thedenverpost--2020-01-10--Kiszla: As goalie Philipp Grubauer loses grip on starting job, should Avs explore trade for Carey Pr

Kiszla: As goalie Philipp Grubauer loses grip on starting job, should Avs explore trade for Carey Price?

There ’ s one major problem with big talk about the Avalanche being a serious championship contender .
At this point , Colorado doesn ’ t have a legit No .
1 goaltender , much less a net-minder who can lift a team to the Stanley Cup .
Avs coach Jared Bednar has cracked open the Pandora ’ s box of a goaltending controversy , strongly suggesting the shaky performance of Philipp Grubauer has opened the possibility that backup Pavel Francouz could take starts away from him , as the team rides whichever goalie gets hot .
“ We ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , so we might get in the situation where we evaluate it game-by-game , ” Bednar said Thursday .
While not yet a crisis , it ’ s folly to think the Avs can win 16 times in the playoffs with the inconsistent goaltending that plagues them now .
The biggest hole in the team ’ s championship dream is between the pipes .
It seems as if Bednar might be starting to doubt Grubauer , in much the same manner the coach lost faith in Semyon Varlamov a year ago .
We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t nipped in the bud tends to fester .
And the man now under the microscope is an understandably grumpy Grubauer .
“ When you look at our shots against , I don ’ t think it ’ s OK. You give up 40 shots a night , you will see scoring chances against increase … You can ’ t give up 40 shots a night , ” Grubauer said .
A recent slump that saw Colorado go 3-6-1 prompted captain Gabe Landeskog to warn : “ We ’ ve got to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
That this has been our rough patch , I should say .
We want to make sure it doesn ’ t linger on for months , like it did last year ( and ) nearly cost us a playoff ( shot ) .
” A Colorado team that expects to be great is at a crossroads , at the point of the NHL season where true Cup contenders begin to separate themselves from the wanna-be ’ s .
There ’ s tension building in the Avalanche dressing room , and it starts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who bluntly criticized glaring defensive breakdowns resulting from his teammates being caught out of position far too frequently .
“ The shots are the shots .
We ’ ve got to stop them .
What we can control as a team , as a defensive core , as a forward core , is where the shot is coming from .
We can ’ t give up five breakaways every game .
We can ’ t give up five 2-on-1 ’ s every game .
It seems like we ’ re doing that almost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ I ’ ve played on teams where we gave up a breakaway every third game .
Now , here , it ’ s every period we give one up .
We ’ ve got to figure some stuff out in order to eliminate some of those great chances.
” Grubauer sounds a bit grouchy , doesn ’ t he ?
Although I can ’ t say that I blame him , because he makes a good point .
Only six league teams are allowing more shots per game than the Avalanche .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ : As the Feb. 24 trade deadline draws closer , will Avalanche general manager Joe Sakic explore a trade to bolster his team ’ s playoff chances ?
By nature , Sakic tends to keep a steady hand , rather than making sweeping moves with the back of his hand .
Would it be OK , however , to suggest Trader Joe at least give Montreal a phone call and inquire about the asking price for goaltender Carey Price ?
That ’ s almost certainly what Pierre Lacroix would ’ ve done back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were always chasing the Cup .
From Claude Lemieux and Patrick Roy to Ray Bourque and Rob Blake , blockbuster trades by Father Pete are as much a part of Avalanche lore as championships won in 1996 and 2001 .
The relationship between Carey Price , a rare goalie who can proudly display a Vezina , a Hart and an Olympic gold medal in his trophy case , and the Canadiens has soured .
At age 32 , Price is slogging through the worst season of his 13-year NHL career .
In fact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) and goals-against average ( 3.01 ) are both inferior to the shaky stats of Grubauer ( 90.9 and 2.92 ) .
What ’ s more , a massive contract that pays Price an average salary in excess of $ 10 million would be daunting to swallow .
But here ’ s the bottom line : Talent scouts throughout the league still regard Price as a Tier 1 goalie , while Grubauer is generally viewed as no better than average .
While the Avs have incorporated new faces in their playing rotation and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ top of the Central Division standings through the first half of the season , Colorado went to practice Thursday four slim points ahead of ninth-place Vancouver in the Western Conference .
“ We ’ re not surprising any teams this year , or any more , ” said Landeskog , on the eve of a five-game homestand that will feature showdowns with division rivals Dallas and St. Louis .
Maybe Colorado can quickly clean up sloppiness in the details and get back on a roll .
If Grubauer can not keep a firm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1 goalie , maybe the Avs already have the answer in the building , as Pavel Francouz has flashed brilliance during 16 starts ( 92.9 save percentage , 2.32 GAA ) .
Francouz , however , told me : “ I signed ( with Colorado ) as a backup goalie.
” Will a true No .
1 goalie please step up for the Avs ?
Should neither Grubauer nor Francouz prove worthy of the most difficult task in sports , will Sakic explore every trade option and do whatever it takes to become @ @ @ @ @

There’s one major problem with big talk about the Avalanche being a serious championship contender. At this point, Colorado doesn’t have a legit No. 1 goaltender, much less a net-minder who can lift a team to the Stanley Cup.
Avs coach Jared Bednar has cracked open the Pandora’s box of a goaltending controversy, strongly suggesting the shaky performance of Philipp Grubauer has opened the possibility that backup Pavel Francouz could take starts away from him, as the team rides whichever goalie gets hot.
“We’ve got to win some games here, so we might get in the situation where we evaluate it game-by-game,” Bednar said Thursday. While not yet a crisis, it’s folly to think the Avs can win 16 times in the playoffs with the inconsistent goaltending that plagues them now. The biggest hole in the team’s championship dream is between the pipes.
It seems as if Bednar might be starting to doubt Grubauer, in much the same manner the coach lost faith in Semyon Varlamov a year ago. We all know a goalie controversy that isn’t nipped in the bud tends to fester. And the man now under the microscope is an understandably grumpy Grubauer.
“When you look at our shots against, I don’t think it’s OK. You give up 40 shots a night, you will see scoring chances against increase … You can’t give up 40 shots a night,” Grubauer said.
A recent slump that saw Colorado go 3-6-1 prompted captain Gabe Landeskog to warn: “We’ve got to make sure this is our rough patch. That this has been our rough patch, I should say. We want to make sure it doesn’t linger on for months, like it did last year (and) nearly cost us a playoff (shot).”
A Colorado team that expects to be great is at a crossroads, at the point of the NHL season where true Cup contenders begin to separate themselves from the wanna-be’s. There’s tension building in the Avalanche dressing room, and it starts at the locker stall of Grubauer, who bluntly criticized glaring defensive breakdowns resulting from his teammates being caught out of position far too frequently.
“The shots are the shots. We’ve got to stop them. What we can control as a team, as a defensive core, as a forward core, is where the shot is coming from. We can’t give up five breakaways every game. We can’t give up five 2-on-1’s every game. It seems like we’re doing that almost every game,” Grubauer said. “I’ve played on teams where we gave up a breakaway every third game. Now, here, it’s every period we give one up. We’ve got to figure some stuff out in order to eliminate some of those great chances.”
Grubauer sounds a bit grouchy, doesn’t he? Although I can’t say that I blame him, because he makes a good point. Only six league teams are allowing more shots per game than the Avalanche.
So here’s the hard question: As the Feb. 24 trade deadline draws closer, will Avalanche general manager Joe Sakic explore a trade to bolster his team’s playoff chances?
By nature, Sakic tends to keep a steady hand, rather than making sweeping moves with the back of his hand. Would it be OK, however, to suggest Trader Joe at least give Montreal a phone call and inquire about the asking price for goaltender Carey Price?
That’s almost certainly what Pierre Lacroix would’ve done back in the day, when the Avs were always chasing the Cup. From Claude Lemieux and Patrick Roy to Ray Bourque and Rob Blake, blockbuster trades by Father Pete are as much a part of Avalanche lore as championships won in 1996 and 2001.
The relationship between Carey Price, a rare goalie who can proudly display a Vezina, a Hart and an Olympic gold medal in his trophy case, and the Canadiens has soured.
At age 32, Price is slogging through the worst season of his 13-year NHL career. In fact, his current save percentage (90.2) and goals-against average (3.01) are both inferior to the shaky stats of Grubauer (90.9 and 2.92). What’s more, a massive contract that pays Price an average salary in excess of $10 million would be daunting to swallow.
But here’s the bottom line: Talent scouts throughout the league still regard Price as a Tier 1 goalie, while Grubauer is generally viewed as no better than average.
While the Avs have incorporated new faces in their playing rotation and overcome troublesome injuries to remain near the top of the Central Division standings through the first half of the season, Colorado went to practice Thursday four slim points ahead of ninth-place Vancouver in the Western Conference.
“We’re not surprising any teams this year, or any more,” said Landeskog, on the eve of a five-game homestand that will feature showdowns with division rivals Dallas and St. Louis.
Maybe Colorado can quickly clean up sloppiness in the details and get back on a roll. If Grubauer cannot keep a firm grip on the job as No. 1 goalie, maybe the Avs already have the answer in the building, as Pavel Francouz has flashed brilliance during 16 starts (92.9 save percentage, 2.32 GAA).
Francouz, however, told me: “I signed (with Colorado) as a backup goalie.”
Will a true No. 1 goalie please step up for the Avs?
Should neither Grubauer nor Francouz prove worthy of the most difficult task in sports, will Sakic explore every trade option and do whatever it takes to become a legit Cup contender?


thedenverpost--2020-01-10--Kafer: Colorado communities embrace refugees despite Trump opt-out

