thedenverpost--2020-10-11--Drew Wilson an unsung hero for CU Buffs

Drew Wilson an unsung hero for CU Buffs

Now that the Colorado football team is back on the practice field for the first time since the end of the 2019 season , the value of having some continuity in the coaching staff is evident .
While head coach Karl Dorrell is new this season , his decision to retain four assistant coaches , including offensive coordinator Darrin Chiaverini and defensive coordinator Tyson Summers , eases the transition from a scheme and terminology standpoint .
Dorrell ’ s most important decision , however , may be the retention of strength and conditioning coordinator Drew Wilson and his staff .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ with players anyway , but as the Buffs and everyone else has dealt with the coronavirus pandemic over the past seven months , Wilson ’ s familiarity with the players and his knowledge of the program has been invaluable .
“ It ’ s extremely valuable , ” Dorrell said .
“ I ’ m glad you brought him up because I ’ ve been giving him kudos in front of the team and our staff for his dedication from his area and his staff of doing everything within the protocols that have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t been easy for the players or for Wilson .
After players were sent home in March , Wilson and his staff developed tailored workouts for the players to do at home .
Some didn ’ t have weights , but Wilson and the staff got creative in helping the players find other ways to stay in shape – pull-ups on trees , bench pressing siblings , pushing cars , etc .
In June , players returned for voluntary workouts , but only in cohort groups .
That was another adjustment for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after Boulder County issued an order on Sept. 24 to limit gatherings of 18-to-22-year-olds , they had to adjust again .
Individual workouts were allowed , so Wilson and the strength staff designed a schedule that allowed the players to get some work done .
“ When we had that time period where we only can work out one player at a time , he handled that and they had to work early mornings and late to the evenings , ” Dorrell said .
“ They did that for 10 days .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hero right now because he did the job and he didn ’ t bat an eye about it .
He knew we had to get ourselves ready – as ready as we can be for camp and there ’ s no question that those guys have done a great job with getting us to this point.
” Making the adjustments easier has been the fact that Wilson is so familiar with most of the players .
Although he ’ s still learning the newcomers , Wilson , who was hired Jan. 4 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ MacIntyre , is entering his fifth season with the program , so he ’ s learned the physical and nutritional needs of all of CU ’ s veteran players .
“ He had some familiarity with the guys and he ’ s been training him all offseason , all year , ” Dorrell said .
“ He understands the shortcomings with guys that have been in quarantine.
” On Sunday , the Buffs conducted their third practice of the preseason and they continue to do their best to prevent quarantine of player and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
CU players are staying at a local hotel for at least two weeks , an idea that Dorrell said was part of the agreement with Boulder County Public Health to let the team practice .
During practice , the Buffs aren ’ t limited in how many people can be on the field , but all the players wear neck gators and Dorrell said it ’ s required for players to pull the gator over their mouth and nose when they take a break between reps .
Despite their best efforts , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will need to be made by Wilson and the strength and conditioning staff .
CU doesn ’ t open its season until Nov. 7 .
College football and NFL teams that are already playing have dealt with game postponements and cancellations because of COVID-19 .
CU hopes to avoid issues within its program , but the last seven months have given Dorrell complete confidence in Wilson and the strength and conditioning staff to handle whatever is thrown their way .
“ That strength staff has done a really good job of moving with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dorrell said .
“ Whatever has been the protocol for that given week , they ’ ve been able to adapt and be productive .
Whatever it was told that we can do we were able to do .
The things that we ’ re limited on , we ’ ve got to make the most of what the ordinance was given us at the time .
“ Those guys have done a really good job .
”

Now that the Colorado football team is back on the practice field for the first time since the end of the 2019 season, the value of having some continuity in the coaching staff is evident.
While head coach Karl Dorrell is new this season, his decision to retain four assistant coaches, including offensive coordinator Darrin Chiaverini and defensive coordinator Tyson Summers, eases the transition from a scheme and terminology standpoint.
Dorrell’s most important decision, however, may be the retention of strength and conditioning coordinator Drew Wilson and his staff.
Strength and conditioning coaches spend more time with players anyway, but as the Buffs and everyone else has dealt with the coronavirus pandemic over the past seven months, Wilson’s familiarity with the players and his knowledge of the program has been invaluable.
“It’s extremely valuable,” Dorrell said. “I’m glad you brought him up because I’ve been giving him kudos in front of the team and our staff for his dedication from his area and his staff of doing everything within the protocols that have been put on us.”
It hasn’t been easy for the players or for Wilson.
After players were sent home in March, Wilson and his staff developed tailored workouts for the players to do at home. Some didn’t have weights, but Wilson and the staff got creative in helping the players find other ways to stay in shape – pull-ups on trees, bench pressing siblings, pushing cars, etc.
In June, players returned for voluntary workouts, but only in cohort groups. That was another adjustment for Wilson and his staff.
Then, after Boulder County issued an order on Sept. 24 to limit gatherings of 18-to-22-year-olds, they had to adjust again. Individual workouts were allowed, so Wilson and the strength staff designed a schedule that allowed the players to get some work done.
“When we had that time period where we only can work out one player at a time, he handled that and they had to work early mornings and late to the evenings,” Dorrell said. “They did that for 10 days.
“He’s kind of an unsung hero right now because he did the job and he didn’t bat an eye about it. He knew we had to get ourselves ready – as ready as we can be for camp and there’s no question that those guys have done a great job with getting us to this point.”
Making the adjustments easier has been the fact that Wilson is so familiar with most of the players. Although he’s still learning the newcomers, Wilson, who was hired Jan. 4, 2016, by former head coach Mike MacIntyre, is entering his fifth season with the program, so he’s learned the physical and nutritional needs of all of CU’s veteran players.
“He had some familiarity with the guys and he’s been training him all offseason, all year,” Dorrell said. “He understands the shortcomings with guys that have been in quarantine.”
On Sunday, the Buffs conducted their third practice of the preseason and they continue to do their best to prevent quarantine of player and COVID-19 from infecting the team and spreading.
CU players are staying at a local hotel for at least two weeks, an idea that Dorrell said was part of the agreement with Boulder County Public Health to let the team practice.
During practice, the Buffs aren’t limited in how many people can be on the field, but all the players wear neck gators and Dorrell said it’s required for players to pull the gator over their mouth and nose when they take a break between reps.
Despite their best efforts, it’s likely that more adjustments will need to be made by Wilson and the strength and conditioning staff.
CU doesn’t open its season until Nov. 7. College football and NFL teams that are already playing have dealt with game postponements and cancellations because of COVID-19. CU hopes to avoid issues within its program, but the last seven months have given Dorrell complete confidence in Wilson and the strength and conditioning staff to handle whatever is thrown their way.
“That strength staff has done a really good job of moving with the signs of the time,” Dorrell said. “Whatever has been the protocol for that given week, they’ve been able to adapt and be productive. Whatever it was told that we can do we were able to do. The things that we’re limited on, we’ve got to make the most of what the ordinance was given us at the time.
“Those guys have done a really good job.”


thedenverpost--2020-10-11--Colorado wind speeds: Gusts up to 82 mph recorded Sunday

The following Colorado wind speeds have been reported by the National Weather Service for Oct. 11 , 2020 , as @ @ @ @ @ A high wind warning has been issued until 6 p.m. today .

Tynin joined the Denver Post in 2018 and was promoted to Deputy Director of Audience in 2022. She helps lead the digital team at the Post, managing Post content across all channels.


thedenverpost--2020-10-11--Perfect in Paris, Rafael Nadal overwhelms Novak Djokovic at French Open to tie Roger Federer

