mercurynews--2020-09-27--The Latest: Wisconsin sees record number of daily new cases

By The Associated Press MADISON , Wis. — Wisconsin on Saturday hit a record for coronavirus cases reported in a single day as health officials reported 2,817 people have tested positive for the virus .
The state has seen some of the nation ’ s fastest coronavirus spread over the last two weeks .
The rolling average number of daily new cases has increased by 950 , an increase of nearly 97 % , according to Johns Hopkins researchers .
In that time , the state has reported the nation ’ s third-highest number of new cases per capita , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people .
In another troubling trend , the positivity rate for coronavirus testing has also been among the country ’ s highest .
That ’ s an indicator that many more people have infections than tests are revealing .
The seven-day positivity rate is currently over 17 % , according to the COVID Tracking Project .
Saturday ’ s positivity rate for testing was even higher at 22 % .
Over the course of the pandemic , 113,645 people have tested positive for the coronavirus in Wisconsin .
About 83 % of those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have active infections and 1,281 have died .
The Department of Health Services on Saturday reported seven new deaths .
HERE ’ S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE VIRUS OUTBREAK — Progress against virus brings complacency in parts of Africa — New York state tops 1,000 confirmed cases in a day for the first time since early June — Questions remain about the role tiny particles known as aerosols may play in spreading the virus , but some scientists say the time to take protective measures is now .
— Hundreds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the four leading vaccine candidates in China , raising questions of safety and ethics .
HERE ’ S WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING : OKLAHOMA CITY — The number of deaths in Oklahoma from the illness caused by the coronavirus has topped 1,000 .
Officials with the Oklahoma State Department of Health reported Saturday that 11 new COVID-19 deaths raised the state ’ s toll to 1,004 .
State health officials also reported that 990 new confirmed cases raised the Oklahoma caseload to at least 83,510 .
The number of active cases rose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the actual number of cases in Oklahoma is likely higher because many people haven ’ t been tested , and studies suggest people can be infected and not feel sick .
HONOLULU — A state-owned health care organization in Hawaii will take over a veterans care home where 26 residents have died of the coronavirus .
The arrangement announced on Friday will see Hawaii Health Systems Corporation take over as the operators of Yukio Okutsu State Veterans Home in Hilo .
The previous operator , Utah-based Avalon Health Care , will relinquish all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Star-Advertiser reports that the veterans home has had a history of falling short on health standards .
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services gave the home a health inspection rating of one star out of five .
There were 89 residents living at the care home before the outbreak .
Since then , 71 residents have contracted the virus along with 35 employees .
___ATHENS , Greece — Authorities are closing street kiosks and minimarkets from midnight to 5 a.m. in the Greek capital and other areas in a bid to slow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vendors are a popular after-hours source of alcohol for young people , many of whom have been congregating in squares without adhering to social distancing or wearing masks .
The closures are set to begin at midnight on Saturday .
Greek health officials on Saturday reported 315 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 7 more deaths .
That raised the country ’ s total case count to 17,228 since the pandemic began and its death toll to 376 , There are 68 people on ventilators , but many more are in intensive care @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the capacity of the public health system if trends continue .
ANCHORAGE , Alaska — Alaska health officials say the state ’ s COVID-19 death toll has risen by six , which is the biggest one-day jump for the state since the pandemic began .
The state also reported 128 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Friday , which was the most recent available data .
The deaths include three men in their 60s , one man in his 50s and two men in their 70s .
The state previously reported a high @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Alaska has had 8,202 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 52 deaths from the disease since the pandemic started .
TALLAHASSEE , Fla. — Florida reported 107 new coronavirus deaths on Saturday , a day after Republican Gov .
Ron DeSantis announced he was lifting restrictions on restaurant capacity .
The state also reported 2,795 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 , bringing its total since the pandemic began to just under 699,000 .
Overall , 14,190 people have died in Florida during the pandemic , including 168 non-residents .
There were 2,109 people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , or 26 fewer than the day before .
Florida has had the third-most confirmed COVID-19 cases of any state , trailing only two larger states , California and Texas .
On Friday , DeSantis issued an order allowing restaurants throughout the state to immediately reopen at full capacity .
The order prevents cities and counties from ordering them to close or to operate at less than half-capacity unless they can justify a closure for economic or health reasons .
DeSantis also banned local fines against people who refuse to wear masks .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus Patient No .
1 , whose case confirmed one of the world ’ s deadliest outbreaks was underway , is taking part in a 180-kilometer ( 112-mile ) relay race in memory of COVID-19 victims and as a sign of hope after he himself recovered from weeks in intensive care .
Mattia Maestri was suited up Saturday for the start of the two-day race between Italy ’ s first two virus hotspots .
It began in Codogno , where Maestri tested positive Feb. 21 , and was ending Sunday in Vo ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ official COVID death was recorded the same day .
Wearing a black mask , Maestri said the race was a “ beautiful initiative ” uniting the two hard-hit cities , and that he was thrilled to be even alive to participate .
“ I feel very lucky , ” he said at the starting line .
NEW YORK — More than 1,000 New Yorkers have tested positive for COVID-19 in a single day for the first time since June 5 the state has seen a daily number that high .
The number of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been steadily inching up in recent weeks , possibly because more businesses have been reopening and students have been returning to schools and college campuses .
Gov .
Andrew Cuomo announced Saturday there were 1,005 positive cases tallied on Friday out of 99,953 tests , for a 1 % positive rate .
From late July through the start of September , the state had an average of around 660 people test positive per day .
In the seven-day period that ended Friday , it averaged 817 positive tests per day .
That @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state of more than 19 million people still puts New York in a much better position than many other states .
And it is worlds better than the situation in the state in April , when the number of positive tests per day routinely topped 9,000 even though tests then were hard to get and people were being encouraged not to seek one unless they were gravely ill. LONDON — Police moved into London ’ s Trafalgar Square on Saturday afternoon to break up a protest against coronavirus restrictions after demonstrators ignored warnings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of people , most of whom weren ’ t wearing masks , crowded into the iconic square to hear speakers who criticized government-imposed restrictions as an overreaction to the pandemic that needlessly restricted the public ’ s human rights and freedom of expression .
The Metropolitan Police Service said before the event that officers would first encourage protesters to follow social distancing rules and would take enforcement action if demonstrators failed to comply .
As the event began , officers were visible around the perimeter of the square , but they didn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ three hours .
The demonstration came as Parliament was preparing to review COVID-19 legislation and the government was imposing new restrictions to control the disease .
It also came a week after a similar event during which thousands of people crowded into the iconic square .
Police say several officers were hurt during that event when a “ small minority ’ of protesters became violent .
Britain has Europe ’ s worst death toll from the pandemic , with nearly 42,000 confirmed deaths tied to COVID-19 .
New infections , hospitalizations and deaths @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
BERLIN — Germany recorded another rise in daily COVID-19 cases on Saturday , with authorities confirming a further 2,507 infections in the past 24 hours .
The country ’ s disease control agency , the Robert Koch Institute , said the total number of cases recorded since the start of the outbreak now stands at 282,730 .
Germany ’ s COVID-19 death toll as of Saturday stood at 9,452 , which was an increase of nine from Friday .
BARCELONA , Spain — Spain ’ s health minister has reiterated his plea @ @ @ @ @ @ @ apply more stringent restrictions on mobility in Europe ’ s worst coronavirus hotspot .
Minister Salvador Illa said Saturday that “ the situation in Madrid is complicated , serious .
Tough weeks are on their way.
” For the second time in as many days , Illa urged Madrid ’ s health authorities in charge of the capital ’ s health crisis to “ revise their decisions ” and “ put in the limits on movement on the whole of the city of Madrid.
” On Friday , Madrid increased the number of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outside the area , reduce occupancy in shops and restaurants and close parks .
Those measures apply to around 1 million people of the 3.3 million who live in the capital .
Spain has been able to stop a second wave of the virus that has claimed over 31,000 lives in the country .
MANILA , Philippines — Confirmed coronavirus infections in the Philippines have soared past 300,000 , the latest bleak milestone in a country which has gradually reopened its battered economy despite having the highest number of cases in Southeast Asia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reported a daily tally of 2,747 new and recent infections , bringing the total number of COVID-19 cases in the country to 301,256 , with 5,284 deaths .
Officials have tried to ease alarm by highlighting the massive number of COVID-19 recoveries , but critics say the outbreaks remain uncontrolled and coronavirus cases may be undercounted despite an increase in testing capacity in recent months .
President Rodrigo Duterte and his administration have walked a tightrope in reviving the battered economy and containing infections .
The government said the central city of Iloilo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for two weeks due to infection spikes but at the same time announced that the popular Boracay island beach resort in a nearby region would be opened to more local tourists .
BRATISLAVA , Slovakia — Slovakia is facing a record surge of coronavirus infections with the number of new confirmed COVID-19 cases surpassing 500 in one day for the first time .
The Slovak Health Ministry says the day-on-day increase was 552 on Friday .
Slovakia still has been less hit than most other European countries .
The country has had a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deaths .
Prime Minister Igor Matovic said his government is ready to impose new restrictive measures to curb the surge on Monday .
Those should include limits on public gatherings such as weddings , both indoors and outdoors , officials said .
NEW DELHI — India reported 85,362 new coronavirus cases in the past 24 hours with infections slowing down this month .
The Health Ministry raised the nation ’ s confirmed total to more than 5.9 million on Saturday .
It said 1,089 more people died in the past 24 hours , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have decided to hold the first legislative election in Bihar state since the pandemic .
Nearly 72 million people are eligible to cast votes during three days beginning the end of October with social distancing restrictions .
The average new cases in India have fallen by around 7,000 daily in the past week , after reaching a record of 97,894 on Sept. 16 .
However , authorities are preparing for a major religious festival season beginning next month that generally sees huge congregations in temples and shopping districts .
MELBOURNE , Australia — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Victoria state has resigned in the fallout from an inquiry into why security guards were used instead of police or the military at quarantine hotels .
Lapses in security at the hotels were given as the major reason for a second wave of COVID-19 cases .
Victoria reported just one more coronavirus death as Melbourne ’ s new case average continued to fall .
The death took the state toll to 782 and the national figure to 870 .
There were 12 new cases , while Melbourne ’ s 14-day average fell again @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who have been in lockdown for more than a month , are waiting for the easing of restrictions on Monday .
It ’ s expected to include a staged return to school for some students and outdoor gatherings of five people from two households .
Health Minister Jenny Mikakos on Saturday issued a statement confirming her resignation , just a day after Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews gave evidence to the inquiry and pointed partial blame at Mikakos for her role in the bungled quarantine program .
Mikakos appears to be taking the blame @ @ @ @ @ @ @ six weeks of hearings into the hotel inquiry , it was still not known who made the decision to use security guards instead of police or soldiers , which were used in other Australian states .
SACRAMENTO , Calif. — California has begun to see concerning upticks in coronavirus data after a period of decline .
The state health secretary said Friday that there have been increases in the number of newly confirmed cases , hospital emergency department visits for COVID-19 and new hospitalizations for confirmed or suspected cases .
Dr. Mark Ghaly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Labor Day holiday and could lead to an 89 % increase in hospitalizations in the next month .
Ghaly notes the state is heading into another hot weekend , which could increase people gathering with others .
He urged renewed efforts to prevent spread .
SEOUL , South Korea — South Korea has reported 61 new cases of the coronavirus , the first time in four days its daily increase has been below 100 as officials urges citizens to be vigilant ahead of a major holiday break .
The numbers released by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Saturday brought the national caseload to 23,516 cases , including 399 deaths .
Health officials say the annual Chuseok harvest festival that begins Wednesday and continues through next weekend will be a critical period in the country ’ s anti-virus campaign .
Millions of South Koreans usually travel across the country during Chuseok to visit relatives , but officials are pleading for people stay home this year to help stem transmissions .
WASHINGTON — The nation ’ s top infectious disease expert is cautioning people not to let pandemic fatigue weaken efforts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dr. Anthony Fauci says that “ people are exhausted from being shut down ” and some give up on doing things that contain the virus .
The head of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases made the comment Friday in a podcast with a medical journal editor .
Fauci urges people to remember that “ there is an end to this ” and “ we just have to hang in there a bit ” as researchers work on a vaccine .
Fauci says that “ what we don ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shut down again ” if cases really spike .

