thedenverpost--2020-09-07--Man shot Sunday night in Denver

Man shot Sunday night in Denver

A man was shot and suffered “ critical injuries ” Sunday night , according to a tweet from Denver police @ @ @ @ @ North Havana Street and Florence Way .
The man was taken to the hospital .

A man was shot and suffered “critical injuries” Sunday night, according to a tweet from Denver police.
The shooting occurred near North Havana Street and Florence Way. The man was taken to the hospital.
#DPD Officers on scene at N Havana St and Florence Way on a shooting. An adult male was shot and transported to a local hospital with critical injuries. Road closures in the area. pic.twitter.com/PO9Bfvmzyv — Denver Police Dept. (@DenverPolice) September 7, 2020
This is a developing story.


thedenverpost--2020-09-08--Rockies’ closer Daniel Bard is 6-for-6 in save opportunities and Bud Black is not surprised

When the Rockies opened spring training way back in February , Wade Davis was penciled in as the closer , with Scott Oberg as closer 1A .
Right-hander Daniel Bard ?
He was the feel-good story of the camp ; a 35-year-old who had overcome a case of the yips and was trying to make a comeback after being out of the majors for seven seasons .
My how things have changed .
Davis has missed most of the season with shoulder woes and might not pitch again in a Rockies uniform .
Scott Oberg is out for the season @ @ @ @ @ @ @ right arm for the third time in four seasons .
Bard is now the closer and he ’ s thriving in that high-pressure role .
He has six saves in six opportunities , including back-to-back saves at Los Angeles on Saturday and Sunday as the Rockies finally won a series over the Dodgers .
Since allowing a walk-off homer in a 4-3 loss on Aug. 22 at Dodger Stadium , Bard has five saves while allowing three hits and one run with four walks and nine strikeouts in six games .
Opponents have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ All of which begs a question from manager Bud Black .
Did he envision any of this when Bard was simply trying to make the team ?
“ I didn ’ t know what to expect , ” Black said prior to Monday night ’ s game at San Diego .
“ I saw some video , I talked to some of our scouts , and I talked to ( assistant general manager ) Jon Weil , who was the driving force behind this .
And Jon was confident in Daniel and where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his pitching.
” But when Black saw Bard pitch for the first time in spring training , he knew Bard had a real shot .
“ It looked right , it looked like a big-league pitcher is supposed to look , ” Black said .
“ As each day went on , that kept getting validated .
.. Everything led me to believe that this was going to happen.
” On July 25 at Globe Life Ballpark in Arlington , Texas — 2,646 days after he had last appeared in a major league @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the fifth inning .
Bard pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings in Colorado ’ s 3-2 win over the Rangers .
It was Bard ’ s first win since May 29 , 2012 , when he pitched 5 1/3 innings for the Boston Red Sox and beat Justin Verlander ’ s Detroit Tigers .
“ You could tell that Daniel was ready for that moment , ” Black said .
“ After he retired the side in his second inning of work , I went to the end of the dugout where he was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was , ‘ Buddy , that was so fun.
’ It was like a weight had been lifted off him that had been on him for seven years .
He got back to being joyful.
” Fuentes rakes .
First baseman Josh Fuentes , who was not in the starting lineup Monday night against the Padres , is hitting .370 ( 10-for-27 ) with a .993 OPS .
He ’ s in the midst of a career-best eight-game hitting streak and he delivered two huge hits in Colorado ’ s weekend victories over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ double on Saturday , and his first home run of the season on Sunday .
Fuentes pointed out a number of reasons why he ’ s producing , including getting more consistent at-bats and adjusting to his role as a semi-regular player in the majors .
But there is one thing , more than any other , that has made a difference .
“ The biggest part for me was the nerves , ” he said before Monday ’ s game .
“ As long as I kept my nerves down and wasn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trying to do things I wasn ’ t capable of , and just sticking to what I do best , that ’ s been the most important part.
” Words of wisdom .
Right-hander Chi Chi Gonzalez , who ’ s scheduled to start Tuesday ’ s game at San Diego , is most effective when he gets opposing hitters out on weak contact and coaxes them to hit balls into the dirt .
He shared some words that Black passed on to him recently .
“ Bud , the other day , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said to me , ‘ Babe Ruth is dead , ’ ” Gonzalez said .
“ He said , ‘ Throw it over the middle , throw it over the plate and let them hit it to somebody.
” Footnotes .
The Rockies signed right-handed pitcher AJ Ramos to a minor league deal and added him to the 60-man player pool on Monday .
Ramos , 33 , hasn ’ t pitched in the majors since undergoing shoulder surgery in 2018 .
… Per the Elias Sports Bureau , Saturday and Sunday marked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Rockies have scored the winning run in the eighth inning or later in two consecutive games at Dodger Stadium .
Gonzalez will be making his first start since early in the season , after which he landed on the injured list with right biceps tendinitis from Aug. 7-29 .
He pitched two innings of relief last Wednesday , allowing two runs ( one earned ) on three hits in Colorado ’ s 9-6 come-from-behind victory over San Francisco .
He has a 4.85 ERA in three games ( two starts ) vs. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tuesday will be right-hander Mike Clevinger ’ s second start with the Padres after he came to San Diego as part of a blockbuster seven-player trade with Cleveland .
The right-hander allowed two runs and seven hits over six innings , striking out two and walking one in his first outing .
He ’ s faced the Rockies just once , on June 7 , 2017 at Coors Field as a starter for the Indians .
He got rocked , serving up a three-run double to Antonio Senzatela in the second inning and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the third .
He was gone after four innings , having given up five runs on four hits and three walks .
Trending : Leadoff hitter Raimel Tapia entered Monday ’ s game on a nine-game hitting streak , tied for the second-longest streak of his career .
He is hitting .378 ( 14-for-37 ) over the nine games , with six runs , two doubles , one triple , one home run and five RBIs .
At issue : Right-handed reliever Jeff Hoffman has struggled of late , which is reflected in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against .
He ’ s been scored upon in four straight outings , six of his past seven and in seven of his last nine .
That after allowing only one run through his first five appearances this season .

When the Rockies opened spring training way back in February, Wade Davis was penciled in as the closer, with Scott Oberg as closer 1A.
Right-hander Daniel Bard? He was the feel-good story of the camp; a 35-year-old who had overcome a case of the yips and was trying to make a comeback after being out of the majors for seven seasons.
My how things have changed. Davis has missed most of the season with shoulder woes and might not pitch again in a Rockies uniform. Scott Oberg is out for the season as he battles blood clots in his right arm for the third time in four seasons.
Bard is now the closer and he’s thriving in that high-pressure role. He has six saves in six opportunities, including back-to-back saves at Los Angeles on Saturday and Sunday as the Rockies finally won a series over the Dodgers.
Since allowing a walk-off homer in a 4-3 loss on Aug. 22 at Dodger Stadium, Bard has five saves while allowing three hits and one run with four walks and nine strikeouts in six games. Opponents have hit just .150 over that span.
All of which begs a question from manager Bud Black. Did he envision any of this when Bard was simply trying to make the team?
“I didn’t know what to expect,” Black said prior to Monday night’s game at San Diego. “I saw some video, I talked to some of our scouts, and I talked to (assistant general manager) Jon Weil, who was the driving force behind this. And Jon was confident in Daniel and where he thought Daniel was as far as his pitching.”
But when Black saw Bard pitch for the first time in spring training, he knew Bard had a real shot.
“It looked right, it looked like a big-league pitcher is supposed to look,” Black said. “As each day went on, that kept getting validated. .. Everything led me to believe that this was going to happen.”
On July 25 at Globe Life Ballpark in Arlington, Texas — 2,646 days after he had last appeared in a major league game — Bard relieved Jon Gray in the fifth inning. Bard pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings in Colorado’s 3-2 win over the Rangers. It was Bard’s first win since May 29, 2012, when he pitched 5 1/3 innings for the Boston Red Sox and beat Justin Verlander’s Detroit Tigers.
“You could tell that Daniel was ready for that moment,” Black said. “After he retired the side in his second inning of work, I went to the end of the dugout where he was sitting and the only thing he said was, ‘Buddy, that was so fun.’ It was like a weight had been lifted off him that had been on him for seven years. He got back to being joyful.”
Fuentes rakes. First baseman Josh Fuentes, who was not in the starting lineup Monday night against the Padres, is hitting .370 (10-for-27) with a .993 OPS. He’s in the midst of a career-best eight-game hitting streak and he delivered two huge hits in Colorado’s weekend victories over the Dodgers — a two-run, pinch-hit double on Saturday, and his first home run of the season on Sunday.
Fuentes pointed out a number of reasons why he’s producing, including getting more consistent at-bats and adjusting to his role as a semi-regular player in the majors. But there is one thing, more than any other, that has made a difference.
“The biggest part for me was the nerves,” he said before Monday’s game. “As long as I kept my nerves down and wasn’t jumping at the baseball and trying to do things I wasn’t capable of, and just sticking to what I do best, that’s been the most important part.”
Words of wisdom. Right-hander Chi Chi Gonzalez, who’s scheduled to start Tuesday’s game at San Diego, is most effective when he gets opposing hitters out on weak contact and coaxes them to hit balls into the dirt. He shared some words that Black passed on to him recently.
“Bud, the other day, walked around the outfield, and he said to me, ‘Babe Ruth is dead,’ ” Gonzalez said. “He said, ‘Throw it over the middle, throw it over the plate and let them hit it to somebody.”
Footnotes. The Rockies signed right-handed pitcher AJ Ramos to a minor league deal and added him to the 60-man player pool on Monday. Ramos, 33, hasn’t pitched in the majors since undergoing shoulder surgery in 2018. … Per the Elias Sports Bureau, Saturday and Sunday marked the first time in franchise history that the Rockies have scored the winning run in the eighth inning or later in two consecutive games at Dodger Stadium.
On Deck
Rockies RHP Chi Chi Gonzalez (0-0, 5.00 ERA) at Padres RHP Mike Clevinger (1-2, 3.14)
7:10 p.m. Tuesday, Petco Park
TV: AT&T SportsNet
Radio: KOA 850 AM/94.1 AM
Gonzalez will be making his first start since early in the season, after which he landed on the injured list with right biceps tendinitis from Aug. 7-29. He pitched two innings of relief last Wednesday, allowing two runs (one earned) on three hits in Colorado’s 9-6 come-from-behind victory over San Francisco. He has a 4.85 ERA in three games (two starts) vs. the Padres but has no decisions. Tuesday will be right-hander Mike Clevinger’s second start with the Padres after he came to San Diego as part of a blockbuster seven-player trade with Cleveland. The right-hander allowed two runs and seven hits over six innings, striking out two and walking one in his first outing. He’s faced the Rockies just once, on June 7, 2017 at Coors Field as a starter for the Indians. He got rocked, serving up a three-run double to Antonio Senzatela in the second inning and a two-run homer to Carlos Gonzalez in the third. He was gone after four innings, having given up five runs on four hits and three walks.
Trending: Leadoff hitter Raimel Tapia entered Monday’s game on a nine-game hitting streak, tied for the second-longest streak of his career. He is hitting .378 (14-for-37) over the nine games, with six runs, two doubles, one triple, one home run and five RBIs.
At issue: Right-handed reliever Jeff Hoffman has struggled of late, which is reflected in his 9.19 ERA and .328 batting average against. He’s been scored upon in four straight outings, six of his past seven and in seven of his last nine. That after allowing only one run through his first five appearances this season.
Pitching Probables


