Wayne Byers Show – Morning – Apr 1

CSi Weather…

 

Forecast…

REST OF TODAY…Sunny and not as cool. Highs in the upper 50s. South winds 10 to 15 mph increasing to 20 to 25 mph in the afternoon.

.TONIGHT…Mostly clear. Not as cold. Lows in the lower 30s. South winds 15 to 20 mph.

.FRIDAY…Mostly sunny. Highs 65 to 70. South winds 10 to 15 mph

shifting to the west in the afternoon.

.FRIDAY NIGHT…Clear. Lows in the mid 30s. North winds 5 to

15 mph.

.SATURDAY…Sunny. Highs in the lower 70s. Southeast winds 5 to

10 mph shifting to the southwest 10 to 15 mph in the afternoon.

Gusts up to 30 mph.

.SATURDAY NIGHT…Partly cloudy. Lows in the upper 30s.

.SUNDAY…Mostly sunny. Highs in the lower 70s.

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

.MONDAY…Mostly sunny. Highs in the mid 70s.

.MONDAY NIGHT…Partly cloudy. Lows in the upper 30s.

.TUESDAY…Mostly sunny with a 20 percent chance of rain. Highs

in the upper 60s.

.TUESDAY NIGHT…Partly cloudy with a 20 percent chance of rain.

Lows around 40.

.WEDNESDAY…Partly sunny with a 20 percent chance of rain. Highs

in the lower 60s.

Jamestown  (CSi)  Stutsman County Emergency Manager, Jerry Bergquist reports that, on Wednesday,(3-31), Stutsman County was placed in a “VERY HIGH” fire danger rating. On Thursday, (4-1), the National Weather Service has already placed Stutsman County in a RED FLAG WARNING. Both events trigger Stutsman County’s open burning ordinance that limits when burning can be safely carried out

With the continuing dry conditions, rising air temperatures and low humidity levels, a combination of “VERY HIGH” or “EXTREME” fire danger ratings and/or RED FLAG WARNINGS can be expected over the next several days. The public needs to be prepared for an extended number of days where NO burning will be  permitted. The restrictions may affect those individuals that are planning to go camping over the weekend.

Stutsman County’s open burning ordinance is in effect 365 days a year; however, it only restricts burning when the Fire Danger Rating is “VERY HIGH” or “EXTREME” or if a “RED FLAG WARNING” has been issued by the National Weather Service. When any of these events occur, NO burning is permitted within Stutsman County. This includes starting, conducting, allowing, maintaining, or soliciting any open burn activities.

Violations of the open burning ordinance will be enforced. A violation is a Class B misdemeanor, for which a maximum penalty of 30 days in jail, a fine of $1,500.00 or both may be imposed. This ordinance is in effect in all of Stutsman County including its incorporated cities that do not have their own open burning ordinances. The ordinance does not include the City of Jamestown which has its own ordinances relating to burning.

The daily Fire Danger Rating can be found by going to the Stutsman County website at www.co.stutsman.nd.us and clicking on the green “Fire Danger” icon at the top of the page   Red Flag Warnings are posted on the Bismarck National Weather Service website at https://www.weather.gov/bis/. This information is also available by calling the Stutsman County Communications Center at 701-252-1000.

A full version of the burn ordinance can be found at the Stutsman County website under Departments, choose Zoning, and click on “Burn Ban Ordinance” on the left-hand side of the page. For more information contact the Stutsman County Emergency Manager’s Office at 701-252-9093.

