– Wayne Byers Show – Evening – Feb 15

CSi Weather…

.TONIGHT…Partly cloudy. Lows in the mid 20s. West winds up to 10 mph.

.THURSDAY…Mostly sunny. Highs in the mid 40s. Southwest winds

5 to 15 mph.

.THURSDAY NIGHT…Partly cloudy. Lows 25 to 30.

.FRIDAY…Sunny. Highs in the mid 40s.

.FRIDAY NIGHT…Partly cloudy. Lows 30 to 35.

.SATURDAY…Mostly sunny. Highs in the mid 40s.

.SATURDAY NIGHT…Partly cloudy. Lows 30 to 35.

.SUNDAY…Mostly sunny. Highs 50 to 55.

.SUNDAY NIGHT…Mostly cloudy. Lows in the mid 30s.

.WASHINGTONS BIRTHDAY…Mostly cloudy. Chance of rain and snow in

the morning, then chance of rain in the afternoon. Highs in the

lower 40s. Chance of precipitation 50 percent.

.MONDAY NIGHT…Mostly cloudy. Chance of rain and snow in the

evening, then slight chance of snow after midnight. Lows around

30. Chance of precipitation 30 percent.

.TUESDAY…Partly sunny. A 20 percent chance of snow in the

morning. Highs in the upper 30s.

Jamestown (CSi) a 33 year old Jamestown man was sentenced, Wednesday, after pleading guilty to felony terrorizing in connection with a December 2016 seven hour standoff in Jamestown.

33 year old Troy Allen Elhard was sentenced to 51 days in jail, two years of probation, and fined $960.

Law enforcement was called to Northland Estates where Elhard had barricaded himself in a mobile home, with weapons. The call coming from a female in the home.

Attempts to contact or negotiate with him were unsuccessful, and the standoff ended at 4-a.m., after teargas was fired into the mobile home.

Authorities used an armored vehicle to breakdown the door.

He came out of a few minutes later and surrendered without any weapons exchange.

Fargo (CSi) An 18 year old Jamestown female was injured Wednesday about 2:20-p.m., when her car on the I-29 Southbound Bound entrance ramp from I-94 East bound was involve in a crash.

North Dakota Highway Patrol reports the 2004 Impala was southbound on the I-29 southbound entrance ramp coming from I-94 eastbound. The vehicle drove off the left edge of the roadway and the driver steered right, but over corrected causing the vehicle to rotate to the right. The vehicle slid sideways into the west ditch before striking a tree with the driver’s side door. The driver was unconscious and her legs were pinned inside the vehicle. The driver was extricated by the Fargo Fire Department and was transported to Essentia Hospital in Fargo, by FM Ambulance to be treated for her injuries. The crash is still under investigation.

The driver, not identified, was the loan occupant of the car. She was not wearing a seat belt.

The Highway Patrol was assisted at the scene by Fargo Police , Cass County Sheriff’s Office, and Fargo Fire Department.

Jamestown (CSi) Jamestown Police is warning residents that a convicted sex offender has changed addresses within the city.

28 year old Matthew Jacob Lee Graham now resides at 408 Business Loop West, #8, Jamestown, ND

His vehicle is a 2000 maroon Dodge Caravan, (Temporary ND license)

Graham has been assigned a high risk assessment by the North Dakota risk level committee, of the North Dakota Attorney General’s Office.

Offense: Indecent Exposure involving a five year old male family friend.

Conviction Date: April 2004, Kidder County, ND

Disposition: Mesabi Academy treatment facility.

Graham 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 Graham 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

Jamestown (CSi) Jamestown Tourism is offering grants to nonprofit agencies in Stutsman County for projects that will grow or enhance visitor experiences and increase the impact of tourism in the local economy.

On Wednesday’s Wayne Byers Show on CSi Cable 2 Jamestown Tourism, Executive Director, Searle Swedlund said, the 2017 Visitor’s Promotion Capital Construction Fund purpose is to create economic benefits including overnight stays, create facilities that do not exist in the area, and/or create experiences that enhance the time visitors spend in Jamestown. Funds can be used for building new visitor attractions, expansions, creating new experience or supporting services for visitors. Funds cannot be used for marketing or ongoing operating expenses.

Opportunities to apply for these funds will be awarded twice per year. Applications for the spring process will be due March 1, 2017 and agencies awarded funding will have one year after the announcement to use these funds. Applications for the fall process are due October 1, 2017.

