CSi Weather…

TONIGHT… Cloudy. Patchy fog. Lows in the upper 20s. South winds around 10 mph.

.WEDNESDAY…Cloudy. Areas of fog in the morning.   A 20 percent chance of light snow in the afternoon. Highs in the lower 30s. Southwest winds 10 to 15 mph.

.WEDNESDAY NIGHT…Mostly cloudy. Chance of light freezing

drizzle and snow in the evening, then slight chance of snow after

midnight. Patchy blowing and drifting snow after midnight.

Colder. Lows 5 to 10 above. Northwest winds 15 to 25 mph. Gusts up to 40 mph. Chance of precipitation 40 percent. in the Jamestown area, 50-percent in the Valley City area.

THURSDAY…Partly sunny. Patchy blowing and drifting snow.

Colder. Highs 10 to 15. Northwest winds around 20 mph with gusts

to around 40 mph.

.THURSDAY NIGHT…Partly cloudy. Lows around 5 below.

.FRIDAY…Partly sunny. Highs 5 to 10 above.

.FRIDAY NIGHT…Mostly cloudy. Lows around 10 below.

.SATURDAY…Partly sunny. Highs around 5 below.

.SATURDAY NIGHT…Partly cloudy. Lows around 20 below.

.SUNDAY…Mostly sunny. Highs around 5 below.

.SUNDAY NIGHT…Partly cloudy. Lows around 15 below.

.MONDAY…Partly sunny. Highs zero to 5 above.

A winter system to impact the region around in the Wednesday to Thursday timeframe. Potential hazards from this system include light icing, blowing snow, accumulating snowfall, and a sharp decrease in temperatures. This
may impact travel across the region.

There is high confidence in much colder temperatures starting
this coming weekend. Widespread subzero temperatures and breezy winds
will contribute to an extended period of hazardous wind chills.
This increases the potential for cold weather impacts like hypothermia and frostbite.

Many locations will see high temperatures at or a bit below zero. Of additional concern is the northerly breeze with these systems, which will bring very frigid wind chills.

 

Jamestown  (CSi)  The Jamestown City Fire Department responded about 9-a.m. Tuesday to a natural gas leak at the University of Jamestown Taylor Stadium renovation project.

City Fire Chief, Jim Reuther says, two fire units and about 7- fire fighter were on scene along with MDU to contain the leak as a larger six inch gas line was struck.

The fire department was also traveling around the stadium area and UJ Place on campus, to determine if the gas fumes were causing any concerns, from a southeast wind.

The fire units were expected to be on scene for a period of time, making sure the area was safe.

 

NDDoH

COVID 19 Stats

Tues. Feb 2, 2021

11-a.m.

Barnes:

New Positive 0

Total Positives 1277

Active 3

Recovered 1243

 

Stutsman

Positives 5

Total Positives 3252

Active 14

Recovered 3153

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

Please note that from now on the daily news release will be sent Monday – Friday. The NDDoH dashboard will continue to be updated daily.

BY THE NUMBERS

71,292 – Residents who received at least one dose of vaccine

105,616 – Total COVID-19 vaccine doses administered

 

5,047 – Total Tests from yesterday*

1,530,182 – Total tests completed since the pandemic began

139 – Positive Individuals from Yesterday*****

78 – PCR Tests | 61 – Antigen Tests
97,798 – Total positive individuals since the pandemic began

3.36% – Daily Positivity Rate**

 

885 – Total Active Cases

-68 individuals from yesterday

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

95,491 – Total recovered since the pandemic began

45 – Currently Hospitalized

-2 individuals from yesterday

 

0 – New Deaths*** (1,422 total deaths since the pandemic began)
COUNTIES WITH NEW POSITIVE CASES REPORTED
TUESDAY

  • Bottineau County – 1
  • Bowman County – 4
  • Burke County – 1
  • Burleigh County – 33
  • Cass County – 21
  • Eddy County – 3
  • Foster County – 1 
  • Grand Forks County – 11
  • McHenry County – 1
  • McLean County – 1
  • Morton County – 3
  • Mountrail County – 3
  • Pembina County – 1
  • Ramsey County – 2
  • Ransom County – 2 
  • Richland County – 8
  • Rolette County – 4
  • Sargent County – 2
  • Sioux County – 2
  • Stark County – 6
  • Stutsman County – 5
  • TraillCounty – 2    
  • Walsh County – 2 
  • WardCounty – 11 
  • Williams County – 9

 

* 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  (CSi)  The Valley City Commission met in Regular Session Tuesday evening at City Hall.

