Wayne Byers Show – Evening – Sept 18

CSi Weather…

.TONIGHT…Mostly clear. Lows in the lower 50s. Northwest winds around 10 mph. Gusts up to 25 mph in the evening.

.THURSDAY…Sunny. Highs in the mid 70s. East winds around 5 mph shifting to the southeast in the afternoon.

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

cloudy with a 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms

after midnight. Lows in the lower 60s. Southeast winds 10 to

15 mph.

.FRIDAY…Mostly cloudy. Chance of showers and thunderstorms in

the morning, then showers and thunderstorms likely in the

afternoon. Highs in the upper 70s. Southeast winds 10 to 20 mph.

Chance of precipitation 60 percent in the Jamestown area, 70 percent in the Valley City area.

.FRIDAY NIGHT…Mostly cloudy. Showers and thunderstorms in the

evening, then chance of showers and slight chance of

thunderstorms after midnight.  Chance of precipitation 90 percent.  Lows in the upper 50s.

.SATURDAY…Partly sunny with chance of rain showers and slight

chance of thunderstorms. Highs in the mid 60s. Chance of

precipitation 50 percent.

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

showers and thunderstorms in the evening. Lows in the upper 40s.

.SUNDAY…Mostly sunny. Highs in the mid 60s.

.SUNDAY NIGHT…Mostly clear. Lows in the upper 40s.

.MONDAY…Sunny. Highs in the upper 60s.

.MONDAY NIGHT…Partly cloudy. Lows around 50.

.TUESDAY…Mostly sunny with a 20 percent chance of rain showers

and thunderstorms. Highs in the upper 60s.

 

Widespread rainfall between one and 2 inches will be possible Thursday night through Friday night, with the highest amounts generally across

the north. A few severe storms will be possible late Thursday night and Friday

Cooler, but more normal temperatures in the 60s to around 70 are

Expected.  Sunday through Tuesday will see some

transient scattered showers, with highs in the 60s.

 

Jamestown  (CSi)  On Tuesday September 24, 2019 Jamestown Public School District voters will have the opportunity to have their voices heard, on the referendum, concerning the proposed increasing the building fund levy authority from 10 to 20 mills, to update existing facilities.

The polls will be open at Jamestown Middle School’s Community Room from 7-a.m. to 7-p.m.,

Absentee ballots are available at the School District, Office, at 207 Second Avenue, Southeast through Monday September 23, from 7-a.m. to 4-p.m.

All Jamestown Public School District patrons, urban and rural are eligible to vote.

To pass, the “yes” votes must be 60-percent of the total votes cast.

 

On Wednesday’s Wayne Byers Show on CSi Cable 2, Jamestown Public Schools, Superintendent Robert Lech said, if the referendum was successful, the maximum impact of the levy authority for an additional 10 mills on a $100,000 home would provide a tax impact of $45 annually or $3.75 per month. This levy would be approved annually by the school board and the number of mills levied would be dependent upon facility needs in that tax year.

 

He pointed out that the school district pursued referendums in 2015 and 2018 to update and enhance aging facilities. In both instances, the community said that this was not the right plan at the right time.  The last referendum included school building additions.  However Lech stressed that this time voters will either approve or disapprove, needed infrastructure improvements, only.

As a result,  Lech said, “We have explored different opportunities to address our biggest concerns and believe the best remaining option exists with increasing our building fund. The JPS school board, on July 24, approved a special election on September 24, 2019 for the public to consider increasing building fund levy authority from 10 to 20 mills.”   The levy will be revisited annually.

 

He said, currently, the district’s building fund allows Jamestown Public Schools, to levy for 10 mills only to support our facilities as governed by the North Dakota Century Code.

 

He added, expansion of the building fund has been determined to be the most effective opportunity to address immediate issues, while also being a flexible option for any future facility planning to address long-term facility needs.

