Wayne Byers Show – Morning – Jan 10

CSi Weather…

.REST OF TODAY…Partly sunny. Highs around 20. South winds 5 to 15 mph.

.TONIGHT…Partly cloudy. Lows 5 to 10. South winds around 5 mph shifting to the northwest after midnight.

.FRIDAY…Partly sunny. Highs 15 to 20. North winds around

10 mph.

.FRIDAY NIGHT…Mostly cloudy. Lows 5 to 10 above. North winds

5 to 10 mph.

.SATURDAY…Partly sunny. Highs 15 to 20. North winds around

5 mph shifting to the west in the afternoon.

.SATURDAY NIGHT…Decreasing clouds. Lows around 10.

.SUNDAY…Mostly sunny. Highs in the mid 20s.

.SUNDAY NIGHT…Partly cloudy. Lows around 15.

.MONDAY…Mostly sunny. Highs in the upper 20s.

.MONDAY NIGHT…Partly cloudy. Lows around 15.

.TUESDAY…Partly sunny. Highs in the lower 20s.

.TUESDAY NIGHT…Mostly cloudy. Lows zero to 5 above.

.WEDNESDAY…Mostly cloudy. Highs 10 to 15.

 

Cooler temperatures and partly to mostly cloudy skies expected on

Friday in the wake of the cold front while a stronger wave passes

through.

 

Quiet weather expected through the weekend into the start of the

upcoming work week along with a modest warming trend by mid week.

Then will  cooling temperatures and occasional low snow

chances.

 

Jamestown  (CSi)  The Jamestown City Fire Department was called about 4:35-p.m., Wednesday to a report of smoke in an unoccupied apartment unit at 1317 5th Street Northeast apartment 107.

Reports from the scene indicate the smoke was caused by unattended cooking materials.

The fire department extracted smoke from the unit.

No immediate word on any fire damage to the unit.

City Fire Chief Jim Reuther says five city fire units were on the scene.

The scene was cleared at 5:04-p.m.

The Jamestown City Fire Department Run Report showed

In 2018 Total Calls  were 293 compared to  289  Total Calls  in 2017.

 

 

Jamestown  (UJ)  University of Jamestown, Professor of Biology Dr. Michelle Solensky will discuss monarch butterflies during a “Faculty Firesides” event. This event, which is free and open to the public, will take place on Jan. 15, 2019 at 7 p.m. in the Raugust Library lobby on the University of Jamestown campus.

Monarchs have become a conservation icon in North America. During her presentation, “Monarch Butterflies: To List, or Not to List, That is The Question,” Dr. Solensky will focus on monarch conservation. She will also describe anthropogenic threats to monarchs and other organisms that share their habitats, and discuss potential implications of the upcoming endangered species listing decision.

Dr. Solensky’s presentation is part of a series of events put on by UJ faculty called “Faculty Firesides.” During these free events, UJ faculty share their knowledge in their areas of expertise with the community. The next event is “Linda W. Slaughter: How a Woman Won the West,” which will take place April 2, 2019.

For a listing of these events, please visit uj.edu/ff

 

 

Bismarck  NDDoH) The North Dakota Department of Health (NDDoH) has released the draft Dispensary Application for the remaining regions of North Dakota.

Regions with access to the application materials include Jamestown, Minot, Devils Lake, and Dickinson.

The Division of Medical Marijuana,  Director, Jason Wahl says, “The Devils Lake, Dickinson, Jamestown, and Minot regions represent our final open application period for dispensaries.  Once they have been selected, all eight of the dispensaries authorized by state law will be chosen, completing an important step in implementing the Medical Marijuana Program.”

The final dispensary application period will remain open through January this year. Dispensaries selected for registration will dispense usable marijuana to registered, qualifying patients and designed caregivers and provide vital information and education.

A panel will be established to review all complete applications.  The panel will evaluate, score, and select applicants that will be eligible for registration through the NDDoH in the four regions. An applicant must determine which region(s) they will be applying for.

The same legal entity may apply in multiple regions but can only hold one registration certificate under the Medical Marijuana Program.  A $5,000 nonrefundable application fee is required with all submitted applications.

