California News

CALIFORNIA NEWS Baseball, Softball, Football, Water Polo Can Resume

Editor’s note: Scots Valley Little League is working on a safety plan for COVID-19 as part of preparing for a possible Spring 2021 season. Details of the COVID-19 safety plan will be posted at https://www.scottsvalleyll.org/ when it becomes available.

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On Feb. 19, the California Department of Public Health released updated guidance for youth and recreational adult sports, which allows high-contact and moderate-contact sport competitions to resume outdoors in the Red Tier and Purple Tier with weekly COVID-19 testing required for football, rugby and water polo.

The guidance applies to all organized youth and adult sports, including school and community-sponsored programs, and privately organized clubs and leagues.

“With case rates and hospitalizations declining across California, we are allowing outdoor competition to resume, with modifications and steps to reduce risk, in counties where case rates are lower,” said Dr. Tomás Aragón, CDPH director and state public health officer. “Youth sports are important to our children’s physical and mental health, and our public health approach has worked to balance those benefits against COVID-19 risks.”

The guidance aims to giving communities guidelines on how to safely remain physically active while reducing virus transmission.

Outdoor high-contact sports can be played in counties in the Purple or Red tier with a COVID case rate at or below 14 per 100,000.

Santa Cruz County is in the Purple Tier, with a case rate of 8.6 per 100,000; the case rate has declined since Christmas

Football, rugby and water polo are high-contact sports likely to be played unmasked, with close face-to-face contact exceeding 15 minutes. As a result, weekly testing is required for football, rugby and water polo players age 13 and over in counties with a case rate between 7 and 14 per 100,000. Weekly testing, antigen or PCR, is required for all players and coaches, with results available within 24 hours of competition.

Outdoor moderate-contact sports, such as baseball, cheerleading and softball, can be played in these counties without testing.

Teams must provide information regarding risk of transmission to all parents/guardians of minors participating, and each parent must sign an informed consent indicating their understanding and acknowledgement of the risks.

Any teams playing in a less restrictive sports tier are strongly encouraged to wear face coverings, and practice physical distancing, hand hygiene and equipment sanitation.

For details on examples of sports with different levels of contact and risk by tier, see https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/COVID-19/ outdoor-indoor-recreational-sports.aspx •••

For information on how to prevent the spread of COVID-19, visit www.covid19.ca.gov.

COMMUNITY BRIEFS

Navy Officer Supports transport of illicit cargo that often funds

Weapons Seizure Near Somalia terrorism and unlawful activity.

Petty Officer 2nd Class Anthony ••• Mannina, a native of Scotts Valley, is Call for Artists serving aboard the U.S. Navy destroyer, USS Winston S. Churchill, in the Indian The Santa Cruz Mountains Art Center in Ben Lomond has conceived an online Ocean. exhibit as a community space to process

According to a recent Navy news what happened to us during this unprecrelease, “The guided-missile destroyer edented year. USS Winston From bread-baking in lockdown to the S. Churchill CZU fire, and all the social, political, and ecoseized illicit nomic tensions in between that left both our shipments of inner and outer landscapes forever changed, weapons and 2020 was grist for the mill of the soul. weapons com- Now is the time to share your artistic ponents from expression of the 2020 experience. The two stateless deadline to submit is noon March 14. See dhows during the entry form at https://www.mountaina maritime artcenter.org/ security The exhibit will be online March operation in 17-April 17. international ••• waters off the coast of Anthony Mannina Santa Cruz Symphony Scholarship Deadline Somalia, Feb. 11-12. The cache of weapons consisted of thousands of AK-47 assault The Santa Cruz Symphony is accepting applications for the 2021 Mueller rifles, light machine guns, heavy sniper Scholarship Program with the deadline rifles, rocket-propelled grenade launchers, to apply being April 1. and crew served weapons. These scholarships will be used for

Other weapon components included “needy and deserving children” to pay barrels, stocks, optical scopes and weapon for private lessons, youth ensembles, or systems.” youth music camperships. Individual

“I am incredibly proud to serve in grants usually range from $300-$1000. operations such as this to help support Music students who are under 17 as freedom throughout the world,” said of July 1, 2021 and residents of Santa Cruz Mannina. County are encouraged to apply. Schol-

The seizure of the illicit weapons arships will be awarded on the basis of was conducted as part of the U.S. Navy’s financial need, a regular practice schedule, regular maritime security operations in and a demonstrated commitment of at least the region. These routine patrols are per- one year with an orchestral instrument. formed to ensure the free flow of commerce Applications are at https://santacruz for legitimate traffic and to disrupt the symphony.org/mueller-scholarships n