Wayne Byers Show – Evening – Mar 29, 2021

CSi Weather…

..RED FLAG WARNING FOR MUCH OF WESTERN AND SOUTH CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA WHILE A FIRE WEATHER WATCH REMAINS NORTH CENTRAL INTO THE JAMES RIVER VALLEY THROUGH MONDAY AFTERNOON…

.Critical fire weather conditions are expected across much of
western and south central North Dakota Sunday afternoon through
Monday afternoon. Critical fire weather conditions are possible
from the north central into the James River Valley for this same
timeframe. The greatest concern Sunday will be along and to the
south and west of the Missouri River. On Monday a powerful cold
front will create strong winds across the region, with wind
direction shifting as the front moves through. Uncertainties
remain higher Monday over the north central into the James River
Valley, thus a Fire Weather Watch remains in effect for this
area.

…FIRE WEATHER WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 1 PM CDT MONDAY  AFTERNOON THROUGH MONDAY EVENING FOR WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR NORTH CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA INTO THE JAMES RIVER VALLEY…

* WINDS…Southwest 15 to 30 mph with gusts to 40 MPH on Sunday,
becoming northwest 25 to 35 mph with gusts up to 55 mph on
Monday.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY…20 to 25 percent Sunday afternoon and Monday
afternoon.

* AFFECTED AREA…North central North Dakota into the James
River Valley.

* IMPACTS…Any fires that ignite will spread rapidly and become
difficult to control or suppress.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A Fire Weather Watch means that critical fire weather conditions
are forecast to occur. Listen for later forecasts and possible
Red Flag Warnings.

HIGH WIND WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 1 PM MONDAY AFTERNOON TO 7 AM CDT TUESDAY…

* WHAT…West winds to 40 mph with gusts to around 60 mph expected.
Some areas may gust over 60 mph at times.

* WHERE…Portions of central and eastern North Dakota from the
Turtle Mountains through the James River Valley.

* WHEN…From 1 PM this afternoon to 7 AM CDT Tuesday.

* IMPACTS…Unsecured items will be blown away. Working on elevated
surfaces will be hazardous. Travel will be difficult, especially
for high profile vehicles.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

Driving will become very difficult. Use extra caution. People
traveling in high profile vehicles should strongly consider delaying
travel through this area, or consider an alternate route.

 

..WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 AM CDT TUESDAY…BARNES COUNTY….

Forecast….

MONDAY AFTERNOON…. Temperatures falling into the upper 50s in the

afternoon.

MONDAY NIGHT…Partly cloudy. Very windy. Colder. Lows around  20. West

winds 30 to 40 mph with gusts to around 60 mph decreasing to

25 to 30 mph with gusts to around 45 – 55 mph after midnight.

.TUESDAY…Partly sunny. Windy. Much colder. Highs in the upper

20s. Northwest winds 25 to 35 mph with gusts to around 50 mph.

.TUESDAY NIGHT…Mostly cloudy in the evening then clearing. Lows

around 15. Northwest winds 15 to 25 mph with gusts to around

40 mph decreasing to 10 to 15 mph after midnight.

.WEDNESDAY…Sunny. Highs in the upper 30s. Northwest winds 10 to

15 mph.

.WEDNESDAY NIGHT…Clear. Lows in the lower 20s.

.THURSDAY…Sunny. Highs around 60.

.THURSDAY NIGHT…Mostly clear. Lows in the upper 30s.

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

.FRIDAY NIGHT…Mostly clear. Lows in the upper 30s.

.SATURDAY…Sunny. Highs in the mid 70s.

.SATURDAY NIGHT…Partly cloudy. Lows in the lower 40s.

.SUNDAY…Mostly sunny. Highs in the mid 70s.

 

NDDoH

COVID Stats

11am

Mon. Mar. 29,  2021

Barnes:

New Positives 1

Total Positives 1324

Active 9

Recovered  1284

 

Stutsman:

New Positives 0

Total Positives 3325

Active 5

Recovered 3240

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

 

CORRECTION: An earlier version erroneously stated 17 hospitalizations; there are currently 18 COVID-19 hospitalizations in ND.

