ARPA money, bond funds, other revenues come together for list after months of study
LEXINGTON, Ky. (WTVQ) – After months of debate and discussion, community input and surveys, the Lexington Fayette County Urban County Council has unanimously approved a plan to spend millions of dollars on everything from affordable housing to police cars and fire trucks and improved parks and roads
The plan includes $120 million in federal rescue plan funds, $15 million from a bond issue and another $1 million in general operations. More than $25 million remains in the city’s budget stabilization account and more projects could be added later.
While this is the initial phase, the Urban Council will finalize approvals through amendments to the budget and spending plans in the coming weeks and months as details come together.
The list of newly approved items below and in this spreadsheet (COW_Approved_2-17-22). The darker highlighted cells in the spreadsheet indicate amended items from the original Administration proposal.
New items funded out of Budget Stabilization:
· 1,000,000 – Coldstream Disc Golf
· 1,500,000 – Tree Canopy
· $25,000 – Eureka Springs
· $25,184,827 – Remaining in Budget Stabilization
New ARPA funded items:
· $200,000 FY23 Emergency Financial Assistance
· $200,000 FY23 Recovery Supportive Living Assistance
· $200,000 FY23 Code Enforcement Grants
· $750,000 FY23 OHPI
· $170,000 FY23 NAMI
· Additional $150,000 Workforce Development Grants in FY22
· $400,000 Workforce Development Grants in FY23
· $200,000 FY24 Code Enforcement Grants
· $750,000 FY24 OHPI
· $170,000 FY24 NAMI
· $200,000 FY24 Workforce Development
· $325,000 LexArts FY24
· $991,000 Minority Business Accelerator
· $240,000 It Takes a Village Mentoring
· $1,040,000 Black & Williams Rehabilitation
· $6,000,000 Non-Profit Capital Grants
· $2,000,000 Hope Center
· $2,000,000 Salvation Army
· $400,000 Greenhouse 17
· $1,000,000 OHPI Contracts
· $4,000,000 Additional Homeless Funding (HACD)
· $10,000,000 Parks Masterplan
· $10,100,000 Cardinal Run North
· Removal of $1,000,000 for vaccination and testing
· $78,000 Radio Lex
· $350,000 Safety Net
· $960,000 Summer Youth Program
· $9,500,000 Coldstream Infrastructure
· $6,000,000 Social Services Personnel
· $3,100,000 Fire SCBA
· $1,240,000 Bike Ped Initiatives
· $1,500,000 Police Fleet
· $2,000,000 BCTC Dental Hygiene Program
· $4,000,000 Farmer’s Market (pending match)
· $2,500,000 Pam Miller Downtown Arts Center (pending ownership)
The Wednesday, Feb. 9, meeting of the Portola City Council opened with the Pledge of Allegiance, followed by a roll call with all present.
After clarifying which items should be commented upon by the public and noting that all commenters must identify themselves for an accurate record of the meeting, Mayor Pat Morton noted, “If you do not identify yourself, you may not be able to comment.”
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This follows several recent meetings of city hall in which attendees have spoken during public comment via Zoom, refusing to identify themselves.
Resident Ashlee Sims then gave her public comment, saying that she would like to congratulate Mr. Kennedy on his new position. “Hopefully he will be part of the solution in this community,” she said.
Council member communications
Mayor Pro Tem Tom Cooley attended a meeting of the infrastructure committee, stating that results would come before council at a future date.
“I also attended the unveiling of new signage at the disc golf course,” Cooley reported. “I would also like to report on the interim city management pre-employment background check of financial, criminal and DMV records, which has come back clean on Jon Kennedy.”
Councilmember Phil Oels has also attended the recent disc golf course sign presentation.
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Councilmember Stan Peiler commented that he had recently had residents of Portola ask him about standardizing the colors of buildings throughout the city of Portola. “Another resident brought up the possibility of a mural on the new Hub gym wall,” Peiler added.
Councilmember Bill Powers said, “It is the season to start booking bands for the summer concerts. This year the plan is to break up the series a bit, starting after the July 4th weekend, with a break for the fair which will be early this year.”
Powers went on to note, “The organizer of the Portola Swim Team and I spoke, and the team will sell drinks and snacks again as well. This year we plan to have a food truck, so we can advertise having food and a bar there.”
Gay Miller with Beckwourth Fire District (BFD) reported that the fire chief was currently at a three-day seminar for fire arson.
She also noted that BFD received $10,000 for a water tender that was surplus equipment and sold.
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“To improve response time, a number of take-home vehicles have been issued,” Miller also noted. “Also, from here on out, I will be reporting out at the first meeting of each month only.”
City Manager Lauren Knox first reported that there had been a water main break in area of Portola Heights, west of West Street on Tuesday, Feb. 8. “Noticing went door-to-door to residents in the affected area, and testing showed no contamination,” Knox said. “We did have a boil water notice go out.”
Knox also reported recent discussion with the Infrastructure committee and Intermountain Disposal regarding some issues in addition to details of the new side loader.
“Jon and I are now working through transition pieces, and we made our way through my very long list, so welcome Jon. I am excited for Jon to be here a breath of fresh air. It’s going very smoothly,” Knox said.
The city presented Knox with a certificate of appreciation and small gift to Knox for all of her work for the city. “Thank you all for your support, you have been an amazing council to work with,” Knox said.
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Council then adopted the budget and consent calendar after a brief correction in regard to a voided check in accounts payable.
Authorizing Submittal of a Notice of Intent to Comply with SB 1383
In 2016, the California legislature approved, and Governor Brown signed Senate Bill 1383.