All members were present.

Approval of Consent Agenda Items:

An Application for Raffle Permit for the Express Wrestling of Valley City for the activity dates of 1/1/2021-6/30/2021.

An Application for Raffle Permit for the Disabled American Veterans for the activity dates of 7/31/2021-6/30/2022.

An Application for Raffle Permit for Barnes County Ducks Unlimited for the activity date of 4/8/2021.

An Application for Raffle Permit for El Zagal Sheyenne Valley Flag Corps for the activity date of 8/21/2021.

Paid $141,879.44. monthly bills.

 

Public Comments  No one spoke

 

Ordinance:

Approved the Second and Final Reading of an Ordinance Relating to the Annexation of Territory.  City Attorney Martineck said the annex pertains to Valley Plains Equipment, along the East Interchange.

 

Approved the  Second and Final Reading of an Ordinance, Approving Rezone of Nextera Addition to the City of Valley City.  City Attorney Martineck this applies to  Valley Plains Equipment.  He said no changes from the First Reading.

 

Approved the First Reading on an Ordinance, enacting a new section of the Valley City Municipal Code relating to Wireless Telecommunications Facility Guidelines.  City Attorney Martineck said,  in 2018 the FCC amended regulations concerning charging fees for erecting wireless towers, and the Ordinance complies with FCC Regulations, regarding the fees able to be charged.   The city will enter into an agreement with each wireless company.  Changes may be included in the Second Reading.

 

Resolutions:

RESOLUTION

Approved , a Resolution Approving Final Plans and Specifications for Paving Improvement District No. 119 and Authorizing Engineer to Advertise for Bids.

Approved was a Resolution Approving Paving Improvement District No. 119B and Authorizing Engineer to Advertise for Bids.

Approved a Resolution Approving Sanitary Sewer District No. 64 and Authorizing Engineer to Advertise for Bids.

Approved a Resolution Approving Storm Sewer District 52 and Authorizing Engineer to Advertise for Bids.

Approved a Resolution  Approving Water Main District No. 100 and Authorizing Engineer to Advertise for Bids.

The projects will be paid in part with funds from the Prairie Dog bill dollars that have been allocated to Valley City, of $2.5 million, with the local share of costs at $1.3 million, with $318,00 Transferred from the R&R Fund toward local funding.  The bid opening will be in a few weeks.

Approved a Resolution Amending Master Fee Schedule – Residential Building Permit and Inspection Fees.

 

New Business:

Approved  was the VCBCDC request for $10,000 for marketing, from the Economic Development Fund.  Jennifer Feist said the dollars being used funds assisting two businesses that required buyouts in their restructuring.

Approved a Gaming Site Authorization for Valley City State University Foundation on February 1st, 2021 through June 30th 2021 at Brockopp Brewing.  Finance Director Richter said this is another new gaming site for the Foundation.

The City Commission reviewed and awarded bids for 2021 vehicle purchase.  Miller Motors submitted the low bid.

The City Commission approved a one time utility bill $5 credit for customers that allow the E-mailing of bills, in line with new software that moves away from paper billing.

The City Commission approved Transferring Sewer Funds to the Water Fund, and from the Electric Fund to the Street Fund, to offset deficits.

 

City Administrator’s Report Highlights:

Gwen Crawford said, delinquent payments of public works bills changes will include charging late fee, that were not previously charged.  There will be some stipulations in individual cases.

City Updates & Commission Reports:

Avis Richter said a check for $212,000 will be delivered to the Valley City Area Chamber of Commerce, in CARES ACT funding that will be converted to Chamber Bucks in the Chamber’s economic stimulus program, Love of Local.  The program starts February 6, at 9-a.m., at the Chamber office.

The Chamber previously said, beginning February 6th, 2021 through April 30th (or until city contributed funds run out), you will be able to purchase Chamber Bucks and for every dollar you spend, you will be given 25% in addition to the amount you purchase. Chamber Bucks can be used just like a check at all local businesses* from February 6th until April 30th.  After this time, Chamber Bucks are valid at Chamber Member businesses only. If you use your Chamber Bucks before April 30th, you may also receive special offers at participating businesses as listed on the Valley City Area Chamber of Commerce website. The listing of participating businesses were posted on the Chamber’s web site, on January 23rd.

 

Mayor Carlsrud reported that 1677 COVID-10 vaccines have been administered, 13-percent of the population. 1000 doses administered by City County Health District. Of those 43-percent were given to those 75 and older.

 

The meeting was shown live on CSi Cable 68 followed by replays.

