The largest city in North Dakota, bracing for what could be a catastrophic flood season, has converted a shed for trucks into a massive assembly line to crank out sandbags — a million of them in 10 days.

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Three enormous, spider-shaped sandbag-filling machines rumbled to life Wednesday morning in Fargo, and a crowd of middle-school volunteers was told by intercom to “man your battle stations,” The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead reported.

The city hopes to bring in 300 volunteers. It takes dozens to run each of the machines, which collect sand from a central pile and spew it through tentacles into bags held by volunteers.

Partly because of late-winter snow, forecasts have warned that North Dakota and Minnesota could face severe flooding this spring, perhaps one of the five worst in history for the Red River at Fargo.

Flood stage for the river at that point is 18 feet, and forecasters said in March that they are worried about more than 36 feet of water. The area endured historic flooding in 2009, 2010 and 2011.

“I know my way out here now,” volunteer Dwight Nettleton told The Forum. “I’m just here to help out every year if they need it.”

Besides the three machines, Fargo has brought 7,500 tons of sand and 5,000 pallets to its Division of Solid Waste building, NBC affiliate KVLY in Fargo reported. Each sandbag weighs about 30 pounds, The Forum reported.

Fourteen miles of levees have been built in Fargo since 2009, and the city plans to build a $1.8 billion system that will funnel floodwater around the city through 35 miles of channels, The New York Times reported.

This story was originally published on Wed Apr 3, 2013 3:22 PM EDT

North Dakota’s governor signed the nation’s strictest anti-abortion measures into law Tuesday, including one statute that would ban most abortions as early as six weeks into a pregnancy.

Gov. Jack Dalrymple authorized three bills previously passed by state legislators, the most controversial of which prohibits abortion procedures once a fetal heartbeat is detected, which can happen early in the first trimester.

The Republican governor also approved a measure that restricts abortions based on gender selection and genetic abnormalities, such as Down syndrome.

The measures may set the stage for a legal challenge from abortion-rights advocates who consider the prospective laws challenges to the U.S. Supreme Court’s 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling, which legalized abortion up until a fetus is viable – typically at 22 to 24 weeks.

Dalrymple addressed the potential legal battle in a statement released after he signed off on the bills.

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“Although the likelihood of this measure surviving a court challenge remains in question, this bill is nevertheless a legitimate attempt by a state legislature to discover the boundaries of Roe v. Wade,” Dalrymple said in the statement.

Legislators in the state House endorsed three other anti-abortion measures last Friday that are pending Dalrymple's signature. Two of the three prospective laws would ban abortions after 20 weeks, except in medical emergencies, and require doctors performing abortion procedures to have admitting privileges at a local hospital.

State House representatives also approved a ballot referendum that would let voters declare that life begins at conception. However, the referendum doesn't need Dalrymple's signature and will be part of the state's 2014 general election ballot.

The Red River Women's Clinic in Fargo, North Dakota's sole abortion provider, said state legislators' hospital provision "is clearly intended to regulate abortion out of existence in North Dakota."

"Admitting privileges are not easily come by under any circumstances, but more importantly, such a requirement gives hospitals the power to decide whether abortion is even available in the state," the clinic said in a statement.

Rep. Vernon Laning, a Republican from Bismarck, defended the hospital measure as a safeguard for women who have complications during their pregnancies.

"It ensures the physician is well-qualified to address the problem," Laning said on the House floor. "I certainly think a woman undergoing a procedure would want as many safety precautions as possible."

Rep. Kylie Oversen, a Democrat from Grand Forks, said House Republicans had taken a giant step toward making North Dakota the most dangerous state in the U.S. for pregnant women, NBC station KMOT of Minot reported.

"As a young woman who has not yet had the privilege of becoming a mother, I want to know that when I make a decision to do so, any already difficult decision that I must face with my physicians and my family will not be complicated by legal matters, by an overreach of state government," Oversen said.

 

 

North Dakota lawmakers approved measures Friday that would effectively ban abortion in the state, including a ballot referendum that would let voters declare that life begins at conception.

Republican Gov. Jack Dalrymple, who has three legislative days to decide whether to sign or veto two of the three measures, hasn't signaled where he stands on the bills. The referendum doesn't need his signature and will be part of the state's 2014 general election ballot.

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The measures, which had previously been approved by the state Senate and were passed Friday by the House, would ban abortions after 20 weeks except in medical emergencies and require doctors performing abortions to have admitting privileges at a local hospital.

The Red River Women's Clinic in Fargo, North Dakota's sole abortion provider, said the hospital provision "is clearly intended to regulate abortion out of existence in North Dakota."

"Admitting privileges are not easily come by under any circumstances, but more importantly, such a requirement gives hospitals the power to decide whether abortion is even available in the state," the clinic said in a statement.

The clinic vowed to stay open and asked supporters on its Twitter feed to call Dalrymple to urge him to veto the measures.

Related: 40 years after Roe v. Wade, more states restricting abortion

Rep. Vernon Laning, a Republican from Bismarck, defended the hospital measure as a safeguard for women who have complications during their pregnancies.

"It ensures the physician is well-qualified to address the problem," Laning said on the House floor. "I certainly think a woman undergoing a procedure would want as many safety precautions as possible."

But Rep. Kylie Oversen, a Democrat from Grand Forks, said House Republicans had taken a giant step toward making North Dakota the most dangerous state in the U.S. for pregnant women, NBC station KMOT of Minot reported.

"As a young woman who has not yet had the privilege of becoming a mother, I want to know that when I make a decision to do so, any already difficult decision that I must face with my physicians and my family will not be complicated by legal matters, by an overreach of state government," Oversen said.

