wbPM4CSi Weather…
.TONIGHT…MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH A 30 PERCENT CHANCE OF RAIN
SHOWERS  20 PERCENT CHANCE IN THE JAMESTOWN AREA AFTER MIDNIGHT.  LOWS IN THE LOWER 40S. SOUTH WINDS 10 TO 20 MPH WITH
GUSTS TO AROUND 35 MPH SHIFTING TO THE SOUTHWEST AROUND 10 MPH
AFTER MIDNIGHT.
.THURSDAY…PARTLY SUNNY. HIGHS IN THE LOWER 60S. NORTH WINDS
10 TO 15 MPH.
.THURSDAY NIGHT…MOSTLY CLEAR. LOWS IN THE UPPER 30S. WEST WINDS
AROUND 10 MPH.
.FRIDAY…SUNNY. HIGHS IN THE MID 60S. NORTHWEST WINDS 10 TO
20 MPH.
.FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY…MOSTLY CLEAR. LOWS IN THE UPPER 30S.
HIGHS IN THE MID 60S.
.SATURDAY NIGHT…MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH A 40 PERCENT CHANCE OF RAIN
SHOWERS. LOWS IN THE LOWER 40S.
.SUNDAY…MOSTLY SUNNY WITH A 30 PERCENT CHANCE OF RAIN SHOWERS.
BREEZY. HIGHS IN THE MID 50S.
.SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT…PARTLY CLOUDY. LOWS IN THE
LOWER 30S. HIGHS IN THE LOWER 50S.
.TUESDAY…PARTLY SUNNY. SLIGHT CHANCE OF RAIN SHOWERS AND SNOW
SHOWERS IN THE MORNING…THEN SLIGHT CHANCE OF RAIN SHOWERS IN
THE AFTERNOON. HIGHS IN THE UPPER 40S. CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION
20 PERCENT.

ADDITIONAL L CHANCES FOR PRECIPITATION…PRIMARILY SATURDAY NIGHT INTO SUNDAY.

COOLER TEMPERATURES ARE ALSO EXPECTED BY SUNDAY AS A COLD FRONT WITH THIS SYSTEM SWEEPS THROUGH THE AREA.

A COOLER AND UNSETTLED PATTERN WILL SET UP FOR EARLY NEXT WEEK

 

GRAND FORKS, N.D. (AP) – Limited visibility conditions caused by the smoke from multiple grass fires have forced transportation officials in North Dakota to close Interstate 29 from Grand Forks to the Canadian border on Wednesday afternoon.

The North Dakota Department of Transportation says the area north of Grand Forks along I-29 is experiencing near-zero visibility conditions.

The National Weather Service says dangerous fire weather is in store for much of the Northern Plains over the next several days, with gusty winds and low humidity levels.

A statewide fire emergency is in effect until the end of the month.

Transportation officials say motorists can monitor driving conditions by dialing 511 or online at http://www.dot.nd.gov.

 

Jamestown (CSi) The Jamestown Fire department was called out around 9:30pm Wednesday  for a garage fire at 705 15th street SE in Jamestown. The fire at this time is under investigation. Tune in to the Wayne Byers Show at 8:25am for the latest update.

[youtube]https://youtu.be/wwQBH7ebrx0[/youtube]

 

Jamestown (CSi) The Jamestown City Engineer’s Office informs motorists that due to ongoing Storm Water Utility issues in the area, the following Center Lane Closures will take effect beginning Thursday morning, April 16, 2015, and continuing until further notice.

  • 7th Avenue SE from 2nd Street SE to 3rd Street SE;
  • 2nd Street SE from 4th Avenue SE to 5th Avenue SE.

Through traffic will be maintained, but NO STREET PARKING will be allowed in either of these locations until further notice.

 

Pedestrian and Vehicular Traffic in these locations are urged to be cautious and on the lookout for construction equipment.

Jamestown (CSi) The Jamestown City Fire Department was called to a fire about 6:35 a.m., Wednesday at a 24-plex apartment building, at 611 11th Street Northeast.

  • 611 1th Street NE - Apt fire 611 1th Street NE - Apt fire
  • 611 1th Street NE - Apt fire 611 1th Street NE - Apt fire
  • 611 1th Street NE - Apt fire 611 1th Street NE - Apt fire
  • 611 1th Street NE - Apt fire 611 1th Street NE - Apt fire
  • 611 1th Street NE - Apt fire 611 1th Street NE - Apt fire
  • 611 1th Street NE - Apt fire 611 1th Street NE - Apt fire
  • 611 1th Street NE - Apt fire 611 1th Street NE - Apt fire
  • 611 1th Street NE - Apt fire 611 1th Street NE - Apt fire
  • 611 1th Street NE - Apt fire 611 1th Street NE - Apt fire
  • 611 1th Street NE - Apt fire 611 1th Street NE - Apt fire
     

City Fire Chief Jim Reuther says, the Jamestown Police Department arrived on the scene just ahead of the fire units, assisting in safely evacuating the building.

A fire crew assisted in the evacuation, and two addtional fire crews went through the building to make sure all occupants were out of the building.

No injuries were reported.

Reuter says, the fire started in a first floor apartment, which sustained heavy fire damage. The remaining apartment units on that floor received smoke damage, with water damage on the first floor.

The fire was under control in about 20 minutes.

Eight apartment units are on the first floor, and are now unusable.

