– Wayne Byers Show – Morning – Mar 10

CSi Weather…

REST OF TODAY…Partly sunny. Highs in the mid 30s. Southwest winds around 5 mph.

.TONIGHT…Mostly cloudy. Chance of flurries in the evening. Lows in the mid 20s. South winds 5 to 10 mph.

.WEDNESDAY…Mostly cloudy. Highs in the lower 40s. Southwest

winds 10 to 15 mph.

.WEDNESDAY NIGHT…Decreasing clouds. Lows in the upper 20s. West

winds 5 to 15 mph.

.THURSDAY…Partly sunny. Highs in the mid 30s. Northwest winds

15 to 20 mph with gusts to around 35 mph.

.THURSDAY NIGHT…Partly cloudy. Lows 15 to 20.

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

.FRIDAY NIGHT…Mostly cloudy. A 20 percent chance of snow after

midnight. Lows around 10.

.SATURDAY…Cloudy. Chance of snow in the morning, then snow

likely in the afternoon. Highs in the lower 20s. Chance of snow

60 percent.

.SATURDAY NIGHT…Cloudy. Snow likely in the evening, then chance

of snow after midnight. Lows 15 to 20. Chance of snow 60 percent.

.SUNDAY…Cloudy. Chance of snow in the morning, then snow likely

in the afternoon. Highs in the upper 20s. Chance of snow

60 percent.

.SUNDAY NIGHT…Cloudy with a 50 percent chance of snow. Lows

15 to 20.

.MONDAY…Mostly cloudy with a 50 percent chance of snow. Highs

in the upper 20s.

Friday into early next week, western and central North Dakota is in a favorable position for widespread precipitation this weekend into early next week. There is still a lot of uncertainty regarding the track and intensity of this storm, but there appears to be a decent potential for widespread snowfall accumulations.

OMAHA, Neb (USACE) – All of the flood storage, at Jamestown and Pipestem reservoirs, is currently available for the spring runoff. Pipestem Reservoir is currently at pool elevation, 1441.8 feet, with a release of 100 cubic feet per second. Jamestown Reservoir is currently at pool elevation, 1426.0 feet, with a release of 450 cubic feet per second.

Winter releases continued steadily since December with a significant volume of water being released over the winter months. From Dec. 1, 2019 to March 1, the volume of water released from Jamestown Dam would have filled the reservoir to its normal pool levels more than three times. At Pipestem Dam, the reservoir would have been filled to its normal pool level more than four times. Releases since Oct. 1, would have filled Jamestown eight times and Pipestem 18 times.

For the 2020 runoff year, initial flow volume forecasts indicate a medium to high flow year is expected at the James River at Jamestown, North Dakota, streamgage.

In high flow years, the primary objective of flood control operations is to evacuate both flood pools as quickly as possible at a rate that will minimize the risk of uncontrolled spillway flow, in an effort to minimize downstream damage. The Corps of Engineers will attempt to follow normal evacuation targets of June 1, at Jamestown Dam, and September 1, at Pipestem Dam, but the exact schedule of release rates will depend on how the event occurs.

The current forecast indicates that maximum combined releases between 750 cubic feet per second, and 1,200 cubic feet per second, are expected; however, additional snow accumulation or significant spring or summer rainfall could necessitate higher release levels. An interagency meeting will be held in Jamestown in late March, and a release schedule will be developed after that meeting.

The National Operation Hydrologic Remote Sensing Center’s snow accumulation model currently shows an average of two inches of snow water equivalent in the upper James River and Pipestem Creek basins. Soils are still frozen in the upper basin with varying depths depending on the snow cover in the area. Soil moisture conditions in the entire James River valley are extremely saturated.

Jamestown (JPD) – Anyone with information about a spike in drug overdoses the past week is asked to please call the Jamestown Police Department at 701-252-1000, as the investigation continues.

Lt. Nick Hardy, reports that there have been a number of drug overdoses in the Jamestown area in the last 4 days resulting in at least one death.

