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Volume 79 Edition 247 ©SS 2021 THURSDAY,APRIL 1, 2021 50¢/Free to Deployed Areas Nuclear AGE Military grapples with lack of spare parts for weapons

BY TARA COPP McClatchy Washington Bureau MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. — When hundreds of land- based nuclear armed ballistic missiles were first lowered into underground cement silos spread across the vast cornfields here in 1970, the weapons were only in- tended to last a decade before a newer system came in. Fifty years later, these missiles — called the Minuteman III — are still on alert, manned by members of the U.S. Air Force in teams of two who spend 24 hours straight below ground in front of analog terminals from the 1980s, decod- ing messages and running tests on the missiles’ systems to check if they could still launch if needed. But it’s not the age of weapons or the decades-old technology that troubles their operators. It’s that the original manufacturers who supplied the gears, tubes and oth- er materials to fix those systems ABBIGAYLE WILLIAMS/U.S. Air Force are long gone. Airmen from the 90th Maintenance Group responsible for maintaining and repairing ICBMs on alert status are seen in December 2019 within the F.E. Warren missile complex in Wyoming. They are one of three missile bases that are part of Air Force Global Strike Command. SEE WEAPONS ON PAGE 5 In reversal of Trump, Pentagon to release new transgender policy

BY LOLITA C. BALDOR tion, defense officials told The who spoke on condition of ano- Biden’s executive order over- The new rules also prohibit dis- Associated Press Associated Press. nymity to discuss internal deci- turned the Trump policy and im- crimination based on gender WASHINGTON — The Penta- The new department regula- sions not yet made public. mediately prohibited any service identity. Their expected release gon on Wednesday was to sweep tions allow transgender people The changes come after a two- member from being forced out of Wednesday coincided with Inter- away Trump-era policies that who meet military standards to month Pentagon review aimed at the military on the basis of gen- national Transgender Day of Vis- largely banned transgender peo- enlist and serve openly in their developing guidelines for the der identity. Defense Secretary ibility. ple from serving in the military, self-identified gender, and they new policy, which was an- Lloyd Austin then gave the Pen- Austin has also called for a issuing new rules that offer them will be able to get medically nec- nounced by President Joe Biden tagon two months to finalize the reexamination of the records of wider access to medical care and essary transition-related care au- just days after he took office in more detailed regulations that assistance with gender transi- thorized by law, said the officials, January. the military services will follow. SEE POLICY ON PAGE 5 PAGE 2 • STARS AND STRIPES • Thursday, April 1, 2021 BUSINESS/WEATHER VW hoaxes media with fake name change EXCHANGE RATES Military rates South Korea (Won) 1,128.67 Associated Press false statement was distributed ment was officially issued. Inves- Switzerlnd (Franc) 0.9415 Euro costs (April 1) $1.14 Thailand (Baht) 31.25 DETROIT — Volkswagen of again Tuesday, saying the brand- tors of late have been responding Dollar buys (April 1) 0.8314 Turkey (NewLira) 8.2508 British pound (April 1) $1.34 America issued false statements name change reflected a shift to positively to news of companies Japanese yen (April 1) 107.00 (Military exchange rates are those available this week saying it would change more battery-electric vehicles. increasing electric vehicle pro- South Korean won (April 1) 1,105.00 to customers at military banking facilities in the Commercial rates country of issuance for Japan, South Korea, Ger­ its brand name to “Voltswagen,” The company’s fake news re- duction, swelling the value of many, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Bahrain(Dinar) 0.3770 For nonlocal currency exchange rates (i.e., pur­ to stress its commitment to elec- lease resulted in articles about the shares of Tesla as well as of some Britain (Pound) 1.3782 chasing British pounds in Germany), check with Canada (Dollar) 1.2571 your local military banking facility. Commercial tric vehicles, only to reverse name change in multiple media EV startups. China(Yuan) 6.5490 rates are interbank rates provided for reference Denmark (Krone) 6.3375 course Tuesday and admit that the outlets, including The Associated Late Tuesday, VW issued a Egypt (Pound) 15.7354 when buying currency. All figures are foreign supposed name change was a joke. Press, USA Today, CNBC and The statement confirming that it won’t Euro 0.8521 currencies to one dollar, except for the British Hong Kong (Dollar) 7.7741 pound, which is represented in dollars­to­ Mark Gillies, a company Washington Post. be changing its brand name to Hungary (Forint) 309.65 pound, and the euro, which is dollars­to­euro.) Israel (Shekel) 3.3406 spokesman, confirmed Tuesday The fake release could land “Voltswagen.” Japan (Yen) 110.74 INTEREST RATES that the statement had been a pre- Volkswagen in trouble with U.S. “The renaming was designed to Kuwait(Dinar) 0.3024 Norway (Krone) 8.5371 Prime rate 3.25 April Fool’s Day joke after having securities regulators because its be an announcement in the spirit Philippines (Peso) 48.51 Interest Rates Discount rate 0.75 Poland (Zloty) 3.96 Federal funds market rate 0.09 insisted Monday that the release stock price rose nearly 5% on of April Fool’s Day,” the company Saudi Arabia (Riyal) 3.7505 3­month bill 0.02 was legitimate. The company’s Tuesday, the day the bogus state- said. Singapore (Dollar) 1.3440 30­year bond 2.39 WEATHER OUTLOOK THURSDAY IN THE MIDDLE EAST THURSDAY IN EUROPE FRIDAY IN THE PACIFIC

Misawa 48/39

Kabul Seoul 51/44 65/48 Baghdad 83/58 Drawsko Osan Tokyo Kandahar Mildenhall/ 67/47 60/49 Pomorskie Busan 76/41 Lakenheath 52/45 51/42 62/52 Iwakuni Kuwait City 57/52 Bahrain Brussels Zagan Sasebo Guam 95/70 77/70 Ramstein 60/47 68/55 65/49 67/35 81/78 Riyadh Lajes, Stuttgart 95/71 Doha Azores Pápa 60/57 68/45 91/68 Aviano/ 70/51 Vicenza 67/47

Naples 64/52 Okinawa Morón 72/69 72/57 Sigonella Rota 68/46 The weather is provided by the Djibouti 64/59 Souda Bay American Forces Network Weather Center, 89/70 55/52 2nd Weather Squadron at Offutt Air Force Base, Neb. TODAY IN STRIPES American Roundup ...... 10 Classified ...... 18 Comics ...... 17 Crossword ...... 17 Faces ...... 15 Opinion ...... 16 Sports ...... 18-24 Thursday, April 1, 2021 • STARS AND STRIPES • PAGE 3 MILITARY Senators question Space Command’s move from Colo.

BY TOM ROEDER White House to revisit the Hunts- The Gazette ville decision. (Colorado Springs, Colo.) The Government Accountabili- COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. ty Office and the Pentagon are — Colorado’s U.S. senators were probing the decision, including joined by colleagues from New the role politics may have played Mexico, Nebraska and California in it. Lawmakers including Re- DARIO LOPEZ­MILLS/AP in a letter to Pentagon investiga- publican Rep. Doug Lamborn, Young minors Tuesday lie inside a pod at the Donna, Texas, Department of Homeland Security holding tors that questions the Trump ad- who represents Colorado Springs, facility. The Department of Health and Human Services said 500 migrant children are going to Fort Bliss, ministration’s decision to uproot have said those investigations Texas, to help mitigate overcrowding. U.S. Space Command in Colorado could lead to a wider ranging Springs. probe by congressional commit- The letter to Defense Depart- tees. ment Acting Inspector General Colorado has been the hub for 500 migrant children scheduled Sean O’Donnell questions wheth- military satellite operations since er the process was thorough and the 1980s and housed the first iter- fair. A top question for Colorado ation of U.S. Space Command be- to arrive this week at Fort Bliss Democratic Sens. Michael Bennet fore it was shuttered in 2002 amid BY CAITLIN M. KENNEY are expected to go to each site. than 72 hours, including 39 who and John Hickenlooper centers on post-Cold War belt-tightening. Stars and Stripes Children being sent to Fort Bliss had been there for more than 15 how the Pentagon scuttled an ear- The latest version of the command WASHINGTON — Five will be tested for the coronavirus days. lier endeavor to pick a home for was created in 2018, and the mil- hundred migrant children are before they arrive at the base, ac- Fort Bliss has provided land and the command and its 1,400 troops, itary picked Colorado Springs as scheduled to arrive this week at cording to HHS. The children are access to the area for HHS offi- relying on a new process that its interim home. Last May, the Fort Bliss, Texas, to help mitigate then tested every three days while cials, said Lt. Col. Allie Payne, a came about amid growing politi- Pentagon said the command overcrowding at detention facili- at the base and will follow health spokeswoman for the base. The cal pressure. would remain here until at least ties jammed with children who care guidelines for the virus. The site has soft-sided tent structures, “Following the relocation an- 2026. crossed the U.S.-Mexico border boys will have access to sleeping water and electricity, she said. nouncement in January, Bennet That announcement came with alone, according to the Depart- areas, meals, toiletries, laundry, The military support to HHS is and Hickenlooper denounced the a new process that opened up ment of Health and Human Servic- recreational activities and medical expected to last until the end of decision and expressed concern courtship for the command to es. care, according to the statement. year, according to the Pentagon. that the Trump White House in- most American cities. Dozens of “The children will be welcomed The children are overseen and During President Joe Biden’s jected politics into the process,” cities joined the fray, desiring the by staff, receive a brief medical cared for by HHS officials. first official news conference last the offices of Hickenlooper and industry that would accompany check, provided needed clothing, The U.S. border with Mexico has Thursday, he said 1,000 children Bennet said in a news release. the command and the billions of toiletries, food and snacks, as well experienced rising numbers in mi- would be taken out of Border Pa- “Later that month, Bennet, Hick- dollars in federal contracts it as a safe place to rest,” according to gration, including unaccompanied trol custody within the next week enlooper and the entire Colorado could generate. a HHS statement Tuesday. children, since April due to vio- and put into safer facilities. He did congressional delegation urged Texas, Nebraska, Florida, New The Pentagon approved a re- lence, natural disasters, food inse- not say whether they were going to President Joe Biden to suspend Mexico and Alabama were even- quest last week from the Depart- curity, and poverty in Central Fort Bliss, Joint Base San Antonio- the Trump administration’s deci- tually named as the finalist states ment of Health and Human Servic- America, according to the Depart- Lackland or another facility. sion to move U.S. Space Com- to house it. es to support the temporary hous- ment of Homeland Security. John Kirby, the chief Pentagon mand.” Leaders in Colorado Springs ing of children at two Texas mili- Children who are found alone by spokesman, said Tuesday that At the center of concern are re- cheered when the city was again tary bases: Fort Bliss, which is near U.S. Border Patrol agents must be HHS has recently conducted a site ports that President Donald announced as a finalist for the El Paso, and Joint Base San Anto- transferred to HHS within 72 visit of Camp Roberts, a National Trump picked Huntsville, Ala., for command, but they were stunned nio-Lackland. hours. However, that is not always Guard base in central California, to the headquarters, countermand- when the Pentagon in the waning Fort Bliss has space to accom- the case. On Tuesday, reporters determine whether it could be used ing Pentagon advisers who want- days of Trump’s tenure said it modate up to 5,000 beds and will were able to visit a border deten- as another location to temporarily ed to leave it in Colorado. By en- would be moved to Alabama. shelter boys ages 13 to 17, accord- tion facility in Donna, Texas, house migrant children. There are listing powerful lawmakers in- One key question from the sen- ing to HHS. A vacant dormitory at where more than 4,000 people no other requests from HHS for ad- cluding California Democratic ators is whether the Pentagon ex- Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland were living in a space meant for ditional support, he said. Sen. Dianne Feinstein and Ne- amined simple questions, includ- has been selected to support 350 250, according to The Associated braska Republican Sen. Deb ing whether having existing mili- beds. Neither HHS nor the Penta- Press. More than 2,000 children [email protected] Fischer, the letter could turn up tary facilities on hand could save gon has said how many children had been at the facility for more Twitter: @caitlinmkenney pressure on the Pentagon and money on construction. 2 JBLM soldiers arrested in robbery of pizza delivery driver BY ROSE L. THAYER Sunday for driving the wrong way on a one- side of the car, the second officer noticed the forced him into the backseat of their vehicle Stars and Stripes way street in the downtown of Olympia to man in the Domino’s shirt had his hands while one of the soldiers drove the delivery Two Joint Base Lewis-McChord soldiers find the two soldiers and a 19-year-old man bound by a zip tie, so the police asked every- driver’s car into a ditch. were arrested Sunday in Olympia, Wash., af- inside, said Lt. Paul Lower, a police spokes- one to get out of the car, Lower said. The people who received the pizza observ- ter using handguns and a knife to rob a pizza man. One soldier was driving with a Dom- Once police separated the men, the deliv- ed the car crash, as well as someone fleeing delivery driver and force him into the back- ino’s pizza box sitting in the passenger seat. ery driver “broke down and said he had been the scene, and they called police, Lower said. seat of a vehicle, according to local police. The other soldier was in the backseat with a kidnapped,” Lower said. A search of the ve- The soldiers serve as artillery mechanics Pfcs. Daniel Cano-Real, 19, and John Me- man wearing a Domino’s T-shirt. hicle found handguns and a knife. in the 593rd Expeditionary Sustainment dina, 20, are charged with first-degree rob- “The driver was being almost overly The pizza delivery driver was “trauma- Command at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, bery and kidnapping and were listed Tues- friendly, but wouldn’t make eye contact,” tized,” but uninjured, Lower said. said Lt. Col. Neil Penttila, spokesman for the day as inmates at Thurston County Jail with Lower said. “The two back passengers Further investigation revealed the two sol- base. bond set at $150,000. wouldn’t make eye contact.” diers, both armed with a handgun, accosted

