Wayne Byers Show – Evening – Dec 16

CSi Weather…

.TONIGHT…Mostly cloudy. Lows 10 to 15. West winds 5 to 15 mph.

.THURSDAY…Mostly sunny. Highs 30 to 35. Southwest winds around 5 mph increasing to south around 15 mph in the afternoon.

.THURSDAY NIGHT…Cloudy. Lows 20 to 25.

.FRIDAY…Mostly cloudy in the morning then mostly sunny. Highs

30 to 35.

.FRIDAY NIGHT…Mostly clear. Lows 5 to 10.

.SATURDAY…Mostly sunny. Highs in the mid 30s.

.SATURDAY NIGHT…Partly cloudy. Lows 20 to 25.

.SUNDAY…Partly sunny. Highs 40 to 45.

.SUNDAY NIGHT…Mostly cloudy. Lows in the mid 20s.

.MONDAY…Mostly sunny. Highs in the mid 30s.

.MONDAY NIGHT…Partly cloudy. Lows 15 to 20.

.TUESDAY…Mostly cloudy. A 20 percent chance of snow in the

afternoon. Highs in the lower 30s. Highs 30 to 35.

 

 

Bismarck  (CSi)  Governor Doug Burgum held his weekly News Briefing on Wednesday morning, in Bismarck. Speakers included Molly Howell, NDDoH Immunization Program Director; Dr. Joshua Wynne, the state’s chief health strategist and dean of the University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences; and Dr. Joan Connell, NDDoH field medical officer, and Kirby Kruger, NDDoH Director of Disease Control.

 

Burgum passed along positive news with light at the end of the public of the pandemic.

With vaccines…. He pointed out the arrival of the Pfizer vaccine in the state.

He still urges people to stay safe including physical distancing, especially indoors, where ventilation issues exist, and wearing face masks.

 

With Low Cost Rapid Testing, with the BinaxNow tests, he said the transmission chain is broken more quickly with positives identified more quickly.

 

Therapeutic Testing.

Burgum said active cases in the state dropped significantly in the last week, with the positivity rate on Wednesday reported at 5.8%.   North Dakota currently has the lowest positivity in rate in the upper Midwest.  The goal is to get the number under 5%.

Stutsman report 122 active cases on Wednesday.

He added patients hospitalized with the virus has decreased the past week, and significantly from November.  115 more deaths reported in the state the past week with 57 new deaths reported on Wednesday.

He said the majority of North Dakota COVID-19 deaths have come from long-term care facilities.

 

NDDoH Director of Disease Control Kirby Kruger said, discharges have been increasing as well.

Regular communications continue with hospitals, who have reported some staffing issues.

With vaccines, Burgum credits federal officials along with science advances, to speedily make the vaccines available, including clinical safety issues, stemming from clinical trials.

Molly Howell, NDDoH Immunization Program Director said, 6800 doses of the Pfizer vaccine was received this week in North Dakota, with 831 doses administered as of Wednesday morning.

Next week ND will receive 13,200 doses of the Moderna vaccine.

She pointed out those who should not receive the vaccine includes those who have had reactions to other vaccines.  Those who have had COVID-19 can receive the vaccine, based on a timeframe.  Pregnant women can be vaccinated, after speaking with their healthcare providers.

She added that 17 and 18 year olds can receive the vaccine.

Two doses of each vaccine is required at a few weeks apart, based on the vaccine given on the when the first dose is given.

Burgum said multiple school districts are receiving vaccinations.

Dr. Joshua Wynne, the state’s chief health strategist and dean of the University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences, talked about the types of testing available including antigen testing, at point of care.  PCR along with antigen tests are to be given at UND, after the upcoming holiday break.   He encourages all residents to be vaccinated, and to continue to stay safe within protocols, for mitigation purposes.

Dr. Joan Connell, NDDoH field medical officer, discussed  therapeutics  including Monoconal Antibody Therapy for those at high risk for getting the virus.  Remdesivir treatment assists the body from replicating the virus, which is available currently for in hospital patients.

Those testing positive should discuss the therapies with their healthcare provider, along with individuals at high risk.

 

Also

Burgum says he will wait his turn in line to get a coronavirus vaccination. The 64-year-old Republican governor told a Fargo-area chamber of commerce panel on a videoconference this week that he will be “way down the line” when it comes to his eligibility. North Dakota’s initial doses of the vaccine began arriving on Monday. The limited supply is prioritized for frontline healthcare workers and nursing home residents. North Dakota health officials have said the vaccine is not expected to be available to the general public until spring.

NDDoH

ND Covid Stats

Wed Dec 16, 2020

11:00-a.m.