He says, “Investigators in the police department believe there is a dangerous substance being distributed in the area. We are asking the public to use caution if they have purchased illicit substances in the last several days.”

The investigation is currently open and more details may be released at a later time.

Oakes (Oakes Police) The Oakes Police Department was dispatched to the Oakes hospital around 3:00AM Sunday morning for a call involving a victim of an alleged assault that took place at 521 Maple Ave in Oakes. Police Chief O’Brien reported that after further investigation, law enforcement made an arrest on Bryan Leyva of Oakes for felony and misdemeanor domestic violence charges that included multiple victims and for violation of order prohibiting contact. Bryan was transported to Stutsman County Correctional Center.

FARGO, N.D. (AP) — North Dakota Democrats say they don’t expect coronavirus fears to dampen turnout in the state’s presidential caucuses. Participation was expected to be up sharply from four years ago. That’s mainly due to a format change that makes the caucuses function more like a traditional election.

The 2020 North Dakota Democratic caucuses will take place on Tuesday, March 10, 2020, 11 am to 7 pm. The polling location in Barnes County will be: Dem-NPL headquarters at Straus Mall in Valley City.

Jamestown – Gladstone Hotel, Gladstone I Conference Room, 111 2nd St NE, Jamestown, ND 58401

All locations across North Dakota area listed below.

Voters have an eight-hour window where they can show up at 14 locations, cast their ballot and leave. Republicans have eight voting locations in the state. State Democratic Party spokesman Alex Rohr says health officials are monitoring conditions, but he doesn’t expect the coronavirus scare to keep people from voting. Changes to this year’s format mean voters can cast a ballot and leave — much the same as they would in a state-run election. Both parties have mail-in ballots this year, with the mail in deadline passed, on March 5 this year.

Firehouse Caucus” Locations across state from ND Democratic-NPL:

Fargo – Fargo – Moorhead AFL-CIO, 3002 1st Ave N, Fargo, ND 58102

Grand Forks – IBEW, 1714 N Washington St, Grand Forks, ND 58203

Bismarck – AFL-CIO House of Labor, 1323 E Front Ave # 1, Bismarck, ND 58504

Minot – IBEW, 125 35th Ave NE, Minot, ND 58703

Williston – James Memorial Preservation, Classroom, 621 1st Ave W, Williston, ND 58801

Jamestown – Gladstone Hotel, Gladstone I Conference Room, 111 2nd St NE, Jamestown, ND 58401

Devils Lake – Holiday Inn Express, 875 Hwy 2 East, Devils Lake, ND 58301

Valley City – Straus Mall, Upper floor, 200 Central Ave N, Valley City, ND 58072

Dickinson – Dickinson Elks Lodge, 501 Elks Dr, Dickinson, ND 58601

Belcourt – Sky Dancer Casino & Resort, Event Center, 3965 Sky Dancer Way NE, Belcourt, ND 58316

Fort Yates – Standing Rock High School, Gymnasium, 9189 ND-24, Fort Yates, ND 58538

New Town – Northern Lights Center, 710 East Ave, New Town, ND 58763

Wahpeton – Wahpeton Community Center, 304 5th St S, Wahpeton, ND 58075

Fort Totten – Cankdeska Cikana Community College – Gymnasium, 214 1st Avenue, Fort Totten, ND 58335

Former Vice President Joe Biden and Sen. Bernie Sanders are in a tight race for the 1,991 delegates needed nationwide to secure the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination.

Six states hold nominating contests on Tuesday. There are 352 Democratic delegates at stake March 10, which is 8.9% of the overall total of delegates. It is the fourth biggest delegate day in the Democratic calendar.

Jamestown (CSi) In honor of National Vietnam Veterans Day the All Vets Club in Jamestown will be hosting a FREE dinner on March 28th for all area veterans.There will be a a guest speaker from Project New Hope in Minnesota. Project New Hope is a free retreat for veterans and their families that provides education, training and skills necessary to manage their lives after wartime service. The free dinner starts at 5:30 on Saturday March 28th and spouse/guests/families are encouraged to attend for a nominal charge. This informative event is open to the public, and veterans of all eras may benefit from learning about this healing program. For more information please call the club at 252-8994.

