– Wayne Byers Show – Morning – Jun 21

CSi Weather…

.REST OF TODAY…Mostly sunny. Highs in the mid 60s. Northwest winds 10 to 20 mph.

.TONIGHT…Partly cloudy. Lows in the mid 40s. East winds around 5 mph with gusts to around 20 mph shifting to the south after midnight.

.TUESDAY…Mostly sunny. Highs in the upper 70s. South winds 5 to

10 mph.

.TUESDAY NIGHT…Mostly clear. Lows in the upper 50s. South winds

around 10 mph.

.WEDNESDAY…Sunny, warmer. Highs in the mid 90s. Southwest winds

10 to 20 mph.

.WEDNESDAY NIGHT…Decreasing clouds. Lows in the lower 60s.

.THURSDAY…Mostly sunny. Highs in the mid 80s.

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

showers and thunderstorms. Lows in the mid 50s.

.FRIDAY…Mostly sunny. Highs in the upper 70s.

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

.SATURDAY…Sunny. Highs in the mid 80s.

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

.SUNDAY…Sunny. Highs around 90.

Sunday Jun 20 Precipitation

Jamestown…Officially .65 of an inch, . 80 at the NDAWN station 10 miles west of Jamestown, .66 of an inch on the CSi Weather computer in Downtown Jamestown at Historic Franklin School.

Jun officials running total of precipitation as to 7-a.m. Monday…2.10 of an inch.

Other regional reports…

Courtenay .85

Edgeley .21

Dazey .80

Fingal .70

Carrington .55

Oakes 1 inch

Jamestown CSi) Monday, June 21, 2021; there will be a road closure and a temporary water outage on 3rd Ave NW (from 2nd St to 4th St NW) & also on 3rd St NW (from 2nd Ave to 4th Ave NW). This will take place from 9:30 AM until approximately 4:00 PM or until work is finished for utility work.
Questions regarding the water outage, please call the City Water Plant at 701-252-5131.
Motorists should use extreme caution in this area and use alternate routes, if possible.
END OF

Valley City (CSi) Rally in the Valley was held June 19 during Father’s Day weekend. Photo of CSi Broadband Technicians & helpers prior to the start of the Parade.

The Valley City Area Chamber of Commerce thanks everyone for the wonderful patronage and those who attended so many events during the annual community get together.

Duckin Down the Sheyenne top eight winners are listed below.

The dollar amounts are shown for the winners that were awarded through Chamber Buck Certificates and can be picked up at the Rosebud Visitors Center.

1st Place #253 Jody Smedshammer $500
2nd Place #472 Jennifer Wolhart $200
3rd Place #303 Denise Orthman $100
4th Place #326 Kristin Bear $75
5th Place #120 Joyce Hintz $50
6th Place #489 Robyn Borg $30
7th Place #362 Kathy Holm $25
8th Place #65 Oakley Johnson $20

NDDoH

COIVID-19 Stats 11:00a.m.

Sun. Jun 20, 2021

Barnes

New Positives 0

Total Positives 1423

Active: 1

Recovered: 1391

Stutsman

New Positives 0

Total Positives 3544

Active 2

Recovered 3461

Valley City (CCHD) City County Health in Valley City COVID-19 Testing Clinic schedule.

Administrator, Theresa Will says, the testing clinics are on Mondays from 12:30-p.m. to 1:30-p.m. with the drive through clinic, located at the west side of the building., at 415 2nd Ave NE. Walk in clinics Monday Through Friday’s from9-a.m. to 4:30-p.m.

Valley City (CSi) The Valley City Fire Department responded to a call of fire atop a power pole, about 3:40-p.m. Sunday, along West Main Street, at the back parking lot of the Valley City movie theater.

Valley City Electrical Supervisor Marshall Senf says a jumper wire fell onto the cross arm and sparked a fire.

He says the cause of the failure may have been due to the age of the power pole. No injuries reported.

Jamestown (CSi) Customers of Recycling Center, of ND, LLC in Jamestown will not have their recycling pick up schedule changed stemming from one of their three recycling trucks destroyed by a fire on Thursday.

Manager, Ralph Friebel says, the third truck will eventually be replaced, looking for a used truck, which he hopes will be in a short period, of time.

