thedenverpost--2020-08-10--Retired Denver police officer tracks down escapee who shot him almost 50 years ago

By Allyson Waller , The New York Times Daril Cinquanta , a retired Denver police officer , never forgot the man who shot him while he was on duty in 1971 .
So when the man , Luis Archuleta , escaped from prison in 1974 , Cinquanta made it his mission to track him down .
He spent years calling contacts hoping to develop leads on Archuleta ’ s whereabouts .
In the 1980s , information led him to believe that Archuleta was in San Jose , California , but it was a dead end .
Archuleta ’ s escape @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ America ’ s Most Wanted.
” Cinquanta ’ s persistence paid off after nearly 50 years when he got an anonymous call June 24 suggesting that he look up a name : Ramon Montoya .
The caller believed that the fugitive who shot Cinquanta was going by that name , and provided an address in Española , New Mexico , about 25 miles north of Santa Fe .
A search revealed that Montoya had been charged in 2011 with drunken driving .
When Cinquanta searched the arrest , the person in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a considerably older Archuleta .
Acting on information Cinquanta shared with the Española Police Department and the FBI , authorities on Aug. 5 arrested Archuleta , 77 , who was also known as Larry Pusateri .
Archuleta had been living under the alias Ramon Montoya for almost 40 years , the FBI said .
He lived in a modest Española home that he shared with a woman , authorities said .
The Santa Fe New Mexican reported that many of the people in Archuleta ’ s neighborhood knew little about a Ramon Montoya @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like a hobby , ” Cinquanta , 72 , said of his efforts to find his assailant .
“ I mean it kind of was .
He shot me , he was dangerous and he was out there.
” When Cinquanta and Archuleta ’ s paths first crossed on Oct. 2 , 1971 , Cinquanta — then a rookie officer — spotted Archuleta in a car with two women .
To him , Archuleta looked “ like a bad guy , ” he recalled .
Indeed , five months earlier , Archuleta had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drug possession convictions but had escaped from a California Department of Corrections prison “ after putting dummies in the form of blankets and pillows in his bed , ” according to an FBI affidavit .
Cinquanta confronted Archuleta , requested his identification and asked him to get out of the vehicle .
The two walked to the back of Archuleta ’ s car , where Archuleta pulled a gun from his waistband .
The officer tried to reach for it , and as the two men struggled , Archuleta shot Cinquanta in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , we didn ’ t have bulletproof vests , nor did we have radios that came out of the car , ” Cinquanta said .
“ So I had to crawl to the car to call for help.
” An FBI affidavit tells a sweeping story of Archuleta ’ s return to Colorado , and later , his second escape from confinement .
Authorities found Archuleta months later , after he was arrested in Mexico on drug-trafficking charges .
As he was being booked , officials learned of his warrants in the United @ @ @ @ @ @ @ convicted of assault with a deadly weapon of a police officer and sentenced to up to 14 years in prison .
Nearly 17 months later , Archuleta escaped from a state hospital in Pueblo , Colorado , with another inmate , Sidney Riley .
Archuleta and Riley , along with three other inmates , were transported to the hospital for medical appointments .
Riley asked to go to the restroom multiple times when they arrived , the FBI affidavit said .
Archuleta was given permission to go to the restroom but never returned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ check on him was met by Archuleta , who pointed a gun at the officer .
Riley threatened another officer with a gun , and the two inmates fled in a brown sedan .
“ This escape was like something out of a Hollywood movie , ” Cinquanta said .
Cinquanta said local and state authorities exhausted their resources in searching for Archuleta and eventually sought federal help .
( Riley was apprehended four days after the escape . )
After Cinquanta ’ s tip in June , FBI agents interviewed a woman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s ex-wife , and Archuleta ’ s son .
Both knew Archuleta as Ramon Montoya , according to the FBI affidavit .
Authorities showed them a picture of Archuleta on an FBI wanted poster from 1978 , and the two confirmed it was the man they knew as Ramon Montoya .
His son , Mario Montoya , said his father told him that he was wanted and that his real last name was Pusateri , the affidavit said .
Archuleta appeared in federal court , and arrangements were being made for him to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Cinquanta was a well-known Denver officer who chronicled his life in law enforcement in a book , “ The Blue Chameleon : The Life Story of a Supercop , ” but his career was not without controversy .
In 1989 , Cinquanta and another officer were placed on unpaid leave after being charged with 17 counts for “ allegedly setting up crimes to entrap suspects , ” The Denver Post reported .
Cinquanta , who pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree misconduct , said the charges were “ garbage , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Those felonies never stuck , ” he said Sunday .
“ It was ridiculous .
It really was.
” A short time later , Cinquanta retired and started his own private investigation firm , while also spending years hoping he would catch the man who shot him .
“ It was like unfinished business , ” he said .
“ Cops and robbers .
I felt it was worthy to try to get him , and I did .
”

The New York Times News Service Syndicate

By Allyson Waller, The New York Times
Daril Cinquanta, a retired Denver police officer, never forgot the man who shot him while he was on duty in 1971. So when the man, Luis Archuleta, escaped from prison in 1974, Cinquanta made it his mission to track him down.
He spent years calling contacts hoping to develop leads on Archuleta’s whereabouts. In the 1980s, information led him to believe that Archuleta was in San Jose, California, but it was a dead end. Archuleta’s escape was even highlighted on the television show “America’s Most Wanted.”
Cinquanta’s persistence paid off after nearly 50 years when he got an anonymous call June 24 suggesting that he look up a name: Ramon Montoya.
The caller believed that the fugitive who shot Cinquanta was going by that name, and provided an address in Española, New Mexico, about 25 miles north of Santa Fe.
A search revealed that Montoya had been charged in 2011 with drunken driving. When Cinquanta searched the arrest, the person in the mug shot looking back at him was a considerably older Archuleta.
Acting on information Cinquanta shared with the Española Police Department and the FBI, authorities on Aug. 5 arrested Archuleta, 77, who was also known as Larry Pusateri.
Archuleta had been living under the alias Ramon Montoya for almost 40 years, the FBI said. He lived in a modest Española home that he shared with a woman, authorities said.
The Santa Fe New Mexican reported that many of the people in Archuleta’s neighborhood knew little about a Ramon Montoya.
“I told people it was like a hobby,” Cinquanta, 72, said of his efforts to find his assailant. “I mean it kind of was. He shot me, he was dangerous and he was out there.”
When Cinquanta and Archuleta’s paths first crossed on Oct. 2, 1971, Cinquanta — then a rookie officer — spotted Archuleta in a car with two women.
To him, Archuleta looked “like a bad guy,” he recalled.
Indeed, five months earlier, Archuleta had been serving a sentence for burglary and drug possession convictions but had escaped from a California Department of Corrections prison “after putting dummies in the form of blankets and pillows in his bed,” according to an FBI affidavit.
Cinquanta confronted Archuleta, requested his identification and asked him to get out of the vehicle.
The two walked to the back of Archuleta’s car, where Archuleta pulled a gun from his waistband. The officer tried to reach for it, and as the two men struggled, Archuleta shot Cinquanta in the stomach.
Archuleta fled.
“Back in those days, we didn’t have bulletproof vests, nor did we have radios that came out of the car,” Cinquanta said. “So I had to crawl to the car to call for help.”
An FBI affidavit tells a sweeping story of Archuleta’s return to Colorado, and later, his second escape from confinement.
Authorities found Archuleta months later, after he was arrested in Mexico on drug-trafficking charges. As he was being booked, officials learned of his warrants in the United States. In 1973, he was convicted of assault with a deadly weapon of a police officer and sentenced to up to 14 years in prison.
Nearly 17 months later, Archuleta escaped from a state hospital in Pueblo, Colorado, with another inmate, Sidney Riley.
Archuleta and Riley, along with three other inmates, were transported to the hospital for medical appointments. Riley asked to go to the restroom multiple times when they arrived, the FBI affidavit said.
Archuleta was given permission to go to the restroom but never returned. A correctional officer who went to check on him was met by Archuleta, who pointed a gun at the officer. Riley threatened another officer with a gun, and the two inmates fled in a brown sedan.
“This escape was like something out of a Hollywood movie,” Cinquanta said.
Cinquanta said local and state authorities exhausted their resources in searching for Archuleta and eventually sought federal help. (Riley was apprehended four days after the escape.)
After Cinquanta’s tip in June, FBI agents interviewed a woman, who identified herself as Archuleta’s ex-wife, and Archuleta’s son. Both knew Archuleta as Ramon Montoya, according to the FBI affidavit.
Authorities showed them a picture of Archuleta on an FBI wanted poster from 1978, and the two confirmed it was the man they knew as Ramon Montoya.
His son, Mario Montoya, said his father told him that he was wanted and that his real last name was Pusateri, the affidavit said.
Archuleta appeared in federal court, and arrangements were being made for him to be taken into state custody in Colorado.
Cinquanta was a well-known Denver officer who chronicled his life in law enforcement in a book, “The Blue Chameleon: The Life Story of a Supercop,” but his career was not without controversy.
In 1989, Cinquanta and another officer were placed on unpaid leave after being charged with 17 counts for “allegedly setting up crimes to entrap suspects,” The Denver Post reported.
Cinquanta, who pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree misconduct, said the charges were “garbage,” and called the accusations untrue.
“Those felonies never stuck,” he said Sunday. “It was ridiculous. It really was.”
A short time later, Cinquanta retired and started his own private investigation firm, while also spending years hoping he would catch the man who shot him.
“It was like unfinished business,” he said. “Cops and robbers. I felt it was worthy to try to get him, and I did.”


thedenverpost--2020-08-10--For pandemic jobless, the only real certainty is uncertainty

