CSi Weather…

.TONIGHT…Cloudy. A 20 percent chance of snow in the evening.

Patchy fog after midnight. Lows in the lower 20s. North winds

10 to 15 mph.

.THURSDAY…Mostly cloudy. Patchy fog in the morning. Highs

around 30. Northeast winds 10 to 15 mph.

.THURSDAY NIGHT…Mostly cloudy. Lows 15 to 20. Northeast winds

around 15 mph.

.FRIDAY…Partly sunny. Highs in the upper 20s. North winds 15 to

20 mph.

.FRIDAY NIGHT…Partly cloudy. Lows 10 to 15. Northwest winds

10 to 15 mph.

.SATURDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHT…Mostly cloudy. A 20 percent chance

of snow. Highs in the upper 20s. Lows 10 to 15.

.SUNDAY AND SUNDAY NIGHT…Mostly cloudy. Highs in the upper 20s.

Lows around 15.

.MONDAY…Mostly cloudy. Highs in the lower 30s.

.MONDAY NIGHT…Mostly cloudy with a 20 percent chance of snow.

Lows 15 to 20.

.TUESDAY AND TUESDAY NIGHT…Mostly cloudy with a 50 percent

chance of snow. Highs around 30. Lows 15 to 20.

.WEDNESDAY…Partly sunny. Highs in the upper 20s.

High temperatures will be seasonal in the 20s to low 30s by Friday and remaining so through next weekend.

 

Bismarck  (CSi) The National Weather Service reports, the earliest severe size hail in North Dakota reported yesterday, February 21, 2017…

Around 635 PM CST  one inch diameter hail fell 6 miles north of Hettinger, Adams County. This is the earliest report of severe size hail ever in North Dakota in the calendar year, based on National Weather Service records.

This is the only report of severe hail in the month of February

in North Dakota.

The previous earliest severe hail report was on March 26, 2003

with 0.88 inch hail reported at McHenry in Foster County. This

day also had the earliest tornado report in North Dakota. A

tornado occurred near Edmunds in Stutsman County. The tornado was

produced by the same thunderstorm as the hail. This earliest hail

record was tied on March 26, 2004 when 0.88 inch hail fell in

Bowman, Bowman County.

 

Again the hail that fell yesterday was the only severe hail ever

reported in February in North Dakota.

 

Here are all of the March severe hail reports for North Dakota.

 

03 26 2003    0.88 inch    McHenry, Foster County

03 26 2004    0.88 inch    Bowman, Bowman County

03 27 2004    0.88 inch    Taylor, Stark County

03 27 2004    0.88 inch    North of Hettinger, Adams County

03 27 2004    0.88 inch    Lehr, Logan County

03 27 2004    0.75 inch    Pekin, Nelson County

03 28 2007    1.00 inch    Max, McLean County

03 29 2012    1.00 inch    Ashley, McIntosh County

03 31 1999    1.00 inch    Englevale, Ransom County

Note that the definition of severe hail changed from 0.75 inch

diameter to 1.00 inch diameter in 2010.

 

 

Valley City  (CSi)  The Valley City Commission will meet in Special Session at 7-a.m., on Thursday, February 23, 2017.

The agenda item is to approve Resolution No. 2093, a resolution to Approve Final Plans and Specifications and Authorize for Bid for Permanent Flood Protection Phase II.

 

The item from the Tuesday Regular Commission meeting, to approve contract renewal for City Administrator Dave Schelkoph has been moved to the Tuesday March 7, 2017 City Finance Committee for discussion, along with the discussion of the contract agreement with City Police Chief Phil Hatcher.

The items are scheduled, then for the 5-p.m., City Commission, Regular Meeting.

 

Jamestown  (CSi)  The Jamestown Area Chamber of Commerce invites the public to the District 12 & 29 Legislative Forum to be held on Saturday, March 4, 2017 from 9-a.m., to 11-a.m., at Jamestown City Hall.

Chamber Executive, Becky Thatcher-Keller says those wishing to submit questions should E-Mail them to director@Jamestownchamber.com

Accepting the invitation to appear are:

District 12: State Senator, John Grabinger, State House of Representatives, Bernie Satrom, Jim Grueneich.

District 29:  Senator, Terry Wanzek, House of Representatives, Chet Pollert, Craig Headland.

 

Valley City  (CSi)  The Valley City School Board election is set for  Tuesday, June 13, 2017.

Business manager Linda Heit says one At-Large seat held by Patrick (Mike) Callahan and one rural seat held by Ryan Mathias are up for re-election.

Those eligible who wish to run for one of the positions must file their intent by 4 p.m. Monday, April 10, 2017.

A statement of intent and interest are available at the VCPS business office at 460 Central Avenue North.

For more information contact Linda Heit at 845-0483.

 

 

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — Authorities say one person has been burned in fires set by protesters as a longstanding encampment near the Dakota Access oil pipeline is shut down in North Dakota.

Cecily Fong, a spokeswoman for the state Department of Emergency Services, says the extent of the unidentified female’s injuries weren’t known. Fong said an ambulance was being sent to the encampment.

