Wayne Byers Show – Morning – May 21

CSi Weather…

.REST OF TODAY…Cloudy. A 20 percent chance of rain showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon. Highs in the lower 70s. South winds 15 to 20 mph.

.TONIGHT…Mostly cloudy. A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms in the evening. Lows in the upper 50s. South winds 5 to 15 mph. Gusts up to 30 mph in the evening.

.FRIDAY…Partly sunny. A 20 percent chance of rain showers and

thunderstorms in the afternoon. Highs in the upper 70s. Southeast

winds 5 to 15 mph.

.FRIDAY NIGHT…Increasing clouds. A 20 percent chance of rain

showers and thunderstorms in the evening. Lows in the upper 50s.

Southeast winds 5 to 10 mph.

.SATURDAY…Partly sunny. A 40 percent chance of rain showers and

thunderstorms in the afternoon. Highs in the upper 70s. Southeast

winds 5 to 15 mph.

.SATURDAY NIGHT…Mostly cloudy. Rain showers and thunderstorms

likely in the evening, then chance of rain showers and

thunderstorms after midnight. Lows in the upper 50s. Chance of

precipitation 70 percent.

.SUNDAY…Partly sunny with chance of rain showers and slight

chance of thunderstorms. Highs in the upper 60s. Chance of

precipitation 30 percent.

.SUNDAY NIGHT…Mostly cloudy. Slight chance of rain showers and

thunderstorms in the evening, then slight chance of rain showers

after midnight. Lows in the upper 40s. Chance of precipitation

20 percent.

.MEMORIAL DAY…Mostly sunny. Slight chance of rain showers in

the morning, then slight chance of rain showers and thunderstorms

in the afternoon. Highs around 70. Chance of precipitation

20 percent.

.MONDAY NIGHT…Partly cloudy. Lows in the lower 50s.

.TUESDAY…Mostly sunny. Highs in the upper 70s.

.TUESDAY NIGHT…Partly cloudy. Lows in the mid 50s.

.WEDNESDAY…Mostly sunny with a 30 percent chance of rain

showers and thunderstorms. Highs in the upper 70s.

 

There is a slight chance of thunderstorms this afternoon and
evening. Severe weather is not expected.

Widespread showers and thunderstorms are likely on Saturday. Some
storms may be strong to severe.

 

Valley City,  (CSi)  The City of Valley City hosted a COVID-19 Response Briefing on May 20, at 5:30-p.m.

Each organization provided updates and information pertaining to recent developments in the COVID-19 community response.

City-County Health District Administrator Theresa Will said, Barnes County has tested 1,062 individuals, with four positives as of Wednesday, and zero active cases. Testing will be done at Maryvale this week, and at the Open Door Center, next week.

Immunizations are still be offered, by calling the office.

She reminded that for mass gatherings, social distancing dictates that 50 percent of the buildings square footage is only allowed to be occupied.  It’s preferable to hold large gatherings outdoors, avoid having buffets servings, and keep a guest book list, if contact tracing would be needing of those exposed to a possible positive case.

Those 65 years of age and older should not attend, being in the high risk category.

At that point in the news briefing, it was concluded, siting technical difficulties at the City Hall, location.

Mayor Carlsrud said the news briefing will be rescheduled for next Wednesday May 27 at 5:30-p.m.

The meeting airs live with replays on CSi TV 10 -The Replay Channel & CSi 68.   To view the briefing online, view it here at CSiNewsNOW.com or go to the CSi LiveStream at Facebook.

 

Bismarck  (CSi)  Governor Doug Burgum held another COVID-19 news briefing Wednesday afternoon at the state capital in Bismarck.

Burgum said the Wednesday news briefing was the 50^th held, since the beginning of the pandemic.

He pointed out that the phase the state is in now, the state continues to manage risk factors, slowing the spread, and advancing tests, contact tracing, and targeted testing.

The Department of Health said Wednesday another 102 people have tested positive for the coronavirus since Tuesday, bring the total number of cases to 2,095. Cass County, which remains the epicenter of the state’s coronavirus outbreak, has 49 additional cases.

 

NDDoH

Posted Wed. May 20, 2020  11-a.m.

Positive COVID-19 Test Results
Results listed are from the previous day.

