thedenverpost--2020-02-07--The best ranch, the best scenery: At Whispering Pines, Shea has a backdrop of Black Forest trees, mi

The best ranch, the best scenery: At Whispering Pines, Shea has a backdrop of Black Forest trees, minutes from DTC

Some of the many buyers showing up early this year to see Shea Homes ’ models at Whispering Pines say they ’ re looking for a ranch , and some say they ’ re looking for more parks and trees than they have where they live now .
Either way , Shea makes happy campers of those shoppers in its three Woodlands Collection models at Whispering Pines , starting with a wide-open ranch interior that ’ s probably the best one you ’ ve seen this year — plenty of light and depth , looking out to a view of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s like you ’ re in Evergreen , but without the commute , ” says Shea ’ s Ben Calder , who will show you that Timber Ridge ranch Saturday and Sunday , Feb. 8-9 , with 2,726 square feet of space on the main level , plus a full-wide three-car garage .
If you like its looks , Calder has one nearing completion now , on a site that backs to Sampson Gulch Park and its complement of ponderosa pines , where Shea will include a day-lit garden-level basement and a deck @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is priced at $ 721,116 , ready for move-in by June .
Buyers tell Calder they like the use of space in that ranch model : lots of windows , tall ceilings and plenty of functionality .
The master suite shows the option of a glass and tile full-length shower and has a rear exit from the bath past the dressing area to a large laundry room and the garage .
You ’ ll also tour two family-sized two-story models in this collection , taking advantage of Whispering Pines ’ good proximity to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cherokee Trail High — 8-out-of-10 stars at GreatSchools.org , 9-out-of-10 on college readiness .
The high school ( it ’ s paired with Fox Ridge Middle School , 7 of 10 ) has an even easier commute from the community now that a back entry is open via Powhaton Road .
You can pick that ranch ready this spring or choose from either of two family-sized homes ( $ 707,000 and $ 640,000 ) that Shea has for spring delivery .
Or you can select a site and do a personalized version from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — a real price that will deliver a home on one of these lots , providing you go easy on the options .
But many buyers , says Calder , see the component of scenery and open space here and maximize on the possibilities , having Shea include finished space for a guest suite and added rec area on the basement level , as shown in the model .
Between 60 % and 70 % of buyers who pick sites backing to the open space are doing that , Calder notes .
If @ @ @ @ @ @ @ special sites on the trees , you need to look soon , he adds .
You ’ ll see 3 miles of trails , linking to a newly opened pool and playground with a lodge-style activity center .
And you ’ ll experience how quick the commute is from here into Meridian , Lone Tree and the Tech Center — 16 or 17 minutes using E-470 , a little longer via widened Arapahoe Road .
When arriving from 470 via Gartrell , take Aurora Parkway north and watch carefully for the turn east @ @ @ @ @ @ @ editorial staffs of The Denver Post had no role in this post ’ s preparation .

Some of the many buyers showing up early this year to see Shea Homes’ models at Whispering Pines say they’re looking for a ranch, and some say they’re looking for more parks and trees than they have where they live now.
Shea Homes at Whispering Pines What: Shea Homes at Whispering Pines in Aurora; Woodlands Collection, luxury ranch models and family-sized homes, Cherry Creek Schools, 3-car garages, lodge-style clubhouse with pool; forested park; ranch ready April.
Shea Homes at Whispering Pines in Aurora; Woodlands Collection, luxury ranch models and family-sized homes, Cherry Creek Schools, 3-car garages, lodge-style clubhouse with pool; forested park; ranch ready April. Where: 8002 S. Haleyville Way, Aurora; from E-470, take Gartrell south 1 blk to Aurora Pkwy, turn north 1 mi. to Irish Dr, turn east, continue 1 mi (becomes Sampson Gulch) to Haleyville.
8002 S. Haleyville Way, Aurora; from E-470, take Gartrell south 1 blk to Aurora Pkwy, turn north 1 mi. to Irish Dr, turn east, continue 1 mi (becomes Sampson Gulch) to Haleyville. Price: From the upper $500s, move soon from $640s
From the upper $500s, move soon from $640s When: Saturday, Feb. 8, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday, Feb. 9, 11-5
Saturday, Feb. 8, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday, Feb. 9, 11-5 Phone: 720-390-6950
720-390-6950 More Info: SheaHomes.com/Woodlands
Either way, Shea makes happy campers of those shoppers in its three Woodlands Collection models at Whispering Pines, starting with a wide-open ranch interior that’s probably the best one you’ve seen this year — plenty of light and depth, looking out to a view of Black Forest pines.
“It’s like you’re in Evergreen, but without the commute,” says Shea’s Ben Calder, who will show you that Timber Ridge ranch Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 8-9, with 2,726 square feet of space on the main level, plus a full-wide three-car garage.
If you like its looks, Calder has one nearing completion now, on a site that backs to Sampson Gulch Park and its complement of ponderosa pines, where Shea will include a day-lit garden-level basement and a deck overlooking the open space. The home is priced at $721,116, ready for move-in by June.
Buyers tell Calder they like the use of space in that ranch model: lots of windows, tall ceilings and plenty of functionality. The master suite shows the option of a glass and tile full-length shower and has a rear exit from the bath past the dressing area to a large laundry room and the garage.
You’ll also tour two family-sized two-story models in this collection, taking advantage of Whispering Pines’ good proximity to three well-rated Cherry Creek Schools, including Cherokee Trail High — 8-out-of-10 stars at GreatSchools.org, 9-out-of-10 on college readiness. The high school (it’s paired with Fox Ridge Middle School, 7 of 10) has an even easier commute from the community now that a back entry is open via Powhaton Road.
You can pick that ranch ready this spring or choose from either of two family-sized homes ($707,000 and $640,000) that Shea has for spring delivery. Or you can select a site and do a personalized version from these plans starting from around $580,000 — a real price that will deliver a home on one of these lots, providing you go easy on the options.
But many buyers, says Calder, see the component of scenery and open space here and maximize on the possibilities, having Shea include finished space for a guest suite and added rec area on the basement level, as shown in the model. Between 60% and 70% of buyers who pick sites backing to the open space are doing that, Calder notes.
If you want to find one of those special sites on the trees, you need to look soon, he adds. You’ll see 3 miles of trails, linking to a newly opened pool and playground with a lodge-style activity center.
And you’ll experience how quick the commute is from here into Meridian, Lone Tree and the Tech Center — 16 or 17 minutes using E-470, a little longer via widened Arapahoe Road. When arriving from 470 via Gartrell, take Aurora Parkway north and watch carefully for the turn east onto Irish Drive.
The news and editorial staffs of The Denver Post had no role in this post’s preparation.


thedenverpost--2020-02-07--As KB Home readies a grand opening at The Canyons, last chance for early reservations on personalize

As KB Home readies a grand opening at The Canyons, last chance for early reservations on personalized homes with amenities

As expanding aerospace companies and other hiring push home prices skyward in the south metro area , KB Home has a model opening next weekend ( Feb. 15-16 ) that should be on your radar east of I-25 in Castle Pines .
But you can preview the launch right away .
Saturday and Sunday , Feb. 8-9 , you can be one of the first to tour KB Home ’ s new Classic Collection of family-sized homes at The Canyons , with a selection of one-story and two-story home designs .
The master plan is already showing the first of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ covered-bridge entry monument .
Classics are big for their price : $ 527,000 to the upper $ 500s , for sizes that start at 1,902 square feet and range to 2,572 feet , not counting appealing possibilities for basement finish .
Early reservations are still available this weekend ( Feb. 8-9 ) — at a moment when KB Home is just making its first lots available , including some that can take a day-lit walk-out basement .
One lot has no site premium added on , meaning you could order the Glimpse two-story @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) , three bedrooms plus a loft , and if you stick to KB Home ’ s standard features , you could have a home delivered exactly at that $ 527,000 entry price .
Along with the covered bridge , you ’ ll see where a coffeehouse and community center are under construction in scenic surroundings wrapped in scrub oak — with a third of its expanse proposed by the developer to be retained as open space crossed by 15 miles of trails .
The Douglas County schools are good ( Rock Canyon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) .
“ This is a double opportunity for size and personalization at a time when practically all buyers wish they had the amenities that The Canyons will deliver , ” says Randy Carpenter , division president at KB Home Colorado .
Meanwhile , KB Home ’ s new Ramble Park neighborhood in The Canyons has a commuter location that looks better with each passing month — six minutes from Lone Tree , 15 minutes from the DTC , and close enough to aerospace campuses that the models are already getting visitors from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Glimpse and a second big-family-value plan , the Memory ( 2,363 sq.ft . )
, and see two plans designed for single-level living — one a 1,900-foot ranch , the other a 2,480-foot Dream plan with a main-floor master .
On any of those , you can opt to finish the standard basement as an extra guest suite and added recreation area ( you ’ ll see that possibility on view in one of the models ) .
That ’ s just the first tier of a creative range of personalization options @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its standard energy package and bright , wide-open interiors that set new designs apart from older homes in the area .
Take I-25 south past 470 five miles to Castle Pines Parkway and turn east on Hess Road a half mile to Canyonside Boulevard , then head south 1.3 mile to a roundabout , following the signs south .
The news and editorial staffs of The Denver Post had no role in this post ’ s preparation .

