thedenverpost--2020-09-12--Colorado high school football trending toward fall return, but coaches frustrated by lack of clarity

With the fate of a fall high school football season in Colorado trending toward a return to fall , coaches are upset with the confusion surrounding the issue this past week .
CHSAA commissioner Rhonda Blanford-Green was scheduled to meet with Gov .
Jared Polis ’ office Friday to discuss participation variances that would allow for football and other fall sports , such as volleyball and soccer , to be restored to their traditional seasons this year By 6 p.m. , the two sides emerged with tweets indicating those sports may be played this autumn , after all .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to approve variances for football and field hockey , and we will work together to develop guidelines or variances for additional sports at a later date and indoor sports when they can safely be played , ” a tweet from Gov .
Polis ’ Twitter account read .
CHSAA tweeted that it was resubmitting variances and plans to the governor ’ s COVID-19 Response Team to reconsider seasons for football , spirit and volleyball , and will do the same for field hockey , gymnastics , soccer and unified bowling .
No other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ start dates or what those seasons might look like .
Additionally , surveys went out Friday afternoon to football coaches in Cherry Creek and Jeffco school districts asking about their program ’ s readiness for a fall season , but CHSAA did not send the surveys .
They were , according to various coaches who received them , sent from their respective district athletic director .
All the while , Gov .
Polis proclaimed again Friday that there ’ s “ a window still open for the additional fall sports ” and that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can to facilitate ” a fall football season .
One local Class 5A coach called the whole situation “ embarrassing for Colorado.
” Another labeled it a bungling of “ extraordinary proportions.
” Amid the coronavirus pandemic , CHSAA originally pushed the sport to spring on Aug. 4 , only to have Polis declare on Tuesday that the state wanted to work with the association to make a fall football season happen .
But on Tuesday evening , the CHSAA Board of Directors unanimously voted to not reconsider any adjustment to the 2020-21 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the spring .
One major factor in that decision was directly prior to the vote , Blanford-Green was told Gov .
Polis wasn ’ t willing to increase the 25-person variance ( or 12.5 people per sideline ) necessary for a feasible football season .
The next day , Gov .
Polis contradicted that , tweeting that he “ encouraged ( CHSAA ) to add fall football season , of course ( with a ) variance for up to 50 players on each team on sidelines and everything else necessary for safe play.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ are fed up .
“ I find it hard to believe that the night before ( Gov .
Polis said the variance was 50 ) , the board didn ’ t know that , ” Mullen coach Jeremy Bennett said .
“ Either the board isn ’ t telling 100 percent the truth , or the Governor ’ s not , or more importantly — no one is communicating.
” With CHSAA ’ s latest announcement about Blanford-Green ’ s meeting with the governor ’ s office on Friday , Bennett said the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the string and hung it out the window again.
” “ Just like we build trust and relationships with our players , there ’ s no trust right now between players ( and CHSAA ’ s decisions ) , ” Bennett said .
“ My kids are hurting .
You build these kids ’ hopes up , and then it ’ s up to us to pick up the pieces again when the rug gets pulled out from under them… That ’ s not fair to do to kids.
” Friday also featured @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Colorado Play , and some athletes are considering filing lawsuits against CHSAA and Gov .
Polis .
Amid all the uncertainty , Chatfield coach Bret McGatlin is trying to make sure his players “ find something positive in all of this , ” whether the result of the chaos is a shortened spring season or perhaps an even shorter fall one .
“ That ’ s all I can do at this point — I have to make sure I ’ m a role model for how I want them to respond to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ McGatlin said .
“ The second us coaches get down , that ’ s bad news for the kids .
They ’ re dealing with enough and we have to be there to pick them up .
”

With the fate of a fall high school football season in Colorado trending toward a return to autumn, coaches are upset with the confusion surrounding the issue this past week.
CHSAA commissioner Rhonda Blanford-Green was scheduled to meet with Gov. Jared Polis’ office Friday to discuss participation variances that would allow for football and other fall sports, such as volleyball and soccer, to be restored to their traditional seasons this year By 6 p.m., the two sides emerged with tweets indicating those sports may be played this autumn, after all.
“We are currently working with @CHSAA to approve variances for football and field hockey, and we will work together to develop guidelines or variances for additional sports at a later date and indoor sports when they can safely be played,” a tweet from Gov. Polis’ Twitter account read.
CHSAA tweeted that it was resubmitting variances and plans to the governor’s COVID-19 Response Team to reconsider seasons for football, spirit and volleyball, and will do the same for field hockey, gymnastics, soccer and unified bowling. No other details were made available, including potential start dates or what those seasons might look like.
Additionally, CHSAA sent out surveys on Friday night to athletic directors across the state, asking about their football program’s readiness to begin the season in the fall.
All the while, Gov. Polis proclaimed again Friday that there’s “a window still open for the additional fall sports” and that his office is “doing everything we can to facilitate” a fall football season.
One local Class 5A coach called the whole situation “embarrassing for Colorado.” Another labeled it a bungling of “extraordinary proportions.”
Amid the coronavirus pandemic, CHSAA originally pushed the sport to spring on Aug. 4, only to have Polis declare on Tuesday that the state wanted to work with the association to make a fall football season happen. But on Tuesday evening, the CHSAA Board of Directors unanimously voted to not reconsider any adjustment to the 2020-21 sports calendar, thus keeping football in the spring. One major factor in that decision was directly prior to the vote, Blanford-Green was told Gov. Polis wasn’t willing to increase the 25-person variance (or 12.5 people per sideline) necessary for a feasible football season.
The next day, Gov. Polis contradicted that, tweeting that he “encouraged (CHSAA) to add fall football season, of course (with a) variance for up to 50 players on each team on sidelines and everything else necessary for safe play.”
Whatever the case, local coaches are fed up.
“I find it hard to believe that the night before (Gov. Polis said the variance was 50), the board didn’t know that,” Mullen coach Jeremy Bennett said. “Either the board isn’t telling 100 percent the truth, or the Governor’s not, or more importantly — no one is communicating.”
With CHSAA’s latest announcement about Blanford-Green’s meeting with the governor’s office on Friday, Bennett said the association “put the carrot back on the string and hung it out the window again.”
“Just like we build trust and relationships with our players, there’s no trust right now between players (and CHSAA’s decisions),” Bennett said. “My kids are hurting. You build these kids’ hopes up, and then it’s up to us to pick up the pieces again when the rug gets pulled out from under them… That’s not fair to do to kids.”
Friday also featured three in-person protests put on by Let Colorado Play, and some athletes are considering filing lawsuits against CHSAA and Gov. Polis.
Amid all the uncertainty, Chatfield coach Bret McGatlin is trying to make sure his players “find something positive in all of this,” whether the result of the chaos is a shortened spring season or perhaps an even shorter fall one.
“That’s all I can do at this point — I have to make sure I’m a role model for how I want them to respond to adversity in their own lives,” McGatlin said. “The second us coaches get down, that’s bad news for the kids. They’re dealing with enough and we have to be there to pick them up.”


thedenverpost--2020-09-12--MLB home runs leader Mike Trout visits Coors Field as Rockies search for pitching consistency

Mike Trout led the MLB with 16 home runs before taking his powerful bat to Coors Field this week .
What makes the Los Angeles Angels ’ outfielder so dangerous ?
“ Everything , ” Rockies pitcher Kyle Freeland told reporters Friday before their three-game series began .
“ ( Trout ) is one of the faces of baseball and one of the best players we ’ ve ever seen .
At the same time , he ’ s human .
He ’ s another man standing in the box .
You obviously have to be smart when you ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ same time , you still have to go out and execute your pitch and execute your game plan against him .
“ He can get out just like anybody else .
He just gets out a little less frequently.
” Earlier this month , 29-year-old Trout became the fastest player in league history to eclipse 300 home runs and 200 stolen bases .
Further validation for the monster 12-year , $ 426.5-million contract he signed in 2019 .
The three-time MVP is building another strong resume for the award — leading the American @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , runs scored ( 37 ) and offensive WAR ( 2.1 ) .
Friday marked Trout ’ s eighth career game at Coors Field , where he carried a .483 batting average with 14 hits ( one double and three homers ) over 34 plate appearances entering the weekend .
His arrival coincides with a difficult stretch for Rockies pitchers with the team allowing double-digit runs in five of its last 12 games .
Rockies manager Bud Black spent time working in the Angels ’ front office in 2016 and described Trout as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s just a great all-around baseball player , ” Black continued .
“ He plays defense , he runs the bases well , he has speed … he hits for average and he hits for power .
He ’ s a force on the baseball field and he ’ s done it for years .
He ’ s passed the test of time at a level of performance that not many guys have done in their careers.
” McMahon returns .
Rockies infielder Ryan McMahon , who missed Wednesday ’ s game @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Colorado ’ s lineup Friday night .
He played second base and hit seventh in the order .
McMahon was hitting .215 going into Friday night but had hit safely in five of his last seven games .
“ A good Ryan McMahon helps us win , ” Black said .
“ He plays above-average defense .
He ’ s got power .
He ’ s got the ability to change the game with a couple of swings .
That ’ s what we ’ re hoping for .
It ’ s been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Mac , but he ’ s capable on a given night to take the game over and he ’ s capable of getting hot .
Let ’ s hope that ’ s the case.
” Freeland is in the midst of a resurgent season but he ’ s not getting much help from the offense .
The 27-year-old southpaw is tied for second in the National League with seven quality starts this season .
On Monday , Freeland pitched six shutout innings in the Rockies ’ 1-0 loss at the Padres .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ three of nine outings .
Freeland ’ s lone career start against the Angels , in August 2018 , was a 3-2 road win with one earned run allowed and six strikeouts .
Barria , in his third Angles season , will make his fifth start of the year on Saturday .
The 27-year-old Panama native has yet to factor into any of his outings in 2020 .
On Sunday , Barria recorded six strikeouts but also two home runs allowed in a 9-5 home win over the Astros .
Barria has faced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a 1-0 victory back in 2018 .
Trending : Rockies shortstop Trevor Story entered Friday night with 13 stolen bases — leading the NL and tied atop the MLB — with Story successful in 12 consecutive tries without being thrown out .
At issue : Colorado has been swept in four different series this season , including a three-game slide against the Padres before Friday night at Coors Field .
The Rockies are 3-7 over their past 10 games .

