thedenverpost--2020-10-20--Oil, gas industry’s economic turmoil fuels worries about fallout for landowners, communities

Mark Schell ’ s family has farmed in Colorado since 1906 and even though he works as a certified public accountant , he hasn ’ t left that way of life behind .
About a year ago , Schell bought a 310-acre farm in Mead that he leases to someone else to raise crops .
But he was spending more and more time there , trying to get Occidental Petroleum to clean up , or “ plug , ” old wells the company inherited when it bought Anadarko Petroleum in 2019 .
“ ( Occidental ) started plugging these in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weren ’ t going to plug the rest of them .
One of the guys flat out told me the reason they ’ re not going to do the rest of them is because they don ’ t have the money , ” Schell said .
Last week , Occidental told Schell that it will close the five remaining wells .
He ’ s glad for the news , which follows an inspection by the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission , but said not everyone has time to keep after a company @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like he did .
“ They stepped up to the plate on this farm , but what about all the other places ?
” Schell is not alone in wondering what the industry ’ s economic downturn , driven by low prices and sinking demand due to the coronavirus pandemic , might mean for Colorado landowners and communities .
Is there a danger that struggling companies will walk away rather than pay tens of thousands of dollars to clean up just one well site ?
Will companies going through bankruptcy have the resources @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agreements they ’ ve struck ?
Public concern boiled to the point that in May the oil and gas commission issued a paper saying that it is “ prepared for and continues to protect public health , safety , welfare , and the environment through the economic downturn ” in the industry and changes due to the coronavirus pandemic .
However , anxiety remains as the industry ’ s economic troubles continue .
In early September , the Denver-based company Ursa Piceance Holdings , with 41,000 acres of oil and gas properties in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection .
It has wells in Battlement Mesa and wants to drill more .
“ My concern about a bankruptcy is they just won ’ t be able to maintain their wells very well .
I hope they have a source of money , ” Battlement Mesa resident Larry Forman , head of a community group , said of Ursa Piceance Holdings .
Another Denver company , Extraction Oil and Gas , filed for Chapter 11 protection in June .
Cristen Logan of Broomfield , who lives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ owned by Extraction , is worried about the company ’ s move to end a contract with a pipeline business that ships oil , gas and water from the wells , a system designed to reduce emissions .
“ Are they going to start trying to truck this in and out now ?
That is not in compliance with the operating agreement ” with Broomfield , Logan said .
Nothing in the bankruptcy process “ detracts from the commitments we have made to our communities or calls into question the best-in-class provisions of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Extraction spokesman Brian Cain said in an email .
Broomfield is monitoring the bankruptcy proceedings to ensure the company “ makes fulfilling its commitments to Broomfield a priority , ” said Shaun Sullivan , attorney for the city and county .
Schell said cleanup work on his land started getting put off when Occidental took over Anadarko , which had an agreement with the previous owner of the farm in Mead .
The property is a split estate , which means the company owns or leases the minerals and someone else owns the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Anadarko , Colorado ’ s largest producer , left Occidental with a huge debt load .
The sale was finalized a few months before oil prices began slipping and then plunged when Russia and Saudi Arabia launched a price war and the pandemic torpedoed demand for oil and gas .
Schell , who doesn ’ t own the mineral rights on his farm , said he got different explanations for why work wasn ’ t being done .
He said Occidental employees told him there wasn ’ t money in the budget @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wells , which were barely producing , were still viable .
Occidental spokeswoman Jennifer Brice said in an Oct. 13 email that the company will do some of the work after Schell ’ s tenant farm finishes the harvest .
The company will retire , or plug and abandon , the remaining older wells in early 2021 as well as remove an abandoned natural gas line and a gravel road .
Lance Astrella , Schell ’ s lawyer , would like to see the oil and gas commission , which is revamping state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shut down extremely low-producing wells .
Environmental attorney Matt Samelson said that requiring companies to post higher bonds would also provide more protection during economic downturns .
The commission is expected to consider bigger bonds as part of implementing Senate Bill 181 , a 2019 law that mandates prioritizing public health , safety and the environment .
“ Colorado has a really low statewide bond .
An operator can put up a $ 100,000 bond , and that covers all of your wells in the state , ” Samelson said .
The bond @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one well , and cleaning up the site costs an average of $ 82,000 , Samelson added .
The state picks up the tab when a company goes out of business or walks away without properly closing and cleaning up , resulting in so-called orphaned wells .
The price tag for taking care of the existing ones would be about $ 30 million , Samelson said .
As of July 1 , there were 215 orphaned wells and 454 associated sites .
Orphan wells were a problem before the current downturn .
Former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ order in 2018 to allocate $ 5 million a year for the work .
Taxes on the industry also provide money for the cleanup .
The industry and the state have been proactive in recent years in tackling such issues as orphaned wells , Lynn Granger , executive director of the American Petroleum Institute-Colorado , said in an email .
“ We have the utmost confidence in the ability of both our operators and the state to ensure that energy development occurs in a manner protective of public health , safety , welfare @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
During the recession , production has slowed .
Out of Colorado ’ s 51,303 active wells , 10,151 had been shut as of Oct. 13 , meaning they can start producing by opening valves or activating existing equipment .
Another 2,691 have been temporarily abandoned , which requires more work or equipment to start .
In October 2019 , 9,431 wells were shut in and 1,608 were temporarily abandoned , according to data from the oil and gas commission .
Thousands of oil and gas jobs have been lost .
There are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , down from 22 at the end of 2019 .
The number of fracking crews recently rose to four from zero in July and August , said Bernadette Johnson , vice president of strategic analytics at Enverus in Denver .
Oil prices have been steady , in the $ 30s and $ 40s per barrel , Johnson added .
That ’ s an improvement from earlier in the year , but prices are still depressed , she said .
And Colorado is not bouncing back as quickly as other areas , Johnson said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is seeing more activity because it costs less to drill there and the politics are more favorable , she said .
Johnson pointed to SB181 and a 2,000-foot buffer in Colorado between new wells and homes and schools , which would be the largest statewide setback in the country if it is given final approval in November .
Companies say the 2,000-foot setback will drastically limit where they can drill .
“ Senate Bill 181 is a regressive bill in that it moves us back to where we were in the 1990s , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ revenue , ” said Tom Jankovsky , a commissioner in Garfield County , Colorado ’ s second-biggest oil and gas producer .
Jankovsky said he ’ s more worried about the economic impact of Ursa ’ s filing for bankruptcy than he is about whether the company will maintain its wells and other equipment .
He believes the county will eventually get the $ 5.3 million in taxes the company owes it , but he worries about the fire and hospital districts and other smaller entities .
Dave Devanney , former chairman of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ close to the wells are nervous .
“ Right now there are two active well pads and 52 wells and miles of gas pipelines .
Many residents feel they ’ re kind of sitting on a time bomb , ” Devanney said .
“ When the operator is filing bankruptcy and can ’ t pay his bills you have to wonder just how safe everybody is .
”

