A grieving family in Trump country is fighting to prevent more Covid-19 deaths
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The two-week Covid-19 test positivity rate in the county was more than 15% on December 8, according to county data. Of the county's 324,492 residents, at least 16,745 have been confirmed infected with the virus.
The Weld County Commission said it would not enforce any of the state's mandates.

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Mask initiative
The family has started an initiative called "Mask up for May," trying to get people to wear masks in the hope it will help save lives and prevent others from experiencing the pain of losing a loved one.
The family members have been lifelong Republicans in a conservative area, and feel let down by the lack of leadership during the pandemic.
President Donald Trump carried Weld County with almost 58% of the vote, according to the county's election website, and the Bunjes family feels that the county's disregard for masks and other measures is a reflection of the President's lack of leadership on the issue.
Trump said many times during the campaign that the virus would disappear after November 3, suggesting it was a ploy by Democrats.
"Oh, our own president saying, the day after the election that the coronavirus would disappear. Well, guess what, Mr. President, my mom died 15 days after your election and it didn't disappear," Strumpf said.
"It didn't go away. It's not going away. It's not a joke. My mom died 16 days after your flippant remarks, and I am devastated."

Bar Owner Hailed by Fox News Allegedly Drives Into NY Deputy Trying to Arrest Him Over COVID Violations

The Staten Island "autonomous zone" bar owner previously praised by Fox News was taken into police custody on Sunday after violating COVID-19 restrictions again.

The co-owner of Mac's Public House, Danny Presti, was arrested for reopening the bar and then allegedly hitting a sheriff's deputy with his while fleeing the scene.
The New York City Sheriff's Office said deputies tried to take Presti into custody after observing customers entering the bar through an empty commercial space next door, according to NBC New York. The bar had recently been ordered closed and lost its liquor license over breaking COVID rules.
The Sheriff's Office said that, upon deputies identifying themselves, Presti fled the bar on foot, reached his car, drove into one of the officers and then continued driving with the injured deputy hanging onto the hood of the car.

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Mac's Public House was the site of a large protest earlier this week after the bar was shut down and Presti was arrested for ignoring orders from the sheriff's department to stop serving customers. Presti claimed the bar was an "Autonomous Zone." Supporters of the far-right Proud Boys group were among the hundreds in attendance.

The bar, which is within an area of southern Staten Island with rising COVID-19 cases, was on Wednesday praised by Fox News' talk show The Five, which compared its autonomous zone to the one that came about during summer protests in Seattle: "One [autonomous zone] was pro-business, one was anti-police, but they get treated completely different... [In Seattle], people got shot. Here, people just took a few shots. But all of the sudden, the guy's arrested for that? It's sick."