thedenverpost--2020-08-20--Denver jail, detention center, homeless population have some of Colorado’s largest COVID-19 outbreak

Denver jail, detention center, homeless population have some of Colorado’s largest COVID-19 outbreaks

If the Van Cise-Simonet Detention Center in downtown Denver continues its pace of adding new COVID-19 cases , it could take the unenviable title of the state ’ s largest outbreak from the Sterling Correctional Facility in the near future .
The Denver Sheriff Department cautioned that the state ’ s numbers don ’ t fully reflect the situation , though .
The Sterling prison has recorded 606 cases and three deaths from the new coronavirus , with no new cases in the last week , according to data from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — an increase of 25 in one week — and no deaths due to COVID-19 .
The Denver Post follows the state health department and uses the total number of confirmed and probable cases and deaths , because testing was sparse at the beginning of the epidemic .
The totals are cumulative , so it ’ s likely many of those infected people have since recovered .
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment said it classifies cases as “ probable ” if there is “ some evidence ” of COVID-19 infection @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Daria Serna , communications director for the sheriff ’ s office , said they don ’ t believe the 17 confirmed and probable cases among employees should be counted , because they don ’ t live in the facility .
They also don ’ t count the 315 probable cases among inmates , because some of them came up negative when tested , she said .
By their count , 318 people have tested positive , and seven are in quarantine pending their results .
The Denver County Jail also had one of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the state , tying for 10th place with 82 cases .
The jail ’ s outbreak was growing at a slower pace , however , with only two new cases in the last week .
Everyone who is arrested in Denver goes through the detention center first and is tested there , so it ’ s expected most new cases will be found there , Serna said .
Only female inmates and those who will be held longer are then moved to the jail , she said .
Cases among Denver ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state reported 140 cases in people experiencing homelessness , both those living in shelters and those living outdoors .
No new cases were found in the last week .
The other largest outbreaks are : • JBS meatpacking plant , Greeley : 293 cases , six deaths , one new case • Buena Vista Correctional Complex : 211 cases , zero deaths , two new cases • Steven Roberts Original Desserts , Aurora : 137 cases , one death , one new case • Jefferson County Detention Facility , Golden : 99 cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ • Jewell Care Center of Denver : 82 cases , eight deaths , no new cases The state health department determines an outbreak is resolved when no new cases tied to a place or event have been found in 28 days .
Colorado had 25 new outbreaks in the last week , including six at restaurants , five at long-term care facilities , two in churches , one at Denver television station KDVR and one among ramp workers at Denver International Airport .
The state has recorded 562 outbreaks since April .
Those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1,040 deaths , with the worst toll in long-term care facilities .
To view the full list of outbreaks , visit covid19.colorado.gov/data/outbreak-data .

If the Van Cise-Simonet Detention Center in downtown Denver continues its pace of adding new COVID-19 cases, it could take the unenviable title of the state’s largest outbreak from the Sterling Correctional Facility in the near future.
The Denver Sheriff Department cautioned that the state’s numbers don’t fully reflect the situation, though.
The Sterling prison has recorded 606 cases and three deaths from the new coronavirus, with no new cases in the last week, according to data from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. The Denver detention center has reported 531 cases — an increase of 25 in one week — and no deaths due to COVID-19.
The Denver Post follows the state health department and uses the total number of confirmed and probable cases and deaths, because testing was sparse at the beginning of the epidemic. The totals are cumulative, so it’s likely many of those infected people have since recovered.
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment said it classifies cases as “probable” if there is “some evidence” of COVID-19 infection, including symptoms or known exposure.
Daria Serna, communications director for the sheriff’s office, said they don’t believe the 17 confirmed and probable cases among employees should be counted, because they don’t live in the facility. They also don’t count the 315 probable cases among inmates, because some of them came up negative when tested, she said. By their count, 318 people have tested positive, and seven are in quarantine pending their results.
The Denver County Jail also had one of the largest outbreaks still going on in the state, tying for 10th place with 82 cases. The jail’s outbreak was growing at a slower pace, however, with only two new cases in the last week.
Everyone who is arrested in Denver goes through the detention center first and is tested there, so it’s expected most new cases will be found there, Serna said. Only female inmates and those who will be held longer are then moved to the jail, she said.
Cases among Denver’s homeless population also were high. The state reported 140 cases in people experiencing homelessness, both those living in shelters and those living outdoors. No new cases were found in the last week.
The other largest outbreaks are:
JBS meatpacking plant, Greeley: 293 cases, six deaths, one new case
293 cases, six deaths, one new case Buena Vista Correctional Complex: 211 cases, zero deaths, two new cases
211 cases, zero deaths, two new cases Pikes Peak Center, Colorado Springs: 146 cases, 26 deaths, no new cases
146 cases, 26 deaths, no new cases Steven Roberts Original Desserts, Aurora: 137 cases, one death, one new case
137 cases, one death, one new case Jefferson County Detention Facility, Golden: 99 cases, one death, two new cases
99 cases, one death, two new cases Laurel Manor Care Center, Colorado Springs: 86 cases, 14 deaths, no new cases
86 cases, 14 deaths, no new cases Jewell Care Center of Denver: 82 cases, eight deaths, no new cases
The state health department determines an outbreak is resolved when no new cases tied to a place or event have been found in 28 days.
Colorado had 25 new outbreaks in the last week, including six at restaurants, five at long-term care facilities, two in churches, one at Denver television station KDVR and one among ramp workers at Denver International Airport.
The state has recorded 562 outbreaks since April. Those outbreaks were linked to 11,929 cases and 1,040 deaths, with the worst toll in long-term care facilities.
To view the full list of outbreaks, visit covid19.colorado.gov/data/outbreak-data.


thedenverpost--2020-08-20--Denver weather: Dry weather, 20 mph winds could fuel wildfires as air quality concerns continue

Denver has a 30 % chance of showers and thunderstorms Thursday , mainly after 2 p.m. , according to the @ @ @ @ @ over Denver will be mostly sunny Thursday , the high temperature will hit 95 degrees @ @ @ @ @ to 22 mph , according to the weather service forecast .
Storms over the Eastern @ @ @ @ @ Thursday .
Smoke from wildfires burning in the state continue to create air quality concerns @ @ @ @ @ Public Health and Environment has again issued air quality alerts for Denver and along the @ @ @ @ @ Denver ’ s weather on Friday and Saturday will be sunny and hot , with @ @ @ @ @ 96 and 97 degrees respectively , the weather service said .
Winds will gust to @ @ @ @ @ Sunday in Denver there ’ s a slight chance of afternoon showers and thunderstorms .
@ @ @ @ @ to 97 degrees .
Hot and dry conditions are expected next week , with no @ @ @ @ @ fire conditions .

Denver has a 30% chance of showers and thunderstorms Thursday, mainly after 2 p.m., according to the National Weather Service.
Skies over Denver will be mostly sunny Thursday, the high temperature will hit 95 degrees and winds will gust up to 22 mph, according to the weather service forecast. Storms over the Eastern Plains could be strong on Thursday.
Smoke from wildfires burning in the state continue to create air quality concerns and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment has again issued air quality alerts for Denver and along the Front Range on Thursday.
A look at the latest smoke plume modeling through early this evening. Waves of thicker smoke will push out of existing fires today. Gusty outflow winds from storms may fan and change direction of plumes. #COwx pic.twitter.com/pgv4Iyl2Pe — NWS Boulder (@NWSBoulder) August 20, 2020
Denver’s weather on Friday and Saturday will be sunny and hot, with a forecast high temp of 96 and 97 degrees respectively, the weather service said. Winds will gust to about 20 mph.
On Sunday in Denver there’s a slight chance of afternoon showers and thunderstorms. The high temperature will climb to 97 degrees.
Hot and dry conditions are expected next week, with no relief in sight for elevated fire conditions.


thedenverpost--2020-08-21--Avalanche Insider: Why Jared Bednar isn’t concerned about Gabe Landeskog’s scoreless streak

The Colorado Avalanche has scored in bunches since entering the NHL bubble , with 14 different players recording at least one goal in Edmonton .
One notable absence from that scoring list ?
Gabe Landeskog .
The Avs captain has zero goals in eight games .
“ Obviously , I ’ d like to put the puck in the net , ” Landeskog said after Game 3 against the Coyotes , “ but I know it ’ s going to come.
” Scoring wasn ’ t a problem for Landeskog before the bubble as his 21 regular-season goals were second @ @ @ @ @ @ @ among all Avalanche players .
However , a healthy roster in Edmonton and the emergence of more scoring threats seems to have altered Landeskog ’ s role .
Six Colorado teammates currently have more shots on goal than Landeskog ( 16 ) .
Just don ’ t expect his scoring drought to cause Avs coach Jared Bednar to lose any sleep for the second round .
That ’ s because Landeskog has quietly been one of Colorado ’ s top setup men — as evidenced by eight postseason assists in the bubble .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Avalanche ’ s dominant power-play unit .
“ ( Landeskog ) impacts the game in a lot of different ways and not just getting on the scoresheet , ” Bednar said .
“ He ’ s in there creating chaos and getting into the goalies ’ eyes .
He doesn ’ t see the puck real clear , and all of a sudden , we come up with a rebound and put it in the back of the net .
It ’ s just one of the little things that he does for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if he keeps continuing to play the power forward game that we ’ re used to seeing from him .
… He ’ s been really good since we ’ ve been in the bubble.
” Breaking down which Colorado Avalanche players have scored goals during the team ’ s eight playoff games ( including round-robin play ) so far in the Edmonton NHL bubble .