Mark Schell’s family has farmed in Colorado since 1906 and even though he works as a certified public accountant, he hasn’t left that way of life behind.
About a year ago, Schell bought a 310-acre farm in Mead that he leases to someone else to raise crops. But he was spending more and more time there, trying to get Occidental Petroleum to clean up, or “plug,” old wells the company inherited when it bought Anadarko Petroleum in 2019.
“(Occidental) started plugging these in April and then they told me they weren’t going to plug the rest of them. One of the guys flat out told me the reason they’re not going to do the rest of them is because they don’t have the money,” Schell said.
Last week, Occidental told Schell that it will close the five remaining wells. He’s glad for the news, which follows an inspection by the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, but said not everyone has time to keep after a company or the money to hire a lawyer like he did.
“They stepped up to the plate on this farm, but what about all the other places?”
Schell is not alone in wondering what the industry’s economic downturn, driven by low prices and sinking demand due to the coronavirus pandemic, might mean for Colorado landowners and communities. Is there a danger that struggling companies will walk away rather than pay tens of thousands of dollars to clean up just one well site? Will companies going through bankruptcy have the resources to safely maintain operations and adhere to agreements they’ve struck?
Public concern boiled to the point that in May the oil and gas commission issued a paper saying that it is “prepared for and continues to protect public health, safety, welfare, and the environment through the economic downturn” in the industry and changes due to the coronavirus pandemic.
However, anxiety remains as the industry’s economic troubles continue.
In early September, the Denver-based company Ursa Piceance Holdings, with 41,000 acres of oil and gas properties in western Colorado and about 580 active wells, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. It has wells in Battlement Mesa and wants to drill more.
“My concern about a bankruptcy is they just won’t be able to maintain their wells very well. I hope they have a source of money,” Battlement Mesa resident Larry Forman, head of a community group, said of Ursa Piceance Holdings.
Ursa didn’t respond to requests for comment.
Another Denver company, Extraction Oil and Gas, filed for Chapter 11 protection in June. Cristen Logan of Broomfield, who lives within a mile of an 18-well pad owned by Extraction, is worried about the company’s move to end a contract with a pipeline business that ships oil, gas and water from the wells, a system designed to reduce emissions.
“Are they going to start trying to truck this in and out now? That is not in compliance with the operating agreement” with Broomfield, Logan said.
Nothing in the bankruptcy process “detracts from the commitments we have made to our communities or calls into question the best-in-class provisions of our permits or operator agreements,” Extraction spokesman Brian Cain said in an email.
Broomfield is monitoring the bankruptcy proceedings to ensure the company “makes fulfilling its commitments to Broomfield a priority,” said Shaun Sullivan, attorney for the city and county.
Schell said cleanup work on his land started getting put off when Occidental took over Anadarko, which had an agreement with the previous owner of the farm in Mead. The property is a split estate, which means the company owns or leases the minerals and someone else owns the surface.
The $57 billion acquisition of Anadarko, Colorado’s largest producer, left Occidental with a huge debt load. The sale was finalized a few months before oil prices began slipping and then plunged when Russia and Saudi Arabia launched a price war and the pandemic torpedoed demand for oil and gas.
Schell, who doesn’t own the mineral rights on his farm, said he got different explanations for why work wasn’t being done. He said Occidental employees told him there wasn’t money in the budget and also said the old, vertical wells, which were barely producing, were still viable.
Occidental spokeswoman Jennifer Brice said in an Oct. 13 email that the company will do some of the work after Schell’s tenant farm finishes the harvest. The company will retire, or plug and abandon, the remaining older wells in early 2021 as well as remove an abandoned natural gas line and a gravel road.
Lance Astrella, Schell’s lawyer, would like to see the oil and gas commission, which is revamping state regulations, look at requiring companies to shut down extremely low-producing wells.
Environmental attorney Matt Samelson said that requiring companies to post higher bonds would also provide more protection during economic downturns. The commission is expected to consider bigger bonds as part of implementing Senate Bill 181, a 2019 law that mandates prioritizing public health, safety and the environment.
“Colorado has a really low statewide bond. An operator can put up a $100,000 bond, and that covers all of your wells in the state,” Samelson said.
The bond doesn’t go far when plugging one well, and cleaning up the site costs an average of $82,000, Samelson added. The state picks up the tab when a company goes out of business or walks away without properly closing and cleaning up, resulting in so-called orphaned wells.
The price tag for taking care of the existing ones would be about $30 million, Samelson said.
As of July 1, there were 215 orphaned wells and 454 associated sites. Orphan wells were a problem before the current downturn. Former Gov. John Hickenlooper issued an executive order in 2018 to allocate $5 million a year for the work. Taxes on the industry also provide money for the cleanup.
The industry and the state have been proactive in recent years in tackling such issues as orphaned wells, Lynn Granger, executive director of the American Petroleum Institute-Colorado, said in an email.
“We have the utmost confidence in the ability of both our operators and the state to ensure that energy development occurs in a manner protective of public health, safety, welfare and the environment,” she added.
During the recession, production has slowed. Out of Colorado’s 51,303 active wells, 10,151 had been shut as of Oct. 13, meaning they can start producing by opening valves or activating existing equipment. Another 2,691 have been temporarily abandoned, which requires more work or equipment to start.
In October 2019, 9,431 wells were shut in and 1,608 were temporarily abandoned, according to data from the oil and gas commission. Thousands of oil and gas jobs have been lost. There are about four drilling rigs in the state, down from 22 at the end of 2019.
The number of fracking crews recently rose to four from zero in July and August, said Bernadette Johnson, vice president of strategic analytics at Enverus in Denver.
Oil prices have been steady, in the $30s and $40s per barrel, Johnson added. That’s an improvement from earlier in the year, but prices are still depressed, she said.
And Colorado is not bouncing back as quickly as other areas, Johnson said. The Permian Basin in western Texas is seeing more activity because it costs less to drill there and the politics are more favorable, she said. Johnson pointed to SB181 and a 2,000-foot buffer in Colorado between new wells and homes and schools, which would be the largest statewide setback in the country if it is given final approval in November.
Companies say the 2,000-foot setback will drastically limit where they can drill.
“Senate Bill 181 is a regressive bill in that it moves us back to where we were in the 1990s, where we didn’t have any revenue,” said Tom Jankovsky, a commissioner in Garfield County, Colorado’s second-biggest oil and gas producer.
Jankovsky said he’s more worried about the economic impact of Ursa’s filing for bankruptcy than he is about whether the company will maintain its wells and other equipment. He believes the county will eventually get the $5.3 million in taxes the company owes it, but he worries about the fire and hospital districts and other smaller entities.
Dave Devanney, former chairman of Battlement Concerned Citizens, said people living close to the wells are nervous.
“Right now there are two active well pads and 52 wells and miles of gas pipelines. Many residents feel they’re kind of sitting on a time bomb,” Devanney said. “When the operator is filing bankruptcy and can’t pay his bills you have to wonder just how safe everybody is.”


thedenverpost--2020-10-20--Colorado auto registrations still down double-digits in September

Colorado ’ s new vehicle registrations are still having a hard time gaining traction , but they aren ’ t slipping as much as they were this summer , according to the latest “ Colorado Auto Outlook ” from the Colorado Automobile Dealers Association .
The number of registrations for the first nine months of the year are down 16.3 % compared to the same period last year .
That works out to 157,821 new cars and trucks registered compared to 188,613 last year .
Year-to-date light truck registrations are down 10.9 % , while car registrations are down 35.6 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new vehicle registrations through September are in downhill territory , the percentage of decline has leveled off from a month ago , and Colorado ’ s numbers are better than the U.S. new-vehicle market by nearly a full percentage point , ” CADA President Tim Jackson said in comments accompanying the report .
Registrations lag sales by about two months , so September ’ s activity reflects the sales made in July .
Looking at just August and September , new vehicle registrations are down 11.6 % compared to the same period in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ registrations so far this year in Colorado except for Lincoln and Ram .

Colorado’s new vehicle registrations are still having a hard time gaining traction, but they aren’t slipping as much as they were this summer, according to the latest “Colorado Auto Outlook” from the Colorado Automobile Dealers Association.
The number of registrations for the first nine months of the year are down 16.3% compared to the same period last year. That works out to 157,821 new cars and trucks registered compared to 188,613 last year. Year-to-date light truck registrations are down 10.9%, while car registrations are down 35.6%.
“While Colorado’s new vehicle registrations through September are in downhill territory, the percentage of decline has leveled off from a month ago, and Colorado’s numbers are better than the U.S. new-vehicle market by nearly a full percentage point,” CADA President Tim Jackson said in comments accompanying the report.
Registrations lag sales by about two months, so September’s activity reflects the sales made in July. Looking at just August and September, new vehicle registrations are down 11.6% compared to the same period in 2019. All brands have seen fewer registrations so far this year in Colorado except for Lincoln and Ram.


thedenverpost--2020-10-20--Future apartment building on Brighton an 11-story sign developers still love north Denver

The Residences at RiNo , a new project from Houston-based developer Hines , broke ground along Denver ’ s once-industrial , now-trendy Brighton Boulevard last week .
It ’ s a demonstration the lighting-fast growth that the area has experienced over the past decade may not slow soon , the COVID-19 pandemic notwithstanding .
Residences at RiNo will bring 397 apartments and 14,500 square feet of retail space to the southeast corner of 43rd and Wynkoop streets , Hines representatives said last week .
It is the major residential piece of North Wynkoop , the mixed-used project from Denver-based developer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state-of-the-art concert venue the Mission Ballroom .
The 11-story tower will be laden with amenities .
There will be a washer and dryer in every unit ( even the 542-square-foot studios ) , a heated pool with terrace , a “ pet spa ” and a gym offering on-demand streaming fitness classes and even ski training equipment , according to Hines .
It ’ s designed to compete with other high-end apartment buildings that have recently risen along Brighton and attract young professionals with rent money to spare who want to live close @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be the first such building built north of 38th Street since the neighborhood was dubbed part of the River North Art District and began its rapid transition .
“ We ’ re excited about the opportunity , ” Chris Rector , a managing director with Hines , said last week .
“ We think , especially with what ’ s going on at National Western and even north of the site , it helps set a new edge for the city.
” Rector was referring to the National Western Center redevelopment project , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Brighton and Interstate 70 that hosts the National Western Stock Show each year in January ( though the pandemic has forced the cancellation of the event for 2021 ) .The city has frozen bidding for a major part of that project because of the financial impacts of COVID-19 .
But the pandemic has not impacted the way Hines views Denver , Rector said .
“ People are moving to Denver and we don ’ t see that stopping anytime soon , ” Rector said .
“ Equally important is employers are moving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ great place to locate and attract talent.
” Hines developed the 1144 Fifteenth building , a 40-story office tower that opened in 2018 .
It ’ s also been in the news for its involvement with the Carmen Court condominiums , a building it is under contract to buy and demolish to make way for a senior housing development unless the deal is undone by a hostile landmark designation headed to the City Council next month .
But Rector is focused on multi-family work and he says leasing has been strong for Hines @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the Raleigh at Sloan ’ s Lake .
He sees no reason to doubt the RiNo project won ’ t also be in demand when the first batch of tenants can move in the second half of 2022 , even if average rents have fallen over the last year .
The project falls into an opportunity zone that provides Hines and its investment partner Cresset-Diversified QOZ Fund with tax incentives to hold onto it for at least 10 years .
The project has also earned a density bonus that allows Hines to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ system put in place by a City Council vote two years ago .
To trigger the bonus , Hines has agreed to rent out 17 apartments in the building at below-market prices .