The legislation seeks to reduce emissions of methane from dairy and livestock operations and solid waste landfills as a means of combating climate change. SB 1383 tasked the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) to write and enforce regulations.
Beginning Jan. 1, 2022, SB 1383 regulations require cities and counties to collect organic wastes from all residential and commercial generators in California and deliver those wastes to a composting facility, thus avoiding landfill disposal. There is a carve-out for rural jurisdictions to waive the organic waste collection requirement for up to five years.
On Nov. 10, 2021 the city council approved Resolution No. 2490, which exempted the city from the organic waste collection requirement through Dec. 31, 2026.
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The exemption was approved by CalRecycle on January 13 of this year.
“There are other requirements of the SB 1383 legislation from which the city is not exempt,” Knox explained. “This year, the city needs to establish an edible food recovery program, amend building code and outdoor water use ordinances, purchase post-consumer content recycled paper, establish an education and outreach program and routinely document all of the above to the satisfaction of the state. We also need to amend our Solid Waste Ordinance and prepare a report of our progress implementing the above by April 1.”
There is a grant fund program available from CalRecycle to subsidize the city to help meet the regulatory requirements. Staff has applied for $20,000 in grant funds. If approved, the city may receive the funds in April.
In recent discussions at city hall, it was made clear that the SB 1383 regulations are complex and burdensome on most California jurisdictions to implement. Failure to meet the requirements can result in substantial administrative fines.
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Through lobbying from cities and counties both large and small, Senate Bill 619 was passed. That legislation allows jurisdictions to apply for a waiver of administrative fines in 2022 for failure to meet SB 1383 regulatory deadlines. To obtain a waiver from administrative fines in 2022, the city council needs to approve a resolution establishing the city’s intent to comply with the SB 1383 regulations. Once approved, the resolution, number 2498, must be submitted to CalRecycle by March 1.
Powers asked Knox about anything as far as “water concerns that might also be coming down the pipeline.” City solid waste consultant Tom Valentino answered that there was nothing regarding water in SB 1383 at this time.
“The state just finalized these regulations in December of last year, and this waiver protects us from administrative fines and gives us more time to comply with solid waste procedures,” Valentino explained.
Without further discussion, council went on to unanimously approve the resolution by roll call vote.
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Budget Amendment – CSG contract
At this time, council entered into a review and discussion of an increase in the contract amount for CSG Consultants for code enforcement services. In June of 2021, Council approved of a contract with CSG consultants for Code Enforcement Services.
“Irma Gowin has been providing this service to the city with favorable results,” Knox said. “At the time of the initial contract, we were unsure what it would take to get the Code Enforcement program reorganized. The initial figure included in the contract was for an amount not to exceed $45,000. At the time, it was discussed that the figure may be low. Staff is requesting that the figure be raised an additional $20,000.”
Knox went on to state that it was important to note that the previous Code Compliance Officer (CCO) position, which was eliminated during a restructuring of positions in exchange for a more traditional Code Enforcement role, would have needed a budgeted amount of approximately $73,791 factoring in administrative overhead costs and benefits.
The additional amount requested for the CSG Contract brings the total to approximately $65,000, which is still under the amount that would need to be budgeted for the previous CCO position. “Another item to note is that the $73,791 figure does not include the other expenses that would be associated with the CCO position, such as training, vehicle maintenance and repair, materials and supplies, and fuel, all of which are no longer expenses to the city when we contracted with CSG Consultants,” Knox went on. Staff estimates that these costs would typically be around $5,000 to $10,000 annually, bringing the total for the previous CCO position closer to $80,000, as a conservative figure. “Staff recommends the approval of the amended contract,” Knox concluded.
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Resident Ashlee Sims opened public comment with questions on Gowin’s work schedule, and a request to see complete records and a year over year comparison of what had been done in the area of code compliance before and after engaging in the contract with CSG Consultants.
Another woman stated that she felt the contract was a “short-term solution for a long-term situation.”
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City Clerk Tara Kindall then read a letter from city resident Leah Turner, which raised concerns around the proposed contract increase and asked what had been accomplished with the funds spent thus far.
Councilmember Stan Peiler asked if Gowin was efficient with her time, and Knox responded that she had done some case comparisons between previous Code Compliance Officer Kevin Sankey and current Code Enforcement Officer Irma Gowin, noting that “Irma has 54 cases, equivalent to code enforcement related issues.”
Knox went on to highlight, “These are two different types of positions, the former CCO was tasked with more, including assisting fire, which Irma does not deal with.” Knox stated that in terms of cases over an eight-month period, they do compare.
Leah Turner then asked if Gowin is doing “reactive rather than proactive work.”
“The role is complaint driven,” Knox responded.
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“I would like to meet with Gowin and see what she has done,” Turner said.
Cooley noted that the city has gained a “very positive organization of the position, and standardized reporting which will allow the job to be passed off in future if needed.”
He also recognized that there is a significant difference to overseeing the work of an employee and the work of an independent contractor before recommending the council approve the contract amendment. This was passed by unanimous roll call vote.
Discussion of goals for the fiscal year 2022-2023 budget
Knox turned the meeting over to Interim City Manager Jon Kennedy at this time.
“I am looking forward to coming up to budget goals for the city, and I was pleased to have the opportunity for this transitional period with Lauren,” Kennedy said.
“I did ask to review the last budget goals from February 2021, along with the general plan update. I would like to ask that instead of listing more goals at this time, maybe we can revisit this in a few months after we have addressed some previous goals that have already been set in the past.”
Without any further public comment, Powers agreed with Kennedy on clarifying goals that are yet to be met before making new ones.
