CSi Weather…

…WIND CHILL ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 6 PM CST /5 PM MST/ FRIDAY EVENING TO NOON CST /11 AM MST/ TUESDAY…

* WHAT…Very cold wind chills expected. Wind chills as low as
40 below zero.

* WHERE…Much of western, central, and southeastern North Dakota.
This includes the Tribal Lands of the MHA Nation.. Portions of central, north central, northwest and west central Minnesota and southeast North Dakota.

* IMPACTS…The dangerously cold wind chills could cause
frostbite on exposed skin in as little as 10 minutes.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS…The coldest wind chills will come at night
and in the morning hours Friday night through Tuesday morning.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

Use caution while traveling outside. Wear appropriate clothing, a
hat, and gloves.

Forecast

REST OF TODAY..Partly sunny. Scattered flurries through the day. Patchy blowing and drifting snow. Highs 5 to 10 above. Northwest winds 15 to 20 mph.

 

.TONIGHT…Increasing clouds. Lows around 10 below. Northwest

winds around 15 mph with gusts to around 30 mph. Patchy blowing and drifting snow in the evening.  Wind chills around 30 below.

.SATURDAY…Mostly sunny. Highs around 5 below. Northwest winds

15 to 20 mph. Wind chills around 35 below.

.SATURDAY NIGHT…Partly cloudy. Lows around 20 below. Northwest

winds around 10 mph.

.SUNDAY…Mostly cloudy. Highs around 5 below. Northwest winds

5 to 10 mph.

.SUNDAY NIGHT…Decreasing clouds. Lows around 20 below.

.MONDAY…Mostly sunny. Highs around 5 below.

.MONDAY NIGHT…Partly cloudy. Lows around 15 below.

.TUESDAY…Mostly sunny. Highs near zero.

.TUESDAY NIGHT…Partly cloudy. Lows around 10 below.

.WEDNESDAY…Partly sunny. Highs near zero.

.WEDNESDAY NIGHT…Decreasing clouds. Lows around 15 below.

 

COVID -19 Stats

NDD0H

Thurs Feb. 4, 2021

11-a.m.

Barnes:

New Positives 2

Total COVID Positives 1280

Active 3

Recovered 1244

 

Stutsman

Positives 4

Total Positives 3252

Active 19

Recovered 3155

 

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

 

Please note that from now on the daily news release will be sent Monday – Friday. The NDDoH dashboard will continue to be updated daily.

BY THE NUMBERS

77,392 – Residents who received at least one dose of vaccine

117,184 – Total COVID-19 vaccine doses administered

 

8,295 – Total Tests from yesterday*

1,545,750 – Total tests completed since the pandemic began

155 – Positive Individuals from yesterday*****

112 PCR Tests | 43 Antigen Tests
98,034 Total positive individuals since the pandemic began

2.25% – Daily Positivity Rate** 

 

921 – Total Active Cases

+8 Individuals from yesterday

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

95,691 Total recovered since the pandemic began

37 – Currently Hospitalized   

-5 Individuals from yesterday

 

0 – New Deaths*** (1,422 total deaths since the pandemic began)
COUNTIES WITH NEW POSITIVE CASES REPORTED TODAY

  • Barnes County – 2
  • Benson County – 1
  • Burke County – 1
  • Burleigh County – 19
  • Cass County – 17
  • Dunn County – 1
  • Foster County – 1 
  • Grand Forks County – 14
  • Logan County – 1 
  • McHenry County – 1
  • McKenzie County – 1
  • McLean County – 3
  • Mercer County – 3
  • Morton County – 9
  • Mountrail County – 8
  • Nelson County – 1
  • Pembina County – 2
  • Ramsey County – 6
  • Ransom County – 2
  • Richland County – 6
  • Rolette County – 3
  • Sheridan County – 1
  • Stark County – 8
  • Stutsman County – 4
  • Walsh County – 4
  • WardCounty – 12 
  • Wells County – 1 
  • Williams County – 23

 

* 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.

 

Jamestown  (CVHD)   Central Valley Health District (CVHD) continues to work with local clinics and other health care providers to vaccinate the community for COVID.  Unit Administrator, Robin Iszler says, This week was very busy at CVHD with the administration of first and second doses in the community, adding that,  “We completed over 200 first doses and 322 second doses this week.” She  says, Next week, CVHD anticipates to provide an increased amount of first doses with approximately 600 doses planned to arrive early in the week.

