thedenverpost--2020-09-28--Racially sensitive Facebook post divides small Colorado town

LYONS — Greg Meyers moved to the town of Lyons shortly before the 2013 flood devastated the community .
Living through that disaster meant the Boulder County native got to know people quickly ; it brought everyone together and forged a strong bond that still shapes the small foothills community today .
“ There ’ s a lot of people that I love in that town , ” said Meyers .
However , since the killing of George Floyd and the Black Lives Matter protests that have spread across the nation , Meyers , who is Black , has sadly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ points , Lyons is also “ the most racist town I ’ ve ever lived in.
” Meyers spent the summer feeling isolated after he pushed back against remarks Lyons ’ then-fire chief JJ Hoffman made on his personal Facebook page about protesters that many , including Meyers , felt were racist .
Hoffman , who is white , resigned in June , after the first post was made public , but the controversy has continued to ripple through Lyons .
Many people back the long-time fire chief and feel he was quickly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ community leaders have not adequately addressed what happened or the fight for racial justice unfolding across the country .
How the situation played out is one of the reasons Meyers decided to move away from Boulder County for the first time in his life , to a more racially diverse part of the state .
While Colorado ’ s largest marches and protests against police brutality have happened an hour south in Denver , they ’ ve exposed fault lines in Lyons , a mostly white town of around 2,000 people .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , no statement from the mayor ( about the fire chief ’ s post ) .
I feel like their lack of action said something in and of itself , ” Meyers said .
The Lyons Fire Protection District covers the town and some surrounding communities .
Its firefighters are almost all volunteers , but Hoffman was paid .
The board issued a statement in early June , before his resignation , saying it accepted Hoffman ’ s apology but would formally reprimand him for his “ insensitive remark.
” The district put @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when an online comment from the interim fire chief surfaced that also appeared to deride protesters .
In that instance , the district defended the interim chief , saying his comment was misinterpreted .
The fire district did not respond to CPR ’ s request for comment .
Lyons ’ mayor Nick Angelo acknowledged that the chief ’ s resignation has split the community and said he wants to hold a public forum when things settle down to try to alleviate tension .
He said he will use his own money to hire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lyons about what it ’ s like to be Black in America in 2020 .
“ I hope that we can come together as a community again , ” said Angelo , who has lived in Lyons for three decades .
“ The saying that we used after the flood was ‘ Lyons strong.
’ And I just hope that we can achieve that again : have respect for one another , tolerate one another… Since we don ’ t have a large , or hardly any , African American population .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and purposes , ( as ) privileged white people to understand the Black experience in America .
It ’ s impossible.
” According to the Census Bureau ’ s most recent American Community Survey , Lyons is 88 percent white , while 2 percent are Black .
Overall , just 1 percent of Boulder County ’ s population is Black , according to the State Demography Office .
The largest protests against police brutality and racism have been concentrated in big cities .
But their impact extends far beyond those racially and ethnically @ @ @ @ @ @ @ racial disparities haven ’ t taken the center stage before .
In recent months , rural communities like Gunnison and Rifle have hosted Black Lives Matters protests .
The Lyons Social Justice Committee continues to host protests every Sunday against police brutality .
While demonstrations in Lyons have been peaceful , dealing with issues around race in practical everyday life can be messy .
In late May , Hoffman joined a Facebook thread on his personal page criticizing protesters .
After another person commented that Denver Fire should turn its hoses on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ha if I was down there I definitely would open up our high pressure bumper turret and have some fun.
” Meyers was the first person to publicly raise concerns ; he posted a screenshot of Hoffman ’ s message in a different Facebook group for current and former Lyons residents .
It ’ s a place to air concerns on a range of topics ; everything from bear proof garbage cans to vaccines , and a lot of people check the community forum daily .
Meyers said his mother grew up in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the height of the Civil Rights movement and his teenage son had been at the protests in Denver that weekend .
Along with Hoffman ’ s post , Meyers added an image of what it called up for him : high-pressure hoses being used against demonstrators in Birmingham in 1963 .
Meyers said he was aware that by speaking out , and adding the image , it might ruffle feathers and upset some people in Lyons .
“ I knew I would pay a price.
” But he said when he thought @ @ @ @ @ @ @ own children , he knew the cost was worth it .
“ Nothing would have bothered me more than doing nothing , ” he said .
While a lot of people sent him words of encouragement and posted similar concerns , he said others took Hoffman ’ s side immediately .
Meyers said some people he considered friends printed “ We love JJ ” bumper stickers for their cars .
Signs supporting Hoffman were outside near the fire station in downtown Lyons for weeks .
Hoffman did not return CPR ’ s request @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he said he was sorry if he offended anyone and he wasn ’ t trying to “ belittle history , ” but was upset when protests turned to “ riots.
” In his resignation letter , Hoffman said his “ thoughtless remark ” reflected poorly on the district and himself .
Meyers said he was even angrier and discouraged when weeks after Hoffman resigned screenshots of additional private Facebook comments became public that showed Hoffman participating in conversations that were broadly critical of protestors .
“ I personally don ’ t want @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but I want to focus on , what do we do now ?
” said Kerry Matre , the former president of the Lyons Fire Fund .
She resigned publicly from the organization in protest of Hoffman ’ s Facebook comment but said she never expected him to step down himself .
“ Whether it ’ s an issue of leadership taking advantage of their position , or racial undertones that have definitely bubbled up in conversations , we need to figure out what ’ s next and not just ignore it cause @ @ @ @ @ @ @ us.
” Matre would like the fire department to review and update its training policies and for the town to look at how it can be more inclusive .
She said it hasn ’ t been an easy time and she ’ s faced backlash for not supporting Hoffman , including from people who believe she brought the issue to the attention of Democratic state lawmaker Jonathan Singer and the Boulder County branch of the NAACP , something she denies doing .
Matre said the situation has cost her friends , notably Hoffman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
She , however , stands by her decision and said a number of people reached out to thank her for speaking up .
“ It is extremely hard on the people of color in the area , ” Matre said , who is white .
“ There ’ s so few of them .
And I do know that the ones that I ’ ve spoken to feel very outcast from the town .
This is such a great community and people come together and they help each other .
But right @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people who feel not included… And , you know , we need to fix that , change that.
” The 2013 flood changed the fabric of life in this town nestled near the mountains about 20 minutes north of Boulder .
It took years to rebuild .
“ It was the most solidarity that I ’ ve ever experienced in any community in my life , ” said resident Kim Franco of that experience .
In contrast , the discord over the fire chief is the most divided she ’ s seen people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after the flood .
Franco considers the current situation “ heartbreaking ” and said she wishes people could be together .
She lives a few blocks away from the fire station and frequently walked by the signs supporting Hoffman .
She didn ’ t weigh in online but watched everything unfold .
“ Something like COVID , we ’ re instructed to be apart , ( which ) makes it harder to have the conversations that we need to have to have this kind of solidarity , ” she said .
Lena Cinnamon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her husband , whose family has lived in the area for generations .
Cinnamon grew up in Russia and is of Korean descent .
She is among the small percentage of Asian American residents in Boulder County .
She ’ s supportive of the Black Lives Matter movement and has personally faced discrimination , especially during her childhood .
But she stands behind the fire chief and wishes he had not resigned .
She said Hoffman is beloved in this tight-knit community for helping people and for his role during the flood .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ than a decade and she feels people outside of Lyons rushed to cast him aside without understanding the full picture .
“ The flood played a big role in this community .
It has changed a lot of lives .
It affected a lot of people and ( the ) fire department — the core people in that scene that helped and did all kinds of things — and it saves lives .
You know , they come and rescue people .
It saved my family , ” Cinnamon said .
Lyons has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the flood .
The waters washed away a mobile-home park that was never rebuilt , erasing some of the town ’ s most affordable housing .
In the years since , housing has only become more expensive , forcing out some long-term , but less affluent residents .
The changes have led to some resentment , and calls to preserve what makes this town special , but Meyers said those conversations can also feel tone-deaf .
He points to a separate online discussion that unfolded around the same time as the controversy with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ image of a sign from the Long Island , New York town of Montauk .
“ Respect Montauk , ” it declares .
“ We should make these with ‘ Lyons ’ on them , ” the post said , taking particular aim at newcomers who complain about music being played downtown .
The sign continues , “ You came here from there because you didn ’ t like there , and now you want to change here to be like there .
We are not racist , phobic or anti-whatever-you-are .
We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and most of us actually came here because it is not like there , wherever there was.
” A lot of people “ liked ” the post but Meyers took a different view of it , responding , “ So this sign is ( asterisk ) actually ( asterisk ) OK with you all ?
This is literally the kind of signage used to keep POC out of ‘ sundown towns.
’ I can ’ t believe how many of you think this is anywhere near acceptable.
” Ben Rodman , an acquaintance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for 20 years , is disappointed with how the community has handled everything .
He thinks it ’ s unfortunate the local conversation has started to die down as people focus on the broader national discussion and other concerns .
To him , Lyons missed an opportunity to confront an important issue at the local level : racism .
“ What a shame .
That we not just let him leave , we made him leave.
” Rodman , who is white , said the situation with the fire chief is especially complicated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ everyone else and firefighters deservedly garner a lot of respect for doing a dangerous , difficult job for little-to-no pay .
“ This going to sound a little trite , given how much it ’ s been in sort of the national dialogue recently , but I think we need to just reexamine our privilege and our preconceptions and our prejudices , and just understand how systemic and pervasive these kinds of attitudes are , and then reflect .
As Americans , we recite an oath to uphold liberty and justice for all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he ’ s looking forward to building a life in Pueblo , where he ’ s already closed on a new house .
For the first time ever , he said , his neighbors are not white .
He plans to continue his auto repair work like he always has , enjoy a slower pace of things and get familiar with an entirely new community .
“ I ’ ll be spending less time worrying about racism and I ’ ll do what I want to do , and live my life @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t want to live where I ’ m pointed out as the Black guy .
My whole life it ’ s been like that .
”

