thedenverpost--2020-12-17--Guest Commentary: There are no rewards for good behavior in Denver’s flailing restaurant industry

The restaurant industry is divided .
Our interests and needs are pretty similar , but our politics vary widely and the choices we make can be drastically different .
Restaurants have responded to the pandemic with such wide variance , and the mandates have been so different from state to state , that it ’ s difficult to see the big picture , even — perhaps especially — from the inside .
There is no universal experience from any one restaurant owner except this : The stress and uncertainty are killing us , and our businesses are in jeopardy .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ business partner , Obe Ariss , and I have felt like outliers ever since we opened our restaurant , The Preservery , in April 2016 .
We were in the minority of restaurant owners who supported the minimum wage increases in Denver ; we have always operated under the core principle that everyone on our team deserves a living wage .
We did not favor keeping restaurants open during the initial shutdown last March .
We never opposed the mandated restaurant restrictions such as masks , curfews and capacity limits .
In fact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ guidelines put forth by the state .
We even actively supported the Biden campaign along with 20 or so other restaurants , for which all of us were trolled and harassed by Trump supporters online .
When it comes to our beliefs , we are not strangers to being on the fringes .
We have operated continuously at whatever capacity was allowed since the pandemic began , and we ’ ve learned a lot in that time .
After almost nine months , we ’ ve found that if our team members follow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all times and keeping up a rigorous routine of hand-washing and glove-wearing , they stand far less chance of contributing to the spread of this virus .
RELATED : Guest Commentary : I don ’ t want to see a Denver where the unique , small businesses are gone .
We need help .
On our tiny team of 11 souls , a total of three people contracted the virus through exposure outside of work .
In all three instances , the team member was on-site working for two or three days before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quarantined .
And in all three instances , not a single member of the team was infected by their coworker , despite sometimes working in close proximity .
Additionally , no one on our team has become sick as a result of exposure to our guests , and given Denver ’ s positivity rate it ’ s highly unlikely that we haven ’ t hosted multiple infected guests in our restaurant .
One reason , we believe , is that team members are always masked ; another factor in our relative success is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their masks on when the server is at their table .
It ’ s an extra step that , at times , has been challenging to enforce , but for the most part we ’ ve seen gratitude from our guests that we are concerned for their safety as well as our own .
In the beginning of this pandemic when we all knew far less about how the virus spreads , we willingly complied with shutdown orders despite the financial devastation that it caused our business .
We agreed with the state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the best way to keep the public and ourselves safe .
But knowing what we know now , and having been through every level of operational adjustment — from 50 % capacity to 25 % capacity to outdoor-only to complete shutdown of dine-in services — it is difficult to rally behind the shutdown orders that are in place now .
There ’ s literally no way any business that was modeled around dine-in services can survive this way .
We normally have a capacity of 76 guests indoors and 27 guests outside .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ outdoor capacity of about 20 , including the extra outdoor tables we gained after getting a “ special extension ” permit to use our courtyard area in addition to our patio .
No one should be surprised that in freezing temperatures , even with a blazing heater nearby , most folks just don ’ t want to eat outside .
RELATED : Guest Commentary : Restaurants should close indoor dining even though it ’ s devastating But the most frustrating aspect of this outdoor-only “ code red ” mode in which we are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the rules and guidelines that restaurants are expected to follow .
Our dining room is spacious and well-ventilated with lofty ceilings , yet other restaurants can seat parties inside tiny outdoor greenhouses that are effectively COVID hotboxes if you ’ re dining with somebody outside your household .
We have large ceiling fans .
We keep our doors and garage-style bar window open and tables are well over six feet apart , yet it ’ s somehow preferable to only allow seating inside an outdoor plastic tent with four walls as long as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the air escape ?
Fully enclosed outdoor structures have every potential to contribute to viral spread as much as indoor dining .
Your highest risk for exposure when dining out is from your dining partner if they are from outside your household ( that is , as long as the restaurant is following all social distancing protocols ) .
If the choice is between a wide-open , well-ventilated , socially distanced indoor dining room versus a tiny greenhouse , as a high-risk person who is effectively in the same household as my high-risk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our toddler daughter who doesn ’ t understand social distancing ) , I would definitely choose the former instead of the latter : both from the perspective of a server as well as a guest .
Many owners don ’ t have the benefit of a lofty converted warehouse space housing their dining room , as we do , so “ outdoor ” alternatives become the only choice .
I don ’ t necessarily blame those who are utilizing igloos , tents and the like to expand their outdoor seating .
They ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so why would any of us assume that they might pose as great a risk to guests and restaurant workers as dining indoors ?
At best they are a well-intentioned , expensive bandage on a gaping wound .
But , at worst , they are a sober look at the ever-widening gap between poverty and wealth that is more visible during a pandemic .
Folks can enjoy a meal that costs more than what the restaurant ’ s dishwasher makes in a week while housed in the warmth of a private yurt and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shelter languish in the cold .
It ’ s analogous to our divided industry that there is no one-size-fits-all solution to the pandemic problem that every restaurant in America faces .
But I know that , even with a vaccine on the very near horizon , this problem isn ’ t going away as quickly as we want it to .
If we don ’ t figure out a way for businesses to safely operate , and a way to hold those who aren ’ t following the rules accountable , then the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this are going to be the corporate chains and the wealthy restaurant groups who have enough money in reserves to cushion this financial catastrophe .
The small , independent restaurants , especially those owned by women and BIPOC folks , are , as always , the most vulnerable .
Who ’ s looking out for us ?
Right now , it really feels as if the answer is nobody .
Whitney Ariss is co-owner of The Preservery .
To send a letter to the editor about this article , submit online or check @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by email or mail .

The restaurant industry is divided. Our interests and needs are pretty similar, but our politics vary widely and the choices we make can be drastically different. Restaurants have responded to the pandemic with such wide variance, and the mandates have been so different from state to state, that it’s difficult to see the big picture, even — perhaps especially — from the inside. There is no universal experience from any one restaurant owner except this: The stress and uncertainty are killing us, and our businesses are in jeopardy.
For our part, my husband and business partner, Obe Ariss, and I have felt like outliers ever since we opened our restaurant, The Preservery, in April 2016. We were in the minority of restaurant owners who supported the minimum wage increases in Denver; we have always operated under the core principle that everyone on our team deserves a living wage.
We did not favor keeping restaurants open during the initial shutdown last March. We never opposed the mandated restaurant restrictions such as masks, curfews and capacity limits. In fact, we set stricter rules than the guidelines put forth by the state. We even actively supported the Biden campaign along with 20 or so other restaurants, for which all of us were trolled and harassed by Trump supporters online. When it comes to our beliefs, we are not strangers to being on the fringes.
We have operated continuously at whatever capacity was allowed since the pandemic began, and we’ve learned a lot in that time.
After almost nine months, we’ve found that if our team members follow the rules, wearing their masks at all times and keeping up a rigorous routine of hand-washing and glove-wearing, they stand far less chance of contributing to the spread of this virus.
RELATED: Guest Commentary: I don’t want to see a Denver where the unique, small businesses are gone. We need help.
On our tiny team of 11 souls, a total of three people contracted the virus through exposure outside of work. In all three instances, the team member was on-site working for two or three days before they learned of their exposure risk and quarantined. And in all three instances, not a single member of the team was infected by their coworker, despite sometimes working in close proximity.
Additionally, no one on our team has become sick as a result of exposure to our guests, and given Denver’s positivity rate it’s highly unlikely that we haven’t hosted multiple infected guests in our restaurant. One reason, we believe, is that team members are always masked; another factor in our relative success is that we ask our guests to put their masks on when the server is at their table. It’s an extra step that, at times, has been challenging to enforce, but for the most part we’ve seen gratitude from our guests that we are concerned for their safety as well as our own.
In the beginning of this pandemic when we all knew far less about how the virus spreads, we willingly complied with shutdown orders despite the financial devastation that it caused our business. We agreed with the state of Colorado that a total shutdown was the best way to keep the public and ourselves safe.
But knowing what we know now, and having been through every level of operational adjustment — from 50% capacity to 25% capacity to outdoor-only to complete shutdown of dine-in services — it is difficult to rally behind the shutdown orders that are in place now.
There’s literally no way any business that was modeled around dine-in services can survive this way. We normally have a capacity of 76 guests indoors and 27 guests outside. But now we are operating with an outdoor capacity of about 20, including the extra outdoor tables we gained after getting a “special extension” permit to use our courtyard area in addition to our patio. No one should be surprised that in freezing temperatures, even with a blazing heater nearby, most folks just don’t want to eat outside.
RELATED: Guest Commentary: Restaurants must stay closed to indoor dining even though it’s devastating
But the most frustrating aspect of this outdoor-only “code red” mode in which we are operating is the seemingly unscientific approach to the rules and guidelines that restaurants are expected to follow.
Our dining room is spacious and well-ventilated with lofty ceilings, yet other restaurants can seat parties inside tiny outdoor greenhouses that are effectively COVID hotboxes if you’re dining with somebody outside your household. We have large ceiling fans. We keep our doors and garage-style bar window open and tables are well over six feet apart, yet it’s somehow preferable to only allow seating inside an outdoor plastic tent with four walls as long as they open a couple flaps to let the air escape?
Fully enclosed outdoor structures have every potential to contribute to viral spread as much as indoor dining. Your highest risk for exposure when dining out is from your dining partner if they are from outside your household (that is, as long as the restaurant is following all social distancing protocols).
If the choice is between a wide-open, well-ventilated, socially distanced indoor dining room versus a tiny greenhouse, as a high-risk person who is effectively in the same household as my high-risk parents (because they take care of our toddler daughter who doesn’t understand social distancing), I would definitely choose the former instead of the latter: both from the perspective of a server as well as a guest.
Many owners don’t have the benefit of a lofty converted warehouse space housing their dining room, as we do, so “outdoor” alternatives become the only choice. I don’t necessarily blame those who are utilizing igloos, tents and the like to expand their outdoor seating. They’ve been sanctified by the government, so why would any of us assume that they might pose as great a risk to guests and restaurant workers as dining indoors?
At best they are a well-intentioned, expensive bandage on a gaping wound. But, at worst, they are a sober look at the ever-widening gap between poverty and wealth that is more visible during a pandemic. Folks can enjoy a meal that costs more than what the restaurant’s dishwasher makes in a week while housed in the warmth of a private yurt and just down the street, people without shelter languish in the cold.
It’s analogous to our divided industry that there is no one-size-fits-all solution to the pandemic problem that every restaurant in America faces. But I know that, even with a vaccine on the very near horizon, this problem isn’t going away as quickly as we want it to.
If we don’t figure out a way for businesses to safely operate, and a way to hold those who aren’t following the rules accountable, then the only ones left by the end of this are going to be the corporate chains and the wealthy restaurant groups who have enough money in reserves to cushion this financial catastrophe. The small, independent restaurants, especially those owned by women and BIPOC folks, are, as always, the most vulnerable. Who’s looking out for us?
Right now, it really feels as if the answer is nobody.
Whitney Ariss is co-owner of The Preservery.
To send a letter to the editor about this article, submit online or check out our guidelines for how to submit by email or mail.


