– Wayne Byers Show – Morning – Jan 7

CSi Weather.

…DENSE FOG ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 5-PMCST THURSDAY…

* WHAT…Visibility one quarter mile or less in dense fog.

* WHERE…Cavalier, Ramsey, Nelson, Griggs, Steele, Barnes,
Ransom, Sargent and Western Walsh Counties.

* WHEN…Until noon CST THURSDAY.

* IMPACTS…Hazardous driving conditions due to low visibility.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

If driving, slow down, use your headlights, and leave plenty of
distance ahead of you.

Forecast…

REST OF TODAY…Cloudy. Patchy fog in the afternoon. Highs 30 to 35. South winds 5 to 15 mph.

.TONIGHT…Cloudy with a 20 percent chance of light freezing

drizzle. Patchy fog after midnight. Lows in the mid 20s.

Southeast winds 5 to 10 mph.

.FRIDAY…Patchy fog in the morning. Cloudy with a 20 percent

chance of light freezing drizzle. Highs in the lower 30s.

Southeast winds 5 to 10 mph.

.FRIDAY NIGHT…Cloudy. Lows in the lower 20s. Southeast winds

around 5 mph.

.SATURDAY…Mostly cloudy. Highs around 30. Northeast winds

around 5 mph shifting to the north in the afternoon.

.SATURDAY NIGHT…Mostly cloudy. Lows 15 to 20.

.SUNDAY…Decreasing clouds. Highs around 30.

.SUNDAY NIGHT…Partly cloudy. Lows around 15.

.MONDAY…Mostly sunny. Highs in the lower 30s.

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

.TUESDAY…Mostly sunny. Highs in the lower 30s.

.TUESDAY NIGHT…Decreasing clouds. Lows around 20.

.WEDNESDAY…Mostly sunny. Highs in the upper 30s.

A wintry mix of freezing rain, sleet and snow is possible across
western North Dakota late Thursday afternoon and night. A light glaze of ice is possible before a transition to all snow by mid evening. Snow accumulations of one to two inches are possible across western North Dakota through Friday morning. In central North Dakota, areas of fog will remain through Friday with patchy freezing drizzle and flurries Thursday night through Friday.

A light glaze of ice possible. Icy roads and low visibility could lead to hazardous travel across the area through Friday.

North Dakota health officials say hospitalizations due the coronavirus dropped from 93 to 85 in the last day, with 13 patients currently requiring treatment in intensive care units. Medical facilities across the state have seen a steady drop in patients since the middle of November, a time when many of the largest facilities scrambled to provide staffed ICU beds. The state’s hospital tracker shows there are currently 31 staffed ICU beds and 326 staffed inpatient beds available throughout the state. Health officials reported 341 new positive tests in the last 24 hours, for a total of 93,832 since the pandemic began.

Stats

Wed. Jan 6, 2021

11-a.m. Nearly 7,000 tests were processed, for a daily positive rate of 5.4%.

NDDoH

COVID 19

Barnes County

New Positives: 5

Total Positives: 1258

Active: 33

Recovered: 1196

Stutsman County

Antigen tests (BinaxNOW, etc.) were added to the website beginning Dec. 9.

New Positives: 6

Total Positives: 3167

Active: 74

Recovered: 3023

More information pending from the NDDoH

COVID-19 Test Results
The results listed are from the previous day. Additional data can be found on the NDDoH website.

BY THE NUMBERS

6,969 – Total Tests from yesterday*

1,381,931 – Total tests completed since the pandemic began

341 – Positive Individuals from Yesterday*****

247 – PCR Tests | 94 – antigen tests
93,832 – Total positive individuals since the pandemic began

5.39% – Daily Positivity Rate**

1,987 – Total Active Cases

+103 Individuals from yesterday.

208 – with a recovery date of yesterday****

90,511 – Total recovered since the pandemic began

85 – Currently Hospitalized

-8 – Individuals from yesterday.

5 – New Deaths*** (1,334 total deaths since the pandemic began)

INDIVIDUALS WHO DIED WITH COVID-19

Man in his 90s from Benson County.
Woman in her 100s from Burleigh County.
Woman in her 60s from Cass County.
Woman in her 60s from Cass County.
Woman in her 80s from Morton County.

