CSi Weather…

.REST OF TODAY…Cloudy.  A 30 percent chance of rain in the afternoon in the Jamestown area.  Highs in the mid 40s. South winds around 10 mph shifting to the east in the afternoon.

.TONIGHT…Mostly cloudy. A 20 percent chance of rain in the

evening in the Jamestown area, 30 percent chance in the Valley City area. Lows in the upper 20s. North winds 5 to 10 mph.

.FRIDAY…Mostly sunny. Highs in the lower 40s. North winds 10 to

15 mph.

.FRIDAY NIGHT…Mostly clear. Lows in the mid 20s. East winds

5 to 10 mph.

.SATURDAY…Mostly sunny. Highs in the upper 40s. Southeast winds

5 to 15 mph.

.SATURDAY NIGHT…Increasing clouds. Lows in the lower 30s.

.SUNDAY…Mostly cloudy with a 20 percent chance of rain. Highs

around 50.

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

.MONDAY…Mostly sunny. Highs around 50.

.MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT…Mostly cloudy. Lows in the

lower 30s. Highs around 50.

.WEDNESDAY…Mostly cloudy. Chance of rain possibly mixed with

snow in the morning, then slight chance of rain in the afternoon.

Highs in the upper 40s. Chance of precipitation 30 percent.

 

Jamestown  (CSi)  Mar 22, 2017   The National Weather service has updated the spring 2017 flood and weather outlook, for the James River Valley.

…Flood Outlook Highlights…

Almost all of the wintertime snowpack that was present across the Missouri and James River basins of North Dakota has melted during the last several weeks. A significant component of the meltwater was able to soak into the soil rather than running off into the river systems. That occurred because soils underneath the deep wintertime snow cover were largely unfrozen.

 

Since the last outlook, the probability of flooding has decreased significantly on the James River above Jamestown Dam, where only a few pockets of deeper snowpack remain. The flooding risk has also decreased on Apple Creek as more snow has been depleted from that basin since the last outlook, as well.

 

Importantly, wet soil conditions have developed across much of the Missouri and James River basins in North Dakota following snowmelt in the last few weeks. This means that if heavy spring rains were to occur, runoff and flooding risk would be enhanced. A near normal risk of flooding continues through the spring across much of the Missouri and James River basins in North Dakota.

 

Finally, ice remains in many creeks and rivers. Thus, there is a risk of ice-related high water until it all goes out. None of the numbers below reflect the risk of ice-related high water. Ice jams and associated high water are not calculable in the models used which are based on flow in the river.

 

…Current Conditions...

Rivers, lakes, and reservoirs are near to slightly above normal for this time of the year, but their current levels provide no significant concerns. Many rivers and creeks continue to have ice in their channels. Most of the snowpack across the Missouri and James River basins in North Dakota is gone, though pockets of slightly greater snow cover remain in the James River basin above Jamestown Dam and in the Apple Creek basin near Menoken. Soil moisture remains above normal following recent snowmelt.

 

…Weather Outlook…

The near term 6-10 and 8-14 day outlooks depict above normal temperatures and a near normal amount of moisture. Looking out at the longer term one-month and three-month outlooks, there is an equal chance for below normal, near normal, or above normal temperatures, and a slightly enhanced chance for above normal precipitation.

 

Jamestown (CSi) The Jamestown City Council’s Police & Fire Committee, and Public Works Committee met Thursday evening at City Hall, following the Special City Council meeting.

POLICE AND FIRE COMMITTEE:

The committee recommends the use of asset forfeiture funds. Police Chief Edinger proposed using $11,670 toward sound suppressors at the Rifle Range.

PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE:

Frontier Village Association, President, Nellie Degen spoke regarding the condition of the roadway/ retaining wall at the Frontier Village.

She indicated resources are needed for the repairs.

She said the project would be started after Labor Day this year.

Travis Dillman from Interstate Engineering said, the design questions will be addressed concerning the integrity of the structure, including activity during the repair.  Issues also the replacement as if affects the amphitheater seating.

Costs for the project have not yet been addressed.

City Administrator Jeff Fuchs said the wall was installed several years ago by the Frontier Village Association to widen the roadway, without city permission.  The City of Jamestown owning the road.

City Water Superintendent  Steve Suko says a water pipe is in the area of concern.

The committee recommends cost estimates for repairs be established from Interstate Engineering, followed by who will pay for the project.

Degen said the FVA has not addressed funding and is looking at resources including grant funding.

The committee heard a request from North Dakota Soybean Processors for the City to accept their plant processed wastewater at the Jamestown Waste Water Treatment Facility.  The City accepts wastewater from plants at the Spiritwood Energy park, the location of the proposed plant.

