CSi Weather…

WINTER STORM WATCH JAN 10, 11, 2013

　

INCLUDING THE CITIES OF…CROSBY…BOWBELLS…MOHALL…

BOTTINEAU…ROLLA…WILLISTON…NEW TOWN…MINOT…TOWNER…

RUGBY…WATFORD CITY…KILLDEER…BEULAH…HAZEN…CENTER…

GARRISON…MCCLUSKY…HARVEY…CARRINGTON…BEACH…MEDORA…

DICKINSON…MANDAN…BISMARCK…STEELE…JAMESTOWN…MARMARTH…

MOTT…ELGIN…BOWMAN…HETTINGER…FORT YATES…LINTON…

NAPOLEON…EDGELEY…ASHLEY…OAKES

POTENTIAL WINTER STORM FOR WEST AND CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA LATE THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH LATE FRIDAY NIGHT…JAN 10-11, 2013

.A DEVELOPING WINTER STORM OVER THE ROCKIES IS EXPECTED TO MOVE TOWARD THE NORTHERN PLAINS BEGINNING THURSDAY NIGHT…AND MOVING THROUGH THE REGION BY SATURDAY MORNING. A WINTER STORM WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR ALL OF WEST AND CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA FOR THIS
TIME. AS THE STORM APPROACHES THURSDAY NIGHT…A PERIOD OF SLEET AND FREEZING RAIN IS POSSIBLE. THIS IS EXPECTED MAINLY CENTRAL AND SOUTH CENTRAL. THE PRECIPITATION WILL BECOME ALL SNOW ON FRIDAY AS MUCH COLDER AIR ENTERS THE STATE. GUSTY NORTHERLY WINDS FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT WILL CREATE THE POTENTIAL FOR BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW. DEPENDING ON THE TRACK AND TIMING OF THE STORM…

THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR HEAVY SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW ACROSS A WIDE AREA OF WEST AND CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA. WIND CHILLS WILL FALL TO NEAR 30 BELOW BY SATURDAY MORNING. TRAVEL MAY BECOME DIFFICULT. BE PREPARED FOR THIS WINTER WEATHER. CARRY A WINTER SURVIVAL KIT IN YOUR CAR AND STAY TUNED TO YOUR FAVORITE WEATHER SOURCE FOR FURTHER UPDATES ON THIS POTENTIAL WINTER STORM.

 

　FORECAST…

WINTER STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FROM LATE THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH LATE FRIDAY NIGHT…

TODAY…MOSTLY SUNNY. HIGHS IN THE LOWER 30S. NORTHWEST WINDS
5 TO 10 MPH SHIFTING TO THE SOUTH 5 TO 15 MPH IN THE AFTERNOON.
.TONIGHT…MOSTLY CLEAR. LOWS IN THE LOWER 20S. SOUTH WINDS 10 TO 15 MPH.
.THURSDAY…MOSTLY SUNNY. HIGHS IN THE MID 30S. SOUTH WINDS 10 TO 20 MPH.
.THURSDAY NIGHT…MOSTLY CLOUDY. SLIGHT CHANCE OF RAIN AND
FREEZING RAIN IN THE EVENING…THEN SLIGHT CHANCE OF LIGHT
FREEZING RAIN AND SLEET POSSIBLY MIXED WITH SNOW AFTER MIDNIGHT.
LOWS 15 TO 20. NORTH WINDS 5 TO 15 MPH. CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION
20 PERCENT IN THE JAMESTOWN AREA…50 PERCENT IN THE VALLEY CITY AREA.
.FRIDAY…SNOW POSSIBLY MIXED WITH SLEET IN THE MORNING…THEN
SNOW IN THE AFTERNOON. PATCHY BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW THROUGH THE DAY. COLDER. LIGHT SNOW ACCUMULATIONS. HIGHS 15 TO 20. NORTH WINDS 15 TO 20 MPH. CHANCE OF SNOW 50 PERCENT IN THE VALLEY CITY AREA.
.FRIDAY NIGHT…SNOW. PATCHY BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW. LOWS NEAR ZERO.
.SATURDAY…PATCHY BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW IN THE MORNING.
MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH A 30 PERCENT CHANCE OF SNOW. HIGHS ZERO TO
5 ABOVE.
.SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT…PARTLY CLOUDY. LOWS AROUND 10 BELOW. HIGHS ZERO TO 5 ABOVE.
.MONDAY AND MONDAY NIGHT…MOSTLY CLOUDY. HIGHS ZERO TO 5 ABOVE. LOWS AROUND 5 BELOW.
.TUESDAY…MOSTLY CLOUDY. HIGHS AROUND 10.
　