 

NDDoH

COVID Stats

11am

Wed. Mar. 31,  2021

Barnes:

New Positives 4

Total Positives 1333

Active 15

Recovered  1284

 

Stutsman:

New Positives 4

Total Positives  3330

Active 10

Recovered 3241

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
232,696	Residents who received at least one dose of vaccine
399,030	Total COVID-19 vaccine doses administered
6,780	Total Tests from yesterday*
1,794,639	Total tests completed since the pandemic began
211	Positive Individuals from yesterday*****
90	PCR Tests
121	Antigen Tests
103,091	Total positive individuals since the pandemic began
4.44%	Daily Positivity Rate**
1,140	Total Active Cases
+96	Change in active cases from yesterday
107	Individuals with a recovery date of yesterday****
100,485	Total recovered since the pandemic began
19	Currently hospitalized
+4	Change in hospitalizations from yesterday
0	New death(s)
1,466	Total deaths since the pandemic began
INDIVIDUALS WHO DIED WITH COVID-19
No deaths to report
NEW POSITIVE CASES REPORTED TODAY BY COUNTY
Adams		0	Grant	0	Ransom	1
Barnes		4	Griggs	0	Renville	0
Benson		0	Hettinger	0	Richland	6
Billings		0	Kidder	0	Rolette	0
Bottineau		0	LaMoure	0	Sargent	3
Bowman		0	Logan	1	Sheridan	5
Burke		2	McHenry	0	Sioux	0
Burleigh		21	McIntosh	1	Slope	0
Cass		102	McKenzie	3	Stark	8
Cavalier		0	McLean	0	Steele	0
Dickey		1	Mercer	0	Stutsman	4
Divide		0	Morton	3	Towner	0
Dunn		0	Mountrail	2	Traill	1
Eddy		0	Nelson	0	Walsh	3
Emmons		0	Oliver	0	Ward	6
Foster		0	Pembina	0	Wells	0
Golden Valley		0	Pierce	0	Williams	8
Grand Forks		25	Ramsey	1

 

* 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.

 

CVHD

AVAILABLE 1st DOSE CLINICS:

What: 1st Dose COVID Vaccination Clinic

Vaccine Type: Moderna (18 years and older)

Location:  Jamestown Civic Center Exchequer Room (North Entrance)

Date:  Thursday, April 1

Time:  9:00am – 2:00pm

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

—————————

AVAILABLE 2nd DOSE CLINICS:

*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

Date:  Thursday, April 1

Time:  9:00am – 2:00pm

Location:  Jamestown Civic Center Exchequer Room

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

. Appointments are required and are first come, first serve. Once the clinics are full, they will be closed for registration.
.
. To register for an appointment, visit our website www.centralvalleyhealth.org and click the “COVID-19” tab.

 

Valley City  (CCHD)  A free COVID-19 testing event for the VCSU and Valley City communities will be held today from 1-2 p.m. at the W.E. Osmon Fieldhouse, “The Bubble”. Rapid and conventional testing will be offered at this event on April 1.

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.

FULL

Valley City  (CCHD)  City/County Health District in Valley City will hold the next COVID-19 vaccination clinic on Thursday, April 1, 2021, from 9-a.m. to 10:45-a.m.,at CCHD.

This is a 1st Dose Clinic for Moderna.

Pre-Registration is required, for subsequent clinics

The vaccination is for the Moderna vaccine, administered in two doses, the second dose 28 days from the first dose.  The 2nd Dose will be given on Thursay April 29.  Check the back of you CDC card to see when you will be scheduled for the second dose.

CCHD is currently vaccinating into Phase 1C Priority Groups, including Barnes County Essential Workers, and ages 18 and older at increased risk for COVID-19.

 

Jamestown  (CSi)  the Stutsman County Sheriff’s Office reports that two people were arrested Tuesday evening at Smokey’s Landing.

The report says several vehicles were attempted to be broken into.

Stutsman County Sheriff Chad Kaiser, both individuals are their 20’s.  The sheriff’s Office was  called to the campground, and upon arrival found a locked vehicle. License  plates, showed both individuals were reported missing from Oklahoma

Kaiser says the individuals told them that they lost their keys during a walk, having locked their car with their phones in it.

Kaiser says, they then tried to break into several campers to escape the high wind and cold weather.

