CSi Weather…

.REST OF TODAY…Mostly sunny. Areas of smoke. Highs in the mid 80s. Southwest winds 5 to 15 mph.

.TONIGHT…Mostly clear. Lows in the lower 60s. Southwest winds 5 to 10 mph shifting to the northwest after midnight.

.SATURDAY…Sunny. Areas of smoke in the morning. Highs in the

mid 80s. North winds 5 to 15 mph increasing to 15 to 20 mph in

the afternoon.

.SATURDAY NIGHT…Mostly clear. Lows in the lower 50s. North

winds 5 to 10 mph. Gusts up to 25 mph in the evening.

.SUNDAY…Sunny. Highs in the lower 80s. North winds 5 to 10 mph.

.SUNDAY NIGHT…Mostly clear. Lows in the mid 50s.

.MONDAY…Sunny. Highs in the mid 80s.

.MONDAY NIGHT…Mostly clear. Lows in the upper 50s.

.TUESDAY…Mostly sunny. Highs in the upper 80s.

.TUESDAY NIGHT…Partly cloudy. Lows in the lower 60s.

.WEDNESDAY…Mostly sunny. Highs around 90.

.WEDNESDAY NIGHT…Partly cloudy. A 20 percent chance of showers

and thunderstorms after midnight. Lows in the lower 60s.

.THURSDAY…Mostly sunny with a 20 percent chance of showers and

thunderstorms. Highs in the upper 80s.

 

 

Northerly winds have brought smoke from wildfires located north

of the Canadian border in Ontario and Manitoba into eastern ND.

Visibilities may be reduced at times. Smoke will continue to

impact the region todaym with variable concentrations.

Members of the public, especially sensitive groups, may

experience health effects if outdoors.

 

 

Valley City (CSi) Authorities Thursday morning responded to a rollover crash on I-94 near Exit 294 about 10:45-a.m

The vehicle went out of control, going into the north ditch rolling down a hill, and then coming to a stop. The driver received non-life threatening injuries.

Investigating at the scene were, the Barnes County Sheriff’s Office, and Valley City Police. They were assisted by the Barnes County Ambulance Service.

 

 

Jamestown  (JRVLS)  The James River Valley Library System, Director, Joe Rector has issued a statement, because the Stutsman County Library is facing budget cuts, and  “I want to provide information.”

He said, per the direction from the Stutsman County Commission, the County Library is requesting the same budget as for 2021,.  He pointed out that the JRVLS is not asking for an increase in 2022. Even so, the County Commission has summoned the Library to defend its budget request, and the reason given is as follows:

Rector said, “I would like to talk to them about why that Library [Stutsman County Library] is still open. I’m not really getting a good answer from them.” (Commissioner Joan Morris, July 27 special Commission meeting).

See the video of the meeting in this story at CSiNewsNow.com

The Library’s appointment with the Commission is Tuesday, August 3, around 2:30 pm.

 

 

The North Dakota Department of Health dashboard is updated daily by 11 am and includes cases reported through the previous day. The investigations are ongoing and information on the website is likely to change as cases are investigated. The information contained in this dashboard is the most up to date and will be different than previous news releases. This dashboard supersedes information from previous news releases or social media postings.

Check out our other dashboards: The COVID-19 Vaccine Dashboard, NDUS Dashboard.

 

COVID-19 Stats

Thurs Jul. 29, 2021

10:15 – a.m.

Barnes

New Positives  1

Total Positives  1429

Active 4

Recovered: 1393

 

Stutsman

New Positives 1

Total Positives 3569

Active 6

Recovered  3481

 

 

(CCHD)  City/County Health reports, that testing continues to be important. If you have any symptoms, it is important to be tested. If you have symptoms and need to be tested at other times contact your clinic.

Administrator Theresa Will says testing is inside City County Health, at the CCHD location.  415 2nd Ave NE, from 12:30-p.m., to 1:30-p.m, with  the Quick test will be administered by staff members inside their offices in Valley City, on Mondays and Fridays.

Reminder

Walk in Vaccination Clinics available, 9-a.m. to 4:30-p.m., Monday through Friday.

Vaccines available,  Pfizer, Moderna, available most days.

Vaccination available for those 12 years of age and older.

