Wayne Byers Show – Evening – Mar 16

CSi Weather…

TONIGHT…Mostly cloudy with a 30 percent chance of rain in the evening, in the Jamestown area, 20 percent in the Valley City area, then partly cloudy after midnight. Lows in the lower

30s. West winds 10 to 20 mph.

.FRIDAY…Partly sunny. Windy. Highs in the upper 30s. Northwest

winds 20 to 30 mph.

.FRIDAY NIGHT…Mostly clear. Lows 15 to 20. Northwest winds 5 to

15 mph. Gusts up to 30 mph in the evening.

.SATURDAY…Mostly sunny. Highs around 40. Southeast winds 5 to

15 mph.

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

.SUNDAY AND SUNDAY NIGHT…Mostly cloudy. Highs in the upper 40s.

Lows in the upper 20s.

.MONDAY AND MONDAY NIGHT…Partly cloudy. Highs in the lower 40s.

Lows 17 to 28.

.TUESDAY AND TUESDAY NIGHT…Partly cloudy. Highs in the mid 30s.

Lows 15 to 20.

.WEDNESDAY…Mostly cloudy. Chance of snow in the morning, then

chance of snow possibly mixed with rain in the afternoon. Highs

in the mid 30s. Chance of precipitation 40 percent.

 

Bismarck  (CSi)  The latest spring 2017 flood outlook shows that the early thaw on the lower end of the Sheyenne River Valley has brought down the overall spring flood risk.

Meteorologist Greg Gust, says the probability of the Sheyenne River in Valley City reaching 12 feet is at 50 percent.

Gust adds, some thawing has happened in the northern end of the Sheyenne River Valley.

Three  to five inches of moisture remains in the snow pack and Devils Lake & Stump Lake could rise to three feet above current levels this spring.

 

 

Jamestown (CSi)  Jamestown Tourism’s, Grant/Exec Board, Thursday reviewed applications for funding under the Capital Construction Fund, at the CSi Technology Center, at Historic Franklin School.

Goals and Objectives of Capital Construction Fund were reviewed by Tourism Director, Searle Swedlund.

Funding for Frontier Village Building Repairs was made by  Swedlund, as Frontier Village, Treasurer, Tina Busche was unable to attend.

Their request was two-fold, $12,750 for roof shingle replacement at the General Store building, and $14,450 for shingle replacement for the Depot building.  The request application noted, $7,244.73 was received for the store in an insurance claim from Farmers Union Insurance.

After discussion the board voted unanimously to grant the General Store project, with $12,750 coming from the Capital Construction Fund, and $5,250 from the Grant Requests Fund.

The board tabled the request for the Depot Building project.

It was pointed out that a $10,000 BNSF grant will go toward supporting the Depot Building that is in need of a roof, siding and structural repairs along with care and maintenance of artifacts.
Jamestown Parks and Rec Foundation was represented by Jeff Gould concerning additional funding for replacing dugouts at Jack Brown Stadium.

Gould requested an additional $15,000, with the project’s budget at about $288,819.

With the project Gould pointed out other funding sources that have contributed  $131,000.

Those sources included: Jamestown Parks & Recreation at $78,000, University of Jamestown at $30,000, Jamestown High School $15,000, North Dakota Amateur Baseball $5,000, JayBal (American Legion and Little League Baseball $3,000.)

He said donations from businesses and private citizens were 64, with 174 donations from 14 different states, and 45 different cities, totaling $141,000.  Total pledge donations so far are $273,000, with the balance left of $16,819.00.

The dugout project leaders include, Jamestown Parks & Recreation Director, Doug Hogan, and Parks & Rec Business Manager, Bonnie Ukestad, and Jeff Gould as a private citizen.

Architectural engineer was provided by Interstate Engineering, and the contractor, Hillerud Construction.

Gould said the project is in progress and is expected to be finished at the end of April this year.

He added that on June 24, 2017 at 11-a.m., a ribbon cutting will be held at Jack Brown Stadium for the project, followed by a Jamestown Legion Post 14 Alumni Baseball game.

The former dugouts were antiquated in terms of what is needed to accommodate baseball teams of today, and noted safety issues for players occupying the dugouts, which are 51 years old.  He said players will no longer have to sit outside the dugout on a bench.

He added that the new dugouts will stop the current trend of losing profitable tournaments to cities such as Fargo, and Bismarck.

