CSi Weather…

.REST OF TODAY…Partly sunny with a 30 percent chance of rain showers. Highs 70 to 75. South winds around 10 mph shifting to the west with gusts to around 30 mph in the afternoon.

 

.TONIGHT…Clear. Lows in the upper 40s. West winds 10 to 15 mph.

Gusts up to 30 mph in the evening.

.SATURDAY…Sunny. Highs in the upper 60s. Northwest winds 10 to

20 mph.

.SATURDAY NIGHT…Mostly clear. Lows in the lower 40s. Northwest

winds around 5 mph with gusts to around 20 mph shifting to the

southwest after midnight.

.SUNDAY…Partly sunny. Highs in the mid 60s. East winds 5 to

15 mph.

.SUNDAY NIGHT…Mostly cloudy with a 50 percent chance of rain

showers. Lows in the lower 40s.

.MONDAY…Mostly cloudy. Chance of rain showers in the morning,

then rain showers likely and slight chance of thunderstorms in

the afternoon. Highs in the mid 50s. Chance of precipitation

60 percent.

.MONDAY NIGHT…Mostly cloudy with a 50 percent chance of rain

showers. Lows in the upper 30s.

.TUESDAY…Mostly cloudy with a 50 percent chance of rain

showers. Highs in the upper 50s.

.TUESDAY NIGHT…Mostly cloudy. A 20 percent chance of rain

showers in the evening. Lows around 40.

.WEDNESDAY…Partly sunny. A 20 percent chance of rain showers in

the afternoon. Highs in the lower 60s.

.WEDNESDAY NIGHT…Partly cloudy. Lows in the lower 40s.

.THURSDAY…Partly sunny. A 30 percent chance of rain showers in

the afternoon. Highs around 60.

Sunday through Monday night continues to trend wetter and cooler

Between a half inch to one inch of rainfall, for most of western and central North Dakota during this period.

The fire danger rating is High today in Stutsman and Barnes Counties.

 

Update

Valley City (Barnes County) The Barnes County Sheriff’s Office reports that authorities have recovered the body of a girl who drowned in a creek at Kathryn, North Dakota, on Thursday, April 30.

A media news release was issued Friday morning,by the Barnes County Sheriff’s Office.

The news release from Sheriff Randy McClaflin says:

On 04/29/2020 at around 6:00 PM the Barnes County Sheriff’s Office was contacted about a missing toddler in the 100 block of 1st Avenue in the city of Kathryn. Sheriff’s Deputies arrived and a search for the missing toddler was conducted by members of the community, Kathryn Fire Department, North Dakota Highway Patrol, Valley City Police Department and Valley City Barnes County Dive Rescue Team.

The body of the missing toddler was located by the search party in a creek farther down from the family’s home about an hour after the toddler’s disappearance.

At this time the Barnes County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the Barnes County Dispatch Center and all assisting agencies who aided in the search for the missing toddler.

The Barnes County Sheriff’s Office will respect the family’s request to not release the name of the toddler or family members.

 

Update…

Jamestown (CSi) The on-going investigation into an incident earlier Thursday morning where at least one gunshot was fired in Northeast Jamestown during an altercation has led to multiple search warrants being served at multiple locations.

Assistant Police Chief, Major Justin Blinsky says,through those investigative efforts, the Jamestown Police Department has arrested 2 male suspects on multiple charges stemming from the incident and other crimes discovered during the investigation.

25-year-old Justin Wayne Mickelson of Jamestown has been arrested on suspicion of the following offenses: Reckless Endangerment; Discharging a firearm within city limits; Possession with intent to Deliver Marijuana and Schedule II, III, and IV controlled substances and other various drug related offenses. 34-year-old James Joseph Goodroad of Jamestown has been arrested on suspicion of the following offenses: Manufacturing a Schedule I controlled substance; Possession with the intent to Deliver a Schedule I, controlled substance; and various other drug related offenses.