He says there were working smoke alarms in the building.

Reuther asks those residents displaced to contact the Buffalo Valley Red Cross if they need housing assistance. He says the Red Cross was on scene and has begun assiting those left homeless.

Fire officials have interviewed the occupant of the apartment where the fire started, as the investigation into the cause remains under investigation.

Seven units of the Jamestown City Fire Department and 35 fire fighters were on the scene just under two hours.

 

FARGO, N.D. (AP) – The North Dakota Senate has passed a higher education bill that caps tuition raises at 2.5 percent and keeps intact a funding formula based on student success.

Republican Sen. Ray Holmberg calls the bill a balance between the governor’s proposal and the measure passed by the House. He says the bill increases actual expenses by 8.9 percent, compared to the 19.4 increase suggested by the governor.

Holmberg says it was necessary to “smooth out” the funding formula because the House unfairly penalized schools that offer a lot of remedial classes.

The Senate axed the House proposal that would give the Legislature control to set tuition and fees, and added the cap instead.

Democratic Senate Minority Leader Mac Schneider says he likes the cap because it offers a “measure of predictability.”

 

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) – North Dakota’s House has approved legislation to provide state funding to expand early childhood education.

The House voted 50-41 on Wednesday to set aside $3 million for the 2016-17 school year.

The program would be voluntary.

The House version of the bill provides only half the $6 million that was approved earlier by the Senate.

The Senate could adopt the House version or take the matter to a conference committee to negotiate the difference.

 

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) – North Dakota Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring has announced plans for a pipeline restoration and reclamation oversight pilot program.

The program was approved by legislators this session, and Gov. Jack Dalrymple signed it into law Monday. It will help landowners and tenants resolve issues with companies over pipeline reclamation and restoration.

Goehring says the program is needed, given there is more than 20,000 miles of pipeline already crossing North Dakota and thousands more miles to be added in coming years.

The program also will provide educational outreach about reclamation.

People needing assistance can call 701-328-2231 or 1-800-242-7535, or go to http://www.nd.gov/ndda/program/pipeline-restoration-and-reclamation-oversight-program .

 

RIVERDALE, N.D. (AP) – Lake Sakakawea was declared ice free this past Sunday, making for one of the shortest seasons ever from freeze-up to open water.

The Army Corps of Engineers says the official ice-free observation came at 2:30 p.m. Sunday.

The Missouri River reservoir was declared frozen over Jan. 6. The  April 12 ice-free designation means the lake was officially frozen over for just 99 days, the sixth-shortest amount of time since lake history began in 1961.

 

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) – American Indian studies programs at four universities in the Dakotas are collaborating to boost the quality of their offerings to students, raise awareness of Native American issues and help ensure their own futures.

The American Indian Studies-Great Plains Consortium was launched late last month by the University of North Dakota, the University of South Dakota, South Dakota State and Black Hills State. Officials also are looking to recruit other schools in the region, including tribal colleges.

Consortium participants hope that by collaborating they can offer students a broader and stronger education. Ways being considered include faculty exchanges, student conferences, cooperation in curriculum development and possibly even a collaborative master’s program.

Another goal is to increase student participation and faculty numbers, which could help ensure the long-term future of the programs.

 

In world and national news…

WASHINGTON (AP) – Police at the U.S. Capitol aren’t yet identifying the man who steered a tiny, one-person helicopter onto the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol Wednesday.  But a Florida postal carrier named Doug Hughes is taking responsibility for the stunt on a website, where he said he was delivering letters to all 535 members of Congress in order to draw attention to campaign finance corruption. One lawmaker says the pilot landed on his own — but that if he had come much closer to the Capitol, authorities were prepared to shoot him down.

FALL RIVER, Mass. (AP) – Former New England Patriots star Aaron Hernandez has been has been sentenced to life in prison without parole after he was found guilty of first-degree murder in the shooting death of Odin Lloyd. The conviction carried a mandatory sentence of life without parole and automatically triggers an appeal to Massachusetts’ highest court.

FALL RIVER, Mass. (AP) – Jurors who convicted former NFL star Aaron Hernandez of first-degree murder say they are even more certain of their decision now, after hearing more details about Hernandez from the judge in the case. They say after the verdict, the judge let them know about other allegations that hadn’t been admissible at the trial — including two slayings in 2012 in which Hernandez wasn’t charged.

WASHINGTON (AP) – The Federal Reserve says the U.S. economy was growing at a moderate pace from mid-February through the end of March. But in its latest survey of business conditions around the country, the Fed says the harsh winter — combined with the rising value of the dollar and a big plunge in oil prices — were having adverse effects on some industries.

ISTANBUL (AP) – Turkey’s prime minister is accusing Pope Francis of joining “an evil front” plotting against Turkey. It’s the latest angry reaction to the pope’s decision to label as “genocide” the killings of an estimated 1.5 million Armenians a century ago. Turkey has insisted that the numbers are inflated, and that those killed were victims of civil war and unrest, and not genocide.

BERLIN (AP) – The head of Germany’s air traffic control agency says the crash of a Germanwings jet in France last month raises the question of whether technology should be put in place allowing authorities on the ground to take control of a plane and remotely land it. Investigators believe the plane’s co-pilot deliberately crashed it during a flight from Barcelona to Duesseldorf, killing all 150 aboard. The German official says similar technology is already available for piloting drones, but it could take a decade to develop it for passenger jets.