Call 845-8518 to make an appointment.

Pre-register for all clinics.

 

 

 

The CDC has described the delta variant of the coronavirus as being as transmissible as chickenpox and cautioned it could cause severe disease.

The variant was also more likely to break through protections afforded by the vaccines, but the health authority said such incidents were very rare,

The  CDC report said delta is highly contagious, likely more severe than other variants and breakthrough infections may be as transmissible as unvaccinated cases.

 

 

 

Jamestown  (CSi)  The Stutsman County Commission in Special Session, July 27 reviewed the 2022 Preliminary Budget.

Commission Chairman, Mark Klose said, the budget is about 20 mills over last year, indicating it is early in the budget process.

Klose said the commission would not consider a 20 mill tax increase, which that would increase Stutsman County property taxes by about $90 for every $100,000 residential value.

Klose pointed out that budgeting requires such topics as raises for employees, road projects and any other major expenses.

The Stutsman County Commission has scheduled another budget meeting on August 3rd, at  2 p.m. for the commission to make adjustments to the proposed budget. A budget hearing, with time for public comments, is scheduled for 10 a.m. Friday, August  6. The preliminary budget must be certified by August 10.

The final budget must be certified by October 10. The preliminary budget can be adjusted down but not increased between August 10 and October 10.

See the video of the meeting in this story at CSiNewsNow.com

 

 

Jamestown (CSi)  The Jamestown Area Chamber of Commerce in conjunction with Jamestown Tourism, JRMC, Central Valley Health District, and the Jamestown Arts Center, will have a Welcome to Jamestown Table set up at the August 5 Downtown Arts Market at the Hansen Arts Park, starting at 5:30-p.m.

The Chamber’s Executive, Emily Bivens says, anyone new to Jamestown is invited to visit for information, and to have their questions answered.

 

 

 

Valley City  (Chamber)  The Valley City Area Chamber of Commerce  has announced the list of the 2021 Crazy Daze winners:

Gary Wieck won the Dakota Plains Ag Center grill.

Harvey Hochhalter received  a $75 Chamber Bucks certificate.

Joe Smith won $50 in Chamber Bucks.

Chris Waters received $25 Chamber Bucks.

 

 

 

Jamestown  (UJ)  The University of Jamestown invites the community to the Community Block Party in Downtown Jamestown, on August 25.  The Block Party starts at 5:00 pm on Wednesday, August 25th, and booths will be closing down at 8:00 pm.

Main street in Downtown Jamestown is blocked off, and booths are setup along the side of the road to give away food, drinks, prizes and information. Some booths will also feature music and games!

The Community Block Party is a city wide event designed to welcome UJ students to Jamestown, and familiarize them with Jamestown businesses and organizations.

Everyone is invited. Hundreds of UJ students come down the hill for the event and join up with community members of all ages. There is something for everyone at the Block Party.

There is no cost or registration for attendees.

Booth registration can be done with the online form.The Community Block Party is a city wide event designed to welcome UJ students to Jamestown, and familiarize them with Jamestown businesses and organizations.

 

 

 

Dawson  (CSi)  –  The Kidder County Sheriff’s office has announced that  a large  reward is being offered for  information leading to the arrest and conviction of a person or persons involved in a cattle shooting case in Kidder County.

The cattle had been found shot in the Dawson and Tappen areas, earlier this month. A $24,000 reward has been put up for the information.

The Sheriff’s Office reports that“The North Dakota Stockmen’s Association is offering cash rewards for information. the investigation is continuing.

Those with information  encouraged to contact NDSA Chief Brand Inspector Blaine Northrop at 701-223-2522 or the Kidder County Sheriff’s Office at 701-475-2422.

 

 

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — A Minnesota electric company that wants to sell its coal-fueled power plant in North Dakota expects to know Friday if its member utility cooperatives will endorse the deal. Bismarck-based Rainbow Energy announced last month it would buy Great River Energy’s Coal Creek Station. The deal includes Great River purchasing electricity over the next decade from the new owner. The companies have not publicly disclosed terms of the deal that includes an associated transmission line. Great River supplies electricity to 28 rural Minnesota cooperatives. A company spokeswoman says two-thirds of the cooperatives are required to endorsed the sale.

