New Rules Mean New Look For Fall School Sports: Patch PM

Today is Friday, Aug. 28. Here are some of the top stories we are covering today.

When high school athletes take the field in the sports that are allowed under Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association restrictions this fall many aspects of those sports they have played their entire lives will look different or be missing altogether.

Staggered starts in cross country running, the elimination of headers and throw-ins and socially distanced restarts in soccer, and a ban on penalty corners in 7-v-7 field hockey — as well as mandatory face mask requirements whenever athletes are within 10 feet of each other on the soccer field and volleyball court — are among the dramatic modifications the MIAA announced on Friday aimed to keep players as far away from each other as possible as they compete.

Individual leagues will now have to decide whether go ahead with makeshift seasons given the modifications, as well as other obstacles facing competition between communities, including transportation issues and differing learning systems between neighboring towns — with schools that begin the fall remotely needing school committee approval to have athletic competitions.

Read the guidelines for each sport here

Other top stories

MA Exempts 4 More States From Travel Order

Massachusetts is exempting four more states from its travel order, giving the green light to travelers from Colorado, Delaware, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. They will be exempt beginning Saturday.

The states join Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York and Vermont on the exempt list.

Travelers coming or Massachusetts residents returning from those states don't have to fill out a travel form or choose between quarantining for two weeks or providing a recent negative COVID-19 test. People who do not comply are subjected to a $500 fine per day.

Spaghetti Commercial Writer Recalls Working With 'Anthony!'

Peter Whitelam was a young creative director with the New York agency that handled Prince Spaghetti's advertising when he arrived in the North End in 1969 to scout locations for the pasta maker's next commercial.

Whitelam and the other ad execs stood out as obvious outsiders in the tight-knit community made up mostly of Italian immigrants and soon found themselves being followed by some neighborhood kids. While most of the kids soon grew bored, one of them continued to pester the men.

That curious kid was Anthony Martignetti, who died Saturday at the age of 63.

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Bentley University Student Tests Positive For Coronavirus

University officials are notifying people who may have been in close contact with the student.

Melrose Schools, Union Reach Tentative Back-To-School Pact

The agreement opens the door for districtwide hybrid learning to begin in October, pending public health circumstances.

Framingham High School Start Time Will Be Later This Fall

Framingham High School students will head back to virtual classes on Sept. 16

Malden Forms Advisory Group To Review Police Use Of Force Policy

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