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“I agree with the idea to take stock of what needs to be done and revisit,” Cooley said.
The Portola City Council welcomes residents to its meetings which are regularly held the second and fourth Wednesday of each month at 6 p.m. Interest and participation is encouraged and welcome.
For additional information visit the City of Portola Web Page: www.cityofportola.com.
Disc golf, like golf, is multiple games in one. Play them separately.
February 15, 2022 by Steve Andrews in Instruction, Opinion with comments
Nate Sexton at 2021 Pro Worlds. Photo: PDGA
One of the fascinating parts of football is that it is not one game. It is five games – or more – in one. The jobs of linemen, wide receivers, running backs, kickers, and quarterbacks are so distinct that they are essentially all playing different games simultaneously. Most linemen are not very concerned with running a 4.3 40-yard dash; kickers don’t worry about their arm strength. These overlapping games have become so specialized that, in professional football, the athletes are basically incompatible. In a pinch, you can put a third baseman into left field or have a forward play center in basketball, but you probably shouldn’t ask your punter to step in if your left tackle is injured.
There are also distinct games within traditional golf. Putting is so different from driving that it’s almost like playing two separate games. It’s like making the last frame in a game of bowling a round of darts. Ben Hogan, one of the best golfers of all time and an absolute technician of the long swing, thought putts should count less than a full stroke. There is not a single golf swing in traditional golf – there are at least five in every good player’s game. The full swing used for drives and most long irons shots is not like the putt, pitch, or chip. And the sand shot is nothing like any of the other swings – you open your stance, crank the clubface flat, and then focus on missing the ball. Hitting any other shot with the fundamentals used for a sand shot will end in absolute disaster.
This same approach can help your disc golf game. Many new players hurt themselves by thinking that most of their shots will be thrown with one basic swing. They won’t. For example, beginning players often put themselves at a huge disadvantage by trying to putt with what is essentially a shortened version of their full throw. While there are ways in which the putt and the throw are related, it is better to just accept that these are very different athletic moves trying to accomplish very different things. Thinking of the various shots in disc golf as requiring different setups and techniques – like the variety of shots in golf – can help you get better results.
Each part of the game needs attention to what those throws are trying to accomplish. And this may require purposefully doing things with one swing that are awful swing flaws in another. It is better to think of the various shots in disc golf, especially in the short game, as mini-games. You are often trying to do something very different from your standard throw, so these other swings demand specialized attention and practice. Just as you can’t get better at chipping by hitting drivers in traditional golf, it’s much harder to dial in your upshots if you throw them like drives.
Focus on the Setup
Disc golfers who have been playing a long time often make changes to their throw without much conscious thought. They know the flight they want and can feel what they need to do get there, often changing the nose angle or release mid-throw. That is a great skill but one that can’t easily be replicated by newer players.
One of the best ways to create these different flights is by changing your setup, putting yourself in a position to get the release angle you need. This is like how a traditional golfer changes their stance for a chipshot – narrowing their feet, putting the ball back in their stance, and moving their hands ahead of the ball – to set up a short descending blow that gives them the low flight they need. That is much easier than trying to manipulate the clubface mid-swing.
We can use this same insight to set our release angle, grip, stance, and foot position to set the flight we want. Setting these positions before you start also helps prevent confusing your mechanics. For example, it’s easier to make sure throwing your upshots nose up won’t affect throwing your drives nose down if the setup between the two throws is completely different. Use your practice time to develop an arsenal of different setups that all generate different flights.
Upshots and Approaches
One of the keys to throwing great drives is getting the nose of the disc down. It is one of the fundamentals of getting discs to stay in the air and fly on-line. Throwing nose up is one of the most common and frustrating swing flaws because a nose-up release makes the disc lose speed quickly, stall, and hyzer out. This kills distance.
But this “flawed” release is perfect for approaches and upshots. Throwing your approaches with your normal swing often produces shots that come in too hot and skip. This makes landing upshots on your target more difficult and requires perfectly calibrating how hard you throw the shot. Throwing your approaches and upshots nose up will keep them from flying too far past the basket and cause them to land softly.
You can use your setup to generate a nose-up flight that will always land softly. One of the best keys is to set up with your wrist above your elbow, which helps assure that the disc will come out nose up every time. In the video from 2014 below, Paul Ulibarri shows how this simple change in your setup can allow you to land shots softly. This gives you a wider margin for error in how hard you throw you upshots because you are taking a lot of the speed and glide out the disc, assuring that it will fly shorter and land softer.
This video is short, simple, and has probably saved me more strokes than the other ten thousand hours of instruction videos I have watched combined:
Getting it In and Keeping it Close
Many players find a putting style and stick to it – cycling through lots of reps to make sure that their form is dialed in and repeatable. That’s smart. If you have a putting stroke that is effective from lots of positions and distances, then don’t mess with it. Never change a game that is working. But, if there are weaknesses in your short game, it may be worth thinking about adding other tools.
My belief that I had to be committed to a single putting stroke held back my scoring. My regular putt is a straddle push putt that is very strong from inside 20-25 feet and seldom misses left or right. However, it comes out so softly that it is hard to make from much further out and is brutalized by the wind. It is designed to avoid three putts, not make long ones. For a long time, I felt that I just had to accept this trade-off. I experimented with a more powerful spin putt which was better from long distances, but from short range I would get a lot more spit outs and lose some of my accuracy. Switching didn’t seem worth it.
