Dahl to be Arraigned April 14 on Charges from August, September and November of 2009

A Fort Pierre man charged last year in four separate incidents, including the theft of a barrel racing horse from the Stanley County Fairgrounds, will be arraigned next month on charges linked to three of the four occurrences.  22-year-old Flint Dahl was in court yesterday before Judge Mark Smith.  Two cases linked to Dahl were discussed, including charges from August of last year, when allegations are that Dahl became unruly and verbally assaultive with a sheriff’s deputy.  He was charged with Threatening and Obstructing a Law Officer and Disorderly Conduct after the reports of the early morning August 28 scuffle.  Also talked about in court Wednesday was an incident in November involving charges of Ingesting Marijuana, First Offense Commercial DUI and No Commercial Drivers License.  Authorities leveled those charges after Dahl was stopped in November as he was driving a semi tractor trailer.  Dahl will be back in court April 14 for an arraignment on the charges from August and November.  He will also be arraigned that day on charges from September of last year including Reckless Driving, Failure to Report an Accident and Hit and Run Property Damage for a one vehicle accident that occurred in Fort Pierre.  Dahl will be in court May 14 on separate charges that resulted from the July 5 theft of a rodeo horse.  The horse Dually was found the same day he was reported missing, but had sustained injuries.  Dahl was charged with Grand Theft and Inhumane Treatment of an Animal after an investigation was conducted into the highly publicized case.

Cherry Creek Man Pleads Guilty to Voluntary Manslaughter

A Cherry Creek man will be sentenced two months from now after he pled guilty in federal court to an Information charging him with Voluntary Manslaughter.  U.S. Attorney Brendan Johnson says 20-year-old A’Bleza Skyler Oakie, who also goes by the name Skyler Oakie, appeared in federal court in Pierre earlier this week and entered the plea.  The charge arose from the October 21, 2009 death of a 42-year-old Cherry Creek man.  Court documents say that Orville Marrowbone died after he was hit in the head with a metal pipe during a quarrel in Cherry Creek.  Oakie is being held in the custody of the United State Marshal until his sentencing date, which is set for May 24. 

Former Walworth County Sheriff’s Deputy Charged with Taking Money from Department Safe

A former Walworth County Sheriff’s Deputy made his initial appearance on a charge linked to allegations that he took money from the Walworth County Sheriff’s Department.  Campbell County States Attorney Mark Kroontje says 31-year-old Jeremiah Paul of Rapid City, asked for a court appointed attorney during the Monday court hearing in Selby.  Paul is charged with First Degree Petty Theft, which is a Class 1 misdemeanor.   Other possible charges could be pending in the case.  Officials allege that Paul took $500 from a safe at the Walworth County Sheriff’s Office in Selby.  Before working for Walworth County, Paul was previously employed as a deputy with Pennington County.  He started working as a deputy for Walworth County on October 1 of last year, but was fired by Walworth County Sheriff Duane Mohr less than a month later, on November 6.  Paul will next be in court on the charge on March 22 at 1:30 p.m.

Pierre Man Remains Jailed for Charges Linked to Vehicle Pursuit in Fort Pierre

A Pierre man remains in jail on $5,000 cash bond after a judge found probable cause to charge him after an early morning car chase with Stanley County Sheriff’s Deputies on February 28.  23-year-old Casey Pickner was arrested and charged with Aggravated Eluding, DUI 3^rd Offense, Resisting Arrest, Possession of Marijuana and Driving Under Revocation following a short vehicle pursuit over a week ago.  Pickner was in court yesterday as the case was discussed before Judge Mark Smith.  During the hearing, Deputy Brandon Fleagle recalled what happened when he says he noted a speeding vehicle coming over the bridge to Fort Pierre from Pierre around 2:00 a.m. that morning.  He says when he stopped the Ford Tempo, driven by Pickner, the vehicle didn’t stay parked very long…and instead he chased Pickner’s car as it traveled around 70 mph traveling south on Highway 83 through Fort Pierre.  Fleagle said Pickner then turned west on Main Avenue, where his vehicle almost became airborne at a large dip at Main and Third.  The vehicle chase continued north on Fourth Street, west on Second Avenue and then south, where the car hit a snow bank at the end of Fifth Street.  When asked about the end of the chase by Stanley County States Attorney Tom P. Maher, Fleagle said Pickner took off on foot after his car was stopped by the snow and ran into the front yard of a nearby residence.  Pickner was arrested after he was wrestled to the ground and pepper sprayed by Fleagle and Deputy Greg Swanson.  The chase was said to have lasted about 7-8 minutes.  Smith ruled that Pickner would be bound over for arraignment on the charges in front of Judge John Brown later this month.  Pickner’s attorney, Jack McGee requested that his client’s bond be modified to a personal recognizance bond, but that request was denied after Smith said that a grand jury had leveled a charge of Grand Theft against Pickner and an arrest warrant had been issued in the Hughes County case recently.  Pickner will be back in court in Fort Pierre on March 24 at 10:00 a.m.

South Dakota Transportation Hall of Honor to Induct New Member in March

A Pierre man will be inducted into the South Dakota Transportation Hall of Honor later this month.  David Huft has worked for the Department of Transportation for almost 32 years.  Huft will be honored at the South Dakota Transportation Hall of Honor Banquet on Tuesday, March 30 at View 34 in Pierre. 

Jackley Talks About National Consumer Protection Week

This week is being noted as National Consumer Protection Week and South Dakota’s Attorney General is joining with federal, state and local government agencies and consumer protection organizations to encourage people to take advantage of their full consumer rights.  This is the 12^th year that National Consumer Protection Week has been held and the theme for the year is: Dollars and Sense: Rated “A” for All Ages.   Jackley says his office encourages people to visit the NCPW website www.consumer.gov/ncpw for tips about making smarter decisions in the marketplace. 

Taste of Home Cooking School Returns to Fort Pierre

The Dakota Radio Group is once again helping to bring the Taste of Home Cooking School to Fort Pierre.  The cooking school will be Thursday, April 15 at the Expo Center in Fort Pierre.  Doors will open at 4:00 p.m. and the school starts at 7:00 p.m.  There will be chair seating for at least 750 attendees; prizes, vendor booths and Taste of Home Cookbooks.  Tickets will be available soon, so keep listening to stations of the Dakota Radio Group and check the homepage of our website at www.dakotaradiogroup.com for more information.  This year’s Taste of Home Cooking School is sponsored in part by Lynn’s Dakotamart, Schlachter Lumber of Pierre and Gettysburg and Highmore Furniture and Carpetland. 