They were located in one of the campers with injuries, and were taken from the scene, by Jamestown Area Ambulance Service to JRMC, for treatment, with one released and the other transferred to Fargo for medical treatment.

No names were immediately released.

He says the report will be submitted to the Stutsman County States Attorney.

 

Valley City  (VCPS)  In a news release, Valley City Public Schools, Superintendent Josh Johnson announced changes in the COVID-19 VaPlan.

Beginning Tuesday, April 6th, Valley City Public Schools will allow students, staff members, and the public to remove face masks when “Outdoors” on school property. This change is a result of the limited number of COVID cases in our school district and the ability for individuals to better social distance when outdoors. We will not contact trace outdoor close contacts, unless ‘absolutely’ necessary. We will continue to emphasize that all individuals practice proper hand hygiene, social distance, and self-monitor for COVID symptoms. This modification to our health and safety protocols is subject to change and has been supported by our local health team, DERT Team, and school board. Thank you for continuing to support our efforts to keep our students, staff, and community safe and healthy. We will, of course, continue to monitor the COVID situations in our school district and community and be prepared to make future modifications, as necessary.

With Other Topics

The school calendar for the 2021-2022 school year has been approved and is attached below.

Paving the Parking Lot at Hanna Field/Jefferson Elementary:

The school board approved an asphalt paving project that will be completed this summer in the parking lots at Hanna Field and Jefferson Elementary. This paving project is long overdue having been delayed due to the recent construction at Hanna Field. We are optimistic that this project will lead to improved student safety for Jefferson Elementary students (more to come). This project should also end any speculation that the “Loch Ness” monster of Valley City has been mysteriously living in one of our potholes at Hanna Field. If there was any wonder, you can see a picture that is attached below and taken from one of our local photographers😉

The very best wishes to you and your family on a wonderful Easter holiday weekend! On Tuesday, April 6th, we will officially have 37 school days remaining in 2020-2021. Let’s finish strong and have a great ending to the school year! Go Hi-Liners!!

Josh Johnson

Superintendent

Valley City Public Schools

(701) 845-0483

VCPS-2021-2022-CALENDAR

PORTAL, N.D. (AP) — A U.S. Border Patrol agent is credited with saving a man who was trapped in a brush fire along the North Dakota border with Canada. Officials say the agent assigned to the Portal Station was on patrol when he spotted smoke rising near the international border last Friday. As he went to investigate he saw a vehicle trapped in a brush fire. After the vehicle caught fire, the driver got out and tried running from the flames. He was able to reach the agent’s truck and they escaped the fast moving fire. The agent treated the man’s burns before the man’s wife arrived and took him to the hospital.

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — In the waning weeks of the North Dakota legislative session, lawmakers are still wrestling with where money will be spent in the biggest proposed budget in state history. Lawmakers always fight over money and this year it is particularly notable. That’s because the Legislature has about $1 billion more cash than expected based on new tax collection estimates. They also are dealing with a possible billion-dollar bonding proposal, and an expected $1.9 billion from the federal government in coronavirus relief aid. The Legislature’s proposed two-year budget is $15.6 billion, or about $1 billion more than in the current budget.

 

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — The North Dakota Lottery says someone holding a Mega Millions ticket is a $3 million winner. The lottery says the ticket matched all five white balls in Tuesday night’s drawing and because the player added the Megaplier feature for a dollar more, the $1 million prize tripled. The ticket was sold at Casey’s General Store in Fargo. The establishment will receive $10,000 for selling the winning ticket. The latest prize ties the record for the largest winning jackpot in North Dakota. Previously, a $3 million Mega Millions winning ticket was purchased in Williston for a drawing in May 2016.