The Colorado Avalanche has scored in bunches since entering the NHL bubble, with 14 different players recording at least one goal in Edmonton.
One notable absence from that scoring list? Gabe Landeskog.
The Avs captain has zero goals in eight games.
“Obviously, I’d like to put the puck in the net,” Landeskog said after Game 3 against the Coyotes, “but I know it’s going to come.”
Scoring wasn’t a problem for Landeskog before the bubble as his 21 regular-season goals were second to only Nathan MacKinnon (35) among all Avalanche players. However, a healthy roster in Edmonton and the emergence of more scoring threats seems to have altered Landeskog’s role. Six Colorado teammates currently have more shots on goal than Landeskog (16).
Just don’t expect his scoring drought to cause Avs coach Jared Bednar to lose any sleep for the second round.
That’s because Landeskog has quietly been one of Colorado’s top setup men — as evidenced by eight postseason assists in the bubble. Five of those helpers occurred on the Avalanche’s dominant power-play unit.
“(Landeskog) impacts the game in a lot of different ways and not just getting on the scoresheet,” Bednar said. “He’s in there creating chaos and getting into the goalies’ eyes. He doesn’t see the puck real clear, and all of a sudden, we come up with a rebound and put it in the back of the net. It’s just one of the little things that he does for us.
“The goals will come if he keeps continuing to play the power forward game that we’re used to seeing from him. … He’s been really good since we’ve been in the bubble.”
AVALANCHE PLAYOFF GOALS
Breaking down which Colorado Avalanche players have scored goals during the team’s eight playoff games (including round-robin play) so far in the Edmonton NHL bubble.
Nazem Kadri: 6
Nathan MacKinnon: 4
Andre Burakovsky, J.T. Compher, Joonas Donskoi, Mikko Rantanen: 3
Cale Makar: 2
Matt Calvert, Sam Girard, Ryan Graves, Tyson Jost, Vladislav Namestnikov, Matt Nieto, Nikita Zadorov: 1


thedenverpost--2020-08-21--Rockies get production from Raimel Tapia, Sam Hilliard in loss to Astros

At the beginning of the shortened season , Raimel Tapia and Sam Hilliard had their eyes on crucial roles in the Rockies outfield .
Neither held one down early on this summer , but with David Dahl ( injured ) and Garrett Hampson ( day off ) out of the lineup Thursday , they both had opportunities and took advantage in the 10-8 loss to the Astros .
For Tapia , who regained his starting spot during the Texas series last weekend , it meant a move up in the order to the leadoff spot for the first time this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hitting 1-for-2 with a run scored and walking a career-high four times .
It was the first time a Rockies player has received four free passes in a game since catcher Tony Wolters did so in September , 2018 .
“ He ’ s having great at-bats , ” Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado said .
“ He ’ s aggressive , but lately he ’ s been aggressive in the zone , so I think that ’ s why we ’ re seeing him have success .
He could always hit .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ done his whole career , so hopefully he can continue to do that and we ’ re going to need him for sure.
” On the other end of the lineup , Hilliard went 4-for-5 with a run scored and a triple , due in part to a more patient approach at the plate .
Hilliard said he hopes the first four-hit day of his young career will give him a platform to build on as the team heads to Los Angeles to play the Dodgers .
“ I thought he was aggressive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ manager Bud Black said .
“ He didn ’ t chase a lot out of the strike zone , so that was good for Sam .
I liked the way that he went about it today.
” Hilliard , who was hitting .167 entering Thursday ’ s game , has struggled to carve out playing time this season .
He admitted this is the first time he ’ s had a hard time finding a path to the field , but a renewed sense of the grind and remembering to have fun allowed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I think it was good for my confidence , ” he said .
“ Obviously it ’ s no secret I ’ ve been struggling a little bit early , but definitely to see some balls fall in the outfield grass like that , put a nice bunt down , and finish with a triple made me feel good.
” Footnotes .
RHP Chi Chi Gonzalez continues to work his way back from the IL and threw a bullpen session Wednesday with simulated innings planned for Thursday .
Just one start after he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back with the best outing of his season against the Texas Rangers in his last outing .
The righty gave up just three runs in seven innings to help lead the Rockies to a 10-6 victory at Coors Field .
Gray earned his first win of the season with the effort , struck out a season high seven , walked two and only gave up three hits .
The only problem ?
Two of them were home runs .
During Gray ’ s past three starts , he ’ s allowed the ball @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Like Gray , Buehler has also had an unpredictable season .
The 2019 all-star is still winless in 2020 after four starts , his ERA almost two points higher than his career average , and he still hasn ’ t made it past the sixth inning in a start .
Buehler ’ s last time out saw him surrender five runs , four earned , and six hits in just 4 ⅔ innings pitched against the Los Angeles Angels .
Trending : The Dodgers bullpen has been one of the best in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the majors in WHIP , opponent average , opponent slugging and ERA .
At Issue : The Rockies aren ’ t getting much offensive production from their catching platoon .
During the past 11 games , Tony Wolters , Drew Butera and Elias Diaz have combined to go 7-for-38 ( .184 ) with 12 strikeouts and seven RBIs .

At the beginning of the shortened season, Raimel Tapia and Sam Hilliard had their eyes on crucial roles in the Rockies outfield.
Neither held one down early on this summer, but with David Dahl (injured) and Garrett Hampson (day off) out of the lineup Thursday, they both had opportunities and took advantage in the 10-8 loss to the Astros.
For Tapia, who regained his starting spot during the Texas series last weekend, it meant a move up in the order to the leadoff spot for the first time this season.
He produced, too, hitting 1-for-2 with a run scored and walking a career-high four times. It was the first time a Rockies player has received four free passes in a game since catcher Tony Wolters did so in September, 2018.
“He’s having great at-bats,” Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado said. “He’s aggressive, but lately he’s been aggressive in the zone, so I think that’s why we’re seeing him have success. He could always hit. That’s something he’s done his whole career, so hopefully he can continue to do that and we’re going to need him for sure.”
On the other end of the lineup, Hilliard went 4-for-5 with a run scored and a triple, due in part to a more patient approach at the plate. Hilliard said he hopes the first four-hit day of his young career will give him a platform to build on as the team heads to Los Angeles to play the Dodgers.
“I thought he was aggressive in the strike zone,” Rockies manager Bud Black said. “He didn’t chase a lot out of the strike zone, so that was good for Sam. I liked the way that he went about it today.”
Hilliard, who was hitting .167 entering Thursday’s game, has struggled to carve out playing time this season. He admitted this is the first time he’s had a hard time finding a path to the field, but a renewed sense of the grind and remembering to have fun allowed him to play well Thursday.
“I think it was good for my confidence,” he said. “Obviously it’s no secret I’ve been struggling a little bit early, but definitely to see some balls fall in the outfield grass like that, put a nice bunt down, and finish with a triple made me feel good.”
Footnotes. RHP Chi Chi Gonzalez continues to work his way back from the IL and threw a bullpen session Wednesday with simulated innings planned for Thursday.
On Deck
Rockies RHP Jon Gray (1-2, 5.74 ERA) at Dodgers RHP Walker Buehler (0-0, 5.21 ERA)
7:40 p.m. Friday, Dodger Stadium
TV: AT&T SportsNet
Radio: KOA 850 AM/94.1 AM
Just one start after he was shelled by Arizona, Gray bounced back with the best outing of his season against the Texas Rangers in his last outing. The righty gave up just three runs in seven innings to help lead the Rockies to a 10-6 victory at Coors Field. Gray earned his first win of the season with the effort, struck out a season high seven, walked two and only gave up three hits. The only problem? Two of them were home runs. During Gray’s past three starts, he’s allowed the ball to leave the park four times. Like Gray, Buehler has also had an unpredictable season. The 2019 all-star is still winless in 2020 after four starts, his ERA almost two points higher than his career average, and he still hasn’t made it past the sixth inning in a start. Buehler’s last time out saw him surrender five runs, four earned, and six hits in just 4 ⅔ innings pitched against the Los Angeles Angels.
Trending: The Dodgers bullpen has been one of the best in the league this season, ranking top-three in the majors in WHIP, opponent average, opponent slugging and ERA.
At Issue: The Rockies aren’t getting much offensive production from their catching platoon. During the past 11 games, Tony Wolters, Drew Butera and Elias Diaz have combined to go 7-for-38 (.184) with 12 strikeouts and seven RBIs.
Pitching Probables:
Saturday: Rockies LHP Kyle Freeland (2-1, 2.56 ERA) at Dodgers RHP Dustin May (1-1, 3.00 ERA)
Sunday: Rockies RHP Antonio Senzatela (3-0, 3.90 ERA) at Dodgers RHP Ross Stripling (3-1, 5.61 ERA)
Monday: Rockies RHP Ryan Castellani (0-1, 3.77 ERA) at Diamondbacks RHP Merrill Kelly (3-2, 2.59 ERA)


thedenverpost--2020-08-21--Kiszla: It’s time to get Mike Munchak’s brain into Garett Bolles’ body