thedenverpost--2020-12-17--Millions in Colorado school funding at risk because of COVID-19 enrollment declines

Colorado ’ s cash-strapped public school districts risk losing tens of millions of dollars in state funding because of coronavirus-fueled enrollment declines , money that helps pay for teachers and other student services .
That ’ s because most districts rely heavily on funds the state doles out based on the number of students who enroll .
According to preliminary figures released by the Department of Education on Tuesday , enrollment dropped 3.3 % statewide in the fall — and in some of Colorado ’ s largest districts , the decline was even larger .
This is the first time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years , the agency reported .
While there ’ s debate about whether the drop will be a part of a sustained trend , experts agree that pulling money out of the education system could have devastating effects .
That ’ s especially true this year , as districts adapted to new needs and conditions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic .
“ As everybody knows , schools are facing huge challenges in terms of how we can serve students best in this context , in this environment , ” said Jim Carpenter , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Every time we reduce funding , that limits the ability to deliver services to kids.
” During each legislative session in the spring , lawmakers allocate state funding for K-12 education based on projected enrollments for the following school year .
And every October , districts count the number of students so the Colorado Department of Education can then distribute funding on a per-pupil basis , as dictated by the Public School Finance Act of 1994 .
The dollar amount per student varies by the size of a district , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and the number of at-risk students , among other factors .
The average allocation to schools per student for the 2020-2021 academic year is projected to be $ 7,985 , according to Jennifer Okes , chief operating officer of the state education department .
( Enrollment and allocation figures will be finalized in January . )
Schools also receive funding from other sources , but the state ’ s per-pupil disbursement typically accounts for the largest portion of district budgets .
In Aurora Public Schools , for example , state funding makes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s budget , said district spokesman Corey Christiansen .
The state ’ s Joint Budget Committee makes a mid-year adjustment to school funding through a supplemental appropriation process based on enrollment and other factors .
This usually occurs soon after the legislative sessions starts each January .
Sometimes certain factors such as the number of at-risk students may go up while other factors , like enrollment , go down , evening out the funding from the state .
But if nothing else changes while enrollment falls , schools could lose out on money @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s per-pupil funding formula — unless the legislature takes action to let schools keep the money originally allocated .
With a 3.3 % decrease in statewide enrollment , districts are rightfully worried .
“ I figure during a pandemic , this is not a great time to start clawing back or reducing our state funding , ” said Sen. Rachel Zenzinger , an Arvada Democrat , and former member of the Joint Budget Committee .
Zenzinger , who will serve as the chair of the Senate Education Committee next year , plans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the legislature ’ s intent not to reduce school funding , despite a drop in enrollment .
She said she got the idea from a bill that Rep. Jim Wilson , a Salida Republican , introduced during the legislature ’ s special session that the Democratic-controlled chambers didn ’ t pass .
Wilson ’ s bill came before the data was available about enrollment declines , and it didn ’ t necessarily fit the call for the COVID-19 special session , Zenzinger said .
But it ’ s an idea she believes is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The other option would be to keep the money in the general fund or the state ’ s education fund and give money to the districts the following year , but Wilson , an educator of 40 years , said it ’ s much harder to put money back into the education budget than it is to take it out .
It would be near impossible for districts to absorb a reduction in state funding at this point in the school year , as much of their budgets are tied to personnel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Colorado School Finance Project .
In Aurora , about 80 % of the district ’ s budget supports staff , Superintendent Rico Munn said .
The financial impacts of COVID-19 are also not likely to resolve themselves after this year .
Munn and six other Denver-area superintendents called on both state and federal governments this week to support schools ’ efforts to reverse learning loss and protect at-risk students who have become more vulnerable during the pandemic .
“ We have demonstrated that we are a critical safety net for kids @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nutrition services , for general wrap-around services , ” Munn said .
“ What ’ s at stake is our ability to provide those in the ways that we ’ ve been doing.
” Whatever the state decides , Carpenter said Denver Public Schools , which has a roughly $ 1.2 billion general fund budget , has committed to keeping its 2020-2021 school budgets whole , even if that means dipping into district reserves .
It ’ s a short-term solution to what he believes is a short-term problem .
Public schools saw @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enrollment , which are down 23.3 % and 9.1 % , respectively , the education department reported .
Officials say parents are delaying when their kids start school because of concerns related to the pandemic , a phenomenon known as “ redshirting.
” “ We believe those students will come back when parents are certain schools are healthy and safe , and students are receiving education in person , ” Carpenter said .
Lawmakers are working to figure out how to handle a backfill or different options with the funding formula because of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ temporary , said Sen. Chris Hansen , a Denver Democrat and JBC member .
“ I think that topic is top of mind and we ’ re just going to be looking at various ways we can tackle it , ” he said .
But Munn is not so sure .
Enrollment rates have slowed in recent years because of lower birth rates , he said .
In fact , Colorado student enrollment was up just 0.1 % in the 2019-2020 school year compared to the one prior .
Budget-wise , districts could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unexpectedly accelerated the trend and added new safety and infrastructure expenses , Munn said .
That Colorado is running a nearly $ 9 billion cumulative deficit on school funding since the Great Recession , thanks to the budget stabilization factor , is only compounding the problems , said Rainey .
Now the state needs to step up .
“ We need as much flexibility as possible in funding and funding formulas going forward , ” Munn said .
“ We need recognition that per-pupil dollars probably need to be at a higher level @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , given COVID and all the other issues in their lives .
”