 

BY THE NUMBERS
227,599	Residents who received at least one dose of vaccine
388,991	Total COVID-19 vaccine doses administered
1,238	Total Tests from yesterday*
1,782,147	Total tests completed since the pandemic began
56	Positive Individuals from yesterday*****
40	PCR Tests
16	Antigen Tests
102,639	Total positive individuals since the pandemic began
6.05%	Daily Positivity Rate**
921	Total Active Cases
-60	Change in active cases from yesterday
70	Individuals with a recovery date of yesterday****
100,252	Total recovered since the pandemic began
18	Currently hospitalized
-3	Change in hospitalizations from yesterday
0	New death(s)
1,466	Total deaths since the pandemic began
INDIVIDUALS WHO DIED WITH COVID-19
No deaths to report
NEW POSITIVE CASES REPORTED TODAY BY COUNTY
Adams		0	Grant	0	Ransom	1
Barnes		1	Griggs	0	Renville	0
Benson		0	Hettinger	0	Richland	1
Billings		0	Kidder	0	Rolette	0
Bottineau		0	LaMoure	0	Sargent	0
Bowman		0	Logan	2	Sheridan	0
Burke		0	McHenry	0	Sioux	0
Burleigh		6	McIntosh	0	Slope	0
Cass		25	McKenzie	2	Stark	1
Cavalier		1	McLean	0	Steele	0
Dickey		0	Mercer	0	Stutsman	0
Divide		0	Morton	4	Towner	0
Dunn		0	Mountrail	1	Traill	0
Eddy		0	Nelson	0	Walsh	0
Emmons		1	Oliver	0	Ward	3
Foster		0	Pembina	0	Wells	1
Golden Valley		0	Pierce	0	Williams	2
Grand Forks		4	Ramsey	0

 

* 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.

 

CVHD

For April 1:  Covid vaccination appointments available for the following priority groups: All Stutsman and Logan County residents (16 and older – Pfizer / 18 and older – Moderna) are eligible to register for a COVID-19 vaccination.

AVAILABLE 1st DOSE CLINICS:

What: 1st Dose COVID Vaccination Clinic

Vaccine Type: Moderna (18 years and older)

Location:  Jamestown Civic Center Exchequer Room (North Entrance)

Date:  Thursday, April 1

Time:  9:00am – 2:00pm

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

—————————

AVAILABLE 2nd DOSE CLINICS:

*Review the due date on the back of your CDC COVID vaccination record card prior to registering.

* 2nd dose clinics ONLY.  If you register as a first dose, your appointment will be canceled.

—————————

What: 2nd Dose COVID Vaccination Clinic

Vaccine Type: Moderna

Date:  Thursday, April 1

Time:  9:00am – 2:00pm

Location:  Jamestown Civic Center Exchequer Room

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

. Appointments are required and are first come, first serve. Once the clinics are full, they will be closed for registration.
.
. To register for an appointment, visit our website www.centralvalleyhealth.org and click the “COVID-19” tab.

Valley City  (CCHD)  City/County Health District in Valley City will hold the next COVID-19 vaccination clinic on Thursday, April 1, 2021, from 9-a.m. to 10:45-a.m.,at CCHD.

This is a 1st Dose Clinic for Moderna.

Pre-Registration is required, for subsequent clinics

The vaccination is for the Moderna vaccine, administered in two doses, the second dose 28 days from the first dose.  The 2nd Dose will be given on Thursay April 29.  Check the back of you CDC card to see when you will be scheduled for the second dose.

CCHD is currently vaccinating into Phase 1C Priority Groups, including Barnes County Essential Workers, and ages 18 and older at increased risk for COVID-19.

 

North Dakota’s COVID-19 vaccine rollout is now  reaching  all citizens age 16+ as the state begins Phase 2! Many areas have already begun Phase 2. Find available COVID-19 vaccine appointments near you: http://health.nd.gov/covidvaccinelo

 

Valley City  (CSi)  The North Dakota Game and Fish Department is asking for  public  information about the apparent shooting of a whitetail deer.

Call the North Dakota Game and Fish Department tip line at 1-800-472-2121.

The Barnes County Sheriff’s Sheriff’s Office, Deputy, Pat Sand, says an investigation  is underway, concerning the suspicious death of the deer in Barnes County. The animal appears to have been shot, and was found about a mile west of the Barnes County Municipal Airport, on Monday this week.

 

Jamestown  (CSi)  The Great Plains Food Bank will be in Jamestown  set for March 30 outside the Jamestown Civic Center, from 1-p.m., to 3:30-p.m.

For more information or to volunteer contact Anna Johnson, regional services manager at ajohnson@greatplainsfoodbank.org or 701.361.1004.

 

Jamestown  (CSi)  Please note that due to the Good Friday Holiday, the Baling Facility and Recycling Center will be CLOSED on Friday and Saturday, April 2 & 3, 2021.

The Baling Facility and Recycling Center will resume regular hours on Monday, April 5, 2021.

You can contact the Baling Facility at 701-252-5223. You can contact the Recycling Center at 701-320-9218.

 

Bismarck  (CSi)   – State School Superintendent Kirsten Baesler and Department of Human Services Executive Director Chris Jones on Monday announced a new food assistance program for families whose children have been eligible for free or reduced-price school meals during the current school year.