By The Associated Press
LONG BEACH, Calif. — All California State University, Long Beach, students who live on campus have been placed in quarantine after five students tested positive for COVID-19 and all in-person instruction will be halted for two weeks. University President Jane Close Conoley said in a statement that the school became aware late Friday of students who did not heed guidance related to COVID-19 precautions and congregated socially off campus earlier this month. Five of those students have now tested positive for the illness, including four who live on campus and one who lives off campus. The university is working with public health officials and will assist with contact tracing in the community.
___
The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation reports two prisoners have died at hospitals of coronavirus-related complications. One prisoner was at the California Institution for Men in Chino. He was the 22nd inmate at the prison to die of coronavirus complications. The second prisoner was at Avenal State Prison in Avenal. He was the sixth inmate to die of complications from the virus at the facility. The department did not provide more details about the deaths. Meanwhile, all California State University, Long Beach students who live on campus have been placed in quarantine and all in-person instruction will be halted for two weeks because five students tested positive for COVID-19.
___
HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE VIRUS OUTBREAK
— Progress against virus brings complacency in parts of Africa
— Italy’s coronavirus Patient No. 1 takes part in long-distance relay race
— New York state tops 1,000 confirmed cases in a day for the first time since early June
— London police, protesters clash at COVID-19 demonstration
— Questions remain about the role tiny particles known as aerosols may play in spreading the virus, but some scientists say the time to take protective measures is now.
— Hundreds of thousands of people have taken one of the four leading vaccine candidates in China, raising questions of safety and ethics.
___
Follow AP’s pandemic coverage at http://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak
___
HERE’S WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING:
MADISON, Wis. — Wisconsin on Saturday hit a record for coronavirus cases reported in a single day as health officials reported 2,817 people have tested positive for the virus.
The state has seen some of the nation’s fastest coronavirus spread over the last two weeks. The rolling average number of daily new cases has increased by 950, an increase of nearly 97%, according to Johns Hopkins researchers. In that time, the state has reported the nation’s third-highest number of new cases per capita, with about 423 new cases per 100,000 people.
In another troubling trend, the positivity rate for coronavirus testing has also been among the country’s highest. That’s an indicator that many more people have infections than tests are revealing. The seven-day positivity rate is currently over 17%, according to the COVID Tracking Project. Saturday’s positivity rate for testing was even higher at 22%.
Over the course of the pandemic, 113,645 people have tested positive for the coronavirus in Wisconsin. About 83% of those people have recovered, while over 18,000 have active infections and 1,281 have died. The Department of Health Services on Saturday reported seven new deaths.
___
OKLAHOMA CITY — The number of deaths in Oklahoma from the illness caused by the coronavirus has topped 1,000.
Officials with the Oklahoma State Department of Health reported Saturday that 11 new COVID-19 deaths raised the state’s toll to 1,004.
State health officials also reported that 990 new confirmed cases raised the Oklahoma caseload to at least 83,510. The number of active cases rose by 136 to 12,752. However, the actual number of cases in Oklahoma is likely higher because many people haven’t been tested, and studies suggest people can be infected and not feel sick.
___
HONOLULU — A state-owned health care organization in Hawaii will take over a veterans care home where 26 residents have died of the coronavirus.
The arrangement announced on Friday will see Hawaii Health Systems Corporation take over as the operators of Yukio Okutsu State Veterans Home in Hilo. The previous operator, Utah-based Avalon Health Care, will relinquish all control over the facility.
The Honolulu Star-Advertiser reports that the veterans home has had a history of falling short on health standards. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services gave the home a health inspection rating of one star out of five.
There were 89 residents living at the care home before the outbreak. Since then, 71 residents have contracted the virus along with 35 employees.
___
ATHENS, Greece — Authorities are closing street kiosks and minimarkets from midnight to 5 a.m. in the Greek capital and other areas in a bid to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
Such vendors are a popular after-hours source of alcohol for young people, many of whom have been congregating in squares without adhering to social distancing or wearing masks. The closures are set to begin at midnight on Saturday.
Greek health officials on Saturday reported 315 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 7 more deaths. That raised the country’s total case count to 17,228 since the pandemic began and its death toll to 376,
There are 68 people on ventilators, but many more are in intensive care units and the government is concerned about the capacity of the public health system if trends continue.
___
ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Alaska health officials say the state’s COVID-19 death toll has risen by six, which is the biggest one-day jump for the state since the pandemic began.
The state also reported 128 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Friday, which was the most recent available data.
The deaths include three men in their 60s, one man in his 50s and two men in their 70s. The state previously reported a high of four deaths, on Aug. 25.
Alaska has had 8,202 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 52 deaths from the disease since the pandemic started.
___
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida reported 107 new coronavirus deaths on Saturday, a day after Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis announced he was lifting restrictions on restaurant capacity.
The state also reported 2,795 new confirmed cases of COVID-19, bringing its total since the pandemic began to just under 699,000. Overall, 14,190 people have died in Florida during the pandemic, including 168 non-residents.
There were 2,109 people hospitalized with COVID-19 as of Saturday morning, or 26 fewer than the day before. Florida has had the third-most confirmed COVID-19 cases of any state, trailing only two larger states, California and Texas.
On Friday, DeSantis issued an order allowing restaurants throughout the state to immediately reopen at full capacity. The order prevents cities and counties from ordering them to close or to operate at less than half-capacity unless they can justify a closure for economic or health reasons.
DeSantis also banned local fines against people who refuse to wear masks.
___
CODOGNO, Italy — Italy’s coronavirus Patient No. 1, whose case confirmed one of the world’s deadliest outbreaks was underway, is taking part in a 180-kilometer (112-mile) relay race in memory of COVID-19 victims and as a sign of hope after he himself recovered from weeks in intensive care.
Mattia Maestri was suited up Saturday for the start of the two-day race between Italy’s first two virus hotspots. It began in Codogno, where Maestri tested positive Feb. 21, and was ending Sunday in Vo’Euganeo, where Italy’s first official COVID death was recorded the same day.
Wearing a black mask, Maestri said the race was a “beautiful initiative” uniting the two hard-hit cities, and that he was thrilled to be even alive to participate.
“I feel very lucky,” he said at the starting line.
___
NEW YORK — More than 1,000 New Yorkers have tested positive for COVID-19 in a single day for the first time since June 5 the state has seen a daily number that high.
The number of positive tests reported daily in the state has been steadily inching up in recent weeks, possibly because more businesses have been reopening and students have been returning to schools and college campuses.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Saturday there were 1,005 positive cases tallied on Friday out of 99,953 tests, for a 1% positive rate.
From late July through the start of September, the state had an average of around 660 people test positive per day. In the seven-day period that ended Friday, it averaged 817 positive tests per day.
That number of daily positive tests in a state of more than 19 million people still puts New York in a much better position than many other states. And it is worlds better than the situation in the state in April, when the number of positive tests per day routinely topped 9,000 even though tests then were hard to get and people were being encouraged not to seek one unless they were gravely ill.
___
LONDON — Police moved into London’s Trafalgar Square on Saturday afternoon to break up a protest against coronavirus restrictions after demonstrators ignored warnings to observe social distancing rules.
Thousands of people, most of whom weren’t wearing masks, crowded into the iconic square to hear speakers who criticized government-imposed restrictions as an overreaction to the pandemic that needlessly restricted the public’s human rights and freedom of expression.
The Metropolitan Police Service said before the event that officers would first encourage protesters to follow social distancing rules and would take enforcement action if demonstrators failed to comply. As the event began, officers were visible around the perimeter of the square, but they didn’t move into the crowd for about three hours.
The demonstration came as Parliament was preparing to review COVID-19 legislation and the government was imposing new restrictions to control the disease. It also came a week after a similar event during which thousands of people crowded into the iconic square. Police say several officers were hurt during that event when a “small minority’ of protesters became violent.
Britain has Europe’s worst death toll from the pandemic, with nearly 42,000 confirmed deaths tied to COVID-19. New infections, hospitalizations and deaths have all risen sharply in recent weeks.
___
BERLIN — Germany recorded another rise in daily COVID-19 cases on Saturday, with authorities confirming a further 2,507 infections in the past 24 hours.
The country’s disease control agency, the Robert Koch Institute, said the total number of cases recorded since the start of the outbreak now stands at 282,730.
Germany’s COVID-19 death toll as of Saturday stood at 9,452, which was an increase of nine from Friday.
___
BARCELONA, Spain — Spain’s health minister has reiterated his plea for Madrid’s regional authorities to apply more stringent restrictions on mobility in Europe’s worst coronavirus hotspot.
Minister Salvador Illa said Saturday that “the situation in Madrid is complicated, serious. Tough weeks are on their way.”
For the second time in as many days, Illa urged Madrid’s health authorities in charge of the capital’s health crisis to “revise their decisions” and “put in the limits on movement on the whole of the city of Madrid.”
On Friday, Madrid increased the number of neighborhoods under restrictions that prohibit unnecessary movement outside the area, reduce occupancy in shops and restaurants and close parks. Those measures apply to around 1 million people of the 3.3 million who live in the capital.
Spain has been able to stop a second wave of the virus that has claimed over 31,000 lives in the country.
___
MANILA, Philippines — Confirmed coronavirus infections in the Philippines have soared past 300,000, the latest bleak milestone in a country which has gradually reopened its battered economy despite having the highest number of cases in Southeast Asia.
The Department of Health on Saturday reported a daily tally of 2,747 new and recent infections, bringing the total number of COVID-19 cases in the country to 301,256, with 5,284 deaths.
Officials have tried to ease alarm by highlighting the massive number of COVID-19 recoveries, but critics say the outbreaks remain uncontrolled and coronavirus cases may be undercounted despite an increase in testing capacity in recent months.
President Rodrigo Duterte and his administration have walked a tightrope in reviving the battered economy and containing infections. The government said the central city of Iloilo was placed under a mild lockdown Friday for two weeks due to infection spikes but at the same time announced that the popular Boracay island beach resort in a nearby region would be opened to more local tourists.
___
BRATISLAVA, Slovakia — Slovakia is facing a record surge of coronavirus infections with the number of new confirmed COVID-19 cases surpassing 500 in one day for the first time.
The Slovak Health Ministry says the day-on-day increase was 552 on Friday.
Slovakia still has been less hit than most other European countries. The country has had a total of 8,600 infected, with 44 deaths.
Prime Minister Igor Matovic said his government is ready to impose new restrictive measures to curb the surge on Monday. Those should include limits on public gatherings such as weddings, both indoors and outdoors, officials said.
___
NEW DELHI — India reported 85,362 new coronavirus cases in the past 24 hours with infections slowing down this month.
The Health Ministry raised the nation’s confirmed total to more than 5.9 million on Saturday. It said 1,089 more people died in the past 24 hours, for a total of 93,379.
Authorities have decided to hold the first legislative election in Bihar state since the pandemic. Nearly 72 million people are eligible to cast votes during three days beginning the end of October with social distancing restrictions.
The average new cases in India have fallen by around 7,000 daily in the past week, after reaching a record of 97,894 on Sept. 16. However, authorities are preparing for a major religious festival season beginning next month that generally sees huge congregations in temples and shopping districts.
__
MELBOURNE, Australia — The health minister in Australia’s Victoria state has resigned in the fallout from an inquiry into why security guards were used instead of police or the military at quarantine hotels. Lapses in security at the hotels were given as the major reason for a second wave of COVID-19 cases.
Victoria reported just one more coronavirus death as Melbourne’s new case average continued to fall. The death took the state toll to 782 and the national figure to 870. There were 12 new cases, while Melbourne’s 14-day average fell again on Saturday to 23.6.
Melburnians, who have been in lockdown for more than a month, are waiting for the easing of restrictions on Monday. It’s expected to include a staged return to school for some students and outdoor gatherings of five people from two households.
Health Minister Jenny Mikakos on Saturday issued a statement confirming her resignation, just a day after Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews gave evidence to the inquiry and pointed partial blame at Mikakos for her role in the bungled quarantine program.
Mikakos appears to be taking the blame when no one else would. After six weeks of hearings into the hotel inquiry, it was still not known who made the decision to use security guards instead of police or soldiers, which were used in other Australian states.
___
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California has begun to see concerning upticks in coronavirus data after a period of decline.
The state health secretary said Friday that there have been increases in the number of newly confirmed cases, hospital emergency department visits for COVID-19 and new hospitalizations for confirmed or suspected cases.
Dr. Mark Ghaly says the trends appear largely attributable to the Labor Day holiday and could lead to an 89% increase in hospitalizations in the next month.
Ghaly notes the state is heading into another hot weekend, which could increase people gathering with others. He urged renewed efforts to prevent spread.
___
SEOUL, South Korea — South Korea has reported 61 new cases of the coronavirus, the first time in four days its daily increase has been below 100 as officials urges citizens to be vigilant ahead of a major holiday break.
The numbers released by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency on Saturday brought the national caseload to 23,516 cases, including 399 deaths.
Health officials say the annual Chuseok harvest festival that begins Wednesday and continues through next weekend will be a critical period in the country’s anti-virus campaign. Millions of South Koreans usually travel across the country during Chuseok to visit relatives, but officials are pleading for people stay home this year to help stem transmissions.
___
WASHINGTON — The nation’s top infectious disease expert is cautioning people not to let pandemic fatigue weaken efforts to keep the coronavirus from spreading.
Dr. Anthony Fauci says that “people are exhausted from being shut down” and some give up on doing things that contain the virus.
The head of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases made the comment Friday in a podcast with a medical journal editor.
Fauci urges people to remember that “there is an end to this” and “we just have to hang in there a bit” as researchers work on a vaccine. Fauci says that “what we don’t want to have to do is to shut down again” if cases really spike.