Colorado’s cash-strapped public school districts risk losing tens of millions of dollars in state funding because of coronavirus-fueled enrollment declines, money that helps pay for teachers and other student services.
That’s because most districts rely heavily on funds the state doles out based on the number of students who enroll. According to preliminary figures released by the Department of Education on Tuesday, enrollment dropped 3.3% statewide in the fall — and in some of Colorado’s largest districts, the decline was even larger. This is the first time enrollment has dropped in more than 30 years, the agency reported.
While there’s debate about whether the drop will be a part of a sustained trend, experts agree that pulling money out of the education system could have devastating effects. That’s especially true this year, as districts adapted to new needs and conditions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“As everybody knows, schools are facing huge challenges in terms of how we can serve students best in this context, in this environment,” said Jim Carpenter, chief financial officer of Denver Public Schools. “Every time we reduce funding, that limits the ability to deliver services to kids.”
During each legislative session in the spring, lawmakers allocate state funding for K-12 education based on projected enrollments for the following school year. And every October, districts count the number of students so the Colorado Department of Education can then distribute funding on a per-pupil basis, as dictated by the Public School Finance Act of 1994. The dollar amount per student varies by the size of a district, the cost of living in each respective area, and the number of at-risk students, among other factors.
The average allocation to schools per student for the 2020-2021 academic year is projected to be $7,985, according to Jennifer Okes, chief operating officer of the state education department. (Enrollment and allocation figures will be finalized in January.)
Schools also receive funding from other sources, but the state’s per-pupil disbursement typically accounts for the largest portion of district budgets. In Aurora Public Schools, for example, state funding makes up 66% of the district’s budget, said district spokesman Corey Christiansen.
The state’s Joint Budget Committee makes a mid-year adjustment to school funding through a supplemental appropriation process based on enrollment and other factors. This usually occurs soon after the legislative sessions starts each January.
Sometimes certain factors such as the number of at-risk students may go up while other factors, like enrollment, go down, evening out the funding from the state. But if nothing else changes while enrollment falls, schools could lose out on money initially budgeted to them through the state’s per-pupil funding formula — unless the legislature takes action to let schools keep the money originally allocated.
Moves to keep funding
With a 3.3% decrease in statewide enrollment, districts are rightfully worried.
“I figure during a pandemic, this is not a great time to start clawing back or reducing our state funding,” said Sen. Rachel Zenzinger, an Arvada Democrat, and former member of the Joint Budget Committee.
Zenzinger, who will serve as the chair of the Senate Education Committee next year, plans to introduce a bill that would signal the legislature’s intent not to reduce school funding, despite a drop in enrollment. She said she got the idea from a bill that Rep. Jim Wilson, a Salida Republican, introduced during the legislature’s special session that the Democratic-controlled chambers didn’t pass.
Wilson’s bill came before the data was available about enrollment declines, and it didn’t necessarily fit the call for the COVID-19 special session, Zenzinger said. But it’s an idea she believes is worth pursuing and seems to have support.
The other option would be to keep the money in the general fund or the state’s education fund and give money to the districts the following year, but Wilson, an educator of 40 years, said it’s much harder to put money back into the education budget than it is to take it out.
It would be near impossible for districts to absorb a reduction in state funding at this point in the school year, as much of their budgets are tied to personnel, said Tracie Rainey, executive director of the Colorado School Finance Project. In Aurora, about 80% of the district’s budget supports staff, Superintendent Rico Munn said.
The financial impacts of COVID-19 are also not likely to resolve themselves after this year. Munn and six other Denver-area superintendents called on both state and federal governments this week to support schools’ efforts to reverse learning loss and protect at-risk students who have become more vulnerable during the pandemic.
“We have demonstrated that we are a critical safety net for kids and families through education services, through nutrition services, for general wrap-around services,” Munn said. “What’s at stake is our ability to provide those in the ways that we’ve been doing.”
Enrollment slowing already
Whatever the state decides, Carpenter said Denver Public Schools, which has a roughly $1.2 billion general fund budget, has committed to keeping its 2020-2021 school budgets whole, even if that means dipping into district reserves. It’s a short-term solution to what he believes is a short-term problem.
Public schools saw the sharpest declines in preschool and kindergarten enrollment, which are down 23.3% and 9.1%, respectively, the education department reported. Officials say parents are delaying when their kids start school because of concerns related to the pandemic, a phenomenon known as “redshirting.”
“We believe those students will come back when parents are certain schools are healthy and safe, and students are receiving education in person,” Carpenter said.
Lawmakers are working to figure out how to handle a backfill or different options with the funding formula because of the expectation that the enrollment reduction is temporary, said Sen. Chris Hansen, a Denver Democrat and JBC member.
“I think that topic is top of mind and we’re just going to be looking at various ways we can tackle it,” he said.
But Munn is not so sure. Enrollment rates have slowed in recent years because of lower birth rates, he said. In fact, Colorado student enrollment was up just 0.1% in the 2019-2020 school year compared to the one prior. Budget-wise, districts could prepare for that, but the pandemic unexpectedly accelerated the trend and added new safety and infrastructure expenses, Munn said.
That Colorado is running a nearly $9 billion cumulative deficit on school funding since the Great Recession, thanks to the budget stabilization factor, is only compounding the problems, said Rainey. Now the state needs to step up.
“We need as much flexibility as possible in funding and funding formulas going forward,” Munn said. “We need recognition that per-pupil dollars probably need to be at a higher level given the increased needs of our students, given COVID and all the other issues in their lives.”


thedenverpost--2020-12-17--Guest Commentary: I don’t want to see a Denver where the unique, small businesses are gone. We need

Guest Commentary: I don’t want to see a Denver where the unique, small businesses are gone. We need help.

In January of 2020 , I was humming along , thinking about expansion and how to grow our little company .
Our Crafted Concepts restaurant group had a good foundation with five concepts , all unique , and conceived from a place of passion for food , service and hospitality .
My chosen business is not an easy one , but I am my mother ’ s daughter .
She instilled in me the drive to choose my path , to tread it well , to give a damn , to fight the good fight , to be a leader @ @ @ @ @ @ @ So I fought like hell to become one of Denver ’ s most prominent chefs and restaurateurs .
But James Beard awards don ’ t pay the bills during a pandemic .
Now , like so many , I ’ m on the brink of losing it all .
Help early on gave me hope , but so much more is needed to save independent restaurants that it ’ s hard to know where to start : federal aid for employers and employees , robust support from loyal patrons , innovative programs to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ understanding and generous lenders and landlords , and fair and workable regulations and rules .
Maybe , more importantly , consumers need to value our food systems , understand the cost of good ingredients and not just reach for the cheapest product .
The sudden announcement on March 16 that our restaurants would close the following day sent all of us into a tailspin .
What were we going to do with all of the perishable food ?
What would our staff do ?
How would we pay rent ?
How would our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fashion , I went into a work frenzy .
Somehow my brain thinks if I am working as hard as humanly possible , I can overcome anything by sheer will .
Our kitchen teams cooked whatever product we had so it would not spoil .
Fresh broccoli became broccoli-garlic-rosemary potato gratin .
We froze whatever proteins we could .
We salted and preserved things , fermented peppers to make hot sauce .
Made six different types of kimchi .
We donated the rest to our staff so they could eat and gave even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Guest Commentary : There are no rewards for good behavior in Denver ’ s flailing restaurant industry The hardest thing I had to do was to furlough all but 10 people out of the 200 the group employed .
But the partners also had to permanently close Euclid Hall , for many reasons , but the COVID-19 closure made the decision final .
It had been open for 10 years , and even though I knew it wasn ’ t our failure , it was heartbreaking , a kick in the gut , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ management team changed gears and tried to do takeout and delivery from the remaining four restaurants but starting a takeout business from scratch wasn ’ t simple .
Our restaurants also had the disadvantage of being downtown , which became a ghost town during the shutdown .
A group of restaurants formed Colorado Restaurant Response and each place produced 3,500 meals a week for food-insecure Coloradans – and that helped us keep a few people employed .
Luckily , our landlords quickly realized the predicament we were in and further discussions lead to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ CAM charges .
The landlords did not have to help us but thankfully knew that they want quality businesses in their projects on the other side .
Talks with a lender yielded a two-month deferral on a loan .
The stress was at a level I ’ ve never experienced — even when competing on Top Chef Masters or cooking at the Oscars with Wolfgang Puck .
There was the stress of potentially losing my businesses , the stress that the crew I love so much would not have jobs , the stress @ @ @ @ @ @ @ built over these last 16 years , the stress that people I love could die .
I don ’ t think I slept for three months .
Getting the Paycheck Protection Program funds from the federal government saved our businesses .
We would have shut down all four locations if not for PPP funding allowing us to hire back our employees and begin the hard work of putting a revised menu together for each restaurant .
Our group had to be better , more efficient , no waste , menus cross utilized , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The PPP would not last forever .
I don ’ t know if people understand how many people Crafted Concepts “ employs ” indirectly , but when I stopped buying food , the boats that caught the fish didn ’ t go out , the cheese didn ’ t get made , farmers ’ crops were left to rot , delivery drivers were out of work .
The food chain is so complex that closing restaurants affected millions of jobs .
RELATED : Guest Commentary : Restaurants should close indoor dining even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ threw every idea at the wall to get people onto our patios in May .
Oyster slurping pop-ups , a hamburger battle between Ultreia and Stoic .
Virtual wine dinners , anything and everything to keep us in our guests ’ minds .
If we could only maintain awareness with our old guests , maybe we had a chance .
Opening the dining rooms in late May at 50 % capacity was tough , but we were so happy to have life back in our restaurants .
The group upgraded cleaning procedures , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and beyond the Denver Health department requirements .
Each restaurant logged temperatures for everyone who walks in our back door , so vendors and employees can be tracked .
Thank heavens Denver allowed us to expand our patios and for a month or two the restaurants actually hit 70 % of the previous year ’ s sales .
That felt really good like we were on the mend .
The next kick in the gut was decreasing dining room capacity to 25 % as cases exploded around the country and in Denver .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ curfew and then the closure of indoor dining and an 8 p.m. cutoff for liquor sales .
How can any of us survive ?
Do we shut down temporarily for a few months ?
Stay open and lose money ?
People are dying .
We hit the sad milestone of over 300,000 Americans dead .
In Denver over 400 loved ones will not be with us .
Businesses are shutting their doors forever .
Congress is playing games with our lives , and it is hurting so many Americans .
When I read @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t understand the real cost of this , it infuriates me .
If we do not get more help , I am afraid we will not make it .
So many restaurants have already closed .
Restaurants employed 285,000 Coloradans pre-pandemic .
We need help !
RELATED : Denver restaurants that have closed permanently during the coronavirus pandemic It has been tough to be one of the “ good guys ” following all regulations .
Our team see other businesses not following the rules and making good money .
I am still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will do things “ the right way ” and be a leader my staff can be proud of .
With over 300,000 Americans dead from this , we will follow the rules .
I don ’ t want to see a Denver where the unique , small businesses are gone and all that remains are chains .
We have worked so hard to make Denver a dining destination .
I want so much to keep serving you all delicious food , made with love , in a warm hospitable dining room .
Jennifer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ four Denver restaurants in the Crafted Concepts restaurant group — Rioja , Bistro Vendôme , Stoic & Genuine , and Ultreia .
To send a letter to the editor about this article , submit online or check out our guidelines for how to submit by email or mail .