As expanding aerospace companies and other hiring push home prices skyward in the south metro area, KB Home has a model opening next weekend (Feb. 15-16) that should be on your radar east of I-25 in Castle Pines. But you can preview the launch right away.
KB Home at The Canyons What: KB Home’s family-sized Classic Series homes at The Canyons, grand opening next weekend, pre-sale prices still available now; ranch and main-floor master available; trails, amenities; 2 furnished models.
KB Home’s family-sized Classic Series homes at The Canyons, grand opening next weekend, pre-sale prices still available now; ranch and main-floor master available; trails, amenities; 2 furnished models. Where: 1694 Stable View Dr, Castle Pines; take I-25 south past Park Meadows, 5 miles to Castle Pines Pkwy/Hess Rd, head east on Hess ½-mile to Canyonside Blvd into The Canyons, south 1.3 mile to roundabout, turn right.
1694 Stable View Dr, Castle Pines; take I-25 south past Park Meadows, 5 miles to Castle Pines Pkwy/Hess Rd, head east on Hess ½-mile to Canyonside Blvd into The Canyons, south 1.3 mile to roundabout, turn right. Price: From mid-$500s
From mid-$500s When: Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 8-9, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 8-9, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Phone: 303-323-1195
303-323-1195 More Info: KBHome.com
Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 8-9, you can be one of the first to tour KB Home’s new Classic Collection of family-sized homes at The Canyons, with a selection of one-story and two-story home designs.
The master plan is already showing the first of its attractive amenities, including an eye-catching covered-bridge entry monument.
Classics are big for their price: $527,000 to the upper $500s, for sizes that start at 1,902 square feet and range to 2,572 feet, not counting appealing possibilities for basement finish.
Early reservations are still available this weekend (Feb. 8-9) — at a moment when KB Home is just making its first lots available, including some that can take a day-lit walk-out basement.
One lot has no site premium added on, meaning you could order the Glimpse two-story (you’ll tour the model), three bedrooms plus a loft, and if you stick to KB Home’s standard features, you could have a home delivered exactly at that $527,000 entry price.
Along with the covered bridge, you’ll see where a coffeehouse and community center are under construction in scenic surroundings wrapped in scrub oak — with a third of its expanse proposed by the developer to be retained as open space crossed by 15 miles of trails.
The Douglas County schools are good (Rock Canyon High is rated 10-out-of-10 stars at GreatSchools.org).
“This is a double opportunity for size and personalization at a time when practically all buyers wish they had the amenities that The Canyons will deliver,” says Randy Carpenter, division president at KB Home Colorado.
Meanwhile, KB Home’s new Ramble Park neighborhood in The Canyons has a commuter location that looks better with each passing month — six minutes from Lone Tree, 15 minutes from the DTC, and close enough to aerospace campuses that the models are already getting visitors from Lockheed Martin.
You’ll tour the Glimpse and a second big-family-value plan, the Memory (2,363 sq.ft.), and see two plans designed for single-level living — one a 1,900-foot ranch, the other a 2,480-foot Dream plan with a main-floor master.
On any of those, you can opt to finish the standard basement as an extra guest suite and added recreation area (you’ll see that possibility on view in one of the models).
That’s just the first tier of a creative range of personalization options that KB Home offers, along with its standard energy package and bright, wide-open interiors that set new designs apart from older homes in the area.
Take I-25 south past 470 five miles to Castle Pines Parkway and turn east on Hess Road a half mile to Canyonside Boulevard, then head south 1.3 mile to a roundabout, following the signs south.
The news and editorial staffs of The Denver Post had no role in this post’s preparation.


thedenverpost--2020-02-07--Police board clears Aurora officers in death of Elijah McClain, 23

An excessive force review board with the Aurora Police Department found actions taken by its officers relating to the death of 23-year-old Elijah McClain were “ within policy and consistent with training.
” McClain was arrested Aug. 24 in the 1900 block of Billings Street by officers who were responding to a call about a “ suspicious person ” wearing a ski mask and waving his arms , police said .
He routinely wore masks when outside because of anemia — a blood condition — which made him become cold easily , according to his family .
Before the incident @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Violence unfolded after McClain refused officers ’ commands to stop .
He was tackled and pinned to the ground .
Officers used a “ carotid control hold ” on McClain , who weighed 140 pounds .
McClain whimpered and cried , asking the officers to stop .
He complained that he couldn ’ t breath , and he vomited multiple times .
“ Aurora officers confronted this innocent , unarmed man by immediately going hands-on , grabbing Elijah , throwing him down , applying a carotid choke hold — twice — and continuing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even after Elijah ’ s hands were cuffed behind his back , ” said attorney Mari Newman , in a written statement , on behalf McClain ’ s family .
Newman said McClain “ had done absolutely nothing wrong .
He was just trying to walk home.
” The night of the incident , an officer threatened McClain , who was bound and incapacitated at the time , with siccing a dog on him .
“ Outrageously , Aurora has concluded that this force was ‘ within policy and consistent with training , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ community should be horrified .
We are disappointed , but not surprised , that once again Aurora has condoned its officers ’ killing of an unarmed black man.
” McClain , during the incident , was injected with 500 milligrams of Ketamine , an anesthetic that induces a trance-like state and is used as a pain reliever and a sedative .
McClain was taken to a hospital , and he suffered cardiac arrest in the ambulance during transport .
He was taken off of life support on Aug. 30 .
“ Intense physical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contributed to death , ” according to an autopsy report .
In November , Adams County District Attorney Dave Young found no criminal actions by Aurora police during his investigation into the incident .
An officer involved said McClain attempted to grab his gun during the struggle .
On Thursday police announced the excessive force review board , which is made up of officers , found that police had a “ lawful reason to contact ” McClain and that the “ force applied during the altercation to include the carotid control hold … @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Interim Police Chief Vanessa Wilson , a former division chief and first woman to lead the department , released a short statement as part of the review board announcement .
“ The loss of Mr. McClain ’ s life is tragic , and we continue to offer our deepest condolences to his family , friends , and all those impacted by this loss.
“ Aurora City Manager Jim Twombly said on Thursday that he ’ s “ initiating a Critical Incident Review of how the Aurora Police and Fire Departments responded in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a written release , said the city needs to take a “ critical look at all aspects of the incident and make changes that better serve our community.
” An external and nationally recognized expert will be part of the review process , which will also look at “ current departmental policies , procedures and training relevant to the case.
” Several community members will be part of the panel .
A final report , including proposals and recommendations , will be available to the public .
The city also plans an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ This audit will take a critical look at our policies , how well APD complies with policies , laws and best practices related to the use of body worn cameras , as well as the equipment itself , ” Twombly said .
The camera audit will be made public when finished , sometime midyear .
Discussions with district attorneys from the 17th and 18th Judicial Districts about timely release of body-worn camera video in officer-involved shootings and critical incident cases is planned .
Twombly said : “ Our goal would be to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ judicial process .
”

An excessive force review board with the Aurora Police Department found actions taken by its officers relating to the death of 23-year-old Elijah McClain were “within policy and consistent with training.”
McClain was arrested Aug. 24 in the 1900 block of Billings Street by officers who were responding to a call about a “suspicious person” wearing a ski mask and waving his arms, police said.
He routinely wore masks when outside because of anemia — a blood condition — which made him become cold easily, according to his family. Before the incident, McClain had no arrest record.
Violence unfolded after McClain refused officers’ commands to stop. He was tackled and pinned to the ground. Officers used a “carotid control hold” on McClain, who weighed 140 pounds. McClain whimpered and cried, asking the officers to stop. He complained that he couldn’t breath, and he vomited multiple times.
“Aurora officers confronted this innocent, unarmed man by immediately going hands-on, grabbing Elijah, throwing him down, applying a carotid choke hold — twice — and continuing to inflict multiple other types of force even after Elijah’s hands were cuffed behind his back,” said attorney Mari Newman, in a written statement, on behalf McClain’s family.
Newman said McClain “had done absolutely nothing wrong. He was just trying to walk home.”
The night of the incident, an officer threatened McClain, who was bound and incapacitated at the time, with siccing a dog on him. “Outrageously, Aurora has concluded that this force was ‘within policy and consistent with training,’ ” Newman said. “The community should be horrified. We are disappointed, but not surprised, that once again Aurora has condoned its officers’ killing of an unarmed black man.”
McClain, during the incident, was injected with 500 milligrams of Ketamine, an anesthetic that induces a trance-like state and is used as a pain reliever and a sedative. McClain was taken to a hospital, and he suffered cardiac arrest in the ambulance during transport. He was taken off of life support on Aug. 30. “Intense physical exertion and a narrow left coronary artery contributed to death,” according to an autopsy report.
In November, Adams County District Attorney Dave Young found no criminal actions by Aurora police during his investigation into the incident. An officer involved said McClain attempted to grab his gun during the struggle.
On Thursday police announced the excessive force review board, which is made up of officers, found that police had a “lawful reason to contact” McClain and that the “force applied during the altercation to include the carotid control hold … was within policy and consistent with training.”
Interim Police Chief Vanessa Wilson, a former division chief and first woman to lead the department, released a short statement as part of the review board announcement. “The loss of Mr. McClain’s life is tragic, and we continue to offer our deepest condolences to his family, friends, and all those impacted by this loss.“
Aurora City Manager Jim Twombly said on Thursday that he’s “initiating a Critical Incident Review of how the Aurora Police and Fire Departments responded in the Elijah McClain matter.”
Twombly, in a written release, said the city needs to take a “critical look at all aspects of the incident and make changes that better serve our community.”
An external and nationally recognized expert will be part of the review process, which will also look at “current departmental policies, procedures and training relevant to the case.” Several community members will be part of the panel. A final report, including proposals and recommendations, will be available to the public.
The city also plans an immediate audit of police-worn body cameras. “This audit will take a critical look at our policies, how well APD complies with policies, laws and best practices related to the use of body worn cameras, as well as the equipment itself,” Twombly said. The camera audit will be made public when finished, sometime midyear.
Discussions with district attorneys from the 17th and 18th Judicial Districts about timely release of body-worn camera video in officer-involved shootings and critical incident cases is planned.
Twombly said: “Our goal would be to release video more expeditiously without jeopardizing the judicial process.”


thedenverpost--2020-02-07--Kiszla: All Broncos need to beat Chiefs is five TDs per game. Is that too much to ask new offensive

Kiszla: All Broncos need to beat Chiefs is five TDs per game. Is that too much to ask new offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur?

