Wayne Byers Show – Evening – May 24

 

Jamestown (CSi) The Jamestown Regional Airport has received word of approval from the Department of Transportation of an agreement for the next two years with SkyWest to continue service to Jamestown.

Airport Authority Chairman, Jim Boyd received word during the City Council committee meeting and passed along the good news at the close of the meeting.

Boyd thanked the community’s support for requesting that SkyWest in conjunction with United Express continue as the designated airline, under the Essential Air Service Program, for the next two years.

Great Lakes Airlines also submitted a bid.

Boyd said UnitedExpress/SkyWest will provide additional air service on Saturdays.

　

Jamestown (CSi) The Jamestown City Council’s Finance & Legal, Building, Planning and Zoning, and Civic Center and Promotions Committees met Tuesday evening at City Hall. All members were present.

FINANCE & LEGAL COMMITTEE

The committee reviewed other community’s substandard housing ordinances and take such action as may seem warranted.

The committee recommends forming an ad hoc committee to review and perform any possible updates. The committee is expected to consist of representatives of the city council, police department, building and inspection department, and fire department

Council Members Buchanan and Brubakken will represent the City Council.

　

The committee recommends approval of the “Corrected Final Special Assessments” for District #14-41, #14-61 & #14- 31 showing the proper developer’s fee credits for Lots 3 thru 7, Block 2, McElroy Addition. The correction will change the total for the individual lots.

The committee then considered the appeal from Carol Wiest, 1714 6th Avenue NE, for a 6 foot variance to the 25 foot front yard setback requirement for buildings which has previously been denied by the Board of Adjustments. Carol Wiest is looking to build an entryway.

Board of Adjustments Chairman Darrell Losing said the denial was based on the structure not “in line,” with other houses on that side of the block. He said homeowners on the north and south side of the property had no comment.

Council Member Buchanan said he failed to see the harm in the variance.

The committee recommends approving the appeal and granting the variance.

The committee recommends approving the request from the Corner Bar for a permit to conduct a street dance on 2nd Street SW, on Saturday June 11, 2016.

The committee considered the request to purchase a portion of City right-of-way east of 1010 19th St. NE.

The committee recommends denial.

　

INFORMATIONAL:

The Second Reading of Ordinance No. 1474 granting a franchise to Cable Services, Inc, is scheduled for the June 6, 2016, City Council Meeting.

The Second Reading of Ordinance No. 1476 granting a franchise to Daktel Communications, LLC, is scheduled for the June 6, 2016, City Council Meeting.

The appointment of Abbigail C. Geroux as Assistant City Prosecutor and Assistant City Attorney is scheduled for the June 6, 2016, City Council meeting.

Considered the request from Joel Onsurez for Renaissance Zone approval for improvements of the property at 104 3rd Street SE (Lot 1 and North 49.7’ of Lot 2, Block 46, Klaus Addition) the former Masonic Lodge, and to provide for a five (5) year property tax exemption and to recommend the State grant a five (5) year ND State Income Tax exemption. The request was moved to the Council, pending the completion of the application.

　

The committee considered a loan to Jamestown Regional Airport for up to 50% of $126,000 for five (5) years for the purchase of a Jetway (passenger-boarding bridge).

City Administrator said the city dollars would come from the city’s Special Assessment Deficiency Fund

Airport Authority Chairman Jim Boyd said the airport’s share of the cost will come from a taxiway project that will not take place. He said it’s hoped that the State Aeronautics Commission will cover 70 percent.

The airport is purchasing the used jetway from Minot’s airport, and a significant reduction in costs of either a new, or refurbished unit.

The committee recommends approval of the request.

　

The committee recommends participation as the authorizing unit of government to make application on behalf of Jamestown Regional Medical Center for a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANE) Program Grant in the amount of $12,785.00.

Informational:

Public Hearing and final approval for Special Assessment District Seal Coat, Patching,

Construction and Reconstruction District #15-41, is scheduled for the June 6, 2016, City Council meeting.

Departmental and financial reports were presented.

BUILDING, PLANNING & ZONING COMMITTEE

Informational

: Minutes of the May 9, 2016, Planning Commission Meeting were presented.

