CSi Weather…

 TONIGHT…MOSTLY CLOUDY. LIGHT SNOW LIKELY IN THE EVENING…THEN
SLIGHT CHANCE OF LIGHT SNOW AFTER MIDNIGHT. SNOW ACCUMULATION UP
TO 1 INCH. LOWS 10 TO 15. TEMPERATURE RISING OVERNIGHT. SOUTH WINDS 10 TO 20 MPH. CHANCE OF SNOW 70 PERCENT . FRIDAY…PARTLY SUNNY. HIGHS 30 TO 35. WEST WINDS 10 TO 20 MPH. FRIDAY NIGHT…PARTLY CLOUDY. LOWS 15 TO 20. WEST WINDS 10 TO 20 MPH. GUSTS UP TO 30 MPH AFTER MIDNIGHT.
.SATURDAY…PARTLY SUNNY WITH A 20 PERCENT CHANCE OF LIGHT SNOW.
AREAS OF BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW. VERY WINDY. HIGHS 15 TO 20.
.SATURDAY NIGHT…PARTLY CLOUDY. LOWS 10 TO 15 BELOW.
.SUNDAY…MOSTLY CLOUDY. CHANCE OF LIGHT SNOW. HIGHS ZERO TO
5 BELOW.
.SUNDAY NIGHT…PARTLY CLOUDY. LOWS 20 TO 25 BELOW.
.MARTIN LUTHER KING JR DAY…PARTLY SUNNY. HIGHS 5 TO 10 BELOW.
.MONDAY NIGHT…MOSTLY CLOUDY. SLIGHT CHANCE OF LIGHT SNOW. LOWS 10 TO 15 BELOW.
.TUESDAY…MOSTLY CLOUDY. HIGHS ZERO TO 5 ABOVE.
.TUESDAY NIGHT…PARTLY CLOUDY. LOWS 5 TO 10 BELOW.
.WEDNESDAY…PARTLY SUNNY. HIGHS 10 TO 15.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT…CLOUDY. LOWS 5 TO 10.
.THURSDAY…CLOUDY. SLIGHT CHANCE OF LIGHT SNOW. HIGHS 15 TO 20.

ARCTIC AIR WILL TAKE AIM AT NORTH DAKOTA BEGINNING SATURDAY AND

CONTINUE INTO MONDAY. BY MONDAY MORNING THE COLDEST AIR OF THE

SEASON IS POSSIBLE OVER THE REGION.

 

AFTER A MILD FRIDAY WITH HIGHS BETWEEN 30 AND 40 DEGREES…A STRONG COLD FRONT WILL SWEEP THROUGH THE STATE…ENTERING THE NORTH FRIDAY EVENING…MOVING THROUGH THE ENTIRE STATE BY SATURDAY MORNING.

VERY STRONG NORTHWEST WINDS MAY ACCOMPANY THE MUCH COLDER AIR BEHIND THE FRONT…WITH WIND SPEEDS POTENTIALLY RANGING FROM 30 TO 50 MPH.

BLOWING SNOW IS ALSO POSSIBLE IF THE VERY STRONG WINDS MATERIALIZE. HIGH TEMPERATURES SATURDAY WILL RANGE FROM AROUND 10 ABOVE IN THE NORTH TO AROUND 20 DEGREES SOUTH….WITH GENERALLY FALLING AFTERNOON TEMPERATURES.

 

ALTHOUGH THE STRONG WINDS WILL SUBSIDE AFTER SATURDAY…EVEN

COLDER AIR WITH BITTERLY COLD WIND CHILL TEMPERATURES ARE FORECAST TO ARRIVE SUNDAY INTO MONDAY. HIGH TEMPERATURES SUNDAY AND MONDAY ARE FORECAST TO RANGE BETWEEN 10 BELOW ZERO IN THE NORTH…TO 10 ABOVE IN THE SOUTHWEST.

DANGEROUS WIND CHILL TEMPERATURES OF 45 BELOW ZERO ARE POSSIBLE SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MARTIN LUTHER KING JR DAY.

IN ADDITION…THERE WILL BE A CHANCE FOR SNOW SUNDAY WITH LIGHT

SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS POSSIBLE.

 

WATCHES OR WARNINGS MAY FOLLOW IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS IF CURRENT TRENDS CONTINUE TO INDICATE VERY STRONG WINDS AND DANGEROUS WIND CHILL TEMPERATURES. MOTORISTS…AND ANYONE WITH OUTDOOR PLANS THIS WEEKEND WILL WANT TO CHECK BACK

　

Jamestown, ND (KCSi-T.V. News Jan 17, 2013) — The $1.3 billion CHS nitrogen fertilizer plant set for construction in 2014 at the Spiritwood Energy Park, has sparked the need for the region to prepare for an influx of traffic and workers.