He said in 2016 there were  173 games played at Jack Brown Stadium including local teams, and tournament games, which in most cases had players and family and friends from out of town, staying overnight in Jamestown.

Those included Class A and AA, and AAA tournaments, with a total of 556 participants.

The board the granted the full amount requested of $15,000 for funding the dugout project, from the Capital Construction Fund.

Applications are being accepted for the next round of Capital Construction funding due by October 1, 2017.

Tourism Director Searle Swedlund said, annually, about $80,000 is available in the fund, coming from the Jamestown Restaurant tax.

The applications are considered twice a year, with the application deadlines March 1^st, and October 1^st each year.

 

Williston (CSi) U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp Thursday announced a $1,132,000 federal loan for Ellendale to support the city’s water system infrastructure through the construction of a new water tower that will replace the current 100 year old water tower.

These federal funds are made possible by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development’s Water and Waste Disposal Loans and Grants program, a program which would be eliminated under President Trump’s budget that he released Thursday. The program would be eliminated as part of the 21 percent cut to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Just in the past two fiscal years, North Dakota communities received more than $37 million from this program for needed water and wastewater infrastructure projects.

The funds for Ellendale are specifically authorized under the 2014 Farm Bill that Heitkamp, who was Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Agriculture Subcommittee on Rural Development and Energy, fought to write, negotiate, and pass to give our state’s rural and agricultural communities the security they need.

Heitkamp says “The federal loan announced (today) through a critical federal program will help support the construction of a new water tower for Ellendale that will not only support the delivery of clean, safe, and reliable water to Ellendale families, but will also support jobs during the construction of the new water tower.  But if the president’s budget went into effect, loans like this one, as well as federal grants to help rural communities get clean water and build sewer infrastructure, would disappear. Ripping the rug out from under rural communities isn’t right or fair, as we need these federal programs to invest in rural America and help North Dakota towns grow.”

 

 

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — North Dakota officials appear poised to go after the U.S. government _ and thus U.S. taxpayers _ to recoup more than $38 million in state expenses related to months of protests against the Dakota Access pipeline. That’s despite a longstanding offer from project developer Energy Transfer Partners to pay up. The North Dakota Watchdog Network questions whether the financial responsibility should rest on taxpayers.

 

 

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — Tribes suing to stop the Dakota Access pipeline are asking a federal appeals court to head off the imminent flow of oil.

The move comes after U.S. District Judge James Boasberg rejected a similar request Tuesday and a motion last week to halt the final stage of construction for the $3.8 billion pipeline to move North Dakota oil to Illinois.

The Standing Rock and Cheyenne River Sioux appealed that decision to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. Attorney Nicole Ducheneaux (DOO’-shuh-noh) on Wednesday asked the appeals court for an emergency order preventing oil through the pipeline until the appeal is resolved.

Texas-based pipeline developer Energy Transfer Partners is wrapping up construction and says it could be moving oil as early as Monday.

 

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — North Dakota’s Republican House majority leader has been dealt a blow in his attempt to allow for more casinos in the state.

The House Judiciary Committee gave Rep. Al Carlson’s proposal to allow up to six state-owned casinos a 13-2 “do not pass” recommendation on Wednesday. The full House is expected to vote Friday.

Carlson also unsuccessfully offered amendments that that would allow for up to six privately-owned, state-regulated casinos.

Carlson’s resolution is a proposed constitutional amendment that would go to voters next year if lawmakers give the OK. It does not need the governor’s approval, but GOP Gov. Doug Burgum says he opposes the idea.

Opponents say a change to the state Constitution to allow more casinos would hurt American Indian gambling facilities and relationships with tribes.

 

MINOT, N.D. (AP) — The Minot Air Force Base is sending a number of B-52 bombers to the Middle East, the first time in 12 years that aircraft from the base have been deployed to support combat operations.

More than 400 members of the 5th Bomb Wing at Minot departed last week in support of Operation Inherent Resolve, the effort to combat Islamic State militants. The Air Base’s 23rd Bomb Squadron will lead the bomb wing, flying combat operations out of the Middle East.

The B-52 Stratofortress aircraft is a long-range strategic bomber jet, which will take over day-to-day operations.

Col. Matthew Brooks, 5th Bomb Wing commander, says it’s a historic deployment for the unit.

 

MOORHEAD, Minn. (AP) — A woman has died following an apartment fire in Moorhead.