BISMARCK, N.D. – (KCSi-T.V. News Jan 8, 2013) — A North Dakota Army National Guard unit has received an alert notification for possible mobilization. The Jamestown, N.D.-based 817th Engineer Company (SAPPER) was notified of their possible mobilization by their leadership.

If mobilized, approximately 100 Soldiers would serve in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in the spring of 2014 to Afghanistan.

The unit previously served in Iraq from June 2007-June 2008 and as Company B, 141st Engineer Battalion from Dec. 2003 until Feb. 2005.

The unit specializes in combat engineering tasks.

North Dakota North Dakota adjutant general, David Spryncznatyk says “The 817th Engineer Company offers extensive depth and experience that will make them successful during their mission. The other key component to their success is the continued support of their families, friends and employers during another mission away from home.”

More than half of the Soldiers have previously deployed.

Soldiers with the unit are from 34 communities across N.D., as well as eight Minnesota communities and 1 from Texas.

North Dakota Army National Guard units that are currently mobilized include, the Williston and Hazen, N.D. based 818th Engineer Company (SAPPER), the 1919th Contingency Contracting Team (CCT), and about 30 Soldiers from the Fargo-based 191st Military Police Company with Joint Task Force Guantanamo.

Other N.D. National Guard units on alert are the Grand Forks based 1st Battalion, 188th Air Defense Artillery and the Bismarck-based Detachment 42 (Det. 42), Operational Airlift Support Agency (OSA).

　

From Buffalo City Tourism…

Jamestown, ND (KCSi-T.V. News Jan 8, 2013) — Searle Swedlund from Moorhead, Minnesota has been hired as the new Executive Director for Buffalo City Tourism.

A news release from Buffalo City Tourism says, Searle’s experience of 14 years at Concordia College in a variety of capacities, most recently as the Associate Director of Alumni Relations, will serve him well in this position.

Searle views Jamestown as “A jewel on the prairie that provides wonderful access to historical events, social outlets and its people provide the element of hospitality that make it unique.”

The public is cordially invited to a Meet & Greet for Searle on Tuesday, January 22nd from 2 PM to 4 PM in the Lantern Room at the Depot Cafe.

Coffee and cookies will be served. At 4 PM, Buffalo City Tourism will host their 8th Annual Meeting with a business meeting followed by awards.

Outgoing President Dave Smette hands over the gavel to Alden Kollman and Outgoing Board Members Bob Lulay, Mark Wolf, Corey Bayer and Pam Phillips will be recognized. Mitzi Hager, Rev. Rich Fitzer, Paul Butenhoff and Jon Lillejord will become new Board Members.

Tourism Director, Nina Sneider is retiring, and will stay on board, the next several weeks during the transition period.

　

Jamestown, ND (Jan 8, 2012) — The 2013 American Cancer Society Daffodil Days is in progress sporting the American Cancer Society.

Community Relations Manager, Mary Dahl, of Fargo says, the Cancer Society’s Flower of Hope, is a sign of renewed life.

She says Daffodil Days comes at a time of year when a sign of spring is a welcome sight.

She adds, once again the Jamestown High School National Honor Society, under the supervision of Tammy Mullowney, along with Community Representatives, Bill & Nellie Degen and Jim & Linda Bender, are hosting the event in Jamestown and neighboring communities of Stutsman County.

