CSi Weather…

.TONIGHT…Mostly clear. Lows in the lower 60s. Southeast winds 5 to 10 mph.

.FRIDAY…Mostly sunny. Highs in the mid 80s. South winds 5 to 15 mph.

.FRIDAY NIGHT…Partly cloudy. A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after midnight. Lows in the lower 60s. South winds 5 to 15 mph.

.SATURDAY…Mostly sunny. A 20 percent chance of showers and

thunderstorms in the afternoon. Highs in the upper 80s. South

winds 5 to 10 mph.

.SATURDAY NIGHT…Partly cloudy. A 30 percent chance of showers

and thunderstorms in the evening. Lows in the lower 60s.

Northwest winds 5 to 10 mph.

.SUNDAY AND SUNDAY NIGHT…Mostly clear. Highs in the upper 80s.

Lows in the mid 60s.

.MONDAY…Mostly sunny. A 20 percent chance of showers and

thunderstorms in the afternoon. Highs in the upper 80s.

.MONDAY NIGHT…Partly cloudy with a 30 percent chance of showers

and thunderstorms. Lows in the lower 60s.

.TUESDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY…Partly cloudy with a 20 percent

chance of showers and thunderstorms. Highs in the mid 80s. Lows

in the lower 60s.

.WEDNESDAY NIGHT…Mostly clear. Lows in the upper 50s.

.THURSDAY…Mostly sunny. A 30 percent chance of showers and

thunderstorms in the afternoon. Highs in the lower 80s.

Daily chances for showers and thunderstorms expected Friday

through Saturday night, then again Monday through Wednesday.

At this time, widespread severe weather is not anticipated.

 

Jamestown (CSi)  The Jamestown City Council’s Police & Fire, and Public Works Committees met Thursday evening at City Hall.  All Council Members were present.

POLICE AND FIRE COMMITTEE

The committee again discussed the parking of Recreational Vehicles and trailers on City Streets.

Council Member Buchanan said the issue sparks controversity in the community.

Police Chief Scott Edinger said RV’s parked the “wrong way,” has been the main complaint.

He said the main reason for parking the units in that manner is so the RV’s with doors on the opposite side, and slide outs face toward the boulevard.

Line of sight issues have also been raised.

Edinger added that reflectors placed on the front of the units helps to make them visible.

The Ordinance allows RV’s parked in the street no longer than 14 days if parked in front of their property, and 30 feet back from and intersection.

The committee recommends creating language in the Ordinance to mandate reflectors be placed on the front of backward parking RV’s.

 

Informational: Concerning application(s) for appointment to the Fire Board Code of Appeal.

 

PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE

Considered an amendment to the agreement for the acceptance of wastewater between GRE, Stutsman Rural Water District and the City Of Jamestown.

Mayor Andersen said the city is comfortable with the amendment, and all three parties need to be in agreement.

The committee recommends approval of the amendment.

 

The committee recommends  the creation of Northwest Water Main Rehabilitation District No. 17-61. It establishes the creation of a Special Assessment district, and recommends approving  increases the city’s share of Specials from City Sales Tax dollars.

 

Considered the bids for the purchase of a new 3 Cubic Yard  – 4 Wheel Drive Loader for the Street Department.

Two bids were considered.

Titan Machinery:  Final of $78,956.

Butler Machinery:  Final of $33,675.

The committee moved the bids to the  August 7, 2017 City Council meeting.

 

Considered the bids for the purchase of a new two (2) Stage Snow Blower for the Street Department.

Titan Machinery;  Final: $86,942.

Northern Truck Equipment Corporation:  $92,597.

Two Bids from Swanson for two models at $78,500, and $94,900.

Those bids will be forwarded to the City Council.

 

Informational: Concerning application(s) for appointment to the Shade Tree Committee will be discussed at the August 7th City Council meeting.

 

The committee recommends approving Change Order No. 2, to Border States Paving, Inc., on Seal Coat, Patching, Construction and  Reconstruction District 17-41, for an increase in the contract price of $29,336.00.

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

 

 

Valley City  (CSi)  The Barnes County Sheriff’s Office is seeking a vintage Dr. Pepper go-kart believed to be in the Jamestown area. It was stolen from rural Barnes County in October, 2016.

