CSi Weather…
REST OF TODAY…MOSTLY CLOUDY. SCATTERED FLURRIES THROUGH THE
DAY. HIGHS IN THE LOWER 20S. TEMPERATURES FALLING INTO THE LOWER
TEENS IN THE AFTERNOON. NORTHWEST WINDS 10 TO 15 MPH.
.TONIGHT…DECREASING CLOUDS. COLDER. LOWS NEAR ZERO. WEST WINDS
5 TO 10 MPH.
.SATURDAY…MOSTLY SUNNY. HIGHS AROUND 20. WEST WINDS 5 TO
10 MPH.
.SATURDAY NIGHT…MOSTLY CLOUDY. LOWS ZERO TO 5 ABOVE. WEST WINDS
5 TO 10 MPH SHIFTING TO THE NORTH AFTER MIDNIGHT.
.SUNDAY…MOSTLY CLOUDY. HIGHS 5 TO 10 ABOVE. NORTHEAST WINDS
10 TO 15 MPH.
.SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY…PARTLY CLOUDY. LOWS AROUND 10 BELOW.
HIGHS NEAR ZERO.
.MONDAY NIGHT…MOSTLY CLEAR. LOWS AROUND 15 BELOW.
.TUESDAY…MOSTLY SUNNY. HIGHS ZERO TO 5 ABOVE.
.TUESDAY NIGHT…MOSTLY CLEAR. LOWS AROUND 5 BELOW.
.WEDNESDAY…MOSTLY SUNNY. HIGHS 15 TO 20.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT…MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH A 20 PERCENT CHANCE OF
SNOW. LOWS 5 TO 10 ABOVE.
.NEW YEARS DAY…MOSTLY CLOUDY. HIGHS 15 TO 20.
Clear and cold conditions beginning Sunday with opvernight lows of 10 below Sunday night and 14 below Monday night, with wind chills 25 below Sunday and 35 below on Monday.
Monday’s high forecast at about 1 below and 3 above on Tuesday.
Jamestown (CSi) The Jamestown Salvation Army Red Kettle Campaign in Jamestown is shy of the $156,000 goal. Salvation Army Lt. Mitch Brecto says more than $103,000 has been raised so far this year.
He says the Red Kettle campaign ended December 24th, however, donations are still being accepted at their office, at First Avenue North in Jamestown or by mail or internet and those donations will count toward the Christmas goal. Donation can be mailed at 320 1st Ave North Jamestown, N.D. 58401 or call the office at 701- 252-0290.
The Barnes County Salvation Army Bell Ringing campaign ended December 24th, but donation are welcome through December 31st.
FARGO, N.D. (AP) – A federal appeals court says three law enforcement officers who shot a Jamestown man after he came out of his apartment carrying a shotgun did not use excessive force.
Michael Partlow was hospitalized for about three weeks following the September 2010 incident. Partlow later filed suit against the officers, who appealed after a federal judge failed to dismiss the complaint.
A three-judge panel of the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in a 2-1 decision that the officers should not face legal action.
Partlow said in his suit that he was bending down to place the gun on the ground when the officers opened fire. The appeals court said that even if the officers were mistaken about Partlow pointing the gun at them, their reaction was “objectively reasonable.”
(CSi) The North Dakota Highway Patrol reports two people are dead and two injured after a one-vehicle accident near Manning North Dakota Thursday night. The names of the victims have not been released.
The report says a 2014 white Chevrolet 2500 pickup was traveling west bound on 14th Street. Southwest when it failed to negotiate a curve and rolled into a ravine.
Killed are a 23-year-old Bozeman, Montana man and a 36-year-old Arvin, Califormia man. Injured were a 24-year-old Bakersfield, California man and a 43-year-old Ulysses, Kansas man.
The accident remains under investigation by the Highway Patrol.
MINOT, N.D. (AP) – Fireworks vendors are opening their doors around North Dakota to help residents ring in the new year.
The Legislature last year passed a law allowing fireworks to be sold from the day after Christmas through New Year’s Day. Before that, licensed businesses could sell them only around the Fourth of July in the summer.
