CSi Weather…

.TONIGHT…Mostly cloudy. Slight chance of flurries in the evening. Lows zero to 5 above. Southeast winds 10 to 15 mph.

.THURSDAY…Mostly cloudy. Highs 15 to 20. Southeast winds 10 to 15 mph.

.THURSDAY NIGHT…Mostly cloudy. Lows around 10. Southeast winds

10 to 15 mph.

.FRIDAY…Cloudy. Highs in the mid 20s. Southeast winds 15 to

20 mph.

.FRIDAY NIGHT…Cloudy. Lows 15 to 20.

.SATURDAY…Cloudy with a 20 percent chance of snow. Highs in the

upper 20s.

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

Lows 15 to 20.

.SUNDAY…Mostly sunny. Highs in the upper 20s.

.SUNDAY NIGHT…Partly cloudy. Lows around 10.

.MONDAY…Mostly sunny. Highs in the upper 20s.

.MONDAY NIGHT…Increasing clouds. Lows around 15.

.TUESDAY…Mostly cloudy. Highs in the lower 30s.

 

 

Jamestown  (JPD  Jamestown Police is asking anyone with information on an early Wednesday morning  January 27, break-in  at Rainbow Laundry in Jamestown, office, to contact police.

The break-in with two individuals seen inside on security camera footage, occurred about 3:30-a.m.

Anyone with cameras in the area that may have recorded footage of movement around that time, is requested to contact  Jamestown Police  at 701-252-2414.

 

Bismarck  (CSi) – With active cases of COVID-19 in North Dakota at their lowest level since mid-August, Gov. Doug Burgum Wednesday announced the statewide risk level is being adjusted from moderate/yellow risk to low/green risk, effective 8 a.m. Friday, Jan. 29.

A low/green risk level increases the recommended occupancy limit for bars, restaurants and other food service establishments from 65 percent of licensed facility capacity up to 200 patrons, to 80 percent of licensed facility capacity up to 300 patrons, with social distancing. Face coverings should be strongly recommended or required. Banquet, ballrooms and event venues are recommended at 75 percent of room capacity, not to exceed the ND Smart Restart capacity limits.

 

Burgum noted active cases have decreased to 1,016 today, down from over 10,000 in mid-November, and the state’s 14-day positivity rate has decreased to 3.17 percent, the lowest since Aug. 22. Hospitalizations due to COVID-19 stand at 49, down from a peak of 334 on Nov. 11.

 

North Dakota ranked lowest among all states for test positivity last week, according to the state report distributed by the White House, and first among states in percentage of received vaccine doses administered as of Tuesday, at 87 percent, according to the CDC Data Tracker.

 

Burgum says, “We’re grateful to all North Dakotans, including our medical, education and business communities, for their actions that have contributed to these positive results.  We continue to use a data-driven approach to navigate this pandemic, and all data indicates North Dakota is heading in the right direction. To continue these positive trends, we encourage North Dakotans to keep using the tools that got us here: physical distance, wear a mask when you can’t distance, get vaccinated when it’s your turn, get tested and, if positive, seek out monoclonal antibody treatments, which can dramatically reduce hospitalization and mortality rates if administered at the right time to eligible patients.”

 

Burgum encouraged residents to observe local protocols, including local mask requirements, and to get vaccinated when it’s their turn, to stay healthy, protect the vulnerable and keep children in school.

For more information on North Dakota’s COVID-19 response, visit www.health.nd.gov/coronavirus or www.ndresponse.gov.

 

NDDoH Covid-19 Stats

Wed.  Jan. 27,  2021

Barnes

New Positives  0

Total Positives 1276

Active  2

Recovered  1242

 

Stutsman

Positives 1

Total Positives 3230

Active 13

Recovered 3142

More information when available.

 

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


BY THE NUMBERS

7,354 – Total Tests from yesterday*

1,502,576 – Total tests completed since the pandemic began

162 – Positive Individuals from Yesterday*****

106 – PCR Tests | 56 – Antigen Tests
97,160 – Total positive individuals since the pandemic began

2.60% – Daily Positivity Rate**

 

1,016 – Total Active Cases

+8 – Individuals from yesterday.  

126 – with a recovery date of yesterday****

94,728 – Total recovered since the pandemic began

49 – Currently Hospitalized

+1 – Individuals from yesterday.

