CSi Weather…
.TONIGHT…CLOUDY. SNOW LIKELY IN THE EVENING…THEN CHANCE OF
SNOW AFTER MIDNIGHT. NOT AS COLD. SNOW ACCUMULATION AROUND
1 INCH. LOWS 10 TO 15. SOUTHWEST WINDS 10 TO 20 MPH. CHANCE OF
SNOW 70 PERCENT.
.FRIDAY…CLOUDY WITH A 30 PERCENT CHANCE OF SNOW IN THE JAMESTOWN AREA, A 40 PERCENT CHANCE IN THE VALLEY CITY AREA. NOT AS COLD.
HIGHS AROUND 30. NORTHWEST WINDS 10 TO 15 MPH.
.FRIDAY NIGHT…MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH A 30 PERCENT CHANCE OF SNOW IN THE JAMESTOWN AREA, A 20 PERCENT CHANCE IN THE VALLEY CITY AREA.
LOWS ZERO TO 5 ABOVE. NORTH WINDS 10 TO 15 MPH.
.SATURDAY…MOSTLY SUNNY. MUCH COLDER. HIGHS ZERO TO 5 ABOVE.
NORTH WINDS AROUND 15 MPH.
.SATURDAY NIGHT…PARTLY CLOUDY. COLDER. LOWS AROUND 15 BELOW.
NORTHWEST WINDS 10 TO 15 MPH.
.SUNDAY AND SUNDAY NIGHT…MOSTLY CLEAR. HIGHS AROUND 5 BELOW.
LOWS AROUND 15 BELOW.
.MONDAY…MOSTLY SUNNY. HIGHS IN THE MID 20S.
.MONDAY NIGHT…MOSTLY CLOUDY. LOWS 15 TO 20.
.TUESDAY…MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH A 20 PERCENT CHANCE OF SNOW. HIGHS
IN THE LOWER 20S.
.TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY…PARTLY CLOUDY. LOWS AROUND
5 BELOW. HIGHS 5 TO 10 ABOVE.
WIND CHILLS 35 TO 45 BELOW ZERO ARE EXPECTED SATURDAY NIGHT INTO SUNDAY MORNING.
WIND CHILLS AROUND 30 BELOW ZERO ARE POSSIBLE SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY MORNING…AND AGAIN TUESDAY NIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY MORNING.
Jamestown (CSi) A Community Health Assessment Survey, is available on line, to assess the area concerning health issues and concerns.
The survey is a partnership between Jamestown Regional Medical Center, Central Valley Health and the Community Health Partners.
The partnership is hoping that at least 400 surveys completed from community members.
An online survey can be accessed at www.tinyurl.com/jamestown-nd
A paper survey option is available at Central Valley Health and Jamestown Regional Medical Center.
The survey deadline is March 1st – an extension from February 20th.
The focus of this effort is to:
· Learn the good things in the community and the community’s concerns
· Understand perceptions and attitudes about the health of the community and hear suggestions for improvements
· Learn more about how local health services are used by you and other residents
From this effort, the community health partners will collaborate and compare the results to the assessment completed 3 years ago.
Officials are confident that with these results, community health teams can better set goals based on the priority areas determined in the area.
Jamestown (CSi) The Jamestown Area Chamber will be holding an informational legislative forum for the citizens of Districts 12 and 29. The forum will be held on February 21, 2015 from 9:00am – 11:00am at City Hall (102 3rd Ave SE).
Those invited include: Senator John Grabinger, and Representatives Jessica Haak and Alex Looysen from District 12 and Senator Terry Wanzek, and Representatives Craig Headland and Chet Pollert from District 29.
The legislators will update the public about legislative issues.
Pam Phillips, chair of the Local Regional Issues committee will be the moderator. There will not be specific questions prepared for the presenters, but there will be time after the forum for questions from the public.
Everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend.
BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) – Formal charges have been filed against a man shot in the leg by a Bismarck police officer.
Twenty-two-year-old Paul Smith II, of Grand Forks, was shot following a traffic stop Tuesday evening. Authorities allege Smith removed the officer’s gun from its holster during a scuffle, and the gun went off during the struggle.
Smith faces three felony charges, including disarming a police officer, and a misdemeanor. Court documents don’t list an attorney for him.
Smith was wanted on a probation violation relating to a 2014 misdemeanor conviction in Grand Forks for assault. His attorney in that case told the Associated Press that he no longer represents Smith.
The officer involved in the shooting is on leave while local and state officials investigate. That’s normal procedure.
BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) – A Bismarck woman is accused of embezzling $12,500 from a high school dance team.
Thirty-four-year-old Melissa Weltz allegedly stole the money from the Bismarck High School Demonettes Booster Club while serving as treasurer.
She faces a felony theft charge that carries a maximum punishment of 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine. A court hearing was not immediately scheduled.
Court documents do not list an attorney for Weltz, and a telephone listing for her could not be found.
FARGO, N.D. (AP) – The National Weather Service says the chances of flooding in the Red River Valley remain low.
A report released Thursday shows a less than 50 percent possibility of the river reaching the 18-foot flood stage in Fargo. The service says the soils in the valley are dry and both snowpack and snow moisture are “quite low.”
The climate outlook calls for cold and dry conditions heading into spring.