Kudos to Aurora , Centennial , Littleton , Arvada , and Arapahoe County for voting this week to accept refugees .
Last month , Golden , Denver , and Jefferson County passed similar resolutions and Gov .
Jared Polis notified the U.S. State Department that Colorado will continue to be a refuge for displaced peoples .
Hopefully other cities and counties soon will join them .
Lawmakers who voted to take in refugees not only have acted on behalf of vulnerable people fleeing war and tyranny , they have acted in their voters ’ best interests .
That ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them in .
These resettlement resolutions were necessary to comply with Executive Order 13888 issued in September by the Trump administration .
The executive order , which is currently being challenged in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland , allows states and local governments to choose whether to accept refugees .
Since 1980 , Colorado has resettled an average of 1,650 refugees a year .
By comparison , top states accept three to four times as many refugees .
In the 1980s , thousands of refugees arrived in Colorado from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cold War , Russian refugees followed .
In the 1990s and early 2000s , Bosnians and Herzegovinians found refuge here from violent persecution in their homeland .
In recent years , refugees from Myanmar , Iraq , Afghanistan , Bhutan , Congo and other countries have made their way to the Centennial State .
Most refugees settle in the Denver metro area followed by Greeley and Colorado Springs .
Upon arrival , they receive support from the Colorado Refugee Services Program , resettlement organizations , churches and institutions such as Emily Griffith Technical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , however , refugees must become self-sufficient .
The challenges of learning English , finding employment , acclimating to a new culture , making friends , and building a new life are considerable and refugees exhibit remarkable resilience and determination .
Last year , the federal Administration for Children and Families ranked the Colorado Refugee Services Program among the highest in the country in employment measures for refugees and immigrants .
Refugees not only find employment , but many also go on to open businesses for themselves .
According to the Colorado Department @ @ @ @ @ @ @ industrial activity and $ 1.23 in taxes are produced for every dollar invested in refugee services .
A nationwide report found refugees contributed $ 63 billion more in revenue to federal , state , and local governments than the cost of services over the nine-year period studied .
Refugees have contributed to the state ’ s culture , economic dynamism and cuisine .
Thanks to the culinary genius of refugees and immigrants who opened restaurants on South Federal Boulevard and throughout Aurora , Colorado isn ’ t just known for the Denver omelet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their new home , we are grateful for them .
Unfortunately , the Trump administration plans to reduce the number of refugees entering the country from last year ’ s cap of 30,000 to a mere 18,000 .
It ’ s not the first time the president has reduced the number of refugees allowed .
During the first year of his administration , President Donald Trump more than halved the number of refugees allowed to enter from 110,000 to 50,000 .
Our wealthy and spacious country , formerly number one in refugee resettlement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at an unfortunate time .
The number of displaced peoples has risen to a level not seen since World War II .
Meanwhile , countries with fewer resources like Turkey , Pakistan , Uganda , Bangladesh and Lebanon have taken in millions of people from neighboring countries .
The poor are taking in the dispossessed while we are slowly shutting the door .
Krista Kafer is a weekly Denver Post columnist .
Follow her on Twitter : @ kristakafer To send a letter to the editor about this article , submit online or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ submit by email or mail .

Kudos to Aurora, Centennial, Littleton, Arvada, and Arapahoe County for voting this week to accept refugees. Last month, Golden, Denver, and Jefferson County passed similar resolutions and Gov. Jared Polis notified the U.S. State Department that Colorado will continue to be a refuge for displaced peoples. Hopefully other cities and counties soon will join them. Lawmakers who voted to take in refugees not only have acted on behalf of vulnerable people fleeing war and tyranny, they have acted in their voters’ best interests. That’s because refugees benefit the communities that take them in.
These resettlement resolutions were necessary to comply with Executive Order 13888 issued in September by the Trump administration. The executive order, which is currently being challenged in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland, allows states and local governments to choose whether to accept refugees.
Since 1980, Colorado has resettled an average of 1,650 refugees a year. By comparison, top states accept three to four times as many refugees. In the 1980s, thousands of refugees arrived in Colorado from Vietnam. After the end of the Cold War, Russian refugees followed. In the 1990s and early 2000s, Bosnians and Herzegovinians found refuge here from violent persecution in their homeland. In recent years, refugees from Myanmar, Iraq, Afghanistan, Bhutan, Congo and other countries have made their way to the Centennial State.
Most refugees settle in the Denver metro area followed by Greeley and Colorado Springs. Upon arrival, they receive support from the Colorado Refugee Services Program, resettlement organizations, churches and institutions such as Emily Griffith Technical College. Within a relatively short time, however, refugees must become self-sufficient. The challenges of learning English, finding employment, acclimating to a new culture, making friends, and building a new life are considerable and refugees exhibit remarkable resilience and determination.
Last year, the federal Administration for Children and Families ranked the Colorado Refugee Services Program among the highest in the country in employment measures for refugees and immigrants. Refugees not only find employment, but many also go on to open businesses for themselves. According to the Colorado Department of Human Services, $1.68 in industrial activity and $1.23 in taxes are produced for every dollar invested in refugee services. A nationwide report found refugees contributed $63 billion more in revenue to federal, state, and local governments than the cost of services over the nine-year period studied.
Refugees have contributed to the state’s culture, economic dynamism and cuisine. Thanks to the culinary genius of refugees and immigrants who opened restaurants on South Federal Boulevard and throughout Aurora, Colorado isn’t just known for the Denver omelet. Just as refugees are grateful for their new home, we are grateful for them.
Unfortunately, the Trump administration plans to reduce the number of refugees entering the country from last year’s cap of 30,000 to a mere 18,000. It’s not the first time the president has reduced the number of refugees allowed. During the first year of his administration, President Donald Trump more than halved the number of refugees allowed to enter from 110,000 to 50,000.
Our wealthy and spacious country, formerly number one in refugee resettlement, has cut the number of refugees at an unfortunate time. The number of displaced peoples has risen to a level not seen since World War II. Meanwhile, countries with fewer resources like Turkey, Pakistan, Uganda, Bangladesh and Lebanon have taken in millions of people from neighboring countries. The poor are taking in the dispossessed while we are slowly shutting the door.
Krista Kafer is a weekly Denver Post columnist. Follow her on Twitter: @kristakafer
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--2020-01-11--“Bullitt” Mustang sells for $3.74 million at Florida auction

KISSIMMEE , Fla. — The Highland Green 1968 Ford Mustang GT featured in the film “ Bullitt ” was sold Friday at a Florida auction house for $ 3.74 million .
The sale at Mecum Kissimmee marks the most expensive Mustang ever sold , surpassing a 1967 Shelby GT500 Super Snake that sold last year for $ 2.2 million , the Orlando Sentinel reported .
Owner Sean Kiernan , with his sister Kelly Cotton riding shotgun , drove the car across the auction block at Silver Spurs Arena and then addressed a crowd of about 25,000 before the bidding started @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in its life , it ’ s been in my family for 45 years .
Each time it has sold , it was $ 3,500 , ” Kiernan said .
“ So we ’ re going to start it off at that price and go from there.
” The auction house posted an 11-minute video of the auction on YouTube .
Bidding surpassed $ 3 million in the first minute .
The top bid went back and forth between someone present and a bidder on the phone for several minutes before the mystery @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to pay $ 3.4 million plus a 10 percent buyer ’ s premium .
Kiernan ’ s father , Robert , bought the car after seeing an ad in a 1974 issue of “ Road & Track.
” The New Jersey family used it as a daily commuter until the clutch gave out in 1980 .
In the late 1970s , Steve McQueen , who played the title character in “ Bullitt , ” tracked down the Kiernans and asked if he could reclaim the muscle car in return for a similar Mustang @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Sean Kiernan began working on the Mustang in 2001 .
After Robert Kiernan ’ s death in 2014 , Sean Kiernan finished the car and revealed it to the world .
Following the car ’ s sale , Sean Kiernan said he doesn ’ t think a more expensive Mustang will ever be sold .
“ As far as Mustangs go , this is it .
With dad being down in the record books forever , that ’ s what matters to me , ” he said .
“ I ’ ve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ probably eight months now .
We ’ re just having fun with this .
”

KISSIMMEE, Fla. — The Highland Green 1968 Ford Mustang GT featured in the film “Bullitt” was sold Friday at a Florida auction house for $3.74 million.
The sale at Mecum Kissimmee marks the most expensive Mustang ever sold, surpassing a 1967 Shelby GT500 Super Snake that sold last year for $2.2 million, the Orlando Sentinel reported.
Owner Sean Kiernan, with his sister Kelly Cotton riding shotgun, drove the car across the auction block at Silver Spurs Arena and then addressed a crowd of about 25,000 before the bidding started.
“This car had sold twice in its life, it’s been in my family for 45 years. Each time it has sold, it was $3,500,” Kiernan said. “So we’re going to start it off at that price and go from there.”
The auction house posted an 11-minute video of the auction on YouTube.
Bidding surpassed $3 million in the first minute. The top bid went back and forth between someone present and a bidder on the phone for several minutes before the mystery buyer on the phone won, agreeing to pay $3.4 million plus a 10 percent buyer’s premium.
Kiernan’s father, Robert, bought the car after seeing an ad in a 1974 issue of “Road & Track.” The New Jersey family used it as a daily commuter until the clutch gave out in 1980. In the late 1970s, Steve McQueen, who played the title character in “Bullitt,” tracked down the Kiernans and asked if he could reclaim the muscle car in return for a similar Mustang. His pleas went unanswered.
Robert and Sean Kiernan began working on the Mustang in 2001. After Robert Kiernan’s death in 2014, Sean Kiernan finished the car and revealed it to the world. Following the car’s sale, Sean Kiernan said he doesn’t think a more expensive Mustang will ever be sold.
“As far as Mustangs go, this is it. With dad being down in the record books forever, that’s what matters to me,” he said. “I’ve been at peace with the sale for probably eight months now. We’re just having fun with this.”


thedenverpost--2020-01-11--Editorial: Hickenlooper’s budget trick with federal dollars is disappointing

