CSi Weather…

 REST OF TODAY…SUNNY. HIGHS IN THE UPPER 60S. NORTHWEST WINDS
 10 TO 20 MPH.
 .TONIGHT…MOSTLY CLEAR. LOWS IN THE MID 40S. NORTHWEST WINDS
 AROUND 5 MPH IN THE EVENING BECOMING LIGHT.
 .FRIDAY…SUNNY. HIGHS IN THE MID 70S. WEST WINDS AROUND 5 MPH.
 .FRIDAY NIGHT…PARTLY CLOUDY. LOWS AROUND 50. SOUTHWEST WINDS AROUND 5 MPH.
 .SATURDAY…MOSTLY SUNNY. HIGHS IN THE UPPER 70S. NORTH WINDS
 AROUND 10 MPH.
 .SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY…PARTLY CLOUDY. LOWS AROUND 50. HIGHS IN THE UPPER 70S.
 .SUNDAY NIGHT…PARTLY CLOUDY. LOWS IN THE MID 50S.
 .MONDAY THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT…MOSTLY CLEAR. HIGHS IN THE MID 80S. LOWS IN THE LOWER 60S.
 .WEDNESDAY…MOSTLY SUNNY WITH A 20 PERCENT CHANCE OF
 THUNDERSTORMS. HIGHS IN THE MID 80S.

 

Jamestown, ND (KCSi-T.V. News) — The Jamestown City Fire Department was called out about 2:50-p.m., on Wednesday (Aug 15, 2012) to 1005 14th Avenue, Southwest, to a shed fire.

Lt. Sheldon Mohr says the fire started in two trashcans next to the shed and spread to, and caught the shed on fire.

He says the cause was improperly disposed of ashes from a fire pit.

The shed in the backyard of the property was extensively damaged, no other structures were involved.

No injuries reported.

Three units of the Jamestown City Fire Department were on the scene, for about 30 minutes, with 19 city fire fighters.

 

JAMESTOWN, N.D. (AP & KCSi-T.V. News) –  –  A Jamestown man on trial for allegedly killing a Somali immigrant is expected to take the stand in his own defense.
The defense lawyer for 34-year-old Leron Howard, Steven Mottinger told jurors, Wednesday, that his client will take the stand and talk about the night 18-year-old Abdi Ali Ahmed died.

Howard has pleaded not guilty in the April 30, 2011 death of Ahmed, who was beaten and stabbed before his body was dumped in a ditch near Spiritwood.

Mottinger said in opening statements that his client did not intend to kill Ahmed and will ask jurors to find him guilty of manslaughter.

Mottinger also said his client bore some responsibility in the death.

Wednesday, jurors were shown  photos from the crime scene,  a ditch off a gravel road, near Spiritwood, where Ahmed’s body was found.

Called as a witness, Stutsman County Sheriff Deputy, Jason Falk testified that photos showed Ahmed received two stab wounds to the abdomen, with Ahmed’s forearms showing cuts received in a defensive effort.

Other witnesses on the stand testified that early morning, on April 30, 2011, Ahmed and Howard were together at The Corner Bar and a house party in Jamestown.

Witness testimony continues Thursday.
22-year-old Janelle Cave of Jamestown was found guilty, in February of this year,  of manslaughter and criminal conspiracy charges in the case.

As part of her sentence she is required to testify in Howard’s trial.

Murder and criminal conspiracy are Class AA felonies, and are punishable by life in prison without parole.

Manslaughter is a Class B felony and punishable by 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

Manslaughter is described as recklessly causing the death of another individual.

 

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) – A 50-year-old Texas man has been charged with setting the fire that destroyed the Lone Steer Motel in Steele.
Allen Thomas could spend up to 10 years in prison if he’s convicted on the arson charge.
Thomas is from Houston.  

He’s being held in the McLean County jail in Washburn.

 

Alan Thomas

A district court judge has set bond at $1 million cash for Thomas.

The Bismarck Tribune reports  that  Thomas appeared Wednesday via interactive television from the McLean County Courthouse.

The hearing was held at the Burleigh County Courthouse.

  Steele Police Chief David Feland says Thomas is being held in
McLean County because the jails in nearby Burleigh and Morton
counties were both full.

State authorities and the federal Bureau of Tobacco, Alcohol, Firearms and Explosives are investigating the Sunday morning fire.

