thedenverpost--2020-08-21--Joe Biden vows to defeat Donald Trump, end U.S. “season of darkness”

WILMINGTON , Del .
— Joe Biden accepted the Democratic presidential nomination with a vow to be a unifying “ ally of the light ” who would move an America in crisis past the chaos of President Donald Trump ’ s tenure .
In his strongest remarks of the campaign , Biden spoke Thursday night both of returning the United States to its traditional leadership role in the world and of the deeply personal challenges that shaped his life .
Virtually every sentence of his 22-minute speech was designed to present a sharp , yet hopeful , contrast with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I give you my word : If you entrust me with the presidency , I will draw on the best of us , not the worst .
l ’ ll be an ally of the light , not the darkness , ” Biden said .
“ Make no mistake , united we can and will overcome this season of darkness in America.
” For the 77-year-old Biden , the final night of the Democratic National Convention was bittersweet .
He accepted a nomination that had eluded him for over three decades because of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who proved more dynamic .
But the coronavirus denied him the typical celebration , complete with the customary balloon drop that both parties often use to fete their new nominees .
Instead , Biden spoke to a largely empty arena near his Delaware home .
Afterward , fireworks lit the sky outside the arena , where supporters waited in a parking lot , honking horns and flashing headlights in a moment that finally lent a jovial feel to the event .
The keynote address was the speech of a lifetime for Biden , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ elected if he defeats Trump in November .
Trump , who is 74 , publicly doubts Biden ’ s mental capacity and calls him “ Slow Joe , ” but with the nation watching , Biden was firm and clear .
Still , the convention leaned on a younger generation earlier in the night to help energize his sprawling coalition .
Tammy Duckworth , an Illinois senator who lost her legs in Iraq and is raising two young children , said Biden has “ common decency.
” Cory Booker , only the ninth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Biden believes in the dignity of all working Americans .
And Pete Buttigieg , the 38-year-old former South Bend , Indiana , mayor and a gay military veteran , noted that Biden came out in favor of same-sex marriage as vice president even before President Barack Obama .
“ Joe Biden is right , this is a contest for the soul of the nation .
And to me that contest is not between good Americans and evil Americans , ” Buttigieg said .
“ It ’ s the struggle to call out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Above all , Biden focused on uniting the nation as Americans grapple with the long and fearful health crisis , the related economic devastation , a national awakening on racial justice — and Trump , who stirs heated emotions from all sides .
Biden ’ s positive focus Thursday night marked a break from the dire warnings offered by Obama and others the night before .
The 44th president of the United States warned that American democracy itself could falter if Trump is reelected , while Biden ’ s running mate , Kamala @ @ @ @ @ @ @ daughter of Jamaican and Indian immigrants , warned that Americans ’ lives and livelihoods were at risk .
Biden ’ s Democratic Party has sought this week to put forward a cohesive vision of values and policy priorities , highlighting efforts to combat climate change , tighten gun laws and embrace a humane immigration policy .
They have drawn a sharp contrast with Trump ’ s policies and personality , portraying him as cruel , self-centered and woefully unprepared to manage virtually any of the nation ’ s mounting crises and policy challenges @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Friday on several morning talk shows , criticized Democrats as presenting “ a very grim picture of the United States ” and said the Republican National Convention next week will focus on what Trump has accomplished , including on the economy and with his coronavirus response .
Voting was another prime focus of the convention on Thursday as it has been all week .
Democrats fear that the pandemic — and Trump administration changes at the U.S .
Postal Service — may make it difficult for voters to cast ballots in person or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a favorite of many Democrats for her videos lip syncing Trump ’ s speeches , put it bluntly : “ Donald Trump doesn ’ t want any of us to vote because he knows he can ’ t win fair and square.
” Biden ’ s call for unity comes as some strategists worry that Democrats can not retake the White House simply by tearing Trump down , that Biden needs to give his sprawling coalition something to vote for .
That ’ s easier said than done in a modern Democratic Party @ @ @ @ @ @ @ generation , race and ideology .
Though he has been in the public spotlight for decades as a Delaware senator , much of the electorate knows little about Biden ’ s background before he began serving as Obama ’ s vice president in 2008 .
Thursday ’ s convention served as a national reintroduction of sorts that drew on some of the most painful moments of his life .
“ I know how mean and cruel and unfair life can be sometimes , ” Biden said .
He added : “ I found @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and grief is to find purpose.
” As a schoolboy , Biden was mocked by classmates and a nun for a severe stutter .
He became a widower at just 30 after losing his wife and infant daughter to a car accident .
And just five years ago , he buried his eldest son , who was stricken by cancer .
From such hardship , Biden developed a deep sense of empathy that has defined much of his political career .
And throughout the convention , Biden ’ s allies testified that such @ @ @ @ @ @ @ experience , makes him the perfect candidate to guide the nation back from mounting health and economic crises .
His allies Thursday included Brayden Harrington , a 13-year-old boy from Concord , New Hampshire .
The boy said he and Biden were “ members of the same club , ” each with a stutter they ’ re working to overcome .
He noted that Biden told him about a book of poems he liked to read aloud to practice his speech and showed the boy how he marks his speeches so they ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I ’ m just a regular kid , and in a short amount of time , Joe Biden made me more confident about a thing that ’ s bothered me my whole life , ” Harrington said .
The end of the carefully scripted convention now gives way to a far less-predictable period for Biden and his Democratic Party as the 2020 election season speeds to its uncertain conclusion .
While Election Day isn ’ t until Nov. 3 , early voting gets underway in several battleground states in just one month .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump for much of the year , but it remains to be seen whether the Democratic nominee ’ s approach to politics and policy will genuinely excite the coalition he ’ s courting in an era of uncompromising partisanship .
Biden summed up his view of the campaign : “ We choose a path of becoming angry , less hopeful and more divided , a path of shadow and suspicion , or we can choose a different path and together take this chance to heal .
”

WILMINGTON, Del. — Joe Biden accepted the Democratic presidential nomination with a vow to be a unifying “ally of the light” who would move an America in crisis past the chaos of President Donald Trump’s tenure.
In his strongest remarks of the campaign, Biden spoke Thursday night both of returning the United States to its traditional leadership role in the world and of the deeply personal challenges that shaped his life. Virtually every sentence of his 22-minute speech was designed to present a sharp, yet hopeful, contrast with the Republican incumbent.
“Here and now I give you my word: If you entrust me with the presidency, I will draw on the best of us, not the worst. l’ll be an ally of the light, not the darkness,” Biden said. “Make no mistake, united we can and will overcome this season of darkness in America.”
For the 77-year-old Biden, the final night of the Democratic National Convention was bittersweet. He accepted a nomination that had eluded him for over three decades because of personal tragedy, political stumbles and rivals who proved more dynamic.
But the coronavirus denied him the typical celebration, complete with the customary balloon drop that both parties often use to fete their new nominees. Instead, Biden spoke to a largely empty arena near his Delaware home.
Afterward, fireworks lit the sky outside the arena, where supporters waited in a parking lot, honking horns and flashing headlights in a moment that finally lent a jovial feel to the event.
The keynote address was the speech of a lifetime for Biden, who would be the oldest president ever elected if he defeats Trump in November. Trump, who is 74, publicly doubts Biden’s mental capacity and calls him “Slow Joe,” but with the nation watching, Biden was firm and clear.
Still, the convention leaned on a younger generation earlier in the night to help energize his sprawling coalition.
Tammy Duckworth, an Illinois senator who lost her legs in Iraq and is raising two young children, said Biden has “common decency.”
Cory Booker, only the ninth African American senator in U.S. history, said Biden believes in the dignity of all working Americans.
And Pete Buttigieg, the 38-year-old former South Bend, Indiana, mayor and a gay military veteran, noted that Biden came out in favor of same-sex marriage as vice president even before President Barack Obama.
“Joe Biden is right, this is a contest for the soul of the nation. And to me that contest is not between good Americans and evil Americans,” Buttigieg said. “It’s the struggle to call out what is good for every American.”
Above all, Biden focused on uniting the nation as Americans grapple with the long and fearful health crisis, the related economic devastation, a national awakening on racial justice — and Trump, who stirs heated emotions from all sides.
Biden’s positive focus Thursday night marked a break from the dire warnings offered by Obama and others the night before. The 44th president of the United States warned that American democracy itself could falter if Trump is reelected, while Biden’s running mate, Kamala Harris, the 55-year-old California senator and daughter of Jamaican and Indian immigrants, warned that Americans’ lives and livelihoods were at risk.
Biden’s Democratic Party has sought this week to put forward a cohesive vision of values and policy priorities, highlighting efforts to combat climate change, tighten gun laws and embrace a humane immigration policy. They have drawn a sharp contrast with Trump’s policies and personality, portraying him as cruel, self-centered and woefully unprepared to manage virtually any of the nation’s mounting crises and policy challenges.
Vice President Mike Pence, interviewed Friday on several morning talk shows, criticized Democrats as presenting “a very grim picture of the United States” and said the Republican National Convention next week will focus on what Trump has accomplished, including on the economy and with his coronavirus response.
Voting was another prime focus of the convention on Thursday as it has been all week. Democrats fear that the pandemic — and Trump administration changes at the U.S. Postal Service — may make it difficult for voters to cast ballots in person or by mail.
Comedian Sarah Cooper, a favorite of many Democrats for her videos lip syncing Trump’s speeches, put it bluntly: “Donald Trump doesn’t want any of us to vote because he knows he can’t win fair and square.”
Biden’s call for unity comes as some strategists worry that Democrats cannot retake the White House simply by tearing Trump down, that Biden needs to give his sprawling coalition something to vote for. That’s easier said than done in a modern Democratic Party made up of disparate factions that span generation, race and ideology.
Though he has been in the public spotlight for decades as a Delaware senator, much of the electorate knows little about Biden’s background before he began serving as Obama’s vice president in 2008.
Thursday’s convention served as a national reintroduction of sorts that drew on some of the most painful moments of his life.
“I know how mean and cruel and unfair life can be sometimes,” Biden said. He added: “I found the best way through pain and loss and grief is to find purpose.”
As a schoolboy, Biden was mocked by classmates and a nun for a severe stutter. He became a widower at just 30 after losing his wife and infant daughter to a car accident. And just five years ago, he buried his eldest son, who was stricken by cancer.
From such hardship, Biden developed a deep sense of empathy that has defined much of his political career. And throughout the convention, Biden’s allies testified that such empathy, backed by decades of governing experience, makes him the perfect candidate to guide the nation back from mounting health and economic crises.
His allies Thursday included Brayden Harrington, a 13-year-old boy from Concord, New Hampshire. The boy said he and Biden were “members of the same club,” each with a stutter they’re working to overcome.
He noted that Biden told him about a book of poems he liked to read aloud to practice his speech and showed the boy how he marks his speeches so they’re easier to read aloud.
“I’m just a regular kid, and in a short amount of time, Joe Biden made me more confident about a thing that’s bothered me my whole life,” Harrington said.
The end of the carefully scripted convention now gives way to a far less-predictable period for Biden and his Democratic Party as the 2020 election season speeds to its uncertain conclusion. While Election Day isn’t until Nov. 3, early voting gets underway in several battleground states in just one month.
Biden has maintained a polling advantage over Trump for much of the year, but it remains to be seen whether the Democratic nominee’s approach to politics and policy will genuinely excite the coalition he’s courting in an era of uncompromising partisanship.
Biden summed up his view of the campaign: “We choose a path of becoming angry, less hopeful and more divided, a path of shadow and suspicion, or we can choose a different path and together take this chance to heal.”
___
Peoples reported from New York.