More details about the grant program and applications can be requested by emailing office@DiscoverJamestownND.com. Applications must be received at Jamestown Tourism, 404 Louis L’Amour Ln, Jamestown, ND no later than 5 p.m. March 1, 2017. For more information, contact Searle Swedlund at 701-251-9145.

Also on our show, Swedlund said the updated Community Guide is being readied for publication.

He said he’ll be visiting upcoming sports shows in the state, with information being passed out from Jamestown Tourism.

He also praised the work at Jamestown Tourism by Office Manager, Emily Bivens, who recently received the Young Professionals of Jamestown Young Professional of the Year Award.

Swedlund added that in addition to her work at Tourism, Emily is also active in community events.

Fargo (CSi) The Fargo VA Health Care System and Veterans Benefits Administration will host a Veterans Town Hall and Claims Clinic on March 9, 2017, from 5:30-p.m., to 6:30-p.m., in the Stutsman County Law Enforcement Center Conference Room 1, located at 205 6th Street Southeast, Jamestown.

The Town Hall, open to both Veterans and the general public, will be hosted by the Fargo VA HCS Director, Lavonne Liversage, and the Director of the VBA’s Dakotas Regional Office, Shawn Bohn.

The purpose of the Town Hall is to share information, hear feedback, and answer questions about VA health care and benefits.

All Veterans, their family members, and any organization or individual who works with or on behalf of Veterans is encouraged to attend the town hall. VA healthcare and benefits professionals will be on hand to help answer any and all questions.

A Claims Clinic will be held prior to the Town Hall from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. During the Claims Clinic, Veterans can submit claims for compensation benefits and vocational rehabilitation and employment benefits. Secure electronic access to Veteran benefit records will be available, and participants can ask questions on compensation claims and available benefits.

For more information, call the Fargo VA HCS Public Affairs office at (701) 239-3724.

Morton County (CSi) Governor Doug Burgum has issued an executive order calling for the emergency evacuation of the protests sites in southern Morton county.

In a statement released by the North Dakota Governor’s office, the reason for the evacuation is because of flood risk due to rising temperatures.

The Governor states that the area, which rests in a flood plane, would pose a major risks of injury of death for anyone that remains on the sites.

The Oceti Sakowin camp is required to evacuate by February 22nd to allow for cleanup efforts to complete before the potential flooding.

Bismarck (CSi) North Dakota law enforcement agencies cited or arrested more than 100 people for alcohol or drug violations during a crackdown on impaired driving over the holiday season.

The North Dakota Department of Transportation says a total of 447 citations were issued during stepped-up enforcement patrols during the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign. The enforcement patrols ran from Dec. 16, 2016, through Jan. 31, 2017.

Officials say of the total citations, 55 were alcohol-related, with 50 driving under the influence arrests. Another 23 arrests or citations were for other alcohol-related violations such as underage consumption or open container, and 35 arrests were drug-related.

Funding for the additional traffic safety enforcement comes from federal grant money distributed through the state Transportation Department.

Washington (CSi) Senator John Hoeven Wednesday said that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will have a crew on site by the end of the week to assist in cleaning up the area of the Dakota Access Pipeline protests. In addition to pressing for federal law enforcement to support state and local law enforcement, Hoeven has been working to secure federal support to help clear the area ahead of spring flooding.

“The spring thaw is already underway, so the Corps need to get this area cleaned up now,” said Hoeven. “I spoke with Corps officials this week and they committed to have a crew on site by the end of the week to assist in clearing the area to help prevent an environmental disaster should the area flood.”

The Corps notified Hoeven that they are accelerating the environmental remediation contract and expect to have a crew on the ground by Thursday or Friday to aid in the clean-up of the Corps lands.

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum says the state is willing to help clean up a camp on federal land that’s been home at times to thousands of Dakota Access pipeline opponents.

Officials fear the camp will soon flood and wash tons of debris into nearby waterways.

The Standing Rock Sioux began coordinating a cleanup in late January, but state officials say it isn’t going fast enough. Burgum says the state could start lining up additional contractors as early as Thursday. He says who would pay the cost could be decided later.

The Army Corps of Engineers also plans to help with cleanup. The agency will shut down the camp Feb. 22. Burgum has issued an evacuation order to complement the Corps deadline. He says arresting people would be a last resort.

