Wayne Byers Show – Morning – Mar 12

CSi Weather…

.REST OF TODAY…Sunny. Highs around 50. South winds 5 to 10 mph increasing to around 15 mph in the afternoon.

.TONIGHT…Clear. Not as cold. Lows around 30. Southwest winds 10 to 15 mph.

.SATURDAY…Sunny. Highs in the upper 50s. West winds 5 to 10 mph.

.SATURDAY NIGHT…Partly cloudy. Lows in the upper 20s. Northeast

winds 5 to 10 mph.

.SUNDAY…Mostly sunny. Highs around 50. East winds 10 to 20 mph.

.SUNDAY NIGHT…Partly cloudy. Slight chance of rain and snow in

the evening, then chance of snow after midnight. Lows in the

upper 20s. Chance of precipitation 30 percent.

.MONDAY…Partly sunny. Chance of snow possibly mixed with rain

in the morning, then chance of rain in the afternoon. Highs in

the lower 40s. Chance of precipitation 40 percent.

.MONDAY NIGHT…Mostly cloudy. Chance of rain and snow in the

evening, then slight chance of snow after midnight. Lows in the

mid 20s. Chance of precipitation 30 percent.

.TUESDAY…Partly sunny. Slight chance of snow in the morning,

then slight chance of rain and snow in the afternoon. Highs

around 40. Chance of precipitation 20 percent.

.TUESDAY NIGHT…Decreasing clouds. Lows in the lower 20s.

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

.WEDNESDAY NIGHT…Mostly clear. Lows 15 to 20.

.THURSDAY…Sunny. Highs in the lower 40s.

 

Jamestown  (CVHD)   Central Valley Health District (CVHD) provided a total of 950 COVID
vaccinations this week. This put the total vaccinations given by CVHD since December 2020 to
over 5,500 vaccinations administered. To date, a combined total of 8,807 vaccinations have
been given in the county by the enrolled providers including public health, pharmacies,
congregate living agencies, and other healthcare facilities.
“23.2% of the population in Stutsman County have been vaccinated with at least one dose of the
COVID vaccine,” reports Robin Iszler, CVHD Unit Administrator.
COVID vaccinations continue to be increasingly available to those in North Dakota. Currently,
CVHD is vaccinating anyone in priority group Phase 1C, which includes all essential workers
and people 18 and older at increased risk for COVID-19. The Centers for Disease Control
(CDC) recently updated the guidance for those who are fully vaccinated, which can be found at
http://bit.ly/3bE8pp6.

CVHD will be offering a first dose COVID vaccination clinic for those in priority group Phase
1C on Tuesday, March 16, from 10:00am – 2:00pm at the Jamestown Civic Center in
the Exchequer Room. Appointments are required. To register for an appointment, visit the
CVHD website at www.centralvalleyhealth.org and click the “COVID-19” tab. Participants who
cannot register themselves are encouraged to call CVHD at 252-8130 for assistance.

Available 2nd Dose Clinics

Date:  Thursday, March 18

Time:  10:00am – 2:00pm

*Review the due date on the back of your CDC COVID vaccination record card prior to registering.

* 2nd dose clinics ONLY.  If you register as a first dose, your appointment will be canceled.

What: 2nd Dose COVID Vaccination Clinic

Vaccine Type: Moderna

Location:  Jamestown Civic Center Exchequer Room (North Entrance)

Date:  Thursday, March 18

Time:  10:00am – 2:00pm

 

NDDoH

COVID-19 Stats

Thurs. Mar. 11,  2021

11am

Barnes:

New Positives 1

Total Positives 1305

Active 10

Recovered 1264

 

Stutsman

New Positives 1

Total Positives 3313

Active 12

Recovered 3208

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
167,773	Residents who received at least one dose of vaccine
280,120	Total COVID-19 vaccine doses administered
7,340	Total Tests from yesterday*
1,710,021	Total tests completed since the pandemic began
112	Positive Individuals from yesterday*****
56	PCR Tests
56	Antigen Tests
100,726	Total positive individuals since the pandemic began
2.16%	Daily Positivity Rate**
641	Total Active Cases
+29	Change in active cases from yesterday
79	Individuals with a recovery date of yesterday****
98,631	Total recovered since the pandemic began
17	Currently hospitalized
-1	Change in hospitalizations from yesterday
+3	New death(s)
1,454	Total deaths since the pandemic began
INDIVIDUALS WHO DIED WITH COVID-19
Woman in her 90s from Pierce County
Woman in her 90s from Ransom County
Woman in her 90s from Ward County
NEW POSITIVE CASES REPORTED THURSDAY BY COUNTY
Adams		0	Grant	0	Ransom	2
Barnes		1	Griggs	0	Renville	0
Benson		1	Hettinger	0	Richland	4
Billings		0	Kidder	0	Rolette	0
Bottineau		1	LaMoure	0	Sargent	0
Bowman		0	Logan	0	Sheridan	1
Burke		3	McHenry	0	Sioux	0
Burleigh		6	McIntosh	0	Slope	0
Cass		42	McKenzie	0	Stark	10
Cavalier		1	McLean	3	Steele	0
Dickey		0	Mercer	3	Stutsman	1
Divide		2	Morton	2	Towner	0
Dunn		0	Mountrail	2	Traill	0
Eddy		0	Nelson	0	Walsh	0
Emmons		0	Oliver	1	Ward	7
Foster		1	Pembina	1	Wells	1
Golden Valley		0	Pierce	1	Williams	4
Grand Forks		9	Ramsey	2