Valley City (CSi) The Valley City Fire Department responded to a call of fire atop a power pole, about 3:40-p.m. Saturday, along West Main Street.

More information when the report is filed.

Jamestown (City of Jamestown) Starting Monday, June 21, 2021; there will be a road closure along 5th Ave SW, from 2nd St SW to 4th St SW. This closure will last approximately two (2) weeks.

Construction signing and detour will be put in place.

Motorists should use extreme caution in this area and take alternate routes during this time, if possible.

Jamestown (CSi) On Friday, the Stutsman County Commission, in Special Session, and ADM have reached to a tentative agreement for Payment in Lieu of Taxes on the Spiritwood Energy Park’s Soybean Crushing Plant.

Following discussion, including representatives of taxing entities, Barnes County North, Jamestown Rural Fire Department, and Spiritwood Township, the County Commission unanimously approved extending to ADM a 15-year Payment in Lieu of Taxes, at $225,000 a year. Of that figure the Jamestown Fire District remains whole with Spiritwood Township, Barnes County North, and Stutsman County being portioned appropriately.

The agreement is pending approval by ADM.

Jamestown (CSi) This year’s Wagon Train entails a 95 mile ride with over 100 people expected to participate.

The trip this year starts at the Fort Seward Historic Military Post off of Highway 281 North and goes north beginning June 20 and returning Saturday, June 26.

Richland Co. (NDHP Updated Report)) The North Dakota Highway Patrol reports a motorcycle crash Saturday Jun 12 about 3:36-p.m. on County Road 26, ½ Mile north of Walcott.

A Harley Davidson Motorcycle was traveling northbound on County Road 26 at an unknown rate of speed. The driver of Harley Davidson 47 year old Robert Stephens JR, West Fargo, lost control while negotiating a right hand curve and overturned the motorcycle a number of times. He and a passenger 51 year old Tracy Stephens, of West Fargo, were not wearing helmets and were transported the Sanford Hospital in Fargo for serious injuries sustained in the crash.

Update: Tracy Stephens died from injuries sustained in this crash on June 18, 2021.

The crash remains under investigation by the North Dakota Highway Patrol.

MINOT, N.D. (AP) — Officials in drought-stricken North Dakota say wildfires have burned about 156 square miles of land across the state so far this year, more than seven times the amount from all of last year. The state Department of Emergency Services and North Dakota Forest Service say that nearly 1,400 fires have been confirmed in 2021. There were a total of 921 fires recorded last year that burned fewer than 20 square miles. State Forester Tom Claeys says North Dakota has experienced some of the driest winter and spring months in 127 years of recordkeeping. The Minot Daily News reports that limited moisture along with warm temperatures have increased the intensity and size of wildfires this year.

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — A Bismarck man who pleaded guilty to buying alcohol for a teenage girl and raping her while she was asleep or passed out has been sentenced to 15 years in prison. Forty-three-year-old John Burnette III appeared in court on Friday. He also must spend five years on supervised probation and register as a sex offender upon his release. The girl told police she drank at Burnette’s residence and awoke to him raping her. Police say they found evidence on Burnette’s phone that he photographed the girl and distributed the photos, and that he bought alcohol for her.

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — A $2.75 billion project aimed at protecting Fargo and Moorhead, Minnesota, from chronic flooding is gaining ground. It’s getting a $569 million loan from the Environmental Protection Agency. Also, local officials have picked an international consortium to build and provide some up-front capital for a key piece that involves diverting Red River floodwaters through a 30-mile channel. Officials say the public-private partnership for the project is a first for the Corps. They say it could be a model for big infrastructure projects elsewhere. Fargo Mayor Tim Mahoney called the announcements important milestones in protecting North Dakota’s largest city from flooding.

