Wayne Byers Show – Morning – Feb 13

CSi weather…

REST OF TODAY…Mostly sunny. Highs in the upper 30s. West winds

15 to 20 mph.

.TONIGHT…Partly cloudy. Lows in the mid 20s. Northwest winds

15 to 20 mph.

.TUESDAY…Mostly sunny. Highs in the lower 30s. Northwest winds

15 to 20 mph.

.TUESDAY NIGHT…Partly cloudy. Lows 15 to 20. Northwest winds

5 to 15 mph shifting to the west around 5 mph after midnight.

.WEDNESDAY…Mostly sunny. Highs in the upper 30s. South winds

5 to 10 mph.

.WEDNESDAY NIGHT…Mostly clear. Lows in the mid 20s.

.THURSDAY…Mostly sunny. Highs in the lower 40s.

.THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY…Mostly clear. Lows in the upper 20s.

Highs in the lower 40s.

.FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY…Partly cloudy. Lows in the upper

20s. Highs in the lower 40s.

.SATURDAY NIGHT…Increasing clouds. Lows in the upper 20s.

.SUNDAY…Partly sunny. A 20 percent chance of rain in the

afternoon. Highs in the lower 40s.

 

 

Jamestown  (CSi)  Jamestown Police is warning Jamestown residents of a convicted sex offender who is residing in Jamestown.

Ian Winchester resides at 403 1^st Avenue, South #4, Jamestown, ND.

He presently has no vehicle.

Winchester has been assigned a high risk assessment by the North Dakota risk level committee of the Attorney General.

Winchester is a 34 year old white male, 6 feet 2 inches tall, 180 pounds with hazel eyes and brown hair.

Offense Lewd and lascivious acts when he was 17, involving a 13 year old girl, while another teen video taped the acts.

Conviction Date: January 2003 in Escambia District Court, Florida.

Disposition: 2 years supervised probation.

Winchester is currently on probation with North Dakota Probation and Parole.

Winchester is not wanted by police at this time, and has served the sentence imposed by the court.

This notification is meant for public safety and not to increase fear in the community, nor should this information be used to threaten, assault, or intimidate the offender.

Any attempts to harass, intimidate or threaten these offenders, their families, landlords, or employers will be turned over for prosecution.

Printed handouts of the demographics of Ian Winchester are available at the Jamestown Police Department.

More information on registered sex offenders is available at the North Dakota Attorney General’s web site: www.sexoffender.nd.gov

 

