MADRID (AP) — Spanish soccer stadiums can be at full capacity again starting this weekend, authorities said Wednesday.
Spain had only allowed 60% of seats to be filled at the start of the season but health officials said pandemic conditions have continued to improve across the country in recent weeks.
Local regions still have the final decision on how many fans will be allowed in stadiums, and Catalonia will keep the restrictions at 60% for now, meaning there won’t be immediate changes for matches hosted by Barcelona.
Defending Spanish league champion Atlético Madrid is expected to fill the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium for its match against Barcelona on Saturday.
Authorities said they will reevaluate the health conditions in a month.
___
More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
BRIGHTON, England (AP) — The leader of Britain’s opposition Labour Party took aim Wednesday at a Conservative government that has presided over empty gas pumps and one of Europe’s worst coronavirus death tolls — but still holds a lead over Labour in most opinion polls.
That sums up the dilemma for Labour leader Keir Starmer, who has struggled to break through to a largely indifferent public despite the many problems besetting Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s administration.
Starmer sought to change that with a speech Wednesday at the party’s annual conference, arguing that Labour is “back in business” after a decade of election disappointments. He argued that his personal story — a working-class lad who went to law school and became a public prosecutor — made him a better leader than posh, blustering Johnson, whom he dismissed as “a trickster who has performed his one trick.”
“I don’t think Boris Johnson is a bad man,” Starmer said. “I think he is a trivial man. I think he’s a showman with nothing left to show.”
Labour has been out of office since 2010, a decade that has brought the country three Conservative prime ministers — David Cameron, Theresa May and Johnson.
Johnson’s Conservatives won a thumping 80-seat majority in Parliament in December 2019 by winning over voters in post-industrial northern England towns that had voted Labour for decades but feel neglected by successive governments.
Starmer wants to win them back. In his speech, he tackled many voters’ biggest concern about Labour — that the social democratic party will hike taxes and hobble the economy.
“Too often in the history of this party, our dream of the good society falls foul of the belief that we will not run a strong economy,” he said. “But you don’t get one without the other.”
He promised to improve workers’ conditions and the economy with “the blessing of British business,” in a step back from the class-conflict rhetoric of the party’s left wing.
A former national chief prosecutor, Starmer was elected Labour leader in April 2020 to replace hard-left leader Jeremy Corbyn, who had led the party to two heavy election defeats in 2017 and 2019 — the latter its worst result since 1935.
Yet Starmer has struggled to make an impact while the country’s attention was consumed by the coronavirus pandemic, which has left at least 135,000 people in Britain dead — the highest death toll in Europe after Russia. In recent days a fuel-supply crisis triggered by a truck-driver shortage has shut down thousands of gas stations and led to long lines of frustrated motorists around the country.
He also leads a party that is deeply divided after a decade out of power and was tarred by allegations of anti-Semitism under Corbyn.
Starmer is caught between two wings of the fractious party. Many Labour members think the party must veer to the center to win, as it did under former Prime Minister Tony Blair, who won three successive election victories. Yet Corbyn’s still-numerous supporters loathe Blair and want Starmer to stick to his predecessor’s socialist policies of nationalization and spending hikes.
The splits were clear as Starmer was sporadically heckled during a speech that lasted well over an hour. Starmer spoke beyond the room to the wider British public, taking aim at both the Conservative government and his own party.
He depicted Johnson’s administration as a chumocracy that awarded its friends with contracts while inequality in British society grew — something he linked to the country’s high coronavirus toll.
“There were cracks in British society and COVID seeped into them,” Starmer said.
He took on his hecklers by asking delegates whether they preferred “shouting slogans or changing lives.” Starmer set out a series of election-style promises to improve social care, education, working conditions and innovation.
Conference leaders’ televised speeches are one of the few chances politicians other than the prime minister have to address the public directly outside of election campaigns. Britain is not scheduled to hold a national election until 2024, though many expect Johnson to call one at least a year earlier than that.
Party conferences are an annual fixture of British politics, though they were curtailed in 2020 by the pandemic. This year, it’s back to business.
Labour’s conference ends Wednesday in the English southern seaside city of Brighton. The governing Tories hold their own four-day shindig in Manchester starting Sunday.
Nick Costanzo wants to bring downtown Denver’s food scene to the suburbs.
The former local franchisee of Marco’s Pizza is building a 12,000-square-foot food hall called Freedom Street Social near the intersection of Indiana Street and West 91st Avenue in Arvada’s Candelas community.
“We want to be the food hall in the suburbs for all the 45-year-olds with two kids that still want to go to Avanti but can’t drag the whole family down there,” Costanzo said.