 

* 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 this week will have COVID-19 Testing again Friday March 12 at the Jamestown Civic Center from 11-a.m. to 12 noon, using the Rapid Testing, BinaxNow.

By screening with rapid antigen tests, event attendees will be able to receive their test results within 15 minutes via text notification. The test also is less invasive than a PCR (Polymerase chain reaction) test in that it uses a nasal swab to collect a sample from the lower part of the nostril.

If a person tests positive, they should isolate at home immediately and a case investigator will be in touch with them within 24 hours. If the screening yields a negative result, individuals should continue to monitor for symptoms.

Interested individuals should fill out an online survey at testreg.nd.gov for faster registration.

For more information about rapid antigen tests and North Dakota’s screening strategies, visit https://www.health.nd.gov/rapid-antigen-screening

 

Valley City  (CCHD)  Free COVID-19 testing events for the VCSU and Valley City communities this week from 1-2 p.m. at the W.E. Osmon Fieldhouse, “The Bubble”. Rapid and conventional testing will be offered at each event again  on Friday March 12.

These are WALK-IN testing events. 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.

 

Valley City  (Chamber)  The Valley City Area Chamber of Commerce has announced, that all $1-million dollars in Chamber Bucks, with the For Love of Local economic stimulus program, is in circulation in the Valley City community.

That translates into 50-thousand actual Chamber Bucks, bills.

The  For Love of Local Chamber Bucks are accepted at participating non-chamber members until April 30. The Chamber Bucks do not expire for purchases at Valley City Area Chamber of Commerce, members.

 

Valley City   (NDWS)  –  The 84th annual North Dakota Winter continues through Sunday  in Valley City, with daytime activities, plus nightly arena events for all ages.

Click below to view the schedule of events.
2021 Schedule

The PRCA rodeo is today and tomorrow.  Performances this evening  at 7 pm and on Saturday, March 13 at 2 pm and 7 pm.

The queen pageant celebrates its 45th year and is one of the strongest rodeo queen pageants in the state. Title holders for the NDWS show are required to run for the title of Miss Rodeo North Dakota. Out of the last 45 NDWS queens, nineteen have gone on to win the state title.

Daytime activities also planned, the Kritter Corral, the 45th annual Miss North Dakota Winter Show Queen pageant, along with vendors on hand.

There is no admission fee for daytime events.  Nightly events require a ticket purchase,  from $12 to $20.

The Winter Show follows CDC, city and state COVID-19 guidelines.

The Winter Show closes on Sunday, March 14 with the second annual King of the Sale Ring auctioneer contest.

More information online at www.northdakotawintershow.com or call  the Winter Show Office, at 701-845-1401.

 

Jamestown  (NDFU)  – National Guard troops on duty in our nation’s capital will soon be getting a different taste in the chow line. Farmers Union Enterprises (FUE) has announced  it will be donating $50,000 to provide roughly 5,000 soldiers with a nutritious meal from Founding Farmers restaurants, based in the Washington, D.C., area.

 

North Dakota Farmers Union President Mark Watne, says,  “Farmers are about feeding people. They do important work, just like our troops. This is our way of thanking the Guard for their service in protecting our capitol and democracy. We hope the taste of good made-from-scratch homestyle cooking from our farmer-owned restaurants reminds them that we appreciate their sacrifice and the time they’ve spent away from their families.”

 

FUE is made up of several Farmers Union-owned businesses in the Upper Midwest – the dividends of which help fund Farmers Union organizations in Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin, as well as FUE programs and National Farmers Union.

 

Founding Farmers and Farmers Restaurant Group, Manager, Dan Simons adds,  lunch and dinner meals will be delivered next week to the National Guard for distribution through their food service network.

 

He says, “Heart. Generosity. Farming. Security. Service. The ingredients in this recipe are amazing on their own and even more remarkable together.  My team and I are honored to be able to provide delish meals to those who serve and protect each and every day, and have sincere gratitude to our farmer-owners for their generosity with funding this mission.”

Anyone wishing to donate to this humanitarian effort can do so online through the NDFU Foundation. Go to ndfu.org and click on “Donate.”