Officers with the Olympia Police Depart- The patrol officer called for another offi- the driver after he made a pizza delivery at a [email protected] ment pulled over a vehicle at about 12:45 a.m. cer to come to the scene. From the passenger residence and stole his money. They then Twitter: @Rose_Lori PAGE 4 • STARS AND STRIPES • Thursday, April 1, 2021 MILITARY Film highlights alternative PTSD treatments BY SETH ROBSON stress subsided. His wife saw the change Stars and Stripes and thought it could work for others. Veterans recovering from traumatic bat- In 2017 the pair started Saddles in Ser- tlefield experiences tell their stories in a vice, a program that teaches horsemanship new film that looks at the ways some are get- to veterans and first responders suffering ting their lives back on track. from stress, he said. The documentary “Wounded Heroes,” The free program, financed with dona- released on numerous online streaming ser- tions, now has 15 horses and accommodates vices March 5, includes interviews with 40 riders each week, Oluvic said. about two dozen veterans and first respon- “Wounded Heroes” includes scenes of ders who detail their struggles with post- veterans working with the horses, many of traumatic stress disorder. which are rescue animals recovering from The veterans, who served in places such mistreatment, and talking about how the ex- as Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan, tell sto- perience helped them to overcome stress. ries illustrated with photographs and film Filmmaker Michael Gier said, in a March from various combat zones. 19 telephone interview, that he made the The film includes interviews with health documentary over three years after talking care professionals, who warn about the dan- to a veteran with post-traumatic stress who gers of overmedicating people or combining said he was on 16 different medications. medications that might produce harmful Another treatment that the documentary side effects. looks at is called “reconsolidation of trau- Its focus is on alternative treatments that matic memories.” The treatment is de- the veterans say have helped them over- signed to change key aspects of a memory to come challenges in the aftermath of their make it less traumatic, Gier said. military careers. The treatment severs the emotional con- One of the veterans featured in the film, nection with the memory, said. Michael Oluvic, 52, of San Diego, was diag- “It allows them to sleep at night and talk nosed with post-traumatic stress disorder about it without distress,” he said. after retiring from the Navy as a captain in The film also examines a treatment called 2016. a stellate ganglion block. It involves anaes- His 25 years’ service included work with thetizing nerves in a patient’s neck, Gier special operations forces as an intelligence said. officer developing human sources in the “When the numbing goes away it reboots Balkans and Afghanistan, he said in a the fight or flight response,” he said, adding March 25 telephone interview. that veterans can follow up with other treat- “A lot of my operational activity was done ments and programs to get over their stress. outside the normal chain of command in Some of the treatments detailed in the combat zones,” he said. “I was operating by film can be done online, Gier added. myself trying to turn the enemy to provide “Every person who features in the film, at information.” some time, felt hopeless and thought they The job involved life and death decisions had to live a miserable life,” he said. “Today and recommendations about targeting the they are off their drugs and they have their enemy, Oluvic said. lives back and say life is worth living again. “The results weren’t always as I antici- There is hope you can get your life back and pated based on the information I had,” he live a fulfilling life.” said. Courtesy of Michael Gier “Wounded Heroes” can be streamed on The documentary film “Wounded Heroes” recounts veterans’ experiences with Amazon, iTunes, VUDU, Google Play, You- Saddle therapy alternative treatments for post­traumatic stress disorder. Tube Movies, and Vimeo on Demand. De- Back home, Oluvic replayed events in his tails about the film are available at Woun- mind and thought about how he might have waiting for something to happen,” he said. East County, which borders the Cleveland dedHeroesDocumentary.com. done things differently. He felt anxious, hy- After he retired, Oluvic and his wife, National Forest. pervigilant and paranoid, he said. Tammy, bought a pair of horses and started Working with the horses and gaining their [email protected] “I was always looking over my shoulder riding near their property in San Diego’s trust was a positive for the old sailor, whose Twitter: @SethRobson1 Air Force civilian barred from base over allegations BY COREY DICKSTEIN part of a presentation that they vacy and other concerns. He de- nia, Eglin Air Force Base in Flor- top spokesman, has said Austin Stars and Stripes compiled to guide airmen clined to say Tuesday whether an ida, Hanscom Air Force Base in hopes the stand downs will help A civilian employee for Air through the ongoing Pentagon- investigation into the civilian had Massachusetts, Hill Air Force the Defense Department better Force Materiel Command has mandated stand down to address been launched or whether the in- Base in Utah, Robins Air Force gauge the extent of the issue. been barred from his workplace the threat of extremism within dividual was still employed by the Base in Georgia and Tinker Air After the Jan. 6 attack on the over allegations that he voiced the ranks. An Air Force official Air Force. Force Base in Oklahoma. It also Capitol, Pentagon officials said support for violence against the confirmed the case was among “In order to protect the employ- oversees smaller units at other lo- they had seen anecdotal evidence U.S. government, a service several examples of extremism ee’s privacy as well as the integri- cations. extremism was a growing threat spokesman said Tuesday. mentioned in training slides is- ty of the administrative process In January, Defense Secretary among military members and The civilian is “currently sued last month. associated with possible employ- Lloyd Austin ordered all U.S. mil- they warned such groups were barred from entering the installa- The slide alleged the man iden- ment actions, we are not naming itary units and organizations to working to recruit service mem- tion where he is employed for tified himself as a member of the the installation at this time,” conduct a one-day stand down to bers into their organizations for supporting violent behavior far-right Proud Boys group and Kaufman wrote in an email. discuss the problems associated their tactical skills. against the U.S. government,” threatened to join in civil war Air Force Materiel Command with extremism within the mili- At least 30 military veterans said Derek Kaufman a spokes- against the federal government in employs some 87,000 Air Force tary ranks. Stand downs are to be are among some 380 individuals man for AFMC, which is based at the wake of the Jan. 6 assault on military and civilian personnel at completed by early April. who have been charged in con- Wright-Patterson Air Force Base the U.S. Capitol by supporters of several installations in the United Military officials have said they nection with the Jan. 6 attack, ac- in Ohio. Kaufman declined to former President Donald Trump, States, according to the com- do not know precisely how many cording to the Justice Depart- name the individual or the instal- which included members of the mand. In addition to Wright-Pat- troops hold extremist views or ment. lation where he was employed. Proud Boys. terson, AFMC runs Arnold Air how many have been punished

Air Force officials included the Kaufman declined to discuss Force Base in Tennessee, Ed- for extremist behavior in recent [email protected] allegations against the man as the individual further, citing pri- wards Air Force Base in Califor- years. John Kirby, the Pentagon’s Twitter: @CDicksteinDC Thursday, April 1, 2021 • STARS AND STRIPES • PAGE 5 MILITARY Weapons: Parts often taken from other machines for repairs FROM PAGE 1 Several years ago, the motor on All three legs of the nuclear one of the industrial-sized caged triad — air, land and sea defenses elevators that slowly descends 100 launched from silos, overhead feet below ground to the launch strategic bombers or nuclear sub- control center broke, an airman marines — are getting replaced with the base’s 791st Maintenance with newer weapons systems, si- Squadron told McClatchy. A fix multaneously. was not available for months. The next-generation replace- Instead, maintainers resorted to ment bombers, missiles and sub- rigging a pulley to lower supplies marines now under development ABBIGAYLE WILLIAMS/U.S. AIR FORCE down for the crews, the airman have a price tag topping $400 bil- Airmen from the 90th Maintenance Group are responsible for maintaining and repairing ICBMs on alert said, who spoke on the condition lion and are expected to be a pri- status in 2019 at the F.E. Warren missile complex. they not be named. mary topic of questioning during “We’re severely constrained hearings this month as lawmakers sas City National Security Cam- expand to meet the levels of repair 1960 to talk to the crew and ask with spares,” the airman said. debate whether modernizing all pus. now needed. them what upgrades would help “The technology does its job. The three legs is necessary. “There are no backup places,” The agency cautioned that sup- their missions. The UH-1N Huey challenge is sustaining it.” “In my humble opinion, we’re said Lisa Gordon-Hagerty, the ply chain issues and a lack of floor that carried him to the missile silo To make repairs, airmen are of- building more weapons than we former head of the Department of space at the Kansas City site could has been in service since 1969. The ten forced to take parts from an- need,” House Armed Services Energy’s National Nuclear Secu- hamper future plans to swap out wall deep underground at the other machine. Two of the airmen Committee Chairman Rep. Adam rity Administration, which is re- parts and extend the life of the launch control center that he at Minot told McClatchy the facil- Smith, D-Wash., said during a sponsible for maintaining the na- weapons. signed as he departed was built ity’s missile guidance system of- Center for Strategic and Interna- tion’s nuclear stockpile. That around 1962. ten needs parts or attention be- tional Studies discussion in De- means there isn’t a way to quickly Milley’s message “We’re moving into a period cause of constant wear and tear. cember. “We need to look at ways obtain spares in an emergency, Navy Adm. Charles Richard, where the engineering lifespan of “You can only do that so many to have a robust deterrent in a she added. the head of U.S. Strategic Com- these systems is nearing its end,” times until the system fails,” said more cost-effective manner. And The non-nuclear parts of the mand, wonders how many life ex- Milley said. ”Nuclear deterrence, Lt. Col. Steve Bonin, commander that’s what we’re going to work to- weapons are tightly controlled in tensions are left for the missiles. strategic deterrence, I think, has of the 91st Operations Support wards.” Kansas City because of the high “When I say heroics, I’m talking been effective in preventing great Squadron at Minot. cost if a counterfeit part slips about where people are doing power war for seven decades, Kansas City complex through. some very innovative things to re- since the end of World War II. And The price to modernize Due to the high cost of develop- The non-nuclear components verse engineer and creatively re- until, unless we have something Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of ing brand-new weapons, the de- that are produced at the Kansas place parts and things like that,” better come along, I think we need Staff Army Gen. Mark Milley and fault for the military has often City facility include items as basic Richards said. to update and modernize the one Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin been keeping the existing nuclear as wiring or bolts, and as complex He added that another service we have.” will seek billions to keep the 50- missiles running for a few addi- as the weapon’s firing system. life extension is “certainly past the As he departed the launch facil- year-old land based missiles run- tional years. They make up more than 80% of point of being cost-effective and ity, Milley took a marker to write a ning while a debate begins on All of the repair and life exten- each weapon, according to the approaching the point where you message to the missileers. It’s a whether they should be replaced. sion work for nuclear missiles or U.S. Government Accountability can’t do it at all.” place near the exit where crews It’s a difficult ask: At the same bombs is handled at just a few off- Office. To prepare for upcoming con- who have completed their tours time, the Pentagon is also in the site locations across the U.S. All of As the missiles have aged, gressional hearings on the defense and visiting defense leaders have middle of the most expensive nu- the non-nuclear parts of any of the they’ve needed more work. budget, Milley went to Minot. also scribbled notes. clear modernization effort in its warheads rely on just one place, Last year, the GAO reported He climbed inside a B-52 Stra- “Every day there is no nuke war history. the Department of Energy’s Kan- that the Kansas site would need to tofortress that’s been flying since you won,” Milley wrote. Policy: New rules are similar to those developed in 2016

FROM PAGE 1 that the government wouldn’t ac- But after that date, no one with agnosed with gender dysphoria; no discipline, morale or unit service members who were dis- cept or allow transgender people gender dysphoria who was taking as of Feb. 1, 2019, there were 1,071 readiness problems with trans- charged or denied reenlistment to serve “in any capacity” in the hormones or had transitioned to currently serving. According to gender troops serving openly in because of gender identity issues military. another gender was allowed to the Pentagon, the department the military. But they also ac- under the previous policy. Re- After a lengthy and complicat- enlist. Troops that were already spent about $8 million on trans- knowledged that some com- sults of that review have not been ed legal battle and additional re- serving and were diagnosed with gender care from 2016 to 2019. manders were spending a lot of released. views, the Defense Department gender dysphoria were required The military’s annual health care time with transgender people Until a few years ago, service in April 2019 approved a policy to serve in the gender assigned at budget tops $50 billion. who were working through med- members could be discharged that fell short of an all-out ban but birth and were barred from tak- All four service chiefs told Con- ical requirements and other tran- from the military for being trans- barred transgender troops and ing hormones or getting transi- gress in 2018 that they had seen sition issues. gender, but that changed during recruits from transitioning to an- tion surgery. the Obama administration. In other sex and required most indi- The new policies being re- 2016, the Pentagon announced viduals to serve in what the ad- leased Wednesday are similar to that transgender people already ministration called their “birth those developed in 2016. serving in the military would be gender.” As of 2019, an estimated 14,700 allowed to serve openly, and that Under that policy, currently troops on active duty and in the by July 2017, they would be al- serving transgender troops and reserves identify as transgender, lowed to enlist. anyone who had signed an enlist- but not all seek treatment. There After Donald Trump took of- ment contract before the effec- are more than 1.3 million active- fice, however, his administration tive date could continue with duty troops and close to 800,000 delayed the enlistment date and plans for hormone treatments in the National Guard and Re- called for additional study. A few and gender transition if they had serves. weeks later, Trump caught mili- been diagnosed with gender dys- Since July 2016, more than tary leaders by surprise, tweeting phoria. 1,500 service members were di- PAGE 6 • STARS AND STRIPES • Thursday, April 1, 2021 MILITARY Study: Military spouses hit hard by job losses BY ROSE L. THAYER Family Advisory Network, who discrimination because 27% of Stars and Stripes participated in a virtual discus- military spouse respondents of AUSTIN, Texas — More than sion Tuesday of the survey re- color were unemployed versus 40% of working military spouses sults. “Very often it’s because all 17% of white respondents. reported losing their jobs during of these competing pressures be- Child care continued to be one the height of the coronavirus pan- come too much and they just of the main barriers to finding demic, impacting a population think, ‘I’m going to wait it out.’ working, with 74% of respon- that already faced an unemploy- That’s a huge decision with long- dents saying they can’t find care. ment rate six times higher than lasting career and financial im- Some of the challenges include the national average, according plications that affects the whole finding quality care, affordable to an annual survey. family.” care or gain access to on-base fa- AKIFUMI ISHIKAWA/Stars and Stripes “This has been a devastating Conducted every year since cilities with long waitlists, said People walking along the waterfront in Yokosuka, Japan, wear masks period for military spouse em- 2009, this year’s survey solicited Jessica Strong, co-director of ap- as protection against the coronvirus on March 19. ployment,” said Kathy Roth- responses in September and Oc- plied research for Blue Star Fam- Douquet, CEO and board presi- tober, receiving input from near- ilies. dent of Blue Star Families, a non- ly 11,000 service members, veter- Female service members also 9 new coronavirus patients profit that conducts research and ans and their spouses. The noted problems with finding care advocates on behalf of military group’s report included more for their children, however, espe- among US military in Japan families. than a dozen recommendations cially in dual-military couples or The group’s report on its an- for the Defense Department and those in the Reserve or National BY JOSEPH DITZLER roshima, reported two people test- nual Military Family Lifestyle lawmakers that focused on ad- Guard who conduct training on Stars and Stripes ed positive for COVID-19 while in Survey released Tuesday found dressing discrimination, poten- weekends. TOKYO — U.S. military bases quarantine following their arrival that during the pandemic, about tial barriers for retaining service The pandemic has forced the in Japan reported nine new coro- at the air station, according to a 42% of working spouses reported members and improving the fi- Marines to look differently at navirus patients Wednesday. base Facebook post. they lost their jobs, with the most nancial standing of military fam- how women serve and find solu- U.S. Army Japan, headquar- Tokyo reported 414 people new- common reason being a furlough ilies. tions to keep them because deter- tered at Camp Zama, 26 miles ly infected with the coronavirus or layoff. The pre-pandemic un- The survey also found that 51% ring the enemy requires a “di- southwest of central Tokyo, said on Wednesday, the first day in employment rate for military of active-duty spouse respon- verse bench of people,” said Ma- seven of its people on Okinawa nearly two weeks that the daily re- spouses was about 24% and the dents agreed their military affil- rine Corps Brig. Gen. Lorna Mah- tested positive between March 24 port did not exceed the new cases civilian unemployment rate was iation prevented them from re- lock, director of information, and Wednesday, according to a reported one week prior, accord- 3.5% in February 2020, the month ceiving a promotion at some point command, control, communica- Facebook post by the Army. ing to public broadcaster NHK. before coronavirus began shut- in their career, compared to only tions and computers for the ser- The Army said three individu- Several U.S. bases are located in ting down America, according to 16% of veterans. vice, who spoke during the vir- als reported symptoms of CO- or near Tokyo, including the head- the Bureau of Labor Statistics. “In light of these findings, Blue tual discussion. VID-19; the remaining four were quarters for U.S. Forces Japan, Additionally, 47% of military Star Families recommends that “We should be dissatisfied with already isolated as close contacts the Air Force, Army and Navy. spouses had to reduce their work Congress commissions a report the status quo,” Mahlock said. of a previously infected person. In South Korea, the Korea Dis- hours, primarily to care for chil- on employment discrimination Blue Star Families will host a U.S. Air Force and Marine ease Control and Prevention dren who were now either home against military spouses in the ci- second round of panel discus- Corps bases on Okinawa have re- Agency reported 506 new corona- from child care or attending vilian job market,” according to sions Wednesday that look at the ported an increase in cases of CO- virus patients Tuesday. The num- school virtually. the report. “The report should in- survey results on diversity VID-19, the coronavirus respira- ber of new cases has fluctuated “We’re seeing military spouses clude an assessment of the viabil- among military families and the tory disease, since March 22. They between 300 and 500 in the coun- leave the workforce at higher ity of policy solutions to prevent mental health of military chil- have reimposed a series of restric- try during March. rates than other demographic such discrimination.” dren. tions, including a ban on off-base groups,” said Shelley Kimball, The recommendation also dining, as a result. Stars and Stripes reporter Yoo Kyong Chang senior director of research and called on Congress to review how [email protected] Elsewhere, Marine Corps Air contributed to this report. program evaluation at Military race and gender factor into this Twitter: @Rose_Lori Station Iwakuni, 32 miles from Hi- [email protected] Italian autopsy confirms airman’s death related to COVID BY CHAD GARLAND son for the 31st Fighter Wing at Force and the second U.S. service They’d spoken to him earlier Germany. Stars and Stripes Aviano. member to die of the disease while that day and he seemed fine, ex- New or worsening shortness of An Italian autopsy has found “Those results are still under in- stationed in Europe. Army Staff cept for what sounded like conges- breath can be a troubling sign of that COVID-19 complications vestigation,” Halbert said in an Sgt. Setariki Korovakaturaga, 43, tion, Amanda Morris said. Hours the disease’s “most feared” com- caused the January death of a U.S. email Wednes- died in Germany while being later, difficulty breathing prompt- plications, a blockage of arteries in airman stationed at Aviano Air day that also con- rushed to a hospital in December. ed his call for medical help, which the lungs known as a pulmonary Base, military officials said firmed the Ital- Morris had tested positive for she said was his third time com- embolism, which can come sud- Wednesday. ian authorities the virus Jan. 4. On the day he died, plaining to medical personnel of denly and quickly turn fatal, Haw- Tech. Sgt. Michael W. Morris, had released he was on the phone with someone that symptom while in quarantine ley-Molloy said. 36, died alone in his off-base home their findings. from his command while awaiting at home. The base held a ceremony Feb. Jan. 12, hours after calling his wife The service an ambulance at his home, a few He’d previously been advised to 19 to honor Morris, a member of and children in Minnesota to wish had not yet listed miles from the northern Italian stay home and his symptoms had the Leech Lake Ojibwe tribe, who his youngest daughter a happy Morris’ death in base. He was unresponsive by the appeared to improve before de- had joined the Air Force in 2006 Morris fifth birthday. He’d tested positive its statistics as of time it arrived and efforts to revive clining again, she said. His symp- and deployed three times to Iraq for the coronavirus a week earlier, Monday. It’s un- him failed. toms were mild on earlier calls and twice to Afghanistan. and his family immediately sus- usual for a coronavirus death in the His wife, two daughters and son when he was told to call for an am- His family, including a 12-year- pected it caused his death, even military to take so long to confirm were some 7,400 miles away visit- bulance if they worsened, base of- old and 10-year-old, had left Eu- though the military has yet to make — most of the 24 service member ing family in Minnesota and ficials have said. rope in July to spend time with rel- its own determination. deaths attributed to the disease as wouldn’t learn of his death until Symptoms of the disease can atives, leaving Morris with their Aseparate Defense Department of Monday were announced within the following day. wax and wane, but often worsen in cat in Italy to await orders for his autopsy under Armed Forces four days, an analysis shows. Morris hadn’t been able to go the second week, said Dr. (Col.) next assignment. Medical Examiner Systems stan- Morris would be the first coro- with them because of travel re- Joshua Hawley-Molloy, an infec- dards remains open, said Staff Sgt. navirus-related fatality for the ac- strictions, his wife of 14 years told tious disease specialist at Land- [email protected] Valeria A. Halbert, a spokesper- tive-duty component of the Air Stars and Stripes after his death. stuhl Regional Medical Center in Twitter: @chadgarland Thursday, April 1, 2021 • STARS AND STRIPES • PAGE 7 VIRUS OUTBREAK Pfizer says its COVID-19 vaccine protects younger teens as well Associated Press portant piece of evidence is how plan to ask the U.S. Food and Pfizer announced Wednesday well the shots revved up the kids’ Drug Administration and Eu- that its COVID-19 vaccine is safe immune systems. Researchers ropean regulators to allow emer- and strongly protective in kids as reported high levels of virus- gency use of the shots starting at young as 12, a step toward pos- fighting antibodies, somewhat age 12. sibly beginning shots in this age higher than were seen in studies “We share the urgency to ex- group before they head back to of young adults. pand the use of our vaccine,” school in the fall. Kids had side effects similar to Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said in Most COVID-19 vaccines being young adults, the company said. a statement. He expressed “the rolled out worldwide are for The main side effects are pain, hope of starting to vaccinate this adults, who are at higher risk fever, chills and fatigue, partic- age group before the start of the from the coronavirus. Pfizer’s ularly after the second dose. The next school year” in the United RICHARD CHUNG/AP vaccine is authorized for ages 16 study will continue to track par- States. Caleb Chung receives the first dose of the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine and older. But vaccinating chil- ticipants for two years for more Pfizer isn’t the only company or placebo as a trial participant for kids ages 12­15 at Duke University dren of all ages will be critical to information about long-term pro- seeking to lower the age limit for Health System in Durham, N.C. stopping the pandemic — and tection and safety. its vaccine. Results also are ex- helping schools, at least the upper Dr. Philip J. Landrigan of Bos- pected by the middle of this year grades, start to look a little more ton College said the results are from a U.S. study of Moderna’s normal after months of disrup- encouraging. vaccine in 12- to 17-year-olds. tion. “It’s hard to get kids to comply But in a sign that the findings In a study of 2,260 U.S. volun- with masking and distancing, so were promising, the FDA already teers ages 12 to 15, preliminary something that gives them hard allowed both companies to begin data showed there were no cases protection and takes them out of U.S. studies in children 11 and of COVID-19 among fully vacci- the mix of spreading the virus is younger, working their way to as nated adolescents compared to 18 all for the good,” said Landrigan, young as 6 months old. among those given dummy shots, who was not involved in the “We are longing for a normal Pfizer reported. study. life. This is especially true for our It’s a small study that hasn’t yet Pfizer and its German partner children,” BioNTech CEO Ugur been published, so another im- BioNTech in the coming weeks Sahin said in a statement.