For more, visit www.ndhealth.gov/mm or, contact the Division of Medical Marijuana at 701-328-1311.

 

MINOT, N.D. (AP) — Police have identified the man found dead in the parking lot of the Minot public works building earlier this week.

Authorities say 42-year-old Jeffrey Tanberg was a local resident who was found dead Tuesday. An autopsy will be done at the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks to determine what caused Tanberg’s death.  Police say no foul play is suspected.

 

MINOT, N.D. (AP) — A shortage of forensic examiners in North Dakota has delayed a court hearing for a man accused of possessing child pornography.

Both the prosecution and the defense told Judge Gary Lee in Minot Wednesday that there are only two forensic examiners in North Dakota who are able to inspect cellphones for meta data in cases such as Robert Kaufman’s.

Minot Daily News reports the 32-year-old Minot man is accused of taking photos of naked children. His attorney, Kyle Craig, told the judge he’s seeking information about when and where a photo in question was taken and how it was transmitted. Craig told the judge at a November hearing that the children involved have denied Kaufman took their photos.

Lee agreed to delay a hearing to allow more time for the forensic analysis of the phone to be completed.

 

 

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — Officials say traffic deaths in North Dakota declined in 2018 to their lowest number in a decade.Preliminary figures released Wednesday show that 104 people were killed in motor vehicle crashes in North Dakota in 2018, a decrease of 10 percent from 2017. That’s according to the North Dakota Department of Transportation and the North Dakota Highway Patrol.Authorities say it’s North Dakota’s lowest fatality number since 2008, which also saw 104 deaths.Transportation Director Tom Sorel says officials are encouraged to see traffic deaths down from the previous year. But Sorel says the state needs to continue working toward its Vision Zero goal of zero fatalities and zero serious injuries.Officials say failure to use seat belts, drunken driving and speed contribute significantly to fatal crashes in North Dakota.

 

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — The North Dakota Legislature on Wednesday decided Gov. Doug Burgum’s spending blueprint assumed oil prices that are likely rosier than reality, lowering expected energy tax collections by nearly $600 million for the next two-year budget cycle.

Republican and Democratic legislative leaders said their budget plan better reflects the current price of oil, a major contributor to the state’s wealth.

“It’s still a very volatile world out there,” said Republican Sen. Ray Holmberg, chairman of Senate Appropriations Committee.

Members of the North Dakota House and Senate’s appropriations committees unanimously agreed on their budget guidelines that set the price of North Dakota sweet crude at $42.50 a barrel, which lawmakers said it was fetching on Wednesday.

Lawmakers’ budget plan also assumes North Dakota oil production to remain flat at a record 1.35 million barrels daily, which would inject $4 billion in the state treasury over the two-year period

Burgum proposed a $14.3 billion spending plan last month that predicted more than $4.6 billion in oil and gas tax revenue, based on oil prices $46 to $50 a barrel and production at 1.3 million barrels daily.

Burgum based his budget on input done in November from state budget analysts and the economic consultancy Moody’s Analytics. Oil prices have slid since then.

 

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — The North Dakota House has endorsed a bill that raises the age of children who can be held responsible for breaking the law.State law now says children under the age of 7 are presumed incapable of committing a crime. The House voted 88-5 on Wednesday to raise the age to 10.The measure was motivated by an interim legislative committee studying criminal justice reform.State juvenile court coordinator Cathy Ferderer says no children under the age of 7 are in the state court system. She says there were 185 children under 10 years old in 2017 who were referred to juvenile court.The bill does not change the 14-year-old age at which children can prosecuted as an adult.The measure now goes to the Senate for consideration. 

FARGO, N.D. – The North Dakota Air National Guard welcomed a new State Command Chief, Saturday as Chief Master Sgt. Jeff Miller assumed duties from Chief Master Sgt. Kevin Muehler during a change of responsibility ceremony at the Air Guard base in Fargo.