INDIVIDUAL WHO DIED WITH COVID-19

• Man in his 60s from Cass County with underlying health conditions.
• Man in his 70s from Cass County with underlying health conditions.
• Man in his 80s from Cass County with underlying health conditions.
• Man in his 60s from Cass County with underlying health conditions.

COUNTIES WITH NEW POSITIVE CASES REPORTED TODAY

• Burleigh County – 3
• Cass County – 49
• Grand Forks – 2
• Morton County – 23
• Nelson County – 1
• Richland County – 2
• Stutsman County – 1
• Stutsman County Total 17
• Traill County – 18
• Walsh County – 1
• Ward County – 1
• Williams County – 1

BY THE NUMBERS

72,003 – Total Number of Tests Completed* (+2,105 total tests from yesterday)

 

59,200 – Total Unique Individuals Tested* (+1,469 unique individuals from yesterday)

57,105 – Total Negative (+1,368 unique individuals from yesterday)

2,095 – Total Positive (+102 unique individuals from yesterday)
Please note that after investigation a previously reported case from Cass County was from out of state.

6.9% – Daily Positivity Rate

 

142 – Total Hospitalized (+7 individuals from yesterday)

38 – Currently Hospitalized (+8 individuals from yesterday)

1,302 – Total Recovered (+33 individuals from yesterday)

49 – Total Deaths (+4 individual from yesterday)

 

* Note that this does not include individuals from out of state and has been updated to reflect the most recent information discovered after cases were investigated.

For descriptions of these categories, visit the NDDoH dashboard.

Burgum said North Dakota continues to provide data on cases, to keep residents informed.

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 pointed out that so far the number of positive cases show 60 percent are men, and 40 percent women.

Cass and Grand Forks Counties still have the largest number of active cases.

Traill County’s positive numbers are increasing at a faster pace than previously.  Burgum said increased testing is showing a jump in individuals that are positive with the virus, affecting the daily numbers of positives counted.

Burgum announced that North Dakota will launch a new smartphone application using exposure notification technology developed by Apple and Google and made available today to public health agencies to assist with COVID-19 contact tracing. The app, named Care19 Exposure, is expected to be available within the next two weeks. 

 In addition to the new app, North Dakota will continue to offer its existing Care19 app, which will be rebranded as Care19 Diary. The existing app, launched for iPhone on April 7 and for Android on April 21, now has more than 33,400 users in North Dakota. Data is collected anonymously in both applications, and participation is always voluntary. 

Burgum said,North Dakota is excited to be among the first states in the nation to utilize the exposure notification technology built by Apple and Google to help keep our citizens safe.  The Care19 Exposure app will help us improve contact tracing and continue our ND Smart Restart by notifying people who may have been exposed to COVID-19, reaching the greatest number of people in a way that protects their privacy. As we respond to this unprecedented public health emergency, we invite other states to join us in leveraging smartphone technologies to strengthen existing contact tracing efforts, which are critical to getting communities and economies back up and running.

The Care19 Exposure app will use the Bluetooth proximity technology provided in the joint Apple/Google exposure notification solution. When an individual is identified as COVID-19 positive, they can consent to allow notifications to be sent anonymously to close contacts so they can take the appropriate actions. The existing Care19 app is a memory aid that uses GPS location data to help users who test positive for COVID-19 recall where they’ve visited in the last 14 days to assist in the contact tracing process. 

Those called by the health department will be asked questions concerning contacts outside of the positive person.  Personal information remains anonymous.

He said the race and ethnicities  are requested, to track  certain demographics in positive cases.

He added that frontline workers are among those who  need to be specifically identified, along with minorities, being more vulnerable to COVID-19.

With behaviorial health, he noted the 500 tests were conducted this week at the State Hospital in Jamestown, and noted safety measures to halt the spread including screenings of new patients, and staff members.

With workforce, he said the State Health Department has a number of job openings that are listed on their web site, and NDresponse.com

He recognized college students who have transitioned from on campus to distance learning, many of whom are interning at the state lab.

In other state news…

The North Dakota Parks & Recreation Department announces the opening of the Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center and Fort Mandan on May 21.  In alignment with the North Dakota Smart Restart Campaign, the building will be open Tuesday-Sunday from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm until further notice to allow for additional deep cleaning. Visitors are asked to keep a six-foot distance from other visitors during their visit.

Additionally, state parks will be opening comfort stations, concessions buildings, and administration office by May 22. Customers should be prepared for limited services to these facilities as well as capacity limitations. The department is encouraging visitors to continue to purchase daily and annual permits online before visiting to limit face to face interactions.