Auburn to trim suspension for fishing team Associated Press AUBURN, Ala. — Auburn University officials said they will reinstate the school’s bass fishing team this spring over allegations that it repeatedly violated COVID-19 policies. The school had initially sus- pended the team for the entire year, but agreed to the shorter punishment after a meeting that involved school adminis- trators and team members. The team violated the travel and events policy in July 2020, February 2021 and March 2021, school officials said in a memo. The team will now be able to return to competition on April 22. During the suspen- sion, no member of the team will be allowed to compete, recruit or represent the Au- burn University Bass Fishing Team. PAGE 8 • STARS AND STRIPES • Thursday, April 1, 2021 NATION Biden plans to tax business to pay for infrastructure plan Associated Press fierce resistance from the busi- WASHINGTON — President ness community and thwart any Joe Biden wants $2 trillion to reen- attempts to work with Republican gineer America’s infrastructure lawmakers. Biden hopes to pass an and expects the nation’s corpora- infrastructure plan by summer, tions to pay for it. which could mean relying solely The president traveled to Pitts- on the slim Democratic majorities burgh on Wednesday to unveil in the House and the Senate. what would be a hard-hatted trans- The White House said the large- formation of the U.S. economy as st chunk of the proposal includes grand in scale as the New Deal or $621 billion for roads, bridges, Great Society programs that public transit, electric vehicle shaped the 20th century. charging stations and other trans- White House officials said the portation infrastructure. The JOHN RAOUX/AP spending over eight years would spending would push the country Rep. Matt Gaetz, R­Fla., speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Orlando, Fla., on Feb. generate millions of new jobs as away from internal combustion 26. He said Tuesday that he is being investigated by the Justice Department over a former relationship. the country shifts away from fossil engines that the auto industry fuels and combats the perils of cli- views as an increasingly antiquat- mate change. It is also an effort to ed technology. compete against the technology Another $111 billion would go to GOP Rep. Gaetz investigated and public investments made by replace lead water pipes and up- China, the world’s second-largest grade sewers. Broadband internet economy and fast gaining on the would blanket the country for $100 for alleged sexual relationship United States’ dominant position. billion. Separately, $100 billion Associated Press also been looking into whether course of an investigation, a sub- White House press secretary would upgrade the power grid to WASHINGTON — Republican Gaetz, 38, may have also been in- ject can become a target. Jen Psaki said the plan is “about deliver clean electricity. Homes Rep. Matt Gaetz, a prominent con- volved in relationships with other Gaetz’s comments came shortly making an investment in America would get retrofitted, schools mod- servative in Congress and a close underage girls, the person said. after The New York Times first re- — not just modernizing our roads ernized, workers trained and hos- ally of former President Donald The person could not publicly ported the investigation. It is a fed- or railways or bridges but building pitals renovated under the plan, Trump, said Tuesday that he is be- discuss the details of an ongoing eral crime to transport a minor an infrastructure of the future.” which also seeks to strengthen U.S. ing investigated by the Justice De- investigation and spoke to the AP over state lines for sex. Biden’s choice of Pittsburgh for manufacturing. partment over a former relation- on condition of anonymity. Gaetz said that the allegations unveiling the plan carries impor- The new construction could ship but denied any criminal Gaetz told Axios that his law- were part of an extortion plot by a tant economic and political reso- keep the economy running hot, wrongdoing. yers were informed that he was former Justice Department offi- nance. He not only won Pittsburgh coming on the heels of Biden’s $1.9 Gaetz, who represents parts of the subject of an investigation “re- cial. and its surrounding county to help trillion coronavirus relief package western Florida, is accused of hav- garding sexual conduct with wom- “Over the past several weeks, secure the presidency, but he — economists already estimate it ing an inappropriate sexual rela- en” but that he was not a target of my family and I have been victims launched his campaign there in could push growth above 6% this tionship with a 17-year-old girl the probe. He denied that he ever of an organized criminal extortion 2019. The city famed for steel mills year. and paying her to travel with him, had a relationship with any under- involving a former DOJ official that powered America’s industrial Separately, Biden will propose and he is under investigation to age girls and said the allegations seeking $25 million while threat- rise has steadily pivoted toward in the coming weeks a series of soft determine if he violated federal against him were “as searing as ening to smear my name,” Gaetz technology and health care, draw- infrastructure investments in sex trafficking laws, a person fa- they are false.” said in a statement. ing in college graduates from west- child care, family tax credits and miliar with the case told The Asso- A subject is conventionally Gaetz said his family has been ern Pennsylvania in a sign of how other domestic programs, another ciated Press. thought of as someone whose ac- cooperating with the FBI and said economies can change. expenditure of roughly $2 trillion The probe has been underway tions fall within the scope of a his father was wearing a record- The Democratic president’s in- to be paid for by tax hikes on for nearly a year and Gaetz has criminal investigation, whereas a ing device, at the FBI’s direction, frastructure projects would be fi- wealthy individuals and families, been aware for months that he was target is someone whom prosecu- “to catch these criminals.” He de- nanced by higher corporate taxes according to people familiar with under investigation, the person tors have gathered evidence link- manded the Justice Department — a trade-off that could lead to the proposal. said. The Justice Department has ing to a crime. But during the release the recordings. Suspect in attack on Asian American woman in NYC arrested Associated Press he was 19. He was released from demned the attack in a Twitter ly.’ We do,” Locsin said. The attack happened late Mon- NEW YORK — A parolee con- prison in 2019 and is on lifetime post, saying “This is gravely noted Kari was walking to church in day morning outside a luxury victed of killing his mother nearly parole. and will influence Philippine for- midtown Manhattan when police apartment building two blocks two decades ago was arrested on He faces charges of assault as a eign policy.” said a man kicked her in the stom- from Times Square. Two workers charges including felony assault hate crime, attempted assault as a Locsin did not elaborate how ach, knocked her to the ground, inside the building who appeared as a hate crime for attacking an hate crime, assault and attempted the attack could influence Philip- stomped on her face, shouted anti- to be security guards were seen on Asian American woman near New assault in Monday’s attack, police pine policy toward the United Asian slurs and told her, “you surveillance video witnessing the York City’s Times Square, police said. States. The countries are longtime don’t belong here” before casually attack but failing to come to the said early Wednesday. The victim was identified as Vil- treaty allies and the Philippine walking away. woman’s aid. One of them was Police said Brandon Elliot, 38, is ma Kari, a 65-year-old woman leader, Rodrigo Duterte, is a vocal She was discharged from the seen closing the building door as the man seen on video kicking and who emigrated from the Philip- critic of U.S. security policies who hospital Tuesday after being the woman was on the ground. The stomping the woman Monday. pines, her daughter told The New has moved to terminate a key treated for serious injuries, a hos- attacker was able to casually walk They said Elliot was living at a ho- York Times; the newspaper did agreement that allows large-scale pital spokesperson said. away while onlookers watched, tel that serves as a homeless shel- not identify Kari’s daughter. military exercises with American New York City Mayor Bill de the video showed. ter a few blocks from the scene of Philippine Ambassador to the forces in the Philippines. Blasio called Monday’s attack The building’s management the attack. U.S. Jose Manuel Romualdez said “I might as well say it, so no one “absolutely disgusting and outra- company said they were suspend- Elliot, who is Black, was con- the victim is Filipino American. on the other side can say, ‘We geous.” He said it was “absolutely ed pending an investigation. The victed of stabbing his mother to The country’s foreign secreta- didn’t know you took racial brutal- unacceptable” that witnesses did workers’ union said they called for death in the Bronx in 2002, when ry, Teodoro Locsin Jr., con- ity against Filipinos at all serious- not intervene. help immediately. Thursday, April 1, 2021 • STARS AND STRIPES • PAGE 9 NATION Witnesses: Crowd angrier as Floyd stopped moving

BY STEVE KARNOWSKI The firefighter, Genevieve Han- Chauvin did what his training told AND AMY FORLITI sen, wept on the witness stand as him to do and that Floyd’s death was Associated Press she recalled how she was not al- not caused by the officer but by a MINNEAPOLIS — Onlookers lowed to give any medical assist- combination of illegal drug use, grew increasingly angry as they ance or tell the police what to do, heart disease, high blood pressure begged Minneapolis Officer Derek such as administering chest com- and the adrenaline flowing through Chauvin to take his knee off George pressions. his body. Floyd’s neck, but Chauvin would “There was a man being killed,” On Tuesday, the prosecution not let up, and another officer said Hansen, who testified in her asked multiple witnesses to de- forced back members of the crowd dress uniform and detailed her scribe their horror at what they saw, who tried to intervene, witnesses emergency medical technician buttressing the testimony with mul- testified Tuesday at Chauvin’s mur- training. “I would have been able to tiple videos, some of which had nev- der trial. provide medical attention to the er been seen before. Many testified Witness after witness described best of my abilities. And this human about feelings of helplessness and how Chauvin was unmoved by their was denied that right.” guilt as Floyd gasped for air, plead- pleas, with the teenager who shot Chauvin, 45, is charged with mur- ed for his life and finally fell limp the harrowing video of the arrest der and manslaughter, accused of and silent, his eyes rolling back in COURT TV/AP that set off nationwide protests testi- killing Floyd last May by pinning his head. In this image from video, Minneapolis Firefighter Genevieve Hansen fying that the officer gave the crowd the 46-year-old handcuffed Black The testimony was apparently testifies Tuesday in the trial of former Minneapolis police Officer a “cold” and “heartless” stare. man to the pavement for what pros- aimed at showing that Chauvin had Derek Chauvin in the May 25 death of George Floyd. “He didn’t care. It seemed as if he ecutors said was 9 minutes, 29 sec- multiple opportunities to think didn’t care what we were saying,” onds. Floyd was arrested after be- about what he was doing and Williams could be overheard yell- thing I could do as a bystander,” a said Darnella Frazier, 18, one of sev- ing accused of trying to pass a coun- change course. ing at the officers: “Y’all is murder- tearful Funari said, adding that she eral witnesses who testified terfeit $20 bill at a convenience But Chauvin attorney Eric Nel- ers, bro!” felt she was failing Floyd. through tears. store. son also sought to portray the on- Also Tuesday, prosecutors Frazier testified that she looks at Chauvin continued to kneel on Floyd’s death, along with the by- lookers as angry and agitated, in an played cellphone video recorded by her father and other Black men in Floyd while fellow Officer Tou Thao stander video of him pleading that apparent attempt to show that the yet another bystander, Alyssa Fu- her life and thinks of “how that held the crowd of about 15 back, he couldn’t breathe, triggered crowd posed a potential threat to po- nari, 18, that showed onlookers could have been one of them.” even when one of the onlookers sometimes-violent protests around lice that might have distracted them shouting and screaming at Chauvin “It’s been nights I stayed up, apol- identified herself as a firefighter the world and a reckoning over rac- during their encounter with Floyd. after Floyd stopped moving. The ogizing and apologizing to George and pleaded repeatedly to check ism and police brutality across the Earlier Tuesday, Donald Wil- footage also showed Hansen, the Floyd for not doing more, and not Floyd’s pulse, according to witness- U.S. liams, one of the onlookers, testified Minneapolis firefighter, calmly physically interacting and not sav- es and bystander video. The most serious charge against that he called 911 after paramedics walk up to Thao and offer to help, ing his life,” she said, adding of “They definitely put their hands the now-fired white officer carries took Floyd away, “because I be- before he ordered her to get back on Chauvin: “But it’s like, it’s not what I on the Mace, and we all pulled up to 40 years in prison. lieved I witnessed a murder.” In a the sidewalk. should’ve done, it’s what he back,” Frazier told the jury. The defense has argued that recording of the emergency call, “I felt like there wasn’t really any- should’ve done.” Biden’s dog Watergate mastermind and involved in radio host Liddy dead at 90 Associated Press ons. WASHINGTON — G. Gordon One of his ventures — the 2nd biting Liddy, a mastermind of the Wa- break-in at Democratic head- tergate burglary and a radio talk quarters at the Watergate build- show host after emerging from ing in June 1972 — was ap- incident prison, died Tuesday at age 90 at proved. The burglary went awry, Associated Press his daughter's home in Virginia. which led to an investigation, a WASHINGTO — President Joe His son, Thomas Liddy, con- cover-up and Biden’s younger dog Major this firmed the death but did not re- Nixon’s resigna- week was involved in his second veal the cause, other than to say tion in 1974. biting incident in the last month, EVAN VUCCI / AP it was not related to COVID-19. Liddy also the White House said Tuesday. A handler walks Major, one of President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Liddy, a former FBI agent and was convicted The German shepherd “nipped Biden’s dogs, Monday in Washington. Major was involved in a second Army veteran, was convicted of of conspiracy in someone while on a walk” on Mon- biting incident. conspiracy, burglary and illegal the September day, said Michael LaRosa, press wiretapping for his role in the 1971 burglary of secretary to first lady Jill Biden, the Bidens' older German shep- and Champ, who is 12, were moved Watergate burglary, which led to the office of the Liddy adding that the dog “is still adjust- herd, Champ, after causing a mi- to the Bidens’ Delaware home af- the resignation of President Ri- psychiatrist of ing to his new surroundings.” The nor injury to an employee of the ter the incident. The president dis- chard Nixon. He spent four Daniel Ellsberg, the defense individual was seen by the White U.S. Secret Service on March 8. puted the idea that the pup had years and four months in prison, analyst who leaked the secret House Medical Unit “out of an After that incident, the presi- been sent away after the incident. including more than 100 days in history of the Vietnam War abundance of caution” and return- dent said Major was “a sweet dog.” He said the dogs went to Wilming- solitary confinement. known as the Pentagon Papers. ed to work without injury, LaRosa In an interview with ABC News, ton because the first couple was “I’d do it again for my presi- After his release from prison, added. Biden explained the biting by say- going to be out of town. dent,” he said years later. Liddy became a popular, provoc- The dog had been seen by re- ing that the dog had “turned a cor- “The dogs will come and go and Liddy was outspoken and con- ative and controversial radio porters on a walk around the ner, there’s two people he doesn’t it will not be uncommon for them troversial as a political operative talk show host. He also worked White House South Lawn before know at all, you know, and they to head back to Delaware on occa- under Nixon. He recommended as a security consultant, writer the president and first lady trav- move and he moves to protect.” sion as the president and first lady assassinating political enemies, and actor. His appearance — eled to the Vietnam Veterans Me- Biden added at the time that often do as well,” said White bombing a left-leaning think piercing dark eyes, bushy mous- morial early Monday evening. “85% of the people there love House press secretary Jen Psaki. tank and kidnapping war protes- tache and shaved head — made Major only just returned to the him.” This week’s biting incident was ters. His White House col- him a recognizable spokesman White House last week, along with Major, a 3-year-old rescue dog, first reported by CNN. leagues ignored such suggesti- for products and TV guest. PAGE 10 • STARS AND STRIPES • Thursday, April 1, 2021 AMERICAN ROUNDUP