As the state command chief, Miller reports to Brig. Gen. Todd Branden, assistant adjutant general for the North Dakota Air National Guard. In his new role, Miller will advise senior military leaders on matters concerning discipline, morale, welfare, effective utilization, professional development and career progression of the state’s Airmen.

Miller says, “I’m truly humbled and honored to represent the Airmen of the finest Air National Guard unit in the United States. I look forward to serving you over the next three years.”

 

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — A Mandan woman has been sentenced to probation and restitution for embezzling from the state Transportation Department.

Authorities say 62-year-old Dorma Steier embezzled more than $28,000 from June 2016 to December 2017 while working for the department’s Motor Vehicle Division. She was fired in December 2017 after working nearly two decades for the agency.

The Bismarck Tribune reports that Steier was given a three-year suspended prison sentence. A restitution hearing is scheduled Feb. 7. Prosecutors plan to seek an amount to cover the embezzled money plus investigative costs incurred by the state.

 

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — Construction of a Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library in Medora would elevate North Dakota’s reputation around the globe, Gov. Doug Burgum said Wednesday in pitching to state lawmakers the idea of using $50 million in state money for the project.

Burgum has proposed dedicating interest money from an oil tax-funded reserve account known as the Legacy Fund for the library being developed in the western badlands by a private foundation. Under the proposal, state money would be matched by $100 million in private fundraising.

The project “will inspire North Dakotans to think differently about the world and our place in it, and it will inspire the world to think differently about North Dakota,” Burgum told members of a House appropriations subcommittee.

Roosevelt was a native of New York State, where his birthplace and primary adult residence are national historic sites. But an effort a decade ago to establish a library there failed, and enthusiasts are now trying in North Dakota. Roosevelt hunted and ranched in what is now North Dakota before moving on to the White House. He later wrote that he would not have become the nation’s 26th president if not for his experiences in the badlands.

The foundation working to develop a presidential library envisions a $200 million facility in Medora, at the entrance to Theodore Roosevelt National Park. Construction would cost $100 million, $20 million would be used for exhibits and $80 million would be for an endowment to support operations.

 

In sports…

HIGH SCHOOL CLASS A POLLS…

 

 

Jimmie Basketball…

Jamestown  (UJ)  University of Jamestown head men’s volleyball coach Riley Salmon has announced the first wave of signings to the Jimmie men’s volleyball program, which will begin play in the 2019-2020 season.

Incoming freshmen include Josh Boze (Viper Volleyball Club/Temecula, Calif.), Caylor Cox (Helena, Mont.), Kodiak Cranford (Escondido, Calif.), Jaden Gaalema (Absolute Zero VBC/Seattle, Wash.), Jack Harris (Viper VBC/Temecula, Calif.), Austin Jacob (HVA/Houston, Texas), Gui Luciano (Spokane, Wash.), Mason Plews (Candruff, Saskatchewan), Riley Semmens (Viper VBC/Temecula, Calif.), Chase Robinson (Kimberly HS/Kimberly, Wis.), and Nick Vanags (Wave VBC/Del Mar, Calif.).

Patrick Magadia (Tacoma CC) and Chris Ross (Miramar College) will be joining the program as juniors, and current University of Jamestown student Hunter Braunberger will be a senior.

Coach Salmon is looking to bring in 20 players for the Jimmies’ first season of competition. In 2018-19, men’s volleyball became the 26th sport in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) to have a national championship. There are 40 institutions currently sponsoring a team this season. Men’s volleyball offered three invitationals from 2016-2018, and this year’s national championship will be held April 16-20, 2019, at the Charles S. Johnson Wellness Center in Des Moines, Iowa.

FARGO, N.D. (AP) — New North Dakota State University head football coach Matt Entz has named two members of his offensive staff.Entz has promoted tight ends and fullbacks coach Tyler Roehl to offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Randy Hedberg to associate head coach and passing game coordinator. Hedberg has been on the Bison staff the past five seasons and Roehl the past six.Entz was offensive coordinator this past season, during which NDSU won its record seventh FCS title. He’s taking over as head coach from Chris Klieman, the new head coach at Kansas State.NDSU has five assistants from this year’s staff returning in 2019 including defensive tackles coach Nick Goeser, defensive ends coach Buddha Williams and cornerbacks coach Kody Morgan.