COUNTIES WITH NEW POSITIVE CASES REPORTED WEDNESDAY

Adams County – 1
Barnes County – 5
Bottineau County – 2
Burleigh County – 47
Cass County – 53
Cavalier County – 1
Dickey County – 1
Divide County – 2
Dunn County – 1
Emmons County – 6
Foster County – 2
Golden Valley County – 3
Grand Forks County – 25
Grant County – 1
Griggs County – 1
Hettinger County – 1
Kidder County – 1
LaMoure County – 3
Logan County – 1
McHenry County – 3
McIntosh County – 1
McKenzie County – 8
McLean County – 1
Mercer County – 5
Morton County – 20
Mountrail County – 4
Nelson County – 1
Pembina County – 1
Pierce County – 1
Ramsey County – 4
Ransom County – 4
Richland County – 2
Rolette County – 56
Sheridan County – 1
Sioux County – 2
Stark County – 22
Steele County – 1
Stutsman County – 6
Towner County – 1
Traill County – 1
Walsh County – 7
Ward County – 22
Wells County – 3
Williams County – 7

* Note that this includes PCR and antigen; it does not include individuals from out of state.

**Individuals (PCR or antigen) who tested positive divided by the total number of people tested who have not previously tested positive (susceptible encounters).

*** Number of individuals who tested positive with a PCR or antigen test and died from any cause while infected with COVID-19. Please remember that deaths are reported as they’re reported to us by the facility or through the official death record (up to 10-day delay).

****The actual date individuals are officially out of isolation and no longer contagious.

*****Daily positive numbers include people who tested with a PCR or antigen test. Totals may be adjusted as individuals are found to live out of state, in another county, or as other information is found during investigation.

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.

Valley City (CCHD) Free COVID-19 testing events for the VCSU and Valley City communities are being held this week from 1-2 p.m. at the W.E. Osmon Fieldhouse, “The Bubble.” Rapid testing events will be held again on Fri., Jan. 8.

These are WALK-IN testing events. Colder temperatures have moved operations indoors. If you wish to be tested, please park your vehicle and enter through the west entrance. Handicap parking spaces and access are available at the east entrance. Preregistration at testreg.nd.gov is encouraged; one only needs to register once.

Face masks are required waiting in line at the test site. Those who need assistance should use the east entrance, others can use the west door. Register online at testreg.nd.gov. No need to registered more than one time.

City County Health District Administrator Theresa Will says over 100 health care workers, law enforcement and emergency personal have received the COVID-19 vaccine, with more vaccines arriving weekly.

Jamestown (CSi) At a Jamestown Public Schools Special School Board Meeting, Wednesday the board voted to return classroom instruction to five days per week, and going to instruction plan One, on January 19, the first day of the new semester. The first day of the five-day-per-week schedule will be the week of January 25.

At the start of this school year, Jamestown Public School District started the year in a hybrid mode as elementary school students attended class five days per week and middle and high school students attending in the classrooms two days per week and distance learning for three days each week.

On Nov. 16, the schedule changed with middle and high school students in the classroom four days each week.

Jamestown (CSi) The Fargo VA Healthcare System is moving ahead with plans, as a priority for the future “Fisher House,” construction.

On Wednesday’s Wayne Byers Show on CSi Cable 2, Stutsman County Veterans Service Officer, David Bratton said the Fisher House will be a large facility to free of charge, temporarily accommodate families of veterans requiring extended services at the Fargo VA facilities.

He will have more information on the construction plans when available.

He pointed out that over 146,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been given to veterans, noting that the prioritization list for veteran vaccinations will be forthcoming for local VA healthcare officials, who will then be contacting veterans will when they will be able to get the vaccine.

David informs veterans that the VA has launched a toll free telephone number, as a one-stop information center. The number is 1-800-MyVA411.

He added that the Burleigh County Van is still not available to transport veterans to the Fargo VA.

The van has not been available the past few months due to pandemic protocols, concerning physical distancing of riders in the van.

David is available at his office for phone calls at 252-9043, with the office open Monday through Friday from 8-a.m. to noon, and 1-p.m., to 5-p.m.

If a face to face meeting is required he will meet with clients upstairs at the Jamestown Law Enforcement Center lobby.

