Wayne Byers Show – Evening – Apr 14

CSi Weather…

RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT  TO 10 PM CDT THUESDAY  EVENING FOR WARM CONDITIONS…STRONG WINDS AND LOW
RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR ALL OF WESTERN AND CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA…THE RED RIVER VALLEY COUNTIES OF MINNESOTA AND ALL OF EASTERN NORTH DAKOTA…

…FIRE WEATHER WATCH IN EFFECT FROM WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH
WEDNESDAY EVENING FOR STRONG WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR
EASTERN PORTIONS OF CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA…EASTERN NORTH DAKOTA AND NEIGHBORING COUNTIES IN NORTHWEST AND WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA…

 

Forecast…

.TONIGHT…MOSTLY CLEAR. BREEZY. LOWS IN THE MID 40S. SOUTHEAST
WINDS 20 TO 25 MPH.
.WEDNESDAY…MOSTLY SUNNY. WINDY. HIGHS IN THE UPPER 60S. SOUTH
WINDS 25 TO 30 MPH.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT…MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH A 20 PERCENT CHANCE OF RAIN
SHOWERS. LOWS IN THE MID 40S. SOUTH WINDS 15 TO 20 MPH WITH GUSTS
TO AROUND 35 MPH SHIFTING TO THE SOUTHWEST AROUND 10 MPH AFTER
MIDNIGHT.
.THURSDAY…MOSTLY SUNNY. HIGHS IN THE LOWER 60S. NORTHWEST WINDS
10 TO 15 MPH.
.THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY…MOSTLY CLEAR. LOWS IN THE
UPPER 30S. HIGHS IN THE MID 60S.
.SATURDAY NIGHT…INCREASING CLOUDS. A 20 PERCENT CHANCE OF RAIN
SHOWERS. LOWS IN THE LOWER 40S.
.SUNDAY…PARTLY SUNNY WITH A 30 PERCENT CHANCE OF RAIN SHOWERS.
HIGHS IN THE MID 50S.
.SUNDAY NIGHT…MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH CHANCE OF RAIN SHOWERS IN THE
EVENING…THEN PARTLY CLOUDY WITH CHANCE OF SNOW SHOWERS POSSIBLY
MIXED WITH RAIN SHOWERS AFTER MIDNIGHT. LOWS IN THE LOWER 30S.
CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION 30 PERCENT.
.MONDAY…MOSTLY SUNNY. SLIGHT CHANCE OF RAIN SHOWERS AND SNOW
SHOWERS IN THE MORNING…THEN SLIGHT CHANCE OF RAIN SHOWERS IN
THE AFTERNOON. HIGHS IN THE LOWER 50S. CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION
20 PERCENT.

 

Jamestown (CSi) The Jamestown City Council met in Special Session Tuesday at City Hall. Council Members Brubakken and Gumke were not present.

The Council approved final payment to Northern Plains Contracting, Inc., for the installation of the LRAT Cover at the Wastewater treatment facility, which covers the digesting area. Two sump pumps will be provided, with a cost of $44,497.00 including interest.

The meeting was shown live on CSi 67.

　

Jamestown (CSi) The Jamestown Board of Equalization met Tuesday afternoon at City Hall. Those present were: Mayor Andersen, City Administrator Fuchs, Council Members Kourajian, Brubakken and Buchanan.

City Assessor Darrell Wollen gave his report.

He started by noting his office sent out 4,954 letters to property owners indicating an increase of property assessments of over 10%. Letters are required for properties which has an increase of at least 15%.

50 property owners contacted Wollen with questions or concerns, of the increase. 5 requested and inspection of their property, and re-evaluation.

Of those, there were 3 adjustments downward, and 2 stayed the same.

He pointed out that if the property assessment increases, that does not necessarily mean the city property tax will increase, as it is one facet of the total tax bill.

The city’s mill levy also has not been set at this point.

The report…with copies available at City Hall…explains the process, and showed the breakdown of property taxes, the 2014 Mill Levy breakdown, and included figures on 2014 building permits, and tax exemptions and evaluations.

The Average sale price of residential homes. In 2014 that figure was just over $140,000.

Building Permit numbers for between February 1, 2014 and February 1, 2015, for residential permits, 89, amounted to $3,417,900, with commercial permits, 57, totaling $44,481,306.

In 2014 there were 18 tax exemptions for $2,153,598 for charitable organizations, 3 for new business improvements at $12,290, for day care at $18,518, 1 Renaissance Zone, at $11,940, and single family dwellings with 16 at $105,00, for a total of $1,775,879. City Council Member Buchanan pointed out that the state statute sets the criteria for property tax exemptions.

The estimated increase in taxable valuation for 2015 over 2014 is 17.91%

Hearing from the audience:

A trailer home, owner, indicated a large increase in his assessment that he didn’t feel was reasonable.

Another property owner indicated that his property assessment went up $1,000, which he did not feel was reasonable.