There ’ s nowhere for Garett Bolles to hide .
Everywhere the big offensive tackle turns , he ’ s under siege .
Broncomaniacs lustily boo him .
The zebras throw penalty flags at him out of habit .
John Elway doesn ’ t trust him enough to show Bolles the money .
Amid all the turmoil in Bolles ’ professional life , the team is attempting the most delicate operation of this coronavirus-compressed training camp .
The Broncos are trying to transplant the brain of Hall of Famer Mike Munchak into the body of Bolles .
If Denver wants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not an option for a ballyhooed offensive line coach working with a student who has demonstrated improvement , yet can be frustratingly slow on the uptick with tough concepts .
“ A work in progress , ” said coach Vic Fangio , describing a left tackle the Broncos don ’ t completely trust but desperately need to succeed .
Hey , everybody from Uncle Vic to quarterback Drew Lock hopes for the best .
But I fear this stressful situation might cause Bolles to do what he does best : Blow a gasket @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doubt Bolles means well .
His competitive streak and passion for protecting the quarterback ’ s blind side are good attributes for any left tackle .
The tricky issue for Dr. Munchak , however , is finding a way to curtail meathead mistakes that have caused Broncos Country to hate on Bolles .
Somewhere inside the tackle ’ s massive , 305-pound frame is a faulty regulator for his emotions .
When Bolles messes up , we ’ ve seen his blood roil , causing him to compound a blown assignment with a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ asked Bolles a question nagging me for a long time : Does he allow emotions to get the best of him on the football field ?
“ All offseason I took it seriously to really work on my mental game and do whatever I can to make myself mentally ready .
When something happens , I can ’ t physically take that back .
If it happens , I have to let it go and move on to the next play , ” Bolles replied during a Zoom session with local reporters that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the principal ’ s office .
While not taking offense , Bolles adamantly disagreed with my suggestion he ’ s a hothead who lets uncontrolled emotion defeat him .
“ I ’ m a very emotional guy .
I play with a passion .
That ’ s something that I think is a huge attribute for me .
I think that ’ s why the Broncos drafted me , because I have that energy , ” Bolles said .
“ I don ’ t want to say it got the best of me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that ’ s true .
There are things that happen on the football field that I can ’ t control .
I just have to continue to get better , work better , work on my technique , make sure that my hands are in the right , proper areas so I don ’ t get called on holding and things like that.
” The catcalls won ’ t stop until the penalty flags stop flying .
Tune out the noise ?
Impossible .
Bolles hears Broncos Country jeer him .
Loud and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ booed , ” Bolles said .
Bolles has been penalized so often during three pro seasons the name above No .
72 on his jersey could be changed to Holding .
“ It ’ s unacceptable the way I played , ” said Bolles , taking full responsibility .
During the first eight games of 2019 , my colleague Ryan O ’ Halloran reviewed the tape and booked Bolles as the guilty party for five sacks , two knockdowns and eight QB pressures , not to mention nine penalties , including four that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ games , his mess-ups were far less frequent : no sacks , three knockdowns and two pressures .
Bolles , however , might ’ ve received less credit than he deserved during the second half of last season because he committed eight of those annoying penalties that have defined his career and caused endless cackling by the boo-birds .
There ’ s no doubt his blocking grades did improve in 2019 , especially after a young and mobile Lock took over as the starting quarterback .
But the bottom line in a league @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t impressive enough for Elway and the front office braintrust to pick up the fifth-year option on Bolles ’ rookie contract .
As it now stands , Bolles is scheduled to count $ 3.5 million against the team ’ s salary cap in 2020 and become a free agent next March .
“ I can ’ t dictate what Mr. Elway and those guys up front do , ” said Bolles , the 20th overall selection in the 2017 NFL draft .
“ What I can dictate is how I play on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Pro Bowl nine times as a guard with the Houston Oilers , Munchak was presented with a gold jacket by the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2001 .
If he can save Bolles from being a first-round bust , Munchak should be invited back to Canton , Ohio , on the 20th anniversary of his induction to be awarded a second gold jacket , keys to the city and a proclamation decreeing him mayor for life .

There’s nowhere for Garett Bolles to hide. Everywhere the big offensive tackle turns, he’s under siege.
Broncomaniacs lustily boo him. The zebras throw penalty flags at him out of habit. John Elway doesn’t trust him enough to show Bolles the money.
Amid all the turmoil in Bolles’ professional life, the team is attempting the most delicate operation of this coronavirus-compressed training camp.
The Broncos are trying to transplant the brain of Hall of Famer Mike Munchak into the body of Bolles.
If Denver wants to make the playoffs, failure is not an option for a ballyhooed offensive line coach working with a student who has demonstrated improvement, yet can be frustratingly slow on the uptick with tough concepts.
“A work in progress,” said coach Vic Fangio, describing a left tackle the Broncos don’t completely trust but desperately need to succeed.
Hey, everybody from Uncle Vic to quarterback Drew Lock hopes for the best. But I fear this stressful situation might cause Bolles to do what he does best: Blow a gasket.
Oh, there’s no doubt Bolles means well. His competitive streak and passion for protecting the quarterback’s blind side are good attributes for any left tackle.
The tricky issue for Dr. Munchak, however, is finding a way to curtail meathead mistakes that have caused Broncos Country to hate on Bolles. Somewhere inside the tackle’s massive, 305-pound frame is a faulty regulator for his emotions. When Bolles messes up, we’ve seen his blood roil, causing him to compound a blown assignment with a dumb penalty.
So on Thursday I asked Bolles a question nagging me for a long time: Does he allow emotions to get the best of him on the football field?
“All offseason I took it seriously to really work on my mental game and do whatever I can to make myself mentally ready. When something happens, I can’t physically take that back. If it happens, I have to let it go and move on to the next play,” Bolles replied during a Zoom session with local reporters that sometimes felt more like a trip to the principal’s office.
While not taking offense, Bolles adamantly disagreed with my suggestion he’s a hothead who lets uncontrolled emotion defeat him.
“I’m a very emotional guy. I play with a passion. That’s something that I think is a huge attribute for me. I think that’s why the Broncos drafted me, because I have that energy,” Bolles said. “I don’t want to say it got the best of me, because I don’t believe that’s true. There are things that happen on the football field that I can’t control. I just have to continue to get better, work better, work on my technique, make sure that my hands are in the right, proper areas so I don’t get called on holding and things like that.”
The catcalls won’t stop until the penalty flags stop flying. Tune out the noise? Impossible. Bolles hears Broncos Country jeer him. Loud and clear.
“Nobody wants to get booed,” Bolles said.
Bolles has been penalized so often during three pro seasons the name above No. 72 on his jersey could be changed to Holding.
“It’s unacceptable the way I played,” said Bolles, taking full responsibility.
During the first eight games of 2019, my colleague Ryan O’Halloran reviewed the tape and booked Bolles as the guilty party for five sacks, two knockdowns and eight QB pressures, not to mention nine penalties, including four that were enforced.
In the final eight games, his mess-ups were far less frequent: no sacks, three knockdowns and two pressures. Bolles, however, might’ve received less credit than he deserved during the second half of last season because he committed eight of those annoying penalties that have defined his career and caused endless cackling by the boo-birds.
There’s no doubt his blocking grades did improve in 2019, especially after a young and mobile Lock took over as the starting quarterback. But the bottom line in a league where money talks? He wasn’t impressive enough for Elway and the front office braintrust to pick up the fifth-year option on Bolles’ rookie contract.
As it now stands, Bolles is scheduled to count $3.5 million against the team’s salary cap in 2020 and become a free agent next March.
“I can’t dictate what Mr. Elway and those guys up front do,” said Bolles, the 20th overall selection in the 2017 NFL draft. “What I can dictate is how I play on the football field.”
In appreciation for making the Pro Bowl nine times as a guard with the Houston Oilers, Munchak was presented with a gold jacket by the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2001.
If he can save Bolles from being a first-round bust, Munchak should be invited back to Canton, Ohio, on the 20th anniversary of his induction to be awarded a second gold jacket, keys to the city and a proclamation decreeing him mayor for life.


thedenverpost--2020-08-21--Group at center of Bannon indictment used private funds to build border wall

