thedenverpost--2020-07-06--Colorado Rapids head for Orlando amid growing COVID-19 concerns

A day after being grounded , the Colorado Rapids took off for Orlando and the MLS is Back Tournament on Monday .
The Rapids will be the final MLS team to reach Florida after two presumptive positive COVID-19 tests kept them in Colorado on Sunday .
Each of those tests were cleared as negative following another round of testing Sunday afternoon , giving the team the green light to head east .
“ We ’ re excited to get back on the field and play meaningful games again , ” Rapids executive Pádraig Smith said in a news release .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and hungry group who want to compete for trophies .
We had a fantastic start to the season and we want to keep that momentum going and put ourselves in a position to bring home some silverware.
” The tournament kicks off Wednesday , with the Rapids ’ first match scheduled for Sunday .
Florida has been one of the hardest-hit states in recent weeks and coronavirus issues have reached MLS ’ bubble at Walt Disney World .
FC Dallas pulled out of the tournament Monday after 10 players and one coach tested @ @ @ @ @ @ @ positive tests either occurred upon the club ’ s arrival or within a few days of arrival .
The Columbus Crew and Minnesota United also agreed to cancel their friendlies scheduled for Sunday after one player on each team tested positive for coronavirus .
Of the 557 players currently in Orlando , 13 have been confirmed positive for COVID-19 : 10 FC Dallas players and the remaining three from two other clubs .
The Rapids had two players test positive for COVID-19 two weeks ago .
Both players will have to test negative @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Orlando , where they will have to quarantine for seven days and test negative a third time before they can rejoin their club .
“ I ’ ve spoken to a lot of guys that are already in Orlando and it ’ s getting mixed reviews , ” Andre Shinyashiki told The Post last week .
“ I would be lying if I told you that everybody ’ s saying they feel safe.
” “ Hearing from a player in the bubble that their team is supposed to be quarantined since they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is no one delivering meals to their room which is supposed to be the protocol , so they have to go down to the meal room , get on elevators and bring their meal back .
Telling other players to be careful with the surfaces and use extra hand sanitizer .
We were supposed to go there and just think about soccer , but now we have all these problems ?
How are we going to play thinking that it is dangerous to go outside your room ?
What are our families going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ LAFC star striker Carlos Vela officially pulled out of the tournament Monday due to health concerns with his family .
Vela ’ s wife is pregnant .
Reigning MLS defender of the year Ike Opara , or Minnesota United , didn ’ t travel with the team to Orlando due to an undisclosed injury .
LA Galaxy captain Jonathan dos Santos will also miss the tournament following a hernia operation last week .
And Atlanta United star striker Josef Martinez remains out with a torn ACL which he suffered during The Five Stripes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rapids ’ first game is Sunday , they are supposed to quarantine for seven days after arriving in Orlando .
There is only six days between their arrival and the match , but no postponement has been announced .
The prize for winning MLS is Back Tournament will be a spot in the 2021 CONCACAF Champions League and over $ 1 million .
If they make it to the final , the Rapids could spend nearly six weeks in the Orlando bubble .
MLS plans to continue their regular season following the conclusion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will count in the regular-season standings .

A day after being grounded, the Colorado Rapids took off for Orlando and the MLS is Back Tournament on Monday.
The Rapids will be the final MLS team to reach Florida after two presumptive positive COVID-19 tests kept them in Colorado on Sunday. Each of those tests were cleared as negative following another round of testing Sunday afternoon, giving the team the green light to head east.
“We’re excited to get back on the field and play meaningful games again,” Rapids executive Pádraig Smith said in a news release. “This is a deep, talented and hungry group who want to compete for trophies. We had a fantastic start to the season and we want to keep that momentum going and put ourselves in a position to bring home some silverware.”
The tournament kicks off Wednesday, with the Rapids’ first match scheduled for Sunday.
Florida has been one of the hardest-hit states in recent weeks and coronavirus issues have reached MLS’ bubble at Walt Disney World.
FC Dallas pulled out of the tournament Monday after 10 players and one coach tested positive for COVID-19. Each of the positive tests either occurred upon the club’s arrival or within a few days of arrival. The Columbus Crew and Minnesota United also agreed to cancel their friendlies scheduled for Sunday after one player on each team tested positive for coronavirus.
Of the 557 players currently in Orlando, 13 have been confirmed positive for COVID-19: 10 FC Dallas players and the remaining three from two other clubs.
The Rapids had two players test positive for COVID-19 two weeks ago. Both players will have to test negative twice in Denver before they can travel to Orlando, where they will have to quarantine for seven days and test negative a third time before they can rejoin their club.
“I’ve spoken to a lot of guys that are already in Orlando and it’s getting mixed reviews,” Andre Shinyashiki told The Post last week. “I would be lying if I told you that everybody’s saying they feel safe.”
Rapids forward Diego Rubio voiced similar concerns on Sunday via Twitter:
“Hearing from a player in the bubble that their team is supposed to be quarantined since they got a positive test. But there is no one delivering meals to their room which is supposed to be the protocol, so they have to go down to the meal room, get on elevators and bring their meal back. Telling other players to be careful with the surfaces and use extra hand sanitizer. We were supposed to go there and just think about soccer, but now we have all these problems? How are we going to play thinking that it is dangerous to go outside your room? What are our families going to think about the situation?”
LAFC star striker Carlos Vela officially pulled out of the tournament Monday due to health concerns with his family. Vela’s wife is pregnant.
Reigning MLS defender of the year Ike Opara, or Minnesota United, didn’t travel with the team to Orlando due to an undisclosed injury. LA Galaxy captain Jonathan dos Santos will also miss the tournament following a hernia operation last week. And Atlanta United star striker Josef Martinez remains out with a torn ACL which he suffered during The Five Stripes season opener Feb. 29.
While the Rapids’ first game is Sunday, they are supposed to quarantine for seven days after arriving in Orlando. There is only six days between their arrival and the match, but no postponement has been announced.
The prize for winning MLS is Back Tournament will be a spot in the 2021 CONCACAF Champions League and over $1 million. If they make it to the final, the Rapids could spend nearly six weeks in the Orlando bubble. MLS plans to continue their regular season following the conclusion of the tournament. Group stage games will count in the regular-season standings.


thedenverpost--2020-07-06--Fire in Littleton destroys four buildings under construction

A fire at a construction site in Littleton on Monday burned four three-story buildings and two people were taken to @ @ @ @ @ treated for burns .
The afternoon fire spread to an area of brush along the @ @ @ @ @ the original fires , according to South Metro Fire Rescue .
A fifth building was @ @ @ @ @ broke out near Riverscape Court and Channel Drive south of McLellen Reservoir .
About an @ @ @ @ @ the two-alarm blaze firefighters said the structure fires were out and that progress was being @ @ @ @ @ .
The cause of the fire is under investigation .

A fire at a construction site in Littleton on Monday burned four three-story buildings and two people were taken to a local hospital to be treated for burns.
The afternoon fire spread to an area of brush along the Highline Canal just south of the original fires, according to South Metro Fire Rescue. A fifth building was partially burned.
Update – 2nd Alarm – 4 separate 3-story woodframe buildings fully engulfed with extension to a 5th. There is also fire spread to brush south of the incident. 2 civilians with possible burn injures. Updates to follow. pic.twitter.com/wWa9unq1xZ — South Metro Fire Rescue (@SouthMetroPIO) July 6, 2020
The fire broke out near Riverscape Court and Channel Drive south of McLellen Reservoir.
About an hour after the start of the two-alarm blaze firefighters said the structure fires were out and that progress was made containing the brush fire.
On Monday night investigators said the cause of the fire was “accidental” and sparked by the “use of flammable liquids during construction work.”


thedenverpost--2020-07-06--Guest Commentary: Problematic pioneer statues deserve the same scrutiny as Confederate monuments

Since the killing of George Floyd , at least 23 American cities have removed monuments to Confederate generals .
Protesters also challenged statues of other historic figures , including explorer Christopher Columbus and conquistador Juan de Oñate , each of whose cruelty to indigenous peoples is well documented .
But why did protesters tear down statues of pioneers on the University of Oregon campus ?
Rather than depicting famous individuals associated with slavery or violence , Eugene ’ s pioneer monuments depict generic figures of a buckskin-clad frontiersman and a female settler reading a book .
The anger directed at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ monuments are just as problematic as Confederate and conquistador statues .
Early twentieth-century boosters built these statues to enshrine white supremacy in the West , making their presence a daily reminder of white cultural dominance .
Their example demonstrates that we as a nation need to think as critically about the commemoration of westward expansion as we do about Confederate monuments .
Comparing Eugene ’ s pioneer monuments to other western monuments from that era helps to uncover why they are problematic .
At the turn of the twentieth century , as southeastern @ @ @ @ @ @ @ young western cities erected monuments celebrating the arrival of Euro-American “ civilization ” to western lands .
White citizens of San Francisco ( 1894 ) and Salt Lake City ( 1897 ) celebrated the dedication of monuments depicting the transition from “ savage ” American Indians at the base to the glories of white civilization at the top of granite columns .
Viewers at the time absolutely understood that these monuments celebrated white supremacy .
In 1904 Denver residents protested that a proposed monument on the edge of Civic Center was not racist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the accepted racial order by placing an American Indian warrior at the top and white settlers at the bottom .
To compromise , the artist replaced the Plains Indian warrior with famed Indian fighter Kit Carson , a change that celebrated white conquest of Native peoples .
Other western sculptors erased Native peoples from western monuments just as the white settlers depicted in their statues removed previous inhabitants from western lands .
Speeches delivered at the 1919 dedication of University of Oregon ’ s Pioneer statue make its racial meaning abundantly clear .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ extolled Oregon pioneers as particularly good examples of the “ Anglo-Saxon race ” who “ fought Indians ” and claimed their lands .
In the two decades following that statue ’ s dedication , dozens of communities across the nation installed statues of saintly pioneer women carrying white Christian values westward .
That included a Pioneer Mother to accompany the “ Pioneer Father ” at the University of Oregon .
A dedicatory plaque calls on future generations to remember the “ spirit of conquering peace ” it celebrates .
Many white Americans of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ responsible for spreading Christian culture to a supposedly savage frontier .
These monuments celebrate female settlers as agents of the conquest of Indigenous peoples .
Communities continue to erect pioneer monuments today .
I have identified more than 200 across the nation .
Nearly half of those — including four in Colorado — have been erected in the past 50 years .
While their dedication speeches and dedicatory plaques might not engage so explicitly with white racial dominance , they nonetheless celebrate the persistence of white settlers — and us , their descendants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
We must consider their continuing impact on the descendants of those indigenous peoples and other groups that have been silenced by a century of monuments celebrating white cultural dominance .
As the fervent debates over Confederate monuments show us , there are no easy answers in the debate over historical memory .
But the toppling of these Oregon pioneer monuments suggests it is time to begin discussions about how we imagine and commemorate westward expansion .
And those discussions must pay particular attention to those who have traditionally been silenced .
That @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the centuries-old wounds of white supremacy .
Cynthia C. Prescott is an associate professor of history at the University of North Dakota .
She is author of Pioneer Mother Monuments : Constructing Cultural Memory and Gender and Generation on the Far Western Frontier .
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 .

