thedenverpost--2020-10-17--Explosive CalWood fire burns 7,000 acres, forces evacuation of Jamestown and foothills north of Boul

Explosive CalWood fire burns 7,000 acres, forces evacuation of Jamestown and foothills north of Boulder

An explosive new wildfire erupted in the Boulder County foothills Saturday , forcing the evacuation of Jamestown and wide swaths of the foothills north of Boulder while sending skyward a tower of billowing smoke that could be seen across the metro area .
The fast-moving new fire ignited on a dry , windy day that also saw continued growth of the 2-month-old Cameron Peak fire in Larimer County — the largest wildfire in Colorado ’ s recorded history — and the more recent East Troublesome fire in Grand County .
Boulder County emergency officials announced at 8:20 p.m. Saturday that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
They have not confirmed whether it has destroyed homes .
At an evening briefing , managers of the Cameron Peak firefighting effort said they ’ d been in contact with their counterparts in Boulder County about the surging wildfire there , and had sent down crews that had been monitoring the contained north end of the Larimer County fire .
“ In three hours it was 5,000 acres , ” Dan Dallas , incident commander for the Cameron Peak fire , said of the CalWood fire .
Boulder County sheriff ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ p.m. Saturday , saying crews were responding to fight the wildland blaze that had started near the Cal-Wood Education Center , a popular destination near Jamestown for school groups learning about the outdoors .
Not long afterward , authorities ordered the evacuation of Jamestown , a historic town of less than 300 residents about 15 miles northwest of Boulder that was ravaged by the 2013 floods .
A map shared by Boulder emergency managers showed a wide evacuation zone encompassing land west of the Peak to Peak Highway on one side to across @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the east side , and from Jamestown on the south end , north to North Sheep Mountain .
Around 6:30 p.m. , officials announced there were about 900 homes in the evacuation zone .
“ We could see all the intense smoke over the hill , ” said Bill Sutton who evacuated from Jamestown with his girlfriend Karla Refoxo and their cat Diosita around 3:30 p.m. Refoxo wiped tears from her eyes as she stepped out of her Jeep at the evacuation point in Boulder .
“ It ’ s emotional , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ really feel for all the wildlife.
” Refoxo , who recently moved from California , said she ’ s used to evacuations due to wildfires .
Sutton said she knew just what to do , and the couple started packing as soon as they heard the fire was on the move .
For Jean and Dixon King , Saturday ’ s evacuation was nothing new .
They ’ ve lived in Jamestown for 46 years and last evacuated in 2003 .
They keep a list on the refrigerator with everything they need in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kings didn ’ t know where they were going to stay Saturday night .
Their daughter lives nearby , but she ’ s recovering from COVID-19 and they ’ re at high risk .
As for the house , they ’ re not worried .
“ We ’ re too old to worry !
” Jean said The couple packed their car with everything they needed — medicine , pictures , an old clock… and teeth , Jean said .
If their house burns down , “ well , we won ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with a smile .
Tara Veffella and Paul Rahn were monitoring the Cameron Peak fire on Saturday from their home in Lyons when they realized that they had a different fire to worry about .
They grabbed their mountain bikes , computers , important documents and jammed them in the car .
Then they did “ about a year ’ s worth of yard work in two hours ” Rahn said , raking leaves , setting the sprinklers .
Eddy and Lisa Showers live 12 miles outside of Lyons and scrambled to pack @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ We ’ re hoping against all hope ” Eddy said Lisa saw the fire when she passed the top of Colorado 72 and Colorado 7 this afternoon .
“ It was huge ” she said .
Eddy was just having a conversation with a work friend on Friday about what to take in case of evacuation : “ It really makes you question what ’ s important in your life.
” Earlier on Saturday , the National Weather Service in Boulder tweeted a satellite image showing the new wildfire , along with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the CalWood fire as exhibiting “ explosive fire growth ” on Saturday afternoon .
The Colorado Department of Transportation on Saturday afternoon urged travelers to avoid unnecessary trips to Boulder and Larimer counties due to the wildfire activity .
• U.S. 36 between Broadway on the north end of Boulder to Colorado 7/South St. Vrain Drive • Colorado 7/South St. Vrain Drive between the Peak to Peak Highway and Lyons , including Riverside Drive • U.S. 34 from Mall Road in Estes Park to east of the Dam Store The Heil Valley Ranch @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were closed due to the fire , emergency officials said .
There was an evacuation check-in point set up at Boulder County ’ s North Broadway Complex at 3460 N. Broadway , where people can receive further information , officials said .
Emergency management officials said people could take their livestock — horses , cows , sheep , chickens , pigs , etc .
— to the Boulder County Fairgrounds , 9595 Nelson Road in Longmont , to be sheltered .
People also would be allowed to take their pets with them to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or to the Boulder Valley Humane Society , at 2323 55th St. in Boulder .
The rapidly spreading wildfire prompted Boulder County officials on Saturday afternoon to issue a local disaster emergency declaration .
Click markers for details , use buttons to change what wildfires are shown .
Map data is automatically updated by government agencies and could lag real-time events .
Incident types are numbered 1-5 — a type 1 incident is a large , complex wildfire affecting people and critical infrastructure , a type 5 incident is a small wildfire with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about incident types at the bottom of this page .

An explosive new wildfire northwest of Boulder burned more than 7,000 acres in a matter of hours Saturday, forcing the evacuation of Jamestown and wide swaths of the Boulder County foothills while sending skyward a tower of billowing smoke that could be seen across the metro area.
Burning between Jamestown and Lyons, the CalWood fire is believed to already have destroyed “a number of structures,” though that remains unconfirmed, Mike Wagner, division chief with the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office, said during a briefing Saturday night.
“It just exploded,” Wagner said of the late-season wildfire.
The fast-moving new fire ignited on a dry, windy day that also saw continued growth of the 2-month-old Cameron Peak fire in Larimer County — the largest wildfire in Colorado’s recorded history — and the more recent East Troublesome fire in Grand County.
Colorado’s giant wildfires this year come amid a changing climate, with record temperatures, low relative humidity and statewide drought combining to fuel explosive fire growth. The state’s 10 largest recorded wildfires all burned in the last 20 years.
Based on aerial surveys conducted around 5 p.m. Saturday, the new fire had burned 7,064 acres, or about 11 square miles, in an area north of Lefthand Canyon, emergency management officials said.
At one point, the fire crossed U.S. 36 between Boulder and Lyons, and burned about 60 acres on the east side of the highway before being contained, Wagner said.
At an evening briefing, managers of the Cameron Peak firefighting effort said they’d been in contact with their counterparts in Boulder County about the surging wildfire there, and had sent down crews that had been monitoring the contained north end of the Larimer County fire.
“In three hours it was 5,000 acres,” Dan Dallas, incident commander for the Cameron Peak fire, said of the CalWood fire.
#calwoodfire from the Pleasant View Soccer Fields in #Boulder. Appears to be growing quick and it is quite windy here. pic.twitter.com/NDOdf3uTeR — Marc Kalma (@KarcusMalma) October 17, 2020
Mandatory evacuation orders went out to 1,646 residences, covering 2,984 people, county officials said. Additionally, residents of Lyons, including those on Apple Valley Road up to U.S. 36, were advised to be ready to evacuate Sunday in case of a change in the fire’s direction.
Sunday, firefighters will take to the air again as additional resources are expected to pour in to combat the fire.
“Their main goal is to try to hit it as hard as they can from the air to knock down as much of the fire as they can before the winds start picking up later in the day,” Wagner said.
Boulder County sheriff’s officials reported the CalWood fire at 12:45 p.m. Saturday, saying crews were responding to a 1-acre wildland blaze that had started near the Cal-Wood Education Center, a popular destination near Jamestown for school groups learning about the outdoors.
Not long afterward, authorities ordered the evacuation of Jamestown, a historic town of less than 300 residents about 15 miles northwest of Boulder that was ravaged by the 2013 floods.
A map shared by Boulder emergency managers showed a wide evacuation zone encompassing land west of the Peak to Peak Highway on one side to, at one oint, across U.S. 36 toward Hygiene and Haystack Mountain on the east side, and from Jamestown on the south end, north to North Sheep Mountain. Later Saturday night, authorities lifted the evacuations east of U.S. 36.
“It got big real quick”
Some of those who fled the advancing flames checked in at Boulder County’s North Broadway Complex, at 3460 N. Broadway, where evacuees could receive further information about sheltering options.
“We could see all the intense smoke over the hill,” said Bill Sutton who evacuated from Jamestown with his girlfriend Karla Refoxo and their cat Diosita around 3:30 p.m.
Refoxo wiped tears from her eyes as she stepped out of her Jeep at the evacuation point in Boulder.
“It’s emotional,” she said. “I just really feel for all the wildlife.”
Refoxo, who recently moved from California, said she’s used to evacuations due to wildfires. Sutton said she knew just what to do, and the couple started packing as soon as they heard the fire was on the move.
“It happened really fast,” Sutton said.
For Jean and Dixon King, Saturday’s evacuation was nothing new. They’ve lived in Jamestown for 46 years and last evacuated in 2003. They keep a list on the refrigerator with everything they need in case they need to flee
But the Kings didn’t know where they were going to stay Saturday night. Their daughter lives nearby, but she’s recovering from COVID-19 and they’re at high risk. As for the house, they’re not worried. “We’re too old to worry!” Jean said
The couple packed their car with everything they needed — medicine, pictures, an old clock, false teeth, Jean said. If their house burns down, “well, we won’t have clean the garage” she said with a smile.
Tara Veffella and Paul Rahn were monitoring the Cameron Peak fire on Saturday from their home in Lyons when they realized that they had a different fire to worry about.
“It got big real quick,” Rahn said.
They grabbed their mountain bikes, computers, important documents and jammed them in the car. Then they did “about a year’s worth of yard work in two hours” Rahn said, raking leaves, setting the sprinklers.
Eddy and Lisa Showers live 12 miles outside of Lyons and scrambled to pack everything once they received evacuation notices.
“We’re hoping against all hope” Eddy said
Lisa saw the fire when she passed the top of Colorado 72 and Colorado 7 this afternoon. “It was huge” she said.
Eddy was just having a conversation with a work friend on Friday about what to take in case of evacuation: “It really makes you question what’s important in your life.”
“Explosive fire growth”
Mid-afternoon Saturday, the National Weather Service in Boulder tweeted a satellite image showing the new wildfire, along with the Cameron Peak fire, and characterized the CalWood fire as exhibiting “explosive fire growth” on Saturday afternoon.
Satellite Imagery shows explosive fire growth on the Cal Wood Fire in Boulder County this afternoon. #cowx #cofire #CalWoodFire pic.twitter.com/5amSxemZi3 — NWS Boulder (@NWSBoulder) October 17, 2020
High winds fanned the new wildfire’s flames, officials said. The National Center for Atmospheric Research’s Mesa lab recorded gusts of up to 59 mph in Boulder County on Saturday.
By evening, though, the National Weather Service reported that a cold front arriving at the lower elevations of both the CalWood and Cameron Peak fires would bring cooler temperatures and higher relative humidity, conditions that would help reduce fire activity overnight.
The Colorado Department of Transportation on Saturday afternoon urged travelers to avoid unnecessary trips to Boulder and Larimer counties due to the wildfire activity.
The fire has prompted numerous road closures, including:
U.S. 36 between Boulder and Lyons
Colorado 7/South St. Vrain Drive between the Peak to Peak Highway and Lyons, including Riverside Drive
U.S. 34 from Mall Road in Estes Park to east of the Dam Store
The Heil Valley Ranch and Hall Ranch open space areas also were closed due to the fire, emergency officials said.
Emergency management officials said people could take their livestock to the Boulder County Fairgrounds, 9595 Nelson Road in Longmont, to be sheltered. People also would be allowed to take their pets with them to the evacuation point on North Broadway, or to the Boulder Valley Humane Society, at 2323 55th St. in Boulder.
The fairgrounds can hold approximately 450 horses, manager Joe LaFollete said, and it was looking to build extra shelter for 100 more. County staff also were directing people to take their horses to the Jefferson County Fairgrounds.
Debbie Fedorcyzk was with her daughter at a horse show at Triple Creek Ranch in Longmont when the evacuation order came in. The ranch evacuated 60 horses to the fairgrounds.
“The fire came up really quickly and the smoke came up quickly,” she said. “We were fortunate we had a horse show going on so we had a lot of adults and a lot of trailers to help get horses out.”
The rapidly spreading wildfire prompted Boulder County officials on Saturday afternoon to issue a local disaster emergency declaration.
Reporters Mitchell Byars, Kelsey Hammon and Katie Langford of the Daily Camera contributed to this report.
Wildfire map
Click markers for details, use buttons to change what wildfires are shown. Map data is automatically updated by government agencies and could lag real-time events. Incident types are numbered 1-5 — a type 1 incident is a large, complex wildfire affecting people and critical infrastructure, a type 5 incident is a small wildfire with few personnel involved. Find more information about incident types at the bottom of ths page.