(Copyright 2010 Dakota Radio Group.  All Rights Reserved.  This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.)

PIERRE, S.D. (AP) - The South Dakota House and Senate have reached an apparent impasse on plans for changing state aid to school districts. The House earlier passed a bill that provides for no increase in state financial aid to schools next year. The Senate had passed a bill that also gave schools no increase next year because of the budget crisis, but would boost state aid in future years when the economy improves. A committee of senators and representatives met Wednesday to negotiate a compromise, but the lawmakers were unable to agree. That means the current law, which would give schools a 1.2 percent funding boost next year, would stay in effect. But schools likely will get no increase if lawmakers do not put extra money in the state budget.

PIERRE, S.D. (AP) - A measure allowing some people to get their names removed from the state sex offender registry has been approved by the South Dakota Legislature. The Senate on Wednesday approved some minor changes made by the House. It will become law if signed by Gov. Mike Rounds. The measure creates three levels of sex crimes. Those convicted of the most serious sex offenses, including crimes against children, could never get off the offender list. Those convicted of midlevel sex crimes could ask to be removed after 25 years. And those convicted of less serious crimes, such as statutory rape when the offender is no older than 21, could seek to be removed from the list after 10 years.

PIERRE, S.D. (AP) - The South Dakota Legislature has agreed to continue the state lease with the Black Hills Playhouse to give the nonprofit theater time to raise money to fix up the facility. The summer stock playhouse has operated in Custer State Park for 64 years. Its lease with the state expired last year and state officials have opposed renewing it unless the playhouse renovates a half dozen buildings and the sewer system. The bill extends the lease until 2019 as long as the playhouse makes state-approved repairs and improvements by 2012. The Senate agreed Wednesday to a version of the bill passed by the House. The measure will become law if signed by Gov. Mike Rounds.

PIERRE, S.D. (AP) - The South Dakota House defeated a bill to give townships a slice of the wind energy tax that now goes to counties for wind farms located within their borders. Rep. Steve Street, D-Revillo, said townships should get some of the money to take care of their roads that might be damaged during the construction process or used later to get to the wind farm. He proposed dividing the tax revenue based on the ratio of township roads to county roads. The bill was approved by the Senate but failed in the House by a single vote and then by an even wider margin on reconsideration.

PIERRE, S.D. (AP) - The South Dakota Legislature has given final approval to a measure banning the sale of contact lenses without a prescription. South Dakota optometrists proposed the bill. They say some people have developed eye infections and other serious problems after buying nonprescription contact lenses in convenience stores or novelty shops. People buy such lenses mostly to change the color of their eyes. But optometrists say contact lenses should only be worn by people who have obtained prescriptions from eye doctors who make sure the lenses fit properly, make the right vision correction and are not causing any problems. The Senate on Wednesday agreed with a change the House had made in the bill. The measure will become law if signed by Gov. Mike Rounds.

PIERRE, S.D. (AP) - South Dakotans would get another opportunity each year to buy and discharge fireworks under a bill headed to the governor's desk. The Legislature on Wednesday approved retail fireworks sales from Dec. 23 through Jan. 2. Counties could prohibit their use if the fire danger was high. Fireworks sales and use are currently allowed from June 27 through July 5.

ABERDEEN, S.D. (AP) - A Mobridge woman is scheduled to plead guilty to robbing a bank in the Walworth County town. Court documents show that Sonja Mae Brown is due in federal court in Aberdeen on March 26 to change her plea. Brown was arrested shortly after a reported robbery at the Mobridge Dacotah Bank last Nov. 10. Authorities say she was captured when she tried to leave the bank with an undisclosed amount of money. She later was indicted and pleaded not guilty to a federal bank robbery charge that carries a maximum punishment of 20 years inprison.

RAPID CITY, S.D. (AP) - A man who pleaded guilty to robbing a 4-U convenience store in Box Elder at gunpoint in early December has been sentenced to serve six months in jail. Twenty-two-year-old Adam Miller will be on probation for 10 years following the jail term. If he violates his probation he could be sent to prison for 25 years. Miller pleaded guilty last month to first-degree robbery. Prosecutors dropped other charges including aggravated assault.

PIERRE, S.D. (AP) - Twenty-nine counties and three American Indian reservations in South Dakota that were hit by a late January ice storm will get recovery help from the federal government. Gov. Mike Rounds says President Barack Obama has issued a disaster declaration, clearing the way for financial assistance. The federal aid will be available to help with repairs to public infrastructure. Rounds says a state request for individual assistance was denied. The storm left thousands of people without power and caused an estimated $22.5 million in damages. A presidential disaster declaration also was issued this week to help 12 South Dakota counties and two reservations recover from a Christmas blizzard.

WASHINGTON (AP) - The government says unemployment rose in 30 states in January, evidence that jobs remain scarce in most regions of the country. The data is somewhat better than December, when 43 states reported higher unemployment rates, but worse than November, when rates fell in most states. Still, five states reported record-high joblessness in January. They are California, at 12.5 percent; South Carolina, 12.6 percent; Florida, 11.9 percent; North Carolina, 11.1 percent; and Georgia, 10.4 percent. Michigan's unemployment rate is still the nation's highest, at 14.3 percent. The lowest unemployment rates are still found in upper Plains states, with North Dakota's jobless rate of 4.2 percent the lowest in the nation. Nebraska and South Dakota had the next-lowest rates, at 4.6 percent and 4.8 percent, respectively.

STURGIS, S.D. (AP) - The mayor of Sturgis says the city did nothing wrong in the run-up to last month's special election on an annexation measure. Maury LaRue says a city newsletter containing facts about the proposed annexation of 1,800 acres east of town was meant to educate voters. State investigators are trying to determine whether the city tried to influence voters. LaRue says the investigation stems from a citizen complaint about the newsletter and a town hall meeting held before a petition referendum to bring the annexation to a vote was filed. Voters defeated the annexation measure in a Feb. 2 election.

CENTERVILLE, S.D. (AP) - Residents in the Centerville School District have voted to opt out of the state property tax freeze. Tuesday's vote was 284 in favor and only 72 against, for an approval rating of 80 percent. The approval of the measure means an additional $175,000 annually for five years for the southeast South Dakota school district. A measure that would have generated $195,000 per year was voted down five years ago.