I saw changing my putting stroke as an all-or-nothing proposition, I either went with my trusty soft straddle putt or adopted a new spin putt. But there is no reason to throw every putt the same way. Obviously, we all change our stance and stroke when we need to putt around an obstacle – but distance is just another obstacle. It is totally fine to have a putt you use from close and then switch to a different putting style further from the basket — and then have another setup for jump putts. This approach is used by some great putters. Nate Sexton, for example, putted his short putts on one foot for a while. He still changes his stance from straddle to stagger and adds more spin as his putts get longer.
On the other side, developing a softer putt from close range is very helpful for putters who always putt firmly. There are players in my club who are great from long range, but putt just as hard from 20 feet as they do from 35. This can produce huge comeback putts if they miss the basket or a lot of spit outs and putts that blow through the chains (especially on old baskets.) The answer could be as simple as “putt softer,” but it can be hard to make those kinds of subtle changes in your timing and you could wind up hurting the putting stroke that is so effective at long range. Instead, a firm putter could develop a straddle putt or a push putt to take some of the pop out of their stroke without hurting their regular mechanics.
When you are putting from outside the circle, it is also important to control exactly how your disc is going to fly and land. You can use different setups to change how the disc approaches the basket. Developing a nose down putt allows you to be aggressive from longer distance since a missed nose down putt has such little glide it will still land close. This is how Ricky Wysocki can run at every basket from 80 feet and still have a short comebacker. If you know your putts will be straight and land soft, you can attack baskets with trouble behind them while minimizing the chance of blowing past the basket. If you also have a spin putt, you can use that when going long isn’t as punitive or you face a must-make from further out.
I have been trying to develop both and found it was very easy to avoid confusion by throwing my spin putts from a staggered stance and my push putts from a straddle. I can set the nose angle of a putt in my hand to increase and decrease the glide. Using different setups and starting angles makes it easy to keep the mechanics separate.
My practice got a lot more efficient when I thought about the game more like traditional golf – a set of challenges that each required a different technique. As a newer player, I wanted to change my setup to get those flights as automatically as possible and without having to adjust my mechanics mid-throw.
My upshots don’t feel anything like my drives and that’s okay – they’re a different game.
So…what do you say we disc around for a while? [wink]
Northwest Pennsylvania has become a much friendlier place for a fling in recent years, as the number of disc golf courses has roughly doubled. One of the newest courses is at Fairview Township’s Pleasant Ridge Park, the site of this weekend’s first annual Ice Chains Open. Sponsored by the Lake Erie Disc Golf Club in association with the Erie Sports Commission, the tournament will feature beginner, intermediate, and advanced divisions, with players trying to float specialized throwing discs into chain baskets in the fewest attempts possible.
As in standard golf, a full round is 18 holes; and like golf clubs, discs are categorized as drivers, mid-range, or putters – with subtle variations in weight, thickness, and aerodynamics for specific approach scenarios and situations. With a significantly lower barrier to entry than standard golf (a decent set of discs can be had for less than $100 and most courses are free to play), disc golf has garnered much popularity among younger adults in particular.
Mastery of the sport, however, still requires a serious investment of time, as the best players will have an innate feel for each disc in their repertoire and the mechanics to maximize each throw. That means the sport is contested year-round, sometimes even in the depths of winter. Ice Chains Open participants can expect cold but not frigid conditions for Saturday’s tee time, with a chance of snow showers in the morning. Players are encouraged to dress in layers and wear waterproof or water-resistant footwear, as significant snowmelt is expected midweek before the tournament.
Registration is $25 per player and includes lunch courtesy of Smith’s Provisions. Those who bring five non-perishable food items with them will receive two mulligans for the day, one for each round. Trophies will be awarded to the top three finishers in each division. Online registration closes on Feb. 17 at 8 p.m., but last-second registrants will be accepted in-person on the day of the event.
As long as you’ve gotten a grip on your plans by 8 a.m. Saturday morning, you should be cleared to take flight.
8 a.m. (check-in), 9 a.m. (competition starts) // Pleasant Ridge Disc Golf Park, 8271 Barker Rd., Fairview, PA 16415 // For more information, and to register, visit fairviewtownship.com/ice-chains-open-disc–golf–tournament.
Derby parks were feeling the love last week, as the parks department and PROS Consulting held a kickoff event Feb. 15 (at Derby’s Madison Avenue Central Park) to launch the community engagement portion in forming the new Parks Master Plan.
The crowd on hand was not shy in giving input, either, which is exactly what PROS representatives said they are looking for throughout the planning process.
PROS assisted Derby with its previous master plan and President Leon Younger commended the community’s reputation as a “can-do city.” Considering that, Younger said his company is looking forward to engaging the community once again to form a plan that will be embraced in Derby.
“We have a great team of people that are here to help you really kind of create the vision for the next 10 or 15 years, whatever it ends up being,” Younger said. “We’re all here to do our best job for you.”
“Essentially what we’re doing is building a level of service and financial preparedness around being able to not just have a great plan, but to be able to implement a great plan – something that is dynamic,” said PROS Principal Brian Trusty.
At the onset, both Younger and Trusty noted there will be plenty of opportunities for community engagement. The kickoff event was the start of a nine-month process, Trusty noted, with PROS looking to gain insight for the master plan through public forums, stakeholder interviews, focus groups, a community survey and more.
That goal for PROS is to understand exactly what the Derby community is looking for in the parks system.
Among the frontrunners for parks features at the kickoff event were pickleball courts and baseball/softball fields, along with some other favorites.
KELLY BRECKUNITCH/INFORMER
“Obviously this is your park system, so this is your plan,” Trusty said. “The input that we receive from you is really the heart of this process, so there’s a number of ways through which we are trying to make sure that we collect input and engagement from the community throughout the process.”
