Colorado

Coronavirus prompts record Colorado home sales

As the coronavirus prompts exoduses from New York and California, more and more people are committing to buying homes in Colorado. The Colorado Association of Realtors reported a monthly record of 10,771 single-family home sales in July— a 21 percent increase year-over-year. The state also saw an 8.6-percent jump in new listings, though the number of single-family home active listings dropped by about 42 percent year-over-year. Colorado Springs realtor Jay Gupta said in the report that homebuyers “waited on an hour-by-hour basis for the new listings to show up, then competed to win the bidding wars.” The state has become a Top 10 destination for wealthy Gen-Xers and Millenials in recent years, personal finance technology company SmartAsset reported on Friday. Denver-area contracts contributed heavily to Colorado’s total home sales, while high demand and a limited supply of houses drove up average mortgage amounts, the report found. “Despite the inventory increase in July, the robust buyer activity continues to consume any and all new listings that are priced appropriately within 30 days of coming on the market,” Denver realtor Karen Levine said in a statement. She added that the current market is a “challenge for buyers, as they have fewer properties to choose from, competition is fierce and the average and median prices continue to move upward.” At the same time, the state is experiencing record unemployment rates. Nearly 15,000 Coloradans filed for unemployment for the first time last week, and about 280,800 state residents continue to receive unemployment benefits, The Colorado Sun reported Thursday. Colorado Gov. Jared Polis extended the state’s $300 individual weekly unemployment benefit for another 13 weeks on Thursday. “There is a total disconnect with half the economy being crushed and yet, housing has mostly shrugged it all off. Like the stock market. Bad news is good news for both, it appears,” Colorado Springs realtor Patrick Muldoon said in a statement. “The total number of business closings is catastrophic. It is estimated by many that a third of all restaurants are simply not coming back.”

Potential good news for anyone selling their house in Colorado.  For more, click on the text above…

Colorado suspect claimed he was making ‘healthy meth substance’ with acai berries, report says

A Colorado man arrested this week in connection to running a meth lab in his garage reportedly told police that he was making a “healthy meth substance” since it contained acai berries. Craig William Rogers, of Longmont, is now facing numerous charges, including unlawful distribution, manufacturing and dispensing of a controlled substance, according to the Colorado Daily. The newspaper, citing an affidavit, reported that police discovered the alleged operation Tuesday after acting on a tip – and once they tracked down the 49-year-old, he claimed his brand of the drug was a “healthy meth substance.” “No amount of meth is safe, whether it has a berry in it or not,” Longmont Police Deputy Chief Jeff Satur told the Colorado Daily. “It’s a highly addictive, life-destroying drug.” Satur also said investigators found a “berry-like substance” inside the lab. Court records viewed by the newspaper show that Rogers was released Wednesday on a $15,000 bond.

Normally we don’t post the local crime beat.  But, in this case we’ll make an exception because it illustrates just how dumb some people are, and where we’re going as a society.  Idiots like this are out there convincing others that their fruity version of meth is “healthy,” and there are apparently enough brain trusts out there who will actually fall for that.  Be afraid..

Colorado man died of alcohol poisoning, but death was later blamed on coronavirus: report

