Five New Sports to Be Added to the Tokyo Olympic Games in 2020

Copyright: epicstockmedia / 123RF Stock Photo

Earlier this month, the International Olympic Committee approved the addition of baseball/softball, karate, skateboarding, sports climbing and surfing to the 2020 Olympic Games to be held in Tokyo.

This will mark the first appearance of these sports at the Olympics, except for baseball/softball which was last on the Olympic program at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

The additional sports will not be binding on future Olympic games and will not impact existing Olympic sports. In total, inclusion of the new sports will add 18 events and 474 athletes. These new sports are anticipated to attract a younger generation of athletes to the Olympics.

Without knowing these five sports were to be added to the next Olympics, we ran a local restaurant drawing on the CVG Facebook Page, asking entrants to indicate what additional sport they would like to see at the next summer Olympics. Here's the interesting assortment of responses we received:

• Softball, surfing and karate all received a number of mentions
• Hula hooping
• Dodgeball
• Auto racing
• Ukelele playing
• Donut eating
• Handball
• Pickleball
• Wake boarding
• Yo Yo-ing
• Netball
• MMA
• Shuffleboard
• Shopping
• Bowling
• Extreme video gaming
• Lacrosse
• Football
• Billiards
• Hopscotch
• Juggling
• Tiddly winks
• Belly flopping
• Pokemon Go
• Disc golf
• Jousting
• Competitive eating
• BMX racing
• Ultimate Frisbee
• Roller Derby
• Cheerleading
• Mini golf
• Synchronized juggling
• Speed knitting
• Ballroom dancing

A clever group of folks we have on our Facebook page.

Scenes From the U.S. Olympic Marathon Team Trials in Los Angeles on Saturday, February 13th

The U.S. Olympic Marathon Team Trials took place on the Los Angeles Marathon "Stadium to the Sea" course on Saturday, February 13, 2016. 

The men's race started at 10:06 a.m. with a field of 211 qualifiers who ran qualifying marathon times of under 2 hours, 19 minutes (or sub 1:05 in a half marathon) between August 1, 2013 and January 17, 2016.  A total of 86 men met the "A" standard time of under 2 hours, 15 minutes, receiving funding support to get to the race.

Start of men's race (Photo Credit: Carl Pytlinski)

The women's race had a field of 246 qualifiers who ran a qualifying time of under 2:45 in the marathon (or 1:15 in a half marathon). A total of 42 women met the "A" standard of 2 hours, 37 minutes. A total of 11 "masters" women (age 40+) qualified, which was quite impressive.

Start of women's race (Photo Credit: Carl Pytlinski)

It was a warm winter day in Los Angeles, with temperatures in the mid 60s in the morning, reaching high 70s towards the finish of the race. And the race started mid-morning to accommodate TV broadcasts...unlike typical marathons that start early in the morning.

A total of 108 men completed the marathon course, including the top three, who are now slated to compete in the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio. The overall men's winner was 29 year old Galen Rupp, who was actually competing in his first full marathon!  His time of 2:11:12 earned him his 3rd trip to the Olympics, having competed in the 10,000 meters at the 2008 Olympics and 10,000 and 5,000 at the 2012 Olympics. Rupp took the silver medal in the 2012 10,000 meters, the first American male medalist in the 10,000 since 1964.

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Keflezighi and Rupp in the lead  (Photo Credit: Carl Pytlinski)

Following Rupp in 2nd place was three-time Olympian and now 40 year old master's runner Meb Keflezighi, who finished in 2:12:20. Meb is a sensation indeed, having earned the silver medal in the 2004 Olympics, the first American medalist since Frank Shorter in 1976. After missing the 2008 Olympics with a hip injury (though he still finished 8th in the Olympic Trials), he went on to compete at the Olympic level again in 2012 with a 4th place overall. Rounding out the top three was 27 year old Jared Ward in 2:13.

A total of 149 women completed the 26.2 mile course, with the top three spots going to 32 year old Amy Cragg in 2:28:20, 32 year old Desiree Linden in 2:28:54 and 34 year old Shalane Flanagan in 2:29:19. This will be Cragg's and Linden's first visit to the Olympics. Flanagan holds the 2nd fastest American marathon time ever (a 2:21:14 at the 2014 Berlin Marathon) and this will be her 4th visit to the Olympics, having competed in the 2004, 2008 and 2012 games.

