thedenverpost--2020-12-10--How the 2020 Broncos can make the NFL playoffs

The Broncos have +50,000 odds — meaning a $ 100 bet would win $ 50,000 — to advance to the Super Bowl this year , according to oddsmaker BetMGM .
The odds to add a fourth Lombardi Trophy to the display case ?
It ’ s +100,000 .
Both are tied for dead last .
To quote Lloyd Christmas , “ so you ’ re telling me there ’ s a chance.
” Entering Week 14 , Denver ( 4-8 ) is a long , longshot to make the playoffs .
The AFC West title is out of the picture @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a magic number of one to clinch the division and the Raiders ( 7-5 ) are the only ones with a shot at catching them .
Thankfully for the Broncos , the NFL expanded to three wild-card teams in each conference this season .
A lot of things have to happen in order for the Broncos to advance to the postseason for the first time since they won Super Bowl 50 .
Here ’ s a look : The Broncos need four straight victories against the Panthers ( 4-8 ) , Bills ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Raiders ( 7-5 ) to finish the year at 8-8 .
Lose any of these games and the playoff bid is officially dead .
2 .
Kansas City ( 11-1 ) , Pittsburgh ( 11-1 ) , Cleveland ( 9-3 ) and Buffalo ( 9-3 ) need to make the playoffs .
The Chiefs have already clinched a spot .
If any of the other teams don ’ t , it means nine wins isn ’ t enough for a wild-card spot and Denver ’ s eight wouldn ’ t be either @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who can still finish 8-8 or better — Raiders ( 7-5 ) , Texans ( 4-8 ) , Titans ( 8-4 ) , Colts ( 8-4 ) , Ravens ( 7-5 ) , Patriots ( 6-6 ) , Dolphins ( 8-4 ) — at most one can finish with a better record than .500 .
With Pittsburgh and Cleveland in the same division , one of them has to be a wild-card team , leaving just two other wild-card spots .
If two of the remaining teams finish better than 8-8 , Denver @ @ @ @ @ @ @ If it ’ s down to just the Broncos and another team , that other team can not be the Titans , who own the tiebreaker after beating Denver , 16-14 , in Week 1 .
The Broncos would have a 7-5 conference record if they win their final four games .
How the Broncos match up in tiebreaks against the remaining teams : • Colts : Denver would win as Indianapolis would be 4-8 in conference play .
• Dolphins : Denver would win because of the Broncos ’ Week 11 victory @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would win as Baltimore would be 5-7 in conference play .
• Patriots : Denver would win because of the Broncos ’ Week 6 victory over New England .
• Raiders : Denver and Las Vegas would split their season meetings .
The Broncos ( 7-5 in the AFC ) would win as Las Vegas would be , at best , 6-6 in conference play .
• Texans : Denver would win as Houston would be 6-6 in conference play .

Entering Week 15, the Broncos still have a shot a making the playoffs — albeit an incredibly slim one.
After beating the Panthers, 32-27, on Sunday, Denver’s postseason hopes are still alive, though they need a lot of help.
Kansas City has clinched the AFC West, so a division title is out of the question. And with both Indianapolis and Tennessee winning Sunday and improving to 9-3, the Broncos (5-8) have only the No. 7 seed to contend for.
A lot of things have to happen in order for the Broncos to advance to the postseason for the first time since they won Super Bowl 50. Here’s a look:
1. Denver wins out.
The Broncos need three straight victories against the Bills (9-3), Chargers (4-9) and Raiders (7-6) to finish the year at 8-8. Lose any of these games and the playoff bid is officially dead.
2. Kansas City (12-1), Pittsburgh (11-2), Buffalo (10-3), Cleveland (9-3), Tennessee (9-4) and Indianapolis (9-4) must make the playoffs.
If any of these teams fail to make the playoffs, it means another team has won at least nine games. At most, the Broncos can finish the season with eight wins.
3. Of the remaining teams, the best record they can finish with is 8-8.
As stated above, no other team can finish with a better record than 8-8 or else the Broncos are eliminated.
4. Win the tiebreaker.
If it’s down to just the Broncos and another team, Denver owns the tiebreaker. The Broncos would have a 7-5 conference record if they win their final four games.
How the Broncos match up in tiebreaks against the remaining teams:
Dolphins (8-5): Denver would win because of the Broncos’ Week 11 victory over Miami.
Denver would win because of the Broncos’ Week 11 victory over Miami. Ravens (8-5): Denver would win as Baltimore would be 5-7 in conference play.
Denver would win as Baltimore would be 5-7 in conference play. Patriots (6-7): Denver would win because of the Broncos’ Week 6 victory over New England.
Denver would win because of the Broncos’ Week 6 victory over New England. Raiders (7-6): Denver and Las Vegas would split their season meetings. The Broncos (7-5 in the AFC) would win as Las Vegas would be, at best, 6-6 in conference play.
How the Broncos are eliminated in Week 15


thedenverpost--2020-12-10--Ask Amy: Must divorced couples remain friends?

Dear Amy : For several years I had been unhappy with my husband ’ s defensiveness and the hair trigger irritability he had displayed since our younger days ( we are both in our early 70s ) , but I decided to stick with him after he was diagnosed with a potentially debilitating condition .
After being soundly berated for unjust reasons ( such as the look on my face ) , I pulled away but still made nice dinners , exchanged ideas about books , watched movies together , etc .
He announced that he was going to start @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in fact he had already signed up for an online matching site .
I told him that in that case I wanted a divorce , and no I wasn ’ t interested in working on salvaging the marriage .
To my surprise , he met someone almost immediately , and yet still expected me to live cordially with him .
He acted as if this was his right .
The situation was extremely stressful , and I wanted him to leave the home immediately .
After six months , he finally moved out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now he expects me to be his friend , which I have no intention of doing .
Our adult children feel distant from him for their own reasons .
Now he feels lonely and blames me for the situation .
I ’ m happier being on my own , but feel confused about how to have stronger boundaries , even though he had no empathy for me , especially during the months when he refused to move out .
His health is still good , so that isn ’ t an issue .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
Am I too empathetic ?
I feel like a fool .
Dear Foolish : Your divorce severed your legal and emotional obligations toward your ex-husband .
If this is truly what you want , even temporarily , then you certainly have the right to cut all ties with him .
If he had wanted to stay friends with you , perhaps he should have treated you more like a friend during that time when you needed his friendship the very most , as the marriage was ending .
Some wise couples actually @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they are parting .
The most urgent and important reason for couples to maintain a cordial ( and/or friendly ) relationship with one another post-divorce is to protect the emotional connection with the children you share .
Your children are adults , and they can try to maintain their own emotional ties with their father , moving forward .
Your ex-husband ’ s loneliness is his own burden to manage .
He ’ ll have to figure out how to do this , without you as a companion and crutch .
Your job @ @ @ @ @ @ @ want .
You could convey your boundaries by explaining them ( “ I gave this relationship my all , for many years .
Now I ’ m done , ” ) and then adhering to these boundaries by refusing to be manipulated .
In time , you two may relax into a friendlier relationship , but your own role in any relationship with him will be up to you .
Dear Amy : My 50-year-old sister has been divorced for 15 years .
She recently met a very nice man who moved in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last week ( two months later ) .
They are now planning a wedding sometime around Christmas .
We are in a state with rising COVID cases and decreasing hospital beds .
I ’ m anxious about bringing my family to attend her wedding .
She maintains that it ’ s my decision whether to attend .
It will be in her large home with 30 or so guests .
I hate to miss her wedding and I hate to disappoint her and my parents , who all seem to have limited COVID @ @ @ @ @ @ @ irresponsible during a pandemic .
I ’ m certain there will be no social distancing or masks .
What should I do ?
Dear Cautious : Your sister is giving you an out .
Take it .
You should ask if the couple would be willing to livestream their wedding via Facetime or another app .
All it would take is a connection , and a phone set up on a tripod .
Dear Amy : “ Three Daughters ” were worried about their widower-dad ’ s current partner .
They should contact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what actions they can take to prevent the new woman from exerting undo influence , and to undo what might have already been done .
They need to do this immediately while their father is still unmarried .
Once he is married , the new spouse is afforded much greater standing than children in estate matters .