About 150 protesters are marching arm-in-arm out of the Dakota Access pipeline protest camp while singing and playing drums.

Many prayed  as they walked along a highway and over a bridge atop the Cannonball River. On two occasions they had to clear the road to make room for ambulances.

Many of them cried.

They leave behind the smoldering remains of structures that were burned as part of a ceremony.

The campers were headed down a highway near the camp, but it’s unclear where they’re going. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers set a deadline of 2 p.m. Wednesday for protesters to clear the area.

Several of the marchers carried signs. One man carried an American flag hung upside down.

Most of the 200 to 300 protesters who remained at the encampment walked out around 1 p.m. That was about an hour ahead of a deadline set by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for the camp to close ahead of a spring flooding threat.

It wasn’t known where the protesters were headed, but authorities had several buses ready to carry them to Bismarck for food, lodging and help getting home. Some protesters have vowed to camp elsewhere on private land.

 

A bus from the United Tribes Technical College in Bismarck, along with four vans and a truck towing a trailer from the Standing Rock Episcopal Church, were waiting to transport the protesters. The state arranged for the bus to bring campers to a transition center in Bismarck.

Raymond King Fisher, a protester from Seattle, was one of the leaders of the march. He called it a difficult and emotional day. He ended the parade by saying, “We go in peace but this fight is not over.”

 

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — A North Dakota group is launching a campaign to bring awareness to traumatic brain injuries and help those impacted find care.

Officials of the North Dakota Brain Injury Network have started awareness advertising through television, radio, print and online media that will run through June. The advertisements depict the warning signs of brain injury and provide information on how to stay safe.

The campaign is called “Know Your Noggin” and will coincide with Brain Injury Awareness Month in March. The effort is funded by a $325,000 one-time federal grant.

Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show about 13,000 North Dakotans have long-term disabilities rooted in traumatic brain injuries and there are about 3,700 new injuries in the state each year.

 

MINOT, N.D. (AP) — The 5th Bomb Wing at Minot Air Force Base has won the 2016 Omaha Trophy as the best strategic bombing wing in the U.S. Strategic Command.

The award was announced Tuesday. It was the fifth time the bomb wing has won an Omaha Trophy, and the second time in three years.

The trophy is awarded to the best performing wings in five categories. The 5th Bomb Wing won in the strategic bomber category.

The Omaha Trophy was created in 1971. The 5th Bomb Wing operates the B-52 bomber.

 

In sports…

Bismarck  (CSi)  The Western Dakota Association basketball tournaments will begin at the Bismarck Event Center on March 2, 2017.

The Blue Jay boys need to play St. Mary’s this Saturday afternoon to get the Number 7 Seed. They took the season series from Jamestown.  The Saints won in Bismarck in December, 77-51 and then in Jamestown, 75-52.

If the Blue Jay boys beat St. Mary’s, they play 2nd seed Dickinson on March 2nd at 6:30pm in the Bismarck Event Center’s main arena.

The Blue Jay girls play Mandan in the opening round at 7:15-p.m. in the Exhibit Hall.

 

In world and national news…

MCALLEN, Texas (AP) — House Speaker Paul Ryan is visiting the Rio Grande valley for a firsthand look at the U.S.-Mexico border. His spokeswoman says Ryan will “examine the challenges of securing our border and learn more about the issues facing border communities.” Activists promise he’ll also be hearing protests, with the Trump administration rolling out new policies to fight illegal immigration that open millions of people to deportation.

MEXICO CITY (AP) — President Donald Trump is sending his top diplomat and homeland security chief to Mexico. Ties between the countries have plunged since Trump took office a month ago, punctuated by Trump’s insistence that Mexico pay for a border wall and other demands on illegal immigration and trade. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is scheduled to arrive in Mexico City this evening, while Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly will arrive separately, after a visit to Guatemala.

LONDON (AP) — The former chief of one of Britain’s counter-terrorism programs says they “obviously” failed to keep track of a former Guantanamo Bay detainee who attacked a military base in Iraq this week. Two British security officials confirmed the suicide bomber’s identity as a 50-year-old Briton formerly known as Ronald Fiddler and as Jamal al-Harith. Officials say he was one of 16 men paid millions in compensation when the British government settled a lawsuit alleging its intelligence agencies were complicit in the torture of prisoners at Guantanamo Bay.

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — The mayor of San Jose, California, says the city failed to properly communicate with residents who were forced to evacuate their homes early Wednesday morning when floodwaters from a creek quickly spilled into streets during heavy rains. City officials ordered more than 14,000 residents to leave their homes. Some people said they got their first notice with a knock on their door from a firefighter in a boat.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Scientists have identified patches of the planet’s oceans as “hot spots” of marine biodiversity, meaning they contain the largest mix of fish, seabird, plankton and marine mammal species. But a new study finds those hot spots are also among those getting hit hardest by global warming, with sea temperatures rising and ocean current shifting in a way that’s harmful to the abundant life there. On top of that, the study finds they are also some the most fished areas in the world.