What a year.
In January of 2020, I was humming along, thinking about expansion and how to grow our little company. Our Crafted Concepts restaurant group had a good foundation with five concepts, all unique, and conceived from a place of passion for food, service and hospitality. My chosen business is not an easy one, but I am my mother’s daughter. She instilled in me the drive to choose my path, to tread it well, to give a damn, to fight the good fight, to be a leader, to be a role model.
So I fought like hell to become one of Denver’s most prominent chefs and restaurateurs. But James Beard awards don’t pay the bills during a pandemic.
Now, like so many, I’m on the brink of losing it all. Help early on gave me hope, but so much more is needed to save independent restaurants that it’s hard to know where to start: federal aid for employers and employees, robust support from loyal patrons, innovative programs to get food to those in need, understanding and generous lenders and landlords, and fair and workable regulations and rules. Maybe, more importantly, consumers need to value our food systems, understand the cost of good ingredients and not just reach for the cheapest product.
The sudden announcement on March 16 that our restaurants would close the following day sent all of us into a tailspin. What were we going to do with all of the perishable food? What would our staff do? How would we pay rent? How would our staff pay rent? In typical Jasinski fashion, I went into a work frenzy. Somehow my brain thinks if I am working as hard as humanly possible, I can overcome anything by sheer will.
Our kitchen teams cooked whatever product we had so it would not spoil. Fresh broccoli became broccoli-garlic-rosemary potato gratin. We froze whatever proteins we could. We salted and preserved things, fermented peppers to make hot sauce. Made six different types of kimchi. We donated the rest to our staff so they could eat and gave even more to homeless shelters.
RELATED: Guest Commentary: There are no rewards for good behavior in Denver’s flailing restaurant industry
The hardest thing I had to do was to furlough all but 10 people out of the 200 the group employed.
But the partners also had to permanently close Euclid Hall, for many reasons, but the COVID-19 closure made the decision final. It had been open for 10 years, and even though I knew it wasn’t our failure, it was heartbreaking, a kick in the gut, I felt like a failure.
The management team changed gears and tried to do takeout and delivery from the remaining four restaurants but starting a takeout business from scratch wasn’t simple. Our restaurants also had the disadvantage of being downtown, which became a ghost town during the shutdown. A group of restaurants formed Colorado Restaurant Response and each place produced 3,500 meals a week for food-insecure Coloradans – and that helped us keep a few people employed.
Luckily, our landlords quickly realized the predicament we were in and further discussions led to an easing of our high rent and CAM charges. The landlords did not have to help us but thankfully knew that they want quality businesses in their projects on the other side. Talks with a lender yielded a two-month deferral on a loan.
The stress was at a level I’ve never experienced — even when competing on Top Chef Masters or cooking at the Oscars with Wolfgang Puck. There was the stress of potentially losing my businesses, the stress that the crew I love so much would not have jobs, the stress that I could lose everything I had built over these last 16 years, the stress that people I love could die. I don’t think I slept for three months.
Getting the Paycheck Protection Program funds from the federal government saved our businesses. We would have shut down all four locations if not for PPP funding allowing us to hire back our employees and begin the hard work of putting a revised menu together for each restaurant. Our group had to be better, more efficient, no waste, menus cross utilized, fewer cooks being able to do more. The PPP would not last forever.
I don’t know if people understand how many people Crafted Concepts “employs” indirectly, but when I stopped buying food, the boats that caught the fish didn’t go out, the cheese didn’t get made, farmers’ crops were left to rot, delivery drivers were out of work. The food chain is so complex that closing restaurants affected millions of jobs.
RELATED: Guest Commentary: Restaurants must stay closed to indoor dining even though it’s devastating
Our team threw every idea at the wall to get people onto our patios in May. Oyster slurping pop-ups, a hamburger battle between Ultreia and Stoic. Virtual wine dinners, anything and everything to keep us in our guests’ minds. If we could only maintain awareness with our old guests, maybe we had a chance.
Opening the dining rooms in late May at 50% capacity was tough, but we were so happy to have life back in our restaurants. The group upgraded cleaning procedures, installed new air handling and went above and beyond the Denver Health department requirements.
Each restaurant logged temperatures for everyone who walks in our back door, so vendors and employees can be tracked. Thank heavens Denver allowed us to expand our patios and for a month or two the restaurants actually hit 70% of the previous year’s sales. That felt really good like we were on the mend.
The next kick in the gut was decreasing dining room capacity to 25% as cases exploded around the country and in Denver. This was followed by the 10 p.m. curfew and then the closure of indoor dining and an 8 p.m. cutoff for liquor sales. How can any of us survive? Do we shut down temporarily for a few months? Stay open and lose money?
People are dying. We hit the sad milestone of over 300,000 Americans dead. In Denver over 600 loved ones will not be with us. Businesses are shutting their doors forever. Congress is playing games with our lives, and it is hurting so many Americans. When I read columns from writers and politicians who don’t understand the real cost of this, it infuriates me. If we do not get more help, I am afraid we will not make it. So many restaurants have already closed. Restaurants employed 285,000 Coloradans pre-pandemic. We need help!
RELATED: Denver restaurants that have closed permanently during the coronavirus pandemic
It has been tough to be one of the “good guys” following all regulations. Our team see other businesses not following the rules and making good money. I am still my mother’s daughter, and will do things “the right way” and be a leader my staff can be proud of. With over 300,000 Americans dead from this, we will follow the rules.
I don’t want to see a Denver where the unique, small businesses are gone and all that remains are chains. We have worked so hard to make Denver a dining destination. I want so much to keep serving you all delicious food, made with love, in a warm hospitable dining room.
Jennifer Jasinski is executive chef and co-owner of four Denver restaurants in the Crafted Concepts restaurant group — Rioja, Bistro Vendôme, Stoic & Genuine, and Ultreia.
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thedenverpost--2020-12-17--How will Colorado make sure communities of color get vaccinated against COVID-19?