 

A Capital Projects Plan (CPP) was approved by the school board in 2016. The CPP outlined an average of $2.16 million per year in facility needs over a 10-year span across seven schedules: 1) Asbestos Abatement, 2) Building Repairs, 3) Sites, 4) Roofs, 5) ADA Remodeling, 6) Security and Safety, and 7) Equipment. $1.3 million, or 60%, of this annual $2.16 million in needs is attributed to Building Repairs. Similarly, the Roof schedule equates to an average annual cost of $560,000, or 26%, of these expenses.

He added that with the existing levy providing about $700,000 annually, the district is woefully short of the average annual costs to adequately update these facilities.

 

Lech said, that it is important to note that the district has been utilizing the existing levy beyond its maximum capacity. Since the approval of the CPP, the district has expended an average of $820,090 annually through the building fund with the vast majority of these expenses directly tied to the Capital Projects Plan. This average expense outpaces revenue from the building fund’s 10 mills and has resulted in spending down the interim balance of the building fund. While these projects have been necessary, spending more than we receive in revenue is not a sustainable model.

 

Any questions on the referendum, may be directed to Dr. Rob Lech at 252-1950, Robert.Lech@k12.nd.us, or make an appointment at Central Office for a visit.  The information is also at the school district’s Facebook Page, with daily summaries.

 

Jamestown  (CSi)  At Tuesday’s negotiating session,  the Jamestown Education Association JEA) and the Jamestown Public School Board did not  reach an agreement on a two-year contract with the school board declaring the negotiations at impasse, meaning the talks were not moving ahead.

Jamestown Public School Board President, Jennifer Schmidt added that  the JEA elected not to provide a counter offer.

Schmidt said the two parties have met five times since June, which was when the board gave JEA its last best offer.

JEA negotiator, David Dooley added,  “I don’t think it’s (negotiations) are in good faith.  The board is undervaluing teachers compared to everyone else in the district. Teachers help students become better people.”

 

Valley City  (CSi)  The Barnes County Sheriff’s  Office reports a 24-year-old  man was seriously injured in a work-related accident on Tuesday, September 17, 2019 near Sanborn, ND at approximately 2:10 pm.

The news release from the Barnes County Sheriff’s office stated that   24-year-old Dacotah McGough was airing up a tire on a piece of heavy equipment, there was a failure which caused severe injury to his face.

McGough was transported to a Fargo hospital for surgery.

 

Valley City  (CSi)  The Monroe Doctrine Bluegrass concert scheduled for Thursday evening September 19, 2019 at the vault Coffee Shop in Valley City has been cancelled due to several band members’ scheduling conflicts.  The next performance of Monroe Doctrine at the Vault is scheduled for Thursday, October 3rd.  For more information call John Andrus at 701-721-8296.

 

Jamestown  (Chamber)    Members of the Jamestown Area Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors and the Young Professionals of Jamestown held a ribbon cutting ceremony Tuesday for First Community Credit Union to celebrate the addition to their headquarter offices in Jamestown.  This business is located on 10^th St. SE in Jamestown.  A large addition was added to the south portion of the building to accommodate FCCU’s growing staff.

Businesses qualify for a ribbon-cutting ceremony if they open, move, remodel, are under new ownership or change their name.  For more information, contact Emily Bivens by emailing: director@jamestownchamber.com or call the chamber at 701-252-4830.

Jamestown  (Chamber)    – Members of the Jamestown Area Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors and the Young Professionals of Jamestown held a ribbon cutting ceremony for Century 21 Morrison Realty to celebrate their new ownership in Jamestown.  This business is located on 804 1^st Ave. South in Jamestown.

Century 21 Heritage Realty was previously owned by First Community Credit Union, who started the business in 1981. FCCU and Century 21 Morrison Realty worked closely together to ensure the agents continued to have support, that the culture remained strong, and the clients experienced excellent service throughout the transition.

Businesses qualify for a ribbon-cutting ceremony if they open, move, remodel, are under new ownership or change their name.  For more information, contact Emily Bivens by emailing: director@jamestownchamber.com or call the chamber at 701-252-4830.