Police: Man’s nose bitten off during bar fight POCATELLO — Police ID in eastern Idaho said a man had his nose bitten off during a bar fight last weekend. The Pocatello Police Depart- ment responded to the fight at the Odyssey Bar, the Idaho State Journal reported. The fight hap- pened after two Pocatello men got into an argument at a birthday party celebration inside the bar, police said. The argument moved outside the building, where it re- portedly turned physical. Police said one man was pinned on the ground and being punched in the face when he grabbed the puncher’s head and bit off his nose. Someone at the bar re- trieved the nose and put it on ice so it could be reattached, police said. Hospital workers told police that the severed nose could be reattached, but an update on the man’s condition was not available. Police: Man drove friend to hospital in stolen loader LINCOLN — A Ne- NE braska man could face several charges after allegedly driving his friend to a hospital in the bucket of a front-end loader. The Lincoln Journal Star re- ported that the 32-year-old sus- AMANDA HAVERSTICK, THE (LAPORTE COUNTY, IND.) HERALD­DISPATCH/AP pect allegedly stole the huge $75,000 front-end loader and showed up at a Lincoln hospital On the hunt with a 40-year-old man riding in Two young children gather eggs during the First United Methodist Church Easter Egg Hunt at Kesling Park in La Porte, Ind. The eggs were the bucket. The man told police he filled with candy or small toys. did it because the man was in- jured. There were no immediate THE CENSUS reef, the Anchorage Daily News details about the man’s injuries. Man in court on food reported. The ship is one of the ol- Police say that in addition to tampering charges The approximate amount in thousands of dollars a bank dest of the state’s eight ferries. stealing the machine, the driver 560 branch manager pleaded guilty to stealing or attempting to The Malaspina has been tied was intoxicated and blocked an PORTLAND — A steal from a New Hampshire bank. Kazi Pervez, 41, instructed employees to down since 2019 because of a lack ambulance bay. ME New Hampshire man open accounts in the name of deceased customers and withdrew money from of funding, but it still costs the Police arrested the man on sus- accused of putting razor blades in them. According to court document, Pervez, of Methuen, Mass., took money state about $450,000 in mainte- picion of felony theft, fourth-of- supermarket pizza dough, leading from the accounts that exceeded the balances at the Santander Bank branch in nance per year. fense driving under the influence to a regionwide recall, made his Salem from 2016-2017 and used his authority to authorize overdrafts. Pervez Sinking the ship as an artificial pleaded guilty as part of a plea agreement with prosecutors, and is scheduled and driving with a revoked li- first court appearance since being reef could cost between $500,000 to be sentenced Aug. 5. cense. charged with federal crimes. and $1 million, but may make Nicholas Mitchell, 39, of Dover, long-term financial sense, said Lighthouse closed for two N.H., made a video appearance City of Las Cruces spokesman to her. state Department of Transporta- years to do repairs before a federal magistrate in Dan Trujillo says the incident oc- Tonya Hughes told WLBT that tion Deputy Commissioner Rob which he pleaded not guilty to two curred outside an Albertson’s su- she let her godson use the car in Carpenter. HARKERS ISLAND federal counts of tampering with a permarket. August of 2017, and it was later in- NC — The Cape Lookout consumer product. A shopper had put his groceries volved in a shooting. City Council Storybook Trail for Lighthouse in North Carolina will He waived his right to a deten- in his car and was about to drive member Kenneth Stokes said families to be offered be closed for two years while re- tion hearing. when he spotted the swarm in the someone drove up and opened fire pairs are made to the iconic struc- Mitchell was arrested in Octo- backseat. on the vehicle and wounded her GATLINBURG — A ture, the National Park Service ber 2020 after razor blades were Firefighters were called and se- godson. TN trail in the Great said. found in pizza dough sold at a cured the area. Trujillo says Hughes said the police told her Smoky Mountains National Park The 163-foot tall lighthouse at Hannaford supermarket in Saco, crews decided to call on Jesse that they needed the vehicle as will be lined with pages from chil- Cape Lookout National Seashore Maine. Product tampering also Johnson, an off-duty firefighter part of the investigation, the sta- dren’s storybooks this spring. was built between 1857 and 1859. occurred at Hannaford stores in with beekeeping experience. tion reported, but that it would be Beginning April 3, families can It has undergone numerous re- Sanford, Maine, and Dover, N.H. Johnson arrived with proper returned to her after the investi- walk the Storybook Trail of the pairs and upgrades over the years, The tampering led to a recall of beekeeping attire as well as tools gation was completed. But she Smokies to see a story unfold. In but during an inspection in Febru- the dough at Hannaford stores in and was able to remove the bees. said the police told her it was sold the process, children will learn ary, engineers discovered serious five states. The recall later ex- The whole process took about two at auction last year. about things they are seeing safety concerns, including cracks tended to Shaw’s and Star Mar- hours. around them in nature. The event in iron landing plates and separa- kets. Lawmakers mull sinking will take place on the one-mile tions between the iron stairs and Woman says police ferry to save money Cosby Nature Trail near Cosby masonry. Off-duty firefighter gets improperly sold her car Campground over an eight-week As a result of the safety con- bees to buzz off ANCHORAGE — Alas- period. cerns, the lighthouse will not be JACKSON — A wom- AK ka lawmakers are con- On the first Saturday of each open for climbing this season. The LAS CRUCES — A MS an said that the Jack- templating sinking a ferry to save book’s debut, the author will be Cape Lookout Lighthouse Keep- NM Las Cruces firefight- son police department sold her money. present at the trailhead to talk ers Quarters Museum, located er who is also a beekeeper is cred- car last year after it had been held Members of the Alaska Legisla- with families. near the base of the lighthouse, ited with safely removing a swarm as part of a shooting investigation ture are considering turning the will remain open to visitors. of bees found inside a parked car. when they should have returned it ferry Malaspina into an artificial From The Associated Press Thursday, April 1, 2021 • STARS AND STRIPES • PAGE 11 PAGE 12 • STARS AND STRIPES • Thursday, April 1, 2021 Thursday, April 1, 2021 • STARS AND STRIPES • PAGE 13 PAGE 14 • STARS AND STRIPES • Thursday, April 1, 2021 Thursday, April 1, 2021 • STARS AND STRIPES • PAGE 15 FACES

Grande joining ‘The Voice’

From wire reports “Obi-Wan Kenobi,” and the cast “The Voice” is switching posi- includes Star Wars alums, a Mar- tions for Ariana Grande: the pop vel superhero, a “Game of star is taking her seat in the Thrones” star and more. coach’s chair later this year. Directed by Deborah Chow, NBC said Tuesday that Grande “Obi-Wan Kenobi” is set 10 years will join the Emmy-winning series after the events of “Star Wars: for its fall 2021 Episode III — Revenge of the cycle. Sith,” the 2005 film that saw Ana- Grande will be kin Skywalker turn against his joined by Blake mentor and become Darth Vader. Shelton, Kelly Chow directed two episodes of Clarkson and “The Mandalorian’s” first season. John Legend. Described as a “special event The 20th season series,” the Disney+ original will of “The Voice” is see McGregor reprise his role as Grande currently on air the titular Jedi Master and, as pre- and features those three singers viously announced, Christensen’s along with Nick Jonas. return as Darth Vader. “I’m so honored and excited to Also in the cast are Moses In- join ‘The Voice’ family! I have gram, Joel Edgerton, Bonnie NETFLIX been a huge fan of the show for Piesse, Kumail Nanjiani, Indira Eric Andre, left, and Lil Rel Howery get into some humorous, but pre­planned, situations in “Bad Trip.” such a long time. I can’t wait to go Varma, Rupert Friend, O’Shea head-to-head with the incredible Jackson Jr., Sung Kang, Simone coaches, get to know these new Kessell and Benny Safdie. The se- artists and help to take their craft ries will start filming in April. to the next level,” Grammy-win- ning singer Grande said in a state- ‘Game of Thrones’ show Taking the back roads ment. coming to stage The Grammy-winning star has A stage adaptation of “Game of Eric Andre’s prank comedy ‘Bad Trip’ had indirect route to Netflix topped the Billboard charts since Thrones” is being made for she released her debut album in Broadway and other leading thea- BY JOSH ROTTENBERG “Jackass” producer Jeff Tremaine about making a 2013. Her hits include “Positions,” ter districts, according to The Hol- Los Angeles Times prank-based movie, he and his writing partner Dan “Thank U, Next” “No Tears Left to lywood Reporter. omedian Eric Andre loves nothing more Curry pitched a string of disjointed ideas akin to what Cry,” “Side to Side,” “Problem” Set to arrive in 2023, the drama than to grab someone else’s reality and he had been doing on his show. and “The Way.” will take place during the fabled bend it toward absurdity. “We were like, ‘It just has to be a bunch of crazy-ass “The Voice” debuted in 2011 Great Tourney at Harrenhal, with For nearly a decade, his Adult Swim an- pranks’,” Andre said. “But what Jeff had learned with Shelton, Christina Aguilera, franchise creator George R. R. C Adam Levine and CeeLo Green as ti-talk show “The Eric Andre Show” has served up from ‘Bad Grandpa’ is if you’re going to bring an au- Martin providing the story. 11-minute barrages of cringe-inducing chaos and fre- dience across 90 minutes of footage, you need a story. coaches. Others who have worked “The seeds of war are often netic surrealism. If you ever attend one of his noto- You need to respect the principles of feature-length as coaches on the show over the planted in times of peace,” reads a riously wild birthday parties, you might see him get filmmaking and have a tried-and-true archetypal sto- years include Pharrell Williams, statement from Martin, according body-slammed through a table by a Mexican lucha- ry with sympathetic characters that you invest in Shakira, Usher, Alicia Keys and to THR. dor or find yourself chatting with elderly nudists he emotionally.” Gwen Stefani. “Few in Westeros knew the car- hired to mingle with the crowd. Eventually, Andre and his collaborators, including Oscars add UK hub nage to come when highborn and Every once in a while, reality bites back — and a longtime “Andre Show” director Kitao Sakurai, set- smallfolk alike gathered at Har- year ago, it delivered Andre a doozy. tled on a simple buddy-comedy road-movie formula. for broadcast renhal to watch the finest knights Just days before his prank-comedy film “Bad The process was often arduous. A number of With less than a month until of the realm compete in a great Trip” was set to premiere at the 2020 South by South- pranks, like a sequence in which Chris gets drunk in a showtime, the 93rd Oscars are tourney, during the Year of the west festival in Austin, Texas, the World Health Or- cowboy bar and loses control of his gastrointestinal taking another pass at the script. False Spring,” he said. “It is a tour- ganization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic, system to the horror of the confused patrons, re- Show producers Steven Soder- ney oft referred during HBO’s bringing the world to a grinding halt and throwing quired an elaborate setup in advance. At other times, bergh, Jesse Collins and Stacey ‘Game of Thrones,’ and in my nov- Andre’s film, which he had spent four years bringing Andre would have to improvise in character with Sher remain determined to have els, ‘A Song of Ice & Fire’ … and to fruition, into limbo. As much as he appreciates an someone for upward of an hour in order to coax the an in-person ceremony on April now, at last, we can tell the whole unpredictable twist, he was not happy about this one. person to say what was needed to advance the plot. 25 in Los Angeles but told nomi- story ... on the stage.” “It was incredibly depressing,” Andre, 37, said. It could also be dangerous. “There’s always, like, nees Tuesday in a virtual meeting In addition to New York City, “We didn’t know what was going to happen. I was this primal fear,” said Andre, who has been arrested that they’ve added a British hub the “Games of Thrones” stage drinking White Russians in my bathrobe for a month, and injured in the course of doing pranks on “The Er- after some backlash about inter- show will also open on the West throwing chicken wings at my TV screen, all bitter.” ic Andre Show.” “You’re going into an unpredictable national travel restrictions. End in London, as well as in Aus- Fortunately for Andre, Netflix swooped in and situation, dealing with completely unpredictable The main event will still take tralia, according to THR. picked up “Bad Trip” from Orion Pictures. The film, people, and the threat of violence is always there.” place in Los Angeles and will in- Jaime Lannister and Ned Stark now streaming, opens Andre to an audience far be- Early in the shoot, Andre and Howery had a knife clude a red carpet component, but are among the characters report- yond the stoned college students and comedy nerds pulled on them by an enraged business owner as they they are planning something spe- edly expected to be featured. who have thus far made up much of his fan base. tried to pull off a prank in which their penises were cial for the UK location. NYT reporters writing “They’re kind of the best venue in town,” Andre said supposedly stuck together in a Chinese finger trap. “I The show is also working with of Netflix. “Now the movie is dubbed and subtitled in literally left and said, ‘I’m done. I’m not doing this local broadcast affiliates around young person’s ‘She Said’ 60 languages for their 200 million subscribers world- movie’,” said Howery, who first met and befriended the world to provide satellite links An acclaimed book by two New wide. It’s a huge silver lining to the corona fallout.” Andre years ago on the stand-up comedy circuit. “I for other international nominees. York Times journalists who won In the anarchic tradition of films like “Borat” and walked straight to my hotel still in my character They said they are not totally rul- Pulitzer Prizes for their investiga- “Bad Grandpa,” the hidden-camera comedy follows clothes — that’s how mad I was. It was my kids who ing out Zoom, but are hoping it tion of Harvey Weinstein is com- best friends Chris (Andre) and Bud (Lil Rel Howery) convinced me to keep going. I told them what hap- doesn’t come to that. ing out in an edition for young re- as they travel across the country so Chris can be re- pened and they thought it was hilarious.” Although plans and require- porters. united with the girl of his dreams (Michaela Conlin). On the whole, though, Andre said he tried to strike ments remain fluid, attendees “Chasing the Truth: A Young Tiffany Haddish co-stars as Bud’s escaped-convict a more playful tone with his pranks than, say, Sacha have been told they’re expected to Journalist’s Guide to Investigative sister Trina, as do numerous innocent bystanders Baron Cohen, who has deliberately set out to skewer quarantine for 10 days prior to the Reporting,” by Jodi Kantor and who are unwittingly roped into the pranks that Andre the small-mindedness and hypocrisy of his targets in show. Megan Twohey, will be published concocts along the way, whether it’s sticking his hand “Bruno” and the two “Borat” films. “We showed Sa- Disney+ announces Sept. 14 by Philomel, an imprint of in a blender at a smoothie shop or getting sexually cha an early cut of the movie,” Andre said. “He Penguin Young Readers. In 2019, violated by a gorilla at a zoo. laughed and said, ‘You know, my movies are set up to ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’ cast Kantor and Twohey released “She Translating Andre’s punk-rock, Dadaist style of expose s—y, rich, white oligarchs. And your movie Disney+ announced Monday Said: Breaking the Sexual Harass- comedy into a coherent film was no easy feat. In 2013, shows the beauty and the humanity of working-class who will be joining Ewan McGre- ment Story That Helped Ignite a when Andre’s agent first suggested he meet with people and people of color’.” gor and Hayden Christensen on Movement.” PAGE 16 • STARS AND STRIPES • Thursday, April 1, 2021 OPINION

