CSi Weather…

…RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM CDT /9 AM MDT/ TO 10 PM CDT /9 PM MDT/ THURSDAY FOR WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR ALL OF WESTERN AND CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA…

The National Weather Service in Bismarck has issued a Red Flag
Warning for wind and low relative humidity, which is in effect
from 10 AM CDT /9 AM MDT/ to 10 PM CDT /9 PM MDT/ Thursday. The
Fire Weather Watch is no longer in effect.

Fire Danger Rating

* WINDS…South 20 to 30 mph with gusts up to 40 mph.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY…As low as 10 percent.

* AFFECTED AREA…All of Western and Central North Dakota.

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

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

Burn bans may be in effect. Contact local authorities for
details.

Forecast…

TONIGHT…Clear. Lows in the lower 20s. South winds 5 to 10 mph.

.THURSDAY…Sunny. Not as cool. Highs in the upper 50s. South

winds 10 to 20 mph increasing to 20 to 25 mph in the afternoon.

.THURSDAY NIGHT…Mostly clear. Lows in the lower 30s. South

winds 10 to 20 mph.

.FRIDAY…Mostly sunny. Highs in the lower 70s. South winds 10 to

15 mph shifting to the west in the afternoon.

.FRIDAY NIGHT…Clear. Lows in the mid 30s.

.SATURDAY…Sunny. Highs in the upper 60s.

.SATURDAY NIGHT…Partly cloudy. Lows around 40.

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

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

.MONDAY…Mostly sunny. Highs in the upper 60s.

.MONDAY NIGHT…Partly cloudy. Lows in the upper 30s.

.TUESDAY…Mostly sunny. A 20 percent chance of rain in the

afternoon. Highs in the lower 60s.

 

UPDATE…

Jamestown  (CSi)  Stutsman County Emergency Manager, Jerry Bergquist reports that, on Wednesday,(3-31), Stutsman County was placed in a “VERY HIGH” fire danger rating. On Thursday, (4-1), the National Weather Service has already placed Stutsman County in a RED FLAG WARNING. Both events trigger Stutsman County’s open burning ordinance that limits when burning can be safely carried out.

With the continuing dry conditions, rising air temperatures and low humidity levels, a combination of “VERY HIGH” or “EXTREME” fire danger ratings and/or RED FLAG WARNINGS can be expected over the next several days. The public needs to be prepared for an extended number of days where NO burning will be  permitted. The restrictions may affect those individuals that are planning to go camping over the weekend.

Stutsman County’s open burning ordinance is in effect 365 days a year; however, it only restricts burning when the Fire Danger Rating is “VERY HIGH” or “EXTREME” or if a “RED FLAG WARNING” has been issued by the National Weather Service. When any of these events occur, NO burning is permitted within Stutsman County. This includes starting, conducting, allowing, maintaining, or soliciting any open burn activities.

Violations of the open burning ordinance will be enforced. A violation is a Class B misdemeanor, for which a maximum penalty of 30 days in jail, a fine of $1,500.00 or both may be imposed. This ordinance is in effect in all of Stutsman County including its incorporated cities that do not have their own open burning ordinances. The ordinance does not include the City of Jamestown which has its own ordinances relating to burning.

The daily Fire Danger Rating can be found by going to the Stutsman County website at www.co.stutsman.nd.us and clicking on the green “Fire Danger” icon at the top of the page   Red Flag Warnings are posted on the Bismarck National Weather Service website at https://www.weather.gov/bis/. This information is also available by calling the Stutsman County Communications Center at 701-252-1000.

A full version of the burn ordinance can be found at the Stutsman County website under Departments, choose Zoning, and click on “Burn Ban Ordinance” on the left-hand side of the page. For more information contact the Stutsman County Emergency Manager’s Office at 701-252-9093.

 

Valley City  (VCPS)  In a news release, Valley City Public Schools, Superintendent Josh Johnson announced changes in the COVID-19 Plan.

Beginning Tuesday, April 6th, Valley City Public Schools will allow students, staff members, and the public to remove face masks when “Outdoors” on school property. This change is a result of the limited number of COVID cases in our school district and the ability for individuals to better social distance when outdoors. We will not contact trace outdoor close contacts, unless ‘absolutely’ necessary. We will continue to emphasize that all individuals practice proper hand hygiene, social distance, and self-monitor for COVID symptoms. This modification to our health and safety protocols is subject to change and has been supported by our local health team, DERT Team, and school board. Thank you for continuing to support our efforts to keep our students, staff, and community safe and healthy. We will, of course, continue to monitor the COVID situations in our school district and community and be prepared to make future modifications, as necessary.

With Other Topics

The school calendar for the 2021-2022 school year has been approved and is attached below.