Assistant Fire Chief Jeff Wallin says firefighters found smoke and soot coming from one of the apartments on the lower level of the building Wednesday. A woman was found in that apartment and was rushed to Sanford Medical Center in Fargo, North Dakota where she died.

The Minnesota fire marshal’s office and Moorhead police will investigate the cause of the fire.

The victim has not been identified.

 

MINOT, N.D. (AP) — The renovation of an apartment building in southeast Minot is moving forward as the first major project of the city’s National Disaster Resilience Program.

The Minot  City Council approved a $1.85 million grant to rehabilitate the existing 35-unit building and add five more units. Park South Apartments will be required to offer 30 of its units at affordable rents for 30 years. It will also require four handicap accessible units.

Bruce Walker, a principal in nonprofit owner Essential Living, says building renovations will include a new heating system, an elevator and stormwater management.

Minot was awarded a $74 million National Disaster Resilience Grant last year to help with recovery from the 2011 Souris River flood.

Park South Apartments was built in 1948 and was originally a convent.

 

In sports…

Jamestown  (UJ) Bryn Woodside (JR/Albert Lea, MN) was named the winner of the Hustle Award at the 2017 NAIA DIvision II Women’s Basketball National Championship, which concluded Tuesday night as Marian (Ind.) won their second straight title.

The award is given annually to the athlete in the tournament who shows the best hustle among the 32 teams at the tournament.

Woodside helped lead the Jimmies to their second quarterfinal appearance in the last three seasons. She averaged 8.3 points, 3.7 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.3 steals per game while playing 106 minutes in UJ’s tournament run. Her best game of the tournament came against Davenport, where she scored 10 points to go along with five rebounds, two assists, and two steals.

Meanwhile

The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) announced the 2017 Division II Women’s Basketball All-America teams on Thursday. Saint Xavier’s (Ill.) Kara Jamestown’s

Kyra Dewald was named to the second team. The senior from Jamestown, N.D., led the Jimmies in scoring with 15.1 points per game and recorded 105 steals. She finished her career with the seventh-most points (1338) in UJ history and was selected as the 2016-17 NSAA Most Valuable Player. Krolicki was named the NAIA National Player of the Year.

 

Valley City (Mark Potts VCSU))- Valley City State junior Jayden Ferguson has been named Honorable Mention All American, the NAIA national office announced Thursday with the release of its official 2016-17 Division II Men’s Basketball All American Team.

A 6-foot-5 forward from Williston, N.D., Ferguson led the Vikings in scoring this season at 21 points per game. He also pulled down 4.9 rebounds, dished out 1.9 assists and shot 51 percent from the field, 41 percent on 3′s and 75 percent at the free throw line. Ferguson was second in the North Star Athletic Association in scoring and finished fourth in shooting percentage. Nationwide, he ranked 19th in scoring average.

This is the second straight season that Ferguson earned Honorable Mention All American. He was also a 1st Team All Conference selection this year for the second straight season. Ferguson climbed the all-time scoring list at VCSU throughout the season, moving up to fourth all-time with 1,635 points. Only three Vikings have scored more points in their careers than Ferguson: Bob Price (1835 points, 1948-51), Bill Galloway (2006 points, 1949-51, 1953-54), and Cavin Anderson (2305 points, 1968-72).

 

Valley City State University junior Lexi Lennon was named Honorable Mention NAIA All American, the national office announced Thursday with the release of the 2016-17 Division II Women’s Basketball All American Team.

A 5-foot-8 guard from West Fargo, N.D., Lennon proved to be a versatile team leader this season for the Vikings. She played a team-high 31 minutes per game and filled up the stat sheet with averages of 14.3 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.8 steals. Lennon shot a team-best 49 percent from the field and 41 percent on 3′s. Lennon finished the season just eight points shy of 1,000 career points.

Lennon was also named 1st Team All Conference in the North Star Athletic Association. She helped the Vikings to a 24-9 overall record, tying the school record for wins in a season. The Vikings finished third in the NSAA regular season standings and advanced to the NSAA Tournament championship game. VCSU also earned a trip to the NAIA National Tournament for the fourth time in school history. The Viking season came to an end in the first round of the national tournament against previously undefeated Southeastern University (Fla.).

Valley City State University finished the season with a 16-15 overall record, tying for fifth in the NSAA regular season standings. The Vikings’ season came to an end in the quarterfinals of the NSAA Tournament.

 

In world and national news…