Wayne Byers Show – Morning – Jul 13

CSi Weather…

.REST OF TODAY…Sunny. Highs in the mid 80s.

Southwest winds around 5 mph.

.TONIGHT…Clear. Lows in the mid 60s. South winds around 5 mph.

.SATURDAY…Sunny. Highs in the upper 80s. South winds 5 to

15 mph.

.SATURDAY NIGHT…Partly cloudy in the evening, then mostly

cloudy with a 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms

after midnight. Lows in the mid 60s. South winds 5 to 10 mph

shifting to the northwest after midnight.

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

thunderstorms in the morning in the Valley City area.  Highs in the upper 70s. Northwest winds 10 to 15 mph.

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

.MONDAY…Sunny. Highs in the upper 70s.

.MONDAY NIGHT…Mostly clear. Lows in the mid 50s.

.TUESDAY…Sunny. Highs around 80.

.TUESDAY NIGHT…Partly cloudy. A 20 percent chance of showers

and thunderstorms after midnight. Lows in the lower 60s.

.WEDNESDAY…Mostly sunny with chance of showers and slight

chance of thunderstorms. Highs in the lower 80s. Chance of

precipitation 40 percent.

.WEDNESDAY NIGHT…Decreasing clouds. Lows in the lower 60s.

.THURSDAY…Mostly sunny. Highs around 80.

 

Much cooler weather is expected Sunday behind a cold front, but then

moderation back into the 80s is expected during the early and

middle parts of next week.

The next opportunity for rain  Tuesday night into Wednesday.

 

 

Jamestown  (CSi)  On Thursday morning, Southeast District Court Judge Jay Schmitz set bond for Justice Lange at $250,000 cash or $500,000 surety, at her initial court appearance.

She remains incarcerated in the Stutsman County Correctional Center.

Lange is charged with manslaughter, a Class B felony, and child neglect, a Class C felony accused with the death of her infant son.

The judge ordered her  not leave the state of North Dakota if she is released.

Lange informed the court that she applied for a court appointed attorney however no attorney was  present at Thursday’s initial court appearance.

Her next court date, a preliminary hearing, will be scheduled when a court appointed attorney has been assigned to her.

Lange has been  accused of recklessly causing the death of her four month-old son on or about July 4 in rural Stutsman County, along with failing to provide proper parental care, control and subsistence.

Last Friday, Lange was found wandering on a road east of Woodworth by a farmer. She was taken to a hospital in Fargo, while authorities launched a search for the baby.

His body was found on Saturday afternoon after a two-day search on the edge of a slough in some reeds.

Authorities were unsure how long he had been there.

 

Jamestown  (CSi)  The Jamestown City Council’s Budget Committee, Thursday afternoon at City Hall, heard from department heads, and heard more about the projected 2019 city budgets.

Mayor Heinrich was not present, out of the country on vacation.

City Administrator Sarah Helleckson told the committee, due to a new state law which requires submittal by August 10th, earlier than past years.   The budget can be decreased but not increased from the submital.

She said the General Fund for 2019 includes a two percent cost of living increase in wages for city employees, along with step increases, an overall 4.5 percent increase over 2018, amounting to a point nine million dollar increase for salaries and benefits.

For 2019 the property value increase is put at 1.7 percent.

City Building Inspector, Tom Blackmore said the building permits in 2018 were down.

The draft Preliminary General Fund Budget ending balance is  targeted at $1,867,339.

The preliminary General Property Tax is $3,247,000, an increased property value of 1.7 percent.

With the City Fire Department the Preliminary Budget is $838,366, including a cost of living salary increase, along with step adjustments for the regular employees at $362,675, and $94,376, for volunteer fire fighters including the cost of living increase.

Other benefit increases are also included.

Fire Chief Jim Reuther said the budget request includes equipment replacement costs, estimated at 57,000, including SCBA, protective gear, radios and repeater, and other fire fighter items.

He added that the city fire department is in need of eight fire fighters, hampering fire fighting efforts, although the existing fire fighters have stepped up when fire calls come in.

He said recruitment efforts have not been successful.

He said at least one additional fire fighter is needed, now.  Helleckson said the cost of hiring an additional fire fighter will be added in the updated budget.