PARIS — All the years of work , all the many wins , led to this moment , with Rafael Nadal preparing to serve against Novak Djokovic , one point from a 13th French Open championship , one point from a 20th Grand Slam trophy to tie Roger Federer ’ s record for men .
Nadal swept his right foot along the baseline , clearing away the red dust as he has so many times before .
He rapped his shoes ’ soles with his racket — right , then left , then right again .
He discarded one tennis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pocket of his blue shorts .
And then , finally ready to proceed , Nadal delivered an ace at 106 mph to cap a flawless performance and a surprisingly lopsided 6-0 , 6-2 , 7-5 victory over the No .
1-ranked Djokovic .
Nadal dropped to his knees , smiling broadly , and pumped his arms .
Neither Djokovic , on this day , nor Federer , over the course of time , ever truly stood a chance of resisting the relentless Nadal .
“ He keeps going .
No holding him back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s amazing .
I mean , I admire all his achievements , especially the one here , ” said Djokovic , who had won his last five Grand Slam finals .
“ There ’ s not much you can say , ” Djokovic said .
“ All the superlatives that you can use , he deserves them.
” It ’ s the fourth time the No .
2-ranked Nadal won his favorite tournament without ceding a set and made his career mark at the French Open 100-2 .
No , that is not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Spain has won his favorite event four straight times , following previous streaks of four from 2005-08 , then five from 2010-14 .
Those go alongside four triumphs at the U.S. Open , two at Wimbledon and one at the Australian Open .
Nadal made clear that while he never has been consumed with the idea of catching Federer , he can appreciate the accomplishment ’ s significance .
“ I would love to finish my career being the player with more Grand Slams .
No doubt about that , no ?
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ’ OK , I have to do ( it ) my way .
… I ’ m not going to be thinking all the time , ‘ Novak ( has ) this one , Roger is winning the other one.
’ You can ’ t be always unhappy because your neighbors have a bigger house than you or a bigger boat or have a better phone , ” Nadal said .
“ In terms of these records , of course I care .
I am a big fan of the history of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a lot , that , ” he continued .
“ For me , ( it ) means a lot to share this number with Roger , no ?
” Federer , 39 , sat out the U.S. Open and French Open after two knee operations .
He posted a congratulatory message on Instagram on Sunday .
“ As my greatest rival over many years , I believe we have pushed each other to become better players , ” Federer wrote , and ended with : “ I hope 20 is just another @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of us .
Well done , Rafa .
You deserve it.
” Djokovic ’ s loss , meanwhile , left him at 17 majors ; had he won , the standings would have read 20-19-18 .
No other man has more than 14 .
This was the 56th installment of Nadal vs. Djokovic , the most between men in the professional era .
Djokovic is ahead 29-27 now , including his 6-3 , 6-2 , 6-3 win at the 2019 Australian Open final .
“ In Australia , he killed me .
… @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
The key statistic Sunday : Nadal limited himself to 14 unforced errors , impressive against anyone , but especially someone the caliber of Djokovic , who accumulated 52 .
“ He ’ s phenomenal , ” Djokovic said .
“ He played a perfect match , especially in the first two sets.
” The first set was a 45-minute master class conducted by Nadal , who came out incredibly crisply and cleanly , steering his high-rpm forehands precisely where he wanted them and using his defense-to-offense abilities to slide and stretch @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ I played at my highest level when I needed to play at my highest level , ” Nadal said .
Appearing resigned , Djokovic was less volatile than he often is when he struggles — such as the post-point whack of a ball that inadvertently hit a line judge at the U.S. Open last month , earning a disqualification , his only other loss in 39 matches this season .
Instead , Djokovic puffed his cheeks or rolled his eyes , exasperated with himself , perhaps , but also unable to figure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the other side of the net .
After one exchange , he put up his palms , as if to ask , “ What can I do here ?
” It was only the fourth 6-0 set lost by Djokovic in 341 career Grand Slam matches .
As he sat in his sideline seat digesting that shutout , four Djokovic supporters in blue jerseys and white baseball hats stood and sang in the stands , their chorus drowning out the light pitter-patter of drizzle hitting the retractable roof .
The much-anticipated matchup between @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the first indoor French Open men ’ s final , contested under Court Philippe Chatrier ’ s new cover .
From its stand in the VIP section , the Coupe des Mousquetaires trophy glistened under the artificial lights .
This also was the first French Open contested with players walking on court wearing masks on account of the coronavirus pandemic , also the reason the tournament shifted from May-June to September-October and crowds were limited to 1,000 per day .
On Sunday , those lucky enough to attend mainly were concentrated in not-very-socially-distanced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so rows .
“ Of course , ( it ’ s ) an important day for me , ” Nadal said afterward , “ but I ’ m not stupid , no ?
Is still a very sad situation worldwide.
” The seasonal change led to colder , wetter weather than usual , which affects the way the clay affects shots , making them bounce lower and slower .
Some , including Nadal , wondered aloud whether that would hinder him , as could the tournament ’ s change to a slightly heavier @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , “ this year will probably be too difficult.
” So much for that .
He dealt with Djokovic ’ s predilection for drop shots much better than previous foes of the 33-year-old Serb , using anticipation and speed to dim that strategy ’ s success .
Nadal took five of Djokovic ’ s first six service games and broke seven times in all .
Nadal faced only five break points himself , saving four .
More than two hours in , when Djokovic employed a backhand winner to get his lone break @ @ @ @ @ @ @ set , he let out a couple of roars and waved his arms to ask for more noise from fans .
Too little , too late .
Less than a half-hour later , it was over .
“ Rafa has proven everybody wrong , ” Djokovic said .
“ That ’ s why he ’ s a great champion .
”

PARIS — All the years of work, all the many wins, led to this moment, with Rafael Nadal preparing to serve against Novak Djokovic, one point from a 13th French Open championship, one point from a 20th Grand Slam trophy to tie Roger Federer’s record for men.
Nadal swept his right foot along the baseline, clearing away the red dust as he has so many times before. He rapped his shoes’ soles with his racket — right, then left, then right again. He discarded one tennis ball behind him, another in the pocket of his blue shorts.
And then, finally ready to proceed, Nadal delivered an ace at 106 mph to cap a flawless performance and a surprisingly lopsided 6-0, 6-2, 7-5 victory over the No. 1-ranked Djokovic. Nadal dropped to his knees, smiling broadly, and pumped his arms.
Neither Djokovic, on this day, nor Federer, over the course of time, ever truly stood a chance of resisting the relentless Nadal.
“He keeps going. No holding him back, it seems like. It’s amazing. I mean, I admire all his achievements, especially the one here,” said Djokovic, who had won his last five Grand Slam finals.
“There’s not much you can say,” Djokovic said. “All the superlatives that you can use, he deserves them.”
It’s the fourth time the No. 2-ranked Nadal won his favorite tournament without ceding a set and made his career mark at the French Open 100-2.
No, that is not a typo.
The 34-year-old left-hander from Spain has won his favorite event four straight times, following previous streaks of four from 2005-08, then five from 2010-14. Those go alongside four triumphs at the U.S. Open, two at Wimbledon and one at the Australian Open.
Nadal made clear that while he never has been consumed with the idea of catching Federer, he can appreciate the accomplishment’s significance.
“I would love to finish my career being the player with more Grand Slams. No doubt about that, no? But on the other hand, I say, ’OK, I have to do (it) my way. … I’m not going to be thinking all the time, ‘Novak (has) this one, Roger is winning the other one.’ You can’t be always unhappy because your neighbors have a bigger house than you or a bigger boat or have a better phone,” Nadal said.
“In terms of these records, of course I care. I am a big fan of the history of sport, in general. I respect, a lot, that,” he continued. “For me, (it) means a lot to share this number with Roger, no?”
Federer, 39, sat out the U.S. Open and French Open after two knee operations. He posted a congratulatory message on Instagram on Sunday.
“As my greatest rival over many years, I believe we have pushed each other to become better players,” Federer wrote, and ended with: “I hope 20 is just another step on the continuing journey for both of us. Well done, Rafa. You deserve it.”
Djokovic’s loss, meanwhile, left him at 17 majors; had he won, the standings would have read 20-19-18.
No other man has more than 14.
This was the 56th installment of Nadal vs. Djokovic, the most between men in the professional era. Djokovic is ahead 29-27 now, including his 6-3, 6-2, 6-3 win at the 2019 Australian Open final.
“In Australia, he killed me. … Today was for me,” Nadal said.
The key statistic Sunday: Nadal limited himself to 14 unforced errors, impressive against anyone, but especially someone the caliber of Djokovic, who accumulated 52.
“He’s phenomenal,” Djokovic said. “He played a perfect match, especially in the first two sets.”
The first set was a 45-minute master class conducted by Nadal, who came out incredibly crisply and cleanly, steering his high-rpm forehands precisely where he wanted them and using his defense-to-offense abilities to slide and stretch and flick balls back with aggression.
“I played at my highest level when I needed to play at my highest level,” Nadal said.
Appearing resigned, Djokovic was less volatile than he often is when he struggles — such as the post-point whack of a ball that inadvertently hit a line judge at the U.S. Open last month, earning a disqualification, his only other loss in 39 matches this season.
Instead, Djokovic puffed his cheeks or rolled his eyes, exasperated with himself, perhaps, but also unable to figure out how to counter what came from the other side of the net. After one exchange, he put up his palms, as if to ask, “What can I do here?”
It was only the fourth 6-0 set lost by Djokovic in 341 career Grand Slam matches. As he sat in his sideline seat digesting that shutout, four Djokovic supporters in blue jerseys and white baseball hats stood and sang in the stands, their chorus drowning out the light pitter-patter of drizzle hitting the retractable roof.
The much-anticipated matchup between these two titans of their sport was the first indoor French Open men’s final, contested under Court Philippe Chatrier’s new cover. From its stand in the VIP section, the Coupe des Mousquetaires trophy glistened under the artificial lights.
This also was the first French Open contested with players walking on court wearing masks on account of the coronavirus pandemic, also the reason the tournament shifted from May-June to September-October and crowds were limited to 1,000 per day. On Sunday, those lucky enough to attend mainly were concentrated in not-very-socially-distanced dense clumps in the first 20 or so rows.
“Of course, (it’s) an important day for me,” Nadal said afterward, “but I’m not stupid, no? Is still a very sad situation worldwide.”
The seasonal change led to colder, wetter weather than usual, which affects the way the clay affects shots, making them bounce lower and slower. Some, including Nadal, wondered aloud whether that would hinder him, as could the tournament’s change to a slightly heavier ball.
He figured, he said, “this year will probably be too difficult.”
So much for that.
He dealt with Djokovic’s predilection for drop shots much better than previous foes of the 33-year-old Serb, using anticipation and speed to dim that strategy’s success.
“Didn’t work great today, let’s say,” Djokovic admitted.
Nadal took five of Djokovic’s first six service games and broke seven times in all.
Nadal faced only five break points himself, saving four.
More than two hours in, when Djokovic employed a backhand winner to get his lone break, making it 3-all in the third set, he let out a couple of roars and waved his arms to ask for more noise from fans.
Too little, too late. Less than a half-hour later, it was over.
“Rafa has proven everybody wrong,” Djokovic said. “That’s why he’s a great champion.”
AP Tennis Writer Fendrich reported from Washington; AP Sports Writer Leicester reported from Paris.


thedenverpost--2020-10-12--Children’s Hospital Colorado raising research funds to find safer treatments for sickle cell disease

