Wayne Byers Show – Evening – Oct 23

CSi Weather…

.TONIGHT…Partly cloudy early in the evening then clearing. Lows in the mid 20s. Northwest winds 5 to 10 mph.

.THURSDAY…Sunny. Highs in the lower 40s. West winds around 5 mph.

.THURSDAY NIGHT…Partly cloudy. Lows around 30. Southwest winds

5 to 10 mph.

.FRIDAY…Mostly sunny. Highs in the lower 50s. Southwest winds

10 to 15 mph.

.FRIDAY NIGHT…Mostly clear. Lows in the upper 30s.

.SATURDAY…Partly sunny. Slight chance of rain in the afternoon.

Windy. Highs around 50.

.SATURDAY NIGHT…Partly cloudy. Lows in the upper 20s.

.SUNDAY…Partly sunny. Highs in the mid 30s.

.SUNDAY NIGHT…Decreasing clouds. Lows in the lower 20s.

.MONDAY…Partly sunny. A 20 percent chance of snow in the

afternoon. Highs in the lower 30s.

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

Lows in the lower 20s.

.TUESDAY…Partly sunny with a 20 percent chance of snow. Highs

in the lower 30s.

 

Wednesday Afternoon

Sheyenne River Level Through Valley City…14.9 feet…

Lake Ashtabula…

1267.99 feet

 

James River Through Jamestown…

12.8 Feet

Jamestown Reservoir

1437.36 Feet

 

Flood updates and water level updates  for the …

Sheyenne River Level Through Valley City

Lake Ashtabula Level

James River level through Jamestown.

Jamestown Dam

National Weather Service 

Water amounts in the snow pack

The Latest Flood Warnings from The National Weather Service

https://ndresponse.gov/flood-region

Fire Danger Map for North Dakota

 

Valley City  (CSi)  At the 9-a.m. Wednesday, October 23, 2019 Valley City meeting, concerning water levels, along the Sheyenne River, and at Lake Ashtabula, Scott Tichy with the Corps of Engineers at Baldhill Dam reported that inflows to the Lake have decreased as of Wednesday morning, down from 3800 cfs, to 3600 cfs, as the Lake level continues to drop.  The release as of Wednesday morning was 3410 cfs, with the Lake level at 1268 feet.  He said the current release is anticipated to stay at that rate, to continue to reduce the Lake level.

On Wednesday morning the Sheyenne River level through Valley City was under 15 feet, with a slow drop.

He said officials will determine either later Wednesday or Thursday if reducing the Baldhill Dam  discharge will be able to happen.

He added that the colder temperatures are helping to slow the snowmelt in the basin, north of Lake Ashtabula, and slow the inflows.

City Administrator, David Shelkoph said, if, the river level were to reach 20 feet above flood stage the City of Fargo committed sending 10,000 sandbags to Valley City.

He pointed out that the clay dikes in Valley City that have been built to 18 feet will stay through the winter months.

The city and KLJ will determine when to reopen Viking Drive and remove the  flood wall, after re-evaluating the high water situation, later  this week or early next week.

Schelkoph said unless the current flood status changes, the city is not anticipating holding additional daily water/flood meetings at 9-a.m.  He added the high water, watch will continue, as the city partners with the National Weather Service, The Corps of Engineers, and Barnes County Emergency Management to re-evaluate the scenario on a daily basis until the flood threat ends in Valley City.

Valley City –   (NDDOT)  Wednesday, the North Dakota Department of Transportation along with the City of Valley City, representatives from the offices of Senator Hoeven, Senator Cramer, and other state and local officials celebrated the completion of Central Avenue in downtown Valley City.

The makeover of Central Avenue between Main Street and 12^th Street consisted of preventative maintenance work on the roadway, updated lighting, ADA compliant sidewalks and other aesthetic improvements. The project was one of four projects awarded through the Urban Grant Program in 2018 at NDDOT.

NDDOT Director Bill Panos Said,“As part of the Urban Grant Program, NDDOT worked with city officials in Valley City to update this corridor and provide a more pedestrian friendly downtown. The improvements to this area not only look great, but will serve the community and businesses for years to come.”

Two public input meetings were conducted and the city along with NDDOT came up with the best design solution for the project. Construction began this spring and concluded this fall, with cooperation with motorists and area businesses.