Colorado state agencies , with a few exceptions , are not allowed to have their own rainy day funds to help them weather financial downturns .
It ’ s the job of state lawmakers to make the tough decisions about where cuts will be made and how state savings funds will be used to spare some departments from those trims .
So we were disappointed to learn that the Colorado governor ’ s office , under the direction of former Gov .
John Hickenlooper and possibly under his predecessors , set itself above lawmakers ’ budgeting process .
Denver Post @ @ @ @ @ @ @ federal dollars , almost 16 years old , that Hickenlooper used to stave off cuts to his office over the 8 years he made budget recommendations to lawmakers .
Records show he also used the money to cover expenses that probably would have raised a few eyebrows at the Joint Budget Committee in lean fiscal years .
We will stop just short of calling this a slush fund because despite a few questionable expenses , it seems that most of the money paid for personnel – salaries and benefits – potentially to avoid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the governor ’ s term .
We do not know how past governors Bill Ritter and Bill Owens expended the money or why they left so much for future administrations .
It seems strange that despite the dot-com bust , and the Great Recession , these one-time federal dollars were able to last for so many years .
Hickenlooper took office with about $ 10 million remaining in the fund and immediately spent $ 6 million of it in 2012 when Colorado ’ s economy was still trying to recover from the Great @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hickenlooper ’ s office slowed the spending out of the fund to a trickle , however .
We don ’ t think it ’ s appropriate for a governor to use federal money in this way .
It would be wise for lawmakers to audit this fund , not only to look back at how it was used , but to learn how to shut down similar funds that may exist throughout the state government .
Hickenlooper is running to be the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate this year and face Sen. Cory @ @ @ @ @ @ @ November general election .
We suspect that is why Democratic lawmakers on the Audit Committee refused a request for the fund to be audited .
They should reconsider and listen to the wisdom of their Republican colleagues .
The slightly sneaky budgeting practice was made public by Denver Post reporters who first broke the news that the attorney representing Hickenloper in an unrelated ethics complaint was being paid out of this fund of federal dollars .
The attorney has been paid $ 43,390 .
The Post then used open records to find some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state-owned aircraft ; $ 33,900 to consulting firms ; $ 13,385 to a firm for a website touting Hikcenlooper ’ s legacy ; $ 5,000 to the Civic Center Conservancy for an official function ; and $ 2,500 to a four-star hotel in Cherry Creek for an official function .
To be clear , we don ’ t think anything illegal occurred .
The federal funds were sent to states under the Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003 , which was intended to backfill states for the income tax revenue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bush ’ s federal tax cuts .
Gov .
Bill Owens spent down 85 % of the fund between 2004 and 2006 with expenditures of about $ 130 million according to budget documents .
Gov .
Bill Ritter then spent another $ 14 million .
Moving forward we hope future governors realize these types of accounting tricks erode taxpayer trust in government and can do more harm than the short-term gain of being able to maintain a fully-funded governor ’ s office .
Hickenlooper should own this mistake publicly and commit to doing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public office in the future .
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 .

Colorado state agencies, with a few exceptions, are not allowed to have their own rainy day funds to help them weather financial downturns. It’s the job of state lawmakers to make the tough decisions about where cuts will be made and how state savings funds will be used to spare some departments from those trims.
So we were disappointed to learn that the Colorado governor’s office, under the direction of former Gov. John Hickenlooper and possibly under his predecessors, set itself above lawmakers’ budgeting process.
Denver Post reporter Justin Wingerter uncovered a fund of federal dollars, almost 16 years old, that Hickenlooper used to stave off cuts to his office over the 8 years he made budget recommendations to lawmakers. Records show he also used the money to cover expenses that probably would have raised a few eyebrows at the Joint Budget Committee in lean fiscal years.
We will stop just short of calling this a slush fund because despite a few questionable expenses, it seems that most of the money paid for personnel – salaries and benefits – potentially to avoid layoffs during hard budget years early in the governor’s term. We do not know how past governors Bill Ritter and Bill Owens expended the money or why they left so much for future administrations. It seems strange that despite the dot-com bust, and the Great Recession, these one-time federal dollars were able to last for so many years.
Hickenlooper took office with about $10 million remaining in the fund and immediately spent $6 million of it in 2012 when Colorado’s economy was still trying to recover from the Great Recession.
Over the next several years Hickenlooper’s office slowed the spending out of the fund to a trickle, however.
We don’t think it’s appropriate for a governor to use federal money in this way. It would be wise for lawmakers to audit this fund, not only to look back at how it was used, but to learn how to shut down similar funds that may exist throughout the state government.
Hickenlooper is running to be the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate this year and face Sen. Cory Gardner, a Republican, in the November general election. We suspect that is why Democratic lawmakers on the Audit Committee refused a request for the fund to be audited. They should reconsider and listen to the wisdom of their Republican colleagues.
The slightly sneaky budgeting practice was made public by Denver Post reporters who first broke the news that the attorney representing Hickenloper in an unrelated ethics complaint was being paid out of this fund of federal dollars. The attorney has been paid $43,390.
The Post then used open records to find some questionable expenses — $20,381 to a state-owned aircraft; $33,900 to consulting firms; $13,385 to a firm for a website touting Hikcenlooper’s legacy; $5,000 to the Civic Center Conservancy for an official function; and $2,500 to a four-star hotel in Cherry Creek for an official function.
To be clear, we don’t think anything illegal occurred. The federal funds were sent to states under the Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003, which was intended to backfill states for the income tax revenue they would possibly lose under President George Bush’s federal tax cuts.
Gov. Bill Owens spent down 85% of the fund between 2004 and 2006 with expenditures of about $130 million according to budget documents. Gov. Bill Ritter then spent another $14 million.
Moving forward we hope future governors realize these types of accounting tricks erode taxpayer trust in government and can do more harm than the short-term gain of being able to maintain a fully-funded governor’s office. Hickenlooper should own this mistake publicly and commit to doing better if he’s elected to public office in the future.
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--2020-01-10--Roy Williams’ Tar Heels struggling entering visit from Clemson

CHAPEL HILL , N.C. — The losses are adding up for North Carolina , along with the sleepless nights for Hall of Fame coach Roy Williams .
The Tar Heels have their worst record through 15 games in 17 seasons under Williams .
They ’ ve struggled to replace veteran and NBA talent from a team that earned a No .
1 seed in last year ’ s NCAA Tournament .
And the roster left behind has been hit hard by injuries , notably with potential one-and-done prospect Cole Anthony roughly midway through a multi-week timeline to return from knee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tar Heels with a major climb ahead to earn a bid to the NCAA Tournament , not to mention the fact they look as vulnerable as they ever have for Clemson to end its 0-for-forever streak in Chapel Hill on Saturday .
It all has Williams – who said on his radio show earlier this week that it is the “ least gifted ” team he ’ s had since taking over at UNC – staying up late looking at statsheets , planning practices or reviewing scouting reports searching for a way to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I ’ ve never been one to sleep .
I ’ m not sleeping at all now , ” Williams said Friday .
“ That ’ s the only difference .
“ The only thing is when you ’ re winning it ’ s easier to finally go to sleep .
A normal night for me is 4 ½ to five hours .
Now it ’ s nowhere close to that.
” The Tar Heels ( 8-7 , 1-3 Atlantic Coast Conference ) peaked at No .
5 in the Top 25 in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
108 in the NCAA ’ s NET rankings .
They haven ’ t been effective at either end of the floor , ranking 83rd in KenPom ’ s adjusted offensive efficiency ( 105 points per 100 possession ) and 72nd on defense ( 94.3 ) .
They ’ re coming off home losses to Georgia Tech and Pittsburgh , both picked to finish in the bottom third of the ACC .
Now they ’ re hosting the Tigers ( 7-7 , 1-3 ) , who are 0-59 in Chapel Hill to give @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a single opponent in NCAA history .
Even the 2002 team that went 8-20 under Matt Doherty kept that streak alive , and by a double-figure margin , too .
“ I ’ ve said the same thing for 17 years … that it ’ s a streak that people talk about , you have nothing to do with it , it ’ s going to end at some time , let ’ s try to put it off another year , ” Williams said .
It was clear the Tar Heels would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their top five scorers from last year – three as NBA first-round picks — while complementary players Garrison Brooks and Brandon Robinson took leading roles .
Anthony ’ s arrival at the point along with fellow McDonald ’ s All-American big man Armando Bacot offered optimism , but Anthony has been out since mid-December as the Tar Heels ’ top scorer ( 19.2 ) and the lone player consistently able to create his own shot .
UNC also never had junior big man Sterling Manley after offseason knee surgery , while freshman guard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ knee injury three games ago .
“ Obviously I would say the losing is probably the biggest weight on us because we ’ re North Carolina and they ’ re going to roll the ball out regardless of who ’ s out on the floor , ” Bacot said .
“ And we ’ re going to have to go out there and play and compete anyways.
” North Carolina ’ s struggles have also led to a awkward wait for Williams to break a tie with late mentor Dean Smith for fourth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coaching career wins list by claiming his 880th win .
Williams recalled a years-ago message from Smith that seemed fitting now as Williams tries to solve the Tar Heels ’ struggles .
“ He said , ‘ My biggest worry about you is how hard you take the losses as an an assistant , and it ’ s a lot worse as the head coach , ’ ” Williams said .
“ And he ’ s right again .
It ’ s a lot worse .
”

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — The losses are adding up for North Carolina, along with the sleepless nights for Hall of Fame coach Roy Williams.
The Tar Heels have their worst record through 15 games in 17 seasons under Williams. They’ve struggled to replace veteran and NBA talent from a team that earned a No. 1 seed in last year’s NCAA Tournament. And the roster left behind has been hit hard by injuries, notably with potential one-and-done prospect Cole Anthony roughly midway through a multi-week timeline to return from knee surgery.
It has already left the Tar Heels with a major climb ahead to earn a bid to the NCAA Tournament, not to mention the fact they look as vulnerable as they ever have for Clemson to end its 0-for-forever streak in Chapel Hill on Saturday.
It all has Williams – who said on his radio show earlier this week that it is the “least gifted” team he’s had since taking over at UNC – staying up late looking at statsheets, planning practices or reviewing scouting reports searching for a way to stop UNC’s struggles.
“I’ve never been one to sleep. I’m not sleeping at all now,” Williams said Friday. “That’s the only difference.
“The only thing is when you’re winning it’s easier to finally go to sleep. A normal night for me is 4 ½ to five hours. Now it’s nowhere close to that.”
The Tar Heels (8-7, 1-3 Atlantic Coast Conference) peaked at No. 5 in the Top 25 in November, but they’re No. 108 in the NCAA’s NET rankings. They haven’t been effective at either end of the floor, ranking 83rd in KenPom’s adjusted offensive efficiency (105 points per 100 possession) and 72nd on defense (94.3).
They’re coming off home losses to Georgia Tech and Pittsburgh, both picked to finish in the bottom third of the ACC. Now they’re hosting the Tigers (7-7, 1-3), who are 0-59 in Chapel Hill to give UNC the longest home winning streak against a single opponent in NCAA history.
Even the 2002 team that went 8-20 under Matt Doherty kept that streak alive, and by a double-figure margin, too.
“I’ve said the same thing for 17 years … that it’s a streak that people talk about, you have nothing to do with it, it’s going to end at some time, let’s try to put it off another year,” Williams said.
It was clear the Tar Heels would have a very different look after losing their top five scorers from last year – three as NBA first-round picks — while complementary players Garrison Brooks and Brandon Robinson took leading roles.
Anthony’s arrival at the point along with fellow McDonald’s All-American big man Armando Bacot offered optimism, but Anthony has been out since mid-December as the Tar Heels’ top scorer (19.2) and the lone player consistently able to create his own shot.
UNC also never had junior big man Sterling Manley after offseason knee surgery, while freshman guard Anthony Harris went down to a season-ending knee injury three games ago.
“Obviously I would say the losing is probably the biggest weight on us because we’re North Carolina and they’re going to roll the ball out regardless of who’s out on the floor,” Bacot said. “And we’re going to have to go out there and play and compete anyways.”
North Carolina’s struggles have also led to a awkward wait for Williams to break a tie with late mentor Dean Smith for fourth on the Division I men’s coaching career wins list by claiming his 880th win.
Williams recalled a years-ago message from Smith that seemed fitting now as Williams tries to solve the Tar Heels’ struggles.
“He said, ‘My biggest worry about you is how hard you take the losses as an an assistant, and it’s a lot worse as the head coach,’” Williams said. “And he’s right again. It’s a lot worse.”