thedenverpost--2020-09-08--Prep football in the fall? CHSAA to meet with state officials about modifying 2020-21 athletic calen

Prep football in the fall? CHSAA to meet with state officials about modifying 2020-21 athletic calendar.

Social media was abuzz on Monday afternoon after reports that the Colorado High School Activities Association was going to meet again with Colorado state officials regarding more modifications to the 2020-21 athletic calendar , including the possible resumption of football in the fall season .
BoCoPreps.com was able to confirm that CHSAA Commissioner Rhonda Blanford-Green sent communication to the organization ’ s member schools on Monday indicating that Gov .
Jared Polis and his COVID Response Team will meet with Blanford-Green early this week to talk about it .
News station KOAA in Colorado Springs first reported the development .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ states around the country to play fall football as scheduled , and additionally a reversal of decisions in Louisiana and Michigan in which games will now be played by the end of September after initially being delayed to spring , has prompted petitions here in Colorado asking for a change of heart .
One petition on Change.org has more than 13,700 signatures .
The statement by Blanford-Green also read that she would follow up with a meeting with the CHSAA Board of Governors .
“ My goal is to provide the membership with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Blanford-Green wrote .
Later on Monday night , CHSAANow.com published a different statement from Blanford-Green in which she states : “ Over the course of the past week , this has prompted conversations at the state level to see if some outdoor fall sports could resume under the state safety guidelines , including variances that would be needed to make this happen .
We appreciate their willingness to keep the dialogue open .
“ Our office will continue to provide further updates if any changes occur with the 2020-21 activities calendar.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kicked off games this past Friday night , including neighboring Kansas .
Michigan will get its season going Sept. 18 , while Louisiana joins New Jersey with early October start dates .
Eighteen states , including Colorado , are either slated for spring or have not determined a schedule for play .

Social media was abuzz on Monday afternoon after reports that the Colorado High School Activities Association was going to meet again with Colorado state officials regarding more modifications to the 2020-21 athletic calendar, including the possible resumption of football in the fall season.
BoCoPreps.com was able to confirm that CHSAA Commissioner Rhonda Blanford-Green sent communication to the organization’s member schools on Monday indicating that Gov. Jared Polis and his COVID Response Team will meet with Blanford-Green early this week to talk about it.
News station KOAA in Colorado Springs first reported the development.
In light of the actions of several states around the country to play fall football as scheduled, and additionally a reversal of decisions in Louisiana and Michigan in which games will now be played by the end of September after initially being delayed to spring, has prompted petitions here in Colorado asking for a change of heart. One petition on Change.org has more than 13,700 signatures.
The statement by Blanford-Green also read that she would follow up with a meeting with the CHSAA Board of Governors.
“My goal is to provide the membership with an update on or before 9/10,” Blanford-Green wrote.
Later on Monday night, CHSAANow.com published a different statement from Blanford-Green in which she states: “Over the course of the past week, this has prompted conversations at the state level to see if some outdoor fall sports could resume under the state safety guidelines, including variances that would be needed to make this happen. We appreciate their willingness to keep the dialogue open.
“Our office will continue to provide further updates if any changes occur with the 2020-21 activities calendar.”
According to MaxPreps.com, six more states kicked off games this past Friday night, including neighboring Kansas. Michigan will get its season going Sept. 18, while Louisiana joins New Jersey with early October start dates.
Eighteen states, including Colorado, are either slated for spring or have not determined a schedule for play.


thedenverpost--2020-09-08--13 former CU Buffs make NFL 53-man rosters

Arlington Hambright came to the Colorado Buffaloes a year ago looking for an opportunity .
Hambright made the most of his year in Boulder , became an NFL draft pick and this weekend made the final cut for the Chicago Bears ’ 53-man roster .
A seventh-round pick of the Bears in April ’ s draft , Hambright is one of 13 former Buffaloes to make 53-man rosters , as NFL teams made cuts this weekend in advance of next weekend ’ s opening games .
In addition , at least four former Buffs , including quarterback Steven Montez , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hambright , who transferred to CU from Oklahoma State a year ago and started all 12 games at left tackle in the 2019 season , is one of six players from last year ’ s CU team to have an NFL home .
Receiver Laviska Shenault , Jr. ( Jacksonville Jaguars ) and linebacker Davion Taylor ( Philadelphia Eagles ) both made the 53-man rosters of their teams .
Montez ( Washington ) , receiver Tony Brown ( Washington ) and cornerback Delrick Abrams Jr. ( Atlanta ) were all signed to practice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ skipped his senior year to enter the draft , was a second-round pick ( 42nd overall ) of the Jaguars .
He led the Buffs in receiving the past two years , finishing his career eighth in program history in catches ( 149 ) and 11th in receiving yards ( 1,943 ) .
Taylor was a third-round pick ( 103rd ) of the Eagles .
A junior college transfer in 2018 , Taylor was a two-year starter with the Buffs and was second on the team in tackles ( 69 ) last year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will go into his rookie year on the practice squad .
A three-year starter at CU , Montez set numerous school records , including for career passing yards ( 9,649 ) and touchdown passes ( 63 ) .
He went undrafted in April , but was quickly signed by Washington , which kept three quarterbacks on the active roster .
Brown was also undrafted and has already been with three teams .
He was signed after the draft by the Cleveland Browns , who waived him this summer .
He signed with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ landed with Washington last week .
After tying Shenault for the CU team lead in receptions last year ( 56 ) , Brown will get a chance to prove himself on Washington ’ s practice squad .
Like Taylor , Abrams joined the Buffs as a junior college transfer in 2018 .
He started 19 games over the past two seasons and earned a shot with the Falcons as an undrafted free agent .
In addition to Hambright , Shenault and Taylor , 10 other former Buffs made 53-man rosters .
Teams with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ento made the 53-man roster despite recently having surgery on a broken foot .
By placing Ento on the roster , the Packers can move him to injured reserve and potentially activate him during the season .
A receiver at CU , Ento signed with the Packers as an undrafted free agent last year , was moved to cornerback and spent the 2019 season on the practice squad .
Former CU receiver Devin Ross was released by the New England Patriots , despite having a good training camp , but was added to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who played at CU from 2013-17 and ranks ninth in career catches , has been on the practice squads of the Titans and Eagles during his NFL career , but has yet to appear in a regular season game .
Receivers Paul Richardson ( Seattle Seahawks ) and Juwann Winfree ( Broncos ) and cornerback Ken Crawley ( Arizona Cardinals ) were all released .
As of Sunday afternoon , they had not been signed .
Richardson was a second-round pick of the Seahawks in 2014 and spent the past two seasons @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Aug. 29 and was given a $ 75,000 signing bonus , but practiced just once .
In six NFL seasons , he has 143 catches for 1,809 yards and 12 touchdowns .
Two other former Buffs are with NFL teams , but on the reserve/COVID-19 opt-out list : offensive lineman Nate Solder ( Giants ) and defensive lineman Josh Tupou ( Cincinnati Bengals ) .
Also of note , tight end Caleb Wilson , the son of CU defensive line coach Chris Wilson , was released by the Eagles , but signed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wilson played at UCLA .