She reports  that CVHD staff, with the assistance of the North Dakota National Guard, have begun calling clients from the interest list to schedule an appointment for vaccination clinics planned for next week. If the vaccine arrives as anticipated, CVHD plans to do a large vaccination clinic on Tuesday. The clinic will be by appointment only.

 

Robin says, “National guard members are assisting us with calling community member to schedule appointments.”  Calls are completed during the business hours from 8:00a.m. to 4:30p.m. Those who are called are given instructions on where and when to report to the vaccination clinic location. Information gathered by CVHD will only include name, address, phone number, date of birth, and a few health screening questions. There will be no gathering of any other personal information over the phone; including social security numbers or insurance information. When clients come for their appointment, CHVD staff will assist in the completion of the remainder insurance information that is needed.

 

Robin adds, that the Federal Pharmacy Program is providing COVID vaccine directly to some pharmacies in North Dakota to provide vaccination in their facilities. This means that community members may be on multiple lists and have registered multiple times in various places, so they may be called more than once. Iszler encourages individuals to take the first available appointment when they are called, whether at public health or at a local pharmacy.

Currently, CVHD is still vaccinating those in priority group Phase 1B, including those 75 and older only. Robin says, “Different areas of the North Dakota may be at different priority groups, depending on their population.”   Central Valley Health anticipates to complete vaccination for those 75 and older by next week and to begin calling those in the next priority group, which includes those 65-74 with underlying health conditions.

 

Valley City  (CCHD)  City-County Health District will begin to vaccinate people with the COVID-19 vaccine next week with Phase 1B Priority Groups,  for those 75 years of age and older, and those who are 65 and older with chronic health conditions.

Theresa Will, is the Administrator for the City-County Health District in Valley City. She said more than 17-hundred doses have been administered since they started vaccinating residents, but some of those include second dose vaccines.

She encourages those without a computer to call the city county health district office to get placed on a standby list. Or get registered at CityCountyHealth.org and click on “COVID-19 Vaccine Extra Dose List”

Several healthcare providers and pharmacies are also getting more COVID-19 vaccine doses next week in Valley City. Call your pharmacy or healthcare provider to make an appointment.

February 9, 2021

9-a.m. to noon

12:45-p.m., to 2:45-p.m.

February 10, 2021

8-a.m., to 10:45- a.m.

February 11

3:15-p.m. to 6-p.m.

 

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

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.

Administrator, Theresa Will says, the Week of February 7, about 200 more doses of the COVID-19 vaccine is expected to arrive in Valley City, and the next week an undetermined amount of vaccine is expected to arrive.

 

Fargo  (VA)  The Fargo VA Medical Center is currently offering the COVID-19 vaccine by appointment to all Veterans enrolled in VA healthcare who are 65 years old and above Feb. 4 through Feb. 15, from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. To schedule a vaccine appointment at the Fargo VA Medical Center, call (701) 239-3700 option 2. If you fall outside this age group, you’re still encouraged to call and we can add you to our reserve list.

Along with the above special offerings, the Fargo VA Health Care System continues to actively contact Veterans across North Dakota and northwest Minnesota directly to schedule appointments to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. We’re contacting Veterans who meet high-risk criteria based on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) prioritization. Veterans should not travel to the Fargo VA Medical Center or our VA community based outpatient clinics to receive a COVID-19 vaccine without a scheduled appointment. Instead, care teams will contact Veterans directly to schedule an appointment based on their criteria of risk of severe illness from COVID-19. But the above special offerings between Feb. 4 and 15 are an exception where you’re encouraged to call us to schedule a vaccine appointment. As increased vaccine supply is available,

VA’s goal is to offer the COVID-19 vaccine to all Veterans who want to be vaccinated. We’ve taken several steps to expand our COVID-19 vaccine program across the Fargo VA Health Care System’s entire service area. We’ve had planned vaccination events at some of our VA outpatient clinics, and we’re working to have additional vaccination events at other VA outpatient clinics soon. We’re prioritizing Veterans who meet the CDC definition of “high-risk” by offering them appointments at these events. Because of the limited supply of vaccine at the present time, these vaccination events at our VA outpatient clinics will be by appointment only. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact your healthcare team. We will make every effort to host additional vaccination events across our service area until everyone can have their turn.

Jamestown  (JPD)  The Jamestown Police Department is warning residents of a new convicted High Risk Sex Offender who is residing in Jamestown.