 

1 – New Deaths*** (1,416 total deaths since the pandemic began)

INDIVIDUALS WHO DIED WITH COVID-19

  • Woman in her 80s from Ward County.

 

COUNTIES WITH NEW POSITIVE CASES REPORTED WEDNESDAY

  • Bottineau County – 4
  • Burke County – 2
  • Burleigh County – 15
  • Cass County – 27
  • Dickey County – 3
  • Dunn County – 1
  • Eddy County – 9
  • Foster County – 1
  • Grand Forks County – 6
  • Hettinger County – 2
  • McHenry County – 1
  • McKenzie County – 3
  • McLean County – 1
  • Mercer County – 2
  • Morton County – 4
  • Mountrail County – 1
  • Ramsey County – 4
  • Ransom County – 1
  • Richland County – 8
  • Rolette County – 10
  • Sioux County – 2
  • Stark County – 5
  • Stutsman County – 1
  • Towner County – 1
  • Traill County – 2
  • Ward County – 20
  • Williams County – 26

 

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

**Individuals (PCR or antigen) who tested positive divided by the total number of people tested who have not previously tested positive (susceptible encounters).

*** 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.

 

Valley City  (CCHD)  Registrations are being accepted on line through the City/County Health District for this week’s COVID-19 vaccinations.

The posted schedule this week:

75 years old and older:

Next vaccination:

Thursday Jan. 28, 2021 10-a.m., to 12:30-p.m

You will be asked to remain onsite for 15 minutes following the vaccination.

 

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KWWL) — Collins Aerospace is reporting that more employees are being laid off due to the financial impact of COVID-19 and the hit the aviation business has taken.

A company official says the impact to the Jamestown staff should be “minimal.”

In a statement, the company said that the layoffs were announced on Monday, and impacted employees will receive a separation package.

“Our company continues to experience lower than expected commercial aviation business due to COVID-19. As a result, on Jan. 25, 2021, we announced a second Involuntary Separation Program for U.S. employees. Impacted employees will receive a comprehensive separation package, including outplacement services. These are difficult but necessary decisions to assure that our company is well-positioned for success when the industry recovers.”

Collins Aerospace

In December, Collins Aerospace announced 29 positions in Decorah and 36 positions in Bellevue would be cut, which took effect on January 2.

The company’s first round of layoffs due to the pandemic came at the end of July. The company later revealed 72 positions were cut from its Cedar Rapids plant at the beginning of September. Collins Aerospace’s parent company, Raytheon Technologies also announced in September plans to cut more than 15,000 jobs.

Collins Aerospace did not say how many employees will be affected by this round of layoffs.

 

Jamestown  (Chamber)   Members of the Jamestown Area Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors held a ribbon cutting ceremony for Etc Salon. They recently moved to a new location at 1517 12th Avenue Northeast her in Jamestown. You can reach them at 701-252-1429.

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.

 

NEW INFO

Jamestown  (JRMC)   The Harley Owners Group (H.O.G.s) understand the impact a quality hospice program has on a community. Jamestown Regional Medical Center’s Hospice program has made such an impact on the members of their group. That’s why they host the Polar Pig “Walk the Plank” fundraiser each year.

After a few planning meetings, the H.O.G.s decided they couldn’t cancel this year’s event, especially when patients and staff needed care the most. However, to accommodate pandemic precautions, an online auction is sponsored by Orr Auctioneers and “walk the plank” is now an ice bucket challenge.

On Wednesday’s Wayne Byers Show on CSi Cable Channel 2, Don Wegner said, proceeds from the event also goes to support the JRMC Cancer Center.

The  Polar Pig, Ice Bucket Challenge is set for noon Sat., Jan. 30, with the ABATE  chili feed beginning at 10:30 a.m. at Stutsman Harley-Davidson. The online auction started Mon., Jan. 25 and ends at 2 p.m. on the event day. Support the cause by bidding or donating auction items, making donations, or sharing a photo on Facebook for the challenge. He pointed out that as of Wednesday around 95 auction items have been donated, with more being accepted until the day of the event.

He thanked those who have donated the many very nice auction items.

He said the Chili Feed this year, consist of two roasters of chili with no competition, due to observing COVID-19 protocols of social distancing along with face masks required, except while eating.  A donation of $5 is accepted for sampling the chili.

