– Wayne Byers Show – Morning – Aug 26

CSi Weather…

.TONIGHT…Mostly cloudy with a 40 percent chance of rain showers and thunderstorms. Lows in the mid 50s. East winds 5 to 15 mph.

.FRIDAY…Mostly cloudy with a 40 percent chance of rain showers and thunderstorms in the Jamestown area 50 percent in the Valley City area. Highs in the upper 60s. East winds 5 to 10 mph.

.FRIDAY NIGHT…Mostly cloudy with a 50 percent chance of showers

and thunderstorms. Lows in the upper 50s. East winds 5 to 10 mph.

.SATURDAY…Partly sunny with a 30 percent chance of showers and

thunderstorms in the Jamestown area, 50 percent in the Valley City area. Highs in the mid 70s. Northwest winds 5 to 10 mph.

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

.SUNDAY…Sunny. Highs in the mid 70s.

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

.MONDAY…Mostly sunny. A 20 percent chance of rain showers in

the afternoon. Highs in the upper 70s.

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

showers. Lows in the upper 50s.

.TUESDAY…Mostly sunny. A 20 percent chance of rain showers in

the morning. Highs around 80.

.TUESDAY NIGHT…Increasing clouds. A 30 percent chance of

showers. Lows around 60.

.WEDNESDAY…Partly sunny with a 30 percent chance of showers.

Highs in the lower 80s.

Jamestown (CSi) An estimated 4,000 people celebrated the return to Jamestown of University of Jamestown students at Wednesday evening’s downtown Block Party, a cooperative effort of UJ, the Jamestown Downtown Association and the Jamestown Area Chamber of Commerce.

Highlighting the activities was around 370 new UJ students walking down the hill from the campus shortly after 5-p.m., all together, creating a sea of UJ orange as they approached the downtown block party, with a good crowd already on hand along First Avenue to greet them.. The event featured over 110 vendor booths with the support of local businesses and community groups. The activities estimated drew an estimated 4-thousand people including UJ students and community members.

Jamestown, ND, August 25, 2021 — Jamestown Regional Medical Center announced Wednesday that it is again restricting visitors.

JRMC President and CEO, Mike Delfs says, “We love this community, and we love caring for you. From Aug. 1 to Aug. 23, 2021 COVID cases in North Dakota increased 237% – from 448 to 1,508. Knowing this, we made updates to keep our patients, employees and guests safe.”

Effective Aug. 25, one designated visitor is allowed at JRMC per patient. Exceptions include no visitors in the Emergency Department (with exceptions for children as well as adults with special needs.) The other exception to the one-visitor rule is end-of-life care.

JRMC is also transitioning all in-person events to virtual. Masks remain required for all employees, patients and guests. As school starts and the weather cools, Delfs asks the public to remain vigilant.

Delfs adds, “We ask the community to do its part too – mask, hand wash, physically distance and vaccinate, if you haven’t already.”

These preventative measures will keep the community safe, especially because other healthcare needs continue – whether it’s a pandemic or not.

Delfs says, “We continue to care on for the community – whether it’s delivering babies, healing wounds, replacing hips or offering chemotherapy. That care is just as important as care during a virus. For their safety, we ask the community not to delay scheduling their appointment – whatever that appointment may be. We are here for you.”

Learn more about how JRMC is keeping the community safe at www.jrmcnd.com/covid-safety.

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:

Governor Doug Burgum says he has no plans that would order state employees to receive a COVID-19 vaccination. Burgum says he’s hoping that FDA approval of the Pfizer vaccine will encourage more people to get their shots.

COVID- 19 Stats

Weds. Aug. 25, 2021

10:30- a.m.

Barnes

New Positives: 1

Total Positives: 1456

Active: 13

Recovered: 1414

Stutsman

New Positives: 14

Total Positives: 3652

Active: 37

Recovered: 3529

North Dakota

New cases:

Total Active Cases: 1,843 total active cases.

Daily positivity rate:5.72%.