Jesse Gene White lives at 1530 6th Avenue, SW #31, Buffalo Motel, Jamestown, ND

His vehicle is a 1984 Mercury Grand Marquis, with ND License Plate, 238 BVU.

He is a 44 year old White Male. Five feet nine inches tall, weighing 190 pounds, with Brown Eyes and Brown Hair.

He has been assigned a High Risk, assessment by the North Dakota risk level committee of the ND Attorney General’s Office.

Offense: Possession of Material-Sex Conduct by Minor, update an image from the internet of a pre-pubescent female.

Conviction Date: January 2019 in Ward County, ND District Court.

Disposition: Five years, first serve three years.  100 days credit, three years supervised probation, concurrent with case #08-2014-CR-01252.

 

Offense: Possession of Material – Sex Conduct Minor.  Having numerous pornographic images of  minor children in various states of undress and in sexually explicit position on several of his electronic devices.

Conviction Date:  June, 2016 in  Burleigh County, ND District Court.

Disposition: Three years, first serve 18 months, 178 days credit, Three years supervised probation.

White is currently on GPS Monitoring.

White 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 Jesse Gene White 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

 

Update

Bismarck  The Bottineau High School team has won this year’s the State LifeSmarts  competition at the State Heritage Center, in Bismarck.

Bottineau High will  represent North Dakota in the national competition set for April, this year, which will be held virtually.

The Jamestown High School team took second place, Burke Central High School placed third.

With Covid-19 restrictions, in place a smaller number of schools competed this year, consisting of Jamestown, Flasher, Burke Central, Tioga, Bottineau, Fessenden-Bowdon, Litchville-Marion, and new this year: Nedrose High School.

The LifeSmarts competition tests students on their general knowledge in five subjects: personal finance, health and safety, the environment, technology, and consumer rights and responsibilities.

 

Bismarck (DHS)   – Frost buildup caused downed power lines in some areas of south-central North Dakota this week.

Residents of Emmons, Grant, Kidder, Logan, McIntosh, Morton, Grant and Sioux counties who participate in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and lost food due to power outages lasting more than four hours on Feb. 2 may qualify for SNAP replacement benefits.

Households have 10 calendar days to request replacement benefits. Affected SNAP households must report their food loss no later than Feb. 12 to their local human service zone office during regular business hours.

The program will replace the amount of the loss up to the monthly benefit amount. If a household reports a food loss of $50 and the household received $100 in SNAP benefits for February, $50 in replacement benefits would be issued once the loss is verified.

People with questions should contact their local human service zone office or the North Dakota Department of Human Services at 800-755-2716 or 711 (TTY). Local office contact information is online at www.nd.gov/dhs/locations/countysocialserv/.

In December 2020, SNAP served 50,969 North Dakotans. The federally funded program serves mainly low-income children, often in single-parent families, people with disabilities and seniors on fixed incomes.

 

WASHINGTON (KFGO KVRR) – Republican U.S. Sen. John Hoeven of North Dakota is running for reelection in 2022.

Hoeven will be seeking his third term in the Senate. He was first elected to the Senate in 2010 when he defeated Democrat Tracy Potter. Hoeven succeeded longtime Democratic Sen. Byron Dorgan, who retired. Hoeven is a member of the Senate Agriculture, Appropriations, Energy and Indian Affairs committees.

Hoeven served as North Dakota governor from 2000 to 2010.

FARGO, N.D. (AP) — Charges have been upgraded for a Fargo man after the woman he’s accused of assaulting died of her injuries. Twenty-seven-year-old Cody Plumlee is now charged with murder in the death of his girlfriend, Kirsten Knaus. She was hospitalized following the assault in early December at a Fargo apartment and died later that month. Court documents say Plumlee pushed Knaus down some stairs during an argument after she struck him in the head with a frying pan. Plumlee remains in the Cass County Jail on $250,000 cash bond.

 

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — A 70-year-old Bismarck man with dementia who walked away from a long-term care facility was found safe after spending the night in an ice fishing house 5 miles north of the city. Authorities say Theodore Heath was discovered by the owner of the house just after 6 a.m, Thursday. The Bismarck Tribune reports that before Heath found his way into the camper-style house on Wednesday, the owner had run the heater in preparation for the trip. He then turned it off and left the door unlocked. Deputies said the ice house was cold but tolerable when they arrived on scene. A police spokeswoman says Heath appeared to be in good health.

