recovery and kept roughly 27 million people jobless .
The July gain marked the third straight monthly increase in consumer spending , the primary driver of the U.S. economy , but represented a slowdown from the previous two months .
Friday ’ s report from the Commerce Department also showed that income rose 0.4 % in July after two months of declines .
The consumer spending @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with high unemployment , struggling businesses and deep uncertainty about when the health crisis will be solved and when people and companies will feel confident enough to spend and hire normally again .
It also comes weeks after the expiration of a $ 600-a-week federal unemployment benefit deprived millions of a key source of income and dimmed the outlook for consumer spending .
The economy , after a catastrophic fall in the April-June quarter , is likely expanding again .
Home and auto sales have been strong .
Stock prices have set @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of confirmed viral cases has damaged several industries , especially those involved with travel , tourism and entertainment , and is holding back growth .
On Thursday , the government reported that roughly 1 million people applied for unemployment benefits last week — a historically high level that has prevailed for weeks .
The Conference Board , a business research group , reported this week that consumer confidence has tumbled to its lowest level since 2014 .
And in survey results released this week by the National Association for Business Economics , two-thirds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thought the economy remains in recession .
Nearly half said they didn ’ t expect it to return to pre-pandemic levels until mid-2022 .
After enacting a massive financial rescue package in March , congressional Republicans and Democrats have failed to agree on allocating more aid to the unemployed and to struggling states and localities .
The expiration of the $ 600-a-week federal jobless benefit is leaving some families desperate .
Economists say the loss of that aid has also deprived the economy of a key pool of spending money .
President Donald @ @ @ @ @ @ @ offering a stripped-down version of the expanded unemployment benefit .
At least 39 states have accepted or said that they would apply for federal grants that let them increase weekly benefits by $ 300 or $ 400 .
But it ’ s unclear how soon that money will actually get to people or how long it will last .
On Thursday , the Federal Reserve announced a major change in how it manages interest rates by saying it plans to keep rates near zero even after inflation has exceeded its 2 % target @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rates for households and businesses — for everything from auto loans and home mortgages to corporate expansion — will likely remain ultra-low for years to come .
Behind the Fed ’ s new thinking is a stubbornly low inflation rate that has long defied the Fed ’ s efforts to raise it and a belief that an exceedingly low jobless rate is critically important for the economy and for individual Americans .

WASHINGTON — U.S. consumers increased their spending by 1.9% last month, a dose of support for an economy struggling to emerge from the grip of a pandemic that has held back a recovery and kept roughly 27 million people jobless.
The July gain marked the third straight monthly increase in consumer spending, the primary driver of the U.S. economy, but represented a slowdown from the previous two months. Friday’s report from the Commerce Department also showed that income rose 0.4% in July after two months of declines.
The consumer spending report arrives amid a hazy economic landscape, with high unemployment, struggling businesses and deep uncertainty about when the health crisis will be solved and when people and companies will feel confident enough to spend and hire normally again. It also comes weeks after the expiration of a $600-a-week federal unemployment benefit deprived millions of a key source of income and dimmed the outlook for consumer spending.
The economy, after a catastrophic fall in the April-June quarter, is likely expanding again. Home and auto sales have been strong. Stock prices have set record highs.
A persistently high level of confirmed viral cases has damaged several industries, especially those involved with travel, tourism and entertainment, and is holding back growth. On Thursday, the government reported that roughly 1 million people applied for unemployment benefits last week — a historically high level that has prevailed for weeks.
The Conference Board, a business research group, reported this week that consumer confidence has tumbled to its lowest level since 2014. And in survey results released this week by the National Association for Business Economics, two-thirds of economists who were polled said they thought the economy remains in recession. Nearly half said they didn’t expect it to return to pre-pandemic levels until mid-2022.
After enacting a massive financial rescue package in March, congressional Republicans and Democrats have failed to agree on allocating more aid to the unemployed and to struggling states and localities. The expiration of the $600-a-week federal jobless benefit is leaving some families desperate. Economists say the loss of that aid has also deprived the economy of a key pool of spending money.
President Donald Trump signed an executive order Aug. 8 offering a stripped-down version of the expanded unemployment benefit. At least 39 states have accepted or said that they would apply for federal grants that let them increase weekly benefits by $300 or $400. But it’s unclear how soon that money will actually get to people or how long it will last.
On Thursday, the Federal Reserve announced a major change in how it manages interest rates by saying it plans to keep rates near zero even after inflation has exceeded its 2% target level. The change means that borrowing rates for households and businesses — for everything from auto loans and home mortgages to corporate expansion — will likely remain ultra-low for years to come.
Behind the Fed’s new thinking is a stubbornly low inflation rate that has long defied the Fed’s efforts to raise it and a belief that an exceedingly low jobless rate is critically important for the economy and for individual Americans.