The Pandemic Electronic Benefits Transfer (P-EBT) program provides Electronic Benefits Transfer cards to eligible families. The cards may be used to buy food. Families of children who were eligible for free or reduced-price meals at school during the current school year will be eligible. Families will receive benefits for days that students in the household are distance learning at home, rather than being in the school building.

 

Families do not need to apply for the benefit. Schools are presently gathering information about which students qualify for free or reduced-price school meals. Eligible households will be receiving letters to notify them about the P-EBT benefit, and they will be mailed EBT cards in the coming weeks.

 

The benefit will equal $6.82 for each day a student has been learning through distance instruction. The amount is the current daily federal reimbursement that schools receive per student for providing a free breakfast, lunch, and after-school snack.

 

The Department of Public Instruction estimates that about 31,400 North Dakota students will qualify for the P-EBT benefit. Benefit amounts for each student “will really depend on the school district’s learning plan,” said Linda Schloer, director of child nutrition for the NDDPI.

 

Michele Gee, director of the Department of Human Services’ Economic Assistance Division, said the benefit is intended to replace the value of meals the students would have received had they been able to attend school in person.

 

The EBT cards may be used to buy food at retailers that are approved to accept Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. These retailers include most grocery stores and farmers’ markets. The rules that govern allowable food purchases with SNAP benefits also apply to the P-EBT benefits.

 

“We continue to actively work to prevent hunger in North Dakota and are pleased to be able to offer Pandemic-EBT food assistance in coordination with DPI for this school year,” Jones said.

 

“Good nutrition is essential for a student’s education,” Baesler said. “It is difficult to pay attention and learn if you are hungry. That goes both for children and adults. This program is a welcome addition to North Dakota’s hunger-fighting efforts.”

 

The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently approved North Dakota’s plan to operate the program, which was approved by Congress last year and signed into law in December 2020.

 

Families who have questions about eligibility can contact the NDDPI’s P-EBT hotline at (701) 328-2732, 711 (TTY). Questions about EBT cards should be directed to the DHS economic assistance division at SNAP-PEBT@nd.gov.

 

Following pandemic-related school closures during 2019-2020 school year, DHS issued P-EBT benefits totaling $9.5 million to about 36,750 North Dakota children. The department partnered with the NDDPI and local schools to identify and notify eligible families.

 

Individuals and families with lower incomes or whose incomes have been affected by the pandemic can find information about other resources that can help their household budgets, including child care assistance, heating assistance and SNAP, at www.nd.gov/dhs/services/financialhelp. For information about rental assistance and other resources and services supporting North Dakotans affected by the pandemic, visit ndresponse.gov/covid-19-resources.

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — The North Dakota Senate has agreed to turn a transgender sports bill into a study. The bill aimed to prohibit a publicly funded school or entity from knowingly allowing a person under 18 to play on a team that is exclusively for the opposite sex. Supporters say the legislation would ensure fairness in girls sports. Critics say the measure discriminates against transgender student athletes. Opponents also argue legislation would threaten the hosting of sports events in the state and would create legal and economic risks. Lawmakers say its final details likely will be worked out in a House-Senate conference committee.

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — The Republican-led North Dakota Legislature has approved bipartisan legislation aimed at creating a broader investment policy for the state’s voter-approved oil tax savings account. Senators voted 47-0 on Monday to approve the bill that 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. Representatives approved the measure 85-8 last month. It now goes to Gov. Doug Burgum for his signature. Backers of the bill say only about 1% of the Legacy Fund’s principal is invested in North Dakota at present.

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum has named a new top prison administrator. Dave Krabbenhoft is the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation’s head of administration. He has been serving as interim director since August, when Leann Bertsch resigned to take a job in the private sector. The state’s prison system has more than 1,500 inmates, and more than 6,400 people on parole or probation. The agency has a two-year budget of $272 million and about 900 full-time employees. Krabbenhoft has worked in state government since 1985 at various agencies. He will be paid $165,800 as the agency’s director.

FARGO, N.D. (AP) — Police say a man and woman abandoned their car after it was hit by a train in downtown Fargo. The crash happened about 10:20 p.m. Sunday. Officers found the damaged vehicle, but there was no sign of its occupants. Authorities say it doesn’t appear the couple had any serious injuries since the two were able to leave the scene. Police Sgt. Nate Nieman tells KFGO that both the car and train were traveling at slow speeds when the collision happened. Nieman says surveillance video from a nearby business shows the driver went around the crossing gate and the vehicle was struck.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Shocking video footage of George Floyd gasping for breath was front and center Monday as the former Minneapolis police officer who pressed his knee into the Black man’s neck went on trial Monday on charges of murder and manslaughter. Prosecutors played the video that shows Derek Chauvin kneeling on George Floyd’s neck for 9 minutes, 29 seconds as the Black man pleaded for his life and went limp. Prosecutor Jerry Blackwell told jurors that Chauvin “didn’t let up, he didn’t get up” even after Floyd said 27 times that he couldn’t breathe and went motionless. The defense says it’ll show that Chauvin reacted exactly as he was trained and that drugs played a role in Floyd’s death. The widely seen video sparked waves of outrage across the U.S. and beyond.