Paving the Parking Lot at Hanna Field/Jefferson Elementary:

The school board approved an asphalt paving project that will be completed this summer in the parking lots at Hanna Field and Jefferson Elementary. This paving project is long overdue having been delayed due to the recent construction at Hanna Field. We are optimistic that this project will lead to improved student safety for Jefferson Elementary students (more to come). This project should also end any speculation that the “Loch Ness” monster of Valley City has been mysteriously living in one of our potholes at Hanna Field. If there was any wonder, you can see a picture that is attached below and taken from one of our local photographers😉

The very best wishes to you and your family on a wonderful Easter holiday weekend! On Tuesday, April 6th, we will officially have 37 school days remaining in 2020-2021. Let’s finish strong and have a great ending to the school year! Go Hi-Liners!!

Josh Johnson

Superintendent

Valley City Public Schools

(701) 845-0483

VCPS-2021-2022-CALENDAR

 

 

NDDoH

COVID Stats

11am

Wed. Mar. 31,  2021

Barnes:

New Positives 4

Total Positives 1333

Active 15

Recovered  1284

 

Stutsman:

New Positives 4

Total Positives  3330

Active 10

Recovered 3241

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
232,696 Residents who received at least one dose of vaccine
399,030 Total COVID-19 vaccine doses administered
6,780 Total Tests from yesterday*
1,794,639 Total tests completed since the pandemic began
211 Positive Individuals from yesterday*****
90 PCR Tests
121 Antigen Tests
103,091 Total positive individuals since the pandemic began
4.44% Daily Positivity Rate**
1,140 Total Active Cases
+96 Change in active cases from yesterday
107 Individuals with a recovery date of yesterday****
100,485 Total recovered since the pandemic began
19 Currently hospitalized
+4 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 4 Griggs 0 Renville 0
Benson 0 Hettinger 0 Richland 6
Billings 0 Kidder 0 Rolette 0
Bottineau 0 LaMoure 0 Sargent 3
Bowman 0 Logan 1 Sheridan 5
Burke 2 McHenry 0 Sioux 0
Burleigh 21 McIntosh 1 Slope 0
Cass 102 McKenzie 3 Stark 8
Cavalier 0 McLean 0 Steele 0
Dickey 1 Mercer 0 Stutsman 4
Divide 0 Morton 3 Towner 0
Dunn 0 Mountrail 2 Traill 1
Eddy 0 Nelson 0 Walsh 3
Emmons 0 Oliver 0 Ward 6
Foster 0 Pembina 0 Wells 0
Golden Valley 0 Pierce 0 Williams 8
Grand Forks 25 Ramsey 1

 

* 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

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.

 

FULL

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.

 

Jamestown  (CSi)  the Stutsman County Sheriff’s Office reports that two people were arrested Tuesday evening at Smokey’s Landing.

The report says several vehicles were attempted to be broken into.

Stutsman County Sheriff Chad Kaiser, both individuals are their 20’s.  The sheriff’s Office was  called to the campground, and upon arrival found a locked vehicle. License  plates, showed both individuals were reported missing from Oklahoma

Kaiser says the individuals told them that they lost their keys during a walk, having locked their car with their phones in it.

Kaiser says, they then tried to break into several campers to escape the high wind and cold weather.

They were located in one of the campers with injuries, and were taken from the scene, by Jamestown Area Ambulance Service to JRMC, for treatment, with one released and the other transferred to Fargo for medical treatment.

No names were immediately released.

He says the report will be submitted to the Stutsman County States Attorney.

 

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — The North Dakota Lottery says someone holding a Mega Millions ticket is a $3 million winner. The lottery says the ticket matched all five white balls in Tuesday night’s drawing and because the player added the Megaplier feature for a dollar more, the $1 million prize tripled. The ticket was sold at Casey’s General Store in Fargo. The establishment will receive $10,000 for selling the winning ticket. The latest prize ties the record for the largest winning jackpot in North Dakota. Previously, a $3 million Mega Millions winning ticket was purchased in Williston for a drawing in May 2016.

 

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — A Bismarck man has been charged with manslaughter after a fatal interstate crash that prosecutors have attributed to distracted driving. A North Dakota Highway Patrol affidavit says 24-year-old Timothy McLaughlin was driving a commercial truck on Interstate 94 last July when he struck two other vehicles that slowed due to another crash near Sterling. The affidavit alleges McLaughlin had not braked before the crash and that he had been distracted by his cellphone that he had used to search the internet, text messaging and GPS navigation leading up the accident. A woman from Chilton, Wisconsin, died after McLaughlin’s truck hit her vehicle.

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — In the waning weeks of the North Dakota legislative session, lawmakers are still wrestling with where money will be spent in the biggest proposed budget in state history. Lawmakers always fight over money and this year it is particularly notable. That’s because the Legislature has about $1 billion more cash than expected based on new tax collection estimates. They also are dealing with a possible billion-dollar bonding proposal, and an expected $1.9 billion from the federal government in coronavirus relief aid. The Legislature’s proposed two-year budget is $15.6 billion, or about $1 billion more than in the current budget.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The convenience store cashier who sold cigarettes to George Floyd and was handed a counterfeit $20 bill in return says he watched the Black man’s ill-fated arrest outside with “disbelief — and guilt.” Nineteen-year-old Christopher Martin said Wednesday at Officer Derek Chauvin’s murder trial that none of this would have happened if Martin had rejected the counterfeit bill. Prosecutors used Martin and other witnesses to help lay out the rapidly escalating sequence of events that led to the ill-fated arrest. They also played store security video of Floyd inside Cup Foods and more amateur footage of him outside, adding to the mountain of video documenting what happened.

