With weekend off, Blue Jays staying fresh - MLB.com

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TORONTO -- With the weekend off and no games until Tuesday’s opener in Atlanta, the Blue Jays are looking for ways to stay up to game speed despite their unexpected down time. The Blue Jays remained in Washington after their series with the Nationals, where they worked out at Nationals

TORONTO -- With the weekend off and no games until Tuesday’s opener in Atlanta, the Blue Jays are looking for ways to stay up to game speed despite their unexpected down time.

The Blue Jays remained in Washington after their series with the Nationals, where they worked out at Nationals Park on Saturday and will again on Sunday before traveling to Atlanta. Ball players thrive on routines, so the challenge is creating an artificial version of that in place of their postponed series against the Phillies.

With a handful of postponements around MLB on Saturday, manager Charlie Montoyo is still optimistic that his club is focused and taking care of one another. When asked on a Zoom call Saturday what the mood in the clubhouse is, Montoyo simply stood up, showing the camera his shirt that read “We Don’t Quit.”

“We’re going to try to do the same thing we did before the season started,” Montoyo said. “We’ll just try to get as close to game speed as we can with our players with live BP, guys who need to throw.”

For hitters, that means getting players their regular at-bats against live pitching so that they stay up on facing velocity. Some, like Randal Grichuk, who’s coming back from a minor back injury, will see more reps than others. Pitchers are another situation entirely, and perhaps a more challenging one.

Veteran right-hander Matt Shoemaker calls the situation “frustrating, to say the least.” Shoemaker is the likely Tuesday starter now, but it’s been a roller-coaster ride for him since he made his season debut on July 25 against the Rays.

“It’s definitely a mental and physical battle,” Shoemaker said. “You think you’re getting ready to start in a couple of days, then I go from pitching Friday to pitching on the doubleheader Saturday. Then, finding out we’re not playing in Philly at all, then potentially Tuesday. Starters, we love our routines.”

Shoemaker was great on July 25, throwing 81 pitches over six innings of one-run ball, but he’s now in the middle of an awkward rest period. Pitchers can throw side sessions or live batting practice, but nothing compares to their regular schedules.

“They all need to throw,” Montoyo said. "You don’t want to go that many days without starting, so that’s what we’re going to talk about after BP today. You’ll see a couple of our starters throw live batting practice today, because they have to.”

From Shoemaker on down, every other starter will be pushed back, too. Trent Thornton, Tanner Roark, Nate Pearson and Hyun Jin Ryu -- in that order -- will need to find what keeps them on track, individually, with these added days. It’s particularly difficult, too, as most of the group were still in the final stages of ramping up to 100%.

Montoyo also expressed concern for his high-leverage arms going through a quiet period then ramping back up, given the max-effort situations they’re put into and the adrenaline that comes along with them. Bullpen management is already very important in this shortened season, but it could be even more so now.

The Blue Jays did make one roster move in their bullpen, optioning Sam Gaviglio. The right-hander will either join the taxi squad or head to the alternate training site in Rochester, N.Y., which is still to be determined. Gaviglio has allowed three runs and walked three over one inning this season.

Keegan Matheson is a reporter/editor for MLB.com based in Toronto. Follow him on Twitter @KeeganMatheson.

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August 02, 2020 at 05:19AM
https://www.mlb.com/news/blue-jays-staying-fresh-on-off-days

With weekend off, Blue Jays staying fresh - MLB.com

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Fresh Air Weekend: Poet Natasha Trethewey; Mike Birbiglia And Jen Stein - NPR

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Natasha Trethewey served as U.S. poet laureate in 2012 and 2013. She won the 2007 Pulitzer Prize in poetry for her 2006 collection Native Guard. Nancy Crampton/Broadside hide caption

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Nancy Crampton/Broadside

Natasha Trethewey served as U.S. poet laureate in 2012 and 2013. She won the 2007 Pulitzer Prize in poetry for her 2006 collection Native Guard.

