Daily Archives: May 14, 2020

The Saskatchewan planting pace is pegged at 18% complete as of May 11, behind the 38% seeded as of the same week in 2019 and the five-year average of 25%. (DTN graphic by Cliff Jamieson)

Saskatchewan seeding progress remains off to a slow start. The Saskatchewan government estimates that 18% of the province's crop was seeded as of May 11, up from 7% last week. This compares to the 38% seeded as of this week in 2019 and the five-year average of 25%.

The week-over-week jump of 11 percentage points is behind the 17-point average realized over the past five years. Over this period, three years saw a faster pace reported, ranging from a 20- to 25-point jump over this week (2015, 2016 and 2019), while two years were slower, with an 8-point jump in 2018 and a 10-point jump in 2017.

The 18% of the area seeded continues to remain ahead of the pace set in 2017 and 2018, when an estimated 11% and 9% of the acres were seeded as of mid-May, respectively. A quick look at Statistics Canada data shows the estimated yields for both of these years for both canola and spring wheat were higher than their respective five-year average.

Of the six regions of the province, all are behind their five-year average pace of planting. An estimated 39% of the acres are seeded in the Southwest Region as of May 11, just 2 percentage points behind the five-year average for the region. Weather challenges have slowed the Southeast Region, with an estimated 23% of the acres seeded, down 16 percentage points from the region's five-year average. This is the furthest behind, relative to the average pace, seen for any of the six regions. Over the past five years, the pace of spring seeding was closer to 50% complete in three of the five years for this region.

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A Look at Saskatchewan's Seeding Progress - DTN The Progressive Farmer

CU Boulder Will Hold A Virtual Graduation Ceremony This SaturdayCU Boulder will hold a virtual graduation ceremony this Saturday.

Lightning Hot Spots In ColoradoMeteorologist Chris Spears gives us a lesson about lightning in his weather school.

Gov. Polis Announces Day Of Remembrance For Coloradans Lost To COVID-19Gov. Jared Polis is asking communities across Colorado to come together Friday evening to honor and remember the more than 1,000 Coloradans that we have lost during the coronavirus pandemic. Katie Johnston reports.

Denver Employees Being Forced To Take Furlough DaysThe mayor made the announcement on Thursday.

Colorado Has Received 100 Doses Of Remdesivir, An Experimental Drug For CoronavirusA new experimental drug test for coronavirus has been sent to Colorado with enough to treat 100 patients.

Golfer Jennifer Kupcho Returning Home To PlayJennifer Kupcho is from Westminster.

El Paso County Commissioners Discussing Restaurants ReopeningEl Paso county commissioners have spent the morning discussing getting a waiver from the governor to reopen restaurants.

Thunderstorms Building Thru Afternoon And EveningWatch Dave Aguilera's Forecast

Aerial Parade To Thank Front Line Workers Happening TodayAn aerial parade is taking place today to thank front line workers and to help raise money to help during the coronavirus outbreak.

Fallen Officers Honored With Wreath Laying CeremonyThe Denver Police Department held a wreath laying ceremony to honor our fallen officers on Thursday.

'We Want Her Back': $200,000 Reward Offered In Search For Suzanne MorphewThe reward for information about a missing Chaffee County woman has been doubled to $200,000.

Commencement Plan Announced For University Of DenverDU has announced it's spring commencement will be moved until 2021 but they will hold a virtual day of recognition for graduates on June 12th.

Fourth Straight Week Of Gradual Declines In Unemployment Filings In ColoradoColorado's latest unemployment numbers show more than 31,000 people filed for unemployment last week.

Arvada Boys Alert Authorities To House On FireThe boys were outside playing when they saw that their neighbor's house was on fire.

After Talking To Trump, Polis Is 'Cautiously Optimistic' About Keeping Space Command In ColoradoWhen Gov. Jared Polis met with President Donald Trump on Wednesday, he took the opportunity to ask the president about Space Command.

'Hamilton' Postponed At Denver Center For The Performing ArtsThe upcoming Denver tour of 'Hamilton' has been postponed.

JBS Plant Invests $200 Million In Enhanced Safety MeasuresThe plant shut down for two weeks in April for cleaning.

Brandon McManus Hands Out Lunches To Health Care WorkersMcManus said he wants to help out as many people as possible.

Sen. Cory Gardner Pleased With Progress Of Suicide Prevention BillSen. Cory Gardner is part of a bipartisan effort to get an extra $80 million in federal funding for critical suicide prevention programs during the coronavirus pandemic.

Christopher Adams-Wenger Pleads GuiltyHe was a teacher at Union Colony Prep School in Greeley.