mercurynews--2020-09-27--Bay Area heat: Scorching temps, red-flag warning extended, another Spare the Air alert

High winds , triple-digit temperatures and an elevated fire risk will greet Bay Area residents by the end of the weekend and into the start of the week , with Monday expected to see the peak of a current heat wave before some modest relief arrives primarily to coastal areas , according to weather forecasters .
Correspondingly , air-quality officials have issued another Spare the Air alert for Sunday — saying the air is unsafe for people with respiratory sensitivities — and low humidity has prompted the National Weather Service to extend a red-flag wind warning for the region through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ morning endpoint .
A heat advisory has also been issued for the entire Bay Area , with the weather service urging people to seek indoor and air-conditioning relief wherever possible and to avoid being outdoors in the midday .
Bay Area municipalities are once again opening up cooling centers through at least Monday to offer relief to residents with limited access to air-conditioning or shelter from the outdoor heat .
That compounds an advisory PG & E issued that warned of possible power shutoffs in 15 Northern California counties , though the Bay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about 200 customers in Napa County slated for potential outages to stem fire dangers .
Most of the affected customers were east and north of the Sacramento area , led by more than 35,000 customers in El Dorado County being put on notice for precautionary outages .
“ We ’ re going to see fairly consistent offshore winds across the board , and strong winds in the upper altitudes , ” NWS meteorologist Brayden Murdock said .
That will translate in wind speeds approaching 50 mph in the North Bay mountains and East @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Livermore Valley , Murdock said .
Along the coast , that increases the threat of rip currents .
As far as temperatures go , San Francisco could flirt with 90 degrees Sunday , joined by cities that dot the interior shorelines on both sides of the bay .
The areas that typically see the region ’ s hottest readings — Livermore , Gilroy , Santa Rosa , and parts of Marin County — are expected to break 100 degrees .
That is forecasted to continue into Monday , when San Francisco could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
San Jose is predicted to see a high of 96 degrees ; 102 in Oakland ; 103 in Walnut Creek ; and 95 in Fremont , to round out a sampling .
All of the Monday temperatures are part of an expected warmup for this time of year , but the range and ceiling of the heat is “ pretty well above average , ” Murdock said .
As for relief ?
Some will see temperatures taper off Tuesday , but the coastal areas will notice that the most , with most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just a few degrees .
Bay Area cooling centers and tips to stay safe from the heat • Drink water .
Sip all day ; do not wait until you are thirsty .
• Limit physical activity and wear a hat outside , preferably with a wide brim .
• If smoke is not present , open windows to cooling breezes in the evening .
Note : This is a non-exhaustive list of cooling centers and is subject to change .
Campbell Campbell Community Center Sunday to Monday , from 1 p.m. to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1 W. Campbell Ave. Milpitas Milpitas Senior Center Sunday to Monday , from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. 40 N. Milpitas Blvd Morgan Hill Morgan Hill Library Sunday to Tuesday , from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. 660 W. Main Ave. Mountain View Community Center Sunday to Monday , from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. 201 South Rengstorff Ave. Palo Alto Mitchell Park Community Center Sunday to Monday , from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. El Palo Alto Room 3700 Middlefield Road Camden Community Center Sunday to Monday , from 1 p.m. to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Community Center Sunday to Monday , from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. 2072 Lucretia Ave. Edenvale Branch Library Sunday to Monday , from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Community Room 101 Branham Lane East Joyce Ellington Branch Library Sunday to Monday , from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Community Room 491 E. Empire St. Santa Clara Santa Clara Senior Center Sunday to Monday , from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. 1303 Fremont St. Saratoga Saratoga Library Sunday to Monday , from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. 13650 Saratoga Ave. Sunnyvale Murphy Park Building @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to 5 p.m. 260 N. Sunnyvale Ave. Berkeley Old City Hall 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. 2134 Martin Luther King Jr. Way Dublin Dublin Senior Center Sunday to Tuesday , from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. 7600 Amador Valley Blvd .
Other locations like the Twin Pines Senior and Community Center in Belmont , and San Mateo County libraries , could open as cooling centers .
Check with a local municipality or the library system for more details .