Nancy Crampton/Broadside

Fresh Air Weekend highlights some of the best interviews and reviews from past weeks, and new program elements specially paced for weekends. Our weekend show emphasizes interviews with writers, filmmakers, actors and musicians, and often includes excerpts from live in-studio concerts. This week:

After Years Of 'Willed Amnesia,' Trethewey Opens Up About Her Murdered Mother: When Natasha Trethewey was 19, her stepfather killed her mother. Tretheway says she aimed to "forge a new life for myself that didn't include that past." Her new memoir is Memorial Drive.

Belated New Music From Drummer Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers Is A Gem: Blakey led his band for almost 40 years, making many classic records with top musicians. Just Coolin', a newly unearthed 1959 recorded studio session, showcases his stylistic precision.

'Reluctant Dad' Mike Birbiglia And Poet Jen Stein Share 'Painful' Parenting Truths: In the memoir, The New One, comic Birbiglia and his wife, Jen Stein, open up about his ambivalence about fatherhood and the strain it had on their marriage.

You can listen to the original interviews and review here:

After Years Of 'Willed Amnesia,' Trethewey Opens Up About Her Murdered Mother

Belated New Music From Drummer Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers Is A Gem

'Reluctant Dad' Mike Birbiglia And Poet Jen Stein Share 'Painful' Parenting Truths

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August 01, 2020 at 08:00PM
https://www.npr.org/2020/08/01/896673549/fresh-air-weekend-poet-natasha-trethewey-mike-birbiglia-and-jen-stein

Fresh Air Weekend: Poet Natasha Trethewey; Mike Birbiglia And Jen Stein - NPR

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Fresh Blow To Teetering Economy From Expiring Jobless Benefits - Forbes

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WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 30: Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) walks to the Senate floor at ... [+] the U.S. Capitol on July 30, 2020 in Washington, DC. Republicans and Democrats in the Senate remain in a stalemate as the the $600-per-week federal unemployment benefit in place due to the coronavirus pandemic is set to expire on Friday. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

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Millions of financially-strapped Americans will face yet another hit to their pocketbooks this week as dilly-dallying among Congressional Republicans allowed for the expiration of enhanced jobless benefits triggered by the pandemic.

Their pain will also be a further drag on an already slumping economy whose recovery remains very much uncertain amid a sharp spike in U.S. Covid-19 deaths and infections.

"The scheduled termination of the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation program at the end of July could generate a meaningful drag on household income," wrote JP Morgan economist Daniel Silver in a research note.

"Benefit recipients have skewed more toward lower-wage workers lately and that many individuals already have started to exhaust regular benefit programs."

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Unemployment insurance income

JP Morgan

The damage already done to the labor market from three months of sharply weakened economic activity cannot be understated. The official jobless rate of 11.1% is already the highest on records dating back to 1948, except for the preceding two months.

U.S. jobless rate spikes to highest on record

Peterson Institute for International Economics

"The actual extent of unemployment is even higher," writes ex-White House economist and Peterson Institute senior fellow in a research paper. That's because the data include a “misclassification error" that fails to account for the additional 2 million workers who reported being “not at work for other reasons” as unemployed.

"Although the BLS properly adhered to its standard operating procedure of not making ad hoc adjustments, economists generally agree that most of this group should be classified as unemployed," explains Furman.

"Doing so would raise the unemployment rate to 12.3%."

Also, an unusually large number of people stopped looking for work in the past few months, meaning they no longer count as jobless in the official records.

Jobless rate scenarios

Peterson Institute

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August 01, 2020 at 10:55PM
https://www.forbes.com/sites/pedrodacosta/2020/08/01/fresh-blow-to-teetering-economy-from-expiring-jobless-benefits/

Fresh Blow To Teetering Economy From Expiring Jobless Benefits - Forbes

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Tigard’s Lugano Café gets a fresh new menu; Beaverton gets a new premium steakhouse: Gerry Frank’s picks - OregonLive

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Operating a restaurant is challenging anytime, but can you imagine the drive and dedication it takes to buy or open a restaurant during a global pandemic? That’s just what two unstoppable Portland individuals did, and their courage and initiative – along, of course, with delicious food – make their efforts worthy of a visit.