LYONS — Greg Meyers moved to the town of Lyons shortly before the 2013 flood devastated the community. Living through that disaster meant the Boulder County native got to know people quickly; it brought everyone together and forged a strong bond that still shapes the small foothills community today.
“There’s a lot of people that I love in that town,” said Meyers.
However, since the killing of George Floyd and the Black Lives Matter protests that have spread across the nation, Meyers, who is Black, has sadly concluded that, for all its wonderful points, Lyons is also “the most racist town I’ve ever lived in.”
Meyers spent the summer feeling isolated after he pushed back against remarks Lyons’ then-fire chief JJ Hoffman made on his personal Facebook page about protesters that many, including Meyers, felt were racist. Hoffman, who is white, resigned in June, after the first post was made public, but the controversy has continued to ripple through Lyons.
Many people back the long-time fire chief and feel he was quickly judged and unfairly condemned. Others believe community leaders have not adequately addressed what happened or the fight for racial justice unfolding across the country. How the situation played out is one of the reasons Meyers decided to move away from Boulder County for the first time in his life, to a more racially diverse part of the state.
While Colorado’s largest marches and protests against police brutality have happened an hour south in Denver, they’ve exposed fault lines in Lyons, a mostly white town of around 2,000 people.
“There was no statement from the town, no statement from the mayor (about the fire chief’s post). I feel like their lack of action said something in and of itself,” Meyers said.
The Lyons Fire Protection District covers the town and some surrounding communities. Its firefighters are almost all volunteers, but Hoffman was paid. The board issued a statement in early June, before his resignation, saying it accepted Hoffman’s apology but would formally reprimand him for his “insensitive remark.”
The district put out another statement later in the summer when an online comment from the interim fire chief surfaced that also appeared to deride protesters. In that instance, the district defended the interim chief, saying his comment was misinterpreted. The fire district did not respond to CPR’s request for comment.
Lyons’ mayor Nick Angelo acknowledged that the chief’s resignation has split the community and said he wants to hold a public forum when things settle down to try to alleviate tension. He said he will use his own money to hire an outside mediator to educate people in Lyons about what it’s like to be Black in America in 2020.
“I hope that we can come together as a community again,” said Angelo, who has lived in Lyons for three decades. “The saying that we used after the flood was ‘Lyons strong.’ And I just hope that we can achieve that again: have respect for one another, tolerate one another… Since we don’t have a large, or hardly any, African American population. It’s very difficult for all intents and purposes, (as) privileged white people to understand the Black experience in America. It’s impossible.”
According to the Census Bureau’s most recent American Community Survey, Lyons is 88 percent white, while 2 percent are Black. Overall, just 1 percent of Boulder County’s population is Black, according to the State Demography Office.
The largest protests against police brutality and racism have been concentrated in big cities. But their impact extends far beyond those racially and ethnically diverse urban areas, to communities where racial disparities haven’t taken the center stage before. In recent months, rural communities like Gunnison and Rifle have hosted Black Lives Matters protests.
The Lyons Social Justice Committee continues to host protests every Sunday against police brutality. While demonstrations in Lyons have been peaceful, dealing with issues around race in practical everyday life can be messy.
A Facebook comment with lasting consequences
In late May, Hoffman joined a Facebook thread on his personal page criticizing protesters. After another person commented that Denver Fire should turn its hoses on the demonstrators, Hoffman replied: “ha ha if I was down there I definitely would open up our high pressure bumper turret and have some fun.”
Meyers was the first person to publicly raise concerns; he posted a screenshot of Hoffman’s message in a different Facebook group for current and former Lyons residents. It’s a place to air concerns on a range of topics; everything from bear proof garbage cans to vaccines, and a lot of people check the community forum daily.
Meyers said his mother grew up in the south during the Jim Crow era and the height of the Civil Rights movement and his teenage son had been at the protests in Denver that weekend. Along with Hoffman’s post, Meyers added an image of what it called up for him: high-pressure hoses being used against demonstrators in Birmingham in 1963. Meyers said he was aware that by speaking out, and adding the image, it might ruffle feathers and upset some people in Lyons.
“I knew I would pay a price.” But he said when he thought about what he would say to his own children, he knew the cost was worth it. “Nothing would have bothered me more than doing nothing,” he said.
While a lot of people sent him words of encouragement and posted similar concerns, he said others took Hoffman’s side immediately. Meyers said some people he considered friends printed “We love JJ” bumper stickers for their cars. Signs supporting Hoffman were outside near the fire station in downtown Lyons for weeks.
Hoffman did not return CPR’s request for comment. In his initial apology, he said he was sorry if he offended anyone and he wasn’t trying to “belittle history,” but was upset when protests turned to “riots.” In his resignation letter, Hoffman said his “thoughtless remark” reflected poorly on the district and himself.
Meyers said he was even angrier and discouraged when weeks after Hoffman resigned screenshots of additional private Facebook comments became public that showed Hoffman participating in conversations that were broadly critical of protestors.
“I personally don’t want to focus on what exactly happened, but I want to focus on, what do we do now?” said Kerry Matre, the former president of the Lyons Fire Fund. She resigned publicly from the organization in protest of Hoffman’s Facebook comment but said she never expected him to step down himself.
“Whether it’s an issue of leadership taking advantage of their position, or racial undertones that have definitely bubbled up in conversations, we need to figure out what’s next and not just ignore it cause that’s not going to help us.”
Matre would like the fire department to review and update its training policies and for the town to look at how it can be more inclusive.
She said it hasn’t been an easy time and she’s faced backlash for not supporting Hoffman, including from people who believe she brought the issue to the attention of Democratic state lawmaker Jonathan Singer and the Boulder County branch of the NAACP, something she denies doing. Matre said the situation has cost her friends, notably Hoffman, with whom she had worked closely.
She, however, stands by her decision and said a number of people reached out to thank her for speaking up.
“It is extremely hard on the people of color in the area,” Matre said, who is white. “There’s so few of them. And I do know that the ones that I’ve spoken to feel very outcast from the town. This is such a great community and people come together and they help each other. But right now there’s a group of people who feel not included… And, you know, we need to fix that, change that.”
Lyons united and divided
The 2013 flood changed the fabric of life in this town nestled near the mountains about 20 minutes north of Boulder. It took years to rebuild.
“It was the most solidarity that I’ve ever experienced in any community in my life,” said resident Kim Franco of that experience. In contrast, the discord over the fire chief is the most divided she’s seen people since voters defeated an affordable housing measure after the flood.
Franco considers the current situation “heartbreaking” and said she wishes people could be together. She lives a few blocks away from the fire station and frequently walked by the signs supporting Hoffman. She didn’t weigh in online but watched everything unfold.
“Something like COVID, we’re instructed to be apart, (which) makes it harder to have the conversations that we need to have to have this kind of solidarity,” she said.
Lena Cinnamon moved to Lyons a year ago with her husband, whose family has lived in the area for generations. Cinnamon grew up in Russia and is of Korean descent. She is among the small percentage of Asian American residents in Boulder County.
She’s supportive of the Black Lives Matter movement and has personally faced discrimination, especially during her childhood. But she stands behind the fire chief and wishes he had not resigned. She said Hoffman is beloved in this tight-knit community for helping people and for his role during the flood. He was the fire chief for more than a decade and she feels people outside of Lyons rushed to cast him aside without understanding the full picture.
“The flood played a big role in this community. It has changed a lot of lives. It affected a lot of people and (the) fire department — the core people in that scene that helped and did all kinds of things — and it saves lives. You know, they come and rescue people. It saved my family,” Cinnamon said.
A changing area
Lyons has experienced something of a population shift since the flood. The waters washed away a mobile-home park that was never rebuilt, erasing some of the town’s most affordable housing. In the years since, housing has only become more expensive, forcing out some long-term, but less affluent residents.
The changes have led to some resentment, and calls to preserve what makes this town special, but Meyers said those conversations can also feel tone-deaf. He points to a separate online discussion that unfolded around the same time as the controversy with the fire chief.
Someone posted an image of a sign from the Long Island, New York town of Montauk. “Respect Montauk,” it declares. “We should make these with ‘Lyons’ on them,” the post said, taking particular aim at newcomers who complain about music being played downtown. The sign continues, “You came here from there because you didn’t like there, and now you want to change here to be like there. We are not racist, phobic or anti-whatever-you-are. We simply like here the way it is and most of us actually came here because it is not like there, wherever there was.”
A lot of people “liked” the post but Meyers took a different view of it, responding, “So this sign is (asterisk)actually(asterisk) OK with you all? This is literally the kind of signage used to keep POC out of ‘sundown towns.’ I can’t believe how many of you think this is anywhere near acceptable.”
Ben Rodman, an acquaintance of Meyers who has lived in Lyons for 20 years, is disappointed with how the community has handled everything. He thinks it’s unfortunate the local conversation has started to die down as people focus on the broader national discussion and other concerns. To him, Lyons missed an opportunity to confront an important issue at the local level: racism.
He’s sorry Meyers moved away.
“What a shame. That we not just let him leave, we made him leave.”
Rodman, who is white, said the situation with the fire chief is especially complicated because in a small community everyone knows everyone else and firefighters deservedly garner a lot of respect for doing a dangerous, difficult job for little-to-no pay.
“This going to sound a little trite, given how much it’s been in sort of the national dialogue recently, but I think we need to just reexamine our privilege and our preconceptions and our prejudices, and just understand how systemic and pervasive these kinds of attitudes are, and then reflect. As Americans, we recite an oath to uphold liberty and justice for all,” Rodman said.
For Meyers, he’s looking forward to building a life in Pueblo, where he’s already closed on a new house. For the first time ever, he said, his neighbors are not white. He plans to continue his auto repair work like he always has, enjoy a slower pace of things and get familiar with an entirely new community.
“I’ll be spending less time worrying about racism and I’ll do what I want to do, and live my life as a human being. I don’t want to live where I’m pointed out as the Black guy. My whole life it’s been like that.”


