After shutting down for the entire 2020 Northwoods League season, the Madison Mallards are prepping for a scaled-down 2021 campaign and working with city officials to address ballpark debt and extend the current lease.
With a national hodgepodge of state and local government regulations surrounding COVID-19 mitigation, most teams face a variety of issues when planning for 2021. This continues a series on how teams are preparing for 2021.
After Dane County enacted very strict rules designed to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in outdoor gatherings, the Mallards ownership made the decision to skip the 2020 season, but their other teams in the same league–the Kenosha Kingfish and Green Bay Booyah (since sold)–did play a modified schedule. Similarly, an associated USL League One team, Forward Madison, ended up playing the 2020 season in nearby Wauwatosa and not at Breese Stevens Field, the WPA venue formerly hosting Minor League Baseball in Madison.
While Dane County has loosened some restrictions in recent weeks–local schools are cleared to reopen–it’s still uncertain to how things will play out for large outdoor gatherings, says the Wisconsin State Journal:
“I think all we have right now is optimism,” Mallards president Vern Stenman said. “We’ve continued our dialogue with public health. We don’t have a clear answer from them on our ability to return to play and I don’t think that’s coming any time in the near future.”
Even if Public Health Madison and Dane County loosens limitations on sports contests and large gatherings, Stenman told the Madison Parks Commission last month that he didn’t anticipate the Mallards being allowed to play at Warner Park’s full 6,750 capacity for games in 2021.
Stenman said he didn’t want to publicly discuss whether the team was looking for a venue outside of Dane County to play until the restrictions are removed, or when it would have to make that decision.
The Mallards, however, have managed to work out a new use agreement for Warner Park that lowers the rent (the 2020 rent went from $65,238 to $1) and introduced flexibility for the 2021 rent while reworking terms for the team’s repayment of debt stemming from a 2017 renovation. And it also addresses other issues with Warner Park that need addressing, such as upgraded clubhouses, field replacement, upgraded dugouts and better restrooms.
Editor’s note: With a national hodgepodge of state and local government regulations surrounding COVID-19 mitigation, most teams face a variety of issues when planning for 2021. This begins a series on how teams are preparing for 2021.
After sitting out the 2020 season, the Duluth Huskies (summer collegiate; Northwoods League) are planning on socially distanced play at Wade Stadium this summer, with limited crowds and scaled-back concessions.
According to owner Michael Rosenzweig, the Huskies will welcome no more than 900 fans per game to The Wade based on current health guidelines. The ballpark will be divided into six sections of no more than 150 fans per section, each with its own entrance into the ballpark. There will be additional porta-potty facilities on site, and the ballpark will be cleaned and sanitized after each game based on the requirements put in place by local government come season’s start.
No wandering the ballpark, as fans will have to remain in their designated sections at Wade Stadium. To cut down on concession lines, food ordering via smartphone app will be offered.
“Every seat will have a seat number and section number,” Rosenzweig said via press release. “We are working with FanFood to set up an app that fans can download at the ballpark to place an order and pay using their phones to have delivered right to their seat.”
Concessions will also adjusted as well: no fountain drinks for the season, and no draft beer, either. Instead, bottled and canned beverages will be on the menu.
As with all cases of teams prepping for 2021, these plans are tentative and could change as get closer to the late-May opening of the 2021 Northwoods League season.
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About Kevin Reichard
Kevin Reichard is founder and publisher of Ballpark Digest.
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RALEIGH, N.C. – Wet roads in the Triangle didn’t ice over in the wintry mix on Wednesday, but Reid Elmore with NCDOT says they are ready for when it does.
“We have about 50,000 gallons of brine in storage and ready for application. We have about four to five thousand tons of salt on hand in three different salt storage facilities,” Elmore says.
Even if the roads are salted and prepared, Richard Dement with Black Tires says you should get your car checked.
“Definitely have your fluids checked, including anti freeze and washer fluid. Your air pressure is another big thing. Winter time comes in, and your tire pressure drops. Low air pressure causes damage to tires and causes drivability issues,” Dement says.