The committee recommends approving the First Reading of an Ordinance to amend and re-enact ordinance No. 329 of the City Code to change the zoning of Lot1, Block 2, Mill Hill 2nd Addition from C-2 (General Commercial District) to R-4 for the proposed Lots 1-7, Block 1, Sumac Ridge Addition, a replat of a portion of Lot 1, Block 2, Mill Hill 2nd Addition.

Informational: A

Review of the Planning Commission 2016 Prioritization of Action Items.

CIVIC CENTER AND PROMOTION COMMITTEE

Considered the renewal of the City of Jamestown and Jamestown (Buffalo City) Tourism Agreement, that expires on December 31,2016.

The committee recommends looking at the agreement when the city budgets later this year. Other changes are not anticipated from the previous agreement.

Considered the renewal of the land lease with the Jamestown Tourism.

The committee recommends renewal to coincide with the Tourism agreement.

Reviewed and considered the Draft Jamestown Capital Construction Grant Application Guidelines.

The committee recommends approval, to be added to the renewal of the tourism agreement with the city, pending availability of funds, this year.

The meeting was shown live on CSi 67 followed by replays.

　

Jamestown (CSi) The Jamestown City Council met in Special Session Tuesday afternoon at City Hall.

The Council Members approved Resolutions pertaining to Paving District #16-42 (5th St NE from 12^th Ave NE to 27th Ave NE):

Items approved included:

Setting up and establishing the district.

Directing Interstate Engineering, to prepare a report of the general nature, purpose and feasibility, and an estimate of costs for the district.

Directing Interstate Engineering, to prepare plans and specifications for construction of the district.

Accepting and approving the plans and specifications, as prepared by Interstate Engineering, Inc., for construction of the District.

Declaring it necessary to construct the district and to direct the City Administrator to publish notice of a public hearing concerning the district.

Directing the City Administrator to advertise for bids for construction of the district.

 

 

Jamestown (CSi) For those unable to attend the Franklin Graham’s Decision America Tour stop Wednesday, May 25, 2016, in Bismarck, Victory Lutheran Church in Jamestown will live stream the rally at the church beginning at noon in the church sanctuary.

Franklin Graham will be at the capital steps, at noon.

Franklin Graham is traveling to all 50 states this year to hold prayer rallies, to preach the Gospel and to challenge believers to take a stand and take action. He’ll be urging Christians to vote, to live out their faith in every part of their lives, and to pray for our nation just as Nehemiah cried out to God to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem and restore hope to his people.

For more information, visit the Decision America Tour’s website at

Victory Lutheran Church is located at 510 9th Ave. SW. The church office may be reached at 251-1570.

　

Jamestown (CSi) Mike Williams, the owner of Williams-Lisko Funeral Chapel, was presented with the North Dakota Highway Patrol’s, Colonel’s Award for Excellence. Williams was nominated for this honor by Lt. Dan Haugen, coordinator of the NDHP’s Honor Guard. Williams allowed the honor guard to use his facilities and equipment several times to practice conducting funeral ceremonies. Williams also donated a casket, painted Highway Patrol brown, to the honor guard to use for training.

Lt. Haugan says, “Without Mr. Williams’ support of our team, we wouldn’t have been able to conduct realistic training and would not be the team we have grown into today. The NDHP Honor Guard serves at funerals of retired highway patrolmen and other law enforcement officers who die in the line of duty.

The Colonel’s Award for Excellence is given to NDHP employees or citizens who are nominated by any NDHP employee to recognize exceptional efforts in serving the citizens of North Dakota.

　

 FINGAL, N.D. (AP) – Law enforcement authorities in North Dakota say they have destroyed a suspicious homemade explosive device found Monday in the mailbox of a rural Fingal residence.
 
     Barnes County Sheriff Randy McClaflin says the object was identified as a dangerous device.
 
     He says the Red River Valley Regional Bomb Squad detonated the homemade device.
 
     The sheriff’s office is looking for help identifying a white Mazda or Toyota pickup described as a vehicle of interest in the case.

Anyone with information  about the vehicle or those involved in making this device please contact the Barnes County Sheriff’s Office at 701-845-8530 or investigate@barnescounty.us    You may remain anonymous.