Lakewood Motorcyclist Caught Doing StuntPolice are running into problems with speeding.

Searching For Suzanne Morphew: Reward For Information Doubled To $200,000"I'm willing to confirm that the bike was found on Sunday evening, the night she disappeared. The sheriff has said he doesn't not believe she was attacked by an animal.

Pilots Hope Coloradans Who Enjoy Flyover Will Donate To Charity"If everybody who sees it donates $, that would be awesome," one participant said.

City Of Denver Workers Must Take 8 Unpaid Days Off In 2020The city lost millions in tax revenue due to businesses being closed during the coronavirus pandemic.

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Sen. Cory Gardner Pleased With Progress Of Suicide Prevention Bill - CBS Denver

Personnel at NASA and the DLR have been working for months to get InSights Mole working. Theyre at a disadvantage, since the average distance between Earth and Mars is about 225 million km (140 million miles.) Theyve tried a number of things to get the Mole into the ground, and they may finally be making some progress.

The InSight lander (Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport) is a joint mission between NASA and the DLR, or German Aerospace Center. One of the landers primary instruments is the Heat Flow and Physical Properties Package, or Mole, so-called because it needs to burrow into the ground to fulfill its mission. The Moles job is to measure the heat that flows from the planets interior to the surface.

Trouble started when it became clear that the sub-surface soil near the lander was dura-crust. The duracrust is sand cemented together by salt, and its in a layer about 20 cm (8 in.) thick. After the Mole made some initial progress, it stalled. The Mole relies on soil falling in around its hole as it hammers its way into the surface, giving it the necessary friction to penetrate.

But the dura-crust refused to fall into the hole.

NASA and the DLR tried using the scoop on the end of the instrument arm to push soil into the Moles hole, but that didnt work.

Personnel also tried exerting sideways pressure on the Mole, in an attempt to provide the necessary friction. But that didnt work, either.

Theres no way to reposition the Mole to a new spot, in hopes of avoiding the troublesome duracrust. Its too delicate to be re-deployed safely, so engineers are forced to try everything else.

Now, mission personnel are using the instrument arms scoop to apply downward pressure on the Mole. Thats a tricky operation, with a wiring harness protruding from the top of the Mole in a vulnerable spot. Damage the harness, and the whole experiment is probably over.

They began this procedure back in March, and saw some progress.

On May 4th, a representative from the DLR spoke at a webinar as part of the European Geosciences Union General Assembly. Tilman Spohn is the principal investigator for the Mole, and he gave an update. The mole is going down by its hammering mechanism, but it is aided by the push of the scoop that balances the force of the recoil, Spohn said.

Its progress, which is great, but its very slow progress. Thats because they need to frequently re-position the instrument arm and its scoop. That is a very tedious operation, he said. We can only go like 1.5 centimeters (0.6 in) at a time before we have to readjust.

Then theres the problem of the angle. The Heat Flow and Physical Properties Package was designed to penetrate the surface at a vertical angle. But instead, its at a 30 degree angle, adding to the difficulties.

Its not something we like to see, Spohn said. But if the mole is able to get its whole instrument body to penetrate the surface, that angle might correct itself.

As if things arent complicated enough, theres another problem. The Mole penetrates with a hammering motion. As it hammered at the ground without making any progress, it compacted the soil directly underneath it. Now the Mole must contend with that compacted soil.

Theres no new word on how long itll take the Mole to penetrate far enough to do its job. It was designed to penetrate down to 5 meters (16 ft) but is able to do some work at less depth, perhaps about 2 meters (6 ft.) But with progress this slow, even getting to 2 meters could take a long time.

Spohn didnt provide an update on the timing. But back on April 17th, NASAs principal investigator for the InSight mission, Bruce Banerdt, did give an update.

We anticipate that well have the mole down flush with the ground within another month or two months, he said at a briefing. Once the Mole is flush with the surface, theres no way that the scoop on the instrument arm can push on it anymore. Itll be on its own.

At that point, its either going to be able to go on its own or not.

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Finally! InSight's Mole is Making Slow and Steady Progress - Universe Today

All over the world, the COVID-19 pandemic is causing significant loss of life, disrupting livelihoods, and threatening the recent advances in health and progress towards global development goals highlighted in the 2020 World Health Statistics published by the World Health Organization (WHO) today.

The good news is that people around the world are living longer and healthier lives. The bad news is the rate of progress is too slow to meet the Sustainable Development Goals and will be further thrown off track by COVID-19, said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General.

The pandemic highlights the urgent need for all countries to invest in strong health systems and primary health care, as the best defense against outbreaks like COVID-19, and against the many other health threats that people around the world face every day. Health systems and health security are two sides of the same coin.

WHOs World Health Statistics an annual check-up on the worlds health reports progress against a series of key health and health service indicators, revealing some important lessons in terms of progress made towards the Sustainable Development Goals and gaps to fill.

Life expectancy and healthy life expectancy have increased, but unequally.

The biggest gains were reported in low-income countries, which saw life expectancy rise 21% or 11 years between 2000 and 2016 (compared with an increase of 4% or 3 years in higher income countries).

One driver of progress in lower-income countries was improved access to services to prevent and treat HIV, malaria and tuberculosis, as well as a

number of neglected tropical diseases such as guinea worm. Another was better maternal and child healthcare, which led to a halving of child mortality between 2000 and 2018.

But in a number of areas, progress has been stalling. Immunization coverage has barely increased in recent years, and there are fears that malaria gains may be reversed. And there is an overall shortage of services within and outside the health system to prevent and treat noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) such as cancer, diabetes, heart and lung disease, and stroke. In 2016, 71 per cent of all deaths worldwide were attributable to NCDs, with the majority of the 15 million premature deaths (85%) occurring in low and middle-income countries.

This uneven progress broadly mirrors inequalities in access to quality health services. Only between one third and one half the worlds population was able to obtain essential health services in 2017. Service coverage in low- and middle-income countries remains well below coverage in wealthier ones; as do health workforce densities. In more than 40% of all countries, there are fewer than 10 medical doctors per 10 000 people. Over 55% of countries have fewer than 40 nursing and midwifery personnel per 10 000 people.

The inability to pay for healthcare is another major challenge for many. On current trends, WHO estimates that this year, 2020, approximately 1 billion people (almost 13 per cent of the global population) will be spending at least 10% of their household budgets on health care. The majority of these people live in lower middle-income countries.

The COVID-19 pandemic highlights the need to protect people from health emergencies, as well as to promote universal health coverage and healthier populations to keep people from needing health services through multisecotral interventions like improving basic hygiene and sanitation, said Dr Samira Asma, Assistant Director General at WHO.

In 2017, more than half (55%) of the global population was estimated to lack access to safely-managed sanitation services, and more than one quarter (29%) lacked safely-managed drinking water. In the same year, two in five households globally (40%) lacked basic handwashing facilities with soap and water in their home.

The World Health Statistics also highlight the need for stronger data and health information systems. Uneven capacities to collect and use accurate, timely, and comparable health statistics, undermining countries ability to understand population health trends, develop appropriate policies, allocate resources and prioritize interventions.

For almost a fifth of countries, over half of the key indicators have no recent primary or direct underlying data, another major challenge in enabling countries to prepare for, prevent and respond to health emergencies such as the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. WHO is therefore supporting countries in strengthening surveillance and data and health information systems so they can measure their status and manage improvements.

The message from this report is clear: as the world battles the most serious pandemic in 100 years, just a decade away from the SDG deadline, we must act together to strengthen primary health care and focus on the most vulnerable among us in order to eliminate the gross inequalities that dictate who lives a long, healthy life and who doesnt, added Asma. We will only succeed in doing this by helping countries to improve their data and health information systems.

The World Health Statistics have been compiled primarily from publications and databases produced and maintained by WHO or by United Nations (UN) groups of which WHO is a member, such as the UN Interagency Group for Child Mortality Estimation. In addition, some statistics have been derived from data produced and maintained by other international organizations, such as the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs and its Population Division. The Global Health Observatory database contains additional details about the health-related SDG indicators, as well as interactive visualizations.

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WHO: People living longer and healthier lives but COVID-19 threatens to throw progress off track - World Health Organization

KALKASKA Few, if any construction projects, go completely as planned. Thats also the case with the ongoing redevelopment project of the 300 Block of South Cedar Street in downtown Kalkaska.

First, theres Mother Nature, with winter conditions including snow still gripping northern Michigan as recently as last week. That caused work crews to bring in special heaters to help thaw areas, as well as covering concrete that had just recently been poured to protect it from freezing temperatures at night.

Add in the COVID-19 pandemic that, at least temporarily, put the brakes on the $3.5-million redevelopment project almost as soon as it started in early March. Even the discovery of an old fuel tank on the site of the former chamber of commerce office provided for a small road bump for work crews.

But, at the Kalkaska Village Council meeting on Monday village officials stated work on the project is progressing well and that they still hope to complete the effort this year.