A Colorado man who died of alcohol poisoning had his death classified as due to the coronavirus, possibly shedding light on a skewed virus death toll in the state, according to a report on Thursday. Sebastian Yellow, 35, was found dead by police on May 4. Montezuma County Coroner George Deavers later determined that his death was due to acute alcohol poisoning. His blood-alcohol content measured in at .55. The legal limit in the state is .08. But before Deavers signed the death certificate, Colorado health officials reportedly categorized Yellow’s death as being due to COVID-19. “They should have to be recording the same way I do. They have to go off the truth and facts and list it as such,” said Deavers, according to Denver’s KCNC-TV. Back in April, health officials in Colorado classified three nursing home fatalities as COVID-19 deaths, even though attending physicians ruled they were not related to the coronavirus. While Yellow later tested positive for COVID-19, Deavers said his death had nothing to do with the coronavirus. “It wasn’t COVID, it was alcohol toxicity,” said Deavers, according to the station.”Yes, he did have COVID but that is not what took his life.” The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment released a statement to KCNC-TV on how they classify COVID-19 related deaths. “We classify a death as confirmed when there was a case who had a positive SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) laboratory test and then died. We also classify some deaths as probable,” the statement said. “The gist is that there must be strong epidemiological evidence of COVID-19 such as a combination of close contact with a confirmed case and symptoms of COVID-19. We will also count a death as a COVID-19 death when there is no known positive laboratory test but the death certificate lists ‘COVID-19’ as a cause of death.” Dr. Deborah Birx, the response coordinator for the White House coronavirus task force, said in April the federal government was classifying the deaths of patients infected with the coronavirus as COVID-19 deaths, regardless of any underlying health issues that could have contributed to the loss of someone’s life. “There are other countries that if you had a pre-existing condition, and let’s say the virus caused you to go to the ICU [intensive care unit] and then have a heart or kidney problem,” she said during a news briefing at the White House. “Some countries are recording that as a heart issue or a kidney issue and not a COVID-19 death.” Classification instances like that of Yellow’s could mean the virus is overcounted, although some doctors and officials believe the reality is the opposite due to other reasons. During Dr. Anthony Fauci’s testimony before the Senate on Tuesday, he said undercounting could result from people who died at their home from the virus, but weren’t counted or tested because they never reached the hospital. “I think you are correct that the number is likely higher,” Fauci said in response to a question from Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, according to the Washington Post.“I don’t know exactly what percent higher, but almost certainly it’s higher.” Fauci wouldn’t speculate on if the numbers were 50 percent higher than the current U.S. death toll. However, he said that “most of us feel that the number of deaths are likely higher than that number.” There are more than 1,417,889 confirmed coronavirus cases in the U.S., while at least 85,000 people have died from the virus as of Friday morning, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

For more scroll down to the following article….

Colorado amends coronavirus death count – says fewer have died of COVID-19 than previously reported

Colorado has made a stunning and significant change to the way it counts COVID-19 deaths that reduced the statewide figure from more than 1,000 to 878, according to a report. The change came after Colorado’s Department of Public Health admitted that its COVID-19 death toll was counting those who tested positive for the coronavirus but had died of other causes, Fox 31 Denver reported late Friday. The department now says 1,150 Coloradoans who died had COVID-19 but only 878 of those deaths were “due to” COVID-19. “We have been reporting at the state, deaths among people who had COVID-19 at the time of death and the cause of that death may or may not have been COVID-19,” Dr. Eric France, the health department’s chief medical officer told the station. “We started to hear stories about ‘are these correct or are these incorrect?’” France said. Fox News on Friday reported on one of those stories as part of a report that found that the hodgepodge way states counted COVID-19 deaths was a reason why some people believe the U.S. COVID-19 death figure was exaggerated. The story involved a 35-year-old man from Montezuma County who died May 4 of alcohol poisoning but whose death was counted in Colorado’s COVID-19 death toll. “The state is reporting that death as a COVID death, but our health department wanted to let people know that even though the person did have the virus, they did not die from it,” the Montezuma County Health Department said about the man’s death. The national COVID-19 death toll climbed to 87,568 Saturday with the deaths of 1,662 more people due to the virus, John Hopkins University data showed. But that latest number does not take into account Colorado’s amended figure, listing the death toll at 1,150. France blamed the confusion on the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System that states use to report COVID-19 deaths to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Hours before the health department lowered the death count a somber Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, a Democrat, had told a coronavirus news briefing that the state had reached a “reflection point” as the number of COVID-19 deaths had surpassed 1,000. “It’s important to remember that every number has a name,” Polis said. “It’s easy to say over 1,000 people. Each one of those is a person with friends, loved ones and family. If you’re fortunate enough not to have known someone who was lost, take a moment and remember why we all need to do our part.” Fox 31 obtained a statement from Polis’ office after the death count was reduced that said the governor fully supported efforts by the health department to specify how many deaths were specifically due to COVID-19 “and not just specific to CDC guidelines that include people who died with Coronavirus but not necessarily from it.” “State epidemiologists believe that once the data is up to date then the number will, unfortunately, be higher,” the statement concluded.

Huh?  No you dumbass!  Did you NOT just hear that your state’s numbers are about 300 cases FEWER?  Someone needs to smack Gov. Polis (D-CO) upside the head.  He was in D.C. this past week on bended knee at the White House asking President Trump for more money for Colorado.  Don’t know how that all went.  Guess we’ll see..  We’re curious to see how many other states have exaggerated the number of cases and deaths from the Wuhan virus..  Stay tuned.

