Wayne Byers Report -Evening – Jan. 20

 OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A new monthly survey of bankers in parts of 10 Plains and Western states shows the region’s rural economy remains strong. However, bankers say they have growing concerns about the rising costs associated with running farms. The overall Rural Mainstreet economic index released Thursday fell in January to 61.1 from December’s 66.7. Any score above 50 suggests growth. Bankers say high inflation is affecting the prices of farm supplies, from fuel to fertilizer. Creighton University economist Ernie Goss, who oversees the survey, says higher grain prices, low short-term interest rates and growing agricultural exports are helping the regional economy. The survey covers Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming.

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — Bismarck Rep. Rick Becker, who founded a far-right faction of the North Dakota Legislature, has announced he won’t seek another term. The Bismarck plastic surgeon and former gubernatorial candidate, says will retire from the Legislature when his current term ends in December. Becker says his family, businesses and other obligations has had him contemplating retiring from the legislation for about a year. Becker would not comment or rule out on a potential run for a statewide office. Becker formed the Bastiat Causcus after being elected in 2012. The group supports limited government and spending and privacy and gun rights.

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — North Dakota corrections officials say the state’s prisons have been hit hard by the coronavirus omicron variant. The Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation says active COVID-19 cases total 151, more than double last Friday’s total and infecting about one-tenth of the prison system population. There are three dozen more cases among prison staff. Inmates have a choice on whether to get vaccinated for COVID-19. Vaccination rates as of Jan. 13 ranged from about 82% at the Heart River Correctional Center in Mandan to about 90% at the Missouri River Correctional Center in Bismarck. The rate at the State Penitentiary in Bismarck is about 86%.

 MANDAN, N.D. (AP) — A man accused of assaulting a Mandan tobacco shop employee with a stun gun and threatening to kill her is facing four felony charges. Court documents say 27-year-old Joshua Badhawk punched and kicked the 40-year-old woman at Big Willies tobacco store last Friday. An affidavit says Badhawk tried to get behind a counter and the woman used a stun gun on him. But, he took the gun and used it against her, burning her hand and knee before hitting her in the head with it. The affidavit says Badhawk also choked and threatened to kill her and damaged the store during the attack.

 BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — North Dakota’s State Investment Board has filled a position key to implementing new investment requirements of the state’s $8.5 billion oil tax savings account. The board has tapped Scott Anderson as chief investment officer for the state Retirement and Investment Office, which oversees about $20 billion of assets. Anderson begins this week. He succeeds Dave Hunter, who left last year. Anderson has more than 20 years of investment management experience. His previous roles include managing director of asset and risk allocation for the State of Wisconsin Investment Board, and a managing director with American Family Insurance.

In sports…

Information from  VCHS AD Mike Schultz.

Thursday, January 20

Varsity/ C-Team BGG @ West Fargo/Fargo 5:45PM/7PM (Make up from 1/18)

JV/Varsity BBB @ West Fargo 4:15PM/ 7:30PM (Make up from 1/18)

Tuesday, January 25

Wrestling @ Sheyenne 7PM (Make up from 1/4)

Monday, January 31

Wrestling vs Devils Lake (Make up from 1/18)

Friday, February 11

Varsity GBB vs Red River 5:45PM (Make up from 1/4)

Saturday, February 12

Varsity GBB @ Sheyenne 12:30PM (Make up from 1/12)

Thursday, February 17

JV/ Varsity BBB vs Sheyenne 5:45PM/7:15PM (Make up from 1/14)

Saturday, February 19

Varsity BBB @ Red River 1:30PM (Make up from 1/4)

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House committee investigating the Capitol riot is asking former White House adviser Ivanka Trump, the daughter of ex-President Donald Trump, to voluntarily cooperate with its investigation. The committee sent a letter on Thursday requesting a meeting in early February. Lawmakers want to discuss Donald Trump’s actions on Jan. 6, 2021, including a telephone call they say Ivanka Trump witnessed as her father tried to pressure then-Vice President Mike Pence to reject the election results. The riot came after a rally where Donald Trump had urged his supporters to “fight like hell” as Congress convened to certify the 2020 election results. A spokesperson for Ivanka Trump notes in a statement that Ivanka Trump didn’t speak at that rally.

 

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Jury selection is underway in the federal trial of three Minneapolis police officers charged in George Floyd’s killing. The judge on Thursday repeatedly stressed that fellow Officer Derek Chauvin’s conviction on state murder charges should not influence the proceedings. J. Kueng, Thomas Lane and Tou Thao are broadly charged with depriving Floyd of his civil rights while acting under government authority. U.S. District Judge Paul Magnuson is questioning potential jurors. Among the jurors excused was a man who said he has a problem watching the video of Floyd’s arrest. Several others were excused after they said they could not be impartial, including a man who said his faith also prevents him from judging a human being.

 

A Rhode Island man who authorities say fled the U.S. and faked his death to evade prosecution for rape and financial fraud has been arrested after skipping his court date in Scotland. A spokesperson for Police Scotland confirmed Thursday that officers arrested Nicholas Alahverdian in Glasgow after a warrant was issued earlier in the day. The 34-year-old is due in Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Friday. Alahverdian faces extradition to answer to a 2008 rape charge in Utah. He was discovered in Glasgow last month after being hospitalized with COVID-19. In recent years, Alahverdian had been an outspoken critic of Rhode Island’s foster care system.

 

WILMINGTON, N.C. (AP) — Authorities say a man choked a hospital worker unconscious and tried to snap another employee’s neck during a rampage inside a North Carolina emergency room earlier this week. The New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office says 24-year-old Rothwell Jacob Simmons has been charged with two counts of attempted first-degree murder and two counts of assault by strangulation. Simmons was arrested at New Hanover Regional Medical Center after Tuesday’s attack. Officials have not said what prompted the incident or released details about the victims’ injuries. According to WECT-TV, Simmons appeared in court on Wednesday and said, “I don’t know what the hell got into me.”

 

ATLANTA (AP) — The Georgia prosecutor investigating possible attempts to interfere in the 2020 general election by former President Donald Trump and others has asked for a special grand jury to aid the investigation. Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis on Thursday sent a letter to Fulton County Superior Court Chief Judge Christopher Brasher asking him to impanel a special grand jury. Willis wrote that her office has tried to interview multiple witnesses and gather evidence, and some witnesses and prospective witnesses have refused to cooperate without a subpoena. A special grand jury would have the power to subpoena witnesses.

 

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court has bolstered a criminal defendant’s right to cross-examine prosecution witnesses. The justices ruled on Thursday in favor of a New York man who was convicted of killing a two-year-old boy on Easter Sunday in 2006. By an 8-1 vote, the justices held that defendant Darrell Hemphill’s constitutional rights were violated when a judge allowed jurors to read another man’s testimony that prosecutors used to undermine Hemphill’s defense. The other man was unavailable at Hemphill’s trial. Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote for the court that judge should not have allowed jurors to see that man’s statement. Sotomayor invoked the constitutional provision that gives defendants the right to confront their accusers.