Read the full story in our regular edition of The Review. To subscribe to the paper for just $36 a year, which includes access to our full online e-edition, please go to the subscription page on this website at: http://www.antrimreview.net/subscribe/

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Village officials excited over early progress on RR Square project - Antrimreview

1More Dual Driver ANC Pro review-in-progress: Listen to this

The sexy new trend in wearable audio these days are true wireless earbuds and for good reason. When done right, they offer comfort and quality in a bite-sized package.

Still, 1More is living proof that a few wires here and there dont have to be a bad thing. The companys new $150 Dual Driver ANC Pro Wireless in-ear headphones, which are available now for pre-order and officially launch May 21, may not have the instant appeal of a true wireless counterpart. But even during the brief period Ive been able to test them, its evident that 1Mores new, efficient headphones will get you where you need to go.

Allow me, for a moment, to gush over the packaging in which the Dual Driver ANC Pro Wireless arrive.

Essentially, the headphones sit in a display case thats bound like a book, with artistic sketches of the headphones themselves on the inside cover. Competing companies, take note. This is how you make a good first impression.

Beneath the headphones, a smorgasbord of accessories is waiting. Among them are three sets of extra eartips, both a USB-C charging cable and an auxiliary cable, a carrying pouch for the headphones, and various documentation.

After taking the time to find the best-fitting tips for your ears, setup is standard compared to most wireless earbuds. I havent had these headphones long enough to speak to how well the built-in Bluetooth 5 technology works, but I can say that I havent hit any snags yet.

The 1More Music App pairs nicely with the headphones. You dont need the app to connect initially, but I would recommend downloading it. The app provides access to firmware updates, control over active noise cancellation, and smart burn-in options. Ill get to that last part a bit later.

Before I go any further, its time to address the elephant in the room er, ear. From the way the Dual Driver ANC look, its clear to me that I would classify these as earbuds that just happen to be tethered to a neckband by a pair of wires. 1More, however, refers to their new product as in-ear headphones, so Ill use that terminology throughout this review.

The in-ear component of the headphones fits comfortably and securely in my ears and hung in there rather nicely when I decided to audition them during a run around the local park. At the other end of the wire is the silicone neckband, which wraps gently around the neck. The band has buttons for power, volume control, active noise cancellation, and wind noise resistance mode, as well as the option to call upon your preferred voice assistant. They arent flashy, but so far, Ive found them easy to use.

The back of the buds are magnetic, allowing them to clasp together and sit like a hi-res necklace when youre not using them. Thats a nice design accommodation since the Dual Driver ANC dont seem like the easiest headphones to stow and go with.

Dont get me wrong, the neckband is flexible, and it looks like it could withstand some force. The carrying pouch just doesnt give me as much confidence as, say, a more rigid case would when its mixed in with other items in a backpack or suitcase.

That brings me to what I see as an inevitable design flaw with this style of headphone they just wont have the portability or ergonomic footprint that so many people have come to enjoy with true wireless earbuds. Theres a lot the Dual Driver ANC can offer between their features, audio quality, and price point. You just have to be able to make do with something a little more prominent in order to enjoy those traits.

The previous model in this series of 1More headphones, the Dual Driver BT ANC, offered a paltry 7 hours of playback time for either calls or music. It was clearly a weak point, and its safe to say 1More addressed it.

The new Dual Driver ANC claim 20 hours of battery life without ANC and 15 hours with the feature turned on, as well as a quick-charge feature that enables 3 extra hours with just 10 minutes on the charger. I havent had enough time to fully test 1Mores battery life claims, but if the specs hold up, thats a huge improvement.

The Dual Driver ANC have IPX5 waterproof resistance, giving them protection against jet streams of water from any direction. I havent had the chance to get that intense with them yet, but the headphones did make it unscathed through a rain-soaked walk.

In addition to their active noise cancellation capabilities, the Dual Driver ANC also have the previously mentioned wind noise resistance mode, which 1More says is designed to suppress the microphonics caused by wind and keep unwanted distractions out of your listening experience. Weather didnt want to cooperate with me in the time Ive spent testing them to this point, meaning I havent been able to pit them against any strong gusts to see how the feature holds up. As soon as Im able to, however, Ill report back with my findings.

With products like its Triple Driver and Quad Driver in-ear headphones, as well its more recent 1More Stylish true wireless earbuds, 1More has established quite a reputation. In a nutshell, this is a company that delivers quality sound that doesnt cost a fortune.

The Dual Driver ANC, then, have expectations to uphold. To repeat myself for the umpteenth time, I havent listened to these long enough to fully break down their audio chops. However, the early returns are excellent.