Dear Amy: For several years I had been unhappy with my husband’s defensiveness and the hair trigger irritability he had displayed since our younger days (we are both in our early 70s), but I decided to stick with him after he was diagnosed with a potentially debilitating condition.
After being soundly berated for unjust reasons (such as the look on my face), I pulled away but still made nice dinners, exchanged ideas about books, watched movies together, etc.
He announced that he was going to start “dating.” He told me that in fact he had already signed up for an online matching site.
I told him that in that case I wanted a divorce, and no I wasn’t interested in working on salvaging the marriage.
To my surprise, he met someone almost immediately, and yet still expected me to live cordially with him. He acted as if this was his right.
The situation was extremely stressful, and I wanted him to leave the home immediately. After six months, he finally moved out.
The divorce was finalized recently and now he expects me to be his friend, which I have no intention of doing.
Our adult children feel distant from him for their own reasons.
Now he feels lonely and blames me for the situation.
I’m happier being on my own, but feel confused about how to have stronger boundaries, even though he had no empathy for me, especially during the months when he refused to move out. His health is still good, so that isn’t an issue.
Do I have any responsibility toward him?
Am I too empathetic? I feel like a fool.
— Foolish
Dear Foolish: Your divorce severed your legal and emotional obligations toward your ex-husband. If this is truly what you want, even temporarily, then you certainly have the right to cut all ties with him.
If he had wanted to stay friends with you, perhaps he should have treated you more like a friend during that time when you needed his friendship the very most, as the marriage was ending.
Some wise couples actually manage to do this, even when they are parting.
The most urgent and important reason for couples to maintain a cordial (and/or friendly) relationship with one another post-divorce is to protect the emotional connection with the children you share.
Your children are adults, and they can try to maintain their own emotional ties with their father, moving forward.
Your ex-husband’s loneliness is his own burden to manage. He’ll have to figure out how to do this, without you as a companion and crutch. Your job now is to decide on what you want. You could convey your boundaries by explaining them (“I gave this relationship my all, for many years. Now I’m done,”) and then adhering to these boundaries by refusing to be manipulated.
In time, you two may relax into a friendlier relationship, but your own role in any relationship with him will be up to you.
Dear Amy: My 50-year-old sister has been divorced for 15 years.
She recently met a very nice man who moved in with her after a week and proposed last week (two months later).
They are now planning a wedding sometime around Christmas.
We are in a state with rising COVID cases and decreasing hospital beds. I’m anxious about bringing my family to attend her wedding.
She maintains that it’s my decision whether to attend.
It will be in her large home with 30 or so guests.
I hate to miss her wedding and I hate to disappoint her and my parents, who all seem to have limited COVID caution or care, but it seems irresponsible during a pandemic.
I’m certain there will be no social distancing or masks. What should I do?
— The Cautious Sister
Dear Cautious: Your sister is giving you an out. Take it.
You should ask if the couple would be willing to livestream their wedding via Facetime or another app. All it would take is a connection, and a phone set up on a tripod.
Dear Amy: “Three Daughters” were worried about their widower-dad’s current partner.
They should contact a trusts and estates attorney to discuss what actions they can take to prevent the new woman from exerting undo influence, and to undo what might have already been done.
They need to do this immediately while their father is still unmarried.
Once he is married, the new spouse is afforded much greater standing than children in estate matters.
— Steve
Dear Steve: Thank you!
(You can email Amy Dickinson at askamy@amydickinson.com or send a letter to Ask Amy, P.O. Box 194, Freeville, NY 13068. You can also follow her on Twitter @askingamy or Facebook.)


thedenverpost--2020-12-10--Authorities say suspect found in 21-year-old Colorado Springs cold case

COLORADO SPRINGS — New DNA evidence has identified a former hospital maintenance worker as the prime suspect in a previously unsolved 1999 rape and killing of a woman in Colorado .
Authorities believe Ricky Severt is the man who was responsible for the killing of Jennifer Watkins , The Gazette reported Wednesday .
DNA testing from Severt ’ s surviving relatives found that Watkins ’ likely killer had more than a 99.99 % chance of being a member of the suspect ’ s family .
Severt ’ s work schedule placed him at the hospital on the day she disappeared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new evidence this month and said they were “ confident ” the person responsible for Watkins ’ death was Severt .
Severt was killed in a car crash in 2001 , which has rendered the homicide case now officially closed .
“ Though we can not prosecute Mr. Severt for the crime he committed , we can at least provide answers to Jennifer ’ s loved ones , ” the 4th Judicial District Attorney ’ s Office said in a statement .
Watkins was found dead in November 1999 at the Memorial Center @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was an employee in the kitchen staff .
Two repair workers found her under a stairwell at the hospital days after her husband and mother reported her as missing .
Then-El Paso County Coroner Dr. David Bowerman ruled that Watkins had been sexually assaulted and beaten to death .
Law enforcement interviewed everyone Watkins knew and worked with , including Severt , but none of their questioning led to an identifiable suspect .
Watkins ’ husband , Michael , was considered an “ early potential suspect ” but was later ruled out .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ it a cold case , detectives asked for help from Parabon Labs , a DNA technology company .
Police wanted Parabon Labs to examine DNA samples collected from Watkins ’ body and clothes during the initial investigation .
A DNA hit led to suspicions that Severt could have been involved in the killing .
Severt was an employee at the hospital working on its maintenance team at the time of Watkins ’ disappearance .
When questioned , he had told police he had never seen Watkins before .
Police said they were attempting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ investigation when they learned of his death in a car crash .

COLORADO SPRINGS — New DNA evidence has identified a former hospital maintenance worker as the prime suspect in a previously unsolved 1999 rape and killing of a woman in Colorado.
Authorities believe Ricky Severt is the man who was responsible for the killing of Jennifer Watkins, The Gazette reported Wednesday. DNA testing from Severt’s surviving relatives found that Watkins’ likely killer had more than a 99.99% chance of being a member of the suspect’s family. Severt’s work schedule placed him at the hospital on the day she disappeared.
Prosecutors completed their investigation into the new evidence this month and said they were “confident” the person responsible for Watkins’ death was Severt.
Severt was killed in a car crash in 2001, which has rendered the homicide case now officially closed.
“Though we cannot prosecute Mr. Severt for the crime he committed, we can at least provide answers to Jennifer’s loved ones,” the 4th Judicial District Attorney’s Office said in a statement.
Watkins was found dead in November 1999 at the Memorial Center Hospital in Colorado Springs, where she was an employee in the kitchen staff. Two repair workers found her under a stairwell at the hospital days after her husband and mother reported her as missing.
Then-El Paso County Coroner Dr. David Bowerman ruled that Watkins had been sexually assaulted and beaten to death.
Law enforcement interviewed everyone Watkins knew and worked with, including Severt, but none of their questioning led to an identifiable suspect. Watkins’ husband, Michael, was considered an “early potential suspect” but was later ruled out.
In 2017, after years of designating it a cold case, detectives asked for help from Parabon Labs, a DNA technology company. Police wanted Parabon Labs to examine DNA samples collected from Watkins’ body and clothes during the initial investigation.
A DNA hit led to suspicions that Severt could have been involved in the killing.
Severt was an employee at the hospital working on its maintenance team at the time of Watkins’ disappearance. When questioned, he had told police he had never seen Watkins before.
Police said they were attempting to locate Severt as part of their investigation when they learned of his death in a car crash.


thedenverpost--2020-12-10--Brush fire burns roughly 10 acres in Arapahoe County

South Metro Fire responded to a brush fire off of South Gun Club Road in Unincorporated Arapahoe County Wednesday night @ @ @ @ @ 10 acres and is under control .
MetCom will be flying a drone to get @ @ @ @ @ burn scar to determine hot spots .
Investigators are working to determine a cause .

South Metro Fire responded to a brush fire off of South Gun Club Road in Unincorporated Arapahoe County Wednesday night.
The fire is under control. Burned approximately 10 acres. MetCom will be flying a drone to get an infrared look at the burn scar to determine where hot spots are located as crews continue overhaul work. Fire investigators are also on scene to determine a cause. pic.twitter.com/txoii507Z6 — South Metro Fire Rescue (@SouthMetroPIO) December 10, 2020
The fire was approximately 10 acres and is under control. MetCom will be flying a drone to get an infrared look at the burn scar to determine hot spots. Investigators are working to determine a cause.


thedenverpost--2020-12-11--Tommy “Tiny” Lister, who played Deebo in “Friday,” dies

LOS ANGELES — Tommy “ Tiny ” Lister , a former wrestler who was known for his Deebo character in the “ Friday ” films , has died .
He was 62 .
Lister ’ s manager , Cindy Cowan , said Lister was found unconscious in his home in Marina Del Rey , California , on Thursday afternoon .
He was pronounced dead at the scene .
Cowan said Lister was diagnosed with COVID-19 earlier this year .
She said the actor overcame the virus , but he became sick about a week ago and recently had trouble breathing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been released , and the coroner ’ s office is investigating .
“ He was a gentle giant , ” Cowan said .
“ He had a smile as broad as you could imagine .
He ’ s going to be missed by so many .
We ’ re all devastated.
” Lister started his career as a wrestler , standing 6-foot-5 with broad shoulders at about 275 pounds .
His early roles included HBO football series “ 1st & Ten ” along with appearances in “ Beverly Hills Cop II , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ No Holds Barred , ” the 1989 film where his character Zeus challenged Hulk Hogan in a wrestling match .
However , Lister ’ s most notable role came in the 1995 film “ Friday ” and its sequel five years later .
He portrayed the role of Deebo , a felon who was known as the neighborhood bully that terrorized his neighbors with intimidation and fear .
His character was known for his infamous line “ Get knocked out like your father used to.
” Lister also appeared in “ The Fifth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” and “ Austin Powers in Goldmember.
” “ RIP Tiny “ Deebo ” Lister , ” Ice Cube said Thursday night on Instagram .
“ America ’ s favorite bully was a born entertainer who would pop into character at the drop of a hat terrifying people on and off camera .
Followed by a big smile and laugh .
Thank you for being a good dude at heart .
I miss you already.
” The death was first reported by celebrity website TMZ .

LOS ANGELES — Tommy “Tiny” Lister, a former wrestler who was known for his Deebo character in the “Friday” films, has died. He was 62.
Lister’s manager, Cindy Cowan, said Lister was found unconscious in his home in Marina Del Rey, California, on Thursday afternoon. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Cowan said Lister was diagnosed with COVID-19 earlier this year. She said the actor overcame the virus, but he became sick about a week ago and recently had trouble breathing.
The cause of death has not been released, and the coroner’s office is investigating.
“He was a gentle giant,” Cowan said. “He had a smile as broad as you could imagine. He’s going to be missed by so many. We’re all devastated.”
Lister started his career as a wrestler, standing 6-foot-5 with broad shoulders at about 275 pounds. His early roles included HBO football series “1st & Ten” along with appearances in “Beverly Hills Cop II,” which starred Eddie Murphy, and “No Holds Barred,” the 1989 film where his character Zeus challenged Hulk Hogan in a wrestling match.
However, Lister’s most notable role came in the 1995 film “Friday” and its sequel five years later. He portrayed the role of Deebo, a felon who was known as the neighborhood bully that terrorized his neighbors with intimidation and fear. His character was known for his infamous line “Get knocked out like your father used to.”
Lister also appeared in “The Fifth Element,” “The Dark Knight” and “Austin Powers in Goldmember.”
“RIP Tiny “Deebo” Lister,” Ice Cube said Thursday night on Instagram. “America’s favorite bully was a born entertainer who would pop into character at the drop of a hat terrifying people on and off camera. Followed by a big smile and laugh. Thank you for being a good dude at heart. I miss you already.”
The death was first reported by celebrity website TMZ.


thedenverpost--2020-12-11--Kiszla: Why are Nuggets going to love JaMychal Green? He brings mean to championship fight.