 

REGIONAL MEN’S BASKETBALL…

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Mitchell Hahn and Matt Pile combined to score 39 points as Omaha rolled past North Dakota State, 90-77 to win their second Summit League game in three starts to open the conference season Wednesday night.

The Mavericks bounced back after taking their first loss in five games Sunday, falling to Oral Roberts after knocking off Denver in the conference opener.

Vinnie Shahid put the Bison in front, 25-24 with a 3-pointer with 8:21 left in the first half, but Zach Jackson answered with seven straight points to jump start a 12-0 run to put Omaha back in front to stay.

 

NBA…Another Freakish win for BucksUNDATED (AP) — The Bucks have regained the top spot in the NBA’s overall standings, moving percentage points ahead of Toronto following another outstanding performance from Milwaukee’s MVP candidate.Giannis Antetokounmpo (YAH’-nihs an-teh-to-KOON’-poh) poured in 27 points and grabbed a season-high 21 rebounds as the Bucks outscored the Rockets, 116-109 in Houston. The Rockets got within 109-106 with 2 1/2 minutes left before the Greek Freak contributed a free throw and a layup to make it a six-point game with 40 seconds to play.Malcolm Brogdon added 24 points on 9 of 12 shooting in the Bucks’ seventh victory in eight games.James Harden delivered 42 points for the Rockets but missed four straight 3-point attempts down the stretch.Checking out Wednesday’s other NBA action:

 

— The Lakers improved to 3-5 without injured forward LeBron James as Kyle Kuzma scored a career-high 41 points to lead a 113-110 decision over the Pistons. Kuzma had scoring runs of 10 and six points while delivering 22 in the third quarter.

 

— Bradley Beal scored 14 straight Washington points in the fourth quarter and finished with 34 in the Wizards’ 123-106 downing of the Sixers. The Wizards guard outscored the 76ers 14-5 during the stretch to give Washington a 116-95 lead with 4:22 remaining.— Marcus Morris and Jaylen Brown each scored 22 points and Jayson Tatum finished with 20 in the Celtics’ 135-108 rout of the Pacers. Boston owns a four-game winning streak following its highest scoring performance this season.— CJ McCollum had 24 points and the Trail Blazers pulled away in the final quarter to send the Bulls to their fifth straight loss, 124-112 on Wednesday night. Jusuf Nurkic (NUR’-kihch) had 18 points and eight rebounds in Portland’s third win in a row.— The Grizzlies ended their six-game skid as Marc Gasol (gah-SAHL’) had 26 points and 14 rebounds to carry Memphis past the Spurs, 96-86. Mike Conley had 15 points and six assists for the Grizzlies, who took advantage of San Antonio’s 36 percent shooting and 15 turnovers.— The Pelicans have their first three-game winning streak since mid-November after Anthony Davis contributed 38 points and 13 rebounds in a 140-124 victory against the Cavaliers. New Orleans rookie Frank Jackson reached a season high in points for the second straight game, finishing with 19 off the bench as New Orleans dealt Cleveland its 11th consecutive loss.— Luka Doncic scored 30 points on 8-for-14 from the field as the Mavericks beat the Suns for the first time in eight tries, 104-94. Doncic went 4 of 9 from beyond the arc, including a four-point play in the first half.— Donovan Mitchell’s 33 points and seven assists carried the Jazz past the Magic, 106-93. Joe Ingles added 16 points and seven assists, and Rudy Gobert (goh-BEHR’) had 12 points and 14 rebounds as Utah climbed back to .500.— D’Angelo Russell scored 23 points and the Nets won for the eighth time in their last nine home games by topping the Hawks, 116-100. Ed Dravis grabbed a season-high 16 rebounds and DeMarre Carroll added 17 points as Brooklyn improved to 21-22 with their 13th victory in 17 games.