Colorado officer cleared in deadly February shooting of suspect with gang ties

A law-enforcement officer will not face criminal charges in the deadly February shooting of a suspect with gang ties in northern Colorado, police announced late last week. Greeley Police said that Weld County district attorney made the decision last Monday about an unnamed officer who shot an armed man sitting in a car with a woman at a Section 8 apartment complex on Feb. 26. Released body camera footage showed Ramiro Carrasco reaching for a gun on his lap and throwing it on the ground after being shot, police said. Warning “this body camera footage is graphic and has explicit language,” Greeley police released the disturbing video Thursday on its YouTube page. The 19th Judicial Critical Incident Response Team, a five-year-old group of highly trained and skilled investigators from 24 law enforcement agencies in Weld County working with the DA to probe officer-involved shootings, said the cop was justified in firing at Carrasco after he failed to follow police orders. For safety reasons, the cop was not named given Carrasco’s “very strong and documented ties,” to criminal gangs.

To see the video, click on the text above.  Looks pretty cut and dry.  Bad guy had gun on his lap and was told NOT to move, and he failed to comply.  We’re glad the cop, who was wearing a body cam, won’t face any charges.  From what we can tell, he did this by the book and was professional and clear with his instructions.

Gov. Polis shuts down restaurant that defied lockdown, slams ‘anti-scientific views’ of reopeners

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis shut down a Castle Rock restaurant for at least 30 days after it defied state orders and reopened its dining room doors to a massive Mother’s Day crowd on Sunday. The C&C Breakfast and Korean Kitchen went viral over the weekend after videos showed dozens of maskless customers dining inside amid a coronavirus-related state lockdown, which mandates restaurants can only offer delivery and takeout services until at least May 26. “We are standing for America, small businesses, the Constitution and against the overreach of our governor in Colorado!!” the business tweeted to President Trump on Saturday. On Monday, the Tri-County Health Department issued an order for the restaurant to close for at least 30 days, CBS Denver reported. Mr. Polis on Monday accused the restaurant of causing a health hazard to Coloradans and slammed the “anti-scientific views” of people who ignore state orders. “I joined most Coloradans in our frustration watching videos of people illegally packed into restaurants and thinking about all the moms and grandmothers and aunts and everyone who was put at increased risk of dying from this horrible virus,” the governor said, CBS Denver reported. Mr. Polis threatened businesses that they might lose their licenses and face costly court battles if they reopen early. “When people see videos of people packed into a restaurant, with no social distancing and no masks, people feel less safe, and the widespread economic pain will only be prolonged,” he said. “We’re walking a tightrope between protecting all of our health, and of course, trying to grow our economy. It’s hard enough to walk without folks shaking the rope, because of their own ideological or anti-scientific views, which they choose over the lives of our brothers and sisters.” A spokeswoman for the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment said violating the state public health order is a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of $1,000 or up to a year in jail, The Denver Post reported.

And here come the Colorado state big government nazi thugs, courtesy of Gov. Jared Polis (D-CO).

Hundreds of homeless test positive for coronavirus in Denver, shelter workers also sickened