Max D. Lederer Jr., Publisher Lt. Col. Marci Hoffman, Europe commander Iraqis, Afghans who helped US are dying in red tape Lt. Col. Richard McClintic, Pacific commander BY JIM JONES average wait time for processing an applica- forces in Iraq, which meant that their names Special to The Washington Post tion is now three years. That is a deadly prob- went on a paramilitary force’s kill list. His fa- EDITORIAL s a U.S. soldier during the Vietnam lem for those whose lives are in danger every ther was kidnapped and killed in 2006. Mar- Terry Leonard, Editor War, I lived and worked with day. People who placed themselves and their wan and his mother and brothers escaped to [email protected] members of the South Vietnamese families in jeopardy, relying on our protec- Jordan and then came to the United States as military. I counted them as friends. tion, are dying in red tape. refugees, thanks to a precursor of the SIV pro- Robert H. Reid, Senior Managing Editor A Many were Catholics who had moved from As The Washington Post reported in De- gram, in 2008. [email protected] North to South Vietnam in the 1950s to escape cember, “The U.S. government does not track Marwan then joined the U.S. Army and Tina Croley, Managing Editor for Content persecution. They were fiercely anti-commu- casualties among applicants, but volunteer served three years, training combat medics [email protected] nist and pro-American. I gladly trusted them groups working to help applicants estimate and teaching soldiers about Iraqi culture. He Sean Moores, Managing Editor for Presentation with my life. that at least 1,000 linguists have been killed settled in Boise, where he has worked in the lo- [email protected] It broke my heart when North Vietnam took while waiting for visas to leave Afghanistan cal medical community and assisted in the over South Vietnam in April 1975 — I knew and Iraq.” city’s refugee resettlement program. Joe Gromelski, Managing Editor for Digital that many of my friends were in mortal dan- The backlog of applicants from both coun- I think, too, of Abdul Majidy, an Afghan IT [email protected] ger. The Communist regime sent many of tries is massive: 17,000 Afghan SIV applicants, expert who partnered with U.S. and local those who had fought against it to brutal “reed- with almost 50,000 immediate family mem- medical personnel for nine years during the BUREAU STAFF ucation camps,” where thousands are thought bers, and about 100,000 Iraqi SIVs and fam- conflict in his homeland. He, his wife and two to have died. We’ll never know for certain ilies. That is a stain on this country’s honor. children came to the United States on SIV vi- Europe/Mideast what the postwar toll was. The U.S. govern- As it happens, the state where I live, Idaho, sas in 2013, after he received death threats for Erik Slavin, Europe & Mideast Bureau Chief [email protected] ment had a moral obligation to extract as has a robust refugee-settlement program, but helping Americans. He is now a U.S. citizen, +49(0)631.3615.9350; DSN (314)583.9350 many of its allies as possible, but instead we it could definitely be expanded as part of a with four children attending Boise schools. Pacific abandoned them. larger national effort to make good on the Those who stepped up to assist the coalition Aaron Kidd, Pacific Bureau Chief A similar tragedy is slowly occurring again country’s SIV promises. efforts in Afghanistan and Iraq are doers and [email protected] with those who helped us in Afghanistan and The Idaho Office for Refugees, where I for- risk-takers — just the kind of folks who have +81.42.552.2511 ext. 88380; DSN (315)227.7380 Iraq, but there is still time to avert the worst of merly served on the board, tells me that over built American society from the very begin- Washington it if America will keep its word. The need is the past decade, 6,683 refugees were settled in ning. Joseph Cacchioli, Washington Bureau Chief particularly acute in Afghanistan, where Idaho, including 995 Iraqis and 432 Afghans. The threat to Iraqis who helped the United [email protected] peace negotiations appear likely to lead ulti- But only 136 of those two nationalities are SIV States from Islamic State terrorists and others (+1)(202)886-0033 Brian Bowers, Assistant Managing Editor, News mately to a Taliban takeover, risking a storm admittees and their family members. The past has not ebbed, while the danger for Afghans [email protected] of bloody reprisals. four years have seen a dramatic decrease in grows worse by the day. If Afghanistan falls to In recognition of those who assisted U.S. all refugee admissions. A total of 1,115 refu- the Taliban, the flow of refugees, including CIRCULATION forces and were endangered as a result, Con- gees came to Idaho in fiscal 2016, including 114 thousands who helped U.S. forces, will in- gress enacted a special immigrant visa (SIV) Iraqis and 72 Afghans. In fiscal 2020, the total crease to a torrent. We must be prepared to Mideast program for Iraqis in 2008 and another for Af- fell to 208 admittees, with nine Iraqis and 16 provide them sanctuary. The United States Robert Reismann, Mideast Circulation Manager [email protected] ghans in 2009. Specified numbers of slots for Afghans — reflecting the withering of the SIV should do everything in its power to avoid re- [email protected] each nationality are set for immigration to the program nationally. peating the disgrace of its exit from Vietnam. DSN (314)583-9111 United States each year, separate from regu- That means America is depriving itself of Europe lar annual refugee limits. people like Marwan Sweedan, a medical doc- Jim Jones, a Vietnam combat veteran, is a former Idaho Karen Lewis, Community Engagement Manager The program for both nationalities has tor I know in Boise, Idaho. Marwan and his attorney general (1983-1991) and justice of the Idaho Supreme [email protected] shamefully languished in recent years. The family stepped forward to help coalition Court (2005-2017). [email protected] +49(0)631.3615.9090; DSN (314)583.9090 Pacific Mari Mori, [email protected] Vaccine passport debate revisits America’s divisions +81-3 6385.3171; DSN (315)227.7333 BY MOLLY ROBERTS that are themselves hypocritical, the compari- But public health guidelines permitting CONTACT US The Washington Post sons that defy critical thought. large indoor gatherings only among the inoc- Washington he first thing to know about vaccine “Let me get this straight,” tweeted Donald ulated will inform some of those private com- tel: (+1)202.886.0003 passports is that they’re not pass- Trump Jr. “Some Democrats want American panies’ decisions, and creating scannable 633 3rd St. NW, Suite 116, Washington, DC 20001-3050 ports. They’re more like certifi- citizens to have a Vaccine Passport to travel codes such as those New York just started pi- Reader letters Tcates, likely emerging in the form of freely within the United States but not an ID to loting will require some verification against [email protected] scannable smartphone codes, that declare one vote?!? Clowns!!!” Three clown emojis fol- state records. (The concerns about equity, too, thing and only one thing about their bearer: lowed for emphasis. are real, as long as disenfranchised people get Additional contacts that they have gotten stuck in the arm the req- Democrats ask the same question but in re- fewer shots and own fewer smartphones.) stripes.com/contactus uisite number of times. verse. Republicans turn hysterical over peo- Similarly, signing up will be a choice — but OMBUDSMAN The second thing to know about vaccine ple carrying a card to the grocery store to sty- when everything fun in the world is condi- passports is that they don’t exist yet, at least not mie a deadly disease, but they insist on people tioned on that sign-up, the concept of choice Ernie Gates at any appreciable scale. The White House is carrying a card to the polling place to prevent turns fuzzy. This is coercion. Yet coercion may The Stars and Stripes ombudsman protects the free flow working with private companies to develop fraud that hasn’t been proven to exist? be exactly what the doctor ordered for those of news and information, reporting any attempts by the standards for whatever products emerge, but Rep. Madison Cawthorn, R-N.C., mean- hesitant to face the needle but desperate to military or other authorities to undermine the newspaper’s independence. The ombudsman also responds to concerns the government isn’t crafting a little blue book while, reached into his lib-trolling grab-bag to dance at a wedding. and questions from readers, and monitors coverage for with an N95-clad eagle embossed in gold that pull out two pieces of historical hyperbole: The None of us know yet where, when and to fairness, accuracy, timeliness and balance. The ombudsman welcomes comments from readers, and can be contacted by all civilians must carry wherever they go. passport proposals “smack of 1940s Nazi Ger- whom we might be required to present this email at [email protected], or by phone at Vaccine passports have little to do with in- many.” And President Joe Biden “shares handy-dandy credential, so people instead in- 202.886.0003. ternational travel (that’s another conversa- more commonalities with Leninism than lib- vent the scenarios that either most enrage or tion) and more to do with everyday life right eralism.” The liberals-not-Leninists shoot most soothe them. Maybe we’re barred from Stars and Stripes (USPS 0417900) is published week- days (except Dec. 25 and Jan. 1) for 50 cents Monday here where we already are: in our bars, ball- back again, exaggerating the utility of a con- anywhere and everywhere, unableto step into through Thursday and for $1 on Friday by Pacific Stars and Stripes, Unit 45002, APO AP 96301-5002. Periodicals parks and other businesses that want to open cept that doesn’t yet have much proof. These the grocery store for tomorrow’s breakfast. Or postage paid at San Francisco, CA, Postmaster: Send their doors wide again without risking out- passports won’t infringe on privacy, and they maybe we’re only turned back from the punk address changes to Pacific Stars and Stripes, Unit 45002, APO AP 96301-5002. This newspaper is authorized by the breaks. The Washington Post reported on won’t prove coercive, their argument goes. show where we had hoped to throw ourselves Department of Defense for members of the military services Sunday that 17 initiatives for COVID creden- They will deliver us all from this plague. against thousands of strangers. overseas. However, the contents of Stars and Stripes are unofficial, and are not to be considered as the official views tials are in the works. This suggests the prob- The reality, as usual, is somewhere in be- Vaccine passports are the new masks. De- of, or endorsed by, the U.S. government. As a DOD newspa- lem is less likely to be centralized surveillance tween. These non-passport passports won’t pending on where you are, what you read and per, Stars and Stripes may be distributed through official channels and use appropriated funds for distribution to of the citizenry and more likely to be a sham- emerge as a mandate from the Oval Office or how you vote, they are either the badge of the remote locations where overseas DOD personnel are located. bolic hodgepodge of protocols too confusing Congress, and the biggest of Big Government oppressor or the brand borne by the righteous. The appearance of advertising in this publication does not constitute endorsement by the Department of Defense or for businesses to enforce. won’t be tracking our individual vaccination Vaccine passports don’t even exist yet, but that Stars and Stripes of the products or services advertised. The next thing to know about vaccine pass- status, what we’ve done with our newfound won’t stop our riven country from turning Products or services advertised shall be made available for purchase, use or patronage without regard to race, color, ports is they’re about to start a war anyway. immunity or where we’ve done it. Mostly, pri- them into exactly what we’re always looking religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, physical All the usual marks of cultural crusading vate companies will want to know whether for: a reason to get mad at the other guy. handicap, political affiliation or any other nonmerit factor of the purchaser, user or patron. have already appeared: the claims about con- we’re jabbed so that they can finally make as

© Stars and Stripes 2021 stitutionality puffed full of confidence but much money as they used to with as little haz- Molly Roberts writes about technology and society for The empty of context, the accusations of hypocrisy ard as that used to involve. Washington Post’s Opinions section. stripes.com Thursday, April 1, 2021 • STARS AND STRIPES • PAGE 17 Eugene Sheffer Crossword Frazz Dilbert

ACROSS 59 Della’s role on 22 Director Kazan 1 Passing craze “Touched by 23 Dig in 4 “— la Douce” an Angel” 27 Sweetie 8 Thompson of 60 Knucklehead 29 Indebted “Love Actually” 61 Fish-fowl insert 30 “The Good Pearls Before Swine Pearls Before 12 Farm female Earth” heroine 13 Site of Apra DOWN 31 Hunger Harbor 1 Nourished indicator 14 Entre — 2 Shock partner 33 Interferes (with) 15 Execrate 3 Dwellers 35 Gloomy guy 17 Deep cut 4 Big lizard 38 Young bloke 18 Savings plan 5 Scoot 40 Easter headwear acronym 6 Spiked club 43 Lost color 19 How hordes 7 Revise 45 Fleur-de- — move 8 Betrothed 46 Faxed Non Sequitur 21 Gerrymander 9 Extinct birds 47 Sloth’s home 24 Pooch 10 Tousle 48 Summers in Paris 25 Flamenco cheer 11 Tennis 49 Queen of 26 Fitting rhyme legend Carthage for “spa” Arthur 53 Black gold 28 Jazz genre 16 Acapulco gold 54 Punk-rock 32 “If it — broke ...” 20 Wild bunch subgenre 34 Dress (up) 21 Reddish horse 55 “Fresh Air” airer 36 Crème — crème Answer to Previous Puzzle 37 Twangy Candorville 39 Central point 41 Solo of “Star Wars” 42 Pirate’s chart 44 “Ta-ta!” 46 Member of a blended family 50 Goose egg 51 Art Deco master 52 Pride’s place Carpe Diem 56 — -do-well 57 Actress Falco 58 Napoleon’s title (Abbr.) Beetle Bailey Bizarro PAGE 18 • STARS AND STRIPES • Thursday, April 1, 2021 NFL Owners approve 17-game regular season