There aren ’ t any perfect options for somebody like Imani Strong , who ’ s living with a disease that sends her to the hospital multiple times each year , but would face a one-in-20 chance of dying from the only known cure .
Imani , 10 , has sickle cell disease , a genetic disorder caused when a person inherits one copy of a mutated gene from each parent .
Like a lot of kids , she loves basketball and dancing , but she has to pace herself in a way that most 10-year-olds don ’ t , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s below 40 degrees or above 80 degrees because of the risk a flare-up .
Friends don ’ t always understand why she needs to take breaks or frequently misses school because she ’ s in the hospital , she said .
“ They don ’ t understand that I can ’ t play for hours without something hurting , ” Imani said .
No matter how well she and her mom manage the disease , though , the odds aren ’ t in her favor .
The average woman with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ late 40s , and men often only reach their early 40s .
A new initiative at Children ’ s Hospital Colorado focused on blood disorders , including certain cancers and genetic conditions like sickle cell disease , is trying to change that by raising money to support research .
Some medications are available to reduce the symptoms of sickle cell disease , but the only cure that ’ s approved in the United States is a bone marrow transplant , and there ’ s a roughly 5 % of dying from treatment complications @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pediatric hematology oncologist at Children ’ s .
Children ’ s and other hospitals are participating in a study testing a gene therapy treatment approved in Europe , but otherwise there have been few new options for patients since the first drug to reduce symptoms was approved in the 1990s , he said .
Normal red blood cells are round , but sickle cells are shaped like crescents and can clog up tiny blood vessels , causing severe pain and eventual organ damage .
People with only one copy of the mutated gene @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so parents likely won ’ t know their kids could be at risk unless they ’ ve had genetic testing .
About 100,000 Americans have the disease , according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , and more carry one gene for it .
Sickle cell disease hasn ’ t been a high priority for either public or private research dollars .
The National Institutes of Health provided more than three times as much funding per patient for cystic fibrosis , a genetic disease that also shortens patients ’ lives , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ private donors gave more than 75 times as much per patient between 2008 and 2017 , according to an article in the Journal of the American Medical Association .
Right now , the main frontier is gene therapy , which involves removing some of a patient ’ s cells , replacing the mutated gene with a healthy copy and infusing them back into the patient ’ s body , McKinney said .
It ’ s still under study , but could be an option for patients who don ’ t have a relative @ @ @ @ @ @ @ match with someone on the National Bone Marrow Donor registry , he said .
If approved , it ’ s likely to be expensive , though , and it still requires chemotherapy to kill the unhealthy bone marrow before returning the altered cells .
In many cases , parents have to make the decision of whether to take the risks associated with a transplant before their children reach their teen years , because as kids grow up , they accumulate more organ damage that a transplant can ’ t reverse , McKinney said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as well as damage to the lungs , heart , spleen , kidneys and eyes .
“ Any organ system in the body can be damaged , ” McKinney said .
Imani ’ s mom , Tristanda Hill , doesn ’ t sugarcoat the difficulties , like her daughter ’ s vulnerability to infections .
If Imani were to get COVID-19 , she ’ d likely need to be hospitalized , Hill said .
In some ways , though , the pandemic has made it easier to explain to people that they need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she said .
They ’ re planning to continue learning online , even when Denver Public Schools resumes in-person sessions .
“ If kids are going to school sick and she gets sick , that ’ s a hospital stay , ” Hill said .
Hill ’ s unsure about whether they should take the risk of a bone marrow transplant , though , and in any case , her insurance company has decided Imani isn ’ t sick enough to qualify at this point .
She ’ s hoping research will yield @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more long-term damage .
In the meantime , many patients have to rely on finding a matching bone marrow donor , ideally a sibling , McKinney said .
If a patient doesn ’ t have a relative that matches , they have to hope for a close-enough match on the donor registry , and the groups most affected by sickle cell disease are less likely to have a match , he said .
Most Americans with sickle cell disease have African ancestry , though people with ancestors from Latin America , the Mediterranean @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ We would love to have more donors of color in the registry , ” he said .
“ Historically , this is an underserved population that this affects .
”

There aren’t any perfect options for somebody like Imani Strong, who’s living with a disease that sends her to the hospital multiple times each year, but would face a one-in-20 chance of dying from the only known cure.
Imani, 10, has sickle cell disease, a genetic disorder caused when a person inherits one copy of a mutated gene from each parent.
Like a lot of kids, she loves basketball and dancing, but she has to pace herself in a way that most 10-year-olds don’t, and can’t play outside if it’s below 40 degrees or above 80 degrees because of the risk a flare-up. Friends don’t always understand why she needs to take breaks or frequently misses school because she’s in the hospital, she said.
“They don’t understand that I can’t play for hours without something hurting,” Imani said.
No matter how well she and her mom manage the disease, though, the odds aren’t in her favor. The average woman with sickle cell disease lives only into her late 40s, and men often only reach their early 40s.
A new initiative at Children’s Hospital Colorado focused on blood disorders, including certain cancers and genetic conditions like sickle cell disease, is trying to change that by raising money to support research.
Some medications are available to reduce the symptoms of sickle cell disease, but the only cure that’s approved in the United States is a bone marrow transplant, and there’s a roughly 5% of dying from treatment complications, said Dr. Chris McKinney, a pediatric hematology oncologist at Children’s.
Children’s and other hospitals are participating in a study testing a gene therapy treatment approved in Europe, but otherwise there have been few new options for patients since the first drug to reduce symptoms was approved in the 1990s, he said.
Normal red blood cells are round, but sickle cells are shaped like crescents and can clog up tiny blood vessels, causing severe pain and eventual organ damage. People with only one copy of the mutated gene typically don’t have symptoms, so parents likely won’t know their kids could be at risk unless they’ve had genetic testing. About 100,000 Americans have the disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and more carry one gene for it.
Sickle cell disease hasn’t been a high priority for either public or private research dollars. The National Institutes of Health provided more than three times as much funding per patient for cystic fibrosis, a genetic disease that also shortens patients’ lives, than for sickle cell disease, and private donors gave more than 75 times as much per patient between 2008 and 2017, according to an article in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Right now, the main frontier is gene therapy, which involves removing some of a patient’s cells, replacing the mutated gene with a healthy copy and infusing them back into the patient’s body, McKinney said. It’s still under study, but could be an option for patients who don’t have a relative who can donate and don’t match with someone on the National Bone Marrow Donor registry, he said.
If approved, it’s likely to be expensive, though, and it still requires chemotherapy to kill the unhealthy bone marrow before returning the altered cells.
In many cases, parents have to make the decision of whether to take the risks associated with a transplant before their children reach their teen years, because as kids grow up, they accumulate more organ damage that a transplant can’t reverse, McKinney said. The disease can cause strokes, as well as damage to the lungs, heart, spleen, kidneys and eyes.
“Any organ system in the body can be damaged,” McKinney said.
Imani’s mom, Tristanda Hill, doesn’t sugarcoat the difficulties, like her daughter’s vulnerability to infections. If Imani were to get COVID-19, she’d likely need to be hospitalized, Hill said.
In some ways, though, the pandemic has made it easier to explain to people that they need to be particularly cautious about germs, she said. They’re planning to continue learning online, even when Denver Public Schools resumes in-person sessions.
“If kids are going to school sick and she gets sick, that’s a hospital stay,” Hill said.
Hill’s unsure about whether they should take the risk of a bone marrow transplant, though, and in any case, her insurance company has decided Imani isn’t sick enough to qualify at this point. She’s hoping research will yield a less-risky cure before Imani starts experiencing more long-term damage.
In the meantime, many patients have to rely on finding a matching bone marrow donor, ideally a sibling, McKinney said. If a patient doesn’t have a relative that matches, they have to hope for a close-enough match on the donor registry, and the groups most affected by sickle cell disease are less likely to have a match, he said. Most Americans with sickle cell disease have African ancestry, though people with ancestors from Latin America, the Mediterranean and southern Asia also are at risk.
“We would love to have more donors of color in the registry,” he said. “Historically, this is an underserved population that this affects.”


thedenverpost--2020-10-12--Colorado nonprofits anxious about crucial fall fundraising period amid pandemic, recession and polit

Colorado nonprofits anxious about crucial fall fundraising period amid pandemic, recession and political uncertainty

