Glenn McRae to be New Intervale Center Executive DirectorBurlington, Vermont – The Intervale Center has announced that its Board of Directors had appointed Glenn McRae as the organization’s new Executive Director.Glenn McRae has more than 20 years of experience in managing nonprofit organizations. Since 2003, he has been Director of Public Policy Development at the Snelling Center for Government. Previously he served as Executive Director of Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility as well as the Association of Vermont Recyclers. He worked with the Vermont Community Foundation for twelve years to develop nonprofit leadership and management education initiatives. McRae has regularly consulted with nonprofit organizations on capacity building across Vermont and internationally. Holding a Ph.D. in Anthropology, McRae has been a member of the graduate faculty with the University of Vermont’s Master of Public Administration Program.Kalisa Barratt, Chair of the Intervale Center Board of Directors, commented, “Following a year of great challenges and successes, we find ourselves ready for new opportunities. As we move forward, I am extremely pleased that Glenn will be leading the Intervale Center. I think we’re lucky to have him. Glenn has a long history of working in nonprofit organizations and strong management experience. His social and environmental ethics match so well with all that we do. I believe that Glenn will bring fresh ideas and tremendous skills, which, with an exceptional team to support him, will enable the Intervale Center to achieve great things in the months and years ahead.”McRae will begin work as Intervale Center Executive Director on Monday, August 4th.The Intervale Center’s mission is to develop farm- and land-based enterprises that generate economic and social opportunity while protecting natural resources. Through the Center’s twenty years of operation, almost 350 acres of formerly abandoned, historically significant agricultural land in Burlington’s Intervale have been reclaimed and put to productive agricultural, recreational, and conservation use. The Intervale Center’s programs help support viable farms, increase access to local and organic produce, improve soil fertility, protect water quality through stream bank restoration, and educate young people about agriculture and healthy food.
‘A little bit weird’ European nations including Belgium, France, Germany and Greece have begun lifting border restrictions, hoping to save the summer tourism season.Spain has continued to reopen tourist sites, with the Alhambra palace the latest to welcome visitors back on Wednesday.But life is far from normal in Europe.Sweden passed the grim mark of 5,000 deaths, as cracks began to emerge in the political consensus the government has until now enjoyed over its softer approach.The Public Health Agency said it had recorded 5,041 COVID-19 deaths, giving it the world’s fifth highest death rate at 499.1 per million inhabitants.The German government plans to ban large events until at least the end of October, according to a draft policy document seen by AFP on Wednesday.And political leaders are also keen to protect themselves from the virus — anyone visiting Russian leader Vladimir Putin at his country residence must walk through a device that sprays them from above and the side with disinfectant.The most visible sign of normality was the return of the English Premier League when Aston Villa kicked off against Sheffield United.All games will be played in empty stadiums, possibly with cardboard cut-outs of supporters in the stands and piped-in crowd sounds. Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola said things would still be “a little bit weird”.UEFA, meanwhile, announced that the 2019-2020 Champions League, suspended since March, will be completed in a ‘final eight’ format in Lisbon in August.The closing stages of the women’s Champions League will also go ahead in an eight-team straight knock-out tournament in Bilbao and San Sebastian, in Spain at the end of August. ‘Situation is serious’ And amid a frenzied scramble to find a treatment or a vaccine, British researchers announced that a common steroid could reduce deaths among COVID-19 patients.However, the lack of a vaccine means nations continue to rely on lockdowns or other lesser restrictions to curb the spread of the virus. Beijing ordered further restrictions on Wednesday after reporting 31 more cases, taking its total to 137 in the past six days in an outbreak linked to a sprawling wholesale market called Xinfadi.More than 1,200 flights were cancelled in the capital on Wednesday, state media reported, schools were shut and residents were urged not to leave their homes.The authorities are carrying out thousands of tests.”The situation is serious and people don’t want to come out,” said Bai Xue, a worker at a Beijing restaurant that has put up a notice online saying it has not sourced food from Xinfadi.Chinese officials have ruled out the possibility that the outbreak was caused by Norwegian salmon, prompting Norway to call for the resumption of sales.While China fears a full-blown second wave, nations such as India are just beginning to feel the full force of the pandemic.The South Asian nation of 1.3 billion people reported more than 2,000 deaths on Wednesday, bringing its total to nearly 12,000 — the fourth-highest caseload in the world.Hospitals in the financial capital Mumbai have been overwhelmed and authorities in New Delhi have taken over hotels and banquet halls to house patients.While there have been surges in Iran and Saudi Arabia, Latin America remains the global epicenter.Brazil, the worst-hit nation after the United States, reported its highest daily jump in cases, and Peru’s toll surged past 7,000 — although officials said the number of new cases had begun to fall.The president of Honduras became the latest public figure to test positive for the virus, Juan Orlando Hernandez telling journalists his symptoms were mild and he would work from home.A study in Britain provided respite, researchers finding that a widely available steroid called dexamethasone reduced deaths by one third among the most severely ill patients.”Dexamethasone is inexpensive, on the shelf, and can be used immediately to save lives worldwide,” said Oxford professor Peter Horby.World Health Organization head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus congratulated scientists for the “lifesaving scientific breakthrough”.
