Wayne Byers Show – Morning – Sept 20

CSi Weather…

REST OF TODAY…CLOUDY WITH RAIN SHOWERS LIKELY AND SLIGHT CHANCE OF

THUNDERSTORMS IN THE MORNING…THEN PARTLY SUNNY IN THE

AFTERNOON. HIGHS IN THE LOWER 70S. SOUTHEAST WINDS 5 TO 10 MPH

SHIFTING TO THE EAST IN THE AFTERNOON. CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION

60 PERCENT IN THE JAMESTOWN AREA, 70 PERCENT IN THE VALLEY CITY AREA.

.TONIGHT…PARTLY CLOUDY. LOWS IN THE LOWER 50S. NORTHEAST WINDS

5 TO 10 MPH.

.WEDNESDAY…MOSTLY CLOUDY.  A 40 PERCENT CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS IN THE MORNING.

HIGHS IN THE MID 60S. NORTHEAST WINDS 10 TO 15 MPH.

.WEDNESDAY NIGHT…MOSTLY CLOUDY. LOWS IN THE UPPER 40S.

NORTHEAST WINDS 10 TO 15 MPH.

.THURSDAY…PARTLY SUNNY. HIGHS IN THE MID 60S. NORTHEAST WINDS 10 TO 15 MPH.

.THURSDAY NIGHT…MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH A 20 PERCENT CHANCE OF RAIN

SHOWERS. LOWS IN THE UPPER 40S.

.FRIDAY…CLOUDY WITH A 50 PERCENT CHANCE OF RAIN SHOWERS. HIGHS

IN THE LOWER 60S.

.FRIDAY NIGHT…RAIN SHOWERS LIKELY AND SLIGHT CHANCE OF

THUNDERSTORMS. LOWS IN THE LOWER 50S. CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION

60 PERCENT.

.SATURDAY…MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH CHANCE OF RAIN SHOWERS AND SLIGHT

CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS. HIGHS IN THE UPPER 60S. CHANCE OF

PRECIPITATION 40 PERCENT.

.SATURDAY NIGHT…MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH A 30 PERCENT CHANCE OF RAIN

SHOWERS. LOWS IN THE LOWER 50S.

.SUNDAY…DECREASING CLOUDS. A 20 PERCENT CHANCE OF RAIN SHOWERS.

HIGHS IN THE LOWER 60S.

.SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY…MOSTLY CLEAR. LOWS IN THE MID 40S.

HIGHS IN THE 60S.

 

ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS CAN BE EXPECTED IN PORTIONS OF SOUTH CENTRAL

INCLUDING THE JAMES RIVER VALLEY THIS MORNING…THEN ACROSS CENTRAL

AND SOUTHERN NORTH DAKOTA TONIGHT. SEVERE WEATHER IS NOT EXPECTED.

THE NEXT CHANCE FOR THUNDERSTORMS WILL COME FRIDAY INTO THE

WEEKEND.

 

Jamestown  (CSi)  Officials with the Jamestown Water Treatment Plant informs residents that   19th Street at 3rd Avenue Southwest in Jamestown  is temporarily closed to through traffic due to  repairs in the street, until further notice.

Valley City  (CSi)  The Valley City Public Works Department is asking residents to hold off on washing clothes, along with the running of dishwashers, and taking showers beginning on Tuesday September 20^,  2016 at 6-p.m., for a 12 hour period until 6-a.m.  September 21^st.

The Master Sewage Lift Station will be cleaned during that time, and sewage will be hauled, and curtailing the usage will all crews time to finish the project.

Public Works reminds  motorists that traffic on Viking Drive and 6th Ave. Southwest,  will be restricted due to the loading of the de-watering truck at the Master Lift station.

Questions should be directed to Valley City  Public Works at 845-0380.

 

Valley City  (CSi)  On Tuesday October 11, 2016, the Valley City Area Chamber of Commerce will host a candidate forum to include candidates for  Barnes County Commission and District 24 State Legislative candidates.  The public is encouraged to attend.

The forum will be at 7-p.m. at Valley City High School’s Hi-Liner Activity Center.

Invited candidates for Barnes County commissioner include: Incumbents Cindy Schwehr (District 1) and John Froelich (District 5), and challengers LeRoy Triebold (District 1) and Robert Drake (District 5).

North Dakota District 24 legislative candidates invited to the forum include:  Incumbents Senator Larry Robinson and Representatives Dwight Kiefert and Naomi Muscha, as well as senate challenger Eldred Knutson and house challengers Sharon Buhr and Daniel Johnston.

The Barnes County Commission candidates will participate in the first half, and the North Dakota District 24 legislative candidates participating in the second half.

