CSi Weather…

.TONIGHT…Mostly cloudy. Lows in the mid 30s. Southeast winds

around 5 mph.

.WEDNESDAY…Partly sunny. Highs in the upper 50s. South winds

5 to 15 mph.

.WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND THURSDAY…Partly cloudy. Lows in the mid

30s. Highs in the upper 50s. South winds 10 to 15 mph.

.THURSDAY NIGHT…Increasing clouds. Lows in the mid 30s.

.FRIDAY…Mostly cloudy. Highs in the mid 50s.

.FRIDAY NIGHT…Mostly cloudy. A 50 percent chance of rain after

midnight. Lows in the mid 30s.

.SATURDAY…Partly sunny. Highs around 50.

.SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY…Partly cloudy. Lows in the mid 30s.

Highs in the 50s.

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

.MONDAY…Partly sunny with a 30 percent chance of rain. Highs in

the mid 50s.

 

The next chance for rain arrives Thursday night through Saturday.As much as a quarter inch of rain is possible across northern North Dakota.

 

 

Jamestown   (CSi)  A Special meeting of the Jamestown Public School Board, was held Tuesday, for a Reduction in Force  (RIF) Recommendation concerning  instructors being contemplated for non-renewal at the James Valley Area Career and technology Center.

Superintendent Robert Lech recommended the Reduction in Force, due to lack of funding and uncertainty of funds.

The Jamestown Public School Board issues contracts for the James Valley Career and Technology Center, as the operating board.

JVCTC was not selected for flow-through  programs as a regional provider for programs which previously was available  to each interested center/school district.

One program is not able to cover expenses through direct revenue received, nor is it projected to cover expenses in the future.  At the same time the Department of Career and Technical Education is projecting a decrease in revenue from the state, which will lower revenue again.

The second program also operated with direct flow-through funds from the state to James Valley Career & Technology Center, but it is now regionalized. This means the Career & Technology Center will have expenditures, but the money will flow through Sheyenne Valley Area Career & Tech Center in Valley City.

Superintendent Lech said funding, was applied for anticipating having the program, was not selected as the regional provider. Funds would be funneled through Valley City after this school year.  While this program was able to cover all expenses through the revenue received, there will no longer be any state funding for JVCTC for the program.

At Tuesday’s meeting, it was determined that there is a need for reduction in force of the three instructors of the James Valley Area Career and Technology Center, and directed the superintendent to determine within the Reduction in Force Policy, which instructors should be contemplated for non-renewal.

A motion was made, and approved unanimously for the board to contemplate the non-renewal of the instructor in the Oakes Farm Business Management program, Lance Brower, and the instructor in the Jamestown Farm Business Management Program, Virgil Dagman.

Also to be discussed by the board and acted upon is the contemplated non-renewal of the current teacher contract of Kim Thoele an instructor in adult education support and GED service, for reasons provided by Superintendent Lech.

 

The board approved that a Special Jamestown Public School Board meeting be held at the Jamestown Middle School’s Thompson Community Room on Tuesday April 4, 2017, at 5:15-p.m., or a different mutually agreeable date, at which time the board will discuss and act upon the contemplated non-renewal of each of those individuals. The Business Manager will provide the notice to each.

If agreed to by all teachers/instructors, the evidence the District provides supporting the reasons for RIF can be provided in a public meeting all at one time, followed by separate hearing portions for each individual related to why each individual was selected.  If it is not agreed upon to do joint district evidence, it will be provided separately  at the beginning of each individual’s hearing.

Superintendent Lech recommends that the individual portion of the hearings each be conducted in Executive Session, after which, the school board will return to open session, and will then need to act upon the contemplated non-renewal, once for each of the individuals being contemplated for non-renewal.  The initial hearing date allows for continuances and still meets the statutory deadlines for non-renewals.

 

 

Jamestown  (CSi)  Jamestown Public Schools (JPS) is examining the role its facilities play in educating students for 21st century careers – many of which do not even exist yet.

 

On Tuesday’s Wayne Byers Show on CSi Cable 2, Jamestown Public Schools Superintendent, Robert Lech again pointed out that  many systems in JPS buildings are nearing the end of their life, and it is necessary to consider the best options for repair or replacement. Community input in this examination has been critical and will be further sought in the coming weeks, including through listening forums, focus groups, and general comments.

