wbPM4CSi Weather…

TONIGHT…CLOUDY. A 20 PERCENT CHANCE OF RAIN SHOWERS AND SNOW
SHOWERS IN THE EVENING, IN THE JAMESTOWN AREA A 50 PERCENT CHANCE IN THE VALLEY CITY AREA, WINDY. LOWS IN THE LOWER 30S. NORTHWEST
WINDS AROUND 30 MPH DECREASING TO 20 TO 25 MPH AFTER MIDNIGHT.
.THURSDAY…PARTLY SUNNY IN THE MORNING THEN CLEARING. HIGHS IN
THE LOWER 40S. NORTHWEST WINDS 5 TO 15 MPH. GUSTS UP TO 30 MPH IN
THE MORNING.
.THURSDAY NIGHT…PARTLY CLOUDY. LOWS IN THE UPPER 20S. SOUTH
WINDS AROUND 5 MPH.
.FRIDAY…MOSTLY SUNNY. HIGHS IN THE LOWER 50S. SOUTHWEST WINDS
10 TO 15 MPH.
.FRIDAY NIGHT…MOSTLY CLEAR. LOWS IN THE MID 30S.
.SATURDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHT…PARTLY CLOUDY. HIGHS IN THE MID
50S. LOWS IN THE UPPER 30S.
.SUNDAY AND SUNDAY NIGHT…PARTLY CLOUDY. HIGHS IN THE LOWER 60S.
LOWS AROUND 40.
.MONDAY AND MONDAY NIGHT…MOSTLY CLOUDY. HIGHS IN THE MID 50S.
LOWS IN THE UPPER 30S.
.TUESDAY…MOSTLY CLOUDY. HIGHS IN THE UPPER 40S.

 

 

Jamestown (CSi) Authorities are investigating a railroad crossing arm incident on First Avenue in Jamestown early Wednesday afternoon.

The crossing arm came down when two semis were approaching the crossing, striking the both rigs, and breaking the crossing arm.

Officials are investigating the cause.

 

Jamestown (CSi) The family-friendly, James River Family Fitness, Annual Halloween Party will be Friday October 30, 2015.

On Wednesday’s Wayne Byers Show on CSi Cable 2 JRFF’s Torrey Herrington said, the party runs from 5:30-p.m., to 8:30-p.m.

There’s free admission, and those in attendance may purchase a badge for $5 for the cost of the new Haunted House participation and for the carnival games.

She added that the funds raised will pay for the party expenses and any dollars in excess will go toward JRFF youth classes, and The Learning Center.

She added that the JRFF Fall II session is underway, including the new youth workout classes, including Zumba, and Yoga, for young people in elementary and middle schools.

Pick up new brochures at the front desk of James River Family Fitness, or call 253-4101.

 

Jamestown (CSi) The City of Jamestown is looking for this year’s community Christmas Tree to be located in front of the Jamestown Civic Center, for the Christmas season. The chosen tree will be removed by November 18th.

Jamestown City Forester Doug Wiles says the tree should be a spruce tree suitable for removal. There will be no charge for the removal of the selected tree and crews will grind the stump.

For more information contact Doug Wiles at 701-252-5900.

 

Valley City (CSi) At the October 26, 2015 Special Meeting of the Valley City Public School Board, Superintendent, Dean Koppelman officially announced his retirement, at the end of this school year.

Koppelman’s final day as superintendent will be July 1, 2016.

The search for a new superintendent for the Valley City School district has started, and school board chairperson Joyce Braunagel says they hope to make a final selection by February of 2016.

The following is a letter of resignation from Dean Koppelman;

Dear Valley City Public School Board Members,

I believe our life in a sense is like a book, in that there are chapters to our life. Unlike a book, our life does not have a specific number of chapters. We don’t know how many chapters we have in our life, but I guess that’s something that makes life interesting and somewhat of a mystery at times.

I have reached a new chapter in my life and with that in mind it is with sadness and excitement I submit to you my letter of resignation/retirement as Superintendent of the Valley City Public School District, effective as of July 1, 2016. Until that time, I will continue to give my utmost effort as your Superintendent of Schools and I look forward to coming to work each and every day. We have some of the best students in the state of North Dakota here in Valley City and I owe it to them to do everything I can in my last year to help make a positive difference in their lives.

I have had a very enjoyable and memorable career in education, with some of the best years having been spent here in Valley City. I will take many, many positive memories with me from the 18 years I will have served as Superintendent of Schools. Valley City is a great community in which to live and work and I cannot thank our community enough for the support that is given to our educational system, especially to our students.

Here in Valley City I have worked with many outstanding staff members (teachers, administrators, support staff, and central office staff). The most important working relationship for a Superintendent of Schools is with the School Board, as I believe the leadership and direction of the school district starts at that level. I cannot say thank you enough, to the School Board members of Valley City Public Schools that I have worked with in the past and those I work with today for providing me the opportunity to serve our school district. It has been an honor and a privilege to serve as Superintendent of Schools in one of the best school districts in North Dakota!