The actual day of observance is Sunday the 29th but the All Vets Club is observing it on the 28th.

Jamestown (CSi) At the University of Jamestown campus, Monday 550 area middle school students participated in the annual TechSavvy & STEMtastic event.

The event was sponsored by AAUW Jamestown with numerous others including the Optimist Club, Knights of Columbus, Interstate Engineering, Jamestown School District 1, University of Jamestown, and the ND Stem Network.

Previously…

Middle school students in the area will come together at the University of Jamestown, on March 9, for the annual TechSavvy & STEMtastic event.

BISMARCK, N.D. (Bismarck Tribune) — A Bismarck pharmacist has pleaded guilty to federal exploitation and cyberstalking charges. Fifty-two-year-old Curtis McGarvey is accused of using hidden cameras to record a female guest in his home. McGarvey told U.S. District Judge Daniel Hovland Monday that the first images he recorded were the result of a test of equipment to be used at his business, a pharmacy. McGarvey said he takes full responsibility for any subsequent images. He says the medication he was on for anxiety and depression took away his guilt for his actions. The Bismarck Tribune says McGarvey faces a maximum 30 years in prison on the two exploitation charges.

FARGO, N.D. (AP) — A former North Dakota senator has announced his intention to take his old seat back. Tim Flakoll said Monday he’s running for the District 44 seat in Fargo, an area he represented from 1998 to 2016. While previously serving in the Senate, the Republican was elected with bipartisan support to serve as President Pro Tempore of the Senate. Democrat Merrill Piepkorn has held the seat since 2017. Flakoll is provost for the Tri-College University system. He says he would partner with Gov. Doug Burgum’s administration to improve health care, provide tax reform and create more jobs.

In sports..

BOYS PREP BASKETBALL=

Class B Region 1=

Quarterfinal=

Central Cass 55, Oak Grove Lutheran 44

Kindred 61, Maple Valley 37

Richland 65, Northern Cass 61

Tri-State 81, Enderlin 78

Class B Region 2=

Quarterfinal=

Cavalier 56, North Border 43

Grafton 48, Thompson 46

Hatton-Northwood 62, Griggs County Central 43

Hillsboro/Central Valley 62, Drayton/Valley-Edinburg 16

Class B Region 3=

At the Jamestown Civic Center

Quarterfinal=

Edgeley-Kulm-Montpelier 74, Kidder County 44

Ellendale 59, Napoleon/Gackle-Streeter 23

Oakes 67, Linton-HMB 60

Strasburg-Zeeland 69, LaMoure-Litchville-Marion 51

Tuesday’s Semifinal matchup at the Jamestown Civic Center

D5 #3 Edgeley/Kulm/Montpelier VS D5 #1 Ellendale-6:00

D6 #1 Strasburg/Zeeland VS D5 #2 Oakes-7:30

Class B Region 4=

Quarterfinal=

Dunseith 58, New Rockford-Sheyenne 53

Four Winds/Minnewaukan 88, North Star 43

Langdon-Edmore-Munich 46, Benson County 41

St. John 59, Dakota Prairie 48

Class B Region 5=

Quarterfinal=

Flasher 52, Underwood 50

New Salem-Almont 55, Garrison 44

Shiloh Christian 70, Wilton-Wing 41

Standing Rock 48, Washburn 43

Class B Region 6=

Quarterfinal=

Drake-Anamoose 56, Bishop Ryan 54

Nedrose 56, Mohall-Lansford-Sherwood 53

Our Redeemer’s 54, Towner-Granville-Upham 46

Rugby 71, Lewis and Clark-Berthold 36

Class B Region 7=

Quarterfinal=

Beulah 69, Glen Ullin-Hebron 41

Bowman County 71, New England 49

Dickinson Trinity 72, Hettinger/Scranton 41

Hazen 77, Beach 67

Class B Region 8=

Quarterfinal=

New Town 59, Ray 48

North Shore Plaza 55, Divide County 41

Powers Lake 63, Trenton 47

White Shield 51, Kenmare 43

The final boys basketball top 10 poll looks.