 

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — North Dakota regulators say oil production in January fell 4% from the month before, due in large part to high winds that led to power outages in the oil patch. The state’s daily crude output for January was 1.15 million barrels, down from 1.22 million barrels in December. Oil data reported to the state lags by several months. State Mineral Resources Director Lynn Helms says there was one day with 90 mph winds and it took about days to fully restore the power. The Bismarck Tribune reports that the outages knocked out 50,000 barrels per day offline during the time, according to Helms.

 

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — A Bismarck man is facing felony charges after being accused of injuring his 4-month-old daughter. The 22-year-old father is charged with felony child abuse, which carries a maximum 10-year prison sentence upon conviction. A police affidavit says the baby’s head injuries were discovered during a medical visit in late February. The affidavit says Denzil Harvest was the sole caregiver of his daughter the evening before the medical visit. Harvest has denied shaking or intentionally harming the baby. But police say he admitted he may have handled her too aggressively causing her head to snap back and forth.

FARGO, N.D. (AP) — A rippling American flag is causing a stir in Fargo where a condominium owner is at odds with his condo association. Andrew Almer says he’s proudly flown his flag from his condo balcony for the last two years. But he says recently he has been getting letters from the condo association telling him the flag flapping in the wind is too noisy and that he must take it down. An act of Congress prohibits condo associations from restricting homeowners from displaying the U.S. flag on their property. But, there are exceptions. Associations can restrict owners from flying the flag if it’s in the best interest of the association. Almer says the flag will stay up, despite what could be a hefty penalty.

 

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — A North Dakota lawmaker expelled for allegedly threatening and sexually harassing women at the Capitol says he will not challenge the expulsion in court. Former GOP Rep. Luke Simons said in a statement Thursday that he could not in “good conscience prioritize my legal battle over the potential outcome of important legislation for the people of North Dakota.” Simons, who has denied wrongdoing, has argued he wasn’t being afforded due process. North Dakota’s Constitution gives both chambers of the Legislature the right to expel a member with two-thirds approval.

 

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — State officials want to use another round of federal stimulus money to continue testing wastewater for variants of COVID-19 in North Dakota. The coronavirus wastewater testing began last July and would end in June if funding isn’t continued. Twenty-one communities are participating in the testing statewide. Wastewater from those cities is analyzed at a North Dakota State University lab where researchers look for the virus contained in the fecal matter of people who are infected. State officials say the analysis is helpful in pinpointing communities that might need more regular virus testing, given that far fewer people are opting for tests now than at the height of the pandemic.

 

In sports…

 

CHICKASHA, Okla. (UJ)  — The University of Jamestown softball team split a pair of games against second-ranked University of Science & Arts Thursday evening, winning 2-1 in the opener and losing 8-4 in the second game.

The Jimmies, now 15-5 on the year, will open Great Plains Athletic Conference play with a doubleheader at Hastings (Neb.) on March 20.

UJ won game one in a pitcher’s duel between a pair of All-Americans.

Jamestown scored the game’s first run in the top of the third, as Sydney Prussia (JR/Detroit Lakes, Minn.) led off with a single and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Gracie Fisher (FR/Bemidji, Minn.). Steph Cota (SO/Tucson, Ariz.) followed with a double to deep left field, bringing home Prussia.

The Jimmies added a second run in the top of the fifth. Fisher reached on a single to center and took second as USAO centerfielder Alyson Clemence bobbled the ball on the pick up. Cota singled to left to put runners on the corners, and Lauren Diemert (FR/West Fargo, N.D.) came in to run for Fisher. Morgan Geiszler (JR/Horace, N.D.) came through with a single to shallow left, allowing Diemert to cross the plate.

USAO put together a rally in the bottom of the seventh. With one out, Amanda Moreno doubled. Following a strikeout of Clemence, Shyla Clouse smashed a ball down the third-base line. Fisher came up with the ball but her throw was wild, allowing Moreno to score and Clouse to advance to second. Kat Miska (JR/Pequot Lakes, Minn.), an honorable mention All-American in 2018, struck out pinch-hitter Jaycee Kievit to end the game and give UJ their first win over a ranked opponent since a 5-4 win over then-No. 7 Indiana Wesleyan University on March 2, 2019 in Tucson, Ariz.

Cota finished 2-for-3 at the plate. Santina Zito (SO/Boise, Idaho) joined Geiszler, Prussia, and Fisher with a hit.

Miska improved her record to 6-1, allowing an unearned run on six hits in seven innings. She walked four and struck out nine while lowing her earned run average to 0.48.

Clouse was 3-for-4 to lead the Drovers. Emily Cerny (7-2) took the loss, pitching all seven innings and giving up two runs on six hits. She struck out six and walked one. Cerny, a two-time first-team All-American, lost back-to-back starts for just the second time in her career, covering 94 starts.