Since the killing of George Floyd, at least 23 American cities have removed monuments to Confederate generals.
Protesters also challenged statues of other historic figures, including explorer Christopher Columbus and conquistador Juan de Oñate, each of whose cruelty to indigenous peoples is well documented.
But why did protesters tear down statues of pioneers on the University of Oregon campus? Rather than depicting famous individuals associated with slavery or violence, Eugene’s pioneer monuments depict generic figures of a buckskin-clad frontiersman and a female settler reading a book.
The anger directed at these pioneer statues reminds us that these monuments are just as problematic as Confederate and conquistador statues. Early twentieth-century boosters built these statues to enshrine white supremacy in the West, making their presence a daily reminder of white cultural dominance. Their example demonstrates that we as a nation need to think as critically about the commemoration of westward expansion as we do about Confederate monuments.
Comparing Eugene’s pioneer monuments to other western monuments from that era helps to uncover why they are problematic. At the turn of the twentieth century, as southeastern communities installed monuments to Confederate soldiers, young western cities erected monuments celebrating the arrival of Euro-American “civilization” to western lands. White citizens of San Francisco (1894) and Salt Lake City (1897) celebrated the dedication of monuments depicting the transition from “savage” American Indians at the base to the glories of white civilization at the top of granite columns.
Viewers at the time absolutely understood that these monuments celebrated white supremacy. In 1904 Denver residents protested that a proposed monument on the edge of Civic Center was not racist enough because sculptor Frederick MacMonnies had inverted the accepted racial order by placing an American Indian warrior at the top and white settlers at the bottom. To compromise, the artist replaced the Plains Indian warrior with famed Indian fighter Kit Carson, a change that celebrated white conquest of Native peoples.
Other western sculptors erased Native peoples from western monuments just as the white settlers depicted in their statues removed previous inhabitants from western lands. Speeches delivered at the 1919 dedication of University of Oregon’s Pioneer statue make its racial meaning abundantly clear. The president of the Oregon Historical Society extolled Oregon pioneers as particularly good examples of the “Anglo-Saxon race” who “fought Indians” and claimed their lands.
In the two decades following that statue’s dedication, dozens of communities across the nation installed statues of saintly pioneer women carrying white Christian values westward. That included a Pioneer Mother to accompany the “Pioneer Father” at the University of Oregon. A dedicatory plaque calls on future generations to remember the “spirit of conquering peace” it celebrates. Many white Americans of that era believed that white settlers were responsible for spreading Christian culture to a supposedly savage frontier. These monuments celebrate female settlers as agents of the conquest of Indigenous peoples.
Communities continue to erect pioneer monuments today. I have identified more than 200 across the nation. Nearly half of those — including four in Colorado — have been erected in the past 50 years. While their dedication speeches and dedicatory plaques might not engage so explicitly with white racial dominance, they nonetheless celebrate the persistence of white settlers — and us, their descendants — on lands claimed from indigenous inhabitants. We must consider their continuing impact on the descendants of those indigenous peoples and other groups that have been silenced by a century of monuments celebrating white cultural dominance.
As the fervent debates over Confederate monuments show us, there are no easy answers in the debate over historical memory. But the toppling of these Oregon pioneer monuments suggests it is time to begin discussions about how we imagine and commemorate westward expansion. And those discussions must pay particular attention to those who have traditionally been silenced. That will be just one step toward healing from the centuries-old wounds of white supremacy.
Cynthia C. Prescott is an associate professor of history at the University of North Dakota. She is author of Pioneer Mother Monuments: Constructing Cultural Memory and Gender and Generation on the Far Western Frontier.
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--2020-07-06--NHL, union announce plan to resume play on Aug. 1

The NHL is not only in a position to resume playing within the next month , the league has the potential of enjoying labor peace through 2026 .
The National Hockey League and the NHL Players ’ Association on Monday announced reaching a tentative deal on a return to play format which is coupled with the two sides agreeing to a memorandum of understanding on a four-year extension of the collective bargaining agreement .
Should both agreements be ratified , the NHL would proceed immediately to its expanded 24-team playoff format , with play beginning on Aug. 1 .
Under @ @ @ @ @ @ @ July 13 , with teams traveling to their respective hub cities for exhibition games on July 26 .
A person with direct knowledge of the agreements told The Associated Press that the NHL has selected Toronto and Edmonton , Alberta , to be the hub cities in hosting the qualifying round and at least first two playoff rounds .
The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because the league and NHLPA have not released this information .
The person said , the league is being cautious , and allowing itself flexibility in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infections in not yet determining which cities will host the conference finals and Stanley Cup Final .
The agreements need two-thirds approval by owners .
On the union side , the agreements must first be approved by a majority of the NHLPA ’ s 31-member executive committee before going to a vote to the full membership .
The executive committee is expected to make its recommendation by the end of day Tuesday .
If approved , the players would be expected to complete their voting process by Friday .
Extending the CBA , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2022 , was considered a necessary step in restarting the season , which was placed on pause in March as a result of the pandemic .
The CBA extension covers numerous on- and off-ice issues , including the NHL ’ s potential return to the Olympics , the person said .
If approved , players would be in a position to compete at the Beijing Olympics in 2022 and Cortina Milan Games in 2026 .
In order for that to happen , the NHL would first have to resolve its outstanding issues , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with the International Olympic Committee and International Ice Hockey Federation .
The NHL , NHLPA and IIHF had what were called productive talks earlier this year .
The NHL participated in five consecutive Olympics from 1998-2014 before skipping 2018 in Pyeongchang .
Financially , this CBA extension would address the monetary hit affecting the league and players as a result of lost revenues stemming from the remainder of the regular season being wiped out and with the resumption of games being played in empty arenas .
• Avs ’ Pierre-Edouard Bellemare may @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But he ’ s “ ready to make some sacrifices to win that Cup ” • NHL has had 23 positive COVID-19 tests during voluntary workouts • Chambers : Oskar Lindblom ’ s cancer battle exemplifies what Masterton Trophy is all about A second person familiar with the proposed agreement told The AP , that players would defer 10 % of salaries next season which owners would pay back over three consecutive seasons starting in 2022-23 .
The salary cap will remain at $ 81.5 million for at least next season , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ condition of anonymity because the details were not revealed .
Escrow payments to owners to even out hockey-related revenue at 50/50 would be capped at 20 % next season , with the cap decreasing throughout the deal , the second person said .
If owners are still owed money from the players , the CBA would be extended for an additional season .
Escrow has remained one of the biggest complaints of players in the past several years .
Over the weekend , the league and players agreed to an extensive series of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Players will be allowed to opt out of competing in the expanded playoffs , and will have three days to make their decision once the agreement is ratified .

