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Tag: social distancing

DeWine signs bill to temporarily ban school COVID-19 vaccine mandates
By Jake Zuckerman and Ohio Capital Journal

His signature on the bill seems to violate his pledge to veto any legislation that would “discourage vaccination.”

Columbus, Ohio – Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine signed legislation Wednesday that could block schools from mandating vaccination against COVID-19 for the fall.

In the dying moments of the final legislative session before a summer recess, lawmakers tacked the vaccine provision as an amendment onto an unrelated bill regarding educational opportunities for military children. The amendment:
- Forbids public K-12 schools and colleges from requiring any vaccine that has not yet received “full approval” from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
- Forbids the schools from “discriminating” against anyone who has not been vaccinated, which includes infection control provisions like masks and social distancing.
- Does not apply to hospitals or health care facilities operated by or affiliated with universities.
It passed on party lines in both chambers, with Republicans in support and Democrats in opposition.

All three vaccines available for use against COVID-19 are approved under an “emergency use authorization.” The FDA uses this streamlined regulatory process for drugs and vaccines that can be used against an ongoing emergency such as the pandemic, which has killed more than 608,000 Americans to date. The regulators issued the temporary authorization after reviewing clinical trial data on tens of thousands of recipients. The FDA, along with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), continues to monitor safety and efficacy profiles of all three vaccines.

DeWine announced his approval of the bill without any public comment or fanfare. His signature on the bill seems to violate his pledge to veto any legislation that would “discourage vaccination.”

Dan Tierney, a spokesman for the governor, played up the bill’s original aims in an email and said DeWine expects looming regulatory approval to nix the issue.

“The primary purpose of the bill was to enhance educational opportunities for children in military families — a worthy goal,” he said. “The provision you are referring to is limited to vaccines that do not have full FDA approval. We are confident that these vaccines, proven repeatedly to be very safe and very effective, will be approved by the FDA, thus rendering this issue moot.”

Passage comes amid an ongoing clash between DeWine and fellow Republicans in the legislature regarding public health policy. Earlier this year, lawmakers overrode DeWine’s veto on a broad weakening of state public health laws.

Meanwhile, Republicans in the House Health Committee are considering legislation that would weaken state vaccination laws and prevent employers, nursing homes, hospitals, colleges and more from requiring vaccination of students and employees. DeWine has said he would veto the bill if it made it to his desk.

During a hearing on that bill, lawmakers — many of whom have announced their refusal to seek vaccination against COVID-19 and aligned themselves with anti-vaccination activists — invited testimony from a discredited doctor who has claimed vaccines are a “depopulation” and “mass destruction” tool.

DeWine’s signature furthers an emerging anti-vaccination push from Republican-controlled state legislatures. For instance, the Tennessee Department of Health halted all adolescent vaccine outreach and forced out its top vaccine official this monthunder pressure from Republican lawmakers, according to recent reporting from The Tennessean. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis recently signed legislation to ban “vaccine passports,”which do not exist in most areas of the country but would theoretically be used by institutions to validate people’s vaccination status.

Under the new Ohio law signed by DeWine on Wednesday, schools can still technically require immunization against COVID-19 once the federal regulators issue a full-blown authorization. However, Ohio is one of about a dozen states that allows exemptions to school immunization requirements for “reasons of conscience” — something of a catchall term.

The new law’s sponsors, state Reps. Andrea White, R-Kettering, and Brian Lampton, R-Beavercreek, issued a lengthy statement regarding the help the bill will deliver for military children. They briefly addressed the vaccination issue.

“By prohibiting our educational institutions from requiring vaccines that are not fully approved by the FDA, we are ensuring that safety is at the forefront of our priorities,” they said.

The sponsors did not answer whether this means they consider the vaccines to be unsafe.

Two Democrats on the House Health Committee issued a statement Wednesday evening criticizing the new law, saying it puts “political self-interests” ahead of good health policy.

“With the arrival of the delta variant, this country is still in the midst of a dangerous pandemic and unvaccinated individuals are at highest risk,” said Rep. Allison Russo, D-Columbus.

“Public schools and universities deserve to have the flexibility to either require COVID-19 vaccines or establish mitigation procedures they deem appropriate for the circumstances in their communities. Instead, this bill further undermines trust in science and a vaccine that has saved the lives of thousands of Ohioans.”