What do the Nuggets lack as a legit championship contender ?
We all know they are sweeter than Big Honey and as competitive as Mean Murray Face .
There ’ s no questioning this team ’ s heart .
But we ’ ve seen nights when Denver plays scrawny and gets pushed around .
That ’ s why you ’ re going to love new forward JaMychal Green .
He not only brings snarl , but also some real bite to a team that could use some nasty .
Mess with Mean JaMychal Green on the court at your peril @ @ @ @ @ @ @ moon .
He relishes the fight .
“ You get the born with it all the time , ” Green said Thursday .
“ And I was born with it.
” In a Western Conference where a bully hangs out on every corner , the Nuggets will have to scratch and claw their way back to the conference finals .
In the struggle ahead , center Nikola Jokic and guard Jamal Murray will need something more than Michael Porter Jr. burning brighter than a shooting star .
No offense to MPJ .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an arse-kicker .
Enter Mean JaMychal Green .
What does he bring to this team ?
“ Grit and grind , ” he said .
Green oozes the New York state of mind coach Michael Malone has tried to instill in the Nuggets .
“ JaMychal is going to be a great fit for us .
I like him , ” Jokic said last week , when a revamped Nuggets squad convened at training camp .
“ JaMychal is kind of a dog , and we need that kind of player.
” While @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Game 7 , playoff basketball isn ’ t always poetry .
It ’ s a battle of wills , a sports war of psychological attrition .
Denver now has a big dog in the fight .
Like many of his new teammates , Green had to go hard to earn his respect in the NBA .
He was undrafted out of Alabama in 2012 .
He struggled to stick in the league until signing a 10-day contract with Memphis .
The Grizzlies proved to be his spirit animal .
Rugged forward Zach Randolph @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all the grimy details that allow a man to survive and thrive at the professional level .
“ Grit and grind , ” Green said .
“ Being in Memphis five years , that ’ s kind of embedded in me .
Just grit and grind .
Go out there and compete .
Not giving up .
And fight.
” With his grit-and-grind skill-set , a junkyard dog mindset , combined with his age ( 30 ) and salary ( $ 7.2 million this season ) , it seems logical the Nuggets viewed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forward Paul Millsap , who was headed for free agency at the conclusion of a massive 3-year , $ 90 million contract .
But after Jerami Grant dropped an unpleasant surprise on the head of basketball operations chief Tim Connelly and bolted for Detroit , the team quickly pivoted to a different future , where Green and Millsap will grunt and sweat together in Denver .
Both players are grown-man strong .
But Green has more life in his legs than Millsap does at this point in the 35-year-old veteran ’ s career @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
“ I don ’ t anticipate a battle against my teammates , ” Millsap recently said .
He ’ s glad to have Green on his side .
In a league where everybody wants to be a star , Green has earned a living doing dirty work .
He has started more than 50 games and averaged at least 25 minutes only twice in six NBA seasons .
Regardless of whether he starts or comes off the bench , if Green can give the Nuggets 10 points , eight rebounds and 25 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a much-needed dose of mean for a Denver team ready to rumble .
“ Some teams may look at them as not being dogs or not being tough , ” Green said .
“ But once ( the Nuggets ) get on the floor , they ’ ll change your mind about that .
They ’ ll shut your mouth .
”

What do the Nuggets lack as a legit championship contender? We all know they are sweeter than Big Honey and as competitive as Mean Murray Face. There’s no questioning this team’s heart. But we’ve seen nights when Denver plays scrawny and gets pushed around.
That’s why you’re going to love new forward JaMychal Green. He not only brings snarl, but also some real bite to a team that could use some nasty.
Mess with Mean JaMychal Green on the court at your peril. He was born under a bad moon. He relishes the fight.
“You get the born with it all the time,” Green said Thursday. “And I was born with it.”
In a Western Conference where a bully hangs out on every corner, the Nuggets will have to scratch and claw their way back to the conference finals. In the struggle ahead, center Nikola Jokic and guard Jamal Murray will need something more than Michael Porter Jr. burning brighter than a shooting star.
No offense to MPJ. But he’s an artist, not an arse-kicker.
Enter Mean JaMychal Green. What does he bring to this team?
“Grit and grind,” he said.
Green oozes the New York state of mind coach Michael Malone has tried to instill in the Nuggets.
“JaMychal is going to be a great fit for us. I like him,” Jokic said last week, when a revamped Nuggets squad convened at training camp. “JaMychal is kind of a dog, and we need that kind of player.”
While we cherish the jump shot that wins Game 7, playoff basketball isn’t always poetry. It’s a battle of wills, a sports war of psychological attrition. Denver now has a big dog in the fight.
Like many of his new teammates, Green had to go hard to earn his respect in the NBA. He was undrafted out of Alabama in 2012. He struggled to stick in the league until signing a 10-day contract with Memphis. The Grizzlies proved to be his spirit animal. Rugged forward Zach Randolph became his OG, mentoring Green in all the grimy details that allow a man to survive and thrive at the professional level.
“Grit and grind,” Green said. “Being in Memphis five years, that’s kind of embedded in me. Just grit and grind. Go out there and compete. Not giving up. And fight.”
With his grit-and-grind skill-set, a junkyard dog mindset, combined with his age (30) and salary ($7.2 million this season), it seems logical the Nuggets viewed Green as a natural replacement for veteran forward Paul Millsap, who was headed for free agency at the conclusion of a massive 3-year, $90 million contract.
But after Jerami Grant dropped an unpleasant surprise on the head of basketball operations chief Tim Connelly and bolted for Detroit, the team quickly pivoted to a different future, where Green and Millsap will grunt and sweat together in Denver.
Both players are grown-man strong. But Green has more life in his legs than Millsap does at this point in the 35-year-old veteran’s career.
So who starts at power forward?
“I don’t anticipate a battle against my teammates,” Millsap recently said. He’s glad to have Green on his side.
In a league where everybody wants to be a star, Green has earned a living doing dirty work. He has started more than 50 games and averaged at least 25 minutes only twice in six NBA seasons.
Regardless of whether he starts or comes off the bench, if Green can give the Nuggets 10 points, eight rebounds and 25 minutes per night, it should be a much-needed dose of mean for a Denver team ready to rumble.
“Some teams may look at them as not being dogs or not being tough,” Green said. “But once (the Nuggets) get on the floor, they’ll change your mind about that. They’ll shut your mouth.”


thedenverpost--2020-12-11--Rockies announce minor league affiliates in Albuquerque, Hartford, Spokane and Fresno

The Rockies ’ minor league system is undergoing an extreme makeover .
The club on Thursday announced it has formally invited four minor league teams to be affiliates for the 2021 season .
The Rockies extended invitations to the Albuquerque Isotopes to be their Triple-A club , the Hartford Yard Goats ( Double-A ) , the Spokane Indians ( Class-A Advanced ) and the Fresno Grizzlies ( Class-A ) .
Albuquerque and Hartford have been Colorado ’ s affiliates since 2015 .
Spokane and Fresno would be new additions to the farm system .
“ We are thrilled with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our minor league baseball program next season and well into the future , ” Rockies owner Dick Monfort said in a statement .
“ We have had great relationships in Albuquerque and Hartford , and look forward to our new partnerships in Spokane and Fresno.
” The Rockies ’ moves came in the wake of Major League Baseball ’ s decision to dump 40 cities as affiliates as MLB cut to 120 farm teams .
The Rockies will no longer have a rookie-league team in Grand Junction nor a short-season team in Boise @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , eight-team Pioneer League , which includes the Grand Junction Rockies , Rocky Mountain Vibes in Colorado Springs and Northern Colorado Owlz in Windsor , will play in 2021 .
The Pioneer League has been designated a “ partner league ” of MLB , meaning that the teams will be independent and will no longer be affiliated with major league teams .
Fresno was founded in 1998 as a member of the Triple-A Pacific Coast League .
Its previous affiliates included the San Francisco Giants ( 1998-2014 ) , Houston Astros ( 2015-18 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It appeared Fresno might no longer host a minor league team , but the city worked out a deal this week .
Mayor Lee Brand and City Council president Miguel Arias discussed the situation at a news conference Wednesday .
“ This is , in my view , the best possible agreement that we can reach , given the current conditions of Major League Baseball , professional sports , and the fact that we ’ re in the middle of a pandemic where most of these kinds of activities are shut down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Arias told GV Wire .
Brand said he hoped Triple-A baseball would return to Fresno in the future .
“ We will keep baseball in Fresno .
It may be Single-A , but it will be good baseball .
It will be good entertainment .
Maybe one day we ’ ll go back to Triple-A , ” Brand told GV Wire .