Arlington Hambright came to the Colorado Buffaloes a year ago looking for an opportunity.
Hambright made the most of his year in Boulder, became an NFL draft pick and this weekend made the final cut for the Chicago Bears’ 53-man roster.
A seventh-round pick of the Bears in April’s draft, Hambright is one of 13 former Buffaloes to make 53-man rosters, as NFL teams made cuts this weekend in advance of next weekend’s opening games.
In addition, at least four former Buffs, including quarterback Steven Montez, have been signed to practice squads.
Hambright, who transferred to CU from Oklahoma State a year ago and started all 12 games at left tackle in the 2019 season, is one of six players from last year’s CU team to have an NFL home.
Receiver Laviska Shenault, Jr. (Jacksonville Jaguars) and linebacker Davion Taylor (Philadelphia Eagles) both made the 53-man rosters of their teams. Montez (Washington), receiver Tony Brown (Washington) and cornerback Delrick Abrams Jr. (Atlanta) were all signed to practice squads on Sunday.
Shenault, who skipped his senior year to enter the draft, was a second-round pick (42nd overall) of the Jaguars. He led the Buffs in receiving the past two years, finishing his career eighth in program history in catches (149) and 11th in receiving yards (1,943).
Taylor was a third-round pick (103rd) of the Eagles. A junior college transfer in 2018, Taylor was a two-year starter with the Buffs and was second on the team in tackles (69) last year.
Montez was released Saturday, but will go into his rookie year on the practice squad. A three-year starter at CU, Montez set numerous school records, including for career passing yards (9,649) and touchdown passes (63). He went undrafted in April, but was quickly signed by Washington, which kept three quarterbacks on the active roster.
Brown was also undrafted and has already been with three teams. He was signed after the draft by the Cleveland Browns, who waived him this summer. He signed with the New York Giants in August, but landed with Washington last week.
After tying Shenault for the CU team lead in receptions last year (56), Brown will get a chance to prove himself on Washington’s practice squad.
Like Taylor, Abrams joined the Buffs as a junior college transfer in 2018. He started 19 games over the past two seasons and earned a shot with the Falcons as an undrafted free agent.
In addition to Hambright, Shenault and Taylor, 10 other former Buffs made 53-man rosters. Teams with former Buffs on their 53-man rosters:
Atlanta Falcons: CB Isaiah Oliver
Baltimore Ravens: CB Jimmy Smith
Chicago Bears: Hambright
Dallas Cowboys: CB Chidobe Awuzie
Denver Broncos: RB Phillip Lindsay
Green Bay Packers: OL David Bakhtiari, PK Mason Crosby, CB Kabion Ento
Jacksonville Jaguars: Shenault
Kansas City Chiefs: S Tedric Thompson
Philadelphia Eagles: Taylor
San Francisco 49ers: CB Ahkello Witherspoon
Tennessee Titans: OL Daniel Munyer
Ento made the 53-man roster despite recently having surgery on a broken foot. By placing Ento on the roster, the Packers can move him to injured reserve and potentially activate him during the season. A receiver at CU, Ento signed with the Packers as an undrafted free agent last year, was moved to cornerback and spent the 2019 season on the practice squad.
Former CU receiver Devin Ross was released by the New England Patriots, despite having a good training camp, but was added to their practice squad on Sunday. Ross, who played at CU from 2013-17 and ranks ninth in career catches, has been on the practice squads of the Titans and Eagles during his NFL career, but has yet to appear in a regular season game.
Receivers Paul Richardson (Seattle Seahawks) and Juwann Winfree (Broncos) and cornerback Ken Crawley (Arizona Cardinals) were all released. As of Sunday afternoon, they had not been signed.
Richardson was a second-round pick of the Seahawks in 2014 and spent the past two seasons with Washington. He re-signed with Seattle on Aug. 29 and was given a $75,000 signing bonus, but practiced just once. In six NFL seasons, he has 143 catches for 1,809 yards and 12 touchdowns.
Two other former Buffs are with NFL teams, but on the reserve/COVID-19 opt-out list: offensive lineman Nate Solder (Giants) and defensive lineman Josh Tupou (Cincinnati Bengals).
Also of note, tight end Caleb Wilson, the son of CU defensive line coach Chris Wilson, was released by the Eagles, but signed to the practice squad Sunday. Caleb Wilson played at UCLA.


thedenverpost--2020-09-08--Bold hopes for coronavirus antibody tests still unfulfilled

WASHINGTON — At the height of the coronavirus lockdown , President Donald Trump and his top health advisers trumpeted a new test that would help Americans reclaim their lives — one that would tell them if they already had the virus and were protected from getting it again .
Their arrival would help “ get Americans back to work ” by showing those who might have “ the wonderful , beautiful immunity , ” said Trump , a point repeated at the daily briefings last April .
Months later , the U.S. is awash in the tests but the bold @ @ @ @ @ @ @ materialize .
“ There was definitely a lot of wishful thinking that there was going to be a magical test that was going to save us all , but we ’ re not there yet , ” said Dr. Jennifer Rakeman of New York City ’ s Public Health Laboratory .
The tests check the blood for antibodies the body makes to fight off an infection .
Scientists are still working to figure out how well antibodies for the coronavirus may shield someone from another infection , or how long that protection might @ @ @ @ @ @ @ immunity fades fast ; research published last week was more promising , suggesting that antibodies last at least four months after diagnosis and do not fade quickly .
For now , the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Medical Association explicitly warn that antibody tests should not be used to make decisions about returning workers to the office or students to school , though some labs still promote them for those uses .
The CDC recommends everyone — even those who were sick and recovered — take precautions to prevent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say it was probably unrealistic to expect answers to key immunity questions early in the outbreak .
Those questions have traditionally been answered only through long-term animal or human studies , said Marc Jenkins of the University of Minnesota .
The National Institutes of Health and universities are conducting some of this work , but much of it has taken a back seat to the rapid development of vaccines in the middle of a pandemic .
“ Everyone ’ s impatient and I can see why , ” Jenkins said .
“ But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this knowledge ” about immunity .
Antibody tests are different from the standard nasal swab tests that diagnose active infections .
Instead , they use a blood sample or finger-prick of blood to look for signs of a past infection , whether the person was sick or had no symptoms at all .
Based on other viruses , experts expect those with coronavirus antibodies to be at least partly immune for several months , if not longer .
Dr. Anthony Fauci and other members of the White House task force said early on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that if “ you have the antibody , you ’ re protected ” but added that there wasn ’ t proof .
To get that proof , scientists first run experiments in animals .
Human trials come next and can take even longer .
Researchers track people who had an infection and developed antibodies to see if they become reinfected .
Their antibodies are measured to to gauge the level needed for immunity .
Jenkins and others said it ’ s entirely possible that an effective vaccine will arrive before coronavirus antibody studies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the key questions .
Vaccines spur the production of antibodies , and a number of coronavirus vaccines are now being tested around the world .
In the meantime , experts say antibody tests are useful for two things : Large studies in the general population to see how widely the coronavirus has spread , and screening people who may be able to donate their antibody-rich blood plasma , which is used as an experimental treatment for COVID-19 .
But those uses were not the focus of White House briefings last spring , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cable TV viewers daily , according to Nielsen .
A spokesperson for the White House coronavirus task force did not provide a response to requests for comment .
Expecting massive demand , the Food and Drug Administration chose a “ flood-the-zone ” strategy , allowing more than 170 tests to launch with little oversight .
At the same time , Trump highlighted his administration ’ s “ fantastic progress ” bringing antibody tests to market , some officials were raising concerns .
Reports of European governments forced to discard millions of faulty tests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going to be very careful to make sure that when we tell you you ’ re likely immune from the disease … the test really said that , ” said Admiral Brett Giroir , the administration ’ s “ testing czar.
” The FDA pulled back on its lax policy for antibody tests in May , requiring companies to begin submitting data on accuracy .
The FDA has authorized about 40 thus far , while dozens more await review .
Despite the precautions from regulators , some testing companies continue to advertise the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ laboratories , including LabCorp and Quest , offer the tests to employers , along with other services like temperature checks .
“ We are aware of the CDC ’ s guidance , ” Quest spokeswoman Kimberly Gorode said in a statement .
“ That is why we recommend that employers use antibody testing as part of a holistic approach to bringing their employees back to the office.
” LabCorp said in a statement : “ As knowledge grows there may be benefit in having access to this information.
” At testing sites in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with Somos — a medical non-profit serving low-income communities — told people who tested positive for antibodies that they could safely return to work , although they acknowledged “ nothing is 100 % .
” In a recent interview , the group ’ s founder , Dr. Ramon Tallaj , defended the testing .
He said the workers would have been expected to go back anyway .
The antibody tests simply provided “ one extra layer of protection , ” he said .
The CDC and state public health agencies continue to use @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the virus in the U.S .
So far , in most areas studied , fewer than 5 % of the population have antibodies .
That ’ s far below the levels that most experts think will be needed for herd immunity against coronavirus , underscoring the need for a vaccine .
For now , Jenkins doesn ’ t recommend spending the money to get tested for antibodies unless a doctor recommends it .
“ Even the research community can ’ t really tell you what the result means , ” Jenkins said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ contributed to this report .
The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute ’ s Department of Science Education .
The AP is solely responsible for all content .
Subscribe to bi-weekly newsletter to get health news sent straight to your inbox .