FARGO, N.D. (AP) — A man serving a life sentence for the murders of two U.S. marshals who were killed in a shootout near a small North Dakota town nearly four decades ago wants to be released from prison after testing positive for COVID-19.

KFGO reports that 67-year-old Scott Faul has been in federal custody since 1983. Faul, along with Gordon Kahl and Kahl’s son, Yorie, were involved in a shootout with law enforcement officers near Medina, about 120 miles (193.12 kilometers) west of Fargo. The shooting resulted in the deaths of U.S. Marshal Kenneth Muir and Deputy Marshal Robert Cheshire. The incident gained national attention in part because Gordon Kahl was a leader of a group of tax protesters.

Jamestown (CSi) The 6th Annual Jamestown Battle of the Badges blood drive challenge begins Thursday through Saturday, with Team Law versus Team Fire. After a donation is made, participants select which team receives their vote. The winning department will then have bragging rights for the year until the next Battle of the Badges.

Registration is encouraged, by walk-ins are welcome.

Donation dates include Thursday January 7 from 11:30 AM to 6 PM, January 8 from 10:30 AM to 5 PM, and January 9th from 7 AM to 11:30 AM at the Jamestown Civic Center in the Exchequer Room.

To register for the blood drive, visit bloodhero.com and search Jamestown or call Vitalant at 1-877-258-4825. Chief Edinger adds that officers and firefighters are also calling members of the public asking for their donations.

Vitalant will also be accepting Convalescent Plasma during the event.

“If you’ve tested positive for COVID-19 and recovered, your plasma may be able to help patients currently fighting the virus,” the organization states. “Plasma is the liquid portion of the blood. Using a specialized process, we separate and collect only the plasma portion of your blood and safely return the remaining components (red blood cells and platelets) to you.”

A plasma donation takes around an hour, but with the medical screening and review of health history, those who make a Convalescent Plasma donation should plan for about 2 hours.

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — North Dakota’s Republican legislative leaders have unveiled a $1.1 billion bonding package aimed largely at financing infrastructure projects across the state. The proposal would use earnings from the state’s oil tax savings account to pay for the borrowed money. The idea is similar to a $1.25 bonding proposal presented by Gov. Doug Burgum last month. But there’s one huge exception. The governor’s proposal includes $700 million in low-interest loans for roads, bridges and other construction projects. The legislative leaders’ plan would offer those funds as grants. Burgum and legislative leaders tout bonding as a way to finance infrastructure projects without having to use other revenue sources or increase taxes.

FARGO, N.D. (AP) — A man accused of participating in violent demonstrations in Fargo during a protest over the death of George Floyd last summer has pleaded guilty in federal court. Thirty-one-year-old Errick Toa, of Fargo, pleaded guilty to civil disorder for his role in the May 30 protests. Authorities say he jumped on top of a police vehicle and caused extensive damage. Prosecutors say he can be seen on video stomping on the windshield and shattering it, prosecutors say. Sentencing is scheduled April 13. Protests took place around the country following Floyd’s death in Minneapolis. Floyd, a Black man, died after a white officer pressed his knee into his neck for several minutes even after he pleaded for air and stopped moving.

WILLISTON, N.D. (AP) — A man accused in a fatal shooting outside a Williston hotel last year has changed his plea to guilty. Twenty-six-year-old Reginald Toussaint was charged with murder after killing Cedar Pineda after they argued outside the Days Inn last August. Toussaint originally pleaded not guilty to the charges in October 2019. He entered the new plea during a hearing Tuesday. A plea agreement to be considered by a sentencing judge calls for 30 years in prison with 10 years suspended. Sentencing wasn’t immediately scheduled.

FARGO, N.D. (AP) — Police say they’ve arrested a man accused of setting a fire outside a Fargo hospital. Officers and firefighters responded to Essentia Hospital about 2:30 a.m. Wednesday where smoke had filled the lobby. Authorities say the fire was burning in a garbage container near the entrance to the emergency department. Firefighters quickly extinguished the fire and ventilated the lobby. Police say they arrested a 39-year-old man who witnesses saw starting the fire. He was taken into custody on possible charges of endangering by fire, carrying a concealed weapon and possession of methamphetamine.