Opponents also said the measures would force the state to spend millions of dollars defending them against legal challenges 40 years after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down many state restrictions on abortion in its Roe v. Wade decision.

Arkansas Gov. Mike Beebe cited that concern earlier this month in vetoing what he called a "blatantly unconstitutional" measure that banned abortions in that state after only 12 weeks. The Legislature overrode the veto, and that ban will go into effect in May. 

The ballot measure, meanwhile, asks North Dakotans whether "the inalienable right to life of every human being at any stage of development must be recognized and protected" — that is, to declare a fetus to be a person from the moment of conception.

The practical effect of the referendum, if approved by voters, would be to amend the state constitution to completely ban abortion, without exceptions for rape, incest or the health of the woman. Supporters said they hope it can serve as the basis for a legal challenge to Roe v. Wade.

Keith Mason, president of Personhood USA, a national anti-abortion-rights activist group, said the referendum gives North Dakotans the chance to "(pave) the way for human rights nationwide."

"We applaud the North Dakota House and Senate for their willingness to protect all of the people in their state," Mason said in a statement.

But Ilyse Hogue, president of NARAL Pro-Choice America, a pro-abortion-rights organization, said she was "confident that the voters of North Dakota will see through this blatant attack on Roe v. Wade and vote it down at the ballot box."

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BISMARCK, N.D. -- The North Dakota Senate on Friday approved banning abortions as early as six weeks into a pregnancy, sending what would be the most-stringent abortion restrictions in the U.S. to the state's Republican governor for his signature.

The measure would ban most abortions if a fetal heartbeat can be detected, something that can happen as early as six weeks into a pregnancy. The House already approved the measure. Gov. Jack Dalrymple generally opposes abortion but has not said whether he will sign the bill into law.

It's one of several anti-abortion measures the state Legislature has weighed this session. The vote came with almost no debate in the Senate and after the same chamber approved another measure that would make North Dakota the first to ban abortions based on genetic defects such as Down syndrome.

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That measure would also ban abortion based on gender selection. The Guttmacher Institute, which tracks abortion laws throughout the country, says Pennsylvania, Arizona and Oklahoma already have such laws. 

Some supporters of the so-called fetal heartbeat measure have said they hope to send a message that North Dakota is anti-abortion and aims to challenge the U.S. Supreme Court's 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling that legalized abortion up until a fetus is considered viable, usually at 22 to 24 weeks.

Arkansas passed a 12-week ban earlier this month that prohibits most abortions when a fetal heartbeat can be detected using an abdominal ultrasound. That ban is scheduled to take effect 90 days after the Arkansas Legislature adjourns. 

A fetal heartbeat can generally be detected earlier in a pregnancy using a vaginal ultrasound, but Arkansas lawmakers balked at requiring women seeking abortions to have the more invasive imaging technique.

North Dakota's measure doesn't specify how a fetal heartbeat would be detected. Doctors performing an abortion after a heartbeat is detected could face a felony charge punishable by up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine. Women having an abortion would not face charges.

A spokeswoman for the Guttmacher Institute, which tracks abortion laws across the country, said North Dakota's measures are the latest in a "tidal wave of abortion restrictions" in the U.S.

"We have seen efforts to ban abortion entirely and those attempts have failed," spokeswoman Elizabeth Nash said. "Now they're moving toward banning abortions as early as possible."

Abortion-rights advocates say the anti-abortion measures in the North Dakota Legislature are attempt to close the state's sole abortion clinic, in Fargo. They also say the so-called fetal heartbeat bill is a direct challenge to Roe v. Wade, and its supporters should expect a costly legal fight if it becomes law.

Republican Rep. Bette Grande, an ardent opponent of abortion from Fargo who introduced the fetal heartbeat bill, said fears about potential litigation should not prevent lawmakers from approving the measure.

"Whether this is challenged in court is entirely up to the abortion industry," Grande told lawmakers this week. "Given the lucrative nature of abortion, it is likely that any statute that reduces the number of customers will be challenged by the industry." 

A late-winter storm was expected to gum up travel Tuesday as it crept slowly across the Central and Midwest U.S. before heading east later in the week, forecasters said Monday.

The storm was expected to peter out by the time it hits New York and Boston later in the week, but not before it creates a mess for commuters from Upper Mississippi and Ohio River valleys eastward to the Atlantic Coast.

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Significant snowfall will make travel dangerous Monday night and Tuesday in the Upper Midwest, especially around major cities like Minneapolis, Indianapolis and Chicago. The Weather Channel warned that major delays were likely Tuesday at O'Hare and Midway airports.

Chicago is expected to get its biggest snowfall of the season — as much as 10 inches by Tuesday evening. The National Weather Service said accumulation rates of one to two inches an hour beginning Tuesday morning would make "snow removal difficult and travel extremely dangerous."

"Consider only traveling if in an emergency," it said in issuing a winter storm warning for the city.

Unseasonably warm temperatures Monday melted some of the winter's snow in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul — just in time for a new blast of winter that could drop as much as 7 inches of new snow overnight and Tuesday.

"I'm tired of being ready for winter. I am ready for it be spring," Barbara Eckley of Minneapolis told NBC station KARE.

By Wednesday, significant accumulations were forecast for the Washington area. Major flight delays are possible at Washington-Dulles, Reagan National and possibly Baltimore-Washington International airports.

While the storm isn't yet expected to hit the Northeast hard — forecasters said they'd have a better picture later in the week — the travel delays could have a noticeable ripple effect Wednesday in Philadelphia, New York and Boston.

The system has meandered across the country since it formed off the West Coast last week. It was dropping heavy snow Monday on an area stretching from northