CSi Weather…

.TONIGHT…Mostly clear. A 40 percent chance of rain showers and thunderstorms in the evening in the Jamestown area, 50 percent in the Valley City area. Lows in the lower 50s. West winds 5 to 10 mph.

.FRIDAY…Sunny. Highs in the mid 70s. Northwest winds 5 to 10 mph.

.FRIDAY NIGHT…Mostly clear. Lows in the lower 50s. East winds

5 to 10 mph.

.SATURDAY…Mostly cloudy with a 40 percent chance of rain showers and thunderstorms in the Jamestown area, 40 percent in the Valley City area . Some thunderstorms may be severe in the afternoon. Highs in the lower 70s. Southeast winds 15 to 25 mph.

.SATURDAY NIGHT…Showers and thunderstorms. Some thunderstorms

may be severe in the evening. Chance of thunderstoms 80 percent.  Lows in the lower 60s.

 

.SUNDAY…Partly sunny with a 30 percent chance of showers and

thunderstorms. Highs in the mid 80s.

.SUNDAY NIGHT…Decreasing clouds. A 50 percent chance of showers

and thunderstorms. Lows in the upper 60s.

.MONDAY…Mostly sunny with a 20 percent chance of showers and

thunderstorms. Highs in the mid 80s.

.MONDAY NIGHT…Mostly cloudy with a 30 percent chance of rain

showers and thunderstorms. Lows in the mid 50s.

.TUESDAY…Partly sunny with a 30 percent chance of rain showers

and thunderstorms. Highs in the lower 70s.

.TUESDAY NIGHT…Partly cloudy with a 30 percent chance of rain

showers and thunderstorms. Lows in the lower 50s.

.WEDNESDAY…Partly sunny with a 30 percent chance of rain

showers and thunderstorms. Highs in the upper 60s.

Strong thunderstorms are possible across portions of central and
southern North Dakota Thursday.

Severe thunderstorms are possible across western and central
North Dakota Saturday through Sunday night.

 

NDDoH

Posted Thurs. Jun. 4, 2020

11:00 a.m.

Positive COVID-19 Test Results
Results listed are from the previous day.
COUNTIES WITH NEW POSITIVE CASES REPORTED THURSDAY

  • Barnes County – 1
  • Barnes Total 6
  • Bottineau County – 1
  • Burleigh County – 2
  • Cass County – 20
  • Mountrail County – 1
  • Richland County – 1
  • Sargent County – 1

Valley City    (NDD0H)  The North Dakota Department of Heath reported on Thursday, one additional confirmed case of COVID-19 in Barnes County.

The person is a female in her late teens, a close contact to a case.  She is currently self-isolating.  The county has total of six confirmed positive cases  with two active.


BY THE NUMBERS

104,888 – Total Number of Tests Completed* (+3,569 total tests from yesterday)

 

75,744 – Total Unique Individuals Tested* (+1,242 unique individuals from yesterday)

73,038 – Total Negative (+1,215 unique individuals from yesterday)

2,706 – Total Positive (+27 unique individuals from yesterday)

0.8% – Daily Positivity Rate**

175 – Total Hospitalized (+3 individuals from yesterday)

32 – Currently Hospitalized (-2 individuals from yesterday)

2,209 – Total Recovered (+40 individuals from yesterday)

66 – Total Deaths*** (+0 individual from yesterday)

 

* Note that this does not include individuals from out of state and has been updated to reflect the most recent information discovered after cases were investigated.

**Because the serial tests completed and added to the total number of tests completed can result in new individuals who test positive, the daily positivity rate will be calculated using the total positives for the day by the daily number of tests completed instead of the daily number of unique individuals tested.

 

*** Number of individuals who tested positive and died from any cause while infected with COVID-19.

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 FacebookTwitter and Instagram and visit the CDC website at www.cdc.gov/coronavirus.

Jamestown  (CSi)  The Jamestown City Council met in Special Session Thursday morning at City Hall. All members were present. All in attendance observed social distancing.

Council Members considered the proposed budget amendment to the 2020 City Budget.

The proposed amendment represents fund balances on hand and revenues anticipated for 2020 which were not included in the original 2020 budget.

Mayor Dwaine Heinrich said, the 2021 budget would not be discussed, except how the 2020 budget may affect it.  Changes over the last year require the amendment.  He said expected expenses incurred by the COVID-19 pandemic will have to be taken into account, in balancing the budget, along with  determining the  revenue projections.