 

DICKINSON, N.D. (AP) — The North Dakota Highway Patrol says a pedestrian has died after he was hit by an SUV in Dickinson. The patrol says the 22-year-old Mandan man was walking in the road near an intersection about 12:30 a.m. Thursday when he was struck by a Chevy Equinox. The 25-year-old driver was listed as  Morgan Laroche of Dickinson, ND was not injured. The 20-year-old passenger  Jacob Trinneer  of Dickinson, ND  was not injured.  Officials say that after the crash, the driver turned around and returned to the scene. The victim  22 year old Aaron Schmidt of  Mandan, ND – was taken to a local hospital, but he died of his injuries. The Highway Patrol continues with its investigation.

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — Authorities say a fight preceded the fatal shooting of a Watford City man in rural Dunn County last weekend. A 28-year-old man from Mesa, Arizona, is charged with shooting Brian Rowe multiple times as they rode with a woman in Rowe’s pickup truck Sunday. Carlos Mendivil-Beltran is charged with murder, felony theft and theft conspiracy. Officials did not say how the three in the pickup knew each other or what the two men argued about. The 28-year-old woman from Cascade, Wisconsin is charged with theft conspiracy and hindering law enforcement. A court affidavit says Mendivil-Beltran pushed Rowe out of the truck near Killdeer after he shot him.

 

 

In Sports

Thursday

2021 Class B Legion Baseball State Tournament

Game One
LaMoure 4  Velva 0
LaMoure goes to the winner’s bracket and plays Langdon at 4-p.m. Friday

Game Two

Langdon 3  Garrison 1

Langdon goes to the winner’s bracket to take on LaMoure

 

Game Three

Renville County 12  Carrington 2
Game Four
Oakes 4  Mayville-Portland 3
Oakes  will play Friday at 7-p.m. vs. Renville County.

 

Jamestown  (UJ)   – For the sixth consecutive season, the University of Jamestown baseball team has been awarded the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) Team Academic Excellenc e Award.

Teams from every level of college and high school baseball were honored with this year’s award, which highlights programs coached by ABCA members that posted a GPA of 3.0 or above on a 4.0 scale for the entire 2020-21 academic year.

Also

The University of Jamestown was one of 16 National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) institutions to receive a perfect score of 100 in the 2020-21 Champions of Character initiative, the national office announced Wednesday.

UJ earned the Gold designation for the second straight academic year.

Traditionally, institutions are measured on a demonstrated commitment to Champions of Character and earn points in character training, conduct in competition, academic focus, character recognition and character promotion. Institutions earned points based on exceptional student-athlete grade point averages and by having minimal to no ejections during competition throughout the course of the academic year. The NAIA worked to collaborate with member institutions to better reflect efforts that were impacted by transition and adjustments from COVID-19.

 

 

Jamestown  (CSi)   Dave & Dr. Mandy Sorlie announce the 6th Annual”Fore Angels,” Golf Scramble, Saturday July 31 at Jamestown Country Club.

9-a.m. start, 1-p.m. luncheon.

Angels stands for Advocating of Neonatal Grief & Early Loss Support, fund.

Supporting families who experience infant loss.

 

With the 9-holed Scramble:

$75 per golfer

Lunch

Halo Package

Games & Prizes

Team Photo

 

Ways to Support:

Event Sponsor

Luncheon $20

T-Shirt $20

Auction or Wine Donation

 

Event Website & Virtual Auction…See sponsors and bid on items online:

www.event.gives/angels21

Text: ‘angels21’ to 843-606-5995 to join by phone.

Check back often as items will be added

Registration  (701) 952-4880

foundation@jrmcnd.com/events

 

 

OLYMPICS

Djokovic loses to Zverev at Olympics, ending Golden Slam bid

TOKYO (AP) — There will be no Golden Slam for Novak Djokovic.

The top-ranked Serb lost to Alexander Zverev of Germany 1-6, 3-6, 6-1 in the semifinals of the tennis tournament at the Tokyo Olympics. Djokovic was attempting to become the first man to win all four Grand Slam tournaments and Olympic gold in the same year. He won the Australian Open, the French Open and Wimbledon this year and needed the Olympic and U.S. Open titles to complete the collection.