CHICAGO — For three decades , Kelly Flint flourished as a corporate travel agent , sending everyone from business titans to oil riggers around the planet .
Then came the worst pandemic in a century , leaving her jobless and marooned in an uncertain economy .
Furloughed since March , Flint has dipped into her retirement account to pay her bills , frustrated that her $ 600 weekly emergency federal aid payments have expired .
She yearns , too , for an end to the twin disasters that now dominate her life : recession and pandemic .
“ I don @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” she says .
“ I never have.
” Across America are legions of Kelly Flints , women and men who don ’ t know when they ’ ll receive another paycheck — or if .
The coronavirus outbreak and resulting economic upheaval have thrown millions of lives into disarray .
Industries have collapsed , businesses closed , jobs disappeared .
Compounding the misery is a question no one can answer : When will this all be over ?
In recent congressional testimony , Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell repeated his earlier @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will rely on the nation ’ s ability to contain the virus .
The outlook for the U.S. economy , he said , is “ extraordinarily uncertain.
” Uncertain .
If 2020 had to be condensed into a single word — and there are many , many words to describe it — uncertainty would hover at the top of the list .
Uncertainty about health .
About the future .
About the country itself .
And uncertainty about livelihoods and jobs and economic security in a historical moment where each day seems to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
America has faced economic calamity before , most recently during the recession of 2008 , when the jobless rate soared to 10 % .
That pales in comparison to the two crises that have cost more than 160,000 American lives and ushered in spiraling unemployment — 30 million job losses , of which 17.5 million people remain unemployed .
“ It ’ s not just the scope of the losses , ” says Martha Gimbel , an economist at Schmidt Futures .
“ Until we have solved the public health crisis or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is going to know what ’ s going on.
” Uncertainty , painted onto the landscape by the numbers .
And behind each one , a human being .
When she lost her job , she wrestled with a flood of emotions : shock , panic , then determination .
“ I went into survival mode , ” Vines says .
“ My faith kicked in like a ninja.
” Her first task was to research every possible government benefit .
But even with that , she turned to food banks to provide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who shares her home in Memphis , Tennessee .
Vines was stunned when she was laid off in March from her sales job at a promotional product company .
She ’ d worked there 20 years .
“ You think you ’ re going to be taken care of , ” she says .
A calm set in as Vines inventoried her life , knowing she had a small savings and a home she could sell .
“ I looked at my granddaughter and said , ‘ OK , we ’ re to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says .
She doesn ’ t know what the future holds .
One possibility : working for the same company , but on a commission basis .
But at 56 , she has a philosophy : “ You learn what to worry about and what to pray about.
” She ’ s confident a way forward will emerge .
“ I ’ ll either be here or I ’ ll build my peace elsewhere , ” Vines says .
“ I can ’ t get wrapped up in the unknowns when I have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had a road map for his future .
A new job in his hometown in rural Michigan .
A chance to use his marketing skills .
The comfort of living with his parents .
Saigh was eager to start over after being laid off in 2019 from a Detroit-area marketing company .
After a half-year of searching for work , Saigh decided it would be cheaper to continue his quest from home .
He moved in with his parents in Iron River , in Michigan ’ s Upper Peninsula .
A few months @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a nonprofit attached to his local hospital .
He ’ d be working 5 miles from home , reuniting with friends in Iron River , population 3,000 — and doing something positive for his community .
“ It was just perfect , ” he says .
“ It was like , “ Wow !
Everything is falling in place.
” Then the pandemic swooped in .
Hospitals faced new financial pressures .
The offer was rescinded .
Saigh went from dream job to no job .
It was back to sending out resumes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during one of the most brutal job markets in decades .
“ It can be overwhelming at times just to go through this again , ” he says .
He considers himself lucky , avoiding rent and other expenses living with his parents .
He recently turned down a job offer to head a local economic organization ; it didn ’ t seem like the right fit , and he feared there might not be money for the position beyond the end of the year .
Now , Saigh plans to do some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tries to land another job .
He ’ s adjusted to an economy where so much remains unknown .
“ I ’ ve learned that you can ’ t possibly plan for everything and , though it ’ s a cliche , you ’ ve just got to roll with the punches , ” he says .
“ And I ’ ve learned to go where the next thing leads me .
Hopefully , that will be soon.
” Every day , he confronts the realities of too many bills , not enough @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on hold — and no timetable for when any of it will change .
Jackson is among tens of thousands of hospitality workers who ’ ve been sidelined in an industry devastated by the pandemic .
His employer , the Diplomat Beach resort in Hollywood , Florida , closed in March because of the outbreak .
That left Jackson , an assistant to the bartender and server at a hotel restaurant , and his wife , an elementary school teacher , scrambling to provide for their three asthmatic children .
They ’ ve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ It ’ s not their job to go out and make things happen , ” Jackson says .
“ As a parent , you don ’ t want to give kids the perception that the ground is crumbling under your feet.
” Complicating the situation is Florida ’ s unemployment system , which has been marred by computer glitches and lengthy delays .
Despite countless calls over the months , Jackson , 51 , says he has yet to receive a single $ 275 weekly state unemployment check — even though @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 21 .
That cap is among the stingiest in the nation .
The stress has frayed his nerves .
His doctor , who waived copayments for visits , prescribed medicine for his high blood pressure , but he can ’ t afford it .
His hair is thinning .
He gets migraines .
Jackson and his wife have traditionally depended on help from her teaching salary , but she ’ s been off during the summer .
With $ 3,200 in monthly bills , the two regularly face tough choices .
“ If @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says , “ do you spend it on gas or do you get food ?
” Jackson is hoping to find a warehouse job for now .
He worries about having enough food for his kids — 8 to 18 — and being able to afford school supplies , clothes and everything else they ’ ll need in coming months .
He refuses to look too far ahead .
“ This is a day-to-day process , ” he says , “ and I can ’ t worry about the things I can not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but think he was a victim of bad timing .
Last year , after tiring of being an educator , he gave up a job teaching French in a private school in suburban Milwaukee .
He was recruited to become a bilingual software trainer , traveling to Canada three weeks a month .
In the spring , he rushed back to the U.S. as the border was about to close .
Then suddenly , at 46 , Lipshutz was out of work — something entirely new for him .
He filed for unemployment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ workers in Wisconsin .
He began figuring out how much to dip into savings that had taken years to amass .
“ Not having enough money can paralyze you , ” he says .
It ’ s a lesson he learned at a young age .
“ I grew up with a single mom on welfare in the ’ 80s , ” Lipshutz says .
“ And I know what it ’ s like to collect government cheese and free lunch and to live paycheck to paycheck and feel that stress of financial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trauma from that time of , ‘ Oh , my God , am I going to have to live like that again ?
’ ” Lipshutz ’ s second software project was canceled because of budget cuts .
He ’ s now starting a tofu business with friends .
He also expects to be back in the classroom this fall , teaching French to Milwaukee public high school students .
Lipshutz has become more comfortable , too , accepting the limitations of this chaotic environment .
“ There are certain things you can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to let it go , ” he says .
“ I can ’ t control the pandemic .
I can ’ t control the job market.
” “ In the back of my mind , ” he adds , “ there ’ s still a tiny drawer of anxiety and worry .
… But I ’ m starting to tell myself , ‘ Listen , you ’ re going to be fine.
’ ” For her , the pandemic has been a health risk and a job destroyer .
Last March , she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ marketing company in North Carolina because face-to-face encounters with customers at big-box stores were potentially dangerous .
A diabetic , Githmark , 24 , has an increased chance of becoming seriously ill if she contracts the coronavirus .
“ I feel like I don ’ t have very much of a purpose now , ” she says .
She feels as if she ’ s “ floating around in life ” as she searches for work , with her father helping retool her resume .
She knows her job possibilities are limited because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ large groups of people .
Githmark plans to enroll in grad school , though she hasn ’ t chosen a field of study .
She taught in a charter school in Durham , North Carolina , before moving into marketing .
She may return to education .
Meanwhile , gardening and writing help relieve the tension .
“ It ’ s just been a very stressful time , ” she says , and sighs .
When the Portland , Oregon , club where he tended bar was forced to close in the pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no time to plan how he ’ d pay his bills .
But he knew some routine expenses would have to wait .
At the top of the list were $ 250 monthly payments he ’ d been making for more than a decade to whittle down $ 45,000 in student loans .
There was no way he could shoulder that .
His immediate worries were food and shelter , and he was pleasantly surprised when he was given some leeway in paying rent and utilities .
For the past six months , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state unemployment and $ 600-a-week pandemic-related federal benefits that just expired .
In Washington , Democrats and Republicans are clashing over how much of that aid should continue and for how long .
Anderson has been cautious about spending .
He walks almost everywhere .
He has reduced his food budget to essentials .
He doesn ’ t go out with friends .
He ’ s become politically active , calling the offices of federal lawmakers , urging them to back a bill creating a $ 120 billion fund to help rescue restaurants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ give way to sleepless nights , he and his friends commiserate over their shared predicament .
“ You ’ ve got kind of overwhelming sense of dread , ” he says , echoing the sentiments of a friend who said being caught in the pandemic is “ like standing on the shore and you ’ re looking at this huge tsunami wave coming in .
and you know it ’ s going to hit .
But there ’ s not a whole lot I can really do about it.
” She isn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ knows many others who ’ ve looked at the staggering numbers of unemployed and don ’ t feel the same way .
“ I see a lot of people blaming companies , saying , ‘ How dare they lay off their employees !
’ ” she says .
“ But those decisions have to be made.
” Kouskoulas , 30 , was laid off in April , about six months after being hired for a copywriting-marketing job at a suburban Detroit construction company .
She ’ s now interviewing for jobs , preparing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ part of every morning sharpening and expanding her skills , studying graphic design on YouTube , among other things , “ so I can come out strong when things do go back to normal.
” And she speaks regularly with a CEO she once worked for who acts as her mentor .
Shortly after Kouskoulas lost her job , she thought she had a lucky break : She was hired to do marketing at a software firm .
She worked 60-hour weeks , she says , but was repeatedly rebuffed when she asked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , she ’ d had enough .
In recent weeks , Kouskoulas says she senses the “ quietness in the economy ” that existed a few month ago has lifted and there are more opportunities .
But she also worries some employers will be consolidating roles , producing fewer jobs with more responsibilities .
She ’ s prepared , too , for what she expects will be “ a long haul.
” “ At the end of the day , ” she says , “ the only person who ’ s going to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Uncertainty ripples outward .
There are so many things that , because of it , simply can ’ t be done .
It spreads to those who ’ ve permanently lost jobs as well as furloughed workers wondering if they ’ ll be called back .
“ People may tell you to retrain , ” says Gimbel , the economist .
“ What are you supposed to retrain for ?
You don ’ t know what the economy is going to look like .
Everyone is frozen because it ’ s so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ evolve.
” And long-term planning ?
Even murkier — impossible , really , says Adam Ozimek , chief economist at Upwork .
“ We don ’ t know whether at the end of the year there are going to be 15 million people without a job or 5 million people , ” he says .
“ From top to bottom , every single person in the economy is affected by this uncertainty in one way or another.
” Job uncertainty is new for Flint , 53 , the travel agent .
She ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s “ doubly scary , ” she says , because she ’ s single .
Her furlough is up at the end of October , but there ’ s no guarantee she won ’ t be laid off before then .
Every week , she sends out fresh resumes from her home in Galveston , Texas .
And every day , she fends off scam artists who call with bogus job offers as they try to ferret out her private information .
“ I ’ ve had anxiety that I ’ ve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even had panic attacks .
I ’ ve had crazy dreams of zombies , ” she says .
“ It has worn on me.
” For Micah Anderson , the uncertainty has been the hardest part — “ having zero idea of what next week is going to even look like.
” “ I ’ m the type of person who , if I if I have an idea of what I ’ m facing , I can try to make a plan that makes sense , ” Anderson says .
“ But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it is you need to do.
” “ You just have no clue .
You make decisions the best you can .
And you hope that they turn out OK. ” Contributing to this report were Desiree Mathurin and Haleluya Hadero in Atlanta .