PIERRE, S.D. (AP) - The South Dakota Lottery says a winning Wild Card 2 jackpot ticket worth $182,790 was sold in Madison. Lottery director Norm Lingle says the winner has 180 days to claim the prize. The winning numbers for Wednesday night's drawing are 2, 4, 10, 14 and 29; the Wild Card is the Jack of Hearts. It is the second time the Wild Card 2 jackpot has been won in Madison. The first was a $856,298 jackpot on Dec. 28, 2002. Wild Card 2 is played in South Dakota, North Dakota, Montana and Idaho. The jackpot starts again at $100,000 for the next drawing on Saturday night.

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) - None of the tickets sold for the Powerball game Wednesday night matched all six numbers drawn, which were: 17-21-37-41-50 Powerball: 1 Power Play: 2 Players matching all five numbers and the Powerball would have won or shared the $172.7 million jackpot. The prize goes to an estimated $200 million for Saturday. Tickets that match the first five numbers, but miss the Powerball, win $200,000 each, and there were eight of those. They were sold in: Arizona, Iowa, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas (2) and West Virginia. There was one Power Play Match 5 winner in Pennsylvania. On the Net: Multi-State Lottery Association: http://www.powerball.com

(Copyright 2010 Associated Press.  Used With Permission.  All Rights Reserved.  This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.) 

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - A lockdown continues at Minneapolis Public Schools today. A vague Internet threat will keep the district's 32,000 students indoors for a second day. Police have traced the threat to "shoot up" an unspecified school to computer servers in Australia. Authorities believe the person behind the threats is a teenager with no connection to the area.

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) - A Senate committee has tabled legislation to add slot machines at Minnesota's two race tracks. But, supporters vow to revive the bill later. Supporters say the slot machines could generate $125 million annually in state revenue. The vote followed a nearly two-hour hearing Wednesday.

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) - The Minnesota House and Senate plan final votes today on a $1 billion construction package. The proposal includes hundreds of projects, including new or renovated buildings on college campuses, at prisons and at civic centers. The state takes on long-term debt to pay for them. Governor Tim Pawlenty and Democrats have disagreed over the size of the bill and the mix of projects in it.

GRAND RAPIDS, Minn. (AP) - A former Itasca County sheriff's deputy has been sentenced to roughly 12 years in prison and six years of supervised release for sexually abusing a teenager over several years. Gregory Alan Snyder of Bovey pleaded guilty to six felony counts of sexual misconduct. The criminal complaint says the abuse started when the boy was 13.

HETTINGER, N.D. (AP) - The North Dakota Highway Patrol identifies a Hettinger man killed in a rollover crash east of the city as Michael Merwin. The patrol says Merwin lost control of his pickup on ice- and snow-covered U.S. Highway 12. The truck rolled and Merwin became trapped inside when snow came in a broken window.

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) - A defunct Northwood canola processing plant wants to reopen, about a year after it went broke and left $810,000 in unpaid bills. North Dakota's Public Service Commission is considering whether to issue a new grain warehouse license to Northwood Mills.

GRAND FORKS, N.D. (AP) - A Grand Forks woman says she will plead guilty to making and using counterfeit money. Lolita Jewel Amick is charged in federal count with two counts and could face up to 40
years in prison.

GRAND FORKS, N.D. (AP) - The administrator of the Grand Forks County jail says the facility is prepared to once again take inmates from Fargo if spring flooding forces evacuations from the state's largest city. Last year, the Grand Forks County Correctional Center housed 65 inmates from Fargo.

(Copyright 2010 Associated Press.  Used With Permission.  All Rights Reserved.  This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

WASHINGTON (AP) - There's still no cost estimate for President Barack Obama's latest health care proposal, which is being reviewed by House Democrats today. But congressional budget referees say the Senate legislation that's now the foundation for the health care plan would cut the federal deficit by $118 billion over 10 years. Democratic leaders want to keep the 10-year cost of the plan at around $950 billion.

WASHINGTON (AP) - The nation's auto safety agency is coming under scrutiny in the wake of Toyota's massive recalls. A House panel plans to examine the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's oversight of the auto industry. Critics have accused NHTSA of being too cozy with the Japanese automaker.

HARRISON, N.Y. (AP) - One of the latest reported cases of unintended acceleration in a Toyota Prius has gotten the attention of federal regulators. The driver in New York says the Prius accelerated on its own, and then lurched down a driveway, across a road and into a stone wall. Police say the driver escaped serious injury.

WASHINGTON (AP) - U.S. highway deaths have fallen to their lowest levels since the 1950s. The Transportation Department said Thursday that its projections show traffic deaths declined nearly 9 percent in 2009 to fewer than 34,000. That's the lowest level since 1954. Safety experts attribute the reductions to increased seat belt use, less drunken driving and more enforcement of traffic laws. Others point to the sluggish economy, which leads fewer people to drive.

WASHINGTON (AP) - The pace of growth in foreclosures may be slowing down. RealtyTrac Inc. says the number of U.S. households facing foreclosure in February grew 6 percent from the level a year ago. That's the smallest annual increase in four years. Also, the number of households receiving a foreclosure notice in February was down more than 2 percent from January.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - Nearly half the public schools in the Kansas City, Mo. school district will be shutting down before the next school year. That's what the school board decided last night because the district was facing possible bankruptcy. Teachers at six other low-performing schools will have to reapply for their jobs.

NEW YORK (AP) - A study has found that as many as 30 percent of patients who undergo a test for heart disease have clear arteries and may not need them. University of California, San Francisco, researchers looked at records for nearly 2 million angiograms given in more than 600 hospitals over four years. The study suggests Americans get an excess of medical tests.

WASHINGTON (AP) - E-mails turned over to the FBI and Senate ethics investigators reportedly provide new evidence about Sen. John Ensign's efforts to find lobbying work for the husband of his former mistress. The New York Times reports the e-mails undercut the senator's assertion that he didn't know the work might involve congressional lobbying.

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) - An early spring twisters in northern Arkansas injured four people and flattened a handful of homes. Wednesday's storms missed most populated areas. Forecasters say a wetter-than-usual winter and a jet stream racing over Tornado Alley could contribute to a rapid uptick in violent storms.

PATERSON, N.J. (AP) - Questions are arising as to whether child welfare officials in New Jersey could have put a stop to a man who allegedly terrorized his family for years. The 51-year-old man is accused of raping his five daughters, impregnating three and beating his children with wooden boards. Some of the crimes allegedly happened after the father had been arrested and pleaded guilty to assault and child endangerment.

SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) - Police in Huntington Beach, Calif. say there could be more victims of a convicted serial killer and they're asking for the public's help. Rodney Alcala is facing the death penalty for the murders of four women and a 12-year-old girl. But police have released hundreds of photos of other unidentified women and girls Alcala had in his home and in a storage locker.

BLACKSBURG, Va. (AP) - Virginia Tech police are investigating new threats of another mass shooting at the university in online YouTube postings. Police say in an e-mail sent to faculty and students late Wednesday that at this time they don't believe the postings pose a danger to the school.

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (AP) - A US Airways jet bound for Charlotte, N.C., has made an emergency landing at an upstate New York airport after the pilot reported a bird strike shortly after takeoff. Airline spokeswoman Tina Swail says the pilot of Flight 1101 declared an emergency two minutes after leaving Rochester's airport this morning.

CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) - The Coast Guard says it's rescued two Marine Corps fighter pilots from the Atlantic off South Carolina after their aircraft went down. They ejected about 35 miles off the coast and were plucked from the ocean by a Coast Guard helicopter from Charleston, S.C.

BOSTON (AP) - A Massachusetts philanthropist who gave away millions of dollars to meet medical expenses for needy people has died. A. Raymond Tye, who was 87, also paid for the separation surgery of conjoined twins. Tye had battled cancer.

NORWALK, Calif. (AP) - Practice made a 7-year-old perfect his 911 call. The Norwalk, Calif., boy, identified only as Carlos, called police from a locked bathroom as armed robbers threatened his parents. The boy told a news conference he remained calm during the ordeal because his mother made him practice dialing 911 in case of emergencies.

(Copyright 2010 Associated Press.  Used With Permission.  All Rights Reserved.  This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

WASHINGTON (AP) - A new watchdog report says the Treasury Department sank billions into auto finance giant GMAC without an exit strategy or proof the company was viable - a decision that could cost taxpayers $6.3 billion. The report is to be released Thursday by the Congressional Oversight Panel overseeing the $700 billion financial bailout that Congress passed in October 2008. The government said the $17.2 billion GMAC bailout was a necessary step to save troubled automakers General Motors and Chrysler. GMAC provides critical financing to auto dealers, who borrow to finance their fleets until the cars can be sold to consumers. Yet GMAC faced far fewer conditions than the bailed-out automakers, the report says.

WASHINGTON (AP) - The number of newly laid-off workers requesting unemployment benefits fell last week, the latest sign the employment picture is slowly brightening. The Labor Department said initial jobless claims fell by 6,000 to a seasonally adjusted 462,000. That's close to Wall Street analysts' estimates of 460,000 and the second straight drop. Still, the four-week average of claims, which smoothes volatility, rose to 475,500, reflecting a sharp increase in claims last month. The four-week average has risen by about 25,000 since the beginning of the year, after falling for most of last year. The increase has raised concerns among economists that layoffs haven'tslowed as much as hoped.

WASHINGTON (AP) - The U.S. trade deficit unexpectedly shrank in January, reflecting a big drop in imports of oil and foreign cars. American exports also fell, a potential blow to hopes that the economic recovery will be aided this year by U.S. sales abroad. The Commerce Department said that the trade deficit declined to $37.3 billion in January, a drop of 6.6 percent from a revised December deficit of $39.9 billion. Economists had been expected the deficit to widen to $41 billion.

GENEVA (AP) - The world's airlines are seeing blue skies ahead. Global airlines are undergoing a surprisingly strong recovery with Asian and Latin American carriers leading the way. The leading industry group, the International Air Transport Association, says carriers began bouncing back late last year and have continued to see stronger demand after posting record losses during the global economic crisis.

WASHINGTON (AP) - Although the Postal Service is free to cut services and close locations as it sees fit, the Postal Regulatory Commission is urging the service to give residents more advance notice and take into consideration their concerns and comments. Among the suggestions: give people more time to express their opinions and better explain the objectives and needs for post office closures and cutbacks. The latest proposal would cut out Saturday mail delivery in an effort to deal with the ever-growing budget deficit at the Postal Service, which hit 3.8 billion dollars last year alone. Staff has already been cut from a peak of 800-thousand to fewer than 600-thousand today.

NEW YORK (AP) - Pepsico is raising prices on its popular Tropicana orange juice. The move follows the deep freeze that hurt much of Florida's citrus crop. The company says it's shrinking its most popular size by about 8 percent - while maintaining its price - and raising the price on another size starting in May. The 64-ounce container of orange juice will drop to 59 ounces. The suggested retail price remains at $3.59.
The price of Tropicana's gallon container of pure premium orange juice will rise between 5 percent and 8 percent. Right now it costs $6.49. Citrus growers in Florida - the nation's top orange producer - are hurting because of deep freezes this winter. The Agriculture Department says this year's orange crop is expected to be 19 percent smaller than last year's.

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) - The sudden takedown of an Internet provider thought to be helping spread one of the most promiscuous pieces of malicious software out there appears to have cut off criminals from potentially millions of personal computers under their control. But the victory was short-lived. Less than a day after a service known as "AS Troyak" was unplugged from the Internet, security researchers say it apparently had found a way to get back online, and criminals were reconnecting with their unmoored machines. It's unknown how many computers are infected with the malware known as ZeuS, but it's estimated to be in the millions.

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (AP) - Federal prosecutors have filed charges against the owner of a California restaurant and its sushi chef that marine mammal activists say served illegal whale meat. Typhoon Restaurant Inc., which owns The Hump restaurant in Santa Monica, and Kiyoshiro Yamamoto, a 45-year-old Culver City resident, were charged Wednesday with illegally selling an endangered species product, a misdemeanor. Two undercover diners requested whale as part of an $600 omakase, or chef's choice, meal. The young women were working with the producers of the Oscar-winning documentary, "The Cove," to record the whole meal.

(Copyright 2010 Associated Press.  Used With Permission.  All Rights Reserved.  This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Corey Feldman says the death of his lifelong friend Corey Haim is "a tragic loss." Feldman and Haim first became friends in "The Lost Boys" and went on to co-star in several projects, becoming known as The Two Coreys. They even had a reality show by that name, which showed the disintegration of their friendship and led to some memorable on-air fights. Feldman says we should take Haim's death "as a lesson in how we treat the people we share this world with." An autopsy is being conducted to see why Haim died at the age of 38. Haim had a history of drug problems.