Dement says the first snow of the year typically brings cars into his shop because of car batteries. He says you can come in and get them checked before the winter season.
He also says to start your car for about a minute before you drive for the day. But even if the roads are safe, and your car is ready, both Dement and Elmore say the best thing you can do is drive safe.
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FRANKFORT, Ky. (WTVQ) – The Kentucky Department of Education released a new COVID-19 guidance document Tuesday to assist districts in preparing for the distribution of the COVID-19 vaccination.
The document provides recommendations on preparing a roster for vaccination candidates, information on how to submit the rosters and considerations to consider for vaccine distribution.
Due to the limited number of vaccines and the logistical challenges of statewide vaccine distribution, only individuals on the roster will be allowed to take the vaccine during the educator distribution period. Should an employee choose not to be included on the initial vaccine roster and later decide they want to take the vaccine, they will be required to wait until the vaccine is available to the general public.
As the situation with the pandemic evolves, KDE is creating new guidance documents to meet the needs of Kentucky’s schools and districts. More guidance and resources can be found on KDE’s COVID-19 webpage.
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Bobby Manning of CLNS joined The Morning Line to talk about the start of the 2020-2021 Boston Celtics season.
It has been a short offseason for the Green, and now they are back at it.
The preseason begins Tuesday night as Boston plays the Sixers in Philadelphia. The pregame show on 92.9 The Ticket begins at 7:30pm.
What should fans expect in these first two preseason games, it is an unprecedented start because normally teams would have had all summer to look at the roster and make plans, now it has to be done in just a pair of outings.
And Boston is doing so a bit shorthanded.
Tristan Thompson is dealing with a hamstring issue and has not taken part in a full practice yet, and is questionable be available for the regular season opener next week against Milwaukee The Celtics know they won’t have Kemba Walker until some point in the new year because of his left knee.
Oh and in case you missed it there was a growth spurt for one of Boston’s stars, we talked with Manning about all of that and more.
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Pfizer will begin shipping out its newly authorized Covid-19 vaccine from plants in Michigan and Wisconsin on Sunday.
Photo: john maniaci/uw health/Reuters
By
Jared S. Hopkins
and
Dan Frosch
Pfizer Inc. PFE -1.46% is packing boxes with thousands of its Covid-19 vaccines for shipment around the U.S., as hospitals gear up to give shots while also confronting the surging pandemic.
Trucks carrying the fragile cargo at minus-94 degrees Fahrenheit will start rolling out of Pfizer plants in Michigan and Wisconsin on Sunday. Doses are scheduled to start arriving at hospitals on Monday.
Health-care workers treating Covid-19 patients, nursing-home residents and perhaps others could start getting inoculated soon thereafter, though it might take a day or two for facilities to train staff and begin injections.
The rest of the population will have to wait, as the drugmakers produce and ship more of the doses.
Distribution Plan
Public health authorities have started setting priorities for who should get the Covid-19 vaccine first. Based on targets for distribution, here’s a potential scenario for how doses could be distributed for Pfizer’s vaccine and for Moderna’s, which is next up for approval.
distribution target 20 million people
FIRST TO GET THE VACCINE
Health-care personnel
21 million (U.S. population)
Long-term care facility residents
3 million
Each figure = 1 million people
distribution target 30 million people
SECOND-highest priority
Essential workers
(non-health care)
87 million
february–march
distribution target
at least 50 million people
beyond march
third highest
100 million
Adults with high-risk medical conditions
53 million
Adults age 65+ years
After the fastest development of a vaccine ever recorded, distribution of the shots kicks off an equally formidable challenge: a monthslong inoculation campaign not seen since efforts to eradicate the polio virus.
“People should not forget how extraordinary it is that we are even talking about having a vaccine by mid-December at all. In January, I don’t think anybody thought this was feasible,” said Kelly Moore, associate director of immunization education at the Immunization Action Coalition.
Initial supplies will be limited. Pfizer projects it will deliver 25 million doses to the U.S. this year, including 2.9 million doses the first week. Inoculation requires two doses three weeks apart, so only half that many people will be vaccinated. States will decide where many doses go.