The Residences at RiNo, a new project from Houston-based developer Hines, broke ground along Denver’s once-industrial, now-trendy Brighton Boulevard last week.
It’s a demonstration the lighting-fast growth that the area has experienced over the past decade may not slow soon, the COVID-19 pandemic notwithstanding.
Residences at RiNo will bring 397 apartments and 14,500 square feet of retail space to the southeast corner of 43rd and Wynkoop streets, Hines representatives said last week. It is the major residential piece of North Wynkoop, the mixed-used project from Denver-based developer Westfield Co., that is anchored by state-of-the-art concert venue the Mission Ballroom.
The 11-story tower will be laden with amenities. There will be a washer and dryer in every unit (even the 542-square-foot studios), a heated pool with terrace, a “pet spa” and a gym offering on-demand streaming fitness classes and even ski training equipment, according to Hines.
It’s designed to compete with other high-end apartment buildings that have recently risen along Brighton and attract young professionals with rent money to spare who want to live close to the urban core. It will be the first such building built north of 38th Street since the neighborhood was dubbed part of the River North Art District and began its rapid transition.
“We’re excited about the opportunity,” Chris Rector, a managing director with Hines, said last week. “We think, especially with what’s going on at National Western and even north of the site, it helps set a new edge for the city.”
Rector was referring to the National Western Center redevelopment project, a billion-dollar overhaul of the campus off of Brighton and Interstate 70 that hosts the National Western Stock Show each year in January (though the pandemic has forced the cancellation of the event for 2021).The city has frozen bidding for a major part of that project because of the financial impacts of COVID-19. But the pandemic has not impacted the way Hines views Denver, Rector said.
“People are moving to Denver and we don’t see that stopping anytime soon,” Rector said. “Equally important is employers are moving to Denver and view it as a great place to locate and attract talent.”
Hines developed the 1144 Fifteenth building, a 40-story office tower that opened in 2018. It’s also been in the news for its involvement with the Carmen Court condominiums, a building it is under contract to buy and demolish to make way for a senior housing development unless the deal is undone by a hostile landmark designation headed to the City Council next month.
But Rector is focused on multi-family work and he says leasing has been strong for Hines’ most recent apartment project in Denver, the Raleigh at Sloan’s Lake. He sees no reason to doubt the RiNo project won’t also be in demand when the first batch of tenants can move in the second half of 2022, even if average rents have fallen over the last year.
The project falls into an opportunity zone that provides Hines and its investment partner Cresset-Diversified QOZ Fund with tax incentives to hold onto it for at least 10 years. The project has also earned a density bonus that allows Hines to build it to 11 stories, a system put in place by a City Council vote two years ago. To trigger the bonus, Hines has agreed to rent out 17 apartments in the building at below-market prices.


thedenverpost--2020-10-20--Colorado cement plant aims to be first in U.S. to capture carbon on a commercial scale

The owner of a cement plant in Florence has started design and engineering work with the goal of making it the first such U.S. facility to use carbon-capture technology on a commercial scale .
LafargeHolcim , a global building materials supplier , has received a $ 1.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to research and develop a system to capture and sequester the plant ’ s carbon dioxide emissions .
The Swiss-based company is partnering with Svante Inc. , a provider of carbon-capture technology , and other firms .
Jamie Gentoso , the CEO of U.S. Cement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with Svante to build a pilot carbon-capture unit at a plant in British Columbia .
“ We started this initiative in November of last year , ” Gentoso said .
“ The DOE grant allows us to continue the engineering on it .
The hope is that we would be shovel-ready to go in 2023 and up and running at some point in 2024.
” Sen. Michael Bennet said he sent a letter to the DOE in support of the project .
The Colorado Democrat introduced a bill in 2019 with Sen .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ it easier for businesses to use private bonds to finance carbon-capture technology .
Climate change is an urgent crisis and Colorado is seeing the consequences with drought and extreme wildfires , Bennet said in a statement .
“ That ’ s why I supported federal grant funding for the next phase of this first-of-a-kind project to advance carbon capture technology that can help us avoid the worst impacts of climate change.
” The cement sector is the world ’ s third-largest industrial energy consumer and is the second-largest industrial emitter of carbon dioxide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ global emissions , according to the International Energy Agency .
As the world population and urbanization grow , the agency said cement production is expected to increase anywhere from 12 % to 23 % by 2050 .
“ In the U.S. , the cement industry is only responsible for 1 % to 2 % of the carbon dioxide emissions .
That said , we still have a carbon dioxide issue , ” Gentoso said .
To make cement , limestone is heated to about 2,800 degrees Fahrenheit to free the lime , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Florence plant , which employs 125 people , LafargeHolcim uses old tires as a fuel source , replacing coal , and solar energy .
The company makes a blended product that contains lower-carbon , raw material such as fly ash .
Gentoso said companies in Colorado have been more inclined to use the blended product than companies in other regions .
But that ’ s not why LafargeHolcim has picked Colorado for the carbon-capture project .
“ One of the main reasons we chose this plant specifically is from a carbon-capture perspective , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have to find a place for it , ” Gentoso said .
There are more options to do that in Colorado .
Carbon dioxide is used to boost oil well production by injecting it underground , which increases pressure .
“ There are pipelines within 40 miles of our plant where people are actually mining carbon dioxide out of the ground for enhanced oil recovery , ” Gentoso said .
And there are geologic formations where the gas can be stored .
Carbon-capture technology might be able to prevent the release of more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the plant .

The owner of a cement plant in Florence has started design and engineering work with the goal of making it the first such U.S. facility to use carbon-capture technology on a commercial scale.
LafargeHolcim, a global building materials supplier, has received a $1.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to research and develop a system to capture and sequester the plant’s carbon dioxide emissions. The Swiss-based company is partnering with Svante Inc., a provider of carbon-capture technology, and other firms.
Jamie Gentoso, the CEO of U.S. Cement at LafargeHolcim, said the company worked with Svante to build a pilot carbon-capture unit at a plant in British Columbia.
“We started this initiative in November of last year,” Gentoso said. “The DOE grant allows us to continue the engineering on it. The hope is that we would be shovel-ready to go in 2023 and up and running at some point in 2024.”
Sen. Michael Bennet said he sent a letter to the DOE in support of the project. The Colorado Democrat introduced a bill in 2019 with Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, to make it easier for businesses to use private bonds to finance carbon-capture technology.
Climate change is an urgent crisis and Colorado is seeing the consequences with drought and extreme wildfires, Bennet said in a statement. “That’s why I supported federal grant funding for the next phase of this first-of-a-kind project to advance carbon capture technology that can help us avoid the worst impacts of climate change.”
The cement sector is the world’s third-largest industrial energy consumer and is the second-largest industrial emitter of carbon dioxide, accounting for 7% of the global emissions, according to the International Energy Agency. As the world population and urbanization grow, the agency said cement production is expected to increase anywhere from 12% to 23% by 2050.
“In the U.S., the cement industry is only responsible for 1% to 2% of the carbon dioxide emissions. That said, we still have a carbon dioxide issue,” Gentoso said.
To make cement, limestone is heated to about 2,800 degrees Fahrenheit to free the lime, which releases the carbon dioxide. At the Florence plant, which employs 125 people, LafargeHolcim uses old tires as a fuel source, replacing coal, and solar energy. The company makes a blended product that contains lower-carbon, raw material such as fly ash.
Gentoso said companies in Colorado have been more inclined to use the blended product than companies in other regions. But that’s not why LafargeHolcim has picked Colorado for the carbon-capture project.
“One of the main reasons we chose this plant specifically is from a carbon-capture perspective, you have to capture it and you have to find a place for it,” Gentoso said.
There are more options to do that in Colorado. Carbon dioxide is used to boost oil well production by injecting it underground, which increases pressure.
“There are pipelines within 40 miles of our plant where people are actually mining carbon dioxide out of the ground for enhanced oil recovery,” Gentoso said.
And there are geologic formations where the gas can be stored. Carbon-capture technology might be able to prevent the release of more than 700,000 tons of carbon a year from the plant.


thedenverpost--2020-10-20--New cases of COVID-19 in Colorado reach record high as hospitalizations continue to climb

New cases of COVID-19 in Colorado hit a record high last week as hospitalizations for the novel coronavirus also continued to climb .
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment reported 6,722 cases of COVID-19 in the week ending Sunday , more than triple the most recent low of 2,016 in the last week of August .
Three times last week , the state recorded more than 1,000 new infections in a single day .
Last week ’ s total was the highest since the state has had reliable data , though it ’ s likely there were more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ surge in March and April that weren ’ t found due to lack of testing at the time .
“ These numbers are definitely a concern for us .
We need everyone to follow public health guidance to control disease transmission and ensure that health care and public health capacity isn ’ t strained , ” Dr. Rachel Herlihy , the state epidemiologist , said in a statement .
“ We also want Coloradans who may have been exposed to COVID-19 to get tested.
” As of Monday afternoon , 381 people were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 , which was the highest level since May 25 , but still well below the peak in April .
That means nearly three times as many people are hospitalized as were in early September , when daily totals hovered around 130 .
Deaths due to the virus increased through September , but it ’ s not clear if that continued into October , because reports of fatalities can come in up to two weeks later .
It ’ s not certain what ’ s driving the increased spread , said Dr. Jon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Public Health .
A temporary Labor Day bump would be behind us at this point , he said , but it ’ s possible school and college reopenings , cooler weather and “ COVID fatigue ” could be playing a role .
Much of the central United States is seeing cases rise again , as are multiple countries in Europe .
For now , hospital capacity isn ’ t threatened , but some models show a problem on the horizon if current trends continue , Samet said .
Everyone needs to remember @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and leaders need to determine what they can do to contain the virus without returning to stay-at-home orders , he said .
“ We ’ re a month from the holidays , so this is a critical window , ” he said .
“ No one wants to go back to March .
I think we need to take every measure we can now.
” An average of 77 % of Colorado ’ s available intensive-care beds and 79 % of hospital beds for less-severely ill patients were in use over the last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by all types of patients , because a full bed can ’ t be used for someone else , regardless of whether the patient has COVID-19 or a different illness .
The percentage of COVID-19 tests coming back positive remained above the state ’ s goal , at an average of 5.5 % over the last three days .
When the positivity rate is above 5 % , it can be a sign a state isn ’ t doing enough testing and may miss cases .
Denver and Adams counties accounted for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than 1,100 each .
Neither appears to be slowing down , as the number of new cases increased faster than in recent weeks .
The same pattern appeared in Arapahoe , Douglas , El Paso and Jefferson counties .
Four counties had enough new cases to be in the red on the state ’ s dashboard : Adams , Logan , Sedgwick and Yuma .
Theoretically , counties that can ’ t reduce their cases enough to get out of the red could be pushed to adopt stay-at-home orders , but the state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that level of restriction .
Another 14 counties , including Denver , Arapahoe and Jefferson , had enough cases to be in orange , where guidelines call for stricter limits on capacity at most businesses .
Denver and Arapahoe counties ordered increased limits on gatherings Friday , but it won ’ t be clear if those brought down new infections until the end of the month , because it takes one to two weeks for new infections to appear in the case counts .
So far , 86,374 people in Colorado have tested @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been hospitalized .
Since March , 2,051 people died of the virus in Colorado .
Join our Facebook group for the latest updates on coronavirus in Colorado .