Let ’ s not be afraid to speak the truth .
The most influential quarterback in Broncos Country at this moment is not rappin ’ Drew Lock or even Hall of Famer John Elway .
It ’ s Patrick Mahomes , who goes to work in a football stadium more than 600 miles from Broncos headquarters .
“ He ’ s a unique player , ” new offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur said Thursday .
With every move the Broncos make and every breath they take in 2020 , it has to be with Mahomes in mind .
Shurmur was hired @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more points on the scoreboard than Mahomes , emcee of a shock-and-awe rally in the Super Bowl that led the Kansas City Chiefs to their first championship in 50 years .
“ They ’ ve lost eight games in the last two years .
All of those games except one , the other team has scored 31 or more points , I believe .
That paints a little picture there for you , ” Broncos coach Vic Fangio said .
Well , counting the overtime loss to New England in the playoffs a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lost nine times during the past two seasons .
But we hear you , Uncle Vic .
Playing scared is no way to beat Mahomes .
In his only losses as the K.C .
starter since the outset of the 2018 season , teams that beat the Chiefs averaged 35.2 points per game in those wins .
The Broncos need a new way of doing business on offense .
Their scheme has been scared since Peyton Manning left the building .
Enough sitting back and hoping linebacker Von Miller finds a way to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ why Rich “ Take a Knee ” Scangarello had to go after only a single year on the job as Denver ’ s offensive coordinator .
He tended to call plays with all the confidence of a kid avoiding eye contact at a middle-school dance .
Fangio insisted his decision to fire Scangarello wasn ’ t made with an eye on Shurmur as a potential upgrade to his staff .
“ Those two decisions were independent of each other , ” Fangio said .
That Scangarello was a goner probably should ’ ve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ December , when Fangio took pains to take credit for over-ruling his timid offensive coordinator and ordering a deep pass during the final seconds of the fourth quarter against the Los Angeles Chargers .
The gamble resulted in a pass interference penalty that benefited Broncos receiver Courtland Sutton and resulted in a 23-20 victory .
“ Contrary to the stereotype that is always out there – a defensive head coach wants to ground and pound , and considers a pitch to the halfback a pass – that is not me .
I like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
We will soon discover how serious Denver really is about jumping in an arms race with Mahomes .
The Broncos need more than Lock and a prayer to score five touchdowns in a game with any regularity .
Yes , Lock has swag .
But he ain ’ t no Mahomes , who has such a cannon he dared to take a crazy-arrogant 14-yard drop on the third-and-15 pass that turned the course of the Super Bowl .
Denver might well have to use some of its draft capital and trade up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ round to select Alabama ’ s Jerry Jeudy or Oklahoma ’ s CeeDee Lamb , the consensus choices among draftniks as the best pass-catchers available .
On the other hand , Laviska Shenault of Colorado will be on the board if Elway stands pat in the opening round .
“ You just have to throw it down there .
I think that ’ s how you do it , ” Shurmur said .
“ I think we have some players that can be effective and make plays and be productive with a deep @ @ @ @ @ @ @ important that you do attack the defense down the field.
” Is it OK if I color outside the lines for a moment ?
While Denver fans clamor for an offensive tackle to replace Garett “ Holds ” with a first-round selection , my choice as the most under-valued offensive weapon in the 2020 draft is Georgia running back D ’ Andre Swift .
As cameras rolled during the introductory news conference for yet another new offensive coordinator , Fangio waxed poetic about the 54-year-old Shurmur , whose lengthy football resume includes stints @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ A great introduction , ” said Shurmur , after taking the podium from his new boss .
“ The first game we don ’ t score any points , we ’ ll see how that goes.
” Scangarello is no longer the offensive coordinator around here because he scored a grand total of nine points in two losses to the division-leading Chiefs .
To get back on equal footing with Kansas City in the AFC West , all Denver needs is 35 points per game against Mahomes .
Is that too @ @ @ @ @ @ @ see how that goes , Mr. Shurmur .

Let’s not be afraid to speak the truth. The most influential quarterback in Broncos Country at this moment is not rappin’ Drew Lock or even Hall of Famer John Elway.
It’s Patrick Mahomes, who goes to work in a football stadium more than 600 miles from Broncos headquarters. “He’s a unique player,” new offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur said Thursday.
With every move the Broncos make and every breath they take in 2020, it has to be with Mahomes in mind.
Shurmur was hired to figure out a way to put more points on the scoreboard than Mahomes, emcee of a shock-and-awe rally in the Super Bowl that led the Kansas City Chiefs to their first championship in 50 years.
“They’ve lost eight games in the last two years. All of those games except one, the other team has scored 31 or more points, I believe. That paints a little picture there for you,” Broncos coach Vic Fangio said.
Well, counting the overtime loss to New England in the playoffs a year ago, the Chiefs actually have lost nine times during the past two seasons. But we hear you, Uncle Vic. Playing scared is no way to beat Mahomes. In his only losses as the K.C. starter since the outset of the 2018 season, teams that beat the Chiefs averaged 35.2 points per game in those wins.
The Broncos need a new way of doing business on offense. Their scheme has been scared since Peyton Manning left the building. Enough sitting back and hoping linebacker Von Miller finds a way to win the game.
That’s why Rich “Take a Knee” Scangarello had to go after only a single year on the job as Denver’s offensive coordinator. He tended to call plays with all the confidence of a kid avoiding eye contact at a middle-school dance.
Fangio insisted his decision to fire Scangarello wasn’t made with an eye on Shurmur as a potential upgrade to his staff. “Those two decisions were independent of each other,” Fangio said.
That Scangarello was a goner probably should’ve been obvious from the first Sunday in December, when Fangio took pains to take credit for over-ruling his timid offensive coordinator and ordering a deep pass during the final seconds of the fourth quarter against the Los Angeles Chargers. The gamble resulted in a pass interference penalty that benefited Broncos receiver Courtland Sutton and resulted in a 23-20 victory.
“Contrary to the stereotype that is always out there – a defensive head coach wants to ground and pound, and considers a pitch to the halfback a pass – that is not me. I like to be aggressive,” Fangio said.
We will soon discover how serious Denver really is about jumping in an arms race with Mahomes. The Broncos need more than Lock and a prayer to score five touchdowns in a game with any regularity.
Yes, Lock has swag. But he ain’t no Mahomes, who has such a cannon he dared to take a crazy-arrogant 14-yard drop on the third-and-15 pass that turned the course of the Super Bowl.
Denver might well have to use some of its draft capital and trade up from the 15th pick in the first round to select Alabama’s Jerry Jeudy or Oklahoma’s CeeDee Lamb, the consensus choices among draftniks as the best pass-catchers available. On the other hand, Laviska Shenault of Colorado will be on the board if Elway stands pat in the opening round.
Bombs away, baby. Unlock Lock.
“You just have to throw it down there. I think that’s how you do it,” Shurmur said. “I think we have some players that can be effective and make plays and be productive with a deep ball. I think it’s important that you do attack the defense down the field.”
Is it OK if I color outside the lines for a moment? While Denver fans clamor for an offensive tackle to replace Garett “Holds” with a first-round selection, my choice as the most under-valued offensive weapon in the 2020 draft is Georgia running back D’Andre Swift.
As cameras rolled during the introductory news conference for yet another new offensive coordinator, Fangio waxed poetic about the 54-year-old Shurmur, whose lengthy football resume includes stints with both Nick Saban and Andy Reid.
“A great introduction,” said Shurmur, after taking the podium from his new boss. “The first game we don’t score any points, we’ll see how that goes.”
Scangarello is no longer the offensive coordinator around here because he scored a grand total of nine points in two losses to the division-leading Chiefs.
To get back on equal footing with Kansas City in the AFC West, all Denver needs is 35 points per game against Mahomes.
Is that too much to ask?
We’ll see how that goes, Mr. Shurmur.


thedenverpost--2020-02-07--Jeff Shiffrin, father of Mikaela Shiffrin, remembered as a guiding light and “believer in the proces

Jeff Shiffrin, father of Mikaela Shiffrin, remembered as a guiding light and “believer in the process”

