CSi Weather…
TODAY…MOSTLY SUNNY. PATCHY FOG IN THE MORNING. BREEZY. NOT AS
COOL. HIGHS IN THE MID 50S. NORTHWEST WINDS 10 TO 15 MPH
INCREASING TO 15 TO 25 MPH IN THE AFTERNOON.
.TONIGHT…PARTLY CLOUDY. LOWS AROUND 30. NORTHWEST WINDS 10 TO
20 MPH.
.FRIDAY…SUNNY. HIGHS IN THE LOWER 50S. NORTHWEST WINDS 5 TO
15 MPH.
.FRIDAY NIGHT…MOSTLY CLEAR. LOWS IN THE LOWER 30S. SOUTH WINDS
5 TO 10 MPH.
.SATURDAY…SUNNY. HIGHS IN THE UPPER 60S. SOUTH WINDS 10 TO
20 MPH.
.SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY…PARTLY CLOUDY. BREEZY. LOWS IN THE
UPPER 40S. HIGHS IN THE UPPER 50S.
.SUNDAY NIGHT…MOSTLY CLEAR. LOWS IN THE MID 30S.
.MONDAY AND MONDAY NIGHT…PARTLY CLOUDY. HIGHS IN THE MID 60S.
LOWS IN THE LOWER 40S.
.TUESDAY…PARTLY SUNNY WITH A 30 PERCENT CHANCE OF RAIN SHOWERS.
HIGHS IN THE MID 60S.
.TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY…MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH A 40 PERCENT
CHANCE OF RAIN SHOWERS. LOWS IN THE LOWER 40S. HIGHS IN THE UPPER
50S.
FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY.
A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH WESTERN AND CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA
SATURDAY NIGHT. STRONG WINDS BEHIND THE COLD FRONT WILL CONTINUE
THROUGH SUNDAY. A WIND ADVISORY MAY BE NEEDED DUE TO THE STRONG
WINDS LATE SATURDAY NIGHT INTO SUNDAY. LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITIES
AROUND 20 PERCENT SUNDAY AFTERNOON…COMBINED WITH THE STRONG
WINDS COULD LEAD TO FIRE WEATHER HIGHLIGHTS OVER SOUTHWEST NORTH
DAKOTA SUNDAY AFTERNOON.
A COUPLE OF DRY DAYS MONDAY AND TUESDAY
TEMPERATURES WILL THEN COOL BACK TO NEAR NORMAL WEDNESDAY.
Jamestown (CSi) James River Family Fitness in Jamestown has announced that a decision by the University of Jamestown will close the swimming pool area in the facility beginning July 1, 2015.
JRFF Executive Director Frank Conlon, says, the growth of the University’s athletic teams has caused the need for more space, and pool area will be converted to a Wrestling Room for the men’s and women’s wrestling programs, slated for the fall of 2015.
It’s been noted by the university that space at UJ’s Hansen Center can no longer accommodate the student-athletes.
Conlon adds, the Two River Activities Center (TRAC) June 2, 2015, vote for a one percent city sales tax for the initial funding to build the facility, if approved, would rectify the absence of a pool, if approved by voters.
James River Family Fitness would dissolve and re-locate to the TRAC facility, becoming a part of the Jamestown Parks and Recreation Department.
Conlon reminds everyone about the good relationship JRFF and prior to that the James River Family YMCA, has had with the college/university over the years as tenants.
BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) – Taxable sales and purchases in North Dakota during the fourth quarter of last year increased nearly 17 percent from the final three months of 2013.
Tax Commissioner Ryan Rauschenberger says taxable sales and purchases in October, November and December 2014 totaled $7.9 billion.
He says the strong growth is “remarkable” given the declining oil prices during those months. North Dakota oil prices during the quarter were 27 percent lower than the previous year.
Thirteen of the 15 major industry sectors reported gains in taxable sales and purchases. The mining and oil extraction sector saw a 38 percent increase. The retail trade sector was up nearly 5 percent.