thedenverpost--2020-08-28--Hurricane Laura: Coastal Louisiana a hot mess as storm’s leftovers move east

LAKE CHARLES , La .
— The remnants of Hurricane Laura unleashed heavy rain and twisters hundreds of miles inland from a path of death and mangled buildings along the Gulf Coast , and forecasters warn of new dangers as the tropical weather blows toward the Eastern Seaboard this weekend .
Flooding and more tornadoes were possible as the leftovers of the once fearsome Category 4 hurricane move eastward through Tennessee , Mississippi and Alabama Friday after an apparent tornado tore through a church and homes in Arkansas Thursday night .
Laura weakened to a tropical depression late Thursday , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when it moves off the mid-Atlantic coast on Saturday .
More than 750,000 homes and businesses were without power in Louisiana , Texas and Arkansas in the storm ’ s wake , according to poweroutage.us , which tracks utility reports .
One of the strongest hurricanes ever to strike the United States , Laura was blamed for six deaths as it barreled across Louisiana and parts of Texas .
A sense of relief prevailed that Laura was not the annihilating menace forecasters had feared , but a full assessment of the damage could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ entire neighborhoods left in ruins along the coast .
Thunderstorms and sizzling heat were expected in the disaster area on Friday , complicating recovery efforts .
“ It is clear that we did not sustain and suffer the absolute , catastrophic damage that we thought was likely , ” Louisiana Gov .
John Bel Edwards said .
“ But we have sustained a tremendous amount of damage.
” He called Laura the most powerful hurricane to strike Louisiana , meaning it surpassed even Katrina , which was a Category 3 storm when it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s top wind speed of 150 mph ( 241 kph ) put it among the strongest systems on record in the U.S. Not until 11 hours after landfall did Laura finally lose hurricane status as it plowed north and thrashed Arkansas , and up until Thursday evening it remained a tropical storm with winds of 40 mph ( 65 kph ) .
The storm crashed ashore in low-lying Louisiana and clobbered Lake Charles , an industrial and casino city of 80,000 people .
On Broad Street , many buildings had partially collapsed .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ away and trees split in eerily misshapen ways .
A floating casino came unmoored and hit a bridge , and small planes were thrown atop each other at the airport .
A television station ’ s tower toppled .
A Confederate statue in front of a courthouse that local officials had voted to keep in place just days earlier was knocked down by Laura .
“ It looks like 1,000 tornadoes went through here .
It ’ s just destruction everywhere , ” said Brett Geymann , who rode out the storm with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lake Charles .
He described a roar like a jet engine as Laura passed over his house around 2 a.m. “ There are houses that are totally gone , ” he said .
As the extent of the damage came into focus , a massive plume of smoke visible for miles began rising from a chemical plant .
Police said the leak was at a facility run by Biolab , which manufactures chemicals used in household cleaners and chlorine powder for pools .
Nearby residents were told to close their doors and windows @ @ @ @ @ @ @ night .
Four people were killed by falling trees in Louisiana , including a 14-year-old girl and a 68-year-old man .
A 24-year-old man died of carbon monoxide poisoning from a generator inside his residence .
Another man drowned in a boat that sank during the storm , authorities said .
No deaths had been confirmed in Texas , which Republican Gov .
Greg Abbott called “ a miracle.
” Chevellce Dunn considered herself among the fortunate after a night spent huddling on a sofa with her son , daughter and four nieces @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Orange , Texas .
Left without power in sweltering heat , she wondered when the electricity might come back .
“ It ain ’ t going to be easy .
As long as my kids are fine , I ’ m fine , ” Dunn said .
It was unclear when the journey home would be complete for more than 580,000 coastal residents who evacuated under the shadow of a coronavirus pandemic .
Although not everyone fled , officials credited those who did leave with minimizing the loss of life .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Edwards said ocean water rose as much as 12 feet ( 4 meters ) rather than the 20 feet ( 6 meters ) that was predicted .
Finishing search and rescue efforts was a top priority , Edwards said , followed by efforts to find hotel or motel rooms for those unable to stay in their homes .
Officials in Texas and Louisiana both sought to avoid traditional mass shelters for evacuees over fears of spreading COVID-19 .
Bucky Millet , 78 , of Lake Arthur , Louisiana , considered evacuating but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out the storm with family .
A small tornado blew the cover off the bed of his pickup .
That made him think the roof of his house was next .
“ You ’ d hear a crack and a boom and everything shaking , ” he said .
Laura ’ s winds blew out every window of the living room in the Lake Charles house where Bethany Agosto survived the storm with her sister and two others .
They huddled in a closet , where she said , “ it was like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ each other , just holding each other and crying.