thedenverpost--2020-08-21--Denver weather: Sunny and hot weekend on tap with highs in the upper 90s

Denverites can expect areas of smoke before noon on Friday as the day becomes sunny and hot with a high temperature of 97 degrees , according to the National Weather Service forecast .
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment has again issued air quality alerts for Denver and along the Front Range on Friday because of smoke from wildfires burning in the state .
“ A broad ridge of high pressure over the central Rockies will keep hot and mainly dry conditions over the region through early next week , ” the weather service said .
Isolated to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mountains and foothills each afternoon , but the northeast plains will remain dry , according to the weather service .
Saturday , Sunday and Monday in Denver will be sunny and hot with the high temperature climbing into the upper 90s each day .
There may , however , be some relief from the scorching , dry weather by the middle of next week , the weather service said , with an “ increase in subtropical moisture over Colorado ” bringing a better chance of rain and slightly cooler temperatures .
In the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ temperature will dip down to 88 degrees on Thursday after weeks of plus-90 degree high temps .

Denverites can expect areas of smoke before noon on Friday as the day becomes sunny and hot with a high temperature of 97 degrees, according to the National Weather Service forecast.
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment has again issued air quality alerts for Denver and along the Front Range on Friday because of smoke from wildfires burning in the state.
“A broad ridge of high pressure over the central Rockies will keep hot and mainly dry conditions over the region through early next week,” the weather service said.
Isolated to scattered thunderstorms will be possible over the mountains and foothills each afternoon, but the northeast plains will remain dry, according to the weather service.
Saturday, Sunday and Monday in Denver will be sunny and hot with the high temperature climbing into the upper 90s each day.
There may, however, be some relief from the scorching, dry weather by the middle of next week, the weather service said, with an “increase in subtropical moisture over Colorado” bringing a better chance of rain and slightly cooler temperatures.
In the extended forecast, Denver’s high temperature will dip down to 88 degrees on Thursday after weeks of plus-90 degree high temps.


thedenverpost--2020-08-21--Guest Commentary: Cory Gardner poses a threat to safe and legal abortion

This summer , women across the nation held a collective breath in anticipation of the U.S. Supreme Court ’ s ruling on June Medical Services vs. Russo , a case out of Louisiana that had the potential to significantly undermine constitutional protections for abortion guaranteed by Roe vs. Wade .
While the narrow 5-4 ruling in this case thankfully upheld current precedent , the coordinated nationwide assault on abortion from the far-right is far from over .
It ’ s no secret that state and local politicians across the country , emboldened by the Trump administration ’ s overt anti-abortion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conservative Justice Brett Kavanaugh on the court , have been working even more diligently to introduce measures to ban abortion in their home states .
The ultimate goal : bring a bill that could be funneled up the pipeline to challenge and overturn Roe vs. Wade .
As of last month , there were at least 16 other abortion-related cases before U.S. appeals courts , many of which could present a more direct threat to Roe vs. Wade than the issues raised in June Medical Services .
With a conservative-leaning court , thanks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sen. Cory Gardner , the fate of legal and accessible abortion across the nation is more uncertain than ever .
As we head into this upcoming election one thing is clear : overt anti-abortion extremists will continue to go after the rights of women to make decisions about their own health care , families , and futures , while Republican senators roll out the red carpet for these zealots and make sure no one stands in their way .
This month , Gardner received an endorsement for his re-election by the National Right @ @ @ @ @ @ @ group .
They cited his support for Justice Brett Kavanaugh and Gardner ’ s votes in favor of several pieces of anti-abortion legislation , including one that would have placed a 20-week ban on abortion at the federal level .
Gardner ’ s record and apparent support for the broader anti-abortion agenda are especially aggravating given that his constituents at home in Colorado will have to vote on yet another abortion ban this November — this one targeting abortions later in pregnancy — despite rejecting bans at the ballot box three separate times @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 115 , would create a medically unnecessary restriction on abortion after 22 weeks , leaving no exceptions for health complications , a serious fetal diagnosis , rape , or incest .
This is impossibly cruel .
In the face of annual attempts at the legislature and frequent measures to ban abortion on the ballot , advocates and voters in Colorado have held the line to make sure everyone in our state has the freedom and dignity to make these important medical decisions without political interference .
Any restriction on access to comprehensive reproductive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is out of line with our shared state values .
Right now , Colorado is one of only seven states that doesn ’ t place unnecessary limits on when someone can access an abortion .
Because of this , many pregnant women across the country who are in need of compassionate abortion care travel to Colorado , because it is their only option , especially now , as we weather the COVID-19 health care crisis .
If this ban were to pass , it would have rippling effects across the nation .
As @ @ @ @ @ @ @ serious risk at the national level , it ’ s more important than ever for Coloradans to stand firm on this issue — that starts with our leaders .
Sen. Gardner has proven time and time again that he is not this leader , and will not fight for the freedom and dignity of his constituents in Colorado .
Gardner , who appears to be solely driven by his commitment to President Trump ’ s far-right agenda , has chosen to undermine reproductive health care at every possible juncture .
Throughout his political @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Planned Parenthood nine times , co-sponsored a federal personhood bill , and confirmed anti-abortion judges to lifetime appointments , including Brett Kavanaugh , despite his promise to voters in 2014 that he wouldn ’ t pursue an anti-abortion agenda .
He lied .
The majority of Coloradans support abortion access , and as past state elections have indicated , do not want restrictions on this constitutional right .
The stakes are too high to allow out-of-touch leaders to block our ability to make progress on reproductive health care access for all Coloradans .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ important health decisions .
We deserve a leader who reflects our Colorado values on abortion access and reproductive rights .
This November , it ’ s time to hold Sen. Cory Gardner accountable for his record .
Anna Ramirez Crawford is the board chair for Women ’ s Lobby of Colorado .
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 .

