thedenverpost--2020-11-10--Karl Dorrell turning page after CU Buffs’ opening victory

After more than eight months of preparing for his first game as the Colorado head football coach , Karl Dorrell got to celebrate a victory in his debut .
He didn ’ t take long to turn the page .
On Monday , two days after the Buffaloes ’ 48-42 win against UCLA in the coronavirus pandemic-delayed season opener , Dorrell reviewed the win with media , but also turned his focus on the Buffs ’ next task .
The unbeaten Buffs ( 1-0 ) visit Stanford ( 0-1 ) on Saturday .
“ It ’ s a good start @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Definitely have a lot of issues to correct in all phases .
… We ’ re looking forward to another opportunity this weekend.
” Offensively , the Buffs were more productive than expected .
Despite having a new starter at quarterback ( Sam Noyer ) and missing their top returning rusher ( Alex Fontenot ) and receiver ( K.D .
Nixon ) from a year ago because of injuries , the Buffs hit the 48-point mark for just the fourth time in 83 games against Pac-12 opponents since joining the conference in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and a touchdown , Jarek Broussard ran for 187 yards and three scores , and eight different receivers caught passes .
The Buffs scored on eight of 15 possessions ( not counting the end-of-game kneel downs ) and they were 7-for-7 in the red zone , with six touchdowns .
Dorrell wasn ’ t surprised the Buffs were so crisp .
“ We have a high standard right from the very beginning , ” he said .
“ We felt that we have good coaches , good players .
Our players have done @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with their time and studying our systems that allowed us to be productive this past Saturday.
” Dorrell also praised the play calling by offensive coordinator Darrin Chiaverini , who is back in that role for the first time since 2018 .
“ I think Darren ’ s had a really good start , ” Dorrell said .
“ I thought he called a really , really good game.
” Defensively , the Buffs set the tone by forcing four first-half turnovers and turning those into 21 points , but it was far @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gave up 478 yards and were burned repeatedly by big plays .
UCLA got on a roll and scored touchdowns on four of six second-half possessions .
“ They got back in the game and we had to settle down , and our players did settle down and executed a little bit better , had a couple of really important fourth down stops in the fourth quarter that helped solidify the game for us offensively , ” Dorrell said .
After CU built a 35-7 lead , UCLA scored on plays of 52 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 9 yards .
In the last 35 minutes , UCLA had 14 plays of 10 yards or more .
“ I know we had some coverage mistakes in a couple of places that allowed some big plays , ” Dorrell said .
“ We ’ re going to address those issues and try to get those things fixed for this coming week .
There ’ s no question Stanford has seen all that ; it ’ s on tape .
So we have a pretty good agenda in front of us to try @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up.
” There isn ’ t much time to do that , but Dorrell said he ’ s happy to return to the in-season routine .
“ Now we ’ re into our normal game season rhythm , so that ’ s good to have that process going , ” he said .
Of course , this year that routine isn ’ t exactly normal .
COVID-19 remains a challenge and each day brings uncertainty about whether the game will even be played .
“ You can ’ t get too far ahead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the COVID thing , ” Dorrell said .
“ You have to really treat each day of the week as if anything and everything can happen .
We have ( COVID-19 ) tests every day and you ’ re always crossing your fingers about who ’ s going to get infected by it and then ( who will be impacted by contact tracing ) .
There ’ s so much more that ’ s on all the coaches ’ plate right now , other than football.
” A new challenge this week is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time during the pandemic .
CU has stayed healthy so far , but Dorrell said there will be “ extra testing protocol ” this week as they prepare to go to California , which has strict health ordinances in place .
“ We ’ re just hopeful that we can continue to play , to continue to stay healthy and move forward to week two of the season , ” Dorrell said .
Dorrell has reminded his team about Wisconsin , which won its opener on Oct. 23 , but hasn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of an outbreak .
“ We ’ re trying to educate them along the way as we go and march through this season , ” Dorrell said .
“ My approach with the team is that it ’ s day to day .
Things change .
Our circumstances could change , so we just have to roll with the punches as we roll out each day of the week .
”

After more than eight months of preparing for his first game as the Colorado head football coach, Karl Dorrell got to celebrate a victory in his debut.
He didn’t take long to turn the page.
On Monday, two days after the Buffaloes’ 48-42 win against UCLA in the coronavirus pandemic-delayed season opener, Dorrell reviewed the win with media, but also turned his focus on the Buffs’ next task. The unbeaten Buffs (1-0) visit Stanford (0-1) on Saturday.
“It’s a good start for us,” Dorrell said. “Definitely have a lot of issues to correct in all phases. … We’re looking forward to another opportunity this weekend.”
Offensively, the Buffs were more productive than expected. Despite having a new starter at quarterback (Sam Noyer) and missing their top returning rusher (Alex Fontenot) and receiver (K.D. Nixon) from a year ago because of injuries, the Buffs hit the 48-point mark for just the fourth time in 83 games against Pac-12 opponents since joining the conference in 2011.
Noyer threw for 257 yards and a touchdown, Jarek Broussard ran for 187 yards and three scores, and eight different receivers caught passes. The Buffs scored on eight of 15 possessions (not counting the end-of-game kneel downs) and they were 7-for-7 in the red zone, with six touchdowns.
Dorrell wasn’t surprised the Buffs were so crisp.
“We have a high standard right from the very beginning,” he said. “We felt that we have good coaches, good players. Our players have done a great job with their training and with their time and studying our systems that allowed us to be productive this past Saturday.”
Dorrell also praised the play calling by offensive coordinator Darrin Chiaverini, who is back in that role for the first time since 2018.
“I think Darren’s had a really good start,” Dorrell said. “I thought he called a really, really good game.”
Defensively, the Buffs set the tone by forcing four first-half turnovers and turning those into 21 points, but it was far from a polished effort. The Buffs gave up 478 yards and were burned repeatedly by big plays. UCLA got on a roll and scored touchdowns on four of six second-half possessions.
“They got back in the game and we had to settle down, and our players did settle down and executed a little bit better, had a couple of really important fourth down stops in the fourth quarter that helped solidify the game for us offensively,” Dorrell said.
After CU built a 35-7 lead, UCLA scored on plays of 52, 65, 15, 26 and 9 yards. In the last 35 minutes, UCLA had 14 plays of 10 yards or more.
“I know we had some coverage mistakes in a couple of places that allowed some big plays,” Dorrell said. “We’re going to address those issues and try to get those things fixed for this coming week. There’s no question Stanford has seen all that; it’s on tape. So we have a pretty good agenda in front of us to try to get a lot of things cleaned up.”
There isn’t much time to do that, but Dorrell said he’s happy to return to the in-season routine.
“Now we’re into our normal game season rhythm, so that’s good to have that process going,” he said.
Of course, this year that routine isn’t exactly normal. COVID-19 remains a challenge and each day brings uncertainty about whether the game will even be played.
“You can’t get too far ahead of your skis, just because of the COVID thing,” Dorrell said. “You have to really treat each day of the week as if anything and everything can happen. We have (COVID-19) tests every day and you’re always crossing your fingers about who’s going to get infected by it and then (who will be impacted by contact tracing). There’s so much more that’s on all the coaches’ plate right now, other than football.”
A new challenge this week is going on the road for the first time during the pandemic. CU has stayed healthy so far, but Dorrell said there will be “extra testing protocol” this week as they prepare to go to California, which has strict health ordinances in place.
“We’re just hopeful that we can continue to play, to continue to stay healthy and move forward to week two of the season,” Dorrell said.
Dorrell has reminded his team about Wisconsin, which won its opener on Oct. 23, but hasn’t played since, canceling two games because of an outbreak.
“We’re trying to educate them along the way as we go and march through this season,” Dorrell said. “My approach with the team is that it’s day to day. Things change. Our circumstances could change, so we just have to roll with the punches as we roll out each day of the week.”


thedenverpost--2020-11-10--Brewers’ Devin Williams, Mariners CF Kyle Lewis win Rookie of the Year