West Fargo (CSi) Titan Machinery in West Fargo has announced dealership closings in line with  consolidating fifteen stores and realigning its management structure. KFGO reports, stores affected include Redwood Falls and Thief River Falls in Minnesota along with Arthur, Kintyre, Kulm and Mayville in North Dakota and Milbank and Redfield, South Dakota. All closed stores will be consolidated to nearby Titan Machinery locations. Titan says customers will continue to receive sales, parts, service rental and support at the nearby stores that will remain open. All affected employees will be employed through the end of March. Those employees will have the opportunity to apply for other positions at nearby Titan locations. News release… WEST FARGO, N.D., Feb. 09, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Titan Machinery Inc. (Nasdaq:TITN), a leading network of full-service agricultural and construction equipment dealerships, today announced the implementation of a restructuring plan to consolidate certain dealership locations and a reorganization of its operating structure. The restructuring plan is expected to result in a significant reduction of expenses while allowing the Company to continue to provide a leading level of service to its customers.  The Company closed one construction location during the fourth quarter ended January 31, 2017 and expects to close 14 agriculture locations during the first half of the current fiscal year. http://ir.titanmachinery.com/profiles/investor/ResLibraryView.asp?ResLibraryID=83004&BzID=2257&g=936&Nav=0&LangID=1&s=0 Expected Financial Results of Restructuring Plan The restructuring plan announced today is expected to be completed by the end of July 2017, the end of the Company’s second fiscal quarter.  The Company is focused on retaining the majority of the revenue from the locations being closed by leveraging its footprint density and scale of the locations in a geographic proximity.  The reduction in revenue is expected to be approximately $40 million, or less than 4% of overall Company revenue, on an annual basis and $30 million for the current fiscal year (fiscal 2018). The restructuring plan is expected to generate an annual expense reduction of approximately $25 million.  For fiscal 2018, the expense reduction is expected to be approximately $20 million. The restructuring plan, excluding non-recurring costs described below, is expected to increase adjusted pre-tax income by approximately $16 million (or $0.44 per diluted share) on an annual basis and $13 million (or $0.37 per diluted share) for fiscal 2018. The non-recurring pre-tax costs associated with this restructuring plan, consisting primarily of lease termination costs, asset impairment, and termination benefits are estimated to be approximately $13 million, of which approximately $3.5 million (or $0.10 per diluted share) is expected to be recognized in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2017 and approximately $9.5 million (or $0.26 per diluted share) is expected to be recognized in fiscal 2018. The restructuring costs to be recognized during the fourth quarter ended January 31, 2017 will not impact the previously announced adjusted earnings per share estimates or modeling assumptions for fiscal year 2017.  The Company expects to achieve its previously announced modeling assumptions for its adjusted diluted loss for fiscal year 2017. Management Comments David Meyer, Titan Machinery’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, stated, “As we built one of the largest equipment dealership networks in North America, we made a number of acquisitions, including smaller ones, in close proximity to other locations in our network.  Although it’s a difficult decision to close a Titan location, by consolidating these adjacent locations, we will be able to achieve increased scale and efficiency to support our customers in those markets.  We are committed to and focused on retaining the majority of our customers and many specialty trained employees from locations that will be consolidated.  Employees displaced by the restructuring plan will be offered positions in nearby locations where possible or will be offered severance benefits.  The Company is committed to transparency and to treating employees affected by the restructuring plan with respect and fairness.” Mr. Meyer continued, “In addition to location consolidation, we have reorganized our operating structure to increase our operating efficiency and provide additional focus on parts and service support.” Mr. Meyer concluded, “We believe the expected $25 million in annual expense reduction from this restructuring plan, combined with our reduced inventory levels, better aligns our cost structure and balance sheet with current market conditions.  As we begin fiscal 2018, we remain focused on managing the controllable aspects of our business and will continue to take the steps necessary to improve operational results, drive strong cash flow and better position our business for future profitable growth opportunities.” About Titan Machinery Inc. Titan Machinery Inc., founded in 1980 and headquartered in West Fargo, North Dakota, is a multi-unit business with dealership locations. The Company owns and operates a network of full service agricultural and construction equipment locations in the United States and Europe. The Titan Machinery network consists of 89 North American locations in North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Wyoming, Wisconsin, Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico, including one outlet store, and 20 European locations in Romania, Bulgaria, Serbia, and Ukraine. The Titan Machinery locations represent one or more of the CNH Industrial Brands (CNHI), including CaseIH, New Holland Agriculture, Case Construction, New Holland Construction, and CNH Capital. Additional information about Titan Machinery Inc. can be found at www.titanmachinery.com. Forward Looking Statements Except for historical information contained herein, the statements in this release are forward-looking and made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements made herein, which include statements regarding the number of locations expected to be closed as part of the restructuring plan, the timing for completion of the restructuring plan, the expected impact of the restructuring plan on our financial results and the operating structure reorganization involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that may cause the Company’s actual results in current or future periods to differ materially from forecasted results. The Company’s risks and uncertainties include, among other things, the Company’s ability to implement the restructuring plan efficiently and consistent with the current scope and plan, the impact of the restructuring plan on the Company’s financial results, a substantial dependence on a single distributor, the continued availability of organic growth and acquisition opportunities, potential difficulties integrating acquired stores, industry supply levels, fluctuating agriculture and construction industry economic conditions, the success of recently implemented initiatives within the Company’s Construction segment, the uncertainty and fluctuating conditions in the capital and credit markets, difficulties in conducting international operations, governmental agriculture policies, seasonal fluctuations, climate conditions, disruption in receiving ample inventory financing, and increased competition in the geographic areas served. These and other risks are more fully described in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the Company’s most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K. The Company conducts its business in a highly competitive and rapidly changing environment. Accordingly, new risk factors may arise. It is not possible for management to predict all such risk factors, nor to assess the impact of all such risk factors on the Company’s business or the extent to which any individual risk factor, or combination of factors, may cause results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement. The Company disclaims, except as required by law, any obligation to update such factors or to publicly announce results of revisions to any of the forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect future events or developments.

 

Jamestown  (CSi)  The city of Jamestown is hosting a public meeting on MONDAY  February 13, 2017,  from 5 to 7 p.m. at City Hall.

Those interested in learning about, discussing or providing feedback on the city’s proposed project on 5th Street Northeast from 12th Avenue to 27th Avenue Northeast, is invited to give their input.

The proposed project would pave the road  to TRAC from 12th Avenue NE to 27th Avenue NE.

Please share this information with others who may be interested,
particularly if you are active in a nearby neighborhood association or other
organization.

There will be a short informational presentation at 5:20 p.m. Staff will also be available immediately after the presentation.

The city of Jamestown and Interstate Engineering Incorporated will be available to receive feedback and answer any questions at the meeting. Project details will be available at the meeting, and all comments will be take  through Friday, February 17,  2017 and be evaluated and addressed.

Anyone not able to attend the public meeting and have questions or comments, contact Ben Aaseth at 252-0234 or at ben.aaseth@interstateeng.com.