Since May 2016, JPS has undertaken the following:

  • Retained independent consultants to review the expected life of our facilities and recommend a 10-year capital maintenance plan, a summary of which was presented to the School Board in July;
  • Gathered perspectives from staff through an electronic survey related to current instructional needs and the ability of our facilities to meet those needs;
  • Launched a Citizen’s Facilities Steering Committee including school board members, the school leadership team, staff representatives, community leaders and our consultants DLR Group, PFM Financial Advisors, and Consolidated Construction Company;
  • Provided school tours at Lincoln / Transition House, Gussner, Roosevelt, Louis L’Amour, the High School, Jamestown North, James Valley Career and Tech Center, the Middle School, and Washington; and
  • Received preliminary updated enrollment projections from RSP & Associates, indicating continued growth in enrollment. (RSP will present their detailed findings at our School Board meeting on March 20, 2017).

Throughout March, this year JPS was holding facility needs discussion with staff, including a review of the survey taken last May.

 

Superintendent Lech said, in July of 2016 the Jamestown School board received a report from Tom Beck, a former school facilities director, regarding condition and expected useful life of JPS facilities. The report included recommendations from the engineering assessments done by DLR Group in 2014 as well as an independent review by Consolidated Construction. The goal of this study was to determine which repairs and maintenance are needed in the next 10 years.

Lech said the report confirmed that JPS facilities have been well maintained. The District has been able to fund maintenance at the recommended $0.80 – 0.90 per square foot annually, but many systems are nearing end of life or need updating to current standards. Critical items from the report included the condition of the roofs, windows, the lack of handicap accessibility to ADA Standards (American with Disabilities Act), heating and ventilation systems, electrical and lighting systems, safety and security improvements.

 

He added that there is a capital maintenance “bubble” in the next 3 – 5 years that will require additional funding. On average, the capital maintenance needs $2.1 million annually for the next 10 years in excess of the current annual funding of about $600,000.

He added that there may be a referendum by September this year, with a public vote to accomplish the goals outline for Jamestown Public Schools, facilities improvements.

 

School officials  were also presented with future enrollment projections from Robert Schwarz of RSP, confirming that  JPS enrollment should hold steady in the next five years (2% projected increase).

Lech pointed out that this is valuable as the school district works to confirm that it’s on target in discussions about our District facility needs.

The data has been provided to the Citizen’s Steering Committee, and they are currently considering best options to address maintenance and educational needs.

 

JPS invites the local community to join the discussion about the public school system, share your vision for othe future and what  students need to succeed in the 21st Century, and how facilities play a role in this evolution.

He added that all are welcome to attend the Citizen’s Steering Committee meetings, participate in the focus groups, or simply contact JPS at your convenience.  Visit their web site www.jamestown.k12.nd.us/, or call the District Office at 252-1950.

Updates on progress will be provided regularly to local media, including CSiNewsNow.com and The Wayne Byers Show on CSi Cable 2, and posted on the JPS website, provided through the Jamestown School District app, school newsletters, and on social media.

 

Updates on JPS information and calendars and events available on CSi Cable 76 The Blue Jay Channel.

 

Jamestown  (CSi)  Jamestown Public Schools announces that a snow day that was used on December 6, 2016 will be made up on Monday April 17, 2017.

That means that the Easter Break will be cut short by one day with school in session the regular hours on the Monday after Easter.

There will NOT be school on Good Friday April 14, 2017.

 

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — The North Dakota Senate has rejected a proposal that would allow trained staff members to carry concealed firearms in schools.

The Senate voted 27-18 to kill the legislation on Tuesday. It would allow up to 10 schools to participate in the guns-in-schools “pilot program.” The House passed the bill in February.

The bill is aimed at rural schools without a school resource officer, since it takes law enforcement time to respond to an emergency situation.

Some education groups say the measure opens schools to lawsuits and higher insurance costs.

Ardent pro-gun lawmakers have unsuccessfully pushed similar legislation in the two prior sessions.

The bill would require 80 hours of training for potential gun-packing school officials. Schools also would be required to provide them counseling after a shooting incident.

 

 

Jamestown  (CSi-UJ)  The Higher Learning Commission has now formally broadened the University of Jamestown’s accreditation to include mechanical engineering. Qualified pre-engineering students will be admitted into the major this summer.

The engineering program will be housed on the University of Jamestown campus in the historic Sorkness Center, the former home of the nursing program. Renovations to the building have already begun, featuring a new engineering computer lab and renovated physics lab. The computer lab has 25 new computers with 3D solid modeling software and software for computer programming, as well as a virtual reality station.

The first floor of Sorkness will house four additional labs, two of which are currently being renovated, one for material testing and one fluid mechanics lab.  Additionally, a new electronics lab and instrumentation lab will be added to the second floor.  Finally, a major building addition will feature a new senior design lab, which will include a machine shop.

Engineering Department Chair, James Doane says, “I think the mechanical engineering program at the University of Jamestown will offer a unique experience combining engineering courses with a liberal arts background

The program features small class sizes that allow for close interaction between students and faculty on a daily basis. While other programs focus solely on the technical side of engineering, the University of Jamestown’s engineering program is built within the University’s liberal arts tradition. As such, the University fosters an environment that broadly develops engineering students – allowing them to excel in the classroom and labs, as well grow skills in areas like communication and critical thinking.