Jamestown (CSi)  Jamestown City Forester, Erik Laber invites the community to a short Arbor Day celebration at the Jamestown Civic Center on Friday September 27^th at 8:30 a.m. in the exchequer room.

There will be snacks and refreshments, available  with tree planting around the civic center to follow. The 6^th grade science class will be assisting with the planting.

 

Jamestown  (CSi)  Did you know that car seats expire? Has your kiddo outgrown their car seat? Safety is number one with our little ones, and if a car seat has expired or your kiddo has outgrown the car seat, it is time for a new one! As part of JPMA’s National Baby Safety Month, Walmart has teamed up with TerraCycle to recycle used car seats.

From September 16–30, bring in the car seat that your kiddo’s outgrown and get a $30 Walmart gift card for your baby’s next car seat! Car seats collected in this program will be recycled 100% by TerraCycle and each component will be diverted from the landfill.

Here’s how it works

1. Bring your car seat to the trade in event at your participating Walmart
2. Take the car seat to the Customer Service counter to be recycled
3. Receive your $30 Walmart gift card* that you can use in-store or online to buy items for your baby

More details:

• Limit 2 trade-ins per household
• Any car seat brand accepted
• Booster seats are not eligible for trade in

At Jamestown Supercenter located at 921 25^th Street Southeast near Highway 281 South.

Trade-in taken from Sept 16 -30 from open to close.

 

Bismarck  (CSi)  – The North Dakota Department of Human Services is alerting Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) households about a telephone scam that is targeting program benefits. The program helps qualifying low-income households buy food.

In the telephone scam, a caller indicates that an individual or household will lose their SNAP benefits because he or she owes the program money. The caller provides a telephone number the individual should call to pay back the money using a credit card or another form of payment.

Michele Gee, director of the Economic Assistance Policy Division for the North Dakota Department of Human Services said, “Households that qualify for SNAP would never receive a telephone call about an overpayment or potential case closure.”

Gee said that SNAP households should not call the number provided in the telephone scam.

SNAP households should notify their county social service office if they receive any of these scam calls relating to SNAP benefits. County contact information is online at www.nd.gov/dhs/locations/countysocialserv/.

Program benefits are placed on an electronic benefit transfer (EBT) card. Qualifying households use EBT cards to purchase food at approved grocers, participating farmers markets and other vendors.

In August 2019, SNAP served about 48,000 qualifying low-income North Dakotans. The federally-funded program tends to serve mainly low-income children, often in single-parent families, people with disabilities, and seniors on fixed incomes.

If North Dakotans have questions about scams or want to learn more about scam prevention, contact the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division at 1-800-472-2600, 701-328-3404 or visit https://attorneygeneral.nd.gov/.

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — The federal government is contesting North Dakota’s claims that the state should be reimbursed for the $38 million the state spent policing prolonged protests against the Dakota Access oil pipeline.

The Army Corps of Engineers filed a motion Tuesday asking a federal judge to dismiss the state’s lawsuit seeking to recoup the costs, arguing it has “limited authority to enforce its rules and regulations” on land it manages.

“The federal government acquired the Corps-managed land … without accepting any special criminal jurisdiction over this property,” the agency said in court documents. “Thus, North Dakota has the authority and responsibility to enforce criminal law on the Corps-managed lands…”

North Dakota Attorney General Wayne Stenejem called the Corps’ claim that it is “toothless” in enforcing law on its land “preposterous.”

Stenehjem filed the claim in Bismarck federal court in July after the agency ignored an administrative claim he filed a year earlier.

Thousands of opponents of the $3.8 billion pipeline that’s been moving oil from the Dakotas through Iowa to Illinois for more two years gathered in southern North Dakota in 2016 and early 2017, camping on federal land and often clashing with police, resulting in 761 arrests over six months.

The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe opposed the pipeline built by Texas-based Energy Transfer Partners over fears it would harm cultural sites and the tribe’s Missouri River water supply — claims rejected by the company and the state.

 

 

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — The North Dakota Department of Health says more people in the state are using child car seats correctly.