Questions for the candidates should be submitted to the Valley City Are Chamber of Commerce by email at vcchamberforum@gmail.com or phone at 845-1891.

 

(CSi)  Jamestown/Stutsman Development Corportation CEO, Connie Ova, and Valley City Barnes County Development Corporation Director, Jennifer Feist have issued a statement, concerning the updated Housing Study from the North Dakota Housing Finance Agency.

They point out that the study singled out Region 6 including  Jamestown and Valley City as the only area in the state that will not grow in the next 13 years.

The study shows losses when the rest of the state is growing by 21% during the study period of 2016-2029.  ND Housing Finance officials cited a lack of employment opportunities in those areas, as well as baby boomers moving to urban areas to access services.  As economic development professionals, we take exception to this.

HIGER PAYING JOBS:  In Stutsman County, economic development projects at SEPA (Spiritwood) include biomass, value added agricultural processing and barley processing; total employment is expected to be 100 permanent, full-time positions with approximately 200 construction jobs.

In Barnes County, the PSC received an application for a 300 megawatt farm, Glacier Ridge Wind Farm, consisting of about 90+ turbines located on over 34,000 acres of land northeast of Valley City.  This is the largest wind farm request in North Dakota’s history.  Construction could start as early as November.  The project would bring construction and permanent, full-time higher paying jobs and benefits.

Healthy Food Ingredients, LLC reached an agreement to purchase Heartland Flax based in Valley City.  Brad Hennrich, President, said the Valley City location will become the company’s flagship manufacturing plant.  More projects are in the pipeline in both communities.  Primary sector growth is driving investments in service and retail business development, housing, childcare, lodging and more.  The results are visible. Our focus is creating higher paying jobs.

BUILDING PERMITS:  Valley City issued $31 Million in building permits in 2016 and are on track to exceed 2015, which totaled $35 Million ($50 Million throughout Barnes County).  Jamestown’s building permits totaled $46 Million for 2016; and $28 Million in 2015 ($30 Million throughout Stutsman County).

DEMAND FOR HOUSING UNITS:  The study shows a projected increase in the number of housing units of approximately 2,900 by 2029 and all nine counties in Region 6 are expected to show growth.  The study uses two models to predict future housing needs.  Model 1 is based on historical data.  Model 2 is based on shifts in population and housing demand.  One model shows every county is expected to show some growth while the other model shows a loss.

If weakened housing demand is specific to low- and very low-income households, perhaps it’s because Jamestown and Valley City have made strides toward solving the overall housing problem.  The statewide problem is single family housing with challenges being two-fold; 1) cost of infrastructure and construction, and 2) student loan payments that compete with housing.  Again, we need higher paying jobs.

REGIONAL MAKE-UP/WEIGHTED NUMBERS:  The population of Region 6 (56,363) including Valley City and Jamestown is larger than Region 3 (40,672), which the study showed will see moderate growth.  Region 3 includes Devils Lake and Spirit Lake Indian Reservation; it consists of 6 counties.   Two key factors skew the statistics.  Region 6 consists of 9 counties but does not include a major population center or oil.  It does include the largest number of rural counties in the state in relationship to our size.  Population increased from 2010 to 2014 in its two major counties, Barnes and Stutsman.  Because Region 6 includes a greater number of rural counties in relationship to our size, the overall numbers become heavily weighted.  We have more rural counties than any of the other regions and they are seeing decreases.

GAINING GROUND:  Historically, Barnes and Stutsman Counties have shown population losses in 1990, 2000 and 2010; and population gains to 2014 and projected gains through 2019.  The relentless work of economic development professionals and organizations has stopped the losses; we have turned the corner and heading in the right direction.

Bismarck  (CSi) The NDDOT informs motorist that the Crystal Springs Rest Area on eastbound I-94, approximately nine miles east of Medina will be temporarily closed Tuesday, September 20 and Wednesday, September 21 for maintenance work.

Currently preliminary planning continues with negotiations between the city of Jamestown, the Jamestown Regional Airport Authority and the JSDC, for a new industrial park in Jamestown. The Jamestown/Stutsman Development Corp. Board of Directors had no opposition.

Further discussion involving moving toward a joint powers agreement outlining  how the project would proceed.

 

Jamestown (CSi) Jamestown Arts Center held a public demonstration at the Hansen Arts Park, in downtown Jamestown, on Monday.  The purpose was to watch sculptor Owen Fritts work on the “Prairie Grass Ballet,”  ask questions, and learn about the process that goes into creating a sculpture.

So far five of the 71 blades have been installed.

Fritts has been working on the sculpture for five weeks, and expects it to be completed in the next couple of weeks.

 

Jamestown  (CSi)  The James River Valley Library System’s new bookmobile that’s on order will be delayed in coming to Jamestown.