BY BARRY WILNER regular-season games is the ability teams with new head coaches has Associated Press for us to continue to grow our game been waived this year. The NFL is increasing the regu- around the world.” Specifics on other offseason pro- lar season to 17 games and planning Some players have voiced their grams, including minicamps and to have full stadiums for those unhappiness with the expanded the opening of training camps, are games. regular season, but Goodell and being discussed by the league and While reducing the preseason to other league executives point out union. three games the league will be able that data accumulated over the past ■ Dr. Allen Sills, the NFL’s med- to generate additional revenue, of decade or so show more injuries oc- ical director who oversaw the CO- course. America’s most popular cur in a preseason game than any VID-19 response and protocols that sport also will provide more content other. Also as part of the labor helped the league play every game for the broadcast partners who soon agreement, the players now will re- last season, updated the teams. will be spending a total of about $10 ceive 48.5% of shareable revenues Goodell said Sills and his staff are billion a year on rights fees. with a 17th game, up from 47% last dealing “primarily in the area of Team owners at a virtual meeting season. education and trying to make sure on Tuesday approved the 17th As for fans in the stands — 119 not to just educate players but all game as expected, marking the first games, including the postseason, our personnel on the importance of time in 43 years the regular season CHARLIE RIEDEL / AP had some in-person attendance vaccinations — the fact it does help has been increased. It went from 14 Commissioner Roger Goodell called the expansion of the regular during the coronavirus-impacted protect you from getting COVID to 16 games in 1978. season to 17 games “a monumental moment in NFL history.” The 2020 season, with approximately and spreading COVID.” The Super Bowl now will move league also reduced the preseason schedule to three games. 1.2 millions fans in total — Goodell “We will be encouraging all per- back a week to Feb. 13, which places sounded optimistic. sonnel to get vaccinated and work- it directly in the middle of the Win- ing the 17th game in 2021. in NFL history,” NFL Commission- The Super Bowl will be played in ing with the players association on ter Olympics in Beijing. Coinciden- Beyond next season, the league er Roger Goodell said. “The CBA Los Angeles at SoFi Stadium. all these issues. ... We are also using tally, NBC has the broadcast rights plans for some of the extra games to with the players and the recently Also: our platforms publicly to talk about to both. be played at international sites, completed media agreements pro- ■ The 32 franchises were told the importance of getting vaccina- Each extra NFL game will be an with regular hosts London and vide the foundation for us to en- that organized team activities tions.” interconference matchup based on Mexico City possibly joined by oth- hance the quality of the NFL expe- (OTAs) will begin April 19, with The NFL doesn’t plan to mandate where teams finished in the previ- er venues. rience for our fans. And one of the COVID-19 protocols in place. The vaccinations for players, coaches or ous season. AFC teams will be host- “This is a monumental moment benefits of each team playing 17 early launch of OTAs afforded to staff members. Thursday, April 1, 2021 • STARS AND STRIPES • PAGE 19 MLB All-Stars, Arenado return, Iowa cornfield spice up schedule BY JAY COHEN baseball’s most dangerous slug- Associated Press gers. Frustrated with his treat- CHICAGO — After one of its ment by Colorado’s front office, he strangest seasons ever, baseball was shipped off to St. Louis for returns to a full schedule this year. left-hander Austin Gomber and The All-Star Game is back. Fans four minor leaguers. The Rockies are back, too, at least small crowds are headed toward another tough in some places. And an Iowa corn- decision with shortstop Trevor field is about to welcome a bunch Story, who is eligible for free agen- of special visitors. cy after this season. Here are a handful of dates to mark on the calendar: Tuesday, July 13 Thursday, April 1 All­Star Game in Atlanta: The Midsummer Classic is back after Toronto Blue Jays at New York last year’s game was canceled be- Yankees: Opening day begins in cause of the COVID-19 pandemic. the Bronx, with George Springer Opened in 2017, Truist Park hosts and the Blue Jays taking on DJ Le- the event. The American League / AP Mahieu and the Yankees. Spring- MATT YORK has won the last seven All-Star er finalized a $150 million, six- Fernando Tatis Jr. is just one reason the Padres believe they can challenge the Dodgers in the NL West. Games. The last time the All-Stars year deal with Toronto in January, descended on Atlanta, Yankees part of an active offseason for the shortstop Derek Jeter had three Blue Jays. He batted .265 with 14 hits and two RBIs in the AL’s 6-3 Optimism: Everyone still adjusting homers and 32 RBIs during his fi- victory at Turner Field in 2000. nal year in Houston. While Spring- er found a new home in free agen- Thursday, Aug. 12 to new normal in world with COVID-19 cy, LeMahieu stayed in New York for a $90 million, six-year contract New York Yankees at Chicago FROM PAGE 24 sharing. Although little data is after he led the majors with a .364 White Sox: Major League Base- lost revenue. Young players lost a Scoreboard publicly available to show how batting average last season. ball comes to Iowa. Well, it’s going year of minor league games. Vet- much money teams lost to the pan- Friday, April 9 to try anyway. In an homage to erans lost a chance at milestones. Schedule demic-shortened season, every- “Field of Dreams,” the Yankees Washington Nationals at Los Front offices lost reliable data up- Thursday’s games one made less than they planned. and White Sox are scheduled to Angeles Dodgers: The last two on which to make decisions be- Toronto at N.Y. Yankees Some teams held back in their play at the cornfield in eastern Io- Baltimore at Boston World Series champions meet in cause the 60 disjointed games Cleveland at Detroit spending as a result. The Tampa wa where the 1989 movie was Minnesota at Milwaukee the home opener at Dodger Stadi- filmed. The tribute was supposed teams did play last year were held Pittsburgh at Chicago Cubs Bay Rays, as maddening for their um. The Nationals are looking to in such unusually unstable cir- Atlanta at Philadelphia unwillingness to pay up for home- to take place last year, but it was L.A. Dodgers at Colorado bounce back after struggling last cumstances that many executives Arizona at San Diego grown stars as for their ability to canceled because of the pandem- St. Louis at Cincinnati year, and the return of ace right- ic. have said they aren’t sure how Texas at Kansas City keep winning without them, trad- hander Stephen Strasburg should much that sample can predict fu- Tampa Bay at Miami ed away the man who started N.Y. Mets at Washington help after he missed most of last ture behavior. Chicago White Sox at L.A. Angels Game 6 of the World Series for Sunday, Sept. 26 Houston at Oakland season because of a nerve issue in At the same time, MLB and the San Francisco at Seattle them, Blake Snell, and let another Houston Astros at Oakland Ath­ Friday’s games his right wrist. The Dodgers are players’ union are on course for an key starter, Charlie Morton, de- letics: The AL West rivals close Tampa Bay at Miami going for their second straight ti- ugly collision when the collective L.A. Dodgers at Colorado. part in free agency. out their season series with Oak- Chicago White Sox at L.A. Angels tle, and they added Trevor Bauer bargaining agreement expires in Houston at Oakland Others, such as the Padres and land’s home finale. The A’s went Arizona at San Diego to their already-loaded rotation in December. Fans are facing a few Dodgers, saw a chance to leapfrog 7-3 against the Astros last year on San Francisco at Seattle February. Saturday’s games more conservative competition. A the way to their first division title more months of limited opportu- Toronto at N.Y. Yankees nities to sit in ballparks, even as Baltimore at Boston year after winning the World Se- Monday, May 17 since 2013. Matt Chapman and Cleveland at Detroit many players are reveling in the Texas at Kansas City ries with a team aided by its exten- New York Mets at Atlanta Matt Olson are back for Oakland, Pittsburgh at Chicago Cubs notion of having any fans at all on N.Y. Mets at Washington sive starting pitching depth, the Braves: Francisco Lindor gets his but fellow infielder Marcus Semi- Opening Day. And everyone who Atlanta at Philadelphia Dodgers committed a record $40 en signed with Toronto in free Houston at Oakland first taste of one of baseball’s best loves the sport lost their sense of St. Louis at Cincinnati million to reigning National rivalries when the Mets open a agency. The Astros have a hole in Tampa Bay at Miami certainty, no longer assured that Minnesota at Milwaukee League Cy Young Award winner three-game series against Freddie their lineup with Springer’s de- no matter what happens, baseball L.A. Dodgers at Colorado Trevor Bauer. They enter this sea- parture, but designated hitter Arizona at San Diego Freeman and the Braves. Lindor, is the constant. Chicago White Sox at L.A. Angels son as early favorites to repeat as a four-time All-Star shortstop who Yordan Álvarez returns after mis- San Francisco at Seattle In 2021, the Dodgers will try to Sunday’s games champions, a feat no team has was acquired in a January trade sing most of last year. end any discussion about the legit- N.Y. Mets at Washington achieved since the Yankees com- Atlanta at Philadelphia with Cleveland, is hoping to lead imacy of their short-season title by Toronto at N.Y. Yankees piled three straight titles from New York back into the playoffs Baltimore at Boston winning another one. They have Cleveland at Detroit 1998 to 2000. for the first time since 2016. Free- sudden rivals in the San Diego Pa- St. Louis at Cincinnati While MLB wanted to delay the Texas at Kansas City man won the NL MVP award last dres, who acquired elite starters Minnesota at Milwaukee season at least a month until coro- season, helping Atlanta get all the Pittsburgh at Chicago Cubs on back-to-back days and obliter- L.A. Dodgers at Colorado navirus case numbers fell further way to the NL Championship Se- ated offseason norms by giving a Houston at Oakland across the country, the union’s ar- Arizona at San Diego ries. With a good young rotation 14-year contract to 22-year-old Chicago White Sox at L.A. Angels gument — that the relative suc- and a deep lineup, the Braves are shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. — cess of the 2020 season proved looking for their first World Series the kind of dynamic young star MLB could proceed on its usual title since 1995. who could help increase the Miami Marlins combine to make schedule — feels prescient, at sport’s popularity. the division five could-be playoff least early on. On Friday, MLB Thursday, July 1 Meanwhile, on the other coast, teams deep. had seen 17 positive tests out of St. Louis Cardinals at Colorado the National League East is prom- That division is the exception to 72,751 conducted, a 0.02% positive Rockies: Nolan Arenado returns ising a fascinating race as the un- the norm because several small- rate. On Saturday, Red Sox reliev- to Colorado after the Rockies trad- JEFF ROBERSON / AP der-new-ownership New York market teams seem to be counting er Matt Barnes tested positive for ed the Gold Glove third baseman The St. Louis Cardinals’ Nolan Mets, the ascending Atlanta pennies instead of wins again — a the coronavirus, sending Boston to the Cardinals on Feb. 1. Arena- Arenado returns to play his old Braves, the talented Philadelphia pattern that frustrates players and into a flurry of contact tracing and do was drafted by Colorado and team on July 1 when the Phillies, the pitching-heavy Wash- big-market teams that subsidize crossed fingers, a reminder of spent his first eight seasons with Cardinals take on the Colorado ington Nationals and the upstart their spending through revenue how fragile the stability will be. the team, blossoming into one of Rockies in Denver. PAGE 20 • STARS AND STRIPES • Thursday, April 1, 2021 SCOREBOARD/NHL

