wbPM2CSi Weather…

.SUNDAY…PARTLY SUNNY. HIGHS ZERO TO 5 BELOW.
.SUNDAY NIGHT…PARTLY CLOUDY. LOWS 15 TO 20 BELOW.
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Valley City (CSi) Southeast Judicial District Judge John T. Paulson will retire June 3, 2014. He was first elected a district judge in 1980, the longest serving District Judge currently on the North Dakota bench.

Paulson graduated from Valley City High School. He received a law degree from the University of North Dakota School of Law in 1967.

He served as the Municipal Judge for Valley City from 1968-70 and was elected two years later to serve as the Barnes County State’s Attorney from 1970-80. He currently serves as the President of North Dakota Judge’s Association.

 

Jamestown (CSi) The Jamestown Regional Medical Center (JRMC) Radiology Department has been awarded a three-year term of accreditation in computed tomography (CT) as the result of a recent review by the American College of Radiology (ACR). CT scanning – sometimes called CAT scanning – is a noninvasive medical test that helps physicians diagnose and tailor treatments for various medical conditions.

Diane Nelson, JRMC Radiology Manager, says, “We are so pleased and honored to have received the ACR CT accreditation. It was a time and resource intensive process to submit data. The ACR accreditation exemplifies the ultimate standard in quality performance of CT procedures.”

The ACR gold seal of accreditation represents the highest level of image quality and patient safety. It is awarded only to facilities meeting ACR Practice Guidelines and Technical Standards after a peer-review evaluation by board-certified physicians and medical physicists who are experts in the field. Image quality, personnel qualifications, adequacy of facility equipment, quality control procedures, and quality assurance programs are assessed. The findings are reported to the ACR Committee on Accreditation, which subsequently provides the practice with a comprehensive report they can use for continuous practice improvement.

Ms. Nelson adds, “Patients can be assured that when they come to JRMC to have their CT scans done, they will be receiving the best care with extremely high quality images and accurate, timely records by highly skilled professional.” The ACR is a national professional organization serving more than 36,000 diagnostic/interventional radiologists, radiation oncologists, nuclear medicine physicians, and medical physicists with programs focusing on the practice of medical imaging and radiation oncology and the delivery of comprehensive health care services.

About Jamestown Regional Medical Center Jamestown Regional Medical Center is a 25-bed, critical access hospital located at 2422 20th St. SW, Jamestown, ND. For more information on services at JRMC, visit www.jrmcnd.com or call 701-952-1050.

 

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) – A Bismarck man has been sentenced to 1  1/2 years in prison for trying to strangle his teenage stepson during an argument.

Forty-seven-year-old Paul Shumpert was accused of strangling his 13-year-old stepson in May 2013. Police say the boy was unresponsive when they arrived at the scene. He recovered after several days in a hospital.

Shumpert pleaded guilty in December to felony charges of reckless endangerment, and child abuse or neglect. An aggravated assault charge was dropped.

Shumpert will be on supervised probation for five years after his prison term, and he must complete parent and anger management classes.

 

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) – The head of the Environmental Protection Agency is getting a firsthand look at North Dakota’s booming energy industry. EPA administrator Gina McCarthy also is getting an earful from officials on proposed agency rules on coal and ethanol.

McCarthy traveled to Bismarck and Beulah on Friday to talk about the proposed regulations with North Dakota’s congressional delegation and industry officials.

McCarthy says it’s an opportunity to see the “intended and unintended consequences” of EPA’s policies and proposals that are impacting the state.

U.S. Sen. Heidi Heitkamp is hosting McCarthy’s visit.

Gov. Jack Dalrymple met with McCarthy on Thursday night to discuss the agency’s proposed emissions regulations for power plants and other environmental issues.

 

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) – North Dakota’s Agriculture Department is once again accepting applications for grants to help promote specialty crops.

Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring says the amount the state will get for the grants isn’t known yet because of the delayed passage of the new federal farm bill.

Goehring says projects that promote the production, processing and use of specialty crops in North Dakota are eligible for grant money.

Specialty crops grown commercially in North Dakota include dry beans, dry peas, lentils, potatoes, confection sunflowers, grapes, honey and various vegetables.

More information can be found at: www.nd.gov/ndda/program/specialty-crop-block-grant-program. The application deadline is May 23, 2014.

 

LA CROSSE, Wis. (AP) – Nearly 3,400 farmers, researchers and others are gathering in Wisconsin to talk about organic farming.

La Crosse Tribune reports the 25th annual MOSES Organic Farming Conference began Thursday in La Crosse and goes through Saturday.