Being a Superintendent of Schools has been more than a job to me, it has been a sincere passion, as I have always enjoyed doing what I can to help make a difference in the lives of students and all of the staff who work in our schools. The most precious memories I will take with me is the contact I have had with thousands of young people in my career having served as a teacher, coach, Activities Director, Principal, and Superintendent. Young people bring so much joy to our lives. I don’t know what we would do without them!

I wish you, our students, our staff, our parents, and our community the very best in the future. There will always be a place in my heart for one of the best school districts and communities in the state of North Dakota!!

Go “Hi-Liners!”

Sincerely,

Dean Koppelman
Superintendent of Schools
WATFORD CITY, N.D. (AP) – A pedestrian died in McKenzie County after being struck by a semitrailer.

The Highway Patrol did not immediately identify the male victim, who authorities say died at the scene on state Highway 23 about 1:30 p.m. Tuesday.

The driver of the semi was not hurt. No charges were immediately filed in the incident.

 

DEVILS LAKE, N.D. (AP) – Police in Devils Lake say a fire that destroyed the fast food restaurant Hardee’s over the weekend was intentionally set.

Nobody was injured during the blaze that was reported about 3 a.m. Sunday. Firefighters battled the flames at the restaurant off U.S. Highway 2 for about three to four hours.

Devils Lake Police Chief Keith Schroeder says  authorities are following various leads in the arson case.

The last person appears to have left the building about 12:30 a.m. Sunday. Fire Chief Jim Moe has said the restaurant was burning “well before” firefighters arrived at the scene.

A damage estimate was not immediately available Wednesday.

 

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) – North Dakota officials are fighting a recent policy change by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration affecting anhydrous ammonia fertilizer dealers, while at the same time preparing to help retailers should those efforts fail.

The state Agriculture Department is holding a free seminar at Mandan’s Baymont Inn on Nov. 12 to explain the requirements for facilities under the policy change, which regulates retailers under the same standards as manufacturers.

The  change was made due to a deadly ammonium nitrate explosion at a Texas facility in 2013. North Dakota Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring says the change will bury companies in paperwork.

The OSHA policy change will affect 275 North Dakota facilities. Only eight facilities were covered by the rule previously.

 

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) – North Dakota’s Agriculture Department is launching a research program to help determine whether industrial hemp can be a viable commodity in the state.

It comes eight years after the department issued the nation’s first hemp-growing licenses. Efforts to further the industry in the years that followed were hampered by federal drug law that doesn’t differentiate between marijuana and its cousin hemp, which can be used for a variety of products.

The 2014 farm bill changed that. It allows for research of hemp in states like North Dakota that permit its cultivation.

North Dakota State University already has started hemp research at its Langdon center. The state now plans a program, and is taking applications from people and groups who want to participate. The deadline is Jan. 1.

 

In world  and national news…

WASHINGTON (AP) – As expected, House Republicans have nominated Wisconsin Congressman Paul Ryan to be the next speaker, in an effort to end the disarray within the party on Capitol Hill. And it appears that, at least so far, conservatives aren’t showing any resentment over Ryan’s announcement that he will be voting later Wedneday in favor of a budget deal with the White House. One conservative Republican says the deal was the work of outgoing speaker John Boehner (BAY’-nur). The full House is expected to elect Ryan as speaker on Thursday.

WASHINGTON (AP) –  Pennsylvania state police say a military blimp that broke loose in Maryland and drifted over Pennsylvania is on the ground and secure.
Bob Reese, a state police spokesman in Montoursville, says it came down in the area of Muncy, near Williamsport.
The blimp caused about 18,000 power outages. Columbia County chief clerk Gail Kipp says the blimp dragged its tether line, which took out power lines and caused widespread outages.
The unmanned Army surveillance blimp broke loose from its ground tether Wednesday  at a military base and drifted over central Pennsylvania as fighter jets tracked it. The aircraft is known as a Joint Land Attack Cruise Missile Defense Elevated Netted Sensor System and can be used as part of a missile defense system.
It’s not clear how the blimp came loose.
NEW YORK (AP) – Although the Federal Reserve has decided not to raise interest rates now, it’s indicating that it will consider doing so at its next meeting in December. And the stock market has now given up its gains from earlier Wednesday. The Dow had been up by 130 points, but was in negative territory shortly after the Fed meeting ended.

ATHENS (AP) – Greek authorities say at least five people, including four children, have drowned as refugees continue to leave Turkey in frail boats, and in worsening weather. They’ve been trying to reach Greek islands in the Aegean Sea. Greece is the main entry point for people from the Middle East and Africa seeking a better future in Europe.

NORMAN, Okla. (AP) – A judge has determined that a man in Oklahoma is competent to stand trial for first-degree murder, in the beheading of a co-worker at a food-processing plant. Alton Nolen is charged in the 2014 attack that left one woman dead and a second co-worker injured. The judge rejected claims that he’s intellectually impaired — noting that he attended college and can socialize with others.