“This is the very beginning of this entire process and so we really want to try and engage people at every possible moment in time,” said Director of Parks Steve White.
City staff have noted one of their goals is to reinvest in neighborhood parks. Some of the crowd on hand agreed, while also suggesting a number of other additions to PROS Consulting at the kickoff event. Among the features suggested were a BMX track, additional disc golf course, more connected trails (with the advent of e-bikes), easily accessible parks, year-round restroom facilities, etc. – wanting Derby to stay on the “cutting edge.”
PROS also had a number of its own ideas for attendees to vote on regarding new design ideas for the Derby parks. The top vote-getters at the kickoff event were (in no particular order) pickleball courts, softball/baseball fields, trails and a natural water feature. Attendees could also vote on features they did not want, with hammocks, way finding and interactive panels among the least popular.
More opportunity for input remains, as Trusty noted PROS and parks staff will not start review for the final master plan until September. Along with more public events, Derby residents also have the opportunity to provide input at derbyparksplan.com and see updates throughout the Parks Master Plan process.
A natural water feature (like the one shown) was another design idea members of the public noted they would like to see added to the parks system.
COURTESY/PROS CONSULTING
Kelly Breckunitch is the managing editor for the Derby Informer. Contact him at [email protected] for questions and news tips.
February 11, 2022 by Charlie Eisenhood in Preview with comments
With sunny skies and highs near 80 degrees, Tucson, Arizona, will serve as an inviting host for the return of professional disc golf for a new season.
The Disc Golf Pro Tour All-Star Weekend kicks off today at the El Conquistador resort on a new temporary course on the Pusch Ridge golf course, co-designed by Pete Ulibarri and Jeremy Herr, the latter of whom was the TD for the Arizona State Championships that were held at the same property in 2021.
On Thursday night, the four team captains — Eagle McMahon, Calvin Heimburg, Paige Pierce, and Catrina Allen — each selected their teams via a snake draft, selecting players in each slot for the three different skills categories: distance, accuracy, and putting. The surprise addition of “wildcards” — an extra pair of players in both MPO and FPO — added some additional intrigue.
“We kind of thought, wouldn’t this be fun to add in a couple wildcards to spice up the event?” said DGPT CEO Jeff Spring during yesterday’s press conference. “We’re having fun with this exhibition, the new Ryder Cup style team format.”
Let’s break it all down.
The Teams
The team captains selected teams in a snake draft, with the highest seeded player selecting first. Here are the teams and the draft order:
Team McMahon
Team Heimburg
Team Pierce
Team Catrina
Eagle McMahon (C)
Calvin Heimburg (C)
Paige Pierce (C)
Catrina Allen (C)
Chris Dickerson (1)
Adam Hammes (2)
Missy Gannon (1)
Sarah Hokom (2)
Kevin Jones (4)
Kyle Klein (3)
Hailey King (4)
Holly Finley* (3)
Drew Gibson (5)
James Conrad (6)
Kona Panis (5)
Jessica Weese (6)
Garrett Gurthie* (8)
Matt Orum (7)
Ohn Scoggins (8)
Lisa Fajkus (7)
Gannon Buhr (9)
Ezra Aderhold (10)
Heather Young (9)
Deann Carey (10)
Nikko Locastro (12)
Paul Ulibarri* (11)
Madison Walker* (12)
Rebecca Cox (11)
Note that each team was required to have one wildcard player.
On Twitter, 63% of respondents said that Team McMahon will win over Team Heimburg; 92% of respondents picked Team Pierce over Team Allen.
The MPO and FPO teams compete separately, with a cash prize going to each player on the winning teams.
Here’s the full video of last night’s draft:
Draft Video
The Basic All-Star Weekend Format
The All-Star Weekend is a three-day event, featuring a Friday skills competition, Saturday head-to-head doubles stroke play, and Sunday head-to-head singles stroke play. The MPO and FPO teams compete separately.
The teams are seeking to score points by winning each element of the head-to-head competition. There are a total of 13 points available.
On Friday starting at 3 PM Eastern, the skills competition features three different categories: distance, accuracy, and putting.
Distance [1 pt]: Throw as far as you can without going out of bounds. The four players involved will get multiple attempts to throw their furthest shot. Each player’s longest shot in feet becomes their score. The scores for each pairing are added together; the highest combined score wins the point.
Accuracy [1 pt]: Get it as close to the basket as possible to earn the most points. There will be several mandatories, requiring left-to-right, right-to-left, keep it over, and keep it under shots. The target area offers decreasing points from ace to bullseye to Circle 1 to Circle 2. The team that scores the most points wins the accuracy contest.
Here are the accuracy matchups:
Kevin Jones/Nikko Locastro (Team McMahon) v. Kyle Klein/Matt Orum (Team Heimburg)
Hailey King/Madison Walker (Team Pierce) v. Sarah Hokom/Rebecca Cox (Team Allen)
Putting [1 pt]: Make putts in Circle 1 and Circle 2, both open and obstructed. Players will putt on an elevated basket at 20 feet, 25 feet, 25 feet obstructed, circle’s edge (33 feet), circle’s edge obstructed, 45 feet, and edge of C2 (66 feet). The best combined putting performance wins the putting contest.