” Laura was the seventh named storm to strike the U.S. this year , setting a new record for U.S. landfalls by the end of August .
Laura hit the U.S. after killing nearly two dozen people on the island of Hispaniola , including 20 in Haiti and three in the Dominican Republic .
President Donald Trump planned to visit the Gulf Coast this weekend to tour the damage .
Associated Press contributors include Jeff Martin in Marietta , Georgia ; Kevin McGill in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Holly Beach , Louisiana ; Paul J. Weber in Austin , Texas ; Seth Borenstein in Kensington , Maryland ; Juan A. Lozano in Houston ; Jay Reeves in Birmingham , Alabama ; Jill Bleed in Little Rock , Arkansas ; and Sophia Tulp in Atlanta .

By MELINDA DESLATTE, STACEY PLAISANCE and GERALD HERBERT
LAKE CHARLES, La. — The remnants of Hurricane Laura unleashed heavy rain and twisters hundreds of miles inland from a path of death and mangled buildings along the Gulf Coast, and forecasters warn of new dangers as the tropical weather blows toward the Eastern Seaboard this weekend.
Flooding and more tornadoes were possible as the leftovers of the once fearsome Category 4 hurricane move eastward through Tennessee, Mississippi and Alabama Friday after an apparent tornado tore through a church and homes in Arkansas Thursday night. Laura weakened to a tropical depression late Thursday, but could become a tropical storm again when it moves off the mid-Atlantic coast on Saturday.
More than 750,000 homes and businesses were without power in Louisiana, Texas and Arkansas in the storm’s wake, according to poweroutage.us, which tracks utility reports.
One of the strongest hurricanes ever to strike the United States, Laura was blamed for six deaths as it barreled across Louisiana and parts of Texas.
A sense of relief prevailed that Laura was not the annihilating menace forecasters had feared, but a full assessment of the damage could take days. Buildings were demolished and entire neighborhoods left in ruins along the coast. Thunderstorms and sizzling heat were expected in the disaster area on Friday, complicating recovery efforts.
“It is clear that we did not sustain and suffer the absolute, catastrophic damage that we thought was likely,” Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards said. “But we have sustained a tremendous amount of damage.”
He called Laura the most powerful hurricane to strike Louisiana, meaning it surpassed even Katrina, which was a Category 3 storm when it hit in 2005.
The hurricane’s top wind speed of 150 mph (241 kph) put it among the strongest systems on record in the U.S. Not until 11 hours after landfall did Laura finally lose hurricane status as it plowed north and thrashed Arkansas, and up until Thursday evening it remained a tropical storm with winds of 40 mph (65 kph).
The storm crashed ashore in low-lying Louisiana and clobbered Lake Charles, an industrial and casino city of 80,000 people. On Broad Street, many buildings had partially collapsed. Windows were blown out, awnings ripped away and trees split in eerily misshapen ways. A floating casino came unmoored and hit a bridge, and small planes were thrown atop each other at the airport. A television station’s tower toppled.
A Confederate statue in front of a courthouse that local officials had voted to keep in place just days earlier was knocked down by Laura.
“It looks like 1,000 tornadoes went through here. It’s just destruction everywhere,” said Brett Geymann, who rode out the storm with three relatives in Moss Bluff, near Lake Charles. He described a roar like a jet engine as Laura passed over his house around 2 a.m.
“There are houses that are totally gone,” he said.
As the extent of the damage came into focus, a massive plume of smoke visible for miles began rising from a chemical plant. Police said the leak was at a facility run by Biolab, which manufactures chemicals used in household cleaners and chlorine powder for pools. Nearby residents were told to close their doors and windows, and the fire smoldered into the night.
Four people were killed by falling trees in Louisiana, including a 14-year-old girl and a 68-year-old man. A 24-year-old man died of carbon monoxide poisoning from a generator inside his residence. Another man drowned in a boat that sank during the storm, authorities said.
No deaths had been confirmed in Texas, which Republican Gov. Greg Abbott called “a miracle.” Chevellce Dunn considered herself among the fortunate after a night spent huddling on a sofa with her son, daughter and four nieces and nephews as winds rocked their home in Orange, Texas. Left without power in sweltering heat, she wondered when the electricity might come back.
“It ain’t going to be easy. As long as my kids are fine, I’m fine,” Dunn said.
It was unclear when the journey home would be complete for more than 580,000 coastal residents who evacuated under the shadow of a coronavirus pandemic. Although not everyone fled, officials credited those who did leave with minimizing the loss of life.
A lower-than-expected storm surge also helped save lives. Edwards said ocean water rose as much as 12 feet (4 meters) rather than the 20 feet (6 meters) that was predicted.