thedenverpost--2020-10-17--Donald Trump plays down COVID-19 as he steps up pitch for second term

WASHINGTON — Gone are the days when President Donald Trump held forth daily at the White House podium flanked by members of his coronavirus task force .
And the days when Vice President Mike Pence and other task force officials would head to Trump ’ s office to brief him immediately after their meetings .
The White House won ’ t say when Trump last met with the task force .
In the week since he emerged from coronavirus isolation , Trump has demonstrated new determination to minimize the threat of the virus that has killed more than 215,000 Americans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ four years in the White House .
“ The light at the end of the tunnel is near .
We are rounding the turn , ” Trump told supporters Friday at an event in Fort Myers , Florida , one of many moments during a week of campaigning when the president tried to play down the virus threat .
“ Don ’ t listen to the cynics and angry partisans and pessimists.
” In word and action , he is pushing an optimistic outlook even as coronavirus infections are spiking in Europe and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the infection rate in the U.S. is climbing toward a new peak .
In the past week he has spread misinformation about the virus , undercut the nation ’ s leading infectious disease expert and kept up his practice of shunning mask use .
The effort to diminish the virus has gone into overdrive as Democrats try to frame the race for the White House as a referendum on Trump ’ s handling of the worst U.S. public health crisis in over a century .
The U.S. economy is still roughly 11 million @ @ @ @ @ @ @ jobs that were lost when the pandemic struck in early spring .
The nation averaged more than 50,000 new coronavirus cases per day over the past week .
National and battleground public opinion polls suggest that Trump faces stiff headwinds in his bid for a second term .
Olivia Troye , a former aide to the task force who has emerged as a harsh Trump critic , says that early in the crisis Trump was “ asking the right questions ” when doctors spoke to him about their concerns that the country could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fall and winter .
“ That ’ s why it so completely reckless of him , after having COVID himself , to turn around this week and double down on taking the mask off and parading around like it ’ s not a necessary thing , calling himself immune , ” she said .
“ He ’ s doubling down on misinformation that has been coming out of his mouth for the entire tenure of this pandemic.
” At his NBC News town hall on Thursday night , Trump was asked whether he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court with a Rose Garden ceremony and indoor reception where few guests wore masks and social distancing was nonexistent .
He responded by incorrectly citing a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study to falsely suggest that mask wearing doesn ’ t mitigate the spread of the virus .
The study did not say that .
Trump also has been guarded in releasing information about his health and wouldn ’ t say whether he had tested negative on the day of his first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ days prior to his positive diagnosis , allowing only , “ Possibly I did , possibly I didn ’ t. ” After first lady Melania Trump revealed this week that their son , Barron , had tested positive for the illness , Trump used his child ’ s health scare and recovery to try to make the case that the virus is no big deal for young people .
“ It happens .
People have it , and it goes , ” Trump said at a rally in Iowa .
“ Get the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the week , Trump undermined the nation ’ s top infectious disease expert , Dr. Anthony Fauci , who has at times contradicted the president ’ s commentary about the virus .
“ He ’ s a nice guy so I keep him around , right ?
” Trump mused at a rally in North Carolina , adding of the studiously non-partisan Fauci : “ He ’ s a Democrat .
… He ’ s ( New York Gov .
Andrew ) Cuomo ’ s friend.
” While campaigning , Trump and his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ return to the status quo for a president who earlier in the crisis suggested that some people wore masks just to signal their disapproval of him .
In one striking moment this week , senior adviser Hope Hicks returned to campaigning with Trump more than two weeks after she tested positive for the virus .
Hicks , the president and other aides climbed aboard Maine One wearing no masks .
Trump defends his decision to go mask-less by saying that doctors tell him he isn ’ t shedding virus anymore and he remains @ @ @ @ @ @ @ months .
Public health experts say that by refusing to wear masks , Trump and his advisers are missing an opportunity to model behavior that is essential to keep the rest of America safe .
Dan Eberhart , a prominent Republican donor and Trump supporter , said the president ’ s rhetoric since leaving the hospital isn ’ t easing jitters among conservative contributors .
Several GOP senators in tough races are having difficulty keeping up with an avalanche of Democratic campaign contributions that ’ s being driven in part by liberal anger @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the pandemic , Eberhart said .
“ Keeping up the veneer that everything is fine may soothe the president ’ s ego , but it isn ’ t motivating donors , ” Eberhart added .
Trump ’ s interest in engaging with Fauci and other top medical officials on the coronavirus task force waned long ago .
Fauci said in an interview with the Skullduggery podcast this past week that the task force was meeting seven days a week in the spring , but now typically holds one virtual meeting per week and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the state of the virus .
Dr. Deborah Birx , the task force coordinator , continues to spend most of her time traveling , frequently by car , between hot spot states trying to help governors and public health officials handle their epidemics .
Neither Fauci nor Birx has appeared with Trump in public in months .
As recently as Friday , Fauci contradicted Trump , saying he was “ concerned ” about the president frequently describing the country as “ rounding the corner ” on the virus , a notion at odds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ task force continue between Trump ’ s science adviser , Dr. Scott Atlas , who is not an expert in public health or infectious diseases , and the other professional scientists .
The latter view Atlas , who joined the White House in August , as promoting dangerous theories around “ herd immunity ” and resisting more aggressive calls for Americans to wear face masks .
They see Atlas as reinforcing Trump ’ s worst instincts and lending the veneer of science to rhetoric they see as fundamentally dangerous .
Associated Press writers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Fort Myers , Florida , contributed reporting to this report .