Library Director Joe Rector says the truck box for the unit had not been built to specifications, along with other items that are not according to specifications.

The contractor, OBS Inc., will need  to replace the box which Rector says could cause a delays in the project for a number of months.

The library board has authorized Rector to negotiate with OBS to solve the problems.

 

Jamestown (CSi)  Today and Wednesday from 5 to 9 p.m., law enforcement personnel across the state are asking for tips while they work at Applebee‘s Neighborhood Grill & Bars across the state to raise awareness and tip money for Special Olympics.

This is the 10th annual event for the Law Enforcement Torch Run group, which consists of volunteers from all agencies of law enforcement. The Law Enforcement Torch Run program is the largest public awareness and fundraising program for Special Olympics throughout the world.

The event will take place at Applebee‘s restaurants across North Dakota, including Jamestown.

 

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — More than 40 members of the North Dakota Farmers Union are in Washington trying to raise awareness among members of Congress about the worsening farm economy.

North Dakota Farmers Union President Mark Watne tells the Bismarck Tribune that the goal of the 275 people participating in the lobbying effort is to reach all members of Congress to talk about the drastic decline in farm income. He says farmers saw their incomes decline 63 percent from 2014 to 2015.

Watne says the union is getting “a lot of understanding about the issue,” but it is not “getting a real good set of solutions.”

Participants in this week’s effort plan to ask lawmakers to make sure that the Justice Department is adequately considering whether mergers among agricultural companies are producing monopolies.

 

FARGO, N.D. (AP) — A tanker truck parked in the lot of a hotel in Fargo has leaked a small amount of anhydrous ammonia.

The incident happened around midnight Monday. No hotel guests were evacuated.

The fire department’s hazmat team responded to the scene to handle the leak of anhydrous ammonia, which is widely used on farms as nitrogen fertilizer.

Fargo Police say the leak was small and didn’t pose a safety risk to anyone because it happened more than 100 feet away from the hotel and bar.

 

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — The state Health Department says central North Dakota man has died from West Nile virus.

The agency says it’s the second death in the state this year from the virus that’s transmitted by mosquitoes. The Health Department says the both victims were men older than 60. Officials did not identify them.

Last year, 23 people in North Dakota tested positive for the virus. Eight were hospitalized and one died.

West Nile virus symptoms include fever, headache, body aches and rash. Many people infected with the virus experience mild or no symptoms.

 

FARGO, N.D. (AP) — A man facing a murder charge in a fatal beating outside of a Fargo bar last year is set to stand trial next week. The trial of 34-year-old Jason Oien is scheduled to begin Sept. 27. It is expected to last two weeks. The trial initially was scheduled for late March but it was delayed due to new evidence and witnesses in the case. Oien could face life in prison without parole if convicted of killing 35-year-old Joey Gaarsland in May 2015.

 

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — An Underwood man has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for sexually assaulting a woman he knew and threatening her with a gun.

Brady Blotske was sentenced Monday. He was found guilty by a jury in June of gross sexual imposition, felonious restraint and terrorizing.

The victim testified at trial that Blotske used electrical tape to bind her hands, raped her and threatened her with a firearm in the May 2015 incident.

 

GRAND FORKS, N.D. (AP) — A snake said to be 6 feet long has been corralled and taken to an animal shelter after it was spotted on a Grand Forks County road.

The  Grand Forks sheriff’s office was called out around 2 p.m. Sunday to a rural road south of Grand Forks where the snake believed to be a boa constrictor was slithering along. A driver scooped up the snake and placed it in the back of an empty trailer until sheriff’s deputies arrived to the scene.

The sheriff’s office says the snake is likely an escapee. No other details were released.

The snake was taken to the Circle of Friends Humane Society in Grand Forks.

 

FARGO, N.D. (AP) — Rainfall in North Dakota over the past week has slowed harvest for some farmers.

The Agriculture Department says in its weekly crop report released Monday that crop disease remains an issue due to damp conditions across the state.

The agency says durum wheat was 85 percent harvested, which is behind last year but ahead of the long-term average.

Corn and soybean conditions were rated mostly good to excellent.

Winter wheat was 36 percent planted, which is behind 47 percent this time last year.

Pasture and range conditions were rated 56 percent good to excellent, and 16 percent poor to very poor.

 

MINOT, N.D. (AP) — Defense Secretary Ashton Carter is slated to visit the Minot Air Force Base on Sept. 26. The northern North Dakota base has about 12,000 personnel overseeing B-52 bombers and Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missiles. Carter is slated to observe 5th Bomb Wing and 91st Missile Wing operations, and will be giving a “high-level speech on the nuclear agenda at a troop event.”