Mike Trout led the MLB with 16 home runs before taking his powerful bat to Coors Field this week. What makes the Los Angeles Angels’ outfielder so dangerous?
“Everything,” Rockies pitcher Kyle Freeland told reporters Friday before their three-game series began. “(Trout) is one of the faces of baseball and one of the best players we’ve ever seen. At the same time, he’s human. He’s another man standing in the box. You obviously have to be smart when you’re facing him, but at the same time, you still have to go out and execute your pitch and execute your game plan against him.
“He can get out just like anybody else. He just gets out a little less frequently.”
Earlier this month, 29-year-old Trout became the fastest player in league history to eclipse 300 home runs and 200 stolen bases. Further validation for the monster 12-year, $426.5-million contract he signed in 2019.
The three-time MVP is building another strong resume for the award — leading the American League in home runs (16), runs scored (37) and offensive WAR (2.1).
Friday marked Trout’s eighth career game at Coors Field, where he carried a .483 batting average with 14 hits (one double and three homers) over 34 plate appearances entering the weekend. His arrival coincides with a difficult stretch for Rockies pitchers with the team allowing double-digit runs in five of its last 12 games.
Rockies manager Bud Black spent time working in the Angels’ front office in 2016 and described Trout as an “all-around talent.”
“He’s just a great all-around baseball player,” Black continued. “He plays defense, he runs the bases well, he has speed … he hits for average and he hits for power. He’s a force on the baseball field and he’s done it for years. He’s passed the test of time at a level of performance that not many guys have done in their careers.”
McMahon returns. Rockies infielder Ryan McMahon, who missed Wednesday’s game with scheduled rest, was back in Colorado’s lineup Friday night. He played second base and hit seventh in the order. McMahon was hitting .215 going into Friday night but had hit safely in five of his last seven games.
“A good Ryan McMahon helps us win,” Black said. “He plays above-average defense. He’s got power. He’s got the ability to change the game with a couple of swings. That’s what we’re hoping for. It’s been a little bit of a rocky year for Mac, but he’s capable on a given night to take the game over and he’s capable of getting hot. Let’s hope that’s the case.”
Angels RHP Jaime Barria (0-0, 3.38 ERA) at Rockies LHP Kyle Freeland (2-1, 3.60 ERA)
6:10 p.m. Saturday, Coors Field
TV: AT&T SportsNet
Radio: KOA 850 AM/94.1 AM
Freeland is in the midst of a resurgent season but he’s not getting much help from the offense. The 27-year-old southpaw is tied for second in the National League with seven quality starts this season. On Monday, Freeland pitched six shutout innings in the Rockies’ 1-0 loss at the Padres. He’s earned decisions in only three of nine outings. Freeland’s lone career start against the Angels, in August 2018, was a 3-2 road win with one earned run allowed and six strikeouts. Barria, in his third Angles season, will make his fifth start of the year on Saturday. The 27-year-old Panama native has yet to factor into any of his outings in 2020. On Sunday, Barria recorded six strikeouts but also two home runs allowed in a 9-5 home win over the Astros. Barria has faced the Rockies just once before, earning a 1-0 victory back in 2018.
Trending: Rockies shortstop Trevor Story entered Friday night with 13 stolen bases — leading the NL and tied atop the MLB — with Story successful in 12 consecutive tries without being thrown out.
At issue: Colorado has been swept in four different series this season, including a three-game slide against the Padres before Friday night at Coors Field. The Rockies are 3-7 over their past 10 games.
Pitching Probables:
Sunday: Angels LHP Andrew Heaney (3-3, 4.40) at Rockies RHP Ryan Castellani (1-2, 5.34), 1:10 p.m., ATTRM
Monday: OFF
Tuesday: Athletics LHP Sean Manaea (4-2, 4.46) at Rockies TBD, 6:40 p.m., ATTRM


thedenverpost--2020-09-12--Denver Public Schools to bring kindergarteners, first-grade students back later this month

Citing decreases in COVID-19 cases and the challenges of remote learning for young children , Denver Public Schools said Friday that schools could start opening classrooms to kindergarten and first grade students as early as Sept. 28 .
The district started the school year virtually on Aug. 24 .
It planned for learning to remain virtual until Oct. 16 , though Superintendent Susana Cordova has long said the district could bring some students back to school in person before then if virus conditions improved .
The district began that process this week by reopening its four stand-alone early childhood education @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Preschool students who attend classes at Denver elementary schools are set to return to classrooms on Monday .
“ We know that remote learning can be particularly challenging for elementary students , ” Cordova wrote in a letter to elementary educators Friday .
“ We are ready to safely and gradually welcome back kindergarten and first grade students , based on ongoing feedback we ’ ve received from our teachers , leaders , families , and larger community.
” Read the full story from our partners at chalkbeat.org .
Chalkbeat Colorado is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ For more , visit co.chalkbeat.org .

Citing decreases in COVID-19 cases and the challenges of remote learning for young children, Denver Public Schools said Friday that schools could start opening classrooms to kindergarten and first grade students as early as Sept. 28.
The district started the school year virtually on Aug. 24. It planned for learning to remain virtual until Oct. 16, though Superintendent Susana Cordova has long said the district could bring some students back to school in person before then if virus conditions improved.
The district began that process this week by reopening its four stand-alone early childhood education centers to 3- and 4-year olds. Preschool students who attend classes at Denver elementary schools are set to return to classrooms on Monday.
“We know that remote learning can be particularly challenging for elementary students,” Cordova wrote in a letter to elementary educators Friday. “We are ready to safely and gradually welcome back kindergarten and first grade students, based on ongoing feedback we’ve received from our teachers, leaders, families, and larger community.”
Read the full story from our partners at chalkbeat.org.
Chalkbeat Colorado is a nonprofit news organization covering education issues. For more, visit co.chalkbeat.org.


thedenverpost--2020-09-11--Two men killed in Denver in separate incidents identified

The Denver Office of the Medical Examiner identified two people who were killed in Denver over the last few days @ @ @ @ @ shooting late Saturday night in the 200 block of South Julian Street has been identified @ @ @ @ @ Dole was transported to a hospital and died of his injuries .
The manner of @ @ @ @ @ from a gunshot wound , according to the coroner ’ s office .
The identity @ @ @ @ @ fatally stabbed Tuesday morning on the Auraria campus was also identified .
Richard Ford III @ @ @ @ @ during an argument with another person near the Clear Creek building before the suspect fled @ @ @ @ @ Denver Health where he was pronounced dead .
The coroner ’ s office declared his @ @ @ @ @ from a stab wound .

The Denver Office of the Medical Examiner identified two people who were killed in Denver over the last few days.
The victim of a shooting late Saturday night in the 200 block of South Julian Street has been identified as 39-year-old Alexander Dole. Dole was transported to a hospital and died of his injuries. The manner of death was declared a homicide from a gunshot wound, according to the coroner’s office.
The identity of a man who was fatally stabbed Tuesday morning on the Auraria campus was also identified. Richard Ford III, 36, was stabbed during an argument with another person near the Clear Creek building before the suspect fled. He was transported to Denver Health where he was pronounced dead. The coroner’s office declared his manner of death a homicide from a stab wound.


thedenverpost--2020-09-11--Colorado’s mask order likely to be extended another 30 days

Coloradans likely will be required to wear masks while in public indoor spaces for at least another 30 days , Gov .
Jared Polis said Friday .
The mask mandate is set to expire this weekend , but Polis said successful mask-wearing is the reason the state is able to talk about reopening schools and the possibility of high school football this fall .
“ The masks are working , ” he said .
“ We all are frustrated with masks.I can ’ t wait , can ’ t wait , until two things : the fire ban is over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The governor joked at a news conference that many , including himself , look forward to bonfires where they can burn their masks .
Polis said he hopes to end the mandate as soon as possible , but the first priority is a return of the state ’ s nightlife .
If that can be done successfully , then ending the mask requirement will be the next step .
“ The mask wearing is a key part of continuing the forward progress and it will be with us for the next 30 days @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was first issued July 16 before getting extended last month .
People 11 and older are required to wear a mask or other facial covering while in public indoor spaces , including retail stores .
Some jurisdictions have stricter guidelines .