thedenverpost--2020-01-10--Mookie Betts agrees to record $27 million deal with Red Sox

BOSTON — Outfielder Mookie Betts agreed Friday to a $ 27 million contract with the Boston Red Sox , the largest one-year salary for an arbitration-eligible player .
Outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr. also agreed to an $ 11 million deal , ensuring Boston will avoid salary arbitration with two of its biggest stars .
Betts ’ deal topped the $ 26 million agreement last winter for third baseman Nolan Arenado , which led to negotiations for a $ 260 million , eight-year deal .
A four-time All-Star and four-time Gold Glove winner , Betts is eligible for free agency after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ American League MVP in 2018 , when he hit a major league-leading .346 with 32 homers and 80 RBIs , then helped the Red Sox to the World Series title .
He hit .295 last season with 29 homers and 80 RBIs .
Bradley is known for his spectacular plays in the outfield , but his bat has been a liability at times .
He is streaky , hitting .315 with five homers and 14 RBIs in June but just .225 for the season as a whole , with 21 homers and 62 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ putouts and assists as a center fielder .
Boston also acquired right-hander Austin Brice from the Miami Marlins in exchange for minor league shortstop Angeudis Santos .
Infielder Marco Hernández was designated for assignment .
Brice , a 27-year-old relief pitcher , had a 3.43 ERA in 36 games last season .

NEW YORK — Outfielder Mookie Betts agreed Friday to a $27 million contract with the Boston Red Sox, the largest one-year salary for an arbitration-eligible player, while Chicago Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant got an $18.6 million, one-year deal.
Cincinnati pitcher Trevor Bauer struck a $17.5 million agreement after winning hearings against Cleveland the previous two winters, and Indians shortstop Francisco Lindor also agreed to $17.5 million.
NL MVP Cody Bellinger agreed at $11.5 million, the largest amount for a player eligible for arbitration for the first time. New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge, also eligible for the first time, received an $8.5 million deal.
Among 155 players eligible for arbitration at the start of the day, just 20 remained headed for hearings next month after exchanging proposed arbitration salaries with teams.
Houston outfielder George Springer asked for a raise from $12.15 million to $22.5 million and was offered $17.5 million in the biggest gap. Philadelphia catcher J.T. Realmuto requested a hike from $6.05 million to $12.4 million and was offered $10 million, and Milwaukee closer Josh Hader asked for a boost from $687,600 to $6.4 million and was offered $4.1 million.
Four of the remaining cases involve the Dodgers, whose last arbitration hearing was a victory over Joe Beimel in 2007. Los Angeles is headed to hearings with outfielder Joc Pederson ($9.5 million vs. $7.75 million), outfielder Chris Taylor ($5.8 million vs. $5.25 million), right-hander Pedro Báez ($4 million vs. $3.5 million) and infielder Max Muncy ($4,675,000 vs. $4 million).
Just 10 cases went to hearings last year, and players won six. A three-person panel hears each case and sides with either the player or the team — no ruling in the middle. Teams can still negotiate an agreement until the arbitrators make a decision.
Betts’ deal topped the $26 million agreement last winter for Colorado third baseman Nolan Arenado, which led to negotiations for a $260 million, eight-year deal. A four-time All-Star and four-time Gold Glove winner, Betts is eligible for free agency after this season.
He was voted the American League MVP in 2018, when he hit a major league-leading .346 with 32 homers and 80 RBIs, then helped the Red Sox to the World Series title. He hit .295 last season with 29 homers and 80 RBIs.
Agent Scott Boras and his staff negotiated 19 contracts for arbitration-eligible players totaling $117.75 million, raising the company’s offseason total to $1,134,250,000 with a deal still to be reached for free agent outfielder Nicholas Castellanos. Boras’ agreements Friday included Bryant, Bellinger, Yankees pitcher James Paxton ($12.5 million) and Dodgers shortstop Corey Seager ($7.6 million).
Twins slugger Miguel Sanó agreed to a $30 million, three-year contract, pending a physical, a person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press. Arizona left fielder David Peralta also reached a rare multiyear agreement on swap day, a $22 million, three-year contract, a person familiar with that deal told the AP. Both people spoke on condition of anonymity because the deals hadn’t been announced.


thedenverpost--2020-01-10--Dr. Phil family home pops up on the market

LOS ANGELES — Social media users were scratching their heads after an unusual home tied to television ’ s Dr. Phil came up for sale at $ 5.75 million .
Outlandish by even L.A. ’ s standards , the Spanish-style two-story home boasts details such as black fabric wallpaper , neon lights and what ’ s described as an anti-gun art installation .
Odd animal figurines with fixed eyes dot the living spaces .
But even more confusing than the decor was the Beverly Crest property ’ s ownership .
Records show the estate was purchased in 2007 by a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whose full name is Phillip McGraw .
But Dr. Phil has never lived there .
Instead , it ’ s being used by his musician son , Jordan McGraw , who is currently on tour with the Jonas Brothers .
The exterior seems normal enough , with yellow walls and a clay tile roof , but the 6,170-square-foot interior walks the line between eclectic and downright bizarre .
A great room with chandelier under a black-and-white checkered rotunda anchors the five-bedroom floor plan and draws the eye with a sweeping staircase draped in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has stools with antler-like backrests .
The family room has neon-lighted cabinetry , and the entry boasts a hanging chair .
In the living room , custom art and animal figurines surround a fireplace .
The one-of-a-kind finishes can be negotiated in the deal , according to the listing .
A more dramatic space comes in the dining room , which is cloaked in bold shades of black and gray and features a wall of non-operational guns , which a Dr. Phil representative described as an anti-gun art installation .
The billiards room @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appear intentionally splattered with white paint .
Outside , things are a tad more traditional .
There ’ s a dining gazebo , a lounge with a fireplace and a flagstone patio surrounding a swimming pool and spa .
McGraw is best known for his advice-centered talk show , “ Dr .
Phil , ” which debuted in 2002 after he starred in segments on “ The Oprah Winfrey Show.
” His show is currently renewed until 2023 and has been nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award every year since 2004 .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hills .
Jordan McGraw , in his early 30s , last year released the song “ Flexible ” as well as a self-titled extended play album .

LOS ANGELES — Social media users were scratching their heads after an unusual home tied to television’s Dr. Phil came up for sale at $5.75 million.
Outlandish by even L.A.’s standards, the Spanish-style two-story home boasts details such as black fabric wallpaper, neon lights and what’s described as an anti-gun art installation. Odd animal figurines with fixed eyes dot the living spaces.
But even more confusing than the decor was the Beverly Crest property’s ownership.
Records show the estate was purchased in 2007 by a family trust tied to the TV host whose full name is Phillip McGraw. But Dr. Phil has never lived there. Instead, it’s being used by his musician son, Jordan McGraw, who is currently on tour with the Jonas Brothers.
The exterior seems normal enough, with yellow walls and a clay tile roof, but the 6,170-square-foot interior walks the line between eclectic and downright bizarre. A great room with chandelier under a black-and-white checkered rotunda anchors the five-bedroom floor plan and draws the eye with a sweeping staircase draped in curving wood branches. A custom bar has stools with antler-like backrests.
The family room has neon-lighted cabinetry, and the entry boasts a hanging chair. In the living room, custom art and animal figurines surround a fireplace. The one-of-a-kind finishes can be negotiated in the deal, according to the listing.
A more dramatic space comes in the dining room, which is cloaked in bold shades of black and gray and features a wall of non-operational guns, which a Dr. Phil representative described as an anti-gun art installation. The billiards room lightens things up with blue floors that appear intentionally splattered with white paint.
Outside, things are a tad more traditional. There’s a dining gazebo, a lounge with a fireplace and a flagstone patio surrounding a swimming pool and spa.
McGraw is best known for his advice-centered talk show, “Dr. Phil,” which debuted in 2002 after he starred in segments on “The Oprah Winfrey Show.” His show is currently renewed until 2023 and has been nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award every year since 2004. The 69-year-old owns other real estate in Beverly Hills.
Jordan McGraw, in his early 30s, last year released the song “Flexible” as well as a self-titled extended play album.


thedenverpost--2020-01-10--Justin Chambers (a.k.a. Dr. Alex Karev) leaves Grey’s Anatomy

“ Grey ’ s Anatomy ” has said goodbye to one of the long-running medical drama ’ s original cast members — Justin Chambers .
Chambers , who played Alex Karev on the show , left last season after a 15-year run .
He leaves only three other actors who have been with the series since the first episode : Ellen Pompeo , James Pickens Jr. and Chandra Wilson .
Chambers said in a statement he has “ hoped to diversify my acting roles and career choices .
And , as I turn 50 and am blessed with my remarkable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , now is that time.
” He thanked ABC , show creator Shonda Rimes , the original cast members , the rest of the cast and crew and fans “ for an extraordinary ride.
” Other actors who have left the show include Sandra Oh , Patrick Dempsey , Katherine Heigl , T.R .
Knight and Isaiah Washington .
“ Grey ’ s Anatomy ” is ABC ’ s No .
1 scripted drama in its 16th season .
Chambers has had roles on NBC ’ s “ Another World , ” and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He won a People ’ s Choice Award in 2017 .
• Beware of the smart device : Ways to stay private and safe