“I’m literally building it for me and my wife,” he added. “We’re 47, we’ve got two kids and live right here, and it’s just a pain in the butt to try to go downtown anymore. So to be able to bring these concepts out here and make it kid-friendly, where you don’t mind if a 4-year old is throwing a fit, is a dream.”
Courtesy of Studio H2G via BusinessDen
The 12,000-square-foot food hall will feature nine food stalls.
Freedom Street Social, which he plans to open in March next year, will feature nine stalls, including:
Osito, a paired down version of Juan Padro’s Mister Oso concept, which has a location in RiNo and a second coming to Wash Park. This smaller location will serve smoked meat tacos, frozen drinks and other snacks.
Chicago restaurateur Jared Leonard’s The Budlong Hot Chicken, which serves Nashville hot chicken, and Hamburger Stan, which serves burgers, shakes and fries. They both have a location within Zeppelin Station.
Chicago-based deep-dish pizza chain Giordano’s, which has two Denver locations and one in Loveland.
Florida-based Jeremiah’s Italian Ice.
Ohio-based Balance Pan-Asian Grille, which serves Asian tacos, build-a-bowls, bubble tea and snacks like creamy wontons, edamame and citrus brussels. This will be the first restaurant outside of Ohio and first franchise location.
A new coffee concept called North End Coffee & Vinyl, which will be run by Costanzo’s wife Aimee, who has a large collection of vinyl records she plans to play throughout the day.
Chef Tajahi Cookie will also be opening a breakfast concept, as well as a stall for The Supper Club, a chef residency program he started during the pandemic in French 75 downtown. Each month he will work with local chefs around Denver to host four to five-course dinners.
“We’re out in the middle of a food desert out here,” Costanzo said. “We’re so far northwest Arvada, and you’re going to Wadsworth, Golden and Boulder to get food.”
“Arvada wants this,” he added. “They want to start promoting it because, for them, it’s the biggest restaurant in Arvada, and the first food hall.”
Costanzo joined Marco’s, which started in his hometown of Toledo, Ohio, as a franchise owner in 2008.
Over the years, he opened 14 locations, including one in Westminster that was ranked No. 2 last year for highest sales out of all the Marco’s locations, and also served in a role assisting other Colorado franchisees.
But by this June, he felt he had “outgrown the business” and sold his stores.
Courtesy of Studio H2G via BusinessDen
A rendering of Freedom Street Social.
While he was an owner, Costanzo worked with Cameron Cummins, who was Marco’s head of development and helped grow the company from 70 to a little more than 1,000 stores.
The two exited around the same time and teamed up to open Freedom Street Social, along with Jeff Kaplan, the Colorado franchise owner of Giordano’s, and Jon Morgan, co-founder of Chicago-based Interra Realty, who is spearheading the construction of the food hall.
After leaving Marco’s, Cummins started Pivotal Growth Partners, a holding company that helps small brands grow their franchise business.
Costanzo said the team plans to use Freedom Street Social as a way to test out some of the brands he’s working with for possible future expansion, such as Jeremiah’s Italian Ice.
“Our goal is to bring in a concept, test them out, see if they have legs to stand on and help them grow,” Costanzo said.
The team bought the 1.8-acre lot at 15177 Candelas Pkwy for $1.8 million last year and broke ground in January, Costanzo said. It’s currently in the core and shell phase, but he expects to have concepts in there ready to test out their operations by February.
The 12,000-square-foot building will include an 1,800-square-foot mezzanine and a 3,500-square-foot patio. Williams Construction is building the food hall, and Michigan-based Studio H2G is designing the space.
Costanzo named Freedom Street Social after the street his grandmother lived on in Toledo, Ohio, for almost 70 years. She passed away a couple of years ago at 97, but he’s paid homage to her throughout the restaurant.
There are personal details, such as inserting the same bathroom tiles and drapes that were found in her home, coasters with her handwriting on it, and including her address in the logo.
“My mom died of cancer when I was 4 years old, and my dad became a single dad, so my two grandmothers became my mom,” Costanzo said. “And within a year both of my grandfathers died, so it was just us. My dad’s mom, who is a 4’8’’ Italian woman, cooked every day, and we’d get dropped off in the morning or after school, and everything was centered around food.”
No. 2 Cherry Creek (4-1) vs. No. 8 Cherokee Trail (4-1)
When/where: 7 p.m. Friday at Legacy Stadium
Last meeting: Cherry Creek 49, at Cherokee Trail 7, Oct. 16, 2020
The two-time defending 5A champion Bruins open league play against a Cougars team riding a three-game win streak. The Bruins have won 26 straight against Colorado teams and five in a row vs. CT. Creek’s stout defense will be challenged by a Cougars attack anchored by CU-bound tackle Travis Gray and an array of weapons that include QB Logan Brooke (1,242 passing yards, 16 TDs), WR Jack Pierce (31 receptions, 506 yards) and RB Ciaran Hyslop (97 carries, 639 yards).