Both suspects are currently being held at the Stutsman County Correctional Center awaiting formal charges. The investigation into the incident continues and further charges are possible.The Jamestown Police Department was assisted by the Stutsman County Sheriff’s Office and the Stutsman County Drug Task Force.

 

Update:

Jamestown  (CSi)  The Jamestown City Fire Department was called at about 11:56-a.m., Thursday, to a report of what appeared to be smoke coming from the top of the Peavey Elevator.

City Fire Cheif Jim Reuther, says, elevator employees said the elevator was being cleaned, and grain dust was coming from the top of the structure, and not smoke….NO fire was reported.

Jamestown Police assisted in traffic control in the area, which returned to normal about 12:15-p.m.

Valley City (VCPS) Valley City Public Schools will close school for the remainder of the school year because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Superintendent Josh Johnson says distance learning will continue.

Statement from Josh Johnson:

Students, Staff, Parents, Guardians, and Community Members,The past seven weeks have created many challenges for us in our homes, schools, and communities. Whether it is the closure of our schools and/or local businesses, these abrupt changes have forced us all to function differently.

We cannot express enough our appreciation and gratitude for your support of the school district during these uncertain times. The care, compassion, and kindness that was shared from all of you has been amazing and will be a lasting memory from the 2019-2020 school year and the 2020 Pandemic.

This week Governor Burgum communicated plans to end restrictions that have previously been in place during the pandemic. He has established new procedures and plans for the re-opening of our business communities. Late in the evening on Wednesday, April 29th, school leaders were presented with a draft of the Department of Public Instruction guidelines and recommendations for the re-opening of our schools. We anticipate that this will be presented by the governor to the public in the next few days.

Valley City Public Schools has had the opportunity to review this plan and we believe that it will serve as a guide and framework for our district re-opening in August 2020. Therefore, Valley City Public Schools has made the difficult decision to continue with the closure of our schools thru the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year. This decision is being made following the guidance from our local health officials and with the best interest of the health and safety of our students, staff, parents, and community.

Please know that we understand that this decision places the responsibility on many of you to continue to support your children with distance learning for the remaining three weeks of the school year. This has not been an easy task for our students,staff, or parents over the past seven weeks. We will continue following our modified school calendar and focus on our four priorities of Relationship, Mental Health, Health and Safety, and Academic Opportunity.

I have directed our administration at Valley City Public Schools to begin making ‘modified’ plans for the successful completion of the 2019-2020 school year. This will include: graduation, the exchange of educational resources and student’s personal items, refunding options for 4thquarter pre-payments, and other student and/or school activities (i.e. Scholarship and Senior Activity Awards Night, National Honor Society, and Prom).

Please continue to follow your email notifications and be looking for additional communications coming very soon regarding these plans.Thank you again for your support of our school district and the difficult decisions that are being made during these challenging times. We will remain VCSTRONG and continue to rally our community in the days and months ahead.

Superintendent Josh Johnson

Valley City Public Schools

 

Jamestown (CSi)   Jamestown Police is warning the public about a convicted sex offender living in Jamestown.

Michael Allan Nelson resides at 1018 4th Avenue SW Jamestown Motel Room 36, Jamestown, ND

He is a 30 year old white male five feet nine inches tall, weighing 185 pounds with blue eyes and blond hair.

Nelson has been assigned a high risk assessment by the North Dakota Risk Level Committee of the Office of the North Dakota Attorney General.

Offense:  Corrupt/Solicitation of a minor.  The reports says, Nelson was drinking with a 14 year old girl, and took her to a bedroom and had intercourse with her.  The two had not been dating before the incident.

Disposition:  365 days, 121 days credit.

Nelson is not wanted by police at this time, and has served the sentence imposed by the Court.

This notification is meant for public safety and not to increase fear in the community, nor should this information be used to threaten, assault, or intimidate the offender.

Any attempts to harass, intimidate or threaten these offenders, their families, landlords, or employers will be turned over for prosecution.