The committee recommends receiving more data, which will be addressed at the April City Council meeting.

The committee recommends approving the request from Jamestown Middle School – Omega House to implement their Storm Drain Stenciling Project on May 13, 2016, with the City providing up to $500 to cover expenses.

The committee recommends Resolutions pertaining to 2017 Sidewalk, Curb & Gutter District #17-11:

  1. To set up and establish the district.
  2. To direct the City Engineer to prepare plans and specifications for the construction of the district.
  3. To accept and approve the plans and specifications, as prepared by the City Engineer, for the construction of the District.
  4. To direct the City Administrator to advertise for bids for the construction of the district.

The committee recommends accepting bids received on the following equipment:

From RDO Equipment:

New 4 WD Backhoe/Loader, at $20,000

New 3 Cubic Yard – 4 Wheel Drive Loader, at $68,000

AS/IS Sale of a 2011 Cat 928HZ – 3 CY – 4 Wheel Drive Loader

The committee recommends accepting  the petition received for street hard surfacing & related items to the alley located in the 900 Block between 3rd and 4th Avenue SE.

Informational: An application has been received for the appointment to the Shade Tree Committee from Neil L. (Tex) Weatherly.

The Coca Cola representative  in Jamestown said they purchased the former Pepsi facility in Northeast Jamestown, and indicated parking issues with adjacent business owners, concerning parking of vehicles.

City Administrator Fuchs recommends conversations with the Police and Fire Departments, and Street Department, to reach an agreement on the parking issues.

The meeting was shown live on CSi Cable 67 followed by replays.

 

Jamestown  (CSi)  Jamestown Firefighters Association received $5000 in grant funds to support the expenses for the training required for Fire Chief Jim Reuther and the Search and Rescue dog, Chloe.  They will be traveling to various locations over the next several months to ensure  a qualified Search and Rescue team for the community and region.

The purpose of the Jamestown Community Foundation is “To provide a convenient and efficient tax-exempt local organization for donor to fund worthy causes in Jamestown.”  The funds that are donated are put into an endowment fund that has been established to assist in worthy causes within the community.  For more information about their organization and how you can either donate or apply for funds, please check out their website at www.jamestowncommunityfoundation.com.   You can also contact the Jamestown Area Chamber of Commerce for more information.


Jamestown (CSi)  The  North Dakota Farmers Union Thursday urged the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to finalize rules that will protect family farmers and ranchers against anti-competitive and unfair conditions in heavily concentrated ag markets by implementing Farmer Fair Practices Rules.

NDFU President Mark Watne says, “These rules will level the playing field between companies and families who raise livestock under contract. With just a handful of companies controlling livestock and poultry markets, producers become price takers and have virtually no control over the prices they are paid or, in many cases, the way they raise their animals.”

Watne says the rules are a clarification of the Packers and Stockyards Act of 1921, which was written to protect farmers and consumers from monopolistic practices and unfair or deceptive practices in the meatpacking industry.

Four giant meatpacking companies currently control 85 percent of the beef market, 74 percent of the pork market, and more than half of the poultry market.

Watne adds, “These rules give farmers and ranchers some basic protections under the law.  As agricultural markets continue to become more consolidated, it’s important that family farmers and ranchers are protected against anti-competitive and unfair conditions.”

Watne noted that USDA has tried for years to implement the rules, but those efforts have been largely blocked by meatpacking interests that have swayed Congress.

 

Nome  (CSi)  White supremacist Craig Cobb believes a fire that destroyed an abandoned church he recently bought in Nome, was arson. The 108 year-old building is the former Nome Zion Evangelical Lutheran church.

Cobb says it’s obvious to him that the fire was intentionally set, and that he considers the fire a direct threat on his life.

Cobb is offering a $2,000 reward for information related to this fire.

Cobb says there was nothing flammable in the church and there was no electricity connected.

He says he bought the building for $8,000 and believes the total loss is doubled because he had moved in some furniture.

Cobb currently lives in Sherwood, North Dakota and says he has no plans to keep the property in Nome.

Barnes County Sheriff Randy McClaflin says the state fire marshal will investigate the cause of the fire.

 

GRAND FORKS, N.D. (AP) — A Minneapolis man is in custody after an armed robbery at a payday lending store in the North Dakota city of Grand Forks.

Police say a man walked into Payday Express shortly before 8:30 a.m. Thursday, showed a gun to an employee and fled with an undisclosed amount of cash. No injuries were reported.

Officers with the help of police dogs located and arrested the 27-year-old suspect a few blocks away a short time later.