The Drovers exacted some revenge in game two, as Jolie Romine hit a walk-off grand slam with one out in the bottom of the seventh. Madelyn Blair singled to lead off the inning, and Lucy Sinkkonen (FR/Cloquet, Minn.) came on in relief of Katie Merchant (SO/South Haven, Minn.). Tarah Madron laid down a sacrifice bunt to move pinch-runner Suni Meely to second. Emily Cerny singled to put runners at first and third, and Amanda Moreno walked, loading the bases. Romine swung at the first offering from Sinkkonen and deposited it over the centerfield fence.

UJ trailed 2-0 after the Drovers scored once in each of the first and second innings. In the top of the fourth, Morgan Geiszler‘s sacrifice fly brought home Lauren Diemert to cut the lead in half, then one inning later, tied the game on a Megan Neiles (FR/Winnipeg, MB) single.

USAO answered with a pair of runs in the bottom of fifth to retake the lead at 4-2. The Jimmies had some seventh-inning magic up their sleeve, as Santina Zito and Katie Reisdorfer (JR/Fresno, Calif.) both reached on errors by Drover shortstop Tarah Madron. With one out, Gracie Fisher doubled to right-center, with Zito and Reisdorfer coming around to score and tie game at four.

Merchant (6-2) took the loss, allowing five runs on 11 hits in 6-plus innings. She walked two and struck out two. Cerny (8-2), the third of three Drover relievers, retired the only two batters she faced in the seventh to earn the win.

Fisher went 3-for-4 and stole a base. Geiszler was 2-for-4, and Reisdorfer and Kassi Ward (JR/Olympia, Wash.) also had hits.

Romine was 3-for-4 to lead USAO. Moreno, Madelyn Blair, and Alyson Clemence each had a pair of hits.

UJ finished their spring trip with a record of 8-2, outhitting the opposition .379 to .247, outscoring them 84-33, and posting an overall earned run average of 2.97.

 

Valley City (vcsuvikings.com) – The Valley City State softball team is receiving votes in the first edition of the NAIA Top 25 Coaches’ Poll, the national office announced Wednesday.

VCSU garnered five votes in the poll which ranks 37th in the nation. The Vikings are the only team from the North Star Athletic Association to receive votes in the national poll.

The Vikings have opened the 2021 season with a 6-2 record, outscoring their opponents 43-21 in the first eight games. Valley City State has only lost to Morningside College, who is ranked No. 18 in this week’s national poll.

Valley City State will open conference play on March 27-28 with a pair of doubleheaders at Dakota State.

 

National Basketball Tournaments, Thursday…

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Second-ranked Baylor and No. 12 Oklahoma State both survived close calls before earning the right to square off in the Big 12 semifinals.

The Bears advanced by holding off Kansas State, 74-68. MaCio Teague scored 24 points and Davion Mitchell had 23, but Baylor couldn’t pull away after beating the Wildcats by an average of 40 points in their two regular-season meetings. Jared Butler sealed it with two free throws and finished with 18 points.

The Cowboys escaped with a 72-69 win over No. 10 West Virginia. Avery Anderson III hit the go-ahead bucket for the Cowboys with less than a minute to go, and Sean McNeil’s tying 3-pointer came a split-second after the final buzzer. Anderson and Big 12 player of the year Cade Cunningham had 17 points apiece for the fifth-seeded Cowboys, who have won seven of their last eight games.

In other Big 12 tournament action:

— Ochai Agbaji scored a career-high 26 points, Marcus Garrett added 17, and 11th-ranked Kansas held on after blowing most of a 20-point halftime lead to beat No. 25 Oklahoma 69-62.

— Matt Coleman scored 19 points, including the go-ahead free throws with 1.8 seconds left, and No. 13 Texas rallied in the closing minutes to beat No. 20 Texas Tech 67-66.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL-BIG TEN TOURNAMENT

Buckeyes, Terps advance

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Ohio State ended a four-game losing streak and advanced to the Big Ten semifinals.

Duane Washington Jr. and Justice Sueing each scored 16 points and the ninth-ranked Buckeyes fended off Minnesota’s late charge to win 79-75.

Ohio State scored the game’s first 13 points and led by 14 with 3:24 remaining before the Gophers went on an 18-5 run to get within one.

In other Big Ten action:

— Aleem Ford scored 17 points and No. 6 seed Wisconsin made a stop on the last play to escape with a 75-74 win over No. 11 seed Penn State.

— Eric Ayala scored 21 points, Aaron Wiggins added 19 and Maryland dominated Michigan State in the second half to take a 68-57 win.

— Ron Harper Jr. and Jacob Young scored 13 points each as Rutgers dispatched Indiana, 61-50.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL-BIG EAST TOURNAMENT

Hoyas eliminate Wildcats

NEW YORK (AP) — The top seed is done at the Big East tourney.

Dante Harris capped his 18-point performance by hitting two free throws with 4.7 seconds left to give Georgetown a 72-71 win against Villanova. The foul shots capped a perfect game from the line for the Hoyas, who went 23-for-23 to become the first team to shoot 100% on at least 20 attempts in the tournament.