WASHINGTON — As President Donald Trump fumed in 2018 over the progress his government was making on a border wall , an Air Force veteran ’ s pro-wall GoFundMe page transformed into a separate project , funded by private donations and guided by former Trump advisers , including Steve Bannon .
Frustrated over the delays in Trump ’ s signature campaign promise , Brian Kolfage ’ s group , We Build the Wall , raised more than $ 20 million in weeks , largely on the promise of sidestepping the legal and political obstacles to building a border wall by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ privately owned land .
But Thursday , about a month after Trump publicly criticized the private construction effort , federal prosecutors in New York unveiled an indictment accusing the fundraising campaign of ties to a scheme that “ defrauded hundreds of thousands of donors.
” Federal authorities in the Southern District of New York say Bannon , one of the architects of Trump ’ s 2016 presidential campaign who later joined the group ’ s board , plotted with three other men : Kolfage , 38 , from Miramar Beach , Florida ; @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Sarasota , Florida ; and Timothy Shea , 49 , of Castle Rock , Colorado .
Kris Kobach , the former Kansas secretary of state who is listed as We Build the Wall ’ s general counsel on the group ’ s website , was not named in the indictment .
Kolfage , who on television frequently advocated building a border wall but criticized the federal government ’ s methods , repeatedly said he had promised his donors that he would not take any of the group ’ s funds for his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ false : Kolfage secretly took more than $ 350,000 in donations for his own personal use , while Bannon , through an unnamed nonprofit organization , received more than $ 1 million from the group .
The criminal charges were the latest twist for a private group that had drawn the praise of some top Homeland Security and Border Patrol officials but prompted backlash over its connections to former Trump advisers and its construction methods .
While the portions of the wall constructed by the federal government are well within the U.S. side @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or potentially splitting the farmlands of private landowners , portions of the privately run wall were built along the river bank of the Rio Grande .
The potential environmental damage prompted legal challenges from environmental groups and the International Boundary and Water Commission , which manages the water relationship between Mexico and the United States .
Yet We Build the Wall drew praise from some administration officials , despite the group ’ s intent to privatize a function of government — border security — widely viewed as a federal responsibility .
During a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Chad F. Wolf , the acting secretary of the Department of Homeland Security , and his top border officials welcomed the construction of the private project in New Mexico and Texas and said the barriers had proved to be effective .
The briefing was highlighted on the Twitter page of Kolfage , who once ran a right-wing website that was eventually removed by Facebook .
“ The government should be doing it , but it is not getting done .
And we ’ re not trying to build the entire Southern border @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The president supports it .
DHS supports it , ” Kolfage told CNN in May 2019 .
“ So we ’ ve had the blessing of our government to move forward with this project.
” But after reports in July showed signs of erosion along the privately funded barriers , Trump denounced the project on Twitter as something “ only done to make me look bad.
” “ It ’ s a very sad thing by Mr. Bannon , ” Trump said Thursday .
After Kolfage started the fundraising campaign , promising @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government toward building the wall , it was revealed there was no mechanism to do so .
He then said his group had determined that only $ 800,000 of the approximately $ 20 million raised at that point needed to be returned .
“ No rules were broken , ” Kolfage said in an interview last year .
“ Ninety-four percent of the donors we have been able to reach are opting in .
We ’ ve reached 75 % of all the donors so far.
” Donors , however , wondered what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ STORY CAN END HERE .
OPTIONAL MATERIAL FOLLOWS . )
Harvey F. Garlotte , of Hattiesburg , Mississippi , who donated to the fund , was among those who complained when he received a refund of his $ 60 donation but not the $ 3 that he added as a tip for the organization .
In a complaint to the Florida secretary of state in 2019 , Garlotte wrote that he felt he had been swindled , noting that even though Kolfage lived in Florida , he could find no record of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state .
“ From my side of the road , Mr. Kolfage was simply using a hot-button topic , a very emotional topic , and his status as a wounded veteran , for selfish and self-serving reasons and personal financial gain , ” Garlotte wrote in a complaint .
In an interview last year , Kobach , who did not return a request for comment Thursday , said the group had received the president ’ s blessing .
Trump on Thursday tried to distance himself from the project .
“ I don ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
“ I thought it was being done for showboating reasons.
” Kobach had said that the group would begin construction soon on its first section of the wall on donated property , most likely in Texas , and that the work could be completed cheaply and efficiently by the private sector .
Bannon subsequently held promotional events near El Paso to continue raising funds and highlighting construction of segments of the proposed wall .
The group also hired a North Dakota company , Fisher Sand & Gravel , to construct the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Trump administration subsequently granted the same company a $ 400 million contract that is currently being investigated by the inspector general for the Defense Department .
In May , the company received another federal contract for $ 1.3 billion , which at the time was the largest contract issued for border wall construction .

The New York Times News Service Syndicate

WASHINGTON — As President Donald Trump fumed in 2018 over the progress his government was making on a border wall, an Air Force veteran’s pro-wall GoFundMe page transformed into a separate project, funded by private donations and guided by former Trump advisers, including Steve Bannon.
Frustrated over the delays in Trump’s signature campaign promise, Brian Kolfage’s group, We Build the Wall, raised more than $20 million in weeks, largely on the promise of sidestepping the legal and political obstacles to building a border wall by using private funding to construct it on privately owned land.
But Thursday, about a month after Trump publicly criticized the private construction effort, federal prosecutors in New York unveiled an indictment accusing the fundraising campaign of ties to a scheme that “defrauded hundreds of thousands of donors.”
Federal authorities in the Southern District of New York say Bannon, one of the architects of Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign who later joined the group’s board, plotted with three other men: Kolfage, 38, from Miramar Beach, Florida; Andrew Badolato, 56, a financier from Sarasota, Florida; and Timothy Shea, 49, of Castle Rock, Colorado. Kris Kobach, the former Kansas secretary of state who is listed as We Build the Wall’s general counsel on the group’s website, was not named in the indictment.
Kolfage, who on television frequently advocated building a border wall but criticized the federal government’s methods, repeatedly said he had promised his donors that he would not take any of the group’s funds for his own benefit. Prosecutors said that was false: Kolfage secretly took more than $350,000 in donations for his own personal use, while Bannon, through an unnamed nonprofit organization, received more than $1 million from the group.
The criminal charges were the latest twist for a private group that had drawn the praise of some top Homeland Security and Border Patrol officials but prompted backlash over its connections to former Trump advisers and its construction methods.
While the portions of the wall constructed by the federal government are well within the U.S. side of the border on federally owned land or potentially splitting the farmlands of private landowners, portions of the privately run wall were built along the river bank of the Rio Grande. The potential environmental damage prompted legal challenges from environmental groups and the International Boundary and Water Commission, which manages the water relationship between Mexico and the United States.
Yet We Build the Wall drew praise from some administration officials, despite the group’s intent to privatize a function of government — border security — widely viewed as a federal responsibility. During a news conference in November in El Paso, Chad F. Wolf, the acting secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, and his top border officials welcomed the construction of the private project in New Mexico and Texas and said the barriers had proved to be effective. The briefing was highlighted on the Twitter page of Kolfage, who once ran a right-wing website that was eventually removed by Facebook.
“The government should be doing it, but it is not getting done. And we’re not trying to build the entire Southern border wall. This is a protest wall. The president supports it. DHS supports it,” Kolfage told CNN in May 2019. “So we’ve had the blessing of our government to move forward with this project.”
But after reports in July showed signs of erosion along the privately funded barriers, Trump denounced the project on Twitter as something “only done to make me look bad.”
“It’s a very sad thing by Mr. Bannon,” Trump said Thursday.
After Kolfage started the fundraising campaign, promising to transfer the money to the federal government toward building the wall, it was revealed there was no mechanism to do so. He then said his group had determined that only $800,000 of the approximately $20 million raised at that point needed to be returned.
“No rules were broken,” Kolfage said in an interview last year. “Ninety-four percent of the donors we have been able to reach are opting in. We’ve reached 75% of all the donors so far.”
Donors, however, wondered what had happened to the money.(STORY CAN END HERE. OPTIONAL MATERIAL FOLLOWS.)Harvey F. Garlotte, of Hattiesburg, Mississippi, who donated to the fund, was among those who complained when he received a refund of his $60 donation but not the $3 that he added as a tip for the organization. In a complaint to the Florida secretary of state in 2019, Garlotte wrote that he felt he had been swindled, noting that even though Kolfage lived in Florida, he could find no record of a charity registration for the group in that state.
“From my side of the road, Mr. Kolfage was simply using a hot-button topic, a very emotional topic, and his status as a wounded veteran, for selfish and self-serving reasons and personal financial gain,” Garlotte wrote in a complaint.
In an interview last year, Kobach, who did not return a request for comment Thursday, said the group had received the president’s blessing.
Trump on Thursday tried to distance himself from the project.
“I don’t like that project,” he said. “I thought it was being done for showboating reasons.”
Kobach had said that the group would begin construction soon on its first section of the wall on donated property, most likely in Texas, and that the work could be completed cheaply and efficiently by the private sector.
Bannon subsequently held promotional events near El Paso to continue raising funds and highlighting construction of segments of the proposed wall. The group also hired a North Dakota company, Fisher Sand & Gravel, to construct the barriers and publicly celebrated its work. The Trump administration subsequently granted the same company a $400 million contract that is currently being investigated by the inspector general for the Defense Department.
In May, the company received another federal contract for $1.3 billion, which at the time was the largest contract issued for border wall construction.


thedenverpost--2020-08-21--I-70 through Glenwood Canyon could reopen within days, state officials say

The reopening of the stretch of Interstate 70 through Glenwood Canyon closed by wildfire could happen within several days , state transportation officials said Thursday .
The highway has been shut down in both directions from Glenwood Springs to Gypsum since Aug. 10 because of the Grizzly Creek fire .
It ’ s the longest closure of I-70 through Glenwood Canyon in the highway ’ s history .
Shoshana Lew , executive director of the Colorado Department of Transpiration , said on Thursday that the department is “ doing everything possible to expedite ” the reopening of the highway .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the highway from fire , rock slides and debris .
So far , heat from the fire does not appear to have done extensive damage to the roadway .
The highway remains closed for safety reasons , to protect the traveling public and firefighters who continue to work in the area .
Highway officials stressed Thursday that the southern detour , on U.S. 285 and U.S. 50 , and the northern detour , on Interstate 80 , are working well and the routes are capable of accommodating the increased traffic levels .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ routes should remain patient and cautious in their travel , and that accidents , often caused by inattentive or impatient drivers , cause shutdowns and delays .