This article was updated to reflect the legislation only applies to public schools and universities.
Jul 16, 2021
How an Ohio state senator and 33 family members caught COVID-19

Senator Tina Maharath (Ohio Senate photo)

By Jake Zuckerman at the Ohio Capital Journal

Jake Zuckerman is a statehouse reporter. He spent three years chronicling the West Virginia Legislature for The Charleston Gazette-Mail after covering cops and courts for The Northern Virginia Daily.

It started with a funeral.

Tina Maharath, a Democratic state senator from Canal Winchester, attended a wake Aug. 9 after her brother-in-law’s funeral, who died of non-COVID-19 illness.

Two of his family members, who Maharath said tested positive for COVID-19, came to the wake. Maharath described them as skeptical of the gravity of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Slowly, one by one, we started getting the phone calls from each one of our family members,” she said in an interview.

Maharath comes from a big family — common, she said, among Laotians. Her husband has 19 siblings, she has 16. The new coronavirus, which causes COVID-19, left from the wake to invade 11 different family households, infecting 33 family members including a 9-month-old baby.

As of Thursday, two have died: Maharath’s 44-year-old sister-in-law, who had been battling brain cancer for a year, and her sister-in-law’s father-in-law.

Five family members were hospitalized, including one who Maharath said is likely to die soon from COVID-19. The five people hospitalized are between 34- and 76-years old. They were hospitalized anywhere from two to six weeks. Mahrath’s sister-in-law was ventilated for three weeks.

All five had underlying health conditions like asthma, high blood pressure and diabetes, all common conditions in Ohio.

The familial outbreak, Maharath said, is hopefully over. But uncertainty over longevity of symptoms or long term damage is frightening.

“We’re concerned because of the five people who were hospitalized, they still have lingering symptoms too, and another sister-in-law who was pregnant, she has lingering symptoms too,” Maharath said. “I don’t have underlying conditions, I’m not pregnant. So why do I have symptoms?”

Patient groups, calling themselves “long haulers,” have insisted they’ve been experiencing COVID-19 symptoms for month. The CDC has found COVID-19 can result in prolonged illness, even among younger and healthier adults.

Six weeks out from the positive test result, Maharath said she still feels COVID-19’s symptoms. She said she feels dehydrated, experiences coughing spells, and headaches.

Her lungs, she said, take most the heat.

“I just feel weak,” she said. “My lungs feel like something is just punching them. Randomly, it feels like something is just stabbing my lungs.”

Nearly 148,000 Ohioans have contracted COVID-19 according to state data, which officials believe to be an undercount. At least 4,715 have died.

Maharath’s diagnosis drew headlines in August. On Wednesday, however, Maharath shared the story of the outbreak through her family in a floor speech opposing Senate Bill 311.

The legislation, which Senate Republicans passed, would forbid the Ohio Department of Health from issuing anything like the stay-at-home order it issued in March, which closed “non-essential” businesses in an effort to slow the spread of the recently-detected coronavirus.

It would also allow lawmakers — who have repeatedly expressed skepticism about the virus, ODH’s data tracking the virus, and non-pharmaceutical interventions to control the virus like masks and social distancing — to rescind ODH orders.

However, a COVID-19 diagnosis did not prove to be a proxy vote against the legislation.

Sen. Bob Peterson, R-Washington C.H., who contracted the disease earlier this month, voted in favor.

Sen. Frank Hoagland, R-Adena, did as well. He contracted a mild case of the disease in August. According to a Herald Star report, Hoagland’s wife was hospitalized with the disease as well. Both his wife’s parents reportedly died from COVID-19.

With what they hope to be the worst of the outbreak behind them, Maharath said her family is planning funerals for the deceased. They plan stricter social distancing and mask requirements.

Maharath said she’s not planning to attend.

Sep 27, 2020
LIFE Food Pantry Moves to a Beautiful new Location!

Cassia Mattia is the Associate Editor of Loveland Magazine. She lives in the heart of it all in Historic Downtown.

Loveland, Ohio – Loveland has always been known as the city of love, hence LOVE-land, but now Loveland is becoming more known as the city that keeps on giving! This has been proven time and time again through the countless ways Loveland and its businesses have given to local charities, families, and food pantries, including Loveland’s LIFE Food Pantry.

