CSi Weather…

.TONIGHT…Increasing clouds. A 20 percent chance of rain showers after midnight. Lows in the mid 40s. East winds around 5 mph.

.SATURDAY…Cloudy with a 40 percent chance of rain showers, in the Jamestown area, 50 percent in the Valley City area.

Highs in the lower 60s. East winds 5 to 10 mph.

.SATURDAY NIGHT…Mostly cloudy in the evening then clearing.

Lows in the mid 40s. South winds around 5 mph shifting to the

north after midnight.

.SUNDAY…Sunny. Highs in the upper 60s. Southeast winds 5 to

15 mph.

.SUNDAY NIGHT…Partly cloudy. Lows in the upper 40s.

.MONDAY…Mostly sunny. Highs in the lower 70s.

.MONDAY NIGHT…Partly cloudy. Lows in the mid 50s.

.TUESDAY…Mostly sunny. Highs in the upper 70s.

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

and thunderstorms after midnight. Lows around 60.

.WEDNESDAY…Mostly cloudy with a 20 percent chance of showers

and thunderstorms. Highs around 80.

.WEDNESDAY NIGHT…Mostly cloudy with a 40 percent chance of rain

showers and thunderstorms. Lows in the upper 50s.

.THURSDAY…Partly sunny with a 40 percent chance of rain showers

and thunderstorms. Highs in the mid 70s.

 

Dry conditions return for Saturday night, with the only exception possibly being the southern James River Valley.

Well above average temperatures expected for Tuesday, with precipiation chances Tuesday evening.

The threat for strong to severe storms will be possible.

 

Bismarck  (CSi)  Governor Doug Burgum held his COVID-19 News Briefing Friday afternoon at the State Capital in Bismarck. He was joined by State Board of Higher Education Chair Nick Hacker.

He began the briefing with update COVID-19 statistics from the State Health Department.

The number of positive tests for the coronavirus in the state’s hotspot dropped for the second straight day. 43 new positive tests in Cass County, which leads the state with 1,032 cases.

NDDoH

Fri. May 15, 2020  11-a.m.

Positive COVID-19 Test Results
Results listed are from the previous day.

INDIVIDUALS WHO DIED WITH COVID-19

  • Man in his 40s from Grand Forks County with underlying health conditions.
  • Man in his 90s from Cass County with underlying health conditions.

 

COUNTIES WITH NEW POSITIVE CASES REPORTED FRIDAY

  • Burleigh County – 2
  • Cass County – 43
  • Grand Forks County – 3
  • Morton County – 2
  • Rolette County – 1
  • Stutsman County – 1
  • Stutsman Total 17


BY THE NUMBERS

60,492 – Total Number of Tests Completed* ( +2,310 total tests from yesterday) NEW!

 

51,715 – Total Unique Individuals Tested* (+1,404 unique individuals from yesterday)

49,954 – Total Negative (+1,355 unique individuals from yesterday)

1,761 – Total Positive (+52 unique individuals from yesterday)

Please note that after investigation three previously reported positive cases from Cass County were determined to be from out of state.

2.3% – Daily Positive Rate of Completed Tests

 

130 – Total Hospitalized (+1 individuals from yesterday)

35 – Currently Hospitalized (-3 individuals from yesterday)

1,071 – Total Recovered (+64 individuals from yesterday)

42 – Total Deaths (+2 individual from yesterday)

 

* Note that this does not include individuals from out of state.

For descriptions of these categories, visit the NDDoH dashboard.

For the most updated and timely information and updates related to COVID-19, visit the NDDoH website at www.health.nd.gov/coronavirus, follow on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and visit the CDC website at www.cdc.gov/coronavirus.

 

Burgum  said the symptoms of COVID-19 range from severe to mild.  Some are asymptomatic, showing no signs of having the disease.  20 percent of the state’s residents are under the category of vulnerable.  He said vulnerability, issues are included in testing,  and aids in contact tracing, which in combination with testing results, can support further opening up the state’s economy.  He said serial testing is on the rise, with some tests on prior tested people, with North Dakota addresses.  He said active cases have fallen slightly.