 

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — A Bismarck man has been charged with manslaughter after a fatal interstate crash that prosecutors have attributed to distracted driving. A North Dakota Highway Patrol affidavit says 24-year-old Timothy McLaughlin was driving a commercial truck on Interstate 94 last July when he struck two other vehicles that slowed due to another crash near Sterling. The affidavit alleges McLaughlin had not braked before the crash and that he had been distracted by his cellphone that he had used to search the internet, text messaging and GPS navigation leading up the accident. A woman from Chilton, Wisconsin, died after McLaughlin’s truck hit her vehicle.

In sports…

Minneapolis –  Fox Sports North is rebranding as Bally Sports North after the sale of all Fox Sports regional network stations to Sinclair Broadcasting.

The names and faces broadcasting Twins games will remain mostly unchanged. Dick Bremer will be the television broadcast announcer, and he’ll be joined by commentators Roy Smalley, Justin Morneau and LaTroy Hawkins.

Bally Sports North is on CSi Cable 25 and CSi HD 78.625

MINNEAPOLIS, MN – Bally Sports North, the television home of the Minnesota Timberwolves, announced its broadcast schedule Monday for the second half of the Timberwolves 2020-21 NBA season. It will televise 34 additional games.

The 36-game second half schedule on FOX Sports North includes 19 telecasts from the Target Center and 17 road games. When combined with the first half schedule, the network will televise 72 games this season.

Timberwolves broadcasts will feature play-by-play announcer Dave Benz and color analyst Jim Petersen with Marney Gellner and Lea B. Olsen reporting. Annie Sabo will host “Wolves Live” before and after every game featuring analysis from Kevin Lynch, Quincy Lewis as well as Rebekkah Brunson.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles County sheriff says detectives have determined what caused Tiger Woods to crash his SUV last month in Southern California but would not release details, citing unspecified privacy concerns for the golf star.

Woods suffered serious injuries in the Feb. 23 crash just outside Los Angeles. He is in Florida recovering from multiple surgeries.

Sheriff Alex Villanueva on Wednesday said detectives have determined what caused the collision but claimed investigators need permission from Woods — who previously named his yacht “Privacy” — to release information about the crash. A police expert refuted Villanueva’s privacy claims.

NBA….

— Anthony Edwards scored 11 of his 24 points over the final eight minutes to lead the Minnesota Timberwolves’ rally for a 102-101 victory over the New York Knicks. Malik Beasley highlighted his 20 points with the go-ahead 3-pointer with 37 seconds left for the Timberwolves. They outscored the Knicks 22-9 over the final 7:50. Julius Randle had 26 points for the Knicks, who led by 18 points in the second quarter. R.J. Barrett’s jumper at the buzzer was short for the chance to win.

— Luka Doncic had 36 points and eight rebounds and the Dallas Mavericks held on to beat the Boston Celtics 113-108. Jalen Brunson added 21 points, including two late free throws, and Kristaps Porzingis finished with 19 points as the Mavericks won their second straight. Dallas led by as many as 23 points in the third quarter before the Celtics rallied to within single digits in the fourth. Jayson Tatum had 25 points and nine rebounds to lead Boston. Jaylen Brown added 24 points for Boston, which has lost its last two.

— Andre Drummond left his Lakers debut with a bruised right toe, and Jrue Holiday scored 28 points in the Milwaukee Bucks’ 112-97 victory over Los Angeles. Giannis Antetokounmpo had 25 points and 10 rebounds, and Khris Middleton added 17 points and eight assists as the Bucks snapped their three-game losing streak with a workmanlike victory over the depleted defending NBA champions, who are still without LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Drummond scored four points in 14 minutes before limping off the court early in the third quarter. X-rays were negative on Los Angeles’ new center.

UNDATED (AP) — Kyrie Irving had 31 points and a season-high 12 assists, and the Brooklyn Nets overcame the loss of James Harden to beat the Houston Rockets 120-108 and move into first place in the Eastern Conference.

Harden sat out the fourth quarter against his former team with right hamstring tightness, finishing with 17 points, eight rebounds and six assists.

The Nets put together the pivotal run without him, scoring 12 straight midway through the final period to turn a six-point deficit into a 107-101 lead, winning a game they trailed by 18 points.

