area briefs
MHD MAN RESCUED FROM BRIDGE ABOVE I-94
MOORHEAD – On Monday, December 5, at approximately 4 pm, Moorhead Police Officers were dispatched to a report of a suspicious male near the 2000 block of 28 Avenue South. When officers arrived, the male was located on top of a railroad bridge support pillar to the south of the call location approximately 25-30 feet above the westbound shoulder of I-94. The male had a self-inflicted injury to his hand and was suffering from cold weather exposure related medical issues.
The Moorhead Fire Department responded to the scene and with the assistance of their ladder truck the male was safely removed from the pillar and received treatment from Sanford Ambulance. The male was transported to a local hospital for non-life-threatening injuries. The westbound lanes of I94 between 34 Street South and 20 Street South were temporarily closed to facilitate equipment needed to rescue the male.
AUDUBON INVITES VOLUNTEERS TO JOIN THE 123RD CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT
FARGO – For the 123rd year, the National Audubon Society is organizing the annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count (CBC). Between December 14 and January 5, tens of thousands of bird-loving volunteers will participate in counts across the Western Hemisphere. Grab your binoculars and join the initiative! Locally, volunteers will be collecting data Saturday, December 17th across Fargo-Moorhead/West Fargo, as well as, in Grand Forks on Sunday, December 18th.
The twelve decades’ worth of data collected by participants contribute to one of only two large existing pools of information notifying ornithologists and conservation biologists of what conservation action is required to protect birds and the places they need.
All Audubon CBC data must be submitted through the official compiler to be added to the long-running census. For more information and to find a count near you, visit www.christmasbirdcount.org.
ND SURVEY ABOUT SERVICES FOR PEOPLE WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER
BISMARCK, N.D. – The Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Task Force wants to know whether North Dakotans are aware of programs and services for individuals with autism spectrum disorder, if individuals’ needs are being met, or if gaps in services and access issues may exist.
The task force is encouraging parents, individuals diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder, service providers, educators, law enforcement, advocates and other stakeholders to take a short online survey about services at https://ndhealth.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_e4nPFantZI1VcuG. The survey will be available until Dec. 30, 2022.
Survey results will be reviewed by the task force during its Feb. 27, 2023 meeting and posted online at hhs.nd.gov/cfs/autism-services/autism-spectrum-disorder-task-force.
The agency administers an autism voucher program, a Medicaid autism spectrum disorder waiver, and Medicaid autism applied behavioral analysis services.
Details about these and other services are available online at hhs.nd.gov/cfs/autism-services or by contacting Barchenger at (701) 328-4630, toll-free 800-755-2604, 711 (TTY) or emailing dhsautism@nd.gov.
WEST FARGO LIBRARY COLLECTING DONATIONS OF WINTER GEAR
WEST FARGO – The West Fargo Public Library is hosting its fourteenth annual Mitten Tree Drive this December to collect winter gear for West Fargo children.
From Dec. 1 through Jan. 6, donors can drop off new or like-new child-sized mittens, gloves, sweatpants, boots, underwear or coats at the library. Handmade mittens and gloves are welcome. The items will be donated to West Fargo Public School District students in need.
The Mitten Tree can be found on the main floor of the West Fargo Public Library near the self-checkout machine. Donors can hang their items on the tree or drop them off at the library service desk.
“We love hosting this program each winter and seeing how fast we can fill up our tree,” said Lauren Nephew, youth services manager. “With West Fargo’s population and the number of students in our district continuing to grow year after year, we surely have more students in need of these items than ever before.”