WASHINGTON (AP) — A top executive at the company building the controversial Dakota Access pipeline is comparing pipeline opponents to terrorists.

Joey Mahmoud, executive vice president of Texas-based Energy Transfer Partners, says protesters have “assaulted numerous pipeline personnel,” destroyed millions of dollars’ worth of construction equipment and even fired a pistol at law enforcement during months of demonstrations against the 1,200-mile pipeline, which will carry North Dakota oil to an Illinois terminal.

Mahmoud tells Congress that the protest movement “induced individuals to break into and shut down pump stations on four operational pipelines. Had these actions been undertaken by foreign nationals, they could only be described as acts of terrorism.”

Mahmoud’s comments came in prepared testimony for a hearing Wednesday before the House energy committee. The Associated Press obtained the testimony in advance.

PIERRE, S.D. (AP) — Gov. Dennis Daugaard is pursuing legislation to make sure South Dakota is prepared for potential protests based on lessons North Dakota learned from large demonstrations over the Dakota Access pipeline.

Chief of Staff Tony Venhuizen says the proposal would make clear that the governor’s emergency response powers would apply to such a protest.

Among other things, the legislation would make it a crime to obstruct a highway.

It also has provisions aimed at streamlining the process to allow out-of-state attorneys to represent people who get arrested. The more than 700 arrests over the course of the Dakota Access protest tested the supply of in-state defense attorneys available.

South Dakota officials have been talking with North Dakota officials to learn about the state’s experience handling the protests.

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis has insisted that indigenous peoples must give prior consent for any economic activity on their ancestral lands — an indirect critique as the Donald Trump administration seeks to advance construction on a $3.8 billion oil pipeline over opposition from American Indians.

Francis met Wednesday with representatives of indigenous peoples attending a U.N. agricultural meeting in Rome. He said the key issue facing them is how to reconcile the right to development with protection of their cultures and territories.

He said “the right to prior and informed consent” should always prevail especially “when planning economic activities which may interfere with indigenous cultures and their ancestral relationship to the Earth.”

The Cheyenne River and Standing Rock Sioux tribes are suing to stop the Dakota Access project.

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — A bill to require cultural competency training for state lawmakers has failed in the North Dakota Senate.

The bill prompted passionate testimony from Native Americans and members of other minorities. It would have required legislators to participate in at least four hours of training in working with diverse populations, including American Indians.

The bill was not directly prompted by the Dakota Access Pipeline protests. Sen. Richard Marcellais, a Democrat from Belcourt and member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa, has pushed the idea unsuccessfully before.

But several who testified in support of the training said better cultural understanding could have prevented some of the conflicts that arose during the protests. Opponents said the bill wasn’t necessary.

The bill failed on a 20-to-26 vote Tuesday.

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — Snowy, frigid weather hampered oil and gas producers in North Dakota in December, leading to the state’s largest production decline in a single month.

A report from the North Dakota Department of Mineral Resources shows December’s production fell to 942,455 barrels per day from November’s 1,034,484 barrels per day. The difference, more than 92,000 daily barrels, made history and officials say almost all can be blamed on the weather.

Lynn Helms, director of the Department of Mineral Resources, says three blizzards, 15 days of winds higher than 35 mph and nine days of temperature below minus-10 degrees made oil and gas production nearly impossible for much of the month.

Helm says effects of the production loss will linger into the second quarter of this year.

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — A lawmaker from North Dakota’s oil patch is raising concerns about using dwindling oil tax revenues to support county social service programs.

Republican Sen. Bill Bowman of Bowman says he has reservations using a finite resource to fund permanent programs.

Bowman was among two members to vote against the bill Wednesday at the meeting of the state Senate Appropriations Committee. The committee voted 11-2 to recommend the bill pass.

The measure would have the state assume county social services funding and eliminate the county cap of 20 mills in property taxes to be levied for such programming.

Supporters say the bill would provide long-term property tax relief by making permanent a 12 percent state-paid property tax credit passed in recent sessions.

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — The North Dakota House is considering a plan to eliminate the nine-member board that oversees the Public Employee Retirement System and give the Legislature more oversight.

Majority Leader Al Carlson says his changes would provide proper legislative oversight of a large pool of money that affects tens of thousands of people. The Government Operations Division on Monday recommended his amendments to the PERS budget bill, which was forwarded to the full Appropriations Committee.