Elsewhere in the NBA:

— Devin Booker scored a season-high 45 points, Chris Paul added 19 points and 14 assists, and the Phoenix Suns held on to beat the Chicago Bulls 121-116. Booker made 17 of 24 shots from the field and 9 of 10 free throws. Dario Saric added 16 points off the bench. Phoenix has won four straight while Chicago has lost five in a row. Chicago was led by Nikola Vujecic’s 24 points and 10 rebounds. Thaddeus Young added 19 points and 10 rebounds, and Denzel Valentine also scored 19 points.

— Mike Conley scored 13 of his 26 points in the fourth quarter, Jordan Clarkson added 24 points and the Utah Jazz beat the Memphis Grizzlies 111-107 for their seventh straight victory. Bojan Bogdanovic (BOY’-ahn bahg-DAH’-noh-vich) added 23 points for Utah, which defeated Memphis for the third time in a week, this time overcoming 36 points from Grizzlies guard Ja Morant. Kyle Anderson had 18 points and 11 rebounds for Memphis, and Dillon Brooks finished with 17 points. Jonas Valanciunas added 16 points and 14 rebounds. Leading scorer Donovan Mitchell was not with the Jazz for personal reasons.

 

— Svi Mykhailiuk (svee mih-KAH’-lehk) scored 10 of his season-high 22 points in the fourth quarter and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Toronto Raptors 113-103. Mykhailiuk made 9 of 14 shots and had a career-high nine rebounds. Moses Brown had 20 points and 11 rebounds, and Isaiah Roby added 17 points and 10 rebounds for Oklahoma City. The Thunder outrebounded the Raptors 64-35 to snap a three-game losing streak. Toronto has dropped 13 of its last 14 games.

— Damian Lillard had 33 points and nine assists and the Portland Trail Blazers beat the Detroit Pistons 124-101. CJ McCollum added 24 points and Carmelo Anthony and Robert Covington each scored 16 in Portland’s fourth straight win. Jerami Grant scored 30 points for Detroit, which lost for the fifth time in six games.

— Duncan Robinson and Jimmy Butler helped Miami rally from a 13-point first-half deficit by spurring a decisive eight-point fourth-quarter run to give the Heat a 92-87 victory over the Indiana Pacers. Robinson finished with 20 points and Butler added 18 as Miami avoided getting swept in the three-game season series with the Pacers. The Heat have won two straight since ending a four-game losing streak.

 

— DeMar DeRozan scored 26 points and the San Antonio Spurs snapped Sacramento’s five-game winning streak, beating the Kings 120-106 on Wednesday night. Derrick White added 18 points, Rudy Gay had 16 and Jakob Poeltl finished with 12 points and 14 rebounds for San Antonio. De’Aaron Fox scored 20 points and Tyrese Haliburton added 16 to lead Sacramento, which had not lost since March 20.

NHL..

— Rudolfs Balcers and Ryan Donato scored in the second period and the San Jose Sharks completed a two-game sweep of the Minnesota Wild with a 4-2 victory. The Sharks followed a shootout win on Monday with another strong performance against a team they are chasing in the standings. Nikolai Knyzhov also scored his first career goal and Evander Kane had an empty-netter for the Sharks. Martin Jones made 26 saves for San Jose. Kirill Kaprizov and Mats Zuccarello scored for Minnesota, and Kaapo Kahkonen made 29 saves. The Wild are winless in their last five road games.

— Linus Ullmark stopped 31 shots and the Buffalo Sabres snapped an 18-game skid with a 6-1 win over the Philadelphia Flyers. Defenseman Rasmus Dahlin was the first off the bench as the final horn sounded and led a line of Sabres players high-fiving Ullmark in an arena without fans. It was the first win for Buffalo since a 4-1 victory at New Jersey on Feb. 23, and ended an 0-15-3 streak. The slump was tied for the league’s 14th longest, and worst since the Pittsburgh Penguins had a 0-17-1 stretch during the 2003-04 season.