This summer, women across the nation held a collective breath in anticipation of the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling on June Medical Services vs. Russo, a case out of Louisiana that had the potential to significantly undermine constitutional protections for abortion guaranteed by Roe vs. Wade. While the narrow 5-4 ruling in this case thankfully upheld current precedent, the coordinated nationwide assault on abortion from the far-right is far from over.
It’s no secret that state and local politicians across the country, emboldened by the Trump administration’s overt anti-abortion stance and encouraged by the presence of conservative Justice Brett Kavanaugh on the court, have been working even more diligently to introduce measures to ban abortion in their home states. The ultimate goal: bring a bill that could be funneled up the pipeline to challenge and overturn Roe vs. Wade. As of last month, there were at least 16 other abortion-related cases before U.S. appeals courts, many of which could present a more direct threat to Roe vs. Wade than the issues raised in June Medical Services. With a conservative-leaning court, thanks to the efforts of Republican lawmakers like Sen. Cory Gardner, the fate of legal and accessible abortion across the nation is more uncertain than ever.
As we head into this upcoming election one thing is clear: overt anti-abortion extremists will continue to go after the rights of women to make decisions about their own health care, families, and futures, while Republican senators roll out the red carpet for these zealots and make sure no one stands in their way.
This month, Gardner received an endorsement for his re-election by the National Right to Life, a far-right anti-abortion interest group. They cited his support for Justice Brett Kavanaugh and Gardner’s votes in favor of several pieces of anti-abortion legislation, including one that would have placed a 20-week ban on abortion at the federal level. Gardner’s record and apparent support for the broader anti-abortion agenda are especially aggravating given that his constituents at home in Colorado will have to vote on yet another abortion ban this November — this one targeting abortions later in pregnancy — despite rejecting bans at the ballot box three separate times since 2008. This ban, Proposition 115, would create a medically unnecessary restriction on abortion after 22 weeks, leaving no exceptions for health complications, a serious fetal diagnosis, rape, or incest. This is impossibly cruel.
In the face of annual attempts at the legislature and frequent measures to ban abortion on the ballot, advocates and voters in Colorado have held the line to make sure everyone in our state has the freedom and dignity to make these important medical decisions without political interference. Any restriction on access to comprehensive reproductive health care, including abortion care, is out of line with our shared state values. Right now, Colorado is one of only seven states that doesn’t place unnecessary limits on when someone can access an abortion. Because of this, many pregnant women across the country who are in need of compassionate abortion care travel to Colorado, because it is their only option, especially now, as we weather the COVID-19 health care crisis. If this ban were to pass, it would have rippling effects across the nation. As the future of abortion rights precedent faces serious risk at the national level, it’s more important than ever for Coloradans to stand firm on this issue — that starts with our leaders.
Sen. Gardner has proven time and time again that he is not this leader, and will not fight for the freedom and dignity of his constituents in Colorado. Gardner, who appears to be solely driven by his commitment to President Trump’s far-right agenda, has chosen to undermine reproductive health care at every possible juncture. Throughout his political career, Gardner has voted to defund Planned Parenthood nine times, co-sponsored a federal personhood bill, and confirmed anti-abortion judges to lifetime appointments, including Brett Kavanaugh, despite his promise to voters in 2014 that he wouldn’t pursue an anti-abortion agenda. He lied.
The majority of Coloradans support abortion access, and as past state elections have indicated, do not want restrictions on this constitutional right. The stakes are too high to allow out-of-touch leaders to block our ability to make progress on reproductive health care access for all Coloradans. Nothing should stand between women and these important health decisions. We deserve a leader who reflects our Colorado values on abortion access and reproductive rights. This November, it’s time to hold Sen. Cory Gardner accountable for his record.
Anna Ramirez Crawford is the board chair for Women’s Lobby of Colorado.
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--2020-08-21--Rockies Insider: How the national media grades Colorado in their power rankings

The baseball season is already one-third of the way over .
While the Rockies have been overtaken by the Dodgers in the National League West , the postseason is still very much in play for the boys in purple .
Here ’ s a look at how various national publications are grading the Rockies in their power rankings : Bleacher Report ( No .
9 ) : “ Since starting the season 11-3 , the Rockies have gone 2-5 with a minus-18 run differential in their last seven games .
A bump in the road or an unsustainably hot start @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dodgers awaiting this coming week , we should have a good idea of how they measure up by next Monday , ” Joel Reuter writes .
CBS Sports ( No .
9 ) : “ Huge week … it ’ s three against the first-place Dodgers , ” Matt Snyder writes .
ESPN ( No .
8 ) : “ David Dahl entered Sunday tied for last in the majors among position players with minus-0.9 WAR , thanks to an empty .194 batting average that includes no home runs and a poor 20-to-4 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 2019 , although he played just 20 games in the second half.
” The Ringer ( No .
7 ) : “ The Rockies have fallen back to Earth a little in the past week , but what initially looked like a team that could make the playoffs only if everything went right has turned out to be legitimately good .
Colorado ’ s got a top-notch starting rotation and a lineup that ’ s not very deep but has enough star power to make ends meet , ” Michael Baumann writes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) : “ Daniel Bard , who hadn ’ t pitched in majors since 2013 , had no walks through ( his first ) 10 innings , ” Jesse Tomyov writes .
Bard gave up his first walk against Texas on Sunday .
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@ @ @ @ @ @ @ If you see something that ’ s cause for question or have a comment , thought or suggestion , email me at jbailey @ denverpost.com or tweet me @ beetbailey .

The baseball season is already one-third of the way over. While the Rockies have been overtaken by the Dodgers in the National League West, the postseason is still very much in play for the boys in purple.
Here’s a look at how various national publications are grading the Rockies in their power rankings:
Bleacher Report (No. 9): “Since starting the season 11-3, the Rockies have gone 2-5 with a minus-18 run differential in their last seven games. A bump in the road or an unsustainably hot start leveling off? With the Astros and Dodgers awaiting this coming week, we should have a good idea of how they measure up by next Monday,” Joel Reuter writes.
CBS Sports (No. 9): “Huge week … it’s three against the first-place Dodgers,” Matt Snyder writes.
ESPN (No. 8): “David Dahl entered Sunday tied for last in the majors among position players with minus-0.9 WAR, thanks to an empty .194 batting average that includes no home runs and a poor 20-to-4 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Dahl was an All-Star in 2019, although he played just 20 games in the second half.”
MLB.com (No. 8): No comments posted.
The Ringer (No. 7): “The Rockies have fallen back to Earth a little in the past week, but what initially looked like a team that could make the playoffs only if everything went right has turned out to be legitimately good. Colorado’s got a top-notch starting rotation and a lineup that’s not very deep but has enough star power to make ends meet,” Michael Baumann writes.
USA Today (No. 8): “Daniel Bard, who hadn’t pitched in majors since 2013, had no walks through (his first) 10 innings,” Jesse Tomyov writes. Bard gave up his first walk against Texas on Sunday.
— Joe Nguyen, The Denver Post
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thedenverpost--2020-08-21--Drought taking a toll on Colorado agriculture “in all corners of the state”