CHICAGO — For three decades, Kelly Flint flourished as a corporate travel agent, sending everyone from business titans to oil riggers around the planet. Then came the worst pandemic in a century, leaving her jobless and marooned in an uncertain economy.
Furloughed since March, Flint has dipped into her retirement account to pay her bills, frustrated that her $600 weekly emergency federal aid payments have expired. She yearns, too, for an end to the twin disasters that now dominate her life: recession and pandemic.
“I don’t deal well with the unknowns,” she says. “I never have.”
Across America are legions of Kelly Flints, women and men who don’t know when they’ll receive another paycheck — or if.
The coronavirus outbreak and resulting economic upheaval have thrown millions of lives into disarray. Industries have collapsed, businesses closed, jobs disappeared. Compounding the misery is a question no one can answer: When will this all be over?
In recent congressional testimony, Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell repeated his earlier warning: The strength of any recovery will rely on the nation’s ability to contain the virus. The outlook for the U.S. economy, he said, is “extraordinarily uncertain.”
Uncertain. If 2020 had to be condensed into a single word — and there are many, many words to describe it — uncertainty would hover at the top of the list. Uncertainty about health. About the future. About the country itself. And uncertainty about livelihoods and jobs and economic security in a historical moment where each day seems to bring a fresh wave of unwanted developments.
America has faced economic calamity before, most recently during the recession of 2008, when the jobless rate soared to 10%. That pales in comparison to the two crises that have cost more than 160,000 American lives and ushered in spiraling unemployment — 30 million job losses, of which 17.5 million people remain unemployed.
“It’s not just the scope of the losses,” says Martha Gimbel, an economist at Schmidt Futures. “Until we have solved the public health crisis or have a timeline … none of us is going to know what’s going on.”
Uncertainty, painted onto the landscape by the numbers. And behind each one, a human being.
• • •
LISA VINES
When she lost her job, she wrestled with a flood of emotions: shock, panic, then determination.
“I went into survival mode,” Vines says. “My faith kicked in like a ninja.”
Her first task was to research every possible government benefit. But even with that, she turned to food banks to provide for herself and her 8-year-old granddaughter, who shares her home in Memphis, Tennessee.
Vines was stunned when she was laid off in March from her sales job at a promotional product company. She’d worked there 20 years. “You think you’re going to be taken care of,” she says.
A calm set in as Vines inventoried her life, knowing she had a small savings and a home she could sell. “I looked at my granddaughter and said, ‘OK, we’re to get through it,’” she says.
She doesn’t know what the future holds. One possibility: working for the same company, but on a commission basis. But at 56, she has a philosophy: “You learn what to worry about and what to pray about.”
She’s confident a way forward will emerge. “I’ll either be here or I’ll build my peace elsewhere,” Vines says. “I can’t get wrapped up in the unknowns when I have blessings in front of me.”
• • •
JARED SAIGH
He had a road map for his future. A new job in his hometown in rural Michigan. A chance to use his marketing skills. The comfort of living with his parents.
Saigh was eager to start over after being laid off in 2019 from a Detroit-area marketing company. After a half-year of searching for work, Saigh decided it would be cheaper to continue his quest from home. He moved in with his parents in Iron River, in Michigan’ s Upper Peninsula.
A few months later, Saigh was hired to lead a nonprofit attached to his local hospital. He’d be working 5 miles from home, reuniting with friends in Iron River, population 3,000 — and doing something positive for his community.
“It was just perfect,” he says. “It was like, “Wow! Everything is falling in place.”
Then the pandemic swooped in. Hospitals faced new financial pressures. The offer was rescinded. Saigh went from dream job to no job.
It was back to sending out resumes, checking LinkedIn, canvassing for interviews during one of the most brutal job markets in decades. “It can be overwhelming at times just to go through this again,” he says.
He considers himself lucky, avoiding rent and other expenses living with his parents. He recently turned down a job offer to head a local economic organization; it didn’t seem like the right fit, and he feared there might not be money for the position beyond the end of the year.
Now, Saigh plans to do some photo and video freelance work as he tries to land another job. He’s adjusted to an economy where so much remains unknown.
“I’ve learned that you can’t possibly plan for everything and, though it’s a cliche, you’ve just got to roll with the punches,” he says. “And I’ve learned to go where the next thing leads me. Hopefully, that will be soon.”
• • •
JAMES JACKSON
Every day, he confronts the realities of too many bills, not enough money, a job that’s on hold — and no timetable for when any of it will change.
Jackson is among tens of thousands of hospitality workers who’ve been sidelined in an industry devastated by the pandemic. His employer, the Diplomat Beach resort in Hollywood, Florida, closed in March because of the outbreak. That left Jackson, an assistant to the bartender and server at a hotel restaurant, and his wife, an elementary school teacher, scrambling to provide for their three asthmatic children.
They’ve tried to shield them from money troubles. “It’s not their job to go out and make things happen,” Jackson says. “As a parent, you don’t want to give kids the perception that the ground is crumbling under your feet.”
Complicating the situation is Florida’s unemployment system, which has been marred by computer glitches and lengthy delays. Despite countless calls over the months, Jackson, 51, says he has yet to receive a single $275 weekly state unemployment check — even though his last day of work was March 21. That cap is among the stingiest in the nation.
The stress has frayed his nerves. His doctor, who waived copayments for visits, prescribed medicine for his high blood pressure, but he can’t afford it. His hair is thinning. He gets migraines.
Jackson and his wife have traditionally depended on help from her teaching salary, but she’s been off during the summer. With $3,200 in monthly bills, the two regularly face tough choices. “If you do have money,” he says, “do you spend it on gas or do you get food?”
Jackson is hoping to find a warehouse job for now. He worries about having enough food for his kids — 8 to 18 — and being able to afford school supplies, clothes and everything else they’ll need in coming months.
He refuses to look too far ahead. “This is a day-to-day process,” he says, “and I can’t worry about the things I cannot change.”
• • •
BRETT LIPSHUTZ
He can’t help but think he was a victim of bad timing.
Last year, after tiring of being an educator, he gave up a job teaching French in a private school in suburban Milwaukee. He was recruited to become a bilingual software trainer, traveling to Canada three weeks a month. In the spring, he rushed back to the U.S. as the border was about to close.
Then suddenly, at 46, Lipshutz was out of work — something entirely new for him. He filed for unemployment and joined a support group of jobless workers in Wisconsin. He began figuring out how much to dip into savings that had taken years to amass.
“Not having enough money can paralyze you,” he says. It’s a lesson he learned at a young age.
“I grew up with a single mom on welfare in the ’80s,” Lipshutz says. “And I know what it’s like to collect government cheese and free lunch and to live paycheck to paycheck and feel that stress of financial instability. …. It brings back trauma from that time of, ‘Oh, my God, am I going to have to live like that again?’”
Lipshutz’s second software project was canceled because of budget cuts. He’s now starting a tofu business with friends. He also expects to be back in the classroom this fall, teaching French to Milwaukee public high school students.
Lipshutz has become more comfortable, too, accepting the limitations of this chaotic environment.
“There are certain things you can’t control, and you have to let it go,” he says. “I can’t control the pandemic. I can’t control the job market.”
“In the back of my mind,” he adds, “there’s still a tiny drawer of anxiety and worry. … But I’m starting to tell myself, ‘Listen, you’re going to be fine.’”
• • •
MORGAN GITHMARK
For her, the pandemic has been a health risk and a job destroyer.
Last March, she had to quit her job at a marketing company in North Carolina because face-to-face encounters with customers at big-box stores were potentially dangerous. A diabetic, Githmark, 24, has an increased chance of becoming seriously ill if she contracts the coronavirus.
“I feel like I don’t have very much of a purpose now,” she says. She feels as if she’s “floating around in life” as she searches for work, with her father helping retool her resume. She knows her job possibilities are limited because she can’t be exposed to large groups of people.
Githmark plans to enroll in grad school, though she hasn’t chosen a field of study. She taught in a charter school in Durham, North Carolina, before moving into marketing. She may return to education.
Meanwhile, gardening and writing help relieve the tension. “It’s just been a very stressful time,” she says, and sighs.
• • •
MICAH ANDERSON
When the Portland, Oregon, club where he tended bar was forced to close in the pandemic’s early days, he had no time to plan how he’d pay his bills. But he knew some routine expenses would have to wait.
At the top of the list were $250 monthly payments he’d been making for more than a decade to whittle down $45,000 in student loans. There was no way he could shoulder that. His immediate worries were food and shelter, and he was pleasantly surprised when he was given some leeway in paying rent and utilities.
For the past six months, Anderson, 37, has relied on state unemployment and $600-a-week pandemic-related federal benefits that just expired. In Washington, Democrats and Republicans are clashing over how much of that aid should continue and for how long.
Anderson has been cautious about spending. He walks almost everywhere. He has reduced his food budget to essentials. He doesn’t go out with friends. He’s become politically active, calling the offices of federal lawmakers, urging them to back a bill creating a $120 billion fund to help rescue restaurants and bars.
And as stressful days give way to sleepless nights, he and his friends commiserate over their shared predicament.
“You’ve got kind of overwhelming sense of dread,” he says, echoing the sentiments of a friend who said being caught in the pandemic is “like standing on the shore and you’re looking at this huge tsunami wave coming in. and you know it’s going to hit. But there’s not a whole lot I can really do about it.”
• • •
DEANNA KOUSKOULAS
She isn’t one to point fingers. She knows many others who’ve looked at the staggering numbers of unemployed and don’t feel the same way.
“I see a lot of people blaming companies, saying, ‘How dare they lay off their employees!’” she says. “But those decisions have to be made.”
Kouskoulas, 30, was laid off in April, about six months after being hired for a copywriting-marketing job at a suburban Detroit construction company.
She’s now interviewing for jobs, preparing for the post-pandemic era. She spends part of every morning sharpening and expanding her skills, studying graphic design on YouTube, among other things, “so I can come out strong when things do go back to normal.” And she speaks regularly with a CEO she once worked for who acts as her mentor.
Shortly after Kouskoulas lost her job, she thought she had a lucky break: She was hired to do marketing at a software firm. She worked 60-hour weeks, she says, but was repeatedly rebuffed when she asked for a paycheck. After four weeks, she’d had enough.
In recent weeks, Kouskoulas says she senses the “quietness in the economy” that existed a few month ago has lifted and there are more opportunities. But she also worries some employers will be consolidating roles, producing fewer jobs with more responsibilities.
She’s prepared, too, for what she expects will be “a long haul.”
“At the end of the day,” she says, “the only person who’s going to get me out of this is me.”
• • •
Uncertainty ripples outward. There are so many things that, because of it, simply can’t be done.
It spreads to those who’ve permanently lost jobs as well as furloughed workers wondering if they’ll be called back. “People may tell you to retrain,” says Gimbel, the economist. “What are you supposed to retrain for? You don’t know what the economy is going to look like. Everyone is frozen because it’s so unclear how the situation is going to evolve.”
And long-term planning? Even murkier — impossible, really, says Adam Ozimek, chief economist at Upwork.
“We don’t know whether at the end of the year there are going to be 15 million people without a job or 5 million people,” he says. “From top to bottom, every single person in the economy is affected by this uncertainty in one way or another.”
Job uncertainty is new for Flint, 53, the travel agent. She’s never been unemployed, and it’s “doubly scary,” she says, because she’s single. Her furlough is up at the end of October, but there’s no guarantee she won’t be laid off before then. Every week, she sends out fresh resumes from her home in Galveston, Texas. And every day, she fends off scam artists who call with bogus job offers as they try to ferret out her private information.
“I’ve had anxiety that I’ve never had before. I’ve even had panic attacks. I’ve had crazy dreams of zombies,” she says. “It has worn on me.”
For Micah Anderson, the uncertainty has been the hardest part — “having zero idea of what next week is going to even look like.”
“I’m the type of person who, if I if I have an idea of what I’m facing, I can try to make a plan that makes sense,” Anderson says. “But you don’t really know what it is you need to do.”
“You just have no clue. You make decisions the best you can. And you hope that they turn out OK.”
Contributing to this report were Desiree Mathurin and Haleluya Hadero in Atlanta.