This is what should have happened Saturday night in a downtown Denver hotel ballroom : More than 600 people , dressed in cocktail dresses and suits , should have paid $ 250 each to hobnob with a Kennedy , a former Denver Broncos player and other local dignitaries to raise money for Mental Health Colorado .
They ’ d wine and dine and bid on art and weekend vacations in an auction while smiling for pictures all in the name of raising money for one of the state ’ s largest mental health advocacy organizations .
This is what actually @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on their computers as Mental Health Colorado CEO Vincent Atchity and former Broncos running back Reggie Rivers hosted a virtual event from a downtown studio .
In pre-recorded segments , Rivers interviewed former U.S. Rep. Patrick Kennedy and people who benefited from the organization ’ s work gave testimonials .
Those who watched paid what they wanted , averaging about $ 70 each , and bid on vacation packages in an online auction , Atchity said .
The 38th Annual Tribute Gala should have been the nonprofit organization ’ s biggest fundraiser of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virtual event and simply suggesting people donate left Atchity and other staffers uncertain about their future budget .
“ It ’ s a mystery whether we can get enough participation , ” Atchity said two weeks before the event .
“ A bunch of our fundraising is loaded toward the back of the year .
We are living in a state of suspense and uncertainty because everybody is thrown for a loop by the pandemic and economic uncertainty.
” Fall is the time of year when nonprofits across Colorado make their big fundraising @ @ @ @ @ @ @ letter-writing campaigns .
They ’ re trying to capture donors who want to make end-of-year contributions with their coming tax bill in mind , said Jayne Thompson , president of Colorado ’ s Association for Fundraising Professionals .
But 2020 dramatically altered the tradition , forcing organizations to get creative in connecting with supporters and asking for money .
So far , though , Coloradans have risen to the occasion .
According to an analysis of online giving at coloradogives.org , Coloradans donated $ 10.1 million online in the first six months of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ double the $ 4.3 million donated statewide during the same period in 2019 , said Kelly Dunkin , CEO of the Community First Foundation , a Jefferson County-based foundation that supports nonprofits across Colorado .
Donors especially are generous to groups that support food and nutrition , health care and education , Dunkin said .
“ The message there is that people recognized COVID has hit nonprofits hard and they recognize nonprofits are the lifeblood that helps people live healthy , safe and vibrant lives , ” she said .
Nationally , donations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ half of 2020 , reflecting a rebound after a severe drop in giving in March when the pandemic began , according to an Oct. 5 report by the Association of Fundraising Professionals .
A big driver in the increase was donations from individuals of $ 250 or less , the report said .
But the report came with a caution , saying warning signs of a drop in giving exist .
Michael Nilsen , a spokesperson for the fundraising association , said there is worry that the pandemic may compare to a natural @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during the early days but taper off as time passes and problems linger .
“ I don ’ t know what we call a pandemic , if it qualifies as a natural disaster or what , but we ’ re curious to see what will happen , ” Nilsen said .
“ There ’ s just a collective of we ’ re all taking our breath .
We don ’ t know how it ’ s going to work out.
” In Colorado , nonprofits are bracing themselves .
“ Sponsorships are down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Ellie Burbee , executive director of Kids In Need of Dentistry .
“ People don ’ t have as much to give as they did pre-COVID.
” Burbee ’ s organization typically takes a twist on the fall gala concept , hosting a happy hour at Bigsby ’ s Folly , a RiNo winery .
In a normal year , the charity , which provides free and reduced-cost dental care to children , raises about $ 150,000 through sponsorships , ticket sales , a live auction and mystery bag sales , Burbee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hosting a wine dinner with distanced seating and a “ soft ask ” for money at the end , Burbee said .
They expect to raise $ 60,000 , about 40 % less than usual .
But KIND is one of the few organizations that chose to have an in-person event .
Most switched to virtual galas with paired-down presentations and cheaper admission prices for supporters .
The new virtual gala brings mixed reviews .
Representatives of several nonprofits told The Denver Post they ended up bringing in more money because their expenses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rent ballrooms , hire audio/visual production crews and pay for catering .
But they missed making those all-important personal connections that happen at galas , golf tournaments and banquets .
“ Galas create a shared experience and create a feeling that sweeps around the room so people are motivated to support the cause , ” Thompson said .
“ It ’ s harder to reach into the living room.
” Plus , organizations that threw virtual balls and banquets in 2020 aren ’ t sure how long patience will hold up for online @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in virtual meetings during the work week .
“ It ’ s tough .
I spend all day on these Zoom calls , ” Achity said .
Still , the virtual events are rolling as nonprofits attempt to raise money .
Girls Inc. of Metro Denver moved its annual luncheon from May to August , hoping it could have an in-person event .
When leaders realized that wouldn ’ t be possible , they put together a week-long email campaign that featured videos of girls who participate in the organization ’ s programs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agency also held onto its sponsors and then invited them to watch a live interview with girls who received this year ’ s scholarships .
Girls Inc. netted $ 170,000 — about $ 50,000 more than in a typical year , said Sonya Ulibarri , chief executive officer .
“ For us , the more that we can ensure our community can hear directly from the girls we serve , that ’ s the most powerful thing that exists , ” Ulibarri said .
At the Boys & Girls Club of Metro Denver @ @ @ @ @ @ @ big annual event when the pandemic hit .
“ We said , ‘ No , we need to thank people .
We need to honor our kids , ’ ” said Patrick Gaines , the chief development officer .
Rather than charge nearly 1,000 people a $ 250-a-ticket entry fee , the club opened its virtual programming to everyone free of charge .
Typically , the gala ’ s sponsors foot the bill for the ballroom , food and other expenses .
The admission price and auctions bring in the money used to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ The biggest hit was not being able to have fundraising the night of , ” Gaines said .
“ All the sponsors stuck with us and said the mission was more important than the party.
” Going forward , leaders of nonprofits don ’ t know if that trend will stick , especially if the novel coronavirus continues its rampage across the country and further cripples the economy .
Gaines expects giving to slow down as the calendar approaches 2021 , in part because of the ongoing pandemic and in part because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be going into a holding pattern , ” Gaines said .
“ That ’ s my hunch.
” Corporate giving , another mainstay for nonprofits , remain in limbo for 2021 , he said .
“ No one ’ s saying no but they ’ re just saying , ‘ We don ’ t know if we can commit to an event that we don ’ t even know is going to happen .
Let ’ s see what other ways we can support your mission , ’ ” Gaines said .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ effect .
The already-crippled service industry misses the revenue from hotel rentals and food and drink purchases .
Three of the largest convention/meeting hotels in Denver reported losing more than $ 3.8 million in nonprofit event business due to restrictions on gathering sizes during COVID , said Amie Mayhew , president and CEO of the Colorado Hotel & Lodging Association .
Her group is lobbying the governor to expand limits on crowd sizes so hotels can once again host events .
Still , Ulibarri has hope .
Throughout her career in nonprofits , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during times of economic , political or social crises , she said .
And those individuals who give smaller donations are the ones that have come through amid the pandemic .
“ There ’ s a level of high-end awareness right now that people want to do something that activates their values .
Folks are really thinking about how they are intentional in supporting the work they believe in that aligns with their values and reinforces how they are active in this climate , ” she said .

This is what should have happened Saturday night in a downtown Denver hotel ballroom:
More than 600 people, dressed in cocktail dresses and suits, should have paid $250 each to hobnob with a Kennedy, a former Denver Broncos player and other local dignitaries to raise money for Mental Health Colorado. They’d wine and dine and bid on art and weekend vacations in an auction while smiling for pictures all in the name of raising money for one of the state’s largest mental health advocacy organizations.
This is what actually happened:
People sat at home watching on their computers as Mental Health Colorado CEO Vincent Atchity and former Broncos running back Reggie Rivers hosted a virtual event from a downtown studio. In pre-recorded segments, Rivers interviewed former U.S. Rep. Patrick Kennedy and people who benefited from the organization’s work gave testimonials. Those who watched paid what they wanted, averaging about $70 each, and bid on vacation packages in an online auction, Atchity said.
The 38th Annual Tribute Gala should have been the nonprofit organization’s biggest fundraiser of the year. But moving to a virtual event and simply suggesting people donate left Atchity and other staffers uncertain about their future budget.
“It’s a mystery whether we can get enough participation,” Atchity said two weeks before the event. “A bunch of our fundraising is loaded toward the back of the year. We are living in a state of suspense and uncertainty because everybody is thrown for a loop by the pandemic and economic uncertainty.”
Fall is the time of year when nonprofits across Colorado make their big fundraising pushes through galas, phone drives and letter-writing campaigns. They’re trying to capture donors who want to make end-of-year contributions with their coming tax bill in mind, said Jayne Thompson, president of Colorado’s Association for Fundraising Professionals. But 2020 dramatically altered the tradition, forcing organizations to get creative in connecting with supporters and asking for money.
So far, though, Coloradans have risen to the occasion.
According to an analysis of online giving at coloradogives.org, Coloradans donated $10.1 million online in the first six months of 2020. That’s more than double the $4.3 million donated statewide during the same period in 2019, said Kelly Dunkin, CEO of the Community First Foundation, a Jefferson County-based foundation that supports nonprofits across Colorado.
Donors especially are generous to groups that support food and nutrition, health care and education, Dunkin said.
“The message there is that people recognized COVID has hit nonprofits hard and they recognize nonprofits are the lifeblood that helps people live healthy, safe and vibrant lives, ” she said.
Nationally, donations to nonprofits also rose in the first half of 2020, reflecting a rebound after a severe drop in giving in March when the pandemic began, according to an Oct. 5 report by the Association of Fundraising Professionals. A big driver in the increase was donations from individuals of $250 or less, the report said.
But the report came with a caution, saying warning signs of a drop in giving exist.
Michael Nilsen, a spokesperson for the fundraising association, said there is worry that the pandemic may compare to a natural disaster, after which donations pour in during the early days but taper off as time passes and problems linger.
“I don’t know what we call a pandemic, if it qualifies as a natural disaster or what, but we’re curious to see what will happen,” Nilsen said. “There’s just a collective of we’re all taking our breath. We don’t know how it’s going to work out.”
In Colorado, nonprofits are bracing themselves.
“Sponsorships are down. Corporations are cutting back,” said Ellie Burbee, executive director of Kids In Need of Dentistry. “People don’t have as much to give as they did pre-COVID.”
Burbee’s organization typically takes a twist on the fall gala concept, hosting a happy hour at Bigsby’s Folly, a RiNo winery. In a normal year, the charity, which provides free and reduced-cost dental care to children, raises about $150,000 through sponsorships, ticket sales, a live auction and mystery bag sales, Burbee said.
This year, KIND is hosting a wine dinner with distanced seating and a “soft ask” for money at the end, Burbee said. They expect to raise $60,000, about 40% less than usual.
But KIND is one of the few organizations that chose to have an in-person event. Most switched to virtual galas with paired-down presentations and cheaper admission prices for supporters.
The new virtual gala brings mixed reviews. Representatives of several nonprofits told The Denver Post they ended up bringing in more money because their expenses dropped when they no longer had to rent ballrooms, hire audio/visual production crews and pay for catering. But they missed making those all-important personal connections that happen at galas, golf tournaments and banquets.
“Galas create a shared experience and create a feeling that sweeps around the room so people are motivated to support the cause,” Thompson said. “It’s harder to reach into the living room.”
Plus, organizations that threw virtual balls and banquets in 2020 aren’t sure how long patience will hold up for online events because people spend so much time in virtual meetings during the work week.
“It’s tough. I spend all day on these Zoom calls,” Achity said.
Still, the virtual events are rolling as nonprofits attempt to raise money.
Girls Inc. of Metro Denver moved its annual luncheon from May to August, hoping it could have an in-person event. When leaders realized that wouldn’t be possible, they put together a week-long email campaign that featured videos of girls who participate in the organization’s programs and requests for a donations. The agency also held onto its sponsors and then invited them to watch a live interview with girls who received this year’s scholarships.
Girls Inc. netted $170,000 — about $50,000 more than in a typical year, said Sonya Ulibarri, chief executive officer.
“For us, the more that we can ensure our community can hear directly from the girls we serve, that’s the most powerful thing that exists,” Ulibarri said.
At the Boys & Girls Club of Metro Denver, the fundraising team considered canceling its big annual event when the pandemic hit.
“We said, ‘No, we need to thank people. We need to honor our kids,’” said Patrick Gaines, the chief development officer.
Rather than charge nearly 1,000 people a $250-a-ticket entry fee, the club opened its virtual programming to everyone free of charge. Typically, the gala’s sponsors foot the bill for the ballroom, food and other expenses. The admission price and auctions bring in the money used to support the club’s programs.
“The biggest hit was not being able to have fundraising the night of,” Gaines said. “All the sponsors stuck with us and said the mission was more important than the party.”
Going forward, leaders of nonprofits don’t know if that trend will stick, especially if the novel coronavirus continues its rampage across the country and further cripples the economy.
Gaines expects giving to slow down as the calendar approaches 2021, in part because of the ongoing pandemic and in part because of the election.
“People might be going into a holding pattern,” Gaines said. “That’s my hunch.”
Corporate giving, another mainstay for nonprofits, remain in limbo for 2021, he said.
“No one’s saying no but they’re just saying, ‘We don’t know if we can commit to an event that we don’t even know is going to happen. Let’s see what other ways we can support your mission,’” Gaines said.
The cancellation of live events has a ripple effect. The already-crippled service industry misses the revenue from hotel rentals and food and drink purchases. Three of the largest convention/meeting hotels in Denver reported losing more than $3.8 million in nonprofit event business due to restrictions on gathering sizes during COVID, said Amie Mayhew, president and CEO of the Colorado Hotel & Lodging Association. Her group is lobbying the governor to expand limits on crowd sizes so hotels can once again host events.
Still, Ulibarri has hope. Throughout her career in nonprofits, the most generous givers are individuals even during times of economic, political or social crises, she said. And those individuals who give smaller donations are the ones that have come through amid the pandemic.
“There’s a level of high-end awareness right now that people want to do something that activates their values. Folks are really thinking about how they are intentional in supporting the work they believe in that aligns with their values and reinforces how they are active in this climate,” she said.