First place Votes are in parenthesis, followed by the team’s record and number of points received, and last week’s ranking in bold brackets.

Four Winds-Minnewaukan (19) 20-1 190 [1]
Hatton-Northwood 19-2 162 [2]
Rugby 19-2 156 [3]
Beulah 18-3 117 [4]
Enderlin 18-2 112 [5]
St. John 18-3 88 [6]
Hillsboro-Central Valley 17-4 74 [7]
Kindred 16-4 60 [8]
Dickinson Trinity 18-3 57 [9]
Shiloh Christian 15-6 13 [NR]

Others receiving votes: Langdon-Edmore-Munich (16-5), Underwood (18-3), New Rockford-Sheyenne (15-7), Thompson (15-6).

Monday..

UJ Softball

Game 1

Kansas Wesleyan 4 Jamestown 3

Jamestown 10 Indiana Institute of Technology 8

Roosevelt University 2 Jamestown 1

UJ Baseball…

Benedictine University 13 Jamestown 7

Monday

College Softball

Tucson

TUCSON, ARIZ. (VCSU) – The Valley City State softball team split games Monday as they concluded play at the Tucson Invitational Games.

The Vikings rallied from behind to take their first game of the day from Aquinas College, 5-4.

Valley City State then dropped their second game of the day to No. 14 Olivet Nazarene on a walkoff RBI single in the bottom of the seventh, 4-3.

Valley City State is now 6-12 overall this season. The Vikings will have a break until Saturday, March 21, when they are scheduled to host Dakota State for a conference-opening doubleheader at 1 p.m.

Valley City State 5, Aquinas College 4
Valley City State scored all five of their runs in the bottom of the fourth to come from behind and take the first game of the day over Aquinas College.

The Saints hit a two-run home run in the first inning and scored another in the third to take a 3-0 advantage over the Vikings.

In the bottom of the fourth, Valley City State Marissa Hawkins got on base with a single to center field. Keana Harmon came up and hit a two-run home run over the center field fence to put the Vikings on the board, trailing by just a run.

Madison Gronau, Jayme Menard, and Autumn Perry each singled to load the bases with two outs and prompt an Aquinas pitching change. Joelle Aiello then smashed a triple to score three runs and put the Vikings ahead for good as they took the first game of the day, 5-4.

Joelle Lamontagne picked up the win Monday, pitching 4.2 innings and allowing just one run on two hits while striking out two. Jami Nalley started in the circle for the Vikings and struck out five batters while only walking one.

Joelle Aiello tallied three RBIs for the Vikings while Keana Harmon added two. Marissa Hawkins and Jayme Menard each went 2-for-3 in the game.

Mia Loya took the loss for Aquinas, allowing five runs on six hits, walking two and striking out two.

Brooke Wila, Kallie Sears, Leigha Morse, and Jordan Humitz each recorded a hit for the Saints Monday.

(14)Olivet Nazarene 4, Valley City State 3
In their second game of the day, Olivet Nazarene collected three runs in the first inning and held onto their 3-0 lead until Sierra Crocker‘s RBI double put the Vikings on the board in the top of the fifth.

Then, in the top of the seventh inning, the Keana Harmon and Madison Gronau each drew a walk to score a pair of runs and tie the game at 3-3.

Olivet Nazarene opened the bottom of the seventh with a pair of singles followed by a walk to load the bases with zero outs. Miranda Southall then singled to right field to score the winning run for the Tigers, 4-3.

Amber Stewart started in the circle and took the loss for the Vikings. She pitched six innings and allowed four runs on 10 hits while walking two and striking out four.

Marissa Hawkins went 3-for-4 against the Tigers while Autumn Perry went 2-for-4. Crocker, Harmon, and Gronau each recorded an RBI for the Vikings.