In sports…

Class B Boys Basketball

Stutsman County Tournament

Jamestown Civic Center

Thursday, Jan. 7

Game 1: Edgeley/Kulm/Montpelier (4-0) vs. South Border (0-4), 2 p.m.

Game2 : Medina/Pingree-Buchanan (2-0) vs. Griggs-Midkota (1-2), 4 p.m.

Game 3: Kidder County (2-2) vs. Carrington (1-4), 6 p.m.

Game 4: Ellendale (2-1) vs. Napoleon/Gackle-Streeter (2-5), 8 p.m.

Friday, Jan. 8

Game 5: Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2, 2 p.m.

Game 6: Loser Game 3 vs. Loser Game 4, 4 p.m.

Game 7: Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2, 6 p.m.

Game 8: Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4, 8 p.m.

Saturday, Jan. 9

Seventh place: Loser Game 5 vs. Loser Game 6, 2 p.m.

Fifth place: Winner Game 5 vs. Winner Game 6: 4 p.m.

Third place: Loser Game 7 vs. Loser Game 8, 6 p.m.

Championship: Winner Game 7 vs. Winner Game 8, 8 p.m.

(VCSU)

Valley City State University head football coach Dennis McCulloch was named president of the NAIA Football Coaches Association on Tuesday.

McCulloch, who previously served as a vice president for the past six years, was elevated to president during annual coaches meetings conducted this week. He will serve as president for two years.

As president of the NAIA Football Coaches Association, McCulloch will help represent NAIA coaches on important issues and communicate their thoughts with the national office. The coaches association is the main voice for NAIA football coaches, bringing forward different proposals or rule changes for consideration.

McCulloch is currently in his 24th season as head coach at VCSU. He is the all-time wins leader in school history with a 143-97 career record, and ranks in the Top 10 of active winningest coaches in the NAIA.

NBA

UNDATED (AP) — Bradley Beal became the second NBA player to post a 60-point performance, but it didn’t stop the Philadelphia 76ers from improving to 7-1.

Joel Embiid (joh-EHL’ ehm-BEED’) scored 38 points as the Sixers downed the Wizards, 141-136.

Seth Curry hit six straight 3-pointers in the first half and finished with 28 points. Ben Simmons had 17 points and 12 assists, while Tobias Harris scored 19.

Beal went 20 of 25 from the floor, made 7 of 10 3-points and went 13 of 15 from the line to match former Wizard Gilbert Arenas for the franchise single-game points mark.

Elsewhere in Wednesday’s NBA schedule:

— Giannis Antetokounmpo (YAH’-nihs an-teh-toh-KOON’-poh) scored 25 points and Khris Middleton added 23 as the Bucks rolled past the Pistons, 130-115. Milwaukee improved to just 5-3 overall, but the Bucks have won by an average of 23.5 points while going 4-0 at home. Saddiq Bey (sah-DEEK bay) scored 20 points to pace the 1-7 Pistons.

— Rookie Payton Pritchard’s putback with two-tenths of a second left capped a wild finish in the Celtics’ 107-105 verdict over the Heat. Jayson Tatum scored 27 points and Jaylen Brown had 21 for the Celtics, who wasted an early 17-point lead and a 10-point advantage in the final minute before winning. Both teams considered boycotting the game following the rioting at the Capitol.

— The Suns made 21 3-pointers en route to a 123-115 victory over the sputtering Raptors. Jae Crowder nailed six treys and finished with 21 points for Phoenix, which hit 20 3′s for the fourth time in franchise history. Devin Booker scored 24 points as the 6-2 Suns dropped the reigning Atlantic Division champs to 1-6.

— Kawhi (kah-WY’) Leonard scored 21 points, including the tying and go-ahead buckets on consecutive possessions in the fourth quarter of the Clippers’ 108-101 of the Warriors. Paul George returned from a one-game absence with a sore right ankle to add 21 points and 12 rebounds in the Clippers’ fourth straight win against Golden State. Warriors guard Stephen Curry had just 13 points on 5 of 17 shooting after scoring a combined 92 in his previous two games.

— Malcolm Brogdon scored a career-high 35 points and made the go-ahead 3-pointer with 2:22 remaining to send the Pacers past the Rockets, 114-107. Justin Holiday added a season-high 20 points for Indiana, which closed on an 8-0 run to beat Houston at home for the first time in four years. Rockets guard John Wall had a season-high 28 points in his fourth game with his new team, but James Harden finished with 15.

— Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 21 points and George Hill provided the go-ahead free throws with 12 seconds left to send the Thunder past the Pelicans, 111-110. Darius Bazley had 20 points and 12 rebounds for Oklahoma City, which avenged a home loss to New Orleans last week while winning for just the second time in six games. Zion Williamson scored 29 points and Brandon Ingram 24 for the Pelicans.

— Austin Rivers scored 14 straight Knicks points down the stretch and finished with 23 in a 112-100 comeback over the Jazz. Julius Randle had 30 points, 16 rebounds and seven assists in New York’s third win in a row. The Knicks trailed by 18 in the first half but outplayed the Jazz in the second and won for the fifth time in six games.

— Gordon Hayward poured in a career-high 44 points and the Hornets coughed up a double-digit lead before knocking off the Hawks, 102-94. LaMelo Ball had 16 points and eight rebounds for Charlotte, which led by 24 in the first half. John Collins had 23 points and 11 boards for the Hawks, but Trae Young finished with just seven points on 2 of 9 from the field.

— Terrence Ross scored 20 points and hit five 3-pointers to lead the Magic to a 105-94 decision over the Cavaliers. But Orlando guard Markelle Fultz suffered an apparently serious knee injury less than five minutes into the game. Fultz came in averaging a career-best 14.3 points in seven games.

— Buddy Hield (heeld) converted a four-point play with 38 seconds left to push the Kings past the Bulls, 128-124. Hield missed 12 of his first 14 shots and was 1 of 8 on 3-pointers before hitting one from the top of the arc and getting fouled by former Kings teammate Garrett Temple. Sacramento first-round draft pick Tyrese Haliburton scored 15 of his season-high 17 points in the fourth quarter and made a key steal in the backcourt.

— Several teams showed dismay hours after a violent mob loyal to President Donald Trump was able to storm the U.S. Capitol and in response to a decision by a Wisconsin prosecutor not to charge a police officer who shot a Black man last year. In Miami, the Heat and Celtics released a joint statement saying they were playing “with a heavy heart” in a game where most players and coaches knelt for the national anthem. In Milwaukee, both the Bucks and Pistons intentionally took turnovers on their first possessions, with all 10 players on the court kneeling.

NBA-NEWS

Cavs’ Garland has shoulder sprain, Exum could miss 2 months

UNDATED (AP) — Cleveland Cavaliers starting guard Darius Garland could be out another week with a shoulder sprain, and guard Danté Exum could miss two months with a calf strain.

Garland began experiencing discomfort in his shoulder last week. He was kept out of Monday’s loss and underwent an MRI. The second-year guard is averaging 17.2 points and 6.3 assists in six starts.

Exum injured his calf in the first quarter Monday.

In other NBA news:

— Pistons rookie guard Killian Hayes has a torn labrum in his right hip and will continue to be evaluated by the team’s medical staff. Hayes has averaged 4.6 points and 21.1 minutes in seven games.

— The league is urging teams to make increased commitments toward providing mental health resources to players and staff, releasing updated guidelines to reflect the challenge of playing amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The league told teams they should establish “education and awareness materials focused on managing mental health during times of uncertainty and coping strategies for addressing the emotional toll of the pandemic.”

T25 MEN’S BASKETBALL

— Freshman Hunter Dickinson scored a season-high 28 points and 10th-ranked Michigan pulled away in pounding No. 16 Minnesota, 82-57. Isaiah Livers scored 14 points and Franz Wagner had 12 points for the Wolverines, who made 57% of their shots.

UNDATED (AP) — Ninth-ranked Tennessee barely managed to bounce back from its first loss of the season by rallying from a seven-point, halftime deficit.

Josiah-Jordan James and Victor Bailey Jr. each scored 17 points in the Volunteers’ 79-74 victory against Arkansas. James also had nine rebounds for the Vols and Keon Johnson added 14 points, including 6-for-6 from the line in the final minute.

John Fulkerson led the second-half comeback before finishing with 16 points and eight rebounds. Fulkerson delivered 12 points in the second half to help Tennessee improve to 9-1.