The NHL is not only in a position to resume playing within the next month, the league has the potential of enjoying labor peace through 2026.
The National Hockey League and the NHL Players’ Association on Monday announced reaching a tentative deal on a return to play format which is coupled with the two sides agreeing to a memorandum of understanding on a four-year extension of the collective bargaining agreement.
Should both agreements be ratified, the NHL would proceed immediately to its expanded 24-team playoff format, with play beginning on Aug. 1. Under the plan, training camps would open July 13, with teams traveling to their respective hub cities for exhibition games on July 26.
A person with direct knowledge of the agreements told The Associated Press that the NHL has selected Toronto and Edmonton, Alberta, to be the hub cities in hosting the qualifying round and at least first two playoff rounds.
The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because the league and NHLPA have not released this information. The person said, the league is being cautious, and allowing itself flexibility in the event of potential spikes in COVID-19 infections in not yet determining which cities will host the conference finals and Stanley Cup Final.
The agreements need two-thirds approval by owners. On the union side, the agreements must first be approved by a majority of the NHLPA’s 31-member executive committee before going to a vote to the full membership.
The executive committee is expected to make its recommendation by the end of day Tuesday. If approved, the players would be expected to complete their voting process by Friday.
Extending the CBA, which was set to expire in September 2022, was considered a necessary step in restarting the season, which was placed on pause in March as a result of the pandemic.
The CBA extension covers numerous on- and off-ice issues, including the NHL’s potential return to the Olympics, the person said.
If approved, players would be in a position to compete at the Beijing Olympics in 2022 and Cortina Milan Games in 2026. In order for that to happen, the NHL would first have to resolve its outstanding issues, which include marketing rights and health insurance, with the International Olympic Committee and International Ice Hockey Federation.
The NHL, NHLPA and IIHF had what were called productive talks earlier this year.
The NHL participated in five consecutive Olympics from 1998-2014 before skipping 2018 in Pyeongchang.
Financially, this CBA extension would address the monetary hit affecting the league and players as a result of lost revenues stemming from the remainder of the regular season being wiped out and with the resumption of games being played in empty arenas.
A second person familiar with the proposed agreement told The AP, that players would defer 10% of salaries next season which owners would pay back over three consecutive seasons starting in 2022-23. The salary cap will remain at $81.5 million for at least next season, the person added, and spoke on the condition of anonymity because the details were not revealed.
Escrow payments to owners to even out hockey-related revenue at 50/50 would be capped at 20% next season, with the cap decreasing throughout the deal, the second person said. If owners are still owed money from the players, the CBA would be extended for an additional season.
Escrow has remained one of the biggest complaints of players in the past several years.
Over the weekend, the league and players agreed to an extensive series of return-to-play protocols involving training camps and games.
Players will be allowed to opt out of competing in the expanded playoffs, and will have three days to make their decision once the agreement is ratified.


thedenverpost--2020-07-06--Rockies 2020 schedule opens on July 24 against the Rangers at Globe Life Field

Major League Baseball released its 2020 schedule on Monday , and the Rockies open their 60-game slate on July 24 against the Rangers at Globe Life Field in Arlington , Texas .
Colorado will play two exhibition games against the Rangers in Arlington on July 21 and 22 .
Here ’ s four observations : 1 .
After opening the season with a five-game road trip in Texas and Oakland ( Colorado is playing 20 games against American League West opponents this year ) , the Rockies ’ home opener is July 31 against San Diego .
Though MLB hasn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ games , that ’ s highly unlikely at Coors Field , at least early on in the season .
2 .
Colorado ’ s most brutal stretch comes in mid-August , an 11-game stretch that begins with two games in Houston on Aug. 17 .
A two-game set against the Astros at home follows , and then a seven-game road trip against the Dodgers for three and Diamondbacks for four .
3 .
After the Dodgers owned Colorado with a 15-4 record last year , Colorado has to play better against Los Angeles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2020 .
Those showdowns are on the road Aug. 21-23 and Sept. 4-6 , and at home Sept. 17-20 .
4 .
The Rockies close the season with a seven-game road trip to San Francisco ( Sept. 21-24 ) and Arizona ( Sept. 25-27 ) .
So if Colorado is in the playoff chase come the final week of the season , they will have to earn their postseason spot away from the friendly confines of Coors Field .

Major League Baseball released its 2020 schedule on Monday, and the Rockies open their 60-game slate on July 24 against the Rangers at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas.
Colorado will play two exhibition games against the Rangers in Arlington on July 21 and 22. Here’s four observations:
1. After opening the season with a five-game road trip in Texas and Oakland (Colorado is playing 20 games against American League West opponents this year), the Rockies’ home opener is July 31 against San Diego. Though MLB hasn’t explicitly ruled out fans at games, that’s highly unlikely at Coors Field, at least early on in the season.
2. Colorado’s most brutal stretch comes in mid-August, an 11-game stretch that begins with two games in Houston on Aug. 17. A two-game set against the Astros at home follows, and then a seven-game road trip against the Dodgers for three and Diamondbacks for four.
3. After the Dodgers owned Colorado with a 15-4 record last year, Colorado has to play better against Los Angeles in the teams’ three series in 2020. Those showdowns are on the road Aug. 21-23 and Sept. 4-6, and at home Sept. 17-20.
4. The Rockies close the season with a seven-game road trip to San Francisco (Sept. 21-24) and Arizona (Sept. 25-27). So if Colorado is in the playoff chase come the final week of the season, they will have to earn their postseason spot away from the friendly confines of Coors Field.
Rockies schedule


thedenverpost--2020-07-07--Fort Collins police report assault, home explosion, death in burning house

A woman in east Fort Collins told her neighbors that a man she knew had assaulted her in her home Monday , and as police were responding to the 911 call , the house exploded in flames , according to Fort Collins police .
Poudre Fire Authority crews also headed to the scene in the 2500 block of East Harmony Road to treat the woman ’ s injuries and fight the fire at the home , which was engulfed in flames when firefighters and police arrived , according to a press release .
Inside the home , firefighters found the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was the person who assaulted the woman , the release said .
The man ’ s name and cause and manner of death will be released later by the Larimer County Coroner ’ s Office , the release said .
Because of the explosion , emergency responders were concerned about the safety of residents around the burning home , so they evacuated neighboring houses until the Northern Colorado Bomb Squad determined that the area was safe , according to the release .
Fort Collins police detectives have taken over the investigation and are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spoken to police to call Detective Adam Braun at 970-221-6580 .
People who wish to remain anonymous can contact Crime Stoppers of Larimer County at 970-221-6868 or www.stopcriminals.org .

A woman in east Fort Collins told her neighbors that a man she knew had assaulted her in her home Monday, and as police were responding to the 911 call, the house exploded in flames, according to Fort Collins police.
Poudre Fire Authority crews also headed to the scene in the 2500 block of East Harmony Road to treat the woman’s injuries and fight the fire at the home, which was engulfed in flames when firefighters and police arrived, according to a press release.
Inside the home, firefighters found the body of a man whom they believe was the person who assaulted the woman, the release said.
The man’s name and cause and manner of death will be released later by the Larimer County Coroner’s Office, the release said.
Because of the explosion, emergency responders were concerned about the safety of residents around the burning home, so they evacuated neighboring houses until the Northern Colorado Bomb Squad determined that the area was safe, according to the release.
Fort Collins police detectives have taken over the investigation and are asking anyone with information who has not spoken to police to call Detective Adam Braun at 970-221-6580.
People who wish to remain anonymous can contact Crime Stoppers of Larimer County at 970-221-6868 or www.stopcriminals.org.


thedenverpost--2020-07-07--Two dead after shooting in Aurora

Two dead after shooting in Aurora

Two people died following a shooting early Tuesday in Aurora .
At 12:12 a.m. Tuesday , officers with the Aurora @ @ @ @ @ area of E. Colfax Avenue and N. Beeler Street after receiving reports of a shooting @ @ @ @ @ the scene , they found two people — a woman in her mid 30s and @ @ @ @ @ .
Both had been shot .
The woman was deceased .
The man was transported @ @ @ @ @ he died , police said .
The Adams County Coroner ’ s Office will release @ @ @ @ @ and woman after next of kin have been notified .
Anybody with information about this @ @ @ @ @ Homicide Unit at 303-739-6077 .
Callers can remain anonymous by contacting Denver Metro Crime Stoppers @ @ @ @ @ for a reward up to $ 2,000 .
Read more from our partners at Denver7 @

Two people died following a shooting early Tuesday in Aurora.
At 12:12 a.m. Tuesday, officers with the Aurora Police Department responded to the area of E. Colfax Avenue and N. Beeler Street after receiving reports of a shooting.
When officers arrived at the scene, they found two people — a woman in her mid 30s and a man, police said. Both had been shot. The woman was deceased. The man was transported to a hospital, where he died, police said.
The Adams County Coroner’s Office will release the identities of the man and woman after next of kin have been notified.
Anybody with information about this crime should call the Aurora Homicide Unit at 303-739-6077. Callers can remain anonymous by contacting Denver Metro Crime Stoppers at 720-913-7867 to be eligible for a reward up to $2,000.
Read more from our partners at Denver7.


thedenverpost--2020-07-07--A year after Senate Bill 181 OK’d, regulators poised to tackle heart of sweeping oil, gas changes

