SENTINEL EXPRESS C O M M E R C E
VOLUME 33 32
C I T Y
UESDAY OVEMBER 24, 30, 2020 2021 TTUESDAY ,,NNOVEMBER
50cI
SSUE 48 49 ISSUE
New COVID-19 restrictions will prohibit dining, personal COVID mask-wearing order forindoor Arapahoe, Adams gatherings counties Jeffco, Denver also get mandate; Douglas County passes BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Facing the possibility that the current COVID-19 surge could breach Colorado’s hospital capacity, the public health agency for Adams and Arapahoe counties has issued a new indoor mask-wearing mandate, effective Nov. 24 through at least the end of the year. The Nov. 22 mask order from the Tri-County Health Department’s board echoed those from health authorities in Jefferson County, Denver and some other counties, while Douglas County leaders signaled Nov. 23 they don’t plan to require the wearing of masks. Hospital demand was the driving force behind the action by the board of Tri-County Health — which serves Adams and Arapahoe counties and provides certain services in Douglas County — to approve the new mask mandate. With rates of new coronavirus cases reaching levels not seen since last December — and daily deaths among those with COVID-19 recentA 5k run among family members starts at Brighton’s Turkey Trot Nov. 20. At left, Tony DiLorenzo finished in a time of 40:40. ly hitting numbers higher than they Rocco DiLorenzo, center, finished in a time of 41:59. At right, Maddi DiLorenzo finished in a time of 33:40. For full race results, did during the first wave in spring PHOTO BY STEVE SMITH go to thebrightonblade.com. 2020 — coronavirus hospitalizations in Colorado may soon overtake last at a Nov. 23 meeting, county comDeranleau said during the video December’s peak. That mark was The mask order applies to all missioners -- two of whom are also meeting, referencing guidelines 1,847 confirmed COVID patients on people 2 and older in all public inboard health members -- sounded Centers for DisDec. 1, 2020. door spaces in Adams and Arapahoe from the federal county of is required to follow based on the By Ellis Arnold unconvinced that alocal mask order was ease Control and Prevention that counties rapid with certain School of Public A The longColorado line of cars outside the city of Brighton’s testingexceptions. site at severity of a county’s virus spread. Community Media needed in the county. stronglyColorado recommend mask wearing Douglas mentioned recent reHealth has estimated a 48% chance Riverdale Regional Park. The site has had to close early many days in recent in high-transmission areas. The dialare grew out ofbreaking the state’s safer-at“We seeing points in quests to the state public-health that hospital demand exceeds 2,000 weeks to high demand. Adams County’s 14-daytotest positivity rate As Denver metro counties continue to home order — the policy the that state came and after other systems around Denver followed suit with a mask department institute a mask beds indue the next several weeks if inch closer to later. local stay-at-home orders the metro area,” Douglas County order a day Boulder and Larthe statewide stay-at-home order this mandate — pleas that have gone coronavirus trends their was 15.9 percent, asremain of Nov. on 17, according to Tri-County Health Department. Commissioner George Tealtypes saidofin imer issued unanswered. current John Douglas, undercounties Colorado’salready system ofhad coronavirusspring and allowed numerous Brightontrajectory, and Commerce City’s test positivity rates were both higher than the meeting. “I have an appreciamask mandates in recent months. “We felt that if the state was executive director of Tri-County related restrictions, the state announced businesses to reopen. 13 percent. Forty-five people in Brighton and 29 intoCommerce City have tion for the system here in Douglas Tri-County’s order will not apunwilling act, metro-wide action” Health, cited during the Nov. 22 a new level of rules that prohibits indoor The state recently switched to color died fromofCOVID-19 related health issues. To limit spread ofhospital COVID-19, ply in Douglas County, where the could help the alleviate the meetiong the agency’s board. County being stressed. There’s a big dining and personal gatherings — a identifiers — levels blue, yellow county’s new health department crisis, Douglas said during the meetbed capacity in Colodifference between a systemand being atHospital least 15 counties moved to tighter restrictions that prohibits indoor and change that amid appliescounty to the majority the — created leaders’ofunorange rather thananumbered levels — to ing. stressed versus system breaking.” rado is now at an “all-time low” personal gatherings. happiness over Tri-County Health’s Also on Nov. 22, the Jeffco Public compared to other times during the Denver metro area and many counties in avoid confusion. Until Nov. 17, level red COVID-safety Health board voted 4-1 to institute pandemic, Douglas’ presentation ‘Tyranny and power’ order. Now, level other regions. rules — has authormeant a stay-at-home ity over countywide public health a mask mandate for people 3 and said. That’s partly due to patients During the public comment The state’s COVID-19 dial, which has red — “severe — is the secondorders. older. hospitalized for conditions other portion of therisk” Tri-County Health Photo by Belen Ward been in effect since September, is the set Douglas County officials are not “This is (an) action that really than COVID-19, although COVIDboard’s Nov. 22 meeting, Gregg of different levels of restrictions each considering a mask mandatethat there, should have been taken a while specific hospitalizations themselves Please see RESTRICTIONS, Page 2 SEE MASKS, P5 a county spokesperson said. And ago,” Jeffco health board chair Greg have been on the rise for months.
CONTACT
US AT
303-659-2522
Contact us at 303-566-4100
INSIDE THIS ISSUE INSIDE THIS ISSUE
LOCAL 3 2 OBITUARIES 5 3 OBITUARIES LOCAL 8 7 LEGALS SPORTS 11 9 CLASSIFIED LEGALS 10 CLASSIFIEDS
FOLLOW THE SENTINEL EXPRESS ON FACEBOOK Follow the Sentinel Express on Facebook
LOCAL
BUSINESS LOCAL
CASA volunteers are ready to help •27J Schools •moves • Vestas to lay off 200 online-only Dec. 1 employees
• Page 3
• Page 3
• Page 9
WWW.COMMERCECITYSENTINEL.COM
WWW.COMMERCECITYSENTINEL.COM