— Lias Andersson scored a goal in his first game back after missing more than a month and the Los Angeles Kings defeated the Vegas Golden Knights 4-2. The Kings snapped their three-game skid and a three-game losing streak in Las Vegas. Vegas had its six-game home winning streak snapped, and dropped just its third home game in regulation this season. Andreas Athanasiou, Jaret Anderson-Dolan and Alex Iafallo also scored for the Kings, while Cal Petersen improved to 4-1-0 against Vegas after stopping 40 shots. Peterson has both of Los Angeles’ wins over Vegas this season.

UNDATED (AP) — Auston Matthews scored his league-leading 24th goal and goaltender Jack Campbell stayed unbeaten this season and the Toronto Maple Leafs downed the Winnipeg Jets 3-1 to extend their lead atop the North Division to three points.

Zach Hyman and Alex Kerfoot also scored for Toronto. Mitch Marner, with two assists, earned his13th multi-point game of the season.

Josh Morrissey scored for the Jets.

Campbell, who missed the Edmonton game Monday with a lower-body injury, made 26 saves for the win. He improved to 7-0-0 on the season.

In other ice action:

— Joonas Donskoi scored three times during Colorado’s five-goal first period, and the Avalanche beat the Arizona Coyotes 9-3 in front of home fans for the first time this season. The team invited health-care workers, first responders, players’ families and employees into Ball Arena. Gabriel Landeskog and Andre Burakovsky each added two goals, while Mikko Rantanen and Pierre-Edouard Bellemare both added another. There were 14 different Avalanche players who had at least a point. Michael Bunting, Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Conor Garland scored for the Coyotes.

 

NHL-NEWS

Flames, Canucks’ game canceled

UNDATED (AP) — The Vancouver Canucks’ game against the Calgary Flames has been postponed by the NHL because of the league’s COVID-19 protocol. Vancouver had two players and a member of its coaching staff enter the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol list. The league says it will provide another update on Thursday.

Meanwhile, Canucks have signed goaltender Thatcher Demko to a five-year contract extension. No financial terms have been released. Demko took over as the No. 1 goaltender for the Canucks after Jacob Markstrom went to the Calgary Flames in free agency. The 25-year-old Demko is 12-12-1 with a 2.77 goals-against average and .917 save percentage this season.

MLB-NEWS

Update…

Washington  (AP)  The New York Mets season opener at Washington has been postponed because of coronavirus concerns.

The Nationals issued a statement saying “ongoing contact tracing involving members of the Nationals organization” was the reason for scrapping Thursday night’s game at Nationals Park. The game has not yet been rescheduled.

 

Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo said Wednesday that one of the team’s players had tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday, before the team left spring training camp.

Rizzo said four other players and one staff member were following quarantine protocols after contact tracing determined they were in close contact with the person who tested positive.

Rizzo did not identify any of those involved.

 

In other baseball news:

— President Joe Biden tells ESPN CSi 14  it was a mistake for the Texas Rangers to allow full capacity at their ballpark for their first game. Speaking on the eve of opening day, Biden also says he supports discussions between Major League Baseball and the players’ union on moving the All-Star Game from Atlanta over concern about legislation adopted in Georgia restricting voting rights.

— George Springer’s Toronto Blue Jays debut will be delayed while he starts the season on the injured list with a strained oblique muscle. Springer left the Houston Astros to sign a $150 million, six-year contract with the Blue Jays. The 2017 World Series MVP with

— Spectators will be allowed in Major League ballparks when the baseball season opens Thursday. Attendance will be limited. All 30 teams are scheduled to play Thursday.

— The Royals will be without often-injured Kansas City Royals shortstop Adalberto Mondesi who will begin the season on the injured list with a right oblique strain for their season opener against the Texas Rangers. Nicky Lopez was recalled from the club’s alternate training site in Arkansas.