On Tuesday’s (Jan 8,2013) Wayne Byers Show on CSi Cable 2, Nellie Degen and Jim Bender explained more about the area Daffodil Days.

Pre-Sale orders of daffodils on now through February 15, 2013, with the

fresh, cut daffodils being delivered March 18-22 by the Benders’, to the locations from which the flowers were ordered.

Those purchasing the daffodils may then pick up their daffodils from where they were ordered.

Don’s House of Flowers will keep the flowers fresh until they are delivered.

The products being sold remain the same as in the past: a bunch of 10 daffodils for $10; bunch and a vase for $15; 3 bunches for $25; commemorative Boyd Bear & bunch for $25; Gift of Hope for a Cancer Patient for $25.

For more information, please contact Bill and Nellie Degen at 320-5440 or Jim and Linda Bender at 763-6277.

A NHS student may soon be approaching you regarding an order.

Orders and payments may be made to several Jamestown business, and financial institutions, or send donations to: Mary Dahl, 4646 Amber Valley Parkway, Fargo, ND 58104.

Orders may also be faxed to 701-232-1109. Brighten someone’s day while helping to support the mission of the American Cancer Society.

The Society would like to share that every bouquet of daffodils purchased is appreciated, and that the dollars raised by the event will be used to help the American Cancer Society continue its funding of cancer research, its state and national legislative advocacy, and its many educational and patient service programs.

A portion of the money raised by past Daffodil Days in Stutsman County is presently being used to support Look Good … Feel Better, Reach to Recovery, Patient Lodging Program, and Transportation Assistance, which are very successful and well-utilized programs here in the area.

The money raised locally is also helping to fund the Society’s Cancer Resource Centers. Patients and their families from Jamestown and throughout North Dakota have been visiting these Centers for information and assistance following their diagnosis of cancer.

The Society’s research program is the largest, private, not-for-profit source of funding for cancer research in the United States, second only to the federal government.

46 of the researchers we have financially supported have gone on to win the Nobel Prize. The Society’s funding has also helped play a part in every major research break-through in the past 50 years, including: the Pap Test, mammography, Gleevex, Tamoxifen, Herceptin, Gardacil, the first successful chemotherapy treatment for cancer, and the bone marrow transplant technique.

　

Jamestown, ND (KCSi-T.V. News) — Jamestown Mayor Katie Andersen says the Stutsman Rural Water District Board will meet on Wednesday January 9, 2013, to discuss items under negotiations with the city.

The Mayor indicated the city council will meet later this week in response to the next offer from Rural Water.

She said the city has retained Tammy Norgaard from the Vogel Law Firm as co-counsel.

The Mayor added that until City Attorney Ken Dalsted returns to town, the city’s Assistant City Attorney will also be involved in discussions.

On the January 7, 2013 Wayne Byers Show on CSi Cable 2, Mayor Andersen said,

The city council has re-grouped, and the latest proposal to Stutsman Rural Water District was based on additional legal advice from counsel, and a recently hired consultant.

As issue is whether the City of Jamestown, or Stutsman Rural Water District is to serve the area west of Jamestown, in this case, specifically the Titan Machinery building, under construction, across from Jamestown Regional Medical Center.

A city Ordinance outlines that any facility within city limits has to be serviced by the city, with this area previously annexed into Jamestown city limits.

Stutsman Rural Water District contends that a federal code protects rural water companies from cities going into their territory.

The City Of Jamestown and the Rural Water District are negotiating a royalty figure the city would pay and keep the rural water district from filing an injunction.

Mayor Andersen says the agreement between the city and Rural Water states that the rural water district would not sell water to anyone within a mile of city limits, but its now backing out of that agreement.

She said the city would “loop” the water line to Titan, adding that the water pressure that results from the city water supply is better suited for a sprinkler system for fire fighting.

She added that rural water service would require extra water storage and water pumping.