Correction provided by Jamestown Police Chief Scott Edinger.

The Police Department preliminary budget for 2019, is $2.048 million.

The preliminary budget increase for 2019 with wages and step is $88,000.

 

Police Chief Scott Edinger said, equipment replacement is requested for $103,000.  It includes replacing radios, office computers, software, repeater, all portable and mobile radios.

He said officers, and detectives are provided with cell phones to be able to track the units, and for other police work.

With the Jamestown Civic Center, the 2019 Preliminary Budget is  $643.464, including $150,000 in cost of living salary increases, and step, for regular employees  in addition to benefits.  $35,000 for COL adjustments for hourly employees.

Equipment replacement is $3,000 for a new commercial coffee maker.

With the Preliminary Convention Promotion Fund is $158,615, with additional revenues estimated at $182,500 from the City Motel tax, $331,660 from the Restaurant tax.

A copy of the entire Preliminary Budget Draft is available at City Hall.

The budget meeting was shown live on CSi 67.

Another budget committee meeting is set for Friday July 20^th, at City Hall, at 8-a.m.

 

Jamestown  (CSi)  The Jamestown AAUW announces the date of the 29th Annual Garden Tour as Wednesday, July 18, 4-8 pm.

On Thursday’s Wayne Byers Show, on CSi Cable 2, Kelly Krien said, locations on this year’s  garden tour include:

Gary & Cathy Carlson, 506 8th St SW

Mike & Colleen Dronen, 1301 8th Ave SW; Shaun & Deanna Fischer, 805 16 1/2 St NE and

Jon & Connie Lillejord, 1604 Evergreen Dr NW.

Refreshments will be served between 6-8 PM at The Arts Center, 115 2nd Ave SW.  View their photo exhibit entitled “Dakotaland” with photos by Marie Flood. Completed tickets can also be dropped off there to qualify for door prizes.

Advance tickets are $10.00 available to purchase at The AAUW Used Bookstore and Dakota Store, 605 1st Avenue South

The Arts Center, 115 2nd Street  Southwest.  Refreshments will be served there from 6-p.m., to 8-p.m.   Completed tickets can be dropped off there to qualify for door prizes.

Country Gardens Floral, 106 Business Loop West

Lloyd’s Toyota, 500 17th Street Southwest,  and all AAUW members.

Tickets are $12 the day of the tour and after 3 PM on tour day, they will only be available at

The AAUW Used Book Store or at each tour site during tour hours.

Hours at the AAUW Used Book Store are: Monday-Friday 10-a.m. to 5-p.m., and the second Saturday of each month, 10-a.m., to 2-p.m.

Proceeds from the garden tour support the AAUW Endowment Fund at the University of

Jamestown and the AAUW Foundation which provides grants and funding for projects that

promote equity for women and girls.

For more information and maps showing the host sites, visit the Jamestown AAUW website https://jamestown-nd.aauw.net/branch-activities/garden-tour/  or call Kelly Krein, 252-4690 or 4107.

 

Update…

(KFYR) The former LaMoure police chief was sentenced on Tuesday to life in prison with the possibility of parole for continuous sexual abuse of a child.

James Watson was charged with continuous sexual abuse of a child in both Golden Valley and Stark counties, as well as gross sexual imposition in Hettinger County during the summer of 2017. Watson entered an Alford plea in March to the charges in Hettinger and Stark counties.

Watson was sentenced to life with the possibility of parole for both the Stark and Golden Valley county charges. He was also sentenced to five years for the Hettinger crime. All sentences were to  run concurrent.

In February, a jury in Golden Valley County convicted him of continuous sexual abuse of a child.

Stark County state’s attorney Tom Henning says life with the possibility of parole means serving 30 years, minus time for good behavior before parole is considered.

Update:

Dickinson  (WDAY)  In a last second change of opinion late Thursday afternoon, Judge William Herauf, who presided over the case, issued a letter to counsels citing an oversight in his judgement and sentencing.

According to the letter, Herauf expressed the intent of the court to effectively turn the management of Watson’s cases over to the North Dakota Department of Corrections – without restrictions imposed to when they would be able to release him.

While resentencing has not been formally scheduled, the letter said a hearing will be slated for early next week.