thedenverpost--2020-10-12--Latino, evangelical and politically homeless

PHOENIX — At the Church of God of Prophecy , hundreds come each Sunday for two hours of worship in Spanish .
They share passages from the Bible , sing and embrace each other tightly .
The evangelical congregation , led for nearly 25 years by the Rev .
Jose Rivera , is nearly all Latino , the vast majority with roots in Mexico .
They are not unlike the people President Donald Trump attempted to demonize from the outset of his first campaign , or all that different from those he is trying to keep out with his border @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they do not agree on Trump — some see him as a savior , others as a predator .
By Rivera ’ s estimate , somewhere between a quarter and a third of his congregants support Trump , a rate that is echoed in national polls .
When Rivera looks at his congregation of 200 families he sees a microcosm of the Latino vote in the United States : how complex it is , and how each party ’ s attempt to solidify crucial support can fall short .
There are not clear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
People care about immigration but are equally concerned about religious liberty and abortion .
“ Sometimes in politics , Christians want to have the perfect leader in power , so that the word of God is running freely , but the word of God is already running freely , ” Rivera said , reflecting on support for Trump in his congregation .
“ He is trying to sell oxygen when we have it , but some people are dancing his dance.
” To explain his own partisan affiliation , Rivera says he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ uncomfortable with many positions embraced by Democrats but feels betrayed by Republicans , his party of choice for much of his life .
For decades , Hispanics have been viewed by both parties as a potentially crucial constituency up for grabs .
In the wake of Mitt Romney ’ s loss in 2012 , Republican strategists warned that the party must do more to court the group .
Then came Trump , who earned less support from Hispanic voters than any other presidential candidate in recent history — but has since managed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those voters .
Conversations with dozens of members of Rivera ’ s congregation and with other Hispanic evangelicals around the country over the course of the year make clear that religious identity is often a more fundamental part of their political affiliation than ethnic identity .
And Rivera ’ s feeling of political homelessness is pervasive — and one neither party seems to understand how to address .
Latinos are projected to be the largest minority to vote in the presidential election this year , and the 32 million eligible voters could play @ @ @ @ @ @ @ White House .
Both parties have poured millions into Spanish-language ads courting moderate and conservative Latinos in particular .
Although Hispanic evangelicals make up a small slice of the electorate , they are a key to Trump ’ s consistent support from roughly one-third of Hispanic voters , particularly in battleground states including Florida and Arizona .
And their political importance is likely to grow with the looming battle over Judge Amy Coney Barrett ’ s Supreme Court nomination .
There is a certain assumption in Democratic circles that Latino voters should be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ demonized immigrants since the day he announced his presidential campaign in 2015 .
But Rivera understands it is not that simple .
Among Hispanic evangelicals cheering for Trump , Christianity is almost a kind of nationality , one that supersedes all else .
In the president , they see a leader who is protecting their religious freedom and appointing judges who oppose abortion .
“ He is tough , and he takes on these issues everyone else is afraid of , ” said Carlos Ruiz Esparza , a 52-year-old steadfast supporter of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ruiz Esparza cited Trump ’ s policies on Israel as another source of his enthusiasm .
“ I believe that he ’ s just doing the courageous things based on Scripture , and making our country become what it should become and bring us all our blessings , ” Ruiz Esparza said .
When Rivera hears this , he generally simply nods .
He does not see swaying political views as part of his job .
His wife may vote for Trump .
“ Nobody in the Democratic Party gets my attention in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rivera , who said she could still change her mind .
“ I am worried they are too radical , talk of ‘ free this ’ and ‘ free that ’ and they want to teach values we do not share.
” There was a moment when Rivera felt the same way .
In conversations over the past several months , his own views have shifted along with the course of the pandemic .
In January , when it seemed that Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont might secure the Democratic nomination , Rivera @ @ @ @ @ @ @ embraced anything approaching socialism .
Yet he was equally uncomfortable watching the people he ministers demonized by the most powerful person in the country .
Rivera grew up in Puerto Rico , joined the Army in the 1970s , serving for several years before moving to Phoenix in the 1990s .
“ I love the flag that he hugs like he is the only one who loves the flag , ” Rivera said of Trump , his voice rising in anger .
Hispanic evangelicals are one of the fastest-growing religious groups in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decide the presidential election , including Arizona , North Carolina and Colorado .
Republicans have long sought to attract them dating to the Reagan era and most aggressively by George W. Bush , who had the support of more than 40 % of Latino voters , the highest level recorded .
This is not a question of assimilation — on the contrary , many Hispanic evangelicals primarily speak Spanish and see themselves as outside of any kind of mainstream , set apart by their religious views as much as their ethnicity .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ believe that economic success essentially insulates against racism , and failure to achieve such success should be blamed on an individual rather than any kind of systemic problem .
The Trump campaign has taken a particularly aggressive approach to reach those voters , choosing a large Hispanic church in Miami to announce an evangelical coalition .
In Florida , conversations with dozens of Hispanic evangelicals about the president revealed a steadfast commitment to Republicans , in part from people whose families fled communist-ruled countries , as well as also those who turn to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They often spoke about feeling under siege , not because of their ethnic background but because they see themselves as a minority in a largely secular country .
As a bishop for the past three decades , Rivera oversees nearly 50 churches in Arizona , Nevada and New Mexico , with a total of nearly 5,000 worshippers .
Throughout 2016 , he vacillated about who would receive his vote for months .
But ultimately he chose Hillary Clinton , despite his reservations .
Sitting an election out seemed impossible to Rivera , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Manuel Noriega in the early 1980s .
He calls the dilemma of Hispanic evangelicals a “ bitter-sour situation.
” When he sees prominent evangelical leaders including Paula White and Ralph Reed lavish praise on Trump , he cringes .
“ They try to present him as the messiah , but if he is the messiah he is not doing what we are supposed to do , ” Rivera said .
When warnings about the coronavirus began coming in February , Rivera took notice .
He urged his congregants to stop embracing and instead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dispensers at the door .
But even in mid-March , just days before many states enacted mandatory stay-at-home orders , few were paying any attention to his warnings .
They gathered in the front of the church kneeling against one another , squeezing one another ’ s shoulders .
When Rivera offered his sermon , dozens came to the front to offer their own testimony .
Many congregants dismissed the warnings as exaggerated ; others were hardly aware of it .
It would be the last in-person service for more than two months @ @ @ @ @ @ @ something of a miracle that the church has not endured more suffering — Arizona has been one of the hardest-hit states , and Latinos have been infected at especially high rates .
But just two of the members caught the virus at work , and one woman who lived in a nursing home died .
Some congregants were laid off from jobs or not called for work as a house cleaner or gardener .
A few had found work cleaning the local hospitals .
Even before the pandemic , the church was handing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ struggling families .
After weeks of services streamed online , then moved to the church parking lot , Rivera was determined to open the church doors again .
He kept attendance capped around 100 , less than half the capacity of the church .
“ It is still a little scary , ” he said in mid-May , before Arizona hit its peak infection rate .
He saw other pastors boasting about their own reopenings .
“ I see them saying that people who take more precautions are people who don ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that , ” Rivera said .
“ I don ’ t want to go to the funeral for any one of my people for being stupid.
” “ Our people are very used to hugging , and I understand that need to be embraced , but this is a new time , ” he said .
Being a leader , Rivera said , meant telling people things they would rather ignore .
To him , it looked as if Trump was beginning to take the virus more seriously and relying on medical experts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so many other evangelical leaders , he appreciated the way the administration was pushing for churches to open .
Perhaps Trump would turn a corner and earn his vote after all , he said .
By the end of June , he changed his mind again .
“ Every time he opens his mouth , there ’ s a controversy , ” he said .
“ That is the only thing he has mastered .
He just can ’ t make a statement that will unify the nation.
” His anger with other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said , are “ blind supporters ” of the president .
By late summer , Rivera had lost whatever modicum of enthusiasm he once had .
To him , evangelicals are relying on an impossible notion of dominance and “ talking about things that we have no control over , ” he said .
When he thinks about why so many of his congregants do support the president , he worries about what they hope he can do — he believes that no matter who wins in November , some things will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have a Christian state that imposes all the rules that are in the Bible , ” Rivera added .
“ We don ’ t have a theocratic state , we have a republic , we have a nation that comes with those liberties .
”

