Wayne Byers Show – Evening – Jan 22

CSi Weather…

TONIGHT…MOSTLY CLOUDY. LOWS 15 TO 20. SOUTH WINDS AROUND
15 MPH.
.SATURDAY…DECREASING CLOUDS. HIGHS IN THE MID 30S. SOUTHWEST
WINDS 10 TO 15 MPH.
.SATURDAY NIGHT…INCREASING CLOUDS. LOWS 15 TO 20. WEST WINDS
AROUND 10 MPH.
.SUNDAY…MOSTLY CLOUDY. HIGHS IN THE MID 20S. NORTH WINDS AROUND
10 MPH.
.SUNDAY NIGHT…CLOUDY WITH A 40 PERCENT CHANCE OF SNOW. LOWS
AROUND 15.
.MONDAY…CLOUDY WITH A 20 PERCENT CHANCE OF SNOW. HIGHS IN THE
LOWER 20S.
.MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT…MOSTLY CLOUDY. LOWS 10 TO
15. HIGHS IN THE LOWER 20S.
.WEDNESDAY…PARTLY SUNNY WITH A 20 PERCENT CHANCE OF SNOW. HIGHS
IN THE UPPER 20S.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND THURSDAY…MOSTLY CLOUDY. LOWS AROUND 20.
HIGHS IN THE UPPER 20S.

SOUTH WINDS WILL INCREASE FRIDAY NIGHT…GUSTING UP TO 45 MPH OVER THE
 NORTHERN RED RIVER VALLEY BETWEEN MIDNIGHT AND SUNRISE SATURDAY
 MORNING. THIS WILL CREATE PATCHY BLOWING AND DRIFTING
 SNOW…ESPECIALLY IN OPEN COUNTRY. IN ADDITION…THERE MAY ALSO BE
 A FEW SNOW SHOWERS OVER THE NORTHERN VALLEY…WHICH MAY CONTRIBUTE
 TO THE REDUCED VISIBILITY. ROADS THAT GET ANY BLOWING AND
 DRIFTING SNOW ACROSS THEM MAY ALSO BECOME SLIPPERY. IF PLANNING
 TRAVEL LATER FRIDAY NIGHT INTO EARLY SATURDAY OVER THE NORTHERN RED
 RIVER VALLEY…MAKE SURE TO CHECK THE LATEST ROAD CONDITIONS
 BEFORE LEAVING.

 SNOW CHANCES SUNDAY AND SUNDAY
 NIGHT.  MOST OF  NORTH DAKOTA WILL SEE LITTLE MORE THAN SOME SCATTERED LIGHT SNOW, A HALF AN INCH OR  LESS…WITH AROUND AN INCH CONFINED TO THE FAR SOUTHWEST.
NEXT WEEK,  TEMPERATURES IN THE 20S AND 30S  AND MAINLY DRY CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED…WITH OCCASIONAL SLIGHT
 CHANCES FOR PRECIPITATION ACROSS THE NORTH MIDWEEK AND LATE NEXT  WEEK.

 MINOT, N.D. (AP) – North Dakota officials have issued a travel alert for north central North Dakota due to icy roads and reduced visibility.
 
     The North Dakota Department of Transportation and the North Dakota Highway Patrol say a travel alert means motorists can still travel in these areas, but should be aware of rapidly changing conditions.
 
     The cities in the travel alert include Minot, Velva, Mohall, Bottineau, Towner and surrounding areas.
 
     Travelers are encouraged to use caution and monitor road conditions.

Jamestown (CSi) Jamestown Tourism discussed the possibility of seeking an alternate vendor to provide this year’s public 4^th of July fireworks display.

Tourism Director Searle Swedlund said in talks with the Canadian vendor who performed the show last year, that due to preparations for a Canadian celebration next year, his availability for this year’s show is limited, in terms of equipment necessary to put on the display. He will not do the display in 2017. The board decided it would be cost prohibitive to spent another $5,000 to provide the equipment.

Tourism, which funds the fireworks at $10,000, is to inquire with other vendors to replace this one, if possible.

A final decision on the 2016 fireworks display is pending finding a replacement vendor.

In other business, the Grant/Executive Advisory Board on Friday, voted to ask the City of Jamestown for dollars from the Capital Construction Fund, toward costs of refurbishing the World’s Largest Buffalo, at Frontier Village.

Swedlund indicated the contract with Talking Trails project, to start this spring, as been signed, as the board decides additional funding, to possibly come from grants in hand, and possibly using dollars in the City Fund, reserves.

Swedlund pointed out that discussions have started with the National Buffalo Museum to establish a new video presentation in conjunction with Prairie Public Television.

He added the new Tourism Source Guide will be published soon, with some changes from the last publication.

The board also approved applying for a grant through North Dakota Parks and Recreation for recreational trails, and approved providing a 20-percent local match of $2,540, if the remaining 80 percent is approved by the state agency.

The trail enhancement includes a large mower, two message centers, one each at Pipestem Trail and Overlook Trail, signs at all five trails, and a bike repair station at Overlook Trail. The total request is $12,700.

Also at Friday’s meeting, the Grant Request from Dakota Anglers of $1,600 was approved to bring in fishing professional Bob Probst, for a fishing seminar at the Sport & Recreation Show scheduled for February 5,6 & 7 at the Jamestown Civic Center. The amount covers Probst’s motel and fuel costs.