New cases of COVID-19 in Colorado hit a record high last week as hospitalizations for the novel coronavirus also continued to climb.
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment reported 6,722 cases of COVID-19 in the week ending Sunday, more than triple the most recent low of 2,016 in the last week of August. Three times last week, the state recorded more than 1,000 new infections in a single day.
Last week’s total was the highest since the state has had reliable data, though it’s likely there were more cases in the virus’s initial surge in March and April that weren’t found due to lack of testing at the time.
“These numbers are definitely a concern for us. We need everyone to follow public health guidance to control disease transmission and ensure that health care and public health capacity isn’t strained,” Dr. Rachel Herlihy, the state epidemiologist, said in a statement. “We also want Coloradans who may have been exposed to COVID-19 to get tested.”
As of Monday afternoon, 381 people were hospitalized in Colorado with confirmed cases of COVID-19, which was the highest level since May 25, but still well below the peak in April. That means nearly three times as many people are hospitalized as were in early September, when daily totals hovered around 130.
Deaths due to the virus increased through September, but it’s not clear if that continued into October, because reports of fatalities can come in up to two weeks later.
We ask all Coloradans to stay vigilant and follow the COVID-19 protocols as the cases and hospitalizations are on the rise. The seven-day positive average is 5.45%. A higher rate of positive cases indicates an increase in disease transmission and more cases going undetected. pic.twitter.com/Bgkssg9RM5 — Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment (@CDPHE) October 19, 2020
It’s not certain what’s driving the increased spread, said Dr. Jon Samet, dean of the Colorado School of Public Health. A temporary Labor Day bump would be behind us at this point, he said, but it’s possible school and college reopenings, cooler weather and “COVID fatigue” could be playing a role.
Much of the central United States is seeing cases rise again, as are multiple countries in Europe.
For now, hospital capacity isn’t threatened, but some models show a problem on the horizon if current trends continue, Samet said. Everyone needs to remember that the virus is still circulating, and leaders need to determine what they can do to contain the virus without returning to stay-at-home orders, he said.
“We’re a month from the holidays, so this is a critical window,” he said. “No one wants to go back to March. I think we need to take every measure we can now.”
An average of 77% of Colorado’s available intensive-care beds and 79% of hospital beds for less-severely ill patients were in use over the last week. The total includes beds occupied by all types of patients, because a full bed can’t be used for someone else, regardless of whether the patient has COVID-19 or a different illness.
The percentage of COVID-19 tests coming back positive remained above the state’s goal, at an average of 5.5% over the last three days. When the positivity rate is above 5%, it can be a sign a state isn’t doing enough testing and may miss cases.
Denver and Adams counties accounted for the most new cases, with slightly more than 1,100 each. Neither appears to be slowing down, as the number of new cases increased faster than in recent weeks. The same pattern appeared in Arapahoe, Douglas, El Paso and Jefferson counties.
Four counties had enough new cases to be in the red on the state’s dashboard: Adams, Logan, Sedgwick and Yuma. Theoretically, counties that can’t reduce their cases enough to get out of the red could be pushed to adopt stay-at-home orders, but the state health department has shown little appetite for that level of restriction.
Another 14 counties, including Denver, Arapahoe and Jefferson, had enough cases to be in orange, where guidelines call for stricter limits on capacity at most businesses.
Denver and Arapahoe counties ordered increased limits on gatherings Friday, but it won’t be clear if those brought down new infections until the end of the month, because it takes one to two weeks for new infections to appear in the case counts.
So far, 86,374 people in Colorado have tested positive for the virus, and 8,248 have been hospitalized. Since March, 2,051 people died of the virus in Colorado.
Join our Facebook group for the latest updates on coronavirus in Colorado.


thedenverpost--2020-10-20--The 2020 census survey ended. How did Colorado do?

The 2020 census count wrapped last week with the U.S. Census Bureau reporting that 99.9 % of Colorado households were counted , but experts say it ’ s too early to celebrate success in a census that took place amid a pandemic and a contentious political environment .
Now that the federal government proclaimed the counting finished , it ’ s time to crunch the numbers that will decide how many seats in the U.S. House of Representatives each state gets and how billions in federal dollars are divvied among the states .
This was the first census in which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ survey via the internet and then census-takers followed up with mailers and door-knocking in an effort to find those who didn ’ t respond .
So how did Colorado do ?
Nationally , the Census Bureau reported that of the 99.9 % households that responded , 67 % self-responded , meaning no follow up was needed .
In Colorado , 70 % self-responded .
The Front Range posted the following self-response percentages , according to 2020census.gov : • Note : The census website did not have results by county for the follow-up response @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the U.S. Census Bureau director from 2013 to 2017 , said it was too early declare victory for reaching 99.9 % of households .
The count should have been extended so that census takers could be sure that they not only covered every household but also all of the people in each house .
“ You can trust the number but the quality behind the number you don ’ t know anything about it , ” he said .
He also has concerns because the Census Bureau has said it will finish analyzing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , to meet the Dec. 31 deadline for delivering numbers to the president .
Before the census started and the pandemic hit , the bureau had said that would take five months .
“ If they rush , the quality is not going to be as good , ” he said .
It wouldn ’ t be a surprise for the final numbers to face legal challenges , especially since the count itself faced multiple lawsuits .
Colorado joined three lawsuits , including a failed attempt at extending the count .
When the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ field operations could cease on Thursday it gave the Trump administration authority in tallying the numbers used for apportionment no matter who wins the presidential election , the Associated Press reported .
The state also was part of a successful bid to strike down Trump ’ s attempt to add a citizenship question to the survey .
And the third lawsuit , which will be heard later this year by the Supreme Court , seeks to answer the question of whether people living in the United States illegally can be counted toward congressional @ @

The 2020 census count wrapped last week with the U.S. Census Bureau reporting that 99.9% of Colorado households were counted, but experts say it’s too early to celebrate success in a census that took place amid a pandemic and a contentious political environment.
Now that the federal government proclaimed the counting finished, it’s time to crunch the numbers that will decide how many seats in the U.S. House of Representatives each state gets and how billions in federal dollars are divvied among the states.
This was the first census in which households were asked to respond to the survey via the internet and then census-takers followed up with mailers and door-knocking in an effort to find those who didn’t respond.
So how did Colorado do?
Nationally, the Census Bureau reported that of the 99.9% households that responded, 67% self-responded, meaning no follow up was needed. In Colorado, 70% self-responded. The Front Range posted the following self-response percentages, according to 2020census.gov:
Adams County: 72%
72% Arapahoe County: 76.3%
76.3% Boulder: 77%
77% Broomfield: 77.2%
77.2% Denver: 69.3%
69.3% Douglas County: 81.5%
81.5% Jefferson County: 80.1%
80.1% Note: The census website did not have results by county for the follow-up response rate
John Thompson, who served as the U.S. Census Bureau director from 2013 to 2017, said it was too early declare victory for reaching 99.9 % of households. The count should have been extended so that census takers could be sure that they not only covered every household but also all of the people in each house.
“You can trust the number but the quality behind the number you don’t know anything about it,” he said.
He also has concerns because the Census Bureau has said it will finish analyzing and crunching the numbers within two months, to meet the Dec. 31 deadline for delivering numbers to the president. Before the census started and the pandemic hit, the bureau had said that would take five months.
“If they rush, the quality is not going to be as good,” he said.
It wouldn’t be a surprise for the final numbers to face legal challenges, especially since the count itself faced multiple lawsuits.
Colorado joined three lawsuits, including a failed attempt at extending the count. When the U.S. Supreme Court ruled last week that field operations could cease on Thursday it gave the Trump administration authority in tallying the numbers used for apportionment no matter who wins the presidential election, the Associated Press reported.
The state also was part of a successful bid to strike down Trump’s attempt to add a citizenship question to the survey. And the third lawsuit, which will be heard later this year by the Supreme Court, seeks to answer the question of whether people living in the United States illegally can be counted toward congressional apportionment.


thedenverpost--2020-10-20--Broncos Mailbag: Why is receiver DaeSean Hamilton continuing to get playing time?