Cragg and Flanagan  (Photo Credit: Carl Pytlinski)

Congratulations to all of the competitors and best of luck with some solid training to those who have earned the right to compete at the 2016 Olympic Games!

And for 26.2 training tips to complete your first marathon

Marathons within a one hour radius of Ventura County

Some extremely fit looking runners at the 2016 Olympic Marathon Trials  (Photo Credit: Carl Pytlinski)

California Minimum Wage Increased from $9 to $10 Per Hour on January 1st

Since July 1, 2014, the minimum wage in California has been $9 per hour (up from $8 per hour effective January 1, 2008). But effective last Friday, January 1, 2016, the minimum wage increased to $10 per hour, an 11.1% increase for those earning the minimum wage.

The 2014 and 2016 increases were driven by legislation enacted on September 25, 2013.

The Federal minimum wage has stood at $7.25 since July 24, 2009. $7.25 in 2016 dollars equates to about $6.55 in 2009 dollars.

To learn more about California minimum wages, visit www.dir.ca.gov/dlse/faq_minimumwage.htm. Federal minimum wage laws are at www.dol.gov/dol/topic/wages/minimumwage.htm.

However, if you are a California sheepherder (there must be one or two in Ventura County, right?), you have your own minimum monthly salary that increased from $1,600.34 effective July 1, 2014 to $1,777.98 effective January 1, 2016.

Why is there a separate minimum wage law for sheepherders in California? Well back in 2000 hearings were held by the Industrial Welfare Commission in which sheep ranchers lobbied for an exemption for general minimum wage rules for sheepherders. 

There are not many commercial sheep producers in California and it was estimated that only 300 to 400 sheepherders, mostly foreign nationals, existed in 2000 in an occupation that "remained largely unchanged over many centuries." Flocks range generally from 800 to 1000 sheep (that's way more than I need to count myself to sleep).

Long story short: Due to the unique nature of the job of sheepherder, it was deemed appropriate to apply a different minimum wage law for this particular profession.  Based on a 2,080 hour work year, a sheepherder's wage in 2016 translates to $10.26 per hour, slightly more than the average minimum wage worker. Not baa'd.

Looking for a job that perhaps earns more than the minimum wage? Don't be a sheep! Check out THIS LIST of over 300 employers in Ventura County and surrounding areas.

Viewing the Supermoon Total Lunar Eclipse on Sunday, September 27th in California

Video Courtesy of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center

A total lunar eclipse will take place on September 27th,  the second lunar eclipse of 2015, But this one is different, because it will rear its head at approximately 6:40pm. And the total eclipse, according to this Los Angeles Times article, starts at 7:11 p.m. and ends at 8:23 p.m. This total eclipse is quite family friendly!

The moon will appear to be larger than normal as it will be just 59 minutes past its closest approach to Earth in 2015 at mid-eclipse, sometimes called a supermoon.  Continue watching the moon come out of the shadow of the Earth until 10 p.m.

The National Park Service is on board, as it hosts a group led by Focus Astronomy at Rancho Sierra Vista/Satwiwa in Newbury Park from 5-10PM. Telescopes will be available for viewing and photographing the full eclipse until 10pm. Once the sun sets, the telescopes will be focused on the moon as it rises over the hills.

California Department of Motor Vehicles Now Offers 1960s Legacy Plates

image is for illustration only. final design of the plate will differ. (Image courtesy of dmv)

State legislation introduced the California Legacy License Plate program offering car owners the chance to purchase replicas of California license plates similar to those issued in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s. Out of these three decades, only the 1960s plate reached the required 7,500 orders before January 1, 2015. As a result, California drivers can now relive the 1960s with a black and gold replica available for your motor vehicles.

The plates are available  at www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/detail/legacyplates/index or by mail or at your local DMV office or auto club.

The plate costs $50 for either a sequential or a personalized plate. Renewal fees are $40.

The plates will not look EXACTLY like plates issued in the 1960s because current law requires plates to be reflectorized, but I don't think most folks will really notice the difference!