thedenverpost--2020-08-10--Three Points: Rapids look to solidify identity in critical six-game stretch

The Colorado Rapids will resume their regular season in a little less than two weeks with a shot at ending a three-year postseason drought .
A strong start followed by a disappointing showing at the MLS is Back Tournament leaves little clarity about just how legitimate that chance is — even with an expanded bracket .
Here ’ s what we ’ ll be watching once the regular season resumes : The Rapids ’ schedule is expected to consist of 18 more games , six of which were announced Saturday .
Those six all come against Western Conference opponents and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cup .
Colorado lost 2-0 to Real Salt Lake in an uninspiring opener in Florida , but the Rapids are looking to win their rivalry for the first time since 2015 .
“ We were bitterly disappointed with the performance against Salt Lake , ” Rapids general manager Padraig Smith said .
“ The players are going to be absolutely determined to put that right.
” The Rapids also have a game against first-place Sporting Kansas City , who beat them 3-2 in a highly contentious match in Orlando .
Sporting made a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Alan Pulido , and it seems to have paid off .
A sneaky match to look out for is against San Jose .
The Earthquakes had a run of crazy games in Florida , with Matías Almeyda ’ s group displaying a dangerous attack en route to the quarterfinals .
FC Dallas has not played since March after getting booted from the Florida “ bubble ” due to a COVID-19 outbreak .
It ’ s anyone ’ s guess what they will be after nearly six months off .
The Houston Dynamo have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Los Angeles Galaxy twice and LAFC once .
They have a capable offense but generally have struggled .
These six games could go a long way in determining what happens on Decision Day , currently set for Nov. 8 .
At the very least , it will kick off a brutal stretch that will include 18 games in 78 days .
“ We ’ re looking forward to getting back and proving that we can build on the wonderful start we had ( in February and March ) and the wonderful final @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Smith said .
When the Rapids last played they still had yet to find the right mix of attacking players .
Both Kei Kamara and Diego Rubio scored double-digit goals in 2019 .
Kamara has two in five games so far this season , but the veteran ’ s play seems to have taken a step back .
That opens the door for Rubio or reigning MLS Rookie of the Year Andre Shinyashiki to take over at striker .
Kamara could become expendable , especially with Jonathan Lewis making a strong @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has produced a goal or assist every 90 minutes since joining the Rapids in May of 2019 .
Offseason pickups Nicolas Benezet and Yonies Namli have settled into roles and shown flashes , while it ’ s unclear what roles Braian Galván and Nicolás Mezquida will play .
This group alone could push the Rapids into the playoffs .
They ’ re highly skilled and deep .
But it ’ s also the part of the field with the most intrigue .
“ Ultimately what the depth does is provide the ability to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
“ But ultimately the depth is no good if we don ’ t get the results that we need.
” Both Dallas and Nashville never got a chance to compete in the bubble due to an outbreak .
As is being seen in Major League Baseball now , health is having as much of an impact as performance .
The onus will be on the teams themselves in this next phase .
Playing during a pandemic has its challenges , and one of them is financial .
Where local guidelines allow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of fans at the games .
For now , the Rapids are not one of those teams , but they are examining the feasibility for some point this season .

The Colorado Rapids will resume their regular season in a little less than two weeks with a shot at ending a three-year postseason drought.
A strong start followed by a disappointing showing at the MLS is Back Tournament leaves little clarity about just how legitimate that chance is — even with an expanded bracket.
Here’s what we’ll be watching once the regular season resumes:
The meatgrinder
The Rapids’ schedule is expected to consist of 18 more games, six of which were announced Saturday.
Those six all come against Western Conference opponents and feature two legs of the Rocky Mountain Cup. Colorado lost 2-0 to Real Salt Lake in an uninspiring opener in Florida, but the Rapids are looking to win their rivalry for the first time since 2015.
“We were bitterly disappointed with the performance against Salt Lake,” Rapids general manager Padraig Smith said. “The players are going to be absolutely determined to put that right.”
The Rapids also have a game against first-place Sporting Kansas City, who beat them 3-2 in a highly contentious match in Orlando. Sporting made a big splash this offseason adding Mexican forward Alan Pulido, and it seems to have paid off.
A sneaky match to look out for is against San Jose. The Earthquakes had a run of crazy games in Florida, with Matías Almeyda’s group displaying a dangerous attack en route to the quarterfinals.
FC Dallas has not played since March after getting booted from the Florida “bubble” due to a COVID-19 outbreak. It’s anyone’s guess what they will be after nearly six months off.
The Houston Dynamo have shown they can be dangerous, drawing the Los Angeles Galaxy twice and LAFC once. They have a capable offense but generally have struggled.
These six games could go a long way in determining what happens on Decision Day, currently set for Nov. 8. At the very least, it will kick off a brutal stretch that will include 18 games in 78 days.
“We’re looking forward to getting back and proving that we can build on the wonderful start we had (in February and March) and the wonderful final five months that we had last year,” Smith said.
Forward Focus
When the Rapids last played they still had yet to find the right mix of attacking players.
Both Kei Kamara and Diego Rubio scored double-digit goals in 2019. Kamara has two in five games so far this season, but the veteran’s play seems to have taken a step back. That opens the door for Rubio or reigning MLS Rookie of the Year Andre Shinyashiki to take over at striker.
Kamara could become expendable, especially with Jonathan Lewis making a strong case for more minutes. The winger has produced a goal or assist every 90 minutes since joining the Rapids in May of 2019.
Offseason pickups Nicolas Benezet and Yonies Namli have settled into roles and shown flashes, while it’s unclear what roles Braian Galván and Nicolás Mezquida will play.
This group alone could push the Rapids into the playoffs. They’re highly skilled and deep. But it’s also the part of the field with the most intrigue.
“Ultimately what the depth does is provide the ability to change things as required,” Smith said. “But ultimately the depth is no good if we don’t get the results that we need.”
COVID Concerns
Both Dallas and Nashville never got a chance to compete in the bubble due to an outbreak. As is being seen in Major League Baseball now, health is having as much of an impact as performance. The onus will be on the teams themselves in this next phase.
Playing during a pandemic has its challenges, and one of them is financial. Where local guidelines allow, there will be a limited number of fans at the games. For now, the Rapids are not one of those teams, but they are examining the feasibility for some point this season.
Rapids schedule


thedenverpost--2020-08-10--Denver weather: Mostly sunny with possible showers late in the metro area

It ’ s going to be another sunny one in Denver Monday with a high reaching 87 , according to @ @ @ @ @ Temperatures will cool to 62 at night with a 20 % chance of showers or @ @ @ @ @ p.m .
Winds could gust to 18 mph .
It gets hotter on Tuesday with @ @ @ @ @ There ’ s a 10 % chance of rain after 1 p.m .
The low @ @ @ @ @ temperatures will continue through the week with highs around 94 on Wednesday , Thursday and @ @