The hot , dry weather that ’ s fanning fires on tens of thousands of acres across Colorado is also battering the state ’ s agriculture industry as it stunts crops , dries up the flow of water to farms and shrivels grazing land .
Throughout farm country , the warm spring , hot summer and lack of rain have affected crops and range land for livestock .
This year ’ s wheat harvest is one of Colorado ’ s smallest in the past decade .
Ranchers are thinking about cutting their herd sizes because they ’ re not sure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grass over the long haul .
And while more farmers and ranchers have changed the traditional ways of doing things to improve the health of the soil and pastures , even the most sustainable practices are little match for the conditions that have left 100 % of the state abnormally dry or in drought .
“ My dad and my grandpa always used to tell me that it takes snow to make winter wheat , and boy there ’ s a lot behind that , ” said Fred Midcap , a fifth-generation Coloradan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ son , Nick , in Wiggins .
This past winter , Midcap figures the area on the northeastern plains got about 14 inches of snow , a big drop from the average of 40 inches .
The yearly average rainfall is about 13 inches .
“ I bet we ’ re close to 6 to 7 inches total precipitation for the year so far , ” said Nick Midcap , during a tour of the farm where the family produces certified wheat seed , which must meet certain standards .
The consequences of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ numbers for Colorado ’ s winter wheat harvest , which recently wrapped up .
The 46.5 million bushels reported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture is less than half of the 98 million bushels cut in 2019 and the second smallest harvest in the past decade .
Harvests averaged 83 million bushels during that period , said Tom Lipetzky , director of marketing programs and strategic initiatives at the Colorado Department of Agriculture .
The biggest wheat harvest in the last 10 years was 105.8 million bushels in 2010 , he said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ this year ’ s overall yield in Colorado is 30 bushels of wheat per acre .
The 2019 yield was 49 bushels per acre .
The Midcaps ’ yield this year averaged in the 30s .
In 2019 , their yield was in the low-to-mid-40 bushel range , which they consider just an average year .
They say their production has increased since they started trying to improve soil health by cutting back on tilling , or plowing under what ’ s left after the harvest .
Leaving residue in the fields benefits @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it from blowing away , slowing down evaporation and increasing organic matter .
The Midcaps also rotate in other crops rather than leaving fields fallow until the next wheat crop is planted .
They believe healthier soil has given them a roughly 10-bushel-per-acre edge over farmers who still till and has even offered a bit of a buffer against drought .
Darrell Hanavan doesn ’ t doubt that no-till operations have an advantage .
The former longtime head of the Colorado Wheat Administrative Committee also farms on the Eastern Plains , and he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he was driving around .
“ The farmers who were doing no-till or reduced tillage were ones that harvested the better crop , ” said Hanavan , now a consultant .
But there ’ s no getting around the fundamental importance of getting the moisture in the first place .
Hanavan said a dry fall resulted in fewer acres being planted and a dry spring reduced the size of the final harvest .
Just under 2 million acres of wheat were planted in Colorado this year , compared with an average of 2.35 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And only 1.55 million acres were harvested this season , according to the USDA .
“ That means a lot of it didn ’ t survive the harvest .
It was destroyed prior to harvest , ” Hanavan said .
All corners of the state The drought ’ s grip on the whole of Colorado means many farmers and ranchers are going through what the Midcaps are — or worse .
“ The bottom line is the drought is impacting all corners of the state , ” said Kate Greenberg , Colorado agriculture @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ordered a task force in June to assess drought damage , an agriculture drought task force was activated to assess the effects on the industry that contributes roughly $ 40 billion to the state economy each year .
Greenberg said members , including federal officials , are meeting biweekly and talking to producers .
Colorado ’ s corn crop is forecast to be about 152 million bushels , down 5 % from the 2019 harvest of nearly 160 million bushels , according to the USDA .
As of Aug. 2 , the federal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s corn crop as very poor or poor .
Although not as robust as in past years , the summer monsoon swooping up from the Gulf of California provided a little relief for parched southern Colorado .
But Becky Bolinger , the assistant state climatologist , said the rains lasted only a week to 10 days whereas in the past they would stick around during August and even into September .
Since the start of the year , moisture is down 4 to 6 inches across western and southeastern Colorado and anywhere @ @ @ @ @ @ @ elevations , Bolinger said .
“ The monsoon is pretty variable .
We have been extremely unlucky the past three maybe four years .
We have not been getting the benefit of the monsoon , ” Bolinger added .
The changes in weather patterns , including less moisture and warmer temperatures that melt the all-important snowpack earlier and more quickly , are evidence of climate change caused by the burning of fossil fuels and the heat-trapping emissions they create , the majority of climate experts say .
Last week , Russ Schumacher , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Post that “ even if we completely stopped emitting greenhouse gases tomorrow , ” it will continue to get warmer .
Whether farmers chalk up the hot , dry weather to climate change or see it as part of the natural cycles , they can agree that the on-the-ground effects are rough .
Tom Rusler , who farms with his sons , Nick and Tommy , in Avondale , east of Pueblo , just had a significant share of his irrigation water shut off because his water rights are junior to others drawing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s kind of a big blow to finishing this crop , ” Rusler said of his corn .
The family plans to start harvesting the crops , which include pinto beans and feed for cattle , by the end of the first week in September .
Rusler ’ s hopes aren ’ t high for the corn .
“ You look at your crop and it looks good , but you really don ’ t know until you get in there , ” Rusler said .
“ Last week , we did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kernel counts and ear counts and it isn ’ t as good as we had hoped .
It isn ’ t even average.
” The area on Colorado ’ s southeastern plains got about 4 inches of rain for the season .
The normal rainfall is 11 to 12 inches .
The Ruslers and longtime farm manager Ryan Forman have toiled for years to improve the soil health by not tilling the ground and planting radishes and other crops to provide ground cover , nutrients and to prevent erosion .
Rusler wants to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ habitat for pollinators .
But the drought has put that plan on hold for now .
In southwestern Colorado , where the drought has been extreme , AJ and Nicole Carrilloown and run Deer Tree Farm and Agroforest .
They raise peaches , produce , pigs , turkeys and cattle in Hotchkiss and are working to make the soil more healthy .
The work got tougher last week when the Carrillos ’ irrigation water flowing from the Paonia Reservoir was shut off , a month earlier than expected , because of the drought @ @ @ @ @ @ @ irrigation , there ’ s just no two ways about it , ” AJ Carrillo said .
“ At this moment with the sky covered in smoke and the oppressive heat since 10 a.m. and the water shutting off , all that stuff going on , it ’ s a little trying.
” Even so , Carillo said he remains optimistic and focused on his mission of adapting to the climate and landscape to run an environmentally sustainable farm .
Some of the same parts of the state struggled with drought in 2018 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year “ so we went into the year with good storage , ” Greenberg said .
However , the heat and lack of moisture are taxing water supplies in places like the San Luis Valley , Greenberg said .
Farmers and ranchers there have been trying to rebuild the aquifer for years to avoid having state regulators step in and restrict water use .
“ Cattle and livestock producers are getting hit .
Forage has been really bad this year , ” Greenberg said .
“ A lot of folks in 2018 had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their herds .
In some cases they lost the genetics that they had been building over time , which is a big loss for the livestock business.
” The grass is greener … nowhere More than 100 miles southeast of the Ruslers and not far from the Oklahoma and New Mexico borders , third-generation farmer and rancher Harold Unwin is looking at the likelihood of having to reduce his herd — again .
He and his family have weathered droughts in the past .
“ 2011 was bad .
We had to sell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ head is what we kept , ” Unwin said .
“ Here in a month , after we wean our calves , we will be selling probably up to half of our herd.
” Ranchers spend years breeding their animals for certain traits .
All that effort , the genetics , can be undone when a large part of the herd is sold .
But Unwin said he won ’ t abuse the land by running too many cattle on range that can ’ t adequately support them .
His ranch near Kim @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rain since April .
“ The problem we have with the lack of moisture is we ’ re not growing any grass for the cows , ” Unwin said .
“ You got to have grass to maintain good stewardship of the land .
The quote around here is if you take care of the land , it will take care of you.
” For now , Unwin will take care of his herd by hauling thousands of gallons of water to spots where the wells have run dry and the ponds haven @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Slope , Mesa County rancher Janie VanWinkle , said that during the 2018 drought , she and her husband , Howard , thought it was their toughest year in the business .
“ This year feels very similar , ” VanWinkle said .
“ The difference for us is in our area , to my knowledge , no one ’ s hauling water to cattle.
” She thinks a good early-season snowpack helped replenish area springs and ponds .
Since January , the moisture has ranged from 17 % to 27 % of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the goal of maintaining a healthy range in all kinds of conditions .
“ The land is very resilient and we graze it in a manner to make it resilient , ” VanWinkle said .
But experiencing drought in two of the last three years has taken its toll , VanWinkle said .
This year , ranchers had the added burden of low cattle prices when the coronavirus pandemic temporarily shut down meat processing plants and led to an oversupply of animals .
“ We cut ( cattle ) numbers in 2018 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ neighbors .
We ’ ve reduced numbers some this year .
If we don ’ t see at least a decent year next year I would anticipate that we would be destocking , ” VanWinkles said .
“ If we don ’ t take care of the land during these years , it ’ s not going to take care of the livestock .
”