Denver Post Broncos writer Ryan O ’ Halloran posts his Broncos Mailbag weekly during the season .
You can pose a Broncos- or NFL-related question for the Broncos Mailbag here .
Follow Ryan for more daily updates on Twitter .
Where are the touchdowns ?
Why is Drew Lock throwing the ball in the critical minutes late in the game ?
— Manny , El Paso , Texas The Broncos ’ nine touchdowns entering Week 7 rank 30th in the NFL , ahead of only the Jets ( seven ) and Giants ( eight ) .
The key to scoring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ red zone .
The Broncos have scored only six touchdowns in 15 trips inside the 20-yard line — not good enough .
As for Lock ’ s second fourth-quarter interception , I agree .
What were they thinking ?
Were they thinking at all ?
The Broncos took over with 3:23 remaining .
The Patriots had two timeouts left — make them use them .
Three receivers lined up to the right should have been a key for the Broncos to run left , which would have gained yards , milked the clock @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Lock threw the pick .
I ’ m a long-time Broncos fan and Sunday was a magical day for Brandon McManus .
Will the incoming cold weather affect how far he kicks the ball ?
Thanks for the mailbag !
— Francois Piche , Red Deer , Alberta , Canada Thanks for reading .
That ’ s a good thought about McManus ’ statistical splits early in the year vs. late in the year .
I searched McManus ’ field goal work divided by month .
There is a small drop-off , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ down the stretch will be that he plays road games in Atlanta , Las Vegas and Los Angeles — all domed stadiums .
As McManus has said in the past , late-season road games can have all kinds of tough conditions — last year , it was the wind in Buffalo and the snow in Kansas City .
What has been the key to the improvement of Garett Bolles this season ?
Has he earned himself a new contract with the Broncos moving forward ?
— Jeff , Delta The key to Bolles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more consistent in his technique , not lunging at the pass rusher and thus getting himself out of position .
He ’ s carried over his solid run-blocking work from last year .
And the big thing , of course , he isn ’ t hearing his jersey number called by the referee for a penalty .
Left tackles are hard to find in this league , but the Broncos shouldn ’ t regret declining Bolles ’ fifth-year ( 2021 ) contract option .
He will be a free agent in March .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ play continues to be solid , will be fascinating to monitor .
Will Bolles move on because he felt the Broncos didn ’ t have faith in him via the option ?
Will the Broncos feel the first round of the draft is a better option than paying Bolles ?
Hi Ryan .
Love your mailbag .
I ’ m writing to you from Sweden and I ’ ve been a Broncos fan since the 1980s .
I have a TV-related question for you .
Why do the broadcasts of NFL games have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quarterback has the ball , all you can see is him and the offensive/defensive lines .
Do Americans have bad eyesight or what ?
— Anders , Helsingborg , Sweden Good to get a question from the home country of Avalanche captain Gabe Landeskog .
My theory on the close-ups : The networks want to humanize the players — who are in pads and helmets — just like they do with the NBA and baseball players .
Plus , directors often can ’ t help themselves — they want to cut to as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ showing the formations .
For the football nut , I would recommend NFL Game Pass , which provides the All-22 Coaches ’ Tape a few days after the game .
It can be a frustrating website with frozen screens and skipped plays , but it ’ s also educational .
I saw that coach Vic Fangio said that the COVID-19 situation with the Patriots will expose who the “ complainers and ( whiners ) ” are .
Most people took it as a shot at the Patriots .
My take is that he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
With that said , isn ’ t it insensitive to call out his players for wanting a bye week with all of the injuries that have come in practices and in games ?
I think the players have every right to feel robbed as well as concerned !
— Jamal , Portsmouth , Va .
I didn ’ t think Fangio was calling out the Patriots last weekend when he said that because New England wasn ’ t doing any of the complaining .
I disagree with you that Fangio was being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about sacrificing their bye week .
It wasn ’ t ideal .
Was it fair ?
The NFL isn ’ t fair and these are extraordinary times .
In Fangio ’ s defense , he gave the players four consecutive days off after the Jets game and three consecutive days once the New England game was moved .
• Keeler : Why Broncos have a shot at the playoffs , and nobody should apologize for beating a bad Bill Belichick team • Coming off consecutive wins , Broncos face “ a major challenge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chiefs • Kiszla vs. O ’ Halloran : Is Broncos quarterback Drew Lock ready to outduel Patrick Mahomes ?
• Cam Newton couldn ’ t complete the comeback against the Broncos • Broncos Q-and-A : How rare is a win without scoring a touchdown ?
Ryan , how long are we going to keep DaeSean Hamilton on the roster ?
He dropped yet another catchable ball on Sunday .
I feel like we have more talented players with better potential who need game reps than to keep rolling him out .
What say @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have created playing time for Hamilton and he isn ’ t taking advantage , catching just three passes in the first five games .
If Courtland Sutton was healthy ( he ’ s out for the year with a torn ACL ) and KJ Hamler was available ( currently sidelined with a hamstring injury ) , Hamilton would be further down the depth chart .
Now , though , he ’ s No .
3 behind Jerry Jeudy and Tim Patrick .
I mentioned this in Tuesday ’ s debate with Mark Kiszla @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at rookie receiver Tyrie Cleveland .

Denver Post Broncos writer Ryan O’Halloran posts his Broncos Mailbag weekly during the season.
Where are the touchdowns? Why is Drew Lock throwing the ball in the critical minutes late in the game?
— Manny, El Paso, Texas
The Broncos’ nine touchdowns entering Week 7 rank 30th in the NFL, ahead of only the Jets (seven) and Giants (eight). The key to scoring more touchdowns is better play in the red zone. The Broncos have scored only six touchdowns in 15 trips inside the 20-yard line.
As for Lock’s second fourth-quarter interception, I agree. What were they thinking? Were they thinking at all? The Broncos took over with 3:23 remaining. The Patriots had two timeouts left — make them use them. Three receivers lined up to the right should have been a key for the Broncos to run left, which would have gained yards, milked the clock and not made things interesting. Instead, Lock threw the pick on a deep ball.
I’m a long-time Broncos fan and Sunday was a magical day for Brandon McManus. Will the incoming cold weather affect how far he kicks the ball? Thanks for the mailbag!
— Francois Piche, Red Deer, Alberta, Canada
Thanks for reading that’s a good thought about McManus’ statistical splits early in the year vs. late in the year. I searched McManus’ field goal work divided by month.
September: 86.5%,
October: 84.4%.
November: 76.9%.
December: 81%.
There is a small drop-off, but not too concerning. Helping McManus down the stretch will be that he plays road games in Atlanta, Las Vegas and Los Angeles — all domed stadiums.
As McManus has said in the past, late-season road games can have all kinds of tough conditions — last year, it was the wind in Buffalo and the snow in Kansas City.
What has been the key to the improvement of Garett Bolles this season? Has he earned himself a new contract with the Broncos moving forward?
— Jeff, Delta
The key to Bolles’ improvement: He’s been more consistent in his technique, not lunging at the pass rusher and thus getting himself out of position. He’s carried over his solid run-blocking work from last year. And the big thing, of course, he isn’t hearing his jersey number called by the referee for a penalty.
Left tackles are hard to find in this league, but the Broncos shouldn’t regret declining Bolles’ fifth-year (2021) contract option. He will be a free agent in March. Bolles’ next contract, if his play continues to be solid, will be fascinating to monitor. Will Bolles move on because he felt the Broncos didn’t have faith in him via the option? Will the Broncos feel the first round of the draft is a better option than paying Bolles?
Hi Ryan. Love your mailbag. I’m writing to you from Sweden and I’ve been a Broncos fan since the 1980s. I have a TV-related question for you. Why do the broadcasts of NFL games have so many close-up views? When the quarterback has the ball, all you can see is him and the offensive/defensive lines. Do Americans have bad eyesight or what?
— Anders, Helsingborg, Sweden
Good to get a question from the home country of Avalanche captain Gabe Landeskog.
My theory on the close-ups: The networks want to humanize the players — who are in pads and helmets — just like they do with the NBA and baseball players. Plus, directors often can’t help themselves — they want to cut to as many close-ups as possible instead of just showing the formations.
For the football nut, I would recommend NFL Game Pass, which provides the All-22 Coaches’ Tape a few days after the game. It can be a frustrating website with frozen screens and skipped plays, but it’s also educational.
I saw that coach Vic Fangio said that the COVID-19 situation with the Patriots will expose who the “complainers and (whiners)” are. Most people took it as a shot at the Patriots. My take is that he was actually talking about his own players. With that said, isn’t it insensitive to call out his players for wanting a bye week with all of the injuries that have come in practices and in games? I think the players have every right to feel robbed as well as concerned!
— Jamal, Portsmouth, Va.
I didn’t think Fangio was calling out the Patriots last weekend when he said that because New England wasn’t doing any of the complaining.
I disagree with you that Fangio was being inconsiderate toward his players who were upset about sacrificing their bye week. It wasn’t ideal. Was it fair? The NFL isn’t fair and these are extraordinary times.
In Fangio’s defense, he gave the players four consecutive days off after the Jets game and three consecutive days once the New England game was moved.
Ryan, how long are we going to keep DaeSean Hamilton on the roster? He dropped yet another catchable ball on Sunday. I feel like we have more talented players with better potential who need game reps than to keep rolling him out. What say you?
— Marshall, Lakewood
Injuries have created playing time for Hamilton and he isn’t taking advantage, catching just three passes in the first five games.
If Courtland Sutton was healthy (he’s out for the year with a torn ACL) and KJ Hamler was available (currently sidelined with a hamstring injury), Hamilton would be further down the depth chart. Now, though, he’s No. 3 behind Jerry Jeudy and Tim Patrick.
I mentioned this in Tuesday’s debate with Mark Kiszla – – the Broncos should take a look at rookie receiver Tyrie Cleveland.


thedenverpost--2020-10-20--Guest Commentary: Kyle Clark’s ridicule of the right could drown 9News

