Wayne Byers Show Weekdays on CSi 2

CSi Weather….

.TONIGHT…Mostly clear. Lows 10 to 15. West winds 5 to 10 mph.

.WEDNESDAY…Mostly cloudy. Snow in the afternoon.   snow accumulation up to 1 inch. Highs 20 to 25. North winds up to 10 mph. Chance of snow near 100 percent.

. Highs in the lower 20s. North winds 5 to 10 mph.

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

in the evening, then partly cloudy after midnight. Lows 5 to

10 above. Northwest winds around 10 mph.

.THURSDAY…Sunny. Highs around 15. Northwest winds 5 to 10 mph

shifting to the north in the afternoon.

.THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY…Mostly cloudy. Lows 5 to 10 above.

Highs 15 to 27.

.FRIDAY NIGHT…Mostly cloudy with a 30 percent chance of snow.

Lows in the lower 20s.

.VETERANS DAY THROUGH SUNDAY…Partly cloudy. Highs in the mid

30s. Lows 15 to 20.

.SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY…Partly cloudy. Lows in the lower 20s.

Highs in the 30s.

 

 

A fast moving but weak clipper system will drop southeast out of

Canada and bring light snow chances from north to south across

western and central North Dakota during the day Wednesday.

Generally only a light dusting is expected, however some locations

near the Turtle Mountains may see up to an inch.

A reinforcing shot of cold Canadian air will be moving into the region in the wake of this wave.

Highs Thursday will be cold with teens north and 20s south.

 

Valley City  (CSi)  The Valley City Commission met in Regular Session Tuesday evening at City Hall.

All member were present.

APPROVAL OF CONSENT AGENDA INCLUDED:

Monthly Reports from the Fire Chief, Building Inspector, Auditor, Municipal Judge and Public Works Accountant.

Monthly Bills for the City and Public Works in the Amount of $1,803,945.63.

A Raffle Permit for Art Club Valley City High School, Sheyenne Valley Friends of Animals, VCSU American Fisheries Society Student Sub-Unit

An Electrician License for Quenzer Electric

A  Mechanical Contractor License for Schulz Plumbing, Heating & AC, Inc.

PUBLIC COMMENTS   No one spoke

ORDINANCE

The City Commission approved the First reading of an Ordinance repealing, amending, and re-enacting Title Four, Alcoholic Beverages.  City Attorney Mertins said the action is part of the recodification process, and for clarity of inconsistent terms.

Server training was updated as well, concerning owners, and managers of bars, and restaurants serving alcohol.

RESOLUTION

City Commissioners:

Approved a Resolution declaring necessity of improvements in Paving Improvement District No. 115

KLJ said it includes the reconstruction of a section of 3rd Street Southeast.

 

Approved a Resolution determining sufficiency of protest for Paving Improvement District No. 114. City Auditor Richter said there was one protest, at about 5 percent of the property owners, being insufficient.

 

Approved a Resolution determining sufficiency of protest for Paving Improvement District No. 116.  City Auditor Richter said the protests registered were insufficient, as amended, to exclude  7th Street Southeast in the pavement district.

City Adminstrator Schelkoph pointed out that property owners will be contacted there, to meet a “middle ground,” to support and not delay maintenance.

NEW BUSINESS

City Commissioners reviewed and considered  the Water Treatment Plant UF Filter Report from AE2S to be presented to the State Water Commission for compensation.   City Administrator Schelkoph the study includes AE2S and General Electric, the manufacturer, and the city water department, to come up with a plan to correct the failure, filtering water from Devils Lake.

The cost of replacing one Ultra Filtration Unit is $375,000, plus additional costs to be asked for from the State Water Commission for a total of 874,000.  One filter will be replaced of the four, as a test.

The City Commission unanimously approved presenting the request be sent to the state water commission.

Approved was the 2018 Scheduled Board Meetings.   

The City Commission approved the  Preliminary & Design Engineering Contract with KLJ for NDDOT Downtown Streetscape Project in an amount not to exceed $132,500.

KLJ reported the work includes replacement of traffic signals, to be performed in 2018.

Public meetings on the Streetscape update plans will be held in December this year, with prototypes presented by KLJ.

From the audience, Niles Burchill commented that he is not in favor of widening the sidewalks and narrowing streets.  He proposes covering the sidewalks with an awning type structure.