Developer, Robert Thompson says the project has been at a stand-still pending which water sprinkler system will be used.

Titan was hoping to open the new building in July this year, at the latest.

Titan’s lease on the current location expires in March this year.

Titan machinery was looking at the new site for about 12 years.

Last summer, a building permit was issued by the city, and ground was broken for the new building, after a development agreement with the city of Jamestown, which stated the city would get water to the building.

Thompson assumes the city will have liability issues if Titan is not provided water.

 

  BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) – A North Dakota man accused of hitting and killing a pedestrian while driving drunk has been sentenced to federal prison.
 
     Thirty-year-old Koleman Gourneau, of Belcourt, was sentenced to serve four years and nine months behind bars and another three years on supervised release. He pleaded guilty last September to a charge of involuntary manslaughter.
 
     U.S. Attorney Timothy Purdon says Gourneau hit a woman after leaving a bar west of Belcourt on Oct. 12, 2011, causing fatal injuries.

 

 GRAND FORKS, N.D. (AP) – A Grand Forks man has been sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for his role in a ring that supplied drugs across North Dakota and Minnesota.
 
     Thirty-six-year-old Brian Briggs asked U.S. District Judge Ralph Erickson for punishment other than prison but Erickson declined Monday.

Prosecutors sought a 16-year term and Briggs’ attorney asked for 12.5 years.
 
     Briggs was charged in a conspiracy that investigators dubbed Operation Noah’s Ark, after Noah Berglund, an East Grand Forks, Minn., man who admitted forming the drug-trafficking ring. About 20 people were indicted.

　

NEW SALEM, N.D. (AP) – A  New Salem woman faces a felony child abuse charge for allegedly breaking the arm of an infant for whom she was providing care.
 
 A  warrant has been issued for 36-year-old Kyann McLaughlin. Court documents do not list an attorney for her and she did not immediately respond to an Associated Press request for comment.
 
     McLaughlin is accused of injuring the 7-month-old child in December at her in-home, unlicensed day care.

 

 FARGO, N.D. (AP) – A North Dakota man who pleaded guilty to distributing methamphetamine has been sentenced to life in prison for drug trafficking and aiding and abetting a robbery to support the trafficking.
 
     U.S. Attorney Timothy Purdon announced Tuesday that 55-year-old Fred Miles Thompson, of Fargo, was sentenced to 40 years in prison on the drug trafficking charge and to life in prison for the charge of aiding and abetting a robbery in furtherance of drug trafficking. The sentences are to run consecutively.
 
     Thompson pleaded guilty to distributing methamphetamine in the Fargo area as well as requesting three men to rob a convenience store in Fargo in October 2011. The three men have been sentenced to prison for their role in the robbery.

 

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) – A Kansas man who escaped from the Huron jail early Tuesday has been found in Sioux Falls. Police say Charles Beeney was taken into custody at about 6:40 p.m. Tuesday. Beeney broke out of a county jail in North Dakota about seven years ago and later made an unsuccessful attempt to escape from the State Penitentiary.

 

 FERGUS FALLS, Minn. (AP) – Police say counterfeit 20s passed in Fergus Falls are connected to a counterfeit money case in Fargo, N.D. Two people were arrested last Thursday in Fargo. The next day, four fake $20 bills were passed in the Fergus Falls area.  The U.S. Secret Service will be working on the case.

 

 BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) – Oil-rich North Dakota is blessed with a strong economy, but big hurdles still lie ahead, Gov. Jack Dalrymple said Tuesday.
 
     Dalrymple gave his State of the State speech to a joint session of the North Dakota Legislature on Tuesday, as lawmakers begin their 2013 session.
 
     Record oil production has made North Dakota the nation’s No. 2 oil producer behind Texas. North Dakota, which has a state budget surplus of more than $1.6 billion, leads the nation in population growth, boasts the lowest unemployment rate in the nation and has thousands more jobs than takers.
 
     But Dalrymple says the state faces many challenges because of its rapid economic growth “that far exceed” what a city or county would normally encounter.
 
