December 21 – This week’s following stories appeared on
www.jamestownsun.com
and in The Jamestown Sun.
State and local officials went further
a tour of three companies
in Jamestown on Friday, December 13, highlighting the recipients of the Automate ND Grant Program.
The tour included stops at Champ Industries USA Inc., Agri-Cover Inc. and Midmach.
Champ Industries received a $240,500 grant for an automated tool loading brake press.
“This program has helped tremendously,” said Kyle Johnson, plant manager at Champ Industries. “Automation is definitely something we were moving towards, and it allowed us to take the first step much sooner than we expected.”
Agri-Cover received a grant of nearly $283,000 for robotic arms and autonomous carts. Midmach received $500,000 for three robotic welding cells.
The North Dakota Development Fund received $5 million in federal funding from the American Rescue Plan Act for a grant program during the 2023 legislative session. The program was developed in response to North Dakota’s labor shortage, according to the North Dakota Department of Commerce website.
The one-time program made grants of up to $500,000 available to certified primary sector businesses in North Dakota. The subsidies may not exceed 50% of the purchased machines, equipment or software.
The only student in the class of 2025 at Pingree-Buchanan Public Schools graduated early on Sunday, Dec. 15, and is on track to earn an associate degree this spring.
Jersey Tripp, of Jamestown, was the
only student in her class
since the beginning of her freshman year. She has attended Pingree-Buchanan Public Schools since kindergarten.
Tripp is just seven credits away from earning an Associate of Science degree through Dakota College’s Leading to Education and Advanced Preparation (LEAP) Beyond program in Bottineau, North Dakota, meaning her general education courses will be completed .
Superintendent Amber Krapp said it was the first time Pingree-Buchanan graduated in May. It is also the first time the school district has had one student in a graduating class.
The Jamestown Finance and Legal Committee unanimously recommended approval on Tuesday, December 17
to expand the current Renaissance Zone boundary area of the City of Jamestown
.
Doreen Stroh, city assessor, said Jamestown would have nine additional blocks in the Renaissance Zone, increasing the number from 22 to 31 blocks.
She said the Renaissance Zone boundary would extend south on the east side of 1st Avenue South to the former location of Hardee’s. The boundary includes homes along 2nd Avenue Southeast from 6th Street to 10th Street Southeast.
The boundary extends east from Hardee’s former location and another three blocks from 2nd Avenue to 5th Avenue Southeast. The boundary includes homes and businesses from 9th Street to 10th Street Southeast.
Stroh said two more blocks have been added near 12th Avenue Southeast. The boundary runs from 3rd Street to 5th Street Southeast and 10th Avenue to 12th Avenue Southeast. The boundary includes homes along 10th Avenue Southeast from 4th Street to 5th Street Southeast.
Stutsman County Commissioner appointed to the James River Valley Library System Board of Directors
remains a voting member
.
County Commissioner Amanda Hastings was appointed to the library board on Tuesday.
The library board consists of seven members. The municipal council and the provincial commission each appoint three voting members. The seventh member is a joint appointment by the municipal council and the provincial commission.
Currently, Jamestown City Councilman David Schloegel is the appointed non-voting member of the Library Board.
Stutsman County Commission Chairman Jerry Bergquist said Tuesday, Dec. 17, that the Jamestown City Council member on the library board should either be allowed to vote or the county commissioner appointed to the board should be an ex-officio member who does not vote. He believes that the committee member appointed to the library board should have a similar role as the municipal council member appointed to the board.
The investigation into the December 3 officer-involved shooting in Jamestown has concluded and the North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation has
findings of the incident
have been referred to the Stutsman County State’s Attorney’s Office for further investigation, said Maj. Justin Blinsky, assistant police chief of the Jamestown Police Department.
Blinsky told the Jamestown Police and Fire Committee on Thursday, Dec. 19, during a report on the Jamestown Police Department’s activities that the department also conducted a parallel administrative investigation to ensure policies and procedures were followed and that officers were involved in the incident on December. 3 complied.
Sergeant Cory Beckman, a five-year veteran of the Jamestown Police Department, shot Devin Quinn Fontenot, 27, Jamestown, after responding to a report of a man armed with a gun and a knife in the parking lot behind Fred’s Den, 113 1st Ave stood. S. Fontenot died of wounds sustained by gunfire.
Fontenot refused to obey an order to drop his weapon, endangering the safety of Beckman and others, Police Chief Scott Edinger said earlier.
The Salvation Army’s 360 Life Center in Jamestown more than meets the Red Kettle Campaign goal of $60,000.
The Red Cauldron Campaign
has raised approximately $22,400
starting Wednesday, Dec. 18, according to Dan Furry, The Salvation Army’s department director of public relations and communications.
“Part of our message here is to encourage people in Jamestown to help with the Red Kettle Campaign because ultimately the money that goes into the red kettle is money that stays in the Jamestown area,” he said. “It’s not going to a larger Salvation Army office. It stays where the money is raised and it helps the people in the community where it is raised.”
Furry said there are more than 1,000 available hours for whistleblowers in Jamestown. He said a red kettle whistleblower can earn between $80 and $100 an hour.
To register for the Ringing of the Bell, visit
www.registertoring.com
to find Red Ketel locations and available times.
The Giving Store returned to Lincoln Elementary School
This week students have the opportunity to choose a Christmas gift for someone special in their lives.
“So they come in and they get an opportunity to do some holiday shopping that they wouldn’t always do,” said McKenzie Striefel, a third-grade teacher in Lincoln who helped with the project. “It costs a quarter for an item. So they get to pick one item the first day and one item for two different people the second day.”
Donations from the community, staff and families make the Giving Store possible, she said. People donate items all year round and shop after the Christmas sales to get items for the store, she added. New and gently used items are donated, she said, but most are new. This is the third year for the store.