For much of the week , images of Colorado health care workers receiving the first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine flashed on screens — hope had arrived in the form of tiny vials , and as Gov .
Jared Polis greeted a FedEx courier delivering that first fragile package , he declared , “ This is the beginning of the end.
” But as state leaders begin to take on a historic mass vaccination campaign , it ’ s still not clear how they will distribute the vaccine to the wider public nor how they will ensure people of color @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the highest rates of infection and death — and disadvantaged communities get vaccinated for COVID-19 .
“ I would say it ’ s a work in progress as we partner with the local public health agencies and communities to plan for the Phase 2 , and clearly the principle of giving those first doses to those most in need , will be at the top of our plans , “ said Dr. Eric France , chief medical officer with the state Department of Public Health and Environment .
The arrival of the first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It was just a month ago that Pfizer announced the shots were more than 90 % effective in preventing the disease caused by the novel coronavirus .
Distribution is also expected to take months , with the state health department predicting that it won ’ t be until spring that Colorado enters the second phase of its vaccination framework .
That ’ s why people are encouraged to continue wearing masks , washing their hands and social distancing .
As the state undertakes these efforts , officials will need to work on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ color in order to have an effective public health response , said Karla Gonzales Garcia , policy director of the Colorado Organization for Latina Opportunity and Reproductive Rights .
“ Our people are dying at higher rates , ” she said .
“ I haven ’ t seen any strong education program coming from the governor that can help rebuild this trust in order to take care of everyone .
In order for this to work , everyone has to be safe and healthy.
” When will people of color get the vaccine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ limited to health care workers in closest contact with coronavirus patients and those living and working in long-term care facilities .
Then , through the winter , the shots will be available to other medical employees , first responders and people who work in home health , hospice and dental settings .
It ’ s when distribution enters the second phase that things remain murky .
That phase covers a large swath of individuals , including essential workers and people with underlying health conditions that put them at a high risk of complications @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment revised its distribution framework , it no longer prioritized any of the groups listed within Phase 2 .
Eventually , the agency will do so , but Executive Director Jill Hunsaker Ryan previously said officials were waiting for further guidance from a national advisory committee .
The state health department will work with Denver Health and Denver Public Health on who should get vaccinated in the second phase , France said during a media briefing on Wednesday .
“ I know that Denver Public Health will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the highest rates of disease , and are at the highest risk of hospitalization and will likely be prioritizing those areas for those first doses , ” he said .
While the health department revised its phased approach to vaccine distribution , it has not released a final report that delves into as much details as the agency ’ s draft plan released in October .
Under its draft plan , the state health department repeatedly acknowledges systemic racism and notes that people of color have become sick and died from COVID-19 at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ does not specify they should receive higher prioritization for a vaccine — an issue that has been debated by public health experts across the country .
By prioritizing individuals at high-risk of exposure and severe disease in the second phase , the plan addresses “ both the ethical principle of trying to save the most number of lives , while also working to address racial inequities.
” It does this in the second phase because people of color are more likely to live in high-density areas , be an essential worker or have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ document .
“ There ’ s an overrepresentation of communities of colors in those essential services that are front-facing , ” said Dr. Anuj Mehta , a pulmonary and critical care physician at Denver Health and National Jewish Health .
The reason the draft plan does not prioritize when someone will receive a vaccine based on their race or ethnicity is because “ by doing that you are not getting at the heart of who is most at risk , ” he said .
By focusing on jobs that put people at high @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the state does under both the draft plan and the newly revised framework — public health officials are able to address racial inequities , said Mehta , who worked on the recommendations for the health department .
For example , health care workers in nursing homes are more likely to be people of color so they are covered under the long-term care facility employees that are part of the first phase , he said .
“ They go to work and provide an absolute essential service , ” Mehta said .
“ They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work and they transmit it to older family members in their generational home.
” Another reason the draft plan did not prioritize people based on race or ethnicity is because public health experts heard through conversations with the community that if people of color were given the vaccine first , it could increase vaccine hesitancy and reduce the number of people willing to get the shots , Mehta said .
Medical and public health experts said one of the big drivers behind the hesitancy to get the vaccine is mistrust in the government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ history of unethical experimentation on people of color .
The state is trying to address this through communication and public health messaging to help inform people of the safety of the vaccine .
The Native American community will always deal with historical trauma with any health care situation in the United States , but is trying to do its part in educating patients and community members about the importance of the vaccine , said Adrianne Maddux , executive director of the Denver Indian Health and Family Services .
“ Once the vaccine starts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some information presentations online and share links on social media with education about it , ” she said .
“ We understand that people have to make decisions for themselves , and we respect that .
We don ’ t want to force the vaccine on anyone , but it is our duty to educate about the importance of it.
” The Department of Public Health and Environment created the “ Champions for Vaccine Equity Initiative ” in the fall , which will work to build relationships with communities of color about vaccine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the agency in an email .
As a “ champion , ” Dr. Terri Richardson , vice chair of the Colorado Black Health Collaborative , has been meeting with different groups across the state to address their concerns about any COVID-19 vaccines .
She said that history is still present in her community and that people bring up the Tuskegee Study when they talk about their mistrust of the vaccine .
The 40-year-old study withheld medical treatment from Black men with syphilis , despite researchers telling them that they were being treated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remember those things so we can ’ t just pooh-pooh it , ” Richardson said .
She said that ’ s why it is important to remind people that researchers worked to make sure people of color were part of the vaccine trials .
The health systems in Colorado are also reviewing the safety data themselves , which is providing another check on the vaccines ’ safety .
“ I felt that you know , within the African American community where there ’ s so much skepticism — and rightly so — I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ example to the African American community that it ’ s OK to get involved in these kind of trials , ” said Michael Rouse , who was part of UCHealth ’ s Moderna vaccine trial .
He spoke during a media briefing with the state health department and local medical experts on Wednesday .
“ So I felt the vaccine itself was safe , ” Rouse said .
“ It is safe .
Everyone should get it.
” Still , Richardson said she understands people ’ s fears about the vaccine , saying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vaccine she doesn ’ t want to be the first in line .
“ I try to be truthful : I have fear , too , ” she said .
“ But look at how many people have died from COVID.
” She added , “ I don ’ t want to be the last and I don ’ t want Black people to be the last.
” Subscribe to bi-weekly newsletter to get health news sent straight to your inbox .

For much of the week, images of Colorado health care workers receiving the first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine flashed on screens — hope had arrived in the form of tiny vials, and as Gov. Jared Polis greeted a FedEx courier delivering that first fragile package, he declared, “This is the beginning of the end.”
But as state leaders begin to take on a historic mass vaccination campaign, it’s still not clear how they will distribute the vaccine to the wider public nor how they will ensure people of color — who’ve experienced some of the highest rates of infection and death — and disadvantaged communities get vaccinated for COVID-19.
“I would say it’s a work in progress as we partner with the local public health agencies and communities to plan for the Phase 2, and clearly the principle of giving those first doses to those most in need, will be at the top of our plans, “ said Dr. Eric France, chief medical officer with the state Department of Public Health and Environment.
The arrival of the first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine occurred quickly. It was just a month ago that Pfizer announced the shots were more than 90% effective in preventing the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.
Distribution is also expected to take months, with the state health department predicting that it won’t be until spring that Colorado enters the second phase of its vaccination framework. That’s why people are encouraged to continue wearing masks, washing their hands and social distancing.
As the state undertakes these efforts, officials will need to work on repairing relationships and distrust in communities of color in order to have an effective public health response, said Karla Gonzales Garcia, policy director of the Colorado Organization for Latina Opportunity and Reproductive Rights.
“Our people are dying at higher rates,” she said. “I haven’t seen any strong education program coming from the governor that can help rebuild this trust in order to take care of everyone. In order for this to work, everyone has to be safe and healthy.”
When will people of color get the vaccine?
For now, COVID-19 doses are limited to health care workers in closest contact with coronavirus patients and those living and working in long-term care facilities. Then, through the winter, the shots will be available to other medical employees, first responders and people who work in home health, hospice and dental settings.
It’s when distribution enters the second phase that things remain murky. That phase covers a large swath of individuals, including essential workers and people with underlying health conditions that put them at a high risk of complications from the novel coronavirus.
When the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment revised its distribution framework, it no longer prioritized any of the groups listed within Phase 2.
Eventually, the agency will do so, but Executive Director Jill Hunsaker Ryan previously said officials were waiting for further guidance from a national advisory committee.
The state health department will work with Denver Health and Denver Public Health on who should get vaccinated in the second phase, France said during a media briefing on Wednesday.
“I know that Denver Public Health will be thinking about those communities that have the highest rates of disease, and are at the highest risk of hospitalization and will likely be prioritizing those areas for those first doses,” he said.
While the health department revised its phased approach to vaccine distribution, it has not released a final report that delves into as much details as the agency’s draft plan released in October.
Under its draft plan, the state health department repeatedly acknowledges systemic racism and notes that people of color have become sick and died from COVID-19 at a disproportionately high rate. But it does not specify they should receive higher prioritization for a vaccine — an issue that has been debated by public health experts across the country.
By prioritizing individuals at high-risk of exposure and severe disease in the second phase, the plan addresses “both the ethical principle of trying to save the most number of lives, while also working to address racial inequities.”
It does this in the second phase because people of color are more likely to live in high-density areas, be an essential worker or have underlying health conditions, according to the document.
“There’s an overrepresentation of communities of colors in those essential services that are front-facing,” said Dr. Anuj Mehta, a pulmonary and critical care physician at Denver Health and National Jewish Health.
The reason the draft plan does not prioritize when someone will receive a vaccine based on their race or ethnicity is because “by doing that you are not getting at the heart of who is most at risk,” he said.
By focusing on jobs that put people at high risk of exposure to COVID-19 — as the state does under both the draft plan and the newly revised framework — public health officials are able to address racial inequities, said Mehta, who worked on the recommendations for the health department.
For example, health care workers in nursing homes are more likely to be people of color so they are covered under the long-term care facility employees that are part of the first phase, he said.
“They go to work and provide an absolute essential service,” Mehta said. “They go back home having been exposed to work and they transmit it to older family members in their generational home.”
Addressing mistrust and history of racism
Another reason the draft plan did not prioritize people based on race or ethnicity is because public health experts heard through conversations with the community that if people of color were given the vaccine first, it could increase vaccine hesitancy and reduce the number of people willing to get the shots, Mehta said.
Medical and public health experts said one of the big drivers behind the hesitancy to get the vaccine is mistrust in the government, particularly given the nation’s history of unethical experimentation on people of color. The state is trying to address this through communication and public health messaging to help inform people of the safety of the vaccine.
The Native American community will always deal with historical trauma with any health care situation in the United States, but is trying to do its part in educating patients and community members about the importance of the vaccine, said Adrianne Maddux, executive director of the Denver Indian Health and Family Services.
“Once the vaccine starts rolling out, we will probably host some information presentations online and share links on social media with education about it,” she said. “We understand that people have to make decisions for themselves, and we respect that. We don’t want to force the vaccine on anyone, but it is our duty to educate about the importance of it.”
The Department of Public Health and Environment created the “Champions for Vaccine Equity Initiative” in the fall, which will work to build relationships with communities of color about vaccine importance and safety, said a spokesperson for the agency in an email.
As a “champion,” Dr. Terri Richardson, vice chair of the Colorado Black Health Collaborative, has been meeting with different groups across the state to address their concerns about any COVID-19 vaccines.
She said that history is still present in her community and that people bring up the Tuskegee Study when they talk about their mistrust of the vaccine. The 40-year-old study withheld medical treatment from Black men with syphilis, despite researchers telling them that they were being treated for the venereal disease.
“We remember those things so we can’t just pooh-pooh it,” Richardson said.
She said that’s why it is important to remind people that researchers worked to make sure people of color were part of the vaccine trials. The health systems in Colorado are also reviewing the safety data themselves, which is providing another check on the vaccines’ safety.
“I felt that you know, within the African American community where there’s so much skepticism — and rightly so — I felt I needed be kind of an example to the African American community that it’s OK to get involved in these kind of trials,” said Michael Rouse, who was part of UCHealth’s Moderna vaccine trial.
He spoke during a media briefing with the state health department and local medical experts on Wednesday.
“So I felt the vaccine itself was safe,” Rouse said. “It is safe. Everyone should get it.”
Still, Richardson said she understands people’s fears about the vaccine, saying that while she wants to get the vaccine she doesn’t want to be the first in line.
“I try to be truthful: I have fear, too,” she said. “But look at how many people have died from COVID.”
She added, “I don’t want to be the last and I don’t want Black people to be the last.”
Subscribe to bi-weekly newsletter to get health news sent straight to your inbox.