The hot, dry weather that’s fanning fires on tens of thousands of acres across Colorado is also battering the state’s agriculture industry as it stunts crops, dries up the flow of water to farms and shrivels grazing land.
Throughout farm country, the warm spring, hot summer and lack of rain have affected crops and range land for livestock. This year’s wheat harvest is one of Colorado’s smallest in the past decade. Ranchers are thinking about cutting their herd sizes because they’re not sure they’ll have enough water or grass over the long haul.
And while more farmers and ranchers have changed the traditional ways of doing things to improve the health of the soil and pastures, even the most sustainable practices are little match for the conditions that have left 100% of the state abnormally dry or in drought.
“My dad and my grandpa always used to tell me that it takes snow to make winter wheat, and boy there’s a lot behind that,” said Fred Midcap, a fifth-generation Coloradan who farms with his brothers and his son, Nick, in Wiggins.
This past winter, Midcap figures the area on the northeastern plains got about 14 inches of snow, a big drop from the average of 40 inches. The yearly average rainfall is about 13 inches.
“I bet we’re close to 6 to 7 inches total precipitation for the year so far,” said Nick Midcap, during a tour of the farm where the family produces certified wheat seed, which must meet certain standards.
The consequences of scarce moisture are evident in the latest numbers for Colorado’s winter wheat harvest, which recently wrapped up. The 46.5 million bushels reported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture is less than half of the 98 million bushels cut in 2019 and the second smallest harvest in the past decade.
Harvests averaged 83 million bushels during that period, said Tom Lipetzky, director of marketing programs and strategic initiatives at the Colorado Department of Agriculture. The biggest wheat harvest in the last 10 years was 105.8 million bushels in 2010, he said.
Another telling number: The USDA says this year’s overall yield in Colorado is 30 bushels of wheat per acre. The 2019 yield was 49 bushels per acre.
The Midcaps’ yield this year averaged in the 30s. In 2019, their yield was in the low-to-mid-40 bushel range, which they consider just an average year. They say their production has increased since they started trying to improve soil health by cutting back on tilling, or plowing under what’s left after the harvest.
Leaving residue in the fields benefits the soil by providing shade, keeping it from blowing away, slowing down evaporation and increasing organic matter. The Midcaps also rotate in other crops rather than leaving fields fallow until the next wheat crop is planted. They believe healthier soil has given them a roughly 10-bushel-per-acre edge over farmers who still till and has even offered a bit of a buffer against drought.
Darrell Hanavan doesn’t doubt that no-till operations have an advantage. The former longtime head of the Colorado Wheat Administrative Committee also farms on the Eastern Plains, and he said he could see the difference when he was driving around.
“The farmers who were doing no-till or reduced tillage were ones that harvested the better crop,” said Hanavan, now a consultant.
But there’s no getting around the fundamental importance of getting the moisture in the first place. Hanavan said a dry fall resulted in fewer acres being planted and a dry spring reduced the size of the final harvest.
Just under 2 million acres of wheat were planted in Colorado this year, compared with an average of 2.35 million acres over the past decade. And only 1.55 million acres were harvested this season, according to the USDA.
“That means a lot of it didn’t survive the harvest. It was destroyed prior to harvest,” Hanavan said.
All corners of the state
The drought’s grip on the whole of Colorado means many farmers and ranchers are going through what the Midcaps are — or worse.
“The bottom line is the drought is impacting all corners of the state,” said Kate Greenberg, Colorado agriculture commissioner.
When Gov. Jared Polis ordered a task force in June to assess drought damage, an agriculture drought task force was activated to assess the effects on the industry that contributes roughly $40 billion to the state economy each year. Greenberg said members, including federal officials, are meeting biweekly and talking to producers.
Colorado’s corn crop is forecast to be about 152 million bushels, down 5% from the 2019 harvest of nearly 160 million bushels, according to the USDA. As of Aug. 2, the federal agency rated 25% of the state’s corn crop as very poor or poor.
Although not as robust as in past years, the summer monsoon swooping up from the Gulf of California provided a little relief for parched southern Colorado. But Becky Bolinger, the assistant state climatologist, said the rains lasted only a week to 10 days whereas in the past they would stick around during August and even into September.
Since the start of the year, moisture is down 4 to 6 inches across western and southeastern Colorado and anywhere from 8 to 16 inches at higher elevations, Bolinger said.
“The monsoon is pretty variable. We have been extremely unlucky the past three maybe four years. We have not been getting the benefit of the monsoon,” Bolinger added.
The changes in weather patterns, including less moisture and warmer temperatures that melt the all-important snowpack earlier and more quickly, are evidence of climate change caused by the burning of fossil fuels and the heat-trapping emissions they create, the majority of climate experts say. Last week, Russ Schumacher, the state climatologist, told The Denver Post that “even if we completely stopped emitting greenhouse gases tomorrow,” it will continue to get warmer.
Whether farmers chalk up the hot, dry weather to climate change or see it as part of the natural cycles, they can agree that the on-the-ground effects are rough. Tom Rusler, who farms with his sons, Nick and Tommy, in Avondale, east of Pueblo, just had a significant share of his irrigation water shut off because his water rights are junior to others drawing from the Bessemer Ditch.
“It’s kind of a big blow to finishing this crop,” Rusler said of his corn.
The family plans to start harvesting the crops, which include pinto beans and feed for cattle, by the end of the first week in September. Rusler’s hopes aren’t high for the corn.
“You look at your crop and it looks good, but you really don’t know until you get in there,” Rusler said. “Last week, we did sampling of the corn fields, doing kernel counts and ear counts and it isn’t as good as we had hoped. It isn’t even average.”
The area on Colorado’s southeastern plains got about 4 inches of rain for the season. The normal rainfall is 11 to 12 inches. The Ruslers and longtime farm manager Ryan Forman have toiled for years to improve the soil health by not tilling the ground and planting radishes and other crops to provide ground cover, nutrients and to prevent erosion.
Rusler wants to incorporate native grasses in part to increase habitat for pollinators. But the drought has put that plan on hold for now.
In southwestern Colorado, where the drought has been extreme, AJ and Nicole Carrilloown and run Deer Tree Farm and Agroforest. They raise peaches, produce, pigs, turkeys and cattle in Hotchkiss and are working to make the soil more healthy.
The work got tougher last week when the Carrillos’ irrigation water flowing from the Paonia Reservoir was shut off, a month earlier than expected, because of the drought.
“We completely depend on that irrigation, there’s just no two ways about it,” AJ Carrillo said. “At this moment with the sky covered in smoke and the oppressive heat since 10 a.m. and the water shutting off, all that stuff going on, it’s a little trying.”
Even so, Carillo said he remains optimistic and focused on his mission of adapting to the climate and landscape to run an environmentally sustainable farm.
Some of the same parts of the state struggled with drought in 2018, but 2019 was a good water year “so we went into the year with good storage,” Greenberg said.
However, the heat and lack of moisture are taxing water supplies in places like the San Luis Valley, Greenberg said. Farmers and ranchers there have been trying to rebuild the aquifer for years to avoid having state regulators step in and restrict water use.
“Cattle and livestock producers are getting hit. Forage has been really bad this year,” Greenberg said. “A lot of folks in 2018 had to cull their herds or greatly diminish their herds. In some cases they lost the genetics that they had been building over time, which is a big loss for the livestock business.”
The grass is greener … nowhere
More than 100 miles southeast of the Ruslers and not far from the Oklahoma and New Mexico borders, third-generation farmer and rancher Harold Unwin is looking at the likelihood of having to reduce his herd — again. He and his family have weathered droughts in the past.
“2011 was bad. We had to sell down practically all our cows, 35 head is what we kept,” Unwin said. “Here in a month, after we wean our calves, we will be selling probably up to half of our herd.”
Ranchers spend years breeding their animals for certain traits. All that effort, the genetics, can be undone when a large part of the herd is sold. But Unwin said he won’t abuse the land by running too many cattle on range that can’t adequately support them. His ranch near Kim has received just a half inch of rain since April.
“The problem we have with the lack of moisture is we’re not growing any grass for the cows,” Unwin said. “You got to have grass to maintain good stewardship of the land. The quote around here is if you take care of the land, it will take care of you.”
For now, Unwin will take care of his herd by hauling thousands of gallons of water to spots where the wells have run dry and the ponds haven’t recharged.
On the Western Slope, Mesa County rancher Janie VanWinkle, said that during the 2018 drought, she and her husband, Howard, thought it was their toughest year in the business.
“This year feels very similar,” VanWinkle said. “The difference for us is in our area, to my knowledge, no one’s hauling water to cattle.”
She thinks a good early-season snowpack helped replenish area springs and ponds. Since January, the moisture has ranged from 17% to 27% of normal. VanWinkle said she manages grazing with the goal of maintaining a healthy range in all kinds of conditions.
“The land is very resilient and we graze it in a manner to make it resilient,” VanWinkle said.
But experiencing drought in two of the last three years has taken its toll, VanWinkle said. This year, ranchers had the added burden of low cattle prices when the coronavirus pandemic temporarily shut down meat processing plants and led to an oversupply of animals.
“We cut (cattle) numbers in 2018, as did a lot of our neighbors. We’ve reduced numbers some this year. If we don’t see at least a decent year next year I would anticipate that we would be destocking,” VanWinkles said. “If we don’t take care of the land during these years, it’s not going to take care of the livestock.”


thedenverpost--2020-08-21--Low interest rates lead to highest level of mortgage activity in Denver metro since 2005

Mortgage originations in metro Denver hit their highest levels since the fall of 2005 as consumers rushed to take advantage of historically low interest rates even with a pandemic in full swing , according to a report Thursday from ATTOM Data Solutions .
In metro Denver , there were 54,837 mortgage originations in the second quarter , including purchase mortgages , refinancings and home equity lines of credit .
That ’ s the highest total since the third quarter of 2005 , when there were 61,264 originations , numbers from ATTOM Data Solutions show .
Mortgage originations are up 40.3 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % from the second quarter of 2019 .
Most of that gain came from refinancings , which accounted for 36,898 or 67.3 % of all mortgages issued in metro Denver .
Mortgage refinancing are up 58.6 % from the first quarter and 160.5 % from the same quarter a year earlier in metro Denver , surpassing the more than 100 % gain measured nationally over the year .
“ The second quarter of 2020 really was a tale of two markets for lenders .
One saw a continued flood of homeowners refinancing their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other saw a drop in home-purchase and home-equity borrowing as the economy sagged under virus-related lockdowns , ” Todd Teta , chief product officer at ATTOM Data Solutions , said in the report .
Mortgage rates on 30-year loans of 3 % or lower drew in borrowers in droves , and some categories , like Veterans Administration loans , proved especially popular .
Looking at a broader nine-month period from October to June , Veterans United Home Loans , the nation ’ s largest VA lender , measured a 143 % spike in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mortgages up 13.7 % and refinance mortgages up 272 % .
That increase ranked sixth highest in the country .
“ VA loans have already had the lowest average interest rate on the market and were already the best mortgage option for veterans .
Couple that with where rates are across the board , and it has been a historically opportune time , ” said Chris Birk , director of education for the lender , which is based in Columbia , Mo .
Veteran borrowers largely went with a streamlined process that allowed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rate rather than cashing out , which involves a more complex underwriting process , Birk said .
He also notes that millennial borrowers were driving a disproportionate share of the activity , especially on the purchase side .
Originations for VA purchase mortgages among Denver area millennials were up 28 % in the 9-month period studied , but down 21 % among Gen X and flat among older generations , he said .
One area that hasn ’ t seen activity increase are home equity lines of credits ( HELOCs ) , even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the same rush to lock in lower-cost money .
“ HELOCs are the common products of commercial banks , all of which suffered balance-sheet damage in March , and will take a long time to recover , ” said Lou Barnes , a senior mortgage loan officer with Premier Mortgage Group in Boulder .
“ Credit unions have filled some of that gap , but big household-name banks stepped out of HELOCs altogether or toughened terms to pointlessness.
” It wasn ’ t because people were defaulting on their existing home equity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other borrowers , especially corporations , were drawing on their lines of credit , putting a crimp on available credit .
There were 5.2 % fewer home equity lines of credit in the second quarter in metro Denver than in the first and the volume was down by a third compared to a year earlier , according to ATTOM Data Solutions .
HELOC activity was at its lowest levels since the fourth quarter of 2014 .