The Jamestown/Stutsman Development Corporation, Thursday, hosted the first Regional Workforce Roundtable discussion, attended by industry leaders, local and state elected officials and economic developers from the Jamestown Valley City area, and eight surrounding counties.

JSDC Business Development Coordinator DeAnn Brunner says it’s important for representatives from all around the region to be involved in the discussions.

The goals of the Regional Workforce Roundtable are to create a business/education/training workforce roundtable and to recruit/relocate skilled workers/engineers.

The overall objectives of these two goals are to develop a long-term workforce development strategic plan for the Jamestown/Stutsman County and Valley City/Barnes County area.

The Roundtable involves Jamestown/Stutsman County and Valley City/Barnes County industry leaders and human resource managers, job training officials, economic developers, and local and state elected officials.

　

REGIONAL WORKFORCE ROUNDTABLE JANUARY 2013

GOAL#1: CREATE A BUSINESS/EDUCATION/TRAINING WORKFORCE ROUNDTABLE

GOAL #2: RECRUITMENT/RELOCATION OF SKILLED WORKERS/ENGINEERS

OBJECTIVE: The overall objective of these two goals is to develop a long-term workforce development strategic plan for the Jamestown/Stutsman County and Valley City/Barnes County area. This will involve Jamestown/Stutsman County and Valley City/Barnes County industry leaders and human resource managers; job training officials; economic developers; and local and state elected officials. Specific objectives include:

Participation from local companies, educators, training providers

Key leadership comes from industry leaders and college/university Presidents, school superintendents

Understand local skills & filling skill voids

Design cooperative recruiting/relocation activities, training efforts, and generally prepare young people for “world of work.”

Prepare a good labor environment for the future

Identify and assess local capabilities vs. tech needs

STRATEGY # 1: Hold three (3) workshop/focus group sessions with the new Roundtable members

Session 1: to review strengths, weaknesses, and recommendations from Foote Consultant Group plan and add any new issues (Labor availability & quality attached)

Session 2: begin development of goals, objectives, and timelines

Session 3: review draft strategic plan and make final modifications

Prepare the Roundtable Final Plan

Assist with up to four Roundtable meetings following plan preparation

　

STRATEGY # 2: Establish a relocation task force

OBJECTIVE: To discuss the most critical issues pertaining to relocating management and skilled personnel to the area, including incentives. Membership will include large employers. Discussion will involve the possibility of using a professional relocation company.

Potential Outcomes

Cerrtified Work Ready Community Program

Enhance and improve funding on TrainND

 100% STEM internships from local universities and colleges in industry

 University and college faculty industry externships

Recruitment of skilled workers/engineers from outside states

 Forrmation of a relocation program for workers and their families  

　

Bismarck, ND (KCSi- T.V News) — North Dakota’s commercial airports finished 2012 with a record high of 1,028,718 passenger boardings.

Topping the list was Fargo with 364,727 passengers, and Minot with a 49% growth.

Aeronautics Commission Director Larry Taborsky, says, “The demand for airline travel has been strong across the state this year. In 2012 we broke record after record, said. The state, federal and local partners did an amazing job with the available resources.”

 

The December 2012 Jamestown boardings were 300 compared to 765 in December of 2011.

Jamestown Regional Airport Manager, Matt Leitner says, although the comparative numbers are lower, Jamestown boardings continue to show improvement.

The 300 Jamestown boardings were a 20 percent increase over boardings in November of 2012.

He said that 300 figure, is comparable to average Jamestown boardings in 2010.

Leitner says the last three months of 2012, saw the numbers increasing from earlier in the year, since Great Lake Airlines took over Jamestown air service from Delta.

He pointed out that local officials are still working with Great Lakes Airlines to restart the Sky Miles program, previously with Delta Airlines.

 

Valley City, ND (KCSi-T.V. News Jan 17, 2013) — The Valley City auditorium has been appraised by a commercial property appraiser at $180,000.

A party previously indicated interest in buying the building from the city, constructed in 1936.

Valley City Mayor, Robert Werkhoven says indications of a pending sale that was a possibility is now on hold.

City Assessor Sandra Hansen says there have been improvements to the building, over the years.