These headphones have the name they do for a reason. Theyre comprised of a 13.6mm dynamic driver with a titanium composite diaphragm, as well as 1Mores proprietary balanced armature. Its saying a lot, but if this isnt the MJ and Scottie of headphone components, they sure come darn close.

In other words, name a better duo. Ill wait.

Seriously, though, the time Ive spent listening to the Dual Driver ANC has been quite an experience. In addition to support for audio codecs like SBC, AAC, and LDAC, they expertly navigate between genres of music, digging low for the vibrating rumbles of Lil Nas Xs Panini before climbing for a powerful rendition of Bill Withers Lean on Me. As with all the companys products, the Dual Driver ANC were tuned by Luca Bignardi, a Grammy Award-winning sound engineer, and it shows.

If theres an issue I have with the sound quality, its that I must wait before I can hear the best the Dual Driver ANC has to offer. The headphones app has a smart burn-in feature, which essentially plays tones and signals through your buds to train them, according to 1More. For the best performance, 1More suggests it could take anywhere from a few dozen to hundreds of hours of burning in to reach the optimum level. Call me impatient, but that just seems excessive.

As I said earlier, Ive yet to put the Dual Driver ANCs wind noise resistance mode up against any worthwhile elements. I have, however, briefly tested the headphones active noise cancellation feature on bustling roadways, and I have a few takeaways.

Products from 1More employ hybrid active noise cancellation, where a pair of microphones in each bud analyze sounds both inside the ear and in the outside environment, then block the unwanted sounds out with the help of a dedicated digital signal processor (DSP). The headphones have two different levels of noise cancellation, mild and strong, that can be chosen with the neckband button or in the 1More Music app.

My trials with the ANC features of these headphones were good overall. White noise with the feature in action was minimal, and they generally did a solid job of dampening most outside noises. I would keep expectations realistic, though. They dont approach the cancellation abilities that solid over-ear cans can offer, and some sounds will inevitably get through. Thats not really a knock on 1More, but rather a reminder of the limitations of this style of product. They do well within those constraints.

Ill have to revisit this review after more time listening to these headphones to have a definitive take. But 1More has built excellent, affordable listening devices time and time again in the past, and so far, theyre on the right track once more with the Dual Driver ANC Pro Wireless.

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1More Dual Driver ANC Pro review-in-progress: Listen to this - Digital Trends

(Illustration by iStock/rudall30)

In the report Shaping Inclusive Markets from FSG and The Rockefeller Foundation, I and other authors found thatsome of the most significant progress in creating sustainable and equitable market systems has come during crises. Amid the responses to COVID-19, there are also opportunities for innovative solutions that can further the vision of equitable societies that serve all of their members. To identify, create, preserve, and augment these steps toward more just systems, civil society must support and expand the efforts beyond the immediate response to this crisis.

Foundations have a particularly important role to play. There are more than 260,000 of them around the world. They command roughly $1.5 trillion in assets and spend more than $150 billion a year, according to the Hauser Institute for Civil Society at Harvard University. At FSG, we have partnered with dozens of foundations that are working toward a more equitable world by changing the practices, regulations, and informal norms that make up complex social systems, from business markets to health care to education. Based on this experience, here are three steps foundations can take to play an important role amid a crisis to bring about lasting, positive change:

Use New Crisis Responses to Reassess Old Systems | To further the long-term goals of equitable and inclusive social systems, foundations need to identify and explore the innovative solutions taken in response to the pandemic that may be worth continuing beyond the end of the crisis.

For example, in most developing countries, the traditional measure of education has been children being present in school rather than the quality of education. The crisis offers a unique opportunity to challenge this belief and reshape education as remote learning replaces physical classrooms. The shift allows people to newly inspect the details of the educational experience to find what works best. Activity-based learning, which has been a common part of remote learning and which FSG has been promoting in India to improve educational outcomes more than rote-based learning, may become a more permanent and greater part of educational experiences after the crisis ends.

Empower Champions | New movements and their champions often come to the fore during a crisis. Identifying and empowering them to talk about longer-term issues and pulling them into an agenda for social change will help foundations strengthen their local alliances. In general, the initial identification of such champions in local systems has been a weak point for foundations that sometimes operate from a great distance. One effective method to find them is to partner with local organizations that can identify local individuals to carry a cause forward. In India, an example is Wadhwani Initiative for Sustainable Healthcare (WISH), which identifies senior leaders and officials in government who are open to changing rules that could significantly improve health outcomes. WISH also seeks out and supports civil servants and technical experts within the health system who are willing to innovate.