 

KILLDEER, N.D. (AP) — North Dakota officials say a small percentage of the crude oil from a cracked pipeline in Dunn County earlier this week found its way onto rangeland. The state Department of Environmental Quality says about 420 gallons from the 10,500-gallon spill flowed into grasslands about 11 miles northwest of Killdeer. Officials on Thursday also confirmed a 8,400-gallon produced water spill at a saltwater disposal facility in McKenzie County. About 42 gallons of the liquid reached a frozen creek. Department of Environmental Quality workers are inspecting both sites and monitoring cleanup operations.

 

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — The North Dakota Senate has endorsed legislation that would limit emergency or disaster declarations by a governor and allow the Legislature more oversight of executive branch action. The bill was passed along party lines on Thursday. All seven Democrats in the Senate opposed the measure. It now heads to the House. The legislation was inspired by a rash of executive orders filed by Republican Gov. Doug Burgum, most in response to the coronavirus pandemic. GOP lawmakers want more say in those decisions. Democratic Sen. JoNell Bakke says the Legislature should not micromanage declarations by the governor.

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — A legislative panel has endorsed a bill y that would increase the speed limit from 75 mph to 80 mph on North Dakota’s two interstate highways. The bill also would require drivers to maintain a speed of at least 40 mph on them. The House Transportation Committee gave the measure a “do-pass” recommendation. The full House will consider it later. Lawmakers have defeated similar bills to increase speed limits on interstates and other highways before, including in 2019 when a bill failed in the House because of a tie vote.

In sports…

Valley City (VCSU) City State University football has signed 30 recruits for the 2021 season, head coach Dennis McCulloch announced Wednesday.

The VCSU football program made the announcement as part of college football’s National Signing Day. The incoming Viking class includes 29 freshmen and one college transfer. All have signed letters of intent to continue their football and academic careers at VCSU this fall.

“We’re always excited to welcome a new group of guys into our Viking Football brotherhood,” said McCulloch. “Our coaches have put in a lot of work to recruit this impressive group of young men. It will be a few years before we know the true impact of this class, but we know there are some guys who can contribute right away and it’s an exciting day to envision the future of our program.”

Signed Recruits – Photo Gallery

The 30 signed recruits announced Wednesday come from six different states, including eight student-athletes from North Dakota and nine from Minnesota. Six of the incoming freshmen are from Alaska and five are from Hawaii. There is also one athlete each from Washington and South Dakota.

McCulloch said recruiting is still ongoing for Viking Football, and he expects the team to announce several more signings in the coming weeks. A complete list of the signed recruits is below, along with pictures and video highlights.

The Vikings played seven games during the COVID-shortened season of 2020. Valley City State posted a 5-2 record, finishing second in the NSAA standings behind Dickinson State University. Earlier this week VCSU announced its 2021 schedule, which includes a Thursday night season opener against rival University of Jamestown.

Valley City State University is a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and a conference member of the North Star Athletic Association (NSAA). VCSU football has won 29 conference championships dating back to 1926.

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Jamestown  (UJ)  University of Jamestown head football coach Brian Mistro announces the signing of 51 new recruits who will join the Jimmie football program in the fall of 2021.

The list includes 17 players from Minnesota, 10 from North Dakota, seven from Arizona, three from California, Nevada, and Texas, two from South Dakota, and one each from Washington, Florida, Alabama, Wisconsin, Wyoming, and Ohio.

“Our 2021 class is full of great people that are going to come to our Jamestown community and be a positive impact not only on the field, but off of it as well,” Mistro said. “Our staff worked tirelessly during this recruiting season to put together a class that is going to be a memorable one. The pandemic caused the college football landscape to change its process of recruiting, but we are lucky enough to have every one of our commits come and see our campus and interact with our staff and players to ensure we were getting the right fit for UJ Football.”

“These guys know what is expected of them when they step on campus. Every single one of these guys know and understand what it takes to be a Jimmie and that it is a privilege to wear the Orange and Black. When Fall 2021 rolls around, it’s time for these guys to earn their role.”