LIFE, Loveland Interfaith Effort, Food Pantry has made it its mission to be “a faith and community-supported organization that provides food, financial assistance, and programs to those experiencing hardship in the greater Loveland area.” For years LIFE has serviced the Loveland area out of a 250 square foot space at Prince of Peace Church. This not only made it difficult to meet the high demand of Loveland residents in need of food supplies, but it also didn’t allow those in need to shop for their own items, especially during the COVID-19 Pandemic as there was not enough space for social distancing.

For Linda Bergholz, who is the Executive Director of LIFE Food Pantry, it was hard to ignore all the issues in regards to the pantry’s location and spacing, so Linda and her associates went on the hunt for a new location.

Finally, Linda and the Food Pantry crew found the location of their dreams at Shopper’s Haven Plaza, located at 541 Loveland Madeira Road, formerly the Vision Arts Center. LIFE Food Pantry’s new location is 2,000 square feet and just a short walk for those who use the Food Pantry’s services on a weekly basis.

After hearing about this incredible opportunity for LIFE Food Pantry to serve more of those in need of food and more often here at Loveland Magazine we knew we had to visit Linda and the new location!

We are excited to present to you the community of Loveland an exclusive on-camera interview with Linda where she not only shows us the new space but also talks about LIFE’s history and what she sees for the future of the local food pantry! Without further ado here is Loveland Magazine TV’s on-camera interview with Linda Bergholz!

NOTE about the History of L.I.F.E

Unable to find a new “home” the Loveland Free Store closed in 1999. Several months later the community was called together by resident David Miller, while volunteering with the Loveland Shalom Initiative (now the Loveland Initiative) to resurrect a program that was so vital to community life and thus, the L.I.F.E. Food Pantry was founded. Miller (the Publisher of Loveland Magazine) wrote the original business plan for the L.I.F.E Food Pantry.

During the 1980s recession, Eleanor Baker founded the Loveland Free Store in a tiny extension of the laundry room at the MacArthur Park Apartments on Park Avenue.

The Loveland Free Store had humble beginnings and purpose. Eleanor started giving people the food out of her own cabinet and then got other people involved. People in the complex would often have bare pantries, and other tenants sometimes had a little something extra. Moms brought what they could to the laundry room and shared with the other moms so their friend’s children and the elderly would have food to eat.

The laundry room quickly became inadequate when the broader community found out what Eleanor was doing, chipped in and helped her collect food and daily necessities. The program grew and soon began organizing during Thanksgiving and Christmas to provide meals and presents for children. The Loveland Firefighters Association gave them space to operate from their Loveland Firefighter’s Hall at the intersection of St. Rt. 48, Broadway, and Second Street (the 5-Way intersection in Historic Downtown). Eventually, the Firefighters sold their building and it was demolished when the intersection was re-configured to what you see there today.

Sep 2, 2020
[12 positive cases] COVID-19 Oxford Campus Dashboard now available

Oxford, Ohio – Miami University President Gregory Crawford said in an announcement Friday, “This week we have all been witnessing a troubling spread of COVID-19 on university campuses across the nation, and we will continue to monitor developments as many more schools begin to reopen next week so we can learn from their challenges and decisions.”

Miami University President Gregory Crawford (Photo Miami University)

Along with the statement Crawford reported that on the Oxford campus, since the start of classes, they have had 10 positive COVID-19 tests among students and 2 among employees.

Miami has now created a dashboard to track positive results from tests conducted at the Employee Health Center and Student Health Service managed by TriHealth.

The announcement also introduced a symptom tracking app, Campus Clear (available for download from the app store on a mobile device), which must be completed daily if coming to campus. An illness/absence reporting system is also in place to help track potential outbreaks in the Oxford community.

Buildings on all campuses have reopened. Miami has begun to phase-in on-campus operations, and in the coming weeks students will be returning in stages.

Fall classes began on Monday, August 17, mostly remote, with graduate students and some programs in person.

Classrooms are organized to maintain six-foot physical distancing, and cleaning materials are available to clean desks and common spaces before and after each use.

Students who will be living off campus are encouraged to stay home, if they can, until face-to-face courses start on Monday, September 21. All students are expected to follow health and safety protocols, “like those in our residence halls, in their off-campus living arrangements.”