Coloradans likely will be required to wear masks while in public indoor spaces for at least another 30 days, Gov. Jared Polis said Friday.
The mask mandate is set to expire this weekend, but Polis said successful mask-wearing is the reason the state is able to talk about reopening schools and the possibility of high school football this fall.
“The masks are working,” he said. “We all are frustrated with masks.I can’t wait, can’t wait, until two things: the fire ban is over and the mask requirement is over.”
The governor joked at a news conference that many, including himself, look forward to bonfires where they can burn their masks.
Polis said he hopes to end the mandate as soon as possible, but the first priority is a return of the state’s nightlife. If that can be done successfully, then ending the mask requirement will be the next step.
“The mask wearing is a key part of continuing the forward progress and it will be with us for the next 30 days,” he said.
The mandate was first issued July 16 before getting extended last month. People 11 and older are required to wear a mask or other facial covering while in public indoor spaces, including retail stores. Some jurisdictions have stricter guidelines.


thedenverpost--2020-09-11--Now’s your chance to own Ouray’s iconic Beaumont Hotel

Claim a piece of Colorado ’ s rich history as your own .
The Beaumont Hotel , at 505 Main Street , in Ouray , Colorado , listed by LIV Sotheby ’ s International Realty and represented by Telluride-based broker , Teddy Errico , is now available for $ 8,500,000 .
Originally built in 1886 and renovated in 2003 , this stately property demands your attention as you stroll down Ouray ’ s quaint Main Street .
The more than $ 24 million remodel was aimed at restoring the building ’ s iconic architecture and preserving the character that makes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Utilizing a mix of Victorian , Queen Anne , and French Second Empire design styles , the classic brick exterior and pointed spire are reminiscent of the Old West but point towards new potential .
Currently , a successful hotel , spa , and events venue , this property could be converted into a spectacular home or redeveloped into another exciting real estate opportunity .
The Beaumont Hotel ’ s prime location makes it a very desirable listing for buyers of all kinds .
“ For those looking to invest in Colorado ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ additional revenue opportunities , The Beaumont Hotel is the property to purchase , ” said Errico .
“ This building is as beautiful as it is bursting with potential .
The sky is truly the limit with The Beaumont and I can ’ t wait to see what the future holds for this building.
” Not a single detail was overlooked when refreshing this legendary listing .
The Beaumont Hotel features 15 professionally decorated guest rooms , each boasting their own antique and reproduction furniture that complement the building ’ s authentic Colorado @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over $ 1 million was spent on the detailed wallpapering throughout the building , which gives the interior design its luxurious , ornate flair .
The Beaumont Hotel also includes a private home adjacent to the property .
This 1,200-square-foot residence even has a four-car garage and can be utilized as a Managers Quarters or Employees Quarters .
Spanning roughly 30,946 square feet , The Beaumont Hotel has many spaces to explore and enjoy .
The property ’ s stunning ballroom is serviced by the private lounge and large chef ’ s kitchen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and entertainment in Ouray .
The first-floor restaurant and bar , which services the ground level and garden courtyard is an amazing space to share meals , sip drinks , and enjoy good company .
The hotel ’ s multiple event and restaurant spaces have appealing income-generating potential for those looking for their next investment or business opportunity .
Additional bonus spaces include a spa that comes complete with a hot tub , sauna , and multiple treatment rooms , a conference room , and three retail spaces that face Main Street and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A long-beloved establishment in the community , The Beaumont Hotel has hosted many famous guests including former Presidents , Theodore Roosevelt and Herbert Hoover , as well as television star and philanthropist , Oprah Winfrey , and many others .
Now , you can write the next chapter in this hotel ’ s history .
To learn more about this incredibly rare property and other real estate opportunities in Telluride , contact Teddy Errico by calling 970.728.5959 or visiting teddyerrico.com .
And for all of your real estate needs , contact LIV Sotheby @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or visiting livsothebysrealty.com .
The news and editorial staffs of The Denver Post had no role in this post ’ s preparation .

Claim a piece of Colorado’s rich history as your own. The Beaumont Hotel, at 505 Main Street, in Ouray, Colorado, listed by LIV Sotheby’s International Realty and represented by Telluride-based broker, Teddy Errico, is now available for $8,500,000.
Originally built in 1886 and renovated in 2003, this stately property demands your attention as you stroll down Ouray’s quaint Main Street. The more than $24 million remodel was aimed at restoring the building’s iconic architecture and preserving the character that makes this property such a rare find. Utilizing a mix of Victorian, Queen Anne, and French Second Empire design styles, the classic brick exterior and pointed spire are reminiscent of the Old West but point towards new potential.
Currently, a successful hotel, spa, and events venue, this property could be converted into a spectacular home or redeveloped into another exciting real estate opportunity. The Beaumont Hotel’s prime location makes it a very desirable listing for buyers of all kinds.
“For those looking to invest in Colorado’s history, authentic design, and additional revenue opportunities, The Beaumont Hotel is the property to purchase,” said Errico. “This building is as beautiful as it is bursting with potential. The sky is truly the limit with The Beaumont and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for this building.”
Not a single detail was overlooked when refreshing this legendary listing. The Beaumont Hotel features 15 professionally decorated guest rooms, each boasting their own antique and reproduction furniture that complement the building’s authentic Colorado aesthetic. What’s more, over $1 million was spent on the detailed wallpapering throughout the building, which gives the interior design its luxurious, ornate flair.
The Beaumont Hotel also includes a private home adjacent to the property. This 1,200-square-foot residence even has a four-car garage and can be utilized as a Managers Quarters or Employees Quarters.
Spanning roughly 30,946 square feet, The Beaumont Hotel has many spaces to explore and enjoy. The property’s stunning ballroom is serviced by the private lounge and large chef’s kitchen, making this the destination for events and entertainment in Ouray. The first-floor restaurant and bar, which services the ground level and garden courtyard is an amazing space to share meals, sip drinks, and enjoy good company.
The hotel’s multiple event and restaurant spaces have appealing income-generating potential for those looking for their next investment or business opportunity. Additional bonus spaces include a spa that comes complete with a hot tub, sauna, and multiple treatment rooms, a conference room, and three retail spaces that face Main Street and have access to the hotel lobby.
A long-beloved establishment in the community, The Beaumont Hotel has hosted many famous guests including former Presidents, Theodore Roosevelt and Herbert Hoover, as well as television star and philanthropist, Oprah Winfrey, and many others.
Now, you can write the next chapter in this hotel’s history. To learn more about this incredibly rare property and other real estate opportunities in Telluride, contact Teddy Errico by calling 970.728.5959 or visiting teddyerrico.com. And for all of your real estate needs, contact LIV Sotheby’s International Realty by calling 303.893.3200 or visiting livsothebysrealty.com.
The news and editorial staffs of The Denver Post had no role in this post’s preparation.


thedenverpost--2020-09-12--Endorsement: Let Denver DA Beth McCann fight racial bias in prosecution for another four years

This summer — at the peak of unrest over police brutality across the nation — protesters gathered outside Denver District Attorney Beth McCann ’ s house demanding she release video evidence in a police shooting .
While the protesters were right to demand rapid public transparency ( a new state law says body-worn police cameras must be released a few weeks after an incident ) , the target for their protest that evening has spent much of her almost four years in office fighting against racism in the justice system .
As McCann took over the Denver DA ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in her office to read “ The New Jim Crow : Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness.
” She commissioned a study of prosecutions in her office to determine if racial bias is driving incarceration of minorities in this city ( much to her dismay the study is not completed yet ) .
McCann expanded Denver ’ s youth diversion program to create a way for young adults to avoid a criminal record if they took accountability for their actions and stayed out of trouble for a probationary period .
McCann said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the diversion program and has been pleased that people of color in Denver are overrepresented in the program , meaning it ’ s not just being offered to white offenders , which has been the case in other jurisdictions when they launch diversion programs .
All of this is to say that the incumbent Denver District Attorney isn ’ t just trying to appease those calling for racial justice in the wake of the deaths of Elijah McClain , George Floyd and Breonna Taylor ; she has been diligently working on the issue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re inspired by her work , and we hope Denver voters will give her another term in office this November .
McCann is facing Libertarian candidate William F. Robinson III in the race to be the top prosecutor for the 2nd Judicial District .
Robinson is a long-time Denver attorney .
He used his time with The Denver Post editorial board to pitch the importance of creating a viable third party in American politics – a sentiment with which we agree .
However , Robinson ’ s odd and persistent focus during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ white settlers of America ’ s West are being unfairly cast as villains in the retelling of conflict with Native Americans in the early days of Colorado , convinced the board he is not the right third-party candidate to start that trend .
• Endorsement : Give Joyce Rankin another term on the State Board of Education to push literacy • Endorsement : Matthew Durkin for district attorney in Jefferson and Gilpin counties • Endorsement : Yes , on Proposition 113 to elect the U.S. president with the national popular vote Last year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ office when an investigation found a top prosecutor in her office had harassed and bullied other employees .
McCann told us on Thursday that the employee in question resigned and that since then there has been no other similar incident in the office .
McCann took the situation seriously commissioning an investigation into the alleged incidents .
If McCann is rehired by voters in Denver , we are certain she will continue to make improvements in the prosecutor ’ s office .
While McCann refused to reopen several controversial cases of police killing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ file , she has filed charges against police in other cases .
And McCann said she is open to reviewing how her office handles officer-involved investigations .
She goes to almost every crime scene when a police shooting has occurred , she said , and a prosecutor from her office is present at the interviews of witnesses .
However , McCann notes that her office does have a working relationship with the Denver Police Department , often working together to build cases against suspected criminals .
She notes that can be viewed as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ police for crimes , and said she ’ s open to working with lawmakers and the community to see if changes need to be made to the process .
To send a letter to the editor about this article , submit online or check out our guidelines for how to submit by email or mail .