Total COVID Deaths: 1,555

Central Valley Health District Regularly Scheduled Vaccination Clinics And Locations

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Thursday, August 26, 2021

Vaccine Type: PFIZER, MODERNA

Event Time: 9:00am – 12:00pm

Event Location: Central Valley Health District

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Thursday, September 2, 2021

Vaccine Type: PFIZER, MODERNA (1st and 2nd Dose)

Event Time: 9:00am – 11:30pm

Event Location: Central Valley Health District

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Vaccinations are also available Wednesdays from 12 PM to 6 PM at S&R Truck Plaza in Jamestown.

Central Valley Health is also offering vaccinations in their clinic.

Drive-up vaccination clinics will be held on Sundays and Mondays. The event will take place from 1 pm to 6 pm in the Buffalo Mall parking lot located at 2400 8^th Ave SW in Jamestown. The clinics are open to anyone 12 years of age and older no appointment is needed you can preregister at https://www.ndvax.org.Dates of the clinics continue on August 29 and 30, September 5 and 6, September 12 and 13 and September 19 and 20. The clinic will be open on Labor Day September 6 from 1 to 6.

For more information, please call CVHD at 252-8130.

Jamestown (CVHD) Central Valley Health District reminds residents that COVID testing is on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, at the Jamestown Civic Center, Exchequor Room, from 11-a.m. to noon.

Call CVHD at 701-252-8130 to register.

Jamestown (CSi) This summer’s entertainment at the Downtown Arts Market, & the Hansen Arts Park, draws to a close on Thursday evening August 26, starting at 5:30-p.m.

The Downtown Arts Market… a celebration of culture and community when we need it the most! Don’t forget your lawn chair or blanket.

File Photos from 2019

August 26: Schedule Change

BOLDER SHADES OF BLUE
With: Sugargliders

Amazing regional talent, the Bolder Shades of Blue bring an intense experience of blues and rock to the Hansen Arts Park.

The change was due to a previously cancelled event earlier this summer due to weather concerns, and now rescheduled to August 26.

This HUGE undertaking is only possible thanks to our many supporters, volunteers and grantors. Including, but not limited to, these Arts Market sponsors:

Association of American University Women
Dakota Central Communications
Farmers Union
Farmers Union Insurance
First Community Credit Union
Heartland Chevy Dealers
i3G Media
Interstate Engineering
Jamestown Downtown Association
Jamestown Chamber of Commerce
Jamestown Tourism
Lifetime Vision Source
Medicine Shoppe
Newman Signs
North Dakota Council on the Arts
OtterTail Power Company
Sanford Health
Unison Bank
United Way
Walter Brothers Lawn Service
John Zvirovski
Lynn Lambrecht
Christine Witt

Jamestown (CSi) On Friday August 27th, an unusually eye-catching vehicle will be parked in the Hugo’s parking lot west of St. John’s Church. Between 11 AM and 1 PM, “RVG” or “Ruthless Vote Getter” will make a stop in Jamestown, before continuing to Valley City, where Sharon Buhr says,the VCSU community campus group known as What In The World is Going On? is bringing the vehicle to Valley City, “The VOTE EQUALITY VAN will be in Valley City on Friday, August 27 from 3-5 pm . It will make a 2-hour stop at the north end of the VCSU walk bridge which is right across the street to the south of Connect Church…at 4th Street South East and Central Avenue.

The news release from Barb Lang says, The Vote Equality US Ruthless Vote Getter RV will be in the Jamestown Hugo’s parking lot west of St. John’s Church from 11 AM to 1 PM on August 27th. Follow the tour progress here:

https://voteequality.us/tour/2021-midwest-tour/ and on social media at @VoteEqualityUS. Itinerary is subject to change based on COVID-19 concerns or restrictions.

On The Wayne Byers Show on CSi Cable 2, Barb said, the vehicle is a purple 28’ RV that tours the country educating voters about the 28th Amendment, the Equal Rights Amendment. The vehicle, which is operated by Vote Equality US, sports signatures from supporters of the amendment, collected throughout the country.

Vote Equality US is a nonpartisan grassroots effort promoting equal rights for all Americans by working to ensure the addition of the fully-ratified 28th Amendment (Equal Rights) to the United States Constitution. The 28th Amendment reads: Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex.

The RVG’s Midwest tour will kick off on August 15th. The North Dakota stops are sponsored by the North Dakota Women’s Network (NDWN). The Jamestown chapter of the NDWN is organizing the August 27th event.