 

Barnes County

New Positives:  3

Total Positives: 1182

Active:  35

Recovered: 1125

 

Stutsman County

 

New Positives: 15

Total Positives:  2911

Active: 122

Recovered: 2722

 

COVID-19 Test Results 
The results listed are from the previous day. Additional data can be found on the NDDoH website.

On Wednesday, Dec. 16, the North Dakota Department of Health reported a net decrease in hospitalizations of 117 individuals. Hospitalizations in our state have fallen rapidly in the past few weeks, and while much of this difference reflects newly discharged cases, part of this drop reflects a quality control effort as case workers catch up with these changes following a recent surge in cases.

Of the 146 hospitalizations whose status was changed from current to discharged, 74 had been discharged in the past two weeks and the remainder were discharged prior to Dec. 1. This was due to a variety of factors, including case managers catching up with follow-up work after a surge of new cases in November; lags in reporting between when patients were actually discharged from facilities to when the NDDoH was notified of the discharges through the Health Information Network; and inconsistent data entry.

“The team took time yesterday to verify every individual currently marked as hospitalized and found a number who had been previously discharged,” said Disease Control Director Kirby Kruger. “In the future, the team will be working more actively with facilities to ensure the information is up to date and accurate and will continue to check the Health Information Network daily for hospitalization information.”

BY THE NUMBERS

4,917 – Total Tests from Yesterday*

1,242,239 – Total tests completed since the pandemic began

304 – Positive Individuals from Yesterday*****

242 – PCR Tests | 62 antigen tests
88,686 – Total positive individuals since the pandemic began

5.37% – Daily Positivity Rate**

 

2,956 – Total Active Cases

-274 Individuals from Yesterday

540 – Individuals Recovered from Yesterday (410 with a recovery date of yesterday****)

84,535 – Total recovered since the pandemic began

160 – Currently Hospitalized

-117 – Individuals from yesterday

See message above.

 

24 – New Deaths*** (1,194 total deaths since the pandemic began)

 

INDIVIDUALS WHO DIED WITH COVID

• Woman in her 80s from Adams County.
• Woman in her 80s from Benson County.
• Man in his 50s from Burleigh County.
• Man in his 80s from Burleigh County.
• Man in his 90s from Burleigh County.
• Woman in her 90s from Burleigh County.
• Woman in her 90s from Burleigh County.
• Man in his 60s from Cass County.
• Man in his 60s from Cass County.
• Woman in her 90s from Cass County.
• Man in his 70s from Dunn County.
• Man in his 60s from Eddy County.
• Man in his 80s from Logan County.
• Woman in her 90s from Pierce County.
• Woman in her 40s from Ramsey County.
• Man in his 60s from Ramsey County.
• Man in his 80s from Ransom County.
• Woman in her 80s from Stark County.
• Woman in her 80s from Stark County.
• Woman in her 100s from Traill County.
• Woman in her 90s from Ward County.
• Woman in her 90s from Ward County.
• Woman in her 90s from Ward County.
• Woman in her 80s from Williams County.

COUNTIES WITH NEW POSITIVE CASES REPORTED WEDNESDAY

• Barnes County – 3
• Benson County – 3
• Bottineau County – 3
• Bowman County – 3
• Burleigh County – 34
• Cass County – 72
• Cavalier County – 2
• Dickey County – 8
• Divide County – 2
• Dunn County – 1
• Eddy County – 1
• Emmons County – 1
• Foster County – 1
• Golden Valley County – 1
• Grand Forks County – 23
• Griggs County – 1
• Kidder County – 1
• LaMoure County – 3
• McHenry County – 2
• McIntosh County – 1
• McKenzie County – 9
• McLean County – 3
• Mercer County – 3
• Morton County – 10
• Mountrail County – 1
• Nelson County – 3
• Oliver County – 2
• Ramsey County – 6
• Ransom County – 3
• Renville County – 1
• Richland County – 14
• Rolette County – 11
• Sargent County – 1
• Sioux County – 2
• Stark County – 10
• Steele County – 2
• Stutsman County – 15
• Traill County – 5
• Walsh County – 3
• Ward County – 18
• Wells County – 3
• Williams County – 13

 

* Note that this includes PCR tests and does not include individuals from out of state.

**Individuals who tested positive divided by the total number of people tested who have not previously tested positive (susceptible encounters). Antigen tests (positive or negative) are not included in the calculation.

*** Number of individuals who tested positive with a PCR or antigen test and died from any cause while infected with COVID-19. Please remember that deaths are reported as they’re reported to us by the facility or through the official death record (up to 10-day delay).

 

**** The actual date individuals are officially out of isolation and no longer contagious.

*****Daily positive numbers include people who tested with a PCR or antigen test. Totals may be adjusted as individuals are found to live out of state, in another county, or as other information is found during investigation.