No. 3 Columbine (4-1) vs. Arvada West (4-1)
When/where: 7 p.m. Friday at NAAC Stadium
Last meeting: Columbine 34, vs. A-West 10, Oct. 16, 2020
A resurgent Wildcats program gets another crack at one of the top 5A teams in the state two weeks after hanging with No. 2 Cherry Creek for a half. A-West’s 21 points in that 53-21 loss were the most scored against the Bruins in 14 games. While Columbine’s defense isn’t quite as dominant, the Rebels appear to once again be among the 5A elite. Their lone loss of the season came at top-ranked Valor Christian (35-21) last week, and that was a one-score affair entering the fourth quarter.
No. 4 Ralston Valley (5-0) vs. Mullen (2-3)
When/where: 7 p.m. Friday at de La Salle Stadium
Last meeting: Ralston Valley 21, vs. Mullen 3, Oct. 15, 2020
Don’t let Mullen’s record fool you. No team in the state has played a more difficult schedule. The private school Mustangs have faced four of the top eight teams in the current CHSAANow.com 5A poll, beating one (No. 7 Legend). Things don’t get any easier with Ralston Valley up next. The public school Mustangs have allowed only 9.2 points per game through five weeks — an effort they will need to replicate as they begin the 5A Jeffco League gauntlet.
4A No. 2 Pine Creek (5-0) vs. No. 7 Legend (4-1)
When/where: 7 p.m. Friday at EchoPark Stadium
Last meeting: Legend 21, vs. Pine Creek 20, Nov. 7, 2020
The Eagles began playing up a classification in league play last fall, and paid the price with a heartbreaking loss to Legend that began a string of three straight defeats to end last season. They now return to the scene with a red-hot QB (Josiah Roy, 1,177 total yards) and defense that has more tackles for loss (57) than points allowed (49). Legend running back Bryce Vaz (101 carries, 700 yards, nine TDs) should expect plenty of resistance.
Class 4A
No. 4 Montrose (5-0) vs. No. 1 Palmer Ridge (5-0)
When/where: 6 p.m. Friday at Don Breese Stadium
Last meeting: Palmer Ridge 42, vs. Montrose 20, Oct. 30, 2020
The top-ranked Bears face their stiffest test yet with the Indians set to visit Monument. Montrose has held all but one of its five opponents to a touchdown or less, which should make for an intriguing matchup against a Bears offense that averages 40.8 points and 446 yards per game with three pass catchers with more than 200 yards receiving in Anthony Costanzo (15-246), Ayden Snow (6-258) and KC Fackerell (20-269).
Bear Creek (4-1) vs. No. 3 Dakota Ridge (5-0)
When/where: 7 p.m. Friday at Jeffco Stadium
Last meeting: Dakota Ridge 48, at Bear Creek 14, Oct. 15, 2020
Since surviving a slugfest in Jacksonville, Fla. (23-20 over First Coast), the Eagles have been a force of nature, outscoring teams 187-36 over four games. Junior RB Noah Triplett has 740 total yards and 15 TDs, while senior QB Adam Graves has 817 yards and 10 TDs on 48-of-75 passing. The Bears, who possess an explosive offensive of their own led by QB Jaedon Minter (1197 passing yards), will likely have to match Dakota Ridge’s fireworks to have a chance.
Class 3A
No. 8 Eagle Valley (3-0) vs. No. 5 Frederick (3-0)
When/where: 7 p.m. Friday at Frederick High
Last meeting: Eagle Valley 14, vs. Frederick 8, Nov. 7, 2020
Eagle Valley has come a long way from a winless 2017, with first-year coach John Davis guiding the Devils to a pair of overtime victories and their best three-game start in seven years. Now comes a date with the fifth-ranked Warriors, who have been impressive in outscoring opponents 152-41 so far this season, but have only played once in the past three weeks (53-12 over Palmer).
George Washington (3-1) vs. No. 7 Evergreen (4-0)
When/where: 7 p.m. Friday at Evergreen High
Last meeting: Evergreen 59, at George Washington 36, Oct. 12, 2019
The Patriots carry the DPS banner into their final non-conference game of the season, fresh off a dramatic 41-34 win at Monarch. Junior RB Cellus Honeycutt is a big play waiting to happen with a touchdown run of 91 yards and an average of 11.1 yards per carry (47-522). Running room will likely be harder to come by against an Evergreen defense that has allowed just 22 points through four games and dropped ball carriers for a loss 29 times this season.