Burgum said his office and legislative leaders have had good cooperation, in passing COVID-19 legislation, and keeping the services and continuity moving forward.

Recreational and sports arena venue managers have given their input into formulated recommendations concerning safety issues, and managing risks, for those attending events at those and other events.  Other event guidelines will be posted at NDresponse.com on Friday evening, or on Saturday.

Under the guidance there is five risk level categories, including the number of people in attendance occupancy rates.  The state is currently in level one.

The state is currently in the Smart Restart moderate category, down from high.

With mail in voting, Burgum re-explained and refreshed the process.

With behavioral health, he said if you know someone struggling with depression to visit with those individuals on how they are feeling.  He says the behavioral health web site has information, on assisting those people, outlining a step by step process.

State Board of Higher Education Chair Nick Hacker, talked about graduations at the university level.  Several state colleges are holding virtual graduations including this weekend. 6500 state university system students are graduating this spring.

Hacker thanked students faculty and staff in the transitioning of classes from on campus to online at the onset of the pandemic.  He said innovative solutions assisted in “getting the job done.”  He concluded by congratulating the Class of 2020.

Burgum and State School Superintendent Kirsten Baesler announced Friday that Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz, actor Josh Duhamel and Nashville recording artists Tigirlily will participate in a May 30 statewide celebration of North Dakota’s high school Class of 2020.

Wentz, a native of Bismarck and graduate of North Dakota State University, will give the commencement address during the hour-long ceremony, which will begin at 2 p.m. Central time on Saturday, May 30.

Duhamel, a native of Minot and graduate of Minot State University, and Tigirlily will deliver congratulatory messages, and Tigirlily will give a musical performance to close the event. Hazen natives and sisters Kendra and Krista Slaubaugh are the performing duo Tigirlily.

Five North Dakota students will participate in the ceremony. Kourtney Bitz, a senior at Napoleon High School, will provide the student address on behalf of the Class of 2020. Bitz is a member of Baesler’s Superintendent’s Student Cabinet, which is a group of elementary, middle, and high school students who provide advice to the superintendent about how to improve North Dakota education.

A collage of class and school photographs from North Dakota’s high schools will be shown during the program. Almost all of the state’s 181 high schools have contributed images for the collage.

The ceremony will be broadcast statewide on North Dakota’s ABC television affiliates (CSi-6 and 80.6 HD)  and streamed on the websites of Forum Communications Co.’s North Dakota newspaper properties: The Forum, The Jamestown Sun, The Dickinson Press, and the Grand Forks Herald.

Burgum and Superintendent Baesler said in a joint statement,  “We want to thank Carson Wentz, Josh Duhamel, and Tigirlily for agreeing to be part of this celebration, and we would also like to thank our media partners for carrying this statewide.

They went on to say, “The COVID-19 pandemic has upended many events that are dear to our seniors, including graduation ceremonies, prom, and athletic events. They have not been able to be with their classmates during their last days of high school.  We hope that this celebration will provide some memories for our seniors, their families, their friends, and their loved ones.”

Baesler said the celebration is not intended as a replacement for local high school graduations that are being held across the state.   She added, “This is another opportunity to celebrate our graduates.”

He pointed out that Friday was Peace Officers Memorial Day, and read a statement thanking all of those that gave their lives, 64 in all in North Dakota.  He added the current peace officers, have and are supporting keeping North Dakotans safe.

The next briefing will be held on TUES. May 19, 2020 at 3:30-p.m.

 

 

 

 

 

Jamestown  (CSi)  U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer is hosted a meeting at the Gladstone Inn & Suites, 111 2nd Street NE, Jamestown, ND, on Friday, May 15, 2020.

Senator Cramer led discussion sdiscussing FEMA related concerns and issues.

 

 

 

 

 

Valley City  (VCSU)  To honor the graduating class o 2020, VCSU will hold a virtual  commencement ceremony on Saturday May 16, 2020, at 10-a.m.

