Wayne Byers Show – Evening – Dec 30

Litchville (CSi)  The Barnes County Sheriff’s Office reports, a rollover  Friday morning, about 1:40, seriously injured four people on Barnes County 38 about a mile and a half east of Litchville.

Barnes County Sheriff, Randy McClaflin says the vehicle lost control on an ice covered road, entered the south ditch and rolled several times ejecting all four occupants.

He says they  were transported to Mercy Hospital, with on individual  air lifted from Mercy Hospital to a Fargo hospital.

Another occupant was transferred by ambulance to a Fargo hospital.

Two others injured were treated at Mercy Hospital, in Valley City.

McClaflin says charges are pending against the driver, as the accident remains under investigation by the Barnes County Sheriff’s Office.

Assisting at the scene were: Litchville First Responders, Kathryn First Responders, Kathryn Fire Department and the Barnes County Ambulance.

 

Valley City  (CSi)  Plans are set for the annual Valley City Pinochle Tournament, on February 18, 19, 2017, at the Eagle Club.

On Friday’s Wayne Byers Show on CSi Cable 2, Chamber Executive, Kay Vinje said the fee is $50 per team, with the registration deadline on February 14, 2017, at 5-p.m.

She added that 100 percent of the fee goes into the tournament prizes.

She said, players come from the region and as far away as California.

 

Valley City  (CSi)  Valley City officials  are seeking to fill two city positions.

In addition to the recently announced resignation of City Attorney Russell Myhre, the city is seeking a new city police chief.

Former Police Chief Fred Thompson announced his resignation earlier this month.

The police chief’s position is being currently filled by Police Lt. Phillip Hatcher, as Acting Chief.

City Administrator, David Schelkoph says the police chief’s position is being advertised for, with the application deadline tentatively set for January 27, 2017.

The applications will be reviewed by a committee, made up of officials from Valley City, and Barnes county along with one citizen to be named later.

The city is also seeking a new city attorney.

Russell Myhre earlier this month, indicated that he will stay on for six months, or until a new city attorney is hired and approved by the city.

He also said that he will work with the city during the transition period.

 

Valley City (CSi) A reminder from Valley City Public Works.  The office and Transfer Station will be closed Monday, January 2nd in observance of New Year’s Day.

Monday’s garbage will be picked up on Tuesday.

Tuesday and Wednesday’s garbage will be picked up on Wednesday.

Thursday and Friday will follow their regular schedule. Remember to have garbage placed out by 7:00 A.M.

 

Jamestown (CSi)  Jamestown Public Works informs residents, that due to the New Year’s Holiday, there will be NO garbage pick-up on MONDAY, January 2, 2017.

 NEW YEAR’S DAY HOLIDAY:

• Jan 2 – Mon – No pickup
• Jan 3 – Tues – pickup Monday’s route
• Jan 4 – Wed – pickup Tuesday’ route
• Jan 5 – Thurs – pickup Weds & Thurs route
• Jan 6 – Friday – normal Friday pickup

 The City Baling Facility will be CLOSED on Mon, Jan 2, 2017.

PLEASE PLACE GARBAGE OUT BY 6:30 A.M. DURING THE HOLIDAY WEEK!

 

CAVALIER, N.D. (AP) — A Navy SEAL from North Dakota has died in a kayaking accident off the Virginia coast.

The Virginian-Pilot reports Petty Officer 1st Class Devon Grube was recovered by the U.S. Coast Guard Wednesday and taken to a hospital where he died from his injuries.

The Navy says the Coast Guard was notified of a capsized kayak in Chesapeake Bay not far from Cape Charles Wednesday morning. The Coast Guard responded with a boat and a helicopter and found Grube about two hours later.

Grube graduated from Cavalier High School in 2000 and earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from the University of North Dakota before he joined the Navy.

 

BRECKENRIDGE, Minn. (AP) — Authorities say a man accused in a shooting at a residence in Breckenridge has been arrested. The Breckenridge Police Department says the shooting happened about 8:30 p.m. Thursday night. KFGO radio reports that the victim was taken to St. Francis in Breckenridge and later flown to a Fargo hospital. His condition has not been released. Police say the suspect was arrested without incident about 2:45 p.m. Friday at a mobile home in Wahpeton, North Dakota.

 

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — The North Dakota Department of Health says there has been an increase in flu cases in the last couple of weeks. Department officials say there have been 116 confirmed cases for the current flu season. Officials are recommending everyone six months of age or older to get vaccinated against the flu. Influenza is a respiratory disease. The most common symptoms are fever, cough, sore throat, headache, chills and body aches.

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — Unprecedented growth in some North Dakota cities has public works administrators and crews scrambling to clean up after snowstorms.