John Oliverio was looking for a new adventure after a successful career in the tech industry. In January, he and his wife, Shirley, purchased Lugano Cafe & Catering (18041 S.W. Lower Boones Ferry Road, Tigard; 503-430-8097; luganocafecatering.com), a popular breakfast and lunch bistro near Bridgeport Village. Just as John and Shirley were getting acquainted with the business, the pandemic hit – forcing all restaurants to close or readjust quickly. Rather than calling it quits, John took this opportunity to temporarily close his doors and spruce up the menu and the interior.

Since re-opening, a steady stream of customers are stopping by for their daily coffee fix as well as for dining in and take out. The European fried rice (linguica sausage and avocado over fried rice mixed with bacon, eggs, and scallions) is one of their most popular signature breakfast dishes. Kids (and kids at heart) will enjoy homemade French toast and waffles with a choice of tasty toppings while lighter eaters are sure to enjoy options like avocado toast and the Greek yogurt parfait. Lunch menu stand-outs include a turkey club panini, a hearty Cobb salad and an oven-roasted turkey and cranberry sandwich that is always hard for me to turn down. Be sure to take home a fresh homemade scone or the melt-in-your mouth macaroons. Hours are 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Carlos Cortes, the owner of the popular and authentic Mexican restaurant Casa Lola (16325 S.W. Barrows Road, Suite. 100, Beaverton; 503-567-8131; casalolapdx.com), saw the demand for a steakhouse in the fast-growing Washington County. Boy, was he right! His recently opened Grill68 Steakhouse (16305 S.W. Barrows Road, Suite 100, Beaverton; 503-352-4472; grill68.com) has already gained traction and earned some loyal customers in just a short time.

Long-time readers of this column know that I love a good steak and you won’t be disappointed with their filet mignon, New York or the ribeye – all generously cut and grilled to perfection. Customers also rave over the pork chop, which features a charred orange mustard sauce and a fig reduction. As far as appetizers go, the coconut shrimp is so good, you will be tempted to immediately order another one.

If you still have room, top it all off with a classic New York style cheesecake featuring a northwest berry compote or the grilled peaches. Hours are 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday; closed Monday.

The all-new fourth edition of “Gerry Frank’s Oregon” guidebook is available through oregonguidebook.com; 503-585-8411; gerry@teleport.com; amazon.com; Macy’s; and P.O. Box 2225, Salem, OR 97308.

The Link Lonk


August 02, 2020
https://www.oregonlive.com/dining/2020/08/tigards-lugano-cafe-gets-a-fresh-new-menu-beaverton-gets-a-new-premium-steakhouse-gerry-franks-picks.html

Tigard’s Lugano Café gets a fresh new menu; Beaverton gets a new premium steakhouse: Gerry Frank’s picks - OregonLive

https://news.google.com/search?q=fresh&hl=en-US&gl=US&ceid=US:en

Waco Downtown Farmers Market staying fresh amid challenges - Waco Tribune-Herald

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Only $3 for 13 weeks

Peaches from Lightsey Farms in Mexia regularly prove popular at the Waco Downtown Farmers Market.

Waco Downtown Farmers Market customers line up for produce form Lightsey Farms near Mexia.

The farmers market at Westview Village features produce from Circle J Farmers in Bremond.

Peaches and other produce from Lightsey Farms in Mexia regularly proves popular at the Waco Downtown Farmers Market.

Cynthia Lyons, of Hill County, sorts through some of her produce on offer at the farmers market held at Westview Village.

Billy Wilson (left) and Joe Jozwiak wait at their produce stand at the farmers market in the Westview Village shopping center.

Peaches from Lightsey Farms in Mexia regularly prove popular at the Waco Downtown Farmers Market.

Customers line up for produce from Johnson's Backyard Garden at the Waco Downtown Farmers Market.

Okra and cucumber are summertime staples.

Rosa McCaraver, of Kosse, stands behind a display from Circle J Farms at the farmers market held at Westview Village.

The Waco Downtown Farmers Market is doing fine, thanks, despite COVID-19. Young families, students, older folks and the simply curious make their way to the festivities each Saturday morning. They wear masks and maintain social distancing while browsing for fresh fruit and vegetables, honey, cinnamon rolls, bison meat, pork, fresh eggs and Tex-Mex treats.

Now located three years at Fifth Street and Washington Avenue, across from the stately McLennan County Courthouse, the market attracts an estimated 2,500 people to downtown between 9 a.m. and noon. The line forms early at the Lightsey Farms' display, where youngsters unload peaches, tomatoes, watermelons, cantaloupes, peas, squash, okra and cucumbers grown on sandy soil near Mexia, about 40 miles east of Waco.

They are carrying on the Lightsey family tradition of farming dating to 1918.

"They definitely have the longest line out here, though not necessarily the highest sales. People want their peaches," marveled Bethel Erickson-Bruce, who manages Waco's fruit-and-veggie swap meet, which Southern Living magazine this year deemed among the best such markets in the South.

Mary Lightsey Haddon said the family works more than 300 acres, rotating crops and replanting as the season, market and climate dictate.

"We're short-handed, but we do the best with what we've got. Sometimes things just don't get picked," said Haddon, whose family also sells produce in Belton and on Old Teague Highway about 4 miles from the farm.

Vendors pay a flat rate of $30 to display their goods and goodies for three hours, Erickson-Bruce said. The market will return to its former four-hour schedule of 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. starting next month, she said.

Returning to its original location is a longer story to tell.

Before departing to its present location, Waco Downtown Farmers Market was ensconced near the 400 block of University Parks Drive, in a shaded grove near the banks of Lake Brazos. Planning for a $100 million riverfront project first dubbed Brazos Promenade, now simply Riverfront, to include dining, entertainment and lodging options, uprooted the market and sent it packing.

"We would like to move back to that site, which has been the plan since we left there," Erickson-Bruce said. "We're waiting for the development to move along. We were not far from the old fire department training tower, which is no longer there. We moved to an iconic location next to the courthouse. The county has been great to work with, and many farmers markets around the country are near courthouses. But our main reason for wanting to return is that we miss the trees, the live oaks, and we were near a waterway."

She said vendors and attendees gathering on Washington Avenue have no shade as they endure the Texas summer sun dancing off asphalt. Portable canopies offer the only relief.

Erickson-Bruce said bringing attention to Waco Downtown Farmers Market now is apropos, since National Farmers Market Week will be celebrated Sunday through Aug. 8, the Farmers Market Coalition has announced.

The coalition website states the nonprofit pursues three goals: "Farmers earn fair prices for the fruits of their labor by selling directly to consumers. Consumers gain access to fresh, nutritious, local produce. Communities regain a figurative 'town square,' experiencing the many positive outcomes of foot traffic and animated public space."

Waco's market, also a nonprofit, maintains an annual budget hovering between $125,000 and $150,000. Space rentals generate the lion's share, but the organization also sponsors fundraisers. Unfortunately, COVID-19 has put those moneymakers on hold, Erickson-Bruce said.

The vendor count also has suffered, averaging 35 to 40 per Saturday during a season when norms should shadow 50, she said.

"When the pandemic arrived in March and April, we weren't sure how it would affect everything," Erickson-Bruce said. "The first few weeks we were slimmer in numbers for both vendors and customers. Sales for those who did show up were very good, as people were doing their grocery shopping here. Sales have continued to increase, though the vendor count remains lower."

A changing vendor mix stimulates interest in the market, but longtime participants continue to generate rave reviews, she said.

"Homestead Bakery, which is affiliated with Homestead Heritage, is one of our most popular vendors," she said. "Their cinnamon rolls are delicious, but they're usually sold out with an hour to go."