Zverev’s opponent in the gold-medal match will be Karen Khachanov. The Russian beat Pablo Carreno Busta of Spain 6-3, 6-3. Djokovic will play Carreno Busta for bronze.

Elsewhere at the Tokyo Games:

— United States swimmer Caeleb Dressel watched his Olympic record fall in the 100-meter butterfly, only to take it right back. Minutes after Hungary’s Kristof Milak took down the mark in the first semifinal heat, Dressel went even faster with a time of 49.71 seconds in the second heat. Dressel will be a big favorite in Saturday morning’s final, though he could get pushed by Milak.

— In the pool, South Africa’s Tatjana Schoenmaker set the first individual swimming world record at the Tokyo Olympics, capturing the women’s 200-meter breaststroke with a time of 2 minutes, 18.95 seconds. American Lilly King set a blistering pace early in the race and held on for a silver in 2:19.92. Teammate Annie Lazor grabbed bronze in 2:20.84.

— American Ryan Murphy was second in the 200-meter backstroke with a time of 1:54.15. Russia’s Evgeny Rylov set an Olympic record to win the event and complete a backstroke sweep. After losing to Rylov, Murphy commented that doping remains a huge problem in swimming and he wonders if all his competitors are clean. Murphy says he’s not accusing Rylov of wrongdoing. But Murpy was clearly taking aim at a country that has repeatedly run afoul of doping rules.

— Americans April Ross and Alix Klineman have moved on to the Olympic beach volleyball knockout round despite dropping the opening set against the Netherlands. They were down 22-20 and 12-9 before winning the second and third sets, 21-17 and 15-5.

— Reigning BMX racing gold medalist Connor Fields of the United States was carried off on a stretcher after crashing in the third semifinal heat. Fields was fourth after his opening two heats and landed hard off a jump heading into the first turn in the third run. The 28-year-old from Las Vegas slammed into the turn and lay on the track as medical personnel rushed out to help him.

NBA-DRAFT

Cunningham goes to Pistons at No. 1

NEW YORK (AP) — The Detroit Pistons are hoping Cade Cunningham will be a key component to their rebuilding program.

The Pistons have used the first pick in the NBA Draft to take Cunningham, who a first-team Associated Press All-American as a freshman this past season. The 6-foot-8, 220-pound point guard averaged 20.1 points, 6.2 rebounds and 3.5 assists for Oklahoma State.

He possesses a game that allows him to hit from 3-point range, score off the dribble or find teammates out of traps.

The Rockets used the second selection to take G-League product Jalen Green. The Cavaliers went with center Evan Mobley with the third choice. The Raptors picked up Florida State forward Scottie with the fourth selection, and Gonzaga guard Jalen Suggs went to the Majic and No. 5.

Also in the NBA:

— There was a blockbuster trade during the draft as the Lakers acquired All-Star point guard Russell Westbrook from the Wizards for three players and this year’s first-round draft pick. According to two people with knowledge of the deal, the Lakers are trading Kyle Kuzma (KOOZ’-mah), Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Montrezl (MAHN’-trehz) Harrell to Washington for Westbrook, who is a Los Angeles native and helped lead UCLA to a pair of Final Four appearances.

— A person familiar with the deal tells The Associated Press that the Cavaliers have agreed to acquire veteran guard Ricky Rubio from the Timberwolves. Cleveland is sending small forward Taurean Prince, cash and a second-round pick in 2022 to Minnesota for the 30-year-old Rubio.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL-SEC/BIG 12

UNDATED (AP) — The Southeastern Conference is preparing to expand by the middle of the decade.

SEC university presidents have voted to invite Big 12 members Texas and Oklahoma to the league and create a 16-team powerhouse on the field and at the bank.

The vote comes two days after the Longhorns and Sooners requested to join the SEC in 2025, when the schools’ media rights agreement with the Big 12 expires. Texas and Oklahoma both have board of regents meetings schedule for Friday with conference affiliation on the agenda.

There is the possibility the Longhorns and Sooners will join the SEC earlier that 2025. That’s provided they can negotiate a buyout with the Big 12 and ESPN, which has the broadcast rights to the conference games.