 

DEVILS LAKE, N.D. (AP) — Authorities have identified a man who was shot and killed last week by a Devils Lake police officer.

The Devils Lake Journal reports that 26-year-old Daniel Fuller was killed on July 5 after officers responded to a call about a suspicious person. Police say Fuller died after a struggle ended with an officer’s gun being fired.

Devils Lake Police Chief Joe Knowski says the officer has been placed on paid administrative leave, which is standard policy. The name of the officer has not been released.

Knowski says the shooting was a “real tragedy for everyone and the city.”

The state Bureau of Criminal Investigation is handling the case.

 

 

 

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says nearly 29,000 American white pelicans have returned to nest in south central North Dakota.

Biologists say the nesting colony at Chase Lake National Wildlife Refuge is the largest in North America.

Biologist Brandon Oksendahl says the number of breeding adults at the refuge is down slightly from last year but it’s still among the highest on record.

A record 35,466 birds were counted in 2000.

The white pelicans are among the largest bird s in North America, measuring 6 feet from bill to tail. They normally arrive at the refuge north of Medina in early April.

The birds usually stay at the refuge through September, raising their young and feasting on fish and foot-long salamanders from small ponds in the area.

 

GRAND FORKS, N.D. (AP) — Vice President Mike Pence is planning another visit to North Dakota

U.S. Rep. Kevin Cramer tells The Associated Press that Pence is attending a Grand Forks fundraiser for him on July 25. Cramer is trying to unseat Democratic U.S. Sen. Heidi Heitkamp.

The Heitkamp-Cramer matchup is seen by Republicans as one of their top pickup chances as they try to hang onto a thin majority.

It will be the third trip to North Dakota in less than a year for Pence. He appeared at a Fargo fundraiser for Cramer in March and visited Minot Air Force Base last October to review the base’s nuclear missions.

 

 

 

GRAND FORKS, N.D. (AP) — Grand Forks police say a woman has died after being found unresponsive in a swimming pool.

Officers were called to a home on the north side of Grand forks just before 9 p.m. Wednesday. Authorities say a man found the woman, who was a relative, in an aboveground pool.

WDAY-TV reports the man along with emergency medical technicians tried to revive the woman before she was brought to a Grand Forks hospital. But police say she died.

Her name and other details have not been released.

 

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — Basin Electric Power Cooperative has laid off about 30 employees in two states.Twenty-five people were let go at Dakota Gasification Co. and the Antelope Valley Station plant in North Dakota, along with a handful of workers at two locations in Wyoming.Spokesman Curt Pearson says the company also is offering a two-week window for voluntary buyouts for employees at all locations, after which management will reassess the staffing situation. He says the moves are being made for financial considerations.Basin Electric employs about 2,300 people. 

FARGO, N.D. (AP) — Wheat production in North Dakota this year is expected to be up substantially over 2017.The Agriculture Department’s latest estimates put North Dakota spring wheat production at 312 million bushels, up 50 percent from last year. Both acres and average yield are expected to be up.Durum wheat production is projected to be up 31 percent, to 37.8 million bushels. Winter wheat production is forecast at 3.08 million bushels, up 22 percent.Barley and oat production also is expected to be up in the state.

 

DUNSEITH, N.D. (AP) — A tourist attraction that straddles the U.S.-Canadian border is celebrating its 85th anniversary.The International Peace Garden is located north of Dunseith, North Dakota, and south of Boissevain, Manitoba. The 2,300-acre (931-hectare) garden is bisected by the 49th parallel that creates the international border. The facility signifies the long-standing peace between the U.S. and Canada.The event is scheduled Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. It will feature food and craft vendors, entertainment, and various displays.A formal ceremony is scheduled for 1 p.m. Sunday.

 

In sports…

NEW YORK — The NFL Network CSi Cable 43, will broadcast 15 preseason games in 2018, including the first two Minnesota Vikings contests.

Minnesota’s first preseason game is Aug. 11 at 8 p.m. against former quarterback Case Keenum and the Denver Broncos. A week later, the Vikings kick off an NFL Network quadruple-header against the Jacksonville Jaguars at noon at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.

The games will also be broadcast on KMSP in the Twin Cities, and across the Minnesota Vikings radio network.