The tour is meant to present a nonpartisan message of gender equality directly to voters in order to ensure the issue of gender equality is prioritized in daily conversations and on major party platforms. Until the 28th Amendment is fully ratified, the United States Constitution does not guarantee gender equality. One hundred and sixty eight international constitutions include gender equality. The amendment was first introduced in 1923.

Vote Equality US’s mission is to increase awareness that gender equality is not in the U.S.

Constitution and inspire support for gender equality leaders.

Valley City (CSi) Valley City Public Schools Superintendent Josh Johnson says the school district is taking public input and looking at options on using $3.3 million dollars available in federal funding.

He says discussions are ongoing concerning if the school district should renovate older facilities or construct new buildings. He said the proposal is focused on a section of the high school built in 1919 and the two elementary schools constructed in the 1960’s.

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — A North Dakota agency is moving its headquarters to a building that has sat largely vacant after another agency allowed its more than 400 employees to work from home. The Department of Environmental Quality is moving about 140 of its employees from an office building near the state Capitol to the North Dakota Information Technology Department’s leased space in north Bismarck. The building is the largest and most expensive leased office space in the state. It costs $3 million to rent for two years. The environmental agency is leasing some space for $960,000 over the next two years.

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — A federal appeals court is ruling that the federal government must provide better health care for the Rosebud Sioux Tribe. The Argus Leader reports that the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled 2-1 on Wednesday to uphold a 2020 South Dakota District Court decision. The tribe sued in 2016 in the wake of problems at the Indian Health Service hospital on its reservation. The emergency room had to close and patients were diverted to hospitals 50 miles away. The hospital’s operating hours were cut and other services like surgeries were diverted. The tribe argued an 1868 treaty requires the U.S. government to provide physician-led health care.

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — North Dakotans are sharing personal experiences and painful stories of loss due to COVID-19, as part of a public education campaign aimed in part at boosting dismal vaccinations in the state. The North Dakota Health Dakota Department’s “COVID-19 Impact Wall” was launched Wednesday and will feature videos and short stories from North Dakotans impacted by the coronavirus. The website also serves as a memorial for those who have died due to the virus. The campaign’s rollout comes as COVID-19 cases in the state surged to the highest level of the year.

MANDAN, N.D. (AP) — A woman who lived in community housing in Mandan has filed a lawsuit claiming she was forced from her townhome because she has too many children. Shukri Ahmed, in her complaint, says she was told by Affordable Housing Developers, Inc., that she must leave the property where she has resided with her children for four years because she has violated the townhome’s occupancy standards. The policy limits the number of occupants to five in a three-bedroom unit. Ahmed had her fifth child in October 2020 and the nonprofit said she exceeded that limit. Ahmed says the policy discriminates against families with children.

MINOT, N.D. (AP) — The North Dakota Supreme Court will allow a man accused of drunken driving to withdraw his guilty plea to the charge. The court recently reversed a North Central District Court judge’s refusal to suppress some evidence in the DUI case against defendant Michael Anthony Boger. He was stopped by a Minot police officer in November 2019 who said Boger failed to have his rear license plate illuminated. Boger argued in court the officer’s own body camera footage showed the license plate was actually illuminated. The high court ruled the body camera video clearly shows that Boger’s license plate was illuminated and the officer did not have probable cause to stop the vehicle, so the evidence must be suppressed.

In sports…

Valley City (CSi) The opener for the Jamestown Jimmies, and VCSU Vikings is Thursday August 26, at Lokken Stadium, The Ag-Bowl game. Tailgating starts at 5-p.m. Kickoff at 7-p.m. Tickets are $8 for adults, $4 for students, available at the stadium and Ag—Bowl sponsors. VCSU football includes the Thursday night opener against the rival Jimmies, resuming a historic rivalry that dates back to 1909. The two teams did not play during the 2020 season due to COVID restrictions shortening schedules.

The Vikings and Jimmies have met 121 times total on the gridiron and had played every year consecutively since 1946 until last season. VCSU is currently in possession of the Paint Bucket Trophy – which the two teams play for each season – after a 20-14 victory in the last meeting on Aug. 29, 2019. The Paint Bucket Trophy was created in 1961, and VCSU currently leads the Paint Bucket Series, 42-31.