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — North Dakota regulators have set another deadline for Meridian Energy Group to begin construction on its $1 billion oil refinery near Theodore Roosevelt National Park or risk losing its permit. Meridian’s permit from the state Department of Environmental Quality was set to expire last Saturday unless construction had begun on the Davis Refinery. Earlier this month the company asked for an extension on that deadline, citing delays related to the coronavirus pandemic and litigation. Regulators granted an extension until Sept. 12 to start construction, a month short of what Meridian had requested.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A Twin Cities woman was less than a week into her new marriage to a fellow Air Force veteran when she was allegedly shot to death by her ex-husband. Police say Lauri Deatherage was killed inside her Robbinsdale home Friday, four days after both her 48th birthday and her wedding to Billy Deatherage. The Star Tribune reports that Lauri Deatherage’s 64-year-old ex-husband was arrested after a 10-hour standoff with police and is awaiting charges. Billy Deatherage told the newspaper Sunday that he met his wife 30 years ago while stationed at Grand Forks Air Force Base in North Dakota. They reconnected as friends about four years ago and he proposed this spring.

In sports…

NBA PLAYOFFS

UNDATED (AP) — Neither of the NBA’s No. 1 seeds are still alive in the playoffs. The Hawks made sure of that by downing the 76ers to earn the right to take on the Milwaukee Bucks.

The Hawks advanced with a 103-96 win over the 76ers in Philadelphia, putting Atlanta in the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in six years.

Kevin Huerter (HUR’-tur) delivered 27 points and seven rebounds for Atlanta, while Trae Young added 21 points and 10 assists. John Collins had a double-double of 14 points and 16 rebounds in the Hawks’ fifth road win of the postseason.

Atlanta is a Final Four team despite opening the season 14-20 under former coach Lloyd Pierce.

The 76ers were booed off the court following their latest playoff disappointment. Joel Embiid (ehm-BEED’) contributed 31 points and 11 rebounds, while Tobias Harris added 24 points and 14 boards.

Seth Curry was the only other Sixer to score more than eight points, finishing with 16.

Meanwhile, the Phoenix Suns didn’t have Chris Paul available for Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals, so they let fellow guard Devin Booker lead them to victory.

Booker had 40 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists for his first career triple-double as the Suns earned their seventh consecutive win, 120-114 over the Clippers. He shot 15 of 29 from the field, carving apart a defense that had to play just 36 hours after closing out the Jazz in the conference semis.

Paul sat out because of COVID-19 health and safety protocols. Clippers star Kawhi (kah-WY’) Leonard missed his third straight game because of a sprained right knee.

Deandre Ayton provided 20 points and nine rebounds to the victory. Cameron Payne started for Paul and had 11 points with nine assists.

Paul George pumped in 34 points for the Clippers.

Game 2 is Tuesday in Phoenix.

PGA-US OPEN

Rahm wins US Open

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Jon Rahm made an early move as the final group teed off at the U.S. Open, giving him the momentum he needed to capture his first major championship.

Rahm closed with a 4-under 67 to finish 6 under at Torrey Pines, one stroke ahead of Louis Oosthuizen (OOST’-hay-zehn). Rahm got up and down from a greenside bunker on the par-5 18th hole, sinking an 18-foot birdie putt to pull away. That followed a 24-foot birdie putt on the par-4 17th, which put him even with Oosthuizen.

Oosthuizen birdied his final hole for an even-par 71.

Harris English finished alone in third at minus-3, one ahead of Guido Migliozzi and Brooks Koepka (KEHP’-kuh).

Oosthuizen was the only one of the three co-leaders entering the final round to shoot well. Russell Henley closed with a 76 to finish in a tie for 13th. Mackenzie Hughes gave up six strokes with a 77.

LPGA-MEIJER CLASSIC

Korda wins in Michigan

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (AP) — Nelly Korda has earned her sixth LPGA title by taking the Meijer (MY’-ur) Championship in Michigan.

Korda followed Saturday’s career-best 62 with a 5-under 67 that included a tournament-clinching birdie on 18. She finished a tournament-record 25-under and two shots ahead of Leona Maguire, who was seeking her first tour victory.

Korda is the first two-time winner on the tour this season.

NHL PLAYOFFS..

MONTREAL (AP) — The Vegas Golden Knights have evened their Stanley Cup semifinal series at two games apiece by outlasting the Canadiens in Montreal.

Nicolas Roy (wah) converted his own rebound 1:18 into overtime to give the Knights a 2-1 win over the Habs. Vegas was staring and a 3-1 series deficit until Brayden McNabb beat Carey Price midway through the third period.