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.

NDDoH Website

 

 

The North Dakota Medical Expense Assistance Program (MEAP) applications closed at 5:00 pm CST on Dec. 15, 2020, due to the overwhelming response.

 

The North Dakota Legislative Budget Section reallocated $2.5M federal CARES Act dollars on December 3, 2020, to the Department of Commerce for MEAP to provide medical expense assistance to support first responders and healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. The state of North Dakota is required by federal regulations to spend the dollars by the end of 2020.

Contact MEAP Hotline at meap@nd.gov or 701-328-6004 with questions.

 

Jamestown  (CSi)  The Jamestown City Fire Department will be training with the new Ladder 1 Truck, beginning Thursday, December 17, 2020 and ending Friday, December 18, 2020.

Firefighters will be training on the new aerial ladder truck in different parts of the City of Jamestown. The hours of training will be between 9am – 4pm each day.

If at all possible, please avoid the area and use extreme caution in this area.
The Fire Department trains monthly on the operations of fire apparatus for the use of emergencies.

It’s very important for firefighters to train on the following, RESPONSIBILITIES AND SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS, PLACEMENT OF AERIAL LADDERS (GENERAL), PLACEMENT OF AERIAL LADDERS (FIRE OPERATIONS), VENTILATING WITH THE AERIAL LADDER, and OPERATIONS FOR REMOVAL OF VICTIM OR VICTIMS OF AERIAL LADDER.

Jamestown  (CSi)  The All Vets Club in Jamestown is inviting vets to a free dinner on New Year’s Eve for all area veterans. The two seating times are 5-p.m. and 7-p.m.

Those planning to attend are asked to call 252-8994 for a reservation time to maintain safety protocols and social distancing. Meal choices include seafood and steak.

On New Year’s Day, the club will have free Tom and Jerrys starting at 10 a.m. until gone followed by family bingo at around 11:30 a.m. All in the community are welcome. People are asked to mask up or social distance.

The club asks the public to remember military personnel who can’t be with their families during the holiday season.

The club directors appreciates the public’s patronage and support during this time.

Update

Bismarck  (NDHP)  On Tuesday, December 15, 2020 at 6:51 pm, NDHP Troopers were attempting to stop 47 year old Jason Simeon, ofGlyndon, MN. There was probable cause to arrest Simeon for 1st Degree Sexual Assault after an investigation by the Glyndon Police Department.

NDHP troopers located Simeon’s vehicle, a 2007 Dodge Durango, in Fargo and were attempting to stop it northbound on I-29, between the 32nd Ave and I-94 exits. Seconds after the troopers activated their emergency lights, Simeon accelerated away from the troopers, swerved to the right and struck a bridge pillar for the I-94 overpass. The Dodge struck the bridge pillar head on and came to rest against the bridge pillar.

Simeon was the driver of the Dodge and lone occupant. He was pronounced dead on scene. The incident remains under investigation by the NDHP.
The NDHP was assisted on scene by the Fargo Police Department, Fargo Fire Department, Cass County Sheriff’s Office, NDDOT and Clay County, MN Sheriff’s Office.

In sports…

VALLEY CITY  (VCSU)  – The Barnes County Athletic Association and Valley City State University have announced changes to the annual Boys Basketball Barnes County Tournament in January.

Instead of playing a three-day tournament in mid-January at VCSU’s W.E. Osmon Fieldhouse, the participating teams will schedule and play three regular season games that week at participating schools. The games will be non-tournament contests with all opponents and locations determined ahead of time. The games are scheduled for Jan. 11, 12 and 14.

Events on VCSU’s campus are currently restricted to 150 people, based on the current recommendations from the ND Smart Restart Guidelines. Those attendance restrictions, the use of the W.E. Osmon Fieldhouse as a community testing and vaccination site, and VCSU athletics schedule changes due to COVID-19 were all factors in the decision to change this year’s event to a non-tournament format at different locations. 

This is the first time since 1917 that the boys tournament will not crown a tournament champion. 

2021 Boys Barnes County Tournament Schedule (all games played at school sites)
January 11
Warwick at Enderlin
Barnes County North at Maple Valley
LaMoure/Litchville-Marion at Wyndmere-Lidgerwood
Sargent County at Finley-Sharon/Hope-Page

January 12
White Shield at Enderlin
Finley-Sharon/Hope-Page at LaMoure/Litchville-Marion
Barnes County North at Sargent County
Wyndmere-Lidgerwood at Maple Valley

January 14
LaMoure at Enderlin
Finley-Sharon/Hope-Page at Barnes County North
Warwick at Maple Valley
Sargent County at Wyndmere-Lidgerwood

 

In world and national news…

POMPANO BEACH, Fla. (AP) — The first COVID-19 vaccinations are underway at U.S. nursing homes, where the virus has killed upwards of 110,000 people, even as the nation struggles to contain a surge so alarming that California is dispensing thousands of body bags and lining up refrigerated morgue trailers. In Washington, lawmakers are closing in on a long-stalled coronavirus relief package that would send direct payments of perhaps $600 to most Americans. Meanwhile, the U.S. appears to be days away from adding a second vaccine to its arsenal. At the same time, a major snowstorm pushing its way into the Northeast is raising fears it could disrupt distribution of the vaccine.