Printed handouts of the demographics of Nelson are available at the Jamestown Police Department.

More information on registered sex offenders is available at the North Dakota Attorney General’s web site: www.sexoffender.nd.gov

Bismarck  (CSi)  Governor Doug Burgum held his daily COVID-19 News Briefing, Thursday afternoon at the State Capital in Bismarck.  He was joined by Senator Kevin Cramer to discuss the Main Street Lending Program and Department of Human Services Executive Director Chris Jones to outline protections for vulnerable populations, along with North Dakota Ag-Commissioner Doug Goehring.

Burgum updated the latest COVID-19 test results, released on Thursday at 11-a.m.

Results listed are from the previous day.

COUNTIES WITH NEW POSITIVE CASES REPORTED THURSDAY

  • Burleigh County – 1
  • Cass County – 21
  • Grand Forks County – 7
  • Pembina County – 2
  • Stark County – 3

 

BY THE NUMBERS

27,460 – Total Tested (+1,924 individuals from yesterday)

26,393 – Total Negative (+1,890 individuals from yesterday)

1,067 – Total Positive (+34 individuals from yesterday)

85 – Total Hospitalized (+3 individuals from yesterday)

30 – Currently Hospitalized (+2 individuals from yesterday)

458 – Total Recovered (+21 individuals from yesterday)

19 – Total Deaths (+0 individual from yesterday)

 

For descriptions of these categories, visit the NDDoH dashboard.

 

For the most updated and timely information and updates related to COVID-19, visit the NDDoH website at www.health.nd.gov/coronavirus, follow on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and visit the CDC website at www.cdc.gov/coronavirus.

Burgum said, a record number of people are hospitalized, adding a good availability of ventilators, and the availability of hospital beds, is also good.

He added the number of recovered people is climbing.

Burgum reminded residents as ND Smart Restart reopenings begin on Friday, that the virus is still present, adding that the customer is responsible to join the business owners in being safe, and courteous to the owner, such as wearing a face mask, and social distancing, as in restaurant table space, and availability.  He urges if people are sick to stay home, and observe hygiene practices.  ndresponse.gov has more information.

COVID-19 testing will continue this weekend at various locations.   He said as of Thursday, no state run correctional facility has reported a positive case.

Department of Human Services Executive Director Chris Jones outlined protections for vulnerable populations.  The information is available at ndresponse.gov

The Vulnerable Population Protection Plan includes limiting congregate housing visitations.

With housing, federal housing dollars are being targeted, and home heating assistance, and rental assistance, is available, along with providing shelter for the homeless.  Mortgage and rental payment support is also available.

U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer spoke to discuss the Main Street Lending Program.

But, before that, he noted that the North Dakota Department of Human Services has expanded access to telehealth services to provide medically-necessary behavioral health services to vulnerable North Dakotans during the COVID-19 pandemic. Telehealth services are offered by the department’s eight regional behavioral health clinics and four satellite clinics in the state. Each clinic offers behavioral health services focused on chronic disease management and behavioral health crises services.

North Dakota leads the nation in loans, secured, under the Payroll Protection Program.

With the Main Street Lending Program, Cramer said the Federal Reserve on Thursday expanded the program, enabling borrows and businesses more flexibility in financing.

North Dakota Ag-Commissioner Doug Goehring said, the ethanol industry is getting boost from the Bank of North, noting that a backstop guarantee is in place. His office’s website has more information.

Burgum said with behavior health, a new app is available, “COVID Coach,” from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, that accesses mental health resources for all residents.

With the 2020 census, North Dakota response is at 54 percent.  North River, North Dakota residents has a 100 percent response.  October 31, 2020 is the new deadline date to respond.

 

In other state news….

State School Superintendent Kirsten Baesler has secured $33 million for North Dakota schools that was included in recent, sweeping federal legislation approved in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This money provides a tremendous relief source for schools and communities to address needs that have arisen due to COVID-19 as well as plan for the future.