He said, the council needs a good  idea of where the 2020 budget exactly stands, going into budgeting for 2021, including addressing no dollars currently in the reserve fund.

The transfer of funds is still to be decided regarding revenue.

At Thursday’s meeting the City Council voted to approve the vehicle appreciation fund, adjusted by $44,741 in the General Fund.

The projected year end 2020 budget revenue  is $808,770, the starting point of the 2021 budget.

The next budget meeting is set for Thursday June 11, at 10-a.m., at City Hall.

The Jun 4 meeting was shown live on CSi 67.

Jamestown (CSi)  Stutsman County Auditor, COO Nicole Meland informs the public that the Stutsman County Courthouse will remain closed to the public, and all services conducted by the first floor Courthouse (Auditor, Treasurer, Recorder and Tax Director) will be suspended from Friday, June 5, 2020, beginning at 8:00 a.m. through Tuesday, June 9, 2020, to process Vote-By-Mail Election ballots.

Only election-related phone calls will be accepted. All other calls will be answered as time permits. Should you have an election-related question or wish to leave a non-election related message, please call (701) 252-9035 or email auditor@stutsmancounty.gov.

Valley City   Weather permitting, on Thursday, Jun 4, Valley City Public works will spray for mosquitoes  starting at 8pm into Friday, morning.

Parents are advised to keep children and pets out of the streets and away from the spray machines. Motorists are urged to use caution when traveling in the area of the operation.

Call Public Works with any questions at 845-0380.

CSi  (USDA)  As COVID-19 has struck the nation, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) was pleased to announce the Farmers to Families (F2F) Food Box program as a part of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act helping to purchase and distribute agricultural products from across the country and get them into the hands of those in need.

The program works with suppliers packaging fresh produce, dairy and meat products into family sized food boxes then transport them to organizations like the Great Plains Food Bank.

Upcoming Great Plains Food Box distributions:

Valley City
June 9, June 23
Epworth United Methodist Church (parking lot)
680 8th Avenue Southwest
10 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Jamestown
June 9, June 23
Jamestown Civic Center (parking lot)
212 3rd Avenue Northeast
3-6 p.m.

**Cars may begin lining up one hour prior to the start of each distribution.

FARGO, N.D. (AP) — Black leaders in North Dakota’s largest city pleaded for calm Thursday in the face of violent threats to disrupt a gathering in memory of George Floyd and advertised the event as a celebration and not a protest. The OneFargo event is scheduled Friday afternoon at a downtown Fargo park. Organizers had planned to march from Island Park to City Hall for a sit-in. They have scrapped that idea after social media threats surfaced to burn down the city offices and commit other violent acts. Organizer Wess Philome says anyone who is looking to destroy the “positive energy” from Friday’s event should stay home. The pledge to tone down the dissent comes after people damaged buildings and vehicles in downtown Fargo last weekend.

Fargo  (KFGO) Fargo Mayor Tim Mahoney says the North Dakota National Guard will be stationed at City hall Friday.

He says the emergency declaration he issued Saturday night during the downtown riot remains in effect which will allow the national guard to return, as a precaution.

Mahoney says threats have been found on social media, made by anarchists called Antifa, a loose knit group known to create violence during demonstrations.

He says authorities are well aware of the Facebook posts that threaten to burn city hall but it’s not known if it’s credible.

The mayor says Fargo will take the measures needed to protect the city. He says “we will be prepared.”

Plywood was installed over the windows at Fargo Police headquarters.

FARGO (KFGO) – Fargo Deputy Police Chief Todd Osmundson has been suspended without pay for his actions during Saturday night’s riot.

Police Chief Dave Todd and Mayor Tim Mahoney say Osmundson chose to operate independently without approval. Osmundson was working behind the scenes without the knowledge of other officers.

Osmundson “created a danger for himself and any officer who may have needed to come to his aid” according to Todd. “This a serious matter and we are dealing with it quickly. Having a sworn person, whether they are an officer in uniform or a member of my command team acting on their own, operating independent of operations planning is unacceptable and dangerous.”

Todd says Osmundson has accepted full responsibility for his actions. Osmundson is a 31 year employee of the department.