It’s going to be another sunny one in Denver Monday with a high reaching 87, according to the National Weather Service.
Temperatures will cool to 62 at night with a 20% chance of showers or thunderstorms between 7 and 11 p.m. Winds could gust to 18 mph.
It gets hotter on Tuesday with a high of 93. There’s a 10% chance of rain after 1 p.m. The low will be 63.
Hot temperatures will continue through the week with highs around 94 on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.


thedenverpost--2020-08-10--Ask Amy: Former student reacts to race-based game

Dear Amy : With knowledge comes broader perspective .
I am a person of color .
While studying for my Ph.D. in clinical psychology , I have realized that many things about my upbringing were wrong .
In light of the social environment at the moment , the actions of one teacher hang heavy in my heart and mind .
In elementary school , we played a game in gym .
It was an obstacle course on floor scooters , and we played it in the dark .
It was a huge hit , and everyone loved it .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in February , Black History Month , and the game was called The Underground Railroad .
Everyone I mention this to says how wrong this was .
But I remain confused as to why it was allowed in a supposedly progressive community .
It minimized what this nation has put black people through , and made it into a children ’ s game .
Most people don ’ t fully understand the profound impact that constant invalidation can have on the psyche .
The teacher who led the game now teaches high school @ @ @ @ @ @ @ continues to minimize the suffering of those this nation has held down .
I don ’ t know the most effective way of dealing with this , I know it needs to be addressed .
Dear Making Change : When I was a kid , we played “ Cowboys and Indians , ” featuring some truly outlandish , ignorant ( and , I assume despicable ) depictions of Native Americans .
Granted , this game wasn ’ t used as a teaching tool in the schools , but I use it as one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country can look back — and cringe at the racism that has infused our culture , since way before our nation ’ s founding .
We need only look at the pace of awareness and change over the last year or so to realize that we are in the midst of a reckoning .
It is real and it is painful , and while this change might seem sudden , it has been happening in incremental ways for several generations .
I ’ d like to return to Maya Angelou , whose wisdom @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : “ I did then what I knew to do .
Now that I know better , I do better.
” You said as much yourself : “ With knowledge comes broader perspective.
” I think it would be both helpful and useful if you wrote a letter to your alma mater , outlining your experience as a student there .
You could use this letter to call out this particular teacher for minimizing the experience of escaping slaves by turning it into a game , but — this is obviously a bigger @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” nature of this example does not make it any more acceptable , but perhaps this teacher has grown over time — along with so many others .
As a scholar , you have much to offer to guide this conversation .
Dear Amy : In the past month , I have gotten engaged to the love of my life !
With the ongoing COVID crisis happening , and my sister ’ s health deteriorating quickly , we are planning a small ceremony at the end of the summer .
The problem is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seem to understand social distancing !
I spend time with my sister every day , and although I am not high risk myself , I have to protect her .
How can I get my in-laws to understand ( without hurting anyone ’ s feelings ) that although I want them to be there to celebrate with us , if they are going to give us hugs , I would rather they stay home ?
Dear Confused : You should provide all of your guests with guidelines regarding how to manage this happy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of you ( including them , of course ) .
And I hate to be a killjoy , but you and your intended should also seriously consider hosting a completely private ceremony ( with just the two of you and clergy ) , with a larger inclusive celebration to be held after the greatest health risk has passed .
I have read too many accounts of benign celebration gatherings that have developed sometimes tragic and heartbreaking outcomes .
The risk is magnified when people travel and don ’ t adhere to mask wearing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Reluctant Mom , ” who was concerned about traveling to her daughter ’ s wedding out of state could offer to pay for a videographer to set up online viewing of the ceremony for mom and others who can ’ t attend in person .
It won ’ t replace the whole experience but would provide an opportunity to participate .

Dear Amy: With knowledge comes broader perspective. I am a person of color. While studying for my Ph.D. in clinical psychology, I have realized that many things about my upbringing were wrong. In light of the social environment at the moment, the actions of one teacher hang heavy in my heart and mind.
In elementary school, we played a game in gym. It was an obstacle course on floor scooters, and we played it in the dark. It was a huge hit, and everyone loved it. The problem is that we would play it in February, Black History Month, and the game was called The Underground Railroad.
Everyone I mention this to says how wrong this was. But I remain confused as to why it was allowed in a supposedly progressive community. It minimized what this nation has put black people through, and made it into a children’s game. Most people don’t fully understand the profound impact that constant invalidation can have on the psyche.
The teacher who led the game now teaches high school U.S. history. I fear that he continues to minimize the suffering of those this nation has held down. I don’t know the most effective way of dealing with this, I know it needs to be addressed.
— Making Change
Dear Making Change: When I was a kid, we played “Cowboys and Indians,” featuring some truly outlandish, ignorant (and, I assume despicable) depictions of Native Americans. Granted, this game wasn’t used as a teaching tool in the schools, but I use it as one example of how every generation in this country can look back — and cringe at the racism that has infused our culture, since way before our nation’s founding.
We need only look at the pace of awareness and change over the last year or so to realize that we are in the midst of a reckoning. It is real and it is painful, and while this change might seem sudden, it has been happening in incremental ways for several generations.
I’d like to return to Maya Angelou, whose wisdom turns up quite often in this space: “I did then what I knew to do. Now that I know better, I do better.”
You said as much yourself: “With knowledge comes broader perspective.”
I think it would be both helpful and useful if you wrote a letter to your alma mater, outlining your experience as a student there. You could use this letter to call out this particular teacher for minimizing the experience of escaping slaves by turning it into a game, but — this is obviously a bigger, systemic issue. The “casual” nature of this example does not make it any more acceptable, but perhaps this teacher has grown over time — along with so many others.
As a scholar, you have much to offer to guide this conversation.
Dear Amy: In the past month, I have gotten engaged to the love of my life!
With the ongoing COVID crisis happening, and my sister’s health deteriorating quickly, we are planning a small ceremony at the end of the summer.
The problem is, my future in-laws don’t seem to understand social distancing!
I spend time with my sister every day, and although I am not high risk myself, I have to protect her.
How can I get my in-laws to understand (without hurting anyone’s feelings) that although I want them to be there to celebrate with us, if they are going to give us hugs, I would rather they stay home?
— Engaged and Confused
Dear Confused: You should provide all of your guests with guidelines regarding how to manage this happy occasion, while minimizing risk to all of you (including them, of course).
And I hate to be a killjoy, but you and your intended should also seriously consider hosting a completely private ceremony (with just the two of you and clergy), with a larger inclusive celebration to be held after the greatest health risk has passed.
I have read too many accounts of benign celebration gatherings that have developed sometimes tragic and heartbreaking outcomes. The risk is magnified when people travel and don’t adhere to mask wearing and distancing guidelines.
Dear Amy: “Reluctant Mom,” who was concerned about traveling to her daughter’s wedding out of state could offer to pay for a videographer to set up online viewing of the ceremony for mom and others who can’t attend in person.
It won’t replace the whole experience but would provide an opportunity to participate.
— A Reader
Dear Reader: Great suggestion!
(You can email Amy Dickinson at askamy@amydickinson.com or send a letter to Ask Amy, P.O. Box 194, Freeville, NY 13068. You can also follow her on Twitter @askingamy or Facebook.)


thedenverpost--2020-08-11--Denver City Council votes to put pit bull ban repeal on November ballot

The once-scorned Denver City Councilman Chris Herndon proposed a second time to repeal the city ’ s ban on pit bulls , though this attempt requires voter approval .
The council voted to send a repeal measure to the city ’ s Nov. 3 ballot .
A second vote is needed before the measure ’ s spot on the ballot is cemented .
Only Councilwoman Debbie Ortega voted against placing the measure on the ballot .
“ This is one that ’ s been through the courts and has been around for a long time and I ’ m just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ballot , ” Ortega said .
City Council voted to repeal the ban earlier this year on a razor-thin margin , but the group didn ’ t have enough votes to overcome Mayor Michael Hancock ’ s veto .
Herndon has argued , vehemently , that dog bite data shows no one breed is more prone to attacking humans than any other .
Breed-specific legislation only drives pit bull owners into the shadows , he has said .
The same as with Herndon ’ s earlier proposal , ballot measure which would repeal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ require owners to register the dog , provide two emergency contacts , a description of the animal and proof that it has been microchipped and properly vaccinated .
In essence , each pit bull would be allowed on a restricted license .
If there are no attacks , instances of animal cruelty , fighting or other problems for three years , the restricted license would be removed and the pit bulls would be licensed in the same way as any other breed , the measure says .
Owners would also be limited to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an annual fee .
While Herndon has defended his proposed repeal , others weren ’ t so sure it would be safe .
Among them was Hancock , who said he remained fearful of irresponsible pet owners rather than those who would follow the proposed rules .

The once-scorned Denver City Councilman Chris Herndon proposed a second time to repeal the city’s ban on pit bulls, though this attempt requires voter approval.
The council voted to send a repeal measure to the city’s Nov. 3 ballot. A second vote is needed before the measure’s spot on the ballot is cemented.
Only Councilwoman Debbie Ortega voted against placing the measure on the ballot.
“This is one that’s been through the courts and has been around for a long time and I’m just not supportive of putting it on the ballot,” Ortega said.
City Council voted to repeal the ban earlier this year on a razor-thin margin, but the group didn’t have enough votes to overcome Mayor Michael Hancock’s veto.
Herndon has argued, vehemently, that dog bite data shows no one breed is more prone to attacking humans than any other. Breed-specific legislation only drives pit bull owners into the shadows, he has said.
The same as with Herndon’s earlier proposal, ballot measure which would repeal Denver’s pit bull ban would require owners to register the dog, provide two emergency contacts, a description of the animal and proof that it has been microchipped and properly vaccinated.
In essence, each pit bull would be allowed on a restricted license. If there are no attacks, instances of animal cruelty, fighting or other problems for three years, the restricted license would be removed and the pit bulls would be licensed in the same way as any other breed, the measure says.
Owners would also be limited to two pit bulls per home and pay an annual fee.
While Herndon has defended his proposed repeal, others weren’t so sure it would be safe. Among them was Hancock, who said he remained fearful of irresponsible pet owners rather than those who would follow the proposed rules.


thedenverpost--2020-08-11--Keeler: If CU Buffs, Pac-12 play football this fall, the jig is up. It’s all about money, not studen

Keeler: If CU Buffs, Pac-12 play football this fall, the jig is up. It’s all about money, not student safety.