In sports..

Monday Afteroon

MADISON, S.D.   VCSU – The Valley City State softball team completed the series sweep of Dakota State with a 4-1 victory over Dakota State Monday.

Monday

VCSU Baseball

At Dakota State

Game One

Dakota State 12 VCSU 11

Box Score

 

GRAND FORKS, N.D. (AP) — The Missouri Valley Football Conference has canceled the game between North Dakota and Missouri State scheduled Saturday, April 3, 2021, in Grand Forks, because of the coronavirus. The league says the move was due to positive COVID-19 test results and subsequent contact tracing among North Dakota’s players, coaches, managers and staff.

The game cannot be rescheduled because the two teams do not share any future open weekends. It’s the second straight week that the Fighting Hawks have been shut down because of their virus tests. Last week’s postponement of the game at Youngstown State has been rescheduled to April 17. North Dakota won its first four games of the spring season before losing to North Dakota State 34-13 on March 20.

 

In world and national news….

DENVER (AP) — A Roman Catholic funeral Mass was being celebrated Monday for a Colorado police officer shot and killed after rushing into a supermarket where a gunman had opened fire. The draped casket of 51-year-old Boulder Police Officer Eric Talley, was flanked by six candles during the traditional Latin Mass at the Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Denver. According to police, Talley led an initial team of officers into the store a week ago within 30 seconds of arriving. They say the suspect who was later identified as 21-year-old Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa shot at the officers, killing Talley.

 

ATLANTA (AP) — A group of civil rights and advocacy organizations including the Georgia NAACP have filed a lawsuit in federal court challenging Georgia’s new Republican-backed election law. The law includes new restrictions on mail voting and gives the state legislature more control over the administration of elections. The lawsuit was filed Sunday against Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger and other members of the State Election Board. It asks a judge to find that the law violates the U.S. Constitution and the Voting Rights Act and to block state officials from enforcing it. The complaint argues that Republican officials are suppressing the votes of Black Georgians and other voters of color.

 

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — Nonbinary New Yorkers who currently must declare themselves as male or female to receive Medicaid, food stamps and other public assistance are suing the state. The lawsuit filed Monday says the state is discriminating against them based on their gender identity. The lawsuit filed against the state Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance seeks the addition of an X gender option, something already allowed on New York birth certificates. The nonbinary plaintiffs say the current state computer system requires them to either misidentify themselves under oath or forego benefits. There was no immediate comment from the Cuomo administration.

 

(AP) The U.S. Education Department is temporarily relaxing the rules of a student loan forgiveness program that’s meant to help people with disabilities but that critics say carries overly burdensome rules. For the rest of the pandemic, borrowers with disabilities that make them eligible for loan forgiveness will not be required to submit proof that their earnings stay below certain levels. More than 40,000 who lost loan relief because they failed to provide proof of their earnings will get their loans canceled. The action was seen as a disappointment by advocates who want a total overhaul of the program. The Biden administration said it is considering other changes.

 

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden and CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky are making impassioned pleas to Americans not to let their guard down in the fight against COVID-19. Walensky warned on Monday of a potential “fourth wave” of the virus and spoke of a “recurring feeling … of impending doom.” Biden said later the virus will get worse, not better “if we let our guard down now.” He said that “people are letting up on precautions, which is a very bad thing.” Walensky spoke of hope but added, “Right now, I’m scared.”

 

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — Gov. Andrew Cuomo says New York state residents over 30 will be eligible for COVID-19 vaccinations starting Tuesday, and everyone over 16 will be eligible starting April 6. Vaccine eligibility in the state had previously been restricted to people over 50, people in certain job categories and those with certain health conditions. The Democratic governor called the expanded eligibility “a monumental step forward in the fight to beat COVID” and well ahead of the timetable set by the White House. Cuomo says that more than 9 million vaccine doses have been administered statewide since the vaccination effort began in December.

 

PARIS (AP) — The number of patients in intensive care in France has hit a new peak. The French government’s count of COVID-19 patients in ICUs and hospital surveillance units climbed to 4,974 on Monday. That is beyond the last peak of 4,919 ICU cases on Nov. 16, when France was also gripped by a virus surge and was locked down in response. The inexorable latest climb in ICU cases is again putting pressure on doctors, who are sounding the alarm that they may have to start turning patients away for ICU care.