Move Quickly | This crisis too shall pass, and the window of opportunity to solidify the changes it has sparked will close. Foundations need to deploy resources and form alliances now, not in weeks or months.

Nothing shows the importance of agility as the crisis itself. A recent study indicated that a three-day delay in introducing social distancing measures in Wuhan could be responsible for the 35 percent increase in the number of cases that occurred outside of the area in late February.

Foundations must realize that this short window of opportunity will not be amenable for multiple approval rounds and the decision-making hierarchy that works in normal times. Empowering teams to make investments, not all of which will be successful, will be a key to success.

Getting through major crises like COVID-19 is extraordinarily taxing for a huge array of organizations. Foundationsalong with nonprofits, governments, and many othersmust address urgent problems within their own ranks and their partners'. At the same time, they cannot simply abandon the long-term goals that are core to their missionsa crisis of course does not make serious inequities suddenly go away. If anything, a crisis exacerbates longstanding social problems, increasing the need for organizations who understand them and know how to respond to them.

By learning from this crisis and others before it, it is my hope that foundations can do moreindividually and as an allianceto identify and prepare themselves and their partners for major threats in the future and their impact on long-term efforts to solve serious social problems. Doing so will help ensure that the opportunities for innovative solutions created by a crisis today become the building blocks of a more just world tomorrow.

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How Foundations Can Make Progress on Long-Term Social Change Amid the COVID-19 Crisis - Stanford Social Innovation Review

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. After more than two months of social distancing, Mike Norvell has been on enough videoconferences to last for the rest of his life.

Yes, Florida States football coach is grateful to have such modern platforms to communicate with his staff and players while scattered about due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

But he also cant help but sometimes daydream about things getting back to normal.

Weve made the most of the situation that weve been dealt, Norvell said during Seminole Boosters weekly Football Fix webinar, but theres nothing like everyone being together in one place.

Even still, Norvell is pleased with what the Seminoles have been able to accomplish virtually, particularly in the classroom.

From Day 1, one of his favorite sayings has been, How you do anything is how you do everything and that most certainly applies to academics.

Which is why Norvell was so thrilled when grades for the spring semester came out last week.

Despite a massive upheaval in their lives and routines, and despite having to complete their coursework online, the Seminoles still managed to post a combined team grade-point average of 3.127.

Thats the highest in the programs history.

Its something that I was really excited (about) for them and really kind of just celebrated a lot of the growth that were seeing from these guys, Norvell said. We expect great things ahead.

How you do anything is going to be how you do everything, and they really made a statement, academically, about the growth and development of where this teams going.

Exactly when the Seminoles are back at practice or inside Doak Campbell Stadium again remains to be seen.

But Norvell believes that a strong performance in the classroom is usually an indicator of good things to come on the field.

More than anything else, I just want to see these guys compete, he said. That mindset of competition goes into the classroom, it goes into the weight room. In every aspect of their life, I want them to compete to be the best they can possibly be.

Lately, Norvell and his staff have spent their time conducting exit interviews with every player on the team. Think of it as a 15-minute check-in where the coaches and player can review expectations, ask questions and voice any observations or concerns.

Normally, of course, those meetings would take place in Norvells office, but a videoconference has made for an acceptable substitute.

Giving a thorough assessment after just two months and three practices together might be the bigger challenge, although Norvell believes hes found enough productive feedback to offer.

Those (meetings) are going really well and are just an opportunity to kind of reflect on some of the strides weve seen. Missing out on the majority of spring practice, we focused on different areas. These guys, theyre excited about what were doing.

And, like their coach, theyre excited about the idea of being together again. Even if its still only an idea.

In something of a cruel irony, Norvell and the Seminoles have now spent nearly as much time apart as they did together from the time of his hiring.

Thanks to technology and a positive attitude, theyve been able to make things work through individualized workout regimens and nutrition plans, as well as virtual team meetings.

Theres one thing, however, that modern technology cant replicate. And thats the camaraderie and bonds formed through working together in the same place and at the same time as part of a team and program.

I definitely miss these guys, Norvell said. You try to spend as much time as you possibly can with each other, but to have that interaction, whether its just a pat on the back or to be able to go through those experiences, thats what makes a football team special everyone coming from different places for a common cause.

Were seeing a lot of great strides in what our guys are doing, but were definitely looking forward to having everybody back in Tallahassee.

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Norvell Proud Of Progress, Still Looking Toward Future - Seminoles.com

Even with the shutdown of the Georgia campus due to COVID-19, many Georgia football players are still finding a way to get in workouts and training during the current time. The likes of Eric Stokes and James Cook have both posted highlight videos in recent days.