9News would have problems in the wake of Lee Keltner ’ s killing regardless , but the station ’ s problems are worse because its most prominent anchor frequently targets for ridicule the same kind of person Matthew Dolloff targeted with his gun .
Two weeks ago , Kyle Clark ’ s tweets were cute enough , if you didn ’ t mind seeing your neighbors bullied by the local newscaster .
Now , a growing number of Coloradans are reading Clark ’ s commentary differently : as inexcusably hostile toward the Lee Keltners of our state , who deserve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 9News ’ anchors and security guards alike .
Certain other journalists have long recognized that Clark damages the brand — both his station ’ s and their profession ’ s .
The Colorado Springs Gazette in an editorial identified Clark as “ a liberal political activist.
” Veteran Colorado reporter Joey Bunch said , “ Kyle is kind of a quasi-newsman.
” But while others have critiqued , Clark ’ s superiors have been content to watch him transform the 6:00 news into half-an-hour of preening sanctimony , and his social media channels @ @ @ @ @ @ @ abuses his position under their watch , they richly deserve the problems he has created for them now .
One consequence of Clark ’ s unprofessional activism : it has made 9News a ridiculous hypocrite .
In a September tweet that re-circulated widely after Keltner ’ s death , Clark wrote , “ Shame to think there are people cowering in the suburbs , cleaning their guns , wondering if every person of color outside is Antifa .
If you ’ re afraid to come into Denver because of talk radio fear-mongering , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lot.
” That ’ s quite a sneer and smear , especially considering that , when he wrote it , Clark must have known his employer was worried about violence downtown and had hired guards to protect his “ cowering ” colleagues .
An eviler consequence of Clark ’ s activism : it makes his audience fear people like Lee Keltner .
Clark frequently portrays right-wingers as dangerous loons .
On Oct. 8 , two days before Keltner ’ s killing , he likened the Michiganders who plotted to kidnap Gov .
Gretchen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gov .
Jared Polis .
On Aug. 30 , he tweeted a video of an unmasked man having a meltdown in a store and said , “ Anti-masker America is terrifying .
Add guns and this is how lives are lost.
” When people are frightened , they ’ re dangerous ; and Clark tells people to feel frightened around the Lee Keltners of Colorado .
It will be interesting to see whether the inevitable wrongful death lawsuits against 9News draws a straight line between the attitudes of its news coverage and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ evil consequence of Clark ’ s activism : by excusing violence from groups aligned with him politically , Clark encourages more of it .
When my friend Michelle Malkin headlined a “ Back the Blue ” rally in Denver on July 19 , a leftwing group attacked her and her fellow rally-goers .
She posted enough evidence online that the Acting Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security condemned the attack as “ outrageous violence , ” but Clark minimized it as “ opposing speech ” and posted a photo of Malkin looking upset for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ left-wingers who assembled to antagonize Lee Keltner and his friends at the Patriot Muster might well have expected similar support from 9News .
Jeremiah Elliot , the leftwing instigator captured on video screaming racial epithets at Lee Keltner immediately before Dolloff shot him , might well have expected similar support — and he received it , when a 9News interview on Thursday , Oct. 15 , insanely cast him as quivering victim instead of blatant aggressor and promoted his GoFundMe .
9News has given Kyle Clark a uniquely privileged perch in Colorado media @ @ @ @ @ @ @ toiled long before he arrived on the scene , the most-watched slot on the most-watched network in Denver ; and after an initial ratings slip , apparently he ’ s somewhat regained his footing .
With his privilege comes duty — if not of fairness and impartiality , at least of the negative kind : duty not to mock people for worrying publicly about the violence that worries his station privately ; not to set neighbor against innocent neighbor ; not to wink at assaults against groups and individuals he dislikes .
Clark @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has failed to correct him .
Together , they ’ ve failed the people of Colorado .
Daniel Cole is the former communications director of the Colorado Republican Party .
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 .

9News would have problems in the wake of Lee Keltner’s killing regardless, but the station’s problems are worse because its most prominent anchor frequently targets for ridicule the same kind of person Matthew Dolloff targeted with his gun.
Two weeks ago, Kyle Clark’s tweets were cute enough, if you didn’t mind seeing your neighbors bullied by the local newscaster. Now, a growing number of Coloradans are reading Clark’s commentary differently: as inexcusably hostile toward the Lee Keltners of our state, who deserve better than the treatment they receive from 9News’ anchors and security guards alike.
Certain other journalists have long recognized that Clark damages the brand — both his station’s and their profession’s. The Colorado Springs Gazette in an editorial identified Clark as “a liberal political activist.” Veteran Colorado reporter Joey Bunch said, “Kyle is kind of a quasi-newsman.”
But while others have critiqued, Clark’s superiors have been content to watch him transform the 6:00 news into half-an-hour of preening sanctimony, and his social media channels into bloody political bludgeons. As Clark abuses his position under their watch, they richly deserve the problems he has created for them now.
One consequence of Clark’s unprofessional activism: it has made 9News a ridiculous hypocrite. In a September tweet that re-circulated widely after Keltner’s death, Clark wrote, “Shame to think there are people cowering in the suburbs, cleaning their guns, wondering if every person of color outside is Antifa. If you’re afraid to come into Denver because of talk radio fear-mongering, you’re missing out on a lot.”
That’s quite a sneer and smear, especially considering that, when he wrote it, Clark must have known his employer was worried about violence downtown and had hired guards to protect his “cowering” colleagues.
An eviler consequence of Clark’s activism: it makes his audience fear people like Lee Keltner. Clark frequently portrays right-wingers as dangerous loons. On Oct. 8, two days before Keltner’s killing, he likened the Michiganders who plotted to kidnap Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to perfectly innocent Coloradans who oppose Gov. Jared Polis. On Aug. 30, he tweeted a video of an unmasked man having a meltdown in a store and said, “Anti-masker America is terrifying. Add guns and this is how lives are lost.”
When people are frightened, they’re dangerous; and Clark tells people to feel frightened around the Lee Keltners of Colorado. It will be interesting to see whether the inevitable wrongful death lawsuits against 9News draws a straight line between the attitudes of its news coverage and the attitudes of its security guards.
Another evil consequence of Clark’s activism: by excusing violence from groups aligned with him politically, Clark encourages more of it. When my friend Michelle Malkin headlined a “Back the Blue” rally in Denver on July 19, a leftwing group attacked her and her fellow rally-goers. She posted enough evidence online that the Acting Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security condemned the attack as “outrageous violence,” but Clark minimized it as “opposing speech” and posted a photo of Malkin looking upset for his followers to scoff at.
The left-wingers who assembled to antagonize Lee Keltner and his friends at the Patriot Muster might well have expected similar support from 9News. Jeremiah Elliot, the leftwing instigator captured on video screaming racial epithets at Lee Keltner immediately before Dolloff shot him, might well have expected similar support — and he received it, when a 9News interview on Thursday, Oct. 15, insanely cast him as quivering victim instead of blatant aggressor and promoted his GoFundMe.
9News has given Kyle Clark a uniquely privileged perch in Colorado media. He inherited from others, who toiled long before he arrived on the scene, the most-watched slot on the most-watched network in Denver; and after an initial ratings slip, apparently he’s somewhat regained his footing.
With his privilege comes duty — if not of fairness and impartiality, at least of the negative kind: duty not to mock people for worrying publicly about the violence that worries his station privately; not to set neighbor against innocent neighbor; not to wink at assaults against groups and individuals he dislikes.
Clark has failed in that duty. 9News has failed to correct him.
Together, they’ve failed the people of Colorado.
Daniel Cole is the former communications director of the Colorado Republican Party.
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--2020-10-20--Ask Amy: “Right person, wrong time” needs translating

Dear Amy : I ’ m a 22-year-old woman , and I got dumped last week by my boyfriend ( he is 21 ) .
We had been together for two months .
It was the most romantic and happiest time for us both .
We made plans to spend our lives together ( getting married , having kids , etc. )
.
His reason for the breakup was to spend time on his own to deal with his PTSD and depression from an abusive relationship that he got out of this year .
He called our relationship : “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but I asked him if the breakup was permanent yesterday , and he said it was .
He said that when he feels better , he ’ ll want a fresh start , but I don ’ t understand .
If I ’ m the right person , then why is he ending our relationship ?
Whenever he said he loved me or wanted a life with me and that he has never been as in love until me , I could tell he was telling the truth .
I love him so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ badly .
I know he still loves me , so why is he acting like he hates me right now ?
He threatened to block me on social media .
Can you help me ?
Dear Devastated : This guy is trying to break up with you .
Your job now is to respect his choice , even if you believe he is sending you a mixed message .
However , he isn ’ t actually sending you a mixed message .
“ Right person , wrong time ” means : “ I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ breaking up with you.
” “ I need time on my own in order to deal with my previous trauma and depression ” means : “ I am breaking up with you.
” Threatening to block you on social media means , “ I am breaking up with you .
Don ’ t attempt to communicate with me .
If I ’ m interested in reviving our relationship , I ’ ll get in touch with you.
” It is terrible , awful , and so heartbreaking to be left behind , especially @ @ @ @ @ @ @ perfect at the time .
But you are both young .
Your relationship might have burned too brightly .
Over the course of two months , you two cycled through several months ’ worth of dynamics .
Please , take time to regroup .
Breakups can be devastating , but they can also lead to personal insight .
Next time go slow .
Keep in mind this ( somewhat cheesy ) saying that actually helped me to recover from my own long-ago divorce : If you love someone , set them free .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ re yours .
If they don ’ t , they never were.
” Dear Amy : One of my good professional colleagues is named Karen .
She is thoughtful , conscientious , and considerate .
She is the very opposite of the racist and demanding “ Karen ” stereotype that is getting so much flak and attention right now .
When she isn ’ t present in meetings , colleagues make “ Karen ” jokes , which I always try to shoot down , but it still feels awful .
Somehow , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from my other colleagues who fancy themselves to be liberal and inclusive .
Recently , Karen really helped me out by preventing me from making a rather costly and potentially serious professional error .
Now I am feeling doubly guilty .
Is there anything else I can do to improve the situation and stop the stupid jokes ?
Dear Guilty : Making fun of someone ’ s name is juvenile bullying .
I suggest that you react to this by speaking up and saying a version of , “ Really .
This has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stop ?
” I posted an informal poll on social media , asking Karens to respond to your question about “ Karens.
” About a dozen Karens responded , evincing a sense of humor about this , as well as an attitude best described as : “ Sigh .
This , too , shall pass.
” If any of this teasing takes place in front of ( your ) Karen , she might want to laugh it off and demand : “ I want to see the manager .
Wait , I AM @ @ @ @ @ @ @ very “ Karen ” thing to do .
Dear Amy : I have to admit that I was shocked to see your lengthy response to “ Concerned Friend , ” who reported that his male friend was being physically abused by his wife .
You are usually so biased , sexist , and anti-male that I was genuinely shocked to read your affirmative response to this question .
Dear Disappointed : Yes , men are ( also ) gravely affected by intimate partner violence , and it is devastating for both the survivor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ feel thoroughly damned by faint praise , but regardless , I sincerely thank you .