WASHINGTON — Gone are the days when President Donald Trump held forth daily at the White House podium flanked by members of his coronavirus task force. And the days when Vice President Mike Pence and other task force officials would head to Trump’s office to brief him immediately after their meetings.
The White House won’t say when Trump last met with the task force.
In the week since he emerged from coronavirus isolation, Trump has demonstrated new determination to minimize the threat of the virus that has killed more than 215,000 Americans and complicated his chances of winning another four years in the White House.
“The light at the end of the tunnel is near. We are rounding the turn,” Trump told supporters Friday at an event in Fort Myers, Florida, one of many moments during a week of campaigning when the president tried to play down the virus threat. “Don’t listen to the cynics and angry partisans and pessimists.”
In word and action, he is pushing an optimistic outlook even as coronavirus infections are spiking in Europe and public health officials are raising alarm that the infection rate in the U.S. is climbing toward a new peak.
In the past week he has spread misinformation about the virus, undercut the nation’s leading infectious disease expert and kept up his practice of shunning mask use. The effort to diminish the virus has gone into overdrive as Democrats try to frame the race for the White House as a referendum on Trump’s handling of the worst U.S. public health crisis in over a century.
The U.S. economy is still roughly 11 million jobs short of recovering all 22 million jobs that were lost when the pandemic struck in early spring. The nation averaged more than 50,000 new coronavirus cases per day over the past week. National and battleground public opinion polls suggest that Trump faces stiff headwinds in his bid for a second term.
Olivia Troye, a former aide to the task force who has emerged as a harsh Trump critic, says that early in the crisis Trump was “asking the right questions” when doctors spoke to him about their concerns that the country could face a surge of cases in the fall and winter.
“That’s why it so completely reckless of him, after having COVID himself, to turn around this week and double down on taking the mask off and parading around like it’s not a necessary thing, calling himself immune,” she said. “He’s doubling down on misinformation that has been coming out of his mouth for the entire tenure of this pandemic.”
At his NBC News town hall on Thursday night, Trump was asked whether he should have known better than to announce his nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court with a Rose Garden ceremony and indoor reception where few guests wore masks and social distancing was nonexistent.
He responded by incorrectly citing a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study to falsely suggest that mask wearing doesn’t mitigate the spread of the virus. The study did not say that.
Trump also has been guarded in releasing information about his health and wouldn’t say whether he had tested negative on the day of his first debate with Democrat Joe Biden, two days prior to his positive diagnosis, allowing only, “Possibly I did, possibly I didn’t.”
After first lady Melania Trump revealed this week that their son, Barron, had tested positive for the illness, Trump used his child’s health scare and recovery to try to make the case that the virus is no big deal for young people.
“It happens. People have it, and it goes,” Trump said at a rally in Iowa. “Get the kids back to school.”
Earlier in the week, Trump undermined the nation’s top infectious disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, who has at times contradicted the president’s commentary about the virus.
“He’s a nice guy so I keep him around, right?” Trump mused at a rally in North Carolina, adding of the studiously non-partisan Fauci: “He’s a Democrat. … He’s (New York Gov. Andrew) Cuomo’s friend.”
While campaigning, Trump and his team often go without masks, a return to the status quo for a president who earlier in the crisis suggested that some people wore masks just to signal their disapproval of him.
In one striking moment this week, senior adviser Hope Hicks returned to campaigning with Trump more than two weeks after she tested positive for the virus. Hicks, the president and other aides climbed aboard Maine One wearing no masks.
Trump defends his decision to go mask-less by saying that doctors tell him he isn’t shedding virus anymore and he remains “immune” for at least four months.
Public health experts say that by refusing to wear masks, Trump and his advisers are missing an opportunity to model behavior that is essential to keep the rest of America safe.
Dan Eberhart, a prominent Republican donor and Trump supporter, said the president’s rhetoric since leaving the hospital isn’t easing jitters among conservative contributors.
Several GOP senators in tough races are having difficulty keeping up with an avalanche of Democratic campaign contributions that’s being driven in part by liberal anger over the president’s handling of the pandemic, Eberhart said.
“Keeping up the veneer that everything is fine may soothe the president’s ego, but it isn’t motivating donors,” Eberhart added.
Trump’s interest in engaging with Fauci and other top medical officials on the coronavirus task force waned long ago.
Fauci said in an interview with the Skullduggery podcast this past week that the task force was meeting seven days a week in the spring, but now typically holds one virtual meeting per week and a weekly call to update governors on the state of the virus.
Dr. Deborah Birx, the task force coordinator, continues to spend most of her time traveling, frequently by car, between hot spot states trying to help governors and public health officials handle their epidemics.
Neither Fauci nor Birx has appeared with Trump in public in months. As recently as Friday, Fauci contradicted Trump, saying he was “concerned” about the president frequently describing the country as “rounding the corner” on the virus, a notion at odds with the data.
Tensions on the task force continue between Trump’s science adviser, Dr. Scott Atlas, who is not an expert in public health or infectious diseases, and the other professional scientists. The latter view Atlas, who joined the White House in August, as promoting dangerous theories around “herd immunity” and resisting more aggressive calls for Americans to wear face masks. They see Atlas as reinforcing Trump’s worst instincts and lending the veneer of science to rhetoric they see as fundamentally dangerous.
Associated Press writers Kevin Freking in Washington and Darlene Superville in Fort Myers, Florida, contributed reporting to this report.


thedenverpost--2020-10-17--“There’s a lemur!” 5-year-old helps crack San Francisco Zoo theft case

SAN FRANCISCO — Police said Friday they arrested a man suspected of stealing a ring-tailed lemur from the San Francisco Zoo , where officials rewarded a 5-year-old boy who helped recapture the endangered primate with a lifetime membership .
The theft of Maki , an arthritic 21-year-old lemur , made the news Wednesday in San Francisco and beyond when zoo officials reported the animal missing and found evidence of forced entry at his enclosure .
Five-year-old James Trinh was unaware of the headlines when leaving his preschool Thursday in Daly City , about 5 miles from the zoo , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lemur !
There ’ s a lemur !
” Cynthia Huang , director of the Hope Lutheran Day School , told the San Francisco Chronicle on Friday .
Huang was skeptical at first .
“ I thought , Are you sure it ’ s not a raccoon ?
” she said .
Maki scurried from the parking lot into the school ’ s playground and took refuge in a miniature play house , as the school called police who quickly alerted animal control and zoo officials .
The children , parents and teachers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lemur into a transport cage , Huang said .
Also Thursday , police took 30-year-old Cory McGilloway into custody , San Francisco police Lt. Scott Ryan told reporters Friday .
McGilloway , whom investigators had identified as a suspect in the lemur ’ s abduction , was arrested Thursday evening by San Rafael police on unrelated charges .
He was expected to be transferred to San Francisco County Jail to be booked on charges of burglary , grand theft of an animal , looting and vandalism all related to the lemur theft , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other details , saying the investigation was still underway but credited a multi-agency effort and tips on a public tip line that led to the suspect ’ s capture .
San Francisco Zoo director Tanya Peterson said Maki was “ an aging wild animal who needed special care ” for ailments including arthritis .
“ He ’ s still agitated , dehydrated and hungry , ” she said , adding that veterinarian teams were working to get him back to health .
Due to his travels , she added , “ He ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” but would hopefully join the other lemurs soon .
Authorities had offered a $ 2,100 reward for locating Maki , which the zoo will be giving to the church .
“ I understand there is a young boy there who witnessed this and also called in the tip , and we are giving his family a free membership to the zoo , ” said Peterson , who thanked the boy and everyone who helped .
“ They literally saved a life .
”

SAN FRANCISCO — Police said Friday they arrested a man suspected of stealing a ring-tailed lemur from the San Francisco Zoo, where officials rewarded a 5-year-old boy who helped recapture the endangered primate with a lifetime membership.
The theft of Maki, an arthritic 21-year-old lemur, made the news Wednesday in San Francisco and beyond when zoo officials reported the animal missing and found evidence of forced entry at his enclosure.
Five-year-old James Trinh was unaware of the headlines when leaving his preschool Thursday in Daly City, about 5 miles from the zoo, and exclaimed, “There’s a lemur! There’s a lemur!” Cynthia Huang, director of the Hope Lutheran Day School, told the San Francisco Chronicle on Friday.
Huang was skeptical at first. “I thought, Are you sure it’s not a raccoon?” she said.
Maki scurried from the parking lot into the school’s playground and took refuge in a miniature play house, as the school called police who quickly alerted animal control and zoo officials. The children, parents and teachers watched as caretakers arrived and coaxed the lemur into a transport cage, Huang said.
Also Thursday, police took 30-year-old Cory McGilloway into custody, San Francisco police Lt. Scott Ryan told reporters Friday.
McGilloway, whom investigators had identified as a suspect in the lemur’s abduction, was arrested Thursday evening by San Rafael police on unrelated charges. He was expected to be transferred to San Francisco County Jail to be booked on charges of burglary, grand theft of an animal, looting and vandalism all related to the lemur theft, Ryan said.
Police did not provide other details, saying the investigation was still underway but credited a multi-agency effort and tips on a public tip line that led to the suspect’s capture.
San Francisco Zoo director Tanya Peterson said Maki was “an aging wild animal who needed special care” for ailments including arthritis. “He’s still agitated, dehydrated and hungry,” she said, adding that veterinarian teams were working to get him back to health. Due to his travels, she added, “He’s socially distancing from his primate family” but would hopefully join the other lemurs soon.
Authorities had offered a $2,100 reward for locating Maki, which the zoo will be giving to the church.
“I understand there is a young boy there who witnessed this and also called in the tip, and we are giving his family a free membership to the zoo,” said Peterson, who thanked the boy and everyone who helped. “They literally saved a life.”


thedenverpost--2020-10-18--No statewide regulation of Colorado security guards creates patchwork of standards, lack of transpar

No statewide regulation of Colorado security guards creates patchwork of standards, lack of transparency