In the region, taxable sales & purchases in the 4th quarter of 2014, and percentage change from the 4th quarter of 2013.
Barnes $21,594,380 down 9,23%
Foster $15,948,763 down 21.10%
Griggs $5,402,119 down 16.66%
LaMoure Co. $9,399,284 down 29.65%
Stutsman $68,312,941 down 2.6%
Jamestown (CSi) Jamestown Police wants to warn residents regarding a convicted sex offender who is living within city limits.
David William Wilcox is currently residing at 517 4th Street Northwest, Jamestown ND
He has no vehicle.
Wilcox is a 43 year old white male, 5 feet 10 inches tall, weighing 190 pounds, with blue eyes and blonde hair.
Wilcox has been assigned a high risk assessment by the North Dakot Risk Level Committee of the North Dakota Attorney General’s Office.
Wilcox was convicted in January 2014 in Morton County, ND, District Court of sexual assault, involving a 14 year old female.
Disposition was 5 years, 3 years probation.
In January, 2014 Wilcox was convicted of indecent exposure in Morton County, ND District Court.
Disposition was 1 year with 210 days credit.
Wilcox is currently on probation with North Dakota Probation and Parole.
He is on GPS monitoring.
Wilcox is not wanted by police at this time and has served the sentence imposed by the court.
This notification is meant for public safety and not to increase fear in the community, nor should this information be used to threaten, assault or intimidate the offender. Attempts to harass, intimidate or threaten these offenders or their families, landlords, or employers will be turned over for prosecution.
Printed handouts of Wilcox photo and demographics are available at the Jamestown Police Department.
Sex offender registration information is available on the North Dakota Attorney General’s web site:
www.sexoffender.nd.gov/
Jamestown (CSi) Last week, Governor Dalrymple declared a statewide fire emergency in response to abnormally dry conditions, unseasonable temperatures and high winds. In his executive order, Dalrymple issued a burn ban for any county jurisdiction whose daily North Dakota Fire Danger Rating is designated as HIGH, VERY HIGH, or EXTREME, and/or when a Red Flag Warning has been issued by the National Weather Service. Burning is allowed only when the Fire Danger Rating is either in the LOW or MODERATE categories. The Governor’s declaration/burn ban encompasses all open burning and includes all of the counties of the state and their incorporated cities.
In a news release Stutsman County Emergency Manager, Jerry Bergquist says,
unlike burn bans in the past that were declared by the Stutsman County Commission, the Governor’s burn ban prohibits all open burning with no exceptions. It also includes the HIGH category of the Fire Danger Rating system which leaves only the LOW and MODERATE categories that out-door burning can legally take place. And, the Governor’s declaration/burn ban packs a punch. Any individual who willfully violates the burn ban is guilty of a Class B misdemeanor (NDCC 37-17.1-10.1) punishable by a fine of up to $1000.00 and 30 days in jail.
The Stutsman County Sheriff’s Department is authorized to issue citations to violators. The Governor’s declaration/burn ban is in effect through April 15, 2015, unless rescinded or extended.
Since the burn ban started on April 1st, Stutsman County has experienced three separate grass fires on three separate days. All of them occurred on days where the Fire Danger Rating was MODERATE, meaning that burning on those particular days was allowable. A wait and see position will need to be taken as to whether or not the Governor’s declaration/burn ban will be rescinded early, expire on April 15, or be extended. If the burn ban is rescinded or expires, Stutsman County Emergency Management will be polling the area fire chiefs to find out whether or not a burn ban should be declared by the County Commission in place of the Governor’s burn ban, and bring such a request to the April 20th meeting.