Much like one of his lofty leaps at the wall , Kyle Lewis soared above the field .
The center fielder for the Seattle Mariners won the AL Rookie of the Year award Monday night , and Milwaukee Brewers reliever Devin Williams took home the NL honor .
The 25-year-old Lewis received all 30 first-place votes in balloting by the Baseball Writers ’ Association of America .
He is the 12th unanimous winner of the AL award , joining a prestigious list that includes Carlton Fisk , Derek Jeter , Mike Trout and Aaron Judge .
“ It ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and being in that category , it ’ s just really special , ” Lewis said .
Williams made his own history , becoming the first pitcher to win Rookie of the Year without recording a save or making a start during his award-winning season — reflecting the increased importance of the bullpen in today ’ s game .
He is the first Rookie of the Year for Milwaukee since Ryan Braun in 2007 .
“ I don ’ t really think that saves are the end-all be-all , ” Williams said on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jamaica .
“ If I come up in the seventh inning and I go through one through five , I think that that can be pretty valuable as well.
” The 25-year-old Lewis was one of baseball ’ s breakout stars during the pandemic-shortened season , batting .262 with 11 homers and 28 RBIs in 58 games .
He led big league rookies with 37 runs , 90 total bases and a .364 on-base percentage .
Lewis also made a couple of memorable plays in center , robbing Oakland ’ s Ramón Laureano @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He is the first player to win the award for Seattle since Ichiro Suzuki in 2001 .
San Diego Padres second baseman Jake Cronenworth and Philadelphia Phillies infielder Alec Bohm tied for second in NL balloting by the Baseball Writers ’ Association of America .
Chicago White Sox center fielder Luis Robert finished second in the AL race , followed by Houston Astros right-hander Cristian Javier .
Lewis and Robert had similar seasons , with fast starts followed by slow finishes .
Lewis batted just .147 in September , and Robert hit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the final month .
Lewis was selected by Seattle with the No .
11 overall pick in the 2016 amateur draft out of Mercer University .
He broke into the majors last year , appearing in 18 September games with the Mariners .
The Georgia native is the beginning of what could be a formidable young outfield in Seattle .
Jarred Kelenic , who was acquired in a trade with the New York Mets , and Julio Rodriguez are ranked among baseball ’ s top prospects .
“ I think we got @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strong core of guys , and those are two guys that are super talented .
Top of the scale when you ’ re talking about talent , ” Lewis said .
“ I think we really do have a great chance to turn into one of those rebuilding teams that ends up having a great group of guys move up together and progress together.
” Williams , a St. Louis native , was selected by Milwaukee in the second round of the 2013 draft .
He had Tommy John surgery while he was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ league debut last year .
This season , Williams teamed with closer Josh Hader to form a shutdown tandem at the back end of the Brewers ’ bullpen .
He allowed one earned run in 22 appearances — a home run by Pittsburgh ’ s Colin Moran on July 27 .
Featuring a devastating changeup and a four-seam fastball that gets into the upper 90s , Williams was practically unhittable .
The 26-year-old right-hander went 4-1 with a microscopic 0.33 ERA , striking out 53 in just 27 innings .
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Or are they just bad at promoting their award ?
The last reliever to take home the honor in either league was Craig Kimbrel for Atlanta in 2011 .
Williams missed Milwaukee ’ s loss to the champion Dodgers in the first round of the playoffs because of shoulder soreness .
“ I ’ m doing a little bit of rehab @ @ @ @ @ @ @ good , ” Williams said .
The Managers of the Year will be announced by the BBWAA on Tuesday night , followed by the Cy Young Awards on Wednesday and the MVPs on Thursday .

Much like one of his lofty leaps at the wall, Kyle Lewis soared above the field.
The center fielder for the Seattle Mariners won the AL Rookie of the Year award Monday night, and Milwaukee Brewers reliever Devin Williams took home the NL honor.
The 25-year-old Lewis received all 30 first-place votes in balloting by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. He is the 12th unanimous winner of the AL award, joining a prestigious list that includes Carlton Fisk, Derek Jeter, Mike Trout and Aaron Judge.
“It’s just a great first step for me and being in that category, it’s just really special,” Lewis said.
Williams made his own history, becoming the first pitcher to win Rookie of the Year without recording a save or making a start during his award-winning season — reflecting the increased importance of the bullpen in today’s game. He is the first Rookie of the Year for Milwaukee since Ryan Braun in 2007.
“I don’t really think that saves are the end-all be-all,” Williams said on a conference call during a vacation in Jamaica. “If I come up in the seventh inning and I go through one through five, I think that that can be pretty valuable as well.”
The 25-year-old Lewis was one of baseball’s breakout stars during the pandemic-shortened season, batting .262 with 11 homers and 28 RBIs in 58 games. He led big league rookies with 37 runs, 90 total bases and a .364 on-base percentage.
Lewis also made a couple of memorable plays in center, robbing Oakland’s Ramón Laureano of a grand slam on Sept. 14. He is the first player to win the award for Seattle since Ichiro Suzuki in 2001.
San Diego Padres second baseman Jake Cronenworth and Philadelphia Phillies infielder Alec Bohm tied for second in NL balloting by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. Chicago White Sox center fielder Luis Robert finished second in the AL race, followed by Houston Astros right-hander Cristian Javier.
Lewis and Robert had similar seasons, with fast starts followed by slow finishes. Lewis batted just .147 in September, and Robert hit .136 with 32 strikeouts in 23 games in the final month.
Lewis was selected by Seattle with the No. 11 overall pick in the 2016 amateur draft out of Mercer University. He broke into the majors last year, appearing in 18 September games with the Mariners.
The Georgia native is the beginning of what could be a formidable young outfield in Seattle. Jarred Kelenic, who was acquired in a trade with the New York Mets, and Julio Rodriguez are ranked among baseball’s top prospects.
“I think we got a great chance to build a really strong core of guys, and those are two guys that are super talented. Top of the scale when you’re talking about talent,” Lewis said. “I think we really do have a great chance to turn into one of those rebuilding teams that ends up having a great group of guys move up together and progress together.”
Williams, a St. Louis native, was selected by Milwaukee in the second round of the 2013 draft. He had Tommy John surgery while he was in the minors and made his big league debut last year.
This season, Williams teamed with closer Josh Hader to form a shutdown tandem at the back end of the Brewers’ bullpen. He allowed one earned run in 22 appearances — a home run by Pittsburgh’s Colin Moran on July 27.
Featuring a devastating changeup and a four-seam fastball that gets into the upper 90s, Williams was practically unhittable. The 26-year-old right-hander went 4-1 with a microscopic 0.33 ERA, striking out 53 in just 27 innings.
The last reliever to take home the honor in either league was Craig Kimbrel for Atlanta in 2011.
Williams missed Milwaukee’s loss to the champion Dodgers in the first round of the playoffs because of shoulder soreness.
“I’m doing a little bit of rehab still, but it’s feeling good,” Williams said.
The Managers of the Year will be announced by the BBWAA on Tuesday night, followed by the Cy Young Awards on Wednesday and the MVPs on Thursday.


thedenverpost--2020-11-10--Denver City Council approves 2021 budget with few changes

Denver City Council approved the city ’ s 2021 budget Monday evening with some relatively minor concessions from Mayor Michael Hancock for increased investments in police reform and eviction defense , among others .
During the budget review process , some council members had proposed more substantial tweaks to the document but disagreed with others and Hancock ’ s administration on how cash should be moved around .
Hancock ultimately agreed to add $ 395,000 to the city ’ s widely lauded STAR Program , $ 1 million to the city ’ s eviction defense and prevention fund , $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for a rental registry program , among other things .
Council approved the 2021 budget on a 12-1 margin with only Councilwoman Candi CdeBaca opposed .
Although council members didn ’ t get everything they wanted in this budget — in the amounts they sought — a ballot measure approved by voters last week will give them another shot later in the year .
With some restrictions , measure 2G allows council to change the budget mid-year while previously only the mayor held that authority .
By and large , however , Denver @ @ @ @ @ @ @ budget proposed by Hancock remains unchanged .
It includes millions in cuts , reduced investments in social services and more unpaid employee furloughs .
Already the budget is down 10.6 % from Denver ’ s 2020 budget because the local and national economies tanked sharply in March as the coronavirus pandemic hit .
City officials predict hundreds of millions of dollars in lost tax revenue , worse than The Great Recession .
And should COVID-19 infections spike again substantially , even more cuts could be likely , city officials have said .
Infections @ @ @ @ @ @ @ imposed a type of citywide curfew Sunday in an attempt to curb that rise .
If that curfew doesn ’ t work , Hancock and others have said another stay-at-home order is possible , which many fear would devastate the local economy further .

