Starting at 8 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2009, 6th Street between Bismarck’s Broadway and Thayer Avenue will be closed to traffic. The purpose for the closure is for a water main repair in front of the Belle.

Traffic movements at the intersection of Broadway and 6th Street will be restricted. Broadway will be restricted to one lane Eastbound between 5th Street and 6th Street.

Drivers are asked to use caution and may want to seek alternate routes.

Your patience is appreciated.

BISMARCK , N.D. – North Dakota smokers are encouraged to join thousands of people across the country on Nov. 19 and quit smoking during the Great American Smokeout. The Smokeout is held nationwide on the third Thursday of November each year to encourage smokers to quit for at least one day, in the hopes that they will be inspired to quit forever.

“In North Dakota, more than 52 percent of adult smokers have tried to quit within the past year,” said Susan Kahler, Community Outreach Coordinator for Tobacco Prevention Depart. with Bismarck Burleigh Public Health. “Most people try to quit several times before they’re successful. Getting help with your quit attempt definitely increases the chance of success. People who want to quit can get help by calling the North Dakota Tobacco Quitline at 1.800.QUIT.NOW (1.800.784.8669).”

The Quitline offers:
· Free, individualized telephone counseling with a trained counselor. (Calls are conducted at times convenient for the Quitline customer.)
· Help with establishing a quit plan and encouragement through follow-up phone calls.
· Advice about how to deal with withdrawal symptoms.
· Free nicotine patches, gum or lozenges for qualified enrollees.

“The Smokeout is the perfect time to make a plan for quitting,” said Susan Kahler. “And the North Dakota Tobacco Quitline is the perfect tool to help you get organized. The Quitline will help you establish your plan, overcome the obstacles along the way and guide you on the journey to a healthier future.”

Bismarck area school students will be having Great American Smoke Out activities: Century High School, St. Mary’s High School, South Central High School, Simle Middle School, Wachter Middle School and St. Mary’s Elementary 7th and 8th Grade. Activities will be focused on promoting the ND Quitline, health effects of secondhand smoke and need for 100% smoke-free worksites for everyone. The following schools will be available for interviews at the specific times: Wachter Middle School from 8:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. will providing information on the health effects of secondhand smoke and need for 100% smoke-free worksites for everyone the contact person is Vicki Wolf at 323-4650. St. Mary’s High School from 7:30 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. will have activities focus on the ND Quitline the contact person is Vern Brew at 223-4113. 

BISMARCK, N.D. – Topping a tree consists of removing 50-100% of the tree canopy (top of the tree).   This is an extremely damaging practice as it causes weak branching structure and in some cases death of a tree.  Since at least 50% of the canopy is being pruned out, the tree needs to compensate for the lost leaves.   The tree will rapidly produce shoots that grow right below the pruned section.  Since these shoots are formed quickly and profusely, the attachment is not strong.  City Arborists have observed “topping” of trees being done on trees in the community and want citizens to be aware of the hazards of this practice. 

The wound left from topping can become a hazard of its own because of potential decay/rot issues.  Since there are so many large stubs left behind from topping, the tree is not likely able to callus over all of the open wounds.  These wounds leave an open path for insects, diseases, and decay to form in the tree.  Branch failure is prone to happen due to the added weight from the shoots growing off of a weakening branch stub.

The bark of the topped tree can also be affected.   When 50% or more of the leaves are lost during topping, trees can actually get sunburned due to the loss of shade.  This damages the inner tissues of the tree causing the bark to split and cankers to form.  These cankers ultimately destroy a tree by causing loss of structural integrity.

The City of Bismarck Forestry Department maintains a list of Licensed Arborists in the City of Bismarck and encourages citizens to use a Licensed Arborist for tree trimming.  Please visit www.bismarck.org/forestry.  Click on Pruning and Licensed Commercial Arborists.  For more information please call 701-355-1733.