Jeff Heintz, the director of Bismarck’s service operations, says the city’s overall street maintenance spending budget has increased with its population growth, from $2.9 million in 2006 to nearly $6.7 million in 2016.

The city budgeted nearly $395,000 for snow cleanup this year.

Heintz says he hasn’t exceeded this year’s overall budget, even with a string of winter storms bringing more than 40 inches of snow to the area.

Nearby Mandan is experiencing more challenges. City Administrator Jim Neubauer says Mandan has nearly used up its 2016 street maintenance budget and will have to use reserves to keep up with costs.

 

Bismarck  (CSi) Governor Doug Burgum will deliver the State of the State Address to a joint session of the 65^th North Dakota Legislative Assembly on Tuesday, January 3, in the House Chamber of the state Capitol in Bismarck.

The joint session will convene at 1 p.m. The public is invited to attend. Doors to the Chamber will open at 12:30 p.m. As space is limited, the Governor’s address will be streamed live at www.governor.nd.gov.

 

Bismarck (CSi)   Visitors to the North Dakota Capitol building are asked to park in the visitor lot located west of the Department of Transportation building. This lot is specifically designated for visitors and located close to the Capitol’s entrance.

Visitors should use the south main entrance, located underneath the tunnel, or the east judicial wing entrance. All other doors will be locked and accessible only by key card.

Throughout session, visitors will pass through magnetometers, enhancing safety for everyone at the Capitol.

 

Bismarck  (CSi) Gov. Doug Burgum and Department of Human Services officials announced Friday that the state will apply for new federal grant funding to fight the opioid abuse crisis in North Dakota.

Drug-related overdoses claimed 61 lives in North Dakota in 2015, up from 43 deaths in 2014 and 20 deaths in 2013, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which identifies opioids as the main driver of overdose deaths.

“Addiction needs to be treated like the chronic disease that it is. Drug abuse – especially opioid abuse – is devastating our communities and North Dakota families,” Gov. Burgum said. “I have directed the Department of Human Services to seek additional federal resources to help strengthen prevention, education, treatment, and recovery support. We need to embrace new, effective solutions, and must continue to work together at the state and local levels and in the public and private sectors to tackle this major challenge.”

Applications for the federal State Targeted Response to the Opioid Crisis Grants are due Feb.17. The federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is expected to announce grant awards in April. If North Dakota receives grant funding, officials hope to begin implementation in August.

North Dakota officials intend to apply for the full amount authorized for the state: $2 million per year for up to two years. The grant funding formula factors in unmet treatment needs and drug poisoning deaths.

The department’s Behavioral Health Division is still reviewing grant requirements. States can use the funds to identify gaps in prevention, treatment, and recovery and identify effective comprehensive strategies to address them. Funds also can be used to train health and behavioral health professionals to better prevent and treat addiction and support people in recovery.

Training may focus on the use of naloxone to prevent overdose deaths, pain management, opioid prescribing guidelines, how to use the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program, how to recognize possible substance use disorders, available treatment resources, how to make referrals, and other training needs.

Behavioral Health Division Director Pamela Sagness said 80 percent of the grant funding must be used to support opioid treatment services, such as increasing access to evidence-based treatment – including medication-assisted treatment – and recovery services.

Implementing proven prevention strategies is also crucial to reducing the number of people with opioid use disorder and preventing opioid overdose deaths, Sagness said.

Grant activities would supplement current partnerships and efforts, including the Stop Overdose campaign, a collaborative effort involving the department and the Reducing Pharmaceutical Narcotics Task Force. That statewide campaign focuses on saving lives by sharing information and providing resources for prescribers, pharmacists, behavioral health counselors, first responders, and family and friends of people with opioid use disorder.

Resources addressing the state’s opioid epidemic are available online at https://prevention.nd.gov/stopoverdose or by contacting the North Dakota Department of Human Services’ Behavioral Health Division at 1237 W. Divide Ave., Suite 1D, Bismarck, N.D. 58501, 701-328-8919, or ndbhd@nd.gov.

 

 

RENWICK, Iowa (AP) — The once-bustling town of Renwick, Iowa, has lost many businesses as its population declined. But when its sole bar closed this year, a group of friends pooled their money to repair and reopen the place as the Blue Moose Saloon.

It was an impressive achievement, and one that is becoming more common as population continues to trickle away from rural America.

Residents of more small towns are scrambling to hold onto places where people can still get together. Some are pooling their money to save bars, groceries and cafes. Others are creating co-ops or seeking private or government grants.

Towns in North Dakota and Minnesota have taken up such efforts. In the village of Decatur, Nebraska, a dozen people put up money when the Green Lantern Steakhouse burned down.

 

In world and national news…