Bismarck (WDA) — Defending WDA, West Region and Class A Tournament champion Century once again is the top pick by conference coaches to win the regular season league volleyball title. The Patriots received 10 of 11 first place votes to go along with 100 total points in preseason voting. Jamestown and Bismarck High tied for second with 82 points. The Blue Jays did, however, grab the remaining first place vote.

Mandan was fourth; Legacy was fifth; St. Mary’s was sixth; Minot was seventh; Watford City was eighth; Dickinson was ninth; Williston was 10th; and TMCHS Belcourt was 11th.

Teams received 10 points for a first place vote; nine for a second place vote; eight for third place; seven for fourth place; sixth for fifth place; five for sixth place; four for seventh place; three for eighth place; two for ninth and one for 10th place. Coaches did not include their team in voting. The annual poll was conducted by Matt Mullally, WDA executive secretary.

Season notes

This marks the 39th season of WDA/West Region play, and after a season with regular season play limited to conference matches and a format change to the West Region Tournament, a more traditional season plan returns. Several teams will participate in a handful of in-season tournaments. TMCHS, which did not participate last season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, returns to play. The season begins for a majority of teams on Friday, Aug. 27 with the Bismarck Pubilc Schools East-West Crossover.

The WDA conference schedule opens for several teams on Tuesday, Aug. 31. The West Region Tournament will be held in Watford City, Nov. 11-13. The Class A Tournament is hosted by Bismarck, Nov. 18-20.

Place	Team	Points
1.	Century (10)	100
T2.	Jamestown (1)	82
T2.	Bismarck High	82
4.	Mandan	77
5.	Legacy	68
6.	St. Marys	50
7.	Minot	46
8.	Watford City	38
9.	Dickinson	33
10.	Williston	18
11.	TMCHS Belcourt	11

First place votes are in parenthesis

MLB..

— The Twins blew a two-run lead in the ninth before Josh Donaldson hit a two-run homer leading off the 10th inning of their 9-6 verdict over the Red Sox. Donaldson and Jorge Polanco homered for the second straight game, and Miguel Sanó (sah-NOH’) hit a 495-foot homer that is the longest in the majors this year. Kyle Schwarber’s two-run homer off Alex Colomé tied it in the ninth before Boston’s lead for the second AL wild card dropped to 1 1/2 games over the A’s.

— AJ Pollock led off the 16th inning with a two-run homer and the streaking Los Angeles Dodgers beat the struggling San Diego Padres 5-3 in by far the longest major league game since pandemic rules were implemented last year. It was the first game to go more than 13 innings since MLB adopted the automatic runner on second in extra frames for the 2020 season.

UNDATED (AP) — The Houston Astros have added another half-game to their lead in the American League West by earning a comeback win over the Kansas City Royals.

Alex Bregman had two hits and one RBI before scoring the winning run in the 10th inning of the Astros’ 6-5 victory. Bregman came home on a groundout by Jake Meyers to give Houston the rubber match of the three-game set.

Bregman was activated just before the game after missing two months with a strained left quadriceps.

Pinch-hitter Michael Brantley’s RBI single with two out in the eighth inning tied it at 5. Martín Maldonado and Yordan Alvarez hit solo homers to help Houston withstand Whit Merrifield’s grand slam in the seventh, which gave the Royals a 5-3 lead.

The Astros pace their division by five games over the idle Oakland Athletics.

Checking out Wednesday’s other major league action:

— Robbie Ray matched his career high by striking out 14 over seven innings of the Blue Jays’ 3-1 victory against the White Sox. Alejandro Kirk broke a tie with an RBI single in the eighth inning before Toronto handed the AL Central leaders their fourth loss in five games. White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson went 0 for 4 in his return after missing the past four games because of tightness in both hamstrings.

— Francisco Mejia (meh-HEE’-ah) hit a tiebreaking, three-run homer in the ninth inning to send the Rays to their eighth win in nine games, 7-4 over the Phillies. Brandon Lowe (low) belted his 30th home run of the season and rookie Wander Franco had two hits to extend his on-base streak to 26 straight games for Tampa Bay. The AL East-leading Rays dealt the Phils their sixth loss in eight games and moved 4 1/2 games ahead of the Yankees.