But neither of those really turned heads in the same way that offensive lineman Jamaree Salyer did with his video post.

The video showed a noticeably slimmed-down Slayer working on his pass blocking skills, as he shuffled through striking a number of pads.

@jamareesalyer69 Developing the Blueprint for you. God Plan 315 pounds right nowwwww @KirbySmartUGA pic.twitter.com/jfnkpBlbQr

BIG DAWGS CLUB, LLC (@CoachKev79) May 13, 2020

The video most notably caught the attention of Smart, who sent out a late-night tweet noticing Salyers work and hinting that hes down to 315 pounds. The official Georgia football roster lists Salyer at 325 pounds.

315

Coach Kirby Smart (@KirbySmartUGA) May 14, 2020

The 2020 season figures to be a big one for Salyer after he had a promising close to the 2019 campaign. He got the start at right tackle in Georgias 26-14 win over Baylor in the Sugar Bowl and played quite well in the win. He also spent most of last season working as the back-up right tackle behind Isaiah Wilson, who was taken in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft

And with Wilson, Andrew Thomas and Solomon Kindley off to the NFL, Georgia has a number of openings on the offensive line that need to be filled. Salyer is expected to fill one of the tackle openings, with Kindley telling DawgNation he expects Salyer to be Georgias starting left tackle next season.

When all three Bulldogs spoke at the 2020 NFL Draft Combine, they each mentioned they had high expectations for Salyer and the Georgia offensive line this coming year.

Theyre young kids but they work so hard, Kindley said of Salyer and center Trey Hill. Theyre leaders and if you go around them, they have great character. If you go around them, youd think theyre one of us.

Related:Isaiah Wilson on Georgias 2020 offensive line: If youre sleeping on them, then theyre going to wake you up

Salyer is in his third year in the Georgia program and even though he hasnt played as much as some might have thought to this point, this latest video shows hes ready to take that next step and become a key player for the Georgia offensive line. Salyer came to Georgia with high expectations, as he was a 5-star prospect out our Atlantas Pace Academy. He is still the highest-rated offensive line prospect Georgia has signed under Smart.

Salyer will also be learning from a new offensive line coach this year, as Matt Luke takes over Sam Pittman, who is now at Arkansas. Luke did coach Salyer and the offensive line in the Sugar Bowl, so there is already a working relationship there. Georgia also has a new offensive coordinator in Todd Monken.

Related:Jamaree Salyer and his playing time explain why Georgia offensive line is one of the nations best

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As Michigan begins its third month of the coronavirus crisis, most of the numbers are moving in the right direction, experts agree.

On Monday, the state reported 414 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 33 new deaths -- the third consecutive day with fewer than 500 new confirmed cases. There also have been 50 or fewer deaths reported for the last three days out of four.

We are seeing cases decreasing over time, which is what we want to see, said Dr. Teena Chopra, an infectious disease specialist for the Detroit Medical Center. The stay-at-home model is working.

Michigan confirmed its first cases of coronavirus on March 10. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer shut down schools and restaurants as of March 16 and issued a stay-in-place order on March 23 as the number of new coronavirus cases was growing exponentially.

As for May 11, the state has confirmed 47,522 cases of COVID-19 and 4,584 have died of the disease.

Coronavirus appears to have peaked in Michigan during the first week of April. Here is whats happened in the month since.

1. Average number of new cases a day has plummeted.

During the last week of March and first two weeks of April -- March 22 to April 11 -- the state was averaging almost 1,100 new infections a day. That includes more than 1,500 sickened on March 30, according to state data looking at onset of illness.

The average for last week was not quite 350. Thats the lowest seven-day average since the first week of the crisis.

The below charts shows the daily reports of confirmed cases. (The chart is based on when cases were confirmed vs. onset of illness.)

2. Deaths are down 45%.

For the week ending April 11, Michigan reported an average of 131 deaths a day from coronavirus. Last week, it was an average of 72 deaths a day, a 45% decline.

Chopra noted that deaths are a lagging indicator. Its about two weeks behind" the case numbers, she said, reflecting the typical time between the onset of coronavirus and death in situations where the patient has died.

3. Hospitalizations are down 64% from a month ago.

As of Monday, May 11, Michigan had 1,422 coronavirus patients who were hospitalized. That compares to 3,986 on April 12, a 64% drop in the past month.

Of coronavirus patients hospitalized on April 12, 1,570 were in an intensive-care unit and 1,365 were on ventilators. That compares to 684 patients in ICU and 544 on ventilators Monday, May 11.