State regulators writing new oil and gas rules have carried on through a global pandemic and massive turmoil in the industry .
That might have been the easy part for the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission , now poised to plunge into the heart of the law that mandates sweeping changes .
A new , full-time commission will take the hand-off from a volunteer commission to take on what ’ s being called “ mission change.
” The proposed rules range from where wells should be located to assessing the cumulative impacts of development , protecting important wildlife habitat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comment on new drilling .
The broad swath of proposals is intended to enact what ’ s considered the core of Senate Bill 181 .
The bill signed into law in April 2019 shifted the language of the COGCC ’ s mission from “ fostering ” oil and gas development while protecting public health and the environment to “ regulating ” the industry in a way that safeguards the public and environment .
The new five-member professional commission , another change required by SB181 , will hear from various interest groups leading up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Aug. 24 .
The state Air Quality Control Commission is also writing rules aimed at cutting emissions from well and gas sites .
“ This mission change rule-making is really where we see how successful Senate Bill 181 can be , ” said Kelly Nordini , executive director of Conservation Colorado .
“ The old mission used to be about promoting oil and gas development .
That ’ s not a modern charge for an agency that people expect to protect public health , neighborhoods and the environment.
” Last year , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and gas regulations after stepped-up drilling in and near communities along the northern Front Range fueled growing concerns and complaints about air quality and health .
In 2019 , Colorado was the country ’ s fifth-largest oil producer and seventh-largest natural gas producer .
However , low oil prices — due to an oversupply and a severe drop in demand after the coronavirus pandemic hit — have changed the landscape for energy companies nationwide .
Even before the pandemic , many companies had scaled back spending and development plans because of heavy debt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its knees .
You already had significant capital constraints .
You had oil and gas prices that were already weak and then the pandemic just exacerbated all of that , ” said Howard Boigon , an oil and gas lawyer who just stepped down from the commission after three years .
Boigon expects the COGCC to get requests to slow down or delay the rule-making .
Does he think the calls should be heeded ?
“ My short answer is yes , ” he said .
The commission and COGCC staff completed work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The commission approved new rules for underground flow lines , which carry oil and gas from wells and run on or near a well site .
And , in June , the commission adopted stronger rules for maintaining the integrity of the well bore , the hole that ’ s drilled to access oil or gas .
The new rules are intended to better protect groundwater .
They order more frequent checks of the cement and pipes that are part of the well construction .
The mission-change rules are more general and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and argument , ” Boigon said .
Oil and gas companies have laid off or furloughed people and are trying not to spend money .
“ To add this kind of intensive rule making and to do it in a setting where you have to do a lot of it virtually is really a big challenge.
” But Nordini said it ’ s been clear for a while that the industry is one of boom and busts and regulations need to take that into account .
“ For instance , how do we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public have confidence that when they ’ re in a bust cycle we don ’ t end up holding the bag on abandoned wells , orphan wells ?
” Nordini asked .
The commission will consider requiring bigger bonds to cover costs if companies abandon wells without cleaning and securing the sites , but not until the mission-change rules are adopted .
Boigon favors moving the financial proposals to the head of the line because they deal with a specific , important issue .
Dan Haley , president and CEO of the Colorado @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was a lot of agreement on the rules adopted so far because people from all sides worked for months on them .
“ Now , we ’ re moving into the much broader mission-change proposals , ” Haley said .
“ You hear us talking about needing more time .
There really are technical , important things that we think you need to spend a little time getting right.
” The pace is the problem , but not in the way the industry says , said Anne Lee Foster with Safe and Healthy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ It ’ s been an incredibly slow process in which permits have continued to be approved without health and safety regulations in place , ” Foster said .
“ The few rule makings that have been completed have not addressed the real heart of Senate Bill 181 , to protect public health and safety .
Many concessions were made to industry to protect their profits.
” Foster points to the requirement in the flow line rules that companies publicly map the location of the thousands of miles of oil and gas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and .
The COGCC didn ’ t require the degree of detail on maps that reform advocates sought after companies raised concerns about security .
A house explosion in Firestone in 2017 that killed Mark Martinez and his brother in law , Joey Irwin , made dealing with flow lines a priority when investigators determined the cause was an inactive but uncapped and leaking line .
Jeff Robbins , the former COGCC director who is now chairman of the commission , said although the pandemic delayed work , he expects approval of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ behind schedule .
The commission has held a number of hearings online , sometimes drawing hundreds of participants .
Dave Devanney of the Western Colorado Alliance said he ’ s looking forward to decisions on the upcoming rules , particularly well setbacks .
He recently moved from Battlement Mesa to the Front Range but is still involved in fighting the location of well pads near homes in the Western Slope community and near the Colorado River .
And Devanney supports requiring companies to detail the potential cumulative impacts before they can drill .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a community surrounded by oil and gas development and with development in the community , you can ’ t help but ask how much is too much , ” he said .
“ When do we draw the line and say that ’ s all the pollution we can introduce into the environment ?
”

State regulators writing new oil and gas rules have carried on through a global pandemic and massive turmoil in the industry. That might have been the easy part for the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, now poised to plunge into the heart of the law that mandates sweeping changes.
A new, full-time commission will take the hand-off from a volunteer commission to take on what’s being called “mission change.” The proposed rules range from where wells should be located to assessing the cumulative impacts of development, protecting important wildlife habitat to deciding who has the right to comment on new drilling.
The broad swath of proposals is intended to enact what’s considered the core of Senate Bill 181. The bill signed into law in April 2019 shifted the language of the COGCC’s mission from “fostering” oil and gas development while protecting public health and the environment to “regulating” the industry in a way that safeguards the public and environment.
The new five-member professional commission, another change required by SB181, will hear from various interest groups leading up to a multi-day hearing scheduled to start Aug. 24.
The state Air Quality Control Commission is also writing rules aimed at cutting emissions from well and gas sites.
“This mission change rule-making is really where we see how successful Senate Bill 181 can be,” said Kelly Nordini, executive director of Conservation Colorado. “The old mission used to be about promoting oil and gas development. That’s not a modern charge for an agency that people expect to protect public health, neighborhoods and the environment.”
Last year, the Democratic-controlled legislature approved the bill revamping oil and gas regulations after stepped-up drilling in and near communities along the northern Front Range fueled growing concerns and complaints about air quality and health. In 2019, Colorado was the country’s fifth-largest oil producer and seventh-largest natural gas producer.
However, low oil prices — due to an oversupply and a severe drop in demand after the coronavirus pandemic hit — have changed the landscape for energy companies nationwide. Even before the pandemic, many companies had scaled back spending and development plans because of heavy debt loads.
“The industry is on its knees. You already had significant capital constraints. You had oil and gas prices that were already weak and then the pandemic just exacerbated all of that,” said Howard Boigon, an oil and gas lawyer who just stepped down from the commission after three years.
Boigon expects the COGCC to get requests to slow down or delay the rule-making. Does he think the calls should be heeded? “My short answer is yes,” he said.
The commission and COGCC staff completed work in two important areas, Boigon said. The commission approved new rules for underground flow lines, which carry oil and gas from wells and run on or near a well site. And, in June, the commission adopted stronger rules for maintaining the integrity of the well bore, the hole that’s drilled to access oil or gas. The new rules are intended to better protect groundwater. They order more frequent checks of the cement and pipes that are part of the well construction.
The mission-change rules are more general and “will require a lot of discussion and argument,” Boigon said. Oil and gas companies have laid off or furloughed people and are trying not to spend money. “To add this kind of intensive rule making and to do it in a setting where you have to do a lot of it virtually is really a big challenge.”
But Nordini said it’s been clear for a while that the industry is one of boom and busts and regulations need to take that into account.
“For instance, how do we handle abandoned wells? How can the public have confidence that when they’re in a bust cycle we don’t end up holding the bag on abandoned wells, orphan wells?” Nordini asked.
The commission will consider requiring bigger bonds to cover costs if companies abandon wells without cleaning and securing the sites, but not until the mission-change rules are adopted. Boigon favors moving the financial proposals to the head of the line because they deal with a specific, important issue.
Dan Haley, president and CEO of the Colorado Oil and Gas Association, said there was a lot of agreement on the rules adopted so far because people from all sides worked for months on them.
“Now, we’re moving into the much broader mission-change proposals,” Haley said. “You hear us talking about needing more time. There really are technical, important things that we think you need to spend a little time getting right.”
The pace is the problem, but not in the way the industry says, said Anne Lee Foster with Safe and Healthy Colorado, which advocates for strengthening regulations.
“It’s been an incredibly slow process in which permits have continued to be approved without health and safety regulations in place,” Foster said. “The few rule makings that have been completed have not addressed the real heart of Senate Bill 181, to protect public health and safety. Many concessions were made to industry to protect their profits.”
Foster points to the requirement in the flow line rules that companies publicly map the location of the thousands of miles of oil and gas lines over which people live, work and. The COGCC didn’t require the degree of detail on maps that reform advocates sought after companies raised concerns about security.
A house explosion in Firestone in 2017 that killed Mark Martinez and his brother in law, Joey Irwin, made dealing with flow lines a priority when investigators determined the cause was an inactive but uncapped and leaking line.
Jeff Robbins, the former COGCC director who is now chairman of the commission, said although the pandemic delayed work, he expects approval of the mission-change rules to be only six weeks behind schedule. The commission has held a number of hearings online, sometimes drawing hundreds of participants.
Dave Devanney of the Western Colorado Alliance said he’s looking forward to decisions on the upcoming rules, particularly well setbacks. He recently moved from Battlement Mesa to the Front Range but is still involved in fighting the location of well pads near homes in the Western Slope community and near the Colorado River.
And Devanney supports requiring companies to detail the potential cumulative impacts before they can drill.
“As a resident of Battlement Mesa, a community surrounded by oil and gas development and with development in the community, you can’t help but ask how much is too much,” he said. “When do we draw the line and say that’s all the pollution we can introduce into the environment?”


thedenverpost--2020-07-07--Denver Public Library opens for curbside service — finally

