Commerce City Sentinel Express 083121

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SENTINEL EXPRESS C O M M E R C E

VOLUME 34 32

C I T Y

50cI

36 ISSUE SSUE 48

TUESDAY , OVEMBER AUGUST 31, TUESDAY ,N 24,2021 2020

Adams County SLIPPINGwill THROUGH New COVID-19 restrictions prohibit indoor dining, personal gatherings opts out of Tri-County mask order

Commissioner Baca endorses leaving the Tri-County Health Department BY LIAM ADAMS LADAMS@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Prairie View’s Leo Zapien finds open running room during Friday’s 34-6 loss to Brighton. See the story on page 15. PHOTO BY JONATHAN MANESS

COVID cases rise; doctors frustrated with unvaccinated as the new COVID variant is a lot Delta variant more more transmissible. According to UCHealth, after a contagious, hospitals see steady decrease of COVID patients between April and mid-July, cases patients under are steadily rising with site more A more long line of cars outside the50 city of Brighton’s rapid testing at than

the ER more out of fear and are quickly released, Usatch said. “Really, we are seeing two flavors of COVID patients,” he said. “The vaccinated have a runny nose, By Ellis Arnold maybe a slight fever and headache. Colorado Community Media The unvaccinated are ending up in 200 patients with confirmed or Riverdale Regional Park. The site has had to close early many days in recent the ICU and deteriorating quickly. suspected COVID infections being BY THELMA GRIMES weeksTGRIMES@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM due to high demand. Adams County’s 14-day test positivity rate As Denver metrodoes counties continue to The vaccine really protect admitted into UCHealth hospitals inchserious closer todisease. local stay-at-home It is heartorders in Douglas and Adams was 15.9 percent, as of Nov. 17, according to Tri-County Healthcounties. Department. from Dr. Ben Usatch, As the new variantCity’s of COunder Colorado’s system of coronavirusBrighton anddelta Commerce test positivity rates wereemergency both highermedithan wrenching.” Usatch said besides delta cine physician and medical direcVID spreads, hospitals and emerrelated restrictions, thethe state announced 13 percent. Forty-five people in Brighton and 29 in Commerce City have variant being a lot more contagency rooms along the Front Range tor of the UCHealth Highlands a new level of rules that prohibits indoor diedthey from COVID-19 related health issues. To limit the spread of COVID-19, Ranch Hospital Emergency Depart- gious, a big change from treating say are seeing more patients dining and personal gatherings — ment, said that alongprohibits with theindoor increasbut are not yet overwhelmed. at least 15 counties moved to tighter restrictions and COVID patients from last year is a change applies to thewere majority of the age. Last that year, hospitals treating number of patients, frustration According to the Colorado personal gatherings. ingDenver more metro patients over 65. This among health-care providers is Department of Public Health and area and many counties in year, most patients coming into rising. Environment, as of Aug. 20, ICU other regions. emergency rooms are under 50 and Usatch said the difference beds went from 72% to 80% occuThe state’s COVID-19 dial, which has unvaccinated, Usatch said. between vaccinated patients with pancy over the preceding month. Photo by Belen Ward been in effect since September, At Sky Ridge Medical Centeris the set breakthrough COVID and unvacIn the Denver metro area, hospital of different levels of restrictions that each cinated patients is night and day. officials say they are handling the Most vaccinated patients come to uptick well but remain concerned SEE COVID, P7

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LOCAL 3 2 • Suncor air pollution OBITUARIES •27J Schools moves 5 3 monitoring OBITUARIES LOCAL system goes 8 10 live online-only Dec. 1 LEGALS SPORTS 11 12 CLASSIFIED PUZZLE • Page 3 13 LEGALS • Page 4 14 CLASSIFIEDS

BUSINESS SPORTS • Adams City women • Vestas to lay off 200 blank Manual employees

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The Adams County Board of Commissioners voted 3-2 on Tuesday to opt out of a Tri-County Health Department order that requires masks for kids ages 2 to 11 in indoor school and child-care settings. The commissioners’ decision now bestows authority about masks with local school districts and their boards. Most districts in Adams County currently require masks for younger students. After the meeting, spokespeople for Mapleton Public Schools, 27J Schools and Westminster Public Schools said the districts were keeping the current mask guidance. A spokesperson for Adams 12 Five Star Schools said the district was evaluating its current mask guidance and the opt-out decision. The county board meeting was an opportunity for a group of citizens to protest and fortocommissioners county is required follow based on the to clarify public severity of astances county’son local virushealth spread. decision-making. The dial grew out of the state’s safer-atBoard chairperson Eva Henry homeCommissioners order — the policy that Tedesco came after and Chaz the statewide stay-at-home thisof and Lynn Baca voted to order opt out the order Tri-County’s board spring and that allowed numerous types of approved Aug. 17. Commissioners businesses to reopen. Emma Pinter and Steve O’Dorisio The against state recently switched voted opting out. to color identifiers — levels blue, yellow andpublic Prior to the commissioners’ orange rather than numbered levelsa — to hearing on Tuesday morning, group of parents gathered avoid confusion. Until Nov. 17,for levela red rally and prayer outside the meant a stay-at-home order. Now,Adams level County Government Center. redThe — “severe risk” — is the secondgroup then made its way to the board chambers. Once the board

Please see RESTRICTIONS, Page 2 SEE COUNTY, P3

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