area briefs
SHARE YOUR OPINIONS ON MOORHEAD HOUSING
MOORHEAD – Do you have thoughts on housing in Moorhead? Share your opinions by taking FM Metro COG’s Housing Needs Analysis Survey. https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/FMHousingNeeds.
FM Metro COG, Cass County, Clay County, and local municipalities are studying the FM area’s housing market to help with decision-making around housing needs and to improve the long-term sustainability and quality of the housing market. For more background information, please visit the project webpage http://www.fmmetrocog.org/projects.
Your feedback will help government entities better understand housing needs in Moorhead and the FM area. Responses are anonymous.
NEW PARKING ORDINANCE GOING INTO EFFECT IN WEST FARGO
WEST FARGO – During the Monday, Dec. 5, 2022, meeting, West Fargo City Commissioners approved a new parking ordinance that adds late payment penalties and wheel immobilization devices (WID) for unpaid parking tickets. In addition to the ordinance, the West Fargo Police Department will now use an electronic citation program called Passport to improve efficiency and customer accessibility.
Under the former ordinance, the only penalty for unpaid parking tickets was vehicle impoundment after a vehicle collected three or more tickets delinquent for more than 5 days. Now, after the West Fargo Police Department issues an electronic citation, violators will have ten days to pay a $20 fine. Citations that are delinquent 10 days will have a $5 late payment penalty. If the ticket is delinquent longer than 30 days, the penalty increases to $45.
Vehicles with two or more associated parking citations that are more than 30 days delinquent are subject to a wheel immobilization device (WID). Vehicle owners will need to pay all parking citation fines, late payment penalties and a $50 WID release fee before the WID comes off. Vehicle impoundment is also an option for two or more delinquent parking tickets.
The new electronic citation program will allow vehicle owners to pay tickets online instead of by mail or in-person. The program will also allow individuals to submit an online appeal form within 10 days of receiving the parking citation. If the appeal is unsuccessful, they can also request a hearing in West Fargo Municipal Court.
HEALTH OFFICIALS URGE PARENTS TO GET THEIR CHILDREN VACCINATED
The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) is urging parents to get their children vaccinated against COVID-19 and to make sure they and the entire family are up to date as the holidays approach.
The push comes just after Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) expanded recommendations for children age 6 months through 5 years to receive an updated (bivalent) COVID-19 vaccine dose to help increase their protection against currently circulating variants. Vaccine doses for children 6 months through 5 years are arriving in the state now.
HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS CONCERNED FOR POTENTIAL MEASLES OUTBREAK
FARGO – Fargo Cass Public Health (FCPH), along with Essentia Health, Family Healthcare, North Dakota Health & Human Services, NDSU Center for Immunization Research and Education, and Sanford Health, release the attached community letter as an urgent call to action for parents and guardians of children.
Says Dr. Tracie Newman, Health Officer for FCPH, “Population-level immunity rates this low leave our area more susceptible to disease outbreak. If your child is due for a measles vaccine, we strongly encourage you to schedule with your provider or at public health as soon as possible. This ensures safe and effective protection for, not only your child and family, but for all of us.”
Brenton Nesemeier, Field Epidemiologist with North Dakota Health & Human Services, says “With 22 confirmed measles cases in our neighboring state of Minnesota and continued expected outbreaks, the time to act is now. We urge every family to ensure their children are up-to-date on MMR vaccinations and to monitor carefully for any signs of a measles infection.”