Here are the putting matchups:
Eagle McMahon/Chris Dickerson/Gannon Buhr (Team McMahon) v. Adam Hammes/James Conrad/Paul Ulibarri (Team Heimburg)
Missy Gannon/Ohn Scoggins/Heather Young (Team Pierce) v. Holly Finley/Lisa Fajkus/Deann Carey (Team Allen)
On Saturday, players will compete in head-to-head best shot stroke play doubles. The doubles teams have not yet been announced by the captains. The combined seeds of each pairing will determine the seeding order for the competition. The wildcard players (Gurthie, Ulibarri, Walker, and Finley) will not compete in doubles. There are 3 points available in doubles, 1 point for each matchup.
On Sunday, players will compete in head-to-head stroke play singles. The matchups are determined by the initial seeds coming into the event (not the draft order). 7 points are available, one point in each matchup.
Here are the MPO singles matchups (Team McMahon v. Team Heimburg):
Eagle McMahon v. Calvin Heimburg
Kevin Jones v. Adam Hammes
Nikko Locastro v. Kyle Klein
Chris Dickerson v. James Conrad
Drew Gibson v. Ezra Aderhold
Gannon Buhr v. Matt Orum
Garrett Gurthie v. Paul Ulibarri
Here are the FPO singles matchups (Team Pierce v. Team Allen):
Paige Pierce v. Catrina Allen
Missy Gannon v. Sarah Hokom
Hailey King v. Jessica Weese
Kona Panis v. Lisa Fajkus
Heather Young v. Deann Carey
Ohn Scoggins v. Rebecca Cox
Madison Walker v. Holly Finley
The Course
The 18-hole temporary course is a brand new design, built atop the Pusch Ridge 9-hole golf course on the El Conquistador resort by Pete Ulibarri and Jeremy Herr. The MPO layout is a 8,601 foot par 57; the FPO layout is a 7,867 foot par 60. MPO will play 15 par 3s and 3 par 4s. FPO will play 15 par 3s and 3 par 5s.
“About half the course is going to be great for exhibitions — ace runs, gotta get that birdie — and the other half will be extra challenging,” said Spring.
As it is a golf course layout in Arizona, there will be a large number of open shots, though the trees along the edge of the golf fairways come into play on some holes. Every hole features out-of-bounds areas, and water hazards come into play on two holes.
Here is the full caddie book.
Schedule & How to Watch
Live coverage of the 2022 DGPT All-Star Weekend will be available on Disc Golf Network with some action airing on the DGPT YouTube channel.
Friday’s skills competition and Saturday’s doubles play will be exclusively available on Disc Golf Network for subscribers, with FPO action beginning at 3 PM Eastern on Friday and 10 AM Eastern on Saturday. MPO action starts at 6 PM ET on Friday and 2:30 PM ET on Saturday.
Sunday’s singles play to conclude the event will air both on DGN and YouTube at 10 AM (FPO) and 2:30 PM (MPO).
Here’s our full post on how to watch.
Storylines
Even though this is purely an exhibition event, it still marks the unofficial start of the 2022 professional disc golf season. It is the first chance to see players competing live since last October at the DGPT Championship.
There are some key players missing this weekend. Paul McBeth, Ricky Wysocki, and Kristin Tattar all turned down invites. McBeth is starting his season in March, Wysocki is working on dialing in his new Dynamic Discs plastic, and Tattar found out too late to rearrange travel from Estonia.
But the players in attendance are still a who’s who of the sport’s best.
New Plastic
Lots of players will be revealing new bags this weekend. In MPO, Chris Dickerson (Prodigy→Discraft), Matt Orum (Prodigy→Westside), and Nikko Locastro (Westside→Gateway/Clash Discs) will be throwing new discs. In FPO, Catrina Allen (Prodigy→DGA), Hailey King (Discraft→Innova), Kona Panis (Innova→Dynamic Discs), and Madison Walker (Aria→MVP) are making a switch.
How dialed in will the players look after a chaotic offseason in the sponsorship department? There will be plenty of chances to evaluate their feel for their new plastic with skills challenges putting them to the test right out of the gate.
A Season-Long Springboard?
Last year, Kona Panis’ win at the All-Star Weekend foreshadowed her success later in the year. She had her best season as a pro, won her first Elite Series event at the Waco Annual Charity Open, and ultimately signed a huge contract with Dynamic Discs as a reward.
Although this year’s event won’t have an individual winner, strong play this weekend could suggest a potential breakout in competitive rounds later in the year. Can the precocious Gannon Buhr keep raising his star coming off of a DGPT Championship semifinals appearance? Could fuller touring schedules for Dickerson and Orum translate into more success? Could Hailey King’s move to Innova drive her to new highs?
It’s an Exhibition, Have Fun with it
Sure, there’s a little bit of money on the line, and these players are all naturally highly competitive, but this is a fun event that players likely won’t take too, too seriously. And that’s just fine. A little banter back and forth will be refreshing compared to the often subdued interactions during competitive play.
The skills competitions should be a lot of fun. This year’s format also removes the weirdness of last year’s doubles play combining with singles play, which put some players essentially out of the running on Sunday. The team format will create a more friendly vibe, and every day will have drama. Even if a team sweeps all the points in skills and doubles, it’s still possible for the trailing team to win if they sweep the singles competition.
And the trash talk is already starting. Calvin called out Eagle during the draft for slotting Chris Dickerson into putting after Dickerson won the Skillshot Challenge, an accuracy contest at last year’s World Championships. And Paige Pierce predicted on her Instagram story that her team is going to sweep. Mic the players!
WALESKA, GA – Reinhardt University has opened its newly expanded 18-hole disc golf course on Feb. 12.
The original nine-hole course opened on campus in fall 2014. Since then, the popularity of disc golf among Reinhardt students and the public has grown exponentially.