Mortgage originations in metro Denver hit their highest levels since the fall of 2005 as consumers rushed to take advantage of historically low interest rates even with a pandemic in full swing, according to a report Thursday from ATTOM Data Solutions.
In metro Denver, there were 54,837 mortgage originations in the second quarter, including purchase mortgages, refinancings and home equity lines of credit. That’s the highest total since the third quarter of 2005, when there were 61,264 originations, numbers from ATTOM Data Solutions show.
Mortgage originations are up 40.3% from the first quarter and 65% from the second quarter of 2019. Most of that gain came from refinancings, which accounted for 36,898 or 67.3% of all mortgages issued in metro Denver.
Mortgage refinancing are up 58.6% from the first quarter and 160.5% from the same quarter a year earlier in metro Denver, surpassing the more than 100% gain measured nationally over the year.
“The second quarter of 2020 really was a tale of two markets for lenders. One saw a continued flood of homeowners refinancing their loans at lower interest rates while the other saw a drop in home-purchase and home-equity borrowing as the economy sagged under virus-related lockdowns,” Todd Teta, chief product officer at ATTOM Data Solutions, said in the report.
Mortgage rates on 30-year loans of 3% or lower drew in borrowers in droves, and some categories, like Veterans Administration loans, proved especially popular.
Looking at a broader nine-month period from October to June, Veterans United Home Loans, the nation’s largest VA lender, measured a 143% spike in originations in Denver year-over-year, with purchase mortgages up 13.7% and refinance mortgages up 272%. That increase ranked sixth highest in the country.
“VA loans have already had the lowest average interest rate on the market and were already the best mortgage option for veterans. Couple that with where rates are across the board, and it has been a historically opportune time,” said Chris Birk, director of education for the lender, which is based in Columbia, Mo.
Veteran borrowers largely went with a streamlined process that allowed their loans to shift to a lower rate rather than cashing out, which involves a more complex underwriting process, Birk said.
He also notes that millennial borrowers were driving a disproportionate share of the activity, especially on the purchase side. Originations for VA purchase mortgages among Denver area millennials were up 28% in the 9-month period studied, but down 21% among Gen X and flat among older generations, he said.
One area that hasn’t seen activity increase are home equity lines of credits (HELOCs), even though in theory they should also benefit from the same rush to lock in lower-cost money.
“HELOCs are the common products of commercial banks, all of which suffered balance-sheet damage in March, and will take a long time to recover,” said Lou Barnes, a senior mortgage loan officer with Premier Mortgage Group in Boulder. “Credit unions have filled some of that gap, but big household-name banks stepped out of HELOCs altogether or toughened terms to pointlessness.”
It wasn’t because people were defaulting on their existing home equity lines of credit, but more that other borrowers, especially corporations, were drawing on their lines of credit, putting a crimp on available credit.
There were 5.2% fewer home equity lines of credit in the second quarter in metro Denver than in the first and the volume was down by a third compared to a year earlier, according to ATTOM Data Solutions. HELOC activity was at its lowest levels since the fourth quarter of 2014.


thedenverpost--2020-08-21--As wildfire smoke hangs over Colorado, state’s air quality board inches toward plan to reduce haze

A 90-degree haze of wildfire smoke and other pollutants hung over Colorado ’ s mountain valleys and cities Thursday , increasingly beyond the control of state government officials , who inched forward in their efforts to make improvements to future air quality .
Colorado ’ s Air Quality Control Commission , appointed by Gov .
Jared Polis , unanimously approved a state health department proposal Thursday to satisfy an Environmental Protection Agency requirement to address controllable sources of that haze by counting utilities ’ already-planned closures of coal-fired power plants by 2036 .
Then , next year , the commissioners @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not scheduled for closure , including cement factories and the Suncor Energy refinery north of Denver .
The EPA regional haze rule says states must submit plans to reduce haze enough to ensure “ natural ” visibility by 2064 in 156 national parks , wilderness areas and other federally-managed places where air pollution has obscured views .
Air Pollution Control Division planner Lisa Devore distinguished between “ what is controllable versus what is uncontrollable ” and told commissioners locking in utilities ’ voluntary commitments would make them “ federally enforceable ” — and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of heat-trapping greenhouse gases that accelerate climate change .
A state plan that lawmakers ordered to cut greenhouse gas pollution is overdue .
But restive residents raised health concerns and voiced frustrations at what some saw as a losing game in the face of climate warming that worsens bad air .
More than 150 people participated in the air commissioners ’ online meeting .
Several noted the particulate-heavy smoke from wildfires that have burned more than 175,000 acres and aggravated respiratory ailments .
“ It hurts my lungs to breathe when I walk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Giselle Herzfeld said .
And the government “ has not put us on track to meet greenhouse gas reduction goals.
” “ If it is this bad now , think about what it is going to be like when our children are older , ” said Jen Clanahan , leader of the Mountain Mamas activist group .
“ We really need to get going.
” Commerce City resident Lucy Molina said toxic air pollution may have contributed to the death from leukemia of her grandmother , her son ’ s bloody @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have endured .
“ These health impacts are real , ” Molina said .
“ I really beg you to take climate action now.
” State lawmakers joined in , urging a more aggressive approach to improving air quality .
“ Communities of color are disproportionately affected and very much burdened by climate change… I ’ m talking about environmental justice and racial justice , ” said Rep. Dominique Jackson , D-Aurora .
Sen .
Faith Winter , D-Westminster , referred to the western forests , saying “ our state is burning down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a drought.
” “ We have to have enforcement of mandatory ( pollution reduction ) programs… and they have to be equitable… We can not just look at how we produce our energy , ” she said .
“ We have to move beyond that .
… We ’ re going to be spending more money on fires , floods — responding to climate change.
” Industry officials weighed in , too .
Western Slope Colorado Oil and Gas Association director Chelsie Miera said fossil fuel companies have prioritized safety “ in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ firefighters access on industrial sites .
“ The use of oil and gas resources , ” Miera told commissioners , helps firefighters combat wildfires .
COGA attorney Chris Colclasure said the oil and gas industry will be “ a voice of reason ” in “ rule-making ” aimed at reducing air pollution .
“ The rules need to be thought-out , have real benefit and be cost-effective , ” he said .
Congress in 1977 declared a national goal of ensuring visibility in national parks and forests .
The EPA in 1999 made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to “ natural levels ” in 60 years , and then in 2017 revised that rule to give states greater flexibility in targeting haze .
In Colorado , initial efforts improved visibility in parks and wilderness areas by 14 miles on average , according to measurements in a progress report .
But compared with natural conditions the distance visitors in Rocky Mountain National Park could see lagged by 46 miles due to haze .
At the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve , haze had reduced visibility by 55 miles .
Similarly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 38 miles in the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park and 50 miles at Mesa Verde National Park .
State measurements also showed haze impacts in the Weminuche , La Garita , Mount Zirkel , Rawah , Eagles Nest , Flat Tops , Maroon Bells-Snowmass and West Elk wilderness areas .
Haze comes from natural sources , such as lightning-sparked wildfires , and humans .
Some pollutants , such as dust and soot , spread directly into the air .
Others form in chemical reactions as sun-baked particulates mix with gases containing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worsen the ground-level ozone for which the EPA has deemed Colorado a “ serious ” violator of federal health standards .
Pollutants that form haze can cause health problems and hurt the environment .
Inhaling small particles can impair breathing and lead to premature death , EPA records show .
And nitrates and sulfates contribute to acid rain that can make lakes , rivers and streams unsuitable for fish .
Polis has declared reducing air pollution a priority , and the air commissioners are responsible for submitting a haze plan for EPA approval @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tasked by lawmakers with making and implementing a plan that ensures reductions in heat-trapping pollution , by 90 % before 2050 from the 2005 level of 134 million tons a year .
A deadline for that plan has passed and the state faces lawsuits .
“ Are we going to meet those ‘ natural conditions ’ goals ?
Colorado is well on track , ” Devore said , discussing the EPA ’ s 2064 deadline for eliminating man-made haze .
“ You ’ re trying to incrementally make progress without going too far @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whether “ we as a state that relies on outdoor recreation could decide that we want clean air sooner than that .
”