Does the tail wag the dog ?
The CU Buffs have to decide .
You have to decide .
Are we an institution of higher learning that also plays football ?
Or a football program that just happens to have this massive academic wing attached for ballast ?
CSU , where the dumpsters won ’ t stop burning and the lawyers can ’ t stop circling , bailed on fall 2020 Monday .
The Mountain West just joined the Mid-American Conference on the spring football bandwagon .
Plenty of good seats still available .
“ As the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ athletic director Joe Parker said via a statement , “ we have always stressed that the health and safety of our student-athletes and community at large is the most important factor driving our decision-making processes.
” “ I know where our university president stands , ” Frost , Nebraska ’ s football coach , told reporters Monday , referring to Huskers boss Walter E. Carter Jr. “ And he wants to play.
” CSU football produced $ 20.1 million in department revenue while raking in $ 1.1 million in TV rights dollars from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Nebraska made $ 59.8 million in football revenue and collected $ 50 million in TV loot from the Big Ten over that same window .
The bigger the fish , the higher the stakes .
We get that .
“ People need to understand the carnage and aftermath of what college athletics looks like , ” Frost continued , “ if we don ’ t play.
” “ Carnage ?
” Carnage ?
As opposed to the “ carnage ” of 163,000 American deaths tied to COVID-19 as of Monday afternoon ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ speaking Gundy ?
DiStefano , the Buffs ’ chancellor , and his Pac-12 peers are expected to vote Tuesday on whether they ’ re going to delay the inevitable — no college football this fall — or try to find another alley down which they can kick the can .
If they push on , the way the White House and Joel Klatt want them to push on , then the jig is up .
Forever .
It was always about the money .
Frost insists his players are safer on campus than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that may well be true .
But no one ’ s advocating sending all his kids home , either , at least not at this point .
Or that they spend an autumn devoid of purpose .
They ’ re in Lincoln to learn , right ?
To advance toward a degree , correct ?
Wait .
Why are you snickering ?
The NCAA came up with the notion , its air-tight legal defense , seven decades ago that these are students .
Not employees .
Not entertainers .
Not contractors signed up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ athletics arm of the university infrastructure .
Students .
So teach them something , Scott .
Tell them about Brady Feeney .
Kid ’ s a lineman at Indiana .
That same Indiana team that beat your Huskers in Lincoln last October for the first time in 60 years .
Feeney ’ s a 325-pound freshman from St. Louis .
He got to campus over the summer and tested positive for the coronavirus .
COVID knocked him to the ER for 14 days and now his mother , Deborah Rucker , says her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He is still experiencing additional symptoms and his blood work is indicating additional problems , ” Rucker wrote on Facebook .
“ Bottom line , even if your son ’ s schools do everything right to protect them , they CAN ’ T PROTECT THEM !
!
” Show them ESPN ’ s report on myocarditis , an inflammation of the heart muscle that ’ s allegedly been found in current FBS athletes , an ailment scientists say is caused by viral infections .
“ I ’ m passionate about this because our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Monday .
“ I ’ m not a doctor and I don ’ t understand a lot of these things .
The medical experts that we ’ re leaning on are the ones that are guiding our decision.
” Does the tail wag the dog ?
Football is a university ’ s front porch .
It ’ s the first thing every reporter or booster or policy wonk hears from an athletic director whenever somebody starts complaining that Coach McChuckles makes too much bread .
Or points out that every football locker @ @ @ @ @ @ @ PlayStation 5 and vibrating massage chair .
When a tornado hits , the front porch is often the first to go .
And COVID is the logistical disaster that none of us were quite prepared for .
Big-time college athletics , least of all .
The difference between now and 1918 — the last time a virus messed up a football season something fierce — is the size and the bilge of the athletic departments trying to navigate the storm .
Alabama football coach Nick Saban currently has 13 “ football analysts ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Why ?
Because he can .
This beast got very bloated , very wealthy and very , very , very fat .
You ’ re threatening to cut off its food supply .
It ’ s panicking .
The tail grew spikes , and now it ’ s whipping the body of the poor mutt attached to it .
Departmental revenues can be recouped .
Porches can be rebuilt .
Lives can ’ t .

Simple question, Phil DiStefano:
Does the tail wag the dog?
The CU Buffs have to decide. You have to decide. Are we an institution of higher learning that also plays football? Or a football program that just happens to have this massive academic wing attached for ballast?
CSU, where the dumpsters won’t stop burning and the lawyers can’t stop circling, bailed on fall 2020 Monday. The Mountain West just joined the Mid-American Conference on the spring football bandwagon. Plenty of good seats still available.
“As the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic has altered our landscape,” Rams athletic director Joe Parker said via a statement, “we have always stressed that the health and safety of our student-athletes and community at large is the most important factor driving our decision-making processes.”
Isn’t that right, Scott Frost?
“I know where our university president stands,” Frost, Nebraska’s football coach, told reporters Monday, referring to Huskers boss Walter E. Carter Jr. “And he wants to play.”
CSU football produced $20.1 million in department revenue while raking in $1.1 million in TV rights dollars from the MW during the 2018-19 fiscal year. Nebraska made $59.8 million in football revenue and collected $50 million in TV loot from the Big Ten over that same window. The bigger the fish, the higher the stakes. We get that.
“People need to understand the carnage and aftermath of what college athletics looks like,” Frost continued, “if we don’t play.”
“Carnage?” Carnage? As opposed to the “carnage” of 163,000 American deaths tied to COVID-19 as of Monday afternoon?
When did everybody on this planet start speaking Gundy?
DiStefano, the Buffs’ chancellor, and his Pac-12 peers are expected to vote Tuesday on whether they’re going to delay the inevitable — no college football this fall — or try to find another alley down which they can kick the can.
If they push on, the way the White House and Joel Klatt want them to push on, then the jig is up. Forever.
The tail wags the dog.
It’s about the money.
It was always about the money.
Frost insists his players are safer on campus than at home. In some cases, that may well be true. But no one’s advocating sending all his kids home, either, at least not at this point. Or that they spend an autumn devoid of purpose.
They’re in Lincoln to learn, right? To advance toward a degree, correct?
Wait. Why are you snickering?
The NCAA came up with the notion, its air-tight legal defense, seven decades ago that these are students. Not employees. Not entertainers. Not contractors signed up to service the lucrative, financially independent athletics arm of the university infrastructure. Students.
So teach them something, Scott.
Tell them about Brady Feeney. Kid’s a lineman at Indiana. That same Indiana team that beat your Huskers in Lincoln last October for the first time in 60 years.
Feeney’s a 325-pound freshman from St. Louis. He got to campus over the summer and tested positive for the coronavirus. COVID knocked him to the hospital for 14 days and now his mother, Deborah Rucker, says her giant is battling heart problems.
“He is still experiencing additional symptoms and his blood work is indicating additional problems,” Rucker wrote on Facebook. “Bottom line, even if your son’s schools do everything right to protect them, they CAN’T PROTECT THEM!!”
Show them ESPN’s report on myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscle that’s allegedly been found in current FBS athletes, an ailment scientists say is caused by viral infections.
“I’m passionate about this because our guys want to play,” Frost said Monday. “I’m not a doctor and I don’t understand a lot of these things. The medical experts that we’re leaning on are the ones that are guiding our decision.”
Who’s running this campus, Walt?
You? Or Frost?
Does the tail wag the dog?
Football is a university’s front porch. It’s the first thing every reporter or booster or policy wonk hears from an athletic director whenever somebody starts complaining that Coach McChuckles makes too much bread. Or points out that every football locker doesn’t necessarily require its own PlayStation 5 and vibrating massage chair.
When a tornado hits, the front porch is often the first to go.
And COVID is the logistical disaster that none of us were quite prepared for. Big-time college athletics, least of all.
The difference between now and 1918 — the last time a virus messed up a football season something fierce — is the size and the bilge of the athletic departments trying to navigate the storm.
Alabama football coach Nick Saban currently has 13 “football analysts” — 13! — on his payroll.
Why? Because he can.
This beast got very bloated, very wealthy and very, very, very fat. You’re threatening to cut off its food supply. It’s panicking. The tail grew spikes, and now it’s whipping the body of the poor mutt attached to it.
Departmental revenues can be recouped. Porches can be rebuilt. Lives can’t.


thedenverpost--2020-08-11--Rockies’ Kyle Freeland: “We’re pitching with a chip on our shoulder”