Denver City Council approved the city’s 2021 budget Monday evening with some relatively minor concessions from Mayor Michael Hancock for increased investments in police reform and eviction defense, among others.
During the budget review process, some council members had proposed more substantial tweaks to the document but disagreed with others and Hancock’s administration on how cash should be moved around.
Hancock ultimately agreed to add $395,000 to the city’s widely lauded STAR Program, $1 million to the city’s eviction defense and prevention fund, $365,000 for parks restrooms and $391,800 for a rental registry program, among other things.
Council approved the 2021 budget on a 12-1 margin with only Councilwoman Candi CdeBaca opposed.
Although council members didn’t get everything they wanted in this budget — in the amounts they sought — a ballot measure approved by voters last week will give them another shot later in the year. With some restrictions, measure 2G allows council to change the budget mid-year while previously only the mayor held that authority.
By and large, however, Denver’s $1.33 billion general fund budget proposed by Hancock remains unchanged. It includes millions in cuts, reduced investments in social services and more unpaid employee furloughs.
Already the budget is down 10.6% from Denver’s 2020 budget because the local and national economies tanked sharply in March as the coronavirus pandemic hit. City officials predict hundreds of millions of dollars in lost tax revenue, worse than The Great Recession.
And should COVID-19 infections spike again substantially, even more cuts could be likely, city officials have said. Infections are currently on the rise and Hancock imposed a type of citywide curfew Sunday in an attempt to curb that rise. If that curfew doesn’t work, Hancock and others have said another stay-at-home order is possible, which many fear would devastate the local economy further.


thedenverpost--2020-11-10--2 Douglas County high schools move to remote learning due to quarantine-related staffing issues

Two high schools in Douglas County School District are moving to remote learning this week , after the number of people forced to quarantine due to possible COVID-19 exposure made in-person learning untenable .
Douglas County High School in Castle Rock and Legend High School in Parker will transition all students online Tuesday , according to announcements sent to families Monday .
Both expect to resume in-person classes on Nov. 30 , after fall break .
A note to Douglas County High families cited “ a number ” of positive cases that led to “ a large number of staff @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our students ” being quarantined .
Spokesman Nate Jones could not immediately clarify how many cases have been reported ; however , the district has notified families and staff of at least three other cases this month .
“ Due to the lack of available substitute teachers to cover in-person classes , we have made the decision to transition all learning at DCHS to virtual learning beginning on Tuesday , November 10 .
There is no in-person school tomorrow , ” the district said .
Legend High School has also reported at least @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 5 , ThunderRidge High School in Highlands Ranch shut down for similar reasons .
This is not the first time high schools in the district were forced to go virtual due to COVID-19 .
In September , Douglas County High , Castle View High School and Mountain Vista High School shut down in-person learning because too many educators were quarantined .
Despite other districts in the Denver metro area shifting students online in response to increasingly concerning COVID-19 trends , Douglas has yet to implement remote learning broadly .
On Friday , newly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was strongly considering such a transition .
The board of education is planning to discuss the issue at its meeting Tuesday , Jones said .
On Monday , Adams 12 Five Star Schools made the call for all students to do virtual learning from Nov. 16 through the end of the semester .
Other districts currently operating remotely include Cherry Creek School District , Aurora Public Schools , Sheridan School District No .
2 , Westminster Public Schools , and Adams County School District 14 .
Denver Public Schools , the state ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ extended remote learning for all grades except P-2 .

Two high schools in Douglas County School District are moving to remote learning this week, after the number of people forced to quarantine due to possible COVID-19 exposure made in-person learning untenable.
Douglas County High School in Castle Rock and Legend High School in Parker will transition all students online Tuesday, according to announcements sent to families Monday. Both expect to resume in-person classes on Nov. 30, after fall break.
A note to Douglas County High families cited “a number” of positive cases that led to “a large number of staff members, in addition to many of our students” being quarantined. Spokesman Nate Jones could not immediately clarify how many cases have been reported; however, the district has notified families and staff of at least three other cases this month.
“Due to the lack of available substitute teachers to cover in-person classes, we have made the decision to transition all learning at DCHS to virtual learning beginning on Tuesday, November 10. There is no in-person school tomorrow,” the district said.
Legend High School has also reported at least three cases this month. On Nov. 5, ThunderRidge High School in Highlands Ranch shut down for similar reasons.
This is not the first time high schools in the district were forced to go virtual due to COVID-19. In September, Douglas County High, Castle View High School and Mountain Vista High School shut down in-person learning because too many educators were quarantined.
Despite other districts in the Denver metro area shifting students online in response to increasingly concerning COVID-19 trends, Douglas has yet to implement remote learning broadly. On Friday, newly appointed Dougco Superintendent Corey Wise said he was strongly considering such a transition. The board of education is planning to discuss the issue at its meeting Tuesday, Jones said.
On Monday, Adams 12 Five Star Schools made the call for all students to do virtual learning from Nov. 16 through the end of the semester. Other districts currently operating remotely include Cherry Creek School District, Aurora Public Schools, Sheridan School District No. 2, Westminster Public Schools, and Adams County School District 14. Denver Public Schools, the state’s largest district, has implemented or extended remote learning for all grades except P-2.


thedenverpost--2020-11-10--“Jeopardy!” pays tribute to Alex Trebek in poignant message

NEW YORK — “ Jeopardy !
” paid tribute to Alex Trebek on Monday in a poignant message that celebrated the show ’ s longtime , unflappable host of 37 years .
The day after Trebek died at age 80 following a battle with cancer , the show ’ s executive producer , Mike Richards addressed viewers from the “ Jeopardy !
” set in a taped introduction .
“ Over the weekend we lost our beloved host , Alex Trebek .
This is an enormous loss for our staff , for our crew , for his family , for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Richards .
“ He loved this show and everything it stood for.
” Richards said Trebek taped his final episodes less than two weeks ago .
Beginning Monday , those last shows hosted by Trebek are set to air through Dec. 25 .
“ He will forever be an inspiration for his constant desire to learn , for his kindness and for his love of his family , ” said Richards .
“ We will air his final 35 episodes as they were shot .
That ’ s what he wanted .
On @ @ @ @ @ @ @ !
’ thank you for everything , Alex.
” Richards concluded with the show ’ s trademark opening — “ This is ‘ Jeopardy !
’ ” — which was followed by a moment of silence on the ” Jeopardy !
” set with lights dimmed .

NEW YORK — “Jeopardy!” paid tribute to Alex Trebek on Monday in a poignant message that celebrated the show’s longtime, unflappable host of 37 years.
The day after Trebek died at age 80 following a battle with cancer, the show’s executive producer, Mike Richards addressed viewers from the “Jeopardy!” set in a taped introduction.
“Over the weekend we lost our beloved host, Alex Trebek. This is an enormous loss for our staff, for our crew, for his family, for his millions of fans,” said Richards. “He loved this show and everything it stood for.”
Richards said Trebek taped his final episodes less than two weeks ago. Beginning Monday, those last shows hosted by Trebek are set to air through Dec. 25.
“He will forever be an inspiration for his constant desire to learn, for his kindness and for his love of his family,” said Richards. “We will air his final 35 episodes as they were shot. That’s what he wanted. On behalf of everyone here at ‘Jeopardy!’ thank you for everything, Alex.”
Richards concluded with the show’s trademark opening — “This is ‘Jeopardy!’” — which was followed by a moment of silence on the ”Jeopardy!” set with lights dimmed.


thedenverpost--2020-11-10--Boulder man sentenced to five years in federal prison for $32 million bank fraud

A Boulder man has been sentenced to five years in federal prison for bank fraud , selling bogus home mortgages , valued at just under $ 32 million .
Michael Scott Leslie almost committed aggravated identity theft as part of the multimillion dollar scam in which he sold bogus residential mortgage loans to investors , including an FDIC-insured bank in Texas , according to a U.S. Attorney ’ s Office , District of Colorado , news release .
“ Between October 2015 and October 2017 , Leslie devised and executed a scheme to defraud the victim bank by selling it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 31,908,806 , ” according to the release .
“ Loans sold to the victim bank were not , in fact , real loans , ” the release said .
“ The borrowers listed on these 144 fraudulent loans were real individuals , but they had no idea that their identities had been used as part of the sale of the fraudulent loans.
” According to a plea agreement in the case : “ Leslie owned , operated , or otherwise had an interest in several business entities , some of which were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were originated by Montage Mortgage and closed by a company known as Snowberry .
“ Leslie never disclosed to the victim bank that he operated ” the companies , the release said .
Leslie recycled borrowers ’ information , obtained through prior legitimate transactions or attempted refinances , to create and sell nearly $ 32 million of fraudulent loan packages , according to the release .
“ Five years in federal prison is an appropriate sentence for a fraudster that stole personal identities and used them to steal millions of dollars from a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jason Dunn in the release .
“ Thanks to the hard work of the investigating agencies and the prosecution team in my office , not only will Mr. Leslie have several years in prison to contemplate his actions , but other such criminals are on notice that we take economic crime seriously and will prosecute them to the full extent of the law.
” Leslie was ordered to report to a Bureau of Prisons facility on Jan. 4 .
He was sentenced on Friday by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Philip A. Brimmer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on July 21 .