Finishing search and rescue efforts was a top priority, Edwards said, followed by efforts to find hotel or motel rooms for those unable to stay in their homes. Officials in Texas and Louisiana both sought to avoid traditional mass shelters for evacuees over fears of spreading COVID-19.
Bucky Millet, 78, of Lake Arthur, Louisiana, considered evacuating but decided because of the coronavirus to ride out the storm with family. A small tornado blew the cover off the bed of his pickup. That made him think the roof of his house was next.
“You’d hear a crack and a boom and everything shaking,” he said.
Laura’s winds blew out every window of the living room in the Lake Charles house where Bethany Agosto survived the storm with her sister and two others. They huddled in a closet, where she said, “it was like a jigsaw puzzle…we were on top of each other, just holding each other and crying.”
Laura was the seventh named storm to strike the U.S. this year, setting a new record for U.S. landfalls by the end of August. Laura hit the U.S. after killing nearly two dozen people on the island of Hispaniola, including 20 in Haiti and three in the Dominican Republic.
President Donald Trump planned to visit the Gulf Coast this weekend to tour the damage.
___
Associated Press contributors include Jeff Martin in Marietta, Georgia; Kevin McGill in New Orleans; John L. Mone in Holly Beach, Louisiana; Paul J. Weber in Austin, Texas; Seth Borenstein in Kensington, Maryland; Juan A. Lozano in Houston; Jay Reeves in Birmingham, Alabama; Jill Bleed in Little Rock, Arkansas; and Sophia Tulp in Atlanta.


thedenverpost--2020-08-28--FACT CHECK: Trump distorts record; Black Lives Matter falsely accused

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump claimed accomplishments he didn ’ t earn on the pandemic , energy and veterans at a Republican convention finale that also heard Black Lives Matter baselessly accused of coordinating violent protests across the country .
A look at some of the rhetoric Thursday from Trump and his supporting speakers at Republican National Convention proceedings : TRUMP : “ Instead of following the science , Joe Biden wants to inflict a painful shutdown on the entire country .
His shutdown would inflict unthinkable and lasting harm on our nation ’ s children , families , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : That ’ s false .
Biden has publicly said he would shut down the nation ’ s economy only if scientists and public health advisers recommended he do so to stem the COVID-19 threat .
In other words , he said he would follow the science , not disregard it .
Speaking Sunday in an ABC interview , Biden said he “ will be prepared to do whatever it takes to save lives ” when he was asked if he would be willing to shut the country again .
“ So if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” asked ABC ’ s David Muir .
“ I would shut it down , ” Biden responded .
“ I would listen to the scientists.
” The former vice president has said repeatedly that no one knows what January would look like .
TRUMP : “ For those of you that still drive a car , look how low your gasoline bill is .
You haven ’ t seen that in a long time.
” THE FACTS : Trump seems to be taking credit for lower prices that were the byproduct of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 180,000 Americans .
Gasoline prices didn ’ t fall because of the Trump administration .
They plunged because of the coronavirus forcing people to abandon their offices , schools , business trips and vacations .
As more people worked from home , they needed to fill up their cars less frequently .
Airlines didn ’ t need to burn through as much fuel .
Here ’ s the statement from the U.S. Energy Information Administration : “ Reduced economic activity related to the COVID-19 pandemic has caused changes in energy demand and supply @ @ @ @ @ @ @ oil has fallen by 8 million barrels a day , according to that agency ’ s estimates .
TRUMP : “ The United States has among the lowest case fatality rates of any major country anywhere in the world.
” THE FACTS : Not true .
Not if you consider Russia , Saudi Arabia , the Philippines and India to be major countries .
The U.S. sits right in the middle when it comes to COVID-19 mortality rates in the 20 nations most impacted by the pandemic , according to data from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Of the 20 , Mexico has the highest mortality rate at 10.8 deaths for every 100 confirmed COVID cases , followed by Ecuador at 5.8 .
Saudi Arabia had the lowest rate of the 20 nations at 1.2 , followed by Bangladesh , the Philippines , Russia , Morocco , India , Argentina , South Africa and Chile .
The U.S. had the 10th lowest of the 20 nations , with a mortality rate of 3.1 .
When the center looked at the data in another way , analyzing the COVID death rate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fares even worse .
Only three nations — Brazil , Chile and Peru — posted higher death rates .
Understanding deaths as a percentage of the population or as a percentage of known infections is problematic because countries track and report COVID-19 deaths and cases differently .
Many other factors are in play in shaping a death toll besides how well a country responded to the pandemic , such as the overall health or youth of national populations .
RUDY GIULIANI , Trump ’ s personal attorney and former New York mayor : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into action and , in a flash , they hijacked the peaceful protest into vicious , brutal riots.