MLB…

UNDATED (AP) — The San Francisco Giants have concluded a successful 10-day stretch against the Los Angeles Dodgers, taking five of their seven meetings.

The Giants’ lead in the NL West is back up to three games following a 5-0 win over the second-place Dodgers.

Brandon Crawford doubled home two runs in his first at-bat since returning from a left oblique strain. Wilmer Flores, Austin Slater and LaMonte Wade Jr. also drove in runs for San Francisco, which took the rubber back of the three-game set.

Winning pitcher Johnny Cueto earned his first win since June 25th, yielding four hits over 5 2/3s. The loss went to David Price, who was reached for three runs over 4 1/3.

In other major league action:

— Joe Musgrove struck out 11 over seven innings of the Padres’ 3-0 shutout of the Rockies. Fernando Tatis (tah-TEES’) Jr. provided a run-scoring double in the first and Jake Cronenworth added a two-run homer in the eighth. Padres closer Mark Melancon pitched a scoreless ninth for his major league-leading 32nd save.

— Brad Miller’s walk-off grand slam off Sam Clay in the bottom of the eighth allowed the Phillies to salvage the finale of their doubleheader with the Nationals, 11-8. Washington led 7-0 in the nightcap before Rhys Hoskins, Andrew McCutchen and Alec Bohm all went deep. J.T. Realmuto tied the game with an RBI single in a-three-run seventh.

— Max Scherzer was sharp in what might have been his final start for Washington, allowing three runs over six innings of a 3-1 victory over Philadelphia in Game 1. Scherzer can become a free agent this fall and is the subject of rampant trade rumors with the deadline set for Friday. The split leaves the Phils 3 ½ games behind the NL East-lead Mets.

— Austin Riley concluded his three-day assault on the Mets with a two-run homer and three RBIs, sending the Braves to a 6-3 win. Riley opened the scoring with a fourth-inning blast and added an RBI single in the fifth. He delivered four home runs and seven ribbies in the last three games of the five-game set, helping Atlanta win the series and get within four games of New York.

— Manny Piña homered twice and drove in a career-high five runs as the Brewers crushed the Pirates, 12-0. Piña’s first home run capped a five-run sixth inning before he added a two-run homer in the eighth. The NL Central leaders outscored Pittsburgh 28-3 while sweeping the series and keeping a seven-game lead over Cincinnati.

— Joey Votto (VAH’-toh) set a Reds record by homering for the sixth straight game, slamming a two-run blast in the first inning to ignite a 7-4 downing of the Cubs. The 37-year-old Votto homered six times in the four-game series at Wrigley Field, and has eight home runs over his record stretch. Tucker Barnhart drove in two runs on a soft groundball single for a 4-3 lead.

— The Royals blanked the White Sox, 5-0 as Carlos Hernandez limited the AL Central leaders to four hits over six innings. Salvador Perez opened the scoring with his 25th home run, a two-run shot off loser Carlos Rodon. Kansas City won three out of four games in the series that ended with a blistering matinee.

— Vladimir Guerrero Jr. crushed a three-run homer that landed on Lansdowne Street, among the Blue Jays’ highlights in a 13-1 thrashing of the Red Sox at Fenway Park. Teoscar (tay-AHS’-kur) Hernandez collected three RBIs, including a two-run double. Hernandez and Reese McGuire each had three hits as Toronto cut Boston’s lead in the AL East to 1 1/2 games over Tampa Bay.

— Luis Patino (pah-TEEN’-yoh) outpitched Gerrit Cole and the Rays exploded for 10 runs in the sixth inning of a laugher against the Yankees, 14-0. Brett Phillips launched a grand slam during the big sixth inning. Austin Meadows homered twice and had five RBIs as Tampa Bay avoided a three-game sweep.

— Miguel Cabrera is three home runs shy of 500 for his career after slamming two more in the Tigers’ 6-2 verdict over the Orioles. Casey Mize held the Orioles scoreless until they pushed across an unearned run in the seventh, the only run he allowed.

— Frankie Montas struck out 10 over seven scoreless innings of the Athletics’ 4-0 blanking of the Angels. The A’s scored three times in the opening inning with just one hit. Starling Marte made his Oakland debut and went 1 for 4 with a walk and a run scored.