A Boulder man has been sentenced to five years in federal prison for bank fraud, selling bogus home mortgages, valued at just under $32 million.
Michael Scott Leslie almost committed aggravated identity theft as part of the multimillion dollar scam in which he sold bogus residential mortgage loans to investors, including an FDIC-insured bank in Texas, according to a U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Colorado, news release.
“Between October 2015 and October 2017, Leslie devised and executed a scheme to defraud the victim bank by selling it 144 fraudulent residential mortgage loans valued at $31,908,806,” according to the release.
“Loans sold to the victim bank were not, in fact, real loans,” the release said. “The borrowers listed on these 144 fraudulent loans were real individuals, but they had no idea that their identities had been used as part of the sale of the fraudulent loans.”
According to a plea agreement in the case: “Leslie owned, operated, or otherwise had an interest in several business entities, some of which were operated out of Colorado.”
These loans were originated by Montage Mortgage and closed by a company known as Snowberry. “Leslie never disclosed to the victim bank that he operated” the companies, the release said.
Leslie recycled borrowers’ information, obtained through prior legitimate transactions or attempted refinances, to create and sell nearly $32 million of fraudulent loan packages, according to the release.
“Five years in federal prison is an appropriate sentence for a fraudster that stole personal identities and used them to steal millions of dollars from a legitimate business,” said U.S. Attorney Jason Dunn in the release. “Thanks to the hard work of the investigating agencies and the prosecution team in my office, not only will Mr. Leslie have several years in prison to contemplate his actions, but other such criminals are on notice that we take economic crime seriously and will prosecute them to the full extent of the law.”
Leslie was ordered to report to a Bureau of Prisons facility on Jan. 4. He was sentenced on Friday by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Philip A. Brimmer. Leslie pleaded guilty in the case on July 21.


thedenverpost--2020-11-10--Testing timeline: What’s ahead for COVID-19 vaccines

Pfizer ’ s surprising news that its COVID-19 vaccine might offer more protection than anticipated — an announcement right after a fraught U.S. presidential election campaign — is raising questions about exactly how the different shots will make it to market .
Pfizer Inc. and the maker of the other leading U.S. vaccine candidate , Moderna Inc. , have been cautioning for weeks that the earliest they could seek regulatory approval for wider use of their shots would be late November .
In Britain , AstraZeneca recently said it hoped to prove its own vaccine was effective by year ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Science moves at its own pace .
While COVID-19 vaccines are being developed at record speeds in hope of ending the pandemic , when they ’ re ready for prime time depends on a long list of research steps including how many study volunteers wind up getting the coronavirus — something scientists can not control .
Here ’ s a look at the process : Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech have enrolled nearly 44,000 people in final testing of their vaccine .
Neither participants , their doctors nor Pfizer know who gets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dummy shot .
They get a second dose about three weeks after the first .
And then another week after the second dose , key tracking begins : Counting anyone who experiences COVID-19 symptoms and tests positive for the virus as participants go about their daily routines , especially in hot spots .
Late-stage testing of other vaccine candidates is similar , varying slightly in the number of volunteers and timing .
HOW TO TELL SHOTS WORK Every vaccine study is overseen by an independent “ data and safety monitoring board , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and statisticians who have no ties to the vaccine makers .
Before a study is complete , only the DSMB has the power to unlock the code of who got real vaccine and who got placebo , and to recommend if the shots are working well enough to stop testing early .
Those boards take sneak peeks at pre-determined times agreed to by the manufacturer and the Food and Drug Administration .
The first interim analysis for Pfizer came Sunday .
The company reported its data monitors had counted 94 infections so far @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the vaccine appeared 90 % effective .
But the study isn ’ t stopping : To be sure of protection , it ’ s set to run until there are 164 infections .
The more COVID-19 cases occur in the trial , the better idea scientists will have of just how protective the shots really are .
COULD THAT SNEAK PEEK HAVE COME EARLIER ?
Pfizer ’ s initial plans called for evaluating when just 32 infections had been counted .
But many scientists warned that was simply too small to draw @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Pfizer said it reconsidered , going back to the FDA for permission to change the plan and do its first interim analysis when there were more cases .
By the time Pfizer made the change and caught up with a backlog of virus tests , the DSMB had 94 infections to analyze .
The higher number increases confidence in those still preliminary results , said Dr. Jesse Goodman , a former FDA vaccine scientist now at Georgetown University .
Moderna , AstraZeneca and other companies not quite as far along in their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ timepoints for when their data monitors will peek at how the shots are working .
Safety is the top priority .
Monitors also watch for unexpected or serious side effects .
Earlier this fall , separate studies of vaccine candidates made by AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson were temporarily halted after some participants experienced health problems , delaying the research until safety investigations allowed both to resume .
Pfizer said Monday no serious safety concerns have emerged so far with its vaccine .
But the FDA is requiring that companies track at least @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to look for side effects before asking the agency to review their vaccine .
That ’ s about when side effects have cropped in studies of other vaccines .
Pfizer and Moderna both expect to reach that safety milestone later in November .
WHAT HAPPENS THEN ?
Companies are expected to seek permission for “ emergency use ” of their vaccines , rather than waiting to fully complete their studies and then seeking traditional approval .
The FDA ’ s scientific advisers will debate each company ’ s study findings in a public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ already have begun stockpiling vaccine doses in anticipation of eventual approval , but the first shots will be in short supply and rationed .
And the first people vaccinated will need to undergo extra safety tracking , as the government watches for rare side effects that might crop up when the shots are given to many more people than were in the research studies .
The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute ’ s Department of Science Education .
The AP is solely responsible for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to get health news sent straight to your inbox .

Pfizer’s surprising news that its COVID-19 vaccine might offer more protection than anticipated — an announcement right after a fraught U.S. presidential election campaign — is raising questions about exactly how the different shots will make it to market.
Pfizer Inc. and the maker of the other leading U.S. vaccine candidate, Moderna Inc., have been cautioning for weeks that the earliest they could seek regulatory approval for wider use of their shots would be late November. In Britain, AstraZeneca recently said it hoped to prove its own vaccine was effective by year’s end.
The hard truth: Science moves at its own pace. While COVID-19 vaccines are being developed at record speeds in hope of ending the pandemic, when they’re ready for prime time depends on a long list of research steps including how many study volunteers wind up getting the coronavirus — something scientists cannot control.
Here’s a look at the process:
HOW THE STUDIES WORK
Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech have enrolled nearly 44,000 people in final testing of their vaccine. Neither participants, their doctors nor Pfizer know who gets the real vaccine and who gets a dummy shot. They get a second dose about three weeks after the first.
And then another week after the second dose, key tracking begins: Counting anyone who experiences COVID-19 symptoms and tests positive for the virus as participants go about their daily routines, especially in hot spots.
Late-stage testing of other vaccine candidates is similar, varying slightly in the number of volunteers and timing.
HOW TO TELL SHOTS WORK
Every vaccine study is overseen by an independent “data and safety monitoring board,” or DSMB. These boards include scientists and statisticians who have no ties to the vaccine makers.
Before a study is complete, only the DSMB has the power to unlock the code of who got real vaccine and who got placebo, and to recommend if the shots are working well enough to stop testing early.
Those boards take sneak peeks at pre-determined times agreed to by the manufacturer and the Food and Drug Administration. The first interim analysis for Pfizer came Sunday. The company reported its data monitors had counted 94 infections so far — and that among those initial cases, the vaccine appeared 90% effective.
But the study isn’t stopping: To be sure of protection, it’s set to run until there are 164 infections. The more COVID-19 cases occur in the trial, the better idea scientists will have of just how protective the shots really are.
COULD THAT SNEAK PEEK HAVE COME EARLIER?
Pfizer’s initial plans called for evaluating when just 32 infections had been counted. But many scientists warned that was simply too small to draw conclusions about a vaccine needed by billions.
Pfizer said it reconsidered, going back to the FDA for permission to change the plan and do its first interim analysis when there were more cases. By the time Pfizer made the change and caught up with a backlog of virus tests, the DSMB had 94 infections to analyze.
The higher number increases confidence in those still preliminary results, said Dr. Jesse Goodman, a former FDA vaccine scientist now at Georgetown University.
Moderna, AstraZeneca and other companies not quite as far along in their final testing all have set slightly different timepoints for when their data monitors will peek at how the shots are working.
DON’T FORGET SAFETY
Safety is the top priority. Monitors also watch for unexpected or serious side effects. Earlier this fall, separate studies of vaccine candidates made by AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson were temporarily halted after some participants experienced health problems, delaying the research until safety investigations allowed both to resume.
Pfizer said Monday no serious safety concerns have emerged so far with its vaccine.
But the FDA is requiring that companies track at least half of study volunteers for two months to look for side effects before asking the agency to review their vaccine. That’s about when side effects have cropped in studies of other vaccines.
Pfizer and Moderna both expect to reach that safety milestone later in November.
WHAT HAPPENS THEN?
Companies are expected to seek permission for “emergency use” of their vaccines, rather than waiting to fully complete their studies and then seeking traditional approval.
The FDA’s scientific advisers will debate each company’s study findings in a public meeting before the agency decides.
Manufacturers already have begun stockpiling vaccine doses in anticipation of eventual approval, but the first shots will be in short supply and rationed. And the first people vaccinated will need to undergo extra safety tracking, as the government watches for rare side effects that might crop up when the shots are given to many more people than were in the research studies.
The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
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thedenverpost--2020-11-10--CU Buffs kicker James Stefanou retires