Another property owner indicated that over the past 20 years his property value increase by $35,000, and over the past two years it increased another $45,000.

The Board of Equalization then approved and accepted the real property assessments for 2015, in the total aggregate of $8,983,593.

The assessments are subject to adjustments, Homestead Credit, and disability reductions. Council Member Buchanan voted no, in protest of the proceedures used.

The Stutsman County Board of Equalization will receive the city’s action, and in turn the county’s certification is sent to the state.

The meeting was shown live on CSi 67.

 

Valley City (CSi) The Valley City Board of Equalization met Tuesday afternoon at City Hall. 

In attendance were:

City Commissioners:

Robert Werkhoven President

Matt Pedersen Vice President

Duane Magnuson Commissioner

Madeline Luke Commissioner

Mary Lee Nielson Commissioner

Department Supervisors:

David C. Schelkoph City Administrator

Avis Richter Auditor

Russell J. Myhre City Attorney

Sandy Hansen City Assessor

Auditor Richter read Sections of the North Dakota Century Code pertaining to the duties of the Board of Equalization.

After the hearing was opened, a report was given by the City Assessor, Sandy Hansen.

She said the 2015 Valley City taxable valuation of property was $341,378,573, an increase in values of 10.21% from 2014.

She then broke down the report, including exemptions and other information.

She pointed out that 340 property owners were notified of the increased assessment on their property.

She added that additional appeals can be made to the County Board of Equalization.

The report was followed by requests from property owners, and the auditor’s report on any written communications, received.

Paul Diegel asked for and received explanations on assessments on lots that he owns.  Another property owner asked her property value assessment be decrease, and Hansen took her information and adjusted the value lower, based on the information.

Auditor Richter said no written protests were received.

The Commission then reviewed the assessment books.

A parcel was recommended for a reduction as indicated earlier in the meeting,

along with a reduction in a lot requested by Paul Diegel.

A motion to approve the assessment books as prepared by the City Assessor was approved, Commission Pedersen abstained from the vote.

The city’s certification will be forwarded to the Barnes County Board of Equalization, to be certified, and then to the state for certification.

The meeting was shown live on CSi 68.

 

Valley City (CSi)    Valley City resident Rich Schueneman has announced his  run for the school board seat now held by Rick Ross.

Ross has indicated his run for re-election.

Schueneman previously served on the Valley City Commission and the Planning and Zoning board. He now works as the Bald Hill Dam Resource Manager for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

 

Jamestown (CSi) The Spiritwood Energy Park Association Board Tuesday, heard from Spiritwood Energy Park Senior Project Manager Rich Garman with updates on the recently installed rail loop switch.

Garman says the rail loop is now in service and 60 ethanol cars were delivered the week of April 6^th.

A rail loop crossing to access the Rudolph farm land west of the plant will be installed, following cash rent agreement.

About two and a half miles of the access road has been completed.

Greg Ridderbusch notes that the construction camera currently at the site will be removed at the end of this month as most of the visible construction at the site is completed.

 

 BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) – A man accused of defrauding an elderly woman out of more than $1 million has been arrested in North Dakota.
 
56-year-old Vernon Officer has been charged with wire fraud and filing a false income tax statement. Authorities say Officer began defrauding the Virginia woman in 2011 after they both met online.
 
     Authorities say Officer traveled to Virginia and demanded money from the woman. He eventually talked her into giving him over $600,000 to buy a former U.S. Coast Guard boat that was for sale after being decommissioned. Officer later convinced the woman to give her $400,000 more.
 
     Officer says he has lived in North Dakota since December. He’ll remain under the custody of the U.S. Marshals until he is taken to Washington state, where the charges were filed. It wasn’t immediately clear whether he has an attorney.

 

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) – Oil production in North Dakota slipped slightly from January to February as crude prices continued to decline.
 
     State Mineral Resources Director Lynn Helms says production in February was 1.18 million barrels a day, down from 1.19 million barrels in January and a record 1.23 million barrels in December.
 
     The number of drilling rigs fell from 160 in January to 133 in February. Helms says they have continued to decline to 91 on Tuesday, the lowest number since January 2010. The record high was 218 rigs in May 2012.
 
     North Dakota sweet crude was fetching about $36.25 a barrel on Tuesday. That’s down $100 from a record high set in 2008.
 
     Helms says “oil price is by far the biggest driver behind the slowdown.”

 

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) – North Dakota’s House has rejected a plea by Democrats to restore funding for a state-run rail safety program.
 
     The Public Service Commission had requested $972,000 in the next two-year budget cycle to fund the program that included two rail safety inspectors and a rail safety manager.
 
     Public Service Commissioner Julie Fedorchak, a Republican, last year called for the creation of the program to supplement inspection efforts by the Federal Railroad Administration. GOP Gov. Jack Dalrymple also has supported the idea.
 
     The Senate had approved the program in the PSC’s budget in February. But House budget writers removed the funding.
 