thedenverpost--2020-09-29--Centennial’s Lollipop Park auctioning Ferris wheel, miniature train as COVID-19 forces closure

COVID-19 and associated public health restrictions have overwhelmed another Denver-area business and now a 26-foot-tall , Italian-made Ferris wheel is headed to the auction block .
Lollipop Park , a children ’ s amusement park inside South Suburban Parks and Recreation district ’ s Family Sports Center in Centennial is closing after nine years , its owners announced Monday .
Lollipop , which focused on kids 10 and under , has been shut down since coronavirus started spreading in Colorado in March .
Nathan Elinoff , who co-owns the amusement park with his wife Louise , said ongoing business restrictions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ We have a pretty small footprint , which means we have to be packed to make money .
It doesn ’ t make sense to operate even at 75 % capacity , ” Elinoff said in a statement .
“ We get emails every day from people who are just heartbroken about what has happened.
” The Elinoffs have owned and operated children ’ s amusement centers in Colorado and elsewhere going back decades .
Previous attractions include Funtastic Nathan ’ s , inside the now long-gone Cinderella City Mall , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ South Broadway in Englewood until 2010 , according to the Lollipop Park website .
The park was enjoying record sales before the pandemic , according to its owners .
The Elinoffs hope to open an outdoor park with bigger rides when COVID-19 allows .
The company website already teases a 2021 opening date .
In the meantime , the Elinoffs are holding an on-site auction at Lollipop Park , 6901 S. Peoria St. , on Oct. 21 to sell the smaller attractions .
No minimum prices have been set .
All items will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to Monday ’ s new release .
Cash , certified checks or cashier ’ s checks are required with the full amount due that day .
Among the items up for auction : “ These are wonderful rides and they are in very good condition since they ’ ve been kept indoors , ” Nathan Elinoff said in a statement .
A pre-auction inspection begins at 9 a.m. Oct. 21 with the opening gavel coming down at 10:30 a.m. More information is available at spiethandsatow.com or lollipoppark.com .

COVID-19 and associated public health restrictions have overwhelmed another Denver-area business and now a 26-foot-tall, Italian-made Ferris wheel is headed to the auction block.
Lollipop Park, a children’s amusement park inside South Suburban Parks and Recreation district’s Family Sports Center in Centennial is closing after nine years, its owners announced Monday.
Lollipop, which focused on kids 10 and under, has been shut down since coronavirus started spreading in Colorado in March. Nathan Elinoff, who co-owns the amusement park with his wife Louise, said ongoing business restrictions related to the virus made reopening impossible.
“We have a pretty small footprint, which means we have to be packed to make money. It doesn’t make sense to operate even at 75% capacity,” Elinoff said in a statement. “We get emails every day from people who are just heartbroken about what has happened.”
The Elinoffs have owned and operated children’s amusement centers in Colorado and elsewhere going back decades. Previous attractions include Funtastic Nathan’s, inside the now long-gone Cinderella City Mall, and Funtastic Fun, which operated on South Broadway in Englewood until 2010, according to the Lollipop Park website.
The park was enjoying record sales before the pandemic, according to its owners. The Elinoffs hope to open an outdoor park with bigger rides when COVID-19 allows. The company website already teases a 2021 opening date.
In the meantime, the Elinoffs are holding an on-site auction at Lollipop Park, 6901 S. Peoria St., on Oct. 21 to sell the smaller attractions. No minimum prices have been set. All items will be sold to the highest bidder, according to Monday’s new release. Cash, certified checks or cashier’s checks are required with the full amount due that day.
Among the items up for auction:
26-foot-tall Italian-made balloon Ferris wheel
miniature train
mini teacup ride
carousel
antique funhouse mirrors
“These are wonderful rides and they are in very good condition since they’ve been kept indoors,” Nathan Elinoff said in a statement.
A pre-auction inspection begins at 9 a.m. Oct. 21 with the opening gavel coming down at 10:30 a.m. More information is available at spiethandsatow.com or lollipoppark.com.


thedenverpost--2020-09-29--Body of 46-year-old woman found in field in eastern Pueblo County

The body of a 46-year-old woman was found Sunday morning in rural eastern Pueblo County .
The incident is being @ @ @ @ @ , the sheriff ’ s office said .
The coroner ’ s office on Monday @ @ @ @ @ Reason , of Pueblo .
At about 8 a.m. Sunday , deputies responded to the @ @ @ @ @ after a property owner found the body in a field , according to a news @ @ @ @ @ obvious signs of trauma , the release said .
An autopsy will be conducted to @ @ @ @ @ of death .

The body of a 46-year-old woman was found Sunday morning in rural eastern Pueblo County.
The incident is being investigated as a suspicious death, the sheriff’s office said.
The coroner’s office on Monday identified the victim as Darlene Reason, of Pueblo.
At about 8 a.m. Sunday, deputies responded to the 54000 block of U.S. 50 after a property owner found the body in a field, according to a news release.
There were no obvious signs of trauma, the release said. An autopsy will be conducted to determine the cause and manner of death.


thedenverpost--2020-09-29--Keeler: Broncos fans should root for New York Jets on Thursday, and the rebuild John Elway desperate

Keeler: Broncos fans should root for New York Jets on Thursday, and the rebuild John Elway desperately needs

Why should Cleveland be the only town that celebrates Christmas in April ?
Why are we chasing 6-10 , pining for 5-11 , when we should be debating the merits of Trevor Lawrence or Penei Sewell ?
As a Broncos fan , ask yourself this : What would be the better outcome for the future of your franchise on Thursday night ?
A win over the 0-3 New York Jets ?
Or moving one step closer to getting your mitts on a generational quarterback or a franchise left tackle ?
What ’ s the end game here ?
“ It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Vic Fangio , now 0-3 in 2020 and 7-12 in two-plus seasons as Broncos coach , said Monday .
“ But we ’ ve got to fight through it and keep pounding.
” Stop pounding .
Stop fighting it .
When fate robs you of Von Miller , it ’ s a sign .
When it then snatches Courtland Sutton and A.J .
Bouye , that sign starts flashing in giant , neon letters , like a roadside diner on a rainy night .
When it snaps away Jurrell Casey , the way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Tampa Bay , fate ’ s yanking that sign out of the sky and whacking you across the face with it .
If there was ever a year to pop open the gas can and light the whole blasted thing on fire , it ’ s this one .
Because of social distancing , Mile High is unlikely to ever be more than 50 % full the rest of this calendar year .
Few of the Front Range faithful will actually get to see this team in person .
Those who did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , did not come away impressed with the product .
If you ’ re going to stink to high heaven , do it when nobody ’ s looking .
COVID-19 isn ’ t just handing Broncos GM John Elway a mulligan .
It ’ s gift-wrapped the thing .
It ’ s slapped a big , fancy bow right on top of the box .
The top three prospects in the 2021 NFL Draft are a quarterback ( Lawrence ) , another quarterback ( Justin Fields ) and an offensive tackle ( Sewell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a contract year .
Your second-year signal-caller is banged up .
You ’ ve signed Blake Bortles .
You share a division with Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid .
Sometimes , all the stars align into a giant , flaming torch .
All you ’ ve got to do , at this point , is not screw it up .
All together now : “ The next guy up will have to go in and play well and the rest of the team will have to play good around everybody else , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ll find the guys that are going to go out there and I ’ m confident that they will play hard and give us every effort they have.
” You say it ’ s unfair to the passengers on the S.S. Fangio , the players who stuck it out through the coronavirus chaos .
You say It ’ s unfair to the captain , who never signed up for a round-trip on the Mary Celeste .
You say it ’ s unfair to Drew Lock .
That the point of 2020 was find @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what the kid does — and doesn ’ t — bring to the table .
Yeah , well , the Chiefs had Alex Smith calling signals in 2016 .
They drafted Mahomes the next spring anyway .
How ’ d that work out ?
One more time , with feeling : The statniks at FiveThirtyEight have the Broncos pegged for 5-11 .
So do the projections at TeamRankings.com .
Win Thursday night , sure , you get back some dignity .
You ’ d also lose leverage for the top pick .
Same @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Oct. 18 .
And that trip to Carolina ( 1-2 ) on Dec. 13 .
• Broncos After Further Review : Even when right call was made , execution didn ’ t make it work • Broncos ’ Jurrell Casey done for season with arm injury suffered in loss to Tampa Bay • Kiszla vs. O ’ Halloran : Can any quarterback win ( or survive ) behind this Broncos offensive line ?
No professional with pride and a contract is going to go out and try to stink up the joint on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ saw in Week 3 against the Bucs ?
They probably won ’ t have to .
“ It ’ s not going to break me , ” Fangio continued .
“ It ’ s not going to break the staff .
We ’ re going to keep pounding away.
” Sometimes , there ’ s nowhere to go but down .
And the only way forward is two bloody , painful steps back .