CU Buffs kicker James Stefanou retires

Colorado place kicker James Stefanou has decided to retire from the game , the school announced on Monday .
The oldest player in the Football Bowl Subdivision , Stefanou , 33 , informed head coach Karl Dorrell of his decision on Monday .
“ James feels that he can no longer physically perform as well as he would like and has decided to end his career , ” Dorrell said in a press release from the school .
“ He has been a valuable member of the team for three years , and we understand why he has made this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but the best.
” A native of Australia , Stefanou came to CU in 2017 after nearly a decade of playing professional soccer and has been the Buffs ’ primary kicker the past three years , but has continued to battle injuries .
He missed time the last two seasons with a hip injury .
Stefanou had surgery on his hip this past offseason and said he was feeling better than ever coming into the season .
In Saturday ’ s season-opening 48-42 win against UCLA , Stefanou went 5-for-5 on extra points @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kickoff duties .
He then missed both field goal attempts – including one that was blocked – and was replaced by sophomore Evan Price .
Dorrell said after the game that replacing Stefanou wasn ’ t based on performance .
“ There was a little bit of a nick with James , ” Dorrell said .
“ He had some issues that we felt we had to make a change and we were able to do that with Evan.
” Stefanou finishes his career with 199 points , ranking eighth all-time at CU @ @ @ @ @ @ @ point percentage ( .990 , 97-of-98 ) is the best in school history and his field goal percentage ( .694 , 34-of-49 ) is fourth .
He ranks third in most successful extra points ( 97 ) and fifth in field goals ( 34 ) .
Price now takes over as the Buffs ’ top kicker .
He has filled in for Stefanou at times the past two years and is 11-for-13 in his career on field goals ( both misses were blocked ) and 11-for-11 on extra points .
He went 2-for-3 @ @ @ @ @ @

Colorado place kicker James Stefanou has decided to retire from the game, the school announced on Monday.
The oldest player in the Football Bowl Subdivision, Stefanou, 33, informed head coach Karl Dorrell of his decision on Monday.
“James feels that he can no longer physically perform as well as he would like and has decided to end his career,” Dorrell said in a press release from the school. “He has been a valuable member of the team for three years, and we understand why he has made this choice. We certainly wish him nothing but the best.”
A native of Australia, Stefanou came to CU in 2017 after nearly a decade of playing professional soccer and has been the Buffs’ primary kicker the past three years, but has continued to battle injuries. He missed time the last two seasons with a hip injury.
Stefanou had surgery on his hip this past offseason and said he was feeling better than ever coming into the season. In Saturday’s season-opening 48-42 win against UCLA, Stefanou went 5-for-5 on extra points in the first half and handled early kickoff duties.
He then missed both field goal attempts – including one that was blocked – and was replaced by sophomore Evan Price. Dorrell said after the game that replacing Stefanou wasn’t based on performance.
“There was a little bit of a nick with James,” Dorrell said. “He had some issues that we felt we had to make a change and we were able to do that with Evan.”
Stefanou finishes his career with 199 points, ranking eighth all-time at CU and fourth among kickers. His extra point percentage (.990, 97-of-98) is the best in school history and his field goal percentage (.694, 34-of-49) is fourth. He ranks third in most successful extra points (97) and fifth in field goals (34).
Price now takes over as the Buffs’ top kicker. He has filled in for Stefanou at times the past two years and is 11-for-13 in his career on field goals (both misses were blocked) and 11-for-11 on extra points. He went 2-for-3 on field goals against UCLA.


thedenverpost--2020-11-10--DU Pioneers 2020-21 hockey schedule unveiled

The National College Hockey Conference unveiled the 26-game conference schedule for the DU Pioneers hockey program ’ s 2020-21 season @ @ @ @ @ will be split into two parts .
The first will run Dec. 1-20 in the @ @ @ @ @ Arena in Omaha , Neb.
, where all eight teams will play 10 games during @ @ @ @ @ 16 games will be have regular travel for the teams and take place on campus @ @ @ @ @ be part of the West Division , along with Colorado College , North Dakota and @ @ @ @ @ each of those teams six times for a total of 18 games .
It will @ @ @ @ @ Division teams twice ( eight games in total ) , all of which will take @ @ @ @ @ ” Game times will be announced at a later date .
* denotes game played @ @ @ @ @ at Baxter Arena in Omaha , Neb .

The National College Hockey Conference unveiled the 26-game conference schedule for the DU Pioneers hockey program’s 2020-21 season on Monday.
DU opens its season Dec. 2 against Minnesota Duluth.
The season will be split into two parts. The first will run Dec. 1-20 in the “Pod” at Baxter Arena in Omaha, Neb., where all eight teams will play 10 games during that period. The final 16 games will be have regular travel for the teams and take place on campus sites.
The Pioneers will be part of the West Division, along with Colorado College, North Dakota and Omaha. DU will play each of those teams six times for a total of 18 games. It will play each of the East Division teams twice (eight games in total), all of which will take place in the “Pod.”
Game times will be announced at a later date.
Here is Denver’s full schedule:
Dec. 2: vs. Minnesota Duluth*
Dec. 4: vs. North Dakota*
Dec. 5: vs. St. Cloud State*
Dec. 8: vs. North Dakota*
Dec. 10: vs. Miami (Ohio)*
Dec. 12: vs. Minnesota Duluth*
Dec. 15: vs. Western Michigan*
Dec. 17: vs. Miami (Ohio)*
Dec. 19: vs. Western Michigan*
Dec. 20: vs. St. Cloud State*
Jan. 1: at Colorado College
Jan. 2: vs. Colorado College
Jan. 8: vs. Colorado College
Jan. 9: at Colorado College
Jan. 15: vs. North Dakota
Jan. 16: vs. North Dakota
Jan. 21: at Omaha
Jan. 23: at Omaha
Jan. 24: at Omaha
Feb. 5: at North Dakota
Feb. 6: at North Dakota
Feb. 11: vs. Omaha
Feb. 13: vs. Omaha
Feb. 14: vs. Omaha
Feb. 27: at Colorado College
March 6: vs. Colorado College
* denotes game played in the “Pod” at Baxter Arena in Omaha, Neb.


thedenverpost--2020-11-10--The NBA comes back on Dec. 22, a 72-game season

It ’ s official : The NBA is coming back Dec. 22 .
The NBA and the National Basketball Players Association announced Monday night that they ’ ve struck a deal on rules for this coming season , setting the stage for what will be a frenzied few weeks before games resume .
Teams will play a 72-game schedule , which will be revealed in the coming weeks .
The league said a new system will be used to ensure that the split of basketball-related income continues , one of the many details that had to be collectively bargained with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the sides had a great deal of language that needed reworking because of the coronavirus pandemic .
Negotiations with free agents will be allowed to begin at 6 p.m. on Nov. 20 , with signings permitted starting at 12:01 p.m. on Nov. 22 — an extraordinarily fast window for the NBA , which typically has about a week spanning the start of talks and the beginning of signings .
But with training camps this year beginning Dec. 1 , both sides evidently feel there isn ’ t a need to draw out the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rosters could be considerably reshaped by then , with trades likely to be permissible again in the coming days — the exact details there still being worked out — and the NBA draft set to take place Nov. 18 .
Player and team options likely will be settled around that same time .
Free agency starts two days after the draft , with around 100 players set for unrestricted status .
The salary cap and tax level will remain unchanged .
The cap was $ 109.14 million this past season , with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ real numbers will be affected by the shortened schedule — last year ’ s numbers were based on the standard 82-game season , a threshold that won ’ t be reached this year .
The salary cap for 2021-22 is guaranteed to rise somewhere between 3 % and 10 % , the league said , which means it ’ ll be somewhere between $ 112.4 million and $ 120.1 million .
The league ’ s board of governors will vote to finalize the deal , which is a formality .
NBA general managers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ discuss matters .
Meyers Leonard , a free-agent-to-be who spent this past season with the Miami Heat and served as the team ’ s player rep to the NBPA , said he had some concerns about getting all the logistical matters completed in time for a Dec. 22 opening night .
He resumed his offseason workouts Monday after he and his wife took a 4,000-mile tour-bus trip arranged by Coors Light from Miami to Los Angeles with many stops along the way .
“ Without knowing all the ins and outs , Dec. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you play more games , you play your Christmas games , it probably makes sense , ” Leonard said .
“ But there ’ s a lot of logistical things that I know can not be easy .
And the discussions that are being had are very dynamic and very difficult conversations.
” There are countless other issues to work out , such as all the health and safety protocols now that games won ’ t be played in the safety of a bubble and teams will be traveling to various cities once @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tracker 2.0 : What the national experts predict Denver will do • NBA draft : Do the Nuggets have room for another small forward ?
• NBA Journal : The swing piece that could land Jrue Holiday in Denver • Nuggets ’ Monte Morris : “ I would love to get an extension here ” Players were tested daily in the bubble , and nobody tested positive because of the very strict protocols .
It ’ ll be much tougher to avoid a COVID-related issue with the league back to some sort of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s going to be people testing positive , ” Leonard said .
“ I don ’ t know about left and right , but it ’ s going to happen .
And then what happens ?
It ’ s a tough time we ’ re all dealing with .
The disease is very strange .
It ’ s going to be interesting to see how the league rolls with the punches , so to speak.
” For the NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers and Eastern Conference champion Heat , it will be the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seven weeks separating the end of the NBA Finals and the planned Dec. 1 start of training camp .
But for the eight teams that didn ’ t make the restart bubble at Walt Disney World in Lake Buena Vista , Florida this summer , it has been a marathon offseason , with none of those teams — Atlanta , Chicago , Cleveland , Charlotte , Golden State , Minnesota , New York and Detroit — having played since the second week of March .
The NBA shut down because of the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 22 of its 30 teams to Disney to resume the season in July .