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Reese Witherspoon is helping to launch a new global effort to fight violence against women. Witherspoon is in Washington for a three-day summit, meeting with Secretary of State Hilary Clinton and others about ways to help the nearly one billion women who'll be victims of violence worldwide. One way is Witherspoon's involvement with the Avon Foundation for Women that's selling a woman's empowerment ring to go along with the bracelet and necklace that have already raised $8 million dollars for programs that help women.

LANCASTER, Calif. (AP) -- A man was stabbed in the neck with a meat thermometer while watching "Shutter Island." Police say he had asked a woman to stop talking on her cell phone. The woman left with two men. The police say the men came back and stabbed the victim in the neck. He was seriously hurt.

WASHINGTON (AP) - Jerry -- of Ben & Jerry's fame -- plans to add a sweet touch to a wedding in the nation's capital today. A gay wedding. Same-sex marriage became legal in Washington, D.C., this week. Keith Spangler-Vellios and Andreas Vellios plan to get hitched at a Ben & Jerry's ice cream shop in the Georgetown section of the city. Ice cream company co-founder Jerry Greenfield says he'll be there. Ben & Jerry's symbolically changed the name of its "Chubby Hubby" flavor to "Hubby Hubby" in 2009. That's when its home state of Vermont began recognizing same-sex marriages.

DAYTON, Ohio (AP) - Advertising a "bachelor pad" is a no-no -- to a fair housing group. A suit filed in a Dayton, Ohio, federal court charges that listing an apartment as a bachelor pad amounts to discrimination. The ad on Craigslist said the pad would be just the thing for single guys looking to "hook up." The Miami Valley Fair Housing center is seeking at least $25,000 in damages. Staffers at the nonprofit center say the ad apparently discriminates on the basis of sex and family status. But officials with the property owner, The Connor Group, say they expect to be cleared.

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) - How do you attract a big kitty? With a large dish of milk. The zoo in Little Rock, Ark. has a new male lion, two-year-old Bakari. Zookeepers had a tough time luring the big guy out of his indoor enclosure. So, they got milk. Bakari came out to lap up a large dish full of milk. He then tore the cartons apart. Officials at Coleman Dairy are impressed with the milk-loving lion. The dairy is donating more than 50-grand in cash and products to the Little Rock Zoo.

AMES, Iowa (AP) - Iowa police charge a man went to church for porn not prayer. Authorities accuse Charles E. Bentley of breaking into the First Christian Church in Ames. Police say he used electronic equipment in the church to watch pornos. Investigators say when police arrived, Bentley was trying to haul away a garbage can full of stuff, including food, clothes and a 26-inchflat-screen TV. He's now charged with second-degree burglary.

POWELL, Wyo. (AP) - They said it wouldn't last. But nearly seven decades later Curt and Barb Jasper are proving their high school counselors wrong. The couple began dating when he was 15 and she was just 14. Curt says he got chewed out by a disapproving counselor for holding hands with Barb. It's been 69 years since they began dating. Recently, they celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary. They tell the Powell, Wyo., Tribune that Barb hooked Curt with a bite of her ice cream bar. They have 13 grandchildrenand five great-grandchildren, with two more on the way.

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) - A virtual red-light district for the Internet - a good thing or a bad thing? A global Internet oversight agency is taking up the discussion again. There's been talk recently about setting up a ".xxx" domain name for those who want to view porn online. Those in favor of the idea say that can let those who like such material have a place to seek it - while keeping children and teens from doing the same. Opponents say it opens the way to legitimize porn sites. The idea has been rejected three times since 2000. But the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers is likely to take up the issue again when it meets this week in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi.

(Copyright 2010 Associated Press.  Used With Permission.  All Rights Reserved.  This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

Today is Thursday, March 11, the 70th day of 2010. There are 295 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:
On March 11, 1985, Mikhail S. Gorbachev was chosen to succeed the late Soviet President Konstantin U. Chernenko.

On this date:
In 1810, French Emperor Napoleon I was married by proxy to Archduchess Marie Louise of Austria.
In 1861, the Constitution of the Confederate States of America was adopted during a convention in Montgomery, Ala.
In 1888, the famous Blizzard of '88 began inundating the northeastern United States, resulting in some 400 deaths.
In 1930, former President and Chief Justice William Howard Taft was buried in Arlington National Cemetery.
In 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Lend-Lease Bill, providing war supplies to countries fighting the Axis.
In 1942, as Japanese forces continued to advance in the Pacific during World War II, Gen. Douglas MacArthur left the Philippines for Australia. (MacArthur, who subsequently vowed, "I shall return," kept that promise more than 2 1/2 years later.)
In 1959, the Lorraine Hansberry drama "A Raisin in the Sun" opened at New York's Ethel Barrymore Theater.
In 1965, the Reverend James J. Reeb, a white minister from Boston, died after being beaten by whites during civil rights disturbances in Selma, Ala.
In 1977, more than 130 hostages held in Washington, D.C., by Hanafi Muslims were freed after ambassadors from three Islamic nations joined the negotiations.
In 2004, ten bombs exploded in quick succession across the commuter rail network in Madrid, Spain, killing 191 people and wounding more than 2,000 in an attack linked to al-Qaida-inspired militants.

Ten years ago: Ricardo Lagos was sworn in as president of Chile, the second socialist to take the post since Salvador Allende was killed in a 1973 coup.
Five years ago: A judge, court reporter and sheriff's deputy were shot and killed at an Atlanta courthouse; Brian Nichols, suspected of killing them and a federal agent, surrendered a day later at the apartment of a woman he'd taken hostage, Ashley Smith. (Nichols was later convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison.)
One year ago: President Barack Obama signed a $410 billion spending package to keep the government running through Sept. 2009, even as he called it "imperfect" because of the number of earmarks it contained. A German teenager, Tim Kretschmer, went on a shooting rampage starting at a school in Winnenden, killing 15 people before committing suicide.