Recalling one of his favorite memories of his father , Taylor Shiffrin described a day just like Friday in Colorado : a “ Snowmageddon ” day in the Back Bowls of Vail , which were largely deserted because of Interstate 70 closures .
But it wasn ’ t just frolicking in epic powder with family that brought the recollection to Shiffrin ’ s mind before Friday ’ s memorial for his father , Jeff , who died Sunday after an accident at the family home in Edwards at age 65 .
It was how his father comforted his little sister @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fall .
Mikaela , now the world ’ s best ski racer , was 8 or 9 at the time .
“ We were skiing down the back of Forever , which was one of Dad ’ s favorite runs , and he was teaching us how to ski real powder , ” Taylor said .
“ Mikaela was skiing down and fell over , got stuck upside down — because the powder was so deep — with her skis flailing around .
Dad skis down and digs her out , pulls her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ face .
“ Mikaela was just bawling , mixed with giggling and laughter from enjoyment , yet fear .
Dad smiled and said , ‘ Are you OK ?
You want to keep going ?
’ He was like , ‘ This is OK , it happens .
You crash , you get up and dust yourself off and you keep having fun .
You scare yourself a little bit and then you enjoy it even more.
’ That just captures everything Dad stood for : Making sure we were having fun , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hey , are you still having fun ?
’ ” Jeffrey Scott Shiffrin was born on March 8 , 1954 , in Dover , N.J .
Growing up , he excelled at sports and was an avid musician .
He graduated from Dartmouth College and New Jersey College of Medicine .
During his residency at St. Elizabeth ’ s Hospital in Brighton , Mass.
, he met his future wife , Eileen Condron , who was an ICU nurse there .
They were married in 1986 .
Jeff Shiffrin , father of Colorado @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , they moved to Vail because of a shared love of skiing and the mountains .
He worked as an anesthesiologist at Vail Valley Medical Center and later served as an associate professor at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center .
Taylor was born in 1992 and Mikaela followed in 1995 .
Mikaela is a two-time Olympic gold medalist and has piled up 66 World Cup wins , the fourth-most career wins in World Cup history .
Taylor raced at the University of Denver , earning an MBA .
“ Mom and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , they guided us , ” Taylor said .
“ He was a believer in the process , not in the results , and because of that he ardently fought against the notion of pushing someone towards a specific objective .
Because you can ’ t achieve those objectives without the process.
” Taylor said his father “ centered his life ” around the family .
He had a catchphrase for the kids — “ Be nice , think first , have fun ” — but he also called them to excellence .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ brings immediate pleasure or enjoyment with ease probably isn ’ t good for you and it ’ s not worth it , ” Taylor said .
“ You ’ ll never enjoy that as much as the feeling of pursuing something , growing , expanding your mind , learning a new skill , trying really hard to nail the perfect turn .
And when you do achieve that , and the process is fulfilled , that feeling of gratification and elation is unparalleled.
” Even as Mikaela came to dominate skiing — she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ titles and is leading in the points again this year — her father made sure she knew she didn ’ t have to keep grinding on the grueling World Cup if it wasn ’ t fun anymore .
“ Even in the last week , ” Taylor said .
“ He would say , ‘ Mikaela , are you still enjoying skiing ?
I don ’ t care what anybody else says .
If you enjoy the World Cup , keep doing it , I ’ ll support it and I ’ ll @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supporting it.
’ It seemed like he had limitless power , because he had no problem supporting everything we tried to do.
” Taylor said the Vail Valley and the skiing community at large have been a great comfort to the family .
“ We just had all of our guidance , wisdom and knowledge of absolutely everything taken from us , ” Taylor said .
“ It will take the entire community to get through it .
The support that is flooding in is overwhelming .
And it is very much needed.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In lieu of flowers , the family has asked for donations to the U.S .
Ski Team or the Alzheimer ’ s Association .

Recalling one of his favorite memories of his father, Taylor Shiffrin described a day just like Friday in Colorado: a “Snowmageddon” day in the Back Bowls of Vail, which were largely deserted because of Interstate 70 closures.
But it wasn’t just frolicking in epic powder with family that brought the recollection to Shiffrin’s mind before Friday’s memorial for his father, Jeff, who died Sunday after an accident at the family home in Edwards at age 65. It was how his father comforted his little sister, Mikaela, after she took a fall. Mikaela, now the world’s best ski racer, was 8 or 9 at the time.
“We were skiing down the back of Forever, which was one of Dad’s favorite runs, and he was teaching us how to ski real powder,” Taylor said. “Mikaela was skiing down and fell over, got stuck upside down — because the powder was so deep — with her skis flailing around. Dad skis down and digs her out, pulls her up, wipes the snow off her face.
“Mikaela was just bawling, mixed with giggling and laughter from enjoyment, yet fear. Dad smiled and said, ‘Are you OK? You want to keep going?’ He was like, ‘This is OK, it happens. You crash, you get up and dust yourself off and you keep having fun. You scare yourself a little bit and then you enjoy it even more.’ That just captures everything Dad stood for: Making sure we were having fun, helping guide us, saying, ‘Hey, are you still having fun?’ ”
Jeffrey Scott Shiffrin was born on March 8, 1954, in Dover, N.J. Growing up, he excelled at sports and was an avid musician. He graduated from Dartmouth College and New Jersey College of Medicine. During his residency at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Brighton, Mass., he met his future wife, Eileen Condron, who was an ICU nurse there. They were married in 1986.
Five years later, they moved to Vail because of a shared love of skiing and the mountains. He worked as an anesthesiologist at Vail Valley Medical Center and later served as an associate professor at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center. Taylor was born in 1992 and Mikaela followed in 1995.
Mikaela is a two-time Olympic gold medalist and has piled up 66 World Cup wins, the fourth-most career wins in World Cup history. Taylor raced at the University of Denver, earning an MBA.
“Mom and Dad never pushed us to do anything, they guided us,” Taylor said. “He was a believer in the process, not in the results, and because of that he ardently fought against the notion of pushing someone towards a specific objective. Because you can’t achieve those objectives without the process.”
Taylor said his father “centered his life” around the family. He had a catchphrase for the kids — “Be nice, think first, have fun” — but he also called them to excellence.
“He would often say anything that brings immediate pleasure or enjoyment with ease probably isn’t good for you and it’s not worth it,” Taylor said. “You’ll never enjoy that as much as the feeling of pursuing something, growing, expanding your mind, learning a new skill, trying really hard to nail the perfect turn. And when you do achieve that, and the process is fulfilled, that feeling of gratification and elation is unparalleled.”
Even as Mikaela came to dominate skiing — she has won three straight World Cup overall titles and is leading in the points again this year — her father made sure she knew she didn’t have to keep grinding on the grueling World Cup if it wasn’t fun anymore.
“Even in the last week,” Taylor said. “He would say, ‘Mikaela, are you still enjoying skiing? I don’t care what anybody else says. If you enjoy the World Cup, keep doing it, I’ll support it and I’ll do everything in my power to keep supporting it.’ It seemed like he had limitless power, because he had no problem supporting everything we tried to do.”
Taylor said the Vail Valley and the skiing community at large have been a great comfort to the family.
“We just had all of our guidance, wisdom and knowledge of absolutely everything taken from us,” Taylor said. “It will take the entire community to get through it. The support that is flooding in is overwhelming. And it is very much needed.”
Friday’s memorial was private. In lieu of flowers, the family has asked for donations to the U.S. Ski Team or the Alzheimer’s Association.


thedenverpost--2020-02-07--Is Denver East’s Langston Reynolds the best sophomore in the state? “I can’t imagine anybody better.

Is Denver East’s Langston Reynolds the best sophomore in the state? “I can’t imagine anybody better.”

DENVER – In just his third year of competitive basketball , Denver East sophomore Langston Reynolds is making a case for himself as one of the best players in Colorado ’ s class of 2022 .
“ He can do a little bit of everything , ” East basketball coach Rudy Carey said .
“ He plays defense .
He rebounds .
He can shoot the ball .
He ’ s a nightmare matchup for most kids.
” Just imagine what he ’ ll be able to do after a few more years of polish .
Basketball wasn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Growing up , Reynolds played football just like his older brother Demari , a defensive back for Mullen ’ s 2010 state championship team who later played at Adams State .
As a witness to the injuries his brother sustained , Reynolds decided as an eighth-grader to make basketball his focus .
Having never played the game competitively , it was a learning process .
“ At first it was a struggle , ” said Reynolds , a 6-foot-4 , 170-pound guard .
“ You have to have a different kind of skillset @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of game and the speed is different .
There were a lot of things I had to adjust to , so it was a big change.
” But his lack of experience provided added motivation .
Reynolds spent his off time in the gym , practicing , lifting weights and studying YouTube videos of his favorite player James Harden .
The process was largely self-motivated .
“ He ’ s always been a kid who focuses on doing the right thing , ” said his mother , Shaunta .
“ It ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to focus on your goals .
He ’ s always lived his life like that.
” Off the court , Reynolds maintains a 3.3 grade-point average and is involved in the community , volunteering with various organizations including the Ronald McDonald House , Denver Rescue Mission and Special Olympics .
He also volunteers helping out at youth basketball camps in the summer .
In due time , he hopes to become a McDonald ’ s All-American with several scholarship offers in hand .
While he ’ s yet to receive a scholarship offer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ State and is on the radar of CU and DU coaches .
Anyone who watched East ’ s 76-69 win over Lincoln on Tuesday night could see why .
Reynolds was a force in the paint , pulling down a game-high 10 rebounds .
He was 7 of 9 from the field en route to 17 points in the Denver Prep League showdown .
Playing defense is one of his strengths .
In fact , Reynolds relishes opportunities to play against older , bigger and more talented players .
Against Lincoln , he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lancers star T.J. Bamba , a Washington State commit .
Reynolds blocked two of Bamba ’ s shots , including a denial of a breakaway dunk attempt in the final two minutes when the Angels were preserving a narrow lead .
Both Reynolds and his coach expect his continued development into a more complete player .
“ He ’ s got to put the mental game together with the physical game , and he ’ s going to be a great player , ” said Carey .
When asked if Reynolds is the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ usually stern Carey cracked a wry smile .
“ I can ’ t imagine anybody better , ” he said .
In his 44 years as a coach , Carey has coached many great players en route to winning nine state championships .
“ The vibe is just to win , ” Reynolds said .
“ Our program is about getting kids to college and getting into the championship .
This year we have a really good chance to do that .
”