Why should Cleveland be the only town that celebrates Christmas in April? Why are we chasing 6-10, pining for 5-11, when we should be debating the merits of Trevor Lawrence or Penei Sewell?
As a Broncos fan, ask yourself this: What would be the better outcome for the future of your franchise on Thursday night?
A win over the 0-3 New York Jets? Or moving one step closer to getting your mitts on a generational quarterback or a franchise left tackle? What’s the end game here?
“It’s a tough time,” Vic Fangio, now 0-3 in 2020 and 7-12 in two-plus seasons as Broncos coach, said Monday. “But we’ve got to fight through it and keep pounding.”
Stop pounding. Stop fighting it. When fate robs you of Von Miller, it’s a sign. When it then snatches Courtland Sutton and A.J. Bouye, that sign starts flashing in giant, neon letters, like a roadside diner on a rainy night.
When it snaps away Jurrell Casey, the way it did after a 28-10 home defeat to Tampa Bay, fate’s yanking that sign out of the sky and whacking you across the face with it.
Stop reloading.
Stop tweaking.
Start rebuilding.
If there was ever a year to pop open the gas can and light the whole blasted thing on fire, it’s this one. Because of social distancing, Mile High is unlikely to ever be more than 50% full the rest of this calendar year. Few of the Front Range faithful will actually get to see this team in person. Those who did this past Sunday, by and large, did not come away impressed with the product. If you’re going to stink to high heaven, do it when nobody’s looking.
COVID-19 isn’t just handing Broncos GM John Elway a mulligan. It’s gift-wrapped the thing. It’s slapped a big, fancy bow right on top of the box.
The top three prospects in the 2021 NFL Draft are a quarterback (Lawrence), another quarterback (Justin Fields) and an offensive tackle (Sewell). Your starting left tackle is in a contract year. Your second-year signal-caller is banged up. You’ve signed Blake Bortles. You share a division with Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid.
Sometimes, all the stars align into a giant, flaming torch. All you’ve got to do, at this point, is not screw it up.
Stop reloading.
Stop tweaking.
Start rebuilding.
All together now:
J-E-T-S! JETS! JETS! JETS!
“The next guy up will have to go in and play well and the rest of the team will have to play good around everybody else,” Fangio said. “We’ll find the guys that are going to go out there and I’m confident that they will play hard and give us every effort they have.”
You say it’s unfair to the passengers on the S.S. Fangio, the players who stuck it out through the coronavirus chaos. You say It’s unfair to the captain, who never signed up for a round-trip on the Mary Celeste. You say it’s unfair to Drew Lock. That the point of 2020 was find out, in no uncertain terms, what the kid does — and doesn’t — bring to the table.
Yeah, well, the Chiefs had Alex Smith calling signals in 2016. They drafted Mahomes the next spring anyway. How’d that work out?
One more time, with feeling:
J-E-T-S! JETS! JETS! JETS!
The statniks at FiveThirtyEight have the Broncos pegged for 5-11. So do the projections at TeamRankings.com.
Aim lower.
Win Thursday night, sure, you get back some dignity. You’d also lose leverage for the top pick. Same deal against Miami (1-2) on Oct. 18. And that trip to Carolina (1-2) on Dec. 13.
No professional with pride and a contract is going to go out and try to stink up the joint on purpose. But based on what we saw in Week 3 against the Bucs? They probably won’t have to.
“It’s not going to break me,” Fangio continued. “It’s not going to break the staff. We’re going to keep pounding away.”
Sometimes, there’s nowhere to go but down. And the only way forward is two bloody, painful steps back.


thedenverpost--2020-09-29--Denver council approves first vote to cap prices for Grubhub, other food delivery companies

Denver City Council preliminarily agreed to impose a cap on fees delivery companies can charge restaurants in an effort to @ @ @ @ @ as the coronavirus pandemic continues .
Council approved the proposal unanimously as part of a @ @ @ @ @ second vote is still required to cement the price cap .
It would limit the @ @ @ @ @ as Grubhub , DoorDash and Postmates to 15 % .
That ’ s welcome news @ @ @ @ @ said those fees can climb up to 40 % of the total bill and the @ @ @ @ @ that can be reinvested into the businesses and their staff members .
It ’ s @ @ @ @ @ have said , because as the weather turns colder many customers will refrain from eating @ @ @ @ @ order food to go .
At the same time , however , the cap could @ @ @ @ @ a spokesperson for Grubhub warned .
Revenue lost from the price cap could ultimately be @ @ @ @ @ the food .

Denver City Council preliminarily agreed to impose a cap on fees delivery companies can charge restaurants in an effort to help the already struggling industry as the coronavirus pandemic continues.
Council approved the proposal unanimously as part of a consent agenda, though a second vote is still required to cement the price cap. It would limit the commission fee from companies such as Grubhub, DoorDash and Postmates to 15%.
That’s welcome news for local restaurateurs who have said those fees can climb up to 40% of the total bill and the reduced commission will save money that can be reinvested into the businesses and their staff members. It’s also particularly well-timed, many have said, because as the weather turns colder many customers will refrain from eating on patios and instead will order food to go.
At the same time, however, the cap could increase bills for customers, a spokesperson for Grubhub warned. Revenue lost from the price cap could ultimately be passed on to those ordering the food.


thedenverpost--2020-09-28--Colorado shuts down Clear View Behavioral Health, will seek to revoke license permanently

The state of Colorado will work to revoke the license of , and has already shut down , a much-scrutinized @ @ @ @ @ Colorado .
Clear View Behavioral Health in Johnstown has been the subject of more than @ @ @ @ @ January 2019 .
The state had taken prior action but earlier this year decided to @ @ @ @ @ mental health facility .
Denver7 Investigates has confirmed the latest action follows information provided by @ @ @ @ @ inspection by the state last week .
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment @ @ @ @ @ Monday afternoon that it closed the facility immediately on Monday using a summary suspension “ @ @ @ @ @ ” The CDPHE confirmed that the violations were found on Sept. 22 during a revisit @ @ @ @ @ that included nursing services and infection control .
The department said a key finding “ @ @ @ @ @ prevention for COVID-19 ” in addition to past regulatory findings against the facility .
Subscribe @ @ @ @ @ health news sent straight to your inbox .

The state of Colorado will work to revoke the license of, and has already shut down, a much-scrutinized mental health hospital in northern Colorado.
Clear View Behavioral Health in Johnstown has been the subject of more than a dozen Denver7 investigations since January 2019. The state had taken prior action but earlier this year decided to re-issue the license to the mental health facility.
Denver7 Investigates has confirmed the latest action follows information provided by a whistleblower and a surprise inspection by the state last week.
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment said it a news release Monday afternoon that it closed the facility immediately on Monday using a summary suspension “because of several regulatory violations.”
The CDPHE confirmed that the violations were found on Sept. 22 during a revisit survey, which found deficiencies that included nursing services and infection control. The department said a key finding “includes a lack of infection prevention for COVID-19” in addition to past regulatory findings against the facility.
Read the full story here.
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thedenverpost--2020-09-28--Thornton couple killed in motorcycle crash leave behind three children

A husband and wife killed in a weekend motorcycle collision in Thornton leave behind three children , the youngest 12 @ @ @ @ @ Mike and Krisi Schaff were riding a Harley motorcycle eastbound on 104th Avenue near Washington @ @ @ @ @ car pulled out of a King Soopers parking lot and the couple died in the @ @ @ @ @ 20-year-old son , Tony Schaff , is torn between mourning and caring for his siblings @ @ @ @ @ been devastated since , but I know I have to stay strong for my brother @ @ @ @ @ I can , ” Schaff told Denver 7 .
“ Mike was one of the @ @ @ @ @ ever known in my life , ” said Wyndy Dominy , his boss at A-Shed @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Krisi was much more serious .
She was the boss , ” Dominy @ @ @ @ @ d been together more than half their lives and they were in love with each @ @ @ @ @ this report , visit The Denver Channel .

A husband and wife killed in a weekend motorcycle collision in Thornton leave behind three children, the youngest 12 and the oldest 20.
Mike and Krisi Schaff were riding a Harley motorcycle eastbound on 104th Avenue near Washington Street on Saturday when a car pulled out of a King Soopers parking lot and the couple died in the collision.
Now, their 20-year-old son, Tony Schaff, is torn between mourning and caring for his siblings.
“I’ve been devastated since, but I know I have to stay strong for my brother and sister as much as I can,” Schaff told Denver 7.
“Mike was one of the funniest guys I’ve ever known in my life,” said Wyndy Dominy, his boss at A-Shed USA and a long-time friend.
“Krisi was much more serious. She was the boss,” Dominy said. “They’d been together more than half their lives and they were in love with each other.”
For more on this report, visit The Denver Channel.


thedenverpost--2020-09-28--Two players, nine staff members with Colorado Rapids test positive for COVID-19

Eleven people from the Colorado Rapids have tested positive for COVID-19 in the past week , the club announced Monday night — two players and nine staff members .
MLS postponed Sunday ’ s Rapids home match against Sporting Kansas City after one player and three staff members tested positive for the virus late last week .
Eight more positive tests were confirmed Monday — one player and seven staff members .
The club last practiced Thursday and played Wednesday when they defeated San Jose 5-0 .
All 11 who tested positive were at Wednesday ’ s match .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ word of a positive test , placed everyone in self-isolation and conducted contact tracing in conjunction with the CDC .
Colorado is slated to play the Timbers in Portland on Saturday , with sources saying that the match is not yet in jeopardy of being canceled .
Their next home match Oct. 7 is supposed to take place in front of fans .
Meanwhile , there are only two possible dates in which Colorado can make up their match with Sporting Kansas City before Decision Day — Oct. 21 or Nov. 4 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ scheduling congestion Colorado has already faced .
The postponement of Sunday ’ s match was the first since MLS teams began playing games in home markets following the MLS is Back Tournament , which concluded in August .
In total , the Rapids have had four players test positive for the virus this year , with two players testing positive before the tournament in June .
The Rapids were coming off two straight wins and had climbed into a playoff spot .
Each time the club has won two games in a row @ @ @ @ @ @ @ following match .