The weather service says that water levels on Devils Lake in northeastern North Dakota will likely stay near current levels.
The next report is scheduled for March 5.
BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) – The derailment in West Virginia of a train carrying oil from North Dakota is prompting complaints that North Dakota and federal government leaders aren’t doing enough to ensure the safe transport of crude by rail.
A train carrying 3 million gallons of crude derailed Monday in the unincorporated town of Mount Carbon, West Virginia. The derailment leaked oil into a river tributary, burned down a house and forced nearby water treatment plans to temporarily shut down.
Consumer advocate Ralph Nader tells KFGO radio he’s calling for a congressional investigation into rail accidents involving North Dakota crude. He calls it “a national emergency.”
The Dakota Resource Council environmental group tells The Bismarck Tribune that state officials are to blame for not ensuring oil is safe to ship. State leaders dispute that.
BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) – The Canadian company behind the long-delayed Keystone XL pipeline will seek U.S. State Department approval for another pipeline – this one going north.
TransCanada Corp.’s proposed $600 million Upland Pipeline would begin in northwestern North Dakota and go north into Canada. It would transport up to 300,000 barrels of oil daily, connecting with other pipelines including the Energy East pipeline across Canada.
TransCanada hopes to have the Upland Pipeline operating in 2018. It needs approval from the U.S. State Department, North Dakota’s Public Service Commission and Canada’s National Energy Board.
TransCanada has been trying for years to get U.S. approval for the Keystone XL, which would connect Canada’s tar sands to Gulf Coast refineries. Congress last week OK’d construction but President Barack Obama has threatened to veto the measure.
BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) – House budget writers have approved $1.1 billion in special funding so that infrastructure projects can begin by this summer.
The amount is similar to the Senate’s version approved last month. But the House Appropriations Committee on Thursday voted to give less to communities and more funds to the state Transportation Department for road projects.
The “surge funding” bill is intended to fast-track funding to cities, counties and townships affected by North Dakota’s exploding growth.
Money for the measure comes from state’s Strategic Investment and Improvement Fund, which is supported by oil and gas taxes.
Republican House Majority Leader Al Carlson says the full House is expected to vote Friday on the bill. He says the Senate likely will review the changes on Monday.
In sports….
(CSi) The 2015 North Dakota Class B District 5 Boys Basketball Tournament is set for Friday February 27, Saturday the 28th, and Monday March 2 at the Jamestown Civic Center.
Friday’s play starts at 4:30 p.m. with #4 Oakes (4-2 District 5) against #5 Edgeley-Kulm-Montpelier (2-4). Oakes won the regular season contest on January 24 by a score of 61-57.
A full look of the bracket can be found by clicking here.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – Kevin Garnett is coming back to the place it all began.
A person with knowledge of the deal says the Minnesota Timberwolves are sending forward Thaddeus Young to the Brooklyn Nets for Garnett. The person spoke Thursday on condition of anonymity because the deal had not been officially announced.
Garnett spent his first 12 seasons in Minnesota. He guided the Timberwolves to the only eight playoff appearances in franchise history and won the MVP while leading them to the Western Conference finals in 2004.
After winning a title in Boston, Garnett is nearing the end of a brilliant career and now could finish it in front of a crowd that continues to adore him.
Garnett had to waive a no-trade clause to allow the deal to go through.
In world and national news…
WASHINGTON (AP) – Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani now says he wasn’t questioning President Barack Obama’s patriotism, when he said last night that he doesn’t believe Obama “loves America.” At the event in New York, Giuliani said of Obama, “He wasn’t brought up the way you were brought up and I was brought up through love of this country.” But when asked about the comments Thursday on Fox News, Giuliani softened his words. He says he’s sure Obama’s “a patriot,” but that he never hears Obama talk about “how much he loves America.”
ISTANBUL (AP) – The U.S. Embassy in Ankara says Turkey and the United States have signed an agreement to train and arm Syrian rebels fighting the Islamic State group. The two countries have been in talks about such a pact for several months. The deal was signed by U.S. Ambassador John Bass and a senior Turkish foreign ministry official. The Turkish government has said the training could begin as early as next month.
KENNEWICK, Wash. (AP) – A florist in Washington state who refused to provide flowers for a gay wedding will be appealing a judge’s ruling that she broke a state anti-discrimination law. A group called Alliance Defending Freedom says it will file the appeal on the florist’s behalf. A judge Wednesday rejected arguments that the florist’s actions were protected by her freedoms of speech and religion. The judge said the First Amendment protects religious beliefs but not necessarily actions based on those beliefs.
WASHINGTON (AP) – A prominent rabbi in Washington, D.C., has acknowledged in court Thursday that for years, he secretly videotaped women at a Jewish ritual bath — recording more than 150 women as they changed clothes and got in and out of a shower. Barry Freundel pleaded guilty to 52 counts of voyeurism. Each count is punishable by up to a year in jail.
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) – The holder of a winning Powerball ticket in Puerto Rico has appeared, a week after winning a third of the $564 million jackpot, but has opted to remain anonymous. The winner visited the Puerto Rico Lottery office Thursday with the ticket, and has 60 days to decide whether the prize will come in a lump sum of $101 million, or in 30 payments over 29 years.