Today's Birthdays: Actor Terence Alexander is 87. Media mogul Rupert Murdoch is 79. ABC News correspondent Sam Donaldson is 76. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia is 74. Musician Flaco Jimenez is 71. Actress Tricia O'Neil is 65. Actor Mark Metcalf is 64. Rock singer-musician Mark Stein (Vanilla Fudge) is 63. Singer Bobby McFerrin is 60. Movie director Jerry Zucker is 60. Actress Susan Richardson is 58. Recording executive Jimmy Iovine is 57. Singer Nina Hagen is 55. Country singer Jimmy Fortune (The Statler Brothers) is 55. Singer Cheryl Lynn is 53. Actor Jeffrey Nordling is 48. Actress Alex Kingston is 47. Country musician David Talbot is 47. Actor Wallace Langham is 45. Actor John Barrowman is 43. Singer Lisa Loeb is 42. Singer Pete Droge is 41. Actor Terrence Howard is 41. Rock musician Rami Jaffee is 41. Actor Johnny Knoxville is 39. Rock singer-musicians Benji and Joel Madden (Good Charlotte) are 31. Actor David Anders is 29. Singer LeToya is 29. Actress Thora Birch is 28. Actor Rob Brown is 26. Actor Anton Yelchin is 21.

Thought for Today: "Real success is finding your lifework in the work that you love." - David McCullough, American historian.

(Copyright 2010 Associated Press.  Used With Permission.  All Rights Reserved.  This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION

Charlotte      102  Philadelphia   87

Miami          108  L-A Clippers   97

Memphis        111  Boston         91

Utah           115  Detroit       104

Denver         110  Minnesota     102

Oklahoma City   98  New Orleans    83

Dallas          96  New Jersey     87

San Antonio     97  New York       87

Sacramento     113  Toronto        90

NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE

Washington   4  Carolina      3   OT

Buffalo      5  Dallas        3

New Jersey   6  N-Y Rangers   3

Chicago      3  Los Angeles   2   OT

Phoenix      4  Vancouver     3   2OT

TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL

(22) Georgetown   69  South Florida   49

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL SPRING TRAINING

Atlanta 7, N.Y. Mets 6, 10 innings

Tampa Bay 8, Boston 6

Philadelphia 4, Toronto 2

N.Y. Yankees 9, Detroit 8

St. Louis 6, Washington 4

Florida 16, Houston 4

San Diego (ss) 5, Milwaukee 4

Seattle 6, Texas 3

Cincinnati 6, L.A. Angels 0

San Francisco 5, Chicago Cubs 1

L.A. Dodgers 4, Arizona 4, tie

Cleveland 10, San Diego (ss) 5

Chicago White Sox 9, Oakland 5

Kansas City 5, Colorado 0

Baltimore 3, Pittsburgh 2

SOUTH DAKOTA SCOREBOARD

Men's College Basketball

NAIA Division II National Tournament

USF 69, (16) Grand View, Iowa 65  OT

(15) St. Francis, Ind. 86, Black Hills St. 83

(7) Dakota Wesleyan 79, McPherson, Ka. 66

Women’s College Basketball

NAIA Division II National Tournament

Black Hills St. 67, Eastern Oregon 58

College Baseball

Arkansas 21, S. Dakota St. 2

Mount Marty 13-20, Calumet 3-14

College Softball

Utah 6, S. Dakota St. 1

South Dakota 11, Detroit Mercy 0

St. Louis 18, South Dakota 1

South Dakota 3, Sacred Heart 1

South Dakota 4, Youngstown St. 3

Rod Fisher, Brian Oakland, Darren Boyle, Andy Shoe, & Pat Morrison give you their opinion on local, state, and national sports.

          DAKOTA RADIO GROUP HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS PLAY BY PLAY THIS WEEK

   

No High School Basketball Games Scheduled the remainder of the Week

  

No High School Basketball Games Scheduled the remainder of the Week

  

Keep Listening to DRG and watching My Daily News for information on the resumption of KPLO Sports Broadcasts

  

Thursday:   State B Girls Basketball Highmore-Harrold vs. Newell 1 pm 12:45 pm Pre-Game

Friday:        State B Girls Basketball Highmore-Harrold vs. TBA

Saturday:    State B Girls Basketball Highmore-Harrold vs. TBA

STAR 99-FM

Thursday:  State A Girls Basketball Mobridge-Pollock vs.Elkton-Lake Benton 7 pm 6:50 pm Pre-Game

Friday:       State A Girls Basketball Mobridge-Pollock vs. TBA

Saturday:   State A Girls Basketball Mobridge-Pollock vs. TBA            

Find out what is on the minds of the Dakota Radio Group Sports guys.  Take a look at the DRG Sports Blog and add your thoughts.  Just log onto www.dakotaradiogroup.com and blog away!!!!

IN SPORTS TODAY:  

PINE RIDGE, S.D. – Red Cloud school officials say they will file a complaint about the officiating in their Region 8A boys basketball championship game Tuesday night in Rapid City.  Red Cloud lost a 71-54 region title game to Rapid City St. Thomas More.  Red Cloud Superintendent Robert Brave Heart Sr. told the Rapid City Journal yesterday that he planned to file the complaint with the South Dakota High School Activities Association over unfair officiating in the game that saw the Red Cloud bench receive two technical fouls in the 4^th quarter.  Fans from behind the Red Cloud bench littered the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center floor with garbage after the call and Red Cloud head coach Matt Rama and some of his players had to restrain several people from the bench following the technical fouls.  Executive Director of the South Dakota High School Activities Association, Wayne Carney would not comment until he knew more about situation saying they will deal with the complaint when they receive it.  He added there is no timeline to act.

WATERTOWN, S.D. – The Class B girls state basketball tournament opens today in Watertown and the Highmore-Harrold Pirates will be opening the tournament against Newell at 1 p.m.  It’s the first tournament appearance for Highmore since 1980 and Harrold since 1994.  Newell was in the Class A tournament last year.  Head coach Mike Ring says one of his biggest concerns about the Irrigators is their athleticism.  But he also feels that his squad can create some match-up problems.  Newell’s lone loss this year was to Wall.  Highmore-Harrold lost to Wall by 1 point in a lone match-up of common opponents.  Newell bring a 22-1 record into the contest and is the tournament’s top seed.  Highmore-Harrold enters the tournament with a 18-5 season record.  Other first round games have Wall playing Summit, Castlewood taking on Freeman and James Valley Christian against Viborg.

ABERDEEN, S.D. – Wachs Arena in the Barnett Center in Aberdeen is hosting the Class A Girls State High School Basketball tournament that begins today.  The four games on the schedule have Sisseton taking on Dakota Valley and Stickney-Mount Vernon facing Pine Ridge this afternoon.  Tonight Mobridge-Pollock takes on Elkton-Lake Benton and Clark-Willow Lake faces Tri-Valley.