Editor’s note: This represents the opinion of The Denver Post editorial board, which is separate from the paper’s news operation.
This summer — at the peak of unrest over police brutality across the nation — protesters gathered outside Denver District Attorney Beth McCann’s house demanding she release video evidence in a police shooting.
While the protesters were right to demand rapid public transparency (a new state law says body-worn police cameras must be released a few weeks after an incident), the target for their protest that evening has spent much of her almost four years in office fighting against racism in the justice system.
As McCann took over the Denver DA’s office in 2017 she asked the prosecutors in her office to read “The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness.” She commissioned a study of prosecutions in her office to determine if racial bias is driving incarceration of minorities in this city (much to her dismay the study is not completed yet).
McCann expanded Denver’s youth diversion program to create a way for young adults to avoid a criminal record if they took accountability for their actions and stayed out of trouble for a probationary period. McCann said she has been tracking racial statistics in the diversion program and has been pleased that people of color in Denver are overrepresented in the program, meaning it’s not just being offered to white offenders, which has been the case in other jurisdictions when they launch diversion programs.
All of this is to say that the incumbent Denver District Attorney isn’t just trying to appease those calling for racial justice in the wake of the deaths of Elijah McClain, George Floyd and Breonna Taylor; she has been diligently working on the issue in her office for years.
We’re inspired by her work, and we hope Denver voters will give her another term in office this November.
McCann is facing Libertarian candidate William F. Robinson III in the race to be the top prosecutor for the 2nd Judicial District. Robinson is a long-time Denver attorney. He used his time with The Denver Post editorial board to pitch the importance of creating a viable third party in American politics – a sentiment with which we agree. However, Robinson’s odd and persistent focus during the meeting on his belief that the white settlers of America’s West are being unfairly cast as villains in the retelling of conflict with Native Americans in the early days of Colorado, convinced the board he is not the right third-party candidate to start that trend. Related Articles Endorsements | Colorado Proposition 114 Endorsement: Yes on gray wolves reintroduction
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Last year McCann did have a setback in her office when an investigation found a top prosecutor in her office had harassed and bullied other employees. McCann told us on Thursday that the employee in question resigned and that since then there has been no other similar incident in the office. McCann took the situation seriously commissioning an investigation into the alleged incidents.
If McCann is rehired by voters in Denver, we are certain she will continue to make improvements in the prosecutor’s office. While McCann refused to reopen several controversial cases of police killing suspects that her predecessor had refused to file, she has filed charges against police in other cases.
And McCann said she is open to reviewing how her office handles officer-involved investigations. She goes to almost every crime scene when a police shooting has occurred, she said, and a prosecutor from her office is present at the interviews of witnesses. However, McCann notes that her office does have a working relationship with the Denver Police Department, often working together to build cases against suspected criminals.
She notes that can be viewed as a conflict when it comes to prosecuting police for crimes, and said she’s open to working with lawmakers and the community to see if changes need to be made to the process.
To send a letter to the editor about this article, submit online or check out our guidelines for how to submit by email or mail.


thedenverpost--2020-09-12--Forget TikTok. China’s powerhouse app is WeChat, and its power is sweeping

Just after the 2016 presidential election in the United States , Joanne Li realized the app that connected her to fellow Chinese immigrants had disconnected her from reality .
Everything she saw on the Chinese app , WeChat , indicated Donald Trump was an admired leader and impressive businessman .
She believed it was the unquestioned consensus on the newly elected U.S. president .
“ But then I started talking to some foreigners about him , non-Chinese , ” she said .
“ I was totally confused.
” She began to read more widely , and Li , who lived @ @ @ @ @ @ @ found WeChat filled with gossip , conspiracy theories and outright lies .
One article claimed Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada planned to legalize hard drugs .
Another rumor purported that Canada had begun selling marijuana in grocery stores .
A post from a news account in Shanghai warned Chinese people to take care lest they accidentally bring the drug back from Canada and get arrested .
She also questioned what was being said about China .
When a top Huawei executive was arrested in Canada in 2018 , articles from foreign news @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Her Chinese friends both inside and outside China began to say that Canada had no justice , which contradicted her own experience .
“ All of a sudden I discovered talking to others about the issue didn ’ t make sense , ” Li said .
“ It felt like if I only watched Chinese media , all of my thoughts would be different.
” Li had little choice but to take the bad with the good .
Built to be everything for everyone , WeChat is indispensable .
For most Chinese people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of all-in-one app : a way to swap stories , talk to old classmates , pay bills , coordinate with co-workers , post envy-inducing vacation photos , buy stuff and get news .
For the millions of members of China ’ s diaspora , it is the bridge that links them to the trappings of home , from family chatter to food photos .
Woven through it all is the ever more muscular surveillance and propaganda of the Chinese Communist Party .
As WeChat has become ubiquitous , it has become a powerful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Chinese authorities to guide and police what people say , who they talk to and what they read .
It has even extended Beijing ’ s reach beyond its borders .
When secret police issue threats abroad , they often do so on WeChat .
When military researchers working undercover in the U.S. needed to talk to China ’ s embassies , they used WeChat , according to court documents .
The party coordinates via WeChat with members studying overseas .
As a cornerstone of China ’ s surveillance state , WeChat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the U.S .
The Trump administration has proposed banning WeChat outright , along with the Chinese short video app TikTok .
Overnight , two of China ’ s biggest internet innovations became a new front in the sprawling tech standoff between China and the U.S .
While the two apps are lumped in the same category by the Trump administration , they represent two distinct approaches to the Great Firewall that blocks Chinese access to foreign websites .
The hipper , better-known TikTok was designed for the wild world outside of China @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only beyond China ’ s borders .
By hiving off an independent app to win over global users , TikTok ’ s owner , ByteDance , created the best bet any Chinese startup has had to compete with the internet giants in the West .
The separation of TikTok from its cousin apps in China , along with deep popularity , has fed corporate campaigns in the U.S. to save it , even as Beijing potentially upended any deals by labeling its core technology a national security priority .
Though WeChat has different @ @ @ @ @ @ @ China , it remains a single , unified social network spanning China ’ s Great Firewall .
In that sense , it has helped bring Chinese censorship to the world .
A ban would cut dead millions of conversations between family and friends , a reason one group has filed a lawsuit to block the Trump administration ’ s efforts .
It would also be an easy victory for U.S. policymakers seeking to push back against China ’ s techno-authoritarian overreach .
Li felt the whipcrack of China ’ s internet controls firsthand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to take a real estate job .
After her experience overseas , she sought to balance her news diet with groups that shared articles on world events .
As the coronavirus spread in early 2020 and China ’ s relations with countries around the world strained , she posted an article on WeChat from the U.S. government-run Radio Free Asia about the deterioration of Chinese-Canadian diplomacy , a piece that would have been censored .
The next day , four police officers showed up at her family ’ s apartment .
They carried @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mother was terrified , ” she said .
“ She turned white when she saw them.
” The police officers took Li , along with her phone and computer , to the local police station .
She said they manacled her legs to a restraining device known as a tiger chair for questioning .
They asked repeatedly about the article and her WeChat contacts overseas before locking her in a barred cell for the night .
Twice she was released , only to be dragged back to the station for fresh interrogation sessions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ China had freedom of speech protections as he questioned her over what she had said online .
“ I didn ’ t say anything , ” she said .
“ I just thought , what is your freedom of speech ?
Is it the freedom to drag me down to the police station and keep me night after sleepless night interrogating me ?
” Finally , the police forced her to write out a confession and vow of support for China , then let her go .
WeChat started out as a simple @ @ @ @ @ @ @ giant Tencent , had built an enormous user base on a chat app designed for personal computers .
But a new generation of mobile chat apps threatened to upset its hold over the way young Chinese talked to one another .
Visionary Tencent engineer Allen Zhang fired off a message to the company founder , Pony Ma , concerned that they weren ’ t keeping up .
The missive led to a new mandate , and Zhang fashioned a digital Swiss Army knife that became a necessity for daily life in China .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ other online platforms run by Tencent , combining payments , e-commerce and social media into a single service .
It became a hit , eventually eclipsing the apps that inspired WeChat .
And Tencent , which made billions in profits from the online games piped into its disparate platforms , now had a way to make money off nearly every aspect of a person ’ s digital identity — by serving ads , selling stuff , processing payments and facilitating services like food delivery .
The tech world inside and outside of China @ @ @ @ @ @ @ come up with its own product to compete .
Silicon Valley studied the ways it mixed services and followed its cues .
Built for China ’ s closed world of internet services , WeChat ’ s only failure came outside the Great Firewall .
Tencent made a big marketing push overseas , even hiring soccer player Lionel Messi as a spokesman in some markets .
For non-China users , it created a separate set of rules .
International accounts would not face direct censorship and data would be stored on servers overseas .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ same appeal without the many services available only in China .
It looked more prosaic outside the country , like any other chat app .
The main overseas users , in the end , would be the Chinese diaspora .
Tencent did not respond to a request for comment .
Over time , the distinctions between the Chinese and international app have mattered less .
Chinese people who create accounts within China , but then leave , carry with them a censored and monitored account .
If international users chat with users inside @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
For news and gossip , most comes from WeChat users inside China and spreads out to the world .
Whereas most social networks have myriad filter bubbles that reinforce different biases , WeChat is dominated by one super-filter bubble , and it hews closely to the official propaganda narratives .
“ The filter bubbles on WeChat have nothing to do with algorithms — they come from China ’ s closed internet ecosystem and censorship .
That makes them worse than other social media , ” said Fang Kecheng , a professor in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Chinese University of Hong Kong .
Fang first noticed the limitations of WeChat in 2018 as a graduate student at the University of Pennsylvania , teaching an online course in media literacy to younger Chinese .
Soft-spoken and steeped in the media echo chambers of the U.S. and China , Fang expected to reach mostly curious Chinese inside China .
An unexpected group dialed into the classes : Chinese immigrants and expatriates living in the U.S. , Canada and elsewhere .
“ It seemed obvious .
Because they were all outside China @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to gain an understanding of foreign media .
In their day-to-day life they would see it and read it , ” Fang said .
“ I realized it wasn ’ t the case .
They were outside of China , but their media environment was still entirely inside China , their channel for information was all from public accounts on WeChat.
” Fang ’ s six-week online courses were inspired by a WeChat account he ran called News Lab that sought to teach readers about journalism .
With his courses , he assigned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worksheets that taught students to analyze the pieces — pushing them to draw distinctions between pundit commentary and primary sourcing .
During one course in 2019 , he focused on the fire at Notre Dame cathedral in Paris , which inspired many conspiracy theories on WeChat .
One professor at the prestigious Tsinghua University reposted an article alleging that Muslims were behind the fire , which was untrue .
The classes were a big draw .
In 2018 , Fang attracted 500 students .
The next year he got 1,300 .
In 2020 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ censorship , Tencent took down his News Lab account .
He decided it was not safe to teach the class on another platform given the more “ hostile ” climate toward foreign media .
Still , he said that blocking WeChat would be unlikely to help much , as users could easily switch to other Chinese apps filled with propaganda and rumors .
A better idea would be to create rules that force social media companies like Tencent to be more transparent , he said .
Creating such internet blocks , he said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Information is like water .
Water quality can be improved , but without any flow , water easily grows fetid , ” he said .
In a class in 2019 , he warned broadly about barriers to information flow .
“ Now , the walls are getting higher and higher .
The ability to see the outside has become ever harder , ” he said .
“ Not just in China , but in much of the world.
” When Ferkat Jawdat ’ s mother disappeared into China ’ s sprawling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , his WeChat became a kind of memorial .
The app might have been used as evidence against her .
But he , like many Uighurs , found himself opening WeChat again and again .
It contained years of photos and conversations with his mother .
It also held a remote hope he clung to , that one day she would again reach out .
When against all odds she did , the secret police followed .
Jawdat ’ s mother , sick and worn , was released from the camps in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her a phone and signed her into WeChat .
At the sound of his mother ’ s voice Jawdat fought back a flood of emotions .
He hadn ’ t been sure if she was even alive .
Despite the relief , he noticed something was off .
She offered stilted words of praise for the Chinese Communist Party .
Then the police reached out to him .
They approached him with an anonymous friend request over WeChat .
When he accepted , a man introduced himself as a high-ranking officer in China @ @ @ @ @ @ @ region , the epicenter of reeducation camps .
The man had a proposal .
If Jawdat , a U.S. citizen and Uighur activist , would quiet his attempts to raise awareness about the camps , then his mother might be given a passport and allowed to join her family in the U.S. “ It was a kind of threat , ” he said .
“ I stayed quiet for two or three weeks , just to see what he did.
” It all came to nothing .
After turning down a media interview @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grew impatient and confronted the man .
“ He started threatening me , saying , ‘ You ’ re only one person going against the superpower .
Compared to China , you are nothing.
’ ” The experience gave Jawdat little tolerance for the app that made the threats possible , even if it had been his only line to his mother .
He said he knew two other Uighur Americans who had similar experiences .
Accounts from others point to similar occurrences around the world .
“ I don ’ t know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ served , for the Chinese people to also feel the pain of what it ’ s like to lose contact with your family members , ” Jawdat said of the proposed ban by the Trump administration .
“ There are many Chinese officials who have their kids in the U.S. WeChat must be one of the tools they use to keep in contact .
If they feel this pain , maybe they can relate better to the Uighurs .