— The Chicago Cubs have agreed to a one-year deal with catcher Tony Wolters and designated right-hander James Norwood for assignment.

— Indians’ manager Terry Francona says he could use a rotation of relievers to close games in the first few weeks. Veteran Nick Wittgren will likely be the first to get a chance to close with James Karinchak and Emmanuel Clase also in the mix.

— Indians fans won’t be allowed inside Progressive Field wearing Native American headdresses or face paint this season. The team said fans will either be ejected or denied admission for behavior that includes wearing headdresses or “face paint styled in a way that references or appropriates American Indian cultures and traditions.”

— Marlins Park will be renamed LoanDepot Park in a multiyear naming rights agreement. The deal provides additional revenue for the Marlins, who have operated with budget constraints and a small payroll for most of their history.

— The Seattle Mariners have placed center fielder Kyle Lewis on the 10-day injured list due to a bone bruise in his right knee, sidelining the reigning American League Rookie of the Year for opening day.

— A bat Lou Gehrig used late in his career and the original home plate from Yankee Stadium when it opened in 1923 are among the items up for bidding in an online auction this week. SCP Auctions said the Gehrig bat dates to 1938, his next-to-last season in the majors. The home plate is from the original Yankee Stadium and the year the team won its first World Series championship.

NFL-NEWS

AP Source: Seahawks, Lockett reach 4-year contract extension

UNDATED (AP) — The Seattle Seahawks and veteran wide receiver Tyler Lockett have agreed to a four-year contract extension that includes $37 million guaranteed.

The deal locks up Russell Wilson’s favorite target for the foreseeable future and will likely help Seattle in its attempts to ease a salary cap crunch for the 2021 season. Lockett’s current contract was set to expire after this season and carried a salary cap charge of just under $15 million.

In other NFL news:

— The NFL has plans to eliminate some restrictions from its current COVID-19 protocols for vaccinated players, coaches and personnel such as the need to participate in daily testing; quarantine periods due to close contact with an infected individual; and/or refraining from social gatherings among other vaccinated individuals.

— The Buffalo Bills added linebacker depth by signing Tyrell Adams and Marquel Lee to one-year contracts.

NCAA WOMEN’S BASKETBALL-AWARDS

UConn’s Paige Bueckers is AP women’s player of the year

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — UConn star Paige Bueckers is the first freshman ever to win The Associated Press women’s basketball player of the year.

Bueckers received 21 votes from the 30-member national media panel that chooses the weekly AP Top 25. Dana Evans of Louisville was second with four votes.

Maryland coach Brenda Frese is The Associated Press women’s basketball coach of the year for the second time in her career.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL-NEWS

UConn’s Bouknight says he’ll enter the NBA draft

UNDATED (AP) — UConn sophomore James Bouknight has announced his intention to enter the NBA draft.

Bouknight averaged 18.7 points per game this season, but played in just 15 contests, missing eight games after undergoing elbow surgery in early January. He struggled in his final three games and made just 6 of 16 shots in the Huskies’ loss to Maryland in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament.

In other college basketball news:

— Forward Omar Payne entered the transfer portal Tuesday and became the fifth player to leave coach Mike White’s program since the end of the season. Payne joined shooting guard Noah Locke, backup point guard Ques Glover and reserve forward Osayi Osifo in looking to play elsewhere next season. Star point guard and leading scorer Tre Mann entered the NBA draft with plans of hiring an agent. That means Mann has no intention of returning to school for his junior season.

NCAA-SUPREME COURT

High court takes up NCAA restrictions

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court heard arguments Wednesday in a dispute over NCAA rules limiting education-related compensation for college athletes.

Under current rules, students cannot be paid, and the scholarship money colleges can offer is capped at the cost of attending the school.