” There ’ s no evidence that Black Lives Matter or antifa , or any political group for that matter , is infiltrating racial injustice protests with violence .
In June , The Associated Press analyzed court records , employment histories and social media posts for 217 people arrested in Minneapolis and the District of Columbia , cities at the center of the protests earlier this year .
More than 85 percent of the people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had affiliation with any organized groups .
Social media posts for a few of those arrested indicated they were involved in left-leaning activities while others expressed support for the political right and Trump himself .
Local police departments across the country were forced to knock down widespread social media rumors that busloads of “ antifa , ” a term for leftist militants , were coming to violently disrupt cities and towns during nationwide racial justice protests .
In June , Twitter and Facebook busted accounts linked to white supremacy groups that were promoting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : “ Biden also vowed to oppose school choice and oppose all charter schools.
” THE FACTS : That ’ s false .
Biden doesn ’ t oppose charter schools .
He opposes federal money going to for-profit charter companies .
Such firms are only a slice of the charter school market , meaning Biden ’ s position wouldn ’ t substantially alter the charter landscape that is dominated by non-profit organizations .
TRUMP : “ We have spent $ 2.5 trillion on completely rebuilding our military , which was very badly depleted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know.
” His administration has accelerated a sharp buildup in defense spending and paused spending limits but a number of new Pentagon weapons programs , such as the F-35 fighter jet , predate Trump .
The Air Force ’ s Minuteman 3 missiles , a key part of the U.S. nuclear force , for instance , have been operating since the early 1970s and the modernization was begun under the Obama administration .
TRUMP : “ We also passed VA accountability and VA Choice , our great veterans .
We are taking care @ @ @ @ @ @ @ False .
He didn ’ t get Veterans Choice approved ; President Barack Obama did in 2014 .
Trump expanded it , under a 2018 law known as the MISSION Act .
It allows veterans to get health care outside the VA system at public expense under certain conditions .
TRUMP , claiming to have “ secured for the first time American energy independence.
” THE FACTS : This is misleading .
The pandemic has severely lessened the demand for crude oil .
But through June , the United States was still importing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ overseas , according to the Census Bureau .
While the United States has become less reliant on foreign oil , it only produces 11.3 million barrels a day and consumes 18.5 million barrels of liquid fuels daily , according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration .
Technological advances like fracking and horizontal drilling have allowed the U.S. to greatly increase production , but the country still imports millions of barrels of oil from Saudi Arabia , Canada , Iraq and other countries .
One reason is that foreign oil is more affordable .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. produces is hard for domestic refiners to convert to practical use .
So the U.S. exports that production and imports oil that is more suitable for American refineries to handle .
IVANKA TRUMP : “ Our president rapidly mobilized the full force of government and the private sector to produce ventilators within weeks — to build the most robust testing system in the world.
” THE FACTS : Her assertion of superior U.S. testing for COVID-19 is dubious .
The U.S. repeatedly stumbled with testing in the early weeks of the outbreak @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the U.S. His own experts say the U.S. is nowhere near the level of testing needed to control the virus .
Dr. Robert Redfield , director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , recently testified that health officials are still working to significantly increase testing capacity , calling such expansion a “ critical underpinning of our response.
” The U.S. currently is conducting nearly 750,000 tests a day , far short of what many public health experts say the U.S. should be testing to control the spread of the virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ experts have called for 4 million or more tests daily , while a group assembled by Harvard University estimated that 20 million a day would be needed to keep the virus in check .
Redfield has said the U.S. was aiming to boost testing to 3 million daily by “ pooling ” multiple people ’ s samples , a technique that is still under review by the FDA .
He stressed the need for expanded surveillance because some people who get infected may not show symptoms .
“ We still have a ways @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Frequent shortages also spurred the CDC to quietly issue new guidance on testing .
While in the early months of the outbreak Trump repeatedly insisted that “ anybody ” who wants a test can get a test , Redfield issued a statement this week that “ ’ Everyone who wants a test does not necessarily need a test.
” The U.S. stumbled early in the pandemic response as the CDC struggled to develop its own test for the coronavirus in January , later discovering problems in its kits sent to state and county @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It took the CDC more than two weeks to come up with a fix to the test kits , leading to delays in diagnoses through February , a critical month when the virus took root in the U.S. SEN. TOM COTTON of Arkansas : “ Joe Biden sent pallets of cash to the ayatollahs.
” THE FACTS : This is a distorted tale Trump and Republicans loves to tell .
Yes , the U.S. flew cash to Iran in the Obama years , but it was money the United States owed to that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ convention ’ s pattern of attributing every questionable action of President Barack Obama ’ s administration to Biden personally .
EDITOR ’ S NOTE — A look at the veracity of claims by political figures .
Seitz reported from Chicago ; Klepper from Providence , Rhode Island .