The New York Times News Service Syndicate

Just after the 2016 presidential election in the United States, Joanne Li realized the app that connected her to fellow Chinese immigrants had disconnected her from reality.
Everything she saw on the Chinese app, WeChat, indicated Donald Trump was an admired leader and impressive businessman. She believed it was the unquestioned consensus on the newly elected U.S. president. “But then I started talking to some foreigners about him, non-Chinese,” she said. “I was totally confused.”
She began to read more widely, and Li, who lived in Toronto at the time, increasingly found WeChat filled with gossip, conspiracy theories and outright lies. One article claimed Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada planned to legalize hard drugs. Another rumor purported that Canada had begun selling marijuana in grocery stores. A post from a news account in Shanghai warned Chinese people to take care lest they accidentally bring the drug back from Canada and get arrested.
She also questioned what was being said about China. When a top Huawei executive was arrested in Canada in 2018, articles from foreign news media were quickly censored on WeChat. Her Chinese friends both inside and outside China began to say that Canada had no justice, which contradicted her own experience. “All of a sudden I discovered talking to others about the issue didn’t make sense,” Li said. “It felt like if I only watched Chinese media, all of my thoughts would be different.”
Li had little choice but to take the bad with the good. Built to be everything for everyone, WeChat is indispensable.
For most Chinese people in China, WeChat is a sort of all-in-one app: a way to swap stories, talk to old classmates, pay bills, coordinate with co-workers, post envy-inducing vacation photos, buy stuff and
get news. For the millions of members of China’s diaspora, it is the bridge that links them to the trappings of home, from family chatter to food photos.
Woven through it all is the ever more muscular surveillance and propaganda of the Chinese Communist Party. As WeChat has become ubiquitous, it has become a powerful tool of social control, a way for Chinese authorities to guide and police what people say, who they talk to and what they read.
It has even extended Beijing’s reach beyond its borders. When secret police issue threats abroad, they often do so on WeChat. When military researchers working undercover in the U.S. needed to talk to China’s embassies, they used WeChat, according to court documents. The party coordinates via WeChat with members studying overseas.
As a cornerstone of China’s surveillance state, WeChat is now considered a national security threat in the U.S. The Trump administration has proposed banning WeChat outright, along with the Chinese short video app TikTok. Overnight, two of China’s biggest internet innovations became a new front in the sprawling tech standoff between China and the U.S.
While the two apps are lumped in the same category by the Trump administration, they represent two distinct approaches to the Great Firewall that blocks Chinese access to foreign websites.
The hipper, better-known TikTok was designed for the wild world outside of China’s cloistering censorship; it exists only beyond China’s borders. By hiving off an independent app to win over global users, TikTok’s owner, ByteDance, created the best bet any Chinese startup has had to compete with the internet giants in the West. The separation of TikTok from its cousin apps in China, along with deep popularity, has fed corporate campaigns in the U.S. to save it, even as Beijing potentially upended any deals by labeling its core technology a national security priority.
Though WeChat has different rules for users inside and outside of China, it remains a single, unified social network spanning China’s Great Firewall. In that sense, it has helped bring Chinese censorship to the world. A ban would cut dead millions of conversations between family and friends, a reason one group has filed a lawsuit to block the Trump administration’s efforts. It would also be an easy victory for U.S. policymakers seeking to push back against China’s techno-authoritarian overreach.
Li felt the whipcrack of China’s internet controls firsthand when she returned to China in 2018 to take a real estate job. After her experience overseas, she sought to balance her news diet with groups that shared articles on world events. As the coronavirus spread in early 2020 and China’s relations with countries around the world strained, she posted an article on WeChat from the U.S. government-run Radio Free Asia about the deterioration of Chinese-Canadian diplomacy, a piece that would have been censored.
The next day, four police officers showed up at her family’s apartment. They carried guns and riot shields.
“My mother was terrified,” she said. “She turned white when she saw them.”
The police officers took Li, along with her phone and computer, to the local police station. She said they manacled her legs to a restraining device known as a tiger chair for questioning. They asked repeatedly about the article and her WeChat contacts overseas before locking her in a barred cell for the night.
Twice she was released, only to be dragged back to the station for fresh interrogation sessions. Li said an officer even insisted China had freedom of speech protections as he questioned her over what she had said online. “I didn’t say anything,” she said. “I just thought, what is your freedom of speech? Is it the freedom to drag me down to the police station and keep me night after sleepless night interrogating me?”
Finally, the police forced her to write out a confession and vow of support for China, then let her go.
“The walls are getting higher”
WeChat started out as a simple copycat. Its parent, Chinese internet giant Tencent, had built an enormous user base on a chat app designed for personal computers. But a new generation of mobile chat apps threatened to upset its hold over the way young Chinese talked to one another.
Visionary Tencent engineer Allen Zhang fired off a message to the company founder, Pony Ma, concerned that they weren’t keeping up. The missive led to a new mandate, and Zhang fashioned a digital Swiss Army knife that became a necessity for daily life in China. WeChat piggybacked on the popularity of the other online platforms run by Tencent, combining payments, e-commerce and social media into a single service.
It became a hit, eventually eclipsing the apps that inspired WeChat. And Tencent, which made billions in profits from the online games piped into its disparate platforms, now had a way to make money off nearly every aspect of a person’s digital identity — by serving ads, selling stuff, processing payments and facilitating services like food delivery.
The tech world inside and outside of China marveled. Tencent rival Alibaba scrambled to come up with its own product to compete. Silicon Valley studied the ways it mixed services and followed its cues.
Built for China’s closed world of internet services, WeChat’s only failure came outside the Great Firewall. Tencent made a big marketing push overseas, even hiring soccer player Lionel Messi as a spokesman in some markets. For non-China users, it created a separate set of rules. International accounts would not face direct censorship and data would be stored on servers overseas.
But WeChat didn’t have the same appeal without the many services available only in China. It looked more prosaic outside the country, like any other chat app. The main overseas users, in the end, would be the Chinese diaspora.
Tencent did not respond to a request for comment.
Over time, the distinctions between the Chinese and international app have mattered less. Chinese people who create accounts within China, but then leave, carry with them a censored and monitored account. If international users chat with users inside China, their posts can be censored.
For news and gossip, most comes from WeChat users inside China and spreads out to the world. Whereas most social networks have myriad filter bubbles that reinforce different biases, WeChat is dominated by one super-filter bubble, and it hews closely to the official propaganda narratives.
“The filter bubbles on WeChat have nothing to do with algorithms — they come from China’s closed internet ecosystem and censorship. That makes them worse than other social media,” said Fang Kecheng, a professor in the School of Journalism and Communications at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.
Fang first noticed the limitations of WeChat in 2018 as a graduate student at the University of Pennsylvania, teaching an online course in media literacy to younger Chinese.
Soft-spoken and steeped in the media echo chambers of the U.S. and China, Fang expected to reach mostly curious Chinese inside China. An unexpected group dialed into the classes: Chinese immigrants and expatriates living in the U.S., Canada and elsewhere.
“It seemed obvious. Because they were all outside China, it should be easy for them to gain an understanding of foreign media. In their day-to-day life they would see it and read it,” Fang said. “I realized it wasn’t the case. They were outside of China, but their media environment was still entirely inside China, their channel for information was all from public accounts on WeChat.”
Fang’s six-week online courses were inspired by a WeChat account he ran called News Lab that sought to teach readers about journalism. With his courses, he assigned articles from media like Reuters along with worksheets that taught students to analyze the pieces — pushing them to draw distinctions between pundit commentary and primary sourcing.
During one course in 2019, he focused on the fire at Notre Dame cathedral in Paris, which inspired many conspiracy theories on WeChat. One professor at the prestigious Tsinghua University reposted an article alleging that Muslims were behind the fire, which was untrue.
The classes were a big draw. In 2018, Fang attracted 500 students. The next year he got 1,300. In 2020, a year of coronavirus rumors and censorship, Tencent took down his News Lab account. He decided it was not safe to teach the class on another platform given the more “hostile” climate toward foreign media.
Still, he said that blocking WeChat would be unlikely to help much, as users could easily switch to other Chinese apps filled with propaganda and rumors. A better idea would be to create rules that force social media companies like Tencent to be more transparent, he said.
Creating such internet blocks, he said, rarely improved the quality of information.
“Information is like water. Water quality can be improved, but without any flow, water easily grows fetid,” he said.
In a class in 2019, he warned broadly about barriers to information flow.
“Now, the walls are getting higher and higher. The ability to see the outside has become ever harder,” he said. “Not just in China, but in much of the world.”
‘What it’s like to lose contact’
When Ferkat Jawdat’s mother disappeared into China’s sprawling system of reeducation camps to indoctrinate Uighurs, his WeChat became a kind of memorial.
The app might have been used as evidence against her. But he, like many Uighurs, found himself opening WeChat again and again. It contained years of photos and conversations with his mother. It also held a remote hope he clung to, that one day she would again reach out.
When against all odds she did, the secret police followed.
Jawdat’s mother, sick and worn, was released from the camps in the summer of 2019. Chinese police gave her a phone and signed her into WeChat. At the sound of his mother’s voice Jawdat fought back a flood of emotions. He hadn’t been sure if she was even alive. Despite the relief, he noticed something was off. She offered stilted words of praise for the Chinese Communist Party.
Then the police reached out to him. They approached him with an anonymous friend request over WeChat. When he accepted, a man introduced himself as a high-ranking officer in China’s security forces in the Xinjiang region, the epicenter of reeducation camps. The man had a proposal. If Jawdat, a U.S. citizen and Uighur activist, would quiet his attempts to raise awareness about the camps, then his mother might be given a passport and allowed to join her family in the U.S.
“It was a kind of threat,” he said. “I stayed quiet for two or three weeks, just to see what he did.”
It all came to nothing. After turning down a media interview and skipping a speaking event, Jawdat grew impatient and confronted the man. “He started threatening me, saying, ‘You’re only one person going against the superpower. Compared to China, you are nothing.’”
The experience gave Jawdat little tolerance for the app that made the threats possible, even if it had been his only line to his mother. He said he knew two other Uighur Americans who had similar experiences. Accounts from others point to similar occurrences around the world.
“I don’t know if it’s karma or justice served, for the Chinese people to also feel the pain of what it’s like to lose contact with your family members,” Jawdat said of the proposed ban by the Trump administration. “There are many Chinese officials who have their kids in the U.S. WeChat must be one of the tools they use to keep in contact. If they feel this pain, maybe they can relate better to the Uighurs.