High winds, triple-digit temperatures and an elevated fire risk will greet Bay Area residents by the end of the weekend and into the start of the week, with Monday expected to see the peak of a current heat wave before some modest relief arrives primarily to coastal areas, according to weather forecasters.
Correspondingly, air-quality officials have issued another Spare the Air alert for Sunday — saying the air is unsafe for people with respiratory sensitivities — and low humidity has prompted the National Weather Service to extend a red-flag wind warning for the region through Monday evening, past its previous Monday morning endpoint.
“We’re going to see fairly consistent offshore winds across the board, and strong winds in the upper altitudes,” NWS meteorologist Brayden Murdock said.
A heat advisory has also been issued for the entire Bay Area, with the weather service urging people to seek indoor and air-conditioning relief wherever possible and to avoid being outdoors in the midday. Bay Area municipalities are once again opening up cooling centers through at least Monday to offer relief to residents with limited access to air-conditioning or shelter from the outdoor heat.
That compounds an advisory PG&E issued for planned power shutoffs in 16 Northern California counties, though the Bay Area impact would be modest, with about 200 customers in Napa County and only two Sonoma County customers slated for potential outages starting 4 p.m. Sunday.
Most of the 89,000 affected customers will be east and north of the Sacramento area, led by about 35,000 customers in El Dorado County being put on notice for outages, also set to take effect Sunday afternoon.
The red-flag warnings are based on forecasted wind speeds approaching 50 mph in the North Bay mountains and East Bay hills, and adjacent areas like the Livermore Valley, Murdock said. Along the coast, that increases the threat of rip currents.
As far as temperatures go, San Francisco could flirt with 90 degrees Sunday, joined by cities that dot the interior shorelines on both sides of the bay. The areas that typically see the region’s hottest readings — Livermore, Gilroy, Santa Rosa, and parts of Marin County — are expected to break 100 degrees.
That is forecasted to continue into Monday, when San Francisco could see temperatures creeping into the upper 90s. San Jose is predicted to see a high of 96 degrees; 102 in Oakland; 103 in Walnut Creek; and 95 in Fremont, to round out a sampling.
All of the Monday temperatures are part of an expected warmup for this time of year, but the range and ceiling of the heat is “pretty well above average,” Murdock said.
As for relief? Some will see temperatures taper off Tuesday, but the coastal areas will notice that the most, with most other inland cities seeing a dropoff of just a few degrees.
Bay Area cooling centers and tips to stay safe from the heat
Drink water. Sip all day; do not wait until you are thirsty.
Wear loose-fitting clothes.
Limit physical activity and wear a hat outside, preferably with a wide brim.
Keep shades drawn, and blinds closed. Run fans.
If smoke is not present, open windows to cooling breezes in the evening.
Note: This is a non-exhaustive list of cooling centers and is subject to change.
SANTA CLARA COUNTY
Campbell
Campbell Community Center
Sunday to Monday, from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m.Q80 (Roosevelt Redwood Room)
1 W. Campbell Ave.
Milpitas
Milpitas Senior Center
Sunday to Monday, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
40 N. Milpitas Blvd
Morgan Hill
Morgan Hill Library
Sunday to Tuesday, from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.
660 W. Main Ave.
Mountain View
Community Center
Sunday to Monday, from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m.
201 South Rengstorff Ave.
Palo Alto
Mitchell Park Community Center
Sunday to Monday, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
El Palo Alto Room
3700 Middlefield Road
San Jose
Camden Community Center
Sunday to Monday, from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m.
3369 Union Ave.
Vietnamese American Community Center
Sunday to Monday, from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m.
2072 Lucretia Ave.
Edenvale Branch Library
Sunday to Monday, from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Community Room
101 Branham Lane East
Joyce Ellington Branch Library
Sunday to Monday, from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Community Room
491 E. Empire St.
Santa Clara
Santa Clara Senior Center
Sunday to Monday, from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m.
1303 Fremont St.
Saratoga
Saratoga Library
Sunday to Monday, from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.
13650 Saratoga Ave.
Sunnyvale
Murphy Park Building
Sunday to Wednesday, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
260 N. Sunnyvale Ave.
ALAMEDA COUNTY
Berkeley
Old City Hall
10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
2134 Martin Luther King Jr. Way
Dublin
Dublin Senior Center
Sunday to Tuesday, from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m.
7600 Amador Valley Blvd.
Livermore
Robert Livermore Community Center
Sunday, 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.; Monday, 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.
4444 East Ave.
Pleasanton
Pleasanton Senior Center
Sunday to Monday, 12 p.m. to 7 p.m.
5353 Sunol Blvd.
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY
Antioch
Nick Rodriguez Community Center
Monday to Wednesday, 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.
213 F St.
Brentwood
Brentwood Community Center
Call for hours: 925-516-5444
35 Oak St.
Concord
Concord Senior Center
Sunday to Wednesday, 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.
2727 Parkside Circle
Martinez
Martinez Senior Center
Sunday to Monday, 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.
SAN MATEO COUNTY
San Mateo
Senior Center
Sunday to Monday, 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.
2645 Alameda de las Pulgas
Other locations like the Twin Pines Senior and Community Center in Belmont, and San Mateo County libraries, could open as cooling centers. Check with a local municipality or the library system for more details.


mercurynews--2020-09-26--Map: High fire danger this weekend in Bay Area, much of Northern California

The National Weather Service has issued a red flag warning , indicating heightened risk of wildfire , for most of Northern California this weekend .
The warning area extends from the Oregon line to the Gilroy area , and from the coast to the Sierra crest .
It includes some or all of the counties of Santa Clara , Alameda , Contra Costa , Solano , Napa , Sonoma and Marin .
For most of the area , the warning is in effect from 9 p.m. Saturday to 9 p.m. Monday .
On the north coast , it is from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In the Bay Area , the weather service says , the highest threats are in these areas : • Mount Diablo and the East Bay hills above 1,000 feet , including much of the East Bay Regional Park District lands .
• The Highway 4 corridor , the I-680 corridor and I-580 east of the Altamont Pass .
• Lower-elevation unburned areas of Marin and Sonoma counties west of Highway 101 , including Mt Tamalpais and Point Reyes National Seashore .
The warning was prompted by a forecast of hot and dry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and regional details , see the National Weather Service website or app .

The National Weather Service has issued a red flag warning, indicating heightened risk of wildfire, for most of Northern California this weekend.
The warning area extends from the Oregon line to the Gilroy area, and from the coast to the Sierra crest. It includes some or all of the counties of Santa Clara, Alameda, Contra Costa, Solano, Napa, Sonoma and Marin.
For most of the area, the warning is in effect from 9 p.m. Saturday to 9 p.m. Monday. On the north coast, it is from 5 a.m. Sunday to 9 p.m. Monday.
In the Bay Area, the weather service says, the highest threats are in these areas:
Mount Diablo and the East Bay hills above 1,000 feet, including much of the East Bay Regional Park District lands.
The Highway 4 corridor, the I-680 corridor and I-580 east of the Altamont Pass.
Lower-elevation unburned areas of Marin and Sonoma counties west of Highway 101, including Mt Tamalpais and Point Reyes National Seashore.
The warning was prompted by a forecast of hot and dry weather with gusty winds.
For updates and regional details, see the National Weather Service website.


mercurynews--2020-09-26--Police: 1 shot and killed, 7 wounded at Iowa biker gathering

WATERLOO , Iowa ( AP ) — Gunfire erupted early Saturday at a gathering of motorcycle clubs in Iowa , killing one person and wounding seven others , authorities said .
About 100 people were at the gathering inside a building in Waterloo when there was “ some kind of confrontation shortly after 3 a.m. , Joel Fitzgerald , the police chief of the city about 90 miles ( 145 kilometers ) northeast of Des Moines , said at a news conference .
Officers were nearby at a traffic stop when the shooting started , said Capt .
Joe Leibold @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arrived to find a chaotic scene , with people hurt and others fleeing the area , and they began administering aid as paramedics and firefighters pulled up .
“ It was a pretty dynamic scene , ” said Battalion Chief Ben Petersen with Waterloo Fire Rescue .
“ Coming into something like that , you are trying to size up the patients and triage the scene.
” Nearby police officers heard the gunfire and responded within seconds , Fitzgerald said .
Eight people had gunshot wounds and one of them later died .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ glass or other debris while fleeing .
The gathering wasn ’ t authorized and investigators were trying to determine who leased the building , Fitzgerald said at a news conference .
Investigators are still trying to determine whether there was more than one shooter and no arrests have been made in the shooting .
Leibold said police do not believe it was a random act and the public is not in danger .
• San Jose : Second victim in shooting near SJSU identified as 24-year-old resident • Police name 14-year-old as suspect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were arrested after officers responded to a disorderly conduct call outside the emergency room at MercyOne Waterloo Medical Center , where some of the victims were taken , the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reported .

WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) — Gunfire erupted early Saturday at a gathering of motorcycle clubs in Iowa, killing one person and wounding seven others, authorities said.
About 100 people were at the gathering inside a building in Waterloo when there was “some kind of confrontation shortly after 3 a.m., Joel Fitzgerald, the police chief of the city about 90 miles (145 kilometers) northeast of Des Moines, said at a news conference.
Officers were nearby at a traffic stop when the shooting started, said Capt. Joe Leibold with the Waterloo Police Department. They arrived to find a chaotic scene, with people hurt and others fleeing the area, and they began administering aid as paramedics and firefighters pulled up.
“It was a pretty dynamic scene,” said Battalion Chief Ben Petersen with Waterloo Fire Rescue. “Coming into something like that, you are trying to size up the patients and triage the scene.”
Nearby police officers heard the gunfire and responded within seconds, Fitzgerald said. Eight people had gunshot wounds and one of them later died. Four other people were hurt by broken glass or other debris while fleeing.
The gathering wasn’t authorized and investigators were trying to determine who leased the building, Fitzgerald said at a news conference. Investigators are still trying to determine whether there was more than one shooter and no arrests have been made in the shooting.
Leibold said police do not believe it was a random act and the public is not in danger.


mercurynews--2020-09-26--Hotline newsletter: Reaction to the return of Pac-12 football (unity rules the day, FAQs, Scott’s mi

Hotline newsletter: Reaction to the return of Pac-12 football (unity rules the day, FAQs, Scott’s miss and more)

*** The Pac-12 Hotline newsletter is published each Monday-Wednesday-Friday during the college sports season and twice-a-week in the summer .
( Sign up here for a free subscription . )
This edition , from Sept. 25 , has been made available in archived form .
Instead of starting this edition with our usual commentary and analysis of key developments , the Hotline newsletter will play the role of a standard newsletter : Our focus is on reaction — reaction from around the country to the Pac-12 ’ s return ( with links provided , of course ) : • Let @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the issues and logistics — in FAQ form — from the ESPN reporting team of Kyle Bonagura , Heather Dinich and Adam Rittenberg .
Key point in their assessment : “ ( Commissioner Larry ) Scott said there was discussion about not including the crossover game toward the standings — as a way to preserve some competitive equity — but ultimately they decided it was important for every game to matter.
” • Arizona Daily Star columnist Greg Hansen tallied up the number of times the phrase ‘ student athlete ’ was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to play and believes there ’ s a more appropriate choice : ‘ student asset.
’ He continues : “ Let ’ s call it what it is ” and notes with skepticism that Oregon president Michael Schill said money wasn ’ t a factor in the decision .
“ The losses our schools are encountering are huge , ” said Schill .
“ The amount of money we will be paid as a result of going back to play is tiny in comparison to the ( overall campus ) loss .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ • On that topic , the New York Times examined the Pac-12 ’ s return and asked B. David Ridpath , a former president of the reform-minded Drake Group , about the financial piece for the conference and the sport as a whole : “ These athletes are commodities and they ’ re assets and they ’ re not making any money staying at home and staying healthy .
To sit there and say , ‘ We pulled it off and persevered , ’ is , to me , just P.R .
hogwash @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the financial house of cards kind of fell.
” • Seattle Times columnist Matt Calkins believes the Pac-12 ’ s return is another sign of sports finding a way back and life regaining a sense of normalcy .
“ Last month , who would have thought we would start debating who should be Washington ’ s starting quarterback this season ?
Last month , who would have thought we ’ d be a few weeks removed from another Apple Cup ?
The Pac-12 seemed dead at that point , with a spring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Now , the return to normalcy has earned another victory.
” • The Pac-12 could have approved a staggered schedule , with a handful of teams playing on Halloween , but instead opted for a unified start .
Oregonian columnist John Canzano doesn ’ t believe waiting a week is such a bad thing : “ Criticize the conference all you ’ d like today .
Have at it .
They ’ re the slowest wildebeest inhabiting the major college football plains .
They ’ re not a difficult meal .
Seven @ @ @ @ @ @ @ games than others .
And the Pac-12 probably just eliminated itself from College Football Playoff contention by scheduling fewer regular-season games than any of the other major conferences .
But this amounts to a sound plan for a conference that probably wasn ’ t going to have a playoff entry anyway .
Unity won the day.
” • Yahoo columnist Pete Thamel with a brutally candid assessment of the conference ’ s current status ( lowly ) and playoff prospects ( unlikely ) : “ The Pac-12 announced its return to the 2020 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and now it finds itself in a familiar position – needing to play catch-up to the other four power conference leagues .
The Pac-12 will start the season later than everyone ( Nov. 6 ) .
And it ’ ll play just seven total games , which means it ’ ll need some serious 2020 magic to vault over the other conferences .
A missed playoff spot for the fourth year in a row appears inevitable .
After months of analyzing antigen tests , debating myocarditis and calling county officials about cohort sizes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have football back and the world order restored with the Pac-12 lodged in the sport ’ s caboose.
” • Andy Staples , a columnist for The Athletic , blasts Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott for his failure to stump publicly for expanding the playoff : “ The first sentence of Scott ’ s bio on the Pac-12 ’ s web site describes him as ‘ a bold , innovative leader with a vision for transformative change.
’ A bold leader would be working publicly and privately to get his league into the College @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be pushing a format right now that would eliminate an inequitable selection system that will be made worse by the limitations caused by playing fewer games due to a pandemic outside everyone ’ s control .
A commissioner with a vision for transformative change wouldn ’ t be sitting idly while his conference got pushed deeper into fifth place.
” • College football is undefeated , even during a pandemic , writes Sports Illustrated columnist Pat Forde .
His review includes the Pac-12 but takes a broader look at the landscape : “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the college sports status struggle , got caught up Thursday .
Late and last , but the league is here .
It will play a fall football season like the rest of the Power 5 conferences.
” As recently as a month ago , who would have thought that ?
— Jon Wilner .
• As a reminder , there are two ways to support the Hotline , one of which is free : Encourage family and friends to sign up for this newsletter .
The other means of support comes at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the content , which features a monthly plan starting at 99 cents ( cancel anytime ) or the season pass rate of $ 1 per week .
Yep , $ 1 per week for everything we produce .
( And we produce a lot . )
Simply click here .
Thanks for your support .
• Like some of you , I ’ m sure , the Hotline wondered why the rapid-response antigen tests produced by Quidel , which carry so much benefit to society , are being shipped to the Pac-12 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ : We asked the Quidel CEO that very same question .
( For more on the Quidel tests , here ’ s our explanation of the science behind daily testing and a look at the results of Arizona ’ s antigen testing program during the pandemic . )
• Our view the morning of the momentous vote : The Pac-12 said it would follow the science and make safety the priority .
Fortunately for the presidents , those paths led to the same destination .
There was only one choice : Let them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the return to play .
• ICYMI : The Tuesday newsletter addressed the latest misstep at Pac-12 headquarters : The decision to award performance bonuses to Pac-12 executives one month before gutting the Pac-12 Networks staff .
( Simply inexcusable . )
Previous editions of the newsletter are available in archived form .
• And finally : If you have sent an email recently — either to the Hotline account or to me directly , please know this : I am way , way behind in responding .
My apologies .
Hope to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , just as soon as I take my first shower in weeks .
( Kidding ! )
• The ‘ Saturday Night Five ’ reaction column is slotted for you-know-when .
We ’ ll have some yet-unreported information on the return-to-play process and cover a handful of other important developments .
• The SEC returns to the field this weekend , giving the AP top-25 poll a bit more relevance .
( I expect Big Ten teams to be eligible , now that the league has produced a schedule . )
My top-25 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ • At some point in next week , the Pac-12 will release the seven-game schedule .
We ’ ll have a full breakdown , but know this ahead : Competitive equity isn ’ t realistic .
If your team draws a bad hand , just deal .
• Please note : It has been a busy few months and a ridiculous few weeks .
( We ’ ve published 32 articles since the Quidel announcement on Sept .
3 . )
As such , the Hotline is planning to take a few days @ @ @ @ @ @ @ blast that begins with the football ramp and ends with the NCAA tournament .
December , in particular , is going to be ridiculous .
The next newsletter is scheduled for Tuesday .
Like it ?
Please forward this email to friends ( sign up here ) .
If you don ’ t , or have other feedback , let me know : pac12hotline @ bayareanewsgroup.com .
*** Pac-12 Hotline is not endorsed or sponsored by the Pac-12 Conference , and the views expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the views of the @ @