 

 

Valley City  (CSi)   Giving Hearts Day February 9, 2017 resulted in thousands of dollars raised for Valley City non-profits.

CHI Mercy Health Foundation spokesperson Stephanie Mayfield says  $10,000 was raised for the CHI Mercy Health, adding that the foundation can now purchase a new EKG machine and is really close to ordering the Pulmonary Function Test Machine.

Mayfield said for the CHI Home Health & Hospice $18,522 was raised.

Still to be added to the total are donations from  Freezin for a Reason held at the Leevers Foods parking lot.

VCSU Assistant Director of Annual Giving Jeremy Wiebe says the VCSU Foundation raised $12,231.50 during Giving Hearts Day.

 

EDGELEY, N.D. (AP) — A Minnesota man has died in an accidental shooting while hunting coyotes in North Dakota.

LaMoure County Sheriff Bob Fernandes says 57-year-old Ron Rechtzigel (RYK’-zig-uhl) of Cannon Falls, Minnesota, was hunting near Edgeley when he died Tuesday.

Fernandes says Rechtzigel was hunting coyotes with two other men in a field. The sheriff says the weather was poor, with blowing and drifting snow, but he won’t say if the victim accidentally shot himself with his own rifle or was shot by one of the other men.

The men had hunted coyotes in southeastern North Dakota for many years.

 

 

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — North Dakota legislators will consider more than a dozen bills relating to guns as the first half of the current session winds down.

Among them is a proposal to allow carrying a concealed firearm in schools, if education officials allow it. The bill is aimed at rural schools without a school resource officer, since it takes law enforcement a while to respond to an emergency situation.

District 24 Republican Rep. Dwight Kiefert says there are schools that are an hour away from help and the country isn’t getting any safer. The Senate has killed a similar measure in the previous two legislative sessions.

Another House bill would make North Dakota a constitutional carry state, allowing people to carry concealed firearms without a government permit.

 

 

TORONTO (AP) — Seidu Mohammed’s lost all his fingers to frostbite when he made a perilous trek in sub-zero temperatures to cross the border illegally into Canada.

He is one of a small but growing number of immigrants risking the northern border crossing out of fear of being deported from the U.S.

America’s neighbor to the north is increasingly being seen as a haven for asylum seekers turned away by the U.S. And some are willing to risk a walk across the border in dangerous cold and snow to get there.

In Manitoba, on the border of Minnesota and North Dakota, authorities say the pace has quickened since Donald Trump became U.S. president and banned travel from seven majority-Muslim countries.

 

MOORHEAD, Minn. (AP) — One person who was sitting at home in a recliner is injured after a pickup truck smashed into a house in Moorhead.

The person was taken to a hospital but is expected to survive.

According to WDAY the Moorhead Fire Department says the incident happened about 1:30 p.m. Sunday when a medical condition caused the driver of the pickup truck to lose consciousness.

The driver and passenger weren’t injured.

Damage to the house is estimated around $30,000.

 

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — Some people see the potential merger of MidDakota Clinic and Sanford Health as part of a national trend of integration in health care.

Brad Gibbens is the deputy director of the University of North Dakota’s Center for Rural Health. He tells The Bismarck Tribune that one of the biggest shifts under the Affordable Care Act is how providers are now relying on results-based pay rather than volume-based pay.

Gibbens says that means hospitals are reimbursed more when patients are successfully treated and don’t have to be readmitted later. He says the result is more emphasis on what’s needed to make patients healthier.

He says that’s also resulted in the acceleration of integration and merging of health care providers.

Sanford Health says no updates are available on the acquisition talks.

 

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — Supporters of a bill that would prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation vow to keep fighting for rights, despite the bill’s rejection by North Dakota lawmakers for the fourth time in recent years.

About 50 of the bill’s supporters watched Friday as the House bill was defeated 69-22.

Kevin Tengesdal, a member of the LGBT community and gay rights activist in Bismarck, tells the Bismarck Tribune he’s saddened, but hopeful.

Bismarck resident Vallie Needham, who is bisexual, says the bill’s failure was absurd and she and her husband plan to leave the state in a few years for a career move, but the legislators’ decision weighs into the decision.

Bill opponents have argued it’s unnecessary and could force businesses and religious organizations to go against their convictions.

 

In sports…

Valley City  (CSi-VCSU)   The Valley City State football team has announced the signing of seven more recruits for the 2017 season.

The seven are high school seniors who recently signed letters of intent to attend VCSU and play for the Vikings this fall. Three of the recruits are from North Dakota, three from Minnesota and one from Alaska. They join a group of 14 student-athletes who signed with Viking football earlier this year.

Coach Dennis McCullock says, “Our staff continues to work hard recruiting student-athletes who fit our culture in the locker room and our culture on campus.  With each new signing, it’s exciting to see the 2017 class come together.”