Robin Lehner (LEH’-nur) got the start in place of Marc-Andre Fleury and stopped 27 shots. Lehner blanked the Canadiens after Paul Byron scored on a breakaway with 1:05 left in the second period.

Carey Price stopped 17 shots for the Canadiens, who had won its previous four overtime games this postseason.

Game 5 is Tuesday in Las Vegas.

Meanwhile, Canadiens interim head coach Dominique Ducharme (doo-SHAHRHM’) remains isolated following a positive test for COVID-19.

Ducharme said Sunday that he is fully vaccinated and symptom-free, two days after his positive test forced him into isolation. He will clear the two-week waiting period following his second shot on Wednesday.

MLB…

— The Twins earned their fourth straight win as Byron Buxton launched an early two-run homer into the second deck to ignite a 4-3 victory at Texas. Kenta Maeda (mah-EH’-dah) cruised to his first win since May 3, scattering five hits and blanking the Rangers until Adolis Garcia and Joey Gallo hit back-to-back homers with one out in the sixth to end his day.

— The Yankees turned their third triple play of the season to strand the go-ahead run in the top of the ninth, bailing out closer Aroldis Chapman in a 2-1 win over the Athletics. Gary Sánchez spoiled Sean Manaea’s (mah-NY’-ahz) gem with a go-ahead two-run double in the sixth inning. Chapman walked Jed Lowrie and Chad Pinder on nine pitches but got a hard grounder to third from Sean Murphy for the 5-4-3 triple play.

— Adam Wainwright tossed a three-hitter with 11 strikeouts as the Cardinals blew out the Braves, 9-1 in Game 1 of a doubleheader. Nolan Arenado (ar-eh-NAH’-doh) and Paul Goldschmidt homered for the Cardinals in the seven-inning game. St. Louis had scored only 10 runs in its last seven games and was held to six hits and one run in the first two games of this four-game series.

— In the nightcap, Ronald Acuña (ah-KOON’-yah) Jr. hit his 100th career homer and the Braves earned a split with a 1-0 victory over the Redbirds. Acuña became the sixth-quickest to reach the milestone, doing it in his 378th game. Winning pitcher Drew Smyly held the Cardinals hitless until Paul Goldschmidt reached on an infield single with two out in the sixth.

UNDATED (AP) — The San Francisco Giants continue to use the longball in their bid for an NL West title.

Wilmer Flores had four hits, including two of the Giants’ four home runs in an 11-2 dismantling of the Phillies. Brandon Crawford hit his 16th homer and Mike Yastrzemski (ya-STREHM’-skee) combined with Flores for consecutive homers in the first off Zach Eflin.

The Giants and Blue Jays are tied for the major league lead with 107 round-trippers.

Sammy Long won his first major league start by limiting Philadelphia to two runs and four hits with six punchouts over six innings.

Elsewhere around the majors:

— The Diamondbacks’ losing streak has grown to 17 games with a 9-8 setback against the Dodgers. Albert Pujols (POO’-hohlz) cracked a three-run homer and passed Mel Ott for 14th on the career runs list. Arizona trailed 9-2 before closing with six runs in the eighth, but Kenley Jansen worked a perfect ninth to close out the Dodgers’ sixth consecutive win.

— Wil Myers hit a two-run triple and scored on Joey Votto’s (VAH’-tohz) errant throw as the Padres topped the Reds, 3-2 Sunday for a four-game sweep. It was San Diego’s first-ever four-game sweep of Cincinnati and their first of any team since August 2011 against the Marlins. Padres star shortstop Fernando Tatis (tah-TEES’) Jr. sat out a day after reinjuring his left shoulder in a 7-5 win.

— Milwaukee coughed up a 6-0 lead before beating the Rockies, 7-6 on Daniel Vogelbach’s tiebreaking single in the ninth. Kolten Wong’s two-run homer and two singles helped the Brewers build a six-run cushion. Colorado tied it with a six-run fourth on homers by Yonathan Daza, Trevor Story, C.J. Cron and Joshua Fuentes.

— Alec Mills and three relievers combined on a six-hitter as the Cubs, blanked the Marlins, 2-0 to avoid a three-game sweep. Chicago’s pen tossed four no-hit innings to secure the team’s second win in seven games. Rookie Zach Thompson took the hard-luck loss after holding the Cubs to one unearned run over four no-hit innings.