Mayor Dave Carlsrud said, “The improvements completed to downtown Valley City not only improve access to area businesses, but updates the corridor making downtown a destination for residents and visitors to our beautiful city.

In total, approximately $2.4 million was invested into the project. Next year, further improvements are planned for downtown Valley City on the remainder of Central Avenue to the Sheyenne River along with a portion of Main Street.

The ribbon cutting ceremony took place outside directly after the presentation at the Hi-Liner Activity Center.

 

Jamestown (JPD/Maj Blinsky) On Tuesday evening at approximately 9:38 a Jamestown Police Officer attempted to stop a vehicle near the area of the 300 block of 4 Ave SE in Jamestown for a driving violation. The vehicle did not immediately stop and eventually accelerated to elude Law Enforcement Officers. The vehicle, which was a 2007 Chevy Impala, continued to drive through the southeast area of town and eventually entered the southwest quadrant of Jamestown.

At approximately 9:45-p.m. the male driver stopped the vehicle in the area of Holiday Park Village in southwest Jamestown and ran from the vehicle on foot. A brief foot pursuit ensued between the male suspect and Jamestown Police Officers.

At 9:46 -p.m., the male suspect was taken into custody, without further incident, in a backyard of a residence in Holiday Park Village. A Jamestown Police Officer did receive a minor injury during the foot pursuit, which required medical attention, but was later released.

The male suspect has been identified as 19-year-old Christian Moore of Jamestown. Moore was arrested on suspicion of Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Driving while license was suspended, Failure to Halt, Fleeing or attempting to elude in a Motor Vehicle, and Reckless Driving. Moore was transported by ambulance to the Jamestown Regional Medical Center for medical clearance and then transported to Stutsman County Corrections, to await formal charges.

The Jamestown Police Department was assisted by the Stutsman County Sheriff’s Office and Jamestown Area Ambulance, during the incident, which remains under investigation.

 

 

Jamestown  (NDFU)   – North Dakota Farmers Union (NDFU) Wednesday called for acceleration of Market Facilitation Program (MFP) payments to farmers impacted by the trade war with China, rather than delay payouts until November and January.

NDFU President Mark Watne, says,“Regardless of an expectation that maybe soybean purchases from China will happen yet, the market doesn’t move on potential. It moves on realities.

In August, farmers who enrolled in the MFP received 50% of a calculated payment for crops covered under Title 1 of the Farm Bill. Payments varied by county to county, ranging from $15 to $150 an acre. At that time, USDA said a second 25% payment would be paid in November and the final 25% in early January, if market conditions and trade opportunities failed to improve.

Watne adds “The farm economy is worsening and excess moisture in the fields is making harvest virtually impossible across the state.  Farm families need income now. Getting cash into their hands will help with operating loans and minimize interest on those loans.”

He said USDA also needs to consider payments for non-exported crops that have been impacted domestically by the trade war and additional basis and transportation costs.

Currently, 42 of 51 counties in North Dakota are designated as disasters. Watne urged producers to keep submitting documentation to the state’s congressional delegation, especially in light of USDA’s WHIP-Plus program that assists producers with losses incurred due to excessive moisture and snowfall.

Watne says, “It is our understanding, the program is capped at $3 billion nationwide. That cap should be removed to address the magnitude of the disaster here in North Dakota and in multiple regions of the country.”

Bismarck  (Gov. Burgum’s Office)   – Gov. Doug Burgum Wednesday stressed to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue the seriousness of North Dakota’s record fall precipitation and flooding, its devastating impact on farmers and ranchers and the likely need for federal assistance.

In a phone call with Perdue, Burgum shared the pressing concerns raised by farmers and ranchers during four public input meetings hosted by Burgum and Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring on Monday in Fargo, Grand Forks, Jamestown and Fessenden, as well as the heightened risk of significant spring flooding if abnormally wet weather persists.

“Our farmers and ranchers are under a tremendous amount of stress, both economic and emotional, with billions of dollars in crops, hay and livestock forage stranded in saturated fields and ditches,” Burgum said. “We appreciate Secretary Perdue taking the time to learn about the unprecedented challenges facing our farmers and ranchers, and for his commitment to continuing to work with our state officials and congressional delegation to help provide a safety net for producers as we respond to this crisis with a whole of government approach.”

