In case you missed it in The Sun the week of April 7, 2025

The following stories from this week appeared on www.jamestownsun.com and in The Jamestown Sun.

The Jamestown City Council unanimously approved on Monday, April 7, a notice of intent to request a release of funds for Stride Development’s Riverside Cottages Project.

Mayor Dwaine Heinrich was authorized to sign the notice.

The city of Jamestown will submit a request to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for the release of Community Development Block Grant funds for the project at 902-1514 Gardenette Drive.

The City Council also unanimously approved a finding that the project will have no significant impact on the human environment. An environmental impact statement under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 is not required, according to city documents.

The Riverside Cottages project is a multiphase affordable housing rehabilitation project led by Stride Development. The $48 million project comprises three phases and includes acquiring and rehabilitating the 168 single-bedroom unit development into 150 units providing one-, two- and three-bedroom options.

While there has not been a confirmed case of measles in North Dakota since 2011, there is at least some interest in vaccinations among adults, according to Kim Lee, director of nursing for Central Valley Health District.

“A few vaccinations for those 55 and older,” she said. “Boosting because of travel.”

The U.S. is seeing a spike in measles cases this year. There were 607 confirmed cases in the U.S. in 21 states with 74 of those cases requiring hospitalization as of Friday, April 4, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Measles is highly contagious and anyone not protected against it is at risk, according to the CDC. If one person has it, up to 9 out of 10 people nearby will become infected if they are not protected.

The MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine is commonly given in two doses.

“The measles (vaccine) is very effective,” Pinnick said. “It is about 90% effective after one dose and 97% to 98% effective after the second dose. MMR is not something boosted.”

The James Valley Library System Board of Directors unanimously approved on Wednesday, April 9, updates to its policy on challenging materials in its libraries.

The application for challenging materials will also be updated at the next library board meeting on May 14.

Updates to the library system’s challenge policy include having the complainant read, view or listen to the entire work the individual is challenging and including his or her street and email addresses.

“You have to take it in context of the whole work,” said Joe Rector, library system director, referring to reading, viewing or listening to the entire work.

The policy was also updated to say no appeal is valid if a complainant has appealed and the library board has declined the appeal on three or more requests within a three-year period. The policy previously said no appeal is valid if a complainant has appealed and the library board has declined the appeal on five or more requests within a two-year period.