Eleven people from the Colorado Rapids have tested positive for COVID-19 in the past week, the club announced Monday night — two players and nine staff members.
MLS postponed Sunday’s Rapids home match against Sporting Kansas City after one player and three staff members tested positive for the virus late last week. Eight more positive tests were confirmed Monday — one player and seven staff members.
The club last practiced Thursday and played Wednesday when they defeated San Jose 5-0. All 11 who tested positive were at Wednesday’s match.
The Rapids stopped training as soon they received word of a positive test, placed everyone in self-isolation and conducted contact tracing in conjunction with the CDC.
Colorado is slated to play the Timbers in Portland on Saturday, with sources saying that the match is not yet in jeopardy of being canceled. Their next home match Oct. 7 is supposed to take place in front of fans. Meanwhile, there are only two possible dates in which Colorado can make up their match with Sporting Kansas City before Decision Day — Oct. 21 or Nov. 4. This will add further to the massive scheduling congestion Colorado has already faced.
The postponement of Sunday’s match was the first since MLS teams began playing games in home markets following the MLS is Back Tournament, which concluded in August.
In total, the Rapids have had four players test positive for the virus this year, with two players testing positive before the tournament in June.
The Rapids were coming off two straight wins and had climbed into a playoff spot. Each time the club has won two games in a row this year, COVID-19 has canceled the following match.


thedenverpost--2020-09-28--Jefferson County man charged after alleged sexual assaults of 4 victims

A man has been charged with 18 felony counts in Jefferson County for allegedly sexually assaulting four women in the @ @ @ @ @ in separate incidents over the past six months , prosecutors said .
Joseph Gabriel Van @ @ @ @ @ been charged with multiple counts of sexual assault , kidnapping , second-degree assault and menacing @ @ @ @ @ attorney ’ s office .
On April 19 , a woman reported to Jefferson County @ @ @ @ @ been picked up by a driver in Denver , driven to the foothills and sexually @ @ @ @ @ have reported similar incidents in August and September , a news release said .
Two @ @ @ @ @ Denver and two along West Colfax Avenue in Lakewood .
Van Eck was arrested on @ @ @ @ @ being held on a $ 1 million bond .
A preliminary hearing is scheduled on @ @ @

A man has been charged with 18 felony counts in Jefferson County for allegedly sexually assaulting four women in the foothills after driving victims there in separate incidents over the past six months, prosecutors said.
Joseph Gabriel Van Eck, 32, has been charged with multiple counts of sexual assault, kidnapping, second-degree assault and menacing, according to the district attorney’s office.
On April 19, a woman reported to Jefferson County deputies that she’d been picked up by a driver in Denver, driven to the foothills and sexually assaulted.
Three other women have reported similar incidents in August and September, a news release said. Two women were picked up in Denver and two along West Colfax Avenue in Lakewood.
Van Eck was arrested on Sept. 18 and he is being held on a $1 million bond. A preliminary hearing is scheduled on Oct. 21.


thedenverpost--2020-09-28--Colorado sued over limits on size of religious gatherings during pandemic

A legal organization representing Andrew Wommack Ministries sued Gov .
Jared Polis on Monday in an effort to halt Colorado ’ s COVID-19 public health orders that limit the size of religious and other gatherings ahead of a conference the Woodland Park ministry is holding next week .
The lawsuit , filed in U.S. District Court in Denver , asks for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction against multiple public health orders issued by state officials during the coronavirus pandemic .
The suit comes a week before the ministry ’ s Pastor ’ s Conference , which is scheduled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ draws pastors and ministers from outside the local community and is required attendance for more than 600 students at Charis Bible College , according to the legal complaint .
The lawsuit filed by the conservative nonprofit organization Liberty Counsel challenges Colorado ’ s 175-person cap on religious gatherings during the pandemic .
The lawsuit calls out Polis for having “ excused from such restrictions untold thousands of protesters who have gathered all throughout Colorado cities , with no social distancing , and with no threat of criminal or legal sanction.
” In July @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Office sent a cease-and-desist letter to Andrew Wommack Ministries for violating the state ’ s health orders by hosting a summer conference , KRDO reported .
The issue of COVID-19 restrictions on houses of worship has reached the U.S. Supreme Court already this year , with the justices voting 5-4 in May to reject a challenge by a California church suing to stop that state ’ s order to shut down religious services .
Liberty Counsel , the group suing Polis and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment , has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as an anti-LGBTQ “ hate group.
” Representatives from the governor ’ s office and the state health department did not immediately respond to requests for comment .

A legal organization representing Andrew Wommack Ministries sued Gov. Jared Polis on Monday in an effort to halt Colorado’s COVID-19 public health orders that limit the size of religious and other gatherings ahead of a conference the Woodland Park ministry is holding next week.
The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Denver, asks for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction against multiple public health orders issued by state officials during the coronavirus pandemic.
The suit comes a week before the ministry’s Pastor’s Conference, which is scheduled to start Oct. 5. The event draws pastors and ministers from outside the local community and is required attendance for more than 600 students at Charis Bible College, according to the legal complaint.
The lawsuit filed by the conservative nonprofit organization Liberty Counsel challenges Colorado’s 175-person cap on religious gatherings during the pandemic. The lawsuit calls out Polis for having “excused from such restrictions untold thousands of protesters who have gathered all throughout Colorado cities, with no social distancing, and with no threat of criminal or legal sanction.”
In July, the Colorado Attorney General’s Office sent a cease-and-desist letter to Andrew Wommack Ministries for violating the state’s health orders by hosting a summer conference, KRDO reported.
The issue of COVID-19 restrictions on houses of worship has reached the U.S. Supreme Court already this year, with the justices voting 5-4 in May to reject a challenge by a California church suing to stop that state’s order to shut down religious services.
Liberty Counsel, the group suing Polis and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, has been designated by the Southern Poverty Law Center as an anti-LGBTQ “hate group.”
Representatives from the governor’s office and the state health department did not immediately respond to requests for comment.


thedenverpost--2020-09-28--Rockies by the numbers: RISP, OBP and ERA defined their losing season

The Rockies ’ 2020 season is in the books .
Given that the season was shortened to 60 games because of the coronavirus pandemic , there will be plenty of asterisks and caveats applied to statistics , streaks , slumps , accomplishments , failures and awards .
That makes total sense .
Rockies apologists will say that the truncated season was not a true measure of the team , noting , for instance , that the Washington Nationals opened the 2019 season with a 19-31 record but rebounded to win the World Series .
That , however , is an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ knew the score going into the truncated season .
Plus , 16 of the 30 teams qualified for the playoffs , more than half of the league .
The Rockies were not one of them .
After a sizzling 11-3 start , the Rockies finished 26-34 , meaning their record was 15-31 after Aug. 8 .
Their .433 winning percentage was the sixth-worst in franchise history and a slight dip from last season ’ s .438 mark in a 71-91 season .
As manager Bud Black said following Sunday ’ s season-ending , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have to identify what went wrong.
” Following are some key numbers that defined the Rockies ’ season : .311 — Team on-base percentage , which ranked 25th in the majors and was the worst in franchise history .
Black pointed to this statistic as one that absolutely must improve in 2021 .
.716 — Team OPS ( on-base percentage , plus slugging percentage ) which ranked 18th in the majors and was the worst in franchise history .
For a team that plays half of its games at hitter-friendly Coors Field , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .248 — Average with runners in scoring position , considered a measure of clutch hitting .
The Rockies ranked 18th in the majors and the .248 average ranks as the second-worst in franchise history ( .245 in 2011 ) .
By comparison , Colorado ’ s opponents batted .285 with RISP .
Some of the Rockies ’ key run producers failed to deliver with runners on second or third .
Nolan Arenado hit .175 , Trevor Story .227 , Charlie Blackmon .258 and Ryan McMahon .222 .
Daniel Murphy , however , batted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 63 — Home runs hit , ranking 22nd in the majors .
The Rockies averaged 1.05 home runs per game , ranking 16th in franchise history .
5.59 — Overall ERA , the second-worst in the majors ( Detroit , 5.63 ) .
Opponents posted a 4.29 ERA vs. the Rockies .
Colorado ’ s overall ERA was tied for the second-worst in franchise history with the 1996 team .
Only the 1999 team ’ s 6.01 mark was worse .
4.83 — Starters ’ ERA , the 11th highest in baseball but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The team ’ s best three starters — Antonio Senzatela ( 3.44 ) , German Marquez ( 3.75 ) and Kyle Freeland ( 4.33 ) — provided the Rockies with 24 quality starts , a major reason why the Rockies feel good about the core of their rotation .
6.77 — Bullpen ERA , the second-worst in the majors ( Philadelphia , 7.06 ) and the worst in franchise history .
The 2004 team had the previous worst ( 5.53 ) .
The loss of potential closer Scott Oberg to blood clots and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 7.50 ) and Jairo Diaz ( 7.65 ) really hurt .
6.07 — Strikeouts per nine innings for the Rockies ’ overall pitching staff , by far the fewest in the majors ( Miami ranked 29th with 8.05 ) .
46.3 — Groundball percentage for all Rockies pitchers , the fourth-most in baseball .
The Rockies ’ ability to get groundball outs helped make up for the lack of strikeouts .
Colorado ’ s 1.27 double plays per game ranked No .
1 .
.981 — Rockies ’ fielding percentage , which ranked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ highlight-reel plays from Arenado at third base and Story at shortstop , the defense was not as consistent as the Rockies needed it to be .
15 — Defensive runs saved by Arenado , the most in baseball , according to The Fielding Bible .
First baseman Josh Fuentes , Arenado ’ s cousin , had nine runs saved , ranked tied for ninth-most , despite Fuentes ’ relatively limited playing time .