A news release from Jamestown Regional Medical Center says, proceeds provide important areas of hospice care, including chaplaincy, grief support, medical supplies and equipment, telecare and comfort items. This year’s event also benefits the JRMC Cancer Center. 

Marla Wegner and her husband Don, started the event, with the motorcycle group in 2007. In 2007 they raised more than $230,000.

Marla says, “Hospice is so important and makes a difference for patients and their families.  I just didn’t know if we’d be able to do anything this year,”

JRMC Hospice care never quit during the pandemic.

Shar Trevithick, JRMC Home Health & Hospice manager, says, “We’ve supported patients, family and long-term care facilities during visitor restrictions. It is hard when family and friends can’t be close.  However, as always, when a patient needs us, we can be by their side in 30 minutes.  Hospice best serves individuals when we are involved soon after stopping curative treatment. If you are in this situation, we can answer questions about the changes occurring for the individual and the family.”

For 25 years, JRMC Hospice has been an essential component of compassionate end-of-life care. It encourages individuals with a terminal diagnosis to enroll when they become eligible.

The JRMC team focuses on comfort by controlling pain and other systems so the patient can remain as alert and comfortable as possible. Hospice also has a social work team which helps the patient and family understand and cope. The chaplain provides additional spiritual support and grief counseling.

Care is available in the patient’s home, whether that is a home address, nursing home, assisted living community, independent living community or other location. A referral is not required; patients and families can choose JRMC Hospice.

Special gifts include, but not limited to:

  • Fraternal Order of Eagles Midway 2923, New Rockford
  • Fraternal Order of Eagles, Valley City
  • Stutsman Harley Davidson, Jamestown
  • District 8 ABATE, Jamestown
  • Sanford Health, Jamestown
  • J & L Bar and Grill, Sanborn
  • Page Fire Department
  • Thundering Saints, Valley City
  • Wilhelm Chevrolet Buick GMC, Jamestown

For questions, contact Don Wegner at (701) 269-7047 or Stutsman-Harley Davidson at (701) 252-5271. To support JRMC, visit www.jrmcnd.com/giving.

 

Bismarck  (VC Chamber Release)  The ND Department of Commerce, in partnership with the Greater North Dakota Chamber, will be holding a Special Business Briefing on Thursday, January 28, at 12:00 pm (CST) to address questions, share how to prepare for completing the application and announce a timeline when Commerce will begin accepting applications for the second round of the Hospitality ERG (HERG).

Due to the continuing need of assistance, the Hospitality ERG will focus on hospitality businesses including:

  • Restaurants – to include food services and drinking establishment that derive a minimum of 51% of their sales from prepared food;
  • A bar or lounge with a current on-sale liquor license issued by the appropriate legal entity;
  • An entertainment venue to include indoor recreation entertainment (e.g., bowling alleys, indoor golf clubs, and indoor trampoline parks where admissions fees apply; movie, drama or music theaters and facilities used to host community and private events); and
  • A production company that provides technology and audio-visual services to meetings and events.

Hospitality ERG (HERG) funds will be used to reimburse eligible entities for costs in operations, such as payroll, rent, utilities, technology and other expenses that comply with federal guidelines.

Applicants who have not received previous funding from the HERG may receive up to $25,000 and eligible entities with multiple locations may receive up to $75,000. A max of $25,000 will be allowed per location.

If applicants received funding in the first round, and it was under $25,000, they may apply for additional qualifying funds UP TO $25,000 MAXIMUM. Grant recipients are required to comply with ND Smart Restart protocols. Funding will be approved if the application meets all criteria and funding is available. Additional information will be available soon at https://ndresponse.gov/covid-19-resources/covid-19-business-and-employer-resources.

To receive call-in information, attendees must register as a non-member. A confirmation email with call specifics will be sent to the email provided in the registration prior to the call. Please provide your questions relating to the call during registration. These will be provided ahead of time to the Department of Commerce so that presenters can address your questions to the extent possible, given the dynamic environment. Questions not addressed during the conference call will be answered in follow-up communication.

This call will be recorded so it can be accessed at a later time. Recordings of the previous Business Briefs can be found at GNDC’s information hub.