The virtual ceremony will be played on the university’s You Tube Channel: VCSUVikings.  The event will appear on the You tube Channel on Saturday morning.

(Note:  all fall 2019 and Spring 2020 graduates have been invited to participate in one of the next planned in-person commencement ceremonies in December 2020 or May 2021).

Valley City  (CSi)  The Valley City Area Chamber of Commerce has posted at valleycitychamber.com 360 degree videos of Valley City business locations, interior in addition to the  exteriors as part of the Chamber’s VC Strong promotion, encouraging local Valley City shopping.

The Chamber’s Event Coordinator, Mikayla Gustafson is visiting stores and taking the still photos.

She said the collection is being added to on a daily basis.

In other Chamber news, on Friday’s Wayne Byers Show on CSi Cable 2, she said their business director is being update, and that any business needing to have their information updated should call the Chamber office, at 701-845-1891.

The office and DMV remains closed to walk-ins with arrangements and information by calling each office.

Bismarck  (NDHP)  Beginning Monday, May 18, the North Dakota Highway Patrol will increase patrols across the state to encourage motorists to buckle up and wear their seat belt.

The increased patrols are part of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Click it or Ticket campaign that runs through May 31. Seat belts are the best defense against impaired, aggressive, and distracted drivers. Buckling up helps keep occupants safe and secure inside the vehicle.

If you are involved in a crash and are not buckled up, you can be ejected from the vehicle, which can be deadly. Seatbelts are designed to be used in conjunction with vehicles’ other safety features. Air bags alone do not provide enough protection. In fact, the force of an air bag can seriously injure you if you’re not properly buckled up.

Proper use of safety features is the best defense against unexpected hazards on roadways so you, and those traveling with you, can make it to your destination safely. In addition to ensuring all occupants are properly buckled up, responsible drivers should always drive sober, drive distraction free, drive for the current weather conditions, and always follow posted speed limits.

Many factors lead to crashes. You can control the outcome by wearing a seatbelt, which gives you the best chance of survival. From 2017 to 2019, 124 people who were not wearing their seat belts died in motor vehicle crashes in North Dakota. All motorists, from those just beginning to those with decades of driving experience, should consistently practice responsible driving because safe driving choices matter.

Buckle up for a bright future as we all work toward Vision Zero!

 

MINOT, N.D. (AP) — Police have identified the victim of a homicide in Minot. Authorities say a relative is in custody for the fatal shooting of 21-year-old Jordan Parisien. He was shot on the city’s southwest side shortly before 8 p.m. Wednesday. Parisien was rushed to Trinity Hospital where he died a short time later. Police say they’ve arrested a 22-year-old male relative who had a confrontation with the victim before the shooting. The suspect was taken to the Ward County Jail and is being held on a possible murder charge.

 

FARGO, N.D. (AP) — The head of North Dakota’s largest police department is stepping down after fewer than six years on the job. Fargo Police Chief David Todd announced Friday he is retiring after more than 32 years with the force. He took over as chief in 2014, first in an interim role after the city signed a separation agreement with Keith Ternes. Todd says it’s time for the “next generation of leadership” to lead the department. Fargo Mayor Tim Mahoney says Todd helped turned the department into “a national leader in community-centric policing.” A search for his replacement will begin immediately.

In sports….

The 2020 North Dakota High School Coaches Association has announced that the Optimists All Star Volleyball Series is cancelled.

In a news release, the NDHSCA and the Fargo Optimists Club stated “in light of the ever-changing conditions and events surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic and the recommendations stated by the Governor of North Dakota [we] regretfully have decided to cancel the 2020 NDHSCA/Optimists All Star Volleyball Series.”

 

In world and national news..