The Rockies’ 2020 season is in the books.
Given that the season was shortened to 60 games because of the coronavirus pandemic, there will be plenty of asterisks and caveats applied to statistics, streaks, slumps, accomplishments, failures and awards. That makes total sense.
Rockies apologists will say that the truncated season was not a true measure of the team, noting, for instance, that the Washington Nationals opened the 2019 season with a 19-31 record but rebounded to win the World Series. That, however, is an empty argument.
All 30-big league teams knew the score going into the truncated season. Plus, 16 of the 30 teams qualified for the playoffs, more than half of the league. The Rockies were not one of them.
After a sizzling 11-3 start, the Rockies finished 26-34, meaning their record was 15-31 after Aug. 8. Their .433 winning percentage was the sixth-worst in franchise history and a slight dip from last season’s .438 mark in a 71-91 season.
As manager Bud Black said following Sunday’s season-ending, 11-3 loss at Arizona, “We have to identify what went wrong.”
Following are some key numbers that defined the Rockies’ season:
Offense
.311 — Team on-base percentage, which ranked 25th in the majors and was the worst in franchise history. Black pointed to this statistic as one that absolutely must improve in 2021.
.716 — Team OPS (on-base percentage, plus slugging percentage) which ranked 18th in the majors and was the worst in franchise history. For a team that plays half of its games at hitter-friendly Coors Field, it’s a damning statistic.
.248 — Average with runners in scoring position, considered a measure of clutch hitting. The Rockies ranked 18th in the majors and the .248 average ranks as the second-worst in franchise history (.245 in 2011). By comparison, Colorado’s opponents batted .285 with RISP.
Some of the Rockies’ key run producers failed to deliver with runners on second or third. Nolan Arenado hit .175, Trevor Story .227, Charlie Blackmon .258 and Ryan McMahon .222. Daniel Murphy, however, batted .379 with runners in scoring position.
63 — Home runs hit, ranking 22nd in the majors. The Rockies averaged 1.05 home runs per game, ranking 16th in franchise history.
Pitching
5.59 — Overall ERA, the second-worst in the majors (Detroit, 5.63). Opponents posted a 4.29 ERA vs. the Rockies. Colorado’s overall ERA was tied for the second-worst in franchise history with the 1996 team. Only the 1999 team’s 6.01 mark was worse.
4.83 — Starters’ ERA, the 11th highest in baseball but the 10th best in franchise history. The team’s best three starters — Antonio Senzatela (3.44), German Marquez (3.75) and Kyle Freeland (4.33) — provided the Rockies with 24 quality starts, a major reason why the Rockies feel good about the core of their rotation.
6.77 — Bullpen ERA, the second-worst in the majors (Philadelphia, 7.06) and the worst in franchise history. The 2004 team had the previous worst (5.53). The loss of potential closer Scott Oberg to blood clots and the regression of right-handers Carlos Estevez (7.50) and Jairo Diaz (7.65) really hurt.
6.07 — Strikeouts per nine innings for the Rockies’ overall pitching staff, by far the fewest in the majors (Miami ranked 29th with 8.05).
46.3 — Groundball percentage for all Rockies pitchers, the fourth-most in baseball. The Rockies’ ability to get groundball outs helped make up for the lack of strikeouts. Colorado’s 1.27 double plays per game ranked No. 1.
Defense
.981 — Rockies’ fielding percentage, which ranked 22nd in the majors. Despite the highlight-reel plays from Arenado at third base and Story at shortstop, the defense was not as consistent as the Rockies needed it to be.
15 — Defensive runs saved by Arenado, the most in baseball, according to The Fielding Bible. First baseman Josh Fuentes, Arenado’s cousin, had nine runs saved, ranked tied for ninth-most, despite Fuentes’ relatively limited playing time.


thedenverpost--2020-09-29--Colorado’s COVID-19 hospitalizations up more than 15% as cases rise for fourth week

The number of people hospitalized with confirmed cases of COVID-19 rose more than 15 % in Colorado over the past week , while cases increased more modestly than they did last week .
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment reported 177 people were receiving hospital care for confirmed COVID-19 on Monday , up from 152 a week earlier — an increase of 16.4 % .
It ’ s not yet clear if young people , who accounted for a high percentage of new cases recently , are starting to get sick enough to need hospital care , or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to higher-risk age groups , said Beth Carlton , an associate professor of environmental and occupational health at the Colorado School of Public Health .
Typically , there ’ s a delay between an increase in cases and any rise in hospitalizations or deaths .
“ Any increase in hospitalizations is concerning , ” she said .
“ The good news is we ’ re still nowhere near hospital capacity.
” The public doesn ’ t need to take extreme precautions at this point , but it ’ s important to continue wearing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ safer ways , like meeting people outdoors with plenty of space between you , Carlton said .
Anyone who tests positive for the virus or is asked to quarantine because they were exposed needs to stay home to stop COVID-19 from spreading , she said .
“ That can buy us a much better future , ” she said .
New COVID-19 cases increased in Colorado for a fourth week , though not as drastically as they did last week .
The state health department reported 3,864 cases of the new coronavirus in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s likely that number will rise , because of delayed reports .
That ’ s about 180 more cases than reported last week .
The number of new cases had spiked by more than 1,300 between Sept. 13 and Sept. 20 .
The total number of cases in Colorado has risen 12.7 % over the last two weeks .
While that ’ s not ideal , it ’ s far from the worst in the country : In Montana , cases increased by more than one-third in that period .
Nationwide , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 50 states , Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia .
About one-fifth of new cases over the last week were reported in Boulder County , which had 848 cases in a week .
Denver County , which has a significantly larger population , had 694 cases .
While no county has been ordered to roll back its reopening , seven had numbers of new cases that could trigger more restrictions .
Boulder , Logan and Yuma counties had enough new cases to put them in the red category on the state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could push them back into a stay-at-home order if they can ’ t come up with a way to restrain the virus ’ spread .
Denver County moved into the orange category Monday , along with Adams , Huerfano and Summit counties .
If they stay there , they might need to reduce the number of people allowed in most facilities or events .
Any changes likely won ’ t happen until the second week of October , because counties get a two-week grace period to try to solve the problem before resorting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state health department .
Statewide , about 3.4 % of tests came back positive over the previous three days , indicating that there ’ s enough testing at a high level .
Experts generally consider a rate below 5 % a sign that a state is doing enough testing .
Four counties reported rates higher than 5 % : Adams , Boulder , Sedgwick and Yuma .
That ’ s another metric the state health department uses to determine how well a county ’ s reopening is going , though more restrictions aren @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 10 % .
None of the counties had a rate higher than 6.2 % as of Monday .
The state health department reported 11 deaths related to COVID-19 last week , though that number could change because death reports can take up to two weeks to come in .
Colorado has reported 69,490 cases of the new coronavirus and 7,530 hospitalizations since March .
A total of 1,945 people have died directly from the virus , according to state data .
And 2,044 people have died with it in their system .
Subscribe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sent straight to your inbox .

The number of people hospitalized with confirmed cases of COVID-19 rose more than 15% in Colorado over the past week, while cases increased more modestly than they did last week.
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment reported 177 people were receiving hospital care for confirmed COVID-19 on Monday, up from 152 a week earlier — an increase of 16.4%.
It’s not yet clear if young people, who accounted for a high percentage of new cases recently, are starting to get sick enough to need hospital care, or if they might have passed the virus to higher-risk age groups, said Beth Carlton, an associate professor of environmental and occupational health at the Colorado School of Public Health.
Typically, there’s a delay between an increase in cases and any rise in hospitalizations or deaths.
“Any increase in hospitalizations is concerning,” she said. “The good news is we’re still nowhere near hospital capacity.”
The public doesn’t need to take extreme precautions at this point, but it’s important to continue wearing a mask in public and socializing in safer ways, like meeting people outdoors with plenty of space between you, Carlton said. Anyone who tests positive for the virus or is asked to quarantine because they were exposed needs to stay home to stop COVID-19 from spreading, she said.
“That can buy us a much better future,” she said.
New COVID-19 cases increased in Colorado for a fourth week, though not as drastically as they did last week. The state health department reported 3,864 cases of the new coronavirus in the week ending Sunday, though it’s likely that number will rise, because of delayed reports.
That’s about 180 more cases than reported last week. The number of new cases had spiked by more than 1,300 between Sept. 13 and Sept. 20.
The total number of cases in Colorado has risen 12.7% over the last two weeks. While that’s not ideal, it’s far from the worst in the country: In Montana, cases increased by more than one-third in that period. Nationwide, cases increased about 9.2% when including the 50 states, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia.
About one-fifth of new cases over the last week were reported in Boulder County, which had 848 cases in a week. Denver County, which has a significantly larger population, had 694 cases.
While no county has been ordered to roll back its reopening, seven had numbers of new cases that could trigger more restrictions. Boulder, Logan and Yuma counties had enough new cases to put them in the red category on the state’s new dial dashboard, which could push them back into a stay-at-home order if they can’t come up with a way to restrain the virus’ spread.
Denver County moved into the orange category Monday, along with Adams, Huerfano and Summit counties. If they stay there, they might need to reduce the number of people allowed in most facilities or events.
Any changes likely won’t happen until the second week of October, because counties get a two-week grace period to try to solve the problem before resorting to tighter restrictions, according to the state health department.
Statewide, about 3.4% of tests came back positive over the previous three days, indicating that there’s enough testing at a high level. Experts generally consider a rate below 5% a sign that a state is doing enough testing.
Four counties reported rates higher than 5%: Adams, Boulder, Sedgwick and Yuma. That’s another metric the state health department uses to determine how well a county’s reopening is going, though more restrictions aren’t likely unless the rate exceeds 10%. None of the counties had a rate higher than 6.2% as of Monday.
The state health department reported 11 deaths related to COVID-19 last week, though that number could change because death reports can take up to two weeks to come in.
Colorado has reported 69,490 cases of the new coronavirus and 7,530 hospitalizations since March. A total of 1,945 people have died directly from the virus, according to state data. And 2,044 people have died with it in their system.
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thedenverpost--2020-09-29--Amazon medical staff in Thornton faced pressure to reduce care