The person  charged with  theft of the go-kart may have traded it to an individual in Jamestown, who is probably not aware that it was stolen.

The sheriff’s office  is not looking at additional charges, just wanting to get the go-kart back to the victim.

Anyone with information on the go-kart should call theBarnes County Sheriff’s Office at (701) 845-8530.

 

Bismarck  (CSi July 27, 2017) – Gov. Doug Burgum has declared a drought disaster for nearly all of North Dakota, paving the way for additional response and assistance from state and federal agencies.

The U.S. Drought Monitor’s weekly report today rated nearly 46 percent of North Dakota in extreme (D3) or exceptional (D4) drought, up from 40 percent last week. About 16 percent of the state is in severe drought (D2) and 18 percent is in moderate drought (D1).

Burgum signed an executive order late Wednesday declaring a drought disaster for counties and tribal nations experiencing extreme and long-term drought conditions resulting in a D2, D3 or D4 rating, as well as all adjacent counties and tribal nations. More than 300 wildfires have been reported to the North Dakota Department of Emergency Services since April 1.

“These extreme drought conditions represent a serious economic hardship for our farmers, ranchers and the entire state, while also putting firefighters under considerable stress,” Burgum said. “This disaster declaration is another step toward providing relief where it’s most needed.”

The declaration directs state officials to coordinate with federal agencies to make appropriate drought response programs available, and authorizes the North Dakota National Guard to provide personnel, resources and equipment necessary to support drought response efforts.

Last week, the governor waived fees for commercial vehicles hauling hay, water and livestock supplies in drought-affected counties. Previous executive orders have waived hours of service and weight restrictions and allowed the State Water Commission to reactivate its Drought Disaster Livestock Water Supply Program. More information is available at www.swc.nd.gov.

The executive orders can be found at www.governor.nd.gov. For more information on drought and wildfires, including a link to the Drought Monitor map, visit www.ndresponse.gov.

 

 

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Drought conditions are getting worse in several states, and extreme heat and weeks with little rain have begun to stress corn, soybeans, wheat and livestock in some areas.

The weekly U.S. Drought Monitor released Thursday by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln says nearly 11 percent of the continental United States is in moderate drought or worse.

The most severe drought area is centered on portions of Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota.

The United States Department of Agriculture has designated several counties in those states as areas of natural disaster, paving the way for emergency loans for producers.

Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas also are seeing stressed crops and farm animals.

About half of U.S. spring wheat, 15 percent of corn and 14 percent of soybeans are in drought.

 

 

Bismarck  (CSi)  Insurance Commissioner Jon Godfread Thursday announced the recent insurance fraud charge filed against Joshua Kadrmas, of Mandan, ND. Kadrmas is scheduled for a first appearance in court on August 22 in Morton County.

“Insurance fraud is a serious crime with real consequences. It costs every American family on average $950 per year. This is why I have investigators on my staff who are vigilantly looking out for crimes of this nature,” Godfread said. “The Department is partnering with county state’s attorneys in prosecuting these offenses to effectively bring those we’ve found to have committed insurance fraud to justice.”

The Department’s report stated that Kadrmas indicated to his insurance company that he hit a deer while on his motorcycle causing in excess of $11,000 worth of damage. An investigation conducted after Kadrmas’s claim was filed determined that the damage done to the motorcycle was not consistent with striking a deer but instead appeared to have been caused by a hammer and/or a sander disk.

Insurance fraud costs consumers in the United States between $80-120 billion each year. It is the second most profitable crime in the United States behind only illegal drug sales. Examples of insurance fraud include but are not limited to:

  • Deliberate attempts to stage an accident, injury, theft, arson or other type of loss that would be covered under an insurance policy (ie. setting fire to your home)
  • Exaggerating a legitimate claim (ie. doubling the value of stolen jewelry)
  • Knowingly omitting or providing false information on an insurance policy application (ie. purchasing a policy for a previously damaged vehicle and omitting the damage in the application to file a claim at a later date)

For more information or to report suspected fraud, please contact the Department at (701) 328-2440.

 

 

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — The five federally recognized American Indian tribes in North Dakota have endorsed longtime Assistant U.S. Attorney Clare Hochhalter to be the state’s next top federal prosecutor.