The reopening of the stretch of Interstate 70 through Glenwood Canyon closed by wildfire could happen within several days, state transportation officials said Thursday.
The highway has been shut down in both directions from Glenwood Springs to Gypsum since Aug. 10 because of the Grizzly Creek fire. It’s the longest closure of I-70 through Glenwood Canyon in the highway’s history.
Shoshana Lew, executive director of the Colorado Department of Transpiration, said on Thursday that the department is “doing everything possible to expedite” the reopening of the highway.
Engineering crews have been checking on damage to the highway from fire, rock slides and debris. So far, heat from the fire does not appear to have done extensive damage to the roadway.
The highway remains closed for safety reasons, to protect the traveling public and firefighters who continue to work in the area.
Highway officials stressed Thursday that the southern detour, on U.S. 285 and U.S. 50, and the northern detour, on Interstate 80, are working well and the routes are capable of accommodating the increased traffic levels.
Highway officials stressed that drivers using the routes should remain patient and cautious in their travel, and that accidents, often caused by inattentive or impatient drivers, cause shutdowns and delays.


thedenverpost--2020-08-20--Rapids eye redemption in return to Dick’s Sports Goods Park for first leg of Rocky Mountain Cup

This one has been a long time coming .
The Colorado Rapids will play at Dick ’ s Sporting Goods Park for the first time in 168 days when they host rival Real Salt Lake on Saturday night .
That ’ s eight days longer than the period between their last home match in 2019 and their first in 2020 .
And it will be well worth the wait given it ’ s the first leg of this year ’ s Rocky Mountain Cup .
But this weekend ’ s affair isn ’ t just a rivalry match , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a poor showing at the MLS is Back Tournament — one that included a dreadful 2-0 pounding at the hands of RSL .
“ We have a great deal of drive for this game , ” head coach Robin Fraser said Thursday .
“ They ’ re a good team and they came out on the front foot against us last time .
I ’ m not sure how long it ’ s been since that game , but it ’ s been that long that we ’ ve been talking about it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s been in the last few years , RSL has always had the Rapids ’ number .
Colorado hasn ’ t hoisted the Rocky Mountain Cup since 2015 and hasn ’ t won a match against RSL since 2017 .
The pair of Damir Kreilach and Albert Rusnák ran roughshod on the Rapids ’ backline in the teams ’ meeting in Orlando .
The unit hasn ’ t been the same since .
Part of that was because of the unique circumstances of the tournament , but a bigger reason was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t think they ’ re special , it ’ s us , ” center back Lalas Abubakar said .
“ We gave them the opportunity to play like that .
We didn ’ t have the intensity and that ’ s really important .
We need to match the intensity to win the game.
” Abubakar explained that one of the issues during the tournament was that the team ’ s defense became too spread out .
He said the backline must remain close to not be exposed .
“ We ’ ve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ saw that we could do better on the attacking end as well as the defending end and really again just trying to get to that point of continuity that we had early in the year , ” Fraser said .
Rapids keeper Clint Irwin is now recovered from a concussion but it ’ s unclear if he or William Yarbrough will start against RSL .
That ’ s a question that persists around the field as several roles have question marks .
Saturday ’ s match will hint at what the Rapids ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ games of the MLS slate .
“ The key for us is to be true to our principles and true to our game plan , ” Fraser said .
“ We want our ideas to be so unified that we can plug guys in and the system continues the way it ’ s supposed to .
Understanding the team philosophy and the role that any player would play in a particular position — if we do a good job of that we have guys who can jump in and play .
”

This one has been a long time coming.
The Colorado Rapids will play at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park for the first time in 168 days when they host rival Real Salt Lake on Saturday night. That’s eight days longer than the period between their last home match in 2019 and their first in 2020.
And it will be well worth the wait given it’s the first leg of this year’s Rocky Mountain Cup.
But this weekend’s affair isn’t just a rivalry match, it’s a shot at redemption following a poor showing at the MLS is Back Tournament — one that included a dreadful 2-0 pounding at the hands of RSL.
“We have a great deal of drive for this game,” head coach Robin Fraser said Thursday. “They’re a good team and they came out on the front foot against us last time. I’m not sure how long it’s been since that game, but it’s been that long that we’ve been talking about it since then.”
No matter what shape it’s been in the last few years, RSL has always had the Rapids’ number. Colorado hasn’t hoisted the Rocky Mountain Cup since 2015 and hasn’t won a match against RSL since 2017.
The pair of Damir Kreilach and Albert Rusnák ran roughshod on the Rapids’ backline in the teams’ meeting in Orlando. The unit hasn’t been the same since. Part of that was because of the unique circumstances of the tournament, but a bigger reason was poor play.
“I don’t think they’re special, it’s us,” center back Lalas Abubakar said. “We gave them the opportunity to play like that. We didn’t have the intensity and that’s really important. We need to match the intensity to win the game.”
Abubakar explained that one of the issues during the tournament was that the team’s defense became too spread out. He said the backline must remain close to not be exposed.
“We’ve continued to work on things that we saw that we could do better on the attacking end as well as the defending end and really again just trying to get to that point of continuity that we had early in the year,” Fraser said.
Rapids keeper Clint Irwin is now recovered from a concussion but it’s unclear if he or William Yarbrough will start against RSL. That’s a question that persists around the field as several roles have question marks.
Saturday’s match will hint at what the Rapids’ identity will be in the final 18 games of the MLS slate.
“The key for us is to be true to our principles and true to our game plan,” Fraser said. “We want our ideas to be so unified that we can plug guys in and the system continues the way it’s supposed to. Understanding the team philosophy and the role that any player would play in a particular position — if we do a good job of that we have guys who can jump in and play.”


thedenverpost--2020-08-20--Black and Hispanic Coloradans are disproportionately hospitalized for COVID-19, data shows

Black and Hispanic Coloradans were more likely to be hospitalized for COVID-19 than their white counterparts , a trend that hasn ’ t improved much since March , according to new data released Thursday by the state health department .
About 10 % of people hospitalized for the new coronavirus were Black — roughly twice their 4.6 % share of Colorado ’ s population , according to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment .
There were encouraging signs that the trend was changing , with the number of Black hospital patients roughly equal to their share of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ progress may have been temporary : about 15 % of coronavirus patients were Black during the week ending Aug. 16 .
Hispanic residents also were more likely to be hospitalized .
About 38 % of patients were Hispanic , while 22 % of all Colorado residents are .
When the virus was first found in Colorado in March , the number of patients who were Hispanic was roughly in line with the percentage of residents who are , but that changed as the epidemic progressed .
At one point in May , state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Colorado ’ s hospitalized COVID-19 patients were Hispanic .
And in further disproportionate representation , white people accounted for 41 % of the state ’ s hospitalized coronavirus patients — even though they represent nearly 68 % of the population .
“ This hospitalization data is another example of how historical inequities negatively impact health outcomes , ” Jill Hunsaker Ryan , executive director of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment , said in a news release .
“ That fact is especially apparent during emergencies like the pandemic .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and our local partners are dedicated to eradicating these longstanding inequities.
” The initial data released Thursday is part of a broader information-gathering effort the state health department began in May , and it corroborates earlier indications that COVID-19 is disproportionately impacting people of color in Colorado as elsewhere .
A little more than half of Colorado hospitals submitted data about coronavirus cases since March 1 to the state health department .
Those hospitals treated about 91 % of COVID-19 patients who needed that level of care .
The data also shows older @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of hospitalized coronavirus patients in Colorado were older than 60 .
The single largest age group among hospitalizations were people between 50 and 69 , a group that accounted for nearly 40 % of the state ’ s hospitalizations .
And 31 % of hospitalized COVID-19 patients were under 50 .
Only about 3 % of patients were younger than 20 .
Other data points released by health officials regarding people who were hospitalized for COVID-related symptoms in Colorado : • 33 % of patients spent time in an intensive-care unit • 8 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ICU treatment died • COVID-19 patients who survived spent an average of nine days in a hospital An interactive dashboard with the full data set will be published on the state health department ’ s website at 4 p.m. Friday .
Subscribe to bi-weekly newsletter to get health news sent straight to your inbox .

Black and Hispanic Coloradans were more likely to be hospitalized for COVID-19 than their white counterparts, a trend that hasn’t improved much since March, according to new data released Thursday by the state health department.
About 10% of people hospitalized for the new coronavirus were Black — roughly twice their 4.6% share of Colorado’s population, according to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.
There were encouraging signs that the trend was changing, with the number of Black hospital patients roughly equal to their share of the population in late July, but that progress may have been temporary: about 15% of coronavirus patients were Black during the week ending Aug. 16.
Hispanic residents also were more likely to be hospitalized. About 38% of patients were Hispanic, while 22% of all Colorado residents are. When the virus was first found in Colorado in March, the number of patients who were Hispanic was roughly in line with the percentage of residents who are, but that changed as the epidemic progressed.
At one point in May, state health officials said, more than half of Colorado’s hospitalized COVID-19 patients were Hispanic.
And in further disproportionate representation, white people accounted for 41% of the state’s hospitalized coronavirus patients — even though they represent nearly 68% of the population.
“This hospitalization data is another example of how historical inequities negatively impact health outcomes,” Jill Hunsaker Ryan, executive director of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, said in a news release. “That fact is especially apparent during emergencies like the pandemic. CDPHE, the state of Colorado, and our local partners are dedicated to eradicating these longstanding inequities.”
The initial data released Thursday is part of a broader information-gathering effort the state health department began in May, and it corroborates earlier indications that COVID-19 is disproportionately impacting people of color in Colorado as elsewhere.
A little more than half of Colorado hospitals submitted data about coronavirus cases since March 1 to the state health department. Those hospitals treated about 91% of COVID-19 patients who needed that level of care.
The data also shows older people were hit harder.
About half of hospitalized coronavirus patients in Colorado were older than 60. The single largest age group among hospitalizations were people between 50 and 69, a group that accounted for nearly 40% of the state’s hospitalizations. And 31% of hospitalized COVID-19 patients were under 50. Only about 3% of patients were younger than 20.
Other data points released by health officials regarding people who were hospitalized for COVID-related symptoms in Colorado:
94% of patients tested positive for COVID-19
33% of patients spent time in an intensive-care unit
17% of coronavirus patients in ICUs died
8% of patients who did not need ICU treatment died
20% of hospitalized coronavirus patients required a ventilator
COVID-19 patients who survived spent an average of nine days in a hospital
An interactive dashboard with the full data set will be published on the state health department’s website at 4 p.m. Friday.
Subscribe to bi-weekly newsletter to get health news sent straight to your inbox.