HURON, S.D. – The Huron Arena is playing host to the Class AA Girls State High School Basketball Tournament.  And the host team Huron Tigers are in the tournament field.  Huron plays the final game of the day taking on Rapid City Central.  That follows the Sioux Falls Roosevelt and Rapid City Stevens contest.  The tournament tips off this afternoon with top seed Aberdeen Central taking on Sioux Falls O’Gorman followed by the Sioux Falls Lincoln vs. Sioux Falls Washington match-up. 

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - The Minnesota Timberwolves have seven losses in a row. The Denver Nuggets earned a 110-102 victory in Minneapolis last night. Al Jefferson had 17 points and 10 rebounds for the Wolves, who have won once since February 6.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Minnesota Timberwolves forward Ryan Hollins has been suspended for two games after separate run-ins with Mavericks players Dirk Nowitzki and DeShawn Stevenson on Monday. Hollins has been starting recently and is averaging 6.8 points and 3 rebounds a game.

NAPERVILLE, Ill. - University of South Dakota sophomore Amber Hegge has been named to the All-Great West Conference first team in women’s basketball, the league announced on Wednesday. Hegge leads the Coyotes averaging 12.9 points and 6.4 rebounds per game.  In addition, USD junior Abby Kinder was named to the All-GWC second team and was also named to the All-Newcomer team.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - Protecting its perfect record isn't Nebraska's primary goal at the Big 12 tournament.   Coach Connie Yori figures her third-ranked Cornhuskers (29-0) need only one win to assure themselves a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament. Yori says she would rather keep her starters healthy and fresh instead of pushing them through what would be a three-games-in-three-days grind to win the championship in Kansas City, Mo. The Huskers open the tournament Friday against either Texas Tech or Kansas State.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - Brandon Richardson scored 19 points and No. 12 seed Nebraska took command with an early 16-1 run and shocked No. 5 seed Missouri 75-60 Wednesday in an opening-round upset at the Big 12 tournament. The underdog Cornhuskers (15-17), who had won just two of 16 Big 12 regular-season games, outrebounded, outshot and outhustled the team that had easily beaten them twice this year.  Ryan Anderson had 16 points for Nebraska and Jorge Brian Diaz had 10, including several easy buckets as the Huskers consistently beat Missouri's pressure defense. Laurence Bowers had 11 points for Missouri, the defending Big 12 tournament champion.

POINT LOOKOUT, Mo. - The University of Sioux Falls (S.D.) used a late 8-0 rally to force overtime and then went on to defeat #16 Grand View (Iowa) 69-65 in the first game of the 2010 NAIA Division II Men's Basketball National Championship. The 2010 event is being held at the Keeter Gymnasium on the campus of College of the Ozarks (Mo.).  Malloy led USF with 26 points on 9-of-15 from the field and a perfect 6-for-6 from the foul line. Kelly Hubbard added 15 points and a team-high nine rebounds while Thomas Frames added 13 points and seven boards. The Cougars shot 44% from the field and held Grand View to just 35% from the floor. Grand View was led by senior forward Corey Viet who matched Malloy for game-high honors with 26. He also pulled down 10 rebounds.  Sioux Falls improved to 25-9 on the season in advancing to the tournament’s second round.

POINT LOOKOUT, Mo. - Saint Francis (Ind.) got a 2010 tournament-best 43 points from junior forward DeJovaun Sawyer-Davis in its 86-83 win over Black Hills in the opening round of the NAIA Division II national men’s basketball tournament in Point Lookout, Missouri yesterday.  The Cougars, making their second overall trip to the round of 16 and first since 2000.  Sawyer-Davis hit the clinching 3-pointer with 2 seconds left to send BHSU home from the tournament.  Luke Enos led BHSU with 26 points as the Yellow Jackets season comes to an end with a 21-10 record.

POINT LOOKOUT, Mo. – 7^th seeded Dakota Wesleyan won a NAIA National tournament game for the first time since 1947 last night as the Tigers downed McPherson, Kan. 79-66 in the first round of the national tournament at Point Lookout, Missouri.  DWU had 5 players reach double figures led by Wiebe’s 20 points and 9 rebounds.  With the win, the Tigers advanced to the Sweet 16 and extended the nation's longest active winning streak, now at 17 games. Dakota Wesleyan also added to its single-season school record with its 28th victory of the season.  DWU will play Cornerstone in a second round game at the tournament tomorrow night at 7:30 p.m.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa – Black Hills State held off a Eastern Oregon rally to claim a 67-58 win in the first round of the NAIA Division II national women’s basketball tournament last night in Sioux City.  Jenna Bolstad led a balance offensive attack of 4 BHSU double figure scorers with 14 points.  Keely Krolikowski and Tiffany Thomas came off the bench to score 13 and 12 points, respectively and Onida native Katelynn Lamb had 10 points.  Highmore native Kristi Ryan also came off the bench to score 3 points and pull down 4 rebounds.  BHSU faces Indiana Wesleyan at 3:30 p.m. tomorrow in their next round game.

OREM, Utah (AP) - Chris Flores had 21 points to lead NJIT to a 70-57 victory against North Dakota in a Great West Conference tournament quarterfinal on Wednesday night.   Isaiah Wilkerson added 18 points for the sixth-seeded Highlanders (10-20), who face No. 2 seed Houston Baptist in a semifinal on Friday. Travis Bledsoe had 19 points and Derek Benter 10 for No. 3-seeded North Dakota (8-23), which led 28-27 at halftime but shot just 8 for 29 (27.6 percent) from the floor in the second half.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - The Minnesota men's basketball team is facing a must-win situation at the Big Ten tournament.   The sixth-seeded Gophers play Penn State in the first round on Thursday night. With a 9-9 mark in the conference and 18-12 overall, the Gophers probably need at least three wins this weekend to warrant an NCAA tournament invitation. Minnesota can get an automatic bid with four victories to win the Big Ten tournament in Indianapolis. Players say that's their focus.   Coach Tubby Smith warned after Wednesday's practice that the Nittany Lions are dangerous. Penn State finished last in the conference and is 11-19 overall, but the Nittany Lions won three of their last six games.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - LaDainian Tomlinson is coming to Minnesota for a visit, and the Vikings believe he'd be a good fit. Tomlinson is scheduled to meet with coach Brad Childress and other members of the organization on Thursday. The 2006 NFL MVP was released by the San Diego Chargers last month. Tomlinson is coming off the least-productive season of his nine-year career. Childress spoke to reporters Wednesday about wanting "to see where his mind is at."   The coach says he assumes Tomlinson realizes he'd be a backup to All-Pro Adrian Peterson. The Vikings have been looking for another running back since Chester Taylor signed with the Chicago Bears.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Vikings defensive lineman Pat Williams testified yesterday he didn't know an over-the-counter weight-loss supplement contained a banned diuretic that led to his positive drug test in 2008.  Williams testified he first took StarCaps when he was with the Buffalo Bills, where a trainer told him it was a legal supplement. Williams also says he checked out StarCaps online and "everything looked legal." The NFL is trying to suspend him and teammate Kevin Williams for testing positive for the banned substance.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Minnesota Vikings defensive tackle Kevin Williams is acknowledging that he told several people he had tested positive for a banned diuretic before news of the test results leaked to the media in 2008. Just who leaked the test results for Williams and his teammate Pat Williams is an issue in this week's trial of the players' lawsuit against the NFL.  The players claim that the league leaked the results in violation of Minnesota labor law. Kevin Williams testified Wednesday that he told his wife, his agent, head coach Brad Childress and perhaps an attorney that he had tested positive. Williams said he only told people on a "need-to-know basis."