COLLEGE FOOTBALL COLLEGE HOCKEY NHL scoreboard Thursday’s games NCAA Division I Tournament FROZEN FOUR SOUTH At Pittsburgh East Division Sam Houston St. (3-0) at Northwestern National Semifinals St. (0-4) Thursday, April 8 GP WLOT Pts GF GA SOUTHWEST Minn. Duluth vs. UMass Washington 35 23 8 4 50 121 104 St. Cloud St. vs. Minnesota St. East Central Oklahoma University at National Championship N.Y. Islanders 36 22 10 4 48 106 84 Tarleton St. (5-2) Saturday, April 10 Pittsburgh 36 23 11 2 48 117 94 Friday’s game Semifinal winners Boston 32 18 9 5 41 88 77 Philadelphia 34 17 13 4 38 106 123 MIDWEST DEALS N.Y. Rangers 35 16 15 4 36 112 94 N. Iowa (3-3) at South Dakota (1-3) Tuesday’s transactions New Jersey 34 13 16 5 31 83 106 Saturday’s games Buffalo 34 6 23 5 17 71 122 BASEBALL EAST Major League Baseball Central Division American League Villanova (1-1) at Maine (2-1) BALTIMORE ORIOLES — Released INF GP WLOT Pts GF GA Albany (NY) (1-3) at Delaware (3-0) Yolmer Sanchez. Lehigh (0-1) at Lafayette (1-1) BOSTON RED SOX — Activated OF Fran- Tampa Bay 35 24 9 2 50 124 85 Bucknell (1-0) at Holy Cross (2-0) chy Cordero from the COVID-19 injured Florida 36 23 9 4 50 119 99 New Hampshire (0-1) at Rhode Island list. Designated RHP John Schreiber for as- Carolina 34 23 8 3 49 113 86 (2-1) signment. Optioned INF Michael Chavis Colgate (0-1) at Fordham (0-1) and RHP Colten Brewer to the alternate Nashville 37 19 17 1 39 95 109 SOUTH training site. Chicago 37 17 15 5 39 106 115 Gardner-Webb (2-0) at Charleston CHICAGO WHITE SOX — Agreed to terms Columbus 37 14 15 8 36 94 118 with INF Jake Lamb on a one-year con- Southern (0-2), ppd. Dallas 33 11 12 10 32 91 91 James Madison (4-0) at Richmond (3-0) tract. Designated LHP Nik Turley for as- Presbyterian (1-3) at Stetson (0-2) signment. Detroit 37 12 21 4 28 80 119 Robert Morris (0-1) at Kennesaw St. (3-0) KANSAS CITY ROYALS — Optioned 1B The Citadel (0-9) at Wofford (1-3) Ryan O’Hearn, LHP Richard Lovelady and West Division RHP Jake Newberry to the alternate train- Nicholls (4-1) at McNeese St. (2-3) GP WLOT Pts GF GA Monmouth (NJ) (1-0) at Gardner-Webb ing site. MINNESOTA TWINS — Optioned OF Brent (2-0) Vegas 33 24 8 1 49 108 75 ETSU (3-1) at VMI (5-0) Rooker to the alternate training site. SE Missouri (2-4) at UT Martin (2-3) Placed RHP Edwar Colina on the 10-day IL. Colorado 34 22 8 4 48 118 77 Tennessee St. (2-3) at Tennessee Tech NEW YORK YANKEES — Announced INF Minnesota 33 21 10 2 44 97 82 (1-4) Kyle Holder returned and sent to alternate SC State (1-1) at Alabama St. (1-1) training site as a Rule 5 draft return from St. Louis 35 16 13 6 38 100 113 Murray St. (5-0) at Austin Peay (3-5) Cincinnati. Arizona 35 16 14 5 37 92 103 TEXAS RANGERS — Selected the con- Furman (3-2) at Mercer (3-5) Los Angeles 33 13 14 6 32 92 94 William & Mary (1-2) at Elon (1-5) tracts of INF Brock Holt and RHP Ian Ken- Ark.-Pine Bluff (2-0) at MVSU (0-1) nedy. Placed RHP Jonathan Henandez and San Jose 34 14 16 4 32 95 118 Southern U. (2-1) at Jackson St. (3-1) Jose Leclerc on the 60-day injury list. Anaheim 37 11 20 6 28 83 123 National League Lamar (2-3) at SE Louisiana (2-2) PAUL CHIASSON / AP NEW YORK METS — Agreed to terms with North Division MIDWEST RHP Tommy Hunter on a minor league Goaltender Carey Price blocks the puck from Oilers right wing Zack Jacksonville St. (7-2) at E. Illinois (1-4) contract. GP WLOT Pts GF GA Valparaiso (2-1) at Drake (1-1) PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES — Selected the Kassian during the Canadiens’ 4­0 win Tuesday in Montreal. Morehead St. (1-3) at Butler (0-3) contracts of RHP Brandon Kintzler and OF Toronto 35 22 10 3 47 116 91 S. Dakota St. (4-1) at N. Dakota St. (5-1) Matt Joyce from Lehigh Valley (Triple-A Winnipeg 36 22 12 2 46 119 99 Youngstown St. (1-4) at W. Illinois (0-5) East). Edmonton 37 22 14 1 45 122 107 NHL ROUNDUP SOUTHWEST PITTSBURGH PIRATES — Agreed to terms with INF Todd Frazier on a minor Montreal 32 15 8 9 39 104 87 Alabama A&M (1-0) at Prairie View (2-0) league contract. Calgary 37 16 18 3 35 96 112 FAR WEST SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS — Reassigned RHPs Trevor Gott, Dominic Leone, Zack Lit- Vancouver 37 16 18 3 35 100 120 Davidson (3-1) at San Diego (3-0) tell and Nick Tropeano to the minor league Ottawa 36 12 20 4 28 94 135 Weber St. (3-0) at S. Utah (1-3) camp. E. Washington (3-1) at UC Davis (3-1) FOOTBALL Price check: Oilers Idaho (2-1) at Idaho St. (1-3) National Football League Tuesday’s games TENNIS ARIZONA CARDINALS — Signed CB Mal- Columbus 3, Tampa Bay 1 colm Butler. Signed QB Colt McCoy to a Florida 4, Detroit 1 one-year contract. N.Y. Rangers 5, Washington 2 Miami Open BUFFALO BILLS — Signed OT Bobby Hart Montreal 4, Edmonton 0 to a one-year contract. Tuesday Boston 5, New Jersey 4, SO blanked by Canadiens CINCINNATI BENGALS — Signed G Quin- At Tennis Center at Crandon Park Chicago 2, Carolina 1 ton Spain to a one-year contract. Re- Nashville 3, Dallas 2, OT Miami signed DL Mike Daniels to a one-year con- Associated Press “Ask us in a month how we’re go- Purse: $3,343,785 tract. Wednesday’s games Surface: Hardcourt outdoor ing to feel playing every second DALLAS COWBOYS — Signed S Jayron Philadelphia at Buffalo Men’s Singles Kearse Round of 16 Toronto at Winnipeg MONTREAL — Brendan Gal- night and back-to-backs. GREEN BAY PACKERS — Re-signed TE Arizona at Colorado Jannik Sinner (21), Italy, def. Emil Ruusu- Marcedes Lewis and DL Tyler Lancaster. Los Angeles at Vegas lagher and Artturi Lehkonen each “It’s going to be a lot different vuori, Finland, 6-3, 6-2. HOUSTON TEXANS — Signed RB Phillip Calgary at Vancouver had a goal and an assist and the story.” Roberto Bautista Agut (7), Spain, def. Lindsay, DB Desmond King, P Cameron Minnesota at San Jose John Isner (18), United States, 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 Johnston and WR Alex Erickson. Montreal Canadiens returned Connor McDavid had a goal dis- (7). KANSAS CITY CHIEFS — Signed C Austin Thursday’s games Alexander Bublik (32), Kazakhstan, def. Blythe to a one-year contract. Columbus at Tampa Bay from a lengthy break and beat the allowed for the Oilers (22-14-1), Taylor Fritz (22), United States, 6-7 (5), 6-3, LAS VEGAS RAIDERS — Signed LT Kolton Detroit at Florida Edmonton Oilers 4-0 on Tuesday who were coming off a 3-2 over- 6-4. Miller to a three-year contract extension. Montreal at Ottawa Hubert Hurkacz (26), Poland, def. Milos MINNESOTA VIKINGS — Re-signed G Da- N.Y. Rangers at Buffalo night. time road win over the Toronto Raonic (12), Canada, 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (4). kota Dozier an FS Xavier Woods. Placed TE Pittsburgh at Boston Daniil Medvedev (1), Russia, def. Franc- Hale Hentges on the reserve/retired list. Washington at N.Y. Islanders Montreal was playing for the Maple Leafs on Monday night. es Tiafoe, United States, 6-4, 6-3. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS — Re-signed Carolina at Chicago Sebastian Korda, United States, def. Die- DL Lawrence Guy. Dallas at Nashville first time since a 5-4 home shoo- McDavid had his 11-game point go Schwartzman (5), Argentina, 6-3, 4-6, NEW ORLEANS SAINTS — Signed TE Nick Minnesota at Vegas 7-5. Vannett and LB Tanoh Kpassagnon. tout victory over the Vancouver streak (seven goals, 16 assists) Andrey Rublev (4), Russia, def. Marin Cil- PHILADELPHIA EAGLES — Signed WR Friday’s games Canucks on March 20. Two days snapped, yet still leads the NHL in ic, Croatia, 6-4, 6-4. Greg Ward to a one-year contract. Washington at New Jersey Stefanos Tsitsipas (2), Greece, def. Lo- PITTSBURGH STEELERS — Signed OL later, Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Joel scoring with 63 points (21 goals, 42 renzo Sonego (24), Italy, 6-2, 7-6 (2). Toronto at Winnipeg Rashaad Coward and RB Kalen Ballage to Calgary at Edmonton Women’s Singles one-year contracts. Armia went on the NHL’s COVID assists). Quarterfinals St. Louis at Colorado SAN FRANCISCO 49ers — Signed WR Mo- Arizona at Anaheim list. As a result, the Canadiens had Rangers 5, Capitals 2: Artemi Ashleigh Barty (1), Australia, def. Aryna hamed Sanu to a one-year contract. San Jose at Los Angeles Sabalenka (7), Belarus, 6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-3. SEATTLE SEAHAWKS — Signed DE Carlos four games postponed — three Panarin had a goal and two assists Elina Svitolina (5), Ukraine, def. Anasta- Dunlap. Saturday’s games sija Sevastova, Latvia, 6-3, 6-2. with Edmonton and another and host New York scored five un- TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS — Re-signed T Pittsburgh at Boston Men’s Doubles Josh Wells. against Ottawa. answered goals to beat Washing- Quarterfinals Detroit at Tampa Bay TENNESSEE TITANS — Agreed to terms Chicago at Nashville Ivan Dodig, Croatia, and Filip Polasek (4), with S Matthias Farley on a one-year con- N.Y. Rangers at Buffalo “I think we knew we were going ton. Slovakia, def. Oliver Marach, Austria, and tract. HOCKEY Philadelphia at N.Y. Islanders to have energy,” Montreal captain Panthers 4, Red Wings 1:Car- Luke Saville, Australia, 7-6 (4), 6-4. Dallas at Carolina Women’s Doubles National Hockey League Shea Weber said. “Obviously rest ter Verhaeghe scored two goals to Quarterfinals Columbus at Florida ANAHEIM DUCKS — Assigned D Kodie Ottawa at Montreal Hayley Carter, United States, and Luisa Curran, G Lukas Dostal and RW Vinni Let- Minnesota at Vegas is key, especially in a season like lift host Florida over Detroit. Stefani (8), Brazil, def. Asia Muhammad tieri to the minor league taxi squad. St. Louis at Colorado this where it’s tough to get rest. Blue Jackets 3, Lightning 1: Da- and Jessica Pegula, United States, 6-4, 6-1. BOSTON BRUINS — Recalled G Dan Vla- San Jose at Los Angeles Gabriela Dabrowski, Canada, and Giulia- dar and LW Trent Frederic from the minor Vancouver at Edmonton “We just harped on the little vid Savard scored his first goal in na Olmos, Mexico, def. Caty McNally and league taxi squad. Coco Gauff, United States, 6-4, 7-6 (4). COLORADO AVALANCHE — Waived C Scoring leaders things like keeping it simple, espe- two years and Columbus won at Liam O’Brien. Recalled D Keaton Middle- cially early on trying to get back Tampa Bay. PRO BASEBALL ton from Colorado (AHL) loan. Through Tuesday MONTREAL CANADIENS — Recalled Cs into it.” Bruins 5, Devils 4 (SO):Charlie Spring training Laurent Dauphin and Jake Evans from the GP GAPTS minor league taxi squad. With a revised schedule, the Coyle and David Pastrnak scored Connor McDavid, EDM 36 21 42 63 Tuesday’s games NEW YORK RANGERS — Recalled RW Kaapo Kakko from the minor league taxi Leon Draisaitl, EDM 36 19 35 54 Canadiens play their remaining in the shootout, and Boston rallied Pittsburgh 1, Minnesota 1 squad. Patrick Kane, CHI 36 13 35 48 24 games in 42 days. Kotkaniemi to beat visiting New Jersey. Tampa Bay 5, Detroit 0 PHILADELPHIA FLYERS — Assigned LW Atlanta 5, Boston 3 Matthew Strome to Greenville (ECHL). Mitchell Marner, TOR 35 13 31 44 was removed from the COVID list Blackhawks 2, Hurricanes 1: Milwaukee 6, Texas 3 Waived D Sahyne Gostisbehere. Mark Scheifele, WPG 36 15 28 43 Colorado 2, Chicago White Sox 1 Monday and scored Tuesday. Ar- Dylan Strome and Alex DeBrincat SAN JOSE SHARKS — Assigned RW Ste- Mark Stone, LV 32 12 28 40 Arizona 3, Cleveland 2 fan Noesen, D Christian Jaros and C Fre- mia remains sidelined. scored in a 3:33 span early in the L.A. Dodgers 6, L.A. Angels 4 drik Handemark to San Jose (AHL). Jonathan Huberdeau, FLA 35 13 27 40 MLB calendar TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS — Recalled C Mikko Rantanen, COL 34 20 20 40 Tomas Tatar also scored for second period, Kevin Lankinen Adam Brooks and D Timothy Liljegren Auston Matthews, TOR 32 23 17 40 April 1 — Opening day, active rosters re- from Toronto (AHL). Assigned D Calle Ro- Montreal (15-8-9). Carey Price made 31 saves and host Chicago duced to 26 players. sen and LW Nick Robertson to the minor Sidney Crosby, PIT 35 14 25 39 stopped 16 shots for the shutout, beat Carolina. July 13 — All-Star Game, Atlanta. league taxi squad. Reassigned D Filip Kral Nathan MacKinnon, COL 30 10 28 38 July 25 — Hall of Fame induction, Coo- to Toronto (AHL). Anze Kopitar, LA 33 8 29 37 his first of the season and the 49th Predators 3, Stars 2 (OT):Eeli perstown, N.Y. VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS — Waived D Dec. 1 — Collective bargaining agree- Nick Holden. Aleksander Barkov, FLA 31 13 24 37 of his career. Tolvanen scored at 1:29 of over- ment expires, 11:59 p.m. EST. National Women’s Hockey League Nicklas Backstrom, WSH 34 13 23 36 “Breaks are hard to come by in a time to give host Nashville a victo- Dec. 15 — International amateur signing NWHL — Named Lisa Haley senior vice Nikolaj Ehlers, WPG 36 15 21 36 period closes. president of hockey operations. season like this,” Weber said. ry over Dallas. Thursday, April 1, 2021 • STARS AND STRIPES • PAGE 21 NBA/SPORTS BRIEFS

NBA scoreboard BRIEFS

Eastern Conference Indians won’t allow Atlantic Division headdresses, face paint WLPct GB While moving forward with a Philadelphia 32 15 .681 — plan to change their name, the Brooklyn 32 15 .681 — New York 24 23 .511 8 Cleveland Indians said they will Boston 23 24 .489 9 not permit fans inside Progressive Toronto 18 29 .383 14 Field wearing Native American Southeast Division headdresses or face paint. WLPct GB The team announced the fan Charlotte 24 22 .522 — dress policy for the 2021 season on Atlanta 23 24 .489 1½ Wednesday in advance of Mon- Miami 23 24 .489 1½ day’s home opener against De- Washington 17 29 .370 7 troit. Orlando 16 31 .340 8½ The team’s new policy states Central Division fans can be ejected or denied en- WLPct GB trance for disorderly, unruly or Milwaukee 29 17 .630 — disruptive conduct that includes Indiana 21 24 .467 7½ “headdresses and face paint Chicago 19 26 .422 9½ Cleveland 17 30 .362 12½ styled in a way that references or Detroit 13 33 .283 16 appropriates American Indian Western Conference cultures and traditions.” Source: Seahawks, DAVID ZALUBOWSKI / AP Southwest Division Philadelphia 76ers forward Tobias Harris, front, and Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon fight for WLPct GB Lockett agree on deal control of a rebound in the Nuggets’ 104­95 win Tuesday in Denver. Dallas 24 21 .533 — The Seattle Seahawks and vet- San Antonio 23 21 .523 ½ eran wide receiver Tyler Lockett Memphis 22 22 .500 1½ have agreed to a four-year con- NBA ROUNDUP New Orleans 21 25 .457 3½ Houston 13 33 .283 11½ tract extension that includes $37 Northwest Division million guaranteed, according to a person with knowledge of the deal. WLPct GB The person spoke to The Associ- Utah 35 11 .761 — ated Press on Wednesday on the Denver 29 18 .617 6½ Murray, Porter help lead Portland 28 18 .609 7 condition of anonymity because Oklahoma City 19 27 .413 16 the extension had not been an- Minnesota 11 36 .234 24½ nounced by the team. ESPN first Pacific Division reported the deal, which could be WLPct GB worth more than $69 million over Denver past Philadelphia Phoenix 32 14 .696 — the life of the contract. L.A. Clippers 32 17 .653 1½ L.A. Lakers 30 17 .638 2½ Bueckers named Associated Press the free-throw line and was met by ry Rozier scored 27 points, Gordon Golden State 23 24 .489 9½ women’s player of year Sacramento 22 25 .468 10½ chants of “MVP! MVP! MVP!” Hayward had 26 points and a sea- Tuesday’s games Paige Bueckers is in a class all DENVER — Jamal Murray from the first crowd at Ball Arena son-high 11 rebounds and Charlotte Charlotte 114, Washington 104 by herself. UConn’s star guard be- scored 30 points, Michael Porter Jr. since the pandemic shut down the won at Washington. Denver 104, Philadelphia 95 Phoenix 117, Atlanta 110 came the first freshman ever to added 27 and the Denver Nuggets 2019-20 season more than a year The Hornets have won four of Orlando 103, L.A. Clippers 96 win The Associated Press wom- raced out to a 25-point lead on their ago. five after losing Rookie of the Year Wednesday’s games en’s basketball player of the year way to a 104-95 win over the slow- The crowd consisted of employ- favorite La Melo Ball to a fractured Miami at Indiana Portland at Detroit award Wednesday. starting Philadelphia 76ers on ees of Kroenke Sports and Enter- right wrist. Dallas at Boston In other college basketball Houston at Brooklyn Tuesday night. tainment and healthcare profes- The Wizards (17-29) played with- New York at Minnesota news: Toronto at Oklahoma City ■ Nikola Jokic added 21 points for sionals who have been on the fron- out NBA leading scorer Bradley Utah at Memphis Maryland coach Brenda the Nuggets, who played in front of tlines of the fight against COVID-19. Beal for the second straight game Sacramento at San Antonio Frese was honored as The Associ- Chicago at Phoenix a home crowd for the first time Denver coach Michael Malone due to a bruised right hip. Rui Ha- Milwaukee at L.A. Lakers ated Press women’s basketball since the pandemic shut down the welcomed the rowdies back to the chimura tied his career high with Thursday’s games coach of the year Wednesday for 2019-20 season in mid-March of last arena formerly known as the Pepsi 30 points for Washington. Philadelphia at Cleveland Washington at Detroit the second time in her career. year. Center, normally one of the loudest Magic 103, Clippers 96: Chuma Charlotte at Brooklyn ■ Official Bert Smith collapsed Golden State at Miami “They made all the difference in venues in the NBA. He said he was Okeke scored 18 points and visiting Orlando at New Orleans on the floor early in the Elite Eight the world for us,” Murray said. “It glad to have family watch them in Orlando rallied in the fourth quar- Atlanta at San Antonio Denver at L.A. Clippers game between Gonzaga and was just good to have them back in person for the first time since last ter to snap host Los Angeles’ six- Friday’s games Southern California and had to be the building.” March. game winning streak. Golden State at Toronto taken off the court on a stretcher. Dallas at New York Especially after the 76ers’ back- “The fact that we are inviting The Magic didn’t have the lead Houston at Boston Smith had just set up on the ups made a late run to turn the front-line workers is a tremendous until late in the fourth quarter and Charlotte at Indiana baseline as the Trojans were mov- Minnesota at Memphis blowout into a contest. gesture,” Malone said with a shou- went on a 17-3 run to close the Atlanta at New Orleans ing onto offense when he col- Chicago at Utah “We thought it was going to be tout to the work “these frontline game. L.A. Lakers at Sacramento lapsed and hit his head on the easy,” Jokic said after the Nuggets workers have been doing on a daily Terrence Ross scored 15 points Milwaukee at Portland floor. Oklahoma City at Phoenix jumped out to a 44-22 lead after one basis to help fight COVID and all and Otto Porter Jr. added 13 for Or- Leaders He stayed down for about five quarter but watched Philadelphia’s the damage it has inflected upon us lando, which snapped a seven- Through Tuesday minutes, and then was able to second-teamers chip away in the as a city, a state, a country and all game road losing streak. Scoring stand up and move to a nearby second half. across the world.” Suns 117, Hawks 110: Devin GFG FT PTS AVG stretcher. He was alert and sitting Reserve Tyrese Maxey led the The 76ers’ backups closed the Booker scored 21 points, Dario Sar- up with his arms crossed as he was Beal, WAS 41 449 296 1284 31.3 Sixers with 13 points, all in the third quarter on a 10-2 run and kept ic added 20 and Phoenix held on in Lillard, POR 44 404 319 1310 29.8 taken off the court. fourth quarter. up the pressure in the fourth. the final minutes to beat visiting At- Curry, GS 40 386 202 1162 29.1 In a statement, NCAA spokes- The much-anticipated matchup “Well, the positive is that the lanta. Rebounds man David Worlock said Smith is between East-leading Philadelphia clock finally expired,” Philadelphia The Suns have won six of their GOFF DEF TOT AVG “alert and stable,” and won’t be and rejuvenated Denver, which coach Doc Rivers said. “That was past seven games, while the Hawks Capela, ATL 41 198 382 580 14.1 transported to a hospital. Worlock made the biggest headlines at the one very good positive, because I have dropped four of five. Phoe- Gobert, UTA 46 159 456 615 13.4 also said Smith has been in contact trade deadline with the additions of was hoping they would do the AAU nix’s Jae Crowder added 19 points Valanciunas, MEM 39 156 333 489 12.5 with his family. Aaron Gordon and JaVale McGee, rules and just keep the clock (run- and made 5 of 8 of his three-point Assists Worlock’s statement didn’t spe- quickly fizzled with the Nuggets’ ning). I thought we should have had attempts. GAST AVG cifically state the nature of Smith’s first-quarter flourish. a running clock from the first quar- Deandre Ayton finished with 13 Harden, BKN 40 448 11.2 “medical issue.” Before they took a 68-45 lead into ter on.” points and 14 rebounds, while Chris Westbrook, WAS 39 414 10.6 the locker room, Jokic stepped up to Hornets 114, Wizards 104:Ter- Paul had 12 points and eight assists. Young, ATL 45 428 9.5 Associated Press PAGE 22 • STARS AND STRIPES • Thursday, April 1, 2021 NCAA WOMEN’S TOURNAMENT South Carolina runs away from Texas Stifling defense helps top-seeded Gamecocks advance to Final Four BY JIM VERTUNO sive postseason run out of the Associated Press Longhorns behind a grinding de- SAN ANTONIO — Zia Cooke fense that carried the school to the scored 16 points and South Caroli- brink of its first women's Final na used its stifling defense to ad- Four since 2003. vance to the Final Four for the Texas was playing to be just the third time, shutting down Texas third No. 6 seed to make the Final for a 62-34 victory Tuesday night. Four since Notre Dame in 1997. Top-seeded South Carolina But the Longhorns looked tired blocked 14 shots, nine by Laeticia after tough wins over UCLA and Amihere, and held No. 6 Texas to Maryland and may have simply 23% shooting. The Longhorns been worn out by the time they were outscored 10-0 in the fourth matched up with the big and quick quarter. Gamecocks, who pressured the Destanni Henderson and Victa- ball on the perimeter and denied ria Saxton each scored 12 for the shots inside. Gamecocks, and Amihere also Audrey Warren led Texas (21- had 10 points and eight rebounds. 10) with 13 points. South Carolina coach Dawn Sta- South Carolina had no problems ley ran her championship game attacking the Longhorns’ defense record against Texas’ Vic Schaef- early, with three backdoor passes er to 6-0, dating to when they faced for layups by Saxton as the Game- each other in the SEC when cocks raced to an 18-7 lead into the Schaefer was at Mississippi State. second quarter. And South Caroli- That includes beating Schaefer in na denied drives to the basket and the 2017 national final. produced four quick blocks when The Gamecocks (26-4) won the Texas tried.