thedenverpost--2020-08-20--Bar owners across Denver pray for later last call as Polis’ 10 p.m. order expires

Denver bar owners say their fates rest in the hands of Governor Jared Polis and his decision this week whether or not to tack on a few more hours to their nighttime business .
With bars and nightclubs that don ’ t serve food closed in Colorado since the end of June , Polis in July turned to restaurants and bars that do serve food , mandating a 10 p.m. last call for alcohol for 30 days to discourage further spread of coronavirus from late-night drinking .
On Friday , Polis ’ mandate will expire , and he has yet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ call will remain in place through the rest of the summer .
“ With lower numbers , I ’ m hopeful that we can make progress on expanding the opportunity for people to enjoy themselves , ” Polis said during a Tuesday press conference .
“ But at the same time , with the virus present , we ’ re nowhere near a situation where we can return to the way we were living last year without ( … ) destroying our economy and costing thousands of lives.
” But some bar owners @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 10 p.m. rule continues .
This week , Justin Anthony sat down to compare revenues from before and after the last call was enacted at 10 bars he and his partners own around the city , from River North to downtown , Hale and East Colfax .
Across the board , he said , their business has decreased by more than 60 % over the last 30 days .
And that figure is compared to an already reduced revenue due to the pandemic , Anthony clarified .
“ We ’ re talking 60 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sales ) , ” he said .
At the Ballpark district ’ s Blake Street Tavern , owner Chris Fuselier says his sales are down 20 % since the 10 p.m. last call was enacted , but 80 % overall since the pandemic .
And down the street from him , Pony Up owner Angela Neri has lost 50-75 % of her business , which would typically occur between 10 p.m. and midnight .
Neri said she chose to stop serving by 12 a.m. even before the 10 p.m. last call was ordered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ industry crowd that would normally leave work and have dinner and drinks at the bar in those later hours .
She and other owners think that a midnight last call now could make all the difference .
“ I really am praying that ( Polis ) meets us in the middle at 12 ( a.m. ) , and I think the vast majority of us would be really relieved if that happened , ” Fuselier told The Denver Post .
“ Because if ( 10 p.m. ) is extended for another 30 days @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the coffin for a lot of us.
” At the end of July , the Department of Public Health and Environment started working with Denver Police to perform increased “ compliance monitoring ” at businesses across the city , including but not limited to bars and restaurants .
The monitoring includes complaint-based as well as pre-emptive visits , DDPHE director Danica Lee told The Denver Post .
She said the reasoning behind increased monitoring was a “ growing trend of people who tested positive reporting that they had engaged in more activities outside @ @ @ @ @ @ @ businesses.
” Since the six-week program started at the end of July , DDPHE has issued four citations specifically to restaurants for alcohol sales after 10 p.m. and other COVID-related violations .
“ We believe that the responsiveness of the business community in doing their part to comply with public health orders has been important in decreasing the case numbers we ’ re seeing in August , ” Lee said .
“ We ’ re seeing businesses bending over backwards.
” But owners like Anthony and Fuselier think the city ’ s and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on regulating bars and restaurants has been excessive for an industry that is trained in crowd control and responsible service .
“ We are so regulated , all of our patrons are seated , and we are not allowed any congregation at the bar , ” Fuselier said .
“ You know , it ’ s not like at 10:01 we start dancing on tables and the party gets started.
” And Anthony thinks the statewide mask mandate , as opposed to an earlier last call , has probably played a larger role @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ The perception that the public has is the rules are being flaunted ( by our businesses ) , which is just not the case , ” he said .
Denver ’ s COVID-19 cases have been dropping in August ; the city reported roughly half as many new cases last week as it did at the end of July .
But officials worry about the end of summer , the return to classes at schools and universities and a potential spike in COVID-19 from Labor Day celebrations .
To which Fuselier offers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s a potential outbreak in our college towns like Boulder and Fort Collins , then fine , leave the 10 p.m. rule there , ” he said .
“ As far as Labor Day goes , my reply to that : It ’ s not a restaurant or bar weekend.
” Even if vacationers and locals head outside for Labor Day , though , Polis ’ concern is clear : “ We also know that a social environment akin to a nightclub or late-night bar where people are inebriated provides an ideal environment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said Tuesday .
And Fuselier thinks that sentiment will be hard to shake moving forward .
“ Subconsciously , the governor is sending a message that we ( bars and restaurants ) are unsafe , ” he said .
Together with The Tavern League of Colorado , Fuselier is pressing forward on a lawsuit against the State that argues for a later last call and increased capacity for larger venues .
He said his hope is for mediation in the next three to six weeks .
For now , he has rented @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new 130-person , socially distanced beer garden .
And when the Avs are playing in the Stanley Cup playoffs next week during the late slot , you can bet he ’ s not going to turn off the game by 10 p.m. , regardless of where last call stands .
“ I will take a citation for that , ” Fuselier said .
Subscribe to our new food newsletter , Stuffed , to get Denver food and drink news sent straight to your inbox .

Denver bar owners say their fates rest in the hands of Governor Jared Polis and his decision this week whether or not to tack on a few more hours to their nighttime business.
With bars and nightclubs that don’t serve food closed in Colorado since the end of June, Polis in July turned to restaurants and bars that do serve food, mandating a 10 p.m. last call for alcohol for 30 days to discourage further spread of coronavirus from late-night drinking.
On Friday, Polis’ mandate will expire, and he has yet to clarify whether the 10 p.m. last call will remain in place through the rest of the summer.
“With lower numbers, I’m hopeful that we can make progress on expanding the opportunity for people to enjoy themselves,” Polis said during a Tuesday press conference. “But at the same time, with the virus present, we’re nowhere near a situation where we can return to the way we were living last year without (…) destroying our economy and costing thousands of lives.”
But some bar owners say they may not survive if the 10 p.m. rule continues.
This week, Justin Anthony sat down to compare revenues from before and after the last call was enacted at 10 bars he and his partners own around the city, from River North to downtown, Hale and East Colfax. Across the board, he said, their business has decreased by more than 60% over the last 30 days.
And that figure is compared to an already reduced revenue due to the pandemic, Anthony clarified.
“We’re talking 60% of 60% (of pre-COVID sales),” he said.
At the Ballpark district’s Blake Street Tavern, owner Chris Fuselier says his sales are down 20% since the 10 p.m. last call was enacted, but 80% overall since the pandemic. And down the street from him, Pony Up owner Angela Neri has lost 50-75% of her business, which would typically occur between 10 p.m. and midnight.
Neri said she chose to stop serving by 12 a.m. even before the 10 p.m. last call was ordered, but she caters to a restaurant industry crowd that would normally leave work and have dinner and drinks at the bar in those later hours.
She and other owners think that a midnight last call now could make all the difference.
“I really am praying that (Polis) meets us in the middle at 12 (a.m.), and I think the vast majority of us would be really relieved if that happened,” Fuselier told The Denver Post. “Because if (10 p.m.) is extended for another 30 days, that would be another nail in the coffin for a lot of us.”
At the end of July, the Department of Public Health and Environment started working with Denver Sheriff Dept. to perform increased “compliance monitoring” at businesses across the city, including but not limited to bars and restaurants. The monitoring includes complaint-based as well as pre-emptive visits, DDPHE division director Danica Lee told The Denver Post.
She said the reasoning behind increased monitoring was a “growing trend of people who tested positive reporting that they had engaged in more activities outside of their home in public spaces and businesses.”
Since the six-week program started at the end of July, DDPHE has issued four citations specifically to restaurants for alcohol sales after 10 p.m. and other COVID-related violations.
“We believe that the responsiveness of the business community in doing their part to comply with public health orders has been important in decreasing the case numbers we’re seeing in August,” Lee said. “We’re seeing businesses bending over backwards.”
But owners like Anthony and Fuselier think the city’s and state’s focus this past month on regulating bars and restaurants has been excessive for an industry that is trained in crowd control and responsible service.
“We are so regulated, all of our patrons are seated, and we are not allowed any congregation at the bar,” Fuselier said. “You know, it’s not like at 10:01 we start dancing on tables and the party gets started.”
And Anthony thinks the statewide mask mandate, as opposed to an earlier last call, has probably played a larger role in managing Colorado’s outbreak.
“The perception that the public has is the rules are being flaunted (by our businesses), which is just not the case,” he said.
Denver’s COVID-19 cases have been dropping in August; the city reported roughly half as many new cases last week as it did at the end of July. But officials worry about the end of summer, the return to classes at schools and universities and a potential spike in COVID-19 from Labor Day celebrations.
To which Fuselier offers simple answers. “If there’s a potential outbreak in our college towns like Boulder and Fort Collins, then fine, leave the 10 p.m. rule there,” he said. “As far as Labor Day goes, my reply to that: It’s not a restaurant or bar weekend.”
Even if vacationers and locals head outside for Labor Day, though, Polis’ concern is clear: “We also know that a social environment akin to a nightclub or late-night bar where people are inebriated provides an ideal environment for the virus to spread,” he said Tuesday.
And Fuselier thinks that sentiment will be hard to shake moving forward.
“Subconsciously, the governor is sending a message that we (bars and restaurants) are unsafe,” he said. Together with The Tavern League of Colorado, Fuselier is pressing forward on a lawsuit against the State that argues for a later last call and increased capacity for larger venues. He said his hope is for mediation in the next three to six weeks.
For now, he has rented a “giant” TV for his new 130-person, socially distanced beer garden. And when the Avs are playing in the Stanley Cup playoffs next week during the late slot, you can bet he’s not going to turn off the game by 10 p.m., regardless of where last call stands.
“I will take a citation for that,” Fuselier said.
Updated Aug. 21 at 3:54 p.m.The following corrected information has been added to this article: Because of a reporting error, Danica Lee’s title as well as the division of Denver law enforcement that her office is working with were misstated in a previous version of this article. Lee is the Director of Public Health Investigations for DDPHE. She is working with Denver Sheriff Department to monitor businesses.
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thedenverpost--2020-08-20--Astros shell German Marquez, beat Rockies for ninth straight time