DENVER — In just his third year of competitive basketball, Denver East sophomore Langston Reynolds is making a case for himself as one of the best players in Colorado’s class of 2022.
“He can do a little bit of everything,” East basketball coach Rudy Carey said. “He plays defense. He rebounds. He can shoot the ball. He’s a nightmare matchup for most kids.”
Just imagine what he’ll be able to do after a few more years of polish.
Basketball wasn’t his first love, after all. Growing up, Reynolds played football just like his older brother Demari, a defensive back for Mullen’s 2010 state championship team who later played at Adams State. As a witness to the injuries his brother sustained, Reynolds decided as an eighth-grader to make basketball his focus.
Having never played the game competitively, it was a learning process.
“At first it was a struggle,” said Reynolds, a 6-foot-4, 170-pound guard. “You have to have a different kind of skillset. It’s a different kind of game and the speed is different. There were a lot of things I had to adjust to, so it was a big change.”
But his lack of experience provided added motivation.
Reynolds spent his off time in the gym, practicing, lifting weights and studying YouTube videos of his favorite player James Harden. The process was largely self-motivated.
“He’s always been a kid who focuses on doing the right thing,” said his mother, Shaunta. “It’s always been a motto in our family to focus on your goals. He’s always lived his life like that.”
Off the court, Reynolds maintains a 3.3 grade-point average and is involved in the community, volunteering with various organizations including the Ronald McDonald House, Denver Rescue Mission and Special Olympics. He also volunteers helping out at youth basketball camps in the summer.
In due time, he hopes to become a McDonald’s All-American with several scholarship offers in hand. While he’s yet to receive a scholarship offer, he’s visited San Diego State and is on the radar of CU and DU coaches.
Anyone who watched East’s 76-69 win over Lincoln on Tuesday night could see why. Reynolds was a force in the paint, pulling down a game-high 10 rebounds. He was 7 of 9 from the field en route to 17 points in the Denver Prep League showdown.
Playing defense is one of his strengths. In fact, Reynolds relishes opportunities to play against older, bigger and more talented players.
Against Lincoln, he held his own guarding 6-foot-5, 200-pound Lancers star T.J. Bamba, a Washington State commit. Reynolds blocked two of Bamba’s shots, including a denial of a breakaway dunk attempt in the final two minutes when the Angels were preserving a narrow lead.
Both Reynolds and his coach expect his continued development into a more complete player.
“He’s got to put the mental game together with the physical game, and he’s going to be a great player,” said Carey.
When asked if Reynolds is the best sophomore in the state, the usually stern Carey cracked a wry smile.
“I can’t imagine anybody better,” he said.
In his 44 years as a coach, Carey has coached many great players en route to winning nine state championships.
“The vibe is just to win,” Reynolds said. “Our program is about getting kids to college and getting into the championship. This year we have a really good chance to do that.”


thedenverpost--2020-02-07--Cottle: Thank you, Iowa

Cottle: Thank you, Iowa

As Iowa Democrats struggle to tally votes and claw their way out of the rubble of Monday ’ s caucus crackup , there continues to be angst and outrage about the damage the Hawkeye State has inflicted on the democratic process — and the Democratic process .
Terms like “ catastrophe , ” “ debacle , ” “ fiasco ” and “ disaster ” are being tossed about like salad greens .
That ’ s one way to look at the situation .
Another way is , Iowa has done the Democratic Party — the nation , even — a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of votes was a perfect storm of incompetence .
And the muddled outcome failed to give any of the candidates the electoral tailwind about which they ’ d been fantasizing .
But , delayed and deflated though they were , the results so far have provided more clarity than anyone is giving them credit for — in some regards more than if the voting had gone off as planned .
Among the valuable takeaways : 1 .
There is not yet a fresh burst of voter participation .
At last count , turnout @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2016 levels — in the neighborhood of 170,000 caucusgoers — a far cry from the Obama-inspired groundswell of 2008 , for which about 240,000 Iowans showed up .
This should give particular pause to anyone betting on Bernie Sanders ’ argument that he will win by creating a new movement , fueled by people who normally don ’ t vote .
But it should also be a warning for anyone counting on anti-Trump fervor to mobilize the masses .
Clearly , the masses still need some convincing .
Iowa deserves credit for revealing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Even moderate Democrats have real concerns about Joe Biden ’ s ability to go the distance .
The former vice president has many fine qualities .
His resume is gold-plated , particularly in the crucial area of foreign policy .
He ’ s got his regular-Joe patter down , he adores retail politics , and arguably nobody feels voters ’ pain better than him .
Biden should have the so-called moderate lane of this race locked down .
But he doesn ’ t .
And whatever the precise vote tally , his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s hard-charging progressives , Sanders and Elizabeth Warren , but also Pete Buttigieg , the 38-year-old former mayor of South Bend , Indiana , is a sign that he needs to up his game .
3 .
The Democrats ’ nominating process needs to more accurately reflect its electorate .
As is often noted , Iowa is way too white to have so much influence .
So is New Hampshire , for that matter .
As a party with a diverse electorate , the Democrats should not be spending so much time and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The current debate over how much weight to give the Iowa weakness of Biden , who has held a comfortable lead among minority voters for this entire race , should not be happening .
It is unproductive .
4 .
Caucuses should go the way of the eight-track tape .
Their convoluted , undemocratic nature has been pointed out again and again .
They jettison the principle of the private ballot .
They are overly complicated and make participation too onerous for too many .
In 2016 , less than 16 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ compared with a 52 % participation rate in the New Hampshire primary.In 2018 , the Democratic National Committee adopted new rules urging states to switch from caucuses to primaries and calling on those that stuck with caucuses to increase accessibility .
After the 2016 kerfuffle in which Hillary Clinton ’ s razor-thin win left Sanders ’ supporters complaining about a lack of transparency , Iowa , in a panicked effort to save the process , vowed to make it more transparent by reporting out more of the raw data .
It also sought @ @ @ @ @ @ @ establishing online caucuses .
The latter plan fell apart over security concerns .
( It wound up adding “ satellite sites ” instead . )
The additional reporting requirements … well , we ’ re seeing the unintended consequences of those now .
Observers have spent this week critiquing the intelligence , tech savvy and even the advanced age of the legions of campaign volunteers trying to navigate the new app that was supposed to make the reporting process easier but wound up destroying it .
But the core problem is the process @ @ @ @ @ @ @ player ; hate the game .
And keep in mind that Iowa is not the only state still relying on caucuses .
( Looking at you , Nevada . )
5 .
There is a strong argument to be made that no single state deserves to hold the rest of the electorate hostage the way Iowa has for decades .
Why should the parochial concerns of Iowans be forever more important than those of Arizonans or North Carolinians or Michiganders ?
Multiple alternative ways to set the calendar have been floated , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them serious consideration .
They could hardly be worse than the current system .
If this year ’ s meltdown doesn ’ t spur Democrats to take long overdue action , they deserve all their future nightmares .
So , thank you , Iowa .
This may be the most you have taught the electorate in a long while .
Now take your bows , and step aside .
Michelle Cottle is a member of the editorial board .
To send a letter to the editor about this article , submit online or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ submit by email or mail .

As Iowa Democrats struggle to tally votes and claw their way out of the rubble of Monday’s caucus crackup, there continues to be angst and outrage about the damage the Hawkeye State has inflicted on the democratic process — and the Democratic process. Terms like “catastrophe,” “debacle,” “fiasco” and “disaster” are being tossed about like salad greens.
That’s one way to look at the situation. Another way is, Iowa has done the Democratic Party — the nation, even — a tremendous service. Yes, the reporting of votes was a perfect storm of incompetence. And the muddled outcome failed to give any of the candidates the electoral tailwind about which they’d been fantasizing. But, delayed and deflated though they were, the results so far have provided more clarity than anyone is giving them credit for — in some regards more than if the voting had gone off as planned. Among the valuable takeaways:
1. There is not yet a fresh burst of voter participation. At last count, turnout in Iowa was on track to hit 2016 levels — in the neighborhood of 170,000 caucusgoers — a far cry from the Obama-inspired groundswell of 2008, for which about 240,000 Iowans showed up. This should give particular pause to anyone betting on Bernie Sanders’ argument that he will win by creating a new movement, fueled by people who normally don’t vote. But it should also be a warning for anyone counting on anti-Trump fervor to mobilize the masses. Clearly, the masses still need some convincing. Iowa deserves credit for revealing that sooner rather than later.
2. Even moderate Democrats have real concerns about Joe Biden’s ability to go the distance. The former vice president has many fine qualities. His resume is gold-plated, particularly in the crucial area of foreign policy. He’s got his regular-Joe patter down, he adores retail politics, and arguably nobody feels voters’ pain better than him. Biden should have the so-called moderate lane of this race locked down. But he doesn’t. And whatever the precise vote tally, his lagging behind not just the field’s hard-charging progressives, Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, but also Pete Buttigieg, the 38-year-old former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, is a sign that he needs to up his game.
3. The Democrats’ nominating process needs to more accurately reflect its electorate. As is often noted, Iowa is way too white to have so much influence. So is New Hampshire, for that matter. As a party with a diverse electorate, the Democrats should not be spending so much time and money catering to such a monochromatic subset. The current debate over how much weight to give the Iowa weakness of Biden, who has held a comfortable lead among minority voters for this entire race, should not be happening. It is unproductive.
4. Caucuses should go the way of the eight-track tape. Their convoluted, undemocratic nature has been pointed out again and again. They jettison the principle of the private ballot. They are overly complicated and make participation too onerous for too many. In 2016, less than 16% of voting-eligible Iowans took part. This compared with a 52% participation rate in the New Hampshire primary.In 2018, the Democratic National Committee adopted new rules urging states to switch from caucuses to primaries and calling on those that stuck with caucuses to increase accessibility. After the 2016 kerfuffle in which Hillary Clinton’s razor-thin win left Sanders’ supporters complaining about a lack of transparency, Iowa, in a panicked effort to save the process, vowed to make it more transparent by reporting out more of the raw data. It also sought to make the process more accessible by establishing online caucuses. The latter plan fell apart over security concerns. (It wound up adding “satellite sites” instead.)
The additional reporting requirements … well, we’re seeing the unintended consequences of those now. Observers have spent this week critiquing the intelligence, tech savvy and even the advanced age of the legions of campaign volunteers trying to navigate the new app that was supposed to make the reporting process easier but wound up destroying it. But the core problem is the process itself. Don’t hate the player; hate the game. And keep in mind that Iowa is not the only state still relying on caucuses. (Looking at you, Nevada.)
5. There is a strong argument to be made that no single state deserves to hold the rest of the electorate hostage the way Iowa has for decades. Why should the parochial concerns of Iowans be forever more important than those of Arizonans or North Carolinians or Michiganders? Multiple alternative ways to set the calendar have been floated, and it’s past time to give them serious consideration. They could hardly be worse than the current system. If this year’s meltdown doesn’t spur Democrats to take long overdue action, they deserve all their future nightmares.
So, thank you, Iowa. This may be the most you have taught the electorate in a long while. Now take your bows, and step aside.
Michelle Cottle is a member of the editorial board.
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--2020-02-07--WATCH: “Lift line apocalypse” at Vail following 17 inches of snow

