Month: December 2020

Sporting KC exits playoffs with 3-0 loss

Minnesota defender Michael Boxall headed away a shot from Johnny Russell on Thursday night at Children’s Mercy Park. Sporting Kansas City had early opportunities, but failed to convert in its 3-0 playoff loss to Minnesota United FC. (Photo copyright 2020 by Brian Turrel)
 

by Brian Turrel

A 3-0 beating Thursday night at the hands of Minnesota United FC sent Sporting Kansas City spinning out of the MLS Cup playoffs, and looking for answers to familiar problems as they head into next year. Missed scoring chances and defensive lapses squandered Kansas City’s hard-won regular season success.

Kansas City had its best chances early, but failed to convert. Forward Alan Pulido, Kansas City’s leading scorer, was held out of Thursday’s match with a knee injury, and his finishing touch was missed.

In the 2nd minute, Johnny Russell chipped the ball over Minnesota goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair, who came out to challenge but got caught out by Russell’s shot. Defender Michael Boxall bailed out his keeper by heading the ball away at the goal line.

In the 14th minute, Russell got another chance on a pass forward from Khiry Shelton, but St. Clair charged out to knock away the one-on-one opportunity. Just a minute later St. Clair saved a close range header from KC defender Roberto Puncec.

In the 27th minute, Minnesota started its barrage. Midfielder Emanuel Reynosa found attacking teammates slipping in behind the Kansas City defense, and assisted on three goals in the span of only 12 minutes. The highlight was Reynosa’s scooped pass over the KC defense to Kevin Molina who smashed the ball across the goal and inside the left post.

With a three-goal advantage at the break, Minnesota took few offensive risks in the second half, and Sporting was unable to mount an effective attack.

Minnesota moves on to play the Seattle Sounders in the Western Conference final. Seattle defeated FC Dallas on Tuesday in the other semi-final match and will be the host of the match as the top remaining seed.

Sporting ended the regular season with a 12-6-3 record and finished in first place in the MLS Western Conference standings.

Russell brought down a pass forward into the Minnesota end. (Photo copyright 2020 by Brian Turrel)

 

Midfielder Roger Espinoza fought with Minnesota defender Chase Gasper for control of the ball near the Minnesota end line. (Photo copyright 2020 by Brian Turrel)

 

Midfielder Ilie Sanchez launched the ball down into the Minnesota penalty area. (Photo copyright 2020 by Brian Turrel)

 

Minnesota goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair saved a close-range header from defender Roberto Puncec. (Photo copyright 2020 by Brian Turrel)

 

Espinoza played a header forward. (Photo copyright 2020 by Brian Turrel)

 

Russell tried to block a clearance from Gasper. (Photo copyright 2020 by Brian Turrel)

 

Defender Jaylin Lindsey tried to push the ball forward past Gasper. (Photo copyright 2020 by Brian Turrel)

 

Forward Khiry Shelton slid in to prevent Minnesota midfielder Jan Gregus from taking possession. (Photo copyright 2020 by Brian Turrel)

Rep. Wolfe Moore leads bipartisan legislative effort to stop spread of COVID-19

A new bipartisan effort has been launched by legislators to stop the spread of COVID-19.

State Rep. Kathy Wolfe Moore, D-36th Dist., is leading a bipartisan legislative effort to stop the spread of COVID-19.

Rep. Wolfe Moore and Rep. Susan Concannon, R-Beloit, joined together to lead the effort. So far, 63 legislators from both parties have signed on to a letter urging people to wear masks and socially distance in an effort to stop the spread of COVID-19, Rep. Wolfe Moore said.

Rep. Kathy Wolfe Moore

“We felt that we as a legislative body should unite as Democrats and Republicans and ask people to be the first line of defense against COVID, so our front-line health care workers do not have to be the last line of defense,” Rep. Wolfe Moore said. “Across the state, all kinds of efforts are going on to get the word out.”

The letter reads, in part: “We have reached a tipping point in the battle with COVID-19. If widespread community transmission continues to increase, our hospitals will be unable to meet the health care needs of Kansans across the state. We need people to change their behaviors and act fast to curb the spread because our status quo is not working and the implications are dire.

“This is not a COVID-19 crisis. This is a health care crisis. This holiday season, the greatest kindness you can give to your loved ones is doing your part to preserve their health. Wear your mask; wash your hands; stay home as much as possible; and keep your distance. Lives depend on it,” the letter continued.

“As we enter the winter months, cases continue to rise and without action, this will continue. It is critical we reignite a sense of duty and ownership to do all we can to slow the spread of this virus to protect the health and safety of individuals and their loved ones. While we cannot change the hearts and minds of everyone, we each can take personal responsibility to make changes that will ultimately be lifesaving.

“We are united in our message:

• “While the news about vaccines gives us all hope, we must take steps NOW to bend the curve, curtail widespread community transmission and ultimately decrease hospitalizations so that care is available for all.

