Month: August 2021

Monarchs drop game to Fargo

Fargo-Moorhead came from behind in the eighth inning to win 8-6 over the Kansas City Monarchs Tuesday night in an away game.

The Monarchs had been leading in the bottom of the eighth, until the RedHawks rallied. Alex Boxwell, Fargo centerfielder, hit a two-run home run that decided the game.

Luke Lind got the win for the RedHawks, while Jacob Lindgren, who pitched one inning, took the loss for the Monarchs. The Monarchs’ Ryan Newell gave up five runs on seven hits during 4.1 innings.

Gabby Guerrero, Casey Gillaspie and Alex Olmeda had two hits each for the Monarchs.

On Monday night, the Monarchs’ nine-game winning streak was snapped by Fargo-Moorhead, 9-6. The game included a home run by Morgan McCullough in the ninth inning.

On Wednesday, the American Association of Professional Baseball decided to expand the post-season schedule with a play-in game to allow the second- and third-place clubs in each division to play each other for the right to the advance to the North and South Division Championship Series.

The second- and third-place clubs will play Wednesday, Sept. 8, in the one-game playoff. The winner will advance to play the regular season champion of the division in a best-of-five Division Championship Series beginning on Sept. 10. Division winners then will advance to the American Association best-of-five Division Championship Series. The American Association Finals will begin Sept. 17.

The Monarchs, 45-24, are currently listed as the No. 1 team in the South Division of the American Association, with Cleburne No. 2. The Sioux City Explorers are the No. 3 team in the South Division. Fargo is the No. 2 team in the North Division, which is led by the Milwaukee Milkmen. The Chicago Dogs are No. 3 in the North Division.

The Monarchs are scheduled to play Fargo-Moorhead again at 7:02 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 4, in an away game.

Then the Monarchs are scheduled to return to Kansas City, Kansas, to play No. 2 Cleburne at 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 5, at Legends Field.

For ticket information, visit https://monarchsbaseball.com/tickets/.

Open letter about Delta variant spread and mask mandates

An open letter from Rep. Aaron Coleman to the UG Commission concerning Delta variant community spread

Mayor Alvey, Commissioners Burroughs and Markley,

Regardless of me writing this letter, it is abundantly clear that mask mandates will return nationwide due to a large section of the population committing to never getting vaccinated. As long as these individuals are not vaccinated, the virus will be given fresh hosts to infect and given additional opportunities to mutate and spread. Before long, the virus will have mutated so much that the vaccines may no longer be effective.

So while I do admit to having thrown down my face mask for a few months after having gotten vaccinated, I will certainly agree that not wearing a mask is more comfortable than wearing one. Ultimately due to the unwillingness of my peers to join me in the vaccination efforts, I will once again don a mask upon my face inside buildings.

I strongly urge the UG Commission to enforce a mask mandate county-wide until our community has a vaccination rate exceeding 70%. To not do so is simply sheer negligence as well supported evidence has shown the damage the Delta variant is doing within Wyandotte, and will continue to do for the foreseeable future.

It is simply not enough to mandate masks, but an enforcement mechanism must be included. Those found indoors without a mask should be penalized monetarily with a municipal civil fine. Such funds collected with this enforcement mechanism should be used to pay people to get vaccinated.

At the end of the day, we will never return to normal life until our population is vaccinated. Face masks are simply the way to limit viral spread until such a time when herd immunity is established with vaccination efforts.

I hope you will take the action desperately needed to preserve as many human lives as possible through this pandemic.

Sincerely,
Rep. Aaron Coleman, Kansas House, 37th District