A 90-degree haze of wildfire smoke and other pollutants hung over Colorado’s mountain valleys and cities Thursday, increasingly beyond the control of state government officials, who inched forward in their efforts to make improvements to future air quality.
Colorado’s Air Quality Control Commission, appointed by Gov. Jared Polis, unanimously approved a state health department proposal Thursday to satisfy an Environmental Protection Agency requirement to address controllable sources of that haze by counting utilities’ already-planned closures of coal-fired power plants by 2036.
Then, next year, the commissioners will consider tighter controls on industrial plants not scheduled for closure, including cement factories and the Suncor Energy refinery north of Denver.
The EPA regional haze rule says states must submit plans to reduce haze enough to ensure “natural” visibility by 2064 in 156 national parks, wilderness areas and other federally-managed places where air pollution has obscured views.
Air Pollution Control Division planner Lisa Devore distinguished between “what is controllable versus what is uncontrollable” and told commissioners locking in utilities’ voluntary commitments would make them “federally enforceable” — and beyond haze, will help cut emissions of heat-trapping greenhouse gases that accelerate climate change. A state plan that lawmakers ordered to cut greenhouse gas pollution is overdue.
But restive residents raised health concerns and voiced frustrations at what some saw as a losing game in the face of climate warming that worsens bad air. More than 150 people participated in the air commissioners’ online meeting. Several noted the particulate-heavy smoke from wildfires that have burned more than 175,000 acres and aggravated respiratory ailments.
“It hurts my lungs to breathe when I walk outside. Ash lands on my clothes,” Giselle Herzfeld said. And the government “has not put us on track to meet greenhouse gas reduction goals.”
“If it is this bad now, think about what it is going to be like when our children are older,” said Jen Clanahan, leader of the Mountain Mamas activist group. “We really need to get going.”
Commerce City resident Lucy Molina said toxic air pollution may have contributed to the death from leukemia of her grandmother, her son’s bloody noses and headaches she and her daughter have endured. “These health impacts are real,” Molina said. “I really beg you to take climate action now.”
State lawmakers joined in, urging a more aggressive approach to improving air quality.
“Communities of color are disproportionately affected and very much burdened by climate change… I’m talking about environmental justice and racial justice,” said Rep. Dominique Jackson, D-Aurora.
Sen. Faith Winter, D-Westminster, referred to the western forests, saying “our state is burning down. And our entire state is in a drought.”
“We have to have enforcement of mandatory (pollution reduction) programs… and they have to be equitable… We cannot just look at how we produce our energy,” she said. “We have to move beyond that. … We’re going to be spending more money on fires, floods — responding to climate change.”
Industry officials weighed in, too. Western Slope Colorado Oil and Gas Association director Chelsie Miera said fossil fuel companies have prioritized safety “in the path of fire,” and allow firefighters access on industrial sites. “The use of oil and gas resources,” Miera told commissioners, helps firefighters combat wildfires.
COGA attorney Chris Colclasure said the oil and gas industry will be “a voice of reason” in “rule-making” aimed at reducing air pollution. “The rules need to be thought-out, have real benefit and be cost-effective,” he said.
Congress in 1977 declared a national goal of ensuring visibility in national parks and forests. The EPA in 1999 made a rule requiring a return of visibility to “natural levels” in 60 years, and then in 2017 revised that rule to give states greater flexibility in targeting haze.
In Colorado, initial efforts improved visibility in parks and wilderness areas by 14 miles on average, according to measurements in a progress report. But compared with natural conditions the distance visitors in Rocky Mountain National Park could see lagged by 46 miles due to haze. At the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, haze had reduced visibility by 55 miles. Similarly, haze hurt visitors’ views by 38 miles in the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park and 50 miles at Mesa Verde National Park. State measurements also showed haze impacts in the Weminuche, La Garita, Mount Zirkel, Rawah, Eagles Nest, Flat Tops, Maroon Bells-Snowmass and West Elk wilderness areas.
Haze comes from natural sources, such as lightning-sparked wildfires, and humans. Some pollutants, such as dust and soot, spread directly into the air. Others form in chemical reactions as sun-baked particulates mix with gases containing sulfur and nitrogen. Haze pollutants also worsen the ground-level ozone for which the EPA has deemed Colorado a “serious” violator of federal health standards.
Pollutants that form haze can cause health problems and hurt the environment. Inhaling small particles can impair breathing and lead to premature death, EPA records show. And nitrates and sulfates contribute to acid rain that can make lakes, rivers and streams unsuitable for fish.
Polis has declared reducing air pollution a priority, and the air commissioners are responsible for submitting a haze plan for EPA approval by July. They’re also tasked by lawmakers with making and implementing a plan that ensures reductions in heat-trapping pollution, by 90% before 2050 from the 2005 level of 134 million tons a year. A deadline for that plan has passed and the state faces lawsuits.
“Are we going to meet those ‘natural conditions’ goals? Colorado is well on track,” Devore said, discussing the EPA’s 2064 deadline for eliminating man-made haze. “You’re trying to incrementally make progress without going too far too fast.”
Commissioner Elise Jones asked whether “we as a state that relies on outdoor recreation could decide that we want clean air sooner than that.”
“Yeah,” Devore said. “We could.”


thedenverpost--2020-08-21--Colorado families can seek reimbursement for free school lunches kids missed due to COVID-19 shutdow

Colorado families can seek reimbursement for free school lunches kids missed due to COVID-19 shutdowns

Parents who found themselves scrambling to replace the free or low-cost meals their children normally would get in school this spring can ’ t get back any time they spent worrying , but they might be able to recoup some of the cost .
Families with children who receive free or reduced-price lunches at a school that participates in the National School Lunch Program — which more than 1,800 of Colorado ’ s 1,914 schools do — can apply for up to $ 279 per child to offset the breakfasts and lunches they missed when campuses closed due to COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ though , and it ’ s not clear if Congress and the president will agree to extend it for kids whose schools continue to operate remotely in the fall .
If a family already is enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program , commonly known as SNAP or food stamps , they should have automatically received the payment , said Karla Maraccini , division director of food and energy assistance at the Colorado Department of Human Services .
Those who didn ’ t get the full payment because of a data glitch will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that don ’ t receive SNAP .
If a family earned too much to qualify for free or reduced-price lunches in March , but lost income in April or May , they can apply for a partial payment , she said .
The Department of Human Services estimated about 390,000 kids in Colorado might be eligible , but the funds aren ’ t limited to that many if it turns out that more qualify , Maraccini said .
Families have applied for payments for about 136,000 kids as of Aug. 13 , she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ partners are helping families that don ’ t have internet access to apply over the phone , Maraccini said .
The Families First Coronavirus Response Act requires states to distribute all the money by the end of September , so families should apply by Sept. 23 to ensure there ’ s enough time for processing , she said .
“ In terms of a means-tested program , it is not complicated ” to apply , she said .
Congressional Democrats ’ version of a coronavirus assistance package would extend the payments , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ slim .
Republicans and Democrats in Congress disagree on several issues , and President Donald Trump has shown less interest in passing a comprehensive package since he issued an executive order adding $ 300 to normal unemployment benefits .
Schools will still receive federal funds for meals , as usual , and some already are setting up sites where kids can pick up grab-and-go lunches this fall .
In Denver Public Schools , dozens of sites will begin offering grab-and-go lunches on weekdays starting Monday , with the option to take a breakfast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will also be delivered directly to some apartment complexes and other community locations .
The extra food assistance is separate from the funds paid out to schools for meals , so parents can qualify even if their kids received grab-and-go meals from their schools this spring , Maraccini said .
Families also can apply regardless of immigration status .
The $ 279 payment was calculated based on the cost of school-based breakfasts and lunches for the number of days schools were closed this spring , said Paola Babb , community engagement and child @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The advantage of a program like this is that parents can choose freely , Babb said , rather than having to hope that food pantries are giving out something their children will eat and aren ’ t allergic to .
“ They have their autonomy , and they can purchase the foods they need and want , ” she said .
Maraccini said she hopes the one-time benefit will encourage more families to find out if they qualify for SNAP .
“ We really want families who are eligible to enroll , ” @ @ @

Parents who found themselves scrambling to replace the free or low-cost meals their children normally would get in school this spring can’t get back any time they spent worrying, but they might be able to recoup some of the cost.
Families with children who receive free or reduced-price lunches at a school that participates in the National School Lunch Program — which more than 1,800 of Colorado’s 1,914 schools do — can apply for up to $279 per child to offset the breakfasts and lunches they missed when campuses closed due to COVID-19.
The program ends in September, though, and it’s not clear if Congress and the president will agree to extend it for kids whose schools continue to operate remotely in the fall.
If a family already is enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, commonly known as SNAP or food stamps, they should have automatically received the payment, said Karla Maraccini, division director of food and energy assistance at the Colorado Department of Human Services.
Those who didn’t get the full payment because of a data glitch will need to apply, as will families that don’t receive SNAP. If a family earned too much to qualify for free or reduced-price lunches in March, but lost income in April or May, they can apply for a partial payment, she said.
The Department of Human Services estimated about 390,000 kids in Colorado might be eligible, but the funds aren’t limited to that many if it turns out that more qualify, Maraccini said. Families have applied for payments for about 136,000 kids as of Aug. 13, she said.
Hunger Free Colorado and other partners are helping families that don’t have internet access to apply over the phone, Maraccini said. The Families First Coronavirus Response Act requires states to distribute all the money by the end of September, so families should apply by Sept. 23 to ensure there’s enough time for processing, she said.
“In terms of a means-tested program, it is not complicated” to apply, she said.
Congressional Democrats’ version of a coronavirus assistance package would extend the payments, but the odds of that bill passing appear slim. Republicans and Democrats in Congress disagree on several issues, and President Donald Trump has shown less interest in passing a comprehensive package since he issued an executive order adding $300 to normal unemployment benefits.
Schools will still receive federal funds for meals, as usual, and some already are setting up sites where kids can pick up grab-and-go lunches this fall. In Denver Public Schools, dozens of sites will begin offering grab-and-go lunches on weekdays starting Monday, with the option to take a breakfast meal for the next day. Meals will also be delivered directly to some apartment complexes and other community locations.
The extra food assistance is separate from the funds paid out to schools for meals, so parents can qualify even if their kids received grab-and-go meals from their schools this spring, Maraccini said. Families also can apply regardless of immigration status.
The $279 payment was calculated based on the cost of school-based breakfasts and lunches for the number of days schools were closed this spring, said Paola Babb, community engagement and child nutrition manager at Hunger Free Colorado.
The advantage of a program like this is that parents can choose freely, Babb said, rather than having to hope that food pantries are giving out something their children will eat and aren’t allergic to.
“They have their autonomy, and they can purchase the foods they need and want,” she said.
Maraccini said she hopes the one-time benefit will encourage more families to find out if they qualify for SNAP.
“We really want families who are eligible to enroll,” she said.


thedenverpost--2020-08-21--Aurora shooting leaves 2 dead, police investigate

Aurora police are investigating after two people were killed in a shooting overnight .
Officers were dispatched to the 10600 @ @ @ @ @ , according to a tweet posted on the department ’ s official Twitter account late @ @ @ @ @ .
A man and a woman were transported to a local hospital in serious condition @ @ @ @ @ police said in a follow-up Tweet .
Police said they found a weapon on scene @ @ @ @ @ for any other suspects .
The identities of the man and woman who died were @ @ @

Aurora police are investigating after two people were killed in a shooting late Thursday.
Officers were dispatched just before 11 p.m. to the 10600 block of East Jewell Avenue on reports of a shooting, police said in a news release.
Police found a man and a woman who had been shot. They were transported to a local hospital in serious condition and both later died, police said.
Police said they found a weapon at the scene.
“We do not believe that there are any outstanding suspects,” police said in a news release.
The identities of the man and woman who died will be released by the Arapahoe County Coroner’s Office, police said.
Anyone with information on the incident is asked to call the Aurora police homicide unit at 303-739-6077, or Crime Stoppers at 720-913-7867.


thedenverpost--2020-08-22--Kiszla: Joker was a joke. With Nikola Jokic a big no-show, Nuggets have no shot against Utah.