*** The Pac-12 Hotline newsletter is published each Monday-Wednesday-Friday during the college sports season and twice-a-week in the summer. (Sign up here for a free subscription.) This edition, from Sept. 25, has been made available in archived form.
Reaction to the Return
Instead of starting this edition with our usual commentary and analysis of key developments, the Hotline newsletter will play the role of a standard newsletter: Our focus is on reaction — reaction from around the country to the Pac-12’s return (with links provided, of course):
• Let’s start with a terrific overview of the issues and logistics — in FAQ form — from the ESPN reporting team of Kyle Bonagura, Heather Dinich and Adam Rittenberg. Key point in their assessment: “(Commissioner Larry) Scott said there was discussion about not including the crossover game toward the standings — as a way to preserve some competitive equity — but ultimately they decided it was important for every game to matter.”
• Arizona Daily Star columnist Greg Hansen tallied up the number of times the phrase ‘student athlete’ was used by key figures following the vote to play and believes there’s a more appropriate choice: ‘student asset.’ He continues: “Let’s call it what it is” and notes with skepticism that Oregon president Michael Schill said money wasn’t a factor in the decision. “The losses our schools are encountering are huge,” said Schill. “The amount of money we will be paid as a result of going back to play is tiny in comparison to the (overall campus) loss. It had no affect on our decision.”
• On that topic, the New York Times examined the Pac-12’s return and asked B. David Ridpath, a former president of the reform-minded Drake Group, about the financial piece for the conference and the sport as a whole: “These athletes are commodities and they’re assets and they’re not making any money staying at home and staying healthy. To sit there and say, ‘We pulled it off and persevered,’ is, to me, just P.R. hogwash. It’s a business, and the financial house of cards kind of fell.”
• Seattle Times columnist Matt Calkins believes the Pac-12’s return is another sign of sports finding a way back and life regaining a sense of normalcy. “Last month, who would have thought we would start debating who should be Washington’s starting quarterback this season? Last month, who would have thought we’d be a few weeks removed from another Apple Cup? The Pac-12 seemed dead at that point, with a spring return looking extremely dubious upon closer inspection. Now, the return to normalcy has earned another victory.”
• The Pac-12 could have approved a staggered schedule, with a handful of teams playing on Halloween, but instead opted for a unified start. Oregonian columnist John Canzano doesn’t believe waiting a week is such a bad thing: “Criticize the conference all you’d like today. Have at it. They’re the slowest wildebeest inhabiting the major college football plains. They’re not a difficult meal. Seven games means some will play more home games than others. And the Pac-12 probably just eliminated itself from College Football Playoff contention by scheduling fewer regular-season games than any of the other major conferences. But this amounts to a sound plan for a conference that probably wasn’t going to have a playoff entry anyway. Unity won the day.”
• Yahoo columnist Pete Thamel with a brutally candid assessment of the conference’s current status (lowly) and playoff prospects (unlikely): “The Pac-12 announced its return to the 2020 college football season on Thursday night, and now it finds itself in a familiar position – needing to play catch-up to the other four power conference leagues. The Pac-12 will start the season later than everyone (Nov. 6). And it’ll play just seven total games, which means it’ll need some serious 2020 magic to vault over the other conferences. A missed playoff spot for the fourth year in a row appears inevitable. After months of analyzing antigen tests, debating myocarditis and calling county officials about cohort sizes, it’s oddly comforting to have football back and the world order restored with the Pac-12 lodged in the sport’s caboose.”
• Andy Staples, a columnist for The Athletic, blasts Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott for his failure to stump publicly for expanding the playoff: “The first sentence of Scott’s bio on the Pac-12’s web site describes him as ‘a bold, innovative leader with a vision for transformative change.’ A bold leader would be working publicly and privately to get his league into the College Football Playoff. An innovative leader would be pushing a format right now that would eliminate an inequitable selection system that will be made worse by the limitations caused by playing fewer games due to a pandemic outside everyone’s control. A commissioner with a vision for transformative change wouldn’t be sitting idly while his conference got pushed deeper into fifth place.”
• College football is undefeated, even during a pandemic, writes Sports Illustrated columnist Pat Forde. His review includes the Pac-12 but takes a broader look at the landscape: “So the Pac-12, forever playing catch-up in the college sports status struggle, got caught up Thursday. Late and last, but the league is here. It will play a fall football season like the rest of the Power 5 conferences.”
As recently as a month ago, who would have thought that? — Jon Wilner.
Your Support Needed
• As a reminder, there are two ways to support the Hotline, one of which is free: Encourage family and friends to sign up for this newsletter. The other means of support comes at minimal cost: An all-access subscription to the content, which features a monthly plan starting at 99 cents (cancel anytime) or the season pass rate of $1 per week. Yep, $1 per week for everything we produce. (And we produce a lot.) Simply click here. Thanks for your support.
Hot off the Hotline
• Like some of you, I’m sure, the Hotline wondered why the rapid-response antigen tests produced by Quidel, which carry so much benefit to society, are being shipped to the Pac-12. So here’s what we did: We asked the Quidel CEO that very same question. (For more on the Quidel tests, here’s our explanation of the science behind daily testing and a look at the results of Arizona’s antigen testing program during the pandemic.)
• Our view the morning of the momentous vote: The Pac-12 said it would follow the science and make safety the priority. Fortunately for the presidents, those paths led to the same destination. There was only one choice: Let them play.
• Our news story on the return to play.
• ICYMI: The Tuesday newsletter addressed the latest misstep at Pac-12 headquarters: The decision to award performance bonuses to Pac-12 executives one month before gutting the Pac-12 Networks staff. (Simply inexcusable.) Previous editions of the newsletter are available in archived form.
• And finally: If you have sent an email recently — either to the Hotline account or to me directly, please know this: I am way, way behind in responding. My apologies. Hope to catch up in the next 72 hours, just as soon as I take my first shower in weeks. (Kidding!)
Key Dates
Nov. 6-7: Pac-12 football opening weekend
Nov. 18: NBA Draft (New York City)
Nov. 25: NCAA basketball season begins
Dec. 18: Pac-12 football title game (on campus)
Dec. 20: College Football Playoff/bowl selections
Jan. 1: Rose Bowl (CFP semifinal game)
Looking Ahead
What’s coming on the Pac-12 Hotline:
• The ‘Saturday Night Five’ reaction column is slotted for you-know-when. We’ll have some yet-unreported information on the return-to-play process and cover a handful of other important developments.
• The SEC returns to the field this weekend, giving the AP top-25 poll a bit more relevance. (I expect Big Ten teams to be eligible, now that the league has produced a schedule.) My top-25 ballot should be published mid-morning Sunday.
• At some point in next week, the Pac-12 will release the seven-game schedule. We’ll have a full breakdown, but know this ahead: Competitive equity isn’t realistic. If your team draws a bad hand, just deal.
• Please note: It has been a busy few months and a ridiculous few weeks. (We’ve published 32 articles since the Quidel announcement on Sept. 3.) As such, the Hotline is planning to take a few days to recharge next week before the six-month blast that begins with the football ramp and ends with the NCAA tournament. December, in particular, is going to be ridiculous.
The next newsletter is scheduled for Tuesday. Like it? Please forward this email to friends (sign up here). If you don’t, or have other feedback, let me know: pac12hotline@bayareanewsgroup.com.
*** Follow me on Twitter: @WilnerHotline
*** Pac-12 Hotline is not endorsed or sponsored by the Pac-12 Conference, and the views expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the views of the Conference.


mercurynews--2020-09-26--Saturday Night Five: Yes, the Pac-12 could have been back before Nov. 7, but it lacked urgency

