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Latest North Dakota news, sports, business and entertainment:
DAKOTAS SNOW
Parts of Dakotas deal with snow, cold
BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) - Snow and cold is socking parts of the
Dakotas.
The National Weather service said as much as 8 inches of
snow could accumulate in northeastern South Dakota and
southeastern North Dakota by Tuesday, with strong winds blowing
it around.
Icy roads were a problem across the region Sunday. The
North Dakota Highway Patrol said it responded to 55 vehicles in
the ditch.
Wind chill advisories also were posted for much of the two
states, with the combination of wind and low temperatures making
it feel as cold as 35 degrees below zero.
STORM-FEDERAL AID
FEMA teams in ND to survey storm damage
BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) - Officials with the Federal Emergency
Management Agency will be in North Dakota this week evaluating
damage from the ice storm that hit the state late last month.
Gov. John Hoeven earlier declared a statewide winter storm
disaster and asked FEMA teams to assess the financial impact of
the storm, which downed thousands of power lines, damaged more
than 1,800 power poles and at one point left about 6,200 people
without power.
The FEMA visit is the first step toward a presidential
disaster declaration that would help communities, tribes and
rural electric cooperatives recover costs associated with the
storm.
Emergency Services Department spokeswoman Cecily Fong says
damage will easily surpass the $1 million threshold for federal
disaster eligibility.
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Information from: KCND-FM, http://www.prairiepublic.org
STRESS MAP
AP analysis: US economic stress hit a peak in Dec.
UNDATED (AP) - Weakness in Western energy-producing states
helped raise the average U.S. county's economic stress in
December to its highest point since the recession began in
December 2007.
But the Dakotas continued to see relatively low stress
levels.
The Associated Press' monthly analysis of conditions says
Alaska, Wyoming and Montana lost jobs related in part to a drop
in energy and mining exploration. Those states in the past had
generally defied the national economy's weakness.
The AP's Economic Stress Index found that the average
county's score in December was 10.8, compared with 10.2 in
November.
Under a rough rule of thumb, a county is considered
stressed when its score exceeds 11.
North Dakota (4.99) was again the least-stressed state in
December. Next were South Dakota (5.47) and Nebraska (5.63).
FLIGHT DELAY
Fargo flight delayed by 'bomb' investigation
FARGO, N.D. (AP) - A flight at the Fargo airport was
delayed for about three hours over the weekend when federal
security officers at Hector International Airport apparently
mistook photographic equipment for a possible bomb.
Bismarck videographer Chris Klein said he and San Diego
photographer Jesse Knutson were preparing to fly from Fargo to
Los Angeles when Transportation Security Administration employees
found a piece of equipment in Knutson's luggage that they thought
might be a bomb.
The TSA declined to discuss the incident. Cass County
Sheriff Paul Laney confirmed that a police bomb squad was called
to the airport on Saturday and that a flight was delayed but he
did not provide details.
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Information from: The Forum, http://www.in-forum.com
MINING MOVE
Mining equipment move to close highway
UNDERWOOD, N.D. (AP) - A four-mile stretch of N.D. Highway
200 east of Underwood will be temporarily closed on Tuesday to
allow for movement of large mining equipment at the Falkirk Mine.
The state Transportation Department says traffic will be
detoured.
The closure of Highway 200 will be between U.S. Highway 83
and state Highway 200A.
Highway 83 between Washburn and Underwood was closed
briefly late last month for the same reason.
TRIBE-MEETINGS
Tribe plans meetings for off-reservation members
NEW TOWN, N.D. (AP) - The Three Affiliated Tribes Business
Council plans informational meetings in three North Dakota cities
and the Minneapolis area for tribal members who live off the Fort
Berthold Reservation.
The meetings are planned for March 9 at the Mystic Lake
Casino in Prior Lake, Minn.; March 15 at United Tribes Technical
College in Bismarck; March 16 at the Fargo Holiday Inn; and March
29 at the El Rancho Motor Hotel in Williston.
Tribal Chairman Marcus Levings says council representatives
will give updates about oil development on the reservation, among
other topics.
MEDICAL MARIJUANA INITIATIVE
Crosby man pushing medical marijuana measure
BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) - A Crosby man is proposing an
initiative to make it legal to use marijuana for medical reasons
in North Dakota.
Del Snavely says the proposal isn't likely to make it to a
vote this year, but he's hoping to put it on the ballot in 2012.
He says it's been tough to get sponsors from North Dakota's
larger cities.
Snavely used to live in Washington state, where medical
marijuana is legal. He used it there as a medication to fight
chronic back and leg pain. He says marijuana is a better
alternative than addictive, narcotic painkillers.
More than a dozen states have made marijuana use legal for
some ailments. The federal Justice Department has said it won't
target medical marijuana dispensaries if they're complying with
state law.
DL MUSEUMS
Devils Lake museums seeking more money
DEVILS LAKE, N.D. (AP) - Ramsey County residents in June
will vote on whether to give more tax money to the Lake Region
Heritage Center museums in Devils Lake.
County Auditor Elizabeth Fischer says that under the
proposal, the owner of property valued at $100,000 would pay an
additional $2.25 per year.
The County Commission voted unanimously to put the measure
on the June ballot.
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Information from: Devils Lake Journal,
http://www.devilslakejournal.com
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights
Reserved.)
AP-NY-02-08-10 1158EST
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