CITY ADMINISTRATOR’S REPORT  No Report was given.

CITY UPDATES & COMMISSION REPORTS

KLJ gave a report on ongoing projects including a phase of the permanent flood control project.

Lighting is expected to arrive for installation at the Rosebud Visitors Center, and Post Office parking lots, at the end of November.

Mayor Carlsrud said he appreciates the city employees and are to be commended for their work.

He said the streetscape issue, need patience  by the public as more information comes forward.

The meeting was shown live on CSi Cable 68, followed by replays.

 

 

Washington   (CSi)  – Senator John Hoeven recently introduced legislation that would allow homeowners at the Jamestown Reservoir to purchase their lots from the federal government and transfer all remaining Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) lands around the reservoir to state and local public ownership. The bill grew out of meetings Hoeven’s staff held with the homeowners and local officials over the past year and is modeled after similar legislation the senator introduced for homeowners at Patterson Lake.

Hoeven says, “After years of investment in their homes and lots, residents of the Jamestown Reservoir deserve the security of owning the land on which they live.  We worked hard to find common ground with all parties, including homeowners and the federal, state and local entities. This legislation helps secure the future of the community that has been built around the reservoir and maintains access to important outdoor recreational opportunities for the region.”

Specifically, Hoeven’s legislation:

  • Establishes a process to make 71 residential lots on the reservoir available for sale for five years.
  • Permanently transfers all other federal lands in the area, including two campgrounds, a park and unpurchased lots, to the Stutsman County Park Board and the North Dakota Game and Fish at no cost.
  • Requires BOR to provide a legal description of all properties to be transferred.
  • Provides that the value of the residential lots be based on a local third party appraiser, valuing the land as unimproved residential property, excluding all improvements.
  • Maintains BOR responsibility over the reservoir and dam and directs all revenue from the sale of residential lots to be used for the costs of carrying out this legislation and deferred maintenance of the dam.

This bill follows Hoeven’s successful efforts to include a provision in the Water Resources and Development Act last year that limited fee increases for permittees on Patterson Lake, Lake Tschida and the Jamestown Reservoir. BOR had proposed increasing fees to more than twice the cost of current fees for permits on the three reservoirs. Hoeven’s legislation prevented that increase and limited the total fee increase to no more than 33 percent over 5 years.

 

Bismarck  (CSi)  The North Dakota Public Service Commission has scheduled a public hearing on the Foxtail Wind project On Monday November 20, 2017 at  11- a.m. at the Fireside Restaurant in Ellendale.

Foxtail Wind, a subsidiary of NextEra Energy Resources and has applied for a permit for a 150-megawatt wind farm with up to 75 turbines.

The project includes 20,000 acres of land in western Dickey County.

Pending approval of the transfer of the site certificate, it will constructed and operated by Xcel Energy

The hearing provides the public with an opportunity to make on-the-record comments regarding the project.

Individuals  with concerns or questions, either in support or opposition to the project, are encouraged to attend.

 

 

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum wants to examine the way the state’s higher education system is managed.

Burgum on Tuesday announced he is forming a task force that will spend next year talking about ways to improve the governance structure in order to help meet the state’s educational and workforce needs.

Applications for the 15-member group are being accepted until Nov. 30. Burgum will chair the task force.

The North Dakota University System is managed by the state Board of Higher Education. Some lawmakers have criticized system leaders for failing to get costs under control. Higher education has a budget of about $625 million.

Voters in 2014 turned down an initiative that would have replaced the board with a three-member commission that reports to the governor.

 

 

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — Sanford Health has made its first investment in an international hospital.

The health system’s German subsidiary has acquired a minority interest in ISAR Klinik II AG, which includes a hospital in Munich, Germany.

Sanford Health CEP Kelby Krabbenhoft says the investment is a significant step in its goal to advance health care around the world. Krabbenhoft says the hospital’s ground-breaking procedures and medical technology are well-known.

Since 2015, Sanford Health has arranged for American patients to travel to the Munich hospital, ISAR Klinikum, to have access to stem cell therapies allowed in Germany. Sanford has also sent 11 physicians to the hospital to better understand the impact of those therapies.

 

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — A former executive for Sanford Health Foundation has been named North Dakota’s new state land commissioner.

Jodi Smith, of Bismarck, was selected from a pool of 32 candidates. There were two other finalists for the job, current Land Commissioner Lance Gaebe and Douglas Lee, of Bismarck.

Smith served as vice president of the western region for Sanford Health Foundation for the last two years. She previously served as foundation director for Trinity Health Foundation in Minot and executive director of the St. John’s Foundation in Billings, Montana.

Smith earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from Pepperdine University and a master’s degree in business administration from Regis University.

 

PINE RIDGE, S.D. (AP) — Recent documents show that the government’s decision to cut off Medicare and Medicaid payments to an Indian Health Service hospital in South Dakota was motivated by the case of a patient who the government says died after an inaccurate assessment.

A review by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services says Pine Ridge Hospital inaccurately determined the severity of a patient’s condition, which led to delays in appropriate care and his death.

The Rapid City Journal reports that the department said Friday that the hospital’s participation in the federal Medicare program will end Nov. 18. The hospital won’t be able to bill the government for services provided to Medicare-enrolled patients. Medicaid payments will also be cut off.

A hospital official says the department’s review omitted significant details from the case.

 

 

In sports…

Madison, SD (VCSU Sports) Valley City State University sophomore Louis Quinones and Dominic Kruse were both named Dacotah Bank/NSAA Football Players of the Week on Monday after big performances in VCSU’s 40-14 win over University of Jamestown.

Louis Quinones of Valley City State (N.D.) was honored as the Offensive Player-of-the-Week, while his teammate Dominic Kruse was selected as the Special Teams Player-of-the-Week.  Cameron Newsome of Waldorf (Iowa) was chosen as the Defensive Player-of-the-Week.

Louis Quinones is a  5’9″ – 176 lbs., Sophomore – running back  from  Colorado Springs, Colo. – Quinones racked up 314 all-purpose yards and scored four touchdowns in Valley City State’s (N.D.) 40-14 win over arch-rival Jamestown (N.D.).  He returned the opening kick-off 87 yards for his first touchdown of the game.  As a running back, he averaged 7.8 yards per carry as he piled up 171 rushing yards in 22 attempts.  Quinones had three rushing touchdowns in the game.  His 314 all-purpose yards (171 rush, 143 kick return) was just two yards shy of VCSU’s school record.

Dominic Kruse is a  6’0″ – 210 lbs., Sophomore – linebacker from Thief River Falls, Minn. – Kruse blocked a punt and recovered a fumble on back-to-back special teams plays in Valley City State’s (N.D.) 40-14 victory at Jamestown (N.D.).  With VCSU leading 6-0 early in the first quarter, he blocked a punt which was scooped up by teammate Hunter Olson and returned for a touchdown and a 13-0 lead.  On the ensuing kick-off, Kruse recovered a fumble deep in Jimmie territory, setting the Vikings offense up with a short field and two plays later the Vikings scored for a 20-0 lead.  Kruse also added a tackle on a kick return later in the game.

 

In world and national news…

SUTHERLAND SPRINGS, Texas (AP) — A dozen Texas church shooting victims remain in hospitals two days after a gunman opened fire and killed 26 worshippers at First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs. Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio on Tuesday afternoon reported having seven patients _ five adults and two children.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Air Force says federal privacy laws prohibit it from commenting on a news report that the gunman who attacked worshippers at a Texas church had escaped from a mental health facility in 2012 when he was an airman. Air Force spokeswoman Ann Stefanek cited privacy regulations under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, which she said apply even though the gunman, Devin P. Kelley died in Sunday’s violence in Texas.

UNDATED (AP) — The Texas church massacre seems to fit whatever opinion one has about guns. For gun-rights activists, it underscores their belief that the way to stop a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun. For gun-control advocates, it shows how easy it is to get a weapon in the U.S.

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Early voter numbers are up in Virginia’s closely watched race for governor while polling places around the state are reporting a steady turnout. Department of Elections Commissioner Edgardo Cortes says Virginia had a “substantially higher” number of early voters in this year’s closely watched race for governor than in recent past gubernatorial contests.

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — President Donald Trump is signaling a willingness to negotiate with North Korea over its nuclear program. During his first day in South Korea, Trump abandoned his aggressive rhetoric toward North Korea, urging Pyongyang to “come to the table” and “make a deal.” Trump says he’s optimistic that “ultimately, it’ll all work out.” Trump noted that the US has military options for dealing with North Korea, but says he hopes he never has to use them.