The Rockies’ minor league system is undergoing an extreme makeover.
The club on Thursday announced it has formally invited four minor league teams to be affiliates for the 2021 season. The Rockies extended invitations to the Albuquerque Isotopes to be their Triple-A club, the Hartford Yard Goats (Double-A), the Spokane Indians (Class-A Advanced) and the Fresno Grizzlies (Class-A).
Albuquerque and Hartford have been Colorado’s affiliates since 2015. Spokane and Fresno would be new additions to the farm system.
“We are thrilled with the teams that we will call home for our minor league baseball program next season and well into the future,” Rockies owner Dick Monfort said in a statement. “We have had great relationships in Albuquerque and Hartford, and look forward to our new partnerships in Spokane and Fresno.”
The Rockies’ moves came in the wake of Major League Baseball’s decision to dump 40 cities as affiliates as MLB cut to 120 farm teams.
The Rockies will no longer have a rookie-league team in Grand Junction nor a short-season team in Boise, Idaho. However, a revamped, eight-team Pioneer League, which includes the Grand Junction Rockies, Rocky Mountain Vibes in Colorado Springs and Northern Colorado Owlz in Windsor, will play in 2021. The Pioneer League has been designated a “partner league” of MLB, meaning that the teams will be independent and will no longer be affiliated with major league teams.
Fresno was founded in 1998 as a member of the Triple-A Pacific Coast League. Its previous affiliates included the San Francisco Giants (1998-2014), Houston Astros (2015-18) and Washington Nationals (2019-20). It appeared Fresno might no longer host a minor league team, but the city worked out a deal this week.
Mayor Lee Brand and City Council president Miguel Arias discussed the situation at a news conference Wednesday.
“This is, in my view, the best possible agreement that we can reach, given the current conditions of Major League Baseball, professional sports, and the fact that we’re in the middle of a pandemic where most of these kinds of activities are shut down and revenue is a significant loss,” Arias told GV Wire.
Brand said he hoped Triple-A baseball would return to Fresno in the future.
“We will keep baseball in Fresno. It may be Single-A, but it will be good baseball. It will be good entertainment. Maybe one day we’ll go back to Triple-A,” Brand told GV Wire.


thedenverpost--2020-12-11--Alexander Johnson, Josey Jewell showing growth in first full year as starting linebackers in Vic Fan

Alexander Johnson, Josey Jewell showing growth in first full year as starting linebackers in Vic Fangio’s system

In their first full seasons as starting inside linebackers in Vic Fangio ’ s defense , Alexander Johnson and Josey Jewell have settled in .
The duo leads the team with 98 and 85 total tackles , respectively , as the position has been steadier than the injury-plagued defensive line and cornerback corps .
“ We ’ re able to make the checks ( without second-guessing ) , ” Jewell said .
“ We ’ re able to communicate with the safeties really well and the line right in front of us .
We can look at those pre-snap reads @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stuff .
I ’ m not thinking about , ‘ What do I have to do here ?
’ I already know what I have to do and it ’ s just second nature now.
” In another lost season where the Broncos are once again planning for next year in December , the question is whether or not the duo has displayed enough for the team to stand pat at the position this offseason .
Johnson , 28 , is playing on a $ 750,000 salary this year and will be a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is making the same salary , and is under contract on his rookie deal through next season .
Both came to the Broncos in 2018 — Jewell as a fourth-round pick out of Iowa and Johnson as a college free agent .
The two took varying trajectories to their starting jobs , with Johnson spending most of his rookie year on the practice squad before getting his chance amid Denver ’ s 0-4 start last year .
He made his first NFL start in Week 5 and went off for eight tackles in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up 41 tackles in his first five starts of 2019 , the most for any Broncos player in his first five starts .
Jewell , 25 , started nine games as a rookie but just three last season after Johnson took his job .
After the Broncos waived Todd Davis before the start of this season , the door re-opened for Jewell , who was not only a more cost-effective option ( cutting Davis created $ 4.5 million of space the Broncos can roll over to 2021 ) , he also outplayed Davis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by a calf injury .
• After missing six games to COVID-19 , Broncos DC Ed Donatell likely to coach Sunday ’ s game vs. Carolina • How the 2020 Broncos can make the NFL playoffs When asked for a critical assessment of his starting inside linebackers , Fangio offered an endorsement for both .
He believes Johnson has “ a really good future moving forward here , ” while Jewell has “ played even better than I thought he would.
” “ ( Johnson ) is occasionally still guilty of some reckless @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much ( as last year ) , ” Fangio said .
“ I like A.J .
I ’ ve liked him since we started playing him day one .
I think he ’ s a really good inside linebacker both versus the run and the pass .
“ Josey ’ s been solid all the way , both versus the run and pass .
He quarterbacks our defense when he ’ s in there , and we ask him to do a lot of things from an adjustment standpoint .
He handles it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with their assignments and getting lined up .
He ’ s had a really good year.
” Despite the high praise , in a league where nothing ’ s guaranteed , the Broncos could very well look at other options alongside Jewell in 2021 if they elect not to bring Johnson back .
Rookie Justin Strnad and veteran free agent signee Mark Barron were intended to fill that depth role this season , but Strand went down in camp with a season-ending wrist injury while Barron never got to the starting gate due @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Both Strnad and Barron were expected to play in sub-packages before getting hurt .
“ ( Johnson ) has done a great job this year to follow up last year of what he did and how quick he came in and was able to turn some heads and make plays , ” Jewell said .
“ So hopefully , that keeps on going on .
”

In their first full seasons as starting inside linebackers in Vic Fangio’s defense, Alexander Johnson and Josey Jewell have settled in. The duo leads the team with 98 and 85 total tackles, respectively, as the position has been steadier than the injury-plagued defensive line and cornerback corps.
“We’re able to make the checks (without second-guessing),” Jewell said. “We’re able to communicate with the safeties really well and the line right in front of us. We can look at those pre-snap reads on the offense and actually understand that stuff. I’m not thinking about, ‘What do I have to do here?’ I already know what I have to do and it’s just second nature now.”
In another lost season where the Broncos are once again planning for next year in December, the question is whether or not the duo has displayed enough for the team to stand pat at the position this offseason.
Johnson, 28, is playing on a $750,000 salary this year and will be a restricted free agent in 2021. Jewell is making the same salary, and is under contract on his rookie deal through next season. Both came to the Broncos in 2018 — Jewell as a fourth-round pick out of Iowa and Johnson as a college free agent.
The two took varying trajectories to their starting jobs, with Johnson spending most of his rookie year on the practice squad before getting his chance amid Denver’s 0-4 start last year. He made his first NFL start in Week 5 and went off for eight tackles in Los Angeles. Johnson ended up racking up 41 tackles in his first five starts of 2019, the most for any Broncos player in his first five starts.
Jewell, 25, started nine games as a rookie but just three last season after Johnson took his job. After the Broncos waived Todd Davis before the start of this season, the door re-opened for Jewell, who was not only a more cost-effective option (cutting Davis created $4.5 million of space the Broncos can roll over to 2021), he also outplayed Davis in camp as the latter was limited by a calf injury.
When asked for a critical assessment of his starting inside linebackers, Fangio offered an endorsement for both. He believes Johnson has “a really good future moving forward here,” while Jewell has “played even better than I thought he would.”
“(Johnson) is occasionally still guilty of some reckless driving out there, but not as much (as last year),” Fangio said. “I like A.J. I’ve liked him since we started playing him day one. I think he’s a really good inside linebacker both versus the run and the pass.
“Josey’s been solid all the way, both versus the run and pass. He quarterbacks our defense when he’s in there, and we ask him to do a lot of things from an adjustment standpoint. He handles it very well and he helps other people with their assignments and getting lined up. He’s had a really good year.”
Despite the high praise, in a league where nothing’s guaranteed, the Broncos could very well look at other options alongside Jewell in 2021 if they elect not to bring Johnson back.
Rookie Justin Strnad and veteran free agent signee Mark Barron were intended to fill that depth role this season, but Strand went down in camp with a season-ending wrist injury while Barron never got to the starting gate due to injures after being signed Aug. 30. Both Strnad and Barron were expected to play in sub-packages before getting hurt.
“(Johnson) has done a great job this year to follow up last year of what he did and how quick he came in and was able to turn some heads and make plays,” Jewell said. “So hopefully, that keeps on going on.”


thedenverpost--2020-12-11--The Spot: The politics of Colorado’s vaccine plan, GOP seeks election probes and Gardner’s farewell