WASHINGTON — At the height of the coronavirus lockdown, President Donald Trump and his top health advisers trumpeted a new test that would help Americans reclaim their lives — one that would tell them if they already had the virus and were protected from getting it again.
Their arrival would help “get Americans back to work” by showing those who might have “the wonderful, beautiful immunity,” said Trump, a point repeated at the daily briefings last April.
Months later, the U.S. is awash in the tests but the bold predictions about their usefulness have yet to materialize.
“There was definitely a lot of wishful thinking that there was going to be a magical test that was going to save us all, but we’re not there yet,” said Dr. Jennifer Rakeman of New York City’s Public Health Laboratory.
The tests check the blood for antibodies the body makes to fight off an infection. Scientists are still working to figure out how well antibodies for the coronavirus may shield someone from another infection, or how long that protection might last. Some early studies suggested any immunity fades fast; research published last week was more promising, suggesting that antibodies last at least four months after diagnosis and do not fade quickly.
For now, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Medical Association explicitly warn that antibody tests should not be used to make decisions about returning workers to the office or students to school, though some labs still promote them for those uses. The CDC recommends everyone — even those who were sick and recovered — take precautions to prevent getting and spreading the virus.
Experts say it was probably unrealistic to expect answers to key immunity questions early in the outbreak. Those questions have traditionally been answered only through long-term animal or human studies, said Marc Jenkins of the University of Minnesota.
The National Institutes of Health and universities are conducting some of this work, but much of it has taken a back seat to the rapid development of vaccines in the middle of a pandemic.
“Everyone’s impatient and I can see why,” Jenkins said. “But there’s no easy path to this knowledge” about immunity.
Antibody tests are different from the standard nasal swab tests that diagnose active infections. Instead, they use a blood sample or finger-prick of blood to look for signs of a past infection, whether the person was sick or had no symptoms at all. Based on other viruses, experts expect those with coronavirus antibodies to be at least partly immune for several months, if not longer.
Dr. Anthony Fauci and other members of the White House task force said early on it was a “reasonable assumption” that if “you have the antibody, you’re protected” but added that there wasn’t proof.
To get that proof, scientists first run experiments in animals. Human trials come next and can take even longer. Researchers track people who had an infection and developed antibodies to see if they become reinfected. Their antibodies are measured to to gauge the level needed for immunity.
Jenkins and others said it’s entirely possible that an effective vaccine will arrive before coronavirus antibody studies are completed, helping answer some of the key questions. Vaccines spur the production of antibodies, and a number of coronavirus vaccines are now being tested around the world.
In the meantime, experts say antibody tests are useful for two things: Large studies in the general population to see how widely the coronavirus has spread, and screening people who may be able to donate their antibody-rich blood plasma, which is used as an experimental treatment for COVID-19.
But those uses were not the focus of White House briefings last spring, which attracted between 8 million and 10 million cable TV viewers daily, according to Nielsen. A spokesperson for the White House coronavirus task force did not provide a response to requests for comment.
Expecting massive demand, the Food and Drug Administration chose a “flood-the-zone” strategy, allowing more than 170 tests to launch with little oversight.
At the same time, Trump highlighted his administration’s “fantastic progress” bringing antibody tests to market, some officials were raising concerns. Reports of European governments forced to discard millions of faulty tests raised alarms.
“We’re going to be very careful to make sure that when we tell you you’re likely immune from the disease … the test really said that,” said Admiral Brett Giroir, the administration’s “testing czar.”
The FDA pulled back on its lax policy for antibody tests in May, requiring companies to begin submitting data on accuracy. The FDA has authorized about 40 thus far, while dozens more await review.
Despite the precautions from regulators, some testing companies continue to advertise the tests for workers and others. Big laboratories, including LabCorp and Quest, offer the tests to employers, along with other services like temperature checks.
“We are aware of the CDC’s guidance,” Quest spokeswoman Kimberly Gorode said in a statement. “That is why we recommend that employers use antibody testing as part of a holistic approach to bringing their employees back to the office.”
LabCorp said in a statement: “As knowledge grows there may be benefit in having access to this information.”
At testing sites in New York City in April, doctors with Somos — a medical non-profit serving low-income communities — told people who tested positive for antibodies that they could safely return to work, although they acknowledged “nothing is 100%.” In a recent interview, the group’s founder, Dr. Ramon Tallaj, defended the testing. He said the workers would have been expected to go back anyway. The antibody tests simply provided “one extra layer of protection,” he said.
The CDC and state public health agencies continue to use antibody testing to track the spread of the virus in the U.S. So far, in most areas studied, fewer than 5% of the population have antibodies. That’s far below the levels that most experts think will be needed for herd immunity against coronavirus, underscoring the need for a vaccine.
For now, Jenkins doesn’t recommend spending the money to get tested for antibodies unless a doctor recommends it.
“Even the research community can’t really tell you what the result means,” Jenkins said.
AP videojournalist Marshall Ritzel in New York contributed to this report.
The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
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thedenverpost--2020-09-08--How Michael Porter Jr. became Nuggets’ most-improved defender during NBA Playoffs

Michael Porter Jr. tried like heck to get Game 1 out of his head .
But the scar tissue from a night to forget wouldn ’ t leave : A 2-for-9 showing from the floor , 0-for-6 from beyond the arc , five points , two turnovers — and , worse yet , a 23-point Nuggets shellacking at the hands of the Los Angeles Clippers .
“ Me , personally , it really , really bothered me , ” the Nuggets ’ rookie forward recalled in advance of Monday night ’ s Game 3 between Denver and Los Angeles in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ I was up in my room for a while , just thinking of all the stuff I could ’ ve done better .
“ None of us came with the right energy .
And the Clippers are a really , really talented team .
So with that talent ( and ) them outworking us , it ’ s going to get ugly .
We have to make sure that every single night , we ’ re playing as hard as we can and battling every night to make it a series.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ vinegar in Game 2 late Saturday , especially on the defensive end — exploding to a 44-25 first-quarter lead and holding on for a 110-101 victory to even the series .
“ Coming off that first game , we ( also ) saw what they were about , we saw how physical they were , ” said Porter , who scored 11 points and picked up seven boards off the bench to help pace one of Denver ’ s most complete team efforts inside the bubble .
“ And they ’ re a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that during that ( day ) off , we had to get our minds right and be ready to go to war that second game .
And I was really proud of the team , the way that everybody contributed and played with high energy and played intense.
” That intensity hit a wall midway through the first half in Game 1 , slowed by the short turnaround after an exhausting Game 7 win over Utah , helping the Clippers walk away with the spoils .
Before Game 2 , the Nuggets knew @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it came , kicking it up a notch in terms of effort and several notches when it came to their on-court communication .
“ Communication is a big way to get yourself involved in the game , ” Porter said .
“ I ’ m just trying to do better at just being in communication with my teammates out there and not being silent … Especially when things aren ’ t going great on the court , as a team , we tend to get a little quiet .
We need everybody to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voices and just make sure that we ’ re on the same page at all times.
” Porter , meanwhile , has been getting a better handle on coach Michael Malone ’ s script , and where he fits in it , with each passing appearance .
Consider : Over his first four playoffs appearances , during which Utah stormed to a 3-1 first-round series lead , the rookie posted an average defensive rating of 133.3 — in layman ’ s terms , that ’ s 133 points allowed individually per every 100 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 5-7 against the Jazz and in Games 1 and 2 against the Clippers , a stretch that saw the Nuggets win four out of five , Porter posted an average defensive rating of 100.7 .
Perspective : MPJ ’ s regular-season defensive rating was 109 , while Gary Harris and Torrey Craig posted ratings of 113 and 112 , respectively .
“ Every game , I feel like I ’ m just getting a better idea of what we want to do defensively , ” Porter said .
“ I ’ ve just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s there every night .
”

Michael Porter Jr. tried like heck to get Game 1 out of his head.
But the scar tissue from a night to forget wouldn’t leave: A 2-for-9 showing from the floor, 0-for-6 from beyond the arc, five points, two turnovers — and, worse yet, a 23-point Nuggets shellacking at the hands of the Los Angeles Clippers.
“Me, personally, it really, really bothered me,” the Nuggets’ rookie forward recalled in advance of Monday night’s Game 3 between Denver and Los Angeles in the NBA’s Western Conference semifinals. “I was up in my room for a while, just thinking of all the stuff I could’ve done better.
“None of us came with the right energy. And the Clippers are a really, really talented team. So with that talent (and) them outworking us, it’s going to get ugly. We have to make sure that every single night, we’re playing as hard as we can and battling every night to make it a series.”
Lesson learned.
The Nuggets rallied with vigor and vinegar in Game 2 late Saturday, especially on the defensive end — exploding to a 44-25 first-quarter lead and holding on for a 110-101 victory to even the series.
“Coming off that first game, we (also) saw what they were about, we saw how physical they were,” said Porter, who scored 11 points and picked up seven boards off the bench to help pace one of Denver’s most complete team efforts inside the bubble. “And they’re a really good team, so we knew that during that (day) off, we had to get our minds right and be ready to go to war that second game. And I was really proud of the team, the way that everybody contributed and played with high energy and played intense.”
That intensity hit a wall midway through the first half in Game 1, slowed by the short turnaround after an exhausting Game 7 win over Utah, helping the Clippers walk away with the spoils. Before Game 2, the Nuggets knew how to swerve around that wall once it came, kicking it up a notch in terms of effort and several notches when it came to their on-court communication.
“Communication is a big way to get yourself involved in the game,” Porter said. “I’m just trying to do better at just being in communication with my teammates out there and not being silent … Especially when things aren’t going great on the court, as a team, we tend to get a little quiet. We need everybody to just step up and just use their voices and just make sure that we’re on the same page at all times.”
Porter, meanwhile, has been getting a better handle on coach Michael Malone’s script, and where he fits in it, with each passing appearance.
Consider: Over his first four playoffs appearances, during which Utah stormed to a 3-1 first-round series lead, the rookie posted an average defensive rating of 133.3 — in layman’s terms, that’s 133 points allowed individually per every 100 possessions on the court.
In Games 5-7 against the Jazz and in Games 1 and 2 against the Clippers, a stretch that saw the Nuggets win four out of five, Porter posted an average defensive rating of 100.7. Perspective: MPJ’s regular-season defensive rating was 109, while Gary Harris and Torrey Craig posted ratings of 113 and 112, respectively.
“Every game, I feel like I’m just getting a better idea of what we want to do defensively,” Porter said. “I’ve just got to make sure the effort’s there every night.”