Gen. Gustave Perna, chief operating officer of the federal government’s Operation Warp Speed vaccine effort, said Saturday the initial supplies will be distributed among 636 locations nationwide, with 145 sites expected to get the doses Monday.
Another 425 sites should receive deliveries Tuesday, while the remaining 66 sites are slated to get their supplies Wednesday, Gen. Perna said.
Hospitals slated to get shipments have been weighing difficult decisions about which employees should get vaccinated first. The hospitals have also been figuring how to give inoculated staff time off to deal with any side effects.
Presbyterian Healthcare Services, the largest health system in New Mexico, braced for vaccinating employees at the same time it is being stretched due to a surge in Covid-19 cases.
The health system expects an initial shipment of 4,000 doses next week and would start vaccinating within a day of receiving them, according to Jeff Salvon-Harman, Presbyterian’s chief patient safety officer.
Dr. Salvon-Harmon said he was amazed at how fast the vaccine had been developed, but the timing was a double-edged sword in New Mexico.
“On the one hand, the risk is greatest right now to our caregivers and everyone who works here because there is so much Covid in our facilities,” he said. “But the timing couldn’t be worse in terms of competing priorities for manpower.”
The new coronavirus has infected more than 15.8 million people in the U.S., killing 295,500 while separating families, remaking work and battering the economy. Cases have been increasing in recent weeks.
For months, health authorities have waited for the arrival of vaccines that could protect against Covid-19 and permit people to gather in groups and schools, businesses and other establishments to fully reopen.
As states and hospitals in the U.S. race to roll out the first Covid-19 vaccines, WSJ’s Daniela Hernandez hears from a hospital administrator and immunization expert about the logistical challenges involved in this first phase of the vaccination process. Photo: Victoria Jones/Zuma Press
Partly for that reason, and partly for speed, the company created its own container to ship the doses while keeping them cold and secure. The company also set up its own distribution network, skipping traditional drug wholesalers in favor of logistics companies like United Parcel Service Inc. and FedEx Corp.
The U.S. government is dividing up the supply among states, territories and jurisdictions based on their adult populations.
First in line will largely be the nation’s 21 million health-care workers such as doctors and nurses treating Covid-19 patients, as well as residents of nursing homes and other long-term care facilities.
SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS
How should distribution of the vaccine be prioritized? Join the conversation below.
Nine sites in Los Angeles County are expecting to get a total of approximately 83,000 doses and will start distributing the vaccine to 83 hospitals, which will then get them to front-line health-care workers as quickly as possible, said Paul Simon, the county health department’s chief science officer.
The workers are being prioritized, he said, based on their risk of exposure to the coronavirus.
To make sure they return several weeks later for their second dose, the department and hospital officials have arranged for the newly vaccinated to get yellow cards noting the type of vaccine they got, the date they received it and when they need to come back.
In addition, Dr. Simon said, a data system is set to store the information and can remind people via text and email when they are due for the second dose.
The FDA granted emergency-use authorization of the first Covid-19 vaccine in the U.S., setting the stage for administration of the Pfizer-BioNTech shots to begin within a day or two. WSJ’s Peter Loftus explains how the vaccine will be rolled out. Photo: Helen H. Richardson/AP
“Even with that, it’s going to be a complicated process,” he said.
In Colorado, 20 members of the National Guard were set to be deployed Sunday to seven sites in more rural parts of the state. Those sites have been set up to store some of the first 46,800 Pfizer doses being shipped to Colorado at the necessary ultracold temperature.
Brig. Gene. Scott Sherman said the Guard members had been trained to help to break down the bulk shipments of the doses into smaller batches, place them in ultracold storage containers and get them out to rural hospitals.
The Colorado National Guard was also coordinating with mail couriers to get the vaccines out to these facilities, and in some cases were readying to transport the doses themselves.
In addition, some 15 hospitals, most located in more populated areas of the state like the Denver metro area, were preparing to get shipments of the Pfizer vaccine directly.