Waco BAO's hand-fried dumplings "have been a huge hit," and Muchos Tacos and Alba's Pupusas, maker of El Salvadorian-style griddle cakes, also have proven popular. Other market stalls offer low-temperature pasteurized milk, house plants, succulents and salads from a hydroponic lettuce producer.

Craft items may occupy space at the market, but only at special events. The Farmers Market Permit Ordinance says the venue must feature 80% agricultural products including meat, cheese, fruits, vegetables, honey, wine, etc., with artisan goods making up the balance, according to the market website.

Most vendors accept a variety of payments, including plastic, but management encourages visitors paying with cash to bring small bills. The market also accommodates those using SNAP cards, known as food stamps.

"We have seen a sixfold increase in the use of food stamps at the market since the pandemic began," Erickson-Bruce said.

The market diligently enforces rules to prevent the spread of COVID-19, she said. It encourages visitors to stay 6 feet apart and requires them to wear masks.

Anyone refusing to obey the rules may be asked to leave and could face a response by the Waco Police Department, Erickson-Bruce said.

Vanessa Handy, who directs operations at the World Hunger Relief Farm locally, said the organization maintains a presence at the market, selling vegetables, meat, poultry, eggs, cucumber pickles and jams.

"It helps with our operating costs," Handy said of the revenue generated.

World Hunger Relief addresses food shortages wherever they are found. Handy said one noteworthy effort is participation in the vegetable prescription program spearheaded by the Family Health Center. Clinics make healthy food available to clients as part of a holistic approach to healing.

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The Link Lonk


August 02, 2020 at 03:18AM
https://wacotrib.com/news/local/waco-downtown-farmers-market-staying-fresh-amid-challenges/article_caaea6d4-7926-50d5-a49d-8b149bd85a1e.html

Waco Downtown Farmers Market staying fresh amid challenges - Waco Tribune-Herald

https://news.google.com/search?q=fresh&hl=en-US&gl=US&ceid=US:en

Nats trying to stay fresh during unexpected weekend off - MASNsports.com

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After a week of frustrating bombshells - Juan Soto testing positive for coronavirus, Stephen Strasburg getting scratched from his season debut due to a hand injury - and uninspired play, the Nationals were just starting to find their groove this week.

They won a thriller of a 10-inning game with the Blue Jays on Wednesday night, then came right back and won again Thursday afternoon to sweep the bizarre road series in their home ballpark.

Things were starting to feel normal. Or, at least as normal as things can feel in 2020.

And then the Nats left the ballpark Thursday night and realized they wouldn’t be playing their next game for another 120 hours.

With their scheduled weekend series in Miami postponed due to the outbreak of positive tests on the Marlins roster, and then a scheduled off-day Monday, the Nationals have nobody to play until the Mets come to town Tuesday for a quick two-game series. (And even those games are anything but guaranteed, pending the track of Hurricane Isaias up the East Coast.)

“A mini All-Star break,” as manager Davey Martinez has described it.

All-Star breaks are good, but only when they come after 3 1/2 months of grinding every day. Pitchers need to rest their arms. Position players need to rest their bodies and minds. Nobody needs an All-Star break one week into the season.

The Nationals have no choice but to accept this break, though, and try to figure out how best to get through it.

The plan: After a day off Friday, the team will be back at Nationals Park the next two days for workouts and simulated games. It’ll be an opportunity for some pitchers who need work to get work, and for some hitters who are trying to get their timing down an opportunity to do that. It’ll also be an opportunity for Martinez and his coaching staff to run through some defensive and baserunning fundamentals, a couple of problem areas early on this season.

Most importantly, this weekend should be an opportunity for Soto to actually play baseball with his teammates and get himself ready to join the lineup for the first time in 2020.

Soto, who tested positive for COVID-19 once on July 23 but has tested negative numerous times since (included the two back-to-back tests required by Major League Baseball), is expected to be at Nationals Park today, having spent 10 days in self-quarantine as required by the D.C. Department of Health.