WASHINGTON (AP) — Five sailors on the aircraft carrier sidelined in Guam due to a COVID-19 outbreak have gotten the virus for the second time and have been taken off the ship. The resurgence of the virus in the five sailors on the USS Theodore Roosevelt underscores the befuddling behavior of the highly contagious virus and raises questions about how troops that test positive can be reintegrated into the military, particularly on ships. The Navy says all five sailors had previously tested positive and had gone through at least two weeks of isolation.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-TESTING-WHITE HOUSE

White House confident in virus test despite false negatives

WASHINGTON (AP) — Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar says the White House still has confidence in a rapid COVID-19 test it has been using despite new data suggesting the test may return false negatives. The head of the Food and Drug Administration says his agency has provided new guidance to the White House after data suggested that the Abbott test used by President Donald Trump and others at the White House every day may provide inaccuracies and false negatives. Azar commented Friday after the FDA said it was investigating preliminary data suggesting the 15-minute test can miss COVID-19 cases, falsely clearing infected patients.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-CONGRESS-WORK FROM HOME

Work from home Congress? House set to OK proxy votes

WASHINGTON (AP) — Neither Civil War nor Great Depression or any other national crisis has convinced the House to allow lawmakers to vote by proxy. That’s about to change during the coronavirus pandemic. The House is poised Friday to approve a package of historic rules changes so Congress can keep functioning even while it’s partly closed. Debate has been fierce. Democrats argue the House must function. Republicans counter that lawmakers can’t “phone it in” but have to show up in Washington. The outcome will change the look, and operation, of Congress during the pandemic.

BC-VIRUS OUTBREAK

Most states still fall short of recommended testing levels

WASHINGTON (AP) — As businesses reopen in more of the U.S., more than 4 out of 5 states still fall short of the COVID-19 testing levels that public health experts say are necessary to safely ease lockdowns. That’s according to an Associated Press analysis. Rapid, widespread testing is considered essential to tracking and containing the coronavirus. But an AP analysis of metrics developed by Harvard’s Global Health Institute indicates that 41 states fail to test widely enough to drive their infections below a key benchmark. Among the states falling short are Texas and Georgia, which moved aggressively last month to reopen stores, malls, barbershops and other businesses.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-GRAND CANYON REOPENS

Tourists enter reopened Grand Canyon despite virus concerns

GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK, Ariz. (AP) — Tourists are once again roaming portions of Grand Canyon National Park after some areas reopened Friday, despite concerns that it could hurt efforts to control the coronavirus. During the early morning, more than two dozen people were enjoying some viewpoints along the South Rim. Park officials say the South Rim entrance will only be open until 10 a.m. through Monday. Visitors will have limited access to viewpoints and other sites. Officials on the hard-hit Navajo Nation, which stretches into northern Arizona, expressed disappointment at the reopening. There have been at least 3,632 positive cases and 127 deaths on the reservation, which also includes parts of New Mexico and Utah.

AP-VIRUS-OUTBREAK-THE-LATEST

The Latest: Parts of Pennsylvania ease some restrictions

Another 2.6 million people across western Pennsylvania began to emerge from pandemic restrictions as Gov. Tom Wolf prepared to announce that 12 more counties soon would join them in a partial easing. Wolf planned to announce that Adams, Beaver, Carbon, Columbia, Cumberland, Juniata, Mifflin, Perry, Susquehanna, Wyoming, Wayne and York will be the next batch of counties moving to the “yellow” phase of his reopening plan, effective May 22, The Associated Press has learned. They are primarily in the south-central and northeast regions of the state.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-TEXAS BACKLASH

Tensions rise as Texas governor readies to lift more rules

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Local leaders on the Texas border are asking Republican Gov. Greg Abbott to delay letting more businesses reopen next week. Health officials in El Paso say they’re worried about relaxing lockdown measures after COVID-19 cases in their community surged by 60% in the past two weeks. Abbott on Monday is set to announce that patrons can return to gyms. Abbott has defended the pace by emphasizing that hospitalization and infection rates are steady as Texas tests more people. In Oklahoma, lawmakers who were irritated by local officials imposing stricter measures during this health crisis passed a House bill that would weaken cities’ power during the next one.