— Kyle Schwarber homered three times to power the Nationals to their third win in a four-game series with the Mets, 5-2. Schwarber tied a big league record with five home runs in a two-game span, and set a franchise record with nine homers in his last 10 games. Winning pitcher Patrick Corbin allowed two runs and four hits with seven strikeouts over six innings.

— Shed Long Jr. crushed a grand slam with two outs in the 10th inning to give the Mariners a 6-2 victory and a four-game sweep of the Rays. Ty France and Luis Torrens also homered in Seattle’s seventh win in eight games. The Rays owned the best record in the majors before their current six-game losing streak.

— Jarrod Dyson capped a 10-pitch at-bat with a tiebreaking, two-run double in a three-run third that helped the Royals win the rubber match of their set with the Red Sox, 7-3. Mike Minor allowed two runs and nine hits over 6 2/3 innings of Kansas City’s third win in 15 games. Whit Merrifield got his 800th major league hit in the first and hit a two-run homer in the sixth for the winners.

— Reese McGuire had three doubles during a four-hit performance, leading Hyun Jin Ryu (hee-UHN’ jihn ree-OO’) and the Blue Jays to a 7-4 win versus the Orioles. Ryu breezed through seven innings aside from Trey Mancini’s solo shot in the first, holding the Birds to four hits and retiring 18 of his last 18 batters. Mancini homered twice for Baltimore, which has dropped 10 of its last 11 and is an American League-worst 23-48.

— Abraham Toro had a career-high four hits to lead the Astros to their seventh win in a row, an 8-2 thumping of the White Sox. Toro is 7 for 11 since he was brought up from the minors last week. Dallas Keuchel (KY’-kul), was tagged for a season-high six runs and seven hits over 2 2/3 innings, his first appearance against his former team.

— The Tigers avoided a four-game sweep when Daz Cameron poked a two-run single in the 10th inning to give them a 5-3 decision over the Angels. Miguel Cabrera had a two-run single in the fifth for the Tigers, who finished their road trip at 4-3 despite getting outscored 26-11 in the first three games in Anaheim. Shohei Ohtani (SHOH’-hay oh-TAH’-nee) smacked his sixth homer in as many games for Los Angeles, a two-run shot that ties him with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. for the major league lead with 23.

— The Indians avoided a three-game sweep as Josh Naylor singled home the tiebreaking run in the seventh inning of their 2-1 win over the Pirates. The hit came after Pirates manager Derek Shelton pulled right-handed starter JT Brubaker, who limited Cleveland to three hits over 6 2/3 innings. James Karinchak struck out Colin Moran with a runner on second to end the game and pick up his eighth save.

MLB-NEWS

Parra back with Nats

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Nationals have selected the contract of outfielder Gerardo Parra from Triple-A Rochester. The two-time Gold Glove winner signed with Washington in May 2019 and hit .250 with eight homers and 42 RBIs. He spent last season with the Yomiuri Giants of Japan’s Central League.

NASCAR-NASHVILLE

Larson continues win streak

LEBANON, Tenn. (AP) — Kyle Larson’s winning streak has continued in NASCAR’s Cup debut at Nashville Superspeedway.

Larson led 264 of 300 laps for his third consecutive win in a points race, not including last weekend’s All-Star race.

Rick Hendrick’s cars have been to victory lane six consecutive weeks dating to Alex Bowman’s May 9 win at Dover.

Ross Chastain finished second for Chip Ganassi Racing and Hendrick driver William Byron was third in a Chevrolet podium sweep. Aric Almirola finished fourth after starting from the pole.

INDYCAR-ROAD AMERICA

Palou wins at Road America

ELKHART LAKE, Wis. (AP) — Alex Palou sailed past Josef Newgarden with two laps remaining to win at Road America and reclaim the IndyCar points lead.

Newgarden started from the pole and led 32 of the 55 laps until Palou passed him on the restart.

Team Penske lost its third consecutive race because of a late caution.

F1-FRENCH GP

Verstappen wins French GP

LE CASTELLET, France (AP) — Formula One championship leader Max Verstappen overtook Lewis Hamilton on the penultimate lap to win the French Grand Prix and extend his lead over his title rival to 12 points.

