Feeds:
Posts
Comments

Posts Tagged ‘Covid-19’

Yikes, no bikes

Posted in cycling, tagged , , , , on July 8, 2020| Leave a Comment »

Another day, another cancellation.

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has wiped out virtually every sporting activity in the region this spring and summer, and Wednesday afternoon one of the last events standing removed itself from the calendar.

The annual Tour de Whidbey bicycle race, a major fundraiser for the WhidbeyHealth Foundation, will not hit the roads after all.

The event, which would have featured six rides, ranging from a family-friendly 10-mile route up to a 162-mile Whidbey Power stage, was set to go down August 15.

Instead, event organizers are moving forward on the 2021 version of Tour de Whidbey, set for Aug. 14 of next summer.

“We hope that you and your families are continuing to do well and stay healthy!,” event organizers said in a statement.

“Sadly, following the Governor’s two-week freeze on all reopening phases, we have determined that it will not be possible to hold 2020 Tour de Whidbey.

“We love hosting, and we will miss being together and celebrating with you in August.

We appreciate your understanding, patience and support with the circumstances and our desire to hold the safety and well-being of our riders, volunteers, partners and communities at the highest priority.”

All cyclists will receive a full refund of their registration fee.

For questions, riders can contact Heather Tenore at tenorh@whidbeyhealth.org.

Read Full Post »

Fall sports pushed back, not cancelled yet

Posted in Football, tagged , , , , on July 7, 2020| Leave a Comment »

If Ben Smith and other Wolves get to play this fall, their season will start later than normal. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

Fall prep sports, if they happen in 2020, will begin later than in most previous years.

As the world deals with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association Executive Board met Tuesday and made that decision.

The board opted to push the start of the high school football season until Saturday, September 5, and the start of practices for all other fall sports until Monday, Sept. 7.

The original start dates were August 19 and 24, respectively.

Coupeville’s first football game, from a schedule put together before the pandemic seized the stage, was originally to be a home game Sept. 4 against Port Townsend.

Now, in a best-case scenario, practices would begin the next day instead, with games not starting until mid to late September.

Football players need to put in 12 practices to be eligible for games, while all other athletes need 10 prior to their first contest.

But this is where a big “BUT…” comes in.

Under current WIAA guidelines, the only sports which can compete in Phase 3 of the state’s reopening plan are “low risk” activities such as tennis and cross country.

To play “moderate risk” sports such as basketball, soccer, and volleyball, a school will have to be in a county in Phase 4 of the four-phase plan, while the WIAA has yet to set a time frame for “high risk” sports (football and wrestling) to start competition.

Island County is currently in Phase 3, but positive cases of COVID-19 have increased in recent weeks.

Also, Washington state officials have frozen the ability for any county to move up a phase, and no county can currently apply for Phase 4.

So, while Tuesday’s announcement is a glimmer of hope, it is only that – a glimmer.

In a press release Tuesday night, the WIAA said the following:

The Board will continue to work with staff, member schools and state agencies to monitor the impact of COVID-19.

The Board plans to make its next statement concerning the start of fall sports on July 22nd following its next scheduled meeting.

In the interim, a committee of Board members, staff, and select WIAA stakeholders will work to create a fall schedule with the adjusted start dates.

Read Full Post »

Whidbey papers back in the sports biz

Posted in A freakin' American hero, tagged , , , , , on July 7, 2020| Leave a Comment »

Whidbey News-Times Sports Editor Jim Waller (right) shares a chat with CHS girls basketball coach David King. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

The adults are back.

After three months-plus with no sports coverage, the Whidbey News-Times and South Whidbey Record have returned the dean of local sportswriting to his desk.

Longtime Sports Editor Jim Waller was one of several employees who accepted a furlough back in March as the COVID-19 pandemic threw the newspaper industry into turmoil.

His last stories, a profile of Coupeville three-sport star Scout Smith and a piece on South Whidbey soccer announcer Crispin Roberts, posted to the internet March 24.

After that, my former high school journalism teacher lived the home life of “honey to-do lists”, leaving Whidbey sports fans with only my hyperventilating to get by on.

That changed as of Monday.

Waller has been at the core of Whidbey Island sports since his birth, as a player, teacher, coach, and writer.

He was born into the life, one of the sons of revered local coach Mert Waller, who led all four Coupeville High School programs (football, basketball, baseball, and track), before moving into similar positions in Oak Harbor.

Jim Waller was a standout athlete who went on to teach and coach multiple sports at OHHS.

Of the two people writing about sports on Whidbey, he is the only one to be a member of a real Hall of Fame, honored in 2001 by the Washington State Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame.

Waller led the OHHS baseball program for 30 years, taking the Wildcats to the Class 3A state title game.

A graduate of the University of Washington, he is in his second go-round with Whidbey’s newspapers.

Waller first wrote for the News-Times as a youngster, then returned to the post after retiring from the Oak Harbor School District.

Read Full Post »

No ferries for you!

Posted in coronavirus updates, tagged , , , , , on July 1, 2020| 2 Comments »

Welcome to Ferryageddon.

If you were thinking of sailing to Whidbey Island in July, maybe step back, take a deep breath (from underneath your mask) and just say no.

Otherwise, get ready for deep, deep frustration.

A day after revealing several workers have tested positive for COVID-19, Washington State Ferries officials announced a reduction in service on two of the busiest routes.

The changes will be in place every weekend in July.

The Mukilteo/Clinton route, which is the busiest in the system, and the Edmonds/Kingston route, will both run just one boat, and not the normal two, on weekends.

In a news blurb released Wednesday, it was stated the move was “due to a shortage of available crew during the COVID-19 pandemic.”

The dates affected are:

July 4-5
July 11-12
July 18-19
July 25-26

On those weekends, only the #1 sailings on the schedule will be used.

Washington State Ferries officials ask those wishing to sail to “plan ahead by checking schedules online and expect long waits if driving onto a ferry over each weekend, particularly during the Fourth of July holiday weekend.”

Read Full Post »

Movies still on pause at OH Cinemas

Posted in coronavirus updates, tagged , , , , , on June 30, 2020| Leave a Comment »

The movies remain on pause. (Photo property Oak Harbor Cinemas)

My former home away from home will stay dark for a while longer.

With Island County now in Phase 3 of Washington state Governor Jay Inslee’s four-phase reopening plan, Oak Harbor Cinemas is allowed to reopen, under certain guidelines.

But, for now, the show won’t go on.

The three-screen institution, which sits across from Dairy Queen, has been closed since March as the country deals with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Oak Harbor Cinemas released the following statement on Facebook Tuesday afternoon:

 

We are still closed due to increase in cases for COVID-19.

We feel it is prudent to not open too early based on the recent new Governor’s proclamation regarding mandatory masks when in public when you are unable to maintain six feet of distancing.

In addition, there are no new movies scheduled until July 31st with the release of “Unhinged.”

“Tenet” has been moved to Aug. 12 and “Mulan” has been moved to Aug. 21.

All three films were originally scheduled to be released between July 1 and the 24th.

As the COVID-19 new cases start another decline, we hope that other film companies will move up the dates to July or early August, but until then we are at their mercy so to speak.

Rest assured that when we do open you will see improvements to 100% of the cinema including new luxury motorized recliners, new rockers, new screens, speakers, amplifiers, bathrooms, floors, paint and carpets.

Plus we still have our beer and wine bar open for business.

We ask that you be patient and when we do open up you will see a clean, safe theater again and that you support us like you did prior to COVID-19.

We will serve you to the absolute best of our ability.

Thank you,

JS
Owner

Read Full Post »

« Newer Posts - Older Posts »