Baesler said North Dakota school districts may apply for this relief funding through her office. Districts have broad discretion to use the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) Fund money for school and community needs.

The Department of Public Instruction has developed an application process that cuts through any red tape, giving the local schools and communities quick, easy access to the ESSER funding and the flexibility to address their unique needs. The Department of Public Instruction has created a quick, streamlined application for districts to obtain their share of the grant funds, which is posted on the NDDPI website here: https://www.nd.gov/dpi/esser-funding

 

Bismarck  (CSi)  Governor Doug Burgum’s amended Executive Order, regarding the North Dakota Smart Restart of businesses take place on Friday May 1, 2020. He stressed that the new Amended Executive Order regarding the restart takes effect at 8-a.m., on May 1, and not before that day.

The amended executive order providing additional guidance for businesses that are resuming or continuing operations under the “North Dakota Smart Restart” protocols developed in collaboration with the business community to address the COVID-19 pandemic.

The protocols initially released Tuesday included operating standards for all industries, as well as specific guidance for several high-contact business sectors including restaurants and bars; hair, nail and tanning salons and other cosmetology-related businesses; tattoo and body piercing businesses; massage therapy facilities; and fitness centers. Additional ND Smart Restart protocols were provided for movie theaters, including limiting capacity and group sizes, allowing for proper spacing between groups and staggering showtimes to decrease congestion in common areas.

These businesses, which experienced temporarily closures or access restrictions under the previous executive order that expires Thursday, April 30, may begin to re-open at 8 a.m. Friday, May 1, if the ND Smart Restart standard procedures and industry-specific rules are adopted and rigorously followed. Recreation and sports arenas, and music and entertainment venues, will remain closed until further notice.

Jamestown Civic Center, Manager, Pam Fosse has informed Jamestown officials concerning arena venues, she’s contacted around North Dakota concerning opening.  In addition to the Jamestown Civic Center, which is  closed through May 31, 2020:

Fargodome – Closed until November

Fargo Civic Center – Closed until December

Grand Forks Alerus – closed until September

Jamestown City Administrator Sarah Hellekson says city staff, has been notified that all city facilities will remain closed through Sunday, May 31. The She says, Governor  Burgum did confirm that State buildings will remain closed to the public to help flatten the curve, in Phase One, of the reopening. He has not indicated when public buildings will be phased into the reopening.

Meanwhile…

She says Mayor Heinrich  has indicated that he wants the City Council meeting on May 4 at 5-p.m. to be held in person in the City Council Chambers and be open to the public.

Hellekson says she would like those who will attend to let the city know.

 

Phases two and three would be ready in the next week or two and should have those facilities listed in those phases.

Meanwhile…

She says Mayor Heinrich  has indicated that he wants the City Council meeting on May 4 at 5-p.m. to be held in person in the City Council Chambers and be open to the public.

Hellekson says she would like those who will attend to let the city know.

 

Phases two and three would be ready in the next week or two and should have those facilities listed in those phases.

 

Jamestown  (CSi)  The Friday, May 1 Stutsman, Jamestown COVID-19 Response News briefing will be held at 2:30-p.m.  The meeting airs live with replays on CSi TV 10 -The Replay Channel & CSi 67.   To view the briefing online, view it here at CSiNewsNOW.com or go to the CSi LiveStream at Facebook.

Scheduled Presenters are from:   Central Valley Health District, Jamestown Regional Medical Center, Anne Carlsen Center, Stutsman County, City of Jamestown.

NEW TOWN, N.D. (AP) — A Powerball player in North Dakota has won $1 million. A ticket sold at Jason’s Super Foods in New Town matched five white balls for a $1 million prize. The winning numbers drawn Wednesday night were 2, 20, 49, 61, 67 and the Powerball was 20. The Power Play multiplier was 2. North Dakota Lottery director Randy Miller says North Dakota was the only lottery out of 48 that sell Powerball to have a Match 5 Powerball winner in Wednesday night’s draw. Winners have 180 days from the date of the drawing to claim their prize. Jason’s Super Foods will receive a $5,000 bonus for selling the winning Powerball ticket.