Elsewhere on the top-25 men’s basketball schedule:

— Second-ranked Baylor is 10-0 for only the fifth time in team history following a 76-61 win over Oklahoma. MaCio Teague (MAY’-see-oh teeg) finished with 17 points and Matthew Mayer added 16 off the bench for the Bears, who opened with a 16-2 run and led by 17 at halftime. Teague had eight points with two 3-pointers in the first four minutes of the game.

— Damien Jefferson scored 16 of his season-high 19 points in the first half of seventh-ranked Creighton’s 89-53 dismantling of Seton Hall. The 9-2 Bluejays have a five-game winning streak following their most lopsided Big East win in nearly five years. Denzel Mahoney had 14 points and Marcus Zegarowski added 11 for the Bluejays.

— Quentin Grimes furnished 20 of his 22 points in the second half as No. 11 Houston rallied for a 70-63 victory against Wichita State. Grimes was 4-for-6 from beyond the arc after halftime and finished with nine rebounds.

— David Johnson scored 17 points, including a crucial free throw with five seconds left in Louisville’s 73-71 win over No. 19 Virginia Tech. Jae’Lyn Withers finished with 16 points and 12 rebounds for Louisville, which won its fourth consecutive game overall and 17th in a row against the Hokies.

— Wendell Moore Jr. contributed a season-high 25 points to help No. 21 Duke hold off Boston College, 83-82. The Blue Devils improved to 4-2 despite playing without Hall of Fame coach Mike Krzyzewski (shuh-SHEHF’-skee) due to COVID-19 protocols.

— Sam Hauser scored 11 of his 16 points during a 28-10 run that opened the second half of No. 22 Virginia’s 70-61 decision over Wake Forest. Hauser also grabbed 11 rebounds and Trey Murphy III scored 13 for the Cavaliers, who trailed by five at halftime.

NFL-NEWS

Browns working virtually due to COVID-19 issues

UNDATED (AP) — The Cleveland Browns continue to work virtually while trying to get a handle on a COVID-19 situation that has knocked coach Kevin Stefanski out of Sunday’s playoff game in Pittsburgh.

Stefanski says he feels well despite contracting COVID-19, but that he’s obviously disappointed he’ll have to miss Cleveland’s first playoff game since the 2002 season.

Stefanski was one of five positive tests for the Browns on Tuesday. He is working from home as the team’s facility remains closed.

Stefanski said Wednesday that the team did not have any new positive cases and that contact tracing continues.

In other NFL news:

— While sick of the losing seasons, co-owner John Mara felt the New York Giants established a foundation and culture under rookie coach Joe Judge, giving him optimism the playoffs may not be far away. Mara also disclosed today that 69-year-old Dave Gettleman would be back for a fourth season. The team has won 15 games in his first three years as general manager

COLLEGE FOOTBALL-NEWS

Lawrence declaring for NFL draft

UNDATED (AP) — Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence has officially thrown his name into the NFL draft.

Lawrence had said in September he planned to play his junior season, graduate in December and move on to the NFL. Lawrence discussed in October keeping his options open, which included possibly returning for another year of college as discussions of the No. 1 pick intensified between the then winless New York Jets and the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Lawrence finished 34-2 in his college career, leading Clemson to three ACC titles and the national title after the 2018 season. He finished second in the Heisman Trophy race Tuesday night to Alabama receiver DeVonta Smith.

In other college football news:

— Memphis quarterback Brady White has won the William V. Campbell Trophy given to the top scholar-athlete in college football. White passed for 3,380 yards this season and 31 touchdowns this season.

— Alabama star receiver Jaylen Waddle has returned to practice, but it’s not clear yet whether he will play in Monday’s national championship game against Ohio State. Waddle hasn’t played since breaking his right ankle while returning the opening kickoff against Tennessee on Oct. 4. Without Waddle available, DeVonta Smith went on to put up big enough numbers to win the Heisman Trophy on Tuesday.

— North Carolina State quarterback Bailey Hockman says he plans to leave the 24th-ranked Wolfpack as a graduate transfer. It came after the redshirt junior and former Florida State transfer started nine games for N.C. State. Hockman helped the Wolfpack to eight wins and an appearance in the Gator Bowl.

— A diversity study finds increasing numbers of women and people of color in leadership positions at the Football Bowl Subdivision level of college athletics for 2020. Wednesday’s report card from The Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport issued slightly improved grades of a B- for racial hiring and a D-plus overall compared to the 2019 edition. Those scores were a C for racial hiring and a D overall the previous year.

