Wayne Byers Show – Morning – Sept 2

Valley City (VCSU)  Valley City State University’s Prairie Waters Education and Research Center has received a $9,900 grant from the North Dakota Natural Resources Trust to start a wetlands education program for North Dakota high schools.

Prairie Waters will use the funding to create a standards-based education curriculum focusing on the types, function and importance of wetlands. The curriculum will use the Prairie Waters Education and Research Center in Kathryn, N.D., and incorporate seasonal field activities at Stoney Slough National Wildlife Refuge near Litchville, N.D.

Schools and teachers participating in the inaugural year of the wetlands program beginning this fall are Enderlin High School, Hatton High School, Linton High School, May-Port CG High School and Wahpeton High School.

A fall visit to the slough will include an introduction to the goals of the program and center on identifying wetland types and functions.

A winter trek will involve drilling through the ice, collecting a sample from the bottom of the slough, examining the sample under microscopes to identify aquatic organisms and discussing the ways these organisms survive winters in North Dakota. 

The spring trip will focus on wetland wildlife, including those species that use the slough as a permanent home and those that use it as a temporary migration stop. The role wetlands play in spring flood mitigation will also be covered.

Prairie Waters staff leading the program include Andre DeLorme, director (and chair of the science department at Valley City State University); Bonita Roswick, education specialist; and Louis Wieland, lab manager. Also helping coordinate the program is Jennifer Jewett of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Valley City Wetland Management District.

 WATFORD CITY, N.D. (AP) – No injuries were reported in a weekend oil tank fire in the western North Dakota oil patch.
 
Lightning struck Sunday night at the Secure Energy Services site about 5 miles south of Watford City.
 
     Three oil tanks burned, but the fire was contained after about 2  1/2 hours.

 BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) – Police in Bismarck say a 25-year-old man is in custody after the firearm he has unloading went off and shots went through the walls of his apartment.
 
     Police say no injuries were reported.
 
The man fired two rounds that went through his wall and into his neighbor’s apartment.
 
     The man is facing initial charges of discharging a firearm within city limits and reckless endangerment.

 MINOT, N.D. (AP) – Police have identified the toddler who died over the weekend after being struck by a pickup truck in a hit-and-run incident in Minot.
 
     Capt. John Klug with the Minot Police Department says the toddler was 23-month-old Zofia Pepple of New Town. He says authorities are still searching for the vehicle of interest.
 
     The toddler was transported from the scene to a local hospital Sunday evening where she was pronounced dead.
 
     The vehicle is described as a dark color Ford F150, possibly 2004-2008 model, club or super cab with factory running boards and tires. Police say the vehicle was described as being clean, with tinted windows and North Dakota license plates.
 
     Homeowners in the area of the incident who have video surveillance systems are asked to contact police at 701-852-0111.

  WATFORD CITY, N.D. (AP) – At least 14 people in northwest North Dakota have sought medical treatment after becoming ill following a visit to a laundromat.
 
     The North Dakota Department of Health says exhaust from a malfunctioning boiler was venting into the Watford City facility. Authorities say a mixture of the exhaust, a high concentration of carbon monoxide, and the vapors of graffiti degreaser and a bleach cocktail used to treat clothes, was causing people to become ill.
 
     Authorities say the victims’ illnesses aren’t life threatening.
 
     Emergency personnel responded to the laundromat after receiving a report of a woman who had passed out. She was transported to the hospital, and later, other victims went to or were taken to the hospital from the same laundromat.
 
     The facility’s gas line has been shut off.
 

 BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) – A trucking company in the North Dakota oil patch says a lawsuit by a former employee over overtime pay is without merit.
 
     Devon Seeling, of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, has filed a federal complaint against Moorhead, Minnesota-based AM-PM Trucking LLC, which formerly maintained an office in Underwood, North Dakota. The suit is seeking class action status.
 
     Seeling says the company paid drivers a percentage of the revenue generated by each truckload, rather than overtime pay as required by law. Seeling was employed with the company for one month.
 