Moncef Slaoui, chief adviser to the federal government’s coronavirus-response program, has said immunization of 70% of the population would generate the herd immunity needed to protect even the unvaccinated, given the approximately 95% effectiveness of both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines.
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PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Portland’s beloved Higgins restaurant is working around the quarantine by offering new dishes specially designed for taking home and reheating!
Greg Higgins, owner and chef of the restaurant, joined AM Extra Friday morning to talk about the new menu items! With wine and beer available to-go, Higgins is offering a new “Higgins Traiteur” and a “Cassoulet Holiday Feast Box” for holiday dinners.
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COVID-19 testing on campus is not new. The University began asymptomatic evaluation testing in September by offering saliva-based testing at the Carolina Union. But spring testing will be far more extensive — and required for many undergraduates as part of the Carolina Together Testing Program.
The University is creating three campus testing centers and also developing its own processing lab in the Genome Sciences Building to speed up results turnaround.
For more details about next semester’s testing program, The Well spoke with the UNC School of Medicine Assistant Professor Amir Barzin, medical director for the UNC Family Medicine Center. Earlier this year, Barzin helped UNC Health establish respiratory diagnostic centers across the state to conduct COVID-19 testing.
Now, he’s helping develop the Carolina Together Testing Program on campus, and answered a few questions on the process.
Beginning in January, the University is requiring many undergraduate students to get tested at home before returning to their dorms or off-campus housing. Why is prior-to-arrival testing important, and how does it work?
If you have a finite number of people living in an area, you want to start off with the best chance possible to succeed. A great example of this is what they did with the NBA. They decided to move to a central location. They tested everybody before they got there and limited interactions once there. And then they did regular interval testing throughout.
We want everyone coming back to our community to feel safe and comfortable, too. We don’t want someone to move back into the area, have a positive test and then worry whether they should be at home with their family or stay on campus. That’s what a prior-to-arrival test allows us to do. We’ll be trying to locate those positive cases that are out there and work with the local communities and health departments to give guidance on when it is appropriate to come back to the campus.
Then, when the students come back to campus after their period of isolation is over, they’re ready to hit the ground running. They’re here to be students. It’s meant to make it as simple as possible for students to be here, stay here and succeed while they’re here.
The second part of the Carolina Together Testing Program is asymptomatic evaluation testing at regular intervals. Why is that important, and how does that work?
The most important thing to remember about a test is it’s a snapshot. It’s a picture in time. You can have a negative test on Jan. 12. But if on Jan. 22 you have a runny nose or you’ve had contact with someone who tested positive, then the test on Jan. 12 doesn’t carry over.
We’re requiring all undergraduate students living on campus to be tested twice a week and those living in Chapel Hill or Carrboro to get tested once a week. Undergraduates coming to campus but not living in Chapel Hill or Carrboro will need to get tested, too. Graduate students accessing campus or living with more than 10 people will also participate in regular testing. Testing for other graduate students and for employees working on campus will be available but voluntary.
This interval testing gives us many more snapshots, far more data to use in making decisions.
We want to normalize getting tested. We’re in the middle of a pandemic — a once in a hundred years pandemic. We don’t want people to feel bad for getting a test. We don’t want them to worry about talking to the health department. This is all part of how we’re growing and learning as a society.
This is our commitment to our students, but it’s also our commitment to our community, to make sure that we’re keeping everyone as safe as possible.
We’re building this testing program because we want people to feel safe. But we also don’t want them to worry about infecting others in the community if they are asymptomatic carriers. That’s what regular interval testing lets us do. It doesn’t 100% stop transmission, but if we have fast turnaround time for our tests, and if we start seeing an increase in cases, we can quickly address the situation.
We have seen this work here at Carolina and know our students want to participate. Our Campus Health colleagues conducted more than 6,500 asymptomatic tests over the last two weeks of the semester as part of our exit testing program before our students left campus for the winter break. This was an astounding effort by that team, and we had a very low positivity rate.
The University will be using a nasal test rather than saliva test. Describe the test and explain the choice.
First, I would say to people: “Forget what you’ve heard about nasal collection.” This is not a nasopharyngeal swab — what some people call the “brain tickler” — that goes deep into the nose. Those require a health professional to administer. They’re uncomfortable. They’re not something that we want to do on a regular basis.
