Taking off the Mask: Oregon has now joined New Jersey, Connecticut, California, and Delaware in announcing an end to their statewide mask mandate for schools or being indoors as states move toward normalizing life with Covid-19.

  Oregon will end the requirement March 31; Connecticut on February 28; and New Jersey, March 7^th. 

  New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy said,  “We have to learn how live with Covid as we move from the pandemic to the endemic phase of this virus.” That means living with it like the flu.

  New cases of Covid are down 62 percent across the country over the past two weeks, but deaths are up 25 percent.

Looking for the Offramp: Russian President Vladimir Putin was actually encouraging about a diplomatic solution to the Ukraine standoff after meeting in Moscow with French President Emmanuel Macron.

  “A number of his proposals and ideas, about which it is too early to speak, I consider quite possible in order to lay a foundation for our further steps,” Putin said. “Let’s see how the meetings for the president [Macron] will go in Kyiv. After his trip to Ukraine, we will call each other again and exchange views on this matter.”

  Russia has massed as many as 130,000 troops on three sides of Ukraine in easy striking distance.

  Leaving a meeting with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, President Joe Biden also was optimistic, although not so verbosely. Asked by a reporter whether he thinks Russian might de-escalate, Biden said, “The answer is yes,” but he did not answer a follow-up.

  On the other hand, the administration is studying what it can do to enforce severe sanctions on Russia without injuring European allies. The President vowed that if the Russians invade Ukraine he would shut down development of Nord Stream 2, the undersea pipeline planned for delivering natural gas from Russia to Germany, which already gets 40 percent of its natural gas from Russia and would be in the hurt locker without it.

  Biden said at yesterday’s presser, “We think we could make up a significant portion of it that would be lost. But what everybody forgets here is Russia needs to be able to sell that gas and sell that oil.” He continued, “Russia relies – it’s a significant part of Russia budget. It’s the only thing they really have to export.” 

Truckin’, Ayy?: The mayor of Ottawa, Canada, has declared a state of emergency after truckers have spent nearly two weeks occupying and clogging the city streets, and creating a din of noise honking their horns in protest of national Covid-related mandates.

  A judge yesterday ordered the truckers to silence their horns saying, “Tooting a horn is not an expression of any great thought I’m aware of.”

  Many residents have been unable to get to work and school. City officials and the chief of police have said the city is under siege. “Someone is going to get killed or seriously injured because of the irresponsible behavior of some of these people,” Ottawa’s Mayor Jim Watson warned.

  The truckers have also collected in several provincial capitals. 

  The demonstrations were sparked by prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s requirement of Covid vaccinations for truckers returning from the US. They have evolved into a general protest against additional Covid restrictions including shutdowns and required mask wearing, as well Trudeau leadership.

Five Ring Roundup: American Ryan Cochran-Siegle won silver in the men’s Super G skiing. Only a year ago he broke his neck in a serious crash putting his career in doubt. Making the medal sweeter for his family, he’s the son of Barbara Cochran, who won the gold medal in slalom in 1972. 

  Canada beat the US women’s hockey team 4-2 yesterday in what could be a preview of the final match. The two teams dominate women’s hockey and have been obliterating all others.

  We note that the American goalie is Maddie Rooney, no relation.

  US figure skater Vincent Zhou, a potential medalist who tested positive for Covid and missed the end of the team competition in Beijing, announced that he’s pulling out of the men’s singles competition as well. 

  Eileen Gu, who was born in the US but competes for China, won the women’s free ski big air competition after landing something called a left double 1620 with a safety grab. The move requires four and a half revolutions in the air. 

  Despite China’s efforts to keep the Olympics l walled off from the world of Covid-19, at least 459 people with Olympic credentials, including 154 athletes and team officials, have tested positive while in China.

The Spin Rack: The Supreme Court yesterday temporarily reinstated Alabama ‘s new congressional district map that a lower court had said violated the Voting Rights Act by diluting the power of Black voters. The vote was 5 to 4, with Chief Justice John Roberts Jr. joining the court’s three liberals in dissent. The full case has yet to be heard and decided. — Roughly one million residents of Austin, Texas are under an advisory to boil their drinking water because of “errors” at a treatment plant. It’s the second time in a year this  has happened. — Ending speculation about what becomes of Camilla, the second wife of Prince Charles, Queen Elizabeth announced she would like it if upon her death Camilla will be titled Queen Consort. Charles described it as a deep honor for both him and his “darling wife”.

Last Call: What is believed to be England’s oldest pub, Ye Olde Fighting Cocks in St. Albans, that has provided a place for Brits to drink their way through civil war, world war, famine, and plague is succumbing to the coronavirus pandemic.

  The current operator of the pub believed to have been established in 793 told The Washington Postthat his business couldn’t survive government health restrictions.

  It’s a shame Prime Minister Boris Johnson couldn’t have done his partying at the Cocks rather than Downing Street.

-30-