China closed schools in Beijing and restricted air travel from the capital on Wednesday to halt an outbreak of coronavirus cases and dampen fears of a second wave, as India’s death toll spiked and Sweden’s went above 5,000.The new Chinese cluster and surging infections in Latin America and South Asia have raised fresh doubts about how quickly the world can control a pandemic that has so far caused more than 443,000 deaths from more than eight million infections.The pandemic has forced sports, entertainment and cultural events off the calendar for the past three months, but the resumption of the English Premier League on Wednesday after a 100-day exile marked a return to something like normality. Topics :
Eversley agreed to take the job earlier in the week. He succeeds the fired Gar Forman and will work under new top executive Arturas Karnisovas. Eversley spent four years in Philadelphia’s front office — the past two as the 76ers’ senior vice president of player personnel.The Canadian-born Eversley becomes the Bulls’ first black general manager.COLLEGE BASKETBALL-NEWSNC State recruit to stay in NBA draftUNDATED (AP) — North Carolina State signee Josh Hall is staying in the NBA draft, announcing that he has hired an agent. — Former NHL enforcer Georges Laraque (zhorj luh-RAHK’) has tested positive for COVID-19. Laraque played 12 NHL seasons, including eight with the Edmonton Oilers and two with the Montreal Canadiens. He also suited up for the Phoenix Coyotes and Pittsburgh Penguins.— The European Masters golf tournament scheduled for late August in Switzerland has been canceled. Organizers say the decision came after the Swiss government extended a ban on gatherings of more than 1,000 people through August. However, organizers say the course at Crans-sur-Sierre Golf Club will open to the public on May 11 as part of the easing of social restrictions.NFL-NEWSNFL owners to meet via video conferencesUNDATED (AP) — The NFL has switched its mid-May owners meeting to remote video conferencing because of the coronavirus pandemic. — Denver Broncos star linebacker Von Miller says he has tested negative for the coronavirus, two weeks after he said he had tested positive for COVID-19. The Super Bowl 50 MVP is an asthmatic and was under the care of team doctors and quarantined at his Denver area home over the last two weeks.— Indianapolis Motor Speedway could host the first major sporting venue to have fans back in the stands this summer. Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb has announced a five-stage plan to reopen the state with the final phase tentatively scheduled to include a return to sporting venues on July 4. That’s the very day an IndyCar-NASCAR Xfinity Series doubleheader is scheduled to be run on the sprawling track.— The NBA has announced the postponement of its upcoming draft lottery and draft combine amid concerns over the coronavirus pandemic. Both events were scheduled to take place in Chicago this month. The NBA said it will provide more information on each event at a later date as the league continues to monitor the pandemic and consult with infectious disease specialists, public health experts and government officials.— Major League Soccer is allowing players to return to outdoor team training fields for voluntary individual workouts starting next Wednesday. MLS suspended the season because of the coronavirus pandemic on March 12, closing all team facilities but asking players to remain in market with their teams. The league-wide moratorium on group and team training remains in effect through May 15. MLS says individual workouts must follow certain detailed health and safety protocols.— Three people at German soccer club Cologne have tested positive for the coronavirus in the latest blow to the league’s hopes of resuming games this month. Cologne didn’t name the people who tested positive and didn’t say whether they were players. Tests have been carried out this week on players, coaches and other staff at various clubs ahead of a planned return to full team training, then to competition. Share This StoryFacebookTwitteremailPrintLinkedinRedditVIRUS OUTBREAK-SPORTSAP sources: MLB, umpires reach pay dealUNDATED (AP) — Major League Baseball and its umpires have worked out a salary restructure in a deal that could put instant replay on hold this season. — The Dolphins have traded former first-round draft pick Charles Harris to the Falcons for a seventh-round pick in next year’s draft. Harris was the 22nd player taken in the 2017 draft before recording just 3 ½ sacks for Miami, including a half-sack last year.