“Grey’s Anatomy” has said goodbye to one of the long-running medical drama’s original cast members — Justin Chambers.
Chambers, who played Alex Karev on the show, left last season after a 15-year run. He leaves only three other actors who have been with the series since the first episode: Ellen Pompeo, James Pickens Jr. and Chandra Wilson.
Chambers’ last episode aired Nov. 14.
Chambers said in a statement he has “hoped to diversify my acting roles and career choices. And, as I turn 50 and am blessed with my remarkable, supportive wife and five wonderful children, now is that time.” He thanked ABC, show creator Shonda Rimes, the original cast members, the rest of the cast and crew and fans “for an extraordinary ride.”
Other actors who have left the show include Sandra Oh, Patrick Dempsey, Katherine Heigl, T.R. Knight and Isaiah Washington. “Grey’s Anatomy” is ABC’s No. 1 scripted drama in its 16th season.


thedenverpost--2020-01-10--Malik Beasley, in and out of Nuggets’ rotation, on trade rumors: “I just hoop”

The Nuggets trusted Malik Beasley at the most critical juncture of their latest dramatic win .
Denver ’ s reserve shooting guard made the most of his opportunity .
The Mavericks trailed the Nuggets at home Wednesday night by a single point with 7.9 seconds left and possession out of bounds at midcourt .
Beasley defended the near-corner baseline , and when Dallas star Luka Doncic made a skip pass to the opposite corner , Beasley bolted in rotation with a textbook closeout — preventing an open Dorian Finney-Smith 3-point attempt to help force a final turnover in the Nuggets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ night with 10 points , five rebounds , two assists and one block .
With starter Will Barton absent ( personal ) , Beasley clocked 25-plus minutes for the third time this season , plus crunch-time play at the end .
You can chalk it up as a bittersweet achievement .
“ I wish it ( playing time ) was consistent , that ’ s just me as a player , ” Beasley said .
“ But I ’ m happy to contribute to the team and get a win , that ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out of every day.
” Count Michael Malone among those who understand his frustration .
“ Malik Beasley is sitting there saying , ‘ I should be playing more , ’ ” Malone said .
“ You know what ?
He ’ s right .
I can ’ t argue that.
” It all sets up for an intriguing countdown to the NBA trade deadline on Feb. 6 as the Nuggets continue to weigh depth against future assets .
Beasley , a 2016 first-round pick , is one of six current Nuggets on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to sign him to an extension last offseason .
Fellow NBA teams in need of shooting help that project Beasley ’ s defensive potential might see a fit via trade .
And , despite averaging only 7.1 points in 16 minutes per game thus far 2019-20 , Beasley was linked to the Sixers as a potential landing spot , per a report in The Ringer .
Beasley ’ s response to that external chatter : “ I just hoop.
” However , he admits uncertainty takes its toll .
“ It ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a great job of keeping me centered , ” Beasley said .
“ I ’ m putting in the extra work getting my mind right and lifting after games .
I do things that get my mind to where I ’ m not pouting and not mad about stuff I can ’ t control.
” Beasley has made the most of his sporadic play .
He logged double-digit scoring in five of his last eight outings while shooting 44 % from the floor ( 37 % behind the arc ) .
But along @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Beasley ’ s place in the lineup has fluctuated as a healthy scratch in nine games .
A lack of playing time can inevitably sow discontent .
Beasley — who averaged 2.8 3s on 48 % shooting as a starter last season in January/February — still gives something Malone covets on his quest for a championship .
“ I hope we can keep this team because we know what this team is capable of , ” Malone said .
“ When you do have injuries , knowing that you have guys who are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that , who can step in and fill those minutes , is very reassuring and comforting .
But I also know this is a business .
All of these guys want to play and we have six guys that are in contract years .
“ When you add all of that together , it ’ s makes for a very tough task for everybody .
But I couldn ’ t be prouder on how they ’ re handling it , because we have a lot of guys who are truly selfless.
” Meanwhile @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and work over the next 15 games before the NBA trade deadline hits .
Evolving from an offensive force into a true two-way player remains a top priority .
His heroic closeout at Dallas was proof of progress .
“ As a player , you first want to come in and get buckets , you don ’ t think about defense , ” Beasley said .
“ But the players that put in that extra work on the defensive end and the mental aspects of the game are the ones who become great @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to do , not just become an offensive player , but also a defensive player .
”

The Nuggets trusted Malik Beasley at the most critical juncture of their latest dramatic win.
Denver’s reserve shooting guard made the most of his opportunity.
The Mavericks trailed the Nuggets at home Wednesday night by a single point with 7.9 seconds left and possession out of bounds at midcourt. Beasley defended the near-corner baseline, and when Dallas star Luka Doncic made a skip pass to the opposite corner, Beasley bolted in rotation with a textbook closeout — preventing an open Dorian Finney-Smith 3-point attempt to help force a final turnover in the Nuggets’ 107-106 victory.
Beasley finished the night with 10 points, five rebounds, two assists and one block. With starter Will Barton absent (personal), Beasley clocked 25-plus minutes for the third time this season, plus crunch-time play at the end.
You can chalk it up as a bittersweet achievement.
“I wish it (playing time) was consistent, that’s just me as a player,” Beasley said. “But I’m happy to contribute to the team and get a win, that’s the most important thing that comes out of every day.”
Count Michael Malone among those who understand his frustration.
“Malik Beasley is sitting there saying, ‘I should be playing more,’” Malone said. “You know what? He’s right. I can’t argue that.”
It all sets up for an intriguing countdown to the NBA trade deadline on Feb. 6 as the Nuggets continue to weigh depth against future assets.
Beasley, a 2016 first-round pick, is one of six current Nuggets on expiring contracts this season after Denver failed to sign him to an extension last offseason. Fellow NBA teams in need of shooting help that project Beasley’s defensive potential might see a fit via trade. And, despite averaging only 7.1 points in 16 minutes per game thus far 2019-20, Beasley was linked to the Sixers as a potential landing spot, per a report in The Ringer.
Beasley’s response to that external chatter: “I just hoop.”
However, he admits uncertainty takes its toll.
“It’s not easy, but my family does a great job of keeping me centered,” Beasley said. “I’m putting in the extra work getting my mind right and lifting after games. I do things that get my mind to where I’m not pouting and not mad about stuff I can’t control.”
Beasley has made the most of his sporadic play. He logged double-digit scoring in five of his last eight outings while shooting 44% from the floor (37% behind the arc). But along with reserve small forward Juancho Hernangomez, Beasley’s place in the lineup has fluctuated as a healthy scratch in nine games.
A lack of playing time can inevitably sow discontent. Beasley — who averaged 2.8 3s on 48% shooting as a starter last season in January/February — still gives something Malone covets on his quest for a championship.
“I hope we can keep this team because we know what this team is capable of,” Malone said. “When you do have injuries, knowing that you have guys who are playoff-tested and have been there and done that, who can step in and fill those minutes, is very reassuring and comforting. But I also know this is a business. All of these guys want to play and we have six guys that are in contract years.
“When you add all of that together, it’s makes for a very tough task for everybody. But I couldn’t be prouder on how they’re handling it, because we have a lot of guys who are truly selfless.”
Meanwhile, Beasley will keep his head down and work over the next 15 games before the NBA trade deadline hits. Evolving from an offensive force into a true two-way player remains a top priority. His heroic closeout at Dallas was proof of progress.
“As a player, you first want to come in and get buckets, you don’t think about defense,” Beasley said. “But the players that put in that extra work on the defensive end and the mental aspects of the game are the ones who become great. That’s what I want to do, not just become an offensive player, but also a defensive player.”


thedenverpost--2020-01-10--Denver doctor pleads guilty to covertly filming naked children during medical exams

A Denver doctor will face up to 30 years in prison for secretly filming children during medical exams while they were undressed .
Dr. Justin Neisler , 31 , pleaded guilty Thursday in federal court to production of child pornography .
Investigators found that Neisler filmed 16 of his patients , 14 of whom were children , court documents show .
The youngest child filmed was 9 years old .
Law enforcement began investigating Neisler in November 2018 after the social media website Tumblr reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that someone with a Denver IP @ @ @ @ @ @ @ children , court documents show .
On Nov. 2 , the center contacted the Colorado Springs Police Department ’ s Internet Crimes Against Children Unit about the tip .
Law enforcement on March 13 served a search warrant on Neisler ’ s home and found child pornography on his phone and other electronic devices .
Law enforcement then arrested Neisler .
FBI investigators later found about 6,600 images and 1,725 videos depicting child pornography Neisler had downloaded to his phone , according to the news release .
Neisler told investigator that he secretly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ equipped with a tiny camera to film patients while they were undressed for medical examinations .
The doctor would then watch the videos at home for his own sexual gratification , he said .
Neisler told investigators that he generally filmed children between 9 and 11 years old because they were old enough that their parents wouldn ’ t be in the room with them for a wellness exam , court documents show .
Law enforcement don ’ t believe that Neisler shared the videos he recorded of his patients , according to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he started looking at child pornography when he was 11 years old , court documents show .
He said that in high school he secretly filmed other teens in locker rooms .
He said that he never sexually assaulted his patients but did film them , as recently as February 2019 at a Centura Health clinic .
Neisler worked at St. Anthony North Family Medicine – 84th clinic in Westminster , and Centura Health fired Neisler from his family residency after his arrest .
A hospital spokeswoman previously said Neisler worked at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his arrest .
He previously worked at Rose Medicine Residency Clinic as a resident with the University of Colorado School of Medicine and also briefly worked at Denver Health .
“ There are few violations of trust worse than when a doctor takes advantage of a child in the exam room for his own sexual gratification , ” U.S. Attorney for Colorado Jason Dunn said in a news release announcing the plea deal .
“ Thankfully , Dr. Neisler was caught and will never again be in a position to harm children under @ @ @ @ @ @ @ faces between 15 and 30 years in federal prison and a maximum fine of $ 250,000 for the charge .
He will be sentenced on May 22 and prosecutors will recommend a 25-year sentence , according to court documents .