MENS COLLEGE BASKETBALL

PISCATAWAY, N.J. (AP) — Geo Baker scored eight of his 16 points in the final four minutes to help Rutgers win its fourth straight game, 76-72 over Minnesota. Baker gave the Scarlet Knights the lead for good at 73-72 on a pull-up jumper with 1:01 left in the game. It was the ninth lead change in the final five minutes and the 22nd of the game. Myles Johnson had 14 points and 12 rebounds for his 13th career double-double and Caleb McConnell added 14 points with a key 3-pointer that made it 71-70 for the Knights with 1:38 left. Marcus Carr had 18 points, six rebounds and seven assists for the Golden Gophers, who remained winless on the road this season in six tries.

TOP 25 MEN’S BASKETBALL

UNDATED (AP) — Seventh-ranked Ohio State has won a top-10 matchup, going into Iowa and beating the No. 8 Hawkeyes, 89-85.

E.J. Liddell, Kyle Young and Duane Washington Jr. each had 16 points as the Buckeyes moved within one game of Michigan for the Big Ten lead.

Ohio State trailed 61-50 with 14 ½ minutes left before embarking on a 17-5 run. Justin Ahrens was scoreless before nailing three 3-pointers during the closing spurt.

Hawkeyes center Luka Garza was held to 16 points after entering the game leading the nation in scoring.

In the other top-25 game, Drew Timme (TIH’-mee) scored a season-high 21 points and No. 1 Gonzaga overcame a sloppy performance to beat Pacific, 76-58. The 18-0 Bulldogs trailed at halftime for only the second time this season and didn’t pull away until midway through the second half, extending the nation’s longest active winning streak to 22 games.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL-COVID

Baylor season on pause

UNDATED (AP) — One of the two favorites to win the NCAA men’s basketball title has seen its season put on pause.

No. 2 Baylor has had its season interrupted again because of COVID-19 protocols, with the Big 12 Conference postponing the Bears’ next two scheduled games.

The 17-0 Bears have matched the best start in school history and were supposed to host TCU on Saturday and play at No. 9 Oklahoma next Wednesday.

Neither the conference or Baylor provided specifics, saying only that the postponements were in accordance with the league’s interruption guidelines for men’s basketball. That would indicate that the Bears wouldn’t have the required six scholarship players for the games, either because of positive tests or contact tracing.

NBA..

— Kelly Oubre (OO’-bray) Jr. scored a career-high 40 points and Stephen Curry had 28 as the Warriors easily dealt the Mavericks their seventh loss in eight games, 147-116. Draymond Green had 11 points and a season-high 15 assists as a makeshift center, helping Golden State get by without using any player taller than 6-foot-7 forward Andrew Wiggins due to injuries.

— LeBron James contributed 27 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists to the Lakers’ 114-93 thumping of the Nuggets. Dennis Schröder chipped in 21 points for Los Angeles, which trailed by 12 before outscoring Denver, 68-35 in the second half.

UNDATED (AP) — The Utah Jazz continue to roll since splitting their first eight games of the season.

The Jazz beat the Hawks for the second time in three weeks as Jordan Clarkson sank five 3-pointers while scoring 23 points in Utah’s 13th win in its last 14 games, 112-91. Bojan (BOY’-ahn) Bogdanovic had 21 points and Donovan Mitchell added 18 for the Jazz, who improved to an NBA-leading 17-5.

The Hawks played without starters Trae Young and De’Andre Hunter due to injuries.

John Collins led Atlanta with 17 points.

Checking out Thursday’s other NBA games:

 

— Portland knocked off the top team in the East as Enes Kanter had 17 points and 18 rebounds in a 121-105 downing of the 76ers. Gary Trent Jr. provided a team-high 24 points as the Trail Blazers overcame Joel Embiid’s (joh-EHL ehm-BEEDZ’ 37 points.

— John Wall delivered 22 points and Eric Gordon added 20 in the Rockets’ seventh win in eight games, 115-103 versus the Grizzlies. Christian Wood scored 17 points on 7-of-10 shooting before rolling his right ankle in the third quarter, keeping him off the court the remainder of the game.

NBA-ALL-STAR GAME

NBA planning All-Star Game

UNDATED (AP) — The NBA told its teams on Thursday night that it expects to finalize plans in the coming week to have an All-Star Game in Atlanta.

The game and skills competitions will be held on March 7. That’s according to a memo given to teams from the league, a copy of which was obtained by The Associated Press. It remains unclear when players would have to report to Atlanta and how testing will work there, or if fans will be part of the game.

NFL-GOODELL

Goodell: Many lessons learned in 2020 will carry forward

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Commissioner Roger Goodell says the NFL will carry forward the lessons learned from 2020.