Momentous developments call for special editions .
Instead of Saturday Night Five , welcome to Saturday Night One : Our account of the lost days that cost the Pac-12 an October start … If these past few weeks have felt like months for Pac-12 fans , well , just wait until Oct. 24 .
That ’ s when the Big Ten and the Mountain West are expected to start their seasons , bringing all the Power Five conferences and all the major college teams in the west back to competition .
Except for you know who .
At that point @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Pac-12 starts .
Two weeks of the ACC , Big 12 , SEC and Big Ten in action , and no Pac-12 .
Two weeks of Boise State and Nevada and San Diego State on the field , and no Pac-12 .
New Mexico and UNLV are starting two weeks before USC and Oregon .
Those weeks will feel like years for the Pac-12 .
We remain a tad skeptical that all the Mountain West teams , especially the three in California , will be ready to play Oct. 24 .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be .
Given the practice restrictions , the wildfires .
the standards for health and safety and the desire for a unified start , it ’ s unreasonable to think the Pac-12 could have returned to competition by Oct. 24 .
But having reported on this issue every hour of every day since the Aug. 11 decision to postpone … Having spent far more time immersed in the world of California public health ordinances than you can possibly imagine … Having spent hours researching the various Covid testing strategies , reading scientific papers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ countless hours with sources to understand how the presidents and conference officials approached the process … Having done all that , the Hotline feels confident in this conclusion : The Pac-12 could have been on the field Oct. 31 — all 12 teams — if every facet of the operation , on the campuses and in the conference office , had acted with urgency .
That ’ s a big ‘ if ’ , for this reason : Much of the responsibility falls on the presidents and chancellors , and they opted for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the deliberative process was more important than getting back on the field a week earlier .
Yes , it ’ s very Pac-12 , and that could be good or it could be bad , depending on your perspective .
But the conference could have been back on Halloween , back on the stage , in the spotlight , with six games .
Based on what the Hotline believes is a fair-and-reasonable assessment of events , the conference lost nine days in the return-to-play process .
If you ’ re curious , here @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 9 , 10 , 11 , 14 , 21 , 22 and 23 .
Of course we counted .
It ’ s the only way to hold the campuses and the conference accountable for the timing of the vote .
Okay , let ’ s plunge into the weeds … deep into the weeds … of the past three weeks .
If you ’ d prefer to stop reading , I get that .
No offense taken .
It ’ s not a pretty picture .
From Aug. 12 , the day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sept. 2 , the day before the Quidel partnership , everything was on pause .
The key drivers of Pac-12 football ( the players , coaches , directors of football operations and athletic directors ) did not believe the conference would set foot on the field this fall .
The medical team established daily Covid testing as a requirement for contact practices , and the Quidel tests weren ’ t due on the campuses until November .
( We completely agree with that standard , by the way : It was the best @ @ @ @ @ @ @ preventing them from spreading the virus to the campus community . )
Add six weeks of ramp time — the acclimatization period recommended by the NCAA and the Pac-12 medical team — and there was no way the conference could start before the SEC , ACC and Big 12 finished .
Then came the Quidel deal , orchestrated by commissioner Larry Scott with what appears to be an assist from his longtime friend and crisis communications advisor , Jeff Hunt .
That changed everything , as we have written frequently of the past @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to scale the first of two obstacles , the daily testing , and set the stage for clearing the second : Gaining approval of public health officials .
But it also changed nothing .
The next day , Sept. 4 , a Friday , should have brought a sounding of the trumpet at first light — a collective urgency to start the process of preparing for training camp .
Instead , it was met with relative silence and a lingering sense of purgatory .
Why ?
Because of the public health restrictions in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conference viewed as daunting .
Also , because the Big Ten remained on hiatus .
So Sept. 4 came and went , followed by a three-day weekend during which state agencies were closed and the wildfires raged .
Nothing could get done and , indeed , nothing got done .
We won ’ t count those as lost days .
But then Tuesday , Sept. 8 arrived , and it was more of the same .
Conference and a smattering of campus officials in California continued to poke around with the restrictions — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about hope than action .
The exchanges between the universities and state/local health authorities unfolded , to a large degree , outside the athletic departments : Each campus has government relations and campus health/safety officials to coordinate on matter that impact the entire community .
In addition , the conference office was communicating with advisors to California Gov .
Gavin Newsom — without much progress .
The wall of bureaucracy was as tall and sheer as El Capitan .
Four business days came and went , and the conference — at all levels @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were working out in standard fashion under the NCAA ’ s 12-hour rule .
But in California and Oregon , there was stagnation .
What should have happened ?
In our view , the conference should have been moving with all necessary urgency regardless of the Big Ten ’ s position .
What does that mean in relation to the public health restrictions ?
It strikes the Hotline that three courses of action existed : 1 .
Continue to converse and exchange emails with state officials who had zero motivation to work with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bosses : Newsom and Oregon Gov .
Kate Brown .
As the week of Sept. 8-11 unfolded , the conference stuck to its strategy — option 1 — and there was zero progress .
But that weekend , the Big Ten shifted to a higher gear , with media reports indicating the conference would vote on a return to play .
Sept. 14 , a Monday , counts in the loss column .
But the next day , the Trojans took the fight public … and directly to Newsom .
Their open letter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to establish a path through the restrictions and back to the field .
When players go public with pleas to government officials , it ’ s news .
The next day , the Big Ten made its return official , Scott spoke with Newsom about creating a path forward , and the Mercury News asked Newsom during a press conference what needed to happen ( with the daily testing acquired ) for an easing of restrictions .
Suddenly on the defensive , he responded that California guidelines were not preventing the teams from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ California prohibiting college football games , but the cohort limits for practice were so severe that proper game preparation was impossible .
Teams couldn ’ t conduct 11-on-11 workouts , but as an official told the Hotline , there was nothing stopping them from going 5-on-5 — or doing “ mental exercises.
” It was as if Newsom had said : There ’ s your new car , fellas , but I have the keys , there ’ s no gas and the tires are flat … have a nice drive .
At @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vowed to work with the teams to raise the cohort levels to a practical level for 11-on-11 .
With the governor giving clearance , the local health officials lost their cover .
That evening , UCLA asked USC to join in a conversation with L.A. County officials , and the schools received assurances that they could move forward .
There was bureaucratic work left — changing the health restrictions in California is no simple process — but with Kate Brown joining Newsom in granting approval , the conference was on its way to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ four events … the Big Ten ’ s announcement , Scott ’ s conversation with Newsom , Newsom ’ s public clearance and L.A. County officials backing away … all happened on Sept. 15 .
It was a day like no other for the conference , ever .
At that point , it was clear football could return this fall , if the presidents and chancellors signed off .
We won ’ t assign the next day , Sept. 17 , to the loss column , because there was no shortage of activity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ California and Oregon .
Football operations ramped up , strategy sessions were held and the presidents were prepped for their meeting the next day — a meeting that had been previously scheduled to discuss basketball .
The CEO Group didn ’ t meet until the afternoon of Sept. 18 , but it was clear before lunch that there would be no decision .
Had they pressed the issue , however , there likely were enough votes to play .
According to Hotline sources , the count that day was either 9-0-3 or 8-0-4 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ charge forward : Stanford , Cal and UCLA .
Events had moved quickly , and the presidents/chancellors wanted to discuss the return of football — of all fall and winter sports — with various segments of their campus communities .
In addition , Oregon president Michael Schill , chair of the CEO Group , indicated on a media Zoom call two days ago that he wanted to speak to his athletes about their comfort level with competing .
But crucially , none of the CEOs were opposed to playing .
Any reports suggesting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or instances of strong dissent , are , in our opinion , inaccurate .
Think like a president , especially a president at an elite academic institution with a strong faculty : Due diligence is paramount in order to avoid campus strife .
If a president involves all the key campus stakeholders in the process , then he/she is much less likely to encounter lasting opposition , regardless of the decision .
Nine votes were needed to play .
They had either eight or nine ‘ Yes ’ votes that day , while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — they were not opposed to playing .
So they scheduled the vote for Thursday , Sept. 24 , a loss of three business days .
Crucial point : The difference between outright CEO opposition and the desire to perform due diligence is immense when cast against the backdrop of a countdown to the season .
Had the conference been moving forward with a sense of urgency the day after acquiring the antigen tests , the run-up to the Sept. 18 meeting would have been different .
The path to a fall season @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hours before the pre-scheduled CEO meeting .
The discussions necessary with faculty and athletes and other branches of the campus community would have taken place before the meeting .
Those three or four ‘ hold off ’ votes would have been ‘ Yes ’ votes , and the conference would have secured the unanimity it desired the first time the CEOs gathered .
Yes , they could have rammed through a vote last week , and it ’ s our belief that Schill would have been a ‘ Yes ’ despite his desire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s not how the presidents operate .
And it ’ s especially not how they operate when the CEOs requesting a delay are from three schools , Stanford , Cal and UCLA , at the core of your academic mission .
As we saw with the Big Ten , ‘ No ’ votes will inevitably be leaked to the media .
How would it have looked for Cal , Stanford and UCLA to be cast as official dissenters ?
And how would it have been received by the faculty at schools of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their presidents had dug in against schools with a bajillion Nobel laureates ?
They wanted every CEO fully on board , and that wasn ’ t the case until Thursday .
Except it could have been the case on Sept. 18 , in our opinion , if the entire Pac-12 football machinery had been churning forward with the urgency the day of the Quidel deal , instead of waiting for the Big Ten ’ s move and the USC letter .
Add those nine days back to the calendar , and the restart @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had more time to gather and organize , more time to get out-of-state players back and into quarantine protocol .
The two weeks needed to acclimate would have started a week earlier .
( Some were well into that process anyhow . )
All of them would have been ready for full-contact practice the first week of October , after the shipment of Quidel antigen tests had arrived and staff members had been properly trained .
From there , it would have been four weeks of contact work and an Oct. 31 start @ @ @ @ @ @ @ too much stagnation , too much purgatory on multiple fronts , especially in California .
And the Pac-12 played straight into the narrative .
It took the Big Ten ’ s return and the USC players sounding the trumpet at first light — almost two full weeks after the Quidel testing partnership — for the conference to shift into a higher gear .
For it to become unmoored and charge forward .
Two weeks behind the Big Ten .
Two weeks behind the Mountain West .
When the time comes , those weeks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pac-12 .
Support the Hotline : Several Hotline articles will remain free each month ( as will the newsletter ) , but for access to all content , you ’ ll need to subscribe .
I ’ ve secured a rate of $ 1 per week for a full year or — introductory offer alert !
— just 99 cents for the first month , with the option to cancel anytime .
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*** Send suggestions , comments and tips ( confidentiality guaranteed ) to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pac-12 Hotline is not endorsed or sponsored by the Pac-12 Conference , and the views expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the views of the Conference .