MLB-NEWS

Yanks get power bats before trade deadline

UNDATED (AP) — The New York Yankees have added sluggers Joey Gallo and Anthony Rizzo in less than 24 hours as the trade deadline nears.

Gallo’s trade to New York from the Rangers has been completed, giving the heavily right-handed Yankees a much-needed powerful lefty bat. The Yanks acquired Gallo, left-hander Joely Rodriguez and cash from the Rangers for minor league right-hander Glenn Otto and infielders Ezequiel Duran, Trevor Hauver and Josh Smith.

The 27-year-old Gallo is hitting .223 with 25 homers, 55 RBIs and a major league-leading 74 walks.

The Cubs sent Rizzo to the Yankees in a trade for prospects. That’s according to a person familiar with the deal.

Rizzo is batting .248 with 14 home runs and 40 RBIs this season and can become a free agent in November.

Trying not to be outdone, the Yankees’ top rival came away with a slugger. The Red Sox got All-Star slugger Kyle Schwarber from the Nationals for a minor league pitcher.

Schwarber had just finished a historic homer barrage when he strained his right hamstring on July 2. The left-handed hitter could be playing again within a couple weeks.

Schwarber was off to a smashing start in his first season with Washington, hitting 25 home runs with 53 RBIs in 72 games.

In other major league news:

— Cleveland manager Terry Francona is stepping down for the remainder of this season to undergo hip replacement surgery. The 62-year-old Francona has been wearing a boot on his right foot all season after undergoing toe surgery for a staph infection in February. The toe issue has exasperated the hip problem.

— The Indians have shipped second baseman Cesar Hernandez to the first-place White Sox for minor league pitcher Konnor Pilkington. The 31-year-old Hernandez is hitting .231 with eight home runs and 47 RBIs in 96 games.

— The Dodgers got left-hander Danny Duffy and cash from the Royals for a player to be named. The 32-year-old Duffy is on the 10-day injured list with a strained left flexor and last pitched on July 16. He is 4-3 with a 2.51 ERA this season.

— The Blue Jays have picked up closer Brad Hand from Washington for catcher Riley Adams.

— The new-look Nationals jettisoned reliever Daniel Hudson to the Padres for right-hander Mason Thompson and shortstop Jordy Barley. Hudson is 4-1 with a 2.20 ERA over 31 outings and 32 2/3 innings.

— The Mariners quickly found a replacement for the back end of their bullpen, acquiring right-hander Diego Castillo from the Rays for reliever JT Chargois and a minor league infielder.

— Reliable reliever Ryan Tepera is heading from the North Side to the South Side. The struggling Chicago Cubs traded the 33-year-old right-hander to the AL Central-leading White Sox for minor league lefty Bailey Horn.

NBA-NEWS

NBA’s Jaxson Hayes arrested in Los Angeles police struggle

UNDATED (AP) — Los Angeles police say New Orleans Pelicans center Jaxson Hayes was arrested on suspicion of resisting arrest after a struggle with officers responding to a report of a domestic dispute.

A police statement Thursday says officers found Hayes in the front yard of a home early Wednesday and ordered him to stay outside but he repeatedly tried to get in and a struggle ensued. Officers used a Taser and other force before handcuffing him.

NHL-NEWS

Saad to Blues

UNDATED (AP) — The St. Louis Blues have signed forward Brandon Saad to a five-year, $22.5 million contract.

The 28-year-old Saad is a five-time 20-goal scorer, including 31 for the Blue Jackets in 2015-16. He had 15 goals and 24 points in 44 games for Colorado this past season.

Saad won the Stanley Cup with Chicago in 2013 and 2015 and is heading to his fifth NHL organization.

Elsewhere in the NHL:

— The Stars have signed two more free agents: defenseman Jani Hakanpaa and veteran forward Michael Raffl (RAH’-ful).

— The two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Lightning have signed veteran winger Corey Perry to a $2 million, two-year contract.

NFL-NEWS

Jets ink Wilson

UNDATED (AP) — The New York Jets have signed their latest quarterback of the future.

Jets have worked out contract terms with Zach Wilson, the second overall selection in this year’s NFL draft.