To provide manicures in Colorado , nail salon workers must give state licensing officials proof of training , pass a two-part test , report any felony convictions , apply for a state license and renew that license every two years .
To work as a security guard in much of Colorado , a person doesn ’ t have to do any of that .
Colorado is one of nine states that do not regulate security guards or security companies , meaning there are no statewide training or hiring standards for the thousands of people who work in quasi law enforcement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state .
Even when security guards are armed , they ’ re not required by the state to have any qualification beyond what allows them to carry the weapon as a citizen .
“ It ’ s not a well-regulated industry at all and the training standards are varied at best , ” said Paul Taylor , an assistant professor at the University of Colorado Denver who studies policing and previously worked as a police officer , police trainer and , briefly , a private security guard .
“ Many companies have a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many guards have pretty regular contact with the public in an enforcement capacity.
” After a summer of protests about police and criminal justice , the fatal shooting last weekend of a demonstrator at a Denver “ Patriot Rally ” by an unlicensed security guard has thrust private security companies into the spotlight .
In the absence of state regulation , it ’ s difficult to know how many security guards are working in Colorado , what their training and qualifications are , how many times they ’ ve used force against someone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been enacted against guards who break company rules .
Because the guards are employed by private companies instead of a government , the public ’ s ability to inspect records about the actions and qualifications of guards is limited .
Licensing itself isn ’ t a foolproof method of avoiding risk , however , as the “ Patriot Rally ” shooting and the near-fatal beating of a Denver artist by licensed private security guards at Union Station show .
Denver police officers and city inspectors regularly ask for guards ’ licenses and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to strengthen its oversight of guards , said Eric Escudero , spokesman for the Denver Department of Excise and Licensing .
“ The goal is to hopefully prevent an instance like what happened this weekend from ever happening , ” he said .
Without statewide rules , a handful of cities in Colorado enacted their own licensing process for guards or the companies that employ them .
Six of the 10 largest cities in Colorado — Aurora , Fort Collins , Lakewood , Thornton , Arvada and Centennial — do not require licensing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The four that do — Denver , Colorado Springs , Westminster and Pueblo — each have different requirements and levels of oversight .
“ You hope that a silver lining of this very tragic situation that occurred is that it raises awareness of this licensing requirements and why Denver has some of the strictest rules in the nation , ” Escudero said .
More than 6,500 licensed security guards currently work in Denver — a force more than four times the size of the Denver Police Department .
More than 170 companies and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , data shows .
The largest employer , Universal Protection Service , employs more than 1,300 guards .
The duties of guards in the city vary widely , from keeping an eye out for shoplifters at the mall to patrolling downtown .
Guards , like police officers , often face dangerous situations and complicated decisions , Escudero said .
At least two security guards have been killed on duty in Denver in the past three years .
Some much smaller towns also have licensing requirements , like Greenwood Village in Denver ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ personally reads every licensing application that crosses his desk .
Security companies in the town of 15,700 are required to submit a list of employees , any gun being used by guards , and any cars being used for security purposes .
Varney then backgrounds all the people , cars and guns .
“ Anytime you are providing a service that involves security for people or property , and you are potentially allowing them to be armed with mace or a firearm , you ’ re putting people in position to make decisions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ lives , ” Varney said .
“ You have to vet it .
I have to make sure the company is legit because it impacts the citizens that I swore oath to protect.
” Of the large Colorado cities that require licensing , only two mandate a specific number of training hours and required training topics .
Colorado Springs requires eight hours of training before a guard is licensed and Denver requires 16 hours before licensing , as well as eight additional hours every year .
Both cities require further training for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But even the 16 hours of training required by the Denver licensing office for unarmed guards — the most required in any of Colorado ’ s large cities — is nowhere close to the 556 hours of academy training that all Colorado law enforcement officers must complete .
“ The training standards are sad , they ’ re deficient in every way , ” Taylor said .
“ It ’ s scary.
” It ’ s unclear what kind of training Matthew Dolloff — the unlicensed security guard who will be charged with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Keltner — had .
Dolloff ’ s family attorney has said the shooting was an act of self-defense .
Denver television station 9News contracted with security company Pinkerton to guard their journalist covering protests .
Pinkerton then contracted another company , Isborn Security Services , which offered Dolloff , 30 , the gig .
Pinkerton did not respond to questions from The Denver Post about Dolloff ’ s training and 9News has not responded to requests for interviews .
Matt Isborn , owner of Isborn Security Services , released a statement defending Dolloff @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in nature.
” He said he ’ s hired Dolloff as an independent contractor for multiple security jobs since August 2019 .
The statement , however , did not address Dolloff ’ s lack of a license .
Training and hiring standards also are at the center of a lawsuit against the Regional Transportation District and Allied Universal Security , one of the largest security companies operating in Denver , after one of their guards in 2018 beat Denver artist Raverro Stinnett , who was waiting for a train at Union Station .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which left Stinnett with brain damage , and did not intervene or report the incident , according to the lawsuit .
Three of the security guards involved pleaded guilty to criminal charges in connection with the incident , but the city did not revoke the company ’ s license to operate in Denver .
Several Colorado security companies and industry organizations did not respond to requests by The Denver Post for interviews about training standards and hiring standards .
A glimpse into guards ’ use of force The fatal shooting of Keltner @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rally ” in downtown Denver on Oct. 10 was not the first time private security clashed with protesters this year , city documents show .
Three security guards standing at the corner of Colfax Avenue and Pearl Street engaged with a group of protesters marching on May 30 when members of the group began tearing down a fence across from the apartment building they were guarding .
One of the guards , who worked for Helix Technologies , threw a pepper spray grenade into the crowd , documents reporting the incident show .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and bottles at the group of guards , who responded with more pepper spray .
One Helix guard then drew his gun and pointed it at the crowd , according to the reports .
“ This only escalated the situation to the point where it was no longer a controllable situation , ” one of the guards wrote in his report .
“ Rocks , bricks , bottles and other miscellaneous items were thrown at the onsite personnel in rapid succession.
” The guards fled , but not before one was hit in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was injured on his leg .
Police responded to the scene and dispersed the crowd with flash-bang grenades , tear gas and pepper balls , the reports state .
In Denver , it ’ s possible to know about this incident because the city requires security guards report all uses of force to the licensing department .
No other large city in Colorado requires such reports .
But there are no specific policies or standards that Denver officials use to decide whether a use of force was warranted .
“ This is another @ @ @ @ @ @ @ see if there are improvements that can be made , ” Escudero said .
“ However , it is important to note that widely recognized use-of-force standards frequently change , so Excise and Licenses believes it is important to have flexibility by not having it written in ordinance.
” Since licensing requirements were strengthened in November 2018 , Denver security guards have reported 13 uses of force , city records show .
Allegations of excessive force can trigger an investigation into an incident and , if substantiated , cause a guard to lose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 6,500 security guards in the city , five have been ordered to appear at a hearing for alleged misconduct or violation of rules since November 2018 , when Denver changed its licensing rules .
Two of those cases involved use of force .
The city suspended one guard ’ s license for six months after he accidentally fired his gun in the bathroom of a marijuana dispensary he was guarding .
Another guard ’ s license was revoked after he pointed a gun at a man while on duty and then called police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a gun at him .
Denver police officers found security footage that showed the guard pointing the gun at the man , who did not draw a weapon , for at least three seconds .
Without state regulation , it would be difficult for governments and companies to track guards with a history of misconduct or other troubles on the job , Taylor said .
While state officials are working to keep problem police officers from hopping agencies to escape punishment , there ’ s no system in the corporate realm to keep @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Those standards don ’ t exist in private security , ” he said .