The New York Times News Service Syndicate

PHOENIX — At the Church of God of Prophecy, hundreds come each Sunday for two hours of worship in Spanish. They share passages from the Bible, sing and embrace each other tightly. The evangelical congregation, led for nearly 25 years by the Rev. Jose Rivera, is nearly all Latino, the vast majority with roots in Mexico.
They are not unlike the people President Donald Trump attempted to demonize from the outset of his first campaign, or all that different from those he is trying to keep out with his border wall and hard-line immigration policies.
But they do not agree on Trump — some see him as a savior, others as a predator. By Rivera’s estimate, somewhere between a quarter and a third of his congregants support Trump, a rate that is echoed in national polls.
When Rivera looks at his congregation of 200 families he sees a microcosm of the Latino vote in the United States: how complex it is, and how each party’s attempt to solidify crucial support can fall short. There are not clear ideological lines here between liberals and conservatives. People care about immigration but are equally concerned about religious liberty and abortion.
“Sometimes in politics, Christians want to have the perfect leader in power, so that the word of God is running freely, but the word of God is already running freely,” Rivera said, reflecting on support for Trump in his congregation. “He is trying to sell oxygen when we have it, but some people are dancing his dance.”
To explain his own partisan affiliation, Rivera says he is “politically homeless.” He is uncomfortable with many positions embraced by Democrats but feels betrayed by Republicans, his party of choice for much of his life.
For decades, Hispanics have been viewed by both parties as a potentially crucial constituency up for grabs. In the wake of Mitt Romney’s loss in 2012, Republican strategists warned that the party must do more to court the group. Then came Trump, who earned less support from Hispanic voters than any other presidential candidate in recent history — but has since managed to maintain some and even increase support from those voters.
Conversations with dozens of members of Rivera’s congregation and with other Hispanic evangelicals around the country over the course of the year make clear that religious identity is often a more fundamental part of their political affiliation than ethnic identity. And Rivera’s feeling of political homelessness is pervasive — and one neither party seems to understand how to address.
Latinos are projected to be the largest minority to vote in the presidential election this year, and the 32 million eligible voters could play a decisive role in who wins the White House. Both parties have poured millions into Spanish-language ads courting moderate and conservative Latinos in particular. Although Hispanic evangelicals make up a small slice of the electorate, they are a key to Trump’s consistent support from roughly one-third of Hispanic voters, particularly in battleground states including Florida and Arizona. And their political importance is likely to grow with the looming battle over Judge Amy Coney Barrett’s Supreme Court nomination.
There is a certain assumption in Democratic circles that Latino voters should be repulsed by the way that Trump has demonized immigrants since the day he announced his presidential campaign in 2015. But Rivera understands it is not that simple.
Among Hispanic evangelicals cheering for Trump, Christianity is almost a kind of nationality, one that supersedes all else. In the president, they see a leader who is protecting their religious freedom and appointing judges who oppose abortion.
“He is tough, and he takes on these issues everyone else is afraid of,” said Carlos Ruiz Esparza, a 52-year-old steadfast supporter of the president who regularly worships with Rivera.
Ruiz Esparza cited Trump’s policies on Israel as another source of his enthusiasm.
“I believe that he’s just doing the courageous things based on Scripture, and making our country become what it should become and bring us all our blessings,” Ruiz Esparza said.
When Rivera hears this, he generally simply nods. He does not see swaying political views as part of his job. His wife may vote for Trump.
“Nobody in the Democratic Party gets my attention in a good way,” said Ruth Rivera, who said she could still change her mind. “I am worried they are too radical, talk of ‘free this’ and ‘free that’ and they want to teach values we do not share.”
There was a moment when Rivera felt the same way. In conversations over the past several months, his own views have shifted along with the course of the pandemic. In January, when it seemed that Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont might secure the Democratic nomination, Rivera could not fathom voting for someone who embraced anything approaching socialism. Yet he was equally uncomfortable watching the people he ministers demonized by the most powerful person in the country.
Rivera grew up in Puerto Rico, joined the Army in the 1970s, serving for several years before moving to Phoenix in the 1990s.
“I love the flag that he hugs like he is the only one who loves the flag,” Rivera said of Trump, his voice rising in anger.
Hispanic evangelicals are one of the fastest-growing religious groups in the country, booming in states that could decide the presidential election, including Arizona, North Carolina and Colorado. Republicans have long sought to attract them dating to the Reagan era and most aggressively by George W. Bush, who had the support of more than 40% of Latino voters, the highest level recorded.
This is not a question of assimilation — on the contrary, many Hispanic evangelicals primarily speak Spanish and see themselves as outside of any kind of mainstream, set apart by their religious views as much as their ethnicity. In conversations about politics, they say they believe that economic success essentially insulates against racism, and failure to achieve such success should be blamed on an individual rather than any kind of systemic problem.
The Trump campaign has taken a particularly aggressive approach to reach those voters, choosing a large Hispanic church in Miami to announce an evangelical coalition. In Florida, conversations with dozens of Hispanic evangelicals about the president revealed a steadfast commitment to Republicans, in part from people whose families fled communist-ruled countries, as well as also those who turn to church leaders for guidance on politics. They often spoke about feeling under siege, not because of their ethnic background but because they see themselves as a minority in a largely secular country.
As a bishop for the past three decades, Rivera oversees nearly 50 churches in Arizona, Nevada and New Mexico, with a total of nearly 5,000 worshippers.
Throughout 2016, he vacillated about who would receive his vote for months. But ultimately he chose Hillary Clinton, despite his reservations. Sitting an election out seemed impossible to Rivera, who lived in Panama during the dictatorship of Manuel Noriega in the early 1980s.
He calls the dilemma of Hispanic evangelicals a “bitter-sour situation.” When he sees prominent evangelical leaders including Paula White and Ralph Reed lavish praise on Trump, he cringes.
“They try to present him as the messiah, but if he is the messiah he is not doing what we are supposed to do,” Rivera said.
When warnings about the coronavirus began coming in February, Rivera took notice. He urged his congregants to stop embracing and instead bump elbows. They installed hand sanitizer dispensers at the door.
But even in mid-March, just days before many states enacted mandatory stay-at-home orders, few were paying any attention to his warnings. They gathered in the front of the church kneeling against one another, squeezing one another’s shoulders. When Rivera offered his sermon, dozens came to the front to offer their own testimony.
Many congregants dismissed the warnings as exaggerated; others were hardly aware of it. It would be the last in-person service for more than two months.
In a way, it was something of a miracle that the church has not endured more suffering — Arizona has been one of the hardest-hit states, and Latinos have been infected at especially high rates. But just two of the members caught the virus at work, and one woman who lived in a nursing home died.
Some congregants were laid off from jobs or not called for work as a house cleaner or gardener. A few had found work cleaning the local hospitals. Even before the pandemic, the church was handing out donated clothing and stocking refrigerators for struggling families.
After weeks of services streamed online, then moved to the church parking lot, Rivera was determined to open the church doors again. He kept attendance capped around 100, less than half the capacity of the church.
“It is still a little scary,” he said in mid-May, before Arizona hit its peak infection rate.
He saw other pastors boasting about their own reopenings.
“I see them saying that people who take more precautions are people who don’t have faith. I take offense at that,” Rivera said. “I don’t want to go to the funeral for any one of my people for being stupid.”
“Our people are very used to hugging, and I understand that need to be embraced, but this is a new time,” he said.
Being a leader, Rivera said, meant telling people things they would rather ignore.
To him, it looked as if Trump was beginning to take the virus more seriously and relying on medical experts to speak to the public. Like so many other evangelical leaders, he appreciated the way the administration was pushing for churches to open. Perhaps Trump would turn a corner and earn his vote after all, he said.
By the end of June, he changed his mind again.
“Every time he opens his mouth, there’s a controversy,” he said. “That is the only thing he has mastered. He just can’t make a statement that will unify the nation.”
His anger with other evangelical leaders grew. Too many, he said, are “blind supporters” of the president.
By late summer, Rivera had lost whatever modicum of enthusiasm he once had. To him, evangelicals are relying on an impossible notion of dominance and “talking about things that we have no control over,” he said.
When he thinks about why so many of his congregants do support the president, he worries about what they hope he can do — he believes that no matter who wins in November, some things will not change.
“We will never have a Christian state that imposes all the rules that are in the Bible,” Rivera added. “We don’t have a theocratic state, we have a republic, we have a nation that comes with those liberties.”


thedenverpost--2020-10-12--Trump’s campaign talk of troop withdrawals does not match military reality