Associated Press writers Hope Yen , Bill Barrow and Cal Woodward contributed to this report .

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump claimed accomplishments he didn’t earn on the pandemic, energy and veterans at a Republican convention finale that also heard Black Lives Matter baselessly accused of coordinating violent protests across the country.
A look at some of the rhetoric Thursday from Trump and his supporting speakers at Republican National Convention proceedings:
COVID-19
TRUMP: “Instead of following the science, Joe Biden wants to inflict a painful shutdown on the entire country. His shutdown would inflict unthinkable and lasting harm on our nation’s children, families, and citizens of all backgrounds.”
THE FACTS: That’s false. Biden has publicly said he would shut down the nation’s economy only if scientists and public health advisers recommended he do so to stem the COVID-19 threat. In other words, he said he would follow the science, not disregard it.
Speaking Sunday in an ABC interview, Biden said he “will be prepared to do whatever it takes to save lives” when he was asked if he would be willing to shut the country again.
“So if the scientists say shut it down?” asked ABC’s David Muir.
“I would shut it down,” Biden responded. “I would listen to the scientists.” The former vice president has said repeatedly that no one knows what January would look like.
___
TRUMP: “For those of you that still drive a car, look how low your gasoline bill is. You haven’t seen that in a long time.”
THE FACTS: Trump seems to be taking credit for lower prices that were the byproduct of a pandemic that has killed more than 180,000 Americans.
Gasoline prices didn’t fall because of the Trump administration. They plunged because of the coronavirus forcing people to abandon their offices, schools, business trips and vacations.
As more people worked from home, they needed to fill up their cars less frequently. Airlines didn’t need to burn through as much fuel. Here’s the statement from the U.S. Energy Information Administration: “Reduced economic activity related to the COVID-19 pandemic has caused changes in energy demand and supply patterns in 2020.” World demand for oil has fallen by 8 million barrels a day, according to that agency’s estimates.
___
TRUMP: “The United States has among the lowest case fatality rates of any major country anywhere in the world.”
THE FACTS: Not true. Not if you consider Russia, Saudi Arabia, the Philippines and India to be major countries.
The U.S. sits right in the middle when it comes to COVID-19 mortality rates in the 20 nations most impacted by the pandemic, according to data from the Johns Hopkins University Coronavirus Resource Center.
Of the 20, Mexico has the highest mortality rate at 10.8 deaths for every 100 confirmed COVID cases, followed by Ecuador at 5.8. Saudi Arabia had the lowest rate of the 20 nations at 1.2, followed by Bangladesh, the Philippines, Russia, Morocco, India, Argentina, South Africa and Chile.
The U.S. had the 10th lowest of the 20 nations, with a mortality rate of 3.1.
When the center looked at the data in another way, analyzing the COVID death rate for every 100,000 residents, the U.S. fares even worse. Only three nations — Brazil, Chile and Peru — posted higher death rates.
Understanding deaths as a percentage of the population or as a percentage of known infections is problematic because countries track and report COVID-19 deaths and cases differently. Many other factors are in play in shaping a death toll besides how well a country responded to the pandemic, such as the overall health or youth of national populations.
___
BLACK LIVES MATTER
RUDY GIULIANI, Trump’s personal attorney and former New York mayor: “Black Lives Matter and antifa sprang into action and, in a flash, they hijacked the peaceful protest into vicious, brutal riots.”
THE FACTS: That’s a hollow claim.
There’s no evidence that Black Lives Matter or antifa, or any political group for that matter, is infiltrating racial injustice protests with violence.
In June, The Associated Press analyzed court records, employment histories and social media posts for 217 people arrested in Minneapolis and the District of Columbia, cities at the center of the protests earlier this year.
More than 85 percent of the people arrested were local residents, and few had affiliation with any organized groups. Social media posts for a few of those arrested indicated they were involved in left-leaning activities while others expressed support for the political right and Trump himself.
Local police departments across the country were forced to knock down widespread social media rumors that busloads of “antifa,” a term for leftist militants, were coming to violently disrupt cities and towns during nationwide racial justice protests. In June, Twitter and Facebook busted accounts linked to white supremacy groups that were promoting some of those falsehoods online.
___
EDUCATION
TRUMP: “Biden also vowed to oppose school choice and oppose all charter schools.”
THE FACTS: That’s false. Biden doesn’t oppose charter schools. He opposes federal money going to for-profit charter companies.
Such firms are only a slice of the charter school market, meaning Biden’s position wouldn’t substantially alter the charter landscape that is dominated by non-profit organizations.
Biden does oppose federal money for tuition vouchers.
___
MILITARY
TRUMP: “We have spent $2.5 trillion on completely rebuilding our military, which was very badly depleted when I took office, as you know.”