To provide manicures in Colorado, nail salon workers must give state licensing officials proof of training, pass a two-part test, report any felony convictions, apply for a state license and renew that license every two years.
To work as a security guard in much of Colorado, a person doesn’t have to do any of that.
Colorado is one of nine states that do not regulate security guards or security companies, meaning there are no statewide training or hiring standards for the thousands of people who work in quasi law enforcement roles guarding buildings and people across the state. Even when security guards are armed, they’re not required by the state to have any qualification beyond what allows them to carry the weapon as a citizen.
“It’s not a well-regulated industry at all and the training standards are varied at best,” said Paul Taylor, an assistant professor at the University of Colorado Denver who studies policing and previously worked as a police officer, police trainer and, briefly, a private security guard. “Many companies have a really low level of training even though many guards have pretty regular contact with the public in an enforcement capacity.”
After a summer of protests about police and criminal justice, the fatal shooting last weekend of a demonstrator at a Denver “Patriot Rally” by an unlicensed security guard has thrust private security companies into the spotlight.
In the absence of state regulation, it’s difficult to know how many security guards are working in Colorado, what their training and qualifications are, how many times they’ve used force against someone and what discipline, if any, has been enacted against guards who break company rules. Because the guards are employed by private companies instead of a government, the public’s ability to inspect records about the actions and qualifications of guards is limited.
Licensing itself isn’t a foolproof method of avoiding risk, however, as the “Patriot Rally” shooting and the near-fatal beating of a Denver artist by licensed private security guards at Union Station show.
Denver police officers and city inspectors regularly ask for guards’ licenses and the city is always looking for ways to strengthen its oversight of guards, said Eric Escudero, spokesman for the Denver Department of Excise and Licensing.
“The goal is to hopefully prevent an instance like what happened this weekend from ever happening,” he said.
A patchwork of regulations
Without statewide rules, a handful of cities in Colorado enacted their own licensing process for guards or the companies that employ them.
Six of the 10 largest cities in Colorado — Aurora, Fort Collins, Lakewood, Thornton, Arvada and Centennial — do not require licensing of security guards or security companies. The four that do — Denver, Colorado Springs, Westminster and Pueblo — each have different requirements and levels of oversight.
“You hope that a silver lining of this very tragic situation that occurred is that it raises awareness of this licensing requirements and why Denver has some of the strictest rules in the nation,” Escudero said.
More than 6,500 licensed security guards currently work in Denver — a force more than four times the size of the Denver Police Department. More than 170 companies and organizations employ security guards in the city, data shows. The largest employer, Universal Protection Service, employs more than 1,300 guards.
The duties of guards in the city vary widely, from keeping an eye out for shoplifters at the mall to patrolling downtown. Guards, like police officers, often face dangerous situations and complicated decisions, Escudero said. At least two security guards have been killed on duty in Denver in the past three years.
Some much smaller towns also have licensing requirements, like Greenwood Village in Denver’s southern suburbs. Police Chief Dustin Varney personally reads every licensing application that crosses his desk. Security companies in the town of 15,700 are required to submit a list of employees, any gun being used by guards, and any cars being used for security purposes. Varney then backgrounds all the people, cars and guns.
“Anytime you are providing a service that involves security for people or property, and you are potentially allowing them to be armed with mace or a firearm, you’re putting people in position to make decisions that can have great impacts on peoples’ lives,” Varney said. “You have to vet it. I have to make sure the company is legit because it impacts the citizens that I swore oath to protect.”
Of the large Colorado cities that require licensing, only two mandate a specific number of training hours and required training topics. Colorado Springs requires eight hours of training before a guard is licensed and Denver requires 16 hours before licensing, as well as eight additional hours every year. Both cities require further training for a guard to carry a gun.
But even the 16 hours of training required by the Denver licensing office for unarmed guards — the most required in any of Colorado’s large cities — is nowhere close to the 556 hours of academy training that all Colorado law enforcement officers must complete.
“The training standards are sad, they’re deficient in every way,” Taylor said. “It’s scary.”
It’s unclear what kind of training Matthew Dolloff — the unlicensed security guard who will be charged with second-degree murder in the shooting of Lee Keltner — had. Dolloff’s family attorney has said the shooting was an act of self-defense.
Denver television station 9News contracted with security company Pinkerton to guard their journalist covering protests. Pinkerton then contracted another company, Isborn Security Services, which offered Dolloff, 30, the gig. Pinkerton did not respond to questions from The Denver Post about Dolloff’s training and 9News has not responded to requests for interviews.
Matt Isborn, owner of Isborn Security Services, released a statement defending Dolloff’s actions as “strictly defensive in nature.” He said he’s hired Dolloff as an independent contractor for multiple security jobs since August 2019. The statement, however, did not address Dolloff’s lack of a license.
Training and hiring standards also are at the center of a lawsuit against the Regional Transportation District and Allied Universal Security, one of the largest security companies operating in Denver, after one of their guards in 2018 beat Denver artist Raverro Stinnett, who was waiting for a train at Union Station. Three other guards knew about the beating, which left Stinnett with brain damage, and did not intervene or report the incident, according to the lawsuit.
Three of the security guards involved pleaded guilty to criminal charges in connection with the incident, but the city did not revoke the company’s license to operate in Denver.
Several Colorado security companies and industry organizations did not respond to requests by The Denver Post for interviews about training standards and hiring standards.
A glimpse into guards’ use of force
The fatal shooting of Keltner, 49, after the “Patriot Rally” in downtown Denver on Oct. 10 was not the first time private security clashed with protesters this year, city documents show.
Three security guards standing at the corner of Colfax Avenue and Pearl Street engaged with a group of protesters marching on May 30 when members of the group began tearing down a fence across from the apartment building they were guarding.
One of the guards, who worked for Helix Technologies, threw a pepper spray grenade into the crowd, documents reporting the incident show. Members of the crowd then threw rocks and bottles at the group of guards, who responded with more pepper spray. One Helix guard then drew his gun and pointed it at the crowd, according to the reports.
“This only escalated the situation to the point where it was no longer a controllable situation,” one of the guards wrote in his report. “Rocks, bricks, bottles and other miscellaneous items were thrown at the onsite personnel in rapid succession.”
The guards fled, but not before one was hit in the head with a rock and another was injured on his leg. Police responded to the scene and dispersed the crowd with flash-bang grenades, tear gas and pepper balls, the reports state.
In Denver, it’s possible to know about this incident because the city requires security guards report all uses of force to the licensing department. No other large city in Colorado requires such reports.
But there are no specific policies or standards that Denver officials use to decide whether a use of force was warranted.
“This is another area we are looking at closely to see if there are improvements that can be made,” Escudero said. “However, it is important to note that widely recognized use-of-force standards frequently change, so Excise and Licenses believes it is important to have flexibility by not having it written in ordinance.”
Since licensing requirements were strengthened in November 2018, Denver security guards have reported 13 uses of force, city records show. Allegations of excessive force can trigger an investigation into an incident and, if substantiated, cause a guard to lose his or her license.
Of the 6,500 security guards in the city, five have been ordered to appear at a hearing for alleged misconduct or violation of rules since November 2018, when Denver changed its licensing rules.
Two of those cases involved use of force. The city suspended one guard’s license for six months after he accidentally fired his gun in the bathroom of a marijuana dispensary he was guarding. Another guard’s license was revoked after he pointed a gun at a man while on duty and then called police and falsely reported the other man pointed a gun at him. Denver police officers found security footage that showed the guard pointing the gun at the man, who did not draw a weapon, for at least three seconds.
Without state regulation, it would be difficult for governments and companies to track guards with a history of misconduct or other troubles on the job, Taylor said. While state officials are working to keep problem police officers from hopping agencies to escape punishment, there’s no system in the corporate realm to keep problem guards from transferring around.
“Those standards don’t exist in private security,” he said.


thedenverpost--2020-10-18--Why October 18 is a big day for Denver snow lovers

It ’ s a big day in Denver weather history , especially for snow lovers .
October 18 marks the date of the average first snowfall in the Mile High City .
Since today marks the typical “ kickoff ” for the snow season in the metro area , it seems like an appropriate time to refresh our memories on what a typical winter season delivers .
In an average season , Denver records 57.1 inches of snow , distributed across nine months from September through May .
While the coldest air winter has to offer is centered on December @ @ @ @ @ @ @ months for the metro hold off until March and April , when an average of 11 inches and 9 inches fall respectively .
Last winter , Denver officially ended the season with 57.6 inches of snow .
It was the first winter with an above-average snowfall total since the 2015-2016 season when 72.8 inches were tallied .
While it may seem like a distant memory , this year Denver has already recorded its first measurable snow , when one inch fell on Sept. 8 .
It was nearly six weeks ahead of normal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on record .
The earliest measurable snow came on September 3 , 1961 , when over four inches blanketed the city .
The latest in an autumn that Denver has gone without seeing snow was back in 1934 when it took until Nov. 21 for the first flakes to fly .
Since our early September snowfall , no additional flakes have fallen in the city .
Given that there are no opportunities for snow in Colorado over the next week , Denver is well on its way for an October snow total that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 4.2 inches .
This is bad news for snow lovers and ski resorts .
The good news for snow lovers is that some signals are pointing at a pattern change for Colorado during the final week of October .
This is the only hope for making up ground in the snow department this month .

It’s a big day in Denver weather history, especially for snow lovers. October 18 marks the date of the average first snowfall in the Mile High City. Since today marks the typical “kickoff” for the snow season in the metro area, it seems like an appropriate time to refresh our memories on what a typical winter season delivers.
In an average season, Denver records 57.1 inches of snow, distributed across nine months from September through May. While the coldest air winter has to offer is centered on December, January and February, the snowiest months for the metro hold off until March and April, when an average of 11 inches and 9 inches fall respectively.
Last winter, Denver officially ended the season with 57.6 inches of snow. It was the first winter with an above-average snowfall total since the 2015-2016 season when 72.8 inches were tallied.
While it may seem like a distant memory, this year Denver has already recorded its first measurable snow, when one inch fell on Sept. 8. It was nearly six weeks ahead of normal and tied for the second earliest snowfall on record. The earliest measurable snow came on September 3, 1961, when over four inches blanketed the city. The latest in an autumn that Denver has gone without seeing snow was back in 1934 when it took until Nov. 21 for the first flakes to fly.
Since our early September snowfall, no additional flakes have fallen in the city. Given that there are no opportunities for snow in Colorado over the next week, Denver is well on its way for an October snow total that falls well below the monthly normal of 4.2 inches. This is bad news for snow lovers and ski resorts.
The good news for snow lovers is that some signals are pointing at a pattern change for Colorado during the final week of October. This is the only hope for making up ground in the snow department this month.
Ben Reppert is a meteorologist with WeatherNation TV.


thedenverpost--2020-10-18--Endorsement: How can Colorado help prevent teens from getting addicted to nicotine? Voting yes on Pr

Endorsement: How can Colorado help prevent teens from getting addicted to nicotine? Voting yes on Prop EE is a good start.