• “We support the efforts across our region and Kansas to take additional steps to practice the pillars of infection prevention. We support wearing masks; washing of hands; avoiding large social gatherings; and keeping appropriate social distance. Lives depend on all of us practicing these behaviors.

• “Masking guidelines are a critical step forward in this crisis moment.

• “As your elected officials, we join to double down on our efforts – we know this is hard and you are tired – but it is more important than ever.

• “We need positive responses to these “calls to action” to ensure we have a safe holiday season for ‘ALL.’

“It has been a long and hard 2020 and COVID-19 has affected all of us. As we approach the New Year there is great hope. But we are still months away from turning the corner on this pandemic. We all need to find the will and discipline to finish this fight.

“We the undersigned commit to promoting and practicing the pillars of infection control and doing our part to slow and eventually stop the spread of the virus. We respectfully request you to join us in this fight.

“Let us make this a happy and safe holiday season for all of our families, friends, and neighbors.”

Signing the letter from Wyandotte County were Rep. Wolfe Moore; Rep. Louis Ruiz, D-31st Dist.; Rep. Pam Curtis, D-32nd Dist; Rep. Valdenia Winn, D-34th Dist.; Rep. Broderick Henderson, D-35th Dist.; Rep. Tom Burroughs, D-37th Dist; and Sen. Pat Pettey, D-6th Dist.

Wyandotte County to keep 14-day quarantine rule, not adopt shorter CDC guideline

Wyandotte County will keep the 14-day quarantine rule in place here, not adopting a shorter CDC guideline that was released on Wednesday.

Dr. Allen Greiner, Wyandotte County health officer, said they have looked at all the evidence and they do not feel the scientific evidence is there to justify shortening the quarantine at this time.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment continues to recommend a 14-day quarantine, and Wyandotte County will be going along with the KDHE recommendation for now, with the 12- to 14-day quarantine, Dr. Greiner said.

Dr. Greiner made his remarks at the 7 p.m. Unified Government Commission remote meeting on Thursday, Dec. 3.

The CDC on Wednesday recommended a 7-day to 10-day quarantine, depending on testing results.

The KDHE has stated it will continue to recommend the 14-day quarantine period for those exposed to COVID-19 because the incubation period of the disease has not changed.

The CDC said after 10 days in quarantine, the chance to transmit the virus is about 1 to 5.5 percent, Dr. Greiner said. A person who doesn’t get tested for COVID can do a 10-day quarantine and then come out of quarantine, under the new CDC guidance. The CDC also said a person could come out of quarantine after seven days if the PCR test is negative, he said. The chance of infecting others after the seven-day quarantine is higher, possibly 5 to 12 percent, he added.

“We just don’t understand why they have done this,” he said. Wyandotte County will go along with the KDHE guidance and the 14-day quarantine.

Dr. Greiner said the evidence for the 14-day quarantine is strong and the public knows the 14-day quarantine guidance. He also felt the CDC should have waited until after the holidays to announce any shortening of the quarantines.

Some other counties may change to this revised guidance, but Wyandotte County will not, he said.

The KDHE issued a news release stating that individual counties could choose whether to go with the CDC’s shortened quarantines or could continue the 14-day quarantines. The KDHE recommended the 14-day quarantine.

“KDHE continues to recommend the 14-day quarantine and monitoring after being exposed to COVID-19,” Dr. Lee Norman, KDHE secretary, said in a news release. “The incubation for this disease is still 14 days. The guidance is being changed at a federal level to encourage more people to get tested and encourage better compliance with quarantines.”

Dr. Norman stated in the news release that long-term care facility residents and Kansas prison inmates would not be eligible for the shortened quarantines, no matter what county they are in.

In a news release, the UG Health Department stated that COVID-19 continues to be a real threat to Wyandotte County residents.

“It can take up to 14 days after exposure to the virus for someone to develop COVID-19. That has not changed,” said Elizabeth Groenweghe, chief epidemiologist with the UG Health Department, in the news release. “Reducing the quarantine timeline could increase the risk for further COVID-19 spread in our community. If you have been exposed to COVID-19, the best way to protect the people you care about is to quarantine for a full 14 days.”

UG Health Department epidemiologists and health officers examined the new CDC guidelines and the latest COVID-19 evidence, and determined that the safest and most fact-based approach would be to continue with a 14-day quarantine period at this time. According to the Health Department, this quarantine protocol means:

• Individuals with a known exposure to COVID-19 should stay home for 14 days after they were exposed. They should monitor for symptoms.
• Exposure means someone has been in contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19 (within 6 feet for a total of 10 minutes or more during a 24 hour period, during the time the person was infectious)
• These individuals should get tested for COVID-19 at 7 to 9 days after exposure, then return home to complete their quarantine, and continue to monitor for symptoms.

For more information, Wyandotte County residents may visit wycokck.org/COVID-19 or call 3-1-1.