thedenverpost--2020-09-08--Colorado weather: When, where and how much snow to expect Tuesday

Colorado is being moody , again .
Be prepared to see a drastic change in Colorado ’ s weather overnight Monday into Tuesday .
Labor Day ’ s high heat will be replaced by possible record-breaking cold temperatures as a cold front moves into Colorado .
Winter-like conditions , including snow and below-freezing temperatures , can be expected across much of the state .
Monday ’ s high of 92 degrees is expected to drop nearly 60 degrees to a low of 33 with winds up to 17 mph .
Chance of precipitation tonight is 100 % , according to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expected to start later tonight and switch to snow overnight , with mostly snow expected after 11 a.m. Tuesday .
Temperatures Tuesday aren ’ t expected to rise above 35 degrees , the NSW said .
The low is expected to fall to 29 degrees Tuesday night .
More rain and snow is expected overnight into Wednesday with a 40 % chance of precipitation before 2 p.m. Much of the state is under some kind of weather advisory for the next 24 hours , ranging from winter weather warnings in the metro area @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and a freeze warning in Morgan County , Southern Lincoln County , Logan County , Washington County , Sedgwick County and Phillips County .
Snow accumulation can be expected in the mountains and foothills while Denver should see slushy , wet snowfall by Tuesday morning , according to the National Weather Service in Boulder .
Here are the possible snow totals the National Weather Service is expecting from this storm : • 5 ” for metro Denver and the Front Range This snowstorm , while uncommonly early , is not Denver ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on record in Denver fell on another Labor Day weekend in 1961 .
The Sept. 3 storm brought a whopping 4.2 inches of snow to the Denver area nearly six decades ago .
This storm will tie the second-earliest snow on record : 0.7 inches recorded on Sept. 8 , 1962 .
Early-season snowfalls can be extra damaging so residents should be prepared for power outages .
Wet , heavy snow can cause trees limbs to break , impacting power lines .
But don ’ t put your flip flops and tank tops @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are expected to be back up in the 80s by Sunday .

Colorado is being moody, again. Be prepared to see a drastic change in Colorado’s weather overnight Monday into Tuesday.
Labor Day’s high heat will be replaced by possible record-breaking cold temperatures as a cold front moves into Colorado. Winter-like conditions, including snow and below-freezing temperatures, can be expected across much of the state.
Monday’s high of 92 degrees is expected to drop nearly 60 degrees to a low of 33 with winds up to 17 mph. Chance of precipitation tonight is 100%, according to the National Weather Service. Rain is expected to start later tonight and switch to snow overnight, with mostly snow expected after 11 a.m. Tuesday.
Drastic change to WINTER starts tonight! Cold front blasts thru this eve with strong winds. Rain changes to snow over most of plains by Tuesday. Accumulations may result in broken tree limbs & power outages. Prepare now, for this sharp change from summer to winter! #COwx pic.twitter.com/OBpDFmpeIS — NWS Boulder (@NWSBoulder) September 7, 2020
Temperatures Tuesday aren’t expected to rise above 35 degrees, the NSW said. The low is expected to fall to 29 degrees Tuesday night. More rain and snow is expected overnight into Wednesday with a 40% chance of precipitation before 2 p.m.
Much of the state is under some kind of weather advisory for the next 24 hours, ranging from winter weather warnings in the metro area to extreme fire danger in the mountains and a freeze warning in Morgan County, Southern Lincoln County, Logan County, Washington County, Sedgwick County and Phillips County.
Snow accumulation can be expected in the mountains and foothills while Denver should see slushy, wet snowfall by Tuesday morning, according to the National Weather Service in Boulder.
Here are the possible snow totals the National Weather Service is expecting from this storm:
5” for metro Denver and the Front Range
5″ for Colorado Springs
8” for the Castle Rock area
8″ for Boulder
8″ for Fairplay
11″ in Estes Park
This snowstorm, while uncommonly early, is not Denver’s earliest recorded snowfall. The earliest flakes on record in Denver fell on another Labor Day weekend in 1961. The Sept. 3 storm brought a whopping 4.2 inches of snow to the Denver area nearly six decades ago. This storm will tie the second-earliest snow on record: 0.7 inches recorded on Sept. 8, 1962.
Early-season snowfalls can be extra damaging so residents should be prepared for power outages. Wet, heavy snow can cause trees limbs to break, impacting power lines.
But don’t put your flip flops and tank tops away just yet, Coloradans. Temperatures are expected to be back up in the 80s by Sunday.


thedenverpost--2020-09-07--Dustin Johnson cashes in and finally wins the FedEx Cup

ATLANTA — Dustin Johnson hit his stride at just the right time and it paid off in a big way .
Johnson finally won the FedEx Cup on Monday by holding his nerve , hitting just enough fairways and making a few key putts when his lead began to shrink .
He tapped in for birdie on the last hole for a 2-under 68 , giving him a three-shot victory over Justin Thomas and Xander Schauffele in the Tour Championship .
Johnson won the $ 15 million prize , the biggest in golf .
Equally important was getting his named @ @ @ @ @ @ @ alongside some of the best from his generation , starting with Tiger Woods and most recently Rory McIlroy .
“ This is a tough golf course .
No lead is safe , ” Johnson said .
“ The guys gave me a good fight today.
” He became the first No .
1 seed at the Tour Championship to win the FedEx Cup since Tiger Woods in 2009 .
Johnson was staked to a five-shot lead at 19-under par — 9 under on his own score and starting the tournament at 10 under @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the FedEx Cup .
He finished at 21 under .
Schauffele , who tends to bring his best to big moments , and Thomas each got within three shots on the front nine .
They both closed to within two shots deep on the back nine at East Lake .
Johnson gave the lightest fist pump — that ’ s big emotion for him — when he holed a 20-foot par putt on the 13th hole that kept his lead at three .
He made nothing but pars on the back nine until @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Thomas made bogey from a wild tee shot to the right on the 17th .
Schauffele also had to scramble on the 17th , escaping with par after a tee shot into the bunker .
And on the par-5 18th , Johnson unleashed a drive that started left along the pine trees and faded gently toward the middle of the fairway .
That set up a birdie from the front bunker , a hug with brother Austin , his caddie , and a trophy he long wanted .
Schauffele had the lowest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but without a victory this year , he started at No .
14 in the FedEx Cup , spotting the world ’ s No .
1 player seven shots .
Schauffele and Thomas tied for second , each earning $ 4.5 million .
Jon Rahm , the No .
2 seed , closed with a 66 to finish fourth and earn $ 3 million .
Scottie Scheffler , who a year ago was getting ready to start his rookie year , had a 66-65 finish and was fifth for a $ 2.5 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the strangest season on the PGA Tour , which doesn ’ t feel like the end at all except for the $ 15 million awarded to Johnson , $ 14 million now and $ 1 million deferred .
The new season starts Thursday .
Two majors are still to be played .
Golf was shut down for three months and when it restarted , Johnson was No .
111 in the FedEx Cup .
He won the Travelers Championship and a month later began a stretch that brought him to the prize he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against the best fields , he had the 54-hole three times and was tied in the other .
He converted one into an 11-shot win .
He lost to a 65 by Collin Morikawa at the PGA Championship and to a 65-foot putt by Rahm at the BMW Championship .
He badly wanted the last one , and even staked to a five-shot lead to par at East Lake , it was never easy .
Johnson made an 18-foot birdie early that was important because Schauffele kept hitting it close .
Johnson had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his lead remained at five .
But he went well right off the tee at No .
7 and had to pitch back to the fairway .
He three-putted from 55 feet on the fringe at No .
8 and dropped another shot .
The lead kept shrinking .
Johnson rolled his long birdie putt on the par-3 ninth some 7 feet by , and he made the par putt coming back to keep his lead at 3 .
No putt was bigger than the 13th , when his lead was down to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from left rough to right of the green and chipped weakly to 20 feet .
He drilled the par putt , restored the lead to three and was on his way .
“ It ’ s a very tough trophy to win , ” Johnson said .
“ I controlled my own destiny , but I still had to go out and play well .
I had a lot of great players right behind me .
It got close at the end .
I knew it was going to come down the stretch @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some golf shots .
”