Bismarck  The finals of the North Dakota LifeSmarts competition in Bismarck is Wednesday February 3, 2021.

Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem,  the competition will be held in the Heritage Center Auditorium on the state Capitol grounds, beginning at 9:00 AM. This year, to comply with social distancing requirements, only eight teams will be competing, one team from each of the following high schools: Jamestown, Flasher, Burke Central, Tioga, Bottineau, Fessenden-Bowdon, Litchville-Marion, and new this year: Nedrose High School.

The LifeSmarts competition tests students on their general knowledge in five subjects: personal finance, health and safety, the environment, technology, and consumer rights and responsibilities. Each team will be guaranteed to compete in at least two rounds and the undefeated teams will advance to the championship round. The winning team will go on to represent the state in the national finals, which will be held virtually, in April.

The LifeSmarts state final competition event, now in its 25th year, is supported by many North Dakota groups, including the ND Securities Department, Capital Electric Cooperative Inc., Capital Trophy, Cash Wise Foods, and ND JumpStart!

 

Jamestown  (Chamber)    Members of the Jamestown Area Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors held a ribbon cutting ceremony for Pit Stop Express Lube. They recently moved to a new location at 117 4th St. NW here in Jamestown. You can reach them at 701-952-7867.

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.

Jamestown  (CSi)  Demolition has started on the former Perkins Restaurant in Jamestown.  A Bismarck developer is making future plans, for the site, to be announced later.

See closure story on line at CSiNewsNow.com

 

Jamestown  (CSi)  Jamestown Tourism reports tourism grant requests are set to be reviewed this month, at the Grant/Executive Board meeting.

On Tuesday’s Wayne Byers Show on CSi Cable 2 Tourism Director Searle Swedlund said, a few grant funding requests will be viewed, including the Jamestown Art Center’s planned Chalk Fest this summer, at the Jamestown Downtown Arts Park.

He also pointed out that applications for funding of projects under the 2021, Visitor’s Promotion Capital Construction Fund, is due by March 1, 2021.   Another round of applications will be due by October 1, 2021.

Past projects that have benefit from that funding include the Fort Seward Glamping Experience, the 1883 Stutsman County Courthouse Historical Display, along with grants to the soccer club, and improvements to Jack Brown Stadium.

On another topic, Searle said, Tourism and the Jamestown Downtown Association continue to partner on working with the Road Diet project, specifically  with new historical sidewalk pavers to be installed this summer.

Bismarck (NDANG) — A North Dakota Army National Guard unit has received an alert for possible mobilization. If ordered to mobilize, the Devils Lake-based 835th Engineer Utilities Detachment would deploy to the U.S. Central Command (USCENTOM) area of operations mid to late summer 2021.

The unit is headquartered at Camp Grafton Training Center near Devils Lake and consists of about 50 Soldiers with a myriad of engineer construction skills. If mobilized, the length of their mission is expected to be about one year and would consist of general vertical construction and utility work.

“The skilled Soldiers of this engineer unit are proficient carpenters, plumbers and electricians; all the expertise needed to build and improve buildings wherever they serve,” said Maj. Gen. Al Dohrmann, North Dakota adjutant general. “As always I am grateful for the superb support displayed by our Families and our employers for our Guard members. This support is critical to the successful accomplishment of our missions at home and overseas.”

This is the first overseas mobilization for 835th Engineer Utilities Detachment.

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — North Dakota lawmakers are considering adding another 6 cents to the state’s 23-cent a-gallon gas tax, which hasn’t been raised since 2005. The House Finance and Taxation Committee has endorsed the hike to help pay for improvements to roads and bridges. A higher fuels tax is expected to bring in tens of millions of dollars more annually, with the bulk going to a state highway fund. The bill also more than doubles the road user fee for electric and hybrid vehicle drivers. The electric vehicle fee would jump from $120 to $250 annually. The hybrid fee would increase from $50 to $150 and the fee for electric motorcycles would increase from $20 to $100.

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — State officials and business leaders have voiced strong support for a bill that would create a broader investment policy for North Dakota’s voter-approved oil tax savings account. The bipartisan legislation would tap 20% of future oil tax collections coming into the Legacy Fund to help establish loans for expensive infrastructure projects and provide capital for in-state companies. Backers of the bill say less than 2% of the Legacy Fund’s principal is currently invested in North Dakota. Officials from the state-owned Bank of North Dakota and the Commerce Department and others spoke in favor of the legislation. No one opposed it.