The free throws ended the Wildcats’ string of three straight Big East tourney titles.

Elsewhere at the Big East tournament:

— With coach Greg McDermott back on the bench after a one-game suspension, No. 17 Creighton cruised into the semifinals with an 87-56 victory against Butler. Damien Jefferson scored 11 points in the first eight minutes and Marcus Zegarowski led the Bluejays with 18.

— Jared Rhoden hit six free throws in overtime to finish with 19 points and a career-high 16 rebounds, leading Seton Hall past St. John’s 77-69.

— UConn won its first Big East tourney game in eight years as Tyrese Martin had 14 points and 10 rebounds in a 94-60 dismantling of DePaul.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL-ACC TOURNAMENT

Duke done in by COVID-19 testing

GREENSBORO, N.C. (AP) — Duke’s run through the ACC tournament has been ended by the pandemic.

The Blue Devils have pulled out of the event because of a positive coronavirus test and the resulting quarantining and contact tracing. The ACC announced that Duke’s game with Florida State was canceled, allowing the Seminoles to advance. It also puts the Blue Devils’ streak of 24 consecutive NCAA Tournaments is in jeopardy.

In other ACC quarterfinal action:

—Reece Beekman hit a 3-pointer as time expired to help No. 16 Virginia edge eighth-seeded Syracuse 72-69.

— Armando Bacot had 17 points and 13 rebounds while sparking a second-half surge that helped North Carolina beat No. 22 Virginia Tech 81-73.

— Jordan Usher scored 13 of his 15 points in the second half, including a game-clinching dunk as Georgia Tech ended Miami’s tournament run, 70-66.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL-SEC TOURNAMENT

Wildcats to miss NCAA tournament

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Kentucky’s men’s basketball season is over.

The Wildcats finish 9-16 by dropping a 74-73 decision to Mississippi St. in the second round of the SEC tourney. Iverson Molinar scored eight of his 21 points in the final 3:07 to erase the Bulldogs’ five-point deficit. Mississippi State made just 3 of 14 from 3-point range until Molinar sank 3s on two straight possessions to retake the lead at 72-71.

Also at the SEC tournament:

— Jarkel Joiner scored 18 points, Romello White had 17, seven rebounds and three blocks, and Mississippi beat South Carolina 76-59.

— Xavier Pinson provided 17 points and Dru Smith made two free throws with 15.2 seconds left to lift Missouri over Georgia, 73-70.

— Tre Mann scored 22 points and Noah Locke added 13 as Florida held off Vanderbilt 69-63.

NBA…

— The Timberwolves clobbered the Pelicans, 135-105 as Jaylen Nowell hit six 3-pointers on his way to a career-best 28 points. Top overall draft choice Anthony Edwards scored 27 points and the Wolves rallied from an early 16-point deficit. Rookie Jadden McDaniels hit his first four 3s and finished with a career-high 20 points for Minnesota, which won for just the eighth time this season — and second time against New Orleans.

— Kawhi Leonard scored 28 points in three quarters and the Los Angeles Clippers routed Golden State 130-104 Thursday night, sending the Warriors to their season-worst fourth consecutive loss. Paul George added 17 points and Serge Ibaka had 16 points and 14 rebounds for the Clippers, who ended their own three-game skid to begin the second half of the season. Warriors guard Steph Curry was held to 14 points on 6-of-16 shooting.

 

— Kyrie Irving scored 40 points to lead the Brooklyn Nets to a 121-109 victory over the Boston Celtics. James Harden had 22 points and 10 rebounds for Brooklyn, which improved to 25-13 with its 12th win in 13 games. Landry Shamet added 18 points and fellow reserve Jeff Green finished with 11. Jayson Tatum scored 31 points but Boston had its four-game winning streak snapped.

 

Giannis Antetokounmpo posted his fifth triple-double of the season to help the Milwaukee Bucks trounce the New York Knicks 134-101.

Antetokounmpo had 24 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists in 29 minutes as the Bucks handed the Knicks their most one-sided loss of the season. The Bucks shot 57.5% against New York, which entered the night leading the NBA in scoring defense, field-goal percentage defense and 3-point percentage defense.

The Bucks have won seven of their last eight and now prepare to begin a three-game road swing.

Checking out Thursday’s other NBA action:

 

— Tobias Harris scored 24 points and the Philadelphia 76ers beat the Chicago Bulls 127-105 despite missing stars Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons for contact tracing. Dwight Howard scored a season-high 18 and grabbed 12 rebounds. Furkan Korkmaz added 16 points, and Tony Bradley scored a season-high 14 on 7-for-7 shooting.

 

— Devin Booker returned from the knee injury that kept him out of the All-Star Game to score 35 points and the Phoenix Suns beat the Portland Trail Blazers 127-121 for their fifth straight victory. Chris Paul added 19 points for Phoenix. Second in the NBA behind the Utah Jazz, the Suns have won 14 of their last 16 games.