When Denver Public Library announced on Facebook a couple of weeks ago that it would be introducing curbside pickup for books and other materials starting Tuesday , the news was met with a sigh of relief — and even unfettered joy .
“ We missed the library most of all , ” wrote one library patron .
But there was also impatience — “ About time !
” read another reply — with the pace of reopening a library system that hosted more than 4.1 million patron visits in 2018 and serves as a gathering spot and connection point for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rely on the library to access the internet .
“ My husband goes every day to read the newspapers , ” said 82-year-old Zoe Lappin , who often visits the central location downtown to do genealogy research on her family .
“ A lot of retired people go to the library every day.
” Denver Public Library ’ s 26 branches have been closed since mid-March , when the coronavirus pandemic began to race through the state , and a reopening date has yet to be set .
While just about every other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ physically closed as well , many of them have been operating curbside services that allow patrons to check out books and other items .
In Denver , patrons will have to schedule an appointment for curbside service by visiting the library ’ s website or calling their neighborhood branch .
The library will attempt this week to deliver as many of its existing holds — orders put in before the pandemic struck — as possible to patrons curbside .
New holds on can be placed on materials beginning July 13 .
In fact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are no longer limited to curbside service .
Erika Gonzales , communications director for Denver Public Library , said that won ’ t change the reopening schedule for the city ’ s libraries .
She said some branches are so small that social distancing would be a near-impossibility .
“ Although the governor has included libraries in the order , we ’ ll have to discuss this with our local officials , ” she said .
“ We follow the local orders .
Our teams are working on an opening strategy so that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” As the state ’ s largest library district — with nearly half a million cardholders — Gonzales said it ’ s not so easy for Denver to just turn the lights back on again , especially in the midst of a pandemic .
With more than 300,000 items checked out at the time the library closed in March and dropoff boxes locked until mid-June , library staff needed time to quarantine returned items and reshelve them before allowing new books to go out .
“ We have so many books coming back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could do both at the same time , ” Gonzales said .
Gonzales said Denver faces certain dynamics with its population and size that surrounding suburban library districts don ’ t , requiring reopening plans to follow a more cautious track .
“ We are in an urban core , so our processes and challenges will be different , ” she said , noting that an average of 2,500 people a day visit the central Denver location alone .
“ That ’ s a massive amount of people who you ’ re talking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cathy Alderman , spokeswoman for the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless , understands the need for Denver Public Library to tread cautiously .
But she wonders if , as a first step to getting buildings back open , it could offer a dedicated hour or two a day where those without a home might be able to use the library ’ s computers — akin to how grocery stores are offering early-morning shopping exclusively to vulnerable populations .
“ Access to critical public health information is difficult without internet access , ” Alderman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ without phones , are finding it increasingly difficult to communicate with health care providers or housing case managers — or even do something as simple as get a weather forecast , she said .
Even though branches have been closed for more than three months , Denver Public Library hasn ’ t been dormant , Gonzales said .
Virtual programming for all ages has been offered during the pandemic , and downloads of the library ’ s ebooks have skyrocketed .
Whereas there were 887,636 eMedia checkouts in the first five months of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ January-through-May period this year .
Use of the library ’ s local music streaming service , Volume , jumped 78 % , and Phone a Story visits shot up nearly 75 % .
Denver Public Library ’ s 700-person staff have kept their jobs and pay during the pandemic , and they haven ’ t been idle , Gonzales said .
Many turned to long-term projects and initiatives — such as assignments in the Western History and Genealogy department — that had long been deferred .
Others were asked to prospect for potential @ @ @ @ @ @ @ provide meals to youth outside the Athmar Park Branch Library .
Other assignments included evaluating free children ’ s apps , examining and updating a young adult booklist , and operating a citywide phone bank that called older Denverites to ensure they have the needed resources to get through the COVID-19 crisis .
Still others on the library payroll sewed masks , Gonzales said .
She said Denver Public Library left its WiFi network on at all of its branches so that people in need of an internet hotspot could easily find one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we know people rely on us so much , ” she said .
Mary Venner , 79 , called the library a “ lifeline ” for her .
The longtime Denver resident visits the Ross-Barnum branch once a week and enjoys making connections with the staff every time she goes .
She spent days , she said , helping the library assess its book collection after a flood several years ago .
“ The books and the people are really important to me , ” Venner said .
“ It ’ s an @ @ @ @ @ @ @

When Denver Public Library announced on Facebook a couple of weeks ago that it would be introducing curbside pickup for books and other materials starting Tuesday, the news was met with a sigh of relief — and even unfettered joy.
“We missed the library most of all,” wrote one library patron.
But there was also impatience — “About time!” read another reply — with the pace of reopening a library system that hosted more than 4.1 million patron visits in 2018 and serves as a gathering spot and connection point for children, older people and those who rely on the library to access the internet.
“My husband goes every day to read the newspapers,” said 82-year-old Zoe Lappin, who often visits the central location downtown to do genealogy research on her family. “A lot of retired people go to the library every day.”
Denver Public Library’s 26 branches have been closed since mid-March, when the coronavirus pandemic began to race through the state, and a reopening date has yet to be set. While just about every other library district in the metro area remains physically closed as well, many of them have been operating curbside services that allow patrons to check out books and other items.
In Denver, patrons will have to schedule an appointment for curbside service by visiting the library’s website or calling their neighborhood branch. The library will attempt this week to deliver as many of its existing holds — orders put in before the pandemic struck — as possible to patrons curbside. New holds on can be placed on materials beginning July 13.
In fact, state health officials recently said libraries are no longer limited to curbside service. Erika Martinez, communications director for Denver Public Library, said that won’t change the reopening schedule for the city’s libraries. She said some branches are so small that social distancing would be a near-impossibility.
“Although the governor has included libraries in the order, we’ll have to discuss this with our local officials,” she said. “We follow the local orders. Our teams are working on an opening strategy so that we are prepared when the time comes.”
As the state’s largest library district — with nearly half a million cardholders — Martinez said it’s not so easy for Denver to just turn the lights back on again, especially in the midst of a pandemic.
With more than 300,000 items checked out at the time the library closed in March and dropoff boxes locked until mid-June, library staff needed time to quarantine returned items and reshelve them before allowing new books to go out.
“We have so many books coming back, we didn’t think we could do both at the same time,” Martinez said.
Martinez said Denver faces certain dynamics with its population and size that surrounding suburban library districts don’t, requiring reopening plans to follow a more cautious track.
“We are in an urban core, so our processes and challenges will be different,” she said, noting that an average of 2,500 people a day visit the central Denver location alone. “That’s a massive amount of people who you’re talking about social distancing and cleaning surfaces.”
Cathy Alderman, spokeswoman for the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless, understands the need for Denver Public Library to tread cautiously. But she wonders if, as a first step to getting buildings back open, it could offer a dedicated hour or two a day where those without a home might be able to use the library’s computers — akin to how grocery stores are offering early-morning shopping exclusively to vulnerable populations.
“Access to critical public health information is difficult without internet access,” Alderman said.
Homeless people, especially those without phones, are finding it increasingly difficult to communicate with health care providers or housing case managers — or even do something as simple as get a weather forecast, she said.
Martinez said the library has been piloting a program where Chromebooks have been put on tables outside the Central branch that allow people experiencing homelessness to access the internet for 30 minutes at a time, between Tuesday and Friday from noon to 3 p.m. The effort will expand to other branches starting July 21, Martinez said.
Even though branches have been closed for more than three months, Denver Public Library hasn’t been dormant, Martinez said. Virtual programming for all ages has been offered during the pandemic, and downloads of the library’s ebooks have skyrocketed. Whereas there were 887,636 eMedia checkouts in the first five months of 2019, there were 1,030,451 in the January-through-May period this year.
Use of the library’s local music streaming service, Volume, jumped 78%, and Phone a Story visits shot up nearly 75%.
Denver Public Library’s 700-person staff have kept their jobs and pay during the pandemic, and they haven’t been idle, Martinez said. Many turned to long-term projects and initiatives — such as assignments in the Western History and Genealogy department — that had long been deferred.
Others were asked to prospect for potential library funding sources while some staff helped provide meals to youth outside the Athmar Park Branch Library. Other assignments included evaluating free children’s apps, examining and updating a young adult booklist, and operating a citywide phone bank that called older Denverites to ensure they have the needed resources to get through the COVID-19 crisis.
Still others on the library payroll sewed masks, Martinez said. She said Denver Public Library left its WiFi network on at all of its branches so that people in need of an internet hotspot could easily find one.
“We kept it on because we know people rely on us so much,” she said.
Mary Venner, 79, called the library a “lifeline” for her. The longtime Denver resident visits the Ross-Barnum branch once a week and enjoys making connections with the staff every time she goes. She spent days, she said, helping the library assess its book collection after a flood several years ago.
“The books and the people are really important to me,” Venner said. “It’s an important part of my life.”
Due to a reporter’s error, Denver Public Library Communications Director Erika Martinez’s name was incorrect in the original version of the story.


thedenverpost--2020-07-07--Precious Achiuwa to the Nuggets? Fox Sports’ NBA mock draft has forward coming to Denver.

The NBA draft is still four months away , but the Nuggets could be getting another strong late pickup .
Memphis forward Precious Achiuwa is projected to go to Denver with the No .
21 pick , according to Fox Sports ’ Jason McIntyre ’ s NBA mock draft .
“ Two front court players are free agents — Paul Millsap and Mason Plumlee — and Achiuwa could be the ideal power forward alongside Jokic , ’ McIntyre writes .
The 7-foot Achiuwa averaged 15.8 points , 10.8 rebounds and 1.9 blocks as a freshman for the Tigers last season @ @ @ @ @ @ @ selected earlier in other mock drafts , such as NBC Sports ( No .
11 ) , CBS Sports ( No .
13 ) and Bleacher Report ( No .
13 ) .
But it would follow Denver ’ s trend in recent years after picking up Michael Porter Jr. and Bol Bol far later than many draftniks had expected .
If you enjoy the Denver Sports Omelette , tell a friend it ’ s easy to sign up here for our daily sports roundup .
If you have any questions or suggestions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ joenguyen or by email .
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Ask Mike Chambers here .
+ Rockies Mailbag : Have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Patrick Saunders here .