It’s official: The NBA is coming back Dec. 22.
The NBA and the National Basketball Players Association announced Monday night that they’ve struck a deal on rules for this coming season, setting the stage for what will be a frenzied few weeks before games resume.
Teams will play a 72-game schedule, which will be revealed in the coming weeks. The league said a new system will be used to ensure that the split of basketball-related income continues, one of the many details that had to be collectively bargained with the union because the current agreement between the sides had a great deal of language that needed reworking because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Negotiations with free agents will be allowed to begin at 6 p.m. on Nov. 20, with signings permitted starting at 12:01 p.m. on Nov. 22 — an extraordinarily fast window for the NBA, which typically has about a week spanning the start of talks and the beginning of signings. But with training camps this year beginning Dec. 1, both sides evidently feel there isn’t a need to draw out the process any longer than necessary.
Many rosters could be considerably reshaped by then, with trades likely to be permissible again in the coming days — the exact details there still being worked out — and the NBA draft set to take place Nov. 18. Player and team options likely will be settled around that same time. Free agency starts two days after the draft, with around 100 players set for unrestricted status.
The salary cap and tax level will remain unchanged. The cap was $109.14 million this past season, with the tax level at $132,627,000. The real numbers will be affected by the shortened schedule — last year’s numbers were based on the standard 82-game season, a threshold that won’t be reached this year.
The salary cap for 2021-22 is guaranteed to rise somewhere between 3% and 10%, the league said, which means it’ll be somewhere between $112.4 million and $120.1 million.
The league’s board of governors will vote to finalize the deal, which is a formality. NBA general managers also have a meeting Tuesday afternoon to discuss matters.
Meyers Leonard, a free-agent-to-be who spent this past season with the Miami Heat and served as the team’s player rep to the NBPA, said he had some concerns about getting all the logistical matters completed in time for a Dec. 22 opening night. He resumed his offseason workouts Monday after he and his wife took a 4,000-mile tour-bus trip arranged by Coors Light from Miami to Los Angeles with many stops along the way.
“Without knowing all the ins and outs, Dec. 22nd, from a money standpoint, you play more games, you play your Christmas games, it probably makes sense,” Leonard said. “But there’s a lot of logistical things that I know cannot be easy. And the discussions that are being had are very dynamic and very difficult conversations.”
There are countless other issues to work out, such as all the health and safety protocols now that games won’t be played in the safety of a bubble and teams will be traveling to various cities once again.
Players were tested daily in the bubble, and nobody tested positive because of the very strict protocols. It’ll be much tougher to avoid a COVID-related issue with the league back to some sort of normalcy this season.
“There’s going to be people testing positive,” Leonard said. “I don’t know about left and right, but it’s going to happen. And then what happens? It’s a tough time we’re all dealing with. The disease is very strange. It’s going to be interesting to see how the league rolls with the punches, so to speak.”
For the NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers and Eastern Conference champion Heat, it will be the shortest offseason in NBA history — with seven weeks separating the end of the NBA Finals and the planned Dec. 1 start of training camp.
But for the eight teams that didn’t make the restart bubble at Walt Disney World in Lake Buena Vista, Florida this summer, it has been a marathon offseason, with none of those teams — Atlanta, Chicago, Cleveland, Charlotte, Golden State, Minnesota, New York and Detroit — having played since the second week of March. The NBA shut down because of the coronavirus pandemic on March 11, then took 22 of its 30 teams to Disney to resume the season in July.


thedenverpost--2020-11-10--Biden defends Affordable Care Act as Supreme Court mulls its fate

WILMINGTON , Del .
— President-elect Joe Biden is championing the Obama administration ’ s signature health law as it goes before the Supreme Court in a case that could overturn it .
He will deliver a speech on the Affordable Care Act on Tuesday , the day the high court will hear arguments on its merits .
The court ruled eight years ago to leave the essential components of the law known as Obamacare intact , but it is now controlled 6-3 by a conservative majority after President Donald Trump ’ s appointment of Justice Amy Coney Barrett .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ he is putting on health care as he prepares to take office in January amid the worst pandemic in more than a century .
He ’ s launching his transition process this week as the coronavirus surges across the country .
The U.S. surpassed 10 million cases on Monday .
Biden also focused on health care Monday as he pleaded with Americans to put aside their political differences and wear masks to protect themselves and their neighbors from the virus .
“ We could save tens of thousands of lives if everyone would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ few months .
Not Democratic or Republican lives , American lives , ” Biden said .
“ Please , I implore you , wear a mask.
” The suit challenging the health care law was brought in America ’ s largest conservative state , Texas , and is backed by Trump and top Republicans .
It asks the Supreme Court to declare the law ’ s mandate to buy health insurance unconstitutional because Congress had previously repealed the penalties for noncompliance .
After serving as President Barack Obama ’ s vice president for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ build on the Affordable Care Act while championing a “ public option ” that would allow more people to opt into government-sponsored health insurance even as millions of others could stick with their current , usually employer-based coverage .
But such changes could be difficult to enact if Democrats fail to win a majority in the Senate .
Control of the chamber hinges on two runoff races in Georgia that will be decided in January .
Biden , meanwhile , is moving forward with planning a presidential transition even as Trump refuses to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was stolen from him .
The president-elect is expected to quickly name a chief of staff and start considering Cabinet appointments , though those likely won ’ t be finalized for weeks .
But he ’ s running into hurdles from the General Services Administration , which is tasked with formally recognizing Biden as president-elect .
That designation eases cooperation between the outgoing and incoming administrations .
The agency ’ s Trump-appointed administrator , Emily Murphy , has not started the process and has given no guidance on when she will .
That @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whether Trump will spend as much of his remaining time in office as possible hindering Biden from building out his government .
Biden has largely ignored Trump and instead called for bipartisanship — but he may not be able to keep doing so for much longer .
“ This election is over , ” Biden said during his speech Monday .
“ It ’ s time to put aside the partisanship , and the rhetoric that is designed to demonize one another .
”