— Brandon Crawford hit a go-ahead, two-run double in the seventh inning of the Giants’ 21st win in their last 28 games, 3-2 over the Mets. San Francisco turned five double plays and won the game when closer Jake McGee got Pete Alonso to pop out with the bases loaded. Kris Bryant homered off Taijuan (TY’-wahn) Walker, who was pulled in the seventh despite allowing only two hits and throwing just 74 pitches.

— Paul Goldschmidt homered twice and scored the game-ending run on Lars Nootbaar’s single in the 10th inning of the Cardinals’ 3-2 decision over the Tigers. St. Louis starter Jon Lester allowed one run on seven hits and two walks with four strikeouts in five innings. The Redbirds were one out from a 2-1 victory until Miguel Cabrera doubled and scored on pinch-hitter Harold Castro’s soft single.

— The Brewers’ lead in the NL Central is up to 9 1/2 games after Brandon Woodruff fanned 10 over six innings of their 4-1 decision over the second-place Reds. Woodruff permitted only four hits and retired 13 straight batters during one stretch. Avisaíl (a-vih-sah-EEL’) García hit an RBI double and made two big defensive plays in right field to help Milwaukee win for the 12th time in its last 15 games.

— The Orioles’ 19-game losing streak is over after they turned a 6-2 deficit into a 10-6 victory over the Angels. Ramón Urías and Kelvin Gutierrez drew bases-loaded walks to put the Orioles up 7-6, just before pinch-hitter Austin Hays added a two-run double. Angels ace Shohei Ohtani (SHOH’-hay oh-TAH’-nee) allowed three homers on the mound and struck out three times at the plate before leaving the game in the sixth inning.

— Franmil (FRAHN’-meel) Reyes drove a 451-foot home run into the left field bleachers, one of four solo homers hit by the Indians in a 7-2 thumping of the Rangers. Yu Chang homered for the second straight game and drove in two runs to help Zach Plesac (PLEE’-sak) improve to 8-4. Óscar Mercado and Austin Hedges also homered off left-hander Jake Latz, who gave up three home runs in his major league debut.

— The Marlins ended an eight-game skid by topping the Nationals 4-3 on Jorge Alfaro’s walk-off single with the bases loaded in the 10th inning. Josh Bell and Yadiel Hernández homered in a three-run seventh that erased a 2-0 deficit for Washington in the major league debut of touted prospect Edward Cabrera. The Miami starter limited the Nationals to two hits through the first six innings.

— Patrick Wisdom slammed a tiebreaking, three-run homer in the fifth inning to send the Cubs past the Rockies, 5-2 in Game 1 of a doubleheader. The 29-year-old Wisdom has hit 21 home runs this season after belting just four in 48 games over his first three major league seasons. David Bote (BOH’-tee) and Austin Romine also homered for Chicago, which has won two straight at Wrigley Field since a team-record 13-game home losing streak.

— The Rockies gained a split of the twinbill as Ryan McMahon lofted a two-run homer in the 10th inning of a wild 13-10 victory against the Cubs. Brendan Rodgers followed with a two-run double that gave him five RBIs for the game. Connor Joe hit his first career grand slam in the fourth inning to put Colorado ahead 6-5.

— Arizona’s Carson Kelly and Pavin Smith hit solo home runs against the Pirates’ bullpen for a 5-2 victory. Kelly’s homer came in the seventh off Anthony Banda and put the Diamondbacks ahead for good. DBacks starter Tyler Gilbert worked five innings, allowing two runs on three hits.

MLB-NEWS

2022 Season will be Molina’s last

UNDATED (AP) — Yadier (YAH’-dee-ehr) Molina says he will end his major league playing career when his current contract expires after next season.

Molina announced the decision a day after he accepted a one-year, $10 million contract extension for the 2022 season.

The 10-time All Star and nine-time Gold Glove winner has spent his entire career in the Cardinals organization since the team drafted him in the fourth round of the 2000 MLB draft.

Molina this season joined Yogi Berra and Johnny Bench as the only catchers in major league history to record 2,000 hits and play in 2,000 games with one team.

Also around the majors:

— Mets ace Jacob deGrom played catch at Citi Field on Wednesday after an MRI showed improvement with the right forearm tightness that has sidelined him since July 7. Meanwhile, Noah Syndergaard will begin a minor league rehab assignment with High-A Brooklyn on Thursday.

— The Indians have placed right-handed pitcher Triston McKenzie on the 10-day injured list because of shoulder fatigue. McKenzie dominated in winning his last two starts, allowing one run and three hits with 19 strikeouts in 15 innings. He came within four outs of a perfect game against the Tigers on Aug. 15.

NFL-NEWS

Only vaccinated personnel in locker rooms on NFL game days

UNDATED (AP) — The NFL is mandating that only fully vaccinated personnel, with a maximum of 50 people, will have access to locker rooms while players are present on game days.

In a memo sent to the 32 teams and obtained by The Associated Press, the policy becomes effective immediately. The personnel covered by the policy includes coaches, athletic trainers, equipment staffers, one general manager, one team security representative, three club communications media workers and one clubhouse support staffer.

Players are not required to be vaccinated against COVID-19, but the NFL has reported that more than 90% of them are.

In other NFL news:

— The Rams have acquired running back Sony Michel from the Patriots for undisclosed 2022 draft picks. Michel brings some help to a Rams offense that was running low on healthy options with the regular season fast approaching.

— Packers wide receiver Devin Funchess has gone on injured reserve after hurting his hamstring in a joint practice with the Jets last week. The move ends the season for Funchess, who hasn’t played a regular-season game since September 2019.

— Veteran tight end Kyle Rudolph is finally on the field with the New York Giants after passing his physical. Rudolph was taken off the physically unable to perform/active list and will practice on a limited basis this week after recovering from offseason foot surgery.

— Trevor Lawrence will start Jacksonville’s season opener at Houston on Sept. 12. Coach Urban Meyer gave Lawrence the nod over third-year pro Gardner Minshew after two preseason games and a month of training camp. Lawrence was the first player taken in this year’s draft.

— The Broncos are going with Teddy Bridgewater over Drew Lock as their starting quarterback. Bridgewater was acquired from Carolina for a sixth-round draft pick in April.

— Tight end Luke Willson said he’s stepping away from football one day after re-signing with the Seahawks. In a lengthy statement on social media, Willson said he spent time in the hospital during the offseason due to a pericardial effusion. He said the hospitalization changed his perspective on his life.

— Jets defensive end Vinny Curry says he has a rare blood disorder that required his spleen to be removed. The 33-year-old Curry wrote in posts on Twitter and Instagram that Jets team doctors discovered the disorder last month, but he didn’t specify the condition ailing him.

NBA-GRIZZLIES-ROCKIES TRADE

T-wolves seal deal with Grizzlies for ace defender Beverley

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Timberwolves have finalized their acquisition of ace defender Patrick Beverley by sending 2019 first-round draft pick Jarrett Culver and backup forward Juancho Hernangómez to the Memphis Grizzlies.

The trade was agreed to in principle last week after the Grizzlies got the 33-year-old Beverley from the Los Angeles Clippers.

Beverley is in the final year of his contract, set to make about $14.3 million.

In other NBA news:

— A diversity report found the leagues continues to lead men’s professional sports in racial and gender hiring practices, fueled by more general managers and assistant coaches of color in the league. The report card from The Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport at Central Florida assigned an overall B-plus grade, with an A for racial hiring and a B for gender hiring. The report annually examines positions for franchises as well as in league leadership, with this edition using data from early in the 2020-21 season.

TENNIS-US OPEN-SERENA WILLIAMS OUT

Serena Williams pulls out of US Open, citing torn hamstring

UNDATED (AP) — The U.S. Open will be played without two of the top US women.

Serena Williams has pulled out of the year’s last Grand Slam tournament because of a torn hamstring. Fifth-ranked Sofia Kenin will miss the event due to a positive test for COVID-19, even though she said she has received a vaccine.

Williams hasn’t competed since injuring her right leg during her first-round match at Wimbledon in late June. She turns 40 next month.