Kayla Hon picked up the win for the Tigers, pitching a complete game while allowing three runs on six hits, striking out four and walking seven.

Sara Beers tallied three hits for Olivet Nazarene while Kate Landis, Miranda Southall, and Kelly Rinker each added two. Southall added two RBIs for the Tigers.

Men’s College Basketball…

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — Kienan Walter scored 20 points with nine rebounds and sixth-seeded North Dakota beat No. 7 Purdue Fort Wayne 73-56 in a Summit League Conference tournament semifinal. Marlon Stewart had 15 points, scoring in double figures for his 25th straight games to set a North Dakota Division I record. Filip Rebraca scored 14 points with 10 rebounds and De’Sean Allen-Eikens added 10 points. Matt Holba scored 17 points for the Mastodons (14-19), Jarred Godfrey added 13 and Dylan Carl had 10.

Bismarck (NDGF) North Dakota’s 2020-22 fishing proclamation is set, with regulations effective April 1, 2020 through March 31, 2022. Anglers are reminded new fishing licenses are required April 1.

The 2020-22 North Dakota Fishing Guide has a new look. The 52-page document offers the same information, but in a much more user-friendly format. Anglers can find the guide online at the state Game and Fish Department website, gf.nd.gov, or in mid-March at Game and Fish Department offices and license vendors throughout the state.

Noteworthy regulation changes include:

Lake Ashtabula and Whitman Dam are added to the list of waters where darkhouse spearfishing is NOT ALLOWED.
The smallmouth bass daily limit is increased from 3 to 5 in the Missouri River and lakes Sakakawea, Oahe, Audubon, Darling, Ashtabula and Heart Butte.
Area and time for paddlefish extended snag-and-release days is expanded.
Fish may be filleted for transport, unless size limits apply, under the following conditions:

Each individual portion of the meat removed from a fish is considered a fillet (fish cheeks and pectoral girdles (wings) are not considered as fillets and are legal to transport),
Two fillets are counted as one fish, and
The packaging of fish must be done in a manner so that the fillets can be readily separated and counted. If fillets are frozen, they must be packaged so that the fillets are separated and thus can be easily counted without thawing.

The 2020-21 fishing licenses can be purchased online by visiting the Game and Fish website. Resident licenses are available March 15, while nonresident fishing licenses are available April 1.

In addition, Senate Bill 2293, passed by the 2019 state legislature, created an aquatic nuisance species program fund in the state treasury. Along with an ANS fee on motorized watercraft that went into effect Jan. 1, this state law also establishes a $2 surcharge on each resident fishing license and combination license, exception for the resident 65 years of age or older license, permanently or totally disabled license, or a disabled veteran license; and establishes a $3 surcharge on each nonresident fishing and each nonresident waterfowl license. The ANS surcharge on licenses is in effect with the 2020-21 license.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-SANTA CLARA

County ban of large gatherings could impact Sharks, Stanford

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — The status of three San Jose Sharks hockey games, the NCAA women’s basketball tournament at Stanford and one MLS game are in doubt after officials in California’s Santa Clara County announced a ban of all large gatherings of at least 1,000 people for the rest of the month in response to the coronavirus outbreak.

Monday’s announcement came hours after the public health department announced the first death in the county from COVID-19. A woman in her 60s had been hospitalized for several weeks with the virus before dying.

Six more cases of the coronavirus were confirmed in Santa Clara County on Monday, bringing the total number of cases to 43.

In other sports outbreak news:

— The NBA, NHL, Major League Baseball and Major League Soccer are closing access to locker rooms and clubhouses to all non-essential personnel in response to the coronavirus crisis. The changes will be temporary and that media will still have access to players.

Elsewhere:

— All sports in Italy will be halted because of the virus outbreak. Premier Giuseppe Conte announces that games and travel will be banned nationwide through April 3. That includes games in the country’s top soccer division and preparatory events for the Tokyo Olympics. Serie A has not been canceled since World War II.

