The Cass County Sheriff’s Office conducted a sobriety checkpoint at the intersection of ND State Highway 18 and 49 Street SE rural Leonard on Friday October 25. The checkpoint was conducted from 8:00 pm to 12:00 am.

248 vehicles drove through the checkpoint, 08 were flagged for testing. 3 arrests were made. One arrest for Minor in Possession, 2 for drug offenses. Also, 8 citations were issued for open container.

Webinars for Small Business

University of Minnesota Extension is offering an updated series of online webinars to teach managers, owners, and social media staff of small businesses and organizations about using online tools strategically to create an effective online presence. The registration fee of $40.00 allows you to attend as many live webinars as you like from the schedule below. The webinars will be recorded to view later if you miss a live session.

Registration is online at http://www.regonline.com/doingbusinesswebinars.

Webinar Topics

Managing online reviews – Wednesday, Nov 6, 11am – 12pm
Managing an online presence is now an essential business practice. This includes monitoring and responding to reviews posted on social media sites such as Yelp and Trip Advisor. Attend this webinar to learn about the impact of online reviews on consumers and businesses, and how to manage your reviews to enhance customer loyalty and attract new customers.

Mobile eMarketing – Wednesday, Nov. 20, 11am to 12pm
Mobile devices like iPhones and Androids generate the bulk of internet traffic now. Attend this webinar to learn strategies for connecting with the mobile crowd with such tools as mobile websites, mobile apps, QR codes, and mobile payments.

Location based services – Wednesday, Dec. 18, 11am to 12pm
From Google Maps to Yelp, people now rely on location based services to find goods and services. This webinar will look into the different ways people find places to go, and how to make your business a destination.

Social media for business – Wednesday, Jan. 29, 11am to 12pm
Many who have Facebook business pages or a Twitter account struggle to make good use of them. In this session we will explore strategies and tactics small businesses are using to engage with customers using social media

Getting high on Google (Basics of SEO) – Wednesday, Feb. 26, 11am to 12pm
How easy is your business to find on the Google Search engine? Attend this workshop to learn some straight-forward ways to place higher on Google searches.

Using analytics to inform business decisions – Wednesday, March 26, 11am to 12pm
How many small business owners and managers understand the data their website is collecting about their customers. This webinar will provide insights on what website analytic data is revealing, or concealing, and how to use this data to make better informed business decisions.

For more information see http://z.umn.edu/webinarseries

Village Presents One Hour

Seminar on Holiday Spending and Credit Cards

The Village Family Service Center will present “Holiday Spending and Credit Cards,” on Nov. 13, 6-7 p.m., at the Dakota Medical Foundation, 4141 28th Ave. S., Fargo.

Learn ways to reduce the stress in your life during the holiday season by re-examining your holiday values. A Village certified financial professional will provide you with a free Holiday Planning Guide and offer tips to help you create a holiday budget so you don’t have to resort to putting all your holiday gifts and expenses on your credit cards.

For more information, call 701-235-3328. Register online at https://holidayspending.eventbrite.com/.
For more information contact:
Morgan Almer, The Village Financial Resource Center, 701-451-4989

North Dakota Department of Health

Developing Webpage to Publish Spill Reports

BISMARCK, N.D. – The North Dakota Department of Health announced today that it is testing the design of a webpage that will publish statewide spills reported to the department. The online report will involve all spills, including those involving the commercial, agriculture and energy industries. The incidents reports, which are already public documents, will be easily accessible on the department’s website.

According to state law, all spills – regardless of the size or amount – are required to be reported to the state. In some cases, federal agencies require notification and maintain jurisdiction.

Department staff are currently testing the webpage’s functionality. The Department of Health plans to go live with the webpage in the near future and will provide further information to direct web traffic.

Home Builders Association names

Guthmiller 2013 Builder of the Year

Fargo, N.D. – The Home Builders Association of Fargo-Moorhead announces Darrick Guthmiller, Kochmann Brothers Homes, Inc., as the recipient of its 2013 Builder of the Year award. This award is presented each fall to recognize one outstanding Builder member for effort and work expended in the interest of his or her fellow members, Association and community. As a recipient of the Fargo-Moorhead Builder of the Year award, Guthmiller will be included in a state-wide competition judged by the North Dakota Association of Builders. Winners will be announced at NDAB’s annual meeting in November in Williston.

Parking Restrictions Begin November 1

FARGO, N.D. – Starting Friday, November 1, the City of Fargo’s seasonal parking restrictions, which include prohibited night parking in certain areas, will take effect. These restrictions will allow for snow removal and critical street maintenance. Night parking restrictions will prohibit parking on the street between 1 a.m. and 7 a.m.

 Street signs noting the restrictions are located in these affected areas:

·         From 19th Ave. N. to 13th Ave. S.;

·         From the Red River to 25th St. N. and S.; or,

·         Any other area designated by the appropriate signs.

The restrictions apply on alternate days:

·         Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and  Sundays: east/west avenues

·         Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays: north/south streets

 Other seasonal parking restriction signs are posted throughout the City which limits parking on certain streets on specific days and times. The fee for parking illegally is $15.00 and vehicles could be impounded if found in violation.

The City is urging residents to follow the signage posted on the block when parking to avoid any penalties.

Free overnight parking is available in many of the City owned POP (Plenty of Parking) lots in downtown Fargo. Learn more about Fargo’s parking restrictions and ordinances at www.fargoparking.com.