For more information about what to expect during your visit, please call or email before your visit.  The department would also like to remind park visitors to follow the CDC’s recommendations on social distancing and personal hygiene while visiting their properties.

The mission of the North Dakota Parks and Recreation Department is to offer a diversity of recreation opportunities and sustainably manage resources.

The State Historical Society of North Dakota announces the opening of most state historic sites on May 23. In alignment with the North Dakota Smart Restart Campaign, the agency will open all interpretive centers except the Ronald Reagan Minuteman Missile State Historic Site near Cooperstown and the State Museum in Bismarck. The missile site will open June 15.

 

To allow for proper social distancing, sites will operate at reduced capacity. Touchable exhibit components will remain closed, and site tours may be limited for visitor and staff safety. The agency would also like to remind visitors to follow the CDC’s recommendations on social distancing and personal hygiene while visiting state historic sites.

 

State Historic Sites Hours

• Camp Hancock, Bismarck: Grounds are open daily, but buildings are closed.
• Chateau de Mores, Medora: Daily, 8:45 a.m.-noon and 1 p.m.-5:30 p.m. MT. Closed noon-1 p.m. for cleaning.
• Former Governors’ Mansion, Bismarck: Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., and Saturday-Sunday, noon-4 p.m.
• Fort Abercrombie, near Fargo: Daily, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
• Fort Buford and Missouri-Yellowstone Confluence Interpretive Center, near Williston: Daily, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. and daily, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.
• Fort Totten, near Devils Lake: Daily, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
• Pembina State Museum: Tuesday-Saturday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
• Ronald Reagan Minuteman Missile Site, Cooperstown: Opening June 15: daily, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
• 1883 Stutsman County Courthouse, Jamestown: Wednesday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
• Welk Homestead, near Strasburg: Thursday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
• North Dakota Heritage Center & State Museum, Bismarck: Closed until further notice

 

Unstaffed state historic sites including Double Ditch Indian Village, Huff Indian Village, Menoken Indian Village, Fort Clark, Fort Rice, and Whitestone Hill offer free outdoor opportunities to explore trails and historic landmarks. Double Ditch Indian Village also includes a canoe/kayak launch area.

 

The State Historical Society of North Dakota manages 57 historic sites and museums. For a full list of state historic site summer updates, visit history.nd.gov/historicsites.

The North Dakota State Library has partnered with libraries across the state to provide a virtual Statewide Summer Reading Kickoff via Facebook. The event will run from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm daily the week of June 1, and will feature crafts, activities, and Storytime from some of your favorite librarians.

More information will be announced on the State Library’s Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/NDStateLibrary).

The North Dakota State Library will also be providing Beanstack, an online platform for libraries to use in their summer reading programs. Kids, teens, and adults will be able to use it to register for their local summer reading program online and keep track of how many books or minutes they’ve read.

Jamestown  (Chamber)    Members of the Jamestown Area Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors held a ribbon cutting ceremony for Sapphire Gallery, a new business in Jamestown.  This business is located at 109 1st St W in Jamestown.

Businesses qualify for a ribbon-cutting ceremony if they open, move, remodel, are under new ownership or change their name.  For more information, contact Emily Bivens by emailing: director@jamestownchamber.com or call the chamber at 701-252-4830.

Carrington   A news release from the Foster County Fair Board, announced that the 2020 Foster County Fair has been cancelled.

The News Release States:

“It is with heartfelt disappointment that we announce the cancellation of the Foster County Fair on June 17-20, 2020. After countless conversations and meetings, we feel unable to meet the necessary safety standards for hosting large group gatherings. It is our hope to host a community event later in the summer. We remain dedicated to the 4H program and will assist in any way we can during this time. Thank you for supporting the Foster County Fair throughout the years.”

Foster County 4H Council President Jory Hansen states:

“It is the hope of the Foster County 4H Council to host an achievement day later in the summer. We want to find a way to recognize the unique talents and hard work of our local 4Hers. We will release more details as they become available.”

BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — The Trump administration is giving energy companies temporary breaks on royalties and rent they pay to extract oil and gas from leases on public lands because of the coronavirus pandemic, government data shows. The move is drawing criticism as a corporate handout. A Democratic lawmaker asked for an investigation into how the breaks were awarded. Administration officials say the breaks are being granted only for companies that can show lower royalties are necessary for them to continue extracting fuel from public leases. Royalty rate cuts so far have been authorized for at least 76 energy leases in Utah. More reductions, including in other states, are in the works.