The test we will be using next semester is the anterior nasal collection swab. “Anterior nasal” means “front of the nose.” It’s self-administered and painless. The swab is like a Q-tip that you swirl around each nostril — 10 to 15 seconds per side, no more than an inch into the nose. So within 30 seconds, you’re basically done.
Why not continue with the saliva tests?
The saliva test has a lot of benefits, but it’s also a lot harder to implement and get an accurate result. For example, you’re not supposed to eat or drink 30 minutes before doing a saliva-based test. And it might take up to two to three minutes to work up enough saliva for a proper sample.
We are hoping to get best of both worlds here — a highly accurate PCR test that’s painless, fast and easy to administer.
Walk us through the testing process.
A lot of this is going to be self-directed. We’re developing what we’re calling Hall Pass, a digital, web-based application that allows you to walk into a testing station, take a picture of a barcode on a test kit and administer your own test.
You walk in, grab a Ziploc-like bag from a bin and take a picture of the barcode with your smartphone. Inside the bag is a vial with a nasal swab. You swab your nose, put the swab into the vial, put the vial back in the bag and drop the bag in another bin. Done. Our goal is that you’re in and out in less than two minutes. We don’t want students or employees to have to wait. We want to be very cautious and conscious of the number of people in the space at any given point. And we don’t want long queues outside either. We don’t want to promote any type of congregation.
It’ll take time for people to feel comfortable with the process, but we’ll have staff there to help guide them through. And the on-site staff will collect the samples and put them into coolers, which get sent to the lab.
Will there be enough testing materials available?
That has been my life for the past few months! We particularly like this type of test, and one reason is that the supply chain is secure. So, yes, I feel very, very good knowing that we have a thorough supply chain to be able to last through the semester and beyond if necessary.
What do you hope to gain from a rigorous testing program like this?
We want to safely bring students who need to be on campus back to campus. I feel for those performing arts degrees. I feel for those students who are science majors that need to be in laboratory spaces because that’s what they need to graduate from the programs. We’re trying to adapt as much as we can to limit the disruption for student learning and graduation. That’s what I believe this testing program gives us. It gives us the ability to do it in as safe a way as possible for both the students and the community. And if we see an increase in positive cases, it will allow us to hopefully limit any larger outbreaks. We have an obligation to make sure that they are healthy and safe and learning, and that’s what we want to try to fulfill.
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Detailing the 2006 events that saw Ray McElrethbey needing to take care of his younger brother Fahmarr, after his mother was entered into a drug rehab program for 30 days, Safety tells this story with warmth and heart, as well as some humor. Basically, if you love stories like Remember The Titans, The Rookie or Miracle, you’ll probably get a lot out of director Reginald Hudlin’s film. Which is a good thing, as Hudlin teamed with producer Mark Ciardi, the man who helped make some of those movies happen at Disney. His decade-plus quest to make this specific story landed the project at Disney+, which is a crucial part of how Safety got made in the first place.
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My initial decision to thru-hike in 2021 was based on a gut reaction immediately followed by checking my bank account balance. There have been three discrete categories of preparation I’ve encountered over the past nine months: financial, physical, and mental.
Each of these categories is deeply personal, so what works for one person may not be the perfect fit for another. With that in mind, I’ve put together some thoughts on each category based on my experience: what I did, what I wish I’d done, and what I’m planning to do.
Part I: Financial
The most obvious first step to me was to start saving as much money as possible. I decided on a 2021 hike right at the beginning of the Covid lockdowns, in March 2020. I don’t think anyone anticipated the lockdowns lasting this long; it was my expectation that by summertime I would be back to my normal spending routine. This was not so.
Covid has had a major impact on my finances. Because I’m not commuting to work every day or otherwise going out, I’ve been able to put more money toward AT prep than I otherwise would have.