Hundreds of homeless people have tested positive for coronavirus in Denver, city officials said Saturday, and several shelter workers are reportedly infected as concern grows that a larger outbreak could occur at one of the large shelters. There are at least 203 cases of COVID-19 among Denver’s homeless population, according to a city spokesperson. Of those cases, 170 have been caught during health screenings at two large shelters in Denver at the National Western Complex and the Denver Coliseum. As coronavirus has spread throughout the country, there have been concerns the virus could sweep through the nation’s homeless population, many of whom have chronic health conditions and lack safe places to quarantine themselves. Homeless populations are particularly susceptible to COVID-19, which can be spread through coughing and sneezing. Cathy Alderman, the vice president of communications and public policy for the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless, told FOX31 that it’s only a matter of time before there’s an outbreak inside of the facilities. “We’re not able to test the hundreds of people that could be asymptomatic,” she said Saturday. “And we know that one in three people in many shelter systems across the country is carrying this virus, but not showing any symptoms.” Similar concerns have been raised by activists, including one in California who warned that sheltering people in large spaces such as a convention center could create “a powder keg” that could permit the contagion to rapidly spread. On Friday night, 579 people were inside the National Western Complex, which is where only men are staying. At the Denver Coliseum, there has been an average of 170 women staying there a night. Catholic Charities of Denver, which is running operations at the Coliseum, said so far eight women tested positive for the virus at health screenings outside. Mike Sinnett, who works for the group, said workers are just “trying to protect the ladies inside the shelter as much as we can.” “Until this thing runs out, I don’t think we can be overly prepared, or cautious, or guarded,” he told FOX31. Those working at the facilities have also fallen ill. At least seven COVID-19 cases have been confirmed among staff at the National Western Complex being operating by the Denver Rescue Mission, Denverite reported. Brad Meuli, the mission’s president and CEO, told the news outlet that of those who tested positive, three have recovered and returned to work. “This is the nature of the work that we’re doing right now,” he said. “We’re very much at risk.” On Monday, the Denver City Council is expected to vote on a $1.9 million agreement to provide an additional 140 hotel rooms for people experiencing homelessness. Other states have undertaken similar measures, such as California, where officials have acquired over 15,000 hotel rooms to shelter people during the pandemic. “We’re trying to move people out of these congregate settings that are high risk,” Alderman told FOX31. “So I think that is a really smart strategy to prevent spread and extreme health complications among those high-risk individuals that could overwhelm the hospital system.” As of Sunday, there were 15,999 cases of COVID-19 in Colorado with at least 828 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University.

Colorado Gov. Polis defends decision to reopen despite resistance from Denver, counties

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis defended Sunday his decision to gradually reopen the state beginning Monday, even as some of the largest localities opted to extend their novel coronavirus restrictions. Mr. Polis announced last week that Colorado would lift its “stay-at-home” order and move to a “safer-at-home” strategy, which includes allowing elective surgeries and the reopening of medical and dental offices, curbside non-essential retail pick-up, and in-person real-estate showings. Not everyone is on board. Denver Mayor Michael B. Hancock will retain the city’s stay-at-home order through May 8, as will some of other more populous Front Range communities, including Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder and Jefferson counties. After CNN’s Jake Tapper asked whether his decision “could theoretically cost your constituents their lives,” Mr. Polis said that “the stay-at-home order was for nothing” if it cannot be replaced with more sustainable practices. “We always wish, Jake, that I had next week’s information and next month’s information available to me today,” Mr. Polis said on CNN’s “State of the Union.” “That’s not the world we live in. We have to make the best-informed decisions based on data and science with the information we have.” The Democrat governor has scheduled a press conference Monday to discuss the state’s new guidelines. Mr. Polis has emphasized that the roll-out is not a “free for all.” For example, personal services such as hair salons will still need to take social-distancing precautions, and people still will be “encouraged to stay home” rather than “ordered to stay home” except when absolutely necessary. What we know is that what matters a lot more than the date that the stay-at-home ends is, what we do going forward—and how we have an ongoing, sustainable way psychologically, economically and from a health perspective—to have the social distancing we need,” Mr. Polis said. He added: “Otherwise, if we can’t succeed in doing that on an ongoing basis, the stay at home was for nothing.”

Indeed..  Jake Tapper is such a moron..  He’s another shining example of why CNN’s ratings are in the toilet.  Here in sunny Colorado, we’re happy to have some of these restrictions lifted.  It’s a good start.

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis Announces Plan to Partially Reopen State

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) on Monday announced that his stay-at-home order will not extend past April 26 and will allow some businesses to reopen as the country continues to combat the Chinese coronavirus pandemic. In his daily press briefing, Polis outlined how large workplaces will be allowed to operate at 50 percent capacity starting on May 4th. The governor said he hopes restaurants and bars can reopen around mid-May. “Retail curbside delivery, any retail that wants to do that, that starts immediately April 27,” he said. Polis emphasized the importance of continuing social distancing after restrictions are loosened. “We can’t lose sight of the fact that our job isn’t finished, your job isn’t finished, not by a long shot,” he cautioned. To date, Colorado has 10,106 coronavirus cases and 449 deaths, according to data tracked by Johns Hopkins University. Governors in Georgia, South Carolina, and Tennessee announced changes Monday that pave the way for some businesses to reopen between now and May 1 after weeks of pandemic lockdown orders. Georgia’s Republican Gov. Brian Kemp announced changes that will take place as soon as Friday, April 24. A statewide mandate will allow for the reopening of businesses including fitness centers, tattoo studios, hair and nail salons, barbers, bowling alleys and massage therapy businesses on Friday if they meet social distancing measures, Kemp said. Church services may resume if they follow the state’s safety policies, Kemp said. Theaters and restaurants will be allowed to open on Monday, April 27, but night clubs and bars will remain closed for now, Kemp said. The state will not lift the general “shelter in place” order until April 30, and the governor said “medically fragile” people should remain home through May 13. Georgia health authorities have confirmed about 19,400 positive cases of COVID-19, with 3,700 hospitalized and 775 deaths as of Monday.