Tricia Vondal owns North 83 Fireworks in the Minot area. She says fireworks can be dazzling in the winter because the lights reflect off the snow.
Vondal did have to update her building – installing a furnace to heat the warehouse during the seven days of winter selling.
MINOT, N.D. (AP) – Detours to Amtrak service in North Dakota are expected to end in January.
The company says its Empire Builder line will resume operating on its regular schedule and route starting Jan. 12.
Amtrak for months had to suspend westbound rail service from Fargo on its Empire Builder line and passengers traveling on to Grand Forks, Devils Lake and Rugby had to complete their journeys on buses.
The service disruption allowed BNSF Railway to make repairs to the line, which BNSF owns and Amtrak uses. The repairs were originally expected to last through Sept. 30.
FARGO, N.D. (AP) – Police officers in North Dakota have received some sweet treats in sign of appreciation as part of a national campaign.
Officers in Fargo and Grand Forks have been receiving cookies this week. The sweets are part of a campaign called Cookies for a Cop that has provided treats to officers in more than 23 states.
Bree Gahner is the wife of a Fargo officer. Gahner says this is a good time to tell officers that “we really appreciate what you do.”
The campaign was started by a Kentucky woman whose brother is a police officer. Becky Grizovic, of Walton, Kentucky, has said the campaign is meant to show some support to officers at a time when the police community has been “under a tremendous amount of stress.”
FARGO, N.D. (AP) – Fargo firefighters are celebrating the 25th year of delivering gifts to children at hospitals.
It’s a tradition that began in 1990 when the 3-year-old son of a Fargo firefighter was in the hospital and worried that Santa Claus would not be able to find him. Department employees have delivered gifts to children on every Christmas day since then.
The gifts are paid for from a charity account funded by firefighters.
Firefighters are scheduled to visit children Thursday at Sanford Children’s Hospital and Essentia Hospital in Fargo.
BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) – Limousine and airplane tours of Christmas lights displays are becoming more popular in North Dakota.
At least three companies offering tours in the Bismarck-Mandan area have seen an increase in business over the past few years.
Nightlife Limousine is among the companies seeing an increase in business thanks to the holiday tours. The company began its seasonal tour in 1992 with one six-passenger limo doing four trips a night. Last year, the company saw its largest number of bookings at 150 tours and is now using 20 vehicles.
Executive Air Taxi Corporation offers aerial tours. CEO Paul Vetter says the first year the company offered seasonal tours about 10 flights took off. In contrast, he expects at least 100 flights this year.
GRAND FORKS, N.D. (AP) – Grand Forks officials are warning residents of potential weakened ice on the Red River near the city’s water treatment lagoon.
Officials say the city will be discharging treated wastewater from its lagoon system throughout the winter. The discharge may create weakened ice or open water near the discharge point.
Officials are advising residents to stay away from the site, which is near 54th Avenue North. City workers have placed warning signs on the river bank – upstream and downstream – near the site.
BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) – The board of directors of the Ronald McDonald House Charities in Bismarck has elected a new president.
The group has chosen Stephanie Goroski, who has served on the board since 2011. Her term as president will last one year.
The Ronald McDonald House supports families of seriously ill children receiving care in Bismarck.
Goroski is the director of CHI St. Alexius Health’s Women’s & Children Services. She joined the hospital in 1991.
In sports…
BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) – The North Dakota Game and Fish Department says hunter education classes are being scheduled for 2015.
Officials say many classes will be added over the next several weeks, and the rest will be added throughout the year as they are finalized.
North Dakota law requires anyone born after Dec. 31, 1961, to pass a certified hunter education course to hunt in the state.
Hunter education is mandatory for youth who are turning 12 years old. Children can take the class at age 11.
Interested hunters can sign up online at www.gf.nd.gov under the online services tab.
MILES CITY, Mont. (AP) – Grady Bennett has been chosen to coach the Montana team in the Badlands Bowl against a team of North Dakota all-stars. Bennett says being selected head coach is a huge honor because it means your team had a good season. The 22nd annual Badlands Bowl will be held on June 20th in Miles City.