THE FACTS: That’s an exaggeration.
His administration has accelerated a sharp buildup in defense spending and paused spending limits but a number of new Pentagon weapons programs, such as the F-35 fighter jet, predate Trump.
The Air Force’s Minuteman 3 missiles, a key part of the U.S. nuclear force, for instance, have been operating since the early 1970s and the modernization was begun under the Obama administration.
___
VETERANS
TRUMP: “We also passed VA accountability and VA Choice, our great veterans. We are taking care of our veterans.”
THE FACTS: False. He didn’t get Veterans Choice approved; President Barack Obama did in 2014. Trump expanded it, under a 2018 law known as the MISSION Act. It allows veterans to get health care outside the VA system at public expense under certain conditions.
___
ENERGY
TRUMP, claiming to have “secured for the first time American energy independence.”
HOUSE MINORITY LEADER KEVIN MCCARTHY, R-California: Under Trump, “we … achieved energy independence.”
THE FACTS: This is misleading. The pandemic has severely lessened the demand for crude oil. But through June, the United States was still importing more crude oil than it was selling overseas, according to the Census Bureau.
While the United States has become less reliant on foreign oil, it only produces 11.3 million barrels a day and consumes 18.5 million barrels of liquid fuels daily, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
Technological advances like fracking and horizontal drilling have allowed the U.S. to greatly increase production, but the country still imports millions of barrels of oil from Saudi Arabia, Canada, Iraq and other countries. One reason is that foreign oil is more affordable. Another is that much of what the U.S. produces is hard for domestic refiners to convert to practical use. So the U.S. exports that production and imports oil that is more suitable for American refineries to handle.
___
VIRUS TESTING
IVANKA TRUMP: “Our president rapidly mobilized the full force of government and the private sector to produce ventilators within weeks — to build the most robust testing system in the world.”
THE FACTS: Her assertion of superior U.S. testing for COVID-19 is dubious. The U.S. repeatedly stumbled with testing in the early weeks of the outbreak, allowing the virus to quickly spread in the U.S. His own experts say the U.S. is nowhere near the level of testing needed to control the virus.
Dr. Robert Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, recently testified that health officials are still working to significantly increase testing capacity, calling such expansion a “critical underpinning of our response.”
The U.S. currently is conducting nearly 750,000 tests a day, far short of what many public health experts say the U.S. should be testing to control the spread of the virus. Looking to the fall, some experts have called for 4 million or more tests daily, while a group assembled by Harvard University estimated that 20 million a day would be needed to keep the virus in check.
Redfield has said the U.S. was aiming to boost testing to 3 million daily by “pooling” multiple people’s samples, a technique that is still under review by the FDA. He stressed the need for expanded surveillance because some people who get infected may not show symptoms.
“We still have a ways to go,” Redfield said.
Frequent shortages also spurred the CDC to quietly issue new guidance on testing. While in the early months of the outbreak Trump repeatedly insisted that “anybody” who wants a test can get a test, Redfield issued a statement this week that “’Everyone who wants a test does not necessarily need a test.”
The U.S. stumbled early in the pandemic response as the CDC struggled to develop its own test for the coronavirus in January, later discovering problems in its kits sent to state and county public health labs in early February.
It took the CDC more than two weeks to come up with a fix to the test kits, leading to delays in diagnoses through February, a critical month when the virus took root in the U.S.
___
IRAN
SEN. TOM COTTON of Arkansas: “Joe Biden sent pallets of cash to the ayatollahs.”
THE FACTS: This is a distorted tale Trump and Republicans loves to tell. Yes, the U.S. flew cash to Iran in the Obama years, but it was money the United States owed to that country.
Cotton also played into the convention’s pattern of attributing every questionable action of President Barack Obama’s administration to Biden personally.
___
EDITOR’S NOTE — A look at the veracity of claims by political figures.
___
Seitz reported from Chicago; Klepper from Providence, Rhode Island. Associated Press writers Hope Yen, Bill Barrow and Cal Woodward contributed to this report.


thedenverpost--2020-08-28--Guest Commentary: Community deserves better protection from Suncor pollution

We learned recently that the Suncor Energy refinery had another “ upset ” event in which one of its boilers failed , releasing untold quantities of unknown toxic chemicals into the air .
We learned this after our neighbors , friends , and leaders had gathered in Pioneer Park holding a Get Out the Census socially-distanced event where they were outside for hours unknowingly exposed to these mystery chemicals .
They noticed things had been especially hazy in the neighborhood but had no confirmation that anything was truly amiss until we saw a Facebook post from the refinery downplaying the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ irony is that it happened on the day that Commerce City was holding a public meeting regarding how to distribute Suncor ’ s most recent fine to the community .
We are fed up .