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — A bill is set for a hearing before a North Dakota House committee this week that would reimburse attorney fees for several officials who were caught up in criminal investigations resulting from 2019 state audits. The legislation would reimburse former Commerce Commissioner Michelle Kommer and former Commerce Senior Manager Holly Holt, as well as three North Dakota State College of Science leaders, including President John Richman. The bill would reimburse “state employee claims for wrongful criminal investigation or prosecution” related to their work in the last two years and in the future. Reimbursement would apply if a criminal probe did not result in a conviction. The cost of reimbursement is about $48,000.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — After President Joe Biden revoked Keystone XL’s presidential permit, opponents of other pipelines are hoping the projects they’ve been fighting will be next. Environmentalists and American Indian tribes called on Biden to stop Enbridge Energy’s Line 3 replacement in Minnesota. Opponents of the Dakota Access pipeline that originates in North Dakota also appealed to the administration. Biden’s administration hasn’t specified what action it might take on other pipelines. Industry experts say they don’t expect any quick action like the order that stopped Keystone XL, but other pipelines will likely see tougher scrutiny and permitting processes than they saw under former President Donald Trump.

In world and national news…

SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — Two FBI agents have been killed and three wounded while trying to serve a search warrant in Florida. The FBI says Tuesday’s confrontation in the Fort Lauderdale suburb of Sunrise was one of the bloodiest days in FBI history in South Florida and among the deadliest nationally as well. FBI Miami Special Agent Michael D. Leverock says the suspect also died. He says two of the wounded agents are in stable condition at a hospital. Leverock says the agents had arrived to execute a federal search warrant in a case involving violence against children. Residents huddled inside their homes and eyewitnesses described seeing a SWAT team rush into the apartment building where the suspect was barricaded.

 

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration will begin providing COVID-19 vaccines to U.S. pharmacies, part of its plan to ramp up vaccinations as new and potentially more serious virus strains are starting to appear. White House coronavirus coordinator Jeff Zients said Tuesday the government will initially ship about 1 million doses to some 6,500 pharmacies around the country, starting next week. That’s expected to accelerate as drugmakers increase production. Drug stores have become a mainstay for flu shots and shingles vaccines. The pharmacy vaccine program will be administered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and include outlets such as CVS, Walgreens, Walmart, Rite Aid and Costco, as well as supermarket pharmacies

 

LONDON (AP) — House-by-house COVID-19 testing has begun in some communities in England as authorities try to extinguish a new variant of the coronavirus before it spreads widely and undermines a nationwide vaccination program. Authorities want to reach the 80,000 residents of eight areas where the variant first identified in South Africa is known to be spreading. They are dispatching home testing kits and mobile testing units in an effort to reach every resident of those communities. Public health officials are concerned about the variant first identified in South Africa because it contains a mutation of the virus’ characteristic spike protein that existing vaccines target. The mutation may mean the vaccines offer less protection against the variant.

 

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — Pressure is building on school systems around the U.S. to reopen classrooms to students who have been learning online for nearly a year. The debate is pitting politicians against teachers who have yet to be vaccinated against COVID-19. In Chicago, there’s so much rancor that teachers are on the brink of striking. In California, a frustrated Gov. Gavin Newsom implored schools to find a way to reopen. In Cincinnati, some students have returned to their classrooms after a judge threw out a teachers union lawsuit over safety concerns.

 

WASHINGTON (AP) — Former AFL-CIO President John Sweeney has died at age 86. The Washington, D.C.-based union’s current president, Richard Trumka, says Sweeney “was a great leader and true innovator, driving the labor movement forward.” Sweeney spent 14 years steering the nation’s largest labor federation during declining union membership and rising internal dissent. He helped build the AFL-CIO into a political powerhouse more firmly aligned with the Democratic Party and progressive groups on the left. Sweeney stepped down as president in 2009, then served as president emeritus, offering advice to the group’s executive council and delivering speeches. Sweeney was born in New York City, the son of working-class Irish immigrants. He died Monday at his Maryland home.

 

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Democrats say the Senate should convict former President Donald Trump and bar him from office because he endangered the lives of all members of Congress when he aimed a mob of supporters “like a loaded cannon” at the U.S. Capitol last month. Trump’s lawyers deny that he incited rioters and call the upcoming Senate trial unconstitutional. Both sides filed their legal briefs Tuesday in advance of next week’s trial. The Democrats forcefully linked Trump’s baseless efforts to overturn the results of the presidential election to the deadly riot at the Capitol, saying he bears “unmistakable” blame. Trump’s lawyers rejected those charges and said the Senate can’t put him on trial now that he has left the White House.