The NBA draft is still four months away, but the Nuggets could be getting another strong late pickup.
Memphis forward Precious Achiuwa is projected to go to Denver with the No. 21 pick, according to Fox Sports’ Jason McIntyre’s NBA mock draft.
“Two front court players are free agents — Paul Millsap and Mason Plumlee — and Achiuwa could be the ideal power forward alongside Jokic,’ McIntyre writes.
The 7-foot Achiuwa averaged 15.8 points, 10.8 rebounds and 1.9 blocks as a freshman for the Tigers last season. He has been projected to get selected earlier in other mock drafts, such as NBC Sports (No. 11), CBS Sports (No. 13) and Bleacher Report (No. 13). But it would follow Denver’s trend in recent years after picking up Michael Porter Jr. and Bol Bol far later than many draftniks had expected.
— Joe Nguyen, The Denver Post
If you enjoy the Denver Sports Omelette, tell a friend it’s easy to sign up here for our daily sports roundup. If you have any questions or suggestions, hit me up on Twitter @joenguyen or by email.
A special offer for Sports Omelette readers! Subscribe to The Denver Post’s sports coverage for just 99¢ for the first month and only $6.99/month thereafter. Cancel anytime.
Ask The Experts
+ Broncos Mailbag: Have a question about the team? Ask Ryan O’Halloran here.
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thedenverpost--2020-07-07--Worried about COVID-19, Colorado law school graduates seek alternative to in-person bar exam

New graduates from Colorado ’ s two law schools are raising concerns about potential exposure to COVID-19 during the two-day , in-person bar exam scheduled for the end of July .
They ’ ve proposed invoking “ diploma privilege ” as some other states have , meaning University of Colorado and University of Denver law school graduates who applied for the July 2020 bar exam and passed the character and fitness requirements would be licensed to practice law without taking the test .
Oregon , Utah and Washington have granted diploma privilege for law graduates .
Some states have postponed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ others are planning to go through with their summer test dates .
“ It ’ s too dangerous to safely hold the bar exam in July in Colorado , ” said Andrew Schulman , a May graduate of DU ’ s Sturm College of Law .
“ If it ’ s held , it ’ s going to have a widely disproportionate impact for students who are at high risk and people whose jobs are depending on being licensed.
” “ At the baseline , we know that the bar favors white people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Schulman said .
“ We know COVID-19 is having this disparate impact , too , so there ’ s this double effect.
” The Colorado Supreme Court last month issued testing guidance , made with the help of state and local public health agencies , designed to keep test takers and proctors safe .
Jessica Yates , attorney regulation counsel for the state ’ s high court , said updated protocols will be released later this week with more details including the number of people assigned to certain rooms and guidelines @ @ @ @ @ @ @ July 28 and 29 exam .
• Recommending attendees forgo indoor restaurants , gyms and large gatherings between now and the exam • Masks required whenever moving around the testing site , interacting with anyone during the day and , potentially , required while taking the exam Yates said around 750 people could take the July test , but some may choose to switch to a February option .
July test-takers would be spread out among sites at the Denver Mart , DU law school and CU law school .
“ The bar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of competency , but it does help ensure basic competencies of the licensed attorneys who will be serving the public in all kinds of capacities once licensed , ” Yates said .
“ The individuals who are asking for diploma privilege are not the members of the public who would need these privileges .
The individuals who are asking are the individuals who don ’ t want to take the bar exam.
” Nadiah Bierwirth , a May DU graduate , is one of nearly 1,100 people who have signed a petition to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bierwirth said she ’ s spent years of law school and thousands of dollars on exam preparation courses waiting for this moment that now seems like a cruel choice between her family and her livelihood .
Bierwirth said she has immunocompromised family members with chronic illnesses and autoimmune diseases who rely on her care .
“ Should I go in there , take this exam and risk the life and health of my loved ones in doing so ?
” Bierwirth said , noting if she waited to take the exam in February @ @ @ @ @ @ @ means to support herself .
“ I will be forced to do it .
It ’ s so hard.
” In a joint statement , James Anaya and Bruce Smith , the deans of the CU and DU law schools , respectively , said they ’ ve been working closely with Colorado bar authorities to identify “ safe , fair and expeditious pathways ” for legal licensure .
The deans said they have recently shared the concerns of their graduates with bar authorities and explored an adjustment to the July exam ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ temporary diploma privilege option .
“ Throughout , we have highlighted the unprecedented challenges faced by this summer ’ s bar-takers — and the fact that those challenges are borne differentially , depending on personal circumstances , ” Anaya and Smith said in their statement .
“ We are confident that we have articulated in a clear and compelling manner the range of considerations affecting our graduates .
We are equally confident that the state bar authorities will duly take into consideration the concerns we have expressed , with the ultimate decision relating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ”

New graduates from Colorado’s two law schools are raising concerns about potential exposure to COVID-19 during the two-day, in-person bar exam scheduled for the end of July.
They’ve proposed invoking “diploma privilege” as some other states have, meaning University of Colorado and University of Denver law school graduates who applied for the July 2020 bar exam and passed the character and fitness requirements would be licensed to practice law without taking the test.
Oregon, Utah and Washington have granted diploma privilege for law graduates. Some states have postponed the exam until the fall, while others are planning to go through with their summer test dates.
“It’s too dangerous to safely hold the bar exam in July in Colorado,” said Andrew Shulman, a May graduate of DU’s Sturm College of Law. “If it’s held, it’s going to have a widely disproportionate impact for students who are at high risk and people whose jobs are depending on being licensed.”
Notably, Shulman added, DU’s student health insurance plan expires days after the exam.
“At the baseline, we know that the bar favors white people over African-Americans and African-Americans over Latinx people,” Shulman said. “We know COVID-19 is having this disparate impact, too, so there’s this double effect.”
The Colorado Supreme Court last month issued testing guidance, made with the help of state and local public health agencies, designed to keep test takers and proctors safe.
Jessica Yates, attorney regulation counsel for the state’s high court, said updated protocols will be released later this week with more details including the number of people assigned to certain rooms and guidelines test-takers should follow between now and the July 28 and 29 exam.
Testing protocols include:
Temperature checks and screening questions before entry
Social distancing during testing
Recommending attendees forgo indoor restaurants, gyms and large gatherings between now and the exam
Masks required whenever moving around the testing site, interacting with anyone during the day and, potentially, required while taking the exam
Yates said around 750 people could take the July test, but some may choose to switch to a February option. July test-takers would be spread out among sites at the Denver Mart, DU law school and CU law school.
“The bar exam might not be a perfect instrument of competency, but it does help ensure basic competencies of the licensed attorneys who will be serving the public in all kinds of capacities once licensed,” Yates said. “The individuals who are asking for diploma privilege are not the members of the public who would need these (services). The individuals who are asking are the individuals who don’t want to take the bar exam.”
Nadiah Bierwirth, a May DU graduate, is one of nearly 1,100 people who have signed a petition to seek alternatives to an in-person exam.
Bierwirth said she’s spent years of law school and thousands of dollars on exam preparation courses waiting for this moment that now seems like a cruel choice between her family and her livelihood.
Bierwirth said she has immunocompromised family members with chronic illnesses and autoimmune diseases who rely on her care.
“Should I go in there, take this exam and risk the life and health of my loved ones in doing so?” Bierwirth said, noting if she waited to take the exam in February, she wouldn’t have the means to support herself. “I will be forced to do it. It’s so hard.”
In a joint statement, James Anaya and Bruce Smith, the deans of the CU and DU law schools, respectively, said they’ve been working closely with Colorado bar authorities to identify “safe, fair and expeditious pathways” for legal licensure.
The deans said they have recently shared the concerns of their graduates with bar authorities and explored an adjustment to the July exam’s passing score as well as enacting a temporary diploma privilege option.
“Throughout, we have highlighted the unprecedented challenges faced by this summer’s bar-takers — and the fact that those challenges are borne differentially, depending on personal circumstances,” Anaya and Smith said in their statement. “We are confident that we have articulated in a clear and compelling manner the range of considerations affecting our graduates. We are equally confident that the state bar authorities will duly take into consideration the concerns we have expressed, with the ultimate decision relating to legal licensure residing with them.”
Updated 11:50 a.m. July 7, 2020 A quotation in this story from Jessica Yates, attorney regulation counsel for the Colorado Supreme Court, has been edited for clarity.


thedenverpost--2020-07-07--As Colorado’s new COVID-19 cases remain elevated, state sees uptick in hospitalizations

Coronavirus infections remained elevated in Colorado for a third consecutive week as the state ’ s COVID-19 hospitalizations have begun to creep upward for the first time in months .
Colorado is still not experiencing the same type of surges as states such as Arizona , Texas , Florida and California .
But the state ’ s rate of positive coronavirus test results has jumped since the first week of June , meaning that transmission of COVID-19 is increasing and that the rise in new cases is not simply due to more testing .
The rate of positivity increased from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to 3.48 % last week , according to the state health department .
“ The next week or two there ’ s going to be a lot of focus on watching that positivity rate , ” said Dr. Lisa Miller , professor of epidemiology at the Colorado School of Public Health .
After two consecutive weeks of increases , the state recorded 1,734 new COVID-19 cases between June 29 and Sunday , a slight drop from the 1,748 cases reported the previous week , according to data from the Colorado Department of Public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s total still represents an elevated number of cases .
After a steady downward trend , Colorado saw the number of new coronavirus infections increase for the first time since April three weeks ago , when the agency reported 1,484 additional cases the week ending June 21 .
The rise in COVID-19 cases is occurring across the state , with counties in both the metro area and the high country reporting double-digit percentage increases in infections during the second half of June .
State and local public health officials have attributed the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ individual behavior as the state reopens its economy and society , including less social distancing .
There has also been a growing number of infections among young people , with multiple counties reporting clusters of cases following social gatherings , protests and travel .
Representatives with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment did not respond to questions by deadline .
The increase in cases has prompted state officials , including Gov .
Jared Polis , to urge Coloradans to avoid coming together in large groups .
And last week , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ once again to in-person patrons .
On Sunday , there were 171 patients hospitalized with confirmed coronavirus infections , up almost 30 % from June 29 .
Hospitalizations dropped slightly on Monday to 165 people .
However , that ’ s still higher than the 132 COVID-19 patients in hospitals a week ago , according to data from the Colorado Hospital Association .
Hospitalizations are an indicator of the severity of the pandemic , and help inform public health policy decisions , such as whether to roll back reopening .
While young and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ risk of complications from COVID-19 , they can still end up in the hospital because of the disease .
They also can transmit the virus to others without experiencing symptoms themselves .
“ You would expect that would lead to fewer hospitalizations than if we were seeing an increase among an older age group , ” Miller said .
“ That ’ s something that ’ s on the positive side of things , but going forward , I think the question is will we see those infections spilling over to those older @ @ @ @ @ @ @ April , the number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients had declined before plateauing last month .
Despite last week ’ s increase , hospitalizations remain well below the peak of 888 people on April 14 .
And COVID-19 deaths in Colorado , now totaling 1,542 , have continued their decline since their peak in April .
Garfield County has seen one of the largest increases , with infections jumping 54 % — or by new 105 cases — between June 15 and June 30 .
So has Boulder County , where the number of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by 296 cases — during the same period .
Denver saw an increase of 11 % , or 715 cases .
Other counties seeing double-digit percentage increases include El Paso , Douglas , San Miguel , La Plata , Pitkin , Alamosa , Lake , Mesa and Rio Grande , according to state health records .
“ We ’ re seeing the spike as more and more of our restaurants , and shops and all of the services are reopening , ” said Carrie Godes , spokeswoman for the Garfield County public health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s very concerning for us.
” She said public health officials are considering whether the county will have to once again implement stricter social distancing orders .
In Boulder County , the number of new coronavirus cases has slowly declined after its recent spike , said spokeswoman Chana Goussetis .
However , she said , the county is seeing more people testing positive after travel to mountain communities , such as in Eagle , Pitkin and Garfield counties , as well as travel to other states , including Florida , North Carolina , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nebraska .
“ We can not confirm that transmission happened in all cases due to this travel , but it is a reminder that travel can increase the likelihood of spreading the virus from one area to another , especially in communities that are experiencing outbreaks or do not have strong preventive measures in place , ” Goussetis added in an email .