The Show sponsored by Ingstad Family Media, has an estimated economic impact of $100,000 for 1-2 days attendance, with an anticipated attendance of 2,000.

In other business, the board approved adding a “conflict of interest,” statement to the Jamestown Tourism policies, and a board member to abstain from voting if a conflict exists in approving funding requests.

The board also accepted the Jamestown Arts Center, and Stutsman County Museum ‘s county mill level approval for 2015, for additional funding.

The meeting was held at the CSi Technology Center, at Historic Franklin School.

 Jamestown  (CSi)  Long-time Jamestown City Council member and former mayor, Charlie Kourajian has announced that he will not seek re-election to the City Council this year.

Kourajian has held a seat on the council  40 of the past 42 years.

The 86 yer old Kourajian  says his age is the reason for not running again.

Valley City (CSi) The Barnes County mapping system, will be revamped, in order to provide 9-1-1 emergency services to residential addresses.

The Barnes County Commission, Emergency Manager, and 9-1-1 Supervisor have partnered with Duane Kaul of Kadrmas, Lee and Jackson to review and update the county mapping system.

Barnes County Emergency Manager Sue Lloyd says upon completion of this review, it was discovered that many addresses around the county are not correct.

All addresses in Barnes County will be reviewed for accuracy and changed if necessary.

The changes and revamping of the system are set to begin the week of January 25, 2016. Anyone with questions should call (701) 845-8510.

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) – North Dakota’s top budget writer says a drop in tax collections due to declining oil activity will force cuts in state government and a dip into the state’s savings.
 
     Office of Management and Budget Director Pam Sharp says a new forecast of tax collections that will be made public next month will decrease the amount of money lawmakers have to spend on the state’s current two-year budget. She says it’s up to lawmakers to determine how deep the cuts will be.
 
     The Legislature’s budget was built last year on economic assumptions that have proven far too rosy.
 
     The North Dakota Legislature’s Advisory Council on Revenue Forecasting on Friday set much lower projections for oil prices and output that will be used to craft a fresh forecast for lawmakers to review.

 MINOT, N.D. (AP) – A Minot Air Force Base woman accused of causing a fatal accident has been found guilty of negligent homicide.
 
 Jurors reached their verdict Friday in the trial of 34-year-old Maria Sutton.
 
     Sutton is accused of driving her car in the wrong lane in June 2013 and striking a vehicle driven by 49-year-old Robert Morrison head-on, killing the Westhope man.
 
     Her negligent homicide charge carries a maximum punishment of five years in prison.
 
     It’s the second trial for Sutton. The first ended in a mistrial last June when jurors couldn’t reach a unanimous decision.

In sports…

Valley City (CSi)  The Valley City State University athletic department is hosting its Winter Sports Luncheon on Tuesday, January 26, 2016 at the VCSU Student Center.  The luncheon starts at noon inside the Skoal Room of the VCSU Student Center. Cost is $5 for the meal. The event is open to the public

 VCSU’s winter sports coaches and student-athletes will talk about the current seasons. .

Track coach Chris Johnson and basketball coaches Jill DeVries and Jeff Kaminsky will all be on hand to speak about their current seasons.

 DICKINSON, N.D. (AP) – Bismarck Century’s Rod Wingenbach has been named head coach of the North Dakota squad for this year’s Badlands Bowl all-star football game.
 
     The annual game pits the top high school players in North Dakota and Montana. This year’s game is Saturday, June 18, in Dickinson.
 
      Wingenbach will be assisted by Century coaches Rod Breitbach and Cory Volk, Beulah’s Jim Dooley, Carrington’s Marty Hochhalter and Richland’s John Freeman.

In world and national news…

WASHINGTON (AP) – As mid-Atlantic states see the start of what promises to be a powerful blizzard, states across the Deep South are dealing with icy, snow-covered roads and power outages. At least eight people have died in traffic fatalities in the dangerous weather. Parts of Arkansas and Tennessee have eight inches of snow. In the Washington-Baltimore area, the snow is expected to continue into Saturday  night, leaving two feet or more in some spots.
 
     WASHINGTON (AP) – The blizzard that is slamming the eastern part of the United States is taking New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie off the presidential campaign trail for the next couple of days. He returned to New Jersey from New Hampshire Friday to meet with his cabinet and to brief reporters. Parts of New Jersey are expected to get up to 18 inches of snow this weekend.
 
     DECATUR, Ga. (AP) – An Atlanta-area police officer is facing trial on charges including felony murder. The white officer, Robert Olsen, has been indicted on charges stemming from his shooting death of a naked, mentally-ill black veteran who was unarmed. Anthony Hill was a 27-year-old Air Force veteran. His family says he struggled with mental health problems.
 
     MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) – Police in South Florida have arrested a suspect in what they call an ambush attack on a police officer. The police chief in Miami Gardens says Officer David Starling’s injuries aren’t life-threatening. He says Starling was shot multiple times as he filled out an accident report in his patrol vehicle. The suspect was arrested after a short car chase that ended when his SUV crashed and he fled on foot.
 
     WHITESBORO, N.Y. (AP) – An upstate New York village is changing its official logo after the image, which appears to show a white man throttling an Indian, was ridiculed on Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show.” Whitesboro Mayor Patrick O’Connor says village officials and members of the nearby Oneida Indian Nation will meet to discuss creation of a new image. Villagers had voted this month to keep the traditional logo for its historic value. The mayor says it shows a historic wrestling match that figured into good relations between early settlers and the Oneidas.