If the Governor’s more restrictive burn ban is extended, it will supersede any burn ban that may be approved by the Stutsman County Commission. The fire danger rating is revised each morning and can be found by googling “ND fire danger rating” or by going to Stutsman County’s website at http://www.co.stutsman.nd.us/ and clicking on “Fire Danger.” The daily fire danger rating can also be determined by calling the Stutsman County Communications Center at 701-252-1000 and asking for the daily fire danger rating. Any questions or comments relating to the Governor’s declaration/burn ban should be directed to the Stutsman County Sheriff’s Office or the Stutsman County Emergency Manager.
Jamestown (CSi) The Two Rivers Activity Center Board of Directors has approved a schedule for three community forums/ workshops prior to the June 2, 2015 special election on a one percent city sales tax to fund the project.
The forums are scheduled for April 21 at the Gladstone Inn & Suites, April 27 at the Jamestown Middle School’s Thompson Community Room and May 15 at the North Dakota Farmers Union headquarters. All forums begin at 7 p.m.
Also, each member of the board of directors is responsible for raising $1,000 toward the organization’s goal of $20,000 for advertising and promotion for the special election.
In other business, the TRAC board, has set a special meeting on April 22, 2015, at 7-a.m., at the Jamestown Public School’s conference room, to address changes to the by laws that would remove the Jamestown Gymnastics Club’s representative from the board plus, eliminating one at-large community board member position. The action would reduce the size of the board from 11 to nine members.
Jamestown (CSi) In the coming weeks the Jamestown Tourism board will address more ways to promote the Jamestown area, by refocusing efforts toward highlighting the historical significance of the area.
On Wednesday’s Wayne Byers Show on CSi Cable 2 Jamestown Tourism, Director, Searle Swedlund said another mechanism is planned to include on line web site features, and perhaps a phone number where potential visitors can receive information, and other interactive mechanisms. Tourism’s web site is
www.discoverjamestownnd.com
Swedlund pointed out that the 2015 Jamestown Tourism Guide is now available, adding that he has brought the publication and trail information to various area camping shows in the region.
He added that Jamestown Tourism has added a new Office Manager, Emily Bevins, who will begin her responsibilities on April 20th.
She has a degree in Tourism from NDSU, with experience at Bismarck’s Park & Recreation Department.
MINOT, N.D. (AP) – A Minot man has been convicted of raping a teenage girl he befriended on Facebook.
A jury on Wednesday found 24-year-old Corey Costa guilty of a felony gross sexual imposition charge that carries a maximum sentence of life in prison. He’s to be sentenced July 28.
Costa was accused of befriending the teenager in 2012 when she lived in Canada. When she and her mother moved to Minot, Costa allegedly drugged and raped the girl at his apartment.
BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) – A western North Dakota man has pleaded not guilty to attempted murder and several drug-related charges in a nonfatal stabbing.
Tyson Gappert of Zap entered his plea Wednesday in South Central District Court. He faces up to 46 years in prison if convicted of attempted murder, aggravated assault and drug charges.
Gappert is accused of stabbing another Zap man in the stomach during a fight last month at the home of the man’s girlfriend. The victim required surgery for a punctured liver and was put in a drug-induced coma.
An email seeking comment was left early Thursday with Grappert’s attorney.
He’s due back in court for a pre-trial conference on May 13.
MINOT, N.D. (AP) – A 14-year-old girl from Las Vegas has been found in North Dakota after her mother reported finding her photo on a website that advertises sexual services.
The teenager’s mother contacted police after seeing messages from Backpage.com on her daughter’s email account. She also saw a photo of girl who looked like her missing daughter.
Police have charged 20-year-old Tayari Meadows, of Las Vegas, with felony human trafficking for her involvement. Authorities say Meadows told police she believed the girl to be 18 and that she was helping her escape from her mother.
The girl told police Meadows knew she wasn’t 18 and that she helped her arrange “dates” in Williston and Minot. She says Meadows told her she wouldn’t eat if she didn’t make money.
FARGO, N.D. (AP) – A conservative Chicago law firm says the rights of two Fargo high school students were violated when they were denied permission to start two separate anti-abortion clubs.