Dear Amy: I’m a 22-year-old woman, and I got dumped last week by my boyfriend (he is 21). We had been together for two months. It was the most romantic and happiest time for us both.
We made plans to spend our lives together (getting married, having kids, etc.).
His reason for the breakup was to spend time on his own to deal with his PTSD and depression from an abusive relationship that he got out of this year.
He called our relationship: “right person, wrong time,” but I asked him if the breakup was permanent yesterday, and he said it was. He said that when he feels better, he’ll want a fresh start, but I don’t understand. If I’m the right person, then why is he ending our relationship?
Whenever he said he loved me or wanted a life with me and that he has never been as in love until me, I could tell he was telling the truth. I love him so much and this has affected me so badly. I know he still loves me, so why is he acting like he hates me right now? He threatened to block me on social media.
Can you help me?
— Devastated
Dear Devastated: This guy is trying to break up with you. Your job now is to respect his choice, even if you believe he is sending you a mixed message.
However, he isn’t actually sending you a mixed message. “Right person, wrong time” means: “I care about you, but I am breaking up with you.”
“I need time on my own in order to deal with my previous trauma and depression” means: “I am breaking up with you.”
Threatening to block you on social media means, “I am breaking up with you. Don’t attempt to communicate with me. If I’m interested in reviving our relationship, I’ll get in touch with you.”
It is terrible, awful, and so heartbreaking to be left behind, especially after a passionate crashing together that felt perfect at the time. But you are both young. Your relationship might have burned too brightly. Over the course of two months, you two cycled through several months’ worth of dynamics.
Please, take time to regroup. Breakups can be devastating, but they can also lead to personal insight. Next time go slow.
Keep in mind this (somewhat cheesy) saying that actually helped me to recover from my own long-ago divorce: If you love someone, set them free. If they come back, they’re yours. If they don’t, they never were.”
Dear Amy: One of my good professional colleagues is named Karen.
She is thoughtful, conscientious, and considerate. She is the very opposite of the racist and demanding “Karen” stereotype that is getting so much flak and attention right now.
When she isn’t present in meetings, colleagues make “Karen” jokes, which I always try to shoot down, but it still feels awful.
Somehow, it seems worse, since these remarks come from my other colleagues who fancy themselves to be liberal and inclusive.
Recently, Karen really helped me out by preventing me from making a rather costly and potentially serious professional error.
Now I am feeling doubly guilty. Is there anything else I can do to improve the situation and stop the stupid jokes?
— Feeling Guilty
Dear Guilty: Making fun of someone’s name is juvenile bullying.
I suggest that you react to this by speaking up and saying a version of, “Really. This has gotten so old. Can you please stop?”
I posted an informal poll on social media, asking Karens to respond to your question about “Karens.” About a dozen Karens responded, evincing a sense of humor about this, as well as an attitude best described as: “Sigh. This, too, shall pass.”
If any of this teasing takes place in front of (your) Karen, she might want to laugh it off and demand: “I want to see the manager. Wait, I AM the manager!” which is a very “Karen” thing to do.
Dear Amy: I have to admit that I was shocked to see your lengthy response to “Concerned Friend,” who reported that his male friend was being physically abused by his wife.
You are usually so biased, sexist, and anti-male that I was genuinely shocked to read your affirmative response to this question.
— Usually Disappointed
Dear Disappointed: Yes, men are (also) gravely affected by intimate partner violence, and it is devastating for both the survivor and his friends and family.
I feel thoroughly damned by faint praise, but regardless, I sincerely thank you.
(You can email Amy Dickinson at askamy@amydickinson.com or send a letter to Ask Amy, P.O. Box 194, Freeville, NY 13068. You can also follow her on Twitter @askingamy or Facebook.)


thedenverpost--2020-10-20--Aurora becomes first Colorado city to ban “no-knock” warrants

In what appears to be a first in Colorado , elected leaders in Aurora on Monday banned no-knock raids by police — the latest effort by city leaders to grapple with law enforcement tactics that have come under scrutiny nationwide .
The City Council voted 7-3 to prohibit police from forcibly entering a property without first identifying themselves as officers of the law .
The measure was brought forward by Councilwoman Angela Lawson following the death of Breonna Taylor , who was shot in March by police as she slept in her own home .
There is an ongoing dispute @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — police identified themselves before entering Taylor ’ s Louisville , Ky. , home .
Mark Silverstein , legal director of the ACLU of Colorado , said his organization has long raised red flags about no-knock warrants and the dangers they pose to not only occupants of a targeted home but the police officers themselves .
“ No-knock actions are a recipe for an armed confrontation that is going to result in serious physical injury or loss of life , ” Silverstein said .
He said that type of warrant poses a particular @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s 1985 Make My Day law , which allows homeowners to shoot and kill an intruder in self-defense if they believe the person intends to commit a crime and use physical force .
“ If someone is kicking the door down to your house , you have the right to shoot the intruder , ” Silverstein said .
But Aurora Councilman Dave Gruber , said the city is simply “ piling on ” a police force that has been under a microscope for the way it handled the fatal arrest last year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his death that followed .
“ Our council has come up with one ordinance after another that is hostile to police and it ’ s having a major effect on crime in the city , ” he said .
“ The pendulum has swung so far to one side that crime is going up and arrests are doing down.
” Data from the city shows that year-to-date through mid-September , major violent crimes such as murder , assault and sex assault are up nearly 25 % over the same period in 2019 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the same period in 2020 versus the year before .
Gruber said city ordinances targeting police practices , coupled with the police reform bill passed by state lawmakers in June following the brutal death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police , have forced officers to seriously weigh the extent to which they want to get involved in a call for service for fear of having a violent interaction expose them to civil or criminal liability .
No-knock warrants are rare and need a judge ’ s signature before they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But they are a critical tool — giving police an “ element of surprise ” advantage — when dealing with dangerous suspects who might reach for a weapon if they know that police are about to bust down the door , he said .
Since 2018 , judges have issued 10 no-knock warrants to Aurora police , though only five were actually executed in that fashion , according to a city memo .
“ We reserve no-knock warrants for extremely dangerous suspects , ” said Doug Wilkinson , vice president of the Aurora @ @ @ @ @ @ @ away makes the world more dangerous for everybody .
Without the tool , SWAT is more likely to have to confront suspects in less controlled environments , which increases the likelihood of violence.
” The Aurora Police Department has implemented a number of reforms this year following street protests over instances of police brutality across the nation , including in Colorado ’ s third-largest city .
In June , the department banned carotid pressure holds and gave officers a duty to intervene if a colleague is violating department policy during a contact .

In what appears to be a first in Colorado, elected leaders in Aurora have banned no-knock raids by police — the latest effort by city leaders to grapple with law enforcement tactics that have come under scrutiny nationwide.
The City Council voted 7-3 late Monday to prohibit police from forcibly entering a property without first identifying themselves as officers of the law. The measure was brought forward by Councilwoman Angela Lawson following the death of Breonna Taylor, who was shot in March by police as she slept in her own home.
There is an ongoing dispute as to whether — and how clearly — police identified themselves before entering Taylor’s Louisville, Ky., home.
“Although there is debate on the warrant issues surrounding Breonna Taylor’s death, I think it’s important to take action to prevent a tragedy like this from happening in our community,” Lawson said Tuesday.
State Rep. Leslie Herod, D-Denver, who has been at the forefront of police reform efforts at the state Capitol, said she was “really proud to see Aurora moving us forward.”
While she has no commitments lined up among colleagues to draft a bill regarding no-knock practices in the legislative session that begins in January, she said she was “pretty sure” something addressing the issue would emerge in the next session.
Mark Silverstein, legal director of the ACLU of Colorado, said his organization has long raised red flags about no-knock warrants and the dangers they pose to not only occupants of a targeted home but the police officers themselves.
“No-knock actions are a recipe for an armed confrontation that is going to result in serious physical injury or loss of life,” Silverstein said.
He said that type of warrant poses a particular hazard in Colorado because of the state’s 1985 Make My Day law, which allows homeowners to shoot and kill an intruder in self-defense if they believe the person intends to commit a crime and use physical force.
“If someone is kicking the door down to your house, you have the right to shoot the intruder,” Silverstein said.
But Aurora Councilman Dave Gruber said the city is simply “piling on” a police force that has been under a microscope for the way it handled the fatal arrest last year of Elijah McClain and the protests over his death that followed.
“Our council has come up with one ordinance after another that is hostile to police, and it’s having a major effect on crime in the city,” he said. “The pendulum has swung so far to one side that crime is going up and arrests are doing down.”
Data from the city shows that year-to-date through mid-September, major violent crimes such as murder, assault and sex assault are up nearly 25% over the same period in 2019. Meanwhile, arrests have plummeted 35% for the same period in 2020 versus the year before.
Gruber said city ordinances targeting police practices, coupled with the police reform bill passed by state lawmakers in June following the brutal death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police, have forced officers to seriously weigh the extent to which they want to get involved in a call for service for fear of having a violent interaction expose them to civil or criminal liability.
No-knock warrants are rare and need a judge’s signature before they can be executed, Gruber said. But they are a critical tool, he said — giving police an “element of surprise” advantage — when dealing with dangerous suspects who might reach for a weapon if they know that officers are about to bust down the door.
Since 2018, judges have issued 10 no-knock warrants to Aurora police, though only five were actually executed in that fashion, according to a city memo.
“We reserve no-knock warrants for extremely dangerous suspects,” said Doug Wilkinson, vice president of the Aurora Police Association. “Taking that tool away makes the world more dangerous for everybody. Without the tool, SWAT is more likely to have to confront suspects in less controlled environments, which increases the likelihood of violence.”
The Aurora Police Department has implemented a number of reforms this year following street protests over policing practices across the nation, including in Colorado’s third-largest city. In June, the department banned carotid pressure holds and required officers to intervene when a colleague violates department policy during a contact.
Lisa Calderón, Denver City Councilwoman Candi CdeBaca’s chief of staff, said she hopes Denver will follow Aurora’s lead.
She remembers the botched 1999 no-knock operation that led to the shooting death of Ismael Mena by a SWAT officer after Mena fired a shot at officers barging into his home. Police had gone to the wrong Denver address on a drug warrant.
“I think it’s sad that Denver still hasn’t taken this up 21 years later,” she said.