thedenverpost--2020-12-17--Lockheed Martin in Jefferson County gets nod to start work on mission to map water sources on moon

Lockheed Martin Space has received the official go-ahead to build a spacecraft that will spend about a year mapping the form and location of water on the moon .
Using an airborne observatory , a modified Boeing 747 with a nearly 9-foot-diameter telescope , NASA said in October that it had confirmed for the first time ever the existence of water on the sunlit surface of the moon .
The Lunar Trailblazer , to be built at Lockheed Martin ’ s facilities in Jefferson County , will orbit the moon , mapping where water is found at different times of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ surface .
The scheduled launch is February 2025 .
The craft , which will carry infrared and thermal imaging instruments , is about the size of a mini refrigerator and roughly 11 feet across with its solar panels deployed .
“ It will be mapping key points across the moon , with a heavy focus on the poles but also the equatorial portion to make sure we ’ re able to cover all the different time zones as well as different latitudes for tracking the water cycle on the moon , ” said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ program manager for the mission .
Wood said previous missions have revealed ice deposits in permanently shadowed regions , at the moon ’ s poles , but a recent study turned up signs of forms of waters at the equator .
He said the water appears to move , but it ’ s not known how .
Scientists want to figure out where and when the water moves to facilitate future human exploration .
Wood said it will help determine whether people would have access to water at different spots on the moon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ closer to the poles where there are permanent deposits of water that don ’ t seem to move .
NASA plans to land the first woman and the next man on the moon by 2024 as a start to further exploration of the surface .
Although Lockheed Martin got the OK from NASA to start building Trailblazer , two other crafts will launch before it does .
The company will build twin spacecraft , each the size of a carry-on suitcase , for the Janus mission .
The satellites , scheduled for launch @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with visible and infrared cameras to take images of binary asteroids , two bodies orbiting a common center of mass .
NASA has said Janus will contribute to the understanding of the solar system ’ s content , origin and evolution .
The Lunar Trailblazer and Janus programs are among three missions by NASA called the Small Innovative Missions for Planetary Exploration .
The budget for each of the missions is capped at $ 55 million .
In the case of Trailblazer and Janus , the satellites will hitch rides with larger spacecraft @ @ @ @ @ @ @ destinations .
The University of Colorado-Boulder is leading the science for the Janus mission and the California Institute of Technology is leading Trailblazer .
Wood is Lockheed Martin ’ s program manager for Janus .
“ We do see the advantage of these small missions , ” Wood said .
“ It ’ s great being able to use the extra launch capacity and still do big science out of these small packages .
”

Lockheed Martin Space has received the official go-ahead to build a spacecraft that will spend about a year mapping the form and location of water on the moon.
Using an airborne observatory, a modified Boeing 747 with a nearly 9-foot-diameter telescope, NASA said in October that it had confirmed for the first time ever the existence of water on the sunlit surface of the moon. The Lunar Trailblazer, to be built at Lockheed Martin’s facilities in Jefferson County, will orbit the moon, mapping where water is found at different times of the day and spots on the lunar surface.
The scheduled launch is February 2025. The craft, which will carry infrared and thermal imaging instruments, is about the size of a mini refrigerator and roughly 11 feet across with its solar panels deployed.
“It will be mapping key points across the moon, with a heavy focus on the poles but also the equatorial portion to make sure we’re able to cover all the different time zones as well as different latitudes for tracking the water cycle on the moon,” said Joshua Wood, Lockheed Martin’s program manager for the mission.
Wood said previous missions have revealed ice deposits in permanently shadowed regions, at the moon’s poles, but a recent study turned up signs of forms of waters at the equator. He said the water appears to move, but it’s not known how.
Scientists want to figure out where and when the water moves to facilitate future human exploration. Wood said it will help determine whether people would have access to water at different spots on the moon or whether they would need to stay closer to the poles where there are permanent deposits of water that don’t seem to move.
NASA plans to land the first woman and the next man on the moon by 2024 as a start to further exploration of the surface.
Although Lockheed Martin got the OK from NASA to start building Trailblazer, two other crafts will launch before it does. The company will build twin spacecraft, each the size of a carry-on suitcase, for the Janus mission. The satellites, scheduled for launch in August 2022, will be equipped with visible and infrared cameras to take images of binary asteroids, two bodies orbiting a common center of mass.
NASA has said Janus will contribute to the understanding of the solar system’s content, origin and evolution.
The Lunar Trailblazer and Janus programs are among three missions by NASA called the Small Innovative Missions for Planetary Exploration. The budget for each of the missions is capped at $55 million.
In the case of Trailblazer and Janus, the satellites will hitch rides with larger spacecraft that will carry on to their own destinations. The University of Colorado-Boulder is leading the science for the Janus mission and the California Institute of Technology is leading Trailblazer. Wood is Lockheed Martin’s program manager for Janus.
“We do see the advantage of these small missions,” Wood said. “It’s great being able to use the extra launch capacity and still do big science out of these small packages.”


thedenverpost--2020-12-18--Broncos podcast: Keys to the game as Denver faces AFC East leader Bills in Week 15 at Empower Field

In this edition of the 1st-and-Orange podcast sponsored by SportsBetting.com , Denver Post beat writers Kyle Newman and Ryan O @ @ @ @ @ ’ Week 15 showdown against the Bills at Empower Field .
The duo provides injury @ @ @ @ @ plus analysis on the Broncos ’ kicker situation as Brandon McManus is unlikely to play @ @ @ @ @ take another step forward after a career game against Carolina , the matchup of the @ @ @ @ @ potent Buffalo passing attack and much more .
• 🔊 Broncos podcast : Previewing underdog @ @ @ @ @ Chiefs in Week 13 • 🔊 Broncos podcast : Previewing Sunday ’ s Week 12 @ @ @ @ @ to Denver Subscribe to our Broncos Insider newsletter to get the latest team news sent @ @ @ @ @

In this edition of the 1st-and-Orange podcast sponsored by SportsBetting.com, Denver Post beat writers Kyle Newman and Ryan O’Halloran preview the Broncos’ Week 15 showdown against the Bills at Empower Field.
The duo provides injury updates leading into game, plus analysis on the Broncos’ kicker situation as Brandon McManus is unlikely to play, how Drew Lock can take another step forward after a career game against Carolina, the matchup of the thinned Denver secondary against the potent Buffalo passing attack and much more.
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thedenverpost--2020-12-18--Kiszla: Adieu, Pierre. Behind the scenes stories of how Lacroix was godfather of Avalanche’s champio

Kiszla: Adieu, Pierre. Behind the scenes stories of how Lacroix was godfather of Avalanche’s championship empire.