     The company denies that Seeling “regularly worked” and says his allegations that other drivers regularly work over 40 hours per week are false. The defendants say the suit should be dismissed.
 

STANTON, N.D. (AP) – An effective but dangerous pressurized gas known as anhydrous ammonia has been used for years to deliver nitrogen to soil and crops.
 
     But its reign is now being shared with a dry pellet that goes on faster and isn’t a safety risk. 
 
Farmers are making a gradual switch from anhydrous to urea mainly out of safety concerns.
 
     While anhydrous is still cheaper, it requires annual inspections and forces drivers transporting it to slow down to 25 mph. Urea, on the other hand, is easier to haul and can be transported at up to 30 mph.
 
     The newspaper reports the switch has pushed Dakota Gasification Co., to build the first-ever urea plant in North Dakota. The company is spending $402 million in the facility.

 FARGO, N.D. (AP) – The National Corn Growers Association has selected Fargo as the site for a national research center.
 
     The St. Louis-based association considered North Dakota’s largest city and Decatur, Illinois, for the National Agricultural Genotyping Center. Fargo was picked after visits by a selection committee.
 
     The center will start operations in October at the federal Biosciences Research Laboratory on the North Dakota State University campus.
 
     The center is a collaboration of the corn group and the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico. Its main goal will be to develop on-site tests for diseases in corn and other crops and for food-borne illnesses, enhancing both food production and food safety.

 BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) – Former state Department of Transportation director Francis Ziegler and Fargo city engineer Mark Bittner are set to be inducted into the North Dakota Highway Hall of Honor.
 
     Ziegler worked for the DOT for 42 years, the last six as director. He was in charge of several of the state’s largest construction programs. He retired in November 2012.
 
     Bittner has been an engineer for the city of Fargo for 35 years and has managed record growth. He was instrumental in developing a capital improvement program, pavement management system and other improvements.
 
     The North Dakota Highway Hall of Honor recognizes people who have improved state or regional highway systems.
 
     An induction luncheon is scheduled Sept. 17 in Bismarck.

In sports…

 BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) – More than 300 swan hunting licenses remain available after North Dakota’s license lottery. The state Game and Fish Department says remaining licenses will be issued on a first-come, first-served basis beginning Wednesday. Hunters are limited to one license per year.

 FARGO, N.D. (AP) – North Dakota State University is once again at the top of both Football Championship Subdivision polls.
 
     The Bison on Saturday downed Iowa State, which plays in the upper-tier Football Bowl Subdivision. NDSU won handily, 34-14, for its 25th straight victory and its fifth straight win over an FBS school.
 
     NDSU retained its top spot in the FCS coaches’ poll and moved up from No. 2 in The Sports Network poll.
 
     Eastern Washington is No. 2 and Southeastern Louisiana is No. 3 in both polls. Montana is fourth and Coastal Carolina fifth in the Sports Network Poll; the two teams swap spots in the coaches’ poll.

AA…

 Fargo-Moorhead 7, Sioux Falls 0

Final game of the season, with the Hawks season over, as they did not make the playoffs.

MLB…
       AMERICAN  LEAGUE

 BALTIMORE (AP) – Phil Hughes held Baltimore without an earned run over eight innings as the Minnesota Twins beat the Orioles 6-4 yesterday to avoid a four-game sweep. Joe Mauer drove in four runs. Nelson Cruz hit his major-league leading 36th home run. Nick Hundley had a three-run shot for the AL East-leading Orioles.
 
   Final          Tampa  Bay              4    Boston                    3,  10  Innings
   Final          Detroit                12    Cleveland              1
   Final          Oakland                  6    Seattle                  1
   Final          Kansas  City          4    Texas                      3
 
 
       NATIONAL  LEAGUE

 ATLANTA (AP) – Cole Hamels combined with three relievers on the fourth no-hitter of the season as the Philadelphia Phillies whipped the Braves 7-0 in Atlanta. Hamels worked the first six innings before Jake Diekman, Ken Giles and closer Jonathan Papelbon (PAP’-ul-bahn) each pitched a perfect inning of relief to complete the team’s 12th no-hitter.
 