ATLANTA — Dustin Johnson hit his stride at just the right time and it paid off in a big way.
Johnson finally won the FedEx Cup on Monday by holding his nerve, hitting just enough fairways and making a few key putts when his lead began to shrink. He tapped in for birdie on the last hole for a 2-under 68, giving him a three-shot victory over Justin Thomas and Xander Schauffele in the Tour Championship.
Johnson won the $15 million prize, the biggest in golf. Equally important was getting his named etched on that silver FedEx Cup trophy alongside some of the best from his generation, starting with Tiger Woods and most recently Rory McIlroy.
“This is a tough golf course. No lead is safe,” Johnson said. “The guys gave me a good fight today.”
He became the first No. 1 seed at the Tour Championship to win the FedEx Cup since Tiger Woods in 2009.
Johnson was staked to a five-shot lead at 19-under par — 9 under on his own score and starting the tournament at 10 under as the No. 1 seed in the FedEx Cup.
He finished at 21 under.
Schauffele, who tends to bring his best to big moments, and Thomas each got within three shots on the front nine. They both closed to within two shots deep on the back nine at East Lake.
Johnson gave the lightest fist pump — that’s big emotion for him — when he holed a 20-foot par putt on the 13th hole that kept his lead at three. He made nothing but pars on the back nine until the outcome was no longer in doubt.
Thomas made bogey from a wild tee shot to the right on the 17th. Schauffele also had to scramble on the 17th, escaping with par after a tee shot into the bunker. And on the par-5 18th, Johnson unleashed a drive that started left along the pine trees and faded gently toward the middle of the fairway.
That set up a birdie from the front bunker, a hug with brother Austin, his caddie, and a trophy he long wanted.
Schauffele had the lowest score over 72 holes at 15-under 265, but without a victory this year, he started at No. 14 in the FedEx Cup, spotting the world’s No. 1 player seven shots.
Schauffele and Thomas tied for second, each earning $4.5 million.
Jon Rahm, the No. 2 seed, closed with a 66 to finish fourth and earn $3 million. Scottie Scheffler, who a year ago was getting ready to start his rookie year, had a 66-65 finish and was fifth for a $2.5 million payoff.
And so wrapped up the strangest season on the PGA Tour, which doesn’t feel like the end at all except for the $15 million awarded to Johnson, $14 million now and $1 million deferred.
The new season starts Thursday. Two majors are still to be played.
Golf was shut down for three months and when it restarted, Johnson was No. 111 in the FedEx Cup. He won the Travelers Championship and a month later began a stretch that brought him to the prize he desperately wanted.
In four straight tournaments against the best fields, he had the 54-hole three times and was tied in the other. He converted one into an 11-shot win. He lost to a 65 by Collin Morikawa at the PGA Championship and to a 65-foot putt by Rahm at the BMW Championship.
He badly wanted the last one, and even staked to a five-shot lead to par at East Lake, it was never easy.
Johnson made an 18-foot birdie early that was important because Schauffele kept hitting it close. Johnson had consecutive birdies through the par-5 sixth and his lead remained at five.
But he went well right off the tee at No. 7 and had to pitch back to the fairway. He three-putted from 55 feet on the fringe at No. 8 and dropped another shot. The lead kept shrinking. Johnson rolled his long birdie putt on the par-3 ninth some 7 feet by, and he made the par putt coming back to keep his lead at 3.
No putt was bigger than the 13th, when his lead was down to two shots over Schauffele. Johnson went from left rough to right of the green and chipped weakly to 20 feet. He drilled the par putt, restored the lead to three and was on his way.
“It’s a very tough trophy to win,” Johnson said. “I controlled my own destiny, but I still had to go out and play well. I had a lot of great players right behind me. It got close at the end. I knew it was going to come down the stretch and I’d have to hit some golf shots.”


thedenverpost--2020-09-07--Unofficial Broncos depth chart lists rookie Lloyd Cushenberry as starting center

A week ahead of their season opener against Tennessee , the Broncos released their first unofficial depth chart of the @ @ @ @ @ Cushenberry is listed as the starting center .
Cushenberry ’ s practice time with the @ @ @ @ @ in training camp when Austin Schlottmann had to slide over to right guard due to @ @ @ @ @ ankle injury .
Cushenberry , a third-round pick from LSU , will be the Broncos @ @ @ @ @ in as many years .
At the second receiver spot , first-round pick Jerry Jeudy @ @ @ @ @ with Tim Patrick .
Melvin Gordon and Phillip Lindsay were both listed as the starting @ @ @ @ @ , rookie cornerback Michael Ojemudia is listed as a backup to Bryce Callahan despite missing @ @ @ @ @ with a quad injury .
On returns , Diontae Spencer is listed as the starter @ @ @ @ @ .
The backups are rookie Tyrie Cleveland ( kickoffs ) and Callahan ( punts ) @ @ @ @ @ return from a three-day break to practice on Tuesday .

A week ahead of their season opener against Tennessee, the Broncos released their first unofficial depth chart of the season Monday and rookie Lloyd Cushenberry is listed as the starting center.
Cushenberry’s practice time with the first-team offense picked up late in training camp when Austin Schlottmann had to slide over to right guard due to Graham Glasgow’s right ankle injury. Cushenberry, a third-round pick from LSU, will be the Broncos’ third Week 1 center in as many years.
At the second receiver spot, first-round pick Jerry Jeudy is listed as a co-starter with Tim Patrick. Melvin Gordon and Phillip Lindsay were both listed as the starting running back.
On defense, rookie cornerback Michael Ojemudia is listed as a backup to Bryce Callahan despite missing a good portion of camp with a quad injury.
On returns, Diontae Spencer is listed as the starter on both punts and kickoffs. The backups are rookie Tyrie Cleveland (kickoffs) and Callahan (punts).
The Broncos’ players return from a three-day break to practice on Tuesday.


thedenverpost--2020-09-07--Aqib Talib, Devonta Freeman, Earl Thomas among big NFL names still unsigned

NEW YORK — Roster cuts were made and practice squads filled out around the NFL during what ’ s always a busy weekend on the league ’ s waiver wire .
Several familiar names and players on roster bubbles took turns on the unemployment line — with some finding new jobs .
As teams now turn their focus to preparing for Week 1 after what has been an unusual summer because of the coronavirus pandemic , coaches and general managers are scouring the free agents lists with one big question : Who ’ s left that could help us ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ t as many big-name veterans on the open market as there might usually be , especially at the quarterback spot .
Some of that might be attributed to the fact teams can keep a practice squad of 16 players — up from the usual 10 — and as many as six of them could be vets who have accrued any number of seasons in the NFL .
Other teams are also playing it safe — and probably smart — by keeping players around at key spots , such as the Jets having five @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Flacco , David Fales , Mike White and James Morgan ) combined on their active roster and practice squad .
Some of the biggest unsigned free agents through the summer ended up finally latching on with teams late in camp or even after , such as Jadeveon Clowney ( Titans ) and Logan Ryan ( Giants ) .
Adrian Peterson was cut last week by Washington , but quickly landed in Detroit .
Here ’ s a look at notable available players at each position : Slim pickings here , and that ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hasn ’ t played since 2016 .
Bortles is just three years removed from leading Jacksonville to the AFC championship game , but spent last season with the Los Angeles Rams as a backup .
Kessler , Kizer , Siemian and Stanton all have previous starting experience in the NFL .
Freeman had a visit with the Jaguars , but left without a deal .
The 29-year-old Miller was in camp with the Patriots , but was cut Saturday .
He was scheduled to visit the Bills .
Brown wants to play again @ @ @ @ @ @ @ games of the season by the NFL for multiple violations of the league ’ s personal-conduct policy .
Bryant , also looking for a comeback , had a tryout with Baltimore last month .
Sanu and Butler could find jobs over the next few days after being cut over the weekend .
The 36-year-old Walker spent much of last season on IR with an ankle injury , but still might provide a team a veteran boost at the position .
Lots of veterans here with plenty of starting experience all over the O-line @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on teams ’ short lists to bring in because of an injury .
Both Dareus and Harrison have been among the NFL ’ s top run-stopping D-linemen in recent seasons .
Ansah has dealt with injuries in recent seasons , but is healthy and recently worked out for the 49ers .
The 34-year-old Matthews ’ days as a dominant pass rusher are behind him , but he still can provide a presence off the edge for a defense needing a final piece .
Ogletree has been a tackling machine for most of his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Saints last month a few weeks after signing as a free agent .
Johnson was released by the Jets in June after being a massive disappointment after signing a five-year , $ 72.5 million contract in 2018 .
Talib has been one of the league ’ s best , but he ’ s 34 and spent the last half of last season on IR .
Thomas obviously stands out in this group and his on-field performance is unquestioned .
But , he punched Baltimore teammate Chuck Clark during practice last month and was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ later because of the incident .
Hauschka was cut by the Bills and his name will surely be linked to any team that has struggles with their kicker early in the season .
Gay ’ s release by Tampa Bay was also a bit unexpected after a mostly solid year , but the Buccaneers opted to go with Ryan Succop .
The 47-year-old Vinatieri still wants to play , but had career lows in field-goal percentage and extra-point percentage before a knee injury ended his season .
Dustin Colquitt was on this list @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pittsburgh following his release by Kansas City after 15 years .
Bosher had a tryout with the Bills , and Edwards was in camp with them this summer .