Momentous developments call for special editions. Instead of Saturday Night Five, welcome to Saturday Night One: Our account of the lost days that cost the Pac-12 an October start …
If these past few weeks have felt like months for Pac-12 fans, well, just wait until Oct. 24.
That’s when the Big Ten and the Mountain West are expected to start their seasons, bringing all the Power Five conferences and all the major college teams in the west back to competition.
Except for you know who.
At that point, it will be two weeks until the Pac-12 starts.
Two weeks of the ACC, Big 12, SEC and Big Ten in action, and no Pac-12.
Two weeks of Boise State and Nevada and San Diego State on the field, and no Pac-12.
New Mexico and UNLV are starting two weeks before USC and Oregon.
Those weeks will feel like years for the Pac-12.
We remain a tad skeptical that all the Mountain West teams, especially the three in California, will be ready to play Oct. 24.
But we know the Pac-12 won’t be.
And that’s fine:
Given the practice restrictions, the wildfires. the standards for health and safety and the desire for a unified start, it’s unreasonable to think the Pac-12 could have returned to competition by Oct. 24.
But having reported on this issue every hour of every day since the Aug. 11 decision to postpone …
Having spent far more time immersed in the world of California public health ordinances than you can possibly imagine …
Having spent hours researching the various Covid testing strategies, reading scientific papers and watching virology videos …
Having spent countless hours with sources to understand how the presidents and conference officials approached the process …
Having done all that, the Hotline feels confident in this conclusion:
The Pac-12 could have been on the field Oct. 31 — all 12 teams — if every facet of the operation, on the campuses and in the conference office, had acted with urgency.
That’s a big ‘if’, for this reason: Much of the responsibility falls on the presidents and chancellors, and they opted for the methodical approach.
For them, the deliberative process was more important than getting back on the field a week earlier.
Yes, it’s very Pac-12, and that could be good or it could be bad, depending on your perspective.
But the conference could have been back on Halloween, back on the stage, in the spotlight, with six games.
(Truth be told: It probably would have been five, with one played on Friday the 30th.)
Based on what the Hotline believes is a fair-and-reasonable assessment of events, the conference lost nine days in the return-to-play process.
Nine days.
If you’re curious, here they are: Sept. 4, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 21, 22 and 23.
Yes, we counted.
Of course we counted.
It’s the only way to hold the campuses and the conference accountable for the timing of the vote.
Okay, let’s plunge into the weeds … deep into the weeds … of the past three weeks.
If you’d prefer to stop reading, I get that. No offense taken. It’s not a pretty picture.
From Aug. 12, the day after the vote to postpone, until Sept. 2, the day before the Quidel partnership, everything was on pause.
The key drivers of Pac-12 football (the players, coaches, directors of football operations and athletic directors) did not believe the conference would set foot on the field this fall.
The medical team established daily Covid testing as a requirement for contact practices, and the Quidel tests weren’t due on the campuses until November.
(We completely agree with that standard, by the way:
It was the best strategy for keeping the players safe and preventing them from spreading the virus to the campus community.)
Add six weeks of ramp time — the acclimatization period recommended by the NCAA and the Pac-12 medical team — and there was no way the conference could start before the SEC, ACC and Big 12 finished.
Then came the Quidel deal, orchestrated by commissioner Larry Scott with what appears to be an assist from his longtime friend and crisis communications advisor, Jeff Hunt.
That changed everything, as we have written frequently of the past few weeks:
It allowed the conference to scale the first of two obstacles, the daily testing, and set the stage for clearing the second: Gaining approval of public health officials.
But it also changed nothing.
The next day, Sept. 4, a Friday, should have brought a sounding of the trumpet at first light — a collective urgency to start the process of preparing for training camp.
Instead, it was met with relative silence and a lingering sense of purgatory.
Why? Because of the public health restrictions in California and Oregon — restrictions that the conference viewed as daunting.
Also, because the Big Ten remained on hiatus.
So Sept. 4 came and went, followed by a three-day weekend during which state agencies were closed and the wildfires raged.
Nothing could get done and, indeed, nothing got done. We won’t count those as lost days.
But then Tuesday, Sept. 8 arrived, and it was more of the same.
Conference and a smattering of campus officials in California continued to poke around with the restrictions — the strategy at that point was more about hope than action.
The exchanges between the universities and state/local health authorities unfolded, to a large degree, outside the athletic departments:
Each campus has government relations and campus health/safety officials to coordinate on matter that impact the entire community.
In addition, the conference office was communicating with advisors to California Gov. Gavin Newsom — without much progress. The wall of bureaucracy was as tall and sheer as El Capitan.
Four business days came and went, and the conference — at all levels — remained in neutral.
Some teams were working out in standard fashion under the NCAA’s 12-hour rule.
But in California and Oregon, there was stagnation.
What should have happened?
In our view, the conference should have been moving with all necessary urgency regardless of the Big Ten’s position.
What does that mean in relation to the public health restrictions?
It strikes the Hotline that three courses of action existed:
1. Continue to converse and exchange emails with state officials who had zero motivation to work with the schools because of cover from their bosses: Newsom and Oregon Gov. Kate Brown.
2. Appeal directly to Newsom and Brown.
3. Apply public pressure.
As the week of Sept. 8-11 unfolded, the conference stuck to its strategy — option 1 — and there was zero progress.
But that weekend, the Big Ten shifted to a higher gear, with media reports indicating the conference would vote on a return to play.
That sparked action — from USC.
Sept. 14, a Monday, counts in the loss column. But the next day, the Trojans took the fight public … and directly to Newsom.
Their open letter asked Newsom to work with the schools to establish a path through the restrictions and back to the field.
When players go public with pleas to government officials, it’s news.
The next day, the Big Ten made its return official, Scott spoke with Newsom about creating a path forward, and the Mercury News asked Newsom during a press conference what needed to happen (with the daily testing acquired) for an easing of restrictions.
Suddenly on the defensive, he responded that California guidelines were not preventing the teams from playing.
Technically, he was correct:
There was no rule in California prohibiting college football games, but the cohort limits for practice were so severe that proper game preparation was impossible.
Teams couldn’t conduct 11-on-11 workouts, but as an official told the Hotline, there was nothing stopping them from going 5-on-5 — or doing “mental exercises.”
It was as if Newsom had said: There’s your new car, fellas, but I have the keys, there’s no gas and the tires are flat … have a nice drive.
At the end of his remarks, Newsom vowed to work with the teams to raise the cohort levels to a practical level for 11-on-11.
With the governor giving clearance, the local health officials lost their cover. That evening, UCLA asked USC to join in a conversation with L.A. County officials, and the schools received assurances that they could move forward.
There was bureaucratic work left — changing the health restrictions in California is no simple process — but with Kate Brown joining Newsom in granting approval, the conference was on its way to scaling the second major obstacle.
Those four events … the Big Ten’s announcement, Scott’s conversation with Newsom, Newsom’s public clearance and L.A. County officials backing away … all happened on Sept. 15.
It was a day like no other for the conference, ever.
At that point, it was clear football could return this fall, if the presidents and chancellors signed off.
We won’t assign the next day, Sept. 17, to the loss column, because there was no shortage of activity on the campuses, especially those in California and Oregon.
Football operations ramped up, strategy sessions were held and the presidents were prepped for their meeting the next day — a meeting that had been previously scheduled to discuss basketball.
(Here’s what else happened on Sept. 16: The NCAA Council voted to move the start date for the basketball season to Nov. 25.)
The CEO Group didn’t meet until the afternoon of Sept. 18, but it was clear before lunch that there would be no decision.
Had they pressed the issue, however, there likely were enough votes to play.
According to Hotline sources, the count that day was either 9-0-3 or 8-0-4.
Three schools were not ready to charge forward: Stanford, Cal and UCLA.
Events had moved quickly, and the presidents/chancellors wanted to discuss the return of football — of all fall and winter sports — with various segments of their campus communities.
In addition, Oregon president Michael Schill, chair of the CEO Group, indicated on a media Zoom call two days ago that he wanted to speak to his athletes about their comfort level with competing.
But crucially, none of the CEOs were opposed to playing.
Any reports suggesting there were ‘No’ votes, or instances of strong dissent, are, in our opinion, inaccurate.
Think like a president, especially a president at an elite academic institution with a strong faculty: Due diligence is paramount in order to avoid campus strife.
If a president involves all the key campus stakeholders in the process, then he/she is much less likely to encounter lasting opposition, regardless of the decision.
Nine votes were needed to play.
They had either eight or nine ‘Yes’ votes that day, while the other CEOs simply wanted more time — they were not opposed to playing.
So they scheduled the vote for Thursday, Sept. 24, a loss of three business days.
(I say business days because the discussions necessary between the CEOs and their various stakeholders are more likely to occur on workdays.)
Crucial point: The difference between outright CEO opposition and the desire to perform due diligence is immense when cast against the backdrop of a countdown to the season.
Had the conference been moving forward with a sense of urgency the day after acquiring the antigen tests, the run-up to the Sept. 18 meeting would have been different.
The path to a fall season would have been apparent more than 24 hours before the pre-scheduled CEO meeting.
The discussions necessary with faculty and athletes and other branches of the campus community would have taken place before the meeting.
Those three or four ‘hold off’ votes would have been ‘Yes’ votes, and the conference would have secured the unanimity it desired the first time the CEOs gathered.
Yes, they could have rammed through a vote last week, and it’s our belief that Schill would have been a ‘Yes’ despite his desire to meet with students. But that’s not how the presidents operate.
And it’s especially not how they operate when the CEOs requesting a delay are from three schools, Stanford, Cal and UCLA, at the core of your academic mission.
As we saw with the Big Ten, ‘No’ votes will inevitably be leaked to the media.
How would it have looked for Cal, Stanford and UCLA to be cast as official dissenters?
Not good.
And how would it have been received by the faculty at schools of the nine ‘Yes’ votes if their presidents had dug in against schools with a bajillion Nobel laureates?
Not good.
They wanted every CEO fully on board, and that wasn’t the case until Thursday.
Except it could have been the case on Sept. 18, in our opinion, if the entire Pac-12 football machinery had been churning forward with the urgency the day of the Quidel deal, instead of waiting for the Big Ten’s move and the USC letter.
Add those nine days back to the calendar, and the restart date changes.
Every team would have had more time to gather and organize, more time to get out-of-state players back and into quarantine protocol.
The two weeks needed to acclimate would have started a week earlier. (Some were well into that process anyhow.)
All of them would have been ready for full-contact practice the first week of October, after the shipment of Quidel antigen tests had arrived and staff members had been properly trained.
From there, it would have been four weeks of contact work and an Oct. 31 start for everybody.
Instead, there was too much stagnation, too much purgatory on multiple fronts, especially in California.
And the Pac-12 played straight into the narrative.
It took the Big Ten’s return and the USC players sounding the trumpet at first light — almost two full weeks after the Quidel testing partnership — for the conference to shift into a higher gear.
For it to become unmoored and charge forward.
The end-game?
No games until Nov. 6-7.
Two weeks behind the Big Ten.
Two weeks behind the Mountain West.
When the time comes, those weeks will feel like an eternity in the Pac-12.
Support the Hotline: Several Hotline articles will remain free each month (as will the newsletter), but for access to all content, you’ll need to subscribe. I’ve secured a rate of $1 per week for a full year or — introductory offer alert! — just 99 cents for the first month, with the option to cancel anytime. Click here. And thanks for your loyalty.
*** Send suggestions, comments and tips (confidentiality guaranteed) to pac12hotline@bayareanewsgroup.com or call 408-920-5716
*** Follow me on Twitter: @WilnerHotline
*** Pac-12 Hotline is not endorsed or sponsored by the Pac-12 Conference, and the views expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the views of the Conference.