Hampered by a foot injury, Kenin has not played since a second-round loss at Wimbledon on June 30. She joins a lengthy list of past major champions who have withdrawn from the U.S. Open.

The Americans join Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal in sitting out the competition in Flushing Meadows.

In world and national news…

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A wildfire that burned several homes near Los Angeles may signal that the region is facing the same dangers that have scorched Northern California, where the largest fires in the state and in the nation have been. The South Fire in San Bernardino forced 1,000 people to flee the foothills northeast of Los Angeles after erupting Wednesday afternoon. By nightfall, firefighters seemed to have the upper hand. But hot weather is forecast and that could increase the fire danger, which usually hits a peak later in the fall. Meanwhile, the Caldor Fire in Northern California continues to advance on Lake Tahoe. That fire has destroyed hundreds of homes since erupting Aug. 14 in the Sierra Nevada.

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — Western nations are warning of a possible attack on Kabul’s airport. Thousands have flocked there as they try to flee Taliban-controlled Afghanistan in the waning days of a massive airlift. Britain said Thursday that an attack could come within hours, and Belgium said there was a threat of a suicide bombing. Several countries urged people to avoid the airport, but with just days left before the evacuation effort ends and American troops withdraw, few appeared to heed the call. Many fear a return to the Taliban’s brutal rule. But new warnings emerged overnight from Western capitals about a threat on the airport from Afghanistan’s Islamic State group affiliate.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Secretary of State Antony Blinken says as many as 1,500 Americans in Afghanistan may still await evacuation, as concerns of a terror attack targeting Kabul’s airport grow in the airlift’s final days. New European warnings of an immediate threat Thursday came after a U.S. security alert, urging Americans to stay away from certain gates at the airport, the heart of a two-week evacuation effort. Blinken said 4,500 Americans have been flown out of the country ahead of President Joe Biden’s Tuesday deadline for withdrawing troops. Veterans groups and refugee organizations say countless Afghan allies at risk from the Taliban may be left behind when U.S. forces leave.

LONDON (AP) — A former Royal Marine who runs an animal charity in Afghanistan says he, his Afghan staff and dozens of dogs and cats are stuck outside Kabul’s airport as they try to get a flight out of the country. Paul Farthing appealed on Thursday to the Taliban to allow the group safe passage into the airport. Farthing has been pressing for days to get staff of his Nowzad charity out of Afghanistan, along with the group’s rescued animals. U.K. Defense Secretary Ben Wallace declined to airlift the animals on a Royal Air Force plane. saying he had to prioritize people over pets. The defense ministry later said it would help the group, including animals, leave on a privately funded chartered jet.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett are set to hold their first face-to-face meeting as Israel’s new leader presses Biden to give up pursuit of reviving the Iran nuclear deal. Before the Thursday meeting at the White House, Bennett made clear the top priority of his first trip to the U.S. as prime minister is to persuade Biden not to return to the nuclear accord. Bennett argues that Iran has already advanced in its uranium enrichment, and that sanctions relief would give Iran more resources to back Israel’s enemies in the region.

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexico’s Foreign Relations Department is not saying whether the government will allow the U.S. to reinstate the “remain in Mexico” policy of sending asylum seekers back across the border to wait for hearings on asylum claims. The U.S. Supreme Court refused to block a lower court ruling ordering the administration of President Joe Biden to reinstate the Trump-era policy of forcing people to wait in Mexico. Roberto Velasco is the Mexican government’s director for North American affairs. Velasco said the court ruling is not binding on Mexico. He said Mexico will start “technical discussions” with U.S. officials to evaluate what should be done.

SINGAPORE (AP) — World stocks are broadly lower following a charge on Wall Street that drove indices to all-time highs for the second straight day. France’s CAC 40 and Germany’s DAX declined 0.2% in early trading on Thursday. Wall Street was set for a mixed open. Futures for the S&P 500 and Nasdaq, which hit record highs on Wednesday, fell 0.1% and 0.2% respectively. That of the Dow was marginally higher. Traders are watching the Federal Reserve’s annual convention in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, which begins Thursday. Fed Chair Jerome Powell is scheduled to speak at the convention on Friday.