 

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — Some North Dakota lawmakers are pushing legislation aimed at shielding businesses and health care facilities from lawsuits due to COVID-19 exposure. The measures come despite criticism it may be unconstitutional and could relax protections for workers. Officials representing business and hospital groups spoke in favor of the legislation at a hearing Wednesday, while some attorneys and a union leader opposed it. The head of the state’s largest business organization says companies are unprotected against frivolous lawsuits without the legislation. Attorneys say North Dakota law already protects businesses from such suits.

 

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — A federal judge says the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers must outline its plans after an appeals court confirmed that the Dakota Access pipeline is operating without a key permit. Pipeline opponents want it shut down immediately. U.S. District Judge James Boasberg has set a status hearing for Feb. 10 to discuss the impact of Tuesday’s opinion by the D.C. Circuit of the U.S. Court of Appeals that upheld Boasberg’s ruling ordering the Corps to conduct a full environmental impact review. Boasberg said in his one-sentence order the the Corps needs to show how it “expects to proceed given the vacating” of a federal permit granting easement for the pipeline to cross beneath Lake Oahe.

In world and national news…

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden says “we can’t wait any longer″ to address the climate crisis, and that’s driving his ambitious effort to stave off the worst effects of global warming. He’s issued executive orders to cut oil, gas and coal emissions and double energy production from offshore wind turbines. They target federal subsidies for oil and other fossil fuels and halt new oil and gas leases on federal lands and waters. The orders also aim to conserve 30 percent of the country’s lands and ocean waters in the next 10 years. There’s political risk for Biden and Democrats as oil- and coal-producing states face job losses from moves to sharply increase U.S. reliance on clean energy.

 

(AP)  The Biden administration is projecting as many as 90,000 Americans will die from the coronavirus in the next four weeks. That warning came as the administration held its first televised science briefing on the COVID-19 pandemic. The administration is examining additional ways of speeding vaccine production, a day after announcing the U.S. plans to deliver enough doses for 300 million Americans by the end of summer. Dr. Anthony Fauci says there’s concern about virus variants. But he says vaccines provide a “cushion” of effectiveness, but there’s work on potential “booster” shots for the variants. The Biden administration is asking citizens to recommit to social distancing measures and mask-wearing, pointing to models that suggest it could save 50,000 lives in the coming months.

 

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Homeland Security Department has issued a national terrorism bulletin warning of the potential for lingering violence from people motivated by anti-government sentiment after President Joe Biden’s election. The bulletin suggests the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol may embolden extremists and set the stage for additional attacks. The department isn’t citing a specific threat. But DHS points to “a heightened threat environment across the United States” that it believes “will persist” in the weeks since Biden took office. The wording of the single-page document suggests national security officials see a thread between recent violence over the past year motivated by anti-government grievances, whether over COVID-19 restrictions, the 2020 election results or police use of force.

 

NEW YORK (AP) — Prosecutors say a self-styled far-right propagandist is facing charges he used social media to try to suppress votes for Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential election. Douglas Mackey was arrested Wednesday morning in Florida, where he was to appear in court later in the day in a federal case filed in New York City. There was no immediate information on whether he had a lawyer to speak on his behalf. A criminal complaint says that the 31-year-old Mackey known on the internet as “Ricky Vaughn” conspired in late 2016 to use Twitter and other social media to try to trick Clinton supporters to vote via text instead of casting an actual ballot.

 

NEW YORK (AP) — The head of the Republican National Committee is declining to encourage former President Donald Trump to run for the White House in 2024. RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel told The Associated Press on Wednesday that the party would stay “neutral” in its next presidential primary. She also described the pro-Trump conspiracy theory group known as QAnon as “dangerous.” The national GOP, under McDaniel’s leadership, spent the last four years almost singularly focused on Trump’s reelection. But should he run again in 2024 — as he has suggested he wants to — she said the national party infrastructure would not support his ambitions over other prospective candidates.

 

 

(AP)  A Census Bureau official says that the numbers used for divvying up U.S. congressional seats among the states won’t be ready until the end of April. A top bureau official said Wednesday that the new goal for finishing data processing for the apportionment numbers is now April 30. The deadline for turning in the apportionment numbers has been a moving target since the pandemic upended the Census Bureau’s once-a-decade head count of every U.S. resident. The numbers were supposed to be turned in at the end of last year. Government attorneys most recently had said that the numbers wouldn’t be ready until early March because of data irregularities.