In his annual state of the league news conference Thursday, Goodell said topics for future discussion range from battling the pandemic to minority coaching hires to scheduling to the NFL’s working relationship with the players’ union. As for what changes from the pandemic season are worth keeping in a post-COVID-19 world, Goodell said virtual sessions “are going to be a part of our life for a long time” because coaches and players were able to remotely work through the playbooks in 2020.

Goodell said he feels strongly about the value of training camp and preseason games. NFL Players Association President J.C. Tretter of the Cleveland Browns is advocating getting rid of the offseason and OTAs permanently.

Goodell said the league will look into tweaking the rules for teams that hire new coaches as a way to ensure more diversity in the coaching ranks.

NHL..

UNDATED (AP) — Alex Ovechkin (oh-VEHCH’-kihn) moved up the NHL goal-scoring list again, but he couldn’t help the Capitals avoid their second straight regulation loss since a 6-0-3 start.

Ryan Strome (strohm) scored twice and Igor Shesterkin (shehs-TUR’-kihn) stopped 31 shots as the Rangers doubled up the Capitals, 4-2. Strome provided the deciding goal in the third period, moments before Ovechkin netted his 709th goal to pass Mike Gartner for seventh on the all-time list.

Anthony Bitetto also scored and Artemi Panarin (ahr-TEH’-mee pah-NAH’-rihn) had two assists to help Shesterkin win his third straight start.

Elsewhere on NHL ice:

— The Blue Jackets beat the Stars, 4-3 as Patrik Laine (LY’-nay) and Jack Roslovic (RAHS’-lah-vihk) scored for the first time since being traded to Columbus last month. Oliver Bjorkstrand had a goal and an assist, Cam Atkinson also scored and Joonas Korpisalo (YOH’-nuhs kohr-pih-SAH’-loh) had 24 saves as the Jackets stopped a two-game skid.

— Alex DeBrincat (duh-BRIHN’-kat) furnished a pair of third-period goals, including the game-winner in the Blackhawks’ 6-4 victory against the Hurricanes. Patrick Kane scored once and had three assists for Chicago, while teammate Dominik Kubalik added a goal and two assists.

— The Coyotes picked up their first win in four road games this season as Antti Raanta (AN’-tee RAHN’-tah) turned aside 39 shots in a 4-3 verdict over St. Louis. Tyler Pitlick and Nick Schmaltz scored first-period goals to help Arizona ended the Blues’ four-game winning streak.

— Filip Forsberg scored in regulation and overtime as the Predators topped the Panthers, 6-5. Forsberg also had three assists and Matt Duchene (doo-SHAYN’) had two goals as Nashville stopped a two-game slide.

— Jason Spezza (SPEHT’-suh) recorded the eighth hat trick of his career and first in nearly five years as the Maple Leafs clobbered the Canucks, 7-3. Auston Matthews scored twice, Mitch Marner added a goal and a pair of assists, and John Tavares tallied for Toronto.

— The Senators ended a nine-game losing streak as rookie Tim Stutzle had a goal and two assists in a 3-2 victory over the Canadiens night. Thomas Chabot had a goal and an assist, and Connor Brown also scored in Ottawa’s first victory since opening night.

— The Jets earned a 4-1 victory over the Flames behind Mason Appleton’s two goals. Kyle Connor and Mark Scheifele (SHY’-fleez) also scored for Winnipeg, which outscored Calgary 3-0 in the second period.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-SPORTS

NHL revises virus protocols with 40 players on COVID-19 list

UNDATED (AP) — With COVID-19 problems cropping up and four teams currently idled, the NHL has revised its virus protocols in a bid to keep the shortened season on track.

Glass panels have been removed from behind benches for better air flow. Players and coaches are not allowed at the arena until 1 hour and 45 minutes before the game unless they’re getting treatment for injuries and all meetings must be virtual. The 31 teams were also told to space out locker rooms more to provide 6 feet between people.

The moves were made as the NHL sees some concerning trends, including 40 players on the COVID-19 unavailable list. In the first three weeks of the season, about 90 players have appeared on the list, which can include a positive test result unconfirmed or confirmed, symptomatic isolation, high risk close contact or quarantine for travel purposes.