The Thomas More Society accuses the school district of wrongly classifying the club as “outside agencies” and not allowing them to use school names with their clubs, conduct fundraisers, put up posters or have events at the schools.
The group is representing Davies High School student Katie McPherson and North High School student Brigid O’Keefe.
The school district says in a statement that it takes the allegations seriously and the letter is being reviewed by the district’s attorney.
The attorney for Thomas More Societysays a court challenge is possible if the district doesn’t allow the clubs to exist.
BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) – The Highway Patrol lieutenant who led the investigation into a deadly collision between a school bus and a freight train near Larimore has been placed on administrative leave while the agency investigates possible reckless driving.
Lt. Troy Hischer allegedly drove the wrong way on U.S. Highway 2 for about 4 miles the night of the incident. A log of 911 calls shows that Hischer told a dispatcher he was on his phone at the time.
Hischer declined comment to The Associated Press.
The patrol in a statement did not give a timeline for its investigation. WDAZ TV reports that the probe also is looking into why Hischer’s superiors weren’t notified about the alleged incident until a blogger began writing about it.
WILLISTON, N.D. (AP) – Federal safety inspectors say a Houston-based oil company could have prevented a 28-year-old Alabama man’s death by properly maintaining the water hauling tank that exploded while he was working in it in North Dakota.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has issued one willful and four serious safety citations against Nabors Completion and Production Services Co. The company faces $97,200 in proposed penalties for allegedly failing to clean the water tank in which Dustin Payne was welding.
Payne, of Hazel Green, Alabama, was welding inside the tank when vapors ignited. He was injured in the Oct. 3 explosion and flown to a Minot hospital, where he died five days later.
A call to Nabors was not immediately returned Wednesday afternoon.
BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) – North Dakota House budget writers have stripped 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.
The Senate had approved the program in the PSC’s budget in February. The House Appropriations Committee removed the funding from the agency’s budget this week.
House Democrats say they will continue to fight for the funding.
FARGO, N.D. (AP) – North Dakota State College of Science and North Dakota State University are working together to help students complete their degrees. The two schools have entered into a reverse transfer agreement that allows students who transfer from the two-year school to the four-year school an opportunity to apply credits from both institutions toward an associate degree.
FARGO, N.D. (AP) – The VA medical system in North Dakota has managed to keep appointments for most military veterans on a timely schedule. An Associated Press analysis of wait times at VA facilities shows that North Dakota is doing better than the national average at meeting the health system’s timeliness goal. None of the system’s North Dakota locations had more than 2.5 percent of scheduled appointments delayed by more than 31 days.
In sports….
GRAND FORKS, N.D. (AP) – The University of North Dakota men’s hockey team is just a win away from another appearance in the national championship game.
UND plays Boston at 7:30 p.m. Central time in an NCAA Frozen Four semifinal at TD Garden in Boston. The winner will take on either Providence or Nebraska-Omaha for the national championship on Saturday. The first game starts at 5-p.m., with both games on CSi 18 ESPN 2.
UND has seven national titles to its credit – but none under head coach Dave Hakstol. This is the seventh time in 11 years that he’s taken North Dakota to the Frozen Four, but he’s still looking for a first national championship.
UND hasn’t won a national title since 2000, when Dean Blais was coach. He’s now the head coach of Omaha.
MLB…
INTERLEAGUE
Final Philadelphia 4 Boston 2
AMERICAN LEAGUE
DETROIT (AP) – Anibal Sanchez helped Detroit blank Minnesota for the second straight game as the Tigers routed the Twins 11-0 yesterday. Ian Kinsler drove in four runs for Detroit. Ricky Nolasco gave up six runs and six hits in three-plus innings.