— Jimmy Butler scored 27 points and added 11 assists, Kelly Olynyk scored 20 and the Miami Heat beat the Orlando Magic 111-103 to move over the .500 mark for the first time this season. Tyler Herro scored 17 points, Kendrick Nunn had 13 and Goran Dragic added 11 for the Heat, who pulled away in the final 6 minutes. All-Star Nikola Vucevic finished with 24 points and a game-high 17 rebounds for the Magic, who have dropped six straight.

— Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 32 points and the Oklahoma City Thunder held on for a 116-108 victory against a Dallas Mavericks team that rested Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis. The Thunder made five of their first six 3-point attempts and built a 35-19 advantage after one quarter, then held off a late Dallas rally. Oklahoma City outrebounded Dallas 21-5 in the first period and finished the half making 10 of its 14 3-point attempts.

— P.J Washington had 20 points and nine rebounds, Terry Rozier hit some big shots down the stretch and the Charlotte Hornets beat the Detroit Pistons 105-102 to get back to .500 for the first time since Jan. 13. Rozier and Gordon Hayward each scored 17 points and Cody Zeller chipped in with 15 points and a key rebound for Charlotte. Jerami Grant had 32 points on 11-of-24 shooting for the Pistons.

 

— De’Aaron Fox had 30 points, nine assists and seven rebounds, and the Sacramento Kings sent the Houston Rockets to their 14th consecutive loss, 125-105. Buddy Hield added 20 points, seven assists and six rebounds for Sacramento, which had dropped 11 of 13 before the All-Star break. Victor Oladipo had 23 points and eight assists but couldn’t help Houston end its longest losing streak in nearly two decades.

— Tony Snell hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer and the Atlanta Hawks came back from a 15-point deficit in the final six minutes to beat the Toronto Raptors 121-120. Trae Young scored 37 points for the Hawks, who won their third straight. Norman Powell scored 33 points for Toronto and Chris Boucher had another big game off the bench with 29 points and nine rebounds.

NFL-NEWS

— The Chicago Bears have rewarded kicker Cairo Santos for a club-record season by agreeing to a five-year, $16 million contract, according to a person familiar with the situation. Santos took advantage of his opportunity after Eddy Pineiro injured his groin in August, making 30 of 32 field goals and 36 of 37 extra points. He set a franchise record for consecutive field goals made and gave the Bears the stability they’d been seeking since they cut Robbie Gould before the 2016 season.

UNDATED (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs have released starting offensive tackles Eric Fisher and Mitchell Schwartz as they try to squeeze under the salary cap.

The moves Thursday will provide another obstacle in their quest to upgrade an offensive line ransacked by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the Super Bowl. The Chiefs were more than $22 million over the cap of $182.5 million that was set Wednesday.

The release of Fisher and Schwartz saves about $18.3 million, leaving them able to restructure other contracts — and potentially extend players — and create enough financial wiggle room to maneuver in free agency.

In other NFL news:

— New Houston Texans coach David Culley reiterated Thursday that the team has no intention of trading Deshaun Watson despite the star quarterback’s request to be dealt. Culley, who was hired in January to replace Bill O’Brien, was asked more than a half-dozen times about Watson’s future with the team and every time he made it clear that he expects Watson to be Houston’s quarterback this season. Culley says: “He is our quarterback.”

 

—The Buffalo Bills have re-signed linebacker Matt Milano to a four-year contract less than a week before the starter was eligible to become a free agent. The signing comes a day after the Bills freed up more than $14.4 million in space under the salary cap by releasing receiver John Brown and defensive lineman Quinton Jefferson.

—Thomas Davis and Greg Olsen, two beloved NFL players who developed into iconic figures in the Charlotte community, officially retired together on Thursday as members of the Carolina Panthers. Davis and Olsen signed one-day contracts with the Panthers and were honored jointly during a 90-minute virtual ceremony at Bank of America Stadium that was broadcast live on the team’s website. Panthers owner David Tepper said they are “family” to the people in Charlotte and welcomed them back home.

NHL..

UNDATED (AP) — It’s a seven-game winning streak for the New York Islanders following a 5-3 win over the New Jersey Devils.

The Isles received production from their blueline as Adam Pelech and Noah Dobson scored, while Ryan Pulock collected two assists in the Islanders’ first game in front of home fans in over a year.

Matt Martin, Josh Bailey and Brock Nelson also tallied for New York, which kept its two-point lead over the Washington Capitals atop the East Division.

The Isles remain the only NHL team without a regulation home loss.

The Caps kept pace as Alex Ovechkin scored his 715th career goal to help them win their third straight game, 5-3 over the Philadelphia Flyers. Ovechkin moved two goals shy of matching Phil Esposito for sixth on the NHL’s career goals list.

Conor Sheary, John Carlson and Nic Dowd scored three straight goals to build a 4-1 cushion and help the Capitals win for the seventh time in the last eight games.