All returning students must sign the Healthy Together Community Pledge, committing to take responsibility for their health and others’ through recommended precautions to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 on campus and in the community. The pledge focuses on preventative measures such as social distancing, face coverings, cleaning practices, handwashing and sanitation, daily symptom assessment, limiting indoor or outdoor gatherings to fewer than 10 people, and not attending or hosting any gathering where physical distancing is not possible. It also asks students to pledge to participate in testing, contact tracing, and quarantine or isolation if they or their close contacts become ill with COVID-19.

The phased-in strategy will culminate with the students residing on campus moving into the residence halls during the week of September 14. Face-to-face and hybrid offerings will begin on campus on Monday, September 21.

Aug 22, 2020
Fall High School Contact Sports Receive the Go-Ahead From DeWine

by Cassie Mattia

Loveland, Ohio – Student-athletes all across Ohio jumped for joy Tuesday when Governor Mike DeWine announced that he will be signing a new Ohio Department of Health order. This order will permit the Fall contact sports of Field Hockey, Soccer, and Football, to move forward with competition against other schools.

Although the Governor confirmed his support for the new health order in a press conference on Tuesday he also said he wanted to ensure that Ohio’s coaches continued to inspire their student-athletes to follow safety precautions. DeWine stated that he hopes that by allowing high school athletes to have a season that will then inspire them to be as careful as they can be.

“I hope that our coaches will use this an opportunity to focus on helping these young people understand what really is at stake,” Dewine said, “Coaches, you, in a normal year, inspire, you mentor, you instruct, you instill discipline and self-discipline in your student-athletes. For all of that, we are very grateful for what you do. You make a lot of sacrifices, work long hours and you inspire our kids. We thank you very much for that. But this year, it’s going to take more. It’s going to be inspiring them in regards to the goal of keeping COVID out of their team,” DeWine added.

Field hockey, Soccer, and Football will now be joining the OHSAA’s previously approved Fall sports, which were Girls and Boys Golf, Girls Tennis, Girls Volleyball, and Girls and Boys Cross Country.

With the majority of high schools in Ohio desperately wanting to play sports this Fall, the OHSAA has been working with the Governor’s Office and the Ohio Department of Health to create a new health order that contains modifications from the previous health orders released. With the new Health Director’s Order comes two separate mandates and recommended best practices documents for schools to follow for competitions. If practices aren’t followed the OHSAA could issue consequences for the violation of these requirements as prescribed in Bylaw 11, Penalties. The new health order will still include symptom assessments, mandated facial coverings, enforcement of social distancing, cleaning and sanitizing, and what to do when faced with confirmed COVID-19 cases or exposure to the virus. The finalized health order will be sent to schools this week.

Bob Goldring, the OHSAA’s Interim Executive Director, also voiced his support of contact sports being allowed to compete in Ohio.

“The OHSAA is moving forward because we want kids to have an opportunity to participate, and the Governor’s Office is providing that opportunity and a chance,” Goldring explained, “So for that, we are most appreciative. It’s important to remember that our student-athletes have been practicing and training with others for weeks and even months, and it has gone well. So, we believe they deserve the chance to move forward, and that the high school space is also different than the collegiate space.”

The OHSAA staff has also been consistently working hard to create sport-specific modifications and recommendations for schools when conducting interscholastic competition. If you would like to read over the updated sports modifications and safety precautions you can click on the following link:https://ohsaa.org/Home/OHSAA-COVID-19-Correspondence.

OHSAA’s Goldring, like Governor DeWine, when speaking on Tuesday also emphasized the importance of student-athletes, coaches, and school administrators being the absolute best advocates for safety.

“COVID-19 certainly has created a risk factor, and that is something on which each family has to decide for their student, and each local school district has to make decisions on moving forward based on all the information they have been presented,” Goldring continued. “But we also believe our student-athletes, coaches and school administrators – in education-based programs – are suited to be the best advocates for safety, strongly promoting and following mandates and recommendations to wear facial coverings, stay socially distanced and so forth. Our coaches, especially, are role models to so many of our student-athletes. So hopefully our student-athletes will follow their lead and guidance, especially when they talk to students about what to consider away from school.”

If you would like to look over the full text from Tuesday’s updated memo sent to the OHSAA’s member schools visit the following link: https://ohsaaweb.blob.core.windows.net/files/BulletinBoard/20200818AdministratorUpdate.pdf

OHSAA’s Fall Sports Seasons are Scheduled to Begin on the Following Dates:

Friday, Aug. 21 – Soccer and Field Hockey

Monday, Aug. 24 – Volleyball, Cross Country, and Football

Both Golf and Girls Tennis Seasons have already begun.