Verstappen won by 2.9 seconds and has 131 points to Hamilton’s 119 after seven races.

OLY-TOKYO-SOME FANS

Tokyo Olympics to allow limit of 10,000 local fans in venues

TOKYO (AP) — The Tokyo Olympics will allow some local fans to attend when the games open in just over a month.

This goes against the country’s top medical adviser who has recommended the safest way during the COVID-19 pandemic is without any fans. Fans from abroad were banned several months ago.

Japanese organizers have set a limit of 50% of capacity up to a maximum of 10,000 fans for all Olympic venues. Officials says fans will be under strict rules. They will not be allowed to cheer, must wear masks, and are being told to go straight home after the event. Tokyo and other area are under “quasi-emergency” status until July 11. The Olympics are set to open July 23.

In world and national news…

ATLANTA (AP) — Claudette has returned to tropical storm strength Monday morning as it nears the coast of the Carolinas. The system had maximum sustained winds of 40 mph Monday morning, less than two days after Claudette was blamed for 13 deaths in Alabama. A multi-vehicle crash killed eight children who were riding in a van for a youth home for abused or neglected kids. The wreck also claimed the lives of a Tennessee man and his infant daughter. Separately, a tree fell on a home killing an adult and a toddler, and a woman whose car ran off the road into a swollen creek died in north Alabama.

CHICAGO (AP) — Officials say a radar-confirmed tornado swept through suburban Chicago, damaging homes, toppling trees, knocking out power and causing some injuries. A report to the National Weather Service says a least four injuries were reported in Naperville, where a dozen homes were damaged and numerous large trees were downed by a probable tornado late Sunday. Officials in the nearby village of Woodridge said a tornado touched down late Sunday. There were no reports of significant injuries in the community. The threat for wind damage remained for a few hours as the line of storms moved over northern Illinois and into northwestern Indiana, and the severe threat was declared over at 2 a.m. local time. Severe thunderstorms also brought gusting winds and drenching rains to parts of Michigan.

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) — Palestinian officials say Israel has eased some restrictions on the Gaza Strip that had threatened a fragile cease-fire. An announcement on Monday says 11 truckloads of clothes were exported into Gaza through Kerem Shalom crossing for the first time in 40 days. On Sunday, Israel said it will allow limited agricultural exports from Gaza. The easing also included the resumption of mail service in and out of Gaza. That’s according to Palestinian officials. Since the 11-day war in May between Israel and Gaza’s Hamas rulers, thousands of Gazan passports and other essential paperwork had accumulated on the way to the West Bank-based Palestinian Authority for further processing.

GENEVA (AP) — The U.N.’s top human rights body opened its latest session and was immediately embroiled in a debate over the representation of Myanmar, where a military coup toppled the civilian government in February. Western states lined up to insist that two planned debates on the human rights situation in Myanmar at the Human Rights Council should go forward even without the country represented. But China, the Philippines and Venezuela countered that it should be. Myanmar hasn’t been represented at the U.N. in Geneva since the civilian government’s ambassador left after the coup.

BANGKOK (AP) — World markets are mixed after a sell-off Friday on Wall Street gave the S&P 500 its worst weekly loss since February. Japan’s benchmark fell 3.3% on Monday but shares rose in London and Frankfurt. U.S. futures were higher. Investors are thinking over the Federal Reserve’s signal that it may raise current ultra-low interest rates sooner than expected and slow its market-supporting bond purchases. The fear is that burgeoning inflation may prompt central banks to dial back the lavish support that has lifted markets to new highs after they plunged at the onset of the coronavirus pandemic last year.

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — President Joe Biden’s special envoy for North Korea says he hopes to see a positive reaction from the North soon on U.S. offers for talks after the North Korean leader ordered officials to prepare for both dialogue and confrontation. Sung Kim, Biden’s special representative for North Korea, is in Seoul to speak with South Korean and Japanese officials about the U.S.’s stalled diplomacy with the North over its nuclear program and U.S.-led sanctions. The trilateral talks followed a North Korean political conference last week where leader Kim Jong Un called for stronger efforts to improve his nation’s economy, further battered last year by pandemic border closures and now facing worsening food shortages.