In sports…

Jamestown  (uj.edu)  The Jimmies for Generosity Food Drive will be held April 30 and May 1.

Non-perishable food items are needed for the local food pantry.

Drop off items at the Jimmie Booster Club trailer, located at the Liechty Center parking lot.

Friday May 1, 7:30-a.m., to 9:30-a.m. and noon to 2-p.m.  (#JimmiesForGenerosity)

 

VIRUS OUTBREAK-SPORTS

NASCAR to resume season May 17 without spectators

UNDATED (AP) — NASCAR has set a date to green flag its Cup season.

The circuit says it will resume its season without fans present starting May 17 at Darlington Raceway in South Carolina. The premier Cup Series will then race three more times in a 10-day span, beginning with one more at Darlington before two outside Charlotte, North Carolina.

NASCAR’s revised schedule goes only through May and has a pair of Wednesday Cup races, fulfilling fans’ longtime plea for midweek events.

The first race is scheduled for Darlington, NASCAR’s oldest superspeedway, followed by a second race at the 70-year-old, egg-shaped oval track three days later. Charlotte Motor Speedway will then host the Coca-Cola 600 on May 24 to mark 60 consecutive years the longest race on the NASCAR schedule will be held on Memorial Day weekend. The track in Concord, outside NASCAR’s home base of Charlotte, will then host a Wednesday race three days later. There will also be lower-tier Xfinity and Trucks series races at the two tracks.

The North Carolina governor has said the Charlotte races can be held as long as health conditions in the area do not deteriorate.

In other developments related to the coronavirus pandemic:

— The three biggest names in men’s pole vault will compete against each other in a rare sporting event during the coronavirus pandemic. And they’ll do it from their own backyards. Video links will connect world record holder Armand Duplantis, world champion Sam Kendricks and former Olympic champion Renaud Lavillenie in what’s being called “The Ultimate Garden Clash.” Duplantis will be in Louisiana, Kendricks in Mississippi and Lavillenie in France, and the event will be streamed on social media. Their challenge is to clear the most 5-meter jumps within 30 minutes.

— This year’s Little League World Series and the championship tournaments in six other Little League divisions have been canceled. Little League President Stephen Keener said it would be “impossible” to hold the events amid ongoing restrictions on large gatherings and travel. The Little League World Series has been held every August since 1947 and has never been canceled. The annual major league game in Williamsport, which this year was to feature the Boston Red Sox and Baltimore Orioles on Aug. 23, has also been canceled.

— The Dodgers will soon give fans an account credit for home games scheduled in March and April. The team hasn’t announced any plans for fans who have tickets to games later in the season. Dodger Stadium is set to host the All-Star Game in July. Officially, it has not been canceled, which the team noted in its information for fans.

— Paris St. Germain has been officially crowned Ligue 1 champion of French soccer, two days after the government ruled that the league had to be canceled because of the pandemic. Handing PSG its seventh title in eight years was basically a formality, with the team 12 points ahead of second-place Marseille with 10 rounds of matches left to play. Other teams objected to the decision to finalize the league standings based on a points-per-game formula, with Lyon threatening to take legal action after missing a chance to qualify for the lucrative Champions League.

— German chancellor Angela Merkel (AHN’-geh-lah MEHR’-kuhl) says a decision on whether the country’s soccer league can resume has been pushed back to next Wednesday. Soccer authorities had been hoping to receive the go-ahead to resume league games without fans as early as May 9. Merkel met with the country’s 16 state governors and warned there is still a danger that numbers of COVID-19 infections could rise if strict containment measures are relaxed too soon.