Have more questions about the new sports health orders and mandates? The Governor’s Office, the Ohio Department of Health, the National Federation of State High School Associations, colleagues at other state high school athletics/activities associations, members of the OHSAA’s Joint Advisory Committee on Sports Medicine, and members of the Governor’s Sports League Advisory Group created a series of questions and answers for those wanting to learn more! Click on the following link to read:https://ohsaaweb.blob.core.windows.net/files/Sports/2020/OHSAAReturnToPlayQA.pdf.

For the latest updates in the world of sports be sure to tune into Sports 411 With ME, Cassie Mattia!

Aug 19, 2020
OHSAA Announces Suspension of all Contact-Sport Scrimmages

by Cassie Mattia

Loveland, Ohio – With Ohio High School 2020-2021 sports seasons set to start on August 1st, coaches, parents, fans, and student-athletes are wondering when school vs. school competition will be allowed to resume. That particular question was answered on Tuesday when the OHSAA sent out a newsletter confirming that for the time being all contact-sport school vs. school scrimmages will be suspended.

The OHSAA’s Interim Executive Director, Bob Goldring, stated in the newsletter that the goal is to work with the Governor’s Office to make sure everything that they are implementing for the 2020-2021 sports seasons will be “in concert.”

OHSAA’s Interim Executive Director, Bob Goldring

“We are on track for the low/non-contact sports of golf, girls tennis and volleyball to begin practices on August 1, with school vs. school scrimmages and contests to follow per their normal OHSAA permissible dates and regulations,” Goldring said, “We are on track for the contact sports of football, soccer, field hockey and cross country to begin practices on August 1. We are waiting for more guidance from the Governor’s Office and Department of Health on when school vs. school competition can begin and are hopeful of that permission being granted for our normal contest dates later in August. To that end, school vs. school scrimmages are SUSPENDED. We do not anticipate that suspension changing soon and there remains the possibility that no scrimmages will be permitted in the contact sports of football, soccer, and field hockey. We will certainly keep you updated if that changes.”

Goldring said that the OHSAA plans on continuing to have conversations about both field hockey and cross country being put into the low/non-contact category.

After speaking with the Governor’s Office, Goldring explained that one thing was very clear, the end goal is to make sure Ohio’s student-athletes get the opportunity to “learn the lifelong lessons and receive the social, emotional, and physical benefits that the privilege of participating in education-based interscholastic athletics programs provide.”

“We all have to be accountable for following all mandates and requirements. By not following the mandates and requirements, we are putting our student-athletes at risk of not only contracting and/or spreading COVID-19 but also at risk of losing the season for themselves, their families, their teammates, their schools and their communities. Mandates and requirements put into place must be followed in order for the Governor’s Office to continue to allow us to participate,” Goldring said.

According to Goldring, the OHSAA has been working hard to finalize contest day mandates and requirements that he says will be strictly enforced.

“Our administrators, coaches, and student-athletes will be held accountable for non-compliance. So as to not cause alarm, these mandates and requirements will be to elevate many of the recommendations that were provided in the OHSAA Return to Play Recommendations document to the level of mandates and requirements and should not require wholesale modifications to your game-day protocol,” Goldring added.

If you missed the OHSAA Return to Play Recommendations click on the following article link we released last week: https://lovelandmagazine.com/ohsaa-releases-updated-covid-19-return-to-play-recommendations/.

As rules and regulations change within the sports world due to COVID-19, here at Loveland Magazine we will continue to bring you the latest updates so that you and your family know what to expect if your child or someone you know is participating in Ohio High School athletics this year! Stay tuned to the Sports 411 With Me, Cassie Mattia!

Jul 31, 2020
OHSAA Releases Updated COVID-19 Return to Play Recommendations

by Cassie Mattia

Loveland, Ohio – Over the last several months’ life as we know it has been changing and evolving, including the lives of the Loveland High School Student-Athletes. Coaches, Parents, and Spectators have been waiting patiently to see if and when the Fall 2020-2021 sports seasons will begin and what the stipulations will be due to the rampant COVID-19 Pandemic.

On Wednesday, July 22nd, Bob Goldring, the Ohio High School Athletic Association’s (OHSAA) Interim Executive Director, issued updated guidelines and “COVID-19 Return to Play Recommendations.”