The Fargo Republican’s proposals would also form a seven-member committee to advise the director of PERS, and well as report to the governor and North Dakota Legislative Management. He says it would give employees a voice in the system.

PERS Director Sparb Collins told the Bismarck Tribune he hadn’t had time to digest the amendments.

MINOT, N.D. (AP) — Authorities have arrested a 26-year-old Watford City man accused of trying to lure a girl online.

The Ward County Sheriff’s Department says an investigator assigned to the Internet Crimes Against Children unit started an online conversation Tuesday with a man who said he wanted to meet a 16-year-old girl. The deputy posed as a 16-year-old girl and agreed to the online conversation.

Authorities say the conversation led to the defendant allegedly distributing pornographic information to what he thought was a 16-year-old girl.

Deputies traveled to Watford City on Wednesday and arrested the man. He is being held in the Ward County Jail on suspicion of luring a minor by electronic means, pending a court appearance.

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — North Dakota dairy producers are hoping to save the declining industry by attracting a specialty dairy products plant.

The state has seen a drop in dairy farms, from 350 in 2002 to the current 86.

A joint study of the North Dakota Dairy Coalition and the South Dakota Department of Agriculture determined the industry’s best options include getting a new processing plant in the area.

Jerry Messer is with the North Dakota and Midwest Dairy Coalition. Messer says that in order to stay relevant, North Dakota and South Dakota will have to go into niche production, such as specialty cheese, whey or a different kind of fluid milk.

He says a processing plant would probably go to the state with better development incentives.

In sports…

BISMARCK (AP) A change in the number one teams in Class A Basketball this week, as voted on by members of the North Dakota Associated Press Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association. Grand Forks Red River leads the girls poll, while the boys poll is headed by Fargo Davies.

First place votes are in parenthesis, followed by the team’s record, and the number of total points received.

Girls

1. Grand Forks Red River (10) 16-3 75

2. Bismarck Century (6) 15-3 70

3. Bismarck Legacy 14-5 29

4. Fargo Davies 13-5 25

5. Fargo Shanley (1) 14-5 22

Others receiving votes: Wahpeton (14-4), West Fargo (14-4), Mandan (13-6)

Boys

1. Fargo Davies (11) 18-0 77

2. Minot High (5) 18-1 71

3. Dickinson (1) 17-2 46

4. West Fargo 15-3 32

5. Bismarck Century 14-4 26

Others receiving votes: Devils Lake (11-7), West Fargo Sheyenne (13-5)

In world and national news…

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Texas is splitting with other states and defending President Donald Trump’s ban on travelers from seven predominantly Muslim nations. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed documents with the San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Wednesday asking the court to reconsider its decision not to immediately reinstate the ban. Paxton says the ban is a legal exercise of presidential authority. A three-judge panel last Thursday refused to block a lower court decision that suspended the ban.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Organizers in cities across the U.S. are telling immigrants to miss class, miss work and not patronize businesses tomorrow. “A Day Without Immigrants” is meant to show how critical they are to the U.S. economy and the country’s way of life. Actions are planned in cities including Philadelphia, Washington, and Austin, Texas.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Israel’s prime minister says there’s “no greater supporter of the Jewish people and the Jewish state than President Donald Trump.” He spoke at a joint news conference with Trump at the start of a White House visit. At the news conference, Trump urged Israel to “hold back” on settlements for a little bit.” And he refused to endorse the idea of a future Palestinian state, saying there might be an “alternative” to a two-state solution. Trump also said he’d like to see the U.S. Embassy moved from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, but that “we’re looking at it with great care.”

WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of anti-Muslim hate groups in the United States has nearly tripled since 2015, due in part to radical Islamic attacks and the incendiary rhetoric of last year’s presidential campaign. This comes from the Southern Poverty Law Center’s new report released today.

WASHINGTON (AP) — A top executive at the company building the controversial Dakota Access pipeline is comparing pipeline opponents to terrorists. Joey Mahmoud, executive vice president of Energy Transfer Partners, says protesters have “assaulted numerous pipeline personnel,” destroyed millions of dollars’ worth of construction equipment and even fired a pistol at law enforcement during months of demonstrations against the pipeline. His comments came in testimony for the House energy committee. The chairman of one of the tribes suing to stop the project says most of the demonstrators are “there in prayer” — and that the law enforcement officers are the “terrorists.”