Mandan invites area residents and visitors “Over the River and Through the Shops” for a nostalgic holiday celebration featuring musical entertainment, carolers, horse-drawn wagon rides, roasting of s’mores, the arrival of Santa Claus, and more than $5,000 in Mandan Bucks giveaways through unique shopping activities.

Three consecutive “Shop Hop ‘Til You Drop” customer appreciation weeks, starting Nov. 21 and ending Dec. 11, 2009, provide opportunities to benefit from special discounts and sales offered by 35 businesses. Receive a “Shop Hop Passport” at participating merchants. Shoppers who have their passports stamped at 10 businesses on the list are eligible to win $250 in Mandan Bucks each week.

In addition to sizeable discounts, there will be refreshments and entertainment during the “Santa Shop Hop” on Saturday, Nov. 28. Shoppers who have passport cards stamped at five participating stores on this day will be entered in a drawing for $500 in Mandan Bucks.

The line-up on Nov. 28 includes free concerts at the Mysteria Theater, 210 W Main. On-stage performances include the St. Joseph School Choir at 11:15 a.m., Mandan Senior High Swing Choir at noon, Bismarck-Mandan Elks Choir at 12:45, and Christ the King Bell Choir at 1:30 p.m.

Santa and Mrs. Claus arrive western-style at 12:30 p.m. Take in the mini-parade from Hardee’s, down Main Street to Central Market at 504 W Main, where Santa Claus will visit with children from 1 to 3 p.m. Children will receive free photos and goodie bags. Enjoy free horse-drawn wagon rides departing from the former depot on Main from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Hot cocoa, cider, pizza slices and s’mores will be available.

Another way to win Mandan Bucks during the holiday season is through drawings for daily $50 winners between Nov. 21 and Dec. 11. Register as often as you would like at any of 50 businesses to become eligible.

A third way to win is to be among the first to buy $100 in Mandan Bucks between Nov. 21 and Christmas to receive an extra $20 in Mandan Bucks. The offer is limited to 150 total purchases and no more than five purchases per customer ($500). The gift certificates will be available at the Mandan Progress Organization, 411 W Main Street, financial institutions in Mandan, and the public library. Don’t delay. MPO officials expect the allocations of free Mandan Bucks will run out fast!

FOR MORE INFORMATION. Lists of registration sites for the daily Mandan Bucks giveaways and merchants participating in the Holiday Shop Hops along with their sales are available at www.mandanprogress.org or at the office of the Mandan Progress Organization, 411 W Main Street, phone 751-2983. Brochures highlighting holiday activities are also available at businesses throughout the community.

MANDAN BUCKS. All prize money will be paid out in the form of Mandan Bucks. The gift certificates are redeemable at most Mandan businesses for products or services.

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 – Bismarck Burleigh Public Health H1N1 Vaccination Clinic TODAY, Nov. 18, 2009, 2 p.m. – 6:30 p.m., 500 East Front Avenue, has added a new priority group to today’s clinic: People ages 19 – 64 with chronic medical conditions.

• Vaccine will be given until supply is gone
• There will be NO CHARGE for this service
• Clinic location is 500 E Front Ave: Please obey posted parking signs.

For more information, please call 355-1540.

Please visit www.bismarck.org or http://www.ndflu.com/FluClinic.aspx for on-going information about expanded vaccine availability to priority groups as additional vaccine becomes available.

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.