In the new guidelines, Goldring and the OHSAA team emphasized that participation in school activities is voluntary. Goldring and the OHSAA team stated that every individual will need to evaluate the risk versus the benefits of athletics participation.

“Those immunocompromised students and staff, or those who live with family members with elevated health concerns, should evaluate associated risks of participation and may choose not to participate,” OHSAA said.

The OHSAA Executive Director’s Office, the Office’s Official Board of Directors, the Ohio Joint Advisory Committee on Sports Medicine, and the National Federation of State High School Associations, joined forces to help write an updated “COVID-19 Return to Play” document. The document includes recommendations on how member schools can consider approaching the many components of “opening up” sports with the objective of commencing the fall sports seasons on August 1.

“The recommendations within this document for the resumption of the varsity, non-varsity and 7th-8th grade interscholastic athletic seasons and participation opportunities have been made with the health, safety, and well-being of all student-athletes in mind,” the OHSAA document said.

Below are some of the topics the OHSAA document covers:

Game Day Face Masks/Coverings

Sidelines and Benches

Game Day Venue Restrictions and Spectators

COVID-19 Pre-Participation Screening

Failed Screening or Positive COVID-19 Test Action Plan

Positive Test – Action Plan

If You Had Close Contact With an Infected Person

Contest-Day Screening Procedures

Game Day Event Staff

Concessions

Athletic Training Room and Locker Rooms

Travel Considerations The following items are STRONGLY RECOMMENDED

The following is the complete document from OHSAA stating the “COVID-19 Return to Play Recommendations” that was issued on Wednesday, July 22nd.

For more of the latest updates on the OHSAA and Loveland High School Sports stay tuned to the Sports 411 With Me, Cassie Mattia!

Jul 25, 2020
Ohio Department of Health stresses that teens and young adults are crucial in fight against COVID-19
Columbus, Ohio – Lance D. Himes, interim director of the Ohio Department of Health (ODH), is calling on Ohio teens and young adults to take precautions to protect themselves and others against the dangers of COVID-19.

Himes said it is essential that young people stay home and away from others if they are sick, adhere to 6-foot social distancing, and wear facial coverings when they go out. Avoid gathering in large crowds, huddling in groups, and sharing hugs or drinks.

“Young people have given up a great deal since this pandemic first hit and are eager to get back to normal,” Himes said. “I thank them for their sacrifices and urge them to create a new normal in which they find ways to safely socialize, wear masks, keep a safe distance, and look out for one another.”

ODH has prepared guidelines for parents and others for talking with young people about COVID-19. The guidelines include tips for preventing the spread and navigating new social norms. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also has produced a series of fact sheets for young adults:
The average age of people with COVID-19 in Ohio has been steadily decreasing, showing that more and more young people are being exposed, and have become ill. Even those who don’t experience symptoms or only mild ones can unknowingly carry the disease and pass it to parents, grandparents, or other family and friends who may become seriously ill.

“Teens and young people must do everything in their power to protect themselves, their families and friends, and all Ohioans against this very real and very serious threat,” Himes said.

Taking steps to prevent COVID-19 also shows appreciation and offers protection for essential workers who provide healthcare and deliver food, packages, and other items. Further, reducing the spread of the pandemic is critical to prevent hospitals from becoming overcrowded. Overcrowded hospitals and overburdened healthcare workers make it more difficult to care for patients in critical need—a grandparent suffering from COVID-19, an aunt having complications delivering a baby, a father with chest pain, or a friend hurt in a car crash.

“Teens and young people must do everything in their power to protect themselves, their families and friends, and all Ohioans against this very real and very serious threat,” Himes said. “You will save lives, prevent suffering, and help tame a pandemic that places all of us at risk.”
Jul 18, 2020
LHS Athletics Enter Into Phase 3 of “Skills Practice”
LHS’s Athletic Director, Brian Conatser

by Cassie Mattia

Loveland, Ohio – Its been a tough road for athletes all across Ohio in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Competitions have been canceled, sports seasons have been postponed, and in-person practicing has been banned. Although this new normal has been hard on many high school athletes and coaches, many were glad to hear that the Ohio Governor and Health Department’s Responsible Restart Ohio implemented a “three-phase process” that would ease both athletes and coaches back into practicing and competing.

LHS’s Athletic Director, Brian Conatser, couldn’t be happier to get the Tiger Athletes and Coaches back into LHS’s athletic facilities, but in the safest way possible!