Final N-Y Yankees 4 Toronto 3
Final Tampa Bay 2 Baltimore 0
Final Kansas City 7 Chi White Sox 5
Final Cleveland 2 Houston 0
Final Oakland 10 Texas 0
Final L.A. Angels 5 Seattle 3
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Adrian Gonzalez hit three home runs last night, becoming the first player in major league history with five in the season’s first three games, as the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the San Diego Padres 7-4.
Final Chi Cubs 2 St. Louis 0
Final Washington 2 N-Y Mets 1
Final Atlanta 2 Miami 0
Final Cincinnati 5 Pittsburgh 4, 11 Innings
Final Colorado 5 Milwaukee 4, 10 Innings
Final San Francisco 5 Arizona 2
NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) – LaMarcus Aldridge had 24 points and 13 rebounds before sitting out the fourth quarter as the Portland Trail Blazers beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 116-91 last night. Robin Lopez added 18 points for the Blazers. Andrew Wiggins had 29 points for the injury-depleted Timberwolves.
Final Boston 113 Detroit 103
Final Orlando 105 Chicago 103
Final Toronto 92 Charlotte 74
Final Washington 119 Philadelphia 90
Final Atlanta 114 Brooklyn 111
Final Indiana 102 New York 86
Final Cleveland 104 Milwaukee 99
Final Memphis 110 New Orleans 74
Final San Antonio 110 Houston 98
Final Denver 119 L-A Lakers 101
Final Utah 103 Sacramento 91
Final Dallas 107 Phoenix 104
NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Final Columbus 5 Toronto 0
Final Washington 3 Boston 0
Final Dallas 4 Anaheim 0
NFL..
NEW YORK (AP) – The NFL has hired Sarah Thomas to be its first female full-time game official. The 41-year old will be a line judge for the coming season. Thomas has been in the league’s officiating development program and worked some team minicamps last year.
GOLF…
AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) – Kevin Streelman beat Camilo Villegas (vih-JAY’-guhs) on the third hole of a sudden-death playoff to win the Par 3 tournament at Augusta National. Villegas had two holes-in-one through his first eight holes en route to a 5 under, one shot ahead of Cameron Tringale, Ben Martin and Ryan Moore.
Jack Nicklaus had a hole in one on the fourth hole.
In world and national news…
DETROIT (AP) – After a five-year investigation, U.S. safety regulators have decided not to issue a recall following reports of rusting pipes that carry brake fluid to some 5 million older Chevrolet, Cadillac and GMC pickups and SUVs. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration blames the rusting on salt used to treat roads during the winter time and not a manufacturer’s defect. It’s telling people in cold-weather states to get their undercarriages washed and have their brake lines inspected for rust.
DALLAS (AP) – Federal health authorities say three more people have become ill from a foodborne illness linked to some Blue Bell ice cream products. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says three people in Texas have the same strain of listeria previously found in five other people at a Wichita, Kansas, hospital. Three of the five in Kansas died. On Tuesday, Blue Bell announced a third product recall.
NEW YORK (AP) – Sabra (SAH’-bruh) hummus is recalling some 30,000 cases of its product because of possible Listeria contamination. The recall is nationwide and the affected hummus includes 10-ounce and 30-ounce containers and 17-ounce six-packs.
MILAN (AP) – Officials in Milan, Italy say a man on trial for fraudulent bankruptcy opened fire in the courthouse today, killing a judge, his lawyer and a co-defendant. As the shots rang out, court employees barricaded themselves inside their offices and took cover under their desks. A prosecutor says the gunman first fired on his lawyer and the co-defendant, and he seriously wounded a second co-defendant. Then he killed the judge as he walked through the building. The man is in police custody.
NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) – A South Carolina man says in 2013, he had an encounter with the white police officer now charged with repeatedly shooting a black man in the back. Mario Givens, who is black, says North Charleston Patrolman Michael Slager burst into his home and tased him. Then he and another officer accused him of resisting police and dragged him to a squad car. Givens was later released without charge. Slager, who’s facing a murder charge, was just kicked off the police force this week for last Saturday’s shooting.