We called him “ Father Pete ” because he was the godfather that ruled the Avalanche empire with an iron fist .
Patrick Roy and Joe Sakic were the stars of a championship hockey team .
But make no mistake : Pierre Lacroix was the boss .
Nobody who valued peace or quiet messed with “ Father Pete.
” The greatest general manager in Colorado sports history ?
No contest .
No debate .
It ’ s Lacroix , who died Sunday , at age 72 , from complications of COVID-19 .
With a voice that spoke sweetly to children @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on arrogance alone , Lacroix was fond of reminding me : “ You know nothing about hockey.
” But one summer afternoon in 1997 , I knew a secret that caught “ Father Pete ” with his pants down .
It was a doozy that threatened to wreck the Avs ’ burgeoning empire .
The New York Rangers had been plotting for weeks to steal Sakic in free agency , and I knew how they were going to do it .
The plan was cunning .
At the end of a business day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ predatory offer — a heavily front-loaded , three-year , $ 21 million deal — designed to make it extremely difficult for a cash-strapped NHL team in Colorado to match .
The Avs were blindsided .
Charlie Lyons , who held the franchise ’ s purse strings in his role as CEO of Ascent Entertainment Group , was totally unaware New York had made Sakic the highest-paid player in the league until the telephone rang in his suburban Denver home shortly before 7 p.m. and I broke the bad news to him .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ don ’ t know anything about it .
I just walked in my house , ” Lyons replied .
“ If Joe has an offer sheet from the Rangers , this is the first I ’ ve heard about it.
” Back in the ’ 90s , before the internet moved information at the speed of two thumbs tapping , Lyons refused to believe my report until he talked to Lacroix , who was not only his trusted hockey ally , but also a neighbor .
Barely an hour later , I heard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exasperated words : “ Son of a ….
” In death , Lacroix will be fondly remembered with toasts for blockbuster trades and two Stanley Cup championships that set a lofty standard of sports excellence in Denver .
But I ’ m convinced “ Father Pete ” did his best work during seven tense days in the summer of ’ 97 .
Lacroix swallowed his pride , bit the financial bullet , doubled Sakic ’ s salary ( with a major assist from Lyons ) and kept his Colorado hockey family from splintering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lacroix masked his relief by growling like a grouchy bear : “ I feel so uncomfortable , not only as somebody with a team here in Denver , but as a member of the National Hockey League .
This league has a loose wheel somewhere and can ’ t stop from going down the wrong path.
” Laughing last , Lyons sent a framed old photo of politician Nelson Rockefeller offering a middle-finger salute to rival executive Dave Checketts at Madison Square Garden .
The Avs reigned in no small part because Lacroix @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to lose .
The opposite side of the negotiating table from “ Father Pete ” was always the wrong place to be , whether you were a general manager looking to trade goalie Patrick Roy or Avs center Chris Drury , looking for more respect in a paycheck .
Lacroix worked tirelessly , dined passionately and lived by his own rules .
Rule No .
1 : Family first .
Always .
“ For me , Pierre ’ s passing is an existential nightmare , ” Lyons told me .
“ Losing a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vaccine on the dock .
It ’ s like being shot down in a war that has been decided.
” Lacroix and I had arguments so in-your-face intense I could smell what he ate for lunch .
Prior to Marc Crawford ’ s final game on the Colorado bench , a 4-0 loss to Edmonton in the 1998 playoffs , Lacroix was furious at me for blasting the team ’ s lack of commitment to a coach who won the Cup only two years earlier .
With lines in the column he found @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Father Pete ” stood outside the Avs dressing room and furiously waved the paper in my face , bellowing : “ These are lies !
All lies !
Lies printed here in black and white … and pink !
” As the puck drop for Game 7 drew closer , our debate raged on until a nearby door cracked open , and Crawford stuck his head out , and politely asked : “ I ’ ve got a playoff game to win in this building today .
Could you and Pierre take @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s ticker gave out after more than seven decades of giving his whole heart to the people and projects he loved .
As a Dad , he brimmed with pride , knowing Eric Lacroix scored 67 regular-season goals while playing eight NHL seasons .
It also tore “ Father Pete ” apart when prominent Avalanche players privately told me Eric ’ s presence in the Colorado locker room caused so much discomfort it forced the GM to make the toughest trade of his career , dealing Eric to the Los Angeles Kings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be told , “ Father Pete ” never forgave me for the column that resulted in taking away Eric from dinners with his mother .
Shortly after dawn in the summer of ’ 99 , I heard a commotion while boarding a train at Union Station for a trip with local luminaries and Denver Post subscribers headed to Cheyenne Frontier Days in Wyoming .
Coco Lacroix , wife of the Avs ’ roster architect , was distraught at the prospect of being in the same dining car as a journalist who contributed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anger made perfect sense to me .
Family first .
Always .
So I moved as many train compartments away as possible , far from the Lacroix ’ s sight , so Pierre and Coco could enjoy their trip to the rodeo .
It was no big deal to me .
But years later , in the midst of a rant about how my criticism of his team was as reckless as “ a little boy with a gun , ” Lacroix stopped abruptly in mid-sentence .
“ I also remember the time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I could enjoy our day on the train , ” Lacroix said , with genuine appreciation .
“ I ’ ve never thanked you for that .
So : Thank you.
” Then , without missing a beat , Lacroix resumed bellowing , telling me how I knew nothing about hockey .
I loved every minute of admonishment because he was again teaching this knucklehead a master class in the art of championship-building .
“ Father Pete ” was one tough son of a gun .
He could also be a saint who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and cherished the smile of a young grandchild more than championship rings .
That ’ s why I imagine heaven and hell waged a wicked recruiting battle to win the soul of the most brilliant sports executive I ’ ve ever met .
But can there be any doubt that Lacroix now resides with the angels ?
Although fools have tried , nobody has ever told “ Father Pete ” where to go .
Lacroix always blazed his own path , and his footprints were the road map to Avalanche glory .

We called him “Father Pete” because he was the godfather that ruled the Avalanche empire with an iron fist. Patrick Roy and Joe Sakic were the stars of a championship hockey team. But make no mistake: Pierre Lacroix was the boss. Nobody who valued peace or quiet messed with “Father Pete.”
The greatest general manager in Colorado sports history? No contest. No debate. It’s Lacroix, who died Sunday, at age 72, from complications of COVID-19.
With a voice that spoke sweetly to children and an accent that often won arguments on arrogance alone, Lacroix was fond of reminding me: “You know nothing about hockey.”
But one summer afternoon in 1997, I knew a secret that caught “Father Pete” with his pants down. It was a doozy that threatened to wreck the Avs’ burgeoning empire.
The New York Rangers had been plotting for weeks to steal Sakic in free agency, and I knew how they were going to do it. The plan was cunning. At the end of a business day in August, the Rangers faxed a predatory offer — a heavily front-loaded, three-year, $21 million deal — designed to make it extremely difficult for a cash-strapped NHL team in Colorado to match.
The Avs were blindsided. Charlie Lyons, who held the franchise’s purse strings in his role as CEO of Ascent Entertainment Group, was totally unaware New York had made Sakic the highest-paid player in the league until the telephone rang in his suburban Denver home shortly before 7 p.m. and I broke the bad news to him.
“How do you know that? I don’t know anything about it. I just walked in my house,” Lyons replied. “If Joe has an offer sheet from the Rangers, this is the first I’ve heard about it.”
Back in the ’90s, before the internet moved information at the speed of two thumbs tapping, Lyons refused to believe my report until he talked to Lacroix, who was not only his trusted hockey ally, but also a neighbor.
Barely an hour later, I heard back from Lyons, who uttered these exasperated words: “Son of a ….”
In death, Lacroix will be fondly remembered with toasts for blockbuster trades and two Stanley Cup championships that set a lofty standard of sports excellence in Denver.
But I’m convinced “Father Pete” did his best work during seven tense days in the summer of ’97. Lacroix swallowed his pride, bit the financial bullet, doubled Sakic’s salary (with a major assist from Lyons) and kept his Colorado hockey family from splintering.
When the Avs retained Sakic, Lacroix masked his relief by growling like a grouchy bear: “I feel so uncomfortable, not only as somebody with a team here in Denver, but as a member of the National Hockey League. This league has a loose wheel somewhere and can’t stop from going down the wrong path.”
Laughing last, Lyons sent a framed old photo of politician Nelson Rockefeller offering a middle-finger salute to rival executive Dave Checketts at Madison Square Garden.
The Avs reigned in no small part because Lacroix combined problem-solving imagination with a hard-headed refusal to lose. The opposite side of the negotiating table from “Father Pete” was always the wrong place to be, whether you were a general manager looking to trade goalie Patrick Roy or Avs center Chris Drury, looking for more respect in a paycheck.
Lacroix worked tirelessly, dined passionately and lived by his own rules. Rule No. 1: Family first. Always.
“For me, Pierre’s passing is an existential nightmare,” Lyons told me. “Losing a loved one to COVID, with the vaccine on the dock. It’s like being shot down in a war that has been decided.”
Lacroix and I had arguments so in-your-face intense I could smell what he ate for lunch.
Prior to Marc Crawford’s final game on the Colorado bench, a 4-0 loss to Edmonton in the 1998 playoffs, Lacroix was furious at me for blasting the team’s lack of commitment to a coach who won the Cup only two years earlier. With lines in the column he found particularly aggravating highlighted in pink ink, “Father Pete” stood outside the Avs dressing room and furiously waved the paper in my face, bellowing: “These are lies! All lies! Lies printed here in black and white … and pink!”
As the puck drop for Game 7 drew closer, our debate raged on until a nearby door cracked open, and Crawford stuck his head out, and politely asked: “I’ve got a playoff game to win in this building today. Could you and Pierre take this argument somewhere else?”
Lacroix’s ticker gave out after more than seven decades of giving his whole heart to the people and projects he loved. As a Dad, he brimmed with pride, knowing Eric Lacroix scored 67 regular-season goals while playing eight NHL seasons. It also tore “Father Pete” apart when prominent Avalanche players privately told me Eric’s presence in the Colorado locker room caused so much discomfort it forced the GM to make the toughest trade of his career, dealing Eric to the Los Angeles Kings early in the 1998-99 season.
Truth be told, “Father Pete” never forgave me for the column that resulted in taking away Eric from dinners with his mother. Shortly after dawn in the summer of ’99, I heard a commotion while boarding a train at Union Station for a trip with local luminaries and Denver Post subscribers headed to Cheyenne Frontier Days in Wyoming. Coco Lacroix, wife of the Avs’ roster architect, was distraught at the prospect of being in the same dining car as a journalist who contributed to family grief.
A mother’s anger made perfect sense to me. Family first. Always. So I moved as many train compartments away as possible, far from the Lacroix’s sight, so Pierre and Coco could enjoy their trip to the rodeo. It was no big deal to me.
But years later, in the midst of a rant about how my criticism of his team was as reckless as “a little boy with a gun,” Lacroix stopped abruptly in mid-sentence.
“I also remember the time you moved, so my wife and I could enjoy our day on the train,” Lacroix said, with genuine appreciation. “I’ve never thanked you for that. So: Thank you.”
Then, without missing a beat, Lacroix resumed bellowing, telling me how I knew nothing about hockey. I loved every minute of admonishment because he was again teaching this knucklehead a master class in the art of championship-building.
“Father Pete” was one tough son of a gun. He could also be a saint who championed his team’s community service, and cherished the smile of a young grandchild more than championship rings. That’s why I imagine heaven and hell waged a wicked recruiting battle to win the soul of the most brilliant sports executive I’ve ever met.
But can there be any doubt that Lacroix now resides with the angels?
Although fools have tried, nobody has ever told “Father Pete” where to go.
Lacroix always blazed his own path, and his footprints were the road map to Avalanche glory.