Meanwhile, the Avalanche games have been postponed through Feb. 11 as a result of players recently entering the NHL’s COVID Protocols. The decision was made by medical groups within the league, the union and the team. The move is in conjunction with the Colorado Department of Health who determined that more caution was warranted while the parties are analyzing test results in the coming days.

In other virus-related sports news:

— The Cleveland Cavaliers have been given the OK to increase attendance at home games. The team received a letter from the state of Ohio, which granted a second variance and will allow the Cavs to have 2,720 fans inside 19,000-seat Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. The change takes effect immediately.

— The Australian Open tournament director expects the year’s first tennis major to start as scheduled next week. This despite 160 players being among the 507 people forced back into isolation after a hotel quarantine worker tested positive for COVID-19. All matches in all six warmup events were postponed after the state government announced the latest coronavirus case.

— Wimbledon organizers are planning for a reduced-capacity crowd at this year’s Grand Slam tournament, though other options remain. The All England Club has previously announced that the tournament would go ahead with or without fans. It was canceled in 2020 because of the pandemic.

— Thursday’s women’s basketball game between No. 17 Indiana and Rutgers was postponed because of COVID-19 healthy and safety issues within the Scarlet Knights’ program. The schools issued a statement saying they had mutually agreed to scrub the game after consulting with university medical officials and Big Ten representatives.

— The Canisius (kuh-NEE’-shuhs) College athletic department has announced Thursday that the Golden Griffin women’s basketball program will not complete the remainder of the season due to health and safety concerns.

MLB-NEWS

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The San Francisco Giants added outfield depth by acquiring LaMonte Wade Jr. from the Minnesota Twins on Thursday for right-hander Shaun Anderson. The 27-year-old Wade batted .231 in 16 games for the Twins last season while also playing at the club’s alternate training site. He has appeared in 42 major league games since making his debut in 2019. Wade was a ninth-round selection in the 2015 amateur draft out of Maryland. Giants president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi said before the trade was announced that he hoped to add a left-handed hitting outfielder — and Wade can play all three positions.

CLEVELAND (AP) — Free agent outfielder Eddie Rosario and the Cleveland Indians finalized their $8 million, one-year contract. The club is adding a quality player then know well. Rosario spent the past six seasons with the AL Central rival Minnesota Twins. He’ll give Cleveland’s lineup a needed boost following the departures of All-Star shortstop Francisco Lindor and first baseman Carlos Santana. The 29-year-old Rosario helped the Twins win back-to-back division titles the past two years. He hit 13 homers in 57 games last season after hitting a career-high 32 and driving in 109 runs in 2019.

UNDATED (AP) — Cleveland Indians president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti said the team was unaware of former pitching coach Mickey Callaway’s inappropriate behavior toward women while he was with the club. Antonetti said he became “distraught and disturbed” in learning about Callaway’s actions, which were reported by The Athletic on Monday night. Callaway has said any relationship was consensual.

In other MLB news:

— The White Sox have agreed to a minor league contract with veteran catcher Jonathan Lucroy (LOO’-kroy), giving them another option behind Yasmani Grandal (yahs-MAH’-nee grahn-DAHL’). A person familiar with the situation confirmed Chicago’s deal to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the move was pending a physical. The 34-year-old Lucroy appeared in one game with Boston last season after batting .232 with eight homers and 36 RBIs in 101 games with the Angels and Cubs in 2019.

— First baseman Ji-Man Choi and the Rays have argued their salary arbitration case. The 29-year-old asked for a raise to $2.45 million, and the Rays argued for $1.85 million. Choi hit .230 with three homers and 16 RBIs last year, then batted .240 with two homers and four RBIs as the Rays advanced to the World Series and lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

—Veteran reliever Nick Vincent has agreed to a minor league contract with the Rangers that includes an invitation to big league spring training. The 34-year-old right-hander went 1-2 with three saves and a 4.43 ERA in 21 appearances for the Marlins last season.

— The average Major League Baseball salary dropped for an unprecedented third straight year, even before the shortened season caused by the coronavirus pandemic. The players association said Thursday the 2020 average would have been $3.89 million if a full season had been played. That was down 4.2% from the 2019 average and represented a 5.2% decrease from the record average of just under $4.1 million in 2017.

NHL-BLUE JACKETS-MERZLIKINS

Merzlikins on shelf

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — The Columbus Blue Jackets have placed goaltender Elvis Merzlikins (murz-LEE’-kihns) on injured reserve.