No friends on powder days , they say .
But there are plenty of strangers .
As of 5 a.m. Friday , Vail Mountain had seen 17 inches in 24 hours .
By the end of the day , that number was up to 31 inches , according to Greg Johnson , vice president of mountain operations at Vail Mountain .
Some parts of the mountain saw up to 36 inches .
“ This is a truly historic storm , ” Johnson said .
“ The snow hasn ’ t let up all day , so we ’ re expecting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ next week.
” Naturally , no one wanted to miss out on a dream ski day .
No .
One .
Pretty quickly , multiple videos were posted of skiers flocking to Gondola One .
One would think it was opening day at Arapahoe Basin … On a video posted by Reddit user abc12me , multiple people pointed out that it would be quicker to skin up the mountain yourself .
Although there seemed to be some confusion about the uphilling rules .
Let us clear it up : Vail allows uphilling before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all designated routes ( and it ’ s free ) .
The ski area said it was a battle in the morning , but all frontside lifts were running by the end of the day .
Vail Resorts does not disclose skier numbers so declined to say how many people were using the lifts throughout the day .
“ Storms like this aren ’ t very common here in the Vail Valley , ” Vail Mountain COO Beth Howard said .
“ The whole team came together to get us moving this morning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to dig out lifts and ensure terrain is safe when there is this much snow.
” Meanwhile , you won ’ t find any lines at Loveland Ski Area , which was forced to close down Friday due to high winds .
Subscribe to our weekly newsletter , The Adventurist , to get outdoors news sent straight to your inbox .

No friends on powder days, they say. But there are plenty of strangers.
As of Friday morning, Vail Mountain had seen 17 inches in 24 hours, making it one of the mountain’s top five powder days. Naturally, no one wanted to miss out on a dream ski day. No. One.
Pretty quickly, multiple videos were posted of skiers flocking to the lift line. One would think it was opening day at Arapahoe Basin …
On a video posted by Reddit user abc12me, multiple people pointed out that it would be quicker to skin up the mountain yourself. Although there seemed to be some confusion about the uphilling rules. Let us clear it up: Vail allows uphilling before, during and after operating hours on all designated routes (and it’s free).
An initial call to Vail about the long lift lines has not yet been returned.
Meanwhile, you won’t find any lines at Loveland Ski Area, which was forced to close down Friday due to high winds.
Subscribe to our weekly newsletter, The Adventurist, to get outdoors news sent straight to your inbox.


thedenverpost--2020-02-07--No sign of engine failure for Kobe Bryant copter, investigators say

LOS ANGELES — Wreckage from the helicopter that crashed and killed Kobe Bryant , his daughter and seven others did not show any sign of engine failure , the National Transportation Safety Board said Friday .
A witness told the NTSB the hillside where the crash occurred was shrouded in mist when he heard the helicopter approaching .
It sounded normal and he then saw the blue-and-white aircraft emerge from the fog moving forward and down .
Within 2 seconds it slammed into the hillside just below him .
The Jan. 26 crash in Calabasas , just outside Los Angeles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a girls basketball tournament at Bryant ’ s Mamba Sports Academy .
He coached his 13-year-old daughter Gianna ’ s team , which was scheduled to play .
She and two teammates were among the nine people killed .
The deaths shook Los Angeles and the sporting world .
A public memorial for Bryant and the other victims is scheduled for Feb. 24 at the Staples Center .
The arena is where Bryant starred for the Los Angeles Lakers for most of his two-decade career and the date 2/24 corresponds with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the No .
2 worn by Gianna .
The NTSB issued an investigative update that included factual details .
Findings about a cause for the crash isn ’ t expected for a year or more .
Investigators said the twin-engine Sikorsky S-76B was traveling at more than 180 mph ( 290 kph ) and 4,000 feet ( 1,219 meters ) per minute when it crashed .
The helicopter ’ s instrument panel was destroyed and most of the devices were displaced .
The flight controls were broken and suffered fire damage .
Investigators @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the crash site was cut , the engines were working and rotors turning at the time of impact .
All four of the helicopter ’ s blades had similar damage , the report stated .
John Cox , an aviation-safety consultant , said the NTSB ’ s report was further indication that the pilot likely became disoriented in the thick fog and clouds .
The pilot had told air-traffic controllers he was climbing to 4,000 feet ( 1,219 meters ) — presumably to get above the cloud layer .
The helicopter began turning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Zobayan was a regular pilot for Bryant and the chief pilot for Island Express Helicopters .
He had more than 8,200 hours of flight time .
He was additionally certified to fly solely using instruments — a more difficult rating to attain that allows pilots to fly at night and through clouds when the ground isn ’ t visible — and was a pilot to other celebrities including Kawhi Leonard and Kylie Jenner .
The 50-year-old Zobayan ’ s most recent flight review included training on inadvertently flying into bad weather conditions .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ aircraft ’ s nose is pointed too far up or down , and what to do if the helicopter banks severely to one side .
He earned satisfactory grades in the review , which took place in May 2019 .
Bryant ’ s helicopter did not have a device called the Terrain Awareness and Warning System that signals when an aircraft is in danger of hitting ground .
The NTSB has recommended the system be mandatory for helicopters but the Federal Aviation Administration only requires it for air ambulances .
U.S. Sen. Dianne @ @ @ @ @ @ @ both California Democrats , have called for the FAA to mandate the devices in the wake of the tragedy .
It ’ s not clear if the warning system would have averted the crash .
The helicopter was also not required to have a black box .
A public memorial for Orange Coast College baseball coach John Altobelli , his wife , Keri , and daughter Alyssa will be held Feb. 10 at Angel Stadium of Anaheim .
Also killed in the crash were Bryant ’ s friend and assistant coach , Christina @ @ @ @ @ @ @ daughter Payton , 14 .
Associated Press Writers John Antczak in Los Angeles , Bernard Condon in New York and David Koenig in Dallas and Business Writer Tom Krisher in Detroit contributed .

LOS ANGELES — Wreckage from the helicopter that crashed and killed Kobe Bryant, his daughter and seven others did not show any sign of engine failure, the National Transportation Safety Board said Friday.
A witness told the NTSB the hillside where the crash occurred was shrouded in mist when he heard the helicopter approaching. It sounded normal and he then saw the blue-and-white aircraft emerge from the fog moving forward and down. Within 2 seconds it slammed into the hillside just below him.
The Jan. 26 crash in Calabasas, just outside Los Angeles, occurred as the group was flying to a girls basketball tournament at Bryant’s Mamba Sports Academy. He coached his 13-year-old daughter Gianna’s team, which was scheduled to play. She and two teammates were among the nine people killed.
The deaths shook Los Angeles and the sporting world. A public memorial for Bryant and the other victims is scheduled for Feb. 24 at the Staples Center. The arena is where Bryant starred for the Los Angeles Lakers for most of his two-decade career and the date 2/24 corresponds with the No. 24 jersey he wore and the No. 2 worn by Gianna.
The NTSB issued an investigative update that included factual details. Findings about a cause for the crash isn’t expected for a year or more.
Investigators said the twin-engine Sikorsky S-76B was traveling at more than 180 mph (290 kph) and 4,000 feet (1,219 meters) per minute when it crashed. The helicopter’s instrument panel was destroyed and most of the devices were displaced. The flight controls were broken and suffered fire damage.
Investigators believe that since a tree branch at the crash site was cut, the engines were working and rotors turning at the time of impact. All four of the helicopter’s blades had similar damage, the report stated.
John Cox, an aviation-safety consultant, said the NTSB’s report was further indication that the pilot likely became disoriented in the thick fog and clouds. The pilot had told air-traffic controllers he was climbing to 4,000 feet (1,219 meters) — presumably to get above the cloud layer. The helicopter began turning left, then descended rapidly.
Cox called the aircraft’s path “classic symptoms” of a disoriented pilot.
Ara Zobayan was a regular pilot for Bryant and the chief pilot for Island Express Helicopters. He had more than 8,200 hours of flight time. He was additionally certified to fly solely using instruments — a more difficult rating to attain that allows pilots to fly at night and through clouds when the ground isn’t visible — and was a pilot to other celebrities including Kawhi Leonard and Kylie Jenner.
The 50-year-old Zobayan’s most recent flight review included training on inadvertently flying into bad weather conditions. It covered how to recover if the aircraft’s nose is pointed too far up or down, and what to do if the helicopter banks severely to one side. He earned satisfactory grades in the review, which took place in May 2019.
Bryant’s helicopter did not have a device called the Terrain Awareness and Warning System that signals when an aircraft is in danger of hitting ground. The NTSB has recommended the system be mandatory for helicopters but the Federal Aviation Administration only requires it for air ambulances. U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein and U.S. Rep. Brad Sherman, both California Democrats, have called for the FAA to mandate the devices in the wake of the tragedy.
It’s not clear if the warning system would have averted the crash. The helicopter was also not required to have a black box.
A public memorial for Orange Coast College baseball coach John Altobelli, his wife, Keri, and daughter Alyssa will be held Feb. 10 at Angel Stadium of Anaheim. Also killed in the crash were Bryant’s friend and assistant coach, Christina Mauser, and Sarah Chester and her daughter Payton, 14.
__
Associated Press Writers John Antczak in Los Angeles, Bernard Condon in New York and David Koenig in Dallas and Business Writer Tom Krisher in Detroit contributed.