— The New York Racing Association is seeking to resume live racing at Belmont Park without fans, and it wants to do the same thing this summer at Saratoga. NYRA says returning to racing would “provide a small sense of normalcy for fans across the country who can watch on television and online.” There has been no live racing in New York since March 15, although training has continued at Belmont Park. NYRA says thoroughbred racing provides $3 billion in annual economic impact and over 19,000 jobs in the state.

— British boxing’s governing body says it hopes fights can be staged from July. The British Boxing Board of Control says events would likely be held without fans initially and with an emphasis on “minimal numbers” of officials and broadcast personnel. Anyone at the events will have to have been in pre-fight quarantine and had tests for COVID-19. There will initially be a maximum of five contests in a show.

NFL-NEWS

Chiefs pick up Mahomes option, work on long-term deal

UNDATED (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs have exercised their fifth-year option on Patrick Mahomes (mah-HOHMZ’), ensuring their star quarterback will be under contract for at least two more seasons.

But general manager Brett Veach and coach Andy Reid are hoping to reach a long-term deal with the reigning Super Bowl MVP by the start of training camp. The contract could last four or five years and make Mahomes the first player in NFL history to make at least $40 million per season.

Mahomes has completed almost 66% of his passes for 9,412 yards, 76 touchdowns and just 18 interceptions since being taken with the 10th overall pick in the 2017 draft.

If the Chiefs are unable to sign Mahomes to a long-term deal, he would be due a base salary of $25 million for the 2021 season.

In other NFL news:

— The Bengals have released quarterback Andy Dalton, clearing the way for reigning Heisman Trophy winner Joe Burrow to lead a team that remade itself in the draft. Dalton set several Bengals passing records in his nine seasons and led the team to a club-record five straight playoff berths without winning a postseason game. Coach Zac Taylor benched Dalton for three games last season, an indication his time in Cincinnati was finished. Burrow was taken first overall in the draft last week.

— The Giants have picked up the fifth-year options for tight end Evan Engram and safety Jabrill Peppers, thus extending their rookie contracts through the 2021 season. Engram has made 25 starts and 34 appearances overall in three seasons, catching 153 passes for 1,766 yards and 12 touchdowns. Peppers was acquired in March of last year in the trade that sent Odell Beckham Jr. to the Browns.

— Seahawks general manager John Schneider said starting linebacker K.J. Wright underwent offseason shoulder surgery and is unsure of the timeline of when he’ll be healthy. Wright finished the 2019 regular season with a career-high 132 total tackles and didn’t miss a game.

— NFL Players Association President JC Tretter is calling for a re-examination of a portion of the labor agreement with the league affecting disability coverage for former players. Tretter, a center with the Cleveland Browns, succeeded Eric Winston as union president earlier this year. Tretter wants the NFLPA’s executive board and the leadership of former players to come together to discuss some offsets in the collective bargaining agreement narrowly approved by the players in March. The language the overall union membership voted on is not the same as what wound up in the deal that runs through the 2030 season.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL-WAKE FOREST-FORBES

Wake Forest turns to ETSU’s Forbes as men’s basketball coach

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (AP) — Wake Forest has hired East Tennessee State’s Steve Forbes as its men’s basketball coach.

The hiring comes less than a week after the school fired Danny Manning.

Forbes is coming off a five-year run at ETSU that ended with a 30-win season and the Southern Conference Tournament championship before the NCAA Tournament was canceled amid the coronavirus pandemic. He went 130-43 in his time with the Buccaneers, winning at least 24 games each year while also winning the league tournament in 2017 to reach the NCAA Tournament.

PGA-EXEMPTIONS

PGA players to retain exemptions

UNDATED (AP) — The PGA Tour has issued a memo to its members saying players exempt for this season will keep the same status for the 2020-21 season that is scheduled to start in September. However, players can earn a higher ranking after this shortened season.

The memo to outline the changes was another step in the tour trying to figure out what’s equitable in a season that will be without 13 previously scheduled events due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The decision will prevent anyone competing in the Korn Ferry Tour to graduate to the PGA Tour.