Editor ’ s note : This represents the opinion of The Denver Post editorial board , which is separate from the paper ’ s news operation .
In 2019 , more than 50 % of teens surveyed in the 12th grade say they have used an electronic vapor device in the past 30 days and slightly more than 25 % of those teens say they crave the nicotine from those hits after a few hours .
That ’ s according to the 2019 Healthy Kids Colorado survey , and it ’ s evidence that Big Tobacco has found a way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lifelong addiction to an unhealthy product .
The survey also found that of the thousands of teens who have used vaping products in the past 30 days , more than half have tried to quit .
Once nicotine products are started , quitting can be hard – very , very hard .
So how can Colorado help prevent the next generation from getting addicted to nicotine ?
We think Proposition EE is a good start .
Right now unlike cigarettes , vaping products are not hit with a special tax .
Cigarettes are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which is 84 cents per pack of 20 .
Other tobacco products , like chewing tobacco and cigars , are taxed at 40 % of the manufacturer ’ s list price .
Prop .
EE , which was put on the ballot by state lawmakers , would close that loophole .
The measure also raises all tobacco taxes across the board over the next seven years , until eventually cigarettes are taxed an additional $ 1.80 per pack , and tobacco and nicotine products ( including vaping pods ) are taxed at 62 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ price .
There ’ s strong evidence that taxes on nicotine products cause a decrease in sales .
The fiscal note for House Bill 1427 – the 2020 bill that put the question on the ballot — assumes that there will be a .28 % reduction in consumption for every percentage point by which the after-tax retail price is increased .
We hope it proves to be greater than that , and that teens drive the decrease in use .
To help in that pursuit , Prop .
EE dedicates $ 11 million @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fund .
While that fund does many things , one major goal is to promote cessation , and we think that the majority of the money should go toward helping people quit and a public education campaign about the health risks of nicotine and tobacco products to encourage people to use state services to quit .
But there is no denying that another goal of this tax is to raise revenue for the state .
Despite projected cessation , the tax will bring in an additional $ 275 million when it is fully @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a tax that falls disproportionately on lower-income Coloradans who are more likely to use nicotine and tobacco products than wealthier Coloradans gives us a great deal of consternation and we are sure it worries everyone considering voting to support this tax .
Coloradans should know that the vast majority of that money in 2027 will also be going to assist low-income Coloradans in a way that research has conclusively shown will dramatically impact their quality of life for decades to come .
Proposition EE will fund at least 10 hours per week of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the state who is a year away from entering preschool .
Preschool is an incredible game-changer and it can help all students — regardless of race or socioeconomic status — enter kindergarten ready to learn and on the same footing as their peers .
Currently , Colorado funds half-day preschool for 29,360 3- and 4-year-olds who are at risk of falling behind and about 9,000 low-income students attend head-start preschool programs funded by the federal government .
“ We are trying to make available for the first time access to universal preschool @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the data is incredibly clear , that it is one of the best investments any state can make in terms of long-term impact on academic readiness for school as well as social-emotional development , ” said former state Sen. Mike Johnston , who is leading Gary Community Investments ’ effort to get Prop .
EE into state law .
Johnston said that under the new law , any money remaining once all students have been given access to 10 hours of preschool per week will be spent giving lower-income students more time in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ then use the money to create a sliding scale , so the lowest-income households could get 30 hours of preschool a week for their children the year before kindergarten .
And the new , state-funded , universal preschool program would work seamlessly with places like Denver County , where a local funding source has been implemented to provide some preschool allowing the program to serve younger children for more hours .
When weighing this proposal , The Denver Post editorial board decided to support a tax that will reduce the use of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s teens , close a tax loophole that is unfair , and fund a program that is critical for the future of our state .
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.
In 2019, more than 50% of teens surveyed in the 12th grade say they have used an electronic vapor device in the past 30 days and slightly more than 25% of those teens say they crave the nicotine from those hits after a few hours.
That’s according to the 2019 Healthy Kids Colorado survey, and it’s evidence that Big Tobacco has found a way to ensnare a new generation with a lifelong addiction to an unhealthy product. The survey also found that of the thousands of teens who have used vaping products in the past 30 days, more than half have tried to quit.
Once nicotine products are started, quitting can be hard – very, very hard.
So how can Colorado help prevent the next generation from getting addicted to nicotine?
We think Proposition EE is a good start.
Right now unlike cigarettes, vaping products are not hit with a special tax. Cigarettes are taxed at 4.2 cents per cigarette, which is 84 cents per pack of 20. Other tobacco products, like chewing tobacco and cigars, are taxed at 40% of the manufacturer’s list price.
Prop. EE, which was put on the ballot by state lawmakers, would close that loophole.
The measure also raises all tobacco taxes across the board over the next seven years, until eventually cigarettes are taxed an additional $1.80 per pack, and tobacco and nicotine products (including vaping pods) are taxed at 62% of the manufacturer’s list price.
There’s strong evidence that taxes on nicotine products cause a decrease in sales. The fiscal note for House Bill 1427 – the 2020 bill that put the question on the ballot — assumes that there will be a .28% reduction in consumption for every percentage point by which the after-tax retail price is increased.
We hope it proves to be greater than that, and that teens drive the decrease in use.
To help in that pursuit, Prop. EE dedicates $11 million a year to the Tobacco Tax Cash Fund. While that fund does many things, one major goal is to promote cessation, and we think that the majority of the money should go toward helping people quit and a public education campaign about the health risks of nicotine and tobacco products to encourage people to use state services to quit.
But there is no denying that another goal of this tax is to raise revenue for the state. Despite projected cessation, the tax will bring in an additional $275 million when it is fully implemented in 2027. The idea of a tax that falls disproportionately on lower-income Coloradans who are more likely to use nicotine and tobacco products than wealthier Coloradans gives us a great deal of consternation and we are sure it worries everyone considering voting to support this tax.
Coloradans should know that the vast majority of that money in 2027 will also be going to assist low-income Coloradans in a way that research has conclusively shown will dramatically impact their quality of life for decades to come.
Proposition EE will fund at least 10 hours per week of free preschool for every 3-year-old or 4-year-old in the state who is a year away from entering preschool. Preschool is an incredible game-changer and it can help all students — regardless of race or socioeconomic status — enter kindergarten ready to learn and on the same footing as their peers.
Currently, Colorado funds half-day preschool for 29,360 3- and 4-year-olds who are at risk of falling behind and about 9,000 low-income students attend head-start preschool programs funded by the federal government.
“We are trying to make available for the first time access to universal preschool for four-year-olds statewide, and we know the data is incredibly clear, that it is one of the best investments any state can make in terms of long-term impact on academic readiness for school as well as social-emotional development,” said former state Sen. Mike Johnston, who is leading Gary Community Investments’ effort to get Prop. EE into state law.
Johnston said that under the new law, any money remaining once all students have been given access to 10 hours of preschool per week will be spent giving lower-income students more time in preschool. The regions and counties can then use the money to create a sliding scale, so the lowest-income households could get 30 hours of preschool a week for their children the year before kindergarten.
And the new, state-funded, universal preschool program would work seamlessly with places like Denver County, where a local funding source has been implemented to provide some preschool allowing the program to serve younger children for more hours.
When weighing this proposal, The Denver Post editorial board decided to support a tax that will reduce the use of a harmful product, particularly among Colorado’s teens, close a tax loophole that is unfair, and fund a program that is critical for the future of our state.
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--2020-10-18--Post Premium: Top stories for Oct. 12-18

The fatal shooting at the conclusion of dueling right- and left-leaning rallies in Denver last weekend raised a host of questions about the use of private security , as Matthew Dolloff — an unlicensed security contractor hired by 9News to protect its journalists — is due to be charged Monday with second-degree murder in the killing of demonstrator Lee Keltner .
In today ’ s Denver Post , reporter Elise Schmelzer shows how the lack of statewide regulation of security guards or the companies that provide them in Colorado has left a patchwork of different standards across the state and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is just one of nine that does not regulate security guards or security companies , which means Colorado has no statewide training or hiring standards for the people — there are 6,500 licensed security guards working in Denver alone — who fill these quasi law enforcement roles .
Six of the 10 largest cities in Colorado do not require any licensing for security guards , and the four that do , including Denver , each have different rules and levels of oversight .
Additionally , reporter Noelle Phillips looks at the trend of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stations — hiring private security to accompany their journalists as they cover contentious political protests and events .
As one expert tells her , “ The environment for news reporters and media crews has become more dangerous in recent years.
” We hope you ’ ll read these stories , which provide important additional context to last weekend ’ s tragedy in Denver .
No statewide regulation of Colorado security guards creates patchwork of standards , lack of transparency Five don ’ t-miss stories from last week Denver residents are now required to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the foreseeable future , and will need to put off gatherings involving more than a handful of friends until at least mid-November .
Mayor Michael Hancock and Bob McDonald , executive director of the city ’ s Department of Public Health and Environment , on Friday announced two new public health orders expanding the requirements for facial coverings and further limiting gathering sizes in an effort to rein in the increasing spread of COVID-19 .
Read More… An explosive new wildfire northwest of Boulder burned more than 7,000 acres in a matter of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jamestown and wide swaths of the Boulder County foothills while sending skyward a tower of billowing smoke that could be seen across the metro area .
Burning between Jamestown and Lyons , the CalWood fire is believed to already have destroyed “ a number of structures , ” though that remains unconfirmed , Mike Wagner , division chief with the Boulder County Sheriff ’ s Office , said during a briefing Saturday night .
“ It just exploded , ” Wagner said of the late-season wildfire .
Read More… Denver DA to charge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shooting of “ Patriot Rally ” participant A 30-year-old security guard will face a charge of second-degree murder for shooting and killing a participant in a “ Patriot Rally ” in downtown Denver over the weekend , prosecutors announced Thursday .
If convicted , Matthew Robert Dolloff could face up to 48 years in prison in connection with Saturday ’ s shooting , which his family ’ s attorney has said was an act of self-defense .
Read More… Colorado voter guide roundup : Stories , explainers and endorsements on candidates and ballot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the shuffle , here ’ s a roundup of stories , explainers and endorsements* about what ’ s on Colorado ’ s ballot Nov. 3 .
Read More… Cameron Peak fire nears 200,000 acres , burns more structures as firefighters take advantage of conditions The massive Cameron Peak fire in Larimer County neared 200,000 acres in size Saturday as it continued to grow , pushed by gusty winds that forced new evacuations and helped spark additional spot fires , sending the flames closer to urban areas .
By nightfall , fire managers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Colorado ’ s recorded history — had grown to 199,356 acres , or about 311 square miles , on Saturday , and destroyed an unconfirmed additional number of structures .
Thanks to less-severe wind conditions on the firelines , crews saw “ reduced fire behavior ” Saturday and were able to increase containment to 62 % and make progress in key areas , officials said .
Read More… See more great photos like this on The Denver Post ’ s Instagram account .
PHOTOS : A frame by frame account of the @ @ @