The federal agency estimates the damage at $1.5 million.

No one was reported injured. The fire displaced about two dozen
people.

 

Jamestown, ND (KCSi-T.V. News) — Informational topics were discussed and updated at the Stutsman Development Corporation, Board of Directors meeting.

On Wednesday’s (Aug 15, 2012) Wayne Byers Show on CSi Cable 2, JSDC Office Coordinator, DeAnn Brunner said, three companies have shown interest in the Spiritwood Energy Park Association (SEPA).

SEPA is the Industrial Park located near Great River Energy’s Spiritwood Station coal-fired generating plant and the Cargill Malt.

At this time, JSDC is not releasing the names of any of the prospective companies, due to confidentiality agreements. She said the most likely possibility was a large natural gas and water user that relied heavily on rail transportation.

The project may actually become the first at the SEPA Industrial Park, as a decision and possible groundbreaking may take place this fall, prior to the planned December 2012 groundbreaking for the Dakota Spirit AgEnergy plant.

Dakota Spirit AgEnergy is currently awaiting approval from the Environmental Protection Agency, for the a hybrid ethanol plant with a planned 75-million gallon per-year capacity.

The SEPA industrial park is partnering with the JSDC and Great River Energy and includes a rail loop providing access to the BNSF Railway mainline.

Businesses in the park could receive waste steam from the Spiritwood Station generating plant once it comes online.

　

Bismarck, ND (KCSi-T.V. News Aug 15, 2012) —  The North Dakota Aeronautics Commission, reports, statewide, airline boardings for the month of July set another all-time record and are up 11% from last July numbers.

Aviation Planner, Kyle Wanner says, “With increased passengers at our airports comes the ability to attract additional airline service to more destinations. Our state is one of the few in the nation that is seeing airline expansion and profitability.”

He adds, more passenger seats are becoming available as new airlines and flights are brought into the state’s aviation system.

This growth in service is a direct result of the large increase in passenger numbers and the hard work of airport personnel and community members who have persevered in securing additional service.

Jamestown boardings in July this year were 218 compared to 521 in July of 2011, down 58-percent.

　

Valley City N.D. (KCSi-T.V. News Aug 15, 2012) – Governor Jack Dalrymple, Wednesday, joined Valley City Mayor Bob Werkhoven, State Engineer Todd Sando and other local and state officials in dedicating Valley City’s new water treatment plant, citing its state-of-the-art technology and advanced capabilities for enhancing water quality for local residents.

The nearly $21 million renovation and new addition was unveiled for the public during a ribbon cutting and dedication ceremony.

The state provided more than $20 million in grants and loans for the project.

The State Water Commission provided more than $15 million in grants and the North Dakota Department of Health provided $4.6 million in forgiven and 1 percent loans through the North Dakota Drinking Water State Revolving Fund.

An additional $800,000 was provided through State and Tribal Assistance Grants.

Dalrymple said, “This new state-of-the-art water treatment plant is an impressive addition to Valley City’s infrastructure and will have advanced capabilities for meeting the future municipal water needs of the community.

The state is proud to support this project and to partner with the city to bring enhanced water quality and services to Valley City residents.”

Prior to the ceremony, Dalrymple joined the North Dakota Water Education Foundation in touring the new plant.

　

GRAND FORKS, N.D. (AP) – Some North Dakota lawmakers say they welcome the university system chancellor’s proposals for shaking up the state’s higher education system.
 
     Ham Shirvani’s proposals include better reporting of tuition and fee costs, and tougher college entrance standards.
 
     Grand Forks Rep. Corey Mock says “there’s a lack of transparency” now in tuition and fees. He describes Shirvani’s ideas as “a great conversation starter.” Mock’s district includes the University of North Dakota.
 
     Tioga Rep. Bob Skarphol is chairman of an interim legislative committee that’s studying North Dakota’s higher education system.
 
     Skarphol says he likes Shirvani’s open approach, and says he has a comprehensive package of reforms. He says it will be better if “everyone accepts it as a whole,” instead of picking out parts they dislike.

　MINOT, N.D. (AP) – Some of Minot’s temporary flood housing units could end up being donated or sold.
 
     North Dakota U.S. Sen. John Hoeven says the Federal Emergency Management Agency is drafting a policy to allow the trailers to be donated to the city or a nonprofit agency. They could also be sold to low-income residents.
 