 

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — The North Dakota Republican Party is questioning the eligibility of the Democratic candidate for insurance commissioner. The GOP said Travisia Martin appears to have voted in Nevada in November 2016 and was a resident of that state then. Martin said she moved to North Dakota in 2015 and worked as a traveling critical care respiratory specialist. She said she also owned a home in Nevada at the time and considered herself a resident of both states. Martin said she did vote in Nevada in 2016 but not in North Dakota. She said she claims only North Dakota residency now.

 

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — Three dozen congressional Democrats are backing an attempt by the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe to shut down an oil pipeline in North Dakota while the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers conducts an environmental review. The group that includes Sens. Cory Booker, Kamala Harris and Elizabeth Warren filed a brief in federal court Wednesday. It says allowing the Dakota Access pipeline to operate during the review would give federal agencies “bureaucratic momentum” in the case and violate treaty rights and tribal sovereignty. The pipeline was the subject of months of protests, sometimes violent, during its construction in late 2016 and early 2017.

 

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — The North Dakota Game and Fish Department says a fungus that affects bats caused the death of little brown bats in the western part of the state. The agency said Wednesday that the bats died of white-nose syndrome. Early this month, the Southwest District Health Unit in Dickinson contacted the Game and Fish Department about dead bats found in Medora. Six were submitted to the National Wildlife Health Center in Madison, Wisconsin, and the bats all tested positive for the fungus that causes white-nose syndrome, a deadly disease of hibernating bats. Officials say it’s the second time the fungus has been detected in North Dakota but the first documented deaths in bats in the state attributed to white-nose syndrome.

In sports…

Valley City  (VCSU)  Valley City State University head football coach Dennis McCulloch has announced changes to the Viking coaching staff for the upcoming 2020 season.

Graduate assistant Brandon Bouma has been promoted to recruiting coordinator and running backs coach, taking on a new role in the program this year. Offensive assistant coach Chad Smith has moved on to take a different job elsewhere after three seasons coaching the receivers at VCSU.

Bouma recently completed his master’s degree from Valley City State University. He worked as a graduate assistant the past three years at VCSU, primarily coaching the running backs. A native of St. Paul, Minn., Bouma played college football at Presentation College (S.D.) prior to joining the Viking coaching staff.

McCulloch, says, “We’re excited to move Coach Bouma into a new role this season as our recruiting coordinator.  He has proven himself as a valuable member of our coaching staff and is ready for this added responsibility.”

Smith has taken a different job after three seasons at VCSU, during which he primarily coached wide receivers and helped oversee the team’s strength and conditioning.

“I want to thank Coach Smith for his hard work and dedication to Viking Football the past three seasons,” said McCulloch. “He was a great asset for our program, and we wish him the best going forward.”

The Vikings are set to open the 2020 season Aug. 29 at rival University of Jamestown.

NASCAR-DARLINGTON

Hamlin gets win in rare Wednesday Cup race

DARLINGTON, S.C. (AP) — The rain was kind to Denny Hamlin at Darlington.

Hamlin became the winner of NASCAR’s first Wednesday race in 36 years when rain stopped the event with 20 laps remaining. The Daytona 500 winner was out front but out of fresh tires and trying to hang on when he got unintended help from Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Kyle Busch. The reigning Cup champion caused Chase Elliott to crash eight laps earlier to bring out the caution. A furious Elliott waited for Busch on the apron of the track and flipped Busch the middle finger as he passed.

Busch later admitted he made a mistake and misjudged the gap between cars. He finished second, followed by Sunday’s winner Kevin Harvick, Brad Keselowski and Erik Jones.

Wednesday’s race was delayed 90 minutes by rain after Tuesday’s Xfinity race was washed out.

Hamlin has won three times at Darlington and has two wins this season.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-SPORTS

Keystone State working on sports guidelines

UNDATED (AP) — Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf says his state is working on guidelines to allow sporting events and exhibitions to get back to “some semblance of normalcy.”

Wolf said he’s been in touch with major professional organizations including NASCAR, the NFL, NHL, Major League Baseball and others to figure out how they can resume competition in the state.