“We are in Phase 3 of our skills practice which will last until July 6th,” Conatser explained, “Once we get more guidance from the Ohio Governor and OHSAA, we will move forward with those restrictions and guidelines.”

On June 1st, LHS opened its Athletic Facilities in accordance with the OHSAA skills training guidelines.

“Our coaches are extremely committed to working with the Athletic Department to implement COVID-19 procedures and guidelines. As an Athletic Department, we walked through the process as a team, fine-tuning our plan prior to our athletes returning to campus,” Conatser said, “The plan is extremely thorough and detailed, as the safety of our student-athletes and coaches are our primary concern.”

Conatser provided the guidelines given to him by OHSAA that both coaches and student-athletes are following as they begin to return to athletics.
1. Every student-athlete and coach MUST complete the 2020-21 Final Forms COVID-19 waiver prior to the 1st training session.
2. Every student-athlete and coach MUST complete the LHS COVID-19 Self-Evaluation Google Form every day prior to each skills training session.
3. Social distancing includes a 6-foot separation. Entrances and Exits are outlined and over-communicated to avoid congregation and lingering of student-athletes.
4. Facial coverings must be worn when in the building (gyms, fitness center, athletic training room). Facial coverings may be removed during the training session.
5. Sanitation products and stations are located at the entry and exit of our inside facilities. We also ask EVERY student to bring: Water bottle, Sanitation wipes, Hand sanitizer, and Facial covering.
6. All equipment, balls, etc. must be wiped down at the beginning and end of each training session.
7. Three phases: Phase 1: May 26th – June 8th / Phase 2: June 9th – June 22nd / Phase 3: June 23rd – July 6th
Conatser gave credit to Loveland’s student-athletes, coaches, and parents for playing such an important role in the three-phase process.

“From parents dropping off their kids in designated spots to everyone following the COVID-19 guidelines. The coaches deserve an overwhelming amount of credit,” Conatser said, “These outstanding professionals make sure their programs have all of the information well ahead of time via communication from ZOOM, Google Hangout, email, Twitter, etc. We are looking forward to a safe and productive summer of skill training.”

For more Loveland Tiger sports updates stay tuned to the Sports 411 With Me, Cassie Mattia!
Jun 28, 2020
Kings Island announces 2020 Season opening dates
“Kings Island Park will open first to Season Passholders only, and will operate with stringent hygiene protocols, procedures to manage capacity and enable social distancing.”

Mason, Ohio – Kings Island has announced this morning that they will be open initially for Season Passholders only and shortly thereafter for daily ticketholders.

Key Park Opening Dates:
- Park Open to Season Passholders: July 2 – 11
- Park Open to Season Passholders and Daily Ticketholders: Beginning Sunday, July 12
“We are ready to welcome our guests back to Kings Island for some long-overdue fun,” said Mike Koontz, General Manager of Kings Island in a news release. “The safety of our guests and associates has always been and will always be our top priority. The park’s new health and safety protocols align with CDC recommendations, and have been shaped by information from company and industry health and safety experts, along with our state and local government officials.”

The Park says there are new protocols to create a safe and clean environment and include:
- A new online reservation system; each guest is required to have a reservation prior to their visit to enable capacity management;
- A requirement to complete a pre-visit health screening declaration 24 hours prior to admission;
- A touchless temperature screening prior to entering the facility for both guests and associates;
- Requirements for all guests, associates and vendors to wear masks as directed by the protocols
- Social distancing markers throughout the park, including ride queue lines;
- Limited guest/associate contact;
- Enhanced cleaning procedures, including additional deep cleaning and sanitization of restrooms, dining facilities and other busy areas;
- Additional hand sanitization stations; and
- Capacity management throughout the park.
The park will initially open to Season Passholders with limited capacity and hours. Kings Island will be sending emails to passholders, inviting them to begin making reservations. Only passholders will be able to make reservations for at least the first week; daily ticket reservations will open within the next two weeks.

An opening date for Soak City Water Park is to be determined.

All guests are asked to download Kings Island’s free mobile app to make a reservation and facilitate their park visit. 2020 Season Passes have been extended to through 2021.

Employment opportunities are currently available throughout the park, and a virtual hiring process has been deployed so applicants can apply and interview remotely. Openings can be found at www.visitkingsisland.com/jobs.
Jun 9, 2020