 

NBA-NEWS

Grizzlies’ Brooks will have surgery on ruptured toe ligament

UNDATED (AP) — Memphis Grizzlies swingman Dillon Brooks is slated for surgery on a ruptured ligament in his right big toe hurt.

Brooks was injured in last weekend’s 108-88 loss to the Spurs, his seventh game back after missing 21 straight with a sprained left knee. He is averaging 7.5 points in 18 games this season.

The Grizzlies say they will update his expected recovery time following surgery.

 

NFL-NEWS

AP sources: Broncos, Jets, Browns get coaches

UNDATED (AP) — The list of NFL head coaching vacancies continues to shrink after the Denver Broncos, New York Jets and Cleveland Browns made new hires on Wednesday.

A person familiar with the hiring says Bears defensive coordinator Vic Fangio is the new head coach of the Broncos. The 60-year-old Fangio has spent 34 years as an assistant but has never been a head coach at any level.

He is the oldest of five candidates to be interviewed by Broncos general manager John Elway, who fired Vance Joseph after posting an 11-21 record in his two seasons as head coach.

A person familiar with the decision says the Jets have hired former Dolphins coach Adam Gase as their head coach. Gase was 23-26 in three seasons with Miami before being fired after this season. The Dolphins lost their lone playoff game under Gase, who came to the Dolphins after serving as offensive coordinator of the Broncos.

Gase replaces Todd Bowles, who was fired after he went 24-40 in four seasons.

The Browns have hired their head coach from within. A person familiar with the decision says the Browns have prompted offensive coordinator Freddie Kitchens to head coach. Kitchens has no previous head coaching experience, but the offense enjoyed success while he mentored quarterback Baker Mayfield.

The person also says Gregg Williams is no longer with the organization after going 5-3 at interim coach this season. Williams was interviewed for the head coaching position.

 

In other NFL news:

— The NFL abruptly dropped its plan to challenge approved dementia diagnoses in a landmark concussion case as players’ lawyers accuse it of trying to delay payments and rewrite the $1 billion settlement. A federal court hearing set for Thursday on the NFL’s appeal was canceled Wednesday afternoon as the league dropped its appeal. Instead, U.S. District Judge Anita Brody issued an order requiring doctors to explain their findings in certain cases.

 

— The NFL and the NFL Players Association have released a joint statement saying an independent administrator found Panthers safety Eric Reid received the “normal” number of drug tests this season and was not the subject of targeting by the league. Reid said last month that he had been tested seven times by the NFL, but a person familiar with the situation tells The Associated Press that Reid was not tested that many times. Reid accused the league of targeting him because of the ongoing collusion case against the NFL alleging that team owners conspired to keep him out of the league for kneeling during the national anthem.

 

— A lawsuit claiming the NFL violated New Jersey’s consumer fraud laws with its ticketing policies for the 2014 Super Bowl at MetLife Stadium has been dealt a defeat in court. New Jersey’s Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that the NFL didn’t violate the laws when it released 1 percent of tickets to fans through a lottery. The rest of the tickets were withheld for teams, sponsors and other insiders.

 

T25 BASKETBALL…

 

UNDATED (AP) —  Geo Baker nailed a jumper with 10.3 seconds to play as Rutgers scored its most impressive Big Ten Conference victory under coach Steve Pikiell, a 64-61 decision over No. 16 Ohio State. Baker finished with 15 points and Montez Mathis had a team-high 16, including a pair of big contested layups down the stretch.

— Seventh-ranked Kansas led by just two midway through the second half before Dedric Lawson scored nine straight to lift the Jayhawks past No. 25 TCU, 77-68. Lawson finished with 31 points and 14 boards, while Lagerald Vick contributed 12 points and four assists for the 12-2 Jayhawks.

 

— Virginia Tech picked up its ninth straight win as Ahmed Hill scored 15 points in the ninth-ranked Hokies’ 52-49 squeaker at Georgia Tech. Kerry Blackshear added 14 points and 10 boards for the Hokies, who improved to 14-1 despite shooting 5-for-27 from 3-point range.