Two home runs from Ryan McMahon .
A home run and a double from Nolan Arenado .
Four walks from new leadoff hitter Raimel Tapia .
A 4-for-5 day from Sam Hilliard , including a ninth-inning triple .
Fourteen hits in all as the Rockies ’ offense finally awoke from hibernation .
All was good at Coors Field , right ?
Not exactly .
The Rockies lost , 10-8 , to the Astros on Thursday afternoon because German Marquez , their No .
1 starter , picked a bad day to have an off day .
Colorado lost for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and sits one game above .500 with a 13-12 record .
“ I do think guys are upset , because you ’ re never going to be happy losing nine out of 11 , ” said Arenado , who took a step toward working out his slump with his seventh homer of the season .
“ We need to continue to fight and continue to battle .
There ’ s not a whole lot left to say .
We just have to play better baseball .
“ Our pitchers are pitching good and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And then today we scored runs and kind of tripped on the bump .
So , collectively , we have to put it together a little bit better.
” The Astros , an American League powerhouse , have beaten the Rockies nine straight times , including four times this week .
Friday night in Los Angeles , the Rockies open a three-game series against the Dodgers , who entered Thursday ’ s play with an 18-8 record , best in the majors .
Colorado went 4-15 against the Dodgers last season , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , however , disagrees that the Rockies are lacking the mentality to play with the “ big boys.
” “ I don ’ t know if there is really anything we ’ re lacking , ” he said .
“ We ’ ve just need to get on the same page.
” The Astros , winners of eight straight , shelled Marquez , scoring 10 runs in five innings .
The back-breaker was a three-run home run by Abraham Toro in the fifth .
It was only the second time in his career @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He was raked for 11 runs by the Giants on July 15 , 2019 , in just 2 2/3 innings .
“ I felt good , my body felt good , ” Marquez said .
“ My delivery just wasn ’ t good .
Those kinds of days ( happen ) .
I just have to keep the ball down .
It wasn ’ t like that today .
But I have to keep moving forward.
” Marquez ’ s subpar performance was something of a shocker given that he entered the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two or fewer earned runs in each of his first five starts this season .
Now the Rockies have to find a way to get out of their losing spiral .
When they opened the 60-game season 11-3 , qualifying as one of eight National League playoff teams almost seemed like a certainty .
Not anymore .
“ We are not matching up , for sure , ” manager Bud Black said .
“ We ’ ve got to sync up the pitching when we hit .
The last week or so it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The 2020 Rockies say there are playoff contenders , but against the Dodgers and the Astros , both World Series participants in two of the last three seasons , the Rockies have been pretenders .
After losing four straight this week to the Astros , the Rockies now head to Los Angeles for a three-game series beginning Friday .
A closer look : Rockies vs. Astros * Lost nine straight to Houston since Aug. 15 * Are 3-17 vs. the Astros since Houston ’ s move to the AL in 2013 Rockies vs. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ West title while Dodgers have won seven straight ( 18 overall ) * Were 4-15 against the Dodgers in 2019 , including 1-8 in L.A .

Two home runs from Ryan McMahon. A home run and a double from Nolan Arenado. Four walks from new leadoff hitter Raimel Tapia. A 4-for-5 day from Sam Hilliard, including a ninth-inning triple.
Fourteen hits in all as the Rockies’ offense finally awoke from hibernation.
All was good at Coors Field, right? Not exactly.
The Rockies lost, 10-8, to the Astros on Thursday afternoon because German Marquez, their No. 1 starter, picked a bad day to have an off day.
Colorado lost for the ninth time in its last 11 games and sits one game above .500 with a 13-12 record.
“I do think guys are upset, because you’re never going to be happy losing nine out of 11,” said Arenado, who took a step toward working out his slump with his seventh homer of the season. “We need to continue to fight and continue to battle. There’s not a whole lot left to say. We just have to play better baseball.
“Our pitchers are pitching good and then we don’t score runs. And then today we scored runs and kind of tripped on the bump. So, collectively, we have to put it together a little bit better.”
The Astros, an American League powerhouse, have beaten the Rockies nine straight times, including four times this week. Friday night in Los Angeles, the Rockies open a three-game series against the Dodgers, who entered Thursday’s play with an 18-8 record, best in the majors. Colorado went 4-15 against the Dodgers last season, including a 1-8 mark in L.A.
McMahon, however, disagrees that the Rockies are lacking the mentality to play with the “big boys.”
“I don’t know if there is really anything we’re lacking,” he said. “We’ve just need to get on the same page.”
The Astros, winners of eight straight, shelled Marquez, scoring 10 runs in five innings. The back-breaker was a three-run home run by Abraham Toro in the fifth. It was only the second time in his career that Marquez allowed double digits in runs. He was raked for 11 runs by the Giants on July 15, 2019, in just 2 2/3 innings.
“I felt good, my body felt good,” Marquez said. “My delivery just wasn’t good. Those kinds of days (happen). I just have to keep the ball down. It wasn’t like that today. But I have to keep moving forward.”
Marquez’s subpar performance was something of a shocker given that he entered the game with a 2.25 ERA having allowed two or fewer earned runs in each of his first five starts this season.
Now the Rockies have to find a way to get out of their losing spiral. When they opened the 60-game season 11-3, qualifying as one of eight National League playoff teams almost seemed like a certainty. Not anymore.
“We are not matching up, for sure,” manager Bud Black said. “We’ve got to sync up the pitching when we hit. The last week or so it hasn’t been that way.”
Overmatched
The 2020 Rockies say they are playoff contenders, but against the Dodgers and the Astros, both World Series participants in two of the last three seasons, the Rockies have been pretenders. After losing four straight this week to the Astros, the Rockies now head to Los Angeles for a three-game series beginning Friday. A closer look:
Rockies vs. Astros
* Lost nine straight to Houston since Aug. 15
* Are 3-17 vs. the Astros since Houston’s move to the AL in 2013
Rockies vs. Dodgers
* Have never won an NL West title while Dodgers have won seven straight (18 overall)
* Were 4-15 against the Dodgers in 2019, including 1-8 in L.A.


thedenverpost--2020-08-20--Avalanche’s lethal power play is its non-secret weapon in winning the Stanley Cup

The best way for the Avalanche to reach its goal of hoisting the Stanley Cup ?
It ’ s exactly what Colorado showed over the past week in easily dispatching Arizona in five games : Force the issue with in-your-face even-strength play , giving its now-healthy power play opportunities to shine with the man advantage .
Goaltending and penalty killing are less of a concern because the Avs are so ferocious offensively that they can dictate pace on any team they play .
Let ’ s face it : Arizona had virtually no chance of upsetting Colorado in the first-round @ @ @ @ @ @ @ didn ’ t have the speed or skill to defend the Avs , or present much of a counter-attack .
In the end — and especially in the last two games , both 7-1 Avalanche wins in Edmonton — Arizona took penalties early in the defensive end and Colorado rolled out the NHL ’ s most dangerous power play .
The Avs scored seven times on 20 man-advantage opportunities for an NHL-leading 35 % success rate in the first round .
They can beat you with Nathan MacKinnon ’ s wrist shots or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They can beat you with Nazem Kadri ’ s quick one-timer from the top of the crease off Gabe Landeksog ’ s one-touch pass from the goal line .
They can beat you with Mikko Rantanen ’ s big one-time clapper from the left circle .
They can beat you with whatever Cale Makar ’ s shot selection is from the point .
If they can ’ t beat you with balletic puck movement leading to big shots , they aren ’ t afraid to collapse to the front of the net and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still , if none of that works , the second unit comes in with even more threats to contend with .
There ’ s Andre Burakovsky ’ s wrist shot from the right wing or J.T .
Compher ’ s and Joonas Donskoi ’ s ability from the left or in front of the net .
And all of those looks typically start with the highly capable play of Sam Girard from the point .
Both units are directed from the bench by assistant coach Ray Bennett , who is in his 19th @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and third with Colorado .
In eight total postseason games , including three in the pre-tournament round-robin , the Avs ’ first unit has scored nine power-play goals and the second has produced two .
Combined , they are at 30.6 % since beginning play in Edmonton .
So why was the Avs ’ power play ranked 19th at 19.1 % through 70 regular-season games ?
Easy answer : The personnel wasn ’ t like it is now .
Injuries all over the map rarely had the Avs ’ top offensive threats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the first and second units playing together wasn ’ t as strong .
“ We wanted to click all year ( but ) you start studying the personnel that was missing out of our lineup at different times .
We didn ’ t have that ( first ) group of five together for the bulk of the year .
I think it was 14 % of the time we had those guys together , ” Avs coach Jared Bednar said after his team went 3-of-4 on the power play with goals from Kadri @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the series .
“ After sort of looking at that — they never really got to gel and become the power play we thought they could be at the start of the year .
“ That ’ s not an excuse but going into the second training camp , after the pause , Ray talks to those guys a lot about principles of what we want to try to do and not get locked in on one play .
It lets them be creative and sort of attack in different ways .
We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ running at a certain pace and have a certain attack mentality that was going to make us more dangerous than we had been in the regular season.
” The Avs know they can go far in these playoffs by playing their game — which starts with great defense , pushing the puck up ice and rolling all four lines .
With that pressure and depth , Colorado has proven it will draw more penalties than it takes , leading to more man-advantage opportunities .
Then the power play can become the difference-maker .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Their execution is great , ” Bednar said of his first unit in particular .
“ Forehand to forehand passes — all the kinds of things Ray gets them talking about , thinking about , and they ’ re creative , skill players and we saw the best of them in the past couple games and hopefully , we can continue to play that well and be as dangerous in a power play on a nightly basis .
”