Reinhardt senior, Austin Daman, president and captain of the Reinhardt Disc Golf Club Team, attributes much of the growth to the pandemic.
“When COVID-19 started, people were afraid to go into buildings, but they weren’t afraid to go outside,” Daman said. “Disc golf grew in popularity because people could easily distance from others, no one shares equipment, and the sport is healthy, outdoor exercise.”
Increased growth and popularity have disc golfers searching for courses, and Reinhardt boasts a prime location.
“It’s in the middle of a disc golf ‘dead zone,'” Daman said. “Only one other course exists in Cherokee County – Sequoyah Park in Canton. Now, Reinhardt is on the map for disc golfers in Blue Ridge, Jasper, Ellijay, and Canton.”
Last spring, Daman, who has been playing disc golf for more than three years, approached Reinhardt’s Dean of Students, Walter May, about launching a disc golf club team and expanding from nine holes to a full 18-hole course.
“We had increasing interest in disc golf on our campus, and thought it necessary to re-envision and expand the course from the original nine-holes to a tournament-ready 18-hole course,” Daman said. “Upgrades now make the course both challenging enough and large enough to be competitive and attract more advanced players.”
Mark Sheldon, owner of TrainHopper Disc Golf, led the course redesign. An avid disc golfer, Sheldon started his organization to create disc golf tournaments in the metro Atlanta area. Reinhardt’s course was his first design project. A resident of Cherokee County, Sheldon played the original course and formulated new ideas. He describes the new course as an “intermediate level course that highlights the natural beauty of the campus, designed to blend into the campus scenery.”
The February tournament will be the second event hosted at Reinhardt.
“Last summer we had a tournament called Fairways and Fireworks – a fundraiser to help the disc golf team and support course expansion,” Daman said. “We had a full tournament with 18 holes, and considerable attendance and participation – a great display of support that helped raise funds to move us forward.”
North Georgia disc golfers have been eagerly watching the progression of Reinhardt’s new course.
“The tournament sold out within four hours of opening registration in January,” May said.
Amateurs and professionals will compete in the tournament.
Reinhardt’s course is also included on the UDisc app, used by disc golfers worldwide, to find courses and track their scores. During January, more than 100 disc golfers logged their scores on the Reinhardt course, nearly three times more than in all of 2021.
The Reinhardt disc golf course is open daily to the public. For information on Reinhardt’s disc golf course, complete with a downloadable course map, disc golf rules and safety information, visit online.
The foundation’s First Putt initiative hopes to reach 100 schools in year one.
February 17, 2022 by Charlie Eisenhood in News with comments
Ricky Wysocki at the 2021 DDO. Photo: Brittany Dickerson/DGPT
Ricky Wysocki has launched a new charitable organization, the Sockibomb Foundation, that will seek to help disc golf reach the mainstream.
The foundation, which was promised when Wysocki announced his new multi-million dollar sponsorship deal with Dynamic Discs, will initially focus on getting disc golf into more schools through its First Putt initiative. Schools can be nominated or apply directly for First Putt for the opportunity to get 100 putters and a portable basket into the physical education department free of charge.
Las Vegas’s Wynn Elementary School will be receiving the first package from the First Putt initiative in advance of the Las Vegas Challenge next week.
“We’re planning on doing 100 schools in the first year,” said Wysocki. “…I just want to reach a younger generation, give them the opportunity, give them exposure to disc golf. A lot of them may love it. So I think this is going to be good for the sport, growing it from the grassroots level.”
The organization will seek to fundraise through direct donations and sponsorships. Wysocki himself will be putting money into the organization: $25 for every birdie, $100 for every eagle, and $1000 for every ace he cards in the 2022 season. He will also donate $1000 for any other aces at tournaments he competes in. Last year, he shot 426 birdies, 15 eagles, and 0 aces, which would have yielded $12,150 in donations (not counting the additional aces from other players).
The foundation, incorporated in Ohio and applying for 501(c)(3) non-profit status, has already established a Board of Directors comprised of Pete Cashen, John “JT” Thompson, Andrew Young, Lily Jurado, and Doug Bjerkaas. Ari Hyer, Wysocki’s tour manager, is serving as Executive Director. The foundation has already announced pledged support from Dynamic Discs, Latitude 64, Westside Discs, Sunstein LLP, LWS Tax & Accounting, Gatekeeper Media, and Shaffer Sports Management.
Wysocki is following in the footsteps of Paul McBeth, who last year started the Paul McBeth Foundation, which focuses on installing disc golf courses in underserved parts of the world.
The Sockibomb Foundation website will launch on February 25th. Questions about the foundation can be directed to [email protected].
We’re no strangers to winter weather in Syracuse, and no amount of cold and snow can keep us from enjoying our city this time of year. There are plenty of indoor and outdoor winter activities to brighten your day, and here are some of the best.
Go Ice Skating at Clinton Square or Sunnycrest Ice Rink
Clinton Square is located in the heart of downtown Syracuse, where the waters of the historic Erie Canal once flowed. From the last week of November until mid-March, the trickling fountain in the square is replaced by a picturesque ice rink framed by quintessential Syracuse architecture. Adults can skate for only $5, while children and seniors can for just $3. The rink is open everyday of the week, starting at 11am on Sunday through Friday and 10am on Saturdays. Skate rentals are also available for $5.
Another option for ice skating in the city is Sunnycrest Ice Rink, an enclosed rink located on the Eastside. Open through March 31, the rink offers weekly specials, including Wednesday free skate, a lunch special, Skate & Shoot Wednesdays, and Senior Skate.
Plan your next skating excursion here!