You ’ ve got to love Kyle Freeland .
The guy sure puts himself out there .
The Rockies ’ left-hander , who appears to be rebounding in a big way from his disastrous 2019 season , is not shy about espousing his belief in himself and his fellow starters .
He also holds a bit of a grudge , which is not a bad thing for an ultra-competitive pro athlete such as Freeland .
“ Like I ’ ve said before , I think this pitching staff is pitching with a chip on its shoulder , ” said Freeland @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2.41 ERA into Tuesday night ’ s game vs. Arizona at Coors Field .
“ We took ( last year ) personally .
For me , especially , I ’ m very much pitching with a chip on my shoulder and want to prove that last year was nothing but a fluke.
” Well , let ’ s not sugarcoat things .
Colorado ’ s starting pitching last season was bad , as illustrated by a 5.56 ERA that was the third-highest in franchise history and the highest since posting a 6.01 ERA @ @ @ @ @ @ @ humidor was installed in the bowels of Coors Field .
Freeland , who went 17-7 with a 2.85 ERA in 2018 , did a 180-degree turn , going 3-11 with a 6.73 ERA in 2019 .
So far this season , Freeland has earned the right to say , “ I told you so.
” Entering Monday night ’ s game against the Diamondbacks , with right-hander Jon Gray on the mound , Colorado was 11-4 and its starters had a combined 2.65 ERA , which ranked second in the National League and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are having a ton of fun , ” Freeland said .
“ We are feeding off each other and we are executing our game plans to the best of our abilities .
We are keeping teams off-balance.
” What does manager Bud Black think about his guys carrying a giant chip on their pitching shoulders ?
“ I love it .
I think it ’ s great , ” he said .
“ I ’ ve told them privately what I think about their talent.
” And Black believes his starters deserve a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ 18 when we led the National League in innings pitched out of the starting rotation , that didn ’ t seem to get talked about a lot , ” Black said .
“ Kyle got his fair share of acclaim , obviously , for finishing fourth in the Cy Young.
” Black , however , is perplexed that right-hander German Marquez didn ’ t get much attention last year .
Marquez led the NL in innings pitched ( 174 ) , was tied for fifth in wins ( 12 ) and ranked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he was shut down Aug. 26 because of right arm inflammation .
“ If you check the numbers last year , he was right there with the big boys , ” Black said .
“ Nationally , over the last couple of years , ( the starters ) just haven ’ t gotten a lot of credit — which is fine .
But these guys know how good they are and I like the mindset of proving to people that they are a good rotation.
” Top of the order .
Center fielder @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as the leadoff hitter , has been scuffling ( .246 average ) and has subsequently dropped toward the bottom of the order .
He hit seventh Monday night , but he went 2-for-4 with an RBI in Colorado ’ s loss at Seattle on Sunday , a hint that he might be getting back on track .
If he does , Black said Dahl could find himself at the top of the order again .
“ It was good to see David hit the ball up the middle and over the shortstop ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ I think we have seen David try and pull the ball too much .
He ’ s been trying not to get beat on fastballs and on pitches inside , and I think it ’ s cost him the outside of the plate a little bit .
“ But if he continues to stay on the ball , like he did yesterday , we would like to get David as many at-bats as possible .
And leading off gets him the most , so we ’ ll see.
” Footnotes .
Black @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shoulder ) and Chi Chi Gonzalez ( biceps tendonitis ) have not begun throwing yet .
… Entering Monday , the Rockies had scored five or more runs in 11 games this season , tied with San Diego for the most such games in the majors .
Freeland has become the Rockies ’ most versatile pitcher , at least in terms of mixing pitches .
He enters his fourth start of the season throwing his changeup 31 % of the time , up dramatically from 11.3 % in his difficult 2019 season .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ his games this season and opponents are batting just .219 against him .
The left-hander is 3-4 with a 5.57 ERA in 12 career starts vs. Arizona and is 1-3 with a 7.12 ERA in seven starts vs. the D-Backs at Coors Field .
Gallen pitched a quality start his last time out against Houston , allowing two runs on six hits and fanning seven over six innings .
Gallen has just one career start at Coors Field , that coming on Aug. 13 , 2019 , when he allowed two runs over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a little wild , walking five batters in his first start .
In his past two starts , however , the right-hander has only issued two walks .
Trending : The D-Backs entered Monday night ’ s game having hit nine home runs over their past five games .
They launched just two homers in their first 11 games .
At issue : Colorado outfielder Raimel Tapia , hitting just .133 , had not started since last Wednesday , in part because the Rockies faced a lot of left-handed pitching .
The addition @ @ @ @ @ @ @ provides power from the right side of the plate , has made Tapia more expendable .

You’ve got to love Kyle Freeland. The guy sure puts himself out there.
The Rockies’ left-hander, who appears to be rebounding in a big way from his disastrous 2019 season, is not shy about espousing his belief in himself and his fellow starters. He also holds a bit of a grudge, which is not a bad thing for an ultra-competitive pro athlete such as Freeland.
“Like I’ve said before, I think this pitching staff is pitching with a chip on its shoulder,” said Freeland, who takes a 2-0 record and 2.41 ERA into Tuesday night’s game vs. Arizona at Coors Field. “We took (last year) personally. For me, especially, I’m very much pitching with a chip on my shoulder and want to prove that last year was nothing but a fluke.”
Well, let’s not sugarcoat things. Colorado’s starting pitching last season was bad, as illustrated by a 5.56 ERA that was the third-highest in franchise history and the highest since posting a 6.01 ERA in 1999 — three years before the humidor was installed in the bowels of Coors Field. Freeland, who went 17-7 with a 2.85 ERA in 2018, did a 180-degree turn, going 3-11 with a 6.73 ERA in 2019.
So far this season, Freeland has earned the right to say, “I told you so.”
Entering Monday night’s game against the Diamondbacks, with right-hander Jon Gray on the mound, Colorado was 11-4 and its starters had a combined 2.65 ERA, which ranked second in the National League and third in the majors.
“We are having a ton of fun,” Freeland said. “We are feeding off each other and we are executing our game plans to the best of our abilities. We are keeping teams off-balance.”
What does manager Bud Black think about his guys carrying a giant chip on their pitching shoulders?
“I love it. I think it’s great,” he said. “I’ve told them privately what I think about their talent.”
And Black believes his starters deserve a little more respect.
“Even in ’18 when we led the National League in innings pitched out of the starting rotation, that didn’t seem to get talked about a lot,” Black said. “Kyle got his fair share of acclaim, obviously, for finishing fourth in the Cy Young.”
Black, however, is perplexed that right-hander German Marquez didn’t get much attention last year. Marquez led the NL in innings pitched (174), was tied for fifth in wins (12) and ranked ninth in strikeouts (175) before he was shut down Aug. 26 because of right arm inflammation.
“If you check the numbers last year, he was right there with the big boys,” Black said. “Nationally, over the last couple of years, (the starters) just haven’t gotten a lot of credit — which is fine. But these guys know how good they are and I like the mindset of proving to people that they are a good rotation.”
Top of the order. Center fielder David Dahl, who opened the season as the leadoff hitter, has been scuffling (.246 average) and has subsequently dropped toward the bottom of the order. He hit seventh Monday night, but he went 2-for-4 with an RBI in Colorado’s loss at Seattle on Sunday, a hint that he might be getting back on track. If he does, Black said Dahl could find himself at the top of the order again.
“It was good to see David hit the ball up the middle and over the shortstop’s head,” Black said. “I think we have seen David try and pull the ball too much. He’s been trying not to get beat on fastballs and on pitches inside, and I think it’s cost him the outside of the plate a little bit.
“But if he continues to stay on the ball, like he did yesterday, we would like to get David as many at-bats as possible. And leading off gets him the most, so we’ll see.”
Footnotes. Black said that right-handers Wade Davis (strained shoulder) and Chi Chi Gonzalez (biceps tendonitis) have not begun throwing yet. … Entering Monday, the Rockies had scored five or more runs in 11 games this season, tied with San Diego for the most such games in the majors.
On Deck
Diamondbacks RHP Zac Gallen (0-0, 2.81 ERA) at Rockies LHP Kyle Freeland (2-0, 2.41 ERA)
6:40 p.m. Tuesday, Coors Field
TV: AT&T SportsNet
Radio: KOA 850 AM/94.1 FM
Freeland has become the Rockies’ most versatile pitcher, at least in terms of mixing pitches. He enters his fourth start of the season throwing his changeup 31% of the time, up dramatically from 11.3% in his difficult 2019 season. The Rockies have won all three of his games this season and opponents are batting just .219 against him. The left-hander is 3-4 with a 5.57 ERA in 12 career starts vs. Arizona and is 1-3 with a 7.12 ERA in seven starts vs. the D-Backs at Coors Field. Gallen pitched a quality start his last time out against Houston, allowing two runs on six hits and fanning seven over six innings. Gallen has just one career start at Coors Field, that coming on Aug. 13, 2019, when he allowed two runs over four innings. Gallen opened the season a little wild, walking five batters in his first start. In his past two starts, however, the right-hander has only issued two walks.
Trending: The D-Backs entered Monday night’s game having hit nine home runs over their past five games. They launched just two homers in their first 11 games.
At issue: Colorado outfielder Raimel Tapia, hitting just .133, had not started since last Wednesday, in part because the Rockies faced a lot of left-handed pitching. The addition of veteran slugger Matt Kemp, who provides power from the right side of the plate, has made Tapia more expendable.
Pitching probables
Wednesday: Diamondback RHP Luke Weaver (0-3, 12.19) at Rockies RHP Antonio Senzatela (3-0, 2.65), 1:10 p.m., ATTRM
Thursday: Off
Friday: Rangers RHP Kolby Allard (0-0, 1.00) at Rockies RHP German Marquez (2-2, 2.08), 6:40 p.m., ATTRM


thedenverpost--2020-08-11--Colorado Springs police sergeant disciplined for comments on protest video

The Colorado Springs Police Department has disciplined an officer accused of calling for protesters to be killed in comments during a live social media broadcast .
Police Chief Vince Niski wrote in a letter to the community Monday that Sgt .
Keith Wrede was suspended for 40 hours , removed from his specialized unit and reassigned to a different position within the department .
KRDO-TV notified the department that it received a tip about commentary posted during a video stream of a Black Lives Matter demonstration in the city on June 30 .
Demonstrators blocked Interstate 25 for about 30 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ racial injustice and police brutality .
The tip alleged a Colorado Springs police sergeant used the pseudonym Steven Eric when posting comments including , “ KILL THEM ALL.
” Another post on the Facebook page included photos of the protest and called the Black Lives Matter organization a “ terrorist.
” The Facebook account has since been deleted , and a phone number for Wrede could not be found Monday .
“ We offer our organizational humility and a heartfelt apology to our entire community , ” Niski wrote in the letter .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ do not condone his actions , or attempt to minimize the severity of harm it has done in a time of rebuilding between law enforcement and the community.
” He pushed back on calls to fire Wrede , saying the sergeant has professionally served the community for 20 years , and the post was “ an isolated incident of an error in judgment.
” Wrede ’ s suspension resulted in about $ 2,000 in lost wages .