Coronavirus infections remained elevated in Colorado for a third consecutive week as the state’s COVID-19 hospitalizations have begun to creep upward for the first time in months.
Colorado is still not experiencing the same type of surges as states such as Arizona, Texas, Florida and California. But the state’s rate of positive coronavirus test results has jumped since the first week of June, meaning that transmission of COVID-19 is increasing and that the rise in new cases is not simply due to more testing.
The rate of positivity increased from 2.7% the week of June 7 to 3.48% last week, according to the state health department.
“The next week or two there’s going to be a lot of focus on watching that positivity rate,” said Dr. Lisa Miller, professor of epidemiology at the Colorado School of Public Health.
After two consecutive weeks of increases, the state recorded 1,734 new COVID-19 cases between June 29 and Sunday, a slight drop from the 1,748 cases reported the previous week, according to data from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.
But last week’s total still represents an elevated number of cases. After a steady downward trend, Colorado saw the number of new coronavirus infections increase for the first time since April three weeks ago, when the agency reported 1,484 additional cases the week ending June 21.
The rise in COVID-19 cases is occurring across the state, with counties in both the metro area and the high country reporting double-digit percentage increases in infections during the second half of June.
State and local public health officials have attributed the jump in coronavirus infections to changes in individual behavior as the state reopens its economy and society, including less social distancing. There has also been a growing number of infections among young people, with multiple counties reporting clusters of cases following social gatherings, protests and travel.
Representatives with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment did not respond to questions by deadline.
Infections spilling over?
The increase in cases has prompted state officials, including Gov. Jared Polis, to urge Coloradans to avoid coming together in large groups. And last week, the governor ordered bars and nightclubs to close once again to in-person patrons.
COVID-19 basics Symptoms of COVID-19 — including fever, cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, loss of taste and smell, and nausea — can appear between two and 14 days after exposure, the CDC says. Public health recommendations: — Wear masks that cover your mouth and nose — Stay at least 6 feet from others — Wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds More guidelines: covid19.colorado.gov
On Sunday, there were 171 patients hospitalized with confirmed coronavirus infections, up almost 30% from June 29. Hospitalizations dropped slightly on Monday to 165 people. However, that’s still higher than the 132 COVID-19 patients in hospitals a week ago, according to data from the Colorado Hospital Association.
Hospitalizations are an indicator of the severity of the pandemic, and help inform public health policy decisions, such as whether to roll back reopening. While young and adults and teenagers are at a lower risk of complications from COVID-19, they can still end up in the hospital because of the disease. They also can transmit the virus to others without experiencing symptoms themselves.
“You would expect that would lead to fewer hospitalizations than if we were seeing an increase among an older age group,” Miller said. “That’s something that’s on the positive side of things, but going forward, I think the question is will we see those infections spilling over to those older age groups as well?”
Since April, the number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients had declined before plateauing last month. Despite last week’s increase, hospitalizations remain well below the peak of 888 people on April 14.
And COVID-19 deaths in Colorado, now totaling 1,542, have continued their decline since their peak in April.
“Seeing the spike”
Garfield County has seen one of the largest increases, with infections jumping 54% — or by new 105 cases — between June 15 and June 30. So has Boulder County, where the number of new infections increased 27% — or by 296 cases — during the same period. Denver saw an increase of 11%, or 715 cases.
Other counties seeing double-digit percentage increases include El Paso, Douglas, San Miguel, La Plata, Pitkin, Alamosa, Lake, Mesa and Rio Grande, according to state health records.
“We’re seeing the spike as more and more of our restaurants, and shops and all of the services are reopening,” said Carrie Godes, spokeswoman for the Garfield County public health department, adding, “It’s very concerning for us.”
She said public health officials are considering whether the county will have to once again implement stricter social distancing orders.
In Boulder County, the number of new coronavirus cases has slowly declined after its recent spike, said spokeswoman Chana Goussetis.
However, she said, the county is seeing more people testing positive after travel to mountain communities, such as in Eagle, Pitkin and Garfield counties, as well as travel to other states, including Florida, North Carolina, Massachusetts, Wisconsin, New Jersey and Nebraska.
“We cannot confirm that transmission happened in all cases due to this travel, but it is a reminder that travel can increase the likelihood of spreading the virus from one area to another, especially in communities that are experiencing outbreaks or do not have strong preventive measures in place,” Goussetis added in an email.
Denver Post staff writer Meg Wingerter contributed to this report.


thedenverpost--2020-07-07--Denver weather: High temperatures will flirt with 100 degrees this week

A heat wave is upon Colorado and wide areas of the state are under a red flag warning for fire dangers .
In Denver the high temperature on Tuesday is expected to hit 99 degrees , before a slight cool down on Wednesday with a high temperature of 96 degrees , according to the National Weather Service forecast .
Thursday in Denver will be sunny with a high temperature of about 96 degrees , then Friday , Saturday and Sunday are forecast to top out at 100 degrees .
There ’ s a 20 % chance of afternoon showers and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the weather service .
Weather this week in northeastern and north central Colorado will be hot and dry .
Fire danger will be high on Tuesday and Wednesday with increasing winds in the mountains , high valleys and over the Eastern Plains .
Critical fire conditions are expected in Jackson and Grand counties , the weather service said .
Temperatures will climb into the mid- to upper-90s , with some spots hitting 100 , and above , across the plains and along the I-25 corridor this week .
A red flag warning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tuesday until 8 p.m. for portions of northeastern Colorado including Sterling , Akron and Limon .
Hot weather , winds gusting to 35 mph and humidity readings in the low teens will drive fire concerns .
“ Conditions will be favorable for ignition and rapid growth and spread of fires , ” the weather service said .
Widespread parts of the mountains and Western Slope are also under a red flag warning for fire danger including Steamboat Springs , Vail , Aspen , Grand Junction and Durango .
The entire length of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New Mexico , is under the warning .

A heat wave is upon Colorado and wide areas of the state are under a red flag warning for fire dangers.
In Denver the high temperature on Tuesday is expected to hit 99 degrees, before a slight cool down on Wednesday with a high temperature of 96 degrees, according to the National Weather Service forecast. Thursday in Denver will be sunny with a high temperature of about 96 degrees, then Friday, Saturday and Sunday are forecast to top out at 100 degrees.
There’s a 20% chance of afternoon showers and thunderstorms on Tuesday in Denver, according to the weather service.
Weather this week in northeastern and north central Colorado will be hot and dry. Fire danger will be high on Tuesday and Wednesday with increasing winds in the mountains, high valleys and over the Eastern Plains. Critical fire conditions are expected in Jackson and Grand counties, the weather service said.
Temperatures will climb into the mid- to upper-90s, with some spots hitting 100, and above, across the plains and along the I-25 corridor this week.
A red flag warning for fire danger is posted from noon Tuesday until 8 p.m. for portions of northeastern Colorado including Sterling, Akron and Limon. Hot weather, winds gusting to 35 mph and humidity readings in the low teens will drive fire concerns. “Conditions will be favorable for ignition and rapid growth and spread of fires,” the weather service said.
Widespread parts of the mountains and Western Slope are also under a red flag warning for fire danger including Steamboat Springs, Vail, Aspen, Grand Junction and Durango. The entire length of the Colorado/Utah state line, from Wyoming to New Mexico, is under the warning.


thedenverpost--2020-07-07--Broncos Mailbag: Which veteran addition will surprise fans this year?