Bismarck (DPI)  – State School Superintendent Kirsten Baesler has announced applications for two openings on the Board of Public School Education, which facilitates cooperation among the state’s various K-12 education organizations.

Baesler is executive secretary of the board and is responsible for its administration. The board has seven members, including Baesler and six members that represent groups of counties. The groups are listed in state law (NDCC 15.1-01-01(1)).

Applicants are being sought to represent two groups of counties. The person must be an eligible voter and live in one of the counties in the group. The groups are:

  1. Burleigh, Eddy, Foster, Kidder, McLean, Sheridan, Stutsman or Wells counties (NDCC 15.1-01-01(1)(d); and
  2. Dickey, Emmons, LaMoure, Logan, McIntosh, Ransom, Richland, or Sargent counties (NDCC 15.1-01-01(1)(c).

The application deadline for the two openings is 5 p.m. Tuesday, June 30. The one-page application form is posted on the Department of Public Instruction’s website here: https://www.nd.gov/dpi/sites/www/files/documents/SFN%20Forms/SFN%2061841.pdf

Applications should be sent to dpi@nd.gov at the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction. Applications may also be mailed to the Department of Public Instruction, 600 E. Boulevard Ave., Dept. 201, Bismarck, N.D., 58505.

Members of the Board of Public School Education are appointed by the governor and serve six-year terms.  They meet on the third Monday of each month, except when the board has no pending business. Members are paid $62.50 per day, plus expenses, for meetings and for performing duties as directed by the board.

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — North Dakota’s top prison administrator is resigning after 15 years to take a job in the private sector. Gov. Doug Burgum announced Thursday that Leann Bertsch is stepping down as head of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation on July 31. Dave Krabbenhoft, the agency’s head of administration, will serve as interim director. Burgum says Bertsch has taken a job at a Utah-based company that operates private correctional facilities and federal Job Corps centers. Former Gov. John Hoeven appointed Bertsch as state labor commissioner in 2004 and to head the corrections agency a year later. Bertsch also was a former state prosecutor.

In sports…

FARGO, North Dakota – In the interest of the health and safety of the Special Olympics North Dakota (SOND) community and to continuance of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), the SOND State Summer Games which were scheduled for June 4-6 in Fargo will not be conducted. President/CEO, Kathleen Meagher says, “We know this is a great disappointment for the entire SOND family, but the safety of our athlete’s families, coaches, volunteers and staff remain our PRIMARY concern. This cancellation of a face to face event only compounds the feelings of disappointment and isolation. Our events are opportunities for entire communities to come together for a wonderful cause, a celebration of life, but unfortunately, joining together at this time can pose a risk to our participants and volunteers.”

SOND State Summer Games historically provided state competitions in five (5) sports to nearly 700 people with and without intellectual disabilities with the support of nearly 500 day of event volunteers.

Three main factors that went into the decision:
1. Despite the phased approach to reopening the state, there is still uncertainty around when we would have the all-clear to resume the training programs for all participants and athletes;
2. The availability of venues and massive screening of volunteers
3. Many of our athletes and coaches participate in multiple seasons.
Despite SOND State Summer Games in Fargo being canceled, SOND will continue offering programs through the spring and summer for people with and without intellectual disabilities. In addition to providing resources for athletes to continue to train at home, SOND is offering at “Virtual” State Summer Games competition in 11 events in Track & Field and Strength/Powerlifitng with the opening and awards ceremony on June 11. This event is also opened to all people with and without intellectual disabilities. The ceremony will air on the SOND Facebook page and be available to view on demand on the SOND website. For more information or to register go to specialolympicsnd.org
Engage with us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

About Special Olympics North Dakota Special Olympics North Dakota is part of a worldwide movement that unleashes the human spirit through the transformative power and joy of sports everyday around the world. Through work in sports, health education and community building, Special Olympics is addressing inactivity, injustice, intolerance and social isolation by encouraging and empowering people with intellectual disabilities which leads to a more welcoming and inclusive society. Every year more than 1,600 Special Olympics athletes in North Dakota have an opportunity to take part in any of the 15 sports offered. With the support of more than 340 coaches, 5,200 statewide volunteers and are
2 | Special Olympics
able to deliver nearly 85 statewide competitions and events throughout the year. Learn more about Special Olympics North Dakota at www.SpecialOlympicsND.org and follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

In world and national news…

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Mourners were converging in Minneapolis Thursday afternoon,  to memorialize George Floyd, whose death at the hands of a police officer sparked national protests on racial injustice. The first of three funeral events for Floyd at North Central University in Minneapolis, where a throng of media was awaiting the start of the afternoon service. The Rev. Al Sharpton eulogized the 46-year-old Floyd. Demonstrations in cities across the U.S. and across the globe continue in the wake of his death. In the U.S., protests were largely calmer for a second straight night after new charges against police in Minneapolis were announced.