— The BNP Paribas Open, set to begin this week in the California desert, won’t be played as scheduled after a case of the virus was confirmed in the Coachella Valley. The announcement to cancel the tennis tournament in Indian Wells, California, came after many players were already in the desert practicing.

—French police say the Champions League match between Paris Saint-Germain and Borussia Dortmund at Parc des Princes will be played without fans.

—The virus also forced the postponement of the Six Nations rugby match between France and Ireland.

NBA…

Nuggets beat short-handed Bucks, Hawks outlast Hornets

UNDATED (AP) — The Denver Nuggets sent the short-handed Milwaukee Bucks to their third straight loss and fourth in five games with a 109-95 victory.

Jamal Murray scored 21 points, Paul Millsap had 20 and Jerami Grant added 19 as Murray led six Nuggets in double figures and Denver swept the two-game season series from the NBA-leading Bucks.

Milwaukee was without reigning MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo (YAH’-nihs an-teh-toh-KOON’-poh) as well as its next five leading scorers. Kyle Korver led a valiant effort by the backups with 23 points.

Elsewhere in the NBA:

— Serge Ibaka and Pascal Siakam each scored 27 points, and the Toronto Raptors beat the Utah Jazz 101-92 for their fourth straight victory. Kyle Lowry added 21 points and seven assists as Toronto used a 52-33 advantage on the glass to improve to 21-4 since Jan. 15. Ibaka grabbed 13 rebounds, and Siakam finished with 11 boards and eight assists.

— De’Andre Hunter broke a tie by sinking three free throws with 13.3 seconds remaining in the second overtime and the Hawks beat the Charlotte Hornets 143-138. Trae Young led Atlanta with 31 points and 16 assists for Atlanta and Hunter finished with 13 points and 11 rebounds.

Two officials’ review at the end of the first overtime produced different results. Following their first review, officials ruled Terry Rozier was fouled by Atlanta’s Treveon Graham with 0.8 seconds remaining. A second review following a protest by Hawks coach Lloyd Pierce produced a reversal.

NBA-CLIPPERS-NOAH

Clippers sign free-agent Noah

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Clippers have signed free-agent center Joakim Noah.

The 35-year-old two-time All-Star played 42 games with Memphis last season after agreeing to a buyout with the New York Knicks. Noah averaged 7.1 points, 2.1 assists and 5.7 rebounds for the Grizzlies.

He’s been limited to 124 games since the end of the 2014-15 season in Chicago, which selected him with the ninth overall pick in the 2007 NBA draft.

Noah was the NBA defensive player of the year in 2014.

NHL…

Caps salvage point, lose to Sabres in shootout

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Dominik Kahun scored the decisive goal in the seventh round of a shootout and the Buffalo Sabres snapped a six-game skid with a 3-2 win over the Washington Capitals.

Linus Ullmark stopped 33 shots through overtime and six of seven shootout attempts in his first game in six weeks. Jack Eichel snapped a career-worst seven-game point drought and rookie Victor Olofsson also scored for Buffalo.

Alex Ovechkin had a goal and an assist, and Dmitry Orlov also scored as Washington erased a 2-0 deficit in the third period. Ovechkin’s goal was his 48th of the season, tying him with Boston’s David Pastrnak for the NHL lead.

Despite the loss, the Capitals earned a point to move one ahead of idle Philadelphia atop the Metropolitan Division.

In other NHL action:

— Shea Theodore scored 2:13 into overtime and the Vegas Golden Knights increased their Pacific Division lead to three points by beating the second-place Edmonton Oilers 3-2. The Golden Knights improved to 11-2-0 in their past 13 games.

— Brett Connolly scored early in the third period and Chris Driedger stopped 26 shots, leading the Florida Panthers to a 2-1 victory over the St. Louis Blues. Florida moved within one point of the idle Carolina Hurricanes for the final playoff spot in the East.

