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Police Ammo Shortage

Thu, 06 Aug 2009 07:28:04 -0400

They’re the men and women trained to serve and protect, but lately, a key component of their training has been harder to come by. Over the past several months, the andamp;lt;a href=andamp;quot;http://www.kxnet.com/t/minot-policeandamp;quot; class=andamp;quot;kxInlineLinkandamp;quot;andamp;gt;Minot Policeandamp;lt;/aandamp;gt; Department has found it increasingly difficult to obtain ammunition. As Dan Erdmann reports, the problem may worsen before it improves. (Nat. Sound: Gun Firing) (Dan Erdmann, KX News) That's a sound you may not be hearing as much of at gun ranges across the country. A shortage of ammunition is keeping more hobbyists at home and more police officers scrambling for rounds. The Minot Police Department relies heavily on ammunition for officer training, but as of late, those officers have been waiting a lot longer than the usual 1 to 3 months to receive new ammo. (Capt. Bill Brown, Minot Police Dept.) andamp;quot;Now, for example, I ordered ammunition in January and I'm just receiving a partial shipment right now. I had ordered 50,000 rounds of ammunition and the only thing that was available was thirty thousand rounds, so we had to take that and we're back-ordered on the other ammunition.andamp;quot; (Dan Erdmann, KX News) Minot Police Captain, Bill Brown, has been ordering ammunition for the department for over 9 years, and he says never before have firearm rounds been so hard to obtain. He credits much of the shortage to overseas military contracts, but also a growing civilian fear of stricter gun laws. He says although it may be easy to point fingers, he feels there's no reason to blame manufacturers. (Capt. Bill Brown, Minot Police Dept.) andamp;quot;This is a nation-wide problem. Every law enforcement agency across the country is having similar isssues and it's becoming a challenge for us. As a matter of fact, today, I placed an order for 2010 ammunition in anticipation that the wait's going to be even longer.andamp;quot; (Dan Erdmann, KX News) Planning ahead has also become a challenge when forming the department's budget. Brown says rounds for specialty weapons, like the M-16, have nearly doubled in the past two years. Ammunition for standard issue firearms like 38 and 45 caliber handguns and 9 mm pistols have also seen a dramatic rise in price. Despite those climbs, Brown says it's an investment they need to make. (Capt. Bill Brown, Minot Police Dept.) andamp;quot;On an average, we purchase somewhere in the neighborhood of, I would say around 50,000 rounds of ammunition in a year, and I don't see that dwindling because the officers, they need to be skilled and practice with their firearm and the only way they can do that is to actually get out to the pistol range and shoot.andamp;quot; (Dan Erdmann, KX News) So even though high-priced rounds and a limited amount of ammo will continue to affect their budget, it will NOT affect their quality of training. (Capt. Bill Brown, Minot Police Dept.) andamp;quot;It's going to be a tricky situation. I think we'll be able to manage through it, but it's going to have to be something we're gonna have to keep on top of.andamp;quot; (Dan Erdmann, KX News) Dan Erdmann, KX News. Brown says a majority of their ammunition is used for practice purposes, and all un-used rounds from on-duty officers are recycled to the practice range after one year.