Amazon ’ s safety team knew there was a problem at its fulfillment center in Thornton .
Internal reports sent to Amazon safety managers across the country in early 2019 repeatedly flagged the warehouse for having especially high injury rates .
One item in the FAQ section asked why that warehouse and six others had a rate of lost-time injuries “ more than twice ” the internal goal for January .
The issues with the 2-year-old Amazon warehouse in Thornton and other facilities around the country are highlighted in a new report by Reveal from The Center for Investigative Reporting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Reveal — including internal safety reports and weekly injury numbers from its nationwide network of fulfillment centers — shows that company officials have misled the public and lawmakers about its record on worker safety .
They demonstrate a mounting injury crisis at Amazon warehouses , one that is especially acute at robotic facilities like Thornton and during Prime week and holiday peak .
Overall , Amazon ’ s injury rates have gone up each of the past four years , the internal data shows .
In 2019 , Amazon fulfillment centers recorded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ off or job restrictions .
The rate of 7.7 serious injuries per 100 employees was 33 % higher than in 2016 and nearly double the most recent industry standard .
The data backs up the accounts of Amazon warehouse workers and former safety professionals who say the company has used the robots to ratchet up production quotas to the point that humans can ’ t keep up without hurting themselves .
For each of the past four years , injury rates have been significantly higher at Amazon ’ s robotic warehouses than at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ centers , in Thornton and Aurora , had serious injury rates that declined in 2019 compared to 2018 but were still more than twice the industry average and higher than Amazon ’ s overall rate .
But in Thornton , Amazon managers didn ’ t attribute the injury rate to unsafe working conditions , Reveal found .
Instead , the report cited an increase in work restrictions ordered by medical providers .
Workers typically get first aid at AmCare , Amazon ’ s on-site health centers , and may be referred to outside @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Amazon — if they need further medical attention .
What happens at those clinics has a decisive impact on the company ’ s official injury records .
Employers must log for OSHA work-related injuries that require medical care beyond first aid , time off work to heal or a change to the workers ’ job .
These “ recordable ” injuries make up a company ’ s injury rate .
Keeping injuries off that log has benefits for a company .
High recorded injury rates can make a company more of a target @ @ @ @ @ @ @ getting medical care can also lower a company ’ s workers ’ compensation insurance .
Plus , too many injuries can lead to bad press .
The report said Thornton safety staff were meeting with the facility ’ s most frequently used medical clinic to “ discuss the impact ” of the care it was giving workers .
When things didn ’ t improve , the next month ’ s report , in March 2019 , documented a more drastic solution : “ To address the flat recordable rate , the site has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clinic with poor performance.
” The warehouse , the report said , also would ensure “ strong ” use of the on-site AmCare first aid and “ reduce the probability of associates transitioning to external clinic care.
” The next month , in April 2019 , Amazon contracted with a new clinic for its injured Colorado workers : Advanced Urgent Care & Occupational Medicine , a local operation that promoted itself online as “ OSHA-Sensitive.
” According to the Advanced website , Julie Parsons , then its occupational medicine medical director , believed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are not OSHA recordable , if possible.
” Three medical providers who worked for Advanced told Reveal that clinic directors instructed them to avoid giving any treatment to Amazon workers that would make their injuries recordable .
Normally , these providers could prescribe medications , days of rest , physical therapy or workplace restrictions , such as guidance to avoid climbing stairs or lift anything above a certain weight .
But clinic directors pressured medical staff to send injured Amazon employees back to work without any of those remedies , said the providers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be used for fear of harming their careers .
A nurse practitioner who worked at the clinic said she dreaded seeing Amazon patients because she didn ’ t think she would be able to treat them appropriately .
She said she remembers an Amazon worker who came to the clinic in a lot of pain from a wrist injury , crying and asking , “ Can ’ t you do something ?
” “ I ’ m really sorry , ” the nurse practitioner recalled telling her .
“ There ’ s really @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you right now.
” In a July 2019 email , Parsons instructed medical staff to contact her or the clinic owner before they “ think about giving restrictions or making it recordable ” for Amazon patients .
When they did contact the directors to recommend restrictions , the providers said they were usually told to not make them recordable .
“ That was made very clear – that there was pressure from Amazon and it seemed like it was very explicit that you should try to avoid recordables at all costs , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year .
“ When I felt like our policies were impacting my ability to make proper medical decisions , that made me very uncomfortable.
” Parsons did not respond to requests for comment .
Tony Euser , who owns Advanced Urgent Care , said in an interview that his clinic tries to balance the needs of employers and patients and looks for “ common-sense alternatives ” to treatment that would make an injury recordable .
Many employers seek to limit recordable injuries and lean on workers ’ compensation doctors to help them out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t put Amazon at the far end of it , ” he said , “ but I wouldn ’ t put them on the soft end of it , either.
” Early on in the contract , he said , Amazon representatives would call his clinic out of concern about how certain cases were handled .
“ Now they don ’ t call us as much , ” he said , “ whether they trust us more or whether they just determined that we are trying to do the best we can.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to avoid giving Amazon workers treatment that would make their injuries recordable .
He also said he had decided to stop providing occupational medical care for companies , including Amazon , at the end of this year .
He said it was too much to balance the needs of employers and their employees .
“ It ’ s not worth it , ” Euser said .
“ We ’ ve made the decision that we don ’ t want to be dealing with this anymore .
And we don ’ t want to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I say games , and not – they ’ re not games .
But it ’ s this back-and-forth , constant thing.
” In Amazon ’ s statement to Reveal , Amazon spokeswoman Rachael Lighty reiterated the company ’ s talking point that while workplace injuries are underreported in general , Amazon is different .
“ At Amazon , we are focused on improving the safety of our workplace and seek to accurately report across all sites and all incident types , which means recording all injuries or illnesses that meet or likely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and ensuring that we learn from these incidents and improve each day , ” she said .
Amazon did not respond to questions about why it changed medical clinics for the Thornton warehouse and how medical professionals say they were pressured to keep injuries off the books .
This is an abridged version of an article produced by Reveal from The Center for Investigative Reporting .
Sign up to read more stories from Reveal .

Amazon’s safety team knew there was a problem at its fulfillment center in Thornton.
Internal reports sent to Amazon safety managers across the country in early 2019 repeatedly flagged the warehouse for having especially high injury rates. One item in the FAQ section asked why that warehouse and six others had a rate of lost-time injuries “more than twice” the internal goal for January.
The issues with the 2-year-old Amazon warehouse in Thornton and other facilities around the country are highlighted in a new report by Reveal from The Center for Investigative Reporting.
A cache of company records obtained by Reveal — including internal safety reports and weekly injury numbers from its
nationwide network of fulfillment centers — shows that company officials have misled the public and lawmakers about its record on worker safety. They demonstrate a mounting injury crisis at Amazon warehouses, one that is especially acute at robotic facilities like Thornton and during Prime week and holiday peak.
Overall, Amazon’s injury rates have gone up each of the past four years, the internal data shows. In 2019, Amazon fulfillment centers recorded 14,000 serious injuries — those requiring days off or job restrictions. The rate of 7.7 serious injuries per 100 employees was 33% higher than in 2016 and nearly double the most recent industry standard.
The data backs up the accounts of Amazon warehouse workers and former safety professionals who say the company has used the robots to ratchet up production quotas to the point that humans can’t keep up without hurting themselves. For each of the past four years, injury rates have been significantly higher at Amazon’s robotic warehouses than at
its traditional sites.
Both Colorado fulfillment centers, in Thornton and Aurora, had serious injury rates that declined in 2019 compared to 2018 but were still more than twice the industry average and higher than Amazon’s overall rate.
But in Thornton, Amazon managers didn’t attribute the injury rate to unsafe working conditions, Reveal found. Instead, the report cited an increase in work restrictions ordered by medical providers. Workers typically get first aid at AmCare, Amazon’s on-site health centers, and may be referred to outside medical clinics — usually on contract with Amazon — if they need further medical attention. What happens at those clinics has a decisive impact on the company’s official injury records.
Employers must log for OSHA work-related injuries that require medical care beyond first aid, time off work to heal or a change to the workers’ job. These “recordable” injuries make up a company’s injury rate. Keeping injuries off that log has benefits for a company. High recorded injury rates can make a company more of a target for OSHA inspectors. Keeping workers from getting medical care can also lower a company’s workers’ compensation insurance. Plus, too many injuries can lead to bad press.
The report said Thornton safety staff were meeting with the facility’s most frequently used medical clinic to “discuss the impact” of the care it was giving workers.
When things didn’t improve, the next month’s report, in March 2019, documented a more drastic solution: “To address the flat recordable rate, the site has … terminated the use of an occupational clinic with poor performance.”
The warehouse, the report said, also would ensure “strong” use of the on-site AmCare first aid and “reduce the probability of associates transitioning to external clinic care.” The next month, in April 2019, Amazon contracted with a new clinic for its injured Colorado workers: Advanced Urgent Care & Occupational Medicine, a local operation that promoted itself online as “OSHA-Sensitive.”
According to the Advanced website, Julie Parsons, then its occupational medicine medical director, believed in “treating injuries such that they are not OSHA recordable, if possible.”
Three medical providers who worked for Advanced told Reveal that clinic directors instructed them to avoid giving any treatment to Amazon workers that would make their injuries recordable. Normally, these providers could prescribe medications, days of rest, physical therapy or workplace restrictions, such as guidance to avoid climbing stairs or lift anything above a certain weight. But clinic directors pressured medical staff to send injured Amazon employees back to work without any of those remedies, said the providers, who asked that their names not be used for fear of harming their careers.
A nurse practitioner who worked at the clinic said she dreaded seeing Amazon patients because she didn’t think she would be able to treat them appropriately. She said she remembers an Amazon worker who came to the clinic in a lot of pain from a wrist injury, crying and asking, “Can’t you do something?”
“I’m really sorry,” the nurse practitioner recalled telling her. “There’s really not a whole lot I can offer you right now.”
In a July 2019 email, Parsons instructed medical staff to contact her or the clinic owner before they “think about giving restrictions or making it recordable” for Amazon patients.
When they did contact the directors to recommend restrictions, the providers said they were usually told to not make them recordable.
“That was made very clear – that there was pressure from Amazon and it seemed like it was very explicit that you should try to avoid recordables at all costs,” said an Advanced provider who left last year. “When I felt like our policies were impacting my ability to make proper medical decisions, that made me very uncomfortable.”
Parsons did not respond to requests for comment. Tony Euser, who owns Advanced Urgent Care, said in an interview that his clinic tries to balance the needs of employers and patients and looks for “common-sense alternatives” to treatment that would make an injury recordable. Many employers seek to limit recordable injuries and lean on workers’ compensation doctors to help them out, he said.
“I wouldn’t put Amazon at the far end of it,” he said, “but I wouldn’t put them on the soft end of it, either.”
Early on in the contract, he said, Amazon representatives would call his clinic out of concern about how certain cases were handled. “Now they don’t call us as much,” he said, “whether they trust us more or whether they just determined that we are trying to do the best we can.”
Euser denied personally pressuring his providers to avoid giving Amazon workers treatment that would make their injuries recordable. He also said he had decided to stop providing occupational medical care for companies, including Amazon, at the end of this year. He said it was too much to balance the needs of employers and their employees.
“It’s not worth it,” Euser said. “We’ve made the decision that we don’t want to be dealing with this anymore. And we don’t want to have to play these games. And I say games, and not – they’re not games. But it’s this back-and-forth, constant thing.”
In Amazon’s statement to Reveal, Amazon spokeswoman Rachael Lighty reiterated the company’s talking point that while workplace injuries are underreported in general, Amazon is different.
“At Amazon, we are focused on improving the safety of our workplace and seek to accurately report across all sites and all incident types, which means recording all injuries or illnesses that meet or likely meet the OSHA criteria for recordkeeping, and ensuring that we learn from these incidents and improve each day,” she said.
Amazon did not respond to questions about why it changed medical clinics for the Thornton warehouse and how medical professionals say they were pressured to keep injuries off the books.
This is an abridged version of an article produced by Reveal from The Center for Investigative Reporting. Sign up to read more stories from Reveal.


thedenverpost--2020-09-29--Canadian performance-wear company chooses Denver for its first international store

A Canadian performance clothing company that has wanted to expand for a while into the U.S. has picked Denver as the location for its first international store and plans to open in early October , even though there ’ s still a pandemic .
DUER , based in Vancouver , B.C.
, signed a lease in August for a roughly 1,600-square foot space in the River North Art District .
The doors will open Oct. 9 .
“ We ’ ve had this in our sights for a long time , a U.S. launch .
I ’ m just thrilled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It ’ s sort of ‘ Pandemic be damned , we ’ re going to do it , ’ ” said founder and CEO Gary Lenett .
Since starting the company about seven years ago , Lenett said DUER has built a strong customer base in the Denver area .
The company specializes in jeans for men and women that look good enough to wear to business meetings and are comfortable enough to bike to work in .
Lenett was 56 when he started the company .
He had been in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , working with such major brands as Levi Strauss & Co. At a certain point , he told his wife and business partners that he “ was done with this.
” “ I wanted to get healthier , have a simpler lifestyle , ” Lenett said .
“ I gave up my car and started riding my bike everywhere.
” It ’ s about an hour ’ s bicycle ride from Lenett ’ s home to his office in downtown Vancouver .
“ If I had an important meeting and still wanted to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t find anything I would wear , ” he said .
Lenett worked with a friend who ’ s an expert in performance apparel to come up with regular jeans “ and put some tech into them.
” The jeans have gussets for added mobility and are made of denim and blended fabrics that include moisture-wicking and antimicrobial features .
“ I thought , OK , this will be a nice retirement gig for me .
And I get to make pants for myself , ” Lenett said The business took off .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ thing at the right time .
DUER has three of its own stores in Canada and sells its line , which includes some jackets and tops , online and in about 700 independent retailers across North America and Northern Europe .
When Lenett started scouting sites for his first stores in the U.S. , four cities were at the top of his list : Seattle , Los Angeles , New York and Denver .
A good arrangement with the landlord moved Denver to the No .
1 spot .
He hopes to open @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the spring .
Lenett said his company ’ s analytics told him Denver was the city , but his gut told him RiNo was the right spot .
“ I got out of the car in RiNo and the guy who was with me , the real estate agent , said , ‘ You found it , didn ’ t you ?
’ I love the vibe .
For our customer , it ’ s perfect.
” Like the stores in Canada , the RiNo space will include a “ playground ” with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ customers can use to try out the jeans for comfort and mobility .
The pandemic has reduced the number of DUER employees in Denver preparing for the opening .
The person heading the preparations will have to go into quarantine for two weeks on returning to Canada , as will Lenett after visiting Denver .
However , Lenett said the pandemic has posed few disruptions for the company .
DUER has its own factory overseas .
There have been some issues with some smaller items produced elsewhere , “ but nothing we haven @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ”

A Canadian performance clothing company that has wanted to expand for a while into the U.S. has picked Denver as the location for its first international store and plans to open in early October, even though there’s still a pandemic.
DUER, based in Vancouver, B.C., signed a lease in August for a roughly 1,600-square foot space in the River North Art District. The doors will open Oct. 9.
“We’ve had this in our sights for a long time, a U.S. launch. I’m just thrilled to finally be able to do it. It’s sort of ‘Pandemic be damned, we’re going to do it,’ ” said founder and CEO Gary Lenett.
Since starting the company about seven years ago, Lenett said DUER has built a strong customer base in the Denver area. The company specializes in jeans for men and women that look good enough to wear to business meetings and are comfortable enough to bike to work in.
Lenett was 56 when he started the company. He had been in the fashion business for more than 30 years, working with such major brands as Levi Strauss & Co. At a certain point, he told his wife and business partners that he “was done with this.”
“I wanted to get healthier, have a simpler lifestyle,” Lenett said. “I gave up my car and started riding my bike everywhere.”
It’s about an hour’s bicycle ride from Lenett’s home to his office in downtown Vancouver. “If I had an important meeting and still wanted to ride my bike, I couldn’t find anything I would wear,” he said.
Lenett worked with a friend who’s an expert in performance apparel to come up with regular jeans “and put some tech into them.” The jeans have gussets for added mobility and are made of denim and blended fabrics that include moisture-wicking and antimicrobial features.
“I thought, OK, this will be a nice retirement gig for me. And I get to make pants for myself,” Lenett said
The business took off. Lenett figures he tapped into the right thing at the right time. DUER has three of its own stores in Canada and sells its line, which includes some jackets and tops, online and in about 700 independent retailers across North America and Northern Europe. When Lenett started scouting sites for his first stores in the U.S., four cities were at the top of his list: Seattle, Los Angeles, New York and Denver.
A good arrangement with the landlord moved Denver to the No. 1 spot. He hopes to open other U.S. sites soon, possibly in the spring.
Lenett said his company’s analytics told him Denver was the city, but his gut told him RiNo was the right spot. “I got out of the car in RiNo and the guy who was with me, the real estate agent, said, ‘You found it, didn’t you?’ I love the vibe. For our customer, it’s perfect.”
Like the stores in Canada, the RiNo space will include a “playground” with bikes, swings and monkey bars that customers can use to try out the jeans for comfort and mobility.
The pandemic has reduced the number of DUER employees in Denver preparing for the opening. The person heading the preparations will have to go into quarantine for two weeks on returning to Canada, as will Lenett after visiting Denver.
However, Lenett said the pandemic has posed few disruptions for the company. DUER has its own factory overseas. There have been some issues with some smaller items produced elsewhere, “but nothing we haven’t been able to overcome.”