     Dalrymple told lawmakers that the state must deal with the challenges by addressing needs in law enforcement, infrastructure, housing, education and human services programs.

 

 BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) – North Dakota lawmakers are back at work – and so are the lobbyists.
 
     About 250 organizations had registered their lobbyists with the secretary of state before the 2013 session, which kicked off Tuesday and is slated to last for about three months. North Dakota legislators meet every other year.
 
     Josh Askvig, an advocate for the AARP of North Dakota, says he’s hoping legislators will consider health care for seniors and try to fill in possible gaps from the state’s refusal to open its own health insurance marketplace under new federal law.
 
     Askvig says the key to being a successful lobbyist is developing relationships, which he believes is easier in North Dakota than most states because the government “is truly a citizen Legislature.”

 

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) – North Dakota Chief Justice Gerald VandeWalle is set to address lawmakers today at the state Capitol.
 
     The 2013 session began Tuesday. By tradition, North Dakota’s chief justice briefs the Legislature on judicial issues when lawmakers meet every two years. 
 
     In the 2011 session, VandeWalle appealed to state lawmakers to look into ways to help older residents avoid being abused or financially exploited.
 
     VandeWalle has been a justice since 1978 and became chief justice in 1993.
 
     The North Dakota Supreme Court says VandeWalle is the longest-serving chief justice in the state’s history.

 

  BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) – Loretta Boehn (bane) began her 21st Legislative session at the state Capitol in Bismarck on Tuesday.
 
     Boehn has been a cashier at the cafe in the Capitol building for 43 years. She says she still gets excited working during the session, and seeing old customers and meeting new ones.
 
     Boehn says she enjoys her job and hopes to work at least two more sessions after the 2013 session.
 
     Lobbyist Josh Askvig of Bismarck calls Boehn “a treasure.” He says he looks forward to seeing her friendly smile when he comes to the Capitol every other year.

 

 WASHINGTON (AP) – A gun control group is targeting Sen. Heidi Heitkamp with print ads after the North Dakota Democrat spoke critically about gun restrictions being considered by the Obama Administration.
 
     The ads from the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence invoke recent mass shootings including Newtown, Conn. They are running in two Washington newspapers on Tuesday and will appear in the Fargo Forum and Bismarck Tribune on Wednesday, and draw attention to critical remarks Heitkamp made about new gun restrictions on ABC’s “This Week” on Sunday.
 
     In a statement, Heitkamp spokeswoman Whitney Philips says Heitkamp believes any solution to mass shootings must go beyond focusing solely on gun laws and include other issues. Philips says Heitkamp believes “all options must be on the table” when it comes to addressing gun violence.

 

In sports…

BOYS BASKETBALL

Jamestown 73, Devils Lake 70

West Fargo 80, Valley City 49
     Barnes County North 55, Pingree/Buchanan-Kensal 29
     Bismarck Century 60, Dickinson 57
     Cavalier 56, Midway-Minto 42
     Central Cass 75, Lisbon 65
     Des Lacs-Burlington 45, Towner-Granville-Upham 35
     Dickinson Trinity 82, Glen Ullin-Hebron 35
     Drayton/Valley-Edinburg 70, Thompson 60
     Dunseith 81, Bottineau 44
     Fargo Shanley 92, Grand Forks Central 43
     Four Winds – Minnewaukan JV 87, Warwick 45
     Four Winds/Minnewaukan 87, Warwick 45
     Grafton 62, Park River/Fordville Lankin 36
     Grand Forks Red River 72, East Grand Forks, Minn. 48
     Griggs County Central 63, Langdon 59
     Heart River 59, Bowman County 43
     Hettinger/Scranton 46, Beach 41
     Hillsboro/Central Valley 56, Dakota Prairie 39
          Kidder County 69, Edgeley-Kulm-Montpelier 66
     Killdeer 74, Richardton-Taylor 73, OT
     Larimore 54, Hatton-Northwood 51
     Linton-HMB 69, Ellendale 54
     Minot 55, Mandan 53
     Minot Our Redeemer’s 74, Velva 68
     New England 51, Mott-Regent 42
     New Town 66, Trinity Christian 49
     North Star 86, Benson County 35
     Northern Cass 49, May Port CG 33
     Powers Lake 75, Burke County 36
     Standing Rock 49, Cheyenne-Eagle Butte, S.D. 44
     Trenton 65, Stanley 49
     Turtle Lake-Mercer 61, Garrison 51
     Underwood 57, Max 47
     Washburn 61, Wilton-Wing 41
     