Fire Damages Apartments In Minot

Fri, 05 Dec 2008 00:45:13 -0500

Fire severly damaged a building in that housed several apartments in east andamp;lt;a href=andamp;quot;http://www.kxnet.com/t/minot-ndandamp;quot; class=andamp;quot;kxInlineLinkandamp;quot;andamp;gt;Minotandamp;lt;/aandamp;gt; last night. The blaze broke out around 9 o’clock and as andamp;lt;a href=andamp;quot;http://www.kxnet.com/t/shaun-sipmaandamp;quot; class=andamp;quot;kxInlineLinkandamp;quot;andamp;gt;Shaun Sipmaandamp;lt;/aandamp;gt; reports, fire crews had their hands full trying to bring the blaze under control. What appeared to be a quick knock down turned into a long battle for fire crews at the Grog Shop building on Burdick Expressway East and Valley Street in Minot. (CJ Craven, Minot Fire Chief) andamp;quot;There were people in the building as we were arriving. Most people had gotten out of the building as I said we were sure everyone was out so we had to do a search.andamp;quot; The search turned up empty so the fire crews went to work. Minot Fire Chief CJ Craven says crews were able extinquish the fire in the apartment but not but before it found its ways into the the false facade of the building. (CJ Craven, Minot Fire Chief) andamp;quot;This building was originally a different shape. It's had a false outside or put on it a facade. The fire is in between the original buidling and the facade and we've got to cut into it and try and get at all the little hot spots that are in there.andamp;quot; With windows knocked out, and part of the building black from smoke and fire, and the rest coated in frost and frozen water, flames still lingered just beneath part of the wood shingles forcing firemen to cut their way into each section of the roof . (CJ Craven, Minot Fire Chief) andamp;quot;There's extensive damage to one apartment and quite a bit of damage to the outside of the building.andamp;quot; Chief Craven says it appears the fire was caused from cooking but an official cause won't be known until the fire inspector makes his final report. No one was injured and the official estimate of damange isn't known at this time. In Minot, Shaun Sipma KX News. The andamp;lt;a href=andamp;quot;http://www.kxnet.com/t/red-crossandamp;quot; class=andamp;quot;kxInlineLinkandamp;quot;andamp;gt;Red Crossandamp;lt;/aandamp;gt; has been contacted to help those affected by last nights fire.

Police K-9 Recovers After Being Shot

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 23:38:00 -0500

A Baltimore police K-9 is recovering after a city police officer shot and wounded it because police believe the dog mistook the officer for a suspect during a foot chase.

School Age Legislation

Fri, 07 Aug 2009 12:59:57 -0400

As a parent you probably think getting your child into school is the best thing you can do for them... But teachers told legislators today there’s too much of a rush and many kids are starting too soon... andamp;lt;a href=andamp;quot;http://www.kxnet.com/t/donnell-preskeyandamp;quot; class=andamp;quot;kxInlineLinkandamp;quot;andamp;gt;Donnell Preskeyandamp;lt;/aandamp;gt; has the story... Teachers want students to be older when they start that first day of school... (Kara MacIver / teacher) andamp;quot;Being academically ready does not mean socially ready.andamp;quot; Kindergarten teachers are asking lawmakers to change the date when andamp;lt;a href=andamp;quot;http://www.kxnet.com/t/north-dakotaandamp;quot; class=andamp;quot;kxInlineLinkandamp;quot;andamp;gt;North Dakotaandamp;lt;/aandamp;gt; students can start first grade. The law now says a child must be six by September first to start first grade a bill being proposed by Representative Rae Ann Kelsh would change the date to July 1st... Teachers say those few months could make a huge difference in making sure kids are READY for school... (Amy Neal) andamp;quot;watching 5 year old struggle with internal battles is frustrating...andamp;quot; In fact teachers surveyed about the issue prefer making the cut off June 1st. Amy Neal says the most important skills students need to have when they leave Kindergarten deal with social and emotional maturity. (Neal) andamp;quot;getting along with others... self control...andamp;quot; Both Neal and MacIver have had students in their classrooms who weren't ready. MacIver says one girl started Kindergarten when she was four there were 18 months between her and the oldest student... (MacIver)andamp;quot;cry every a.m., refusing to participate...andamp;quot; MacIver says the student spent a second year in Kindergarten and is doing well now because she was ready... Neal says according to her survey of Kindergarten teachers in the 2007-2008 school year 123 students repeated Kindergarten 68% of them had summer birthdays. Both teachers say there are students with summer birthdays who are ready for school. And for parents who want to have their kids go before they are eligible children can take an early entrance exam. The House committee gave the bill a do pass recommendation.