— A person familiar with the matter tells The Associated Press the Broncos have declined the fifth-year contract option on left tackle Garett Bolles. A fifth-year option for Bolles would have been worth about $11 million, guaranteed against injury. He has logged 46 holding penalties in 48 NFL games to earn the wrath of Denver fans.MLB-INDIANS-CLASE-DRUG SUSPENSIONIndians reliever Clase suspended 80 games for PED violationCLEVELAND (AP) — Cleveland Indians reliever Emmanuel Clase (klah-say) has been suspended 80 games by Major League Baseball for testing positive for a banned performance-enhancing drug. Two people familiar with the agreement tell the Associated Press that the agreement includes a 50% cut in May and nothing more this year if no games are played. The deal covers a pay structure during a coronavirus pandemic that has delayed the start of the season.Umps generally make between $150,000 and $450,000. They already have been paid from January through April. If even one regular-season game is played this season, the umps are guaranteed about one-third of their salaries.As part of the deal, MLB has the right not to use instant replays of umpires’ decisions during the 2020 season. Most calls have been subject to video review since 2014, but MLB is considering playing regular-season games at spring training ballparks that are not wired for replay.In other news related to the coronavirus pandemic:— The Oakland Athletics say former minor leaguer Miguel Marte died this week of complications from COVID-19. Marte was 30. The Dominican-born first baseman, catcher and right fielder played in the Oakland farm system from 2008-12, going as far as Class A. May 1, 2020 Associated Press Clase was acquired from the Texas Rangers this winter in Cleveland’s trade of two-time Cy Young winner Corey Kluber. The hard-throwing right-hander was expected to have a major role at the back end of the Indians’ bullpen this season.Clase was 2-3 with a 2.31 ERA in 21 games after making his debut with the Rangers in August.NBA-BULLS-EVERSLEYBills unveil EversleyCHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago Bulls have introduced new general manager Marc Eversley at a news conference Friday. The league previously canceled its annual meeting in March in Florida, where owners would have voted on potential rules changes. Those votes were expected to occur at the California meeting in two weeks. Among the rules to be discussed is allowing pass interference to be part of the video review system. That rule was adopted for one year and has gotten poor reviews from coaches and players.The NFL continues to plan for a preseason and regular season as scheduled.In other NFL news:— Backup quarterback Nick Mullens has signed his exclusive rights tender with the 49ers. He was tendered a one-year deal in March. Mullens showed promise in place of injured QB Jimmy Garoppolo in 2018 and is eligible to become a restricted free agent next offseason.— The Packers have signed well-traveled defensive lineman Treyvon Hester, who is joining his fourth time in as many seasons since being taking in the 2017 draft. Green Bay’s only draft addition on the defensive line last week was the seventh-round selection of Miami end Jonathan Garvin. Update on the latest sports Hall played at Moravian Prep in North Carolina for his senior season as well as an additional year of prep school. Prep players are eligible for the draft if they’re at least 19 years old during the calendar year of the draft and at least one NBA season has passed since their graduating class from high school.Hall is a top-25 recruit for Rivals and a top-35 pick for 247sports.In other college basketball news:— Former tournament champion Notre Dame and Oregon headline the 2021 Maui Invitational field. The bracket was announced Friday and includes Butler, Houston, Saint Mary’s, Wisconsin, Texas A&M and host Chaminade. North Carolina, Indiana and Texas headline the 2020 Maui Invitational, scheduled for Nov. 23-25.DOPING-STEVENS American sprinter Deajah Stevens suspended in doping caseMONACO (AP) — American sprinter Deajah Stevens was provisionally suspended Friday for repeatedly being unavailable for doping tests.The Athletics Integrity Unit said Stevens amassed three whereabouts violations in a year.The AIU said similar suspensions were imposed on American sprinter Gabrielle Thomas and Kenyan distance runner Alex Korio Oliotiptip. It didn’t specify when or where the violations occurred.Athletes are required to provide regular updates on their whereabouts to make it possible for anti-doping authorities to carry out surprise testing outside of competition.,Tampa Bay Lightning advance to face Dallas Stars in Stanley Cup finals, beating New York Islanders 2-1 in OT in Game 6