Wilson received a fully guaranteed four-year, $35.15 million rookie contract that includes a signing bonus of $22.9 million and a fifth-year team option. He missed the first two practices of training camp as contract terms were being hammered out.

Elsewhere in the NFL:

— The Falcons have placed defensive end-outside linebacker Dante Fowler Jr. on the reserve/COVID-19 list. Coach Arthur Smith would not say whether Fowler tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

— Browns center and NFLPA President JC Tretter feels the NFL is trying to shame players by urging teams to require vaccinated and unvaccinated players to wear different colored wristbands. Tretter said it’s easy to identify who isn’t vaccinated because those choosing not to get the shots are required to wear masks and follow other protocols. Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said he didn’t want to divide his team with the wristbands.

— Washington Football President Jason Wright tells The Associated Press the organization has substantially narrowed the list of potential names for the team. The unveiling is expected before the 2022 NFL draft.

In world and national news…

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration has announced sweeping new pandemic rules for federal workers and some contractors. It is requiring that any federal civilian worker who does not attest to being fully vaccinated will be subject to universal masking, weekly testing, physical distancing from other employees and restrictions on official travel. The guidelines are aimed at boosting vaccination rates among the millions of Americans who draw federal paychecks and to set an example for private employers around the country. Biden said, “This is an American tragedy. People are dying who don’t have to die.”

 

WASHINGTON (AP) — More than 200 people have arrived in the United States on the first evacuation flight for Afghans who worked alongside Americans in Afghanistan. The commercial airliner carrying them landed early Friday at an airport in Virginia just outside Washington, D.C. It carried Afghan interpreters and their family members, including scores of children and babies in arms. The flights are dubbed Operation Allies Refuge and are intended to bring to the U.S. Afghans who are farthest along in their visa process. The interpreters, translators and others fear reprisals from Afghanistan’s Taliban as the last U.S. troops leave. President Joe Biden says he’s proud to tell the newly arrived Afghans: “Welcome home.”

 

BANGKOK (AP) — World shares and U.S. futures are mostly lower despite a flurry of reports showing economic recoveries from the pandemic gained pace in the last quarter. The 19-country zone using the euro saw its GDP jump 13.7% from a year earlier in the last quarter, according to a preliminary estimate released Friday. Japan also reported relatively strong economic data for the last quarter, before the government began tightening coronavirus restrictions as cases surged. On Thursday, the S&P 500 clawed back the ground it had lost over the previous two days following news that the U.S. economy grew at a 6.5% annual pace in April-June.

 

 

 

WASHINGTON (AP) — Congress has overwhelmingly passed emergency legislation that will bolster security at the Capitol, repay outstanding debts from the violent Jan. 6 insurrection and increase the number of visas for allies who worked alongside Americans in the Afghanistan war. The $2.1 billion bill now goes to President Joe Biden for his signature. The Senate approved the legislation early Thursday afternoon, 98-0, and the House passed it immediately afterward, 416-11. Senators struck a bipartisan agreement on the legislation this week, two months after the House had passed a bill that would have provided around twice as much for Capitol security.

 

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — An oil tanker linked to an Israeli billionaire reportedly has come under attack off the coast of Oman in the Arabian Sea. The attack Thursday night targeted Liberian-flagged oil tanker Mercer Street just northeast of the Omani island of Masirah. The location is over 300 kilometers (185 miles) southeast of Oman’s capital, Muscat. London-based Zodiac Maritime, part of Israeli billionaire Eyal Ofer’s Zodiac Group, issued a statement saying the ship was the Liberian-flagged oil tanker Mercer Street and was Japanese owned. The British Defense Ministry earlier misidentified the ship’s owners.

 

TOKYO (AP) — Japan has expanded a coronavirus state of emergency to four more areas in addition to Tokyo on Friday following record spikes in infections as the capital hosts the Olympics. Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga declared an emergency in Saitama, Kanagawa and Chiba, near Tokyo, as well as in the western city of Osaka, effective Monday until Aug. 31. Emergency measures already in place in Tokyo will be extended until the end of August, after the Olympics and well into the Paralympics which start Aug. 24. Tokyo has reported a record increase in cases for three days in a row. The cases have doubled since last week, although officials say the surge is unrelated to the Olympics.