thedenverpost--2020-02-07--STEM School shooting suspect Alec McKinney pleads guilty to murder, other charges

A 16-year-old who shot multiple students inside STEM School Highlands Ranch , killing one classmate , pleaded guilty Friday to first-degree murder and 16 other charges , though he may spend less than 30 years in prison .
Alec McKinney faces a minimum sentence of life imprisonment with the possibility of parole after 40 years and a maximum penalty that would add 408 additional years to the life sentence .
Because he was 16 at the time of the shooting , McKinney can not be sentenced to death or to life without parole .
McKinney entered the guilty plea Friday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Court .
Along with first-degree murder , the other charges McKinney pleaded to are : • six counts of attempted murder after deliberation Thirty other charges were dismissed as part of the deal .
Although the potential sentences include life imprisonment , there ’ s a chance McKinney could be released on parole in as few as 20 years , 18th Judicial District Attorney George Brauchler said at a news conference after the hearing .
A 2016 change to state law allows juveniles convicted of first-degree murder in adult court to apply for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at least 20 years of their sentence .
The Colorado Department of Corrections then decides whether to accept the person .
If the inmate is accepted and successfully completes the program — which must last at least three years — they can be released on parole early .
Brauchler said McKinney ’ s guilty plea could help his application into the program since one of the criteria for admittance is taking responsibility for the crime committed .
McKinney would have been eligible for the program regardless of whether McKinney pleaded guilty or was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ We ’ re inching toward just here , ” Brauchler said .
“ We ’ re inching toward closure.
” McKinney did not speak in court other than to answer Judge Jeffrey Holmes ’ questions in a monotone voice .
He had short hair and wore a baggy grey sweatshirt over a collared shirt .
As he left the courtroom after entering his pleas , McKinney turned to look back at the courtroom with tears in his eyes .
His mother sat in the front row behind him and cried as McKinney @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than 10 feet away , the parents of Kendrick Castillo watched McKinney enter his pleas .
Castillo died in the May 7 shooting after tackling the other suspect , 18-year-old Devon Erickson .
Eight other teenagers were shot and wounded in the school , including one student whose head was grazed by a bullet .
John Castillo , Kendrick ’ s father , said after the hearing that he was pleased with the plea deal .
John Castillo said he was glad he wouldn ’ t have to sit through a trial in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pain of losing his son remains .
He misses Kendrick every day , he said .
“ At the end of the day , no matter what happens in the courtroom , the results are still the same , ” Castillo said .
“ Nobody ’ s a winner in this.
” Brauchler said that his office has not had any meetings with Erickson ’ s attorneys to talk about a plea deal .
Erickson entered a plea of not guilty at his January arraignment .
His case is scheduled for trial on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years old at the time of the crime he could face a sentence of life without the possibility of parole .
McKinney told investigators after his arrest that he bullied Erickson into participating in the shooting , which he had thought about for weeks .
He said he wanted to specifically kill three students who had bullied him for being transgender , but that he also wanted to make all the students in the school suffer like he had .
The two teenagers broke into Erickson ’ s parents ’ gun safe and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They then set a car on fire in Erickson ’ s garage before driving to the school , carrying the guns in a backpack and a guitar case .
They then brought the guns into an English class and opened fire , according to their arrest affidavits .
McKinney said he had suicidal and homicidal thoughts since he was 12 years old .
His mother told investigators that McKinney had been diagnosed with PTSD and depression with psychotic features , according to McKinney ’ s arrest affidavit .
At a previous court hearing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ life where McKinney witnessed his father beat his mother and often was tasked with caring for his two younger siblings .
Before the hearing Friday , Holmes denied motions from news outlets to allow cameras inside the courtroom .
Brauchler argued that the cameras should be allowed , but Holmes ruled against the cameras because the defense objected , as did at least one victim .
Holmes will sentence McKinney at a hearing on May 18 , ten days after STEM School Highlands Ranch ends its school year .
Victims and their families @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the hearing , as will McKinney .

A 16-year-old who shot multiple students inside STEM School Highlands Ranch, killing one classmate, pleaded guilty Friday to first-degree murder and 16 other charges, though he may spend less than 30 years in prison.
Alec McKinney faces a minimum sentence of life imprisonment with the possibility of parole after 40 years and a maximum penalty that would add 408 additional years to the life sentence. Because he was 16 at the time of the shooting, McKinney cannot be sentenced to death or to life without parole. McKinney entered the guilty plea Friday during an arraignment in Douglas County District Court.
Along with first-degree murder, the other charges McKinney pleaded to are:
conspiracy to commit first-degree murder after deliberation
six counts of attempted murder after deliberation
attempted murder extreme indifference
second-degree assault
conspiracy to commit arson
conspiracy to commit burglary
conspiracy to commit criminal mischief
possession of a weapon on school grounds
possession of a handgun by a juvenile
two crime of violence sentence enhancers.
Thirty other charges were dismissed as part of the deal.
Although the potential sentences include life imprisonment, there’s a chance McKinney could be released on parole in as few as 20 years, 18th Judicial District Attorney George Brauchler said at a news conference after the hearing. A 2016 change to state law allows juveniles convicted of first-degree murder in adult court to apply for a “specialized program” after serving at least 20 years of their sentence. The Colorado Department of Corrections then decides whether to accept the person. If the inmate is accepted and successfully completes the program — which must last at least three years — they can be released on parole early.
Brauchler said McKinney’s guilty plea could help his application into the program since one of the criteria for admittance is taking responsibility for the crime committed. McKinney would have been eligible for the program regardless of whether McKinney pleaded guilty or was convicted at trial, he said.
“We’re inching toward just here,” Brauchler said. “We’re inching toward closure.”
McKinney did not speak in court other than to answer Judge Jeffrey Holmes’ questions in a monotone voice. He had short hair and wore a baggy grey sweatshirt over a collared shirt. As he left the courtroom after entering his pleas, McKinney turned to look back at the courtroom with tears in his eyes. His mother sat in the front row behind him and cried as McKinney pleaded guilty to each count.
Less than 10 feet away, the parents of Kendrick Castillo watched McKinney enter his pleas. Castillo died in the May 7 shooting after tackling the other suspect, 18-year-old Devon Erickson. Eight other teenagers were shot and wounded in the school, including one student whose head was grazed by a bullet.
John Castillo, Kendrick’s father, said after the hearing that he was pleased with the plea deal. John Castillo said he was glad he wouldn’t have to sit through a trial in McKinney’s case, but the pain of losing his son remains. He misses Kendrick every day, he said.
“At the end of the day, no matter what happens in the courtroom, the results are still the same,” Castillo said. “Nobody’s a winner in this.”
Brauchler said that his office has not had any meetings with Erickson’s attorneys to talk about a plea deal. Erickson entered a plea of not guilty at his January arraignment. His case is scheduled for trial on May 26 and because he was 18 years old at the time of the crime he could face a sentence of life without the possibility of parole.
McKinney told investigators after his arrest that he bullied Erickson into participating in the shooting, which he had thought about for weeks. He said he wanted to specifically kill three students who had bullied him for being transgender, but that he also wanted to make all the students in the school suffer like he had.
The two teenagers broke into Erickson’s parents’ gun safe and stole firearms, they told investigators. They then set a car on fire in Erickson’s garage before driving to the school, carrying the guns in a backpack and a guitar case. They then brought the guns into an English class and opened fire, according to their arrest affidavits.
McKinney said he had suicidal and homicidal thoughts since he was 12 years old. His mother told investigators that McKinney had been diagnosed with PTSD and depression with psychotic features, according to McKinney’s arrest affidavit. At a previous court hearing, his mother described a broken home life where McKinney witnessed his father beat his mother and often was tasked with caring for his two younger siblings.
Before the hearing Friday, Holmes denied motions from news outlets to allow cameras inside the courtroom. Brauchler argued that the cameras should be allowed, but Holmes ruled against the cameras because the defense objected, as did at least one victim.
Holmes will sentence McKinney at a hearing on May 18, ten days after STEM School Highlands Ranch ends its school year. Victims and their families will have a chance to speak at the hearing, as will McKinney.


thedenverpost--2020-02-07--Silverii: Colorado could have told Iowa how this was going to end