Data compiled by health officials show 72 percent of those with car seats were using them improperly in 2018. That figure is actually an improvement and compares with 86 percent in 2009.

During the last five years in North Dakota, 8 children have died and 1,037 youngsters 12 and younger were injured in motor vehicle crashes.

The health department recommends keeping children in rear-facing car seats for as long as possible. Once a child outgrows the rear-facing seats, a forward-facing car seat with a harness should be used. And, after outgrowing the forward-facing seat, children should be placed in a booster seat until they are the right size to use just a seat belt.

 

 

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — An attorney for a South Dakota man says DNA evidence found on a cigarette butt doesn’t prove his client participated in a riot during the Dakota Access pipeline protest three years ago.

The Bismarck Tribune reports attorney Bruce Nestor on Monday filed a motion in state court seeking dismissal of the charges against Lawrence Malcolm Jr., of Sisseton.

Nestor says it’s impossible to determine where the butt originated or how long it might have been there.

Prosecutors charged Malcolm earlier this month with felony conspiracy to commit criminal mischief and engaging in a riot.

The charges relate to protest on the Standing Rock Indian Reservation. An affidavit says more than 100 demonstrators, many with their faces covered, halted construction and vandalized equipment.

 

In world and national news…

NEW YORK (AP) — Wednesday afternoon, stocks were dropping after the Federal Reserve cuts its benchmark interest rate for a second time this year but didn’t provide investors with concrete clues about what the future holds.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average went from a loss of 58 points just before the cut was announced to a loss of 200 points at 2:47 p.m.

The market expected the quarter-point cut to the federal funds rate, which influences many consumer and business loans. But three of the 10 voting officials dissented from the decision, and the Fed looks divided on what to do next. That ambiguity may have displeased investors on Wall Street.

The S&P 500 was down 0.9% to 2,979. Even with the decline, the benchmark index remains within 1.6% of its all-time high set in July.

 

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres says U.N. experts have already left for Saudi Arabia to investigate attacks on key Saudi oil installations.

Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Monday it would “invite U.N. and international experts to view the situation on the ground and to participate in the investigations.”

Guterres told reporters Wednesday the experts were sent under the U.N. Security Council resolution that endorsed the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and major powers. It requires the secretary-general to report every six months on the implementation of the nuclear agreement, which includes restrictions on arms-related transfers to and from Iran.

U.N. deputy spokesman Farhan Haq said the experts sent to Saudi Arabia contribute to those reports and monitor sanctions against Yemen.

Guterres again condemned Saturday’s attacks, calling them “a dramatic escalation in the Gulf” that must be halted.

“We absolutely need to create the conditions to avoid a major confrontation in the Gulf,” he said. “As we have seen by the immediate impact on oil markets, if there would be a major confrontation in the Gulf it would have devastating consequences for the region and globally.”

 

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump has named hostage negotiator Robert O’Brien to be his new national security adviser.

Trump tweeted Wednesday that he has “worked long & hard” with O’Brien and that “he will do a great job!”

Trump’s announcement about O’Brien comes a week after he ousted John Bolton from the national security adviser’s post, citing policy disagreements.

Bolton was Trump’s third national security adviser.

 

MIAMI (AP) — Tropical Storm Lorena is lashing parts of southern Mexico with torrential rains as it drives closer to the coast and nears hurricane force.

Lorena is expected to brush or hit land by early Thursday somewhere between the port of Manzanillo and Puerto Vallarta on Mexico’s southwestern Pacific coast.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center says Lorena had winds of 70 mph (110 kph) and was moving northwest at 13 mph (20 kph) early Wednesday afternoon.

It was located about 100 miles (160 kilometers) south-southeast of Manzanillo.

By week’s end, Lorena is projected to come close to the the Baja California peninsula’s southern tip.

Any rightward movement of the storm’s track could bring it ashore, possibly twice.

Mexican officials also say they’re concerned that some parts of southern Mexico, which have seen a lack of rainfall, could now get torrential rains and floods from a combination of Lorena and two other weather systems in the area.