 

— David Nichols had 13 points and PJ Savoy scored eight of his 10 in the second half as the bench players helped No. 13 Florida State hold off Miami, 68-62. The Hurricanes used an 8-0 run to get within 64-62 in the final minute, but Terance Mann’s putback with 29 seconds remaining gave the Seminoles breathing room.

 

 

Quinton Rose scored 22 points and Temple improved to 12-3 with a 73-69 victory over the 17th-ranked Cougars. Shizz Alston Jr. had 12 points, six rebounds and six assists in the Owls’ fifth win in six games.Breaon Brady had 19 points to lead the Cougars, who started 15-0 for the first time since the 1967-68 team won its first 31 games.Houston wasn’t the only ranked team to lose on Wednesday.Mississippi is a surprising 12-2 after Terence Davis had 27 points and 12 rebounds to lead an 82-67 upset of No. 11 Auburn. Davis shot 9 of 15 from the field and made four 3-pointers.In Wednesday’s other top-25 finals:— No. 4 Virginia remains perfect on the season after Mamadi Diakita and De’Andre Hunter each scored 18 points apiece in an 83-56 thrashing of Boston College. Ty Jerome added 13 points and Kyle Guy 10 for the 14-0 Cavaliers.— Caleb Martin scored 21 of his 23 points in the second-half and Jordan Caroline chipped in 19 as part of 10th-ranked Nevada’s 92-53 blowout over San Jose State. Corey Henson added 15 and Cody Martin scored 14 to help the Wolf Pack bounce back from their first loss of the season. 

— Markus Howard scored 14 of his career-high 53 points in overtime to help No. 21 Marquette pull out a 106-104 triumph at Creighton. Sam Hauser chipped in 13 points and hit a deep 3-point at the end of regulation to tie it for the Golden Eagles.

 

NHL…

 

UNDATED (AP) — The Predators struggled against the Blackhawks in Chicago on Wednesday before an overtime tally sent Nashville to the top of the NHL’s Central Division standings.

Filip Forsberg scored his second goal of the game one minute into the extra session to complete the Predators’ 4-3 win against the Hawks. Forsberg gave Nashville a 3-1 lead in the second period, but Chicago eventually tied it on a goal by Artem Anisimov (ah-NEE’-see-mahv) with 2:21 left in regulation.

Colton Sissons and Viktor Arvidsson also scored to help the Predators improve to 3-0-1 on a six-game trip.

Nashville is one point ahead of the Jets in their division, and three points behind Calgary for the Western Conference lead.

Elsewhere on NHL ice:

— The Flames were 5-3 winners against the Avalanche as Johnny Gaudreau set up two goals to extend his point streak to six games. Mark Giordano had three assists and Calgary won for the sixth time in eight games to take over the Western Conference lead.

— The Senators’ eight-game losing streak ended when Colin White scored at 1:34 of overtime to give Ottawa a 2-1 victory over the Ducks. Bobby Ryan also scored for the Senators and Anders Nilsson stopped 32 shots as Ottawa handed Anaheim its team-record ninth consecutive loss.

 

COLLEGE FOOTBALL-NEWS

Targeting penalty targeted by coaches

UNDATED (AP) — Automatic ejections for targeting could be dropped in some cases as early as next season if an American Football Coaches Association proposal is approved by the NCAA Football Rules Committee.

AFCA executive director Todd Berry says there should be Targeting 1, which would carry a 15-yard penalty. Targeting 2 would be for hits with malicious intent and it would mean an ejection as well as the 15-yard penalty.

Rogers Redding, the NCAA’s national coordinator of officials, said that because the AFCA proposal concerns player safety, it would go into effect in 2019 if approved.

The targeting penalty was introduced in 2008. It has included automatic player ejections since 2013.

In other college football news:

— Suspended Clemson defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence is going to the NFL. The junior lineman became the third defensive starter for Clemson’s national championship team to give up their eligibility to turn pro. Lawrence missed Clemson’s two College Football Playoff games after he tested positive for the banned substance ostarine.