The fatal shooting at the conclusion of dueling right- and left-leaning rallies in Denver last weekend raised a host of questions about the use of private security, as Matthew Dolloff — an unlicensed security contractor hired by 9News to protect its journalists — is due to be charged Monday with second-degree murder in the killing of demonstrator Lee Keltner.
In today’s Denver Post, reporter Elise Schmelzer shows how the lack of statewide regulation of security guards or the companies that provide them in Colorado has left a patchwork of different standards across the state and a lack of transparency.
This state is just one of nine that does not regulate security guards or security companies, which means Colorado has no statewide training or hiring standards for the people — there are 6,500 licensed security guards working in Denver alone — who fill these quasi law enforcement roles. Six of the 10 largest cities in Colorado do not require any licensing for security guards, and the four that do, including Denver, each have different rules and levels of oversight.
Additionally, reporter Noelle Phillips looks at the trend of news organizations — largely television networks and stations — hiring private security to accompany their journalists as they cover contentious political protests and events. As one expert tells her, “The environment for news reporters and media crews has become more dangerous in recent years.”
We hope you’ll read these stories, which provide important additional context to last weekend’s tragedy in Denver.
— Matt Sebastien, The Denver Post
Five don’t-miss stories from last week
Denver residents are now required to wear masks when outdoors with others for the foreseeable future, and will need to put off gatherings involving more than a handful of friends until at least mid-November.
Mayor Michael Hancock and Bob McDonald, executive director of the city’s Department of Public Health and Environment, on Friday announced two new public health orders expanding the requirements for facial coverings and further limiting gathering sizes in an effort to rein in the increasing spread of COVID-19. Read More…
An explosive new wildfire northwest of Boulder burned more than 7,000 acres in a matter of hours Saturday, forcing the evacuation of Jamestown and wide swaths of the Boulder County foothills while sending skyward a tower of billowing smoke that could be seen across the metro area.
Burning between Jamestown and Lyons, the CalWood fire is believed to already have destroyed “a number of structures,” though that remains unconfirmed, Mike Wagner, division chief with the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office, said during a briefing Saturday night.
“It just exploded,” Wagner said of the late-season wildfire. Read More…
A 30-year-old security guard will face a charge of second-degree murder for shooting and killing a participant in a “Patriot Rally” in downtown Denver over the weekend, prosecutors announced Thursday.
If convicted, Matthew Robert Dolloff could face up to 48 years in prison in connection with Saturday’s shooting, which his family’s attorney has said was an act of self-defense. Read More…
Just to ensure nothing gets lost in the shuffle, here’s a roundup of stories, explainers and endorsements* about what’s on Colorado’s ballot Nov. 3. Read More…
The massive Cameron Peak fire in Larimer County neared 200,000 acres in size Saturday as it continued to grow, pushed by gusty winds that forced new evacuations and helped spark additional spot fires, sending the flames closer to urban areas.
By nightfall, fire managers announced the 2-month-old wildfire — the largest in Colorado’s recorded history — had grown to 199,356 acres, or about 311 square miles, on Saturday, and destroyed an unconfirmed additional number of structures.
Thanks to less-severe wind conditions on the firelines, crews saw “reduced fire behavior” Saturday and were able to increase containment to 62% and make progress in key areas, officials said. Read More…
Photo of the week
See more great photos like this on The Denver Post’s Instagram account.


thedenverpost--2020-10-18--How Black Lives Matter, broader social justice movement have impacted smaller communities across Col

How Black Lives Matter, broader social justice movement have impacted smaller communities across Colorado

SOUTH FORK — Isaac and Wyatt Manobla were manning their booth at the town farmers market on July 10 when they decided to ask a customer if they would donate a dollar to Black Lives Matter .
It wasn ’ t even about the money .
The brothers , who worked at nearby Sol Mountain Farm , mostly wanted to spark conversation on racial justice in this small , mostly conservative pass-through town on the cusp of the San Luis Valley .
But after the Manoblas had collected $ 3 , an enraged customer told them she couldn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to something like Black Lives Matter at a farmers market .
Soon after , the town administrator told the farm staff he had received formal complaints , and solicitation on town property would now be banned .
And if Sol Mountain Farm chose to argue , they would be removed as organizers of the farmers market — an event they had started themselves six years ago .
The moment marked an inflection point for Sol Mountain Farm owner Wes O ’ Rourke and the rest of his staff : Should they acquiesce or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ place that O ’ Rourke described as “ made by old white Texans , for old white Texans ” ?
The following Friday , Isaac Manobla and his fiancée Autumn Setzler stood behind the booth again , this time clad in Black Lives Matter T-shirts .
The ACLU of Colorado has now taken up their case , citing constitutional violations by South Fork officials .
“ We have to make the change and be the change ourselves , ” said Angela Lee , the farm ’ s operations manager .
While big cities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ massive rallies , large-scale tumult and legislative reforms to address police brutality and racial injustice , small communities in Colorado ’ s mountains , valleys and plains also have been forced to confront the nationwide movement .
Over the past few months , social justice initiatives have taken shape in towns from South Fork to Crested Butte to Lyons — prompting public officials to resign over offensive social media posts , citizens to squabble over town paintings and even violent acts at protests .
The clash of national movements reaching smaller , more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of “ reactance , ” said Brett King , a social psychologist for the University of Colorado Boulder .
That is , people can feel a sense of anxiety and push back when there ’ s a perceived threat to their sense of identifies and freedoms .
“ Essentially , this ( movement ) can feel like values representing another larger entity that ’ s not connected to the community , ” King said .
In Crested Butte , the uproar began with a painting .
As he anticipated a Sept. 8 Town @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t sure which way the council might vote on authorizing a giant Black Lives Matter street mural to go on Elk Avenue in the heart of a mountain town that ’ s almost exclusively white .
The idea came from a Black Lives Matter subcommittee formed in August by Dujardin and fellow Councilmember Mallika Magner in response to the national conversation on race prompted by the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis .
“ Crested Butte , like much of the country , felt a moral reckoning was needed to think about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in terms of pervasive racial injustice — even though we have a predominantly white community , ” Magner said .
The council heard from several constituents — some of whom expressed their displeasure with spending tax dollars on what they argued was an overtly political and controversial topic .
The vote passed 7-0 , and on Sept. 21 , pictures of the phrase Black Lives Matter in giant yellow lettering appeared on the Travel Crested Butte Facebook page .
The post was soon flooded with hundreds of messages , and eventually the town @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ desire to maintain a civil discourse , ” Crested Butte officials wrote under the photo .
“ It certainly was controversial , ” Mayor Jim Schmidt said .
John Wirsing voiced his opposition to the painting during the council meeting , and said he was met with eye rolls and under-the-breath mutterings .
“ If they ’ re going to paint something like that on the street , they need to also show support for police being attacked , ” Wirling said in an interview .
Another rental property owner said he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a third say they would never come back to Crested Butte because of the painting .
Schmidt said he ’ s heard from a handful of second-home owners who vowed to sell their houses .
“ If somebody doesn ’ t want to come here ’ cause of that , that ’ s their choice , ” the mayor said .
Beyond the confines of Crested Butte , Black Lives Matter and the broader social justice movement have created friction in other communities across the state .
In Gunnison , a corporal in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in July after he appeared to threaten protesters in a Facebook post .
“ Please , please protest in front of me especially when I am at work and ( I ’ ll ) show the world how that works out for you , ” Cpl .
Stephan Liest wrote in a comment .
A month earlier , the Lyons fire chief resigned after joking on Facebook that he would use fire hoses on protesters to “ have some fun.
” The comments sparked a firestorm in the small Boulder County town , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ the most racist town I ’ ve ever lived in.
” Another contingent in town , however , vehemently defended JJ Hoffman , the former fire chief , slapping “ We love JJ ” bumper stickers on their cars and posting signs of support near the fire station .
Mayor Nick Angelo has since promised to personally pay for an expert to facilitate a discussion on racial issues after the town ’ s Board of Trustees declined to pitch in .
“ Lyons is a community that doesn ’ t have much @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ So it ’ s extremely difficult to imagine what it would be like to be Black in America today.
” The tension in some towns has even spilled over into violence .
In June , an Alamosa lawyer allegedly shot a man at a downtown demonstration soon after Floyd ’ s death .
The town ’ s mayor , Ty Coleman , insisted the incident was an aberration and not indicative of Alamosa ’ s otherwise peaceful protests this summer .
Trying to keep the peace Nearly 200 miles away , in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to make sense of the vitriol she ’ s received after helping organize silent demonstrations in the conservative stronghold .
Robertson moved to the area in June from Boston during the heat of the national protests , and immediately threw herself into the efforts .
“ I moved here to fight poverty and increase the general health of the community , ” she said .
“ And this felt like it falls in line with my mission to help underserved people.
” The response from some community members , however , “ has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Counterprotesters have yelled “ go home ” and “ you don ’ t belong in our community ” along with a string of obscenities .
Others have called Robertson at work , calling her a “ pedophile terrorist , ” she said .
Earlier this month , members of the Cortez City Council felt it necessary to issue a statement reaffirming the right of all citizens to assemble peacefully and exercise free speech in a civil manner after counterprotesters threatened Robertson ’ s group .
“ I feel like the older I get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doing the right thing no matter the outcome , ” Robertson said .
“ My intention is not to change anyone ’ s mind.
” Cortez Mayor Mike Lavey has been caught in the middle , trying to play peacemaker as the two groups continue to rally every Saturday .
He speaks regularly with the organizers and has tried to walk a fine line of protecting free speech and preventing violence .
But the tension continues to escalate , and as Saturday approaches each week , Lavey says he can feel his own @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I could just grab these people and say , ‘ Stop it !
You ’ re acting like children , ' ” the mayor said .
“ But they ’ re gon na do what they ’ re gon na do.
” “ There ’ s nobody else doing it ” Lee , of Sol Mountain Farm , has also felt targeted as an outsider since moving to South Fork .
The daughter of Korean immigrants , Lee has heard the gamut of racial insults : “ Go back to China !
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ here !
” “ The racial tension in South Fork specifically is undeniable , ” Lee said .
In June , she organized a protest in Del Norte , a slightly larger San Luis Valley town that sits between South Fork and Alamosa .
Around 30 people showed up — some high schoolers from Del Norte , along with a cadre of people from Saguache and Alamosa .
The group got honks of support from passersby , but also trucks driving past blaring “ God Bless America ” and one man yelling “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bottle rocket at them as they marched .
Despite some opposition , the Sol Mountain Farm crew continued to organize rallies , week after week .
“ It was really cathartic , ” Lee said .
“ I was crying a bunch — a lot of folks were shedding tears during the moments of silence , but I thought it was really powerful .
I don ’ t think the town of Del Norte had ever seen anything like that.
” Amy Brown , a Denver-based organizer with Black Lives Matter 5280 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the movement grow in places that might not normally be hotbeds for racial justice organizing — or even have large Black populations .
Organizers , Brown stressed , should still be taking direction from Black people in the movement .
That could mean using resources published by Black activists or thought leaders to make sure Black lives are being centered .
“ If that is not happening , then I think oftentimes you ’ re going to miss the mark in what it would actually look like to center Black lives and to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people ’ s lives , ” Brown said .
The staff at Sol Mountain Farm feel a need to speak out , to organize , to fight back , but they worry about what it might do for their business .
After Isaac Manobla and his fiancée wore their Black Lives Matter shirts to the farmers market a week after being told to stop asking for donations , O ’ Rourke said he was concerned about the situation escalating .
“ I just didn ’ t know if everyone was going to boycott @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hicks , South Fork ’ s town administrator , said he reached out to Sol Mountain Farm after receiving complaints about the solicitation from people who “ felt it was too inappropriate at a farmers market to push for donations for this cause.
” The Black Lives Matter subject is controversial with some people , Hicks said .
“ I don ’ t think the town had a position on the movement , ” he told The Denver Post .
“ We were just trying to limit controversy on town property.
” As @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sol Mountain Farm debated whether to continue fighting with the town and elevating the issue , the group spoke with a local business owner , who told them , “ This is why I don ’ t mix my politics with my business.
” So why did these farm workers risk their business and future ?
“ There ’ s nobody else doing it , ” Lee said .