The Bismarck Tribune reports the move followed tribal officials’ interviews of Hochhalter and competitor Drew Wrigley.

Standing Rock Chairman Dave Archambault II says he was influenced by statements made by Wrigley that protests against the Dakota Access pipeline were unlawful and dangerous. Wrigley tells the Tribune he “spoke to the need for law and order” and that the protests had “spun out of control.”

Hochhalter is the criminal chief out of the U.S. attorney’s office in Bismarck. Wrigley is a former U.S. attorney and lieutenant governor who now works at Sanford Health.

U.S. Attorney Chris Myers took himself out of consideration in May.

 

ROLLA, N.D. (AP) — A Dunseith man accused of trying to kill a Rolette County deputy in February has pleaded not guilty to attempted murder.

Authorities allege Deputy Keith Benning was trying to arrest Michael Marion after a vehicle chase and was struggling with him when Marion grabbed Benning’s gun and pointed it toward the officer. The gun went off twice.

Benning wasn’t hit, though he broke three ribs and was struck in the face with brass knuckles during the scuffle.

The Minot Daily News reports that Marion appeared in court Monday and pleaded not guilty to attempted murder along with drug, escape, weapons and fleeing charges. The charges carry a total maximum sentence of 57 years in jail.

 

 

MINOT, N.D. (AP) — A man accused of shooting two people outside a Minot bar last fall is scheduled to go to trial in January.

Steven Dolorenzo Steward is accused of attempted murder and reckless endangerment for a 2016 shooting outside the Sports on Tap bar.

Stewart is accused of shooting two men, ages 25 and 41, with a semi-automatic rifle in the parking lot. Authorities believe only one of the men was an intended target, and the other was a bystander. Both survived.

Stewart also is accused of firing into a crowd of people with an AK-47 rifle. Stewart fled following the shooting and was found in Las Vegas in March and returned to Minot. Court documents don’t list an attorney for him.

 

 

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — Visitors to North Dakota’s state parks will see an increase in fees over the next few months.

The daily vehicle pass will increase $2 to $7 effective Aug. 1. The daily entrance hadn’t been increased for 17 years until the Legislature took action this year.

The annual pass is going up by $10 to $35. The new rate will take effect with the 2018 passes, which go on sale Nov. 1. Senior and veteran annual passes increase from $20 to $28. They’re available only to North Dakota residents and also go on sale Nov. 1.

100 percent of the entrance and camping fees are used to maintain and operate the North Dakota State Park System.

 

In world and national news…

WASHINGTON (AP) — The president’s new communications director is doubling down on his complaints of leaks within the White House. Anthony Scaramucci tells CNN’s “New Day,” that sometimes administration officials “leak things to reporters to help shape policy.” But he says he wants to stop what he calls “nefarious, unnecessary, backstabbing, palace intrigue-like leaks.”

WASHINGTON (AP) — The country’s biggest organization of health plans is opposing the Senate Republicans’ latest approach to scrapping the Obama health care law. America’s Health Insurance Plans wrote to Senate leaders, saying that ending the requirement for people to buy insurance, without strengthening insurance markets, would produce “higher premiums, fewer choices for consumers and fewer people covered next year.”

WASHINGTON (AP) — A top Senate Republican is working to prevent the firing of Special Counsel Robert Mueller. Sen. Lindsey Graham warns there will be “hell to pay” if the president fires Attorney General Jeff Sessions, which could potentially result in Mueller’s firing. Graham is working on legislation that would block the firing of special counsels without judicial review.

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered police reinforcements deployed to Jerusalem following clashes at a flashpoint holy site. The order came as police were evaluating whether to restrict entry to the contested shrine for Friday prayers. The prime minister’s office says Netanyahu consulted his defense and public security ministers and orders more officers to the city. Dozens of Muslim worshippers and at least two Israeli policemen were wounded in clashes on Thursday.

UNDATED (AP) — For the first time in the United States, scientists have edited the genes of human embryos, a controversial step toward someday helping babies avoid inherited diseases. According to MIT Technology Review, the experiment was just an exercise in science  –  the embryos were not allowed to develop for more than a few days and were never intended to be implanted into a womb. The publication first reported the news on Wednesday.