A ruling for the former players would not necessarily mean an immediate infusion of cash to current college athletes. It would mean that the NCAA could not bar schools from sweetening their offers to Division I basketball and football athletes with additional education-related benefits. Individual athletic conferences could still set limits.

TENNIS-MIAMI OPEN

23-match win streak ends for Osaka

MIAMI (AP) — Naomi Osaka’s 23-match winning streak has ended. No. 2 Osaka lost to Maria Sakkari of Greece Wednesday in the quarterfinals of the Miami Open, 6-0, 6-4.

The defeat was Osaka’s first since February 2020 and ended any chance of reclaiming the No. 1 ranking this week from Ash Barty, who is in the semifinals.

Sakkari will next play Bianca Andreescu of Canada, who dropped serve eight times but still outlasted unseeded Sara Sorribes Tormo in three sets.

In world and national news…

TOKYO (AP) — Japan has designated Osaka and two other areas for new virus control steps as infections in those areas rise less than four months before the Tokyo Olympics. Osaka, neighboring Hyogo and Miyagi in the north have had sharp increases in daily cases since early March, soon after Japan scaled down its partial and non-binding state of emergency that began in January. Japan lifted the state of emergency in the Tokyo area on March 21, fully ending the measures aimed at slowing the coronavirus and relieving pressure on medical systems treating COVID-19 patients. Experts have raised concerns about Osaka’s rapid spike and the burden on its medical systems.

 

(AP) The company at the center of quality problems that led Johnson & Johnson to discard a batch of its coronavirus vaccine has a string of citations from U.S. health officials for quality control problems. The little-known pharmaceutical company, Emergent BioSolutions, was a key to Johnson & Johnson’s plan to deliver 100 million doses of its vaccine to the U.S. by the end of May. But records obtained by The Associated Press show it has been cited repeatedly by the Food and Drug Administration for problems ranging from poorly trained employees to cracked vials and mold around one of its facilities.

 

WASHINGTON (AP) — Congressional committees were laying the groundwork for a major public works investment even before President Joe Biden unveiled his $2.3 trillion infrastructure plan. They’ve been holding hearings to listen to experts in the field and top-ranking administration officials and introducing scores of bills. And now the hard part begins, cobbling together something that can pass such a closely divided House and Senate. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has cited July 4 as the date she would like to have an infrastructure bill passed. But Republicans are skeptical and sharply critical of the plan, particularly Biden’s effort to increase corporate taxes to help pay for the measure.

 

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas Republicans have begun passing sweeping new voting restrictions in America’s biggest red state. A bill the state Senate approved early Thursday morning included reduced options to cast ballots, limits on polling hours and more power to partisan poll watchers. It comes after an elections overhaul was signed into law last week in Georgia, where opponents have already filed lawsuits and are calling for boycotts of corporations that are silent on restrictive voting measures. A similar measure in the Texas House chamber could advance toward a full vote as soon as Thursday.

 

BEIJING (AP) — Global stock markets have followed Wall Street higher after Japan and South Korea reported unexpectedly strong economic data and President Joe Biden announced a $2.3 trillion infrastructure spending plan. London and Frankfurt rose in early trading, while Shanghai, Tokyo and Hong Kong closed higher. Japan’s closely watched quarterly Tankan survey found business conditions improved more than expected. South Korea reported March export growth accelerated. Biden announced plans to spend on broadband internet and clean energy as well as roads, bridges and public transit. There was little market reaction because investors appear already to have priced in spending and tax changes.

 

SANTA FE, N.M (AP) — New Mexico’s Legislature has approved the legalization of recreational marijuana for adults 21 and older in a bill that the governor plans to sign, extending the legal cannabis market in the American Southwest by April 2022. The state House concurred with Senate amendments Wednesday to provide the Legislature’s final approval. A companion bill would automatically erase some past marijuana convictions and reconsider criminal sentences for about 100 prisoners. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham called a special legislation this week to push for legalization of marijuana in efforts to spur employment and a stable new source