What ’ s The Spot ?
You ’ re reading an installment of our weekly politics newsletter .
Sign up here to get it delivered straight in your inbox .
A lot of coronavirus guidance and rule-making that comes down from the state is informed simply by science and data .
People are asked to wear masks around others because that ’ s a proven way to reduce transmission .
For the same reason , we ’ re asked not to gather with people outside of our bubbles , to maintain social distancing , and so on .
But there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ politics and subjective decision-making involved in the state ’ s pandemic response .
I wrote last month about that , as we saw ample evidence of uneven enforcement , county by county , of Colorado ’ s COVID-19 restrictions .
It was clear that personal relationships and differing red v. blue attitudes on pandemic response had largely taken over a process that was designed to be objective and data-driven .
This week ’ s release of a revised vaccine prioritization plan brought another reminder that , on a lot of this stuff , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ right answer but rather a tangle of tough , sometimes zero-sum choices .
Often , they either fall to the governor or at least stop with him .
You may have seen by now that the revised version of the plan no longer offers any priority to people living in congregate settings , such as homeless shelters and prisons .
The previous version released by the state health department gave those people the second-highest priority .
Now , under the revised plan , people in that group who aren ’ t older than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other qualifying conditions are at the back of the line — with most of the rest of us who are ages 18-64 .
That decision has gotten a lot of attention , and rightly so ; as of last week , all 14 of the outbreaks with more than 100 residents infected were in prisons , jails or homeless shelters .
Besides nursing home residents , incarcerated people have faced a uniquely high amount of danger throughout the pandemic , with consistent and large outbreaks affecting them .
It ’ s never been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s what our colleague Elise Schmelzer reported yesterday in a tweet : “ 15 people incarcerated in Colorado ’ s ( prisons ) have died of COVID-19 , according to DOC website .
That ’ s four in the past 7 days .
1,877 prisoners currently have COVID as do 255 prison staffers .
17 prisons on Phase III lockdown , meaning people get barely any time out of their cell.
” Other states have put these folks at or toward the front of their lines .
Colorado had them close to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reshuffled that line this week .
That most people living in congregate settings have been bumped down to the final phase — which , the state now says , likely won ’ t begin until at least the summer — is a policy choice .
Make no mistake about that .
Many of our political leaders often say that they don ’ t believe the pandemic response should be political .
Well , it obviously is : Masks are political .
The state ’ s COVID restriction system is political .
The legislature @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bipartisan as it was , is political .
So , too , is the process of deciding who gets vaccinated soon , sometime next summer — or maybe even later than that .
Elsewhere in this week ’ s Spot : Justin Wingerter writes about Cory Gardner ’ s departure from the Senate , Saja Hindi provides a glimpse at how the legislature might address election matters if Republicans were in control and Conrad Swanson covers new spending for the Denver PD .
Have a question about Colorado or local politics ?
Submit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ straight to The Denver Post politics team .
To support the important journalism we do , you can become a Denver Post subscriber here .
Colorado ’ s elected officials have sought to fill in part of the gap in pandemic assistance for people living in the country illegally , as have local governments , community groups and nonprofits .
But activists say more help is needed for those they say are often left behind .
Gardner says farewell to U.S. Senate Sen. Cory Gardner ended his Senate tenure with a floor speech @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cheery and optimistic , overflowing with patriotism and historical references , folksy at times and intentionally vague on what he will do next .
Nearing the end , he came close to commenting on the nation ’ s current prickly predicament , in which the president of the United States — and many of Gardner ’ s colleagues in Congress — refuse to acknowledge the results of the election .
He recalled watching the peaceful transfer of power from Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Speaker John Boehner in 2011 “ without gunshot or war.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Senate floor with a heart of gratitude that as I leave with a new Congress set to begin , I go home not because of , or due to , the threat of violence or revolution , but because of that same constitutional governance that has given this country over two centuries of strength and certainty — a jewel among nations , exceptionally blessed by God.
” “ Madam president , this kid from Yuma yields the floor , ” he concluded a short time later .
The question of what comes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his colleagues .
Said Sen. Michael Bennet , D-Denver : “ I suspect Senator Gardner is not done with his contributions to the country , to the state of Colorado , to his community , ” phasing that will prove awkward if Gardner challenges Bennet in 2022 .
( There are many reasons to be doubtful about that , as I spelled out ) .
“ I look forward to seeing what he does next , ” said Sen. John Thune of South Dakota .
Sen. Susan Collins , R-Maine , said she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ serve his state and his country.
” Sen. Roy Blunt , the Missouri Republican , said , “ I am ready to look and see what the next chapter of the Gardner story looks like .
I think it ’ s going to be optimistic.
” MORE : Gardner gave his family a tour of the Capitol , resulting in Roll Call ’ s photo of the day .
• Rep. Ken Buck wants a special counsel to investigate Hunter Biden , the Fort Morgan Times reports .
As you ’ ll recall @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden could be impeached before he takes office .
• Outgoing President Donald Trump plans to appoint Kellyanne Conway to the Air Force Academy ’ s board of visitors , an oversight panel at the Colorado Springs institution .
• CPR News checks in on Congresswoman-elect Lauren Boebert ’ s time in freshman orientation .
• Three Colorado metro areas swung away from Trump harder than any other metro areas in the country , the New York Times reports .
A day after the Colorado Secretary of State ’ s Office certified Colorado @ @ @ @ @ @ @ called a meeting of the Legislative Audit Committee for an “ election integrity hearing.
” That followed a demand earlier in the week , by a faction of Colorado ’ s House Republican lawmakers , for an independent investigation into the state ’ s election .
Both calls were rooted in the repetition by President Donald Trump and his allies , for weeks , of baseless claims of rampant voter fraud across the country .
Colorado elections officials and county clerks have repeatedly lauded the state ’ s processes and have pointed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of wide-scale fraud here .
It was after House Speaker KC Becker rejected the first investigation request that several Republican members opted to make use of the bipartisan Legislative Audit Committee , currently headed by Republican Rep. Lori Saine of Dacono .
Although Republicans are in the minority in both chambers of the legislature , the audit committee ’ s chairmanship alternates between the parties .
In a news release from Saine and 20 other Republicans — including some outgoing and incoming House members — the group said it was calling for a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ calls from constituents across the state to perform an audit of Colorado ’ s election systems , and the recent request denial of lawmakers seeking transparency through a special committee on election integrity.
” The lawmakers cited allegations of ballot harvesting , outdated voter rolls and concerns about Dominion .
Becker , a Boulder Democrat , told The Denver Post that lawmakers needed clarity on what the hearing would be about .
The request is broad , she said , and appears to go beyond the scope of the Legislative Audit Committee .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the nation , with little or no evidence to back them up , “ dangerous for democracy.
” At the same time , she said , “ we have nothing to hide , ” and she suggested such a hearing would reinforce Colorado ’ s success in running fair elections .
Saine did not return a request for comment .
Notably absent from the list of signers on the earlier news release about the call for an investigation : incoming House Minority Leader Hugh McKean of Loveland .
On Tuesday , he said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the request to Becker was in the announcement .
McKean ’ s decision to run for minority leader earlier this year was indicative of a split among Colorado House Republicans , some of whom have been frustrated by their previous leadership .
• Survey : 60 % of Colorado voter respondents say they plan to take the COVID-19 vaccine .
• First Gentleman Marlon Reis , the partner of Gov .
Jared Polis , was released from the hospital this week after receiving treatment for COVID-19 .
• GOP demand for probe of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of “ debunked conspiracy theories , ” says House speaker .
Police get more Tasers after coming under fire for protests Just hours before Denver ’ s Office of the Independent Monitor released a report detailing the police department ’ s excessive force and poor communication during the George Floyd protests , City Council agreed to buy the police department 1,000 new Taser devices .
That nearly $ 4 million contract with Axon Enterprise , formerly known as Taser International , was bundled with another $ 12 million contract for body cameras and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Candi CdeBaca , who cast the sole “ no ” vote , said combining the two Axon contracts made it difficult for council to reject the stun gun purchase , since it was connected to a body camera measure .
“ They will say they lumped it ( together ) because it is the same company , but we should know better , ” CdeBaca said .
The combined package actually generated a discount on the total price , Denver Police Department spokesman Doug Schepman said , with the savings amounting to $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Amanda Sawyer , however , wasn ’ t ready to make a call on the motive just yet .
First she said she ’ d want to look more closely at the department ’ s standard business practices and whether these types of contracts regularly get joined together .
“ So there has to be some level of established trust between the executive and legislative branches of government , ” Sawyer wrote in a text message .
“ And the fact that we ’ re even having this conversation just illustrates how eroded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ right now.
” At the same time , it ’ s clear this year ’ s events have eroded trust in Denver ’ s law enforcement in some parts of the community .
Chief Paul Pazen , newly appointed Sheriff Elias Diggins , Public Safety Director Murphy Robinson and Mayor Michael Hancock have pledged to enact changes , in one form or another , in recent months .
As council considered the joint contracts Monday night , Councilwoman Jamie Torres asked Pazen whether the use of stun guns had contributed to any deaths @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seen any instances where a Taser has been the cause of death in our city , ” Pazen replied .
But that wasn ’ t exactly correct .
In 2011 , police stunned Alonzo Ashley , who convulsed and stopped breathing after the shock .
Ultimately Ashley ’ s death was ruled a homicide , a medical determination rather than a legal one .
Schepman noted that homicide ruling did not specify that the Taser had caused Ashley ’ s death .
Councilman Kevin Flynn hailed the contract as a win for accountability @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reduce the overall price , but the new stun guns will be connected to the body cameras , he said , and will turn on the recording devices whenever officers draw the Tasers .
• Denver City Council agreed Monday night to defer raises for the city ’ s firefighters and suspend other benefits to save millions as the city faces a historic budget crisis .
• The Regional Transportation District joined other transit agencies this week in calling on Congress to include the cash-strapped sector in a second round of pandemic aid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Denver city councilwoman got an entire neighborhood rezoned to encourage more accessory dwelling units there , other officials are looking to follow suit .
• Denver ’ s police chief this week promised to implement sweeping changes to how his department handles protests in response to a report from the city ’ s police watchdog .
• Denver Public Schools ’ more than 93,000 students will begin the spring semester remotely , with students returning to the classroom in phases throughout January .
Forward this newsletter to your friends and colleagues and encourage @ @ @ @