WILMINGTON, Del. — President-elect Joe Biden is championing the Obama administration’s signature health law as it goes before the Supreme Court in a case that could overturn it.
He will deliver a speech on the Affordable Care Act on Tuesday, the day the high court will hear arguments on its merits. The court ruled eight years ago to leave the essential components of the law known as Obamacare intact, but it is now controlled 6-3 by a conservative majority after President Donald Trump’s appointment of Justice Amy Coney Barrett.
Biden’s speech reflects the importance he is putting on health care as he prepares to take office in January amid the worst pandemic in more than a century. He’s launching his transition process this week as the coronavirus surges across the country. The U.S. surpassed 10 million cases on Monday.
Biden also focused on health care Monday as he pleaded with Americans to put aside their political differences and wear masks to protect themselves and their neighbors from the virus.
“We could save tens of thousands of lives if everyone would just wear a mask for the next few months. Not Democratic or Republican lives, American lives,” Biden said. “Please, I implore you, wear a mask.”
The suit challenging the health care law was brought in America’s largest conservative state, Texas, and is backed by Trump and top Republicans. It asks the Supreme Court to declare the law’s mandate to buy health insurance unconstitutional because Congress had previously repealed the penalties for noncompliance.
After serving as President Barack Obama’s vice president for eight years, Biden has pledged to build on the Affordable Care Act while championing a “public option” that would allow more people to opt into government-sponsored health insurance even as millions of others could stick with their current, usually employer-based coverage.
But such changes could be difficult to enact if Democrats fail to win a majority in the Senate. Control of the chamber hinges on two runoff races in Georgia that will be decided in January.
Biden, meanwhile, is moving forward with planning a presidential transition even as Trump refuses to concede the race and falsely argues it was stolen from him.
The president-elect is expected to quickly name a chief of staff and start considering Cabinet appointments, though those likely won’t be finalized for weeks.
But he’s running into hurdles from the General Services Administration, which is tasked with formally recognizing Biden as president-elect. That designation eases cooperation between the outgoing and incoming administrations. The agency’s Trump-appointed administrator, Emily Murphy, has not started the process and has given no guidance on when she will.
That lack of clarity is fueling questions about whether Trump will spend as much of his remaining time in office as possible hindering Biden from building out his government. Biden has largely ignored Trump and instead called for bipartisanship — but he may not be able to keep doing so for much longer.
“This election is over,” Biden said during his speech Monday. “It’s time to put aside the partisanship, and the rhetoric that is designed to demonize one another.”


thedenverpost--2020-11-10--GOP tries again to get Supreme Court to ax Affordable Care Act

WASHINGTON — A week after the 2020 election , Republican elected officials and the Trump administration are advancing their latest arguments to get rid of the Affordable Care Act , a long-held GOP goal that has repeatedly failed in Congress and the courts .
In arguments scheduled for Tuesday , the Supreme Court will hear its third major fight over the 10-year-old law , popularly known as “ Obamacare.
” Republican attorneys general in 18 states and the administration want the whole law to be struck down , which would threaten coverage for more than 23 million people .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ preexisting medical conditions , subsidized insurance premiums that make coverage affordable for millions of Americans and an expansion of the Medicaid program that is available to low-income people in most states .
California is leading a group of Democratic-controlled states that is urging the court to leave the law in place .
The case comes to a court that now has three justices appointed by President Donald Trump : Neil Gorsuch , Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett , who joined the court late last month following her hurried nomination and confirmation to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The three Trump appointees have never ruled on the substance of the health care law .
Barrett , though , has been critical of the court ’ s earlier major health care decisions sustaining the law , both written by Chief Justice John Roberts .
The Supreme Court could have heard the case before the election , but set arguments for a week after .
The timing could add a wrinkle to the case since President-elect Joe Biden strongly supports the health care law .
The case turns on a change made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reduced the penalty for not having health insurance to zero .
Without the penalty , the law ’ s mandate to have health insurance is unconstitutional , the GOP-led states argue .
If the mandate goes , they say , the rest of the law should go with it because the mandate was central to the law ’ s passage .
But enrollment in the law ’ s insurance markets stayed relatively stable at more than 11 million people , even after the effective date of the penalty ’ s elimination in 2019 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Foundation , enrollment dropped by about 300,000 people from 2018 to 2019 .
Kaiser estimates 11.4 million people have coverage this year .
Another 12 million people have coverage through the law ’ s Medicaid expansion .
The legal argument could well turn on the legal doctrine of severability , the idea that the court can excise a problematic provision from a law and allow the rest of it to remain in force .
The justices have done just that in other rulings in recent years .
But in the first big ACA @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Clarence Thomas voted to strike down the whole law .
Roberts and Justices Stephen Breyer , Elena Kagan and Sonia Sotomayor have voted to uphold it .
A limited ruling would have little real-world consequences .
The case could also be rendered irrelevant if the new Congress were to restore a modest penalty for not buying health insurance .

WASHINGTON — A week after the 2020 election, Republican elected officials and the Trump administration are advancing their latest arguments to get rid of the Affordable Care Act, a long-held GOP goal that has repeatedly failed in Congress and the courts.
In arguments scheduled for Tuesday, the Supreme Court will hear its third major fight over the 10-year-old law, popularly known as “Obamacare.” Republican attorneys general in 18 states and the administration want the whole law to be struck down, which would threaten coverage for more than 23 million people.
It would wipe away protections for people with preexisting medical conditions, subsidized insurance premiums that make coverage affordable for millions of Americans and an expansion of the Medicaid program that is available to low-income people in most states.
California is leading a group of Democratic-controlled states that is urging the court to leave the law in place.
The case comes to a court that now has three justices appointed by President Donald Trump: Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett, who joined the court late last month following her hurried nomination and confirmation to replace the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
The three Trump appointees have never ruled on the substance of the health care law. Barrett, though, has been critical of the court’s earlier major health care decisions sustaining the law, both written by Chief Justice John Roberts.
The Supreme Court could have heard the case before the election, but set arguments for a week after. The timing could add a wrinkle to the case since President-elect Joe Biden strongly supports the health care law.
The case turns on a change made by the Republican-controlled Congress in 2017 that reduced the penalty for not having health insurance to zero. Without the penalty, the law’s mandate to have health insurance is unconstitutional, the GOP-led states argue.
If the mandate goes, they say, the rest of the law should go with it because the mandate was central to the law’s passage.
But enrollment in the law’s insurance markets stayed relatively stable at more than 11 million people, even after the effective date of the penalty’s elimination in 2019. According to the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation, enrollment dropped by about 300,000 people from 2018 to 2019. Kaiser estimates 11.4 million people have coverage this year.
Another 12 million people have coverage through the law’s Medicaid expansion.
The legal argument could well turn on the legal doctrine of severability, the idea that the court can excise a problematic provision from a law and allow the rest of it to remain in force. The justices have done just that in other rulings in recent years.
But in the first big ACA case in 2012, Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas voted to strike down the whole law. Roberts and Justices Stephen Breyer, Elena Kagan and Sonia Sotomayor have voted to uphold it.
A limited ruling would have little real-world consequences. The case could also be rendered irrelevant if the new Congress were to restore a modest penalty for not buying health insurance.
A decision is expected by late spring.


thedenverpost--2020-11-10--Vatican faults many for ex-Cardinal Theodore McCarrick’s rise, spares Pope Francis