BROOKINGS, S.D. - The South Dakota State football team has added a coach and a player. Josh Davis has been named wide receivers coach after holding that same position on an interim basis in 2009. The Omaha native previously served two years on staff as a graduate assistant and holds the SDSU school record for catches.

UNDATED (AP) - The struggling Minnesota Wild will try to avoid their fourth loss in a row when they visit Detroit tonight.  It's the teams' first meeting at Joe Louis Arena this season. The Wild might be without defensemen Brent Burns and Shane Hnidy, who left Tuesday's loss to Florida with injuries.

SIOIUX FALLS, S.D. – The third ranked Augustana wrestling team will be sending a total of 7 wrestlers to the NCAA Division II national championships in Omaha this weekend.  The Vikings wrestlers competing include Al Meger (125 pounds, 21-11 record), Laramie Shaffer (133, 12-4), Jay Sherer (141, 25-9), Nate Herda (149, 25-7), Marcus Edgington (157, 28-4), Gavin Nelson (165, 19-2) and Ty Copsey (197, 15-3). 

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – One day after being upset by South Dakota State, the 14th-ranked Arkansas baseball team scored runs in bunches during the late innings to defeat the Jackrabbits, 21-2, Wednesday afternoon.  Freshman Stephen Bougher took the loss for the Jackrabbits. The Papillion, Neb., native allowed four runs and five hits in 3 1/3 innings, while walking three and striking out one. Four other pitchers worked in the game for SDSU, which gave up 18 hits.  RBIs from Zach Briggs and Erik DeJong got the Jackrabbits as close as 3-2 in the fourth inning but Arkansas scored in the bottom half of the inning, then later tacked on 17 more runs.  Seven different Arkansas players notched at least two hits.  Randall Fant pitched three scoreless innings, striking out three and walking one, to earn the victory. The Razorbacks improved to 9-3 overall. SDSU, off to its best start since 1996, dropped to 6-3.

(Copyright 2010 Dakota Radio Group.  All Rights Reserved.  This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.  Associated Press contributed to this report.)

UNDATED (AP) - Robert Morris and Montana will be part of next week's field of 65 for the NCAA men's basketball tournament. Robert Morris earned its second straight tournament berth by beating Quinnipiac 52-50 in the Northeast Conference title game. Montana fell behind by 22 before beating Weber State 66-65 in the Big Sky championship game.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Denver Nuggets head coach George Karl hopes to be back on the bench tomorrow night after missing last night's game at Minnesota. Karl is undergoing a rigorous six-week treatment of radiation and chemotherapy after being diagnosed last month with neck and throat cancer. He had surgery on Monday to have a feeding tube inserted into his stomach.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Philadelphia 76ers coach Eddie Jordan says he's not worried about a newspaper report stating he could be fired soon. The Philadelphia Inquirer cited unidentified sources Tuesday saying that Comcast-Spectacor was ready to fire Jordan, likely after his first season with the team is complete. The Sixers are 23-and-41 and on the verge of elimination from the Eastern Conference playoff race.

TULSA, Okla. (AP) - Former sprinter Marion Jones is pursuing a new career. The disgraced Olympian has signed a contract with the WNBA's Tulsa Shock. Jones was the starting point guard on North Carolina's national championship team in 1994. She was drafted by Phoenix in 2003, but never played in the WNBA.

FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) - Nomar Garciaparra was able to retire as a member of the Boston Red Sox yesterday after signing a one-year contract. The six-time All-Star hit .313 with 229 home runs and 936 RBIs in 14 seasons, winning one American League MVP award and two batting titles. He began his career with the 1996 Red Sox and remained on the team until he was traded to the Cubs in the summer of 2004.

UNDATED (AP) - The Tennessee Titans have agreed to an $11 million, three-year contract with Will Witherspoon as they revamp their linebacking corps. Wide receiver Derrick Mason has accepted a two-year contract with the Baltimore Ravens catching 73 passes for 1,028 yards and seven touchdowns in 2009. And free agent running back LaDainian Tomlinson will visit with the Minnesota Vikings today.

CLEVELAND (AP) - Quarterback Derek Anderson has apologized to Cleveland fans after calling them "ruthless" and adding they "don't deserve a winner" following his release from the Browns on Tuesday. Anderson said his remarks were out of character and added he was speaking out of frustration following his release.

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) - Oregon quarterback Jeremiah Masoli is facing a burglary charge in connection with a theft at a campus fraternity house in late January. The Lane County district attorney's office says Masoli and former Oregon receiver Garrett Embry were each charged Wednesday with one count of burglary in the second degree. Masoli helped lead the Ducks to the Pac-10 Conference title and a Rose Bowl berth last season.

CHICAGO (AP) - The Chicago Blackhawks have grabbed a share of the NHL's Western Conference lead on the strength of Patrick Sharp's goal-scoring ability. Sharp scored at 2:08 of overtime to lift the Hawks past the Los Angeles Kings 3-2 in Chicago. Sharp opened the scoring just 2:34 into the game before netting his 21st goal of the season, leaving the Blackhawks tied with San Jose at 93 points.

UNDATED (AP) - NHL general managers have developed the framework for a new rule that punishes hits to the head.   The new rule would allow referees to assess a minor or major penalty for blindside hits targeting the head. It must be approved by the competition committee and has not yet been given a specific name.

(Copyright 2010 Associated Press.  Used With Permission.  All Rights Reserved.  This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)