thedenverpost--2020-09-12--Colorado GOP sets eyes on down-ballot races with new fundraising group

A group of Colorado Republicans intends to aim low this election season — as in , low on the ballot , with a special focus on county races that typically don ’ t generate flashy headlines but may prove key to retaining and wielding GOP power in a state with an increasingly blue Capitol .
This week marked the launch of a fundraising committee , dubbed Republican Commissioners for Colorado , which boasts it will embark on an “ aggressive campaign to aid county commissioner candidates finance their elections.
” “ Its purpose is to ensure that our counties provide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ transportation infrastructure needed for strong local economies , while holding back wrong-headed policies from the state Capitol that will hurt our communities , ” read a press release the group issued this week .
Depending on who you ask , the effort either smacks of a desperate attempt by the state ’ s Republicans to shore up what support they can during a tumultuous election cycle or it represents a cunning political play in the quieter corridors of Colorado ’ s power structure .
“ This to me sounds like the last gasp @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Mindi Haddad , a Democratic political strategist .
“ They ’ re scraping the bottom of the barrel because that ’ s all that is available to them now.
” Not so fast , said Dick Wadhams , a longtime Republican strategist and former head of the Colorado GOP .
With both legislative chambers and the governor ’ s office under Democratic control and dim prospects of that changing in November , Republicans are right to chase down seats at the local level , he said .
Commissioners have broad power over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , like the controversial Northern Integrated Supply Project , for which the Republican-dominated Larimer County board of commissioners approved a permit earlier this month , Wadhams said .
There has also been vigorous pushback from conservative Weld County commissioners to the state ’ s 2019 oil and gas reform law , with local leaders challenging state officials over land-use powers when it comes to siting and approving wells .
“ Commissioners have more power to influence public policy within their counties than state legislators do , ” he said .
“ It ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ control at the state level.
” But Republican Commissioners for Colorado may already be off to a shaky start .
After receiving a press release about its launch , The Denver Post couldn ’ t reach a representative of the group willing to speak on the record despite more than a dozen attempts by phone and email .
The group is led by former state Sen. Kevin Grantham , now vying for a commissioner seat in Fremont County .
And the group ’ s new website address showed only an error message as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sondermann said Republican Commissioners for Colorado “ seems a day late and probably a dollar short , given that ballots are going out in a month or less.
” He said the stated purpose of the group “ is in keeping with what we ’ ve seen more and more out of both parties in recent cycles in targeting down-ballot races and forming fundraising committees expressly focused on them.
” Joe Jackson , spokesman for the Colorado Republican Party , said while the party is not officially affiliated with Republican Commissioners for Colorado @ @ @ @ @ @ @ candidates “ at every level.
” To those declaring an early death to the Republican Party in Colorado in 2020 , Jackson pointed to a poll released this week showing Republican Sen. Cory Gardner within 5 percentage points of Democratic challenger John Hickenlooper .

A group of Colorado Republicans intends to aim low this election season — as in, low on the ballot, with a special focus on county races that typically don’t generate flashy headlines but may prove key to retaining and wielding GOP power in a state with an increasingly blue Capitol.
This week marked the launch of a fundraising committee, dubbed Republican Commissioners for Colorado, which boasts it will embark on an “aggressive campaign to aid county commissioner candidates finance their elections.”
“Its purpose is to ensure that our counties provide the public safety, land use and transportation infrastructure needed for strong local economies, while holding back wrong-headed policies from the state Capitol that will hurt our communities,” read a press release the group issued this week.
Depending on who you ask, the effort either smacks of a desperate attempt by the state’s Republicans to shore up what support they can during a tumultuous election cycle or it represents a cunning political play in the quieter corridors of Colorado’s power structure.
“This to me sounds like the last gasp of a once-formidable political party,” said Mindi Haddad, a Democratic political strategist. “They’re scraping the bottom of the barrel because that’s all that is available to them now.”
Not so fast, said Dick Wadhams, a longtime Republican strategist and former head of the Colorado GOP. With both legislative chambers and the governor’s office under Democratic control and dim prospects of that changing in November, Republicans are right to chase down seats at the local level, he said.
Commissioners have broad power over land use decisions and regional water projects, like the controversial Northern Integrated Supply Project, for which the Republican-dominated Larimer County board of commissioners approved a permit earlier this month, Wadhams said. There has also been vigorous pushback from conservative Weld County commissioners to the state’s 2019 oil and gas reform law, with local leaders challenging state officials over land-use powers when it comes to siting and approving wells.
“Commissioners have more power to influence public policy within their counties than state legislators do,” he said. “It’s an offset to the total Democratic control at the state level.”
But Republican Commissioners for Colorado may already be off to a shaky start. After receiving a press release about its launch, The Denver Post couldn’t reach a representative of the group willing to speak on the record despite more than a dozen attempts by phone and email. The group is led by former state Sen. Kevin Grantham, now vying for a commissioner seat in Fremont County.
And the group’s new website address showed only an error message as of Friday afternoon.
Political analyst Eric Sondermann said Republican Commissioners for Colorado “seems a day late and probably a dollar short, given that ballots are going out in a month or less.”
He said the stated purpose of the group “is in keeping with what we’ve seen more and more out of both parties in recent cycles in targeting down-ballot races and forming fundraising committees expressly focused on them.”
Joe Jackson, spokesman for the Colorado Republican Party, said while the party is not officially affiliated with Republican Commissioners for Colorado, it is working on supporting GOP candidates “at every level.” To those declaring an early death to the Republican Party in Colorado in 2020, Jackson pointed to a poll released this week showing Republican Sen. Cory Gardner within 5 percentage points of Democratic challenger John Hickenlooper.


thedenverpost--2020-09-12--After laying off hundreds, Liberty Oilfield Services is rehiring and acquiring another business

The pandemic-driven economic turmoil hit Liberty Oilfield Services hard , forcing it to drastically cut spending and lay off roughly 1,000 of its 2,400 employees .
Times are still tough , but Chris Wright , CEO of the Denver-based company , said things are looking up .
Liberty has rehired many workers .
Its revenue has been increasing each month since May .
And later this year , Liberty will close on its acquisition of Schlumberger ’ s North American hydraulic fracturing unit .
In exchange for OneStim and two sand mines in Texas , Schlumberger will get a 37 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ used in the hydraulic fracturing , or fracking , of oil and gas wells .
Wright said Friday that while he ’ s optimistic about the oil and gas industry , the deal with Schlumberger doesn ’ t represent “ a big , bold bet ” on the future .
“ We think the deal is good for Liberty whether times get better , worse or stay the same , ” Wright said .
“ There ’ s no cash out the door .
It ’ s just issuing new shares .
After @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of stock in Liberty will effectively own more horsepower , more earnings power , more cash flow than they owned before.
” However , Wright does see signs of hope , including the rehiring of many of the employees let go when the coronavirus swept through the country and a lot of drilling slowed or stopped .
Liberty ’ s layoffs in April were the company ’ s first in its nine years .
“ We just simply had no choice .
Demand for fracturing services dropped 85 % in a two-month period @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the business survives so that we ’ re around for the long haul , ” Wright said .
The company filed notice in April with the state Department of Labor and Employment that 183 workers were being let go in Adams County , where its Colorado field services are based .
Since then , nearly all of Liberty ’ s Texas employees have been rehired , and operations have picked up in North Dakota .
But everybody in the company is still working at “ meaningfully reduced compensation , ” especially the top @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , operations haven ’ t rebounded as much because of regulatory uncertainty , Wright said .
He referred to a 2019 law being implemented by state regulators that mandates an overhaul of the oil and gas rules .
Industry representatives are particularly upset with the prospect of having to locate new wells at least 2,000 feet from homes and schools .
The current requirement is 1,000 feet from schools and 500 feet in some residential areas .
Industry officials said bigger setbacks will increase costs and significantly limit where companies can drill .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ production to remain low until the end of the year .
Even before the pandemic , producers were struggling because of a glut of oil and a price war between Russia and Saudi Arabia .
“ We ’ re not in a great place right now , but it feels a lot better to be headed the right direction , ” Wright said .