NCAA-TRANSFER WAIVER

NCAA board recommends delaying change to transfer waiver

UNDATED (AP) — The NCAA Board of Governors has recommended delaying a change to the transfer waiver process that would permit all athletes to switch schools once without sitting out a season.

The NCAA announced the board’s recommendation Thursday after several days of meetings but added the Division I council could still a vote on making the waiver change in May and having it take effect immediately.

Currently, NCAA rules require football, baseball, men’s hockey and men’s and women’s basketball players to sit out a season after transferring. Athletes in all other sports are allowed by rule a one-time exception so they can play right away after switching schools.

A change to the waiver was recommended by a working group in February that would mirror the one-time exception and go into effect this year. That was before college sports were shut down and thrown into disarray by the coronavirus pandemic.

NCAA-LAWSUIT

NCAA sued for gender-based violence

UNDATED (AP) — The NCAA is facing a federal lawsuit accusing the organization of failing to address gender-based violence by male athletes against female students at colleges and universities.

The suit was filed this week in U.S. District Court in Michigan. Plaintiffs in the suit include women who have been athletes at Michigan State, Nebraska and an unidentified America East school. Other plaintiffs have been students at Michigan State or Nebraska.

SOCCER-FIFA SCANDAL

Two financial institutions settle in FIFA scandal

NEW YORK (AP) — An Israeli bank and its Swiss subsidiary have agreed to pay over $30 million for their role in conspiring to launder more than $20 million in kickbacks to soccer officials.

They are the first financial institutions implicated in the FIFA scandal to reach a resolution with U.S. prosecutors. According to the U.S. attorney’s office in Brooklyn, the institutions will forfeit $20.73 million and pay a fine of $9.33 as part of a non-prosecution agreement.

The scheme took place through the banks’ Miami branch from 2010-15, with many of the payments tied to marketing rights for the Copa America.

In world and national news…

WASHINGTON (AP) — Joe Biden is expected to give his first public comments on a sexual assault allegation that has roiled his presidential campaign. The presumptive Democratic nominee will appear on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” on Friday to address the allegation by his former Senate staffer Tara Reade that he assaulted her in the 1990s. Biden’s campaign issued a statement in early April denying the allegation. A number of former Biden staffers have defended him. But Biden himself has yet to weigh in on the accusation, even as it’s taken on fresh attention this week after two of Reade’s associates said she previously told them about elements of her allegations.

 

(AP) Shares have dropped in Europe and Asia after fresh data drove home the extent of economic carnage from the coronavirus pandemic. U.S. futures were sharply lower and shares fell in London, Tokyo and Sydney. Many world markets were closed for May Day holidays. Overnight, the S&P 500 index lost 0.9%, but still wound up 12.7% higher in April, its biggest monthly gain since 1987, thanks to aggressive moves by central banks and governments to help economies weather the fallout from widespread business shutdowns and stay-at-home guidelines ordered to fight the pandemic.

 

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Essential workers will strike nationwide on May Day to demand safer conditions during the coronavirus outbreak, while other groups plan rallies against tight stay-at-home orders they say are crippling the U.S. economy. Organizers say employees of Amazon, Whole Foods, Target and FedEx have become the unexpected frontline workers of the pandemic. Workers will walk off the job or call out sick to demand unpaid time off work, hazard pay, sick leave, protective gear and cleaning supplies. Meanwhile protesters will take to the streets in cities nationwide to demand states loosen shelter-in-place rules and “reopen.”

 

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — State officials say two-thirds of the 93,000 people who volunteered for Gov. Gavin Newsom’s California Health Corps lacked valid medical licenses, the most basic requirement. And only one of every three remaining took the next step of filling out an application. When he announced the program Newsom’s plan was to use corps members to staff thousands of hospital beds created for the expected crush of coronavirus patients. That surge hasn’t happened and data provided to The Associated Press shows only about 10,500 corps volunteers are left and the program now has no clearly defined role. Even so, the first volunteers have been deployed but have no patients to care for.