Incidentally, while case numbers have surged in the Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo areas in the past few weeks, hospitalizations have not kept pace.

In the past two weeks, the number of coronavirus cases went from 1,052 to 2,332 in Kent County and from 327 to 622 in Kalamazoo County. Meanwhile, the number of coronavirus patients hospitalized in the states Region 6, which includes Kent County, increased from 92 to 120 during that time. Hospitalizations in Region 5, which includes Kalamazoo, actually dropped from 62 patients on April 28 to 61 on May 11.

That indicates the majority of new patients involve more mild cases, said Dr. Russell Lampen, who heads the infectious disease division at Spectrum Health in Grand Rapids.

We have not seen a significant jump in the death rate, and hospitalizations have not mirrored the increase in the number of cases were seeing, he said.

4. Testing has almost tripled.

Last week, Michigan averaged almost 11,300 coronavirus tests a day. Thats almost triple the number a month ago, and means Michigan is now above the national average in per-capita testing.

The current goal is test 15,000 people daily. On May 7, the state tested 14,257, the highest number to date.

Testing is seen as critical to managing the pandemic going forward. Michigan Chief Medical Executive Dr. Joneigh Khaldun said Monday that state is hoping to increase that to an average of 30,000 tests administered each day by mid-June.

5. Testing is finding fewer new cases.

Even with more testing, the number of cases has declined. In the first seven days of May, Michigan had 3,754 confirmed new COVID-19 cases, compared to 7,818 during the first seven days of April, a 52% drop.

The first seven days of April, 40% of coronavirus tests performed in Michigan were positive for the virus. That compares to 8.5% percent in the first seven days of May.

Experts at the Harvard Global Health Institute recommend a minimum of 152 tests per 100,000 residents per day. That equates to about 15,140 daily tests in Michigan.

Harvard also says the percentage of positive tests should be no more than 10%, a number they say indicates the testing program is adequately capturing the infected population.

6. Michigan has fallen to 11th in per-capita coronavirus patients.

A month ago, Michigan was third in the nation in total number of coronavirus cases, lagging behind only New York and New Jersey.

There are now four additional states above Michigan: Illinois, Massachusetts, California and Pennsylvania.

In cases per capita, Michigan now ranks 11th behind New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Louisiana, Delaware, Illinois and Maryland.

In fact, Michigan has fewer active coronavirus cases right now than Indiana and Ohio, according to the Worldometers website, which pulls coronavirus information daily from state and county websites.

The website lists Michigan as having 20,282 active cases of COVID-19 compared to 22,979 in Ohio and 21,396 in Indiana. Active cases is the total number of coronavirus cases minus the number of patients defined as recovered by state and local officials, the website says.

However, a spokeswoman for the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services says it may not be an apples-to-apples comparison. Recovered is not a statistic run consistently between states, Lynn Sutfin said in an email to MLive. Some dont run anything; some use different definitions. So it is difficult to use for cross state comparison.

In per capita deaths, Michigan now ranks seventh, behind New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Louisiana and District of Columbia.

7. A projection model used by the White House projects a sharp drop in Michigans coronavirus deaths in June and July.

Michigan is projected to have another 1,200 deaths during the rest of May as a result of coronavirus, but the number is expected to drop to about 400 deaths during the month of June and about 60 deaths during the month of July, according to a model operated by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington.

In fact, the IHME predicts both Ohio and Indiana will have more coronavirus deaths in June and July than Michigan. Its forecasting about 700 deaths during that two-month period in Ohio and almost 1,400 in Indiana as states move to reopen their economies.

In all, the IHME model is predicting Michigan will have a total of 6,517 deaths by Aug. 1. Thats a 42% increase compared to the current total.

The IHME model is projecting that Ohio will see its death toll more than double from 1,360 to 2,940 by Aug. 1, and Indiana will see a 165% increase to from 1,540 to 4,091.

Nationally, the model is projecting 137,184 deaths across the U.S. by Aug. 1, a 67% increase from the current total.

PREVENTION TIPS

In addition to washing hands regularly and not touching your face, officials recommend practicing social distancing, assuming anyone may be carrying the virus.

Health officials say you should be staying at least 6 feet away from others and working from home, if possible.

Use disinfecting wipes or disinfecting spray cleaners on frequently-touched surfaces in your home (door handles, faucets, countertops) and carry hand sanitizer with you when you go into places like stores.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has also issued an executive order requiring people to wear face coverings over their mouth and nose while inside enclosed, public spaces.

Read all of MLives coverage on the coronavirus at mlive.com/coronavirus.

Additional information is available at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus.

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