Elsewhere on NHL ice:

— Anthony Mantha scored a tiebreaking goal late in the first period and the Detroit Red Wings beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 6-4. Brayden Point scored twice in a 1:14 stretch late in the game to pull the Lightning within one before they gave up an empty-net goal to Vladislav Namestnikov. Tampa Bay entered the game 19-0-1 against the Red Wings over the last five years, and its 20-game point streak was the longest in franchise history against a team.

— Morgan Geekie scored his first two goals of the season and the Carolina Hurricanes used a rapid-fire scoring spree in the first period to defeat the Nashville Predators 5-1. Brock McGinn, Dougie Hamilton and Martin Necas also scored for the Hurricanes, who have won seven games in a row. James Reimer made 15 of his 32 saves in the first period and was denied his first shutout of the season when Nick Cousins scored with 4:32 left.

— Frank Vatrano scored 2:48 into overtime, Sergei Bobrovsky made 28 saves and the Florida Panthers beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 5-4 on Thursday night to sweep a two-game series. The Panthers scored three times in the third period to erase a 4-1 deficit before Vatrano tipped in a rebounded shot from Jonathan Huberdeau to win it. Patric Hornqvist, Ryan Lomberg, Owen Tippett and Aleksander Barkov also scored for the Panthers, who have won four of five.

— Jake DeBrusk returned after being benched one game for lack of effort and scored his first goal in almost a month, chasing Rangers goalie Alexandar Georgiev early in the second period and leading the Boston Bruins to a 4-0 victory. David Krejci scored his first goal of the season and Brad Marchand had two assists — one of them after sliding the puck through his own skates to set up Patrice Bergeron’s short-handed goal. David Pastrnak also scored for Boston, and Jaroslav Halak stopped 28 shots for his second shutout of the year.

— Evgeni Malkin had a goal and assist and the Pittsburgh Penguins beat the free-falling Buffalo Sabres 5-2 for their fourth straight victory. Jake Guentzel scored the go-ahead goal on the power play with 8:24 left in the second period. Brandon Tanev, Anthony Angelo and Bryan Rust also scored in a game the Penguins never trailed.

— Carl Soderberg and Alex DeBrincat scored power-play goals in the second period and the Chicago Blackhawks scored on four of their first eight shots in a 4-2 victory over the Dallas Stars. Thirty-seven-year-old defenseman Duncan Keith had his first goal in exactly a calendar year, Dominik Kubalik also scored and rookie Kevin Lankinen made 28 saves.

— Auston Matthews scored his NHL-leading 21st goal of the season 59 seconds into overtime and the Toronto Maple Leafs beat the Winnipeg Jets 4-3 to snap a three-game losing streak. Mitch Marner, William Nylander and Ilya Mikheyev scored in regulation to help Toronto regain the overall NHL lead at 19-7-2. Frederik Andersen made 23 saves, and Matthews and Marner each added an assist.

— Josh Leivo scored twice and Calgary beat the Montreal Canadiens 2-1. Jacob Markstrom stopped 17 shots, and Derek Ryan and Sam Bennett assisted on both of Leivo’s goals. Corey Perry scored for Montreal, which is 3-2-3 since Dominique Ducharme replaced the fired Claude Julien on Feb. 24.

NHL-BLUES-BINNINGTON

Binnington gets extension

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Jordan Binnington has signed a six-year, $36 million contract extension with the St. Louis Blues, less than two years after backstopping them to their first Stanley Cup title in franchise history.

The 27-year-old Binnington is in his third season in St. Louis and played a key role in the Blues making a run from last place in the standings to winning the championship in the 2018-19 season. He won his first career start in January 2019 and finished the season with a 24-5-1 record.

Binnington proceeded to become the NHL’s first rookie goalie to win each of the Cup-winning team’s 16 playoff games.

He’s 9-6-3 this season and has an overall record of 63-24-11 with eight shutouts.

MLB-NEWS

Indians seek trade for Hamilton

UNDATED (AP) — Outfielder Billy Hamilton won’t make Cleveland’s roster and the Indians are trying to find him another team this spring. Manager Terry Francona said the club told Hamilton that he wasn’t part of their plans. The Indians will try to trade the 30-year-old, who signed a minor league contract with a non-roster invitation to training camp last month. Hamilton had his best seasons with Cincinnati from 2013-18. He stole at least 56 bases four straight seasons. He spent last season with the New York Mets and Chicago Cubs.

In other MLB news:

—Ender Inciarte’s (EHN’-dur ihn-see-AHR’-tayz) attempt to win a starting job in the Atlanta Braves’ outfield is temporarily on hold as he recovers from a thumb injury. Inciarte is competing with rookie Cristian Pache for the starting job in center field. Braves manager Brian Snitker says Inciarte hurt his thumb when he “got fisted” by an inside pitch in a recent at-bat. Snitker says he does not know when Inciarte will be able to play. This is a crucial season for the 30-year-old Inciarte. He is entering the final year of a five-year, $30.5 million contract. Inciarte is a three-time Gold Glove winner.