 

In sports…

Bismarck   (CSi) North Dakota Game & Fish reminds residents, that  North Dakota’s two-day youth pheasant season is Oct. 1-2, 2016. Legally licensed residents and nonresidents ages 15 and younger may hunt roosters statewide.

Resident youth hunters, regardless of age, must possess a fishing, hunting and furbearer certificate and general game and habitat license. Nonresident youth hunters from states that provide a reciprocal licensing agreement for North Dakota residents qualify for North Dakota resident licenses. Otherwise, nonresident youth hunters must purchase a nonresident small game license.

Shooting hours are one-half hour before sunrise to sunset. Youth ages 12 and older need to have passed a certified hunter education course. The daily bag limit and all other regulations for the regular pheasant season apply.

An adult at least 18 years of age must accompany the youth hunter in the field. The adult may not carry a firearm.

See the 2016 North Dakota Small Game Hunting Guide for additional information

 

High School Vollleyball…

 

 

MLB…

 

AMERICAN LEAGUE

Final Kansas City 8 Chi White Sox 3

Final Boston 5 Baltimore 2

Final Texas 3 L.A. Angels 2

Final Houston 4 Oakland 2

Final Toronto 3 Seattle 2

 

NATIONAL LEAGUE

The Cardinals picked up their third straight win to move into a tie with San Francisco for the second NL wild-card berth, one game behind the New York Mets. Carlos Martinez worked five innings and hit a tiebreaking, two-run double in the fourth to help St. Louis beat the Rockies, 5-3 at Colorado. Randal Grichuk (GRIH’-chuhk) crushed a two-run homer to help Martinez improve to 15-8.

 

Final Miami 4 Washington 3

Final Atlanta 7 N-Y Mets 3

Final Chi Cubs 5 Cincinnati 2

Final L.A. Dodgers 2 San Francisco 1

Final San Diego 3 Arizona 2

 

NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE…

CHICAGO (AP) — The Philadelphia Eagles are 2-0 following another solid performance by their rookie quarterback.

Carson Wentz completed 21 of his 34 passes for 190 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions as the Eagles knocked off the Bears, 29-14 in Chicago. The second overall pick in this year’s draft hit Trey Burton for a short TD in the third quarter while the Eagles were scoring 19 straight points.

Ryan Mathews put Philadelphia ahead 29-7 in the fourth quarter with his second touchdown run of the night.

Quarterback Jay Cutler was among several Bears who were knocked out of the game by injury. Cutler completed 12 of his 17 passes for 157 yards, no TDs and one interception before leaving with a right thumb injury.

The Bears fell to 0-2.

 

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. (AP) — Minnesota Vikings coach Mike Zimmer says running back Adrian Peterson has a torn meniscus in his right knee.

Zimmer recorded his weekly appearance on the show before addressing the media on Monday. He told the station he has not yet ruled out Peterson for the game Sunday against Carolina and that the team was still exploring all the scenarios to treat the star running back.

Peterson was injured in the third quarter of Minnesota’s 17-14 victory over the Green Bay Packers on Sunday night. He needed crutches to exit U.S. Bank Stadium, but it does appear Peterson will be able to return at some point this season after initial fears that he tore his ACL.

Peterson has rushed for just 50 yards on 31 carries in the first two weeks.

 

 

WNBA PLAYOFFS…

NEW YORK (AP) — The WNBA changed its playoff format this season to ensure the best teams advanced and to create more of a buzz for the postseason.

While the playoffs don’t tip-off until Wednesday, the change definitely made for an exciting finish to the regular season. Half of the eight seeds weren’t determined until the final day of the regular season Sunday and only one game separated fifth place from eighth.

The first two rounds of the playoffs will be single elimination contests with fifth-seeded Indiana hosting No. 8 Phoenix and seventh-seed Seattle playing at No. 6 Atlanta on Wednesday. The second round begins Saturday with New York and Chicago waiting — and it will also be single elimination.

Minnesota and Los Angeles had the best marks all season long and earned them byes until the semifinals. The Lynx are looking to become the league’s first back-to-back champions since Los Angeles repeated in 2001-02.

 

HOCKEY-WORLD CUP…

TORONTO (AP) —Team North America was able to outshoot Russia 45-23 in the second game of the World Cup of Hockey for both teams. But the Russians scored on four consecutive shots during a 6:14 span of the second period to chase Matt Murray and earn a 4-3 victory over the 23-and-under team.

Vladislav Namestnikov (nah-MEHST’-nih-kahv), Nikita Kucherov (koo-CHEHR’-ahv), Evgeny Kuznetsov (kooz-NET’-sahv) and Vladimir Tarasenko provided the Russian goals, while Sergei Bobrovsky (bah-BRAHF’-skee) stopped 42 shots in the wide-open contest.

Both teams are 1-1.

 

In world and national news…