For Soto, who already missed two and a half weeks of summer training after coming into contact with someone else who tested positive, these weekend workouts offer a perfect opportunity to get back into baseball shape ASAP without having to jump right into game action after being cooped up in his apartment since opening day.

The Nationals, whose 3.43 runs per game rank 27th in the majors so far this season, will welcome their big slugger back with open arms.

“We’re in a tough situation. We definitely miss him,” Martinez said earlier this week. “We can’t wait to get him back.”

The bats did start to come alive during Thursday’s 6-4 win, with a couple of key players starting to produce. Rookie third baseman Carter Kieboom has now reached base in six consecutive plate appearances. Veteran second baseman Starlin Castro went 4-for-5 against the Blue Jays and is now batting .360 (9-for-25) with two doubles and a triple.

If anyone on the roster wasn’t looking forward to a long weekend off, it was Castro.

“Of course,” he said. “After my third hit, that’s exactly the same thing I think about. I say: ‘I feel good, I’ve been feeling good, I’ve been hitting the ball hard all these games against the Yankees and the Blue Jays.’ ... And wow, the bad thing is tomorrow we’re not going to play, and the next day we’re not going to play.

“I mean, it’s kind of tough, but that’s one of the things I always do by myself. I just don’t try to put this in my mind, because that’s one of the things that I can’t control, or we can’t control as a team.”

In this season of unexpected twists, they better get used to the idea of having no control over anything.

The Link Lonk


August 01, 2020 at 07:00PM
https://www.masnsports.com/nationals-pastime/2020/08/nats-trying-to-stay-fresh-during-unexpected-weekend-off.html

Nats trying to stay fresh during unexpected weekend off - MASNsports.com

https://news.google.com/search?q=fresh&hl=en-US&gl=US&ceid=US:en

Sacramento farmers market opens site for fresh food donations for those in need - KCRA Sacramento

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The COVID-19 crisis is making it hard for some of Sacramento’s most vulnerable families to buy fresh fruits and vegetables.Starting on Saturday, people can donate food and canned goods at the Midtown Farmers Market.“Food is one of those things that helps people feel like they’re at home,” said Beth Hassett, CEO of WEAVE, a nonprofit providing services for those affected by domestic violence and sexual assault in Sacramento. The Midtown Association is partnering with WEAVE on the new program, Fresh is for Everyone.“There are these individuals that are experiencing food insecurity and that’s only continuing to grow at this time,” said John Adair, director of BID services and communications with the association.People can buy fresh food at the market or bring canned goods from home.Donations can be dropped off Saturdays in August at the Midtown Association’s booth on the corner of K and 20th streets.Monetary donations can also be made on the WEAVE website.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. —

The COVID-19 crisis is making it hard for some of Sacramento’s most vulnerable families to buy fresh fruits and vegetables.

Starting on Saturday, people can donate food and canned goods at the Midtown Farmers Market.

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“Food is one of those things that helps people feel like they’re at home,” said Beth Hassett, CEO of WEAVE, a nonprofit providing services for those affected by domestic violence and sexual assault in Sacramento.

The Midtown Association is partnering with WEAVE on the new program, Fresh is for Everyone.

“There are these individuals that are experiencing food insecurity and that’s only continuing to grow at this time,” said John Adair, director of BID services and communications with the association.

People can buy fresh food at the market or bring canned goods from home.

Donations can be dropped off Saturdays in August at the Midtown Association’s booth on the corner of K and 20th streets.

Monetary donations can also be made on the WEAVE website.

The Link Lonk


August 01, 2020 at 11:22AM
https://www.kcra.com/article/sacramento-farmers-market-opens-site-for-fresh-food-donations-for-those-in-need/33486857

Sacramento farmers market opens site for fresh food donations for those in need - KCRA Sacramento

https://news.google.com/search?q=fresh&hl=en-US&gl=US&ceid=US:en