 GIRLS BASKETBALL

Jamestown 69, Devils Lake 58

West Fargo 68, Valley City 47
     Beach 89, Beulah 28
     Bismarck Century 66, Dickinson 57, OT
     Bottineau 36, Langdon 34
     Burke County 55, Powers Lake 34
     Carrington 59, New Rockford-Sheyenne 40
     Central Cass 57, Lisbon 38
     Flasher 61, Center-Stanton 30
     Grant County 77, Standing Rock 45
     Hawley, Minn. 56, Fargo Oak Grove Lutheran 39
          Kidder County 68, Edgeley-Kulm-Montpelier 19
     Kindred 52, Fairmount-Campbell-Tintah 35
     Larimore 48, Hatton-Northwood 29
     Lemmon, S.D. 79, Mott-Regent 48
     Lidgerwood-Wyndmere 63, Richland 35
     Minot Bishop Ryan 68, Rugby 35
     Mohall-Lansford-Sherwood JV 47, Sawyer 38
     Napoleon 61, Linton-HMB 41
     New Salem 57, Solen 28
     New Town 87, Trinity Christian 38
     North Sargent 70, Sargent Central 63
     North Shore 50, Surrey 40
     Northern Cass 61, May Port CG 48
     Parshall 59, Kenmare 43
     Ray 55, Tioga 11
     Rolette-Wolford 72, St. John 28
     Rolla 67, Glenburn 43
     Shiloh Christian 58, Hazen 28
     Thompson 74, Drayton/Valley-Edinburg 28
     Turtle Lake-Mercer 67, Garrison 41
     Underwood 46, Max 32

COLLEGE HOCKEY…

  MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – Top-ranked Minnesota coasted to a 4-1 win over No. 2 Notre Dame yesterday in men’s college hockey. Sam Warning, Nate Condon, Zach Budish and Christian Isackson all scored for the Gophers. Jeff Costello netted a goal for the Irish, who had their six-game winning streak snapped.
   

NATIONAL  BASKETBALL  ASSOCIATION

 MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – Nikola Pekovic had 25 points and a career-high 18 rebounds last night as the Minnesota Timberwolves beat the Atlanta Hawks 108-103. Andrei Kirilenko added 21 points and Derrick Williams had 17 points for the Timberwolves. Minnesota coach Rick Adelman missed the game due to personal reasons.
 
   Final    Brooklyn      109    Philadelphia      89
   Final    Indiana          87    Miami                    77
    Final    Houston        125    L-A  Lakers        112
   Final    Milwaukee    108    Phoenix                99
 
 
       TOP-25  COLLEGE  BASKETBALL

 UNDATED (AP) – The top-ranked Duke Blue Devils are 15-0 following an outstanding defensive display in the first half of a 68-40 rout of Clemson.
 

   Final    (10)  Missouri          84              Alabama            68
   Final    (13)  Creighton        91              Drake                61
   Final    (15)  Ohio  St.          74              Purdue              64
   Final              Pittsburgh      73    (19)  Georgetown      45
 

NFL…

 WASHINGTON (AP) – Robert Griffin III will have knee surgery today to repair a torn ligament in his right knee — and to see if there’s damage to a second ligament.
 
     Baylor coach Art Briles confirmed to The Associated Press that the Redskins rookie quarterback has a torn lateral collateral ligament. He says the surgery will determine whether Griffin has damaged the ACL in that knee.
 