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) – Sioux Falls Skyforce guard Larry Drew II dished out 23 assists against the Rio Grande Valley Vipers on Christmas night, breaking the NBA Development League record.
The previous record of 22 was set by Darryl McDonald of the Skyforce in 1992 and tied in 2007 by Idaho’s Randy Livingston.
Drew also scored 16 points as the Skyforce downed the Vipers 135-129.
NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
UNDATED (AP) – LeBron James scored 30 points in his return to Miami yesterday, but Dwyane (dwayn) Wade scored 24 of his 31 points in the first half of the Heat’s 101-91 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers. Russell Westbrook had a game-high 34 points and led the Oklahoma City Thunder with 11 assists in a 114-106 win at San Antonio. Jamal Crawford hit four 3-pointers and finished with 24 points and seven rebounds to lead the Los Angeles Clippers past Golden State 100-86.
UNDATED (AP) – The Washington Wizards and Chicago Bulls moved closer to Eastern Conference lead by winning yesterday. John Wall’s 24 points and 11 assists led the Wizards to a 102-91 triumph against the New York Knicks. The Bulls cruised to a 113-93 win over the Los Angeles Lakers as Pau Gasol (pow gah-SAHL’) had 23 points and 13 rebounds against his old team.
TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL
HONOLULU (AP) – Kethan Savage sparked a late rally and scored 12 points to lead unranked George Washington to a 60-54 upset over No. 11 Wichita State in the Diamond Head Classic title game at Honolulu. The Colonials trailed by seven with seven minutes left before Savage swatted away a pass and turned it into a layup. The 10-2 Shockers shot 34 percent from the floor and hit just one field goal over the last six minutes.
NBA…
NEW YORK (AP) – Cleveland’s LeBron James and Stephen Curry of Golden State are the leading vote-getters in the first returns from NBA All-Star fan voting. James had about 553,000 votes at the Eastern Conference frontcourt spot and Washington’s John Wall was No. 1 among East guards in the results released today. Curry had more than 549,000 votes to lead second-place Kobe Bryant among West guards, while New Orleans’ Anthony Davis had the most votes in the West frontcourt.
BOWLS-SCHEDULE…
UNDATED (AP) – The Bowl barrage took a break for Christmas but resumes Friday with three games on the schedule.
In the Heart of Dallas Bowl 8-4 Louisiana Tech meets 6-6 Illinois. Rutgers takes a 7-5 mark into the Quick Lane Bowl against 6-6 North Carolina. The St. Petersburg Bowl matches 9-3 Central Florida against North Carolina State, which is 7-5
In world and national news…
BANDA ACEH, Indonesia (AP) – They cried, prayed and remembered today at beachside memorials and religious services across Asia. It’s the 10th anniversary of the tsunami that killed around a quarter million people and ground entire coastal communities into the sand. The tsunami was triggered by a massive, 9.1 magnitude earthquake off Indonesia.
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) – Flooding in Malaysia and criticism of his vacation is bringing the country’s prime minister home early from a U.S. trip. Prime Minister Najib Razak says he’s going home to deal with the worst floods in the country in decades that have killed five people and displaced more than 100,000. Authorities have evacuated numerous villages and towns in five Malaysian states.
NEW YORK (AP) – The wake is scheduled today for one of two New York police officers shot and killed in an ambush. Mourners will gather at a Queens church to remember Rafael Ramos. His funeral is tomorrow and Vice President Joe Biden is expected to attend. Arrangements for the other dead officer haven’t been announced.
JERUSALEM (AP) – Israel’s supreme court has given the government two years to evacuate an illegal settlement that’s one of the oldest and most contentious Jewish settlement outposts in the West Bank. Amona was established in 1995 on private Palestinian land without Israeli government permission. Settlers claimed to have retroactively bought some of the land though the Palestinian landowners claim some of those sales were fictitious.
MOSCOW (AP) – The Russian ruble is sliding again today after a five day rally. The ruble has been the worst performing money this year along with the Ukrainian currency, having lost nearly half of its value against the dollar. Russian monetary officials have made stabilizing the ruble their priority, introducing a number of drastic measures to support it such as raising the key interest rate to a whopping 17 percent.