LAKE BUENA VISTA , Fla. – The rain fell and the Joker pouted .
The end of this humiliating 124-87 playoff loss to Utah on Friday was a sad scene , painted in gray tones of regret .
As rain puddles formed on sidewalks outside the arena , the Nuggets ’ season began to swirl down the drain .
For the first time in his remarkable , young NBA career , Nuggets center Nikola Jokic faces the prospect of being a huge disappointment .
In a playoff game Denver desperately needed to win , Joker was 7 feet tall and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ around by Utah center Rudy Gobert .
How could Jokic seem so disengaged , especially in a playoff game with so much on the line ?
“ That would be a great question for Nikola , ” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said .
As Jazz center Rudy Gobert dominated at both ends of the floor , making 11-of-15 shots for 24 points while collecting 14 rebounds , Jokic stood back and watched .
I ’ ve never thought these words before , much less typed them : The Joker was a joke .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Manning ever stunk up a playoff game the way Jokic let the Nuggets fall into a sinkhole that feels muddier than their 2-1 deficit in this best-of-seven series .
Although Jokic finished with a respectable 15 points , he scored only a single basket and took just two shots at the juncture this game was all over except the pouting , when Utah took a commanding 42-20 lead with seven minutes , 29 seconds remaining in the second quarter .
Passive Nikola is bad Nikola .
For much of the opening half , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ducking out of the way of repeated dunks by Gobert .
I asked Joker where his A-game went .
“ I took really good shots .
I just missed , ” said Jokic .
“ I think ( Gobert ) is a great defender … He ’ s a great player .
But I think I just missed shots.
” Gobert has also now bettered or matched Jokic ’ s scoring production in eight of their 17 career meetings , which has seen Utah win 10 times .
Near the end of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pass toward the top of the key .
As Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell intercepted the basketball and took off for a dunk that put Utah ahead by 30 points , Jokic threw back his head in exasperation .
Jokic had guit on the game without a fight as certainly as he had given away a turnover .
I was an eye-witness to this abomination , from a socially distanced seat in the front row of Section 201 inside the Sports House of the Mouse .
Even while wearing a mask , it was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s performance from my seat in the balcony .
This lopsided loss , which often seemed to be nothing except an endless highlight reel of uncontested 3-point shots and layups by the Jazz , was even uglier to behold in person than on television .
“ How do you know ?
Did you watch it on TV ?
” argued Nuggets fan David Lakes , challenging my assertion .
“ It was beyond ugly .
I switched the TV over to a 25-year-old episode of ‘ Law & Order.
’ ” The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Florida .
Other than Jamal Murray , who played as if the thought of losing back-to-back games against Utah made him furious , the Nuggets acted like a bunch of guys wanting to go find half-price appetizers during happy hour .
Murray seethed in defeat .
“ I think we have a target on our back , ” he repeatedly said , with arms crossed defensively across his chest , futilely trying to conceal pain in his heart during a postgame Zoom conference .
Their rise to playoff contender in 2019 was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when San Antonio took them to the limit in the first round .
This year feels different , with Denver burdened with the weight of expectation .
Denver arrived at the NBA bubble more than a month ago , banged up and disjointed , with preparation time for roughly half its roster disrupted by COVID-19 issues .
The Nuggets treated eight games in advance of the playoffs on the Disney campus more like exhibition games , with Malone sacrificing any chance at victory by resting his best players in the fourth quarter more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ give in too easily , ” Malone said .
“ Our group has to be a lot more mentally tough.
” On a team that has tried to con itself into believing this is a legitimate title contender , Malone will feel the heat if he doesn ’ t figure out a way for the Nuggets to win this series .
To be fair , Denver also found itself down 2-1 in the opening round against the Spurs a year ago , but didn ’ t lose two games by anywhere near the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Utah .
If the Nuggets are to have any chance of a comeback , it doesn ’ t start with coaching strategy .
It must begin with Jokic declaring himself the best player on the floor .
If the Nuggets can ’ t find the Joker we know and love , they have no shot .

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – The rain fell and the Joker pouted. The end of this humiliating 124-87 playoff loss to Utah on Friday was a sad scene, painted in gray tones of regret. As rain puddles formed on sidewalks outside the arena, the Nuggets’ season began to swirl down the drain.
For the first time in his remarkable, young NBA career, Nuggets center Nikola Jokic faces the prospect of being a huge disappointment.
In a playoff game Denver desperately needed to win, Joker was 7 feet tall and nearly invisible.
Skinny Joker got pushed around by Utah center Rudy Gobert. How could Jokic seem so disengaged, especially in a playoff game with so much on the line?
“That would be a great question for Nikola,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said.
As Jazz center Rudy Gobert dominated at both ends of the floor, making 11-of-15 shots for 24 points while collecting 14 rebounds, Jokic stood back and watched.
I’ve never thought these words before, much less typed them: The Joker was a joke.
Heaven forbid if John Elway or Peyton Manning ever stunk up a playoff game the way Jokic let the Nuggets fall into a sinkhole that feels muddier than their 2-1 deficit in this best-of-seven series.
Although Jokic finished with a respectable 15 points, he scored only a single basket and took just two shots at the juncture this game was all over except the pouting, when Utah took a commanding 42-20 lead with seven minutes, 29 seconds remaining in the second quarter.
Passive Nikola is bad Nikola. For much of the opening half, Jokic’s most aggressive move was ducking out of the way of repeated dunks by Gobert.
I asked Joker where his A-game went.
“I took really good shots. I just missed,” said Jokic. “I think (Gobert) is a great defender … He’s a great player. But I think I just missed shots.”
Gobert has also now bettered or matched Jokic’s scoring production in eight of their 17 career meetings, which has seen Utah win 10 times.
Near the end of the third quarter, Jokic made a careless pass toward the top of the key. As Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell intercepted the basketball and took off for a dunk that put Utah ahead by 30 points, Jokic threw back his head in exasperation. Jokic had quit on the game without a fight as certainly as he had given away a turnover.
I was an eye-witness to this abomination, from a socially distanced seat in the front row of Section 201 inside the Sports House of the Mouse. Even while wearing a mask, it was possible to detect the stench of Denver’s performance from my seat in the balcony.
This lopsided loss, which often seemed to be nothing except an endless highlight reel of uncontested 3-point shots and layups by the Jazz, was even uglier to behold in person than on television.
“How do you know? Did you watch it on TV?” argued Nuggets fan David Lakes, challenging my assertion. “It was beyond ugly. I switched the TV over to a 25-year-old episode of ‘Law & Order.’ ”
The game tipped off shortly after 4 p.m. in Florida. Other than Jamal Murray, who played as if the thought of losing back-to-back games against Utah made him furious, the Nuggets acted like a bunch of guys wanting to go find half-price appetizers during happy hour.
Murray seethed in defeat. “I think we have a target on our back,” he repeatedly said, with arms crossed defensively across his chest, futilely trying to conceal pain in his heart during a postgame Zoom conference.
Their rise to playoff contender in 2019 was full of hope and optimism, even when San Antonio took them to the limit in the first round. This year feels different, with Denver burdened with the weight of expectation.
Denver arrived at the NBA bubble more than a month ago, banged up and disjointed, with preparation time for roughly half its roster disrupted by COVID-19 issues. The Nuggets treated eight games in advance of the playoffs on the Disney campus more like exhibition games, with Malone sacrificing any chance at victory by resting his best players in the fourth quarter more than once.
“I think we give in too easily,” Malone said. “Our group has to be a lot more mentally tough.”
On a team that has tried to con itself into believing this is a legitimate title contender, Malone will feel the heat if he doesn’t figure out a way for the Nuggets to win this series.
To be fair, Denver also found itself down 2-1 in the opening round against the Spurs a year ago, but didn’t lose two games by anywhere near the 56 total points in these two blowouts by Utah.
If the Nuggets are to have any chance of a comeback, it doesn’t start with coaching strategy. It must begin with Jokic declaring himself the best player on the floor.
If the Nuggets can’t find the Joker we know and love, they have no shot.