For people, policy and Colorado politics
What’s The Spot? You’re reading an installment of our weekly politics newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered straight in your inbox.
A lot of coronavirus guidance and rule-making that comes down from the state is informed simply by science and data. People are asked to wear masks around others because that’s a proven way to reduce transmission. For the same reason, we’re asked not to gather with people outside of our bubbles, to maintain social distancing, and so on.
But there’s also a whole lot of politics and subjective decision-making involved in the state’s pandemic response.
I wrote last month about that, as we saw ample evidence of uneven enforcement, county by county, of Colorado’s COVID-19 restrictions. It was clear that personal relationships and differing red v. blue attitudes on pandemic response had largely taken over a process that was designed to be objective and data-driven.
This week’s release of a revised vaccine prioritization plan brought another reminder that, on a lot of this stuff, there isn’t one clear, right answer but rather a tangle of tough, sometimes zero-sum choices. Often, they either fall to the governor or at least stop with him.
You may have seen by now that the revised version of the plan no longer offers any priority to people living in congregate settings, such as homeless shelters and prisons. The previous version released by the state health department gave those people the second-highest priority. Now, under the revised plan, people in that group who aren’t older than 65 or who don’t have other qualifying conditions are at the back of the line — with most of the rest of us who are ages 18-64.
That decision has gotten a lot of attention, and rightly so; as of last week, all 14 of the outbreaks with more than 100 residents infected were in prisons, jails or homeless shelters.
Besides nursing home residents, incarcerated people have faced a uniquely high amount of danger throughout the pandemic, with consistent and large outbreaks affecting them. It’s never been worse than right now. Here’s what our colleague Elise Schmelzer reported yesterday in a tweet: “15 people incarcerated in Colorado’s (prisons) have died of COVID-19, according to DOC website. That’s four in the past 7 days. 1,877 prisoners currently have COVID as do 255 prison staffers. 17 prisons on Phase III lockdown, meaning people get barely any time out of their cell.”
Other states have put these folks at or toward the front of their lines. Colorado had them close to the front of its line before the government reshuffled that line this week. That most people living in congregate settings have been bumped down to the final phase — which, the state now says, likely won’t begin until at least the summer — is a policy choice. Make no mistake about that.
Many of our political leaders often say that they don’t believe the pandemic response should be political. Well, it obviously is: Masks are political. The state’s COVID restriction system is political. The legislature’s recently approved state stimulus, bipartisan as it was, is political.
So, too, is the process of deciding who gets vaccinated soon, sometime next summer — or maybe even later than that.
Elsewhere in this week’s Spot: Justin Wingerter writes about Cory Gardner’s departure from the Senate, Saja Hindi provides a glimpse at how the legislature might address election matters if Republicans were in control and Conrad Swanson covers new spending for the Denver PD.
Questions?
Have a question about Colorado or local politics? Submit it here and it’ll go straight to The Denver Post politics team.
Ask Us
To support the important journalism we do, you can become a Denver Post subscriber here.
Top Line
Colorado’s elected officials have sought to fill in part of the gap in pandemic assistance for people living in the country illegally, as have local governments, community groups and nonprofits. But activists say more help is needed for those they say are often left behind.
Federal politics • By Justin Wingerter
Gardner says farewell to U.S. Senate
Sen. Cory Gardner ended his Senate tenure with a floor speech Tuesday afternoon that was quintessential Gardner: cheery and optimistic, overflowing with patriotism and historical references, folksy at times and intentionally vague on what he will do next.
Nearing the end, he came close to commenting on the nation’s current prickly predicament, in which the president of the United States — and many of Gardner’s colleagues in Congress — refuse to acknowledge the results of the election. He recalled watching the peaceful transfer of power from Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Speaker John Boehner in 2011 “without gunshot or war.”
“Today, I speak on the Senate floor with a heart of gratitude that as I leave with a new Congress set to begin, I go home not because of, or due to, the threat of violence or revolution, but because of that same constitutional governance that has given this country over two centuries of strength and certainty — a jewel among nations, exceptionally blessed by God.”
“Madam president, this kid from Yuma yields the floor,” he concluded a short time later.
The question of what comes next hung over the gushing speeches of his colleagues. Said Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Denver: “I suspect Senator Gardner is not done with his contributions to the country, to the state of Colorado, to his community,” phasing that will prove awkward if Gardner challenges Bennet in 2022. (There are many reasons to be doubtful about that, as I spelled out).
“I look forward to seeing what he does next,” said Sen. John Thune of South Dakota. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, said she is “certain he will continue to serve his state and his country.” Sen. Roy Blunt, the Missouri Republican, said, “I am ready to look and see what the next chapter of the Gardner story looks like. I think it’s going to be optimistic.”
Democrat John Hickenlooper will succeed Gardner next month.
MORE: Gardner gave his family a tour of the Capitol, resulting in Roll Call’s photo of the day.
More federal government news
Capitol Diary • By Saja Hindi
GOP legislators seek election probe
A day after the Colorado Secretary of State’s Office certified Colorado’s 2020 election results, Republicans called a meeting of the Legislative Audit Committee for an “election integrity hearing.” That followed a demand earlier in the week, by a faction of Colorado’s House Republican lawmakers, for an independent investigation into the state’s election.
Both calls were rooted in the repetition by President Donald Trump and his allies, for weeks, of baseless claims of rampant voter fraud across the country. Colorado elections officials and county clerks have repeatedly lauded the state’s processes and have pointed to after-election audit results that show no evidence of wide-scale fraud here.
It was after House Speaker KC Becker rejected the first investigation request that several Republican members opted to make use of the bipartisan Legislative Audit Committee, currently headed by Republican Rep. Lori Saine of Dacono. Although Republicans are in the minority in both chambers of the legislature, the audit committee’s chairmanship alternates between the parties.
In a news release from Saine and 20 other Republicans — including some outgoing and incoming House members — the group said it was calling for a meeting next Tuesday “due to increasing calls from constituents across the state to perform an audit of Colorado’s election systems, and the recent request denial of lawmakers seeking transparency through a special committee on election integrity.”
The lawmakers cited allegations of ballot harvesting, outdated voter rolls and concerns about Dominion.
Becker, a Boulder Democrat, told The Denver Post that lawmakers needed clarity on what the hearing would be about. The request is broad, she said, and appears to go beyond the scope of the Legislative Audit Committee. She called recent allegations of fraud across the nation, with little or no evidence to back them up, “dangerous for democracy.”
At the same time, she said, “we have nothing to hide,” and she suggested such a hearing would reinforce Colorado’s success in running fair elections.
Saine did not return a request for comment.
Notably absent from the list of signers on the earlier news release about the call for an investigation: incoming House Minority Leader Hugh McKean of Loveland. On Tuesday, he said the first he’d seen of the request to Becker was in the announcement. McKean’s decision to run for minority leader earlier this year was indicative of a split among Colorado House Republicans, some of whom have been frustrated by their previous leadership.
More Colorado political news
Mile High Politics • By Conrad Swanson
Police get more Tasers after coming under fire for protests
Just hours before Denver’s Office of the Independent Monitor released a report detailing the police department’s excessive force and poor communication during the George Floyd protests, City Council agreed to buy the police department 1,000 new Taser devices.
That nearly $4 million contract with Axon Enterprise, formerly known as Taser International, was bundled with another $12 million contract for body cameras and storage space for the department. Councilwoman Candi CdeBaca, who cast the sole “no” vote, said combining the two Axon contracts made it difficult for council to reject the stun gun purchase, since it was connected to a body camera measure.
“They will say they lumped it (together) because it is the same company, but we should know better,” CdeBaca said.
The combined package actually generated a discount on the total price, Denver Police Department spokesman Doug Schepman said, with the savings amounting to $2.6 million over five years.
Councilwoman Amanda Sawyer, however, wasn’t ready to make a call on the motive just yet. First she said she’d want to look more closely at the department’s standard business practices and whether these types of contracts regularly get joined together.
“So there has to be some level of established trust between the executive and legislative branches of government,” Sawyer wrote in a text message. “And the fact that we’re even having this conversation just illustrates how eroded the trust between our two branches is right now.”
At the same time, it’s clear this year’s events have eroded trust in Denver’s law enforcement in some parts of the community. Chief Paul Pazen, newly appointed Sheriff Elias Diggins, Public Safety Director Murphy Robinson and Mayor Michael Hancock have pledged to enact changes, in one form or another, in recent months.
As council considered the joint contracts Monday night, Councilwoman Jamie Torres asked Pazen whether the use of stun guns had contributed to any deaths in Denver.
“I have not seen any instances where a Taser has been the cause of death in our city,” Pazen replied.
But that wasn’t exactly correct.
In 2011, police stunned Alonzo Ashley, who convulsed and stopped breathing after the shock. Ultimately Ashley’s death was ruled a homicide, a medical determination rather than a legal one. Schepman noted that homicide ruling did not specify that the Taser had caused Ashley’s death.
Councilman Kevin Flynn hailed the contract as a win for accountability. Not only did the bundled package reduce the overall price, but the new stun guns will be connected to the body cameras, he said, and will turn on the recording devices whenever officers draw the Tasers.
More Denver and suburban political news
Denver City Council agreed Monday night to defer raises for the city’s firefighters and suspend other benefits to save millions as the city faces a historic budget crisis.
Aurora heads toward approving recreational pot delivery.
The Regional Transportation District joined other transit agencies this week in calling on Congress to include the cash-strapped sector in a second round of pandemic aid, 9News reports.
After one Denver city councilwoman got an entire neighborhood rezoned to encourage more accessory dwelling units there, other officials are looking to follow suit.
Denver’s police chief this week promised to implement sweeping changes to how his department handles protests in response to a report from the city’s police watchdog.
Denver Public Schools’ more than 93,000 students will begin the spring semester remotely, with students returning to the classroom in phases throughout January.
Forward this newsletter to your friends and colleagues and encourage them to subscribe.


thedenverpost--2020-12-11--DU Pioneers win second straight in Omaha pod, down Miami 5-1

The University of Denver scored the final five goals Thursday to defeat Miami ( Ohio ) 5-1 at the National Collegiate Hockey Conference pod in Omaha , Neb .
The Pioneers ( 2-3 ) , who defeated No .
1 North Dakota on Tuesday , won their second straight after losing three one-goal games to begin the season .
Freshman Carter Savoie tied it 1-1 Thursday with his NCAA-high sixth goal of the season .
He has now scored in all five games and stands fifth in national points-per-game at 1.60 .
Classmates Mike Benning and McKade Webster scored in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 3-1 game .
Senior Ryan Barrow and junior Brett Stapley struck in the second period as Denver took over in front of goalie Magnus Chrona ( 22 saves ) .
“ I thought the first 10 minutes were a little slow for us but we got our legs going in the last 50 , ” DU coach David Carle said .
“ Again , another good third-period from us .
In a game where we ’ re up 3-1 , I thought we came out in the third and continued to assert ourselves @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and put it away .
So for that , we ’ re excited .
We ’ re seeing signs of growth and maturity in our group , from our leadership on down.
” Denver plays next on Saturday against two-time defending NCAA champion Minnesota-Duluth , which rallied to defeat the Pioneers 2-1 in the season opener on Dec. 2 .