— Two people familiar with the situation say Alabama quarterback Jalen Hurts has entered his name into the NCAA transfer database portal. Putting his name on the list allows other schools to contact Hurts, who has already graduated and is eligible to play his final season as a graduate transfer. It’s not a binding decision to transfer. Hurts is a two-year starter who led Alabama to a pair of national championship games and was Southeastern Conference offensive player of the year as a freshman.

— Kansas running back Pooka Williams has been granted diversion in a domestic battery case, meaning he has a chance to keep the allegation off his record. Williams is accused of punching an 18-year-old woman in the stomach and grabbing her by the throat last month. Diversion allows someone to avoid the usual legal procedures and complete specific requirements, which can include rehabilitation programs or fines.

 

MLB-NEWS

Indians, Plawecki avoid arbitration

UNDATED (AP) — The Indians have avoided salary arbitration with new catcher Kevin Plawecki, who agreed to a one-year contract for just over $1.1 million.

Plawecki was acquired Sunday from the Mets. He made about $550,000 last season while batting .201 with seven homers and a career-high 30 RBIs.

In other baseball news:

— Former Cardinals slugger Chris Duncan is stepping down from his radio career to focus on his battle with brain cancer. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports Duncan took a temporary leave from the station in March to resume treatment for brain cancer that was first diagnosed in 2012.

— Catcher Travis d’Arnaud got a $40,000 raise from the Mets to more than $3.5 million despite missing nearly all of last season following Tommy John surgery. D’Arnaud has been on the disabled list in five straight seasons as injuries limited him to 366 major league games, an average of 73 per season.

— The Yankees host Baltimore and Washington is at home against the Mets on March 28. Those are the first games of the earliest regular major league opening day.

 

TENNIS-AUSTRALIAN OPEN SEEDS

Djokovic, Halep are No. 1s at Melbourne

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Top-ranked Novak Djokovic (JOH’-koh-vihk) and Simona Halep (HA’-lehp) have been given the No. 1 seeds for the Australian Open, which begins Monday at Melbourne Park.

Rafael Nadal (nah-DAHL’) as the second seed on the men’s side, defending champion Roger Federer is No. 3 and John Isner is the highest-seeded American man at No. 9.

Angelique Kerber and Caroline Wozniacki (wohz-nee-A’-kee) are second and third respectively on the women’s side, while Serena Williams is 16th.

 

In world and national news…

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump will get a security briefing on the U.S.-Mexico border during a visit to McAllen, Texas. Trump plans a Thursday trip to a border patrol station but has expressed doubts his appearance and remarks will change any minds as he seeks $5.7 billion for a border wall, his signature campaign promise. Trump stalked out of a Wednesday meeting with congressional leaders and tweeted “I said bye-bye” as efforts to end the partial government shutdown fell into deeper disarray.UNDATED (AP) — A U.S. sportswear company says it will no longer be doing business with a Chinese manufacturer that has drawn workers from an internment camp that holds ethnic minorities. Last month an Associated Press investigation found the Chinese government had started forcing some detainees to work in manufacturing and food industries. The investigation tracked shipments from one Chinese factory to Badger Sportswear in North Carolina.CAIRO (AP) — Yemen’s Houthi rebels say they used a new version of their Qasef drone to launch an attack on a government air base that killed at least six people. Rebel media on Thursday quoted its military forces as saying the drone that was launched at the base in the country’s south was a Qasef-2K.KINSHASA, Congo (AP) — South Africa is urging Congo’s electoral commission to finalize the election results to ensure their credibility and “maintain peace and stability.” President Cyril Ramaphosa urges the international community to refrain from speculation and allow Congolese officials to finish their work. The surprise win of opposition leader Felix Tshisekedi is disputed by opposition leader Martin Fayulu, who alleges a backroom deal with President Joseph Kabila.HIDALGO, Texas (AP) — The federal government has started surveying land along the U.S.-Mexico border in Texas, and has announced plans to start construction next month of walls and fencing. But some landowners say rather than surrender their land, they’re taking their fight to court. Landowner Eloisa Cavazos says, “You could give me a trillion dollars and I wouldn’t take it.” Congress funded the 33 miles of walls and fencing in March.