 

 MINOT, N.D. (AP) – Minot police are investigating the burglary of a Honda dealership.
 
     Officers responded to a burglar alarm at Pure Honda shortly before 1 a.m. Monday and found signs of a forced entry. They found no one inside.
 
     An employee later determined that some property was missing, including a motorcycle belonging to a customer.
 
     The investigation is continuing.

 

 MINOT, N.D. (AP) – A Minot man accused of robbing four businesses in the city this month says police have no proof that he’s the culprit.
 
     Twenty-five-year-old Vincent Musi III made his initial court appearance Monday on four felony robbery charges that could send him to prison for 40 years.
 
     Musi did not enter formal pleas, but the Minot Daily News reports that he told Judge Doug Mattson that “there is zero tangible evidence” that he committed the crimes.
 
     Musi is accused of robbing a hotel, a motel and two convenience stores in Minot. He’s also a suspect in a store robbery in nearby Surrey. No one was hurt in any of the robberies.
 
     Mattson set Musi’s bond at $150,000, which Musi called “unreasonable.” He said he plans to apply for a public defender.

 

FARGO, N.D. (AP) – A week of dry weather in North Dakota has enabled farmers to make significant progress with spring planting. The Agriculture Department says in its weekly crop report that the state’s staple spring wheat crop is 94 percent planted, well ahead of the average pace. About three-fourths of the crop has emerged, and 80 percent of the crop is rated in good to excellent condition. The seeding of all other crops also is well ahead of average.

 

 BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) – A review of North Dakota’s criminal justice system shows that courts are collecting little information on the race and gender of defendants.
 
     That’s despite a previous study that found African Americans and Native Americans were arrested and imprisoned at rates proportionally higher than their state population.
 
     State officials and the Council of State Governments are examining potential policy changes to cut recidivism and keep people out of prison.
 
     The review found 80 percent of sentencing records from 2006 to 2014 don’t include the defendant’s race, and 52 percent don’t specify gender.
 
     Project manager Katie Mosehauer says the missing data will keep the team from analyzing demographic trends at the sentencing stage. However, she says the data collection issues should be easy to fix.

 

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) – Ten Republican governors want the Federal Communications Commission to give states more autonomy to apply technology that can stop prison inmates from using smuggled cellphones. Gov. Nikki Haley and her counterparts encouraged FCC Chairman Thomas Wheeler in a letter Monday to give them “flexibility and authority” to render such communication impossible. What the governors want is permission to jam cellphone signals behind bars.

 

In world and national news…

 NORRISTOWN, Pa. (AP) – A judge says there’s enough evidence to try Bill Cosby on sexual assault charges. The criminal case against him hinges on a decade-old police report in which a woman said the comedian gave her three blue pills that put her in a stupor and left her unable to stop his advances. The judge set an arraignment for July 20, but Cosby waived his right to appear at that proceeding. The move puts the case on track for trial.
 
     HO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam (AP) – The White House says it has protested to Vietnam’s government over human rights activists who were prevented from meeting with President Barack Obama. The president met with six activists Tuesday, but others invited to attend were absent. A White House adviser says it shows the meeting was “the source of significant discomfort” for the Vietnamese government.
 
     ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) – Bernie Sanders’ presidential campaign has requested a recanvass in Kentucky’s presidential primary. Sanders trails Hillary Clinton by less than one-half of 1 percent of the vote in the state. The recanvass is unlikely to affect the final outcome of the election but could affect the awarding of a single delegate still up for grabs. A Sanders spokesman says the senator is “in this until the last vote” and “fighting for every last delegate.”
 
     COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) – A federal judge has ruled that a law trimming early voting in swing-state Ohio is unconstitutional and cannot be enforced. The state’s Democratic Party was among the plaintiffs who sued Ohio’s elections chief over a series of Republican-backed voting changes. The policies included the elimination of a week of early voting in which Ohioans could also register to vote – a period known as golden week. Democrats claimed the change disproportionately burdened black voters.
 
     NEW YORK (AP) – More wordy tweets are on the way. Twitter says that in the coming months, photos, videos and other media will not count against what is now a 140-character limit. The change comes as Twitter looks to attract more users while maintaining the micro-blogging formula that makes it unique.