The pandemic-driven economic turmoil hit Liberty Oilfield Services hard, forcing it to drastically cut spending and lay off roughly 1,000 of its 2,400 employees.
Times are still tough, but Chris Wright, CEO of the Denver-based company, said things are looking up. Liberty has rehired many workers. Its revenue has been increasing each month since May.
And later this year, Liberty will close on its acquisition of Schlumberger’s North American hydraulic fracturing unit. In exchange for OneStim and two sand mines in Texas, Schlumberger will get a 37% stake in Liberty.
Sand is used in the hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, of oil and gas wells.
Wright said Friday that while he’s optimistic about the oil and gas industry, the deal with Schlumberger doesn’t represent “a big, bold bet” on the future.
“We think the deal is good for Liberty whether times get better, worse or stay the same,” Wright said. “There’s no cash out the door. It’s just issuing new shares. After we issue those shares, each share of stock in Liberty will effectively own more horsepower, more earnings power, more cash flow than they owned before.”
However, Wright does see signs of hope, including the rehiring of many of the employees let go when the coronavirus swept through the country and a lot of drilling slowed or stopped. Liberty’s layoffs in April were the company’s first in its nine years.
“We just simply had no choice. Demand for fracturing services dropped 85% in a two-month period, and we have to make sure the business survives so that we’re around for the long haul,” Wright said.
The company filed notice in April with the state Department of Labor and Employment that 183 workers were being let go in Adams County, where its Colorado field services are based. Since then, nearly all of Liberty’s Texas employees have been rehired, and operations have picked up in North Dakota.
But everybody in the company is still working at “meaningfully reduced compensation,” especially the top executives, Wright said.
In Colorado, operations haven’t rebounded as much because of regulatory uncertainty, Wright said. He referred to a 2019 law being implemented by state regulators that mandates an overhaul of the oil and gas rules.
Industry representatives are particularly upset with the prospect of having to locate new wells at least 2,000 feet from homes and schools. The current requirement is 1,000 feet from schools and 500 feet in some residential areas. Industry officials said bigger setbacks will increase costs and significantly limit where companies can drill.
Wright said he expects oil and gas production to remain low until the end of the year. Even before the pandemic, producers were struggling because of a glut of oil and a price war between Russia and Saudi Arabia.
“We’re not in a great place right now, but it feels a lot better to be headed the right direction,” Wright said.


thedenverpost--2020-09-12--All Colorado voters will be able to track their ballots in fall election

Colorado voters will have a new tool this fall to ensure their ballot is counted .
A few counties across the state have been allowing voters to track the life of their ballots , and beginning with the upcoming election voters in all of Colorado ’ s 64 counties will be able to use that same system , Secretary of State Jena Griswold told The Denver Post .
Registered voters with an email address on file will automatically receive notification in the coming weeks of their ballot ’ s progress on its way to them .
Others can opt in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , text or voicemail notifications .
“ If you can order a pizza and see it as it ’ s being delivered , we think we should be able to offer the same service with voting , ” Griswold said .
County clerks will mail ballots to voters across the state beginning Oct. 9 , and that ’ s when the system will kick in .
“ You ’ ll be able to see when the ballot packets are delivered to the Postal Service for mailing , when the county receives your voted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the system and accepted , ” Griswold said .
It ’ s a simple enough system , Griswold said , and easy to expand statewide because a dozen counties were already using it .
The only outlier is Denver , which uses a different tracing system called Ballot TRACE .
It was the first of its kind in the country when it launched in 2010 , said Denver elections spokesperson Alton Dillard .
Denver will continue to use that tracking system , and its voters can sign up for notifications at ballottrace.org @ @ @ @ @ @ @ system is the Denver-based BallotTrax and launching it cost $ 70,000 , paid for from a 2018 federal election security grant , said Steve Hurlbert , a spokesperson for Griswold .
Talks were already underway to expand the system statewide before President Donald Trump began saying that mail-in voting would result in massive fraud .
It ’ s a happy accident , Griswold said , that the undertaking should also boost voter confidence in what is already considered the country safest election system .
“ It gives an added sense of security , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s a lot of misinformation swirling around about elections , especially from the president.
” BallotTrax has been a huge success for voters in Boulder County since about 2015 , said Clerk Molly Fitzpatrick , .
They take comfort knowing they ’ ll receive a notification as soon as their ballot is accepted and counted by the clerk ’ s office and in knowing they ’ ll have a chance to rectify any discrepancies flagged by election officials .
“ That information can be made available to voters in real time and in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Fitzpatrick said .
“ It ’ s really nice .
”

Colorado voters will have a new tool this fall to ensure their ballot is counted.
A few counties across the state have been allowing voters to track the life of their ballots, and beginning with the upcoming election voters in all of Colorado’s 64 counties will be able to use that same system, Secretary of State Jena Griswold told The Denver Post. Registered voters with an email address on file will automatically receive notification in the coming weeks of their ballot’s progress on its way to them. Others can opt in at colorado.ballottrax.net and sign up for email, text or voicemail notifications.
“If you can order a pizza and see it as it’s being delivered, we think we should be able to offer the same service with voting,” Griswold said.
County clerks will mail ballots to voters across the state beginning Oct. 9, and that’s when the system will kick in.
“You’ll be able to see when the ballot packets are delivered to the Postal Service for mailing, when the county receives your voted ballot, when your ballot is verified in the system and accepted,” Griswold said.
It’s a simple enough system, Griswold said, and easy to expand statewide because a dozen counties were already using it.
The only outlier is Denver, which uses a different tracing system called Ballot TRACE. It was the first of its kind in the country when it launched in 2010, said Denver elections spokesperson Alton Dillard. Denver will continue to use that tracking system, and its voters can sign up for notifications at ballottrace.org.
The company behind the statewide tracking system is the Denver-based BallotTrax and launching it cost $70,000, paid for from a 2018 federal election security grant, said Steve Hurlbert, a spokesperson for Griswold.
Talks were already underway to expand the system statewide before President Donald Trump began saying that mail-in voting would result in massive fraud. It’s a happy accident, Griswold said, that the undertaking should also boost voter confidence in what is already considered the country safest election system.
“It gives an added sense of security,” Griswold said. “There’s a lot of misinformation swirling around about elections, especially from the president.”
BallotTrax has been a huge success for voters in Boulder County since about 2015, said Clerk Molly Fitzpatrick. They take comfort knowing they’ll receive a notification as soon as their ballot is accepted and counted by the clerk’s office and in knowing they’ll have a chance to rectify any discrepancies flagged by election officials.
“That information can be made available to voters in real time and in a self-service automated type of way,” Fitzpatrick said. “It’s really nice.”


thedenverpost--2020-09-12--Grading the Week: Speak your mind, Michael Porter Jr. We’re listening

Up until Friday night ’ s season-saving comeback from 16 points down against the Los Angeles Clippers , there wasn ’ t a whole lot of sunshine this week in the world of Colorado sports .
( Actually , there was snow . )
From the “ As the World Turns ” daytime drama surrounding the fate of Colorado high school football , to Von Miller ’ s potentially season-ending tendon injury , to the Rockies ’ persistent nosedive — we needed that , Nuggs .
Once upon a time , we expected our politicians to think before they spoke @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to ask these days .
In what essentially amounted to one big 24-hour tease , Polis floated the possibility Tuesday of Colorado high school football returning this fall — then watched as CHSAA ’ s governing board unanimously voted down the idea less than 24 hours later .
A few days after that ?
Fall football was back on the table , with CHSAA Commissioner Rhonda Blanford-Green meeting with the governor ’ s office to talk about variances for certain sports amid the COVID-19 pandemic .
Colorado ’ s high school athletes don @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like this .
Nor do their parents or coaches .
Heck , even CHSAA was a victim here , as it was forced to say no to fall prep football for the second time in two months because state leaders can ’ t get their ducks in a row .
It leaves the staff here at Grading the Week wondering : Did the governor talk to anyone before declaring Tuesday that fall football could be a thing in 2020 ?
Or did he follow the lead of our Tweeter in Chief and throw @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even considering the consequences ?
Speaking of foot-in-mouth moments… How about everybody ’ s favorite Nuggets wunderkind ?
Say what you will about MPJ ’ s lack of tact , he sure makes for great copy .
And we here at the Grading the Week offices encourage him to voice his opinion whenever he feels the urge .
Throw a stink bomb into the Nuggets locker room after a Game 4 loss to the Clippers ?
We can get behind that .
“ I mean , that ’ s really up to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up to the coaches , who they want to put the ball in whose hands , ” Porter said when asked about a lack of shots for himself in the second half .
“ We kept going to ( Nikola ) Jokic and ( Jamal Murray ) , and they ’ re two amazing players , you can never get mad at that .
But I just think to beat that team , we got ta get more players involved.
” A couple things : 1 ) With the Nuggets scuffling for offense @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a good idea to shake things up .
2 ) As true as it might be , for the sake of team harmony , it ’ s also probably an opinion best shared with teammates and coaches — not a media Zoom call .
But , hey , we welcome it with open arms .
Speak your mind , MPJ .
We ’ re listening .
Especially if you ’ re going to bury that 3 at the end of Game 5 .
If the object of this year ’ s abbreviated Broncos @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and unified … well , one out of two ain ’ t bad .
Even with all of the renewed hope emanating from Broncos HQ leading into Week 1 , it ’ s getting really hard to look past all of the injuries that have piled up since camp began .
This starts , of course , with what appears to be a season-ending injury for star outside linebacker Von Miller .
Nobody had a playbook for how to deal with this bizarre NFL offseason with no OTAs , rookie camp or preseason @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the business in pro football .
But here ’ s a head count from practice Friday : Miller , Courtland Sutton and Mark Barron did not practice , while Bradley Chubb and Graham Glasgow finally practiced in full after being limited participants in previous days .
And we haven ’ t even played a down yet .
Yikes .