     None of the trailers would be sold until FEMA’s housing duties are finished. That may happen at year’s end, or in June 2013.
 
     About 1,000 FEMA trailers are still being used. Most people who are living in trailers owned homes that were flooded during last year’s Souris River flooding.
 
     The disaster affected cities and property along the length of the Souris River, and damaged more than 4,000 homes in Minot alone.

 

MINOT, N.D. (AP) – School officials in Minot say they’re expecting at least 200 new students this fall.
 
     The city is on the edge of western North Dakota’s oil boom, and it’s been growing.
 
     Assistant superintendent Jeff Holm says there are now more than 7,100 students registered for Minot public schools, but the number of new students fluctuates every day. Holm says some of the registrants won’t show up.
 
     Several Minot schools will be using portable classrooms to handle the growth.
 
     The Minot school district is asking parents to register their children at the district’s central office, instead of at individual schools.

There was a long line of parents at the district office Monday to fill out the needed paperwork.

 

 BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) – North Dakota’s top health official and a supporter of medical marijuana are sparring about whether pot has health benefits.
 
     Health officer Terry Dwelle says the federal Food and Drug Administration hasn’t approved marijuana as a medicine.
 
     Dwelle says there’s increased heart attack risk for someone who smokes marijuana, and the smoke itself has cancer-causing elements.
 
     Fargo state legislator Steve Zaiser is chairman of the North Dakota medical marijuana campaign.
 
     He says there’s plenty of medical literature about marijuana benefits for chemotherapy patients and people who suffer from lymphoma.
 
     Zaiser says people don’t have to smoke much marijuana to get pain relief, and it shouldn’t be compared to cigarettes.
 
     Secretary of State Al Jaeger is reviewing a medical marijuana ballot initiative. He’ll decide later whether it goes on the ballot.
 

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) – North Dakota’s U.S. Senate candidates agree that Republican vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan will put more focus on budget issues in their campaign.
 
     Democrat Heidi Heitkamp says she’s already been talking about Republican Rick Berg’s support for a budget plan that Ryan has been pushing in the U.S. House.
 
     Heitkamp believes the Ryan budget would hurt Medicare and the federal farm program.
 
     Berg says Ryan is committed to slowing federal spending growth and trying to get the nation’s debt under control.
 
     He says Heitkamp and President Barack Obama favor continued spending and raising taxes to help pay for it. Berg says he opposes tax increases.

 

 BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) – Credit card users in North Dakota and South Dakota have some of the nation’s lowest rates of credit card debt, and some of the best records for paying on time.
 
     A report by the TransUnion credit reporting agency says North Dakota has the nation’s lowest credit card delinquency rate, at 0.36 percent. South Dakota is the next lowest, at 0.42 percent.
 
     North Dakota and South Dakota are also among a group of four states whose customers have the lowest credit card debt.
 
     North Dakota’s average debt per borrower is about $4,000, while South Dakota’s is about $4,200.
 
     TransUnion says the average national credit card debt per borrower is almost $5,000. The average delinquency rate is 0.63 percent.
 

 BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) – A smartphone warranty provider says North Dakotans are among the nation’s clumsiest people when it comes to handling iPhones and iPads.
 
     The SquareTrade company says between 25 and 29 percent of North Dakota warranty holders reported damaging their iPhones over two years.
 
     SquareTrade ranks North Dakota iPhone owners as the fourth clumsiest in the country, based on the number of warranty claims. People in Mississippi were rated as the clumsiest.
 
     The company says it came up with its ratings by dividing the number of damage claims by the number of warranties sold in the state. It says it analyzed almost 126,000 damage claims nationwide.
 
     North Dakotans did not show up on the top five “clumsy list” for handling iPads.
 

In sports…

AMERICAN ASSOCIATION…

Wednesday’s Games
     Winnipeg 8, Fargo-Moorhead 6

 

MLB…

AMERICAN LEAGUE

 MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – Max Scherzer pitched seven scoreless innings yesterday as the Detroit Tigers topped the Minnesota Twins 5-1.

 Miguel Cabrera and Delmon Young homered for the Tigers, who took two of three from the Twins.

Minnesota got its only run on a run-scoring single from Joe Mauer in the eighth. 
 