thedenverpost--2020-10-21--Colorado’s COVID-19 restrictions on churches violate Constitution, federal judge rules

Colorado ’ s COVID-19 public health orders that limit the number of people who can attend indoor religious services and require worshippers to wear masks at all times are unconstitutional , a federal judge ruled .
U.S. District Court Judge Daniel Domenico ruled last week that state officials can not enforce mask-wearing mandates or some limits on the size of gatherings at Denver Bible Church in Wheat Ridge and Community Baptist Church in Brighton .
The two churches filed a lawsuit against both state and federal authorities in August , alleging public health orders aimed at curbing the spread of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Domenico dismissed most of their claims , but granted part of their request , agreeing they should be exempted from mask-wearing requirements if they interfere with their religious exercise , and from particular limits on indoor gatherings that do not apply to secular institutions .
In the ruling issued Thursday , Domenico found that those two state rules are more severe for religious institutions than for secular ones , and violate the congregants ’ right to religious freedom .
State officials disputed the judge ’ s interpretation of those health orders , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ fatally erred ” when he interpreted the law .
“ The Constitution does not allow the State to tell a congregation how large it can be when comparable secular gatherings are not so limited , or to tell a congregation that its reason for wishing to remove facial coverings is less important than a restaurant ’ s or spa ’ s , ” Domenico wrote in the 44-page order .
The ruling breaks from stances other judges in Colorado have taken on religious freedom challenges to Gov .
Jared Polis ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ consistently ruled the orders do not violate the U.S. Constitution .
The U.S. Supreme Court also took up the issue this year and rejected efforts by a California church to stop that state ’ s order to shut down religious services .
Domenico ruled worshippers at the two Colorado churches can temporarily remove their face masks when doing so is necessary to carry out their religious activities .
The churches will still need to follow social distancing , sanitizing and other public health rules that also apply to secular institutions , the judge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in how the public health orders are applied to secular and religious institutions .
Polis and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment appealed the decision Monday , and asked that the judge ’ s order be reversed while the appeal is pending , saying that allowing services to go forward without precautions could result in outbreaks of COVID-19 .
The motion says Domenico took scientific evidence out of context in his ruling and says that the public health orders are not unconstitutional because they do not single out religious activities .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a law that is otherwise neutral and generally applicable does not suddenly become unconstitutional simply because it contains limited exceptions for certain secular activities but not religious activities , ” the motion reads .
“ …Nothing in the state defendant ’ s public health orders reveals discrimination or bigotry targeted at religion .
”

Colorado’s COVID-19 public health orders that limit the number of people who can attend indoor religious services and require worshippers to wear masks at all times are unconstitutional, a federal judge ruled.
U.S. District Court Judge Daniel Domenico ruled last week that state officials cannot enforce mask-wearing mandates or some limits on the size of gatherings at Denver Bible Church in Wheat Ridge and Community Baptist Church in Brighton.
The two churches filed a lawsuit against both state and federal authorities in August, alleging public health orders aimed at curbing the spread of the novel coronavirus violated their religious rights.
Domenico dismissed most of their claims, but granted part of their request, agreeing they should be exempted from mask-wearing requirements if they interfere with their religious exercise, and from particular limits on indoor gatherings that do not apply to secular institutions.
In the ruling issued Thursday, Domenico found that those two state rules are more severe for religious institutions than for secular ones, and violate the congregants’ right to religious freedom. State officials disputed the judge’s interpretation of those health orders, arguing in an appeal that the judge “fatally erred” when he interpreted the law.
“The Constitution does not allow the State to tell a congregation how large it can be when comparable secular gatherings are not so limited, or to tell a congregation that its reason for wishing to remove facial coverings is less important than a restaurant’s or spa’s,” Domenico wrote in the 44-page order.
The ruling breaks from stances other judges in Colorado have taken on religious freedom challenges to Gov. Jared Polis’s public health orders. The courts have consistently ruled the orders do not violate the U.S. Constitution. The U.S. Supreme Court also took up the issue this year and rejected efforts by a California church to stop that state’s order to shut down religious services.
Domenico ruled worshippers at the two Colorado churches can temporarily remove their face masks when doing so is necessary to carry out their religious activities. The churches will still need to follow social distancing, sanitizing and other public health rules that also apply to secular institutions, the judge found, taking issue only with differences in how the public health orders are applied to secular and religious institutions.
Polis and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment appealed the decision Monday, and asked that the judge’s order be reversed while the appeal is pending, saying that allowing services to go forward without precautions could result in outbreaks of COVID-19.
The motion says Domenico took scientific evidence out of context in his ruling and says that the public health orders are not unconstitutional because they do not single out religious activities.
“Absent some sort of bad faith, a law that is otherwise neutral and generally applicable does not suddenly become unconstitutional simply because it contains limited exceptions for certain secular activities but not religious activities,” the motion reads. “…Nothing in the state defendant’s public health orders reveals discrimination or bigotry targeted at religion.”


thedenverpost--2020-10-21--California will allow fans at pro sports but not Disneyland

SACRAMENTO , Calif. — California will let fans back in outdoor stadiums for pro sporting events in counties with low coronavirus infection rates but isn ’ t ready to allow Disneyland and other major theme parks to reopen , the state ’ s top health official said Tuesday .
San Francisco and neighboring Alameda and Santa Clara are the only counties that meet the threshold for pro sports .
However , immediately after the announcement health officials in Santa Clara , home to the San Francisco 49ers , issued a statement saying they weren ’ t prepared to allow even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s Stadium .
“ As we see COVID-19 rates rising in states across the U.S. , and as we enter the winter months when risk will increase , we can not take chances with the health and wellbeing of our community and forfeit the many sacrifices that have been made to slow the spread , ” the officials said in a statement .
The 49ers said the team welcomed the news from the state but “ will continue to collaborate with local public health officials to implement a plan that ensures a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” of the team , its employees and the public .
Under the state rules , pro sports teams could have limited capacity at outdoor stadiums if they are in a county in the lowest two levels of the state ’ s four-tiered model for reopening .
Only fans who live within a 120-mile radius may buy tickets .
No county in Southern California has reached those tiers so fans of the NFL ’ s Los Angeles Rams and Chargers are still on the sidelines .
San Francisco is the first highly populated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s lowest tier for infections .
All the other counties at that level are rural areas scattered near the Oregon border or in the Sierra Nevada mountain range .
Major theme parks weren ’ t happy that the state is limiting re-openings to those with a maximum capacity of 15,000 patrons .
Places like Disneyland and Universal Studios won ’ t be allowed to reopen until their home counties reach the lowest tier .
“ These state guidelines will keep us shuttered for the foreseeable future , ” Disneyland Resort president Ken Potrock @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will harm employees , area businesses and the surrounding communities .
He said the park has “ proven that we can responsibly reopen.
” Disney World in Florida has been open since summer .
Dr. Mark Ghaly , the state health secretary , said the goal for both sporting events and theme parks is to keep the crowds small and regional , without allowing visitors to swarm in from other areas and increase the risk of exposure and spread of the pandemic .
California has recently been able to keep its transmission rate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the nation , though Ghaly warned that a state model shows California could see a 46 % increase in hospitalizations in another month .
Hospitalizations now are at levels not seen since early April .

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California will let fans back in outdoor stadiums for pro sporting events in counties with low coronavirus infection rates but isn’t ready to allow Disneyland and other major theme parks to reopen, the state’s top health official said Tuesday.
San Francisco and neighboring Alameda and Santa Clara are the only counties that meet the threshold for pro sports. However, immediately after the announcement health officials in Santa Clara, home to the San Francisco 49ers, issued a statement saying they weren’t prepared to allow even a limited number of fans into Levi’s Stadium.
“As we see COVID-19 rates rising in states across the U.S., and as we enter the winter months when risk will increase, we cannot take chances with the health and wellbeing of our community and forfeit the many sacrifices that have been made to slow the spread,” the officials said in a statement.
The 49ers said the team welcomed the news from the state but “will continue to collaborate with local public health officials to implement a plan that ensures a plan that protects the health and wellness” of the team, its employees and the public.
Under the state rules, pro sports teams could have limited capacity at outdoor stadiums if they are in a county in the lowest two levels of the state’s four-tiered model for reopening. Only fans who live within a 120-mile radius may buy tickets.
No county in Southern California has reached those tiers so fans of the NFL’s Los Angeles Rams and Chargers are still on the sidelines.
San Francisco is the first highly populated county to move into the state’s lowest tier for infections. All the other counties at that level are rural areas scattered near the Oregon border or in the Sierra Nevada mountain range.
Major theme parks weren’t happy that the state is limiting re-openings to those with a maximum capacity of 15,000 patrons. Places like Disneyland and Universal Studios won’t be allowed to reopen until their home counties reach the lowest tier.
“These state guidelines will keep us shuttered for the foreseeable future,” Disneyland Resort president Ken Potrock said in a statement saying the decision will harm employees, area businesses and the surrounding communities. He said the park has “proven that we can responsibly reopen.”
Disney World in Florida has been open since summer.
Dr. Mark Ghaly, the state health secretary, said the goal for both sporting events and theme parks is to keep the crowds small and regional, without allowing visitors to swarm in from other areas and increase the risk of exposure and spread of the pandemic.
California has recently been able to keep its transmission rate low while numbers rise across most of the nation, though Ghaly warned that a state model shows California could see a 46% increase in hospitalizations in another month. Hospitalizations now are at levels not seen since early April.