The team said Merzlikins suffered an unspecified upper-body injury in practice Wednesday and is day-to-day.

Merzlikins is part of a goalie rotation with Joonas Korpisalo (YOH’-nuhs kohr-pih-SAH’-loh) and has gone 2-2-1 with a 2.76 goals-against average and a .913 save percentage.

TENNIS-OBIT-TRABERT

Tony Trabert dies at 90

UNDATED (AP) — Tennis Hall of Famer Tony Trabert (TRAY’-burt) has died at age 90. His death Wednesday night at his home in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, was confirmed by his daughter.

Trabert was a five-time Grand Slam singles champion and former No. 1 player who went on to successful careers as a Davis Cup captain, broadcaster and executive. Trabert won three of the four major singles titles in 1955, including Wimbledon and the U.S. Nationals.

In world and national news…

(AP)  Johnson & Johnson has asked U.S. regulators to clear the world’s first single-dose COVID-19 vaccine, an easier-to-use option that could boost scarce supplies. Preliminary results from a massive study showed J&J’s vaccine was safe and offered strong protection against moderate to severe COVID-19. It didn’t appear quite as strong as two-dose competitors made by Pfizer and Moderna. Johnson & Johnson filed an application with the Food and Drug Administration on Thursday. An FDA panel will meet later this month and pore over the results. The company also is studying a two-dose version of its vaccine, but results won’t be available for several more months.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. jobs report for January being released Friday is expected to show a slight rebound after six straight months of weaker hiring. But any job growth might have resulted mainly from a technical adjustment and would make little dent in the vast unemployment caused by the pandemic recession. Economists have forecast that employers added 100,000 jobs in January, according to data provider FactSet. That would mark a welcome reversal from a loss in December — the first since April. Still, a gain of that modest size is practically negligible when the economy is nearly 10 million jobs short of its pre-pandemic level.

 

TOKYO (AP) — Global shares are rising ahead of the latest U.S. monthly jobs report as hopes grow for a gradual global economic recovery from the damage of the coronavirus pandemic. The U.S. report for January is expected to show that employers added 100,000 jobs. That would mark a welcome reversal from a loss in December — the first since April — of 140,000. Still, a gain of that modest size is practically negligible when the economy is nearly 10 million jobs short of its pre-pandemic level. Wall Street futures are up about 0.5%. European shares are also up on Friday after a broad advance in Asia.

 

WASHINGTON (AP) — A fiercely divided House has tossed Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene off both her committees. It was an unprecedented punishment for the chamber and it reflected Democrats’ outrage at the hateful and violent conspiracy theories she has helped spread. Nearly all Republicans voted against the Democratic move, but none of them defended her lengthy history of outrageous social media posts. That illustrated the ticklish political spot Greene put her party in, forcing them to declare whether they should punish or condone a lawmaker who is a close ally of former President Donald Trump.

 

WASHINGTON (AP) — Former President Donald Trump is rejecting a request by House Democrats to testify under oath for his Senate impeachment trial. Democrats are challenging the former president to explain why he and his lawyers have disputed key factual allegations related to their charge that he incited a violent mob to storm the Capitol. Trump adviser Jason Miller responded Thursday that “the president will not testify in an unconstitutional proceeding.” Trump’s lawyers dismissed the request as a “public relations stunt.” The request from House impeachment managers doesn’t require Trump to appear, but it does warn that any refusal to testify could be used at trial to support arguments for a conviction.

 

LONDON (AP) — Everyone arriving in the U.K. from countries identified as coronavirus hotspots will have to spend 10 days in hotel quarantine starting Feb. 15 in a bid to stop new virus variants reaching the country. Under the plan, British citizens and residents returning from high-risk countries will have to quarantine in approved hotels near airports and sea ports and will be billed for their stay. The U.K. says it has sought advice from Australia and New Zealand, where quarantine hotels have been used to contain COVID-19. But authorities are facing criticism for delays in implementing the policy, which was first announced in late January.

 

 

 

(AP) President Joe Biden is scheduled to travel to Delaware over the weekend, his first out-of-town trip since taking office. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that Americans forgo travel as the coronavirus pandemic rages. Biden, who has a home outside Wilmington, Delaware, has made getting the pandemic under control the central focus of the early weeks of his presidency. The White House announced Biden’s plans for travel Thursday evening. It did not immediately respond to a request for comment about why the president was traveling. The CDC current guidance recommends that “you do not travel at this time.”