ROME — A Vatican investigation into ex-Cardinal Theodore McCarrick has found that a series of bishops , cardinals and popes downplayed or dismissed reports that he slept with seminarians , and determined that Pope Francis merely continued his predecessors ’ naive handling of the predator until a former altar boy alleged abuse .
The Vatican took the extraordinary step Tuesday of publishing its two-year , 400-plus-page internal investigation into the American prelate ’ s rise and fall in a bid to restore credibility to the U.S. and Vatican hierarchies , which have been shattered by the McCarrick scandal .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ put the lion ’ s share of blame on a dead saint : Pope John Paul II , who appointed McCarrick archbishop of Washington D.C. , in 2000 , despite having commissioned an inquiry that confirmed he slept with seminarians .
The summary says John Paul naively believed McCarrick ’ s last-ditch , handwritten denial .
McCarrick , 90 , was defrocked by Francis last year after a Vatican investigation confirmed decades of allegations that the globe-trotting envoy and successful church fundraiser had sexually molested adults as well as children .
The Vatican @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to 1999 that McCarrick ’ s behavior was problematic , yet he continued to rise to become an influential cardinal , kingmaker and emissary of the Holy See ’ s “ soft diplomacy.
” The findings accused bishops dead and alive of providing the Vatican with incomplete information about McCarrick ’ s behavior , and of turning a blind eye to his repeated flouting of informal restrictions ordered up in 2006 after Pope Benedict XVI decided not to investigate or sanction him seriously .
Most significantly , the findings largely gave Francis a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ modified those restrictions , never named McCarrick a “ diplomatic agent ” for the Holy See and never received any documentation about McCarrick before 2017 .
It didn ’ t say if Francis had sought such documentation after one of his ambassadors purportedly told him in 2013 that McCarrick was a predator .
“ Pope Francis had heard only that there had been allegations and rumors related to immoral conduct with adults occurring prior to McCarrick ’ s appointment to Washington , ” the summary says .
“ Believing that the allegations had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ John Paul II , and well aware that McCarrick was active during the papacy of Benedict XVI , Pope Francis did not see the need to alter the approach that had been adopted.
” Francis changed course after a former altar boy came forward in 2017 alleging that McCarrick groped him when he was a teenager during preparations for Christmas Mass in 1971 and 1972 in New York .
The allegation was the first solid claim against McCarrick involving a minor and triggered the canonical trial that resulted in his defrocking .
While @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Vatican knew and when , it didn ’ t elaborate on the internal culture that allowed McCarrick ’ s behavior to continue unchecked .
Catholic cardinals and bishops have long been considered beyond reproach and claims of homosexual behavior have used to discredit or blackmail prelates , so often are dismissed as rumors .
There has also been a widespread but unspoken tolerance of sexually active men in what is supposed to be a celibate priesthood .
The church has long considered sex by priests with other adult men or women as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ raised in recent years when minors were involved .
But the McCarrick scandal , which erupted during the # MeToo era , has demonstrated that adult seminarians and priests can be sexually victimized by their superiors because of the power imbalance in their relationships .
And yet the church ’ s legal system has had no real way to address that type of abuse of authority .
James Grein , whose testimony that McCarrick abused him for two decades starting when he was 11 was key to McCarrick ’ s downfall , said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being released .
He said he was hopeful it would bring some relief as well as a chance to “ clean ” up the church .
“ There are so many people suffering out there because of one man , ” Grein said .
“ And he thinks that he ’ s more important than the rest of us .
He ’ s destroyed me and he ’ s destroyed thousands of other lives .
… It ’ s time that the Catholic Church comes clean with all of its destruction.
” Cardinal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state whose office prepared the report , said it will have an impact going forward , especially on how bishops are selected .
“ Reading the document will show that all procedures , including the appointment of bishops , depend on the commitment and honesty of the people concerned , ” he said .
“ ( It will make ) all those involved in such choices more aware of the weight of their decisions or omissions.
” Francis commissioned the report after the retired Vatican ambassador to the U.S. , Archbishop Carlo Maria @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the two-decade-long McCarrick cover-up in 2018 , naming around two dozen U.S. and Vatican officials who knew of his misconduct but failed to effectively sanction him .
Vigano cited former seminarians who had described the harassment and abuse they endured while “ Uncle Ted , ” as McCarrick liked to call himself , was their bishop in New Jersey , forced to sleep in his bed during weekend trips to his beach house .
Vigano ’ s most explosive claim was that Francis himself lifted “ sanctions ” imposed by Benedict and made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that Francis resign , claiming he had warned the pope in June 2013 that McCarrick had “ corrupted generations of seminarians and priests.
” Several of Vigano ’ s central assertions were confirmed , but not the ones involving Francis .
“ No records support Vigano ’ s account and evidence as to what he said is sharply disputed , ” it said .
The summary also cites a previously un-reported case in which Vigano in 2012 allegedly failed to act on Vatican instructions to investigate new claims against McCarrick by a Brazilian-born @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not take these steps and therefore never placed himself in the position to ascertain the credibility , ” of the priest ’ s claims , the summary says .
The report drew on documents from five Vatican departments , four U.S. dioceses , two U.S. seminaries and the Vatican ’ s U.S. embassy .
Investigators interviewed 90 people , including McCarrick ’ s victims , former seminarians and priests , officials from U.S. charities and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops .
It was released a few days before U.S. bishops gather for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been overshadowed by the McCarrick scandal for two years .
And it was published on the same day the Vatican faced another reckoning over an influential prelate brought down by allegations of homosexual misconduct : The former Vatican ambassador to France , Archbishop Luigi Ventura , went on trial Tuesday in Paris , accused of groping and inappropriately touching young men — charges he denies .

ROME — A Vatican investigation into ex-Cardinal Theodore McCarrick has found that a series of bishops, cardinals and popes downplayed or dismissed reports that he slept with seminarians, and determined that Pope Francis merely continued his predecessors’ naive handling of the predator until a former altar boy alleged abuse.
The Vatican took the extraordinary step Tuesday of publishing its two-year, 400-plus-page internal investigation into the American prelate’s rise and fall in a bid to restore credibility to the U.S. and Vatican hierarchies, which have been shattered by the McCarrick scandal.
A summary of the report from the Vatican put the lion’s share of blame on a dead saint: Pope John Paul II, who appointed McCarrick archbishop of Washington D.C., in 2000, despite having commissioned an inquiry that confirmed he slept with seminarians. The summary says John Paul naively believed McCarrick’s last-ditch, handwritten denial.
McCarrick, 90, was defrocked by Francis last year after a Vatican investigation confirmed decades of allegations that the globe-trotting envoy and successful church fundraiser had sexually molested adults as well as children. The Vatican had reports from authoritative figures dating back to 1999 that McCarrick’s behavior was problematic, yet he continued to rise to become an influential cardinal, kingmaker and emissary of the Holy See’s “soft diplomacy.”
The findings accused bishops dead and alive of providing the Vatican with incomplete information about McCarrick’s behavior, and of turning a blind eye to his repeated flouting of informal restrictions ordered up in 2006 after Pope Benedict XVI decided not to investigate or sanction him seriously.
Most significantly, the findings largely gave Francis a pass, saying he never lifted or modified those restrictions, never named McCarrick a “diplomatic agent” for the Holy See and never received any documentation about McCarrick before 2017. It didn’t say if Francis had sought such documentation after one of his ambassadors purportedly told him in 2013 that McCarrick was a predator.
“Pope Francis had heard only that there had been allegations and rumors related to immoral conduct with adults occurring prior to McCarrick’s appointment to Washington,” the summary says. “Believing that the allegations had already been reviewed and rejected by Pope John Paul II, and well aware that McCarrick was active during the papacy of Benedict XVI, Pope Francis did not see the need to alter the approach that had been adopted.”
Francis changed course after a former altar boy came forward in 2017 alleging that McCarrick groped him when he was a teenager during preparations for Christmas Mass in 1971 and 1972 in New York. The allegation was the first solid claim against McCarrick involving a minor and triggered the canonical trial that resulted in his defrocking.
While the summary provided new details about what the Vatican knew and when, it didn’t elaborate on the internal culture that allowed McCarrick’s behavior to continue unchecked. Catholic cardinals and bishops have long been considered beyond reproach and claims of homosexual behavior have used to discredit or blackmail prelates, so often are dismissed as rumors. There has also been a widespread but unspoken tolerance of sexually active men in what is supposed to be a celibate priesthood.
The church has long considered sex by priests with other adult men or women as sinful but consensual, with flags only raised in recent years when minors were involved.
But the McCarrick scandal, which erupted during the #MeToo era, has demonstrated that adult seminarians and priests can be sexually victimized by their superiors because of the power imbalance in their relationships. And yet the church’s legal system has had no real way to address that type of abuse of authority.
James Grein, whose testimony that McCarrick abused him for two decades starting when he was 11 was key to McCarrick’s downfall, said he was pleased the report was finally being released. He said he was hopeful it would bring some relief as well as a chance to “clean” up the church.
“There are so many people suffering out there because of one man,” Grein said. “And he thinks that he’s more important than the rest of us. He’s destroyed me and he’s destroyed thousands of other lives. … It’s time that the Catholic Church comes clean with all of its destruction.”
Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican secretary of state whose office prepared the report, said it will have an impact going forward, especially on how bishops are selected.
“Reading the document will show that all procedures, including the appointment of bishops, depend on the commitment and honesty of the people concerned,” he said. “(It will make) all those involved in such choices more aware of the weight of their decisions or omissions.”
Francis commissioned the report after the retired Vatican ambassador to the U.S., Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, issued a blistering expose of the two-decade-long McCarrick cover-up in 2018, naming around two dozen U.S. and Vatican officials who knew of his misconduct but failed to effectively sanction him.
Vigano cited former seminarians who had described the harassment and abuse they endured while “Uncle Ted,” as McCarrick liked to call himself, was their bishop in New Jersey, forced to sleep in his bed during weekend trips to his beach house.
Vigano’s most explosive claim was that Francis himself lifted “sanctions” imposed by Benedict and made McCarrick a trusted adviser. Vigano demanded that Francis resign, claiming he had warned the pope in June 2013 that McCarrick had “corrupted generations of seminarians and priests.”
Several of Vigano’s central assertions were confirmed, but not the ones involving Francis. “No records support Vigano’s account and evidence as to what he said is sharply disputed,” it said.
The summary also cites a previously un-reported case in which Vigano in 2012 allegedly failed to act on Vatican instructions to investigate new claims against McCarrick by a Brazilian-born New Jersey priest.
“Vigano did not take these steps and therefore never placed himself in the position to ascertain the credibility,” of the priest’s claims, the summary says.
The report drew on documents from five Vatican departments, four U.S. dioceses, two U.S. seminaries and the Vatican’s U.S. embassy. Investigators interviewed 90 people, including McCarrick’s victims, former seminarians and priests, officials from U.S. charities and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.
It was released a few days before U.S. bishops gather for their annual fall meeting, which has been overshadowed by the McCarrick scandal for two years. And it was published on the same day the Vatican faced another reckoning over an influential prelate brought down by allegations of homosexual misconduct: The former Vatican ambassador to France, Archbishop Luigi Ventura, went on trial Tuesday in Paris, accused of groping and inappropriately touching young men — charges he denies.