 

　OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – A new survey of rural bankers suggests that growth in farmland prices, cash rents and farm equipment sales remain strong despite the continuing threat of drought in some Midwestern and northern Plains states.
 
     A report on the Rural Mainstreet Index released Thursday says the index hit 55.6 in January, down from 60.6 in December. It is the index’s fourth straight month above growth neutral.
 
     Creighton University economist Ernie Goss says the region’s rural economy is still expanding at a moderate pace and that farm communities “appear to have shed the negative impacts of the 2012 drought.”
 
     The index ranges from 0 to 100, with 50 representing growth neutral. It’s based on a survey of rural bankers in Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming.

 

 FARGO, N.D. (AP) – A Fargo man accused of robbing a local bank at gunpoint shortly before Christmas has been arraigned in federal court.
 
54-year-old Timothy Patrick McKenna is set for a detention hearing Friday.
 
     Court documents state that McKenna entered a Gate City Bank on Dec. 17, indicated he had a gun and demanded cash. He reportedly made off with nearly $9,000.
 
     McKenna was originally charged in Cass County District Court with robbery, a felony.
 
     But that case has been closed following McKenna’s initial appearance and arraignment in U.S. District Court in Fargo on bank robbery charges this week.

 

UNDERWOOD, N.D. (AP) – Sanford Health is closing a nursing home in the North Dakota town of Underwood, citing a decline in need and difficulties in hiring staff.
 
     The Underwood Continuing Care Center will close by March 15. The facility formerly was known as the Medcenter One Prairieview Nursing Home. Sanford and Bismarck-based Medcenter merged last year.
 
     Sanford says it will help the 38 residents of the Underwood center and their families to find care at another facility. The 62 workers at the center will be offered other jobs within Sanford.
 
     Sanford Health is based in Fargo, N.D., and Sioux Falls, S.D.

 

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) – Commissioners in North Dakota’s capital city have resurrected talk of expanding the Bismarck Civic Center, but with a project that would cost about one-third of the $90 million plan rejected by voters last November.
 
     Mayor John Warford says the South Dakota cities of Sioux Falls and Rapid City are improving their convention facilities, making more competition for Bismarck.
 
     The proposed $31 million plan would double the size of the Civic Center’s Exhibit Hall, and upgrade locker rooms and improve performer spaces for the arena section.
 
Commissioners could approve the smaller project without a public vote, paying for it with existing revenue from food, lodging and liquor taxes. If that happens, construction could be done in time for the Williston Basin Petroleum Conference in May 2014.

 

In world and national news…

ALGIERS, Algeria (AP) – Algeria’s communications minister says his government regrets what he calls a “few dead and wounded” from Thursday’s military assault on the Islamist militants who were holding dozens of foreign hostages at a natural gas plant in the Sahara Desert. He said on Algerian radio that “an important number of hostages were freed and an important number of terrorists were neutralized” — and that there’s an “ongoing” operation to free hostages still inside the plant. The militants, meanwhile, say 35 hostages and 15 militants died, and only seven hostages survived — including two Americans.
 
     ALGIERS, Algeria (AP) – Governments around the world are expressing concern about the way Algeria tried to rescue the foreigners who’d been held hostage since yesterday at a natural gas plant. Japan’s prime minister is protesting the raid, saying it “threatened the lives of the hostages.” A spokesman for Britain’s prime minister says he wasn’t informed of the raid in advance. The White House says it’s “concerned about reports of loss of life.”
 
     ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) – The NRA says it never really got a chance to mount any opposition to the tough new gun control laws that were passed this week by state lawmakers in New York. The legislation was introduced and signed into law in less than two days. Gov. Andrew Cuomo said he was trying to prevent a buying spree of guns that would now be outlawed. The gun lobby says it had its members working the phones, but didn’t have enough time to coordinate a public rally against the New York law.
 
     AURORA, Colo. (AP) – Family members of some of the victims of last summer’s movie theater shooting in Colorado plan to attend Thursday night’s private event to mark the reopening of the theater. First responders and Colorado’s governor also plan to attend. But others say the reopening of the theater is insensitive, and they won’t be there for it.
 
     NEW ORLEANS (AP) – Inspectors have been taking the first-ever inventory of flood control systems that are looked after by the federal government. And they’ve found that hundreds of them are at risk of failure — endangering people and property in 37 states. The Army Corps of Engineers hasn’t yet rated more than 40 percent of the structures — but of those that it has rated, 326 levees covering more than 2,000 miles were found to be in urgent need of repair.