On Monday, Burgum signed an executive order declaring a statewide flood emergency, a critical step in requesting federal assistance to help North Dakotans deal with impacts caused by heavy fall rains and a historic October blizzard. To date, 18 counties have declared emergencies related to flooding or the blizzard: Barnes, Cass, Cavalier, Dickey, Grand Forks, Foster, Griggs, Kidder, LaMoure, McIntosh, Nelson, Richland, Rolette, Steele, Stutsman, Traill, Walsh and Wells. The cities of Grand Forks, Jamestown, LaMoure and Valley City also have declared emergencies.

Impacts to agricultural producers and public infrastructure are being compiled by the state Department of Emergency Services, Department of Agriculture and others for potential requests for federal assistance through a USDA secretarial disaster designation and a presidential disaster declaration. For updates and information on the flooding situation, visit www.ndresponse.gov.

 

Jamestown  (CSi)  Victory Lutheran Church will host its annual Trunk or Treat event, Thursday, October 31.  Children, ages 0 – 12, and their parents are invited to experience this evening of safe Halloween fun and games. There will be carnival games beginning at 5:30 pm in the Fellowship Hall for everyone in the family.

On The Wayne Byers Show on CSi Cable 2, Youth Pastor, Conan Hersh said, at 6:30 pm the parking lot at Victory Lutheran Church will be filled with cars with open trunks filled with treats to handout to all kids and by the end of the evening their sacks are full.  If the weather is too cold, everyone will line up in inside to hand out treats.

The local fire department, police department, and ambulance are invited to hand out treats. Victory Lutheran Church is located at 510 9^th Avenue SW.  For more information, please call the office at 251-1570.

 

Jamestown  (Chamber)   Members of the Jamestown Area Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors and the Young Professionals of Jamestown held a ribbon cutting ceremony for Haut Funeral Home & Celebration of Life Center to celebrate their new addition and remodeled area. The new space gives grieving families a peaceful place to gather, share a meal, and spend time together. This business is located 1101 5^th Ave NE in Jamestown.

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.

Fergus Falls, Minnesota, October 23, 2019: Since 2004 National Cyber Security Awareness Month has taken place every October to ensure Internet users have the resources they need to stay safer and more secure online. Otter Tail Power Company takes cyber security seriously—for the safety of its employees, customers, shareholders, and the energy grid.
The company provides ongoing cyber security information and training for employees. “We review topics including online safety, secure options for file and information sharing, and best practices to keep our network and mobile devices secure,” said Don Redden, Vice President, Information Technology. “We also discuss recent news about data breaches, keep up on the industry’s latest suggestions for improvement, and proactively create disaster recovery and incident response plans if hackers ever target our company. Our employees continuously work to protect our company’s systems and data from cyber attacks.”

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and the National Cyber Security Alliance remind computer users to:
Own IT. Understand your digital profile, including the devices you use every day, to help keep you and your information secure.

Secure IT. Learn about and use the security features available on your devices or software.

Protect IT. Understand and routinely check privacy settings to protect your privacy.

Whether it’s keeping security software current, creating complex passphrases, or protecting all online devices (including smartphones), Otter Tail Power Company is committed to keeping information secure. And the company encourages its customers to stay safe online too. Visit staysafeonline.org for more online safety tips.

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — The family of a man who was shot and killed by federal officers on the Standing Rock Indian Reservation has filed a wrongful death lawsuit.

Thirty-five-year-old George “Ryan” Gipp Jr. was killed by two Bureau of Indian Affairs agents in October 2017. A subsequent investigation by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Nebraska cleared officers Raymond Webb and Gary Sandland Jr., who said Gipp walked toward them with his hands in his pockets and failed to follow orders.

The suit filed Tuesday says Gipp was unarmed and was not a threat. It alleges that Gipp was tasered without warning and ran into a nearby ditch “to escape the pain” when he was shot at least five times in the back.

Gipp’s family is seeking unspecified damages. BIA officials did not immediately return an email message seeking comment.

 

In world and national news…

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — More than two months before the phone call that launched the impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump, Ukraine’s newly elected leader told advisers he was worried about pressure from the U.S. president to investigate Democrat Joe Biden.

Volodymyr Zelenskiy gathered a small group together in Kyiv on May 7, where they discussed how to navigate Trump’s insistence for a probe and to avoid becoming entangled in American elections.