North Dakota (3)
Josh McKnight – New Rockford, N.D. – New Rockford-Cheyenne High School, RB, 5-10, 150 lbs
Trevor Schimke – Harvey, N.D. – Harvey High School, WR, 6-1, 158 lbs
Marshall LeRoy – Underwood, N.D. – Underwood High School, DL, 6-2, 250 lbs

Minnesota (3)
Hunter Carlson – Staples, Minn. – Staples-Motley High School, OL, 6-5, 275 lbs
Lavontae Carlisle – Minneapolis, Minn. – Richfield High School, DL, 6-3, 207 lbs
Jason Stewart Jr. – Richfield, Minn. – Richfield High School, RB, 5-8, 172 lbs

Alaska (1)
Cooper Sant – Palmer, Alaska – Colony High School, DL, 6-1, 205 lbs

The Valley City State University football team opens the 2017 season at home against the defending conference champion, head coach Dennis McCulloch announced Friday with the release of the 2017 schedule.

VCSU will host Dickinson State on Saturday, Sept. 2, for the season opener at Shelly Ellig Field. It is the first of two meetings between the Vikings and Blue Hawks, who have combined to win the last six conference championships.

The Viking schedule includes 10 regular season games, eight of which will be North Star Athletic Association contests. The Vikings play two games each with Dickinson and University of Jamestown, and with a new conference rule this year both those games will count in the conference standings.

Valley City State hosts University of Jamestown on Sept. 16. Other home games include a non-conference game against Finlandia University on Sept. 23, Mayville State on Oct. 14 for Homecoming, and Dakota State on Oct. 21.

The Vikings begin their road schedule Sept. 9 with a non-conference game at Hastings College. Other road games include Sept. 30 at Waldorf, Oct. 7 at Dickinson, Oct. 28 at Presentation and Nov. 4 at University of Jamestown.

Valley City State went 6-4 last season with two victories over Top 20 teams. The Vikings finished second in the North Star Athletic Association with a 4-2 conference record.

VCSU Football – 2017 Schedule
Sept. 2 – vs. Dickinson State, TBA
Sept. 9 – @ Hastings College, 1 p.m.
Sept. 16 – vs. University of Jamestown, 1 p.m.
Sept. 23 – vs. Finlandia University, 1 p.m.
Sept. 30 – @ Waldorf University, 1 p.m.
Oct. 7 – @ Dickinson State, 3 p.m.
Oct. 14 – vs. Mayville State, 1 p.m.
Oct. 21 – vs. Dakota State, 4 p.m.
Oct. 28 – @ Presentation College, 1 p.m.
Nov. 4 – @ University of Jamestown, 1 p.m.

 

Boys Hockey..

Minot 10, Jamestown 4

Dickinson 4, Williston 1

Grand Forks Red River 10, Grafton-Park River 0

Mandan 12, Hazen/Beulah 0

 

Girls Hockey…

Bismarck High 5, Grand Forks Knightriders 4

Fargo Davies 4, Dickinson 2

Fargo North 6, Williston 1

Minot 6, West Fargo 3

 

Girls Basketball…

 

Jimmie Basketball…

 

VCSU Basketball…

 

NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION

Andrew Wiggins poured in 27 points and Karl-Anthony Towns added 22 while Minnesota shot 54 percent in a 117-89 thrashing of Chicago. Ricky Rubio had 17 points, 11 assists and six rebounds for the Timberwolves, who outrebounded the Bulls 46-35 and outscored them 56-38 in the paint. The Bulls were without Jimmy Butler, Dwyane (dwayn) Wade, Nikola Mirotic and Paul Zipser due to injuries, leaving Doug McDermott at their top scorer with 16.

 

Final N-Y Knicks 94 San Antonio 90

Final Detroit 102 Toronto 101

Final Sacramento 105 New Orleans 99

 

NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE

The Wild were 6-3 winners over Detroit as Zach Parise (pah-REE’-say) scored a pair of third-period goals and Devan Dubnyk (DOOB’-nihk) turned back 30 shots. Charlie Coyle delivered a goal and an assist for Minnesota, which went 3-for-4 on the power play.

The Wild are 14-3-2 since New Year’s Day.

 

Final San Jose 4 New Jersey 1

Final N-Y Islanders 5 Colorado 1

Final Nashville 5 Dallas 3

Final Boston 4 Montreal 0

Final Vancouver 4 Buffalo 2

 

TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL

Final Northwestern 66 (7) Wisconsin 59

Final (10) UCLA 78 Oregon St. 60

Final (25) SMU 60 (11) Cincinnati 51

Final 2OT Virginia Tech 80 (12) Virginia 78

 

 

 

In world and national news…