NHL-NEWS

Blue Jackets re-sign Bjorkstrand

UNDATED (AP) — The Columbus Blue Jackets have signed forward Oliver Bjorkstrand to a five-year contract extension worth $27 million.

The deal will keep one of the team’s best young players in Columbus through the 2025-26 season. The 25-year-old had one season remaining on his current contract.

Bjorkstrand led the team in goals, game-winning goals and multi-point outings, and he finished third in shots despite missing 21 games due to injury last season.

In other NHL news:

— Sabres forward Zemgus Girgensons is expected to miss the entire season after having surgery to repair a hamstring injury he suffered in a team scrimmage on Monday. Sabres captain Jack Eichel (EYE’-kul) made his training camp debut after missing the first four days with a lower body injury. Goalie Linus Ullmark also practiced for the first time after completing his self-quarantine requirements.

— The Predators have signed forward Luke Kunin to a two-year, $4.6 million contract. Kunin played 63 games for the Wild last season, scoring 15 goals and 31 points.

MLB-JOHN-COVID-19

Tommy John fighting COVID-19

UNDATED (AP) — Tommy John has been battling COVID-19 for at least three weeks, and the former pitching great disputes reports that he is a coronavirus denier.

The 77-year-old John remains hospitalized near his home in Indio, California. He said he started to feel ill following a trip to Nashville before he was hospitalized on Dec. 13.

His son, Tommy III, has been vocal about his opinions on the coronavirus, saying on social media that it’s not a pandemic.

In world and national news…

WASHINGTON (AP) — Congress has confirmed Democrat Joe Biden as the presidential election winner, hours after violent protesters loyal to President Donald Trump stormed the U.S. Capitol. Lawmakers resolved to work almost through the night to uphold the will of the voters. The Capitol was under siege for hours Wednesday, forcing lawmakers into hiding before being evacuated by police. Earlier, at a huge rally near the White House, the president had urged his supporters to march to Capitol Hill to protest his election defeat. Congress eventually resumed after the protest, and lawmakers confirmed Biden won. Trump promised an “orderly transition” on Jan. 20.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump says there will be an “orderly transition on January 20th” now that Congress has concluded the electoral vote count certifying President-elect Joe Biden’s victory. Trump issued a statement early Thursday acknowledging his term in office is coming to a close just minutes after Congress certified his loss to Biden. Trump says he totally disagrees with the outcome of the election, and claims falsely that the facts bear him out. The final action of the presidential election comes after Trump appeared to excuse the violent occupation of the U.S. Capitol by his supporters on Wednesday.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Lawmakers are vowing an investigation into how police handled Wednesday’s violent breach at the Capitol. The Democratic chairwoman of the House Administration Committee, California congresswoman Zoe Lofgren, says the breach “raises grave security concerns” and that her committee will work with House and Senate leaders to review the police response and preparedness. Authorities say four people died, a woman who was shot by police inside the Capitol and three other people who suffered “medical emergencies” related to the breach. At least 52 people were arrested as of Wednesday night, including 26 on the Capitol grounds, and 14 police officers were injured.

BAGHDAD (AP) — Iraq’s judiciary says it has issued an arrest warrant for outgoing President Donald Trump in connection with the killing of an Iranian general and a powerful Iraqi militia leader last year. The warrant was issued by a judge in Baghdad’s investigative court tasked with probing the Washington-directed drone strike that killed Gen. Qassim Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the court’s media office said. The two were killed outside the capital’s airport last January. Al-Muhandis was the deputy leader of the state-sanctioned Popular Mobilization Forces, an umbrella group composed of an array of militias, including Iran-backed groups, formed to fight the Islamic State group.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Joe Biden has announced Judge Merrick Garland as his pick for attorney general. Biden says the federal appeals court judge and three others he has selected for senior Justice Department positions will “restore the independence” of the agency and faith in the rule of law. The four lawyers are to be introduced by Biden at an event Thursday afternoon in Wilmington, Delaware. In picking Garland, Biden is turning to an experienced judge who held senior positions at the Justice Department decades ago, including as a supervisor of the prosecution of the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing case.