The meeting was recounted to The Associated Press by three people familiar with the details who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the diplomatic sensitivity of an issue that has roiled U.S.-Ukrainian relations.

The meeting came before Zelenskiy was inaugurated but about two weeks after Trump called to offer his congratulations on the night of the Ukrainian leader’s April 21 election.

 

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump says Turkey has informed the U.S. it will make “permanent” a five-day cease-fire in Syria. In response, he says he’s directing the lifting of economic sanctions on Turkey.

Claiming success at the U.S.-brokered effort, Trump said Wednesday, “this was an outcome created by us.” The cease-fire required Kurdish forces formerly allied with the U.S. against the Islamic State group to move out of a roughly 20-mile (32-kilometer) zone on the Turkish border.

Trump says, “We’ve saved the lives of many, many Kurds.”

Trump says nearly all U.S. troops will be leaving Syria but some will remain to safeguard oil fields in Syria. Russian forces have since begun joint patrols with Kurdish forces along the Turkish-Syrian border.

Trump says if Turkey breaches the cease-fire the sanctions could be reimposed.

 

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Pacific Gas & Electric Company says it is proceeding with planned power shutoffs that will affect nearly 180,000 customers throughout portions of Northern California.

The utility says the shutoffs affecting about 450,000 people are expected to begin around 2 p.m. Wednesday in the Sierra Foothills, followed soon after by blackouts north of the San Francisco Bay Area. In all, the power will be cut to portions of 17 counties.

PG&E says the shutoffs are needed to prevent wildfires caused by downed or fouled power lines as the National Weather Service forecasts gusty winds amid hot, dry weather.

Meanwhile, Southern California Edison says it could cut power Thursday to more than 160,000 customers in six counties and San Diego Gas & Electric is warning of power shutoffs to about 24,000 customers.

 

LONDON (AP) — U.K. police are revising their theories about a truck found in southeast England with 39 bodies inside, saying it traveled from Belgium to England, not from Ireland as they thought earlier.

Essex police said Wednesday that their earlier statement that the truck went from Ireland to Wales was incorrect. They now say it went from Zeebrugge in Belgium to Purfleet in England via a ferry.

The 39 people were found dead early Wednesday at an industrial park in southeast England. Details about the victims have not been released except that one was a teenager.

The 25-year-old driver of the truck, who was from Northern Ireland, has been arrested on suspicion of murder.

 

 

WASHINGTON (AP) — Rep. Barry Loudermilk, a Republican from Georgia, compared Mark Zuckerberg to President Donald Trump during a congressional hearing with the Facebook CEO.

Loudermilk said both men are “very successful businessmen,” both are capitalists and both are billionaires.

But he added that what he thinks the two most share in common “is you both challenge the status quo. He calls it draining the swamp, you see it as innovation.”

Zuckerberg is testifying before the House Financial Services Committee about Facebook’s plan to create a global digital currency, as well as other issues. Later in the hearing, Rep. Juan Vargas, a Democrat from California, jokingly told Zuckerberg he is “almost tempted” to ask if he took the comparison as a compliment, “since you can’t lie to Congress.”

He quickly followed up saying “Don’t answer that. Not even with a smile.”

 

LONDON (AP) — The European Parliament’s chief Brexit official says that a three-month flexible extension of the deadline beyond Oct. 31 is the only option.

Guy Verhofstadt, a member of European Parliament, said after a meeting of EU expert legislators that MEPs would need the necessary time to check the details of the EU-U.K. withdrawal agreement that British Prime Minister Boris Johnson reached with EU leaders last week.

Verhofstadt tweeted: “A flex tension, not going beyond 31st Jan, is the only way forward.”

(AP)  Kathryn Johnson, a trailblazing reporter for The Associated Press, has died. Her intrepid coverage of the civil rights movement and other major stories led to a string of legendary scoops. She was 93.

Her niece, Rebecca Winters, says Johnson died Wednesday morning in Atlanta. Johnson was the only journalist allowed inside Martin Luther King Jr.’s home the day he was assassinated. When Gov. George Wallace blocked black students from entering the University of Alabama, she sneaked in to cover his confrontation with federal officials. She scored exclusive interviews with 2nd Lt. William L. Calley Jr. before he was convicted of his role in the My Lai massacre.

Johnson overcame sexism to get a reporting job. Her career spanned from the era of reporters racing each other to pay phones to the birth of 24-hour cable television news.