On March 1 , 2016 , I attended what would be the last Colorado presidential caucus in history .
That year , Jefferson County was ground zero for the great “ Bernie v. Hillary ” showdown , and an unexpectedly massive crowd of progressive voters from around Colorado ’ s foremost bellwether county showed up to make their voices heard .
The high school where our precinct ’ s caucus took place looked like a flea market during the apocalypse .
Precinct captains stood on tables shouting inaudibly over each other to a room full of increasingly confused caucusgoers , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ caucus before .
The night devolved into the chaos of moving several thousand people from an auditorium to a gymnasium .
There was confusion over the precinct numbers and room assignments on a poorly photocopied and possibly outdated map of the school .
We used a bewilderingly opaque worksheet that seemed to spit out questionable results no matter what the ratio of supporters of one candidate were over another .
Like many others , I left demoralized , and even though my preferred candidate won that night , I resolved to never go @ @ @ @ @ @ @ experience in 2016 was not unique .
The statewide chaos , long lines and late nights prompted state Reps. Alec Garnett , D-Denver , and Tim Dore , R-Elizabeth , to sign on to an until-then quixotic push by Rep. Dominick Moreno , D-Commerce City , to transition Colorado from a caucus state to a primary state via legislation .
The bill failed in the Republican-controlled Senate that year , but it resulted in a bipartisan effort to put Propositions 107 and 108 on the ballot in 2016 , where voters overwhelmingly approved @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ballot primary and opening those primaries to the unaffiliated voters who make up most of Colorado ’ s electorate .
So this week when Iowa ’ s first-in-the-nation caucus crashed and burned , I was horrified but not surprised .
Because there were no significant results reported out of Iowa on Monday night , the Buttigeg campaign declared victory with no real evidence , the Biden campaign worked to undermine the result of an election they had clearly underperformed in , and the Sanders campaign released their own internal counts before anything official @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The law of vacuums applied , and nearly every campaign tried to fill it with their narrative to reset expectations and gain an advantage heading into New Hampshire .
Iowa kicked off the 2020 Democratic Primary with a cloud of error , confusion and acrimony .
If any other contests end with so much uncertainty in this process , you can bet President Donald Trump will use it to undermine his eventual opponent ’ s legitimacy .
In fact , he ’ s counting on it .
“ Who won the Iowa Caucus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one may even care to answer since New Hampshire votes on Tuesday and Nevada holds their caucus barely two weeks later .
That is , of course , until the Democratic National Convention becomes the final battleground .
Caucuses are confusing , archaic , exclusionary and suppressive .
Participants must learn and master a set of rules that were developed in the 1800s and not improved upon much since .
They must be able to take an entire weeknight or day off of work to stand around aimlessly , and have the patience @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
A total of 122,635 votes were cast in the 2016 presidential caucus in Colorado .
Compare that with the 635,856 votes cast in the 2018 Democratic primary for governor and you can plainly see that despite the turnout advantage presidential years hold compared to midterms , the caucus system suppressed participation enormously between these two contests just two years apart .
If Iowa is to retain its place as first in the nation for nominating presidential candidates , and I ’ m not arguing it should , it ’ s high time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ favor of something much more democratic , inclusive , and functional .
Colorado humbly suggests a primary open to unaffiliated voters , conducted by universal mail ballot , with a process modeled on the nation ’ s most secure election system .
Our democracy can ’ t afford any doubt whatsoever about the legitimacy of our elections .
Any uncertainty will be weaponized by a lawless president .
Remember , in 2016 Donald Trump declared , “ I will totally accept the results of this great and historic presidential election — if I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will treat 2020 any differently ?
Ian Silverii is the executive director of ProgressNow Colorado , the state ’ s largest progressive advocacy group .
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 .

On March 1, 2016, I attended what would be the last Colorado presidential caucus in history. That year, Jefferson County was ground zero for the great “Bernie v. Hillary” showdown, and an unexpectedly massive crowd of progressive voters from around Colorado’s foremost bellwether county showed up to make their voices heard.
It was a nightmare.
The high school where our precinct’s caucus took place looked like a flea market during the apocalypse. Precinct captains stood on tables shouting inaudibly over each other to a room full of increasingly confused caucusgoers, many of whom had never attended a caucus before.
The night devolved into the chaos of moving several thousand people from an auditorium to a gymnasium. There was confusion over the precinct numbers and room assignments on a poorly photocopied and possibly outdated map of the school. We used a bewilderingly opaque worksheet that seemed to spit out questionable results no matter what the ratio of supporters of one candidate were over another.
Like many others, I left demoralized, and even though my preferred candidate won that night, I resolved to never go through that again.
My awful caucus experience in 2016 was not unique. The statewide chaos, long lines and late nights prompted state Reps. Alec Garnett, D-Denver, and Tim Dore, R-Elizabeth, to sign on to an until-then quixotic push by Rep. Dominick Moreno, D-Commerce City, to transition Colorado from a caucus state to a primary state via legislation.
The bill failed in the Republican-controlled Senate that year, but it resulted in a bipartisan effort to put Propositions 107 and 108 on the ballot in 2016, where voters overwhelmingly approved scrapping the caucus in favor of a ballot primary and opening those primaries to the unaffiliated voters who make up most of Colorado’s electorate.
So this week when Iowa’s first-in-the-nation caucus crashed and burned, I was horrified but not surprised.
Because there were no significant results reported out of Iowa on Monday night, the Buttigeg campaign declared victory with no real evidence, the Biden campaign worked to undermine the result of an election they had clearly underperformed in, and the Sanders campaign released their own internal counts before anything official came from the Iowa Democratic Party. The law of vacuums applied, and nearly every campaign tried to fill it with their narrative to reset expectations and gain an advantage heading into New Hampshire.
Iowa kicked off the 2020 Democratic Primary with a cloud of error, confusion and acrimony. If any other contests end with so much uncertainty in this process, you can bet President Donald Trump will use it to undermine his eventual opponent’s legitimacy. In fact, he’s counting on it.
“Who won the Iowa Caucus?” is a question that no one may even care to answer since New Hampshire votes on Tuesday and Nevada holds their caucus barely two weeks later. That is, of course, until the Democratic National Convention becomes the final battleground.
Caucuses are confusing, archaic, exclusionary and suppressive. Participants must learn and master a set of rules that were developed in the 1800s and not improved upon much since. They must be able to take an entire weeknight or day off of work to stand around aimlessly, and have the patience to work through unnecessarily counterintuitive math problems.
A total of 122,635 votes were cast in the 2016 presidential caucus in Colorado. Compare that with the 635,856 votes cast in the 2018 Democratic primary for governor and you can plainly see that despite the turnout advantage presidential years hold compared to midterms, the caucus system suppressed participation enormously between these two contests just two years apart.
If Iowa is to retain its place as first in the nation for nominating presidential candidates, and I’m not arguing it should, it’s high time for them to ditch the caucus in favor of something much more democratic, inclusive, and functional. Colorado humbly suggests a primary open to unaffiliated voters, conducted by universal mail ballot, with a process modeled on the nation’s most secure election system.
Our democracy can’t afford any doubt whatsoever about the legitimacy of our elections. Any uncertainty will be weaponized by a lawless president.
Remember, in 2016 Donald Trump declared, “I will totally accept the results of this great and historic presidential election — if I win.”
Do you honestly believe he will treat 2020 any differently?
Ian Silverii is the executive director of ProgressNow Colorado, the state’s largest progressive advocacy group.
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--2020-02-07--Pueblo County beats Pueblo South in 57-33 victory

The Pueblo County Hornets easily handled the Pueblo South Colts by a score of 57-33 on Thursday .
Both teams @ @ @ @ @ in their next contest , with Pueblo County heading to play Pueblo Central and Pueblo @ @ @ @ @ .
No team or player statistics have been reported for this contest .
This story @ @ @ @ @ by Data Skrive .
Information accurate as of publication and will update as more data @ @ @

Pueblo County had a field day from beyond the arc, drilling 10 treys in their 57-33 win over Pueblo South on Thursday.
Erin Mauro lead Pueblo County with 18 points scored while also recording six rebounds and one assist. Hayle Herrera helped by contributing 17 points, five rebounds, and three assists.
Both teams will go on the road in their next contest, with Pueblo County heading to play Pueblo Central and Pueblo South taking on Pueblo West.
Pueblo South has not reported any team or player statistics from this contest.
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This story was created with technology provided by Data Skrive. Information accurate as of publication and will update as more data is available.


thedenverpost--2020-02-07--Colorado Springs School wins big over Fountain Valley, 57-30

Colorado Springs School easily handled Fountain Valley by a score of 57-30 on Thursday .
Whitney Richardi lead Colorado Springs @ @ @ @ @ while also recording five rebounds and three assists .
Sarina Mansour aided the effort by @ @ @ @ @ six rebounds , and three assists .
Both teams will go on the road in @ @ @ @ @ Colorado Springs School heading to play Platte Canyon and Fountain Valley taking on Miami-Yoder .
@ @ @ @ @ any team or player statistics from this contest .
This story was created with technology @ @ @ @ @ Information accurate as of publication and will update as more data is available .

Colorado Springs School easily handled Fountain Valley by a score of 57-30 on Thursday.
Whitney Richardi lead Colorado Springs School with 15 points scored while also recording five rebounds and three assists. Sarina Mansour aided the effort by contributing 13 points, six rebounds, and three assists.
Fountain Valley was lead in scoring by Tilly Rahm who scored nine points, while also recording one rebound and three assists. Amaya Thomas and Katie Prantl also had respectable performances contributing six points each.
Both teams will go on the road in their next contest, with Colorado Springs School heading to play Platte Canyon and Fountain Valley taking on Miami-Yoder.
More Colorado High School Basketball
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This story was created with technology provided by Data Skrive. Information accurate as of publication and will update as more data is available.


thedenverpost--2020-02-07--Lutheran wins big over Sterling, 74-40

Lutheran wins big over Sterling, 74-40

The Lutheran Lions easily put away the Sterling Tigers by a score of 74-40 on Thursday .
Sterling will play @ @ @ @ @ while Lutheran will travel to play Jefferson Academy .
No team or player statistics have @ @ @ @ @ .
This story was created with technology provided by Data Skrive .
Information accurate as @ @ @ @ @ as more data is available .

Lutheran dominated from three-point land, hitting 12 threes in their 74-40 win over Sterling on Thursday.
Kaitlin Kyle lead Lutheran with 25 points scored while also grabbing one rebounds. Stephanie Schultz helped the effort by contributing 22 points.
Sterling was lead in scoring by Jasmine Cardona who scored 17 points while collecting one rebounds. Aubree Long and Hailey Fehringer also had respectable performances contributing six points each.
Looking ahead to their next games, Sterling will stay home and play Estes Park, while Lutheran will travel to play Jefferson Academy.
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This story was created with technology provided by Data Skrive. Information accurate as of publication and will update as more data is available.