When President Donald Trump said on Twitter last week that all U.S. troops in Afghanistan might be home by Christmas , he was reiterating a goal that has eluded him for years — and most likely hoping that when it comes to ending military deployments , voters will give him more credit for his messaging than for his results .
Trump has long vowed to leave Afghanistan and , more broadly , to conclude what he calls the United States ’ “ endless wars ” across the Middle East , reviving a core theme from his 2016 campaign that some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ role in his election .
But with three months left in his first term , Trump has not welcomed home the last American soldier from anywhere .
While he has withdrawn thousands of troops from Afghanistan , Iraq and Syria , thousands more still risk their lives there — a source of clear frustration for a president hoping to impress voters with unequivocal , unprecedented results .
And although his defenders insist he deserves credit for avoiding any major new U.S. interventions , making him the first president in decades to do so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ soldiers to the Persian Gulf in response to growing tensions with Iran , which some analysts warn could spill into a hot war if he is reelected .
He has also done little to scale down major U.S. military bases in places like Qatar and Bahrain .
“ The missing piece here is that tens of thousands of forces are deployed all across the Middle East , supporting ongoing operations in the region and beyond , ” said Dana Stroul , a fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ military presence in Saudi Arabia .
None of those forces have been withdrawn over the course of his term .
His rhetoric does not match the reality of U.S. forces deployed across the Middle East today.
” Still , Trump believes that even the perception of progress toward removing most Americans from harm ’ s way overseas will help his chances of reelection on an “ America First ” platform .
He and his campaign surrogates have repeated that message at every turn , from his rallies to the Republican National Convention in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I ’ m bringing our troops back from Afghanistan .
I ’ m bringing our troops back from Iraq .
We ’ re almost out of almost every place , ” he said during a town hall event in September that was broadcast on ABC News .
At a campaign rally more than a week later , the president vowed to “ keep America out of these endless , ridiculous , stupid foreign wars in countries that you ’ ve never even heard of.
” He reprised the theme in a tweet hours @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Walter Reed National Military Medical Center last week .
“ PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH ( BRING OUR SOLDIERS HOME ) .
VOTE !
” Trump wrote as the world obsessed over his coronavirus diagnosis .
Trump now presides over about 10,000 ground troops in Afghanistan , Iraq and Syria combined , only slightly less than the number he inherited at the end of the Obama administration .
Deployments ordered by Trump caused that number to rise as high as 26,000 by late 2017 , according to a Pentagon report , before falling steadily in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ left just under 10,000 troops in Afghanistan , Trump ordered about 3,000 more to the country in 2017 before beginning a drawdown that has resulted in about 4,500 there today .
He also increased troop levels in Syria , where U.S. forces have battled the Islamic State group , from about 500 under Obama to nearly 2,500 before dropping to a current level of 750 .
In Iraq , troop numbers were virtually unchanged from the end of the Obama era until last month , when the Pentagon said it would cut nearly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Denouncing and vowing to end foreign interventions was a potent message four years ago , according to a June 2017 academic study , which found “ a significant and meaningful relationship between a community ’ s rate of military sacrifice and its support for Trump ” in the 2016 election .
The study ’ s authors , Douglas Kriner of Cornell University and Francis Shen of the University of Minnesota Law School , concluded that if three states narrowly carried by Trump — Pennsylvania , Michigan and Wisconsin — “ had suffered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all three could have flipped from red to blue and sent Hillary Clinton to the White House.
” Former Vice President Joe Biden makes for a less useful foil than did Clinton , however .
Although Biden also supported the Iraq War , he is less closely associated with the conflict than Clinton was .
Biden was also a skeptic of subsequent military actions , arguing inside the Obama administration against a troop surge in 2009 for Afghanistan and opposing the U.S. intervention in Libya in 2011 .
On his campaign website , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rebuilding the United States from within through measures like education reform , more humane immigration policies and voting rights protections .
Echoing Trump , Biden also promises to “ end the forever wars in Afghanistan and the Middle East , which have cost us untold blood and treasure , ” saying he “ will bring the vast majority of our troops home from Afghanistan and narrowly focus our mission on al-Qaida and ISIS.
” Perhaps seeking a clearer contrast with his opponent , Trump upped the ante last week , surprising senior military @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accelerating his timeline for a U.S. exit from Afghanistan .
“ We should have the small remaining number of our BRAVE Men and Women serving in Afghanistan home by Christmas !
” Trump wrote Wednesday , seeming to undercut a February agreement with the Taliban that committed the United States to a full withdrawal by next May only if the Afghan insurgent group met important conditions .
The tweet also came just hours after Trump ’ s national security adviser , Robert O ’ Brien , told an audience that the United States @ @ @ @ @ @ @ early next year .
The White House had no official comment , but a senior administration official speaking on background said that Trump had made a clear statement and that the government was obliged to carry out the commander in chief ’ s wishes .
Senior military officials , however , say they have received no formal orders to reduce U.S. forces in Afghanistan beyond 4,500 by the end of November .
Philip Gordon , who served as the coordinator for the Middle East , North Africa and the Gulf region in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that political impulses , not strategic thinking , were behind Trump ’ s management of the military .
“ You can ’ t give him credit for successfully handling the drawdown .
It ’ s been chaotic and inconsistent and completely unpredictable , ” Gordon said .
He recalled the way Trump had repeatedly vowed to withdraw the modest contingent of U.S. forces from Syria , forcing Pentagon planners to scramble for solutions that have preserved a few hundred troops meant to counter Russian and Iranian influence , although Trump boasts that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the oil.
” “ It ’ s too few troops to achieve anything there — and it ’ s just enough to get in trouble , as we ’ ve seen with the recent dust-ups between U.S. and Russian forces on patrols , ” said Ed King , president and founder of Defense Priorities , a nonpartisan Washington group that calls for a smaller U.S. military presence overseas .
After seven U.S. service members were injured when their armored vehicle was rammed by a Russian one in August , the Pentagon sent another @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the U.S. total there to 750 .
King expressed disappointment that Trump had not made more progress toward removing all U.S. troops from combat zones .
But he placed much of the blame on others , like Trump ’ s former national security adviser John Bolton , and added that “ the hope is , with the right personnel who can implement some of the rhetorical aims that Trump has voiced , that some of these policies might actually come to fruition.
” But others warn that in a second Trump term , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , author of a new book about failed U.S. efforts to achieve “ regime change ” in the Middle East , said that the president ’ s “ maximum pressure ” campaign against Iran was unlikely to topple the country ’ s government or force it to abandon its nuclear program .
That could leave a reelected Trump forced to use military action to prevent an Iranian bomb .
“ And that would be the end of the end of the ‘ forever wars , ’ ” Gordon said .

When President Donald Trump said on Twitter last week that all U.S. troops in Afghanistan might be home by Christmas, he was reiterating a goal that has eluded him for years — and most likely hoping that when it comes to ending military deployments, voters will give him more credit for his messaging than for his results.
Trump has long vowed to leave Afghanistan and, more broadly, to conclude what he calls the United States’ “endless wars” across the Middle East, reviving a core theme from his 2016 campaign that some data suggests could have played a crucial role in his election.
But with three months left in his first term, Trump has not welcomed home the last American soldier from anywhere. While he has withdrawn thousands of troops from Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria, thousands more still risk their lives there — a source of clear frustration for a president hoping to impress voters with unequivocal, unprecedented results.
And although his defenders insist he deserves credit for avoiding any major new U.S. interventions, making him the first president in decades to do so, Trump has deployed thousands of additional soldiers to the Persian Gulf in response to growing tensions with Iran, which some analysts warn could spill into a hot war if he is reelected. He has also done little to scale down major U.S. military bases in places like Qatar and Bahrain.
“The missing piece here is that tens of thousands of forces are deployed all across the Middle East, supporting ongoing operations in the region and beyond,” said Dana Stroul, a fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. “The president has even increased the U.S. military presence in Saudi Arabia. None of those forces have been withdrawn over the course of his term. His rhetoric does not match the reality of U.S. forces deployed across the Middle East today.”
Still, Trump believes that even the perception of progress toward removing most Americans from harm’s way overseas will help his chances of reelection on an “America First” platform. He and his campaign surrogates have repeated that message at every turn, from his rallies to the Republican National Convention in August to his Twitter account.
“I’m bringing our troops back from Afghanistan. I’m bringing our troops back from Iraq. We’re almost out of almost every place,” he said during a town hall event in September that was broadcast on ABC News. At a campaign rally more than a week later, the president vowed to “keep America out of these endless, ridiculous, stupid foreign wars in countries that you’ve never even heard of.”
He reprised the theme in a tweet hours before returning to the White House from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center last week. “PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH (BRING OUR SOLDIERS HOME). VOTE!” Trump wrote as the world obsessed over his coronavirus diagnosis.
Trump now presides over about 10,000 ground troops in Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria combined, only slightly less than the number he inherited at the end of the Obama administration. Deployments ordered by Trump caused that number to rise as high as 26,000 by late 2017, according to a Pentagon report, before falling steadily in recent months.
After President Barack Obama left just under 10,000 troops in Afghanistan, Trump ordered about 3,000 more to the country in 2017 before beginning a drawdown that has resulted in about 4,500 there today. He also increased troop levels in Syria, where U.S. forces have battled the Islamic State group, from about 500 under Obama to nearly 2,500 before dropping to a current level of 750. In Iraq, troop numbers were virtually unchanged from the end of the Obama era until last month, when the Pentagon said it would cut nearly half its forces there, to 3,000.
Denouncing and vowing to end foreign interventions was a potent message four years ago, according to a June 2017 academic study, which found “a significant and meaningful relationship between a community’s rate of military sacrifice and its support for Trump” in the 2016 election. The study’s authors, Douglas Kriner of Cornell University and Francis Shen of the University of Minnesota Law School, concluded that if three states narrowly carried by Trump — Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin — “had suffered even a modestly lower casualty rate, all three could have flipped from red to blue and sent Hillary Clinton to the White House.”
Former Vice President Joe Biden makes for a less useful foil than did Clinton, however. Although Biden also supported the Iraq War, he is less closely associated with the conflict than Clinton was. Biden was also a skeptic of subsequent military actions, arguing inside the Obama administration against a troop surge in 2009 for Afghanistan and opposing the U.S. intervention in Libya in 2011.
On his campaign website, Biden focuses his foreign policy platform on rebuilding the United States from within through measures like education reform, more humane immigration policies and voting rights protections. Echoing Trump, Biden also promises to “end the forever wars in Afghanistan and the Middle East, which have cost us untold blood and treasure,” saying he “will bring the vast majority of our troops home from Afghanistan and narrowly focus our mission on al-Qaida and ISIS.”
Perhaps seeking a clearer contrast with his opponent, Trump upped the ante last week, surprising senior military and civilian officials with an evening tweet accelerating his timeline for a U.S. exit from Afghanistan.
“We should have the small remaining number of our BRAVE Men and Women serving in Afghanistan home by Christmas!” Trump wrote Wednesday, seeming to undercut a February agreement with the Taliban that committed the United States to a full withdrawal by next May only if the Afghan insurgent group met important conditions. The tweet also came just hours after Trump’s national security adviser, Robert O’Brien, told an audience that the United States would reduce its forces to 2,500 by early next year.
The White House had no official comment, but a senior administration official speaking on background said that Trump had made a clear statement and that the government was obliged to carry out the commander in chief’s wishes.
Senior military officials, however, say they have received no formal orders to reduce U.S. forces in Afghanistan beyond 4,500 by the end of November.
Philip Gordon, who served as the coordinator for the Middle East, North Africa and the Gulf region in the Obama administration, called the tweet evidence that political impulses, not strategic thinking, were behind Trump’s management of the military.
“You can’t give him credit for successfully handling the drawdown. It’s been chaotic and inconsistent and completely unpredictable,” Gordon said. He recalled the way Trump had repeatedly vowed to withdraw the modest contingent of U.S. forces from Syria, forcing Pentagon planners to scramble for solutions that have preserved a few hundred troops meant to counter Russian and Iranian influence, although Trump boasts that the troops are now there to “keep the oil.”
“It’s too few troops to achieve anything there — and it’s just enough to get in trouble, as we’ve seen with the recent dust-ups between U.S. and Russian forces on patrols,” said Ed King, president and founder of Defense Priorities, a nonpartisan Washington group that calls for a smaller U.S. military presence overseas. After seven U.S. service members were injured when their armored vehicle was rammed by a Russian one in August, the Pentagon sent another 100 soldiers to the country, increasing the U.S. total there to 750.
King expressed disappointment that Trump had not made more progress toward removing all U.S. troops from combat zones. But he placed much of the blame on others, like Trump’s former national security adviser John Bolton, and added that “the hope is, with the right personnel who can implement some of the rhetorical aims that Trump has voiced, that some of these policies might actually come to fruition.”
But others warn that in a second Trump term, the opposite could be true.
Gordon, author of a new book about failed U.S. efforts to achieve “regime change” in the Middle East, said that the president’s “maximum pressure” campaign against Iran was unlikely to topple the country’s government or force it to abandon its nuclear program. That could leave a reelected Trump forced to use military action to prevent an Iranian bomb.
“And that would be the end of the end of the ‘forever wars,’” Gordon said.


thedenverpost--2020-10-12--Cole Anthony to the Nuggets? Bleacher Report’s NBA mock draft has North Carolina guard coming to Den

Cole Anthony to the Nuggets? Bleacher Report’s NBA mock draft has North Carolina guard coming to Denver.