We are sickened .
We are getting ravaged by Covid-19 and by a city , state , and federal government that doesn ’ t work for the people but instead allows polluters to get rich while we get sick and die .
Where is U.S. Rep. Ed Perlmutter in all of this ?
Silent .
He is unwilling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ towards climate and environmental justice .
Not a mention on his social media to warn or elevate the issues from the recent incidents for certain .
In fact , he has even called Suncor a “ good neighbor ” during a telephone town hall .
Suncor is a bad actor — not a partner to the people .
When Rep. Perlmutter does this in the face of climate and environmental injustice , he is an enabler and joins the ranks of deniers of science and morality , like Sen. Cory Gardner .
We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Denver , South Adams County , and in towns like ours across the country .
Last year , Suncor had a massive release of hydrogen cyanide that went largely unnoticed .
This gas was used by Nazis to commit genocide .
It was floating around our neighborhoods , and no one even bothered to tell us .
During a December “ upset ” event , Suncor responded to neighborhood complaints about all the particulate matter in the air by offering free car washes .
Car washes won ’ t stop any of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ facility .
We need our elected leaders to step up and do something for the people they represent .
We need a plan for a just transition out of this mess .
We need to find new employment for refinery workers on the frontlines and who also suffer from years of chemical exposure .
We need Colorado and federal agencies to actually enforce environmental protections , not just let bad actors like Suncor slide .
We can start with one very simple thing and that is for our state agencies , including the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , to hold Suncor accountable to providing transparency about what the plant is emitting and what we are breathing in .
We won the right to know about chemical releases in the passage of HB20-1265 , the Air Toxics Bill , which essentially creates a reverse 911 system to notify frontline community residents about upsets at the refinery and other emergencies .
This was only a small piece of the air toxin protection we sought before the pandemic flipped the Colorado Legislature upside down .
But this latest event and the amount this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ urgent issue that must get fast-tracked by Colorado legislators .
Community notification is the very bare minimum of what should be expected .
Ean Thomas Tafoya is co-chair of the Colorado Latino Forum .

We learned recently that the Suncor Energy refinery had another “upset” event in which one of its boilers failed, releasing untold quantities of unknown toxic chemicals into the air. We learned this after our neighbors, friends, and leaders had gathered in Pioneer Park holding a Get Out the Census socially-distanced event where they were outside for hours unknowingly exposed to these mystery chemicals.
They noticed things had been especially hazy in the neighborhood but had no confirmation that anything was truly amiss until we saw a Facebook post from the refinery downplaying the pollution and flaring event. And the irony is that it happened on the day that Commerce City was holding a public meeting regarding how to distribute Suncor’s most recent fine to the community.
We are fed up. We are sickened. We are getting ravaged by Covid-19 and by a city, state, and federal government that doesn’t work for the people but instead allows polluters to get rich while we get sick and die.
Where is U.S. Rep. Ed Perlmutter in all of this?
Silent. He is unwilling to acknowledge the harm nor to work towards climate and environmental justice. Not a mention on his social media to warn or elevate the issues from the recent incidents for certain. In fact, he has even called Suncor a “good neighbor” during a telephone town hall. Suncor is a bad actor — not a partner to the people. When Rep. Perlmutter does this in the face of climate and environmental injustice, he is an enabler and joins the ranks of deniers of science and morality, like Sen. Cory Gardner.
We are reaching our breaking point in North Denver, South Adams County, and in towns like ours across the country. Last year, Suncor had a massive release of hydrogen cyanide that went largely unnoticed. This gas was used by Nazis to commit genocide. It was floating around our neighborhoods, and no one even bothered to tell us. During a December “upset” event, Suncor responded to neighborhood complaints about all the particulate matter in the air by offering free car washes.
Car washes won’t stop any of the untold ways we are harmed by this facility.
We need our elected leaders to step up and do something for the people they represent. We need a plan for a just transition out of this mess. We need to find new employment for refinery workers on the frontlines and who also suffer from years of chemical exposure. We need Colorado and federal agencies to actually enforce environmental protections, not just let bad actors like Suncor slide.
We can start with one very simple thing and that is for our state agencies, including the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, to hold Suncor accountable to providing transparency about what the plant is emitting and what we are breathing in. We won the right to know about chemical releases in the passage of HB20-1265, the Air Toxics Bill, which essentially creates a reverse 911 system to notify frontline community residents about upsets at the refinery and other emergencies. This was only a small piece of the air toxin protection we sought before the pandemic flipped the Colorado Legislature upside down. But this latest event and the amount this past year makes this an even more urgent issue that must get fast-tracked by Colorado legislators. Community notification is the very bare minimum of what should be expected.
Ean Thomas Tafoya is co-chair of the Colorado Latino Forum.