David Podoll has an organic farm near Fullerton, N.D. He says when he started farming 40 years ago, people criticized organic methods as antiquated or stupid. Podell says that attitude has changed and now even conventional farmers tell him that he’s doing the right thing.

Podell is being honored at the conference as one of the Midwest Organic and Sustainable Education Service’s farmers of the year.

 

In world and national news…

KIEV, Ukraine (AP) – A Ukrainian airline says it’s canceled flights to and from the regional capital of Ukraine’s Crimea peninsula, because the airspace over the area has been closed. The announcement didn’t say who closed the airspace — but it came after heavily uniformed men took up positions outside a military and a civilian airport in Crimea. The region is a flashpoint in the tense relations between Ukraine and Russia, which has a naval base in Crimea. Yesterday, pro-Russian gunmen took over local government buildings in the region.

SEVASTOPOL, Ukraine (AP) – Russia is keeping silent on claims that it’s sent troops into Ukraine. But Ukraine’s fugitive president is breaking his own silence — speaking out today for the first time since he fled Ukraine for Russia. Viktor Yanukovych (yah-noo-KOH’-vich) told reporters in southern Russia that he would not seek Russian military help in fighting what he described as a “bandit coup” in his country. He said any military action would be “unacceptable.”

LOS ANGELES (AP) – An evacuation has been ordered in another San Gabriel Mountains foothill community east of Los Angeles due to the threat of flooding and debris flows. City officials in Monrovia Friday ordered the evacuation of 200 homes close to where a wildfire burned 170 acres and two houses in April. The order came after forecasters issued a flash-flood warning as a storm dumped rain on the region. Friday morning, small debris flows covered one street in Glendora, but no property damage occurred.

WASHINGTON (AP) – President Barack Obama is urging Democrats to unite behind a message of opportunity — a message that party leaders believe offers the best prospects for fending off Republicans in November. Obama is speaking today to a Democratic National Committee meeting. In excerpts released by the White House, Obama says the election eight months away shouldn’t block progress now. But he says November’s vote will be a clear choice, with Republicans advocating “opportunity for a few” and Democrats advocating “opportunity for all.” The White House says Obama will hold more than 30 Democratic fundraisers in the coming months.

WASHINGTON (AP) – Some newly-released documents reveal that aides to then-president Bill Clinton were concerned early in his presidency about the health care overhaul effort that was led by his wife — an effort that proved to be unsuccessful while Clinton was in office. And the aides were also looking to “soften” the image of Hillary Rodham Clinton. The National Archives today released about 4,000 pages of previously-confidential documents involving the Clinton administration.

Jamestown (CSi) A reminder, a comedy show is Friday evening to raise dollars toward a new van for

Prairie Paws Rescue of Jamestown. The standup comedy troup, “Raise the Woof Comedy Tour” will perform:

  • 8 pm February 28, 2014
  • Gladstone Inn , Shady’s, Jamestown, ND

Doors open at 7 p.m., and the show starts at 8 p.m., for those 21 years of age, and older.

The comedy show only performs for shelter fundraising.

Tickets are $15 at the door on Friday.

President and Co-Founder of Prairie Paws Rescue Kaye John says funds raised will go toward replacing the present van.

She says the vehicle is essential to animal rescues which is used it to get equipment and animals to meet and greet events, transporting animals to vet appointments, and picking up dogs from area pounds on death row to get them either to Prairie Paws or to other reliable havens.

She adds, the old van is a hazard to volunteers and pets as there is no heat, electrical doesn’t work with no ability to adjust seats, dome lights and most important no headlights for night time travel. The van is also used to bring animals to Meet and Greet Events around the area.

Kaye points out that there will be three acts, with intermissions at which time there will be raffle drawings, plus there will be silent auctions, including tickets to the police departments upcoming Pam Tillis Concert in Jamestown. Other items include Theme Baskets, and a Ford clock donated by R.M. Stoudt.

Raffles will include WeFest Tickets, with entries from the $10 purchase of a Prairie Paws Rescue mug

Other donations are welcome, at Post Office box 1114 in Jamestown 58402, and look for donation jars at various locations

Kaye also notes that CMA,ACM and Grammy Award winner and Country Artist Miranda Lambert’s MUTT NATION FOUNDATION…has donated $3000 to Prairie Paws for the help of defraying the cost. Lambert is a friend of Kaye John’s. The fundraiser goal is between $7,000 and $8,000 for the van.

Prairie Paws has monthly Meet and Greet events at Jamestown Tractor Supply company the 2nd Saturday of every month from 10am-2pm. She adds, the events have been a great way for people to come out and visit the pets.

On line, visit PrairiePawsRescue.com and view animals for adoption