 

BRUNSWICK, Ga. (AP) — A state investigator is alleging that the white man accused of killing Ahmaud Arbery was heard saying a racist slur as he stood over the mortally wounded black man, moments after hitting him with three shots from a pump-action shotgun. The agent described evidence that Arbery was repeatedly boxed in by two pickup trucks as he desperately tried to escape. Special Agent Richard Dial says Travis McMichael then shot him in the chest, the hand, and the chest again during a struggle. The evidence challenges claims of self-defense during a citizens’ arrest attempt, and could factor into a federal hate crime investigation.

 

WASHINGTON (AP) — Hundreds of federal agents have descended on the nation’s capital aiming to prevent any more of the violence that has erupted in Washington during protests over the police death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. More than 100 Drug Enforcement Administration agents are part of the massive federal response by the Trump administration aimed at quelling the unrest. Scores of heavily armed federal officers in tactical gear have been on the district’s streets for days, after demonstrators set fires, broke store windows and stole items from the shelves and left police officers injured. Officials say in addition to crowd control, the agents are serving a vital role by helping to relieve the Metropolitan Police Department so it can handle other emergencies.

 

WASHINGTON (AP) — Alaska Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski says she’s “struggling” over whether she can support President Donald Trump given his handling of the virus and race crises roiling the U.S. Murkowski said Thursday that she was “thankful” for retired Gen. James Mattis’ extraordinary rebuke of Trump for politicizing the military. Asked about her support of president, Murkowski replied, “I have struggled with it for a long time.” Murkowski retracted her endorsement of Trump in 2016 after the “Access Hollywood” tape revealed he had bragged about sexually assaulting women. She voted to acquit Trump of House impeachment charges earlier this year. She spoke Thursday to reporters at the Capitol.

 

LOCUST GROVE, Va. (AP) — Deputies in Virginia say a white man assaulted three people because of their race. The Orange County Sheriff’s Office said deputies were called to the scene by 53-year-old Edward Halstead of Locust Grove on Tuesday night. After interviewing witnesses, deputies determined that Halstead was the aggressor. Sheriff Mark Amos said the victims are African American. Halstead has been booked into a regional jail on charges including attempted strangulation and three counts of felonious assault and battery due to the victim’s race. It was not immediately clear if he has a lawyer who could comment for him.

 

NEW YORK (AP) — New York City police are trying to determine what motivated a stabbing ambush of an officer on an anti-looting patrol in Brooklyn. The attack late Wednesday spurred a struggle in which the suspect was shot and two other officers suffered gunshot injuries to their hands. Officer Yayonfrant Jean Pierre is expected to recover from stab wounds in the neck. The other wounded officers, Randy Ramnarine and Dexter Chiu, also are expected to recover. Police Commissioner Dermot Shea says the suspect was hospitalized in critical condition after being shot multiple times. Shea says it’s too “soon to make statements at this point” about any impetus for the stabbing.

 

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — California authorities are praising thousands of peaceful protesters who have thronged streets but they also have filed criminal charges against more than 100 people accused of looting and violence. The figures were announced on the sixth day of protests over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Crowds continued to grow, with an estimated 10,000 gathering in San Francisco. But violence has dwindled and some cities and counties announced plans to shorten or cancel curfews. Meanwhile, police in the city of Vallejo said they shot and killed a 22-year-old looting suspect on Tuesday after mistaking his hammer for a gun.

 

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo says the thousands of people protesting the death of George Floyd have a “civic duty” to be tested for the coronavirus. Cuomo is concerned that people packing in tightly for demonstrations could lead to more COVID-19 cases. Cuomo was particularly concerned about nightly mass demonstrations in New York City, which is poised to relax some economic restrictions. Fewer people in the state are being hospitalized for COVID-19 and the daily death toll was 52 on Wednesday, compared to almost 800 at the peak of the outbreak.