The University of Denver scored the final five goals Thursday to defeat Miami (Ohio) 5-1 at the National Collegiate Hockey Conference pod in Omaha, Neb. The Pioneers (2-3), who defeated No. 1 North Dakota on Tuesday, won their second straight after losing three one-goal games to begin the season.
Freshman Carter Savoie tied it 1-1 Thursday with his NCAA-high sixth goal of the season. He has now scored in all five games and stands fifth in national points-per-game at 1.60. Classmates Mike Benning and McKade Webster scored in the third period to blow open a 3-1 game.
Senior Ryan Barrow and junior Brett Stapley struck in the second period as Denver took over in front of goalie Magnus Chrona (22 saves).
“I thought the first 10 minutes were a little slow for us but we got our legs going in the last 50,” DU coach David Carle said. “Again, another good third-period from us. In a game where we’re up 3-1, I thought we came out in the third and continued to assert ourselves and kept our foot on the gas and put it away. So for that, we’re excited. We’re seeing signs of growth and maturity in our group, from our leadership on down.”
Denver plays next on Saturday against two-time defending NCAA champion Minnesota-Duluth, which rallied to defeat the Pioneers 2-1 in the season opener on Dec. 2.


thedenverpost--2020-12-11--Letters: We need relief now that doesn’t leave people behind (12/10/20)

We need relief now that doesn ’ t leave people behind Years of structural racism have left the Latinx community more vulnerable to the devastating impacts of the coronavirus crisis .
We are far more likely to suffer from chronic illnesses and face barriers to accessing health care , putting them at higher risk for developing serious complications if they contract the coronavirus .
As our state and federal lawmakers debate how to deal with the pandemic , we need more people to mask up and social distance , but we also need real relief that does not leave people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ me that the U.S. Senate majority could make time to rush through a Supreme Court justice , but can ’ t find time to pass the HEROES Act or other comprehensive emergency legislation to ensure that all families have the support they need during these trying times .
We need our elected officials to act now — not just for families , but for the health of the nation as well .
I ’ m relieved the Colorado state legislature acted on behalf of small businesses in our state this week .
Passing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will allow some of us to keep our doors open while COVID-19 cases are on the rise and more public health measures are put in place .
Small retailers like restaurants and me have taken the brunt of revenue losses , as our very business is to be in close contact with customers .
But how are we to do that during the busiest season of the year ?
Not only are we constrained by restrictions in capacity , but we are competing with huge corporations offering month-long sales and deep discounts .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ profits and simply can ’ t compete with these larger businesses .
The issues small businesses are currently facing must be addressed with more long-term solutions in mind .
I was forced to close my long-time Denver-based brick-and-mortar business to online only to alleviate my large monthly overhead expenses , but I ’ m still struggling to weather the storm .
While this new state assistance is a good first step , small businesses like mine will need much more help to make it through this crisis .
In addition to more state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now and pass a comprehensive stimulus package for small businesses , including more grant funding options to help businesses like mine survive these next few crucial months .
Correcting themselves and applauding themselves Your headline , “ House passes landmark bill decriminalizing pot , ” is just one more example of the government creating a problem and later congratulating itself for fixing the problem without mentioning it created the problem in the first place .
To send a letter to the editor about this article , submit online or check out our guidelines @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mail .

We need relief now that doesn’t leave people behind
Re: “The 10 virus relief bills Colorado lawmakers just passed,” Dec. 3 news story
Years of structural racism have left the Latinx community more vulnerable to the devastating impacts of the coronavirus crisis. We are far more likely to suffer from chronic illnesses and face barriers to accessing health care, putting them at higher risk for developing serious complications if they contract the coronavirus.
As our state and federal lawmakers debate how to deal with the pandemic, we need more people to mask up and social distance, but we also need real relief that does not leave people behind.
It’s unbelievable to me that the U.S. Senate majority could make time to rush through a Supreme Court justice, but can’t find time to pass the HEROES Act or other comprehensive emergency legislation to ensure that all families have the support they need during these trying times. We need our elected officials to act now — not just for families, but for the health of the nation as well.
Karla Gonzales Garcia, Denver
I’m relieved the Colorado state legislature acted on behalf of small businesses in our state this week. Passing new measures for grant and loan assistance will allow some of us to keep our doors open while COVID-19 cases are on the rise and more public health measures are put in place.
Small retailers like restaurants and me have taken the brunt of revenue losses, as our very business is to be in close contact with customers. But how are we to do that during the busiest season of the year? Not only are we constrained by restrictions in capacity, but we are competing with huge corporations offering month-long sales and deep discounts.
Small businesses are struggling to make any profits and simply can’t compete with these larger businesses. The issues small businesses are currently facing must be addressed with more long-term solutions in mind. I was forced to close my long-time Denver-based brick-and-mortar business to online only to alleviate my large monthly overhead expenses, but I’m still struggling to weather the storm.
While this new state assistance is a good first step, small businesses like mine will need much more help to make it through this crisis. In addition to more state help, we need Congress to act now and pass a comprehensive stimulus package for small businesses, including more grant funding options to help businesses like mine survive these next few crucial months.
Allison Orr, Denver
Editor’s note: Orr owns Dragonfly, an apparel shop.
Correcting themselves and applauding themselves
Re: “House passes landmark bill decriminalizing pot,” Dec. 5 news story
Your headline, “House passes landmark bill decriminalizing pot,” is just one more example of the government creating a problem and later congratulating itself for fixing the problem without mentioning it created the problem in the first place.
Mike Hudson, Pueblo
To send a letter to the editor about this article, submit online or check out our guidelines for how to submit by email or mail.


thedenverpost--2020-12-11--Immigrant families received some pandemic aid, but Colorado advocates say need is much larger

Like many parents during the COVID-19 pandemic , Flor ’ s top worry is her teenagers : Are they focused and absorbing information during remote learning ?
Are they socializing enough ?
Are they finding joy , despite not being able to go out much ?
Add to that her own anxieties of protecting her family from getting infected — and her husband ’ s reduced hours at work , prompting worries about how they ’ re going to pay the bills .
Most struggling Coloradans in similar situations have had ample safety nets to catch them .
But for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ living in the country illegally — while having two children who are U.S. citizens — there have been fewer options to seek help .
They also lack health insurance .
And amid a global health crisis and economic recession , they and other Latinos have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic .
Colorado ’ s elected officials have sought to fill in part of the gap , as have local governments , community groups and nonprofits .
Through one such program , Flor and her family , who live in Commerce City , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for more than two months .
“ I didn ’ t even know what to say .
I didn ’ t even know what to do .
I was so grateful for that help , ” said Flor , 50 , through a Spanish translator .
She came to the United States from Mexico with her family when she was just 15 , and The Denver Post withheld her last name at her request because of her immigration status .
Immigration activists have called on Congress to make more federal resources available to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
They include workers who lack legal documentation and people in mixed-legal-status families — many of whom work in essential service jobs that put them at higher risk of exposure to the coronavirus .
Money made available by the state so far is small compared to what the workers would receive if they were eligible for unemployment insurance , said Mark Newhouse , cofounder of the Left Behind Workers Fund .
In May , Gov .
Jared Polis , a Democrat , directed $ 10 million of the state ’ s share of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and mortgage relief as well as direct cash assistance for people in low- to moderate-income households .
The state allocated $ 3 million of that to the Left Behind Workers Fund to distribute rental assistance to people living in the country illegally , who are ineligible for other assistance such as unemployment , direct federal stimulus or food benefits .
During the recent special session of the General Assembly , the state legislature set aside $ 5 million for nonprofits specifically to provide direct cash assistance to these types of workers .
That @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in funding for emergency housing assistance for all Coloradans .
Advocate says more help is needed It ’ s a start , but Newhouse said it ’ s not nearly enough to help the estimated 30,000 to 40,000 immigrant workers who are ineligible for unemployment benefits but meet the criteria for the special assistance .
His fund has distributed nearly $ 11 million .
In addition to the CARES Act money , it gave $ 8.7 million in direct cash payments to workers living in the country illegally , paid for by private @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Denver , and Adams County government .
“ It ’ s a very important contribution , but the reality is that these workers … most of them receive a pay stub and that means their employer is contributing on their behalf to the unemployment insurance fund , ” Newhouse said .
The Left Behind Workers Fund , which has partnered with 40 other organizations , says more than 8,700 workers have received direct cash assistance and more than 800 households have received rental grants .
The $ 5 million recently approved by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ another 5,000 people .
Flor ’ s family has been among recipients of rent assistance through the fund .
Her husband was working full time in construction before he was laid off for three months , she said .
He then got called back into work , but for only 25 hours per week .
The couple was able to cover two and a half months of rent with the grant , which came as a huge relief , Flor said .
In the last week , however , Flor ’ s husband @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that with a rise in COVID cases , reduced work hours will continue .
And they ’ re not sure what they ’ ll do .
But Flor ’ s worries aren ’ t just about the work and bills .
They ’ re also about the health and safety of her family .
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a report earlier this month showing the continued disproportionate impact of COVID-19 nationally on people who are Hispanic or Latino , including in Denver .
The research study notes that , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Latinos and Hispanic people made up the majority of Denver ’ s adult COVID-19 cases at 54.8 % , hospitalizations at 62.1 % and deaths at 51.2 % — nearly double the proportion of Hispanic or Latino adults living in Denver .
The report cited systemic issues that contributed to the higher case counts , including larger households involved in reported exposures and a higher likelihood to work in essential industries , as well as more people going to work while ill. State data similarly shows COVID-19 disproportionately affecting Latinos and Hispanics as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Between March and early December , 29.4 % of those hospitalized in the state were Hispanic or Latino , much higher than their 21 % share of the state population .
In that same time period , they accounted for about 15 % of COVID deaths , though not all cases had been recorded yet .
The issues were exacerbated for families who lacked access to benefits such as health insurance , unemployment insurance or disability assistance , according to the CDC study .
“ Undocumented and mixed-status ( families ) , they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anyone else , ” said Amanda Blaurock , executive director of The Village Exchange Center in Aurora .
“ They ’ re the most underserved of any population in the country.
” Many don ’ t have access to child care support or high-speed internet , which many students have had to use for remote learning during the pandemic , she added .
The center helps connect refugees and immigrants to the resources they need and is a partner of the Left Behind Workers Fund .
Aliria Bello , who works at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with requests for help since the pandemic started .
But not everyone qualifies for the mortgage or rental assistance available .
She works as an application screener .
“ That ’ s been a great help for them , ” Bello said , adding that the need has increased recently .
“ Some people are laid off again and they don ’ t have a way to cover all their needs.
” Such challenges are partly why members of the Colorado Democratic Latino Caucus felt that representation in government — and the roles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — were so important this year .
Their communities not only had seats at the table , but the caucus members led the discussions , said Sen. Julie Gonzales , a Denver Democrat .
The members represent both rural and urban areas in Colorado .
The economic-recovery and relief bills they helped pass didn ’ t just help immigrant workers who are ineligible for regular assistance .
They also helped other individuals and families in their communities , as well as small business owners .
“ A lot of us made the decision @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that we could serve on these committees and that we could run the bills , and that we could make sure that equity was a key part of every single one of the policies being put forward , ” said Gonzales , a sponsor of the bill to provide housing and other direct COVID emergency assistance .
Although the bipartisan bill that set aside $ 5 million for immigrants ineligible for other types of assistance met minor pushback from some Republicans , it easily made its way into law .
“ We don @ @ @ @ @ @ @ building , and we were not willing to hold off on relief for Coloradans to fight over that very small portion of the pie , ” said Sage Naumann , a spokesman for the minority Senate Republicans .
Other bills provided tax relief to restaurants and bars , child care assistance , energy and utility assistance , and relief to small and minority-owned businesses .
Both Republicans and Democrats , however , recognized that the three-day session made only a dent in larger needs , and lawmakers are preparing for more relief legislation @ @ @