Paul Olson, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the College commented, “We have hired outstanding faculty members who not only have the technical skills necessary to be great engineering professors, but who are committed first and foremost to teaching our students.”

Department Chair James Doane earned his PhD in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Louisville in 2008.  From there, he gained nearly ten years of industry experience working in the fields of material handling and mining. He also taught at the University of Evansville and the Indiana Institute of Technology. Doane is the author of ‘Machine Analysis with Computer Applications,’ a textbook published by Wiley. Additional faculty members hired include Cherish Bauer-Reich and Mohammadhosein Baboly.

More information on the engineering program, and the application process, can be found at uj.edu.

 

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) – Industry groups say the imminent flow of oil through the Dakota Access pipeline is good news for energy and infrastructure.

Texas-based developer Energy Transfer Partners said Monday that it’s placed oil in the pipe under a Missouri River reservoir that was the final piece of construction. The pipeline should be fully operational in about three weeks, moving oil from North Dakota’s Bakken oil fields to a distribution point in Illinois.

North Dakota Petroleum Council President Ron Ness says the pipeline will “have a significant impact on Bakken transportation going forward.”

The MAIN Coalition is made up of agriculture, business and labor entities that benefit from Midwest infrastructure projects. Spokesman Craig Stevens says the pipeline is “a public triumph” for the Trump administration and its commitment to energy and economic development.

The American Indian tribes leading the legal fight against the Dakota Access pipeline say they aren’t giving up after oil was pumped into a controversial section of the line running under their water source.

Harold Frazier is chairman of the Cheyenne River Sioux. He says the tribes believe they ultimately will convince a federal judge to shut down the pipeline.

Environmental law nonprofit Earthjustice is representing the Standing Rock Sioux in the tribes’ lawsuit. Spokesman Phillip Ellis says “hope remains” for a favorable outcome.

 

 

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) – An American Indian activist accused of inciting a riot during protests against the Dakota Access oil pipeline in North Dakota has pleaded not guilty.

Chase Iron Eyes entered his plea Tuesday. He could face up to five years in prison if convicted on the felony charge. He also faces a misdemeanor count of criminal trespass.

Iron Eyes and 73 others were arrested Feb. 1 after setting up teepees on land that authorities say is owned by pipeline developer Energy Transfer Partners. Protesters maintain they were peacefully assembling on land they believe rightfully belongs to American Indians.

Iron Eyes has said he doesn’t dispute his involvement but that he wasn’t the leader of the effort and had no authority to stop it.

 

 

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — North Dakota lawmakers are considering reducing funding for homeless shelters around the state.

The  Commerce Department’s education and environment subcommittee discussed the funding issue last week.

The state Legislature has given $2 million and $1.5 million the past two years in one-time funding for the North Dakota Homeless Grant. This year, the grant will probably not exceed $300,000.

The Commerce Department says that the grant funds outreach and shelters around the state. It also helps fund a central information system required before federal funding can be received.

The funding discussion comes as police found a homeless man frozen to death in the city last week.

April Fairfield of the North Dakota Coalition for Homeless People says the cuts would affect vulnerable homeless people.

 

In world and national news…

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump has signed an executive order that will roll back many of former President Barack Obama’s efforts to curb global warming. The order is aimed at helping create more American energy jobs, although Democrats say it’s a step backward in the quest for alternative power sources. The president signed the order at the headquarters of the Environmental Protection Agency, declaring “the start of a new era” in energy production.

BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — President Donald Trump’s move to roll back Obama-era regulations on climate change is unlikely to turn around the coal industry any time soon. Experts say coal’s biggest problem isn’t pollution rules but cheap and abundant natural gas. Also, mining has become more automated and needs fewer workers than it once did to extract a given amount of coal.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The top Democrat on the Senate intelligence committee says White House meddling in Congress’ Russia investigations is not helping to lift the cloud of suspicion that hangs over the Trump administration. Virginia Sen. Mark Warner says that if the White House has nothing to hide about its relationship with Russia, there should be no problem with government officials answering questions in public testimony.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell says “Obamacare” will stay in place after House Republicans failed to pass an alternative last week. McConnell indicated there are no plans in the Senate take up the issue.

BAGHDAD (AP) — Amnesty International says a recent spike in civilian casualties in the Iraqi city of Mosul suggests the U.S.-led coalition is not taking adequate precautions to prevent deaths among non-combatants as it battles the Islamic State group. The international human rights monitoring group says in a report that evidence from Mosul “points to an alarming pattern of U.S.-led coalition airstrikes which have destroyed whole houses with entire families inside.”