     House Democrats attempted to reinsert the funding using a tactic called a minority report.
 
     The Republican-led House rejected the report 58-35.
 
     The measure now goes to a Senate-House conference committee.
 

 

GRAND FORKS, N.D. (AP) – Aerospace and defense technology giant Northrop Grumman has signed a lease with Grand Fork’s Grand Sky aerospace tech park.
 
     The company will be the anchor tenant at Grand Sky, a business complex for unmanned aircraft systems that will occupy 217 acres at the Grand Forks Air Force Base. The 1.2 million-square-foot facility will include multiple buildings, four of which will be hangars.
 
     Republican U.S. Sen. John Hoeven says groundbreaking for the initial office building will start in September. Employees will begin to occupy the facility a year later.
 
     Hoeven has said the project could lead to up to 3,000 jobs.
 
     The Federal Aviation Administration has designated Grand Forks as one of six drone test sites in the nation.
 
     Drones are among the technology manufactured by Northrop.

 

Update…

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) – A 34-year-old Bismarck woman has pleaded not guilty to embezzling $12,500 from a high school dance team.
 
     Melissa Weltz is charged with felony theft of property. She faces up to 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine if convicted.
 
     Weltz is accused of stealing the money from the Bismarck High School Demonettes Booster Club while serving as treasurer. Police say she admitted to stealing money from the account.
 
     Her attorney, Justin Vinje, said Tuesday that Weltz on her own told the booster club about the missing money and admitted taking it. He says Weltz has already repaid $12,500.
 
     A jury trial for Weltz is scheduled on Aug. 11.

 

Update…

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) – North Dakota lawmakers have approved a measure aimed at treating and recycling oil drilling waste for road building and other uses.
 
     The measure would set aside about $65,000 for the state Health Department to monitor a pilot project and develop standards.
 
     The House approved the measure 87-6 on Tuesday. The Senate endorsed the bill earlier.
 
     Companies targeting the rich Bakken shale formation in western North Dakota drill down nearly two miles then angle the well sideways for about another two to three miles. Oil drillers are left with some two dozen semitrailer loads of drill cuttings that either have to be stored on site or dumped in a landfill.
 
     State Environmental Health Chief Dave Glatt says the idea has promise if it can be done in “an environmentally safe manner.”

 

 MINOT, N.D. (AP) – The North Dakota State Fair has announced a second rock act for this summer.
 
     The band Seether will perform Saturday, July 18. The alternative rock trio originally from South Africa has released eight albums, two of which went gold and two platinum. The band has sold more than 4.5 million albums worldwide.
 
     Seether joins Aerosmith as this year’s rock acts at the fair. Other grandstand acts will include country stars Keith Urban, Miranda Lambert, Chase Rice, Kip Moore and Kellie Pickler.
 
     Concert tickets become available Wednesday. The fair is July 17-25.
 

In world and national news…

 MANCHESTER, N.H. (AP) – New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie says the age of eligibility for Social Security and Medicare should be pushed back for future retirees. And he wants to cut off benefits in the future for retirees with annual incomes of $200,000 or more. In a speech in New Hampshire, the potential GOP presidential candidate outlined an approach that he said would confront the nation’s “biggest challenges in an honest way.” He says his plan would cut deficits by $1 trillion over a decade.
 
     CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) – On her first day of campaigning for the 2016 presidential race, Hillary Rodham Clinton is sticking to her strategy to hold small-scale events that allow her to speak to individual voters. She’s holding a roundtable discussion with students and teachers at a community college in Iowa. And Tuesday morning, she chatted with customers at a coffee house in the town of LeClaire.
 
     WASHINGTON (AP) – The White House says Iraq’s prime minister didn’t make any specific request for additional military help in the fight against Islamic State militants, as he met Tuesday at the White House with President Barack Obama. Obama expressed support for that effort, but made it clear that ultimately, Baghdad must be in charge of its own destiny. He pledged $200 million in humanitarian aid to help those Iraqis who’ve been displaced by the Islamic State group.
 
     BAGHDAD (AP) – At least 28 people have been killed Tues day in a wave of attacks in and around Baghdad. Also, an official in a northern Iraqi province said militants had used suicide car bombs to try to break into the country’s largest oil refinery over the past two days. He says Iraqi security forces repelled the attacks, and remain in control of the facility. According to the deputy governor of the province, more than 20 militants were killed during the clashes. 
 
     DETROIT (AP) – Nearly two years after agreeing to recall more than one and a-half million older Jeeps that could catch fire in rear-end crashes, Fiat Chrysler U.S. has repaired only 4 percent of the Grand Cherokees and 27 percent of the Libertys covered by the recall. That’s according to a letter from Chrysler posted Tuesday by U.S. safety regulators. It could set up another confrontation between those regulators and the company. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles  makes Jeeps and agreed in June 2013 to install trailer hitches to help protect the gas tanks, which are behind the rear axle and vulnerable in a crash.