Colorado Baker Sued Again, This Time for Refusing ‘Gender Transition’ Cake

Colorado baker Jack Phillips was back in court Thursday after a lawyer filed a second lawsuit against him for refusing to create a gender-transition “birthday cake.” Phillips, who was victorious at the U.S. Supreme Court in 2018 following years of litigation for refusing to make a custom cake for a same-sex wedding in 2012 — at a time when the state of Colorado did not recognize same-sex marriage — is again being represented by the Alliance Defending Freedom. Despite the high court’s 7-2 ruling in his favor two years ago, which found that the Colorado Civil Rights Commission had shown “clear and impermissible hostility” on the basis of Phillips’ religion and violated the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, the same state agency pursued another case against Phillips because he declined to make a cake celebrating transgenderism. Phillips filed a lawsuit against the state alleging harassment and it subsequently dropped the matter. After that, a local trans activist and attorney named Autumn Scardina called Phillips’ Denver-area bakery to order a custom made gender-transition cake. Scardina waited past the appeal deadline so he could file a new lawsuit in a different court. Scardina is seeking more than $100,000 in damages, fines, and attorney’s fees. The state court heard oral arguments in the case on Thursday. ADF has filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit. Scardina is now claiming in this latest legal action, which was filed in the District Court for the city and county of Denver, that Phillips violated Colorado’s Anti-Discrimination Act and Consumer Protection Act by refusing to bake what the plaintiff said was a birthday cake. This birthday cake, as described in the lawsuit, was to be blue on the outside and pink on the inside to represent Scardina’s decision to self-identify as a woman. “Masterpiece Cakeshop said before the Supreme Court they would serve any baked good to members of the LGBTQ community. It was just the religious significance of it being a wedding cake. We don’t believe they’ve been honest with the public,” said Scardina’s attorney, Paula Greisen, in an interview with CBS’s Denver affiliate last year. Phillips has long maintained that he does not single out lesbian, gay, bi-sexual or trans-identified individuals regarding his custom orders. However, he’s long maintained that he will not use his creative talents to support messages that conflict with his faith. Thus, he will not make cakes that celebrate Halloween, drug use, or cakes that disparage people, including those who identify as LGBT. “It wasn’t enough for Jack to lose 40 percent of his business after Colorado pursued him the first time. It wasn’t enough for Jack to have to defend his freedoms all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. And it wasn’t enough for Jack and his family to endure years of harassment and even death threats,” ADF noted on its website Wednesday. “For some, it won’t be enough until Masterpiece Cakeshop closes its doors and Jack Phillips is in financial ruin. They want Jack, an average American business owner, to pay a hefty price—all because he wants to live according to his faith. It is time to leave Jack alone,” ADF added. The Supreme Court ruling in Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission has been seen as one of the more important modern religious liberty cases to reach the high court. Though a decisive majority of justices sided with Phillips, the scope of the ruling was narrow in that it focused on the Colorado Commission’s lack of neutrality. The high court did not weigh in on the deeper conflict between anti-discrimination statutes and the free exercise of religion and free speech.

This poor guy, Jack Phillps, can’t seem to get a break from these people!  He really needs to start a GoFundMe page for his ongoing legal bills just to fight off the gay mafia which won’t rest til he’s out of business permanently.  As we said back when he won his last case at the Supreme Court in a decisive 7-2 ruling, Jack has EVERY right to deny service to anyone he so chooses, if he feels it would be counter to his religious beliefs.  And, freedom of association is a right guarantied to every American by our Constitution, and that decision by the Supremes only affirmed that.  On this Easter Sunday, we wish Mr. Phillips all the best in his latest legal challenge.