thedenverpost--2020-12-18--CU football regular season over, Pac-12 says; Buffs likely to accept bowl bid

The Buffs ’ 2020 season weathered several false starts before getting underway in November .
After a bizarre few days of re-scheduling and conjecture , CU ’ s regular-season appears to finally be over .
The Pac-12 confirmed to The Post on Thursday evening that its teams for the conference ’ s football championship game on Friday night are apparently set : USC ( 5-0 , 5-0 conference ) will represent the South Division and Oregon ( 3-2 , 3-2 ) will represent the North .
The Ducks and CU ( 4-1 , 3-1 ) had been assigned by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ teams that would replace the division champions in case COVID prevented the Trojans or Washington Huskies ( 3-1 , 3-1 ) , the league ’ s designated division champions , from playing for the title .
Washington on Monday was forced to back out of the game because of COVID-19 protocols , which moved Oregon into the championship .
Which , in turn , left CU without a weekend Pac-12 opponent .
The Buffs , who stayed in the College Football Playoff committee ’ s top 25 at No .
25 despite a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , were originally supposed to travel to Los Angeles to play the Ducks at the Los Angeles Coliseum on Saturday .
That game was canceled Monday when Oregon had to replace Washington in Friday ’ s championship .
The coronavirus has made scheduling in college sports , and especially with the Pac-12 , highly fluid and unpredictable .
But CU athletics officials told The Post that the Buffs are expected to accept a bowl bid , if offered , once this weekend ’ s slate of league games are completed .
The league @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fiesta Bowl .
The remaining bowl-eligible Pac-12 teams have three other postseason opportunities with conference ties : the Alamo Bowl on Dec. 29 ; the Independence Bowl on Dec. 26 ; and the Armed Forces Bowl on Dec. 31 .
UCLA on Thursday joined Stanford in announcing that it won ’ t pursue a bowl game if offered .
The Pac-12 decreed that only league members with .500 or better records would be eligible for bowls .
The conference could have as many as five teams with a .500 or better record after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wind up short if Arizona State ( 1-2 ) or Utah ( 2-2 ) lose .
CU is on the cusp of its first postseason appearance since a loss in the 2016 Alamo Bowl .
The Buffs are assured of a winning record in 2020 regardless , making it the first above-.500 campaign for CU since 2016 and only the second over the last 16 seasons .
The first season under new football coach Karl Dorrell saw the Buffs wind up second to USC in the Pac-12 South , CU ’ s highest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2016 .
The Buffs posted identical 5-7 records in 2017 , 2018 and 2019 under two different head coaches — Mike MacIntyre ( ’ 17 and ’ 18 ) and Mel Tucker ( ’ 19 ) .
Dorrell was hired this past Feb. 23 to replace Tucker , who left Boulder after just 14 months on the job to become football coach at Michigan State .
By league rules , the Buffs could have qualified to face USC , ranked No .
13 by the College Football Playoff committee , in the Pac-12 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one more conference game , including CU ’ s tussle with the Utes , had been canceled .
Among the Pac-12 ’ s directives for the COVID-shortened 2020 regular season was a provision that declared that if the average number of games played by league schools after six regular-season weeks wound up at four or less , then the teams with the two best records would ’ ve played for the league title , regardless of division .
The kickoff of the game between Stanford and Oregon State in Corvallis , the last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ league average at 4.5 games played per school .
The conference announced a pairing of USC and Washington in the championship game shortly after Stanford-Oregon State kicked off .
“ I do have a lot of empathy for Colorado , ” Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott said on a Zoom call with media Thursday .
Rather than schedule a game against a local opponent — the CSU Rams , most notably , are idle this week — the Buffs announced Monday evening that they would not play a non-conference game this weekend .
Scott @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Los Angeles or sitting at home not playing was a Buffs issue — not a league one .
“ ( CU ’ s got ) a new coach , a lot of optimism , a lot of bright spots and a lot of frustrations about having so many games canceled , ” the commissioner said .
“ But I will say that there was also a lot of , I think , admirable flexibility and nimbleness shown by our leadership — again , the coaches , ADs , league office .
When it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to get multiple cancellations , we allowed non-conference opponent scheduling .
“ Obviously , CU chose not to take advantage of that .
But they had the option .
”

The Buffs’ 2020 season weathered several false starts before getting underway in November. After a bizarre few days of re-scheduling and conjecture, CU’s regular-season appears to finally be over.
The Pac-12 confirmed to The Post on Thursday evening that its teams for the conference’s football championship game on Friday night are apparently set: USC (5-0, 5-0 conference) will represent the South Division and Oregon (3-2, 3-2) will represent the North.
The Ducks and CU (4-1, 3-1) had been assigned by the Pac-12 as the respective “stand-by” teams that would replace the division champions in case COVID prevented the Trojans or Washington Huskies (3-1, 3-1), the league’s designated division champions, from playing for the title.
Washington on Monday was forced to back out of the game because of COVID-19 protocols, which moved Oregon into the championship. Which, in turn, left CU without a weekend Pac-12 opponent.
The Buffs, who stayed in the College Football Playoff committee’s top 25 at No. 25 despite a home loss to Utah this past Saturday, were originally supposed to travel to Los Angeles to play the Ducks at the Los Angeles Coliseum on Saturday.
That game was canceled Monday when Oregon had to replace Washington in Friday’s championship.
The coronavirus has made scheduling in college sports, and especially with the Pac-12, highly fluid and unpredictable. But CU athletics officials told The Post that the Buffs are expected to accept a bowl bid, if offered, once this weekend’s slate of league games are completed.
The league champ is expected to slot into the Fiesta Bowl. The remaining bowl-eligible Pac-12 teams have three other postseason opportunities with conference ties: the Alamo Bowl on Dec. 29; the Independence Bowl on Dec. 26; and the Armed Forces Bowl on Dec. 31.
UCLA on Thursday joined Stanford in announcing that it won’t pursue a bowl game if offered. The Pac-12 decreed that only league members with .500 or better records would be eligible for bowls. The conference could have as many as five teams with a .500 or better record after this weekend’s results but may wind up short if Arizona State (1-2) or Utah (2-2) lose.
CU is on the cusp of its first postseason appearance since a loss in the 2016 Alamo Bowl. The Buffs are assured of a winning record in 2020 regardless, making it the first above-.500 campaign for CU since 2016 and only the second over the last 16 seasons.
The first season under new football coach Karl Dorrell saw the Buffs wind up second to USC in the Pac-12 South, CU’s highest league finish since winning the division in 2016.
The Buffs posted identical 5-7 records in 2017, 2018 and 2019 under two different head coaches — Mike MacIntyre (’17 and ’18) and Mel Tucker (’19). Dorrell was hired this past Feb. 23 to replace Tucker, who left Boulder after just 14 months on the job to become football coach at Michigan State.
By league rules, the Buffs could have qualified to face USC, ranked No. 13 by the College Football Playoff committee, in the Pac-12 title game Friday night if at least one more conference game, including CU’s tussle with the Utes, had been canceled.
Among the Pac-12’s directives for the COVID-shortened 2020 regular season was a provision that declared that if the average number of games played by league schools after six regular-season weeks wound up at four or less, then the teams with the two best records would’ve played for the league title, regardless of division.
The kickoff of the game between Stanford and Oregon State in Corvallis, the last contest of the day, put the league average at 4.5 games played per school. The conference announced a pairing of USC and Washington in the championship game shortly after Stanford-Oregon State kicked off.
“I do have a lot of empathy for Colorado,” Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott said on a Zoom call with media Thursday.
Rather than schedule a game against a local opponent — the CSU Rams, most notably, are idle this week — the Buffs announced Monday evening that they would not play a non-conference game this weekend.
Scott inferred Thursday that CU potentially coming to Los Angeles or sitting at home not playing was a Buffs issue — not a league one.
“(CU’s got) a new coach, a lot of optimism, a lot of bright spots and a lot of frustrations about having so many games canceled,” the commissioner said. “But I will say that there was also a lot of, I think, admirable flexibility and nimbleness shown by our leadership — again, the coaches, ADs, league office. When it appeared (that) CU was going to get multiple cancellations, we allowed non-conference opponent scheduling.
“Obviously, CU chose not to take advantage of that. But they had the option.”