NEW YORK — Roster cuts were made and practice squads filled out around the NFL during what’s always a busy weekend on the league’s waiver wire.
Several familiar names and players on roster bubbles took turns on the unemployment line — with some finding new jobs.
As teams now turn their focus to preparing for Week 1 after what has been an unusual summer because of the coronavirus pandemic, coaches and general managers are scouring the free agents lists with one big question:
Who’s left that could help us?
In a nutshell, there aren’t as many big-name veterans on the open market as there might usually be, especially at the quarterback spot. Some of that might be attributed to the fact teams can keep a practice squad of 16 players — up from the usual 10 — and as many as six of them could be vets who have accrued any number of seasons in the NFL.
Other teams are also playing it safe — and probably smart — by keeping players around at key spots, such as the Jets having five total QBs (Sam Darnold, Joe Flacco, David Fales, Mike White and James Morgan) combined on their active roster and practice squad.
Some of the biggest unsigned free agents through the summer ended up finally latching on with teams late in camp or even after, such as Jadeveon Clowney (Titans) and Logan Ryan (Giants). Adrian Peterson was cut last week by Washington, but quickly landed in Detroit.
Here’s a look at notable available players at each position:
QUARTERBACKS
Blake Bortles, Cody Kessler, DeShone Kizer, Trevor Siemian, Drew Stanton.
Slim pickings here, and that’s not counting Colin Kaepernick, who hasn’t played since 2016. Bortles is just three years removed from leading Jacksonville to the AFC championship game, but spent last season with the Los Angeles Rams as a backup. Kessler, Kizer, Siemian and Stanton all have previous starting experience in the NFL.
RUNNING BACKS
Devonta Freeman, Lamar Miller, Isaiah Crowell, Bilal Powell, Theo Riddick.
Freeman had a visit with the Jaguars, but left without a deal. The 29-year-old Miller was in camp with the Patriots, but was cut Saturday. He was scheduled to visit the Bills.
WIDE RECEIVERS
Antonio Brown, Dez Bryant, Mohamed Sanu, Hakeem Butler, Quincy Enunwa, Chester Rogers, Demaryius Thomas, Jermaine Kearse, Ryan Grant, Jordan Matthews, Laquon Treadwell.
Brown wants to play again, but was suspended the first eight games of the season by the NFL for multiple violations of the league’s personal-conduct policy. Bryant, also looking for a comeback, had a tryout with Baltimore last month. Sanu and Butler could find jobs over the next few days after being cut over the weekend.
TIGHT ENDS
Delanie Walker, Jeff Heuerman, Ed Dickson, Charles Clay, Richard Rodgers.
The 36-year-old Walker spent much of last season on IR with an ankle injury, but still might provide a team a veteran boost at the position.
OFFENSIVE LINE
Cordy Glenn, Ron Leary, Justin Britt, Jared Veldheer, Jonotthan Harrison, Donald Penn, LaAdrian Waddle, Brent Qvale, Jordan Mills, Ted Larsen, J’Marcus Webb.
Lots of veterans here with plenty of starting experience all over the O-line. Any of these players could be on teams’ short lists to bring in because of an injury.
DEFENSIVE LINEMEN
Marcell Dareus, Damon Harrison, Ezekiel Ansah, Jabal Sheard, Cameron Wake, Brandon Mebane, Kerry Wynn, Kyle Love, Domata Peko.
Both Dareus and Harrison have been among the NFL’s top run-stopping D-linemen in recent seasons. Ansah has dealt with injuries in recent seasons, but is healthy and recently worked out for the 49ers.
LINEBACKERS
Clay Matthews, Alec Ogletree, Nigel Bradham, Kareem Martin, Todd Davis, Mychal Kendricks, Wesley Woodyard, Darron Lee, Darren Bates, Vontaze Burfict.
The 34-year-old Matthews’ days as a dominant pass rusher are behind him, but he still can provide a presence off the edge for a defense needing a final piece. Ogletree has been a tackling machine for most of his career. Bradham was cut by the Saints last month a few weeks after signing as a free agent.
CORNERBACKS
Trumaine Johnson, Aqib Talib, Prince Amukamara, Tramon Williams, Ross Cockrell, Morris Claiborne, Coty Sensabaugh.
Johnson was released by the Jets in June after being a massive disappointment after signing a five-year, $72.5 million contract in 2018. Talib has been one of the league’s best, but he’s 34 and spent the last half of last season on IR.
SAFETIES
Earl Thomas, Reshad Jones, Tony Jefferson, Eric Reid, Morgan Burnett, Antoine Bethea, HaHa Clinton-Dix.
Thomas obviously stands out in this group and his on-field performance is unquestioned. But, he punched Baltimore teammate Chuck Clark during practice last month and was released by the Ravens a few days later because of the incident.
KICKERS
Stephen Hauschka, Adam Vinatieri, Matt Gay, Greg Joseph, Brett Maher.
Hauschka was cut by the Bills and his name will surely be linked to any team that has struggles with their kicker early in the season. Gay’s release by Tampa Bay was also a bit unexpected after a mostly solid year, but the Buccaneers opted to go with Ryan Succop. The 47-year-old Vinatieri still wants to play, but had career lows in field-goal percentage and extra-point percentage before a knee injury ended his season.
PUNTERS
Matt Bosher, Ryan Allen, Lachlan Edwards.
Dustin Colquitt was on this list until Monday, when he signed with Pittsburgh following his release by Kansas City after 15 years. Bosher had a tryout with the Bills, and Edwards was in camp with them this summer.


thedenverpost--2020-09-07--Pueblo’s rail-rolling facility to be most modern in North America, solidifies city’s “Steel City” mo

Pueblo’s rail-rolling facility to be most modern in North America, solidifies city’s “Steel City” moniker

PUEBLO — Like the city itself , steel-making in Pueblo has seen its highs and lows , booms and busts , and periods of “ steady as she goes.
” In history tomes as well as the minds of the thousands with a connection to the “ steel mill ” and the mines that fed it , memories of strikes , mass layoffs , bankruptcy and name changes share space with thoughts of the glorious era when coal , and in turn American steel , was king .
Now , with the announcement that EVRAZ North America plans to move @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in improvements at its Pueblo plant , the iconic South Side steel mill is set to become the most modern rail-rolling facility in North America .
A foreshadowing of the next era that will see Pueblo remain at the epicenter of steel-making for the next 50 years .
Steel-making in Pueblo is inextricably linked with the city , which this year is celebrating its 150th anniversary , as well as with Colorado Fuel and Iron ( CF & I ) , the company that established its main plant at the location now occupied @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the enduring moniker “ Steel City ” lies not with industry magnate and CF & I owner John D. Rockefeller , but with a Civil War veteran turned industrialist .
On Jan. 11 , 1872 , Gen. William J. Palmer , founder of the Central Colorado Improvement Company , declared the purpose of his venture “ to purchase lands , minerals springs , coal and iron and other mines and quarries in Colorado Territory , and the establishment and building up of colonies , towns , coal mining , iron making and manufacturing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wagon roads.
” “ Just two years earlier , the general organized the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad , ” notes Victoria Miller , curator at Steelworks Center of the West .
“ While his competitors were building rail lines east and west , Palmer proposed a narrow gauge from Denver along the Rocky Mountains southward to El Paso , Texas and eventually Mexico.
” On a cold morning in February 1880 , eight men ventured to a prairie south of what was to become the town of South Pueblo and began @ @ @ @ @ @ @ furnace .
As the labor force grew , so too did the “ neighborhood , ” as makeshift homes sprung up on the construction area west of the furnace sites .
Residents named the settlement Taylorville , in honor of the superintendent of construction , Col. W.W. Taylor .
“ Taylorville remained the popular name until 1881 , when the company insisted that the proper designation for the area was ‘ Steelworks , ’ ” Miller said .
“ At that time , between 300 and 400 men were employed , and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 8,000.
” Later that year , the corporation began organizing a town named “ Bessemer ” and , through the South Pueblo Homestead and Investment Company , arranged for the building of a large number of homes .
Once these permanent homes were up , the temporary dwellings were abandoned .
To celebrate the erection of the first of two blast furnaces , a formal blown-in ceremony was staged , attended by company officials and community leaders .
“ The blast furnace was christened ‘ Betsy ’ in honor of the superintendent ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ It was designed to yield 80 tons of iron daily , and the initial tap of 12 tons was made two days later.
” And with that , Pueblo was on its way to becoming “ Steel City.
” The first rail came out of the plant on April 12 , 1882 .
A few days later , the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad placed it on the Animas Canyon route .
“ The following July , when the Burlington Railroad reached Denver , the last 100 miles of the new line @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at Pueblo ’ s Steelworks , ” Miller explained .
The raw materials necessary for the production of steel were obtained through what Miller terms “ a widely organized effort from sites around the state.
” “ The iron ore was mined in Fremont and Chaffee counties , ” she said .
“ The limestone was quarried along the St. Charles River and the coke for the furnaces was obtained from the El Moro works near Trinidad .
Coal was also mined in Fremont and Huerfano counties.
” Soon after that initial rush @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a rapid expansion .
Nail production began in the wire mill , followed by output from the spike , bolt , and merchant bar mills .
Additional blast furnaces were blown-in in 1889 and 1892 .
By this time , the company was known as Colorado Coal and Iron Company , representing the merging of three ventures controlled by Palmer .
And when the Colorado Coal and Iron Company consolidated with J.C. Osgood ’ s Colorado Fuel Company in October 1892 , the Colorado Fuel and Iron Company ( CF & I ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reputation as the “ Pittsburgh of the West .
”