Denver Post Broncos writer Ryan O ’ Halloran posts his Broncos Mailbag periodically during the offseason .
You can pose a Broncos- or NFL-related question for the Broncos Mailbag here .
Follow Ryan for more daily updates on Twitter .
Heading into this new virus season , are players preparing to play the whole season or is this going to be like the NBA and stop in the middle of the season ?
I ’ m hoping we can set a schedule and a possible Super Bowl run !
The company line from the Broncos and every other team in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ MLB should be : “ We ’ re prepared for everything and won ’ t be surprised by anything.
” The worst-case for the NFL is the season doesn ’ t start all , but starting on time and having to halt the season in mid-November ( or any second-half-of-the-season date ) is a close second .
What the folks at the NFL office should have in their minds and on paper is : 1 .
What is the latest date they can start in order to play a full season ?
2 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how long do they wait ?
The NFL should be OK playing into mid-to-late March because that will only delay the start of free agency .
The league has wiggle room to complete a full season even if they don ’ t start until mid-October or have to hit the pause button in November .
Which Broncos player do you think will surprise us — a free agent who has a great year or a veteran who has a bounce-back season ?
Or could it be a rookie or a second-year player who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ include Jurrell Casey being a force , Von Miller having a huge resurgent year , KJ Hamler being a return man/speed receiver threat or Dalton Risner turning into a Pro Bowler .
Joe asked the question and also offered some potential answers .
New acquisition who could surprise : Cornerback A.J .
Bouye and only because he ’ s an unknown to Broncos fans .
The lack of offseason practices meant no reporting of how he ’ s grasping coach Vic Fangio ’ s scheme and how he is developing into a leader @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Veteran who will have a bounce-back season : I addressed Von Miller in last week ’ s mailbag and predicted at least 10 sacks .
Instead of Casey , I picked running back Melvin Gordon , whose 2019 with the Los Angeles Chargers was derailed by a holdout that didn ’ t end until Week 4 .
Second-year player who will show significant improvement : I expect a big jump in big plays for tight end Noah Fant .
He should benefit from the attention the Broncos hope is focused on receivers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hamler .
Rookie who has instant impact : Jeudy is too easy of a pick so I will go with third-round cornerback Michael Ojemudia .
He will get a chance to play major snaps .
Patrick Mahomes is going to be the Chiefs ’ quarterback through the 2020s after his new 10-year deal ( through 2031 ) .
If you were the general manager of the Broncos , what would you do to counteract Mr. Mahomes ’ monster offense : Build a big-time offense or create the league ’ s best defense ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ against the Broncos ( 1,307 yards , eight touchdowns , three interceptions , a 103.4 rating and one dislocated knee-cap ) .
After the Super Bowl , I thought a Mahomes extension would be in the $ 400 million range ( $ 200 million guaranteed ) .
The final numbers exceeded those guesses .
The Broncos showed their hand this offseason by loading up on offensive skill-position players ( running back Melvin Gordon in free agency and receivers Jerry Jeudy and KJ Hamler and tight end Albert Okwuegbunam in the draft ) .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chiefs ’ fast-break offense , but John Elway also knew he needed to give quarterback Drew Lock help to keep up with the Chiefs .
But Elway didn ’ t ignore the defense , either , by trading for cornerback A.J .
Bouye and defensive end Jurrell Casey , but also re-signing defensive end Shelby Harris .
Last year , he gave safety Kareem Jackson big money .
Saw a question about nicknames in last week ’ s mailbag .
I suggest Drew Lock ’ s offense be called the “ Denver Flight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Zone ” for the 2015 defense .
I have been a fan from the beginning ( 1960 ) and I remember most of the past players .
This may be the best overall team they have had .
I think Denver is now a team no one wants to play .
For those interested like me , Umatilla is located along the Columbia River that makes up part of the Washington-Oregon border , 235 miles southeast of Seattle and 180 miles east of Portland .
I like the “ Denver Flight Zone , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ No Fly Zone ” during the 2015 Super Bowl-winning .
One emailer suggested “ Lock and Loaded , ” which isn ’ t bad , either .
The Broncos probably love William ’ s optimism , but the championship teams in 1997-98 and the 2013 AFC title team would like to have a word with him about the talent of this year ’ s team .
The Broncos ’ first Super Bowl team had five Hall of Famers in the starting lineup ( quarterback John Elway , running back Terrell Davis , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gary Zimmerman and safety Steve Atwater ) .
But yes , the Broncos , if they are able to produce more takeaways and have a consistent pulse offensively , will be a tough out for any opponent .
Ryan , how about “ The Magnificent Seven ” for the nickname you are seeking for these seven guys on the Broncos ’ offense ?
Cheers .
This name isn ’ t bad and would fit if the Broncos ’ core of seven offensive skill-position players — quarterback Drew Lock , running backs Melvin Gordon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fant and receivers Courtland Sutton , Jerry Jeudy and KJ Hamler — have a spectacular regular season .
But a good attempt .

Denver Post Broncos writer Ryan O’Halloran posts his Broncos Mailbag periodically during the offseason.
You can pose a Broncos- or NFL-related question for the Broncos Mailbag here. Follow Ryan for more daily updates on Twitter.
Heading into this new virus season, are players preparing to play the whole season or is this going to be like the NBA and stop in the middle of the season? I’m hoping we can set a schedule and a possible Super Bowl run!
— Richard Lopez, Camarillo, Calif.
The company line from the Broncos and every other team in the NFL, NBA, NHL and MLB should be: “We’re prepared for everything and won’t be surprised by anything.”
The worst-case for the NFL is the season doesn’t start all, but starting on time and having to halt the season in mid-November (or any second-half-of-the-season date) is a close second.
What the folks at the NFL office should have in their minds and on paper is: 1. What is the latest date they can start in order to play a full season? 2. If the season is interrupted, how long do they wait?
The NFL should be OK playing into mid-to-late March because that will only delay the start of free agency. The league has wiggle room to complete a full season even if they don’t start until mid-October or have to hit the pause button in November.
Which Broncos player do you think will surprise us — a free agent who has a great year or a veteran who has a bounce-back season? Or could it be a rookie or a second-year player who shows significant development? Candidates I see include Jurrell Casey being a force, Von Miller having a huge resurgent year, KJ Hamler being a return man/speed receiver threat or Dalton Risner turning into a Pro Bowler.
— Joe G., Sacramento
Joe asked the question and also offered some potential answers.
New acquisition who could surprise: Cornerback A.J. Bouye and only because he’s an unknown to Broncos fans. The lack of offseason practices meant no reporting of how he’s grasping coach Vic Fangio’s scheme and how he is developing into a leader. I expect good things from Bouye.
Veteran who will have a bounce-back season: I addressed Von Miller in last week’s mailbag and predicted at least 10 sacks. Instead of Casey, I picked running back Melvin Gordon, whose 2019 with the Los Angeles Chargers was derailed by a holdout that didn’t end until Week 4.
Second-year player who will show significant improvement: I expect a big jump in big plays for tight end Noah Fant. He should benefit from the attention the Broncos hope is focused on receivers Courtland Sutton, Jerry Jeudy and KJ Hamler.
Rookie who has instant impact: Jeudy is too easy of a pick so I will go with third-round cornerback Michael Ojemudia. He will get a chance to play major snaps.
Patrick Mahomes is going to be the Chiefs’ quarterback through the 2020s after his new 10-year deal (through 2031). If you were the general manager of the Broncos, what would you do to counteract Mr. Mahomes’ monster offense: Build a big-time offense or create the league’s best defense?
— Mike, Denver
A reminder: Mahomes is 5-0 all-time against the Broncos (1,307 yards, eight touchdowns, three interceptions, a 103.4 rating and one dislocated knee-cap). After the Super Bowl, I thought a Mahomes extension would be in the $400 million range ($200 million guaranteed). The final numbers exceeded those guesses.
The Broncos showed their hand this offseason by loading up on offensive skill-position players (running back Melvin Gordon in free agency and receivers Jerry Jeudy and KJ Hamler and tight end Albert Okwuegbunam in the draft). Yes, they want to contain the Chiefs’ fast-break offense, but John Elway also knew he needed to give quarterback Drew Lock help to keep up with the Chiefs.
But Elway didn’t ignore the defense, either, by trading for cornerback A.J. Bouye and defensive end Jurrell Casey, but also re-signing defensive end Shelby Harris. Last year, he gave safety Kareem Jackson big money.
Saw a question about nicknames in last week’s mailbag. I suggest Drew Lock’s offense be called the “Denver Flight Zone” like the “No Fly Zone” for the 2015 defense. I have been a fan from the beginning (1960) and I remember most of the past players. This may be the best overall team they have had. I think Denver is now a team no one wants to play.
— William E. Laffen, Umatilla, Ore.
For those interested like me, Umatilla is located along the Columbia River that makes up part of the Washington-Oregon border, 235 miles southeast of Seattle and 180 miles east of Portland.
I like the “Denver Flight Zone,” nickname as a play on the “No Fly Zone” during the 2015 Super Bowl-winning. One emailer suggested “Lock and Loaded,” which isn’t bad, either.
The Broncos probably love William’s optimism, but the championship teams in 1997-98 and the 2013 AFC title team would like to have a word with him about the talent of this year’s team. The Broncos’ first Super Bowl team had five Hall of Famers in the starting lineup (quarterback John Elway, running back Terrell Davis, tight end Shannon Sharpe, left tackle Gary Zimmerman and safety Steve Atwater).
But yes, the Broncos, if they are able to produce more takeaways and have a consistent pulse offensively, will be a tough out for any opponent.
Ryan, how about “The Magnificent Seven” for the nickname you are seeking for these seven guys on the Broncos’ offense? Cheers.
— Allan Tremblay, Edmonton
This name isn’t bad and would fit if the Broncos’ core of seven offensive skill-position players — quarterback Drew Lock, running backs Melvin Gordon and Phillip Lindsay, tight end Noah Fant and receivers Courtland Sutton, Jerry Jeudy and KJ Hamler — have a spectacular regular season. But a good attempt.
The Broncos’ Mailbag will return July 22.