To the prosecution, the witnesses to George Floyd’s death were everyday people going about their daily lives when they happened upon the ghastly scene of an officer kneeling on a man’s neck, something they were powerless to stop. Prosecutor Jerry Blackwell has called them “a veritable bouquet of humanity.” But some of those same people are being portrayed at trial as unruly, angry, even threatening by Eric Nelson, the attorney for former Minneapolis Officer Derek Chauvin. Nelson has talked about the hostility the officers faced, how they were distracted and perhaps frightened by people at the scene. Chauvin is charged with murder and manslaughter in Floyd’s death.

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The Wisconsin Supreme Court has struck down Gov. Tony Evers’ statewide mask mandate, ruling that the Democratic governor exceeded his authority by unilaterally extending the mandate for months through multiple emergency orders. The 4-3 ruling Wednesday by the conservative-controlled court is the latest legal blow to attempts by Evers to control the coronavirus. It comes after Republicans in the Legislature voted to repeal the mask mandate, only to see Evers quickly re-issue it. The court ruled that any public health emergency issued by Evers is valid for just 60 days and can’t be extended without approval of the Legislature. Evers says he used science to guide his decisions. He promises to keep working to get people vaccinated and urges people to continue to wear masks.

 

In world and national news…

WASHINGTON (AP) — Americans are broadly supportive of President Joe Biden’s early handling of the coronavirus pandemic, and approval of his stewardship of the economy has ticked up following passage of a sprawling $1.9 trillion relief bill. That’s according to a new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. But Americans are split over Biden’s early approach to some of the hot-button issues that are moving to the forefront, including guns and immigration. The president has outlined goals for tackling both issues but has made clear that they are not his immediate legislative priorities.

 

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden wants $2 trillion to re-engineer America’s infrastructure and expects the nation’s corporations to pay for it. The Democratic president travels to Pittsburgh on Wednesday to unveil what would be a hard-hatted transformation of the U.S. economy. It includes $621 billion for roads, bridges and transportation infrastructure. The plan would also move the country away from fossil fuels toward cleaner energy. It would be financed by raising the corporate tax rate from 21% to 28%, among other measures. That could lead to fierce resistance from the business community and thwart attempts to work with Republican lawmakers.

 

(AP) A new report says U.S. deaths last year topped 3.3 million, the nation’s highest annual death toll. That includes about 375,000 deaths from the COVID-19 pandemic. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released the report Wednesday. COVID-19 was the third leading cause of U.S. deaths in 2020, after heart disease and cancer. Overall, the year’s death rate was up nearly 16% compared to the previous year. The COVID-19 death rate was highest among Hispanic people. In a separate report, the CDC said its review of death certificates confirms the accuracy of the death count for COVID-19.

 

PARIS (AP) — French President Emmanuel Macron has announced a three-week nationwide school closure and a month-long domestic travel ban in an effort to fight the rapid spread of the virus. In a televised address to the nation Wednesday night, Macron said efforts are needed as “the epidemic is accelerating.” The move is a departure from the government’s policy in recent months, which has focused on regionalized restrictions. School closures in particular had been seen as a very last resort.

 

MADRID (AP) — With vaccinations being outpaced by a growing wave of new infections, health authorities in Spain are urging the public to increase precautions in order to “buy time.” The plea Wednesday by Health Minister Carolina Darias came as Spain surpassed 150 infections per 100,000 inhabitants over 14 days — which national authorities consider the high-risk threshold. Spain has resisted so far returning to the strict home confinement that it enforced in the early months of the pandemic. Instead, it has tried to keep its teetering economy afloat using targeted restrictions, mainly on eating and drinking establishments, restricting travel between regions, and enforcing a nightly curfew.

 

 

 

 

 

ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) — A former Air Force intelligence analyst has pleaded guilty to leaking classified documents to a reporter about military drone strikes against Al-Qaeda and other terrorist targets. The guilty plea Wednesday from 33-year-old Daniel Hale of Nashville, Tennessee, comes just days before he was slated to go on trial in federal court in Alexandria, Virginia, for violating the Espionage Act. Hale admitted leaking roughly a dozen secret and top secret documents to a reporter in 2014 and 2015. The original indictment against Hale states that he reached out to the reporter in April 2013 while still enlisted in the Air Force and assigned to the National Security Agency.

 

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A tweet issued on the official page of the U.S. military command in charge of the nation’s nuclear arsenal had many on social media confused. The Sunday evening tweet was a series of nonsensical letters and semicolons. Officials with U.S. Strategic Command provided the answer a day later. It came from a rogue toddler. StratComm has its headquarters at Offutt Air Force Base south of Omaha. The Omaha World-Herald reports that it issued a statement late Monday saying the person who manages the Twitter account was working from home when he stepped away from his computer with the account open. That’s when his child sat down to play on the keyboard and managed to hit “send.”