PUEBLO — Like the city itself, steel-making in Pueblo has seen its highs and lows, booms and busts, and periods of “steady as she goes.”
In history tomes as well as the minds of the thousands with a connection to the “steel mill” and the mines that fed it, memories of strikes, mass layoffs, bankruptcy and name changes share space with thoughts of the glorious era when coal, and in turn American steel, was king.
Now, with the announcement that EVRAZ North America plans to move forward with an estimated $480 million in improvements at its Pueblo plant, the iconic South Side steel mill is set to become the most modern rail-rolling facility in North America.
A foreshadowing of the next era that will see Pueblo remain at the epicenter of steel-making for the next 50 years.
Steel-making in Pueblo is inextricably linked with the city, which this year is celebrating its 150th anniversary, as well as with Colorado Fuel and Iron (CF&I), the company that established its main plant at the location now occupied by EVRAZ.
But the genesis of the enduring moniker “Steel City” lies not with industry magnate and CF&I owner John D. Rockefeller, but with a Civil War veteran turned industrialist.
On Jan. 11, 1872, Gen. William J. Palmer, founder of the Central Colorado Improvement Company, declared the purpose of his venture “to purchase lands, minerals springs, coal and iron and other mines and quarries in Colorado Territory, and the establishment and building up of colonies, towns, coal mining, iron making and manufacturing works, and to build canals and wagon roads.”
“Just two years earlier, the general organized the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad,” notes Victoria Miller, curator at Steelworks Center of the West. “While his competitors were building rail lines east and west, Palmer proposed a narrow gauge from Denver along the Rocky Mountains southward to El Paso, Texas and eventually Mexico.”
On a cold morning in February 1880, eight men ventured to a prairie south of what was to become the town of South Pueblo and began excavating for the foundation of a blast furnace.
As the labor force grew, so too did the “neighborhood,” as makeshift homes sprung up on the construction area west of the furnace sites.
Residents named the settlement Taylorville, in honor of the superintendent of construction, Col. W.W. Taylor.
“Taylorville remained the popular name until 1881, when the company insisted that the proper designation for the area was ‘Steelworks,’” Miller said. “At that time, between 300 and 400 men were employed, and the monthly payroll was $7,000 to $8,000.”
Later that year, the corporation began organizing a town named “Bessemer” and, through the South Pueblo Homestead and Investment Company, arranged for the building of a large number of homes.
Once these permanent homes were up, the temporary dwellings were abandoned.
To celebrate the erection of the first of two blast furnaces, a formal blown-in ceremony was staged, attended by company officials and community leaders.
“The blast furnace was christened ‘Betsy’ in honor of the superintendent’s daughter,” Miller explained. “It was designed to yield 80 tons of iron daily, and the initial tap of 12 tons was made two days later.”
And with that, Pueblo was on its way to becoming “Steel City.”
The first rail came out of the plant on April 12, 1882. A few days later, the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad placed it on the Animas Canyon route.
“The following July, when the Burlington Railroad reached Denver, the last 100 miles of the new line was laid with rails and fastenings made at Pueblo’s Steelworks,” Miller explained.
The raw materials necessary for the production of steel were obtained through what Miller terms “a widely organized effort from sites around the state.”
“The iron ore was mined in Fremont and Chaffee counties,” she said. “The limestone was quarried along the St. Charles River and the coke for the furnaces was obtained from the El Moro works near Trinidad. Coal was also mined in Fremont and Huerfano counties.”
Soon after that initial rush of rail production, Pueblo Steelworks began a rapid expansion.
Nail production began in the wire mill, followed by output from the spike, bolt, and merchant bar mills. Additional blast furnaces were blown-in in 1889 and 1892.
By this time, the company was known as Colorado Coal and Iron Company, representing the merging of three ventures controlled by Palmer.
And when the Colorado Coal and Iron Company consolidated with J.C. Osgood’s Colorado Fuel Company in October 1892, the Colorado Fuel and Iron Company (CF&I) was born, launching Pueblo’s reputation as the “Pittsburgh of the West.”


thedenverpost--2020-09-08--Hopes fading for coronavirus deal as Congress returns

WASHINGTON — At least there won ’ t be a government shutdown .
But as lawmakers straggle back to Washington for an abbreviated preelection session , hopes are dimming for another coronavirus relief bill — or much else .
Talks between top Democrats and the Trump administration broke off last month and remain off track , with the bipartisan unity that drove almost $ 3 trillion in COVID-19 rescue legislation into law this spring replaced by toxic partisanship and a return to Washington dysfunction .
Expectations in July and August that a fifth bipartisan pandemic response bill would eventually be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by genuine pessimism .
Recent COVID-related conversations among key players have led to nothing .
Democrats seem secure in their political position , with President Donald Trump and several Senate GOP incumbents lagging in the polls .
Trump is seeking to sideline the pandemic as a campaign issue , and Republicans aren ’ t interested in a deal on Democratic terms — even as needs like school aid enjoy widespread support .
Poisonous relationships among key leaders like House Speaker Nancy Pelosi , D-Calif. , and White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows @ @ @ @ @ @ @ obstacles on the cost , scope and details of a potential relief bill .
Pelosi recently referred to Meadows as “ whatever his name is , ” while the Meadows-run White House during a press briefing ran a video loop of Pelosi ’ s controversial visit to a San Francisco hair salon .
Trump said Monday that Democrats “ don ’ t want to make a deal because they think that if the country does as badly as possible … that ’ s good for the Democrats.
” “ I am taking the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the White House .
“ I ’ m taking the high road by not seeing them.
” All of this imperils the chances for another round of $ 1,200 direct payments delivered under Trump ’ s name , the restoration of more generous unemployment benefits to those who ’ ve lost their jobs because of the pandemic , updates to a popular business subsidy program , and money to help schools reopen and states and local governments avoid layoffs .
“ I personally would like to see one more rescue package , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Washington right now is exceedingly partisan because of the proximity to the election , ” said GOP Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell at an appearance in Kentucky last week .
“ We ’ ve been in discussion now for the last month or so with no results so far .
So I can ’ t promise one final package.″ McConnell had been a force for a deal but does not appear eager to force a vote that exposes division in his ranks .
Many Senate Republicans are also wary or opposed outright @ @ @ @ @ @ @ relief , even as GOP senators imperiled in the election like Susan Collins of Maine and Cory Gardner of Colorado plead for more .
Republicans are struggling to coalesce around a unified party position — and that ’ s before they engage with Democratic leaders , who are demanding far more .
The relationship between Pelosi and her preferred negotiating partner , Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin , is civil but isn ’ t generating much in the way of results , other than a promise to avoid a government shutdown at the end @ @ @ @ @ @ @ temporary spending bill free of controversy .
That measure is likely to keep the government running into December .
It ’ s likely to contain a bunch of lower-profile steps , such as an extension of the federal flood insurance program and a temporary reauthorization of spending from the highway trust fund .
The decision for a “ clean , ” controversy-free stopgap bill , known as a continuing resolution , means that both sides will forgo gamesmanship that uses the threat of a government shutdown to try to gain leverage .
Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ failed attempt to extract money for his U.S.-Mexico border wall , while Democrats lost a shutdown encounter in 2017 over legislation to help immigrants brought illegally to the country as children win permanent legal status .
“ Now we can focus just on another relief bill , and we ’ re continuing to do that in good faith , ” Vice President Mike Pence said Friday on CNBC .
But if talks continue to falter , there ’ s little to keep lawmakers in Washington long , particularly with the election fast approaching @ @ @ @ @ @ @ resume its diet of judicial and administration nominations .
The House doesn ’ t come back until Sept. 14 for a schedule laden with lower-profile measures such as clean energy legislation and a bill to decriminalize marijuana .
Some Democrats are expected to continue to take advantage of remote voting and may not return to Washington at all .

WASHINGTON — At least there won’t be a government shutdown.
But as lawmakers straggle back to Washington for an abbreviated preelection session, hopes are dimming for another coronavirus relief bill — or much else.
Talks between top Democrats and the Trump administration broke off last month and remain off track, with the bipartisan unity that drove almost $3 trillion in COVID-19 rescue legislation into law this spring replaced by toxic partisanship and a return to Washington dysfunction.
Expectations in July and August that a fifth bipartisan pandemic response bill would eventually be birthed despite increased obstacles has been replaced by genuine pessimism. Recent COVID-related conversations among key players have led to nothing.
Democrats seem secure in their political position, with President Donald Trump and several Senate GOP incumbents lagging in the polls. Trump is seeking to sideline the pandemic as a campaign issue, and Republicans aren’t interested in a deal on Democratic terms — even as needs like school aid enjoy widespread support.
Poisonous relationships among key leaders like House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows give little reason for confidence about overcoming obstacles on the cost, scope and details of a potential relief bill. Pelosi recently referred to Meadows as “whatever his name is,” while the Meadows-run White House during a press briefing ran a video loop of Pelosi’s controversial visit to a San Francisco hair salon.
Trump said Monday that Democrats “don’t want to make a deal because they think that if the country does as badly as possible … that’s good for the Democrats.”
“I am taking the high road,” he told reporters at the White House. “I’m taking the high road by not seeing them.”
All of this imperils the chances for another round of $1,200 direct payments delivered under Trump’s name, the restoration of more generous unemployment benefits to those who’ve lost their jobs because of the pandemic, updates to a popular business subsidy program, and money to help schools reopen and states and local governments avoid layoffs.
“I personally would like to see one more rescue package, but I must tell you the environment in Washington right now is exceedingly partisan because of the proximity to the election,” said GOP Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell at an appearance in Kentucky last week. “We’ve been in discussion now for the last month or so with no results so far. So I can’t promise one final package.″
McConnell had been a force for a deal but does not appear eager to force a vote that exposes division in his ranks.
Many Senate Republicans are also wary or opposed outright to another major chunk of debt-financed virus relief, even as GOP senators imperiled in the election like Susan Collins of Maine and Cory Gardner of Colorado plead for more. Republicans are struggling to coalesce around a unified party position — and that’s before they engage with Democratic leaders, who are demanding far more.
The relationship between Pelosi and her preferred negotiating partner, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, is civil but isn’t generating much in the way of results, other than a promise to avoid a government shutdown at the end of the month by keeping a government-wide temporary spending bill free of controversy. That measure is likely to keep the government running into December. It’s likely to contain a bunch of lower-profile steps, such as an extension of the federal flood insurance program and a temporary reauthorization of spending from the highway trust fund.
The decision for a “clean,” controversy-free stopgap bill, known as a continuing resolution, means that both sides will forgo gamesmanship that uses the threat of a government shutdown to try to gain leverage. Trump forced a shutdown in 2018-2019 in a failed attempt to extract money for his U.S.-Mexico border wall, while Democrats lost a shutdown encounter in 2017 over legislation to help immigrants brought illegally to the country as children win permanent legal status.
“Now we can focus just on another relief bill, and we’re continuing to do that in good faith,” Vice President Mike Pence said Friday on CNBC.
But if talks continue to falter, there’s little to keep lawmakers in Washington long, particularly with the election fast approaching.
The Senate returns on Tuesday to resume its diet of judicial and administration nominations. The House doesn’t come back until Sept. 14 for a schedule laden with lower-profile measures such as clean energy legislation and a bill to decriminalize marijuana. Some Democrats are expected to continue to take advantage of remote voting and may not return to Washington at all.