He said he expected his administration will decide in the coming days on guidelines for various venues, sports and activities going forward.

NASCAR’s first Cup race outside the south is slated for Pocono Raceway.

In other developments related to the coronavirus pandemic:

— The NFL is working on a helmet face guard that might provide the same protection as a surgical mask. Atlanta Falcons president Rich McKay says the issue came up about a month ago during a conference call with the league’s competition committee. Many players already wear visors to protect their eyes. McKay says the new mask would cover even more of the face. The medical director of the NFL Players Association tells ESPN’s Adam Schefter that league engineers and sports equipment company Oakley are already testing prototypes of the modified mask.

— Washington Redskins rookie receiver Antonio Gandy-Golden says he tested positive for the coronavirus in March and had fully recovered by early April. He says his symptoms were mild and he feels 100% now. Gandy-Golden played the past two seasons at Liberty University, an evangelical college in Virginia that reopened this spring despite the COVID-19 pandemic. The Redskins selected Gandy-Golden in the fourth round.

— The NCAA Division I Council has voted to lift a moratorium on voluntary workouts by football and basketball players effective June 1. The decision comes as a growing number of college leaders express confidence that fall sports will be played in some form. Notre Dame and LSU are among a number of schools that have announced plans to reopen their campuses for the fall semester. A decision on other sports was pending.

— Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith says he thinks football games can be played in Ohio Stadium this fall with 20,000 to 30,000 fans in the stands. Smith thinks that number of fans could be kept at a safe distance from one another in the stadium, which seats about 105,000. Face masks and other precautions would be required to limit the spread of COVID-19. He says he hasn’t figured out yet how spectators would be chosen from among those wanting tickets.

— As the NBA continues to work through multiple return-to-play scenarios, two people with knowledge of the situation say Orlando, Las Vegas and Houston remain under consideration as cities that could host regular-season and playoff games. Wednesday marked the end of the 10th week since the NBA shut down on March 11. The pandemic halted a season that had 259 games left to play, but none of those games have been officially canceled yet.

— The Minnesota Timberwolves are reopening their practice facility for voluntary sessions for players starting Thursday. Only one coach and one player will be allowed on the court at Mayo Clinic Square, across the street from Target Center in downtown Minneapolis. They’ll be required to stay 12 feet apart. Workouts will be limited to 45 minutes, and areas beyond the court will remain closed.

— The Kentucky-Michigan college basketball matchup scheduled for Dec. 6 in London has been postponed until 2022 because of the coronavirus pandemic. And the three-game series has been restructured. The schools were scheduled to highlight the inaugural Basketball Hall of Fame London Showcase doubleheader at the O2 Arena which also included Marist against UMBC. Michigan will now host the Wildcats on Dec. 4 in Ann Arbor before the schools meet in London one year later.

— The Italian soccer federation has given the country’s top three leagues until Aug. 20 to complete their seasons. The federation has also come up with alternative plans if the leagues have to be halted again because of the pandemic. They could resort to playoffs or decide positions by applying coeffecients. The following season is now scheduled to start on Sept. 1. Serie A has been suspended since March 9. There are 12 rounds remaining in the league and the Italian Cup is in the semifinal stage.

— Watford defender Adrian Mariappa says he is one of the six people to test positive from the first round of coronavirus checks in the Premier League and is surprised that he contracted the disease. Mariappa says he has been “scratching my head to try to work out how I might have got coronavirus” because he hasn’t “really left the house apart from some exercise and the odd walk with the kids.” Two members of Watford’s staff also tested positive for COVID-19. Burnley said assistant manager Ian Woan also has contracted the virus.

— The Portuguese soccer federation says six of the 15 stadiums seeking to host matches when the league resumes next month amid the coronavirus pandemic have failed health inspections. All stadiums must comply with a series health measures established by local authorities to be able to host matches. The federation says the stadiums for league leader Porto and second-place Benfica were among the nine stadiums that passed the inspections conducted by local health authorities. The stadiums that failed belong to smaller clubs. They will be allowed to make changes to their venues before another inspection is conducted.

— The head of the organizing committee for the 2022 World Cup says a global recession caused by the coronavirus pandemic could affect the ability of fans to afford to travel to Qatar (KUH’-tur). The World Bank is forecasting a deep recession caused by the shutdown of economic activity around the world. Organizing committee secretary general Hassan Al Thawadi says he is hopeful the tournament will be an opportunity for the world to come together again in November 2022. But he says there are “concerns about the global economy and the ability of fans to be able to afford traveling and afford coming and participating and celebrating the World Cup.”