     A torn LCL requires a rehabilitation period of several months, possibly extending into training camp and the start of next season. A torn ACL is a more severe injury, typically requiring nine to 12 months of recovery.

 

Minnesota assistants Mike Singletary and Mike Priefer will interview for the Chicago head coaching vacancy. Vikings coach Leslie Frazier has confirmed that the Bears made the request.

 PHILADELPHIA (AP) – The Eagles will interview Lovie Smith for their coaching vacancy tomorrow. Smith was fired after nine seasons with the Bears. He led Chicago to three division titles and one NFC championship but lost his job after the team went 3-5 following a 7-1 start and missed the playoffs.

 

GOLF…

KAPALUA, Hawaii (AP) – Dustin Johnson has extended his own winning streak by shooting a final round 5-under-68 to win the season-opening Tournament of Champions by four shots over defending champ Steve Stricker. Johnson’s victory now makes it six straight years in which he’s won at least once. He also has won the last three 54-hole events that were reduced to three rounds due to weather.
 

NHL…
     NEW YORK (AP) – NHL owners will gather in New York today to vote on the tentative labor agreement reached with the union last weekend. A majority of players also must approve the deal for hockey to return to the ice. If there are no snags, ratification could be finished by Saturday and training camps can open Sunday before a 48-game regular season is expected to begin on Jan. 19.

 

COLLEGE FOOTBALL-BCS CHANGES
 
 
     KEY BISCAYNE, Fla. (AP) – The BCS conference commissioners have announced the first semifinals in the new playoff system will be played in the Rose Bowl and the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 1, 2015.
 
     In the second year of the playoff, the Orange Bowl will host a semifinal, along with one of three other sites that still have yet to be selected.
 
     The site of the first championship is also still to come, though Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, seems to be the front-runner.

 

 MLB-YANKEES-RODRIGUEZ
 
 
     NEW YORK (AP) – Alex Rodriguez is scheduled for hip surgery on Jan. 16. The New York Yankees third baseman could be sidelined until the All-Star break because of the injury, which was disclosed by the team last month.
 
     A-Rod has been undergoing physical therapy in preparation for the operation by Dr. Bryan Kelly of the Hospital for Special Surgery.

 

   NEW YORK (AP) – Today may end up being just the second time in more than four decades that the baseball writers fail to elect anyone to the Hall of Fame. Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens and Sammy Sosa are among the players on the ballot but all three were linked to steroid use during their storied careers. Results will be announced at 2 p.m. (Eastern).

 

In world and national news.

CENTENNIAL, Colo. (AP) – Testimony continues today at a hearing to determine if the Colorado theater shooting suspect should stand trial. Lawyers for James Holmes are expected to present an insanity defense as they have previously stated that their client is mentally ill. Detectives testified yesterday that Holmes spent more than two months planning his attack on a midnight screening of “The Dark Knight Returns.”
 
     CONYERS, Ga. (AP) – An infant is among four children killed late last night in a house fire outside Atlanta. Authorities say another child was thrown from a second-floor window by his mother. He survived but injured his shoulder. The mother has been hospitalized with second- and third-degree burns.
 
     MOSCOW (AP) – A report out of Moscow says the U.N. envoy for Syria will meet Friday with top diplomats from Russia and the United States. The Interfax news agency quotes Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov as saying that he will meet Syrian envoy Lakhdar Brahimi and U.S. Deputy Secretary of State William Burns in Geneva. The meeting would take place less than a week after Syrian President Bashar Assad gave a defiant speech, ignoring international demands to step down.
 
     YANGON, Myanmar (AP) – An excavation team searching for 18 World War II-era British fighter aircraft in northern Myanmar says it’s found a wooden crate believed to contain one of the planes  — but the crate is full of water. While it’s not immediately clear how much damage the water may have caused, the British aviation enthusiast who’s driving the search calls the results “very encouraging.”