Try the Food at Salt City Market
Opening its doors January 2021, Salt City Market is Downtown Syracuse’s exciting new culinary and communal destination. Providing international cuisine and a sense of civic pride in one place, the food court is truly unique. Talented cooks from the diverse Syracuse community have come together under one roof to offer up cuisines from Burma, Iraq, Jamaica, Vietnam, and more. Visiting the food court feels like a thrilling trip around the world – without ever having to leave Syracuse.
The market also offers cooking classes, demos, and a food-history series, along with other events for wellness, entertainment, crafting, and gaming are also offered at the market. Make sure to check out all the upcoming events!
Salt City Market is located at the southern end of Downtown Syracuse, where the multicultural neighborhoods of Southside and Westside meet. Open every day of the week, the market offers information on hours of operation and ways to get there on their site.
See the Indoor and Snow-Loving Species at the Rosamond Gifford Zoo
The summer might seem like the best time to visit the zoo, but the winter is just as great! This time of year, the zoo offers half-price admission for “Snow Leopard Days” through February 28, where guests can catch glimpses of all the snow-loving animals like red pandas, elephants, wolves, and penguins frollicking in the outdoor exhibits. A large number of exhibits are also located indoors, where you don’t have to worry about the cold. Plan your visit to the zoo here!
Enjoy Winter Sports at a City Park
Syracuse is home to many hills and parks, which bodes well for winter recreation! Head to one of the City’s parks for sledding, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing. All activities are offered weather permitting, so check out the Syracuse Rec Desk or Parks & Rec Facebook page to plan your winter recreation day.
Even when the winter weather isn’t cooperating, other free recreation activities, including cornhole, disc golf, and indoor yoga, are offered at the City’s winter lodges. The lodges at Burnet and Sunnycrest Parks are open for winter activities on Saturdays and Sundays, and on weekdays during December and February school breaks between 10am and 4pm. Both ski lodges have bathrooms and provide a comfortable space to warm up!
Syracuse Orange Basketball & Syracuse Crunch Games
In this town, winter time means it’s college basketball time. There is arguably no bigger force of Syracuse pride than congregating in the Dome to cheer on the Orange. Wintertime events like Manny Breland Day make attending SU basketball games even more special for Syracusans.
And those looking to watch some fun winter sporting indoors can get their fix by attending a Syracuse Crunch hockey game downtown at the OnCenter!
Spend the Day at a Museum
Looking to get out of the house but stay indoors? Syracuse has plenty of museums to enjoy when the winter weather is less than ideal. The Erie Canal Museum is a wonderful option that offers an immersive look back at the history of Syracuse and the Erie Canal. The museum is housed in the historic 1850 Weighlock building, where canal boats were once weighed for tolls. The only remaining structure of its kind in the world, the building itself is a treasured artifact that houses . Don’t forget to check out the murals, statutes, and Locktender’s Garden outside before escaping from the cold. Visit the museum’s site to check out the special exhibits and hours of operation.
The Museum of Science and Technology (MOST) in the heart of Armory Square is another year-round family destination. And it’s not just for kids! With numerous exhibits, the IMAX theater, and the planetarium, it’s easy to spend several hours at the MOST. Loads of interactive displays let you have fun and learn at the same time.
The Everson Museum of Art offers exciting social activities for both families (like the free Winterfest on Sunday, February 20) and adults, so make sure to check the museum’s events page. And of course, don’t forget to check out the museum’s permanent and rotating fine art exhibitions.
Check all websites for current operating hours before you plan your day.
If you’re looking for more winter fun in Syracuse, check out Visit Syracuse! You can also keep up with the latest Syracuse content on Instagram by following @Experiencesyrproject.
Majors matter a lot, but so do top finishes at Elite Series events.
February 18, 2022 by Charlie Eisenhood in News with comments
Last updated before the COVID-19 pandemic in 2019, the PDGA World Rankings are returning in 2022 with a revamped formula.
The PDGA announced this week a new US Tour ranking (available now) with plans to roll out a European Tour ranking this summer around the time of the European Open, the continent’s major championship. In addition to the continental rankings, a combined world ranking will be released in early 2023. Each of the ranking sets will be updated after every major to provide an updated list of top-ranked players throughout the season.
Although the ranking formula is similar to the previous one, feedback from pro players led to some changes, including an increased emphasis on wins, top three finishes, and top 10 finishes, each of which is given its own category in the overall player score. The US rankings also include a category for rating (at Elite Series events and Majors, not overall player rating), average finish at Elite Series events, and finish at each of the US-based majors.1
There are numerous mechanisms in place to tamp down the impact of a bad tournament performance, including dropping a player’s worst major finish (if they attend all three US-based Majors), only keeping the top 12 Elite Series finishes, and assigning players that miss the cut or fail to finish or skip an event the same result: the finishing position of the cut line +1.
“The formula is designed to be a little less volatile and more of a bigger picture of performance over a year,” said PDGA Marketing Director Danny Voss.
Nearly 30% of a player’s score is their two best finishes at majors2, making it a significant factor in the rankings. “The Majors are the highest tier of competition, and those are the tournaments that players want to win,” said Voss.
The separate US and European rankings will only consider performance at tournaments on each continent: Kristin Tattar’s #5 US ranking is based on her stint competing at Worlds, The Preserve, Great Lakes Open, and the Des Moines Challenge. Other top European players like Eveliina Salonen and Henna Blomroos are not ranked, since they did not compete in the US in 2021.
Here are the US top 10 rankings for both MPO and FPO under the new PDGA ranking system:
Here are the full US MPO rankings, FPO rankings, and a deeper explanation of the ranking system.