— The National Rugby League has announced a revised 16-round schedule for the competition following a nearly two-month layoff because of coronovirus restrictions imposed after just two rounds of the season. There will be no paying spectators at matches.

— Tokyo Olympic organizing committee CEO Toshiro Muto says there’s a need to take “countermeasures” to combat the coronavirus at next year’s postponed games. Muto acknowledged in an on-line news conference today that “there are some in Japan” who are talking about holding the games without fans.

— A drawing that depicts the Tokyo Olympic logo and combines it with features of the COVID-19 virus is being removed from the website of the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Japan. Action to pull the drawing came after the Tokyo Olympic organizing committee demanded the withdrawal and claimed copyright infringement. Club president Khaldon Azhari says the club’s lawyers agreed the drawing had likely violated Japan’s tight copyright laws. He says the move would not limit the club’s freedom of expression, nor its ability to use parody or satire.

NFL-COWBOYS-SMITH

Aldon Smith reinstated by NFL

FRISCO, Texas (AP) — Aldon Smith is getting another chance to resume his once-promising NFL career.

The NFL has conditionally reinstated Smith from an indefinite suspension for off-field issues, allowing the pass rusher to take part in team activities with the Dallas Cowboys. Smith will be able to participate in the Cowboys’ virtual offseason program starting next week and can meet with teammates and coaches. He hasn’t appeared in an NFL game since 2015 and was signed to a one-year contract last month despite his uncertain playing status.

Smith was drafted seventh overall by San Francisco in 2011 and had 14 sacks as a rookie. He was an All-Pro in 2012 when he had 19 1/2 sacks and the 49ers reached the Super Bowl.

Smith had several legal issues as a player with the Niners and Raiders.

MLB-ATHLETICS-RENT

A’s say they are unable to pay Coliseum rent

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — The Oakland Athletics say they can’t pay their landlord.

The head of the agency that oversees the Oakland Coliseum says the A’s have informed him they had “no ability to pay” the annual $1.2 million rent on the facility.

Henry Gardner tells the Bay Area News Group that the A’s say they’ve been unable to generate revenue because they haven’t used the Coliseum this season. MLB has been in shutdown due to the coronavirus pandemic. Gardner says the Coliseum is willing to negotiate and waive some items in the Athletics lease, but, “we can’t just say no rent.”

Gardner is the interim executive director of the Coliseum authority.

The A’s have made the payment annually for use of the city- and county-owned baseball stadium. The team could face penalties for failure to pay.

The A’s released a statement Wednesday noting the authority hadn’t been able to make the Coliseum available to the team because of the local shelter-in-place directive as well as state and local bans on public gatherings of more than 1,000 people at city facilities.

MLB-PIRATES-KRAMER

Pirates infielder Kramer out 4-6 months after hip surgery

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Pittsburgh Pirates infielder Kevin Kramer will miss four to six months while recovering from surgery on his right hip.

The team announced Wednesday that Kramer underwent the procedure last week. The 26-year-old Kramer had been dealing with what the club called “chronic symptoms” while attempting to stay ready for the potential start to the 2020 season.

NCAA-STEPHEN F. AUSTIN

Stephen F. Austin gets postseason bans; agrees to sanctions

HOUSTON (AP) — Stephen F. Austin has received postseason bans and agreed to several sanctions including probation, scholarship reductions and the forfeiture of wins for having low scores on the NCAA’s Academic Progress Rate. The sanctions will bar the football, men’s basketball and baseball teams from postseason tournaments for one year.

The three teams were on a nationwide list released Tuesday that faced bans for posting a four-year score below 930. The men’s basketball team had the lowest score of any team in Division I at 810. The SFA football program was one of six other Division I teams nationwide that fell below 900, at 894.

NHL-SABRES-GREEN CARD

Sabres fighting for strength and conditioning coach

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — The Buffalo Sabres are suing to obtain a green card for their British-born strength and conditioning coach.

The Sabres say federal immigration officials wrongly denied a petition by the team to secure the card for Ed Gannon. The team maintains U.S Citizenship and Immigration Services misstated facts and arbitrarily failed to follow its own rules in denying permanent residency status to Gannon.