 

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. officials say they’re actively negotiating for additional purchases of Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine after passing up a chance to lock in a contract this summer because it was still unclear how well the shots would work. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar and special adviser Dr. Moncef Slaoui also told reporters Wednesday that Pfizer had been unable to commit to a firm delivery date. Azar called that “the core issue.” The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine was the first to win U.S. approval, and in communities around the country some health care workers are receiving the first shots. There was no immediate comment from Pfizer.

 

NEW YORK (AP) — The Northeast is girding for a major snowstorm at a key moment in the coronavirus pandemic. It’s coming days into the beginning of a massive vaccination campaign and in the thick of a virus surge that has throngs of people seeking tests per day. The storm is poised to drop as much as 2 feet of snow in some places by Thursday, and the pandemic adding new complexities to officials’ preparations, from deciding whether to close testing sites to figuring out how to handle plowing amid outdoor dining platforms in New York City streets. Still, officials say they don’t expect the winter blast to disrupt vaccine distribution.

 

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — A Google services outage this week and potential impacts from a snowstorm in the Northeast highlight the fragile chain of connectivity that’s powering widespread remote learning during the coronavirus pandemic. One Ohio school superintendent called Monday’s Google outage “the COVID version of a snow day.” Some districts are considering whether actual snow days are even needed now. They argue if there’s bad weather, students can log on virtually. But that depends on whether the technology holds. MIT professor Justin Reich says “schools are being asked to essentially maintain their supply chain out into children’s homes.” Inequities in districts’ resources exacerbate those challenges.

 

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve will keep buying government bonds until the economy makes “substantial” progress, a step intended to reassure financial markets and keep long-term borrowing rates low. The Fed also said after its latest policy meeting that it will keep its short-term benchmark interest rate pegged near zero. The Fed has kept its key rate there since March, when it took a range of extraordinary steps to fight the pandemic recession. In a series of economic projections, Fed officials painted a brighter picture of the economy next year, compared with its last projections in September. The improvement likely reflects the expected impact of the new coronavirus vaccines.

 

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says Democratic Rep. Deb Haaland would make an “excellent choice” as interior secretary in President-elect Joe Biden’s administration, even though the departure would narrow the already razor-slim House majority. Pelosi’s statement Wednesday opens the door for Biden to choose Haaland, the front-runner for the post. Backers say her potential history-making nomination as the first Native American to serve in a Cabinet would excite Americans and energize progressive Democrats. The speaker called the New Mexico congresswoman “one of the most respected and one of the best members of Congress” with whom she has served.

 

WASHINGTON (AP) — The nation’s six largest veterans groups are calling on President Donald Trump to immediately fire Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert Wilkie over the mishandling of a congressional aide’s allegation of a sexual assault at a VA hospital. In a letter to the White House, the groups said they had lost all confidence in Wilkie’s ability to lead the government’s second-largest department following a blistering audit last week that found he had acted unprofessionally if not unethically. The groups said that Trump must take action in the last weeks of his administration since Wilkie had refused to accept responsibility and was refusing to resign.

 

(AP)  A bipartisan congressional investigation has found that key players in the nation’s opioid industry have spent $65 million since 1997 funding nonprofits that advocate treating pain with medications. The strategy is intended to boost the sale of prescription painkillers. The report from Sens. Chuck Grassley of Iowa and Ron Wyden of Oregon found the contributions continued in recent years, even as the industry’s practices and the toll of opioid addiction came under greater scrutiny. The senators are considering legislation to expand an existing federal system that tracks payments from companies to doctors so it will include payments to nonprofit organizations.

 

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Red tide is back in the waters off of Florida’s southwest coast, making birds sick and killing fish. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission made an announcement about the situation Wednesday. While satellite imagery isn’t picking up the toxic algal blooms, more than a dozen sea birds were brought to a wildlife rehabilitation center and all tested positive for red tide. Fish kills have occurred in some areas. The bloom stretches from Sanibel Island to Marco Island. The state, local governments and volunteers are monitoring the situation. Winter weather could break up the bloom, but in the meantime officials are trying to identify what areas are being affected.