— The Winnipeg Jets over the Arizona Coyotes 4-2 in a matchup critical to the crowded Western Conference playoff race. Cody Eakin broke a 2-all tie for the Jets at 11:33 of the third period with his first goal since being acquired from Vegas on Feb. 21..

NHL-NEWS

Sharks, Red Wings extend defensemen

UNDATED (AP) — The San Jose Sharks have signed defenseman Radim Simek to a four-year contract extension.

Simek was set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer before the Sharks locked him up with the new deal worth a reported $9 million. The 27-year-old Simek made his debut with the Sharks last season. He has three goals and 15 assists in 88 career games.

In other NHL news:

The Detroit Red Wings have signed defenseman Alex Biega to a one-year contract extension. Biega was acquired by the Red Wings in an Oct. 6 trade with Vancouver. He has three points — all assists — in 48 games with Detroit this season.

T25 MEN’S BASKETBALL-SCHEDULE

No. 2 Gonzaga outlasts San Francisco in WCC semi

UNDATED (AP) — No. 2 Gonzaga survived a scare to beat San Francisco 81-77 in the West Coast Conference tournament semifinals.

Joel Ayayi scored 12 of his 14 points in the second half to lead the Bulldogs. Killian Tillie had 19 points and Ryan Woolrdige had 16 points on 7-of-11 shooting to pace Gonzaga, which will play in its 26th WCC final and seeking its 17th championship.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL POLL

Kansas retains top spot

UNDATED (AP) — Kansas maintained its grip on the No. 1 ranking in The Associated Press men’s college basketball poll.

The Jayhawks received all 65 first-place votes to remain at the top for a third straight week. The past two weeks they have been the unanimous choice ahead of Gonzaga and Dayton.

Florida State climbed three spots to No. 4 after winning its first Atlantic Coast Conference regular-season title. This is FSU’s highest ranking since sitting at No. 2 in December 1972. West Virginia and Butler were the week’s new additions. Michigan and Penn State fell out of the poll.

MLB-NEWS

Verlander doesn’t expect to be ready for opening day

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Houston ace Justin Verlander has a mild strain of a back muscle and said it would “probably take a miracle” for him to pitch on opening day at home against the Angels on March 26.

The reigning AL Cy Young Award winner was hurt on his second-to-last pitch in Sunday’s exhibition game against the New York Mets. He had an MRI on Monday and was diagnosed with a strained latissimus dorsi muscle. There is not a timetable for his return.

Verlander had a similar injury during spring training in 2015 and did not make his season debut until June 13

Elsewhere around major league training camps:

— Clayton Kershaw will start the Los Angeles Dodgers’ opener against the visiting San Francisco Giants on March 26. Kershaw will extend his franchise record for opening day starts to nine.

— The Milwaukee Brewers will be paying Christian Yelich until 2042, when the All-Star outfielder is 50 years old. Yelich’s $215 million, nine-year contract with the team calls for Brewers to defer $4 million each year from his $26 million annual salary from 2022-28. The 28-year-old outfielder is a two-time All-Star and a one-time Gold Glove winner.

— The Cleveland Indians and All-Star shortstop Francisco Lindor have stopped talking about a contract extension. Lindor told The Athletic that the sides suspended talks so he can focus on the upcoming season. Lindor will make $17.5 million this season and he’s under the team’s control through 2021.

NFL-NEWS

Norman reportedly agrees to deal with Bills

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Two people with knowledge of the decision tell The Associated Press that veteran cornerback Josh Norman has agreed to sign a one-year contract with the Buffalo Bills.

NFL Network first reported the deal. Norman is an eighth-year player who spent the past four seasons in Washington before being released last month. He struggled to play to high expectations and was cut with one season left on a five-year $75 million contract he signed in free agency in 2016.

In other NFL news:

— New York Giants tight end Rhett Ellison has retired after eight seasons in the NFL. Ellison played at Southern California before being selected in the fourth-round of the 2012 draft by the Vikings. He spent five years in Minnesota before joining the Giants as a free agent in 2017. His 2019 season was cut short due to a concussion suffered against the Jets on Nov. 10.