   Final          Miami                      9    N-Y  Mets                6

   Final          St.  Louis              5    Pittsburgh            4
   Final          Chi  Cubs                4    Milwaukee              2
   Final          San  Diego              3    Arizona                  1
   Final          Colorado              10    San  Francisco      9    (first  game)
   Final          San  Francisco      4    Colorado                2    (second  game)
   Final          Washington            6    L.A.  Dodgers        4

         BALTIMORE (AP) – The Minnesota Twins intend to add eight players to their roster. That includes catcher Josmil Pinto and four pitchers. The players are expected to join the team today when the Twins host the Chicago White Sox. Those recalled from Rochester were left-hander Logan Darnell, right-hander Michael Tonkin and outfielders Chris Herrman and Aaron Hicks.

  HOUSTON (AP) – Bo Porter’s run as Houston manager is over before he completes his second season.  He’s been fired with the team mired in fourth place in the five-team AL West.  The Astros have the second-worst record in the league and are 25 games out of first place. However, general manager Jeff Luhnow says the decision wasn’t based on Houston’s record but on a need for a new direction in the clubhouse.
 
     Tom Lawless takes over as interim manager through the end of the season.  He’s been working in the Astros minor league system.
 
     Bench coach Dave Trembley was also let go.

TENNIS…

 NEW YORK (AP) – Top seed Serena Williams, 11th seed Flavia Pennetta, No. 16 Victoria Azarenka and No. 17 Ekaterina Makarova moved into the U.S. Open quarterfinals by winning yesterday. Williams became the only top-8 seed left in the women’s draw after Makarova ousted No. 7 Eugenie Bouchard (yoo-JEE’-nee boo-SHARHD’) 7-6, 6-4. Top seed Novak Djokovic (JOH’-koh-vihch), third seed Stan Wawrinka (vahv-RIHN’-kah), No. 8 Andy Murray and Japan’s Kei Nishikori also won to advance to the men’s quarters.
 

GOLF…

   NORTON, Mass. (AP) – Chris Kirk closed with a 5-under 66 to win the Deutsche Bank Championship near Boston. Kirk came up with three big putts on the back nine to pull away for a two-shot victory over Geoff Ogilvy, Billy Horschel and Russell Henley.
 
     Kirk has three career victories, including two this season as he tries to gain one of the three Ryder Cup picks that will be announced on Tuesday.
 
     Horschel had a chance to force a playoff, but he chunked his second shot on 18 so badly that it barely reached the hazard.

In world and national news…

KIEV, Ukraine (AP) – There are more claims today of Russian troops in Ukraine. An official says Russian forces have been spotted in Donetsk and Luhansk, as well as other locations throughout the east. He did not give details and the claims can’t be independently confirmed. Ukraine tops the discussion list at a NATO summit this week. President Barack Obama plans to attend.

 
     EL-ARISH, Egypt (AP) – Security and medical officials say 11 policemen have been killed by a roadside bomb in Egypt’s tense Sinai Peninsula. The security officials say the bomb appears to have been detonated by remote control, ripping apart an armored police vehicle travelling through a village near the border with the Gaza Strip.
 
     JERUSALEM (AP) – The Hamas militant group has gotten a big positive bump in popularity since the 50-day war with Israel. That’s seen in the results of an opinion poll among Palestinians in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. The poll, conducted by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research indicates that 61 percent of Palestinians would choose the Hamas leader for president if the election were today. The number was 41 percent in June.
 
     BEIRUT (AP) – The World Food Program says aid to people inside Syria has improved since a U.N. Security Council resolution allowing movement of supplies to Syrians in rebel-held areas without government approval. The U.N. agency says it was able to provide food to a record 4.1 million people inside Syria last month.
 
     NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – A Tennessee Department of Children’s Services spokesman says a youth detention center is calm and under control today after a mass escape, though 17 teens are still at large out of the 32 who fled. Officials say the teens escaped from Woodland Hills Youth Development Center last night by crawling under a weak spot in a fence.