PGA-PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP

Garcia sizzles late at Players Championship

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — A solid start turned into a brilliant one for Sergio Garcia, who finished birdie-birdie-eagle for a 7-under 65 and the first-round lead at The Players Championship.

Garcia holed a 15-foot birdie putt on the par-4 seventh, hit a 3-iron to 15 feet on the par-3 eighth, and closed it out with a 5-wood to 18 feet for eagle on his final hole.

Brian Harman is alone in second, two shots off the lead and one ahead of Matthew Fitzpatrick, Corey Conners and Shane Lowry.

TRANSGENDER SPORTS-MISSISSIPPI

Mississippi gov signs bill limiting transgender athletes

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves has signed a bill barring transgender athletes from competing on girls or women’s sports teams. Mississippi becomes the first state this year to enact such a ban, with more than 20 states considering similar bills. A federal court blocked an Idaho law last year.

Alphonso David, president of the LGBTQ civil rights organization Human Rights Campaign, said in a statement Thursday that the Mississippi law could lead to more bullying of transgender people.

In world and national news…

WASHINGTON (AP) — In a prime-time address, President Joe Biden has outlined his plan to make all adult Americans eligible for vaccination by May 1 — and he raised the prospect of beginning to gain what he called “independence from this virus” by the Fourth of July. Biden addressed the nation Thursday evening, one year into the coronavirus pandemic. He said the virus, which has killed more than 530,000 Americans, has been different for everyone, but “we all lost something.” To get vaccinations to people more quickly, he said he is deploying 4,000 more active-duty troops to support vaccination efforts and will allow more people — such as medical students, veterinarians and dentists — to deliver shots.

 

BERLIN (AP) — Germany’s top health official has expressed regret that some neighboring countries have paused their use of AstraZeneca’s coronavirus vaccine following reports of blood clots in some people, despite the lack of any evidence the shot was responsible. Health Minister Jens Spahn said Friday that Germany takes reports of possible side effects from vaccines “very, very seriously.” But Spahn added that both the European Medicines Agency and Germany’s own vaccine oversight body have said they have no evidence of an increase in dangerous blood clots in connection with the shots. Denmark was the first to temporarily suspended use of the AstraZeneca vaccine Thursday after reports of blood clots in some people. Norway decided to follow suit.

 

FRANKFORT, Ky (AP) — It could become a crime to taunt a police officer in Kentucky, under a bill that has passed the state Senate. The Republican-backed bill that was passed Thursday would criminalize anyone who “accosts, insults, taunts, or challenges” a law enforcement officer. It would also increase penalties for demonstrators found guilty of rioting. The measure now awaits House input. Democratic lawmakers argued that the proposeal could be used to unfairly target peaceful protestors. Republicans hold supermajorities in both the House and Senate. The measure was filed months after Louisville became the site of huge protests in the wake of the police killing of Breonna Taylor.

 

BANGKOK (AP) — Stocks are mixed in Europe and Asia after broad gains lifted several major indexes to all-time highs on Wall Street. Shares fell in Paris and Frankfurt but rose in Tokyo and Shanghai. Oil prices fell and the yield on the U.S. 10-year Treasury rose to 1.58%. On Thursday, the S&P 500, the Dow Jones Industrial Average and a measure of small-company stocks all closed at record levels as President Joe Biden signed a $1.9 trillion economic relief bill into law. Investors will be turning their focus to a meeting planned between U.S. and Chinese officials next week.

 

SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) — The South’s largest St. Patrick’s Day parade is canceled, but that doesn’t seem to be stopping thousands of tourists with plans to visit Savannah, Georgia. City officials and parade organizers agreed to pull the plug on the largest festivities surrounding the Irish holiday for a second year because of lingering coronavirus risks. Still, Savannah visitor bureau president Joe Marinelli says hotels in the downtown historic district could reach 90% occupancy this weekend. And a new, sprawling hotel and nightlife development on Savannah’s riverfront is promoting a 6-day festival. That move has angered Mayor Van Johnson, who is worried big crowds could cause another surge in COVID-19 infections.

 

PARIS (AP) — Doctors say the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the mental health of children is alarming and plain to see. France’s busiest pediatric hospital has seen a doubling in the number of children and young teenagers requiring treatment after attempted suicides. Doctors elsewhere report similar surges, with children — some as young as 8 — deliberately running into traffic, overdosing on pills and otherwise self-harming. In Japan, child and adolescent suicides hit record levels in 2020. Pediatric psychiatrists say they’re also seeing children with coronavirus-related phobias, tics and eating disorders. Some are obsessing about infection, scrubbing their hands raw and covering their bodies with disinfectant gel. One doctor says “the crisis affects all of us, from age 2 to 99.”