SOUTH FORK — Isaac and Wyatt Manobla were manning their booth at the town farmers market on July 10 when they decided to ask a customer if they would donate a dollar to Black Lives Matter.
It wasn’t even about the money. The brothers, who worked at nearby Sol Mountain Farm, mostly wanted to spark conversation on racial justice in this small, mostly conservative pass-through town on the cusp of the San Luis Valley.
But after the Manoblas had collected $3, an enraged customer told them she couldn’t believe they would be asking for donations to something like Black Lives Matter at a farmers market.
Soon after, the town administrator told the farm staff he had received formal complaints, and solicitation on town property would now be banned. And if Sol Mountain Farm chose to argue, they would be removed as organizers of the farmers market — an event they had started themselves six years ago.
The moment marked an inflection point for Sol Mountain Farm owner Wes O’Rourke and the rest of his staff: Should they acquiesce or continue to rock the boat in a place that O’Rourke described as “made by old white Texans, for old white Texans”?
The following Friday, Isaac Manobla and his fiancée Autumn Setzler stood behind the booth again, this time clad in Black Lives Matter T-shirts. The ACLU of Colorado has now taken up their case, citing constitutional violations by South Fork officials.
“We have to make the change and be the change ourselves,” said Angela Lee, the farm’s operations manager.
While big cities have dominated the headlines this summer with massive rallies, large-scale tumult and legislative reforms to address police brutality and racial injustice, small communities in Colorado’s mountains, valleys and plains also have been forced to confront the nationwide movement.
Over the past few months, social justice initiatives have taken shape in towns from South Fork to Crested Butte to Lyons — prompting public officials to resign over offensive social media posts, citizens to squabble over town paintings and even violent acts at protests.
The clash of national movements reaching smaller, more rural communities fits in with the idea of “reactance,” said Brett King, a social psychologist for the University of Colorado Boulder. That is, people can feel a sense of anxiety and push back when there’s a perceived threat to their sense of identifies and freedoms.
“Essentially, this (movement) can feel like values representing another larger entity that’s not connected to the community,” King said.
Consternation in Crested Butte
In Crested Butte, the uproar began with a painting.
As he anticipated a Sept. 8 Town Council meeting, Councilmember Will Dujardin wasn’t sure which way the council might vote on authorizing a giant Black Lives Matter street mural to go on Elk Avenue in the heart of a mountain town that’s almost exclusively white.
The idea came from a Black Lives Matter subcommittee formed in August by Dujardin and fellow Councilmember Mallika Magner in response to the national conversation on race prompted by the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
“Crested Butte, like much of the country, felt a moral reckoning was needed to think about what’s happening in our country in terms of pervasive racial injustice — even though we have a predominantly white community,” Magner said.
The council heard from several constituents — some of whom expressed their displeasure with spending tax dollars on what they argued was an overtly political and controversial topic.
The vote passed 7-0, and on Sept. 21, pictures of the phrase Black Lives Matter in giant yellow lettering appeared on the Travel Crested Butte Facebook page. The post was soon flooded with hundreds of messages, and eventually the organization had to remove the comments in a “desire to maintain a civil discourse.”
“It certainly was controversial,” Mayor Jim Schmidt said.
John Wirsing voiced his opposition to the painting during the council meeting, and said he was met with eye rolls and under-the-breath mutterings.
“If they’re going to paint something like that on the street, they need to also show support for police being attacked,” Wirling said in an interview.
Another rental property owner said he had two families cancel upcoming reservations and a third say they would never come back to Crested Butte because of the painting. Schmidt said he’s heard from a handful of second-home owners who vowed to sell their houses.
“If somebody doesn’t want to come here ’cause of that, that’s their choice,” the mayor said.
Controversies across the state
Beyond the confines of Crested Butte, Black Lives Matter and the broader social justice movement have created friction in other communities across the state.
In Gunnison, a corporal in the county sheriff’s office resigned in July after he appeared to threaten protesters in a Facebook post.
“Please, please protest in front of me especially when I am at work and (I’ll) show the world how that works out for you,” Cpl. Stephan Liest wrote in a comment.
A month earlier, the Lyons fire chief resigned after joking on Facebook that he would use fire hoses on protesters to “have some fun.”
The comments sparked a firestorm in the small Boulder County town, prompting one Black resident to declare Lyons “the most racist town I’ve ever lived in.” Another contingent in town, however, vehemently defended JJ Hoffman, the former fire chief, slapping “We love JJ” bumper stickers on their cars and posting signs of support near the fire station.
Mayor Nick Angelo has since promised to personally pay for an expert to facilitate a discussion on racial issues after the town’s Board of Trustees declined to pitch in.
“Lyons is a community that doesn’t have much diversity,” the mayor said. “So it’s extremely difficult to imagine what it would be like to be Black in America today.”
The tension in some towns has even spilled over into violence.
In June, an Alamosa lawyer allegedly shot a man at a downtown demonstration soon after Floyd’s death. The town’s mayor, Ty Coleman, insisted the incident was an aberration and not indicative of Alamosa’s otherwise peaceful protests this summer.
Trying to keep the peace
Nearly 200 miles away, in Cortez, Dawn Robertson has been trying to make sense of the vitriol she’s received after helping organize silent demonstrations in the conservative stronghold.
Robertson moved to the area in June from California during the heat of the national protests, and immediately threw herself into the efforts.
“I moved here to fight poverty and increase the general health of the community,” she said. “And this felt like it falls in line with my mission to help underserved people.”
The response from some community members, however, “has been horrific,” Robertson said. Counterprotesters have yelled “go home” and “you don’t belong in our community” along with a string of obscenities. Others have contacted Robertson’s supervisors, calling her a “pedophile terrorist,” she said.
Earlier this month, members of the Cortez City Council felt it necessary to issue a statement reaffirming the right of all citizens to assemble peacefully and exercise free speech in a civil manner after counterprotesters threatened Robertson’s group.
“I feel like the older I get, the more passionate I am about doing the right thing no matter the outcome,” Robertson said. “My intention is not to change anyone’s mind.”
Cortez Mayor Mike Lavey has been caught in the middle, trying to play peacemaker as the two groups continue to rally every Saturday. He speaks regularly with the organizers and has tried to walk a fine line of protecting free speech and preventing violence. But the tension continues to escalate, and as Saturday approaches each week, Lavey says he can feel his own stress levels rise.
“I wish I could just grab these people and say, ‘Stop it! You’re acting like children,'” the mayor said. “But they’re gonna do what they’re gonna do.”
“There’s nobody else doing it”
Lee, of Sol Mountain Farm, has also felt targeted as an outsider since moving to South Fork.
The daughter of Korean immigrants, Lee has heard the gamut of racial insults: “Go back to China!” or “You’re not welcome here!”
“The racial tension in South Fork specifically is undeniable,” Lee said.
In June, she organized a protest in Del Norte, a slightly larger San Luis Valley town that sits between South Fork and Alamosa.
Around 30 people showed up — some high schoolers from Del Norte, along with a cadre of people from Saguache and Alamosa. The group got honks of support from passersby, but also trucks driving past blaring “God Bless America” and one man yelling “white power.” One person shot a bottle rocket at them as they marched.
Despite some opposition, the Sol Mountain Farm crew continued to organize rallies, week after week.
“It was really cathartic,” Lee said. “I was crying a bunch — a lot of folks were shedding tears during the moments of silence, but I thought it was really powerful. I don’t think the town of Del Norte had ever seen anything like that.”
Amy Brown, a Denver-based organizer with Black Lives Matter 5280, said it’s encouraging to see the movement grow in places that might not normally be hotbeds for racial justice organizing — or even have large Black populations.
Organizers, Brown stressed, should still be taking direction from Black people in the movement. That could mean using resources published by Black activists or thought leaders to make sure Black lives are being centered.
“If that is not happening, then I think oftentimes you’re going to miss the mark in what it would actually look like to center Black lives and to work toward systematic changes that would impact people’s lives,” Brown said.
The staff at Sol Mountain Farm feel a need to speak out, to organize, to fight back, but they worry about what it might do for their business.
After Isaac Manobla and his fiancée wore their Black Lives Matter shirts to the farmers market a week after being told to stop asking for donations, O’Rourke said he was concerned about the situation escalating.
“I just didn’t know if everyone was going to boycott us,” he said.
Dan Hicks, South Fork’s town administrator, said he reached out to Sol Mountain Farm after receiving complaints about the solicitation from people who “felt it was too inappropriate at a farmers market to push for donations for this cause.”
The Black Lives Matter subject is controversial with some people, Hicks said.
“I don’t think the town had a position on the movement,” he told The Denver Post. “We were just trying to limit controversy on town property.”
As O’Rourke and the rest of Sol Mountain Farm debated whether to continue fighting with the town and elevating the issue, the group spoke with a local business owner, who told them, “This is why I don’t mix my politics with my business.”
So why did these farm workers risk their business and future?
“There’s nobody else doing it,” Lee said.
Updated 5 p.m. Oct. 22, 2020 This story originally mischaracterized the Travel Crested Butte Facebook page as being run by the town of Crested Butte. It is a private organization.