Like many parents during the COVID-19 pandemic, Flor’s top worry is her teenagers: Are they focused and absorbing information during remote learning? Are they socializing enough? Are they finding joy, despite not being able to go out much?
Add to that her own anxieties of protecting her family from getting infected — and her husband’s reduced hours at work, prompting worries about how they’re going to pay the bills.
Most struggling Coloradans in similar situations have had ample safety nets to catch them. But for Flor and her husband, who are living in the country illegally — while having two children who are U.S. citizens — there have been fewer options to seek help. They also lack health insurance. And amid a global health crisis and economic recession, they and other Latinos have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic.
Colorado’s elected officials have sought to fill in part of the gap, as have local governments, community groups and nonprofits. Through one such program, Flor and her family, who live in Commerce City, received rental assistance that eased their burden for more than two months.
“I didn’t even know what to say. I didn’t even know what to do. I was so grateful for that help,” said Flor, 50, through a Spanish translator. She came to the United States from Mexico with her family when she was just 15, and The Denver Post withheld her last name at her request because of her immigration status.
Immigration activists have called on Congress to make more federal resources available to those they say are often left behind.
They include workers who lack legal documentation and people in mixed-legal-status families — many of whom work in essential service jobs that put them at higher risk of exposure to the coronavirus.
Money made available by the state so far is small compared to what the workers would receive if they were eligible for unemployment insurance, said Mark Newhouse, cofounder of the Left Behind Workers Fund.
In May, Gov. Jared Polis, a Democrat, directed $10 million of the state’s share of federal CARES Act pandemic aid to rental and mortgage relief as well as direct cash assistance for people in low- to moderate-income households. The state allocated $3 million of that to the Left Behind Workers Fund to distribute rental assistance to people living in the country illegally, who are ineligible for other assistance such as unemployment, direct federal stimulus or food benefits.
During the recent special session of the General Assembly, the state legislature set aside $5 million for nonprofits specifically to provide direct cash assistance to these types of workers. That was on top of $54 million in funding for emergency housing assistance for all Coloradans.
Advocate says more help is needed
It’s a start, but Newhouse said it’s not nearly enough to help the estimated 30,000 to 40,000 immigrant workers who are ineligible for unemployment benefits but meet the criteria for the special assistance.
His fund has distributed nearly $11 million. In addition to the CARES Act money, it gave $8.7 million in direct cash payments to workers living in the country illegally, paid for by private donors, the city and county of Denver, and Adams County government.
“It’s a very important contribution, but the reality is that these workers … most of them receive a pay stub and that means their employer is contributing on their behalf to the unemployment insurance fund,” Newhouse said.
The Left Behind Workers Fund, which has partnered with 40 other organizations, says more than 8,700 workers have received direct cash assistance and more than 800 households have received rental grants. The $5 million recently approved by the legislature will allow community groups to reach another 5,000 people.
Flor’s family has been among recipients of rent assistance through the fund. Her husband was working full time in construction before he was laid off for three months, she said. He then got called back into work, but for only 25 hours per week.
The couple was able to cover two and a half months of rent with the grant, which came as a huge relief, Flor said.
In the last week, however, Flor’s husband only worked 10 hours. She worries that with a rise in COVID cases, reduced work hours will continue. And they’re not sure what they’ll do.
But Flor’s worries aren’t just about the work and bills. They’re also about the health and safety of her family.
Disproportionate impact of pandemic
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a report earlier this month showing the continued disproportionate impact of COVID-19 nationally on people who are Hispanic or Latino, including in Denver.
The research study notes that, between March 6 and Oct. 6, Latinos and Hispanic people made up the majority of Denver’s adult COVID-19 cases at 54.8%, hospitalizations at 62.1% and deaths at 51.2% — nearly double the proportion of Hispanic or Latino adults living in Denver. The report cited systemic issues that contributed to the higher case counts, including larger households involved in reported exposures and a higher likelihood to work in essential industries, as well as more people going to work while ill.
State data similarly shows COVID-19 disproportionately affecting Latinos and Hispanics as well as Black and indigenous Coloradans.
Between March and early December, 29.4% of those hospitalized in the state were Hispanic or Latino, much higher than their 21% share of the state population. In that same time period, they accounted for about 15% of COVID deaths, though not all cases had been recorded yet.
The issues were exacerbated for families who lacked access to benefits such as health insurance, unemployment insurance or disability assistance, according to the CDC study.
“Undocumented and mixed-status (families), they’re dealing with something different than anyone else,” said Amanda Blaurock, executive director of The Village Exchange Center in Aurora. “They’re the most underserved of any population in the country.”
Many don’t have access to child care support or high-speed internet, which many students have had to use for remote learning during the pandemic, she added.
The center helps connect refugees and immigrants to the resources they need and is a partner of the Left Behind Workers Fund.
Aliria Bello, who works at the center, says it has been inundated with requests for help since the pandemic started. But not everyone qualifies for the mortgage or rental assistance available. She works as an application screener.
“That’s been a great help for them,” Bello said, adding that the need has increased recently. “Some people are laid off again and they don’t have a way to cover all their needs.”
Latino Caucus led charge for more aid
Such challenges are partly why members of the Colorado Democratic Latino Caucus felt that representation in government — and the roles they played during the special legislative session — were so important this year.
Their communities not only had seats at the table, but the caucus members led the discussions, said Sen. Julie Gonzales, a Denver Democrat. The members represent both rural and urban areas in Colorado. The economic-recovery and relief bills they helped pass didn’t just help immigrant workers who are ineligible for regular assistance. They also helped other individuals and families in their communities, as well as small business owners.
“A lot of us made the decision intentionally to be there in person so that we could serve on these committees and that we could run the bills, and that we could make sure that equity was a key part of every single one of the policies being put forward,” said Gonzales, a sponsor of the bill to provide housing and other direct COVID emergency assistance.
Resources Left Behind Workers Fund: www.impactcharitable.org/workers-fund. The Village Exchange Center: www.villageexchangecenter.org, 720-668-9968. Servicios de La Raza/Services for the People (statewide): www.serviciosdelaraza.org, 303-458-5851.
Although the bipartisan bill that set aside $5 million for immigrants ineligible for other types of assistance met minor pushback from some Republicans, it easily made its way into law.
“We don’t have that power in the building, and we were not willing to hold off on relief for Coloradans to fight over that very small portion of the pie,” said Sage Naumann, a spokesman for the minority Senate Republicans.
Other bills provided tax relief to restaurants and bars, child care assistance, energy and utility assistance, and relief to small and minority-owned businesses. Both Republicans and Democrats, however, recognized that the three-day session made only a dent in larger needs, and lawmakers are preparing for more relief legislation in January.