A Denver doctor will face up to 30 years in prison for secretly filming children during medical exams while they were undressed.
Dr. Justin Neisler, 31, pleaded guilty Thursday in federal court to production of child pornography. Investigators found that Neisler filmed 16 of his patients, 14 of whom were children, court documents show. The youngest child filmed was 9 years old.
Law enforcement began investigating Neisler in November 2018 after the social media website Tumblr reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that someone with a Denver IP address was uploading sexually explicit videos of children, court documents show. On Nov. 2, the center contacted the Colorado Springs Police Department’s Internet Crimes Against Children Unit about the tip.
Law enforcement on March 13 served a search warrant on Neisler’s home and found child pornography on his phone and other electronic devices. Law enforcement then arrested Neisler. FBI investigators later found about 6,600 images and 1,725 videos depicting child pornography Neisler had downloaded to his phone, according to the news release.
Neisler told investigator that he secretly used his cell phone and a pen equipped with a tiny camera to film patients while they were undressed for medical examinations. The doctor would then watch the videos at home for his own sexual gratification, he said. Neisler told investigators that he generally filmed children between 9 and 11 years old because they were old enough that their parents wouldn’t be in the room with them for a wellness exam, court documents show.
Law enforcement don’t believe that Neisler shared the videos he recorded of his patients, according to the documents.
Neisler told investigators that he started looking at child pornography when he was 11 years old, court documents show. He said that in high school he secretly filmed other teens in locker rooms. He said that he never sexually assaulted his patients but did film them, as recently as February 2019 at a Centura Health clinic.
Neisler worked at St. Anthony North Family Medicine – 84th clinic in Westminster, and Centura Health fired Neisler from his family residency after his arrest. A hospital spokeswoman previously said Neisler worked at the clinic for less than nine months before his arrest. He previously worked at Rose Medicine Residency Clinic as a resident with the University of Colorado School of Medicine and also briefly worked at Denver Health.
Neisler’s medical license was suspended March 28 and remained suspended Friday.
“There are few violations of trust worse than when a doctor takes advantage of a child in the exam room for his own sexual gratification,” U.S. Attorney for Colorado Jason Dunn said in a news release announcing the plea deal. “Thankfully, Dr. Neisler was caught and will never again be in a position to harm children under the guise of helping them.”
Neisler faces between 15 and 30 years in federal prison and a maximum fine of $250,000 for the charge. He will be sentenced on May 22 and prosecutors will recommend a 25-year sentence, according to court documents.


thedenverpost--2020-01-10--3 Denver dispensaries recall marijuana products over high mold and yeast levels

Three Denver dispensaries issued a voluntarily recall on marijuana products Friday due to elevated yeast and mold counts .
Altitude @ @ @ @ @ Altitude the Dispensary made the recall after an investigation by the Denver Department of Public @ @ @ @ @ potentially unsafe levels of yeast/mold ” in plant material , according to a news release @ @ @ @ @ , pre-rolled joints , shake , trim and other products with the OPC codes 403R-00029 @ @ @ @ @ the recall .
Customers and businesses who purchased these products before Jan. 9 should dispose @ @ @ @ @ to the store .

Three Denver dispensaries issued a voluntarily recall on marijuana products Friday due to elevated yeast and mold counts.
Altitude East, Altitude West and Altitude the Dispensary made the recall after an investigation by the Denver Department of Public Health and Environment found “potentially unsafe levels of yeast/mold” in plant material, according to a news release.
The stores’ flower, pre-rolled joints, shake, trim and other products with the OPC codes 403R-00029 and 403R-00012 are subject to the recall.
Customers and businesses who purchased these products before Jan. 9 should dispose of them or return them to the store.


thedenverpost--2020-01-10--Lawmaker looks to close “loophole” in Colorado’s first-in-the-nation insulin price cap

The representative behind Colorado ’ s first-in-the-nation law to cap insulin prices says he ’ s planning a bill this session to fix a “ loophole ” that left some people paying more than he intended .
Rep. Dylan Roberts , a Democrat from Steamboat Springs , said the intent of the 2019 law was to cap patients ’ out-of-pocket costs for insulin at $ 100 per month , regardless of how much insulin they use , but that insurers lobbied for a “ loophole.
” The state ’ s Division of Insurance determined the law limited what patients pay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some people who need more than one type of insulin could still pay $ 200 or $ 300 per month , he said .
“ It ’ s the difference of many hundreds of dollars over the course of the year , ” he said .
Vincent Plymell , assistant commissioner for Colorado ’ s Division of Insurance , said that as the law was written , the cap was on each prescription .
Roberts said he intends to introduce a bill to clarify the cap in the next two weeks , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shown interest .
The price of a unit of insulin nearly doubled from 2012 to 2016 , according to the Health Care Cost Institute , and the amount an average insulin-using patient spent on the medication annually increased from about $ 2,900 to $ 5,700 .
Some older types of insulin are cheaper , but they don ’ t work well for every patient .
Colorado drew national attention last year when Gov .
Jared Polis signed the bill , which was the first of its kind .
The law doesn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how much insurance companies can charge patients when they pick up their prescriptions .
The insurers then have to absorb the excess cost , though there ’ s nothing to prevent them from spreading that to all insured people .
So far , insurance plans in Colorado haven ’ t substantially increased rates in response to the insulin price cap , which took effect Jan. 1 .
Gail DeVore , an advocate for people with diabetes in Colorado , said many people have a short-acting insulin to use during the day , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ having to wake up for a middle-of-the-night shot .
Effectively , that means the cap is $ 200 a month for them as the law is currently enforced , she said .
“ It needs to be cleaned up , ” she said .
About 300,000 Coloradans have diabetes , but most manage it with other medications and lifestyle changes .
The law ’ s fiscal note estimated about 45,000 people in Colorado with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes use insulin , but that only about 15,000 of them have insurance plans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Individual plans bought through the marketplace are required to comply with the cap , as are most employer-sponsored plans .
Exceptions are plans through Medicare or Medicaid ; if your employer self-funds your insurance ; or if you work for a multi-state employer , and your coverage is regulated by a different state , Plymell said .
If you aren ’ t sure if your plan is covered , look for the phrase “ CO-DOI ” on your insurance card .
DeVore , who has Type 1 diabetes , said her insurance plan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about $ 300 per month for insulin .
Still , it was important to lower costs on state-regulated plans , she said .
“ This was the piece that we could put into place quickest , ” she said .
Kelli Raleigh , outreach manager for the Rocky Mountain chapter of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation , said there ’ s been some confusion about who is covered by the cap .
She said she hopes more plans will be covered in the future .
“ This is a very , very important @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Insulin can not be this expensive.
” Subscribe to bi-weekly newsletter to get health news sent straight to your inbox .

The representative behind Colorado’s first-in-the-nation law to cap insulin prices says he’s planning a bill this session to fix a “loophole” that left some people paying more than he intended.
Rep. Dylan Roberts, a Democrat from Avon, said the intent of the 2019 law was to cap patients’ out-of-pocket costs for insulin at $100 per month, regardless of how much insulin they use, but that insurers lobbied for a “loophole.”
The state’s Division of Insurance determined the law limited what patients pay to $100 per prescription, so some people who need more than one type of insulin could still pay $200 or $300 per month, he said.
“It’s the difference of many hundreds of dollars over the course of the year,” he said.
Vincent Plymell, assistant commissioner for Colorado’s Division of Insurance, said that as the law was written, the cap was on each prescription.
Roberts said he intends to introduce a bill to clarify the cap in the next two weeks, and that some members of both parties have shown interest.
The price of a unit of insulin nearly doubled from 2012 to 2016, according to the Health Care Cost Institute, and the amount an average insulin-using patient spent on the medication annually increased from about $2,900 to $5,700. Some older types of insulin are cheaper, but they don’t work well for every patient.
Colorado drew national attention last year when Gov. Jared Polis signed the bill, which was the first of its kind. The law doesn’t directly lower insulin prices, but limits how much insurance companies can charge patients when they pick up their prescriptions. The insurers then have to absorb the excess cost, though there’s nothing to prevent them from spreading that to all insured people.
So far, insurance plans in Colorado haven’t substantially increased rates in response to the insulin price cap, which took effect Jan. 1.
Gail DeVore, an advocate for people with diabetes in Colorado, said many people have a short-acting insulin to use during the day, and a long-acting version that prevents them from having to wake up for a middle-of-the-night shot. Effectively, that means the cap is $200 a month for them as the law is currently enforced, she said.
“It needs to be cleaned up,” she said.
About 300,000 Coloradans have diabetes, but most manage it with other medications and lifestyle changes. The law’s fiscal note estimated about 45,000 people in Colorado with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes use insulin, but that only about 15,000 of them have insurance plans that are subject to the cap.
Individual plans bought through the marketplace are required to comply with the cap, as are most employer-sponsored plans. Exceptions are plans through Medicare or Medicaid; if your employer self-funds your insurance; or if you work for a multi-state employer, and your coverage is regulated by a different state, Plymell said. If you aren’t sure if your plan is covered, look for the phrase “CO-DOI” on your insurance card.
DeVore, who has Type 1 diabetes, said her insurance plan is exempt, so she still pays about $300 per month for insulin. Still, it was important to lower costs on state-regulated plans, she said.
“This was the piece that we could put into place quickest,” she said.
Kelli Raleigh, outreach manager for the Rocky Mountain chapter of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, said there’s been some confusion about who is covered by the cap. She said she hopes more plans will be covered in the future.
“This is a very, very important first step,” she said. “Insulin cannot be this expensive.”
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thedenverpost--2020-01-11--Ask Amy: Almost-ex-wife wants to warn the next woman