On-Trail Expenses
A trail budget was my first serious financial inquiry. I considered the average time it takes someone to finish a thru and how much people generally budget per month. I’m going with the standard rule of thumb, $1,000 per month, for six months. Saving $6,000 for on-trail expenses is my absolute bare minimum. Ideally, I’d like to have more of a cushion, but my account balance on April 5 will be what I have to live on, and I’ll make it work.
Gear Costs
Gear costs were the next thing I started to work through…and then I immediately stopped, because I realized that backpacking gear is expensive. I ultimately bought what I thought would work best for me, and while I definitely splurged on some items, I cut costs where I could. It probably would have been wise to set a firm budget, but I didn’t do that.
Prior to July 2020, I had never been backpacking before, so aside from athletic clothes, nothing I owned transitioned well into backpacking. I also bought all of my gear with a thru-hike in mind, so I opted for top-notch, (mostly) lightweight gear. All said, my gear has run me around $3,000.
Home Expenses
Naively, expenses at home were the last thing I considered. These expenses include my car, car insurance, health insurance, student loans, and my dog. I’ve been saving for this particular category with a long-term goal in mind: I’m budgeting for the six months I plan to be hiking, plus another six months once I return, since I don’t have a job lined up.
My first priority is my dog. My parents have graciously agreed to watch their grand-pup, but I want to make sure I leave them with money to feed and groom her, plus a little extra for incidentals and emergencies.
My car is leased, so I pay a monthly fee for that in addition to insurance.
My student loans were my biggest concern, because I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to set a fixed payment for such a large chunk of time. Luckily, my loan provider made the process seamless and the rate I requested was approved.
Health insurance was next on my list. I’ll be 27 next month, so jumping onto my parents’ plan isn’t an option. I’ll be relying on coverage through United Healthcare and my car insurance’s emergency plan.
I haven’t set a firm goal for my home expense savings. Rather, I know I need to save at least $3,000 to be covered for the duration of my walk, and anything beyond that will be part of my cushion.
Part II: Physical
When I started planning in March, the physical challenge of thru-hiking was the least intimidating aspect of it for me. I’ve heard time and time again that the only way to “prepare” is to get out there and do it. This is not to say that I’m not humbled by the challenge that lay before me; all I’m saying is that I’m confident in my athletic abilities and I’m no stranger to a “No pain, no gain” mindset. In fact, “No rain, no pain, no Maine” fits into my repertoire nicely.
At the height of my physical prep, I was walking/jogging between five to eight miles per day. In addition to going backpacking a few times this summer, I took frequent day hikes ranging from one to 25 miles. I live in Michigan and winter is now upon us, though, so I don’t plan on spending a whole lot of time outside over the next five months.
Unfortunately, back in July, I got a little too excited during one of my workouts and ended up hurting my knee. Luckily it didn’t sideline me for the rest of the summer, but it’s still not quite right. I’m hoping my doctor and I can devise a plan to get me back to 100% before April.
Part III: Getting (and keeping) my head in the game
First things first: I am both incredibly introspective and introverted, so the thought of hiking by myself for hours at a time doesn’t bother me. The thought of being alone in the wilderness at night is a little spooky, but from my understanding, the AT can get pretty crowded, so I don’t anticipate being the sole occupant of a campsite often, if ever.
The AT community is simultaneously the biggest draw for me and the scariest. I’m a quiet person, so making friends can be intimidating. Overcoming my tendency to be more reserved will be one of my biggest challenges, but it’s one I’m fully prepared to embrace. The people make the experience, and there’s no way I’m missing out on that!
This is a good place to talk a little bit about what it means to me to be attempting a thru-hike as a woman. Personally, I have received nothing but positive feedback and encouragement from every single person I’ve told about my trip. While my loved ones were initially apprehensive of the idea, they also recognize that I’m smart and capable. My parents wish I was starting with someone, but I think that’s totally normal, regardless of gender.
I recognize that I’m going to get bored of listening to myself think eventually, and I’ll no doubt experience homesickness. I have also accounted for the fact that some days are going to absolutely suck. I’m going to be cranky, sore, tired, whatever.
In those moments, remembering that I’m out there specifically to experience these challenges is going to be crucial for me.
Photo by Paul Lehmann
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