Gannon was hired by the Sabres in 2015 while the team was beefing up its player development staff.

The Sabres filed the application for permanent residency on Gannon’s behalf in October. To be granted a green card, Gannon had to demonstrate that he was at the top of his field. The Sabres argued that he proved his abilities under USCIS’ criteria.

OCEAN SEARCH-MISSING WRESTLER

Body found on LA beach identified as WWE pro Shad Gaspard

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The body of former World Wrestling Entertainment pro Shad Gaspard was found early Wednesday on Los Angeles’ Venice Beach, where he was caught in a rip current last weekend.

A Police Department statement says patrol officers were flagged down around by a person reporting that a body had washed ashore. The department says the body was identified and next-of-kin notified.

Gaspard was last seen about 50 yards offshore after he was caught in a rip current. Gaspard’s 10-year-old son was rescued and several other swimmers made it out of the water.

Gaspard gained prominence in the WWE as one half of the tag-team group Cryme Time, along with his partner, JTG. After retiring from the WWE in 2010, Gaspard has had small roles on TV.

In world and national news…

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House has issued a broad-scale attack on Beijing’s predatory economic policies, military buildup, disinformation campaigns and human rights violations. A senior administration official says the report does not signal a shift in U.S. policy. But it expands on President Donald Trump’s get-tough rhetoric that he hopes will resonate with voters angry about China’s handling of the disease outbreak, which has left tens of millions of Americans out of work. Trump has talked about having a great personal relationship with Chinese President Xi Jinping yet has repeatedly denounced China for not doing more to stop the virus. The Chinese Communist Party is increasingly asserting its political ideas across the globe.

 

LONDON (AP) — Drug maker AstraZeneca has secured the first agreements Thursday for 400 million doses of a COVID-19 vaccine that is being trialed. The Anglo-Swedish company reported it had received more than $1 billion from the U.S. Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority for the development, production and delivery of the vaccine, starting this fall. AstraZeneca chief executive Pascal Soriot says the investment will accelerate the development and production of the vaccine. He says the company will “do everything in our power to make this vaccine quickly and widely available.”

 

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — The first visit to Kabul by Washington’s peace envoy since Afghanistan’s squabbling political leadership reached a power-sharing agreement comes amid an increase in violence blamed mostly on an Islamic State affiliate that has been targeted in stepped-up U.S. bombing. In a flurry of tweets early Thursday, Zalmay Khalilzad told of his meetings in Doha earlier in the week with Taliban representatives and his meetings Wednesday with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and fellow leader Abdullah Abdullah. All were aimed at resuscitating a U.S.-Taliban peace deal signed in February.

 

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — The two astronauts who will end a nine-year launch drought for NASA are now at Kennedy Space Center, exactly one week before their historic SpaceX flight. NASA test pilots Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken arrived Wednesday afternoon in Florida after a flight from Houston on a NASA jet. They’re scheduled to blast off next Wednesday from the same pad where the space shuttle last soared in 2011. That was the last home launch for NASA astronauts. This time, a private company _ SpaceX _ is providing the lift and the capsule. NASA’s commercial crew program has been years in the making.

 

GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Police say one person is in critical condition and two others were injured in a shooting near a popular shopping and entertainment district west of Phoenix. A Glendale police spokeswoman said Wednesday that the suspect was taken into custody safely. She says the most seriously injured person was taken to a hospital, while the other two were expected to survive their injuries. Gov. Doug Ducey says he’s monitoring the situation and “the state stands ready to support.” The Westgate shopping center is part of a complex that includes arenas for Cardinals football and Coyotes hockey. It was humming with activity after many of its stores and restaurants were closed for more than a month due to the coronavirus outbreak.

 

MIDLAND, Mich. (AP) — Floodwaters that overtook dams and forced the evacuation of about 10,000 people in Central Michigan now threaten a Dow Superfund site and downstream communities. The Tittabawassee River crested in Dow’s hometown of Midland Wednesday at just over 35 feet, about 3 feet under what officials previously forecasted. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer had warned the city could end up under about 9 feet of water by Wednesday evening. Dow says floodwater has begun mixing with on-site containment ponds, prompting the company and U.S. Coast Guard to activate emergency plans. A city official says no one has been reported hurt or killed in the flooding. Whitmer says the state will investigate the operators of the Edenville and Sanford dams.