 

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — North Dakota’s Republican House majority leader’s own party has dealt him a blow by failing to endorse his effort to establish more casinos in the state.

The House voted on Thursday 63-28 to kill Fargo Rep. Al Carlson’s says his proposal to allow up to six state-regulated casinos in North Dakota.

Carlson has said the state could market its casinos as “destination-oriented attractions” and use their profits to offset taxes.

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

Carlson’s resolution was a proposed constitutional amendment that would have gone to voters next year if lawmakers gave it the OK.

 

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — Court officials are urging North Dakota lawmakers to approve what they say is a long-overdue study of the state’s juvenile court system.

A study of where to house North Dakota’s juvenile probation services was conducted in 1990, and a review of the juvenile courts was done by a commission in 1986.

The new proposal follows a study conducted on the adult correctional system. North Dakota State Court Administrator Sally Holewa says the study would look into court resources, funding and jurisdiction of various departments.

North Dakota Supreme Court Justice Lisa Fair McEver says a child’s early contact with the juvenile court system doesn’t “necessarily improve their chances of keeping them out of the justice system as adults.”

 

FARGO, N.D. (AP) — The top executive of Sanford Health in Fargo is retiring.

Paul Richard is leaving after 46 years with the Fargo hospital. He has been executive vice president of Sanford Health-Fargo since 2013.

Richard started as a medical records clerk and later worked as an attorney for the organization. He has overseen development and construction of the nearly $500 million medical center on Interstate 94 in Fargo.

Sanford Health is based in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and Fargo, North Dakota. It bills itself as one of the largest health systems in the nation, with 43 hospitals and nearly 250 clinics in nine states.

Sanford officials say a replacement for Richard will be named later this year.

 

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — A white supremacist who unsuccessfully tried to turn the small North Dakota town of Leith into an all-white enclave says he thinks the burning of a building he recently bought in the town of Nome was arson.

Craig Cobb says there was nothing flammable in the 108-year-old church building, and that it had no electricity.

The Barnes County Sheriff’s Office and the state Fire Marshal’s Office are investigating the Wednesday blaze.

Cobb says he bought the building for $8,000 and estimates his total loss at more than double that amount because he had moved in some furniture.

Cobb is serving four years of probation for terrorizing and menacing residents of Leith in 2013. He currently lives in Sherwood, and says he has no plans to keep the property in Nome.

 

In world and national news…

WASHINGTON (AP) —  House GOP leaders Thursday delayed a vote on health care repeal bill, in a setback for President Trump and Speaker Ryan.

Prospects for the Republicans’ showcase health care bill had looked grimmer by the minute Thursday despite Trump’s personal lobbying of conservatives. That still left the legislation short of the votes needed for passage.

A senior Republican official said the vote would be delayed. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to freely discuss internal discussions.

House Republicans plan to meet behind closed doors Thursday night to consider their next steps.

Republicans were intent on voting to dismantle Obamacare on Thursday, the seventh anniversary of former President Barack Obama signing the bill into law.

 

LONDON (AP) — British police say eight people have been arrested on suspicion of preparing terrorist acts in connection with Wednesday’s attack in London. The arrests had been reported earlier but police did not specify the reason for the arrests until now. Seven were arrested overnight. Police say they included a woman arrested in east London; a man and a woman arrested in Birmingham; and a woman and three men arrested at a different location in Birmingham.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department is investigating California Republican Congressman Duncan Hunter for possible campaign finance violations. The House Ethics Committee has been investigating allegations that Hunter improperly used campaign funds to pay for tens of thousands of dollars in personal expenses, such as trips to Hawaii and Italy and tuition for Hunter’s school-age children. The ethics panel now says it’s delaying the inquiry at the request of the Justice Department. Hunter has dismissed the alleged expenditures as inadvertent mistakes. Hunter won a fifth term last year representing the San Diego area.

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — The Arkansas Senate has voted to exempt college sporting events from a new law greatly expanding where concealed handguns are allowed. Lawmakers moved quickly to address concerns that the sweeping gun rights measure would lead to armed spectators at stadiums and arenas. The new law allows people with a concealed handgun to carry at colleges, some bars, government buildings and even the state Capitol if they undergo up to eight hours of active shooter training. The law, as written, would have let guns into Razorback Stadium while umbrellas remain banned.

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Utah’s governor has announced he will sign legislation giving the state the strictest DUI threshold in the country. Republican Gov. Gary Herbert says he plans to approve the measure lowering the blood alcohol limit to .05 percent from .08 percent. Restaurant groups and representatives of the ski and snowboard industry had urged him to veto the bill, arguing it would hurt Utah’s image and punish responsible adults who drink instead of catching drivers who are actually impaired.