Could the Nuggets be in line for some backcourt help ?
Bleacher Report ’ s latest NBA mock draft has @ @ @ @ @ headed to Denver with the No .
22 overall pick .
“ The Nuggets have @ @ @ @ @ low on draft-night fallers , ” Bleacher Report ’ s Jonathan Wasserman writes .
“ @ @ @ @ @ , but he ’ s still worth gambling on in the 20s , particularly for @ @ @ @ @ afford to be patient .
His shot-making should translate , even if concerns about his @ @ @ @ @ ” The 6-foot-3 , 190-pound point guard averaged 18.5 points , 5.7 rebounds and 4.0 @ @ @ @ @ the Tar Heels last season .

Could the Nuggets be in line for some backcourt help?
Bleacher Report’s latest NBA mock draft has North Carolina guard Cole Anthony headed to Denver with the No. 22 overall pick.
“The Nuggets have made a habit of buying low on draft-night fallers,” Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman writes. “Teams have soured on Anthony, but he’s still worth gambling on in the 20s, particularly for a winning team that can afford to be patient. His shot-making should translate, even if concerns about his decision-making and finishing are valid.”
The 6-foot-3, 190-pound point guard averaged 18.5 points, 5.7 rebounds and 4.0 assists in 22 games for the Tar Heels last season.


thedenverpost--2020-10-12--Denver weather: Sunny and breezy Monday in the metro area

It ’ s going to be a sunny and breezy day in the Denver metro area on Monday .
Temperatures @ @ @ @ @ 74 with possible wind gusts as high as 24 mph , according to the National @ @ @ @ @ also a red flag warning in effect from noon to 6 p.m .
In the @ @ @ @ @ drop to a low of 45 .
Tuesday will be warm and sunny with a @ @ @ @ @ to 51 at night .
It will be mostly sunny with a high of 80 @ @ @ @ @ move in .
The night ’ s low will dip down to 37 .

It’s going to be a sunny and breezy day in the Denver metro area on Monday.
Temperatures will reach a high of 74 with possible wind gusts as high as 24 mph, according to the National Weather Service. There is also a red flag warning in effect from noon to 6 p.m.
Critical Fire Weather conditions expected again Monday afternoon. #cowx pic.twitter.com/3wWGkLwZdt — NWS Boulder (@NWSBoulder) October 12, 2020
In the evening, the temperature will drop to a low of 45.
Tuesday will be warm and sunny with a high of 77 before dropping to 51 at night. It will be mostly sunny with a high of 80 on Wednesday before cooler temperatures move in. The night’s low will dip down to 37.


thedenverpost--2020-10-12--Ask Amy: Kindhearted husband has nagging problem

Dear Amy : My husband is such a sweetheart .
I love him for his kindness and tenderhearted nature .
We never fight , except in one area , which is household chores .
I know he hates nagging , so I refrain from asking him too often to do chores around the house ( like vacuuming and dish washing ) .
However , I do need help and I feel resentful when he doesn ’ t proactively help .
I don ’ t know how to encourage him to do it on his own .
Is there a better @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this ?
I know this isn ’ t the biggest problem out there but it sure is a strain on the marriage .
Dear Anxious : Your husband ’ s kindness notwithstanding , it is not really kind or tenderhearted to watch your partner be overburdened by the job of taking care of the household .
Furthermore , your fear of bothering him with your nagging means that there is a disconnect .
His need not to be bothered by you should not be more important than your need — and right — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ husband should have regular household meetings where you discuss all of the basics — your schedules , your grocery shopping list , your expenses , and your social or family obligations .
At your first meeting , you should agree on a basic chore list .
Does he hate to vacuum ?
Perhaps there is a regular chore you don ’ t enjoy that he can take on as his own , and you can vacuum .
The idea is to agree , form a contract of sorts , and then for each @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do their part .
And oftentimes , doing something you don ’ t enjoy without acting like a martyr is a pretty profound statement of kindness and love .
When he does something without prompting , notice it — and let him know that you feel loved .
As I have reported before , hiring a bi-weekly cleaner has been a game-changer in my own house .
If you can afford to outsource some of your housecleaning , it is worth it .
Dear Amy : I have been in a same-sex relationship @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” I love everything about her .
Paula said that I was smothering her , that I was boring , that I am lying to her ( but I have no reason to lie ) , and that I went through her things ( and I have no reason to go through her things ) .
Paula said that she needed space .
She thinks my daughter is disrespecting her ( when she ’ s not ) .
Is it me ?
Is there someone else ?
Is it a trust issue ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ t call her , but I ’ m confused because when I call and text all the time she says I ’ m smothering her .
When I don ’ t call and text all the time she says things like , “ You must have someone else.
” I ’ m like , “ Huh , what ?
Like what do you want ?
” She makes me cry and hurts my feelings , and she doesn ’ t seem to care .
What do you think is going on here ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ some of the things you love about “ Paula.
” Is it the way she puts you down ?
The baseless accusations ?
Calling you “ boring ” and a liar ?
Criticizing your daughter — and you as a parent ?
If your narrative is accurate , I ’ d say that Paula is an abusive girlfriend who is using your insecurity and the power deficit in your relationship to gaslight and control you .
Keeping you consistently off-kilter is paralyzing you , thereby keeping you in place .
That ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The question now is — what are you going to do about it ?
This relationship is unhealthy .
Paula is toxic .
Staying in this relationship is emotionally damaging , and the longer you stay , the greater damage is done .
I ’ ll quote a favorite cliché : “ When the going gets tough , the tough get going.
” I hope you will tap into your inner toughness — and get going .
Dear Amy : I could not believe your awful fat-shaming response to “ Starving and Fat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an eating disorder .
You said that any doctor would understand that all overweight people have eating disorders .
Reading that , I was completely disgusted .
Dear Disgusted : My answer was the opposite of fat shaming .
“ Starving and Fat ” was currently overweight but thought her bulimia had resurfaced .
My supportive response was that any competent doctor or nutritionist could very easily recognize that an overweight person could also be suffering from an eating disorder .
The two are not mutually exclusive .
I apologize if the wording @ @ @ @ @ @

Dear Amy: My husband is such a sweetheart. I love him for his kindness and tenderhearted nature. We never fight, except in one area, which is household chores.
I know he hates nagging, so I refrain from asking him too often to do chores around the house (like vacuuming and dish washing).
However, I do need help and I feel resentful when he doesn’t proactively help. I don’t know how to encourage him to do it on his own.
Is there a better way to communicate or help me achieve this? I know this isn’t the biggest problem out there but it sure is a strain on the marriage.
— Anxious Wife
Dear Anxious: Your husband’s kindness notwithstanding, it is not really kind or tenderhearted to watch your partner be overburdened by the job of taking care of the household. Furthermore, your fear of bothering him with your nagging means that there is a disconnect. His need not to be bothered by you should not be more important than your need — and right — to express yourself.
You and your husband should have regular household meetings where you discuss all of the basics — your schedules, your grocery shopping list, your expenses, and your social or family obligations.
At your first meeting, you should agree on a basic chore list. Does he hate to vacuum? Perhaps there is a regular chore you don’t enjoy that he can take on as his own, and you can vacuum. The idea is to agree, form a contract of sorts, and then for each party to act like an adult and do their part. And oftentimes, doing something you don’t enjoy without acting like a martyr is a pretty profound statement of kindness and love. When he does something without prompting, notice it — and let him know that you feel loved.
As I have reported before, hiring a bi-weekly cleaner has been a game-changer in my own house. If you can afford to outsource some of your housecleaning, it is worth it.
Dear Amy: I have been in a same-sex relationship for almost three years with “Paula.” I love everything about her. Paula said that I was smothering her, that I was boring, that I am lying to her (but I have no reason to lie), and that I went through her things (and I have no reason to go through her things).
Paula said that she needed space. She thinks my daughter is disrespecting her (when she’s not).
Is it me? Is there someone else? Is it a trust issue?
She gets angry if I don’t call her, but I’m confused because when I call and text all the time she says I’m smothering her. When I don’t call and text all the time she says things like, “You must have someone else.” I’m like, “Huh, what? Like what do you want?”
She makes me cry and hurts my feelings, and she doesn’t seem to care.
What do you think is going on here?
— Hurt
Dear Hurt: Let’s review some of the things you love about “Paula.”
Is it the way she puts you down? The baseless accusations? Calling you “boring” and a liar? Criticizing your daughter — and you as a parent?
If your narrative is accurate, I’d say that Paula is an abusive girlfriend who is using your insecurity and the power deficit in your relationship to gaslight and control you. Keeping you consistently off-kilter is paralyzing you, thereby keeping you in place.
That’s what I think is going on. The question now is — what are you going to do about it?
This relationship is unhealthy. Paula is toxic. Staying in this relationship is emotionally damaging, and the longer you stay, the greater damage is done.
I’ll quote a favorite cliché: “When the going gets tough, the tough get going.”
I hope you will tap into your inner toughness — and get going.
Dear Amy: I could not believe your awful fat-shaming response to “Starving and Fat,” who was overweight but had an eating disorder. You said that any doctor would understand that all overweight people have eating disorders. Reading that, I was completely disgusted.
— Disgusted
Dear Disgusted: My answer was the opposite of fat shaming. “Starving and Fat” was currently overweight but thought her bulimia had resurfaced.
My supportive response was that any competent doctor or nutritionist could very easily recognize that an overweight person could also be suffering from an eating disorder. The two are not mutually exclusive. I apologize if the wording of my response created confusion.
(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.)