The best way for the Avalanche to reach its goal of hoisting the Stanley Cup?
It’s exactly what Colorado showed over the past week in easily dispatching Arizona in five games: Force the issue with in-your-face even-strength play, giving its now-healthy power play opportunities to shine with the man advantage.
Goaltending and penalty killing are less of a concern because the Avs are so ferocious offensively that they can dictate pace on any team they play.
Let’s face it: Arizona had virtually no chance of upsetting Colorado in the first-round series that ended Wednesday. The Coyotes didn’t have the speed or skill to defend the Avs, or present much of a counter-attack. In the end — and especially in the last two games, both 7-1 Avalanche wins in Edmonton — Arizona took penalties early in the defensive end and Colorado rolled out the NHL’s most dangerous power play.
The Avs scored seven times on 20 man-advantage opportunities for an NHL-leading 35% success rate in the first round.
They can beat you with Nathan MacKinnon’s wrist shots or one-time slap shots from either circle. They can beat you with Nazem Kadri’s quick one-timer from the top of the crease off Gabe Landeksog’s one-touch pass from the goal line. They can beat you with Mikko Rantanen’s big one-time clapper from the left circle. They can beat you with whatever Cale Makar’s shot selection is from the point.
If they can’t beat you with balletic puck movement leading to big shots, they aren’t afraid to collapse to the front of the net and get a dirty goal.
And, still, if none of that works, the second unit comes in with even more threats to contend with. There’s Andre Burakovsky’s wrist shot from the right wing or J.T. Compher’s and Joonas Donskoi’s ability from the left or in front of the net. And all of those looks typically start with the highly capable play of Sam Girard from the point.
Both units are directed from the bench by assistant coach Ray Bennett, who is in his 19th NHL season as a power play guru, and third with Colorado.
In eight total postseason games, including three in the pre-tournament round-robin, the Avs’ first unit has scored nine power-play goals and the second has produced two. Combined, they are at 30.6% since beginning play in Edmonton.
So why was the Avs’ power play ranked 19th at 19.1% through 70 regular-season games? Easy answer: The personnel wasn’t like it is now. Injuries all over the map rarely had the Avs’ top offensive threats playing together, and a mixture of the first and second units playing together wasn’t as strong.
“We wanted to click all year (but) you start studying the personnel that was missing out of our lineup at different times. We didn’t have that (first) group of five together for the bulk of the year. I think it was 14% of the time we had those guys together,” Avs coach Jared Bednar said after his team went 3-of-4 on the power play with goals from Kadri, MacKinnon and Girard to close out the series. “After sort of looking at that — they never really got to gel and become the power play we thought they could be at the start of the year.
“That’s not an excuse but going into the second training camp, after the pause, Ray talks to those guys a lot about principles of what we want to try to do and not get locked in on one play. It lets them be creative and sort of attack in different ways. We just wanted to make sure it was running at a certain pace and have a certain attack mentality that was going to make us more dangerous than we had been in the regular season.”
The Avs know they can go far in these playoffs by playing their game — which starts with great defense, pushing the puck up ice and rolling all four lines. With that pressure and depth, Colorado has proven it will draw more penalties than it takes, leading to more man-advantage opportunities. Then the power play can become the difference-maker.
“The guys are just focused. Their execution is great,” Bednar said of his first unit in particular. “Forehand to forehand passes — all the kinds of things Ray gets them talking about, thinking about, and they’re creative, skill players and we saw the best of them in the past couple games and hopefully, we can continue to play that well and be as dangerous in a power play on a nightly basis.”


thedenverpost--2020-08-21--In moving speech, boy says Joe Biden helped him overcome stutter

WASHINGTON — Even in a week filled with emotional endorsements of Joe Biden , Brayden Harrington ’ s stands out .
The 13-year-old boy sat in his home , speaking to a cellphone camera and reading , carefully , from a piece of paper .
He looked up and told the world how the former vice president , by speaking about his own experience , had helped him overcome a difficult challenge .
“ We stutter , ” Brayden said in a video that aired Thursday , shortly before Biden accepted his party ’ s presidential nomination on the final @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Concord , New Hampshire , teen got stuck briefly on the “ s ” sound and bravely worked his way through the word .
His face showed strain but also determination to force out the sound .
“ It ’ s really amazing to hear that someone became vice president ” despite stuttering , Brayden said .
“ He told me about a book of poems by Yeats that he would read out loud to practice.
” Biden has spoken frequently about how overcoming a stutter was one of the hardest things @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Brayden and Biden met at a February CNN town hall in Concord , where Biden spoke about overcoming a severe childhood stutter .
He ’ s talked frequently publicly through the years about the anger and frustration of being mocked by classmates and a nun in Catholic school — and how that motivated him to work to overcome it .
“ It has nothing to do with your intellectual makeup , ” he said at the town hall .
After the event , Biden invited Brayden backstage to talk more about learning to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he ’ d practiced by speaking as he looked at himself in the mirror .
He also gave the boy a speech he ’ d prepared for delivery , complete with markings he ’ d made on its pages that showed where he had time to take breaks and pauses so that the words would come out more smoothly .
Brayden held up that speech for convention viewers on Thursday .
“ I ’ m just trying to be a kid , ” Brayden said .
“ And in a short amount of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more confident about something that ’ s bothered me my whole life .
Joe Biden cared .
Imagine what he could do for all of us.
” “ Kids like me are counting on you to elect someone we can all look up to , ” he added .
Biden has talked about his stutter frequently on the presidential campaign trail and how it sometimes returns on certain words , especially if he ’ s tired .
After he talked about it during a Democratic primary debate in December — and even started @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — then-White House press secretary Sarah Sanders ridiculed Biden on Twitter .
The tweet was later deleted and Sanders apologized .
Biden said afterward that he had no regrets “ because I know what it ’ s like to be humiliated .
”

WASHINGTON — Even in a week filled with emotional endorsements of Joe Biden, Brayden Harrington’s stands out.
The 13-year-old boy sat in his home, speaking to a cellphone camera and reading, carefully, from a piece of paper. He looked up and told the world how the former vice president, by speaking about his own experience, had helped him overcome a difficult challenge.
“We stutter,” Brayden said in a video that aired Thursday, shortly before Biden accepted his party’s presidential nomination on the final night of the Democratic National Convention. The Concord, New Hampshire, teen got stuck briefly on the “s” sound and bravely worked his way through the word. His face showed strain but also determination to force out the sound.
“It’s really amazing to hear that someone became vice president” despite stuttering, Brayden said. “He told me about a book of poems by Yeats that he would read out loud to practice.”
Biden has spoken frequently about how overcoming a stutter was one of the hardest things he’s done in life. Brayden and Biden met at a February CNN town hall in Concord, where Biden spoke about overcoming a severe childhood stutter. He’s talked frequently publicly through the years about the anger and frustration of being mocked by classmates and a nun in Catholic school — and how that motivated him to work to overcome it.
“It has nothing to do with your intellectual makeup,” he said at the town hall.
After the event, Biden invited Brayden backstage to talk more about learning to control a stutter. Biden noted that he’d practiced by speaking as he looked at himself in the mirror. He also gave the boy a speech he’d prepared for delivery, complete with markings he’d made on its pages that showed where he had time to take breaks and pauses so that the words would come out more smoothly.
Brayden held up that speech for convention viewers on Thursday.
“I’m just trying to be a kid,” Brayden said. “And in a short amount of time, Joe Biden made me feel more confident about something that’s bothered me my whole life. Joe Biden cared. Imagine what he could do for all of us.”
“Kids like me are counting on you to elect someone we can all look up to,” he added.
Biden has talked about his stutter frequently on the presidential campaign trail and how it sometimes returns on certain words, especially if he’s tired.
After he talked about it during a Democratic primary debate in December — and even started to make the sounds of a stutter — then-White House press secretary Sarah Sanders ridiculed Biden on Twitter. The tweet was later deleted and Sanders apologized. Biden said afterward that he had no regrets “because I know what it’s like to be humiliated.”