Thank you, Denver Nuggets.
Up until Friday night’s season-saving comeback from 16 points down against the Los Angeles Clippers, there wasn’t a whole lot of sunshine this week in the world of Colorado sports. (Actually, there was snow.)
From the “As the World Turns” daytime drama surrounding the fate of Colorado high school football, to Von Miller’s potentially season-ending tendon injury, to the Rockies’ persistent nosedive — we needed that, Nuggs.
We needed that bad.
Gov. Jared Polis — D+
Once upon a time, we expected our politicians to think before they spoke. That’s apparently too much to ask these days.
In what essentially amounted to one big 24-hour tease, Polis floated the possibility Tuesday of Colorado high school football returning this fall — then watched as CHSAA’s governing board unanimously voted down the idea less than 24 hours later.
A few days after that? Fall football was back on the table, with CHSAA Commissioner Rhonda Blanford-Green meeting with the governor’s office to talk about variances for certain sports amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Colorado’s high school athletes don’t deserve to get yanked around like this. Nor do their parents or coaches.
Heck, even CHSAA was a victim here, as it was forced to say no to fall prep football for the second time in two months because state leaders can’t get their ducks in a row.
It leaves the staff here at Grading the Week wondering:
Did the governor talk to anyone before declaring Tuesday that fall football could be a thing in 2020? Or did he follow the lead of our Tweeter in Chief and throw an idea out into the world without even considering the consequences?
Michael Porter Jr. — A
Speaking of foot-in-mouth moments… How about everybody’s favorite Nuggets wunderkind?
Say what you will about MPJ’s lack of tact, he sure makes for great copy. And we here at the Grading the Week offices encourage him to voice his opinion whenever he feels the urge.
Throw a stink bomb into the Nuggets locker room after a Game 4 loss to the Clippers? We can get behind that.
“I mean, that’s really up to the play calls, that’s really up to the coaches, who they want to put the ball in whose hands,” Porter said when asked about a lack of shots for himself in the second half. “We kept going to (Nikola) Jokic and (Jamal Murray), and they’re two amazing players, you can never get mad at that. But I just think to beat that team, we gotta get more players involved.”
A couple things: 1) With the Nuggets scuffling for offense vs. the Clippers, it was probably a good idea to shake things up. 2) As true as it might be, for the sake of team harmony, it’s also probably an opinion best shared with teammates and coaches — not a media Zoom call.
But, hey, we welcome it with open arms. Speak your mind, MPJ. We’re listening.
Especially if you’re going to bury that 3 at the end of Game 5.
Broncos’ health — C-
If the object of this year’s abbreviated Broncos training camp was to break camp healthy and unified … well, one out of two ain’t bad.
Even with all of the renewed hope emanating from Broncos HQ leading into Week 1, it’s getting really hard to look past all of the injuries that have piled up since camp began. This starts, of course, with what appears to be a season-ending injury for star outside linebacker Von Miller.
Nobody had a playbook for how to deal with this bizarre NFL offseason with no OTAs, rookie camp or preseason games, and injuries are part of the business in pro football. But here’s a head count from practice Friday: Miller, Courtland Sutton and Mark Barron did not practice, while Bradley Chubb and Graham Glasgow finally practiced in full after being limited participants in previous days.
And we haven’t even played a down yet. Yikes.


thedenverpost--2020-09-12--Denver weather: “Pleasant weekend” expected with warmer temperatures, sunny skies

Break out those neon-colored sunglasses , Denverites .
This weekend ’ s weather is going to bring sunny skies and @ @ @ @ @ s forecast calls for a high near 78 degrees and a low around 48 , @ @ @ @ @ Service .
Sunday is expected to bring a high of 83 degrees and a low @ @ @ @ @ will see cooler weather .
Both days in Denver are likely to have light and @ @ @ @ @ skies .
The National Weather Service in Boulder told people to expect a “ pleasant @ @ @ @ @ be good news for those who aren ’ t quite ready for fall , it @ @ @ @ @ well for the state ’ s wildfires and drought .
The next chance of showers @ @ @ @ @ forecast for Friday , according to the weather service .

Break out those neon-colored sunglasses, Denverites. This weekend’s weather is going to bring sunny skies and warmer temperatures.
Saturday’s forecast calls for a high near 78 degrees and a low around 48, according to the National Weather Service. Sunday is expected to bring a high of 83 degrees and a low near 51. The mountains will see cooler weather.
Both days in Denver are likely to have light and variable winds and clear evening skies. The National Weather Service in Boulder told people to expect a “pleasant weekend.”
A pleasant weekend is expected with mild temperatures, mostly clear skies, and light winds. #cowx pic.twitter.com/eyV0yLPgtt — NWS Boulder (@NWSBoulder) September 12, 2020
While this may be good news for those who aren’t quite ready for fall, it doesn’t bode as well for the state’s wildfires and drought.
The next chance of showers and thunderstorms in Denver is forecast for Friday, according to the weather service.


thedenverpost--2020-09-12--Majority of Colorado workers support a COVID-19 liability shield for employers

A sticking point in negotiations for additional federal COVID-19 assistance is whether businesses , schools and other places people gather should be granted a liability shield in case employees and patrons fall ill. Senate Republicans , backed by trade groups , argue litigation protections are needed to avoid further burdening struggling firms and to allow the economy to reopen more quickly .
Some Democrats , echoing concerns expressed by labor groups , fear that a blanket shield would make employers less careful about maintaining a safe environment and could worsen the outbreak and contribute to more deaths .
Colorado workers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ survey of 6,560 people nationally by Gomez Trial Attorneys , which is in Portland , Ore. Just shy of four in 10 argue that employers should be held liable if workers become ill on the job , while about six in 10 favored protecting employers from COVID litigation .
Worker views varied widely by state , from a high of 75 % in West Virginia against a liability shield to a low of 11 % in South Dakota .
At 39 % , Colorado ’ s share of workers opposed to broad liability @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of 38 % .
One method workplaces are using to safeguard health is to take everyone ’ s temperature , and sending workers with a high temperature home to seek medical advice .
About three in four , or 76 % , of Colorado workers , support a compulsory temperature check before someone enters the workplace .
But here ’ s the rub : A similar three in four workers , 74 % on this question , say their personal temperature data should be kept confidential .
If workers are turned away , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a high temperature .
“ We advise employers to measure temperatures at the beginning of the workday or shift and to send an employee home if there is an elevated temperature .
We don ’ t believe doing so violates privacy rights in any actionable way .
And we believe that the risk of liability for transmission in the workplace far outweighs any possible privacy claims , ” a spokesperson with Gomez Trial Attorneys said in an email .
Employers concerned about privacy could ask employees if they want a private check , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ secondary airport screenings .
Another option is to have temperature checks done outside of official work hours .
About 58 % of employees surveyed , however , said they would want to be paid for the time spent outside work hours getting checked .

A sticking point in negotiations for additional federal COVID-19 assistance is whether businesses, schools and other places people gather should be granted a liability shield in case employees and patrons fall ill.
Senate Republicans, backed by trade groups, argue litigation protections are needed to avoid further burdening struggling firms and to allow the economy to reopen more quickly. Some Democrats, echoing concerns expressed by labor groups, fear that a blanket shield would make employers less careful about maintaining a safe environment and could worsen the outbreak and contribute to more deaths.
Colorado workers are likewise divided, according to a survey of 6,560 people nationally by Gomez Trial Attorneys, which is in San Diego. Just shy of four in 10 argue that employers should be held liable if workers become ill on the job, while about six in 10 favored protecting employers from COVID litigation.
Worker views varied widely by state, from a high of 75% in West Virginia against a liability shield to a low of 11% in South Dakota. At 39%, Colorado’s share of workers opposed to broad liability protections is close to the national average of 38%.
One method workplaces are using to safeguard health is to take everyone’s temperature, and sending workers with a high temperature home to seek medical advice. About three in four, or 76%, of Colorado workers, support a compulsory temperature check before someone enters the workplace.
But here’s the rub: A similar three in four workers, 74% on this question, say their personal temperature data should be kept confidential. If workers are turned away, it will be obvious that they had a high temperature.
“We advise employers to measure temperatures at the beginning of the workday or shift and to send an employee home if there is an elevated temperature. We don’t believe doing so violates privacy rights in any actionable way. And we believe that the risk of liability for transmission in the workplace far outweighs any possible privacy claims,” John Gomez, president Gomez Trial Attorneys, said in an email.
Employers concerned about privacy could ask employees if they want a private check, not unlike what the TSA does in secondary airport screenings. Another option is to have temperature checks done outside of official work hours. About 58% of employees surveyed, however, said they would want to be paid for the time spent outside work hours getting checked.