 SEATTLE (AP) – King Felix now has a crowning achievement.
     Felix Hernandez pitched the Seattle Mariners’ first perfect game
and the 23rd in baseball history, overpowering the Tampa Bay Rays
in a brilliant 1-0 victory. Hernandez is 11-5.
  Final  Baltimore       5  Boston          3
  Final  N-Y Yankees     3  Texas           2
  Final  Chi White Sox   9  Toronto         5
  Final  Kansas City     3  Oakland         2
  Final  L.A. Angels     8  Cleveland       4
 
 
    NATIONAL LEAGUE
 
  Final  Miami           9  Philadelphia    2
  Final  Chi Cubs        7  Houston         2
  Final  Colorado        7  Milwaukee       6
  Final  Washington      6  San Francisco   4
  Final  L.A. Dodgers    9  Pittsburgh      3
  Final  Cincinnati      6  N-Y Mets        1
  Final  Atlanta         6  San Diego       1
  Final  St. Louis       5  Arizona         2

     SAN FRANCISCO (AP) – Melky Cabrera was suspended 50 games
Wednesday following a positive test for testosterone, putting an
abrupt end to what had been an MVP-caliber regular season and
throwing the San Francisco Giants’ playoff hopes into doubt.

The suspension would extend into the playoffs if the Giants advance.
     Cabrera leads the National League with 159 hits, and is second
in batting average behind Pittsburgh’s Andrew McCutchen.

Cabrera’s penalty was the first for a high-profile player since last year’s
NL MVP, Ryan Braun, had his suspension overturned by an arbitrator
last winter.
     In a statement, Cabrera says he accepts his suspension and now
“will try to move on with my life.”
     Cabrera is batting .346 with 11 home runs and 60 RBIs in his
first season with San Francisco.

 

 UNDATED (AP) – Red Sox owner John Henry says no one at a meeting
with players last month called for manager Bobby Valentine to be
replaced.
     Henry sent an email one day after Yahoo! Sports reported that
several players met with Henry and team president Larry Lucchino
(loo-KEE’-noh) on July 27 in New York to complain about the
manager’s handling of the team.
     Owner Tom Werner also was at the meeting, according to Henry,
who says that no one who attended took the position that Valentine
should be or needed to be replaced.

 

NHL-LABOR…
     TORONTO (AP) – NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said a “wide gap”
remains in labor talks between the league and the NHL Players’
Association, a day after the union presented its offer.

Bettman says he can understand the proposal the NHLPA made, he cautioned that the two sides see the world differently.

 

SOCCER…
        MEXICO CITY (AP) – Michael Orozco Fiscal scored in the 80th
minute, giving the United States its first-ever win at Mexico with
a 1-0 victory in an exhibition.

 

In world and national news…

 NEW YORK (AP) – A liberal-leaning think tank is out with a study
criticizing corporate tax rules and pointing out that 26 big U.S.
companies paid their CEOs more last year than they paid in federal
taxes.

The Institute for Policy Studies says companies, including
AT&T, Boeing and Citigroup, paid their CEOs millions while paying
little or no federal tax.

Eighteen companies received cash back or tax credits.
     
     NEW YORK (AP) – The upcoming Sept. 11 anniversary will again
include a cease-fire in the presidential campaign ad wars.

 The campaigns of President Barack Obama and Republican Mitt Romney
confirm that they would honor a request for an ad moratorium made
by a New York-based civic group that promotes Sept. 11 as a
national day of service.
     
     FEATHERVILLE, Idaho (AP) – Residents of two small Idaho towns
are packing their bags and getting out because of a massive
wildfire nearby that’s expected to hit town later this week.
Wildfires also tormented homeowners in Washington, Oregon and
California.

Dozens of fires have been fueled by searing heat, dry weather and strong winds.
     
     ISLAMABAD (AP) – An air force base in northern Pakistan with a
suspected link to the country’s nuclear program has come under
attack.

Officials say at least half a dozen militants attacked the
base before dawn Thursday, killing two security personnel and
leaving parts of the base in flames.
     
     SEOUL, South Korea (AP) – Samsung is taking another shot at the
dominance of Apple’s iPad with a tablet equipped with a digital pen
and a split screen mode, at about the same price.

The Wi-Fi only version of the Galaxy Note 10.1 will go on sale in the U.S., the
U.K. and South Korea on Thursday.