The Colorado Springs Police Department has disciplined an officer accused of calling for protesters to be killed in comments during a live social media broadcast.
Police Chief Vince Niski wrote in a letter to the community Monday that Sgt. Keith Wrede was suspended for 40 hours, removed from his specialized unit and reassigned to a different position within the department.
KRDO-TV notified the department that it received a tip about commentary posted during a video stream of a Black Lives Matter demonstration in the city on June 30. Demonstrators blocked Interstate 25 for about 30 minutes while calling for an end to racial injustice and police brutality.
The tip alleged a Colorado Springs police sergeant used the pseudonym Steven Eric when posting comments including, “KILL THEM ALL.” Another post on the Facebook page included photos of the protest and called the Black Lives Matter organization a “terrorist.”
The Facebook account has since been deleted, and a phone number for Wrede could not be found Monday.
“We offer our organizational humility and a heartfelt apology to our entire community,” Niski wrote in the letter. “Please make no mistake that I do not condone his actions, or attempt to minimize the severity of harm it has done in a time of rebuilding between law enforcement and the community.”
He pushed back on calls to fire Wrede, saying the sergeant has professionally served the community for 20 years, and the post was “an isolated incident of an error in judgment.”
Wrede’s suspension resulted in about $2,000 in lost wages.


thedenverpost--2020-08-11--RTD director proposes replacing armed security guards with social workers

The Regional Transportation District would cancel its contract with Allied Universal Security , whose guards assaulted a Denver artist , under a proposed resolution that seeks to remove most armed officers from trains and transit stations .
The move would be among the most drastic steps taken by a U.S. transit agency in response to activists ’ nationwide calls to defund police .
The resolution cites concern about security officers ’ run-ins with the homeless , people of color and other disadvantaged groups , and it would direct RTD to hire outreach workers — including professionals with mental-health training — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its first formal hearing at a committee on Tuesday , Director Shontel Lewis ’ proposal is drawing some skepticism on RTD ’ s elected board , as well as concerns about safety from the operators ’ union .
Lewis said she was motivated not only by the severe beating of Raverro Stinnett inside a Union Station bathroom in 2018 , but also by this summer ’ s demonstrations calling for law enforcement reform .
“ These interactions — maybe not to the degree that , unfortunately , Mr. Stinnett had to suffer — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Black communities and communities of color , ” said Lewis , who was elected later that year to represent a district that includes northeast Denver .
The resolution would set in motion the termination of Allied ’ s $ 22 million annual contract by the end of the year and the ending of agreements allowing officers with metro police departments to moonlight as security guards for RTD .
The transit system uses around 600 outside armed , uniformed officers , and the proposal would leave armed security to RTD ’ s dozen or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ proposal , if approved , also would kick off a two-year working group to evaluate RTD ’ s approach to security and recommend alternatives .
Depending on that guidance , it would direct RTD leaders to use the estimated $ 27 million spent each year on outside security for “ the expansion of mental , behavioral , and social supports , such as social workers , medical professionals , homeless outreach workers , transit ambassador/conductors , and any additional support identified , to respond to constituent interactions.
” It ’ s still unclear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 15 elected directors are on board with the idea .
The 5:30 p.m. remote meeting of the Operations & Customer Service Committee will be their first full discussion after some informal talks .
RTD Directors Kate Williams and Jeff Walker signed onto the resolution tentatively .
While Walker says he supports the general idea , the resolution still needs work .
“ It still has a lot to be desired .
It ’ s not done , ” said Walker , who represents southwest Denver and parts of adjacent suburbs .
“ But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the agenda because I think it warrants a discussion.
” The late-night beating of Stinnett , who was harassed while waiting to take a train home after spending the evening at a downtown gala , resulted in the firings of Allied guard James Hunter and colleagues who stood by .
Hunter and two other officers pleaded guilty to criminal charges in connection with the incident .
Stinnett sued Allied , RTD and the fired guards earlier this year and has given recent interviews to media outlets , including The Denver Post .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the incident , sought a gag order in U.S. District Court in Denver to prevent further public comments .
Since the assault , RTD says , it has revamped the Allied contract to improve oversight .
RTD spokesperson Pauletta Tonilas declined to comment on Lewis ’ resolution because it ’ s early in the board process .
But she said that aside from the “ egregious ” incident , Allied ’ s security officers fulfill a need , providing people not only to check tickets on trains but also to respond to situations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We have many police calls to our facilities every week , ” she said .
RTD has a mental health counselor who performs outreach work , and the agency has sought grant funding to hire more .
The agency also has been evaluating whether the second crew member required aboard commuter rail trains by federal regulations should be a security officer — the current practice — or another type of worker , Tonilas said .
Allied ’ s most recent contract took effect in mid-2019 and runs for three years .
It allows @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , without penalty .
On Monday , Lance Longenbohn , the president of the RTD operators ’ union , emailed Lewis and other directors to say he hoped the resolution would take a more balanced approach .
Instead , he wrote , “ it virtually removes all security , and I can not agree with that .
For several years now , assaults on operators have been on a steady increase on a nation-wide basis .
The threat of injury and — sadly — death has become a reality for our folks.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outside guards entirely might not be the best approach .
“ I know that not everybody is comfortable with the idea of not having armed security people out there , ” he said .
“ So maybe we don ’ t need as many.
” Asked about that concern , Lewis said she recognizes a need for a law-enforcement response to some incidents .
She suggested RTD ’ s small police force could handle that , in many cases .
“ My hope is not that we are ridding ourselves of security but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” she said .
“ That ’ s the intent of the resolution.
” Director Natalie Menten , whose district is in Jefferson County , says she ’ s open to the idea of reducing the scope of Allied ’ s contract , especially since RTD needs to save money .
But she has a larger concern .
“ We are not tasked with being a mental counseling organization ” by state law , she said .
“ We ’ ve got enough problems with the point A to point B that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ terms of providing transit service .
The committee could approve , amend or table the proposal Tuesday .
If it advances the resolution , the soonest it could appear on the board ’ s regular agenda is Aug. 18 .

The Regional Transportation District would cancel its contract with Allied Universal Security, whose guards assaulted a Denver artist, under a proposed resolution that seeks to remove most armed officers from trains and transit stations.
The move would be among the most drastic steps taken by a U.S. transit agency in response to activists’ nationwide calls to defund police. The resolution cites concern about security officers’ run-ins with the homeless, people of color and other disadvantaged groups, and it would direct RTD to hire outreach workers — including professionals with mental-health training — to replace them.
But ahead of its first formal hearing at a committee on Tuesday, Director Shontel Lewis’ proposal is drawing some skepticism on RTD’s elected board, as well as concerns about safety from the operators’ union.
Lewis said she was motivated not only by the severe beating of Raverro Stinnett inside a Union Station bathroom in 2018, but also by this summer’s demonstrations calling for law enforcement reform.
“These interactions — maybe not to the degree that, unfortunately, Mr. Stinnett had to suffer — happen quite often to communities, particularly Black communities and communities of color,” said Lewis, who was elected later that year to represent a district that includes northeast Denver.
The resolution would set in motion the termination of Allied’s $22 million annual contract by the end of the year and the ending of agreements allowing officers with metro police departments to moonlight as security guards for RTD. The transit system uses around 600 outside armed, uniformed officers, and the proposal would leave armed security to RTD’s dozen or so in-house transit police officers.
The proposal, if approved, also would kick off a two-year working group to evaluate RTD’s approach to security and recommend alternatives. Depending on that guidance, it would direct RTD leaders to use the estimated $27 million spent each year on outside security for “the expansion of mental, behavioral, and social supports, such as social workers, medical professionals, homeless outreach workers, transit ambassador/conductors, and any additional support identified, to respond to constituent interactions.”
It’s still unclear if a majority of RTD’s 15 elected directors are on board with the idea. The 5:30 p.m. remote meeting of the Operations & Customer Service Committee will be their first full discussion after some informal talks.
RTD Directors Kate Williams and Jeff Walker signed onto the resolution tentatively. While Walker says he supports the general idea, the resolution still needs work.
“It still has a lot to be desired. It’s not done,” said Walker, who represents southwest Denver and parts of adjacent suburbs. “But I signed onto it to put it on the agenda because I think it warrants a discussion.”
The late-night beating of Stinnett, who was harassed while waiting to take a train home after spending the evening at a downtown gala, resulted in the firings of Allied guard James Hunter and colleagues who stood by. Hunter and two other officers pleaded guilty to criminal charges in connection with the incident.
Stinnett sued Allied, RTD and the fired guards earlier this year and has given recent interviews to media outlets, including The Denver Post. Allied, which has expressed regret for the incident, sought a gag order in U.S. District Court in Denver to prevent further public comments.
On Friday, a judge denied that request.
Since the assault, RTD says, it has revamped the Allied contract to improve oversight.
RTD spokesperson Pauletta Tonilas declined to comment on Lewis’ resolution because it’s early in the board process. But she said that aside from the “egregious” incident, Allied’s security officers fulfill a need, providing people not only to check tickets on trains but also to respond to situations that affect riders’ safety.
“We have many police calls to our facilities every week,” she said.
RTD has a mental health counselor who performs outreach work, and the agency has sought grant funding to hire more. The agency also has been evaluating whether the second crew member required aboard commuter rail trains by federal regulations should be a security officer — the current practice — or another type of worker, Tonilas said.
Allied’s most recent contract took effect in mid-2019 and runs for three years. It allows RTD to terminate the agreement for convenience, without penalty.
On Monday, Lance Longenbohn, the president of the RTD operators’ union, emailed Lewis and other directors to say he hoped the resolution would take a more balanced approach.
Instead, he wrote, “it virtually removes all security, and I cannot agree with that. For several years now, assaults on operators have been on a steady increase on a nation-wide basis. The threat of injury and — sadly — death has become a reality for our folks.”
Walker, too, suggested that cutting outside guards entirely might not be the best approach.
“I know that not everybody is comfortable with the idea of not having armed security people out there,” he said. “So maybe we don’t need as many.”
Asked about that concern, Lewis said she recognizes a need for a law-enforcement response to some incidents. She suggested RTD’s small police force could handle that, in many cases.
“My hope is not that we are ridding ourselves of security but that we are thinking of security differently,” she said. “That’s the intent of the resolution.”
Director Natalie Menten, whose district is in Jefferson County, says she’s open to the idea of reducing the scope of Allied’s contract, especially since RTD needs to save money. But she has a larger concern.
“We are not tasked with being a mental counseling organization” by state law, she said. “We’ve got enough problems with the point A to point B that we were tasked with,” in terms of providing transit service.
The committee could approve, amend or table the proposal Tuesday. If it advances the resolution, the soonest it could appear on the board’s regular agenda is Aug. 18.