Dear Amy : My “ very charming ” psychopath/personality-disordered , almost ex-husband has found his next victim — his first girlfriend from college .
It has been over 30 years since she dumped him in college , and she has likely forgotten the reasons behind their breakup .
He is using his fake-charm to lure her into a long-distance relationship , and will trap her through marriage , etc .
with financial attachments .
This is how he got , trapped and messed me up with lies and a life of chaos .
Should I forewarn her of patterns to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fooled like I was ?
Dear Soon-to-be : You might as well try to warn this woman about what she is in for , but you should expect to be ignored , disregarded , or criticized .
If delivering this warning would put your own legal separation/divorce proceedings or child custody at risk , do NOT do it .
Only do this if you can do so safely .
Write down your statement , and take a lot of time to review it .
Keep the tone as neutral as possible .
Do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ psychopath , ” etc . )
, but do tell her in general terms about the financial issues and overall chaos of your life with him .
Be aware that anything you write could be shared with others , and might be taken out of context and used against you .
Do not post this on social media .
It sounds as if your own life will stabilize once you are divorced .
I hope you will grasp and enjoy your own second chance .
Dear Amy : My parents married in 1968 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 2010 .
They decided to remarry each other in 2013 and have been together ever since .
Had they stayed together the entire time , they would have celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in 2018 .
My husband and I recently threw my in-laws a 50th wedding anniversary party .
My dad is miffed that we didn ’ t offer to throw them a 50th anniversary party last year .
He feels the years should be “ bridged.
” I don ’ t agree , but it seems he won ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your take on this ?
Dear Daughter : My take is that your father needs a party , stat !
I well understand your frustration concerning your folks .
Because your dad is reacting to another couple ’ s celebration , his behavior regarding his own anniversary seems petty , selfish and self-serving .
However , I believe that ANY couple that manages to stay together for such a long time — through thick and thin ( and thick again ) — should be celebrated on whatever timeline works well for the clan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there — none of this is going to matter when you gather to recognize the full and rich reality of a very long ( and sometimes imperfect ) union .
The tricky math here will give all of you some talking points during your toasts to the couple .
Keep it good-natured , and celebrate .
Dear Amy : “ Grounded ” described her life , working full time while her spouse ( retired early ) travels the world without her , spending down their nest egg in the process .
I think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have picked up from a local financial planning advertisement : “ Retirement is just unemployment without the paycheck.
” I would also suggest she seek out some counseling , as I have finally done , to work through the resentment of having to work after watching the nest egg we had set aside dwindle to nothing .
All of this has been happening while we still owe a substantial amount on our home .
In my case , my husband didn ’ t travel , but due to poor health he just sat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ credit card to keep himself occupied .
And yes , I should have been more aware , but I had confidence that he was watching out for our financial health .
How wrong I was !
I am well into my senior years , so it gets even harder to go to work every day ( both physically and mentally ) , but such is life .
Dear Exhausted : I can absolutely feel your exhaustion as you describe your life .
Now that you know what is going on , please do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Meet with a financial counselor or social worker to see what you can do to safeguard your income in order to try to secure a more stable future .
Given that the real estate market seems fairly robust right now , it might be wisest to sell your home , pay off your loan , and relocate to something smaller .

Dear Amy: My “very charming” psychopath/personality-disordered, almost ex-husband has found his next victim — his first girlfriend from college.
It has been over 30 years since she dumped him in college, and she has likely forgotten the reasons behind their breakup.
He is using his fake-charm to lure her into a long-distance relationship, and will trap her through marriage, etc. with financial attachments. This is how he got, trapped and messed me up with lies and a life of chaos.
Should I forewarn her of patterns to expect so that she’s not fooled like I was?
— Soon-to-be-Ex
Dear Soon-to-be: You might as well try to warn this woman about what she is in for, but you should expect to be ignored, disregarded, or criticized.
If delivering this warning would put your own legal separation/divorce proceedings or child custody at risk, do NOT do it.
Only do this if you can do so safely. Write down your statement, and take a lot of time to review it. Keep the tone as neutral as possible. Do not use any inflammatory language (“psychopath,” etc.), but do tell her in general terms about the financial issues and overall chaos of your life with him. Be aware that anything you write could be shared with others, and might be taken out of context and used against you.
Do not post this on social media.
It sounds as if your own life will stabilize once you are divorced. I hope you will grasp and enjoy your own second chance.
Dear Amy: My parents married in 1968 and divorced almost 42 years later, in 2010.
They decided to remarry each other in 2013 and have been together ever since.
Had they stayed together the entire time, they would have celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in 2018.
My husband and I recently threw my in-laws a 50th wedding anniversary party.
My dad is miffed that we didn’t offer to throw them a 50th anniversary party last year. He feels the years should be “bridged.”
I don’t agree, but it seems he won’t let it go.
What’s your take on this?
— Wondering Daughter
Dear Daughter: My take is that your father needs a party, stat!
I well understand your frustration concerning your folks. Because your dad is reacting to another couple’s celebration, his behavior regarding his own anniversary seems petty, selfish and self-serving.
However, I believe that ANY couple that manages to stay together for such a long time — through thick and thin (and thick again) — should be celebrated on whatever timeline works well for the clan. One year here, one year there — none of this is going to matter when you gather to recognize the full and rich reality of a very long (and sometimes imperfect) union.
The tricky math here will give all of you some talking points during your toasts to the couple. Keep it good-natured, and celebrate.
Dear Amy: “Grounded” described her life, working full time while her spouse (retired early) travels the world without her, spending down their nest egg in the process.
I think Grounded should consider using the phrase I have picked up from a local financial planning advertisement: “Retirement is just unemployment without the paycheck.”
Unfortunately, life is expensive.
I would also suggest she seek out some counseling, as I have finally done, to work through the resentment of having to work after watching the nest egg we had set aside dwindle to nothing. All of this has been happening while we still owe a substantial amount on our home.
In my case, my husband didn’t travel, but due to poor health he just sat at home on the computer with a credit card to keep himself occupied.
And yes, I should have been more aware, but I had confidence that he was watching out for our financial health. How wrong I was!
I am well into my senior years, so it gets even harder to go to work every day (both physically and mentally), but such is life.
— Exhausted
Dear Exhausted: I can absolutely feel your exhaustion as you describe your life.
Now that you know what is going on, please do everything possible to mitigate your current situation. Meet with a financial counselor or social worker to see what you can do to safeguard your income in order to try to secure a more stable future. Given that the real estate market seems fairly robust right now, it might be wisest to sell your home, pay off your loan, and relocate to something smaller.
(You can email Amy Dickinson at askamy@amydickinson.com or send a letter to Ask Amy, P.O. Box 194, Freeville, NY 13068. You can also follow her on Twitter @askingamy or Facebook.)


thedenverpost--2020-01-11--Reeling Avalanche falls short in overtime loss to Penguins

The relatively healthy Avalanche was a better team when it was injury-depleted — much like the current banged-up Pittsburgh Penguins .
Minus superstar Sidney Crosby and a handful of other regulars Friday night , the Pens rallied from a third-period deficit and defeated the Avs 4-3 in overtime at the Pepsi Center .
Center Jared McCann scored with 1:41 remaining in the 3-on-3 session as Pittsburgh improved to 10-2-1 in its last 13 games .
The Avs , who were beginning a five-game homestand , fell to 3-6-2 in their last 11 games and 1-4-1 at in their last six @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allowed three goals on 12 shots in the third period and OT .
“ I don ’ t like separating our goalies from our team because there were areas of our game tonight that weren ’ t great , ” Bednar said .
“ But that ’ s a really good hockey team .
It was a really good hockey game .
I have no problem with the way we played or the effort we played with.
” He added : “ I ’ m sure Frankie would probably say he wants one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tied it 2-2 early in the third period and Evgeni Malkin struck with 4:17 remaining in regulation to give Pittsburgh its first lead of the game .
But the Avs answered with 31 seconds left and Francouz on the bench for a sixth attacker when Cale Makar ’ s slap shot from the point was redirected past goalie Matt Murray by Matt Calvert .
Colorado did not produce a shot in OT , including on a 2-on-1 rush with Makar and Andre Burakovsky .
“ We can ’ t give that up in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) when you drop wins like that , ” Makar said .
“ Obviously we get the one point .
But we came here for two.
” Colorado got its first two goals from Nathan MacKinnon ( power play ) and Gabe Landeskog .
“ I think we deserved more today , ” Francouz said .
“ ( McCann ) shot it through a screen and it went my five-hole ( between the legs ) .
I think it ’ s great for us that we were able to bounce back and tie @ @ @ @ @ @ @ think we deserved two points.
” The Penguins played their 27th consecutive game without Crosby , who is on the three-game trip but canceled a scheduled skate Friday morning .
Crosby is recovering from core-muscle surgery .
Pittsburgh was also missing forwards Jake Guentzel and Nick Bjugstad and defensemen Justin Schultz and Brian Dumoulin .
The Avs took a 2-1 lead into the third period after getting a gift goal at 18:20 of the second .
Landeskog ’ s high dump-in from Pittsburgh ’ s blue line changed direction upon landing and bounced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
MacKinnon scored the game ’ s first goal at 14:38 of the first period and Teddy Blueger tied it at 13:29 of the second .
MacKinnon ’ s 27th goal of the season came on the power play , and Blueger ’ s tally unfolded six seconds after a Penguins power play expired .
Pittsburgh had a first-period goal by Malkin immediately disallowed because of goaltender interference .
Footnotes .
Colorado is now 11-7-3 at home .
The Avs are 20-1-3 when taking a lead into the third period .
… MacKinnon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two after the first period .
… Avs forward Joonas Donskoi ( concussion protocol ) missed his first game of the season .
He was among four to have played in Colorado ’ s previous 44 games , along with MacKinnon , Sam Girard and Matt Nieto .
The Avs ’ only healthy scratch was defenseman Mark Barberio … The Avs will take Saturday off and practice Sunday and Monday before hosting the Dallas Stars on Tuesday .

The relatively healthy Avalanche was a better team when it was injury-depleted — much like the current banged-up Pittsburgh Penguins.
Minus superstar Sidney Crosby and a handful of other regulars Friday night, the Pens rallied from a third-period deficit and defeated the Avs 4-3 in overtime at the Pepsi Center.
Center Jared McCann scored with 1:41 remaining in the 3-on-3 session as Pittsburgh improved to 10-2-1 in its last 13 games. The Avs, who were beginning a five-game homestand, fell to 3-6-2 in their last 11 games and 1-4-1 at in their last six at home.
“I thought we played hard,” Avs coach Jared Bednar said.
Avs goalie Pavel Francouz allowed three goals on 12 shots in the third period and OT.
“I don’t like separating our goalies from our team because there were areas of our game tonight that weren’t great,” Bednar said. “But that’s a really good hockey team. It was a really good hockey game. I have no problem with the way we played or the effort we played with.”
He added: “I’m sure Frankie would probably say he wants one of those goals back.”
Bryan Rust tied it 2-2 early in the third period and Evgeni Malkin struck with 4:17 remaining in regulation to give Pittsburgh its first lead of the game. But the Avs answered with 31 seconds left and Francouz on the bench for a sixth attacker when Cale Makar’s slap shot from the point was redirected past goalie Matt Murray by Matt Calvert.
Colorado did not produce a shot in OT, including on a 2-on-1 rush with Makar and Andre Burakovsky.
“We can’t give that up in the third period. Definitely (unfortunate) when you drop wins like that,” Makar said. “Obviously we get the one point. But we came here for two.”
Colorado got its first two goals from Nathan MacKinnon (power play) and Gabe Landeskog.
“I think we deserved more today,” Francouz said. “(McCann) shot it through a screen and it went my five-hole (between the legs). I think it’s great for us that we were able to bounce back and tie it with an empty-net. But I think we deserved two points.”
The Penguins played their 27th consecutive game without Crosby, who is on the three-game trip but canceled a scheduled skate Friday morning. Crosby is recovering from core-muscle surgery. Pittsburgh was also missing forwards Jake Guentzel and Nick Bjugstad and defensemen Justin Schultz and Brian Dumoulin.
The Avs took a 2-1 lead into the third period after getting a gift goal at 18:20 of the second. Landeskog’s high dump-in from Pittsburgh’s blue line changed direction upon landing and bounced over Murray’s left leg pad.
MacKinnon scored the game’s first goal at 14:38 of the first period and Teddy Blueger tied it at 13:29 of the second. MacKinnon’s 27th goal of the season came on the power play, and Blueger’s tally unfolded six seconds after a Penguins power play expired.
Pittsburgh had a first-period goal by Malkin immediately disallowed because of goaltender interference.
Footnotes. Colorado is now 11-7-3 at home. The Avs are 20-1-3 when taking a lead into the third period. … MacKinnon had a team-high six shots but just two after the first period. … Avs forward Joonas Donskoi (concussion protocol) missed his first game of the season. He was among four to have played in Colorado’s previous 44 games, along with MacKinnon, Sam Girard and Matt Nieto. The Avs’ only healthy scratch was defenseman Mark Barberio … The Avs will take Saturday off and practice Sunday and Monday before hosting the Dallas Stars on Tuesday.