Hemisfair Region to advance to The Longhorns shot just 3- ERIC GAY / AP Friday’s national semifinal for-16 in the first quarter. Mean- South Carolina guard Brea Beal, right, drives to the basket past Texas forward Lauren Ebo during the first against No. 1 Stanford. while, the Gamecocks shot 57% in half of their Elite Eight matchup Tuesday in San Antonio. South Carolina ran out to a 19- the first half and stretched the point lead in the third quarter, lead to 41-22 early in the third be- start the Gamecocks on the run her matchup with forward Charli lier was a nonfactor on the night, then responded to a Longhorns fore Texas clawed back with a 9-0 that put the game away. Collier, who is projected as the No. finishing with four points on 2- run with a burst started by a three- run that forced Staley to call time- 1 pick in the WNBA Draft. Boston for-10 shooting and four rebounds. pointer from Henderson. out. Battle under the basket consistently pushed Collier away Boston scored 10 and grabbed Schaefer took the Texas job in South Carolina answered with a Aliyah Boston, South Carolina’s from the basket and never let her eight boards while controlling the April 2020 and coaxed an impres- three-pointer from Henderson to All-American center, dominated get comfortable with her shot. Col- paint. Scoreboard No. 1 Stanford rallies to beat Louisville Alamo Region At San Antonio BY DOUG FEINBERG year because of the coronavirus Regional Semifinals Associated Press Sunday, March 28 pandemic. The senior guard Stanford 89, Missouri St. 62 SAN ANTONIO — Lexie Hull scored 24 points for Louisville, but Louisville 60, Oregon 42 Regional Championship scored 21 points and Stanford reac- got little help on offense. Tuesday, March 30 Stanford 78, Louisville 63 hed the Final Four by rallying for a The Cardinals had been playing Hemisfair Region 78-63 victory over Louisville on stifling defense the entire tourna- Tuesday night. ment. Going into Tuesday night’s At San Antonio Regional Semifinals Next up for the top-seeded Car- game, Louisville wasallowing a Sunday, March 28 South Carolina 76, Georgia Tech 65 dinal is South Carolina on Friday tournament-low 46 points a game Texas 64, Maryland 61 night in a rematch of the 2017 na- and teams were shooting just Regional Championship Tuesday, March 30 tional semifinals. Stanford drop- 29.5% against them. South Carolina 62, Texas 34 ped that one 62-53, ending its pre- They held the Cardinal to just 26 River Walk Region vious appearance in the Final points in the first half and led 38-26 At San Antonio Four. UConn and Arizona meet in thanks to some strong play from Regional Semifinals Saturday, March 27 the other national semifinal. Evans, who had 10 points early. UConn 92, Iowa 72 Baylor 78, Michigan 75, OT Stanford (29-2) trailed by 12 Stanford missed eight of its nine Regional Championship midway through the third quarter three-point attempts and was just Monday, March 29 UConn 69, Baylor 67 before scoring 13 consecutive 10-for-36 from the field (27.8%). Mercado Region points to take its first lead since MORRY GASH / AP Besides misfiring from outside, the At San Antonio early in the game. The teams trad- Stanford head coach Tara VanDerveer cuts down the net after the Cardinal missed a lot of easy lay- Regional Semifinals ed baskets the rest of the period Cardinal’s 78­63 Elite Eight victory over Louisville on Tuesday. ups as well. Saturday, March 27 Indiana 73, NC State 70 and No 2 seed Louisville (26-4) was Stanford got going in the second Arizona 74, Texas A&M 59 Regional Championship up 50-48 heading into the final sively, hitting four shots in a row to championship since 1992 and No. 3 half and made six of their final Monday, March 29 quarter. help Stanford build its lead. overall. Now Stanford has reached eight three-point attempts. Arizona 66, Indiana 53 The Cardinal scored the first 10 Stanford was up 68-60 with just a 14th Final Four. Final Four points of the fourth to go up 58-50. over 3 minutes left when Williams The loss potentially ends the Strong off the bench At San Antonio National Semifinals That run was capped by Kiana Wil- hit a step-back three that sealed the stellar collegiate career of All- Ashten Prechtel played a huge Friday, April 2 liams’ three-pointer. The San An- victory. She finished with 14 points. America guard Dana Evans, who role off the bench for the Cardinal, South Carolina vs. Stanford UConn vs. Arizona tonio native had a rough start to the The win moves the Cardinal one could decide to return next year hitting all six of her shots, includ- National Championship Sunday, April 4 game, missing 11 of her first 12 step closer to getting coach Tara since the NCAA awarded all play- ing three three-pointers. She fin- Semifinal winners shots. She finally got going offen- VanDerveer her first national ers an extra year of eligibility this ished with 16 points. Thursday, April 1, 2021 • STARS AND STRIPES • PAGE 23 NCAA TOURNAMENT Juzang, UCLA down Michigan, reach Final Four

BY DAVE SKRETTA Associated Press INDIANAPOLIS — UCLA has made more trips to the Final Four than any program but North Car- olina. None of the 18 was more surpris- ing than this one. After sneaking into the NCAA Tournament off four straight loss- es, and barely surviving Michigan State in their First Four game, the Bruins took down top-seeded Mi- chigan on Tuesday night to contin- DARRON CUMMINGS / AP ue a run for the ages. Gonzaga guard Aaron Cook grabs a rebound over Southern California guard Isaiah White, center, during Johnny Juzang poured in 28 Gonzaga’s 85­66 win in an Elite Eight game Tuesday at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. points while playing most of the second half on a hurt ankle, and coach Mick Cronin’s bunch of stub- born overachievers survived a set of nail-biting misses by the Wolve- Unbeaten Zags rout USC rines in the final seconds for a 51-49 MICHAEL CONROY / AP victory that made UCLA only the UCLA guard Johnny Juzang had fifth No. 11 seed to reach the nation- 28 points to lead 11th­seeded al semifinals. UCLA to a 51­49 Elite Eight “These guys get all the credit,” defeat of Michigan on Tuesday in to waltz into Final Four said Cronin, who had never been to Indianapolis. the Elite Eight in 18 years as a col- BY EDDIE PELLS boring, but this had the feel of a lege head coach, much less the Fi- Associated Press Scoreboard Globetrotters game at times, filled nal Four. “Unbelievable heart, INDIANAPOLIS — Can any- with fancy bounce passes through toughness. Nobody picked us. No- 18 body stop these guys? East Regional traffic, reverse layups, a swooping body believed in us. That’s how we NCAA Final Four appearances by For the 30th straight time this Regional Championship power dunk from Joel Ayayi (nine like it.” Tuesday, March 30 UCLA, the most of any program except season, Gonzaga answered that At Indianapolis points) and the occasional post- They’ll be big underdogs again North Carolina, which has been to 20 question with a resounding “No.” UCLA 51, Michigan 49 basket flex from the 6-foot-10 Tim- Saturday night: Overall No. 1 seed Final Fours. UCLA has actually been to The Bulldogs got on a roll and South Regional me. Gonzaga is up next. 19 Final Fours, but its 1980 appear- put on a show, cruising into the Fi- Regional Championship Gonzaga led sixth-seeded USC “We know our next assignment ance was vacated because of two nal Four with an 85-66 beatdown of Monday, March 29 7-0 after two minutes, 25-8 after is tough,” Cronin said, “but their ineligible players. At Indianapolis a Southern California team that Baylor 81, Arkansas 72 8:30 and 36-15 after Kispert took a resiliency is unbelievable.” SOURCE: Associated Press/NCAA.com was nowhere near ready for what Midwest Regional nifty dish from Timme for an easy Michigan (23-5) missed its final it ran into Tuesday night. Regional Championship layup with 6:03 left in the half. eight shots, including a three- Eli Brooks also missed a put-back Drew Timme had 23 points and Monday, March 29 “It was a little surprising,” Tro- pointer by Mike Smith with a cou- before UCLA finally corralled the At Indianapolis five rebounds and, after one dunk, Houston 67, Oregon St. 61 jans coach Andy Enfield said, “be- ple of seconds left and another by rebound. pretended to slick down his han- cause we’d been playing great bas- Franz Wagner at the buzzer, send- It was merely the start of a chaot- West Regional dlebar mustache for the few thou- ketball.” ing the Bruins (22-9) flying off the ic finish. Regional Championship sand fans in the stands. Tuesday, March 30 The Zags have a way about doing bench in a wild celebration. Michigan quickly fouled and “This is a really, really big deal,” At Indianapolis that to people. They walked into They’re the second First Four sent Juzang to the line, where he Gonzaga 85, Southern Cal 66 coach Mark Few said of the pro- the locker room at halftime ahead team to make the Final Four after missed the second of his two free gram’s return to the Final Four af- Final Four by 19 and with a big fat zero in the VCU a decade ago. throws with 6.3 seconds left. The At Indianapolis ter a four-year hiatus. “And Zags National Semifinals turnover column — a gold-stan- “This is something growing up Wolverines grabbed the rebound know how to celebrate, OK?” Saturday, April 3 dard stat for a team that thrives on you dream about,” said Juzang, the and called another timeout. This Baylor vs. Houston The top-seeded and top-ranked Gonzaga vs. UCLA offensive efficiency. first player to score at least half of time, Howard had Smith race up National Championship Bulldogs (30-0) will be the third Monday, April 5 They are a statistician’s dream his team’s points in a regional final court and unload a good look from team to bring an undefeated re- Semifinal winners —a team that came in No. 1 scoring victory since Cincinnati’s Oscar the wing that was halfway down cord into the Final Four since the (91.8), that has won 29 of its 30 Robertson in 1960. ”It’s just so won- before bouncing back out. bracket expanded to 64 teams in games by double digits, and that derful. It’s beautiful. It’s beautiful The buzzer sounded and UCLA 1985. The last team to go undefeat- an “off” night — only 6-for-19 from wasn’t going to be slowed by the sharing this moment with your began to celebrate, only for the offi- ed was Indiana in 1976. On Satur- the floor. The Bulldogs shot 44% in Brothers Mobley — Isaiah and brothers.” cials to put a half-second back on day in the national semifinals, the second half and “only” 50% for Evan — who roam the middle for After dictating the pace all game, the clock. Gonzaga will face 11th-seeded the game. That was five under one of the country’s tallest teams eschewing the slick style of the That was enough time for Michi- UCLA, which beat Michigan 51-49 their nation-leading average, but it (Average height, 6-7). Wolverines in favor of a rock fight, gan to inbound one last time to in a later Elite Eight game. didn’t matter much. They both got theirs — Isaiah it only seemed fitting that under- Wagner, who again let fly a three- In the early contest, Timme did “We just tried to stay moving,” with 19 points and seven rebounds, dog UCLA — having won two tour- pointer that clanked off the iron — whatever he wanted against the Suggs said about attacking the and Evan with 17 and five — but the ney games in overtime already — and finally gave the Bruins free- nation’s fourth-ranked defense — Trojans’ zone, which had been evening belonged to the Bulldogs. would take another to the buzzer. dom to spring from their benches a team that won its first three tour- shutting down teams all month in “It’s such a special accomplish- Thee Bruins were clinging to a for their first Final Four trip since nament games by an average of 21 Indy. “We didn’t let the ball get too ment, and to do it this year with as 50-49 lead when Michigan called a 2008. points — as did pretty much every- sticky. We kept moving, flashing crazy as it’s been, as challenging as timeout with 19 seconds to go, in- “We got the look, got the shot we one else in a white uniform. into the high post. It was a lot for it’s been,” said Few, whose team tending to set up the game’s final wanted,” Howard said. “There’s Jalen Suggs finished with 18 them to deal with — good cuts off had four games canceled in De- shot. Wolverines coach Juwan Ho- not much you can do with a point- points, 10 rebounds and eight as- the baseline, vertical cuts off the cember because of COVID-19, but ward set up an open three-point five, but that shot, it was a nice little sists. All-American Corey Kispert wings.” never lost its stride. “They’ve been look for the cold-shooting Wagner, heave. Unfortunately it didn’t go had 18 points and eight boards on Blowouts are supposed to be unbelievable from Day 1.” who missed almost everything, and in.” PAGE 24 • STARS AND STRIPES • Thursday, April 1, 2021 From First Four to Final Four SPORTS UCLA stuns Michigan, continues improbable run ›› NCAA Tournament, Page 23

MLB Optimism Season begins amid hope for better days BY CHELSEA JANES The Washington Post 0.02% y mid-March, after most teams had got- Positive rate among 72,751 Major ten used to the coro- League Baseball players tested for navirus protocols COVID-19, 17 of whom tested positive and made their first through Friday. On Saturday, Red Sox Brounds of cuts, Alex Cora’s face al- reliever Matt Barnes tested positive. ready betrayed the unusual wear SOURCE: Washington Post and tear of managing in these times. bilized by widespread mistrust For Cora, this Major League among players, owners and MLB. Baseball season is particularly Concerns about sustaining the complicated. He was fired as man- game’s appeal linger as three true ager of the Boston Red Sox after outcomes — the strikeout, the his role in the Houston Astros’ walk and the home run — dom- sign-stealing scandal became inate a sport beloved for the way clear and he was suspended for unpredictability mixes with rou- the 2020 regular season and post- tine. season. Boston rehired him in No- On early spring mornings, vember, stirring further conver- sticky August afternoons and fri- sation about what forgiveness and gid late October evenings, surviv- redemption look like in a sport try- al in baseball is about quiet endu- ing to answer a long list of uncom- rance, dogged compartmentaliza- fortable questions. tion and a willingness to wear Faith in industry leaders has even the unseemly effects of ad- been shaken by revelations about versity as badges of honor. sexual harassment and the cul- But everyone is sporting bigger, ture that facilitates it. Hopes for shinier badges this year. Owners avoiding another devastating work stoppage have been desta- SEE OPTIMISM ON PAGE 19

Inside: Key dates to watch, Page 19

DAVID J. PHILLIP, ABOVE, AND ELISE AMENDOLA, RIGHT / AP Above: Los Angeles Dodgers players celebrate after defeating the Tampa Bay Rays 3­1 in Game 6 to win the World Series on Oct. 27 in Arlington, Texas. It was the Dodgers’ first title since 1988. Right: The Red Sox rehired Alex Cora as manager on Nov. 6, less than a year after letting him go because of his role in the Houston Astros cheating scandal.

NFL owners approve 17-game regular season ›› Page 18