Duke the Border Collie Dies

Sat, 15 Dec 2007 19:54:05 -0500

A border collie that put North Dakota on the map retrieving toys out of a stack of tires has died. Duke the dog wowed David Letterman fans climbing a stack of tires, burrowing down the center and retrieving a squeaky toy. His owners Arnold and Leona Funk of Bowbells say Duke was playing in the yard on the farm yesterday when he was accidentally run over. Duke was a Border Collie and Australian Shepherd mix. He became famous around Bowbells back in the mid-1990s after Arnold Funk discovered the dog would climb a huge stack of tires to retrieve a toy that Arnold had tossed into the stack. We got wind of Duke’s abilities and did a few stories about the dog, leading up to his discovery by David Letterman's producers for the show's Stupid Pet Tricks segment. Today would have been Duke's 17th birthday.

Tractor Restorer Says So Long to Collection

Sat, 15 Dec 2007 22:00:46 -0500

They were the workhorses of our fathers and grandfathers and one Minot man has spent a good deal of his life fixing them up. But now he’s unloaded his collection so that everyone can enjoy a piece of the Midwest farming heritage. Shaun Sipma has more... (Engine Starting) (Rob Christianson) We'll I've restored so many now. From the engine to the exhaust..the paint to spark plugs, Rob Christianson has rebuilt and revitalized these vintage workhorses and given them new life. (Christianson) Lot's of time, but it's worth it. After retiring from the farm some years ago Rob says he took to fixing up tractors as a way to keep busy. (Christianson) I had to do something, I couldn't lay around. And he did anything but lie around. Through endless hours of work he restored 161 different tractors, like these Rare 1950 IH Farmall Super C White Demonstrators. (Christianson) ha ha ha, way too many that's why I'm burned out of it. Rob says his days of fixing are over with too many days spent inside a shop working and a few health issues creeping up. Now he says he's farming out his implement collection. (Christianson) We're loading these tractors, six tractors going to Ireland. That's right Ireland. A Ford-New Holland dealer found Rob's listing on-line for these very hard to find Fords and Farmall Demonstrators and gave him a call. (Christianson) I thought it was a scam right away. He said he wanted me to send my bank account number and my routing number and he said he would send me the money. But after checking with his bank and doing some background checking a deal was struck. Now the challenge for the shipper is getting these six tractors into a cargo container to make it's way across the Atlantic Ocean. (Christianson) That's going to be a job and a half and I don't think they'll ever get them in there. Out of the 161 tractors Rob has restored he says he only has about 15 left to sell, the last of a lot, the few of the many that were brought back from the boneyard and given new life for other now to enjoy. (Christianson) I'm glad to see them go. Shaun Sipma KX News.

Eye on Health - Flu Shot Clinic

Sat, 15 Dec 2007 19:37:31 -0500

Have you noticed all the people who seem to have the sniffiles now...maybe you are even one of them! Cold and flu season is arriving...and now is the time to make sure you are prepared for another year. In tonight’s Eye on Health, Perry Olson has the details on your first opportunity to give yourself a good defense against the flu. (Penny Hamilton - First Dist. Health Unit) Public health is all about prevention and we want to be ahead of the flu season and we are a little bit ahead this year because we aren't dealing with a shortage this year. (Perry Olson - KX News) Here is that schedule. Friday from nine until six and then Saturday from nine until two. Both days at the Minot Auditorium. Anyone 50 and over is recommended to get the shot, but it isn't just for that group. (Penny) In years past it was adults we focused on but now children are routine recommendation as well. Kids from 6 to 59 months are routine recommendation for a flu shot. And of course, anyone looking to protect themselves acn get a flu shot. Good news this year is about the supply. There is not a shortage and the process will once again be quick and easy. (Penny) We consider ourselves experts on mass vaccinations because we set up at the Auditorium and have five nurses with a great system and the wait is small. The clinic this Friday and Saturday will be the first opportunity to get your flu shot, but of course, not the last. (Penny) We have enough vaccine to do that weekend and then we will get more and start here on a walk-in basis on October 15th. Here, is the First District Health Unit...from 8:30 to 1:00 every weekday. The opportunities are there...make sure you stay healthy this flu season. With your eye on health...Perry Olson, KX News. ROLL COMMERCIALS AFTER 'TRINITY' TAG

New Video Shows Grandma Tased Twice

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 23:38:09 -0500

New video of the Grandmother being tased by a Travis County Constable may explain why the county agreed to settle with 73-year-old Katheryn Winkein.