thedenverpost--2020-01-11--Iran says it “unintentionally” shot down Ukrainian jetliner

TEHRAN , Iran — Iran has announced that its military ‘ unintentionally ’ shot down a Ukrainian jetliner , killing all 176 aboard .
The statement Saturday morning blames “ human error ” for the shootdown .
The jetliner , a Boeing 737 operated by Ukrainian International Airlines , went down on the outskirts of Tehran during takeoff just hours after Iran launched a barrage of missiles at U.S. forces .
Iran had denied for several days that a missile downed the aircraft .
But then the U.S. and Canada , citing intelligence , said they believe Iran shot down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ route to the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv , was carrying 167 passengers and nine crew members from several countries , including 82 Iranians , 57 Canadians and 11 Ukrainians , according to officials .
Canada ’ s foreign minister has announced the creation of an international working group of countries to press Iran for a thorough investigation into the plane crash that killed 176 people , including 57 Canadians .
Foreign Affairs Minister Francois Champagne says a new International Co-ordination and Response Group , as it is known , includes countries outside Iran @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Germany .
The crash of the Ukraine International Airlines flight near Tehran on Wednesday included citizens from Iran , Sweden , Afghanistan , Ukraine , the United Kingdom and Germany .
The U.S. promised “ appropriate action ” Friday in response to its assessment that an Iranian missile was responsible for the crash .

TEHRAN, Iran — Iran has announced that its military ‘unintentionally’ shot down a Ukrainian jetliner, killing all 176 aboard.
The statement Saturday morning blames “human error” for the shootdown.
The jetliner, a Boeing 737 operated by Ukrainian International Airlines, went down on the outskirts of Tehran during takeoff just hours after Iran launched a barrage of missiles at U.S. forces.
Iran had denied for several days that a missile downed the aircraft. But then the U.S. and Canada, citing intelligence, said they believe Iran shot down the aircraft.
The plane, en route to the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv, was carrying 167 passengers and nine crew members from several countries, including 82 Iranians, 57 Canadians and 11 Ukrainians, according to officials.
Canada’s foreign minister has announced the creation of an international working group of countries to press Iran for a thorough investigation into the plane crash that killed 176 people, including 57 Canadians.
Foreign Affairs Minister Francois Champagne says a new International Co-ordination and Response Group, as it is known, includes countries outside Iran who lost citizens, with the exception of Germany.
The crash of the Ukraine International Airlines flight near Tehran on Wednesday included citizens from Iran, Sweden, Afghanistan, Ukraine, the United Kingdom and Germany.
The U.S. promised “appropriate action” Friday in response to its assessment that an Iranian missile was responsible for the crash.


thedenverpost--2020-01-11--Loveland police quietly encrypt radio traffic, following regional trend

The Loveland Police Department quietly encrypted its radio traffic in October , the latest in a growing trend of law enforcement agencies in the region making their scanners inaccessible to the public .
The department did not notify the public or the media that it encrypted scanner traffic .
Jan Burreson , a spokesperson for the department , said that the decision to encrypt was made out of a concern for officer safety .
The department has had incidents where criminals , especially burglars , have used the scanner to monitor police action , he said .
Privacy for officers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the digital age , where most people have the ability to listen in on scanner traffic , he said .
“ Trying to balance that with transparency was a difficult decision , ” Burreson said .
The department had been considering making the move for a number of years , Burreson said .
It upgraded to a new radio system in October , which provided an impetus .
He also named following local trends as a reason .
The Larimer County Sheriff ’ s Office scanner is still public , but Fort Collins @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In the scanner ’ s stead , the department will be more proactive about posting information on social media , Burreson said .
Since Oct. 1 , there have been 45 posts to the department ’ s Facebook page and two to its Twitter account , one of which was a link to a Reporter-Herald article .
The department has to do a better job at disseminating information on social media in a timely manner , Burreson said .
The police department does not have a full-time public information officer , instead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on a monthly basis on top of their regular job duties , which makes responding quickly a challenge .
Burreson said the department has considered employing a full-time public information officer , but does not have the budget to do so .
Jeffrey Roberts , the executive director of the Colorado Freedom of Information Coalition , said that he was disappointed by LPD ’ s decision .
“ It ’ s a shame that this is such a trend among law enforcement in Colorado because it makes it harder for journalists to do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the public , ” Roberts said .
When police encrypt radio traffic , the public loses out by no longer having access to information in a timely manner , or sometimes at all , Roberts said .
The Coalition unsuccessfully lobbied for a bill in the 2019 legislative session that would allow the public to monitor all but tactical and investigative police channels .
The bill was killed in committee .
At the legislature , Denver Post enterprise editor Matt Sebastian and Boulder Daily Camera crime reporter Mitchell Byars testified in support of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public servants and what they do is in the public interest , ” Sebastian told the legislature .
“ One of the greatest ways we can understand how they operate and what they ’ re doing is by hearing those operations in real time.
” At the time the bill was being considered , about 30 law enforcement agencies in Colorado encrypted their traffic , including Longmont , Arvada , Aurora , Lakewood , Westminster and Greeley .
More have followed suit since .
Over the summer , the Denver Police Department encrypted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outlets the option to purchase a scanner if they agreed to certain conditions , including requiring the media to cover the city ’ s costs for any legal action stemming from information reported from the scanner .
Neither the Denver Post nor local TV stations agreed to the terms .
In December , several law enforcement agencies in Douglas County encrypted their radio traffic .
“ Unfortunate — the Douglas County Sheriff scanner traffic was crucial for us when reporting on the shooting at STEM School Highlands Ranch , ” Denver Post public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in response to the news .
On Tuesday , Arapahoe County became the latest to go quiet .
Arapahoe County Sheriff ’ s Office spokesperson Deborah Sherman said that the sheriff ’ s office and all remaining unencrypted police departments within the county became encrypted .

The Loveland Police Department quietly encrypted its radio traffic in October, the latest in a growing trend of law enforcement agencies in the region making their scanners inaccessible to the public.
The department did not notify the public or the media that it encrypted scanner traffic. Jan Burreson, a spokesperson for the department, said that the decision to encrypt was made out of a concern for officer safety.
The department has had incidents where criminals, especially burglars, have used the scanner to monitor police action, he said. Privacy for officers and victims also became a concern in the digital age, where most people have the ability to listen in on scanner traffic, he said.
“Trying to balance that with transparency was a difficult decision,” Burreson said.
The department had been considering making the move for a number of years, Burreson said. It upgraded to a new radio system in October, which provided an impetus. He also named following local trends as a reason. The Larimer County Sheriff’s Office scanner is still public, but Fort Collins Police Services encrypted its scanner in 2013.
In the scanner’s stead, the department will be more proactive about posting information on social media, Burreson said. Since Oct. 1, there have been 45 posts to the department’s Facebook page and two to its Twitter account, one of which was a link to a Reporter-Herald article.
The department has to do a better job at disseminating information on social media in a timely manner, Burreson said.
The police department does not have a full-time public information officer, instead officers rotate the responsibilities of the role on a monthly basis on top of their regular job duties, which makes responding quickly a challenge. Burreson said the department has considered employing a full-time public information officer, but does not have the budget to do so.
Jeffrey Roberts, the executive director of the Colorado Freedom of Information Coalition, said that he was disappointed by LPD’s decision.
“It’s a shame that this is such a trend among law enforcement in Colorado because it makes it harder for journalists to do their job, which is to inform the public,” Roberts said.
When police encrypt radio traffic, the public loses out by no longer having access to information in a timely manner, or sometimes at all, Roberts said.
The Coalition unsuccessfully lobbied for a bill in the 2019 legislative session that would allow the public to monitor all but tactical and investigative police channels. The bill was killed in committee.
At the legislature, Denver Post enterprise editor Matt Sebastian and Boulder Daily Camera crime reporter Mitchell Byars testified in support of the bill.
“The police are public servants and what they do is in the public interest,” Sebastian told the legislature. “One of the greatest ways we can understand how they operate and what they’re doing is by hearing those operations in real time.”
At the time the bill was being considered, about 30 law enforcement agencies in Colorado encrypted their traffic, including Longmont, Arvada, Aurora, Lakewood, Westminster and Greeley. More have followed suit since.
Over the summer, the Denver Police Department encrypted its scanner. It offered local news outlets the option to purchase a scanner if they agreed to certain conditions, including requiring the media to cover the city’s costs for any legal action stemming from information reported from the scanner. Neither the Denver Post nor local TV stations agreed to the terms.
In December, several law enforcement agencies in Douglas County encrypted their radio traffic.
“Unfortunate — the Douglas County Sheriff scanner traffic was crucial for us when reporting on the shooting at STEM School Highlands Ranch,” Denver Post public safety reporter Elise Schmelzer said on twitter in response to the news.
On Tuesday, Arapahoe County became the latest to go quiet. Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Deborah Sherman said that the sheriff’s office and all remaining unencrypted police departments within the county became encrypted.