— The Las Vegas Raiders have released linebacker Tahir Whitehead after two seasons as a starter. Whitehead was originally signed to a three-year, $19 million deal as a free agent in 2018 and started all 32 games with the Raiders the past two seasons.

— The Atlanta Falcons have bolstered a position of need by agreeing to a one-year contract extension with defensive end Steven Means. The 29-year-old Means started four games in 2018 and had 14 tackles and one sack. He missed the 2019 season after suffering an Achilles tendon injury.

— The NFL players’ union has extended the deadline for its members to vote on a new labor agreement with the league to Saturday night. The 32 NFL owners approved the deal last month. The NFL Players Association executive board then rejected it 6-5, but the player reps voted 17-14 in favor.

HORSE RACING-DRUGS

Trainers, vets among more than two dozen charged

NEW YORK (AP) — The trainer of champion Maximum Security is among more than two dozen people charged in what authorities describe as a widespread international scheme to drug horses to make them race faster.

The charges against horse trainers, veterinarians and others were detailed in four indictments unveiled Monday in Manhattan federal court. Authorities say the drugs can cause horses to overexert themselves, leading to heart issues or death.

Maximum Security crossed the finish line first at the 2019 Kentucky Derby before being disqualified for interference and has since won four of his five high-profile races.

In world and national news…

BEIJING (AP) — A Lebanese Health Ministry official says a man has died from the coronavirus, the first known death from the COVID-19 illness in the country. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to give official statements, said the 56-year-old man had recently returned from Egypt. The Mediterranean country has 41 confirmed cases of the new coronavirus — most of them linked to Iran. Lebanon has been hit by a severe financial and economic crisis since October, particularly after mass protests against the country’s ruling elite broke out in October. But street demonstrations have been minimal since the outbreak of the new coronavirus.

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — A cruise ship with a cluster of coronavirus cases began unloading passengers at a port in the San Francisco Bay Area after it was forced to idle off the California coast for days. The Grand Princess pulled into the Port of Oakland on Monday. Health and Human Services said officials hope to unload about half the 2,400 passengers Monday. After several people who needed medical care were removed, dozens of Canadians came off and were standing in lines outside two tents displaying Canadian flags. Americans will be transported to military bases in California, Texas and Georgia to be tested for the COVID-19 virus and quarantined.

BEIJING (AP) — Global stock markets have rebounded from record-setting declines after President Donald Trump said he would ask for a tax cut and other steps to ease the pain of a spreading coronavirus outbreak. The gains follow Wall Street’s biggest one-day drop since the 2008 global crisis. Oil prices also bounced back from a record-setting fall. Benchmarks in London, Frankfurt, Shanghai and Tokyo advanced. Markets plunged Monday after a squabble among major oil producers about output levels caused crude prices to plummet 25%. Monday’s global selloff also reflected alarm over mounting economic damage from the coronavirus that emerged in China in December.

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — The U.S. military says it has begun withdrawing troops from Afghanistan. That’s according to a statement by a U.S. military spokesman in the Afghan capital of Kabul on Tuesday. It’s a step forward on the Trump administration’s peace deal with the Taliban. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo also praised the Afghan president for promising to stop dragging his feet on a Taliban prisoner release. The next step is intra-Afghan talks between all factions including the Taliban. But the Afghan government is in disarray over who actually won last year’s presidential election, and has yet to put together a negotiating team. The incumbent president and his main rival held dueling inaugurations Monday.

DETROIT (AP) — Michigan boosted Bernie Sanders’ 2016 presidential bid, but four years later the state could either revive his campaign or relegate him to the role of protest candidate. Michigan and five other states hold presidential contests on Tuesday at a critical point in the Democratic race. Former Vice President Joe Biden is looking to cement his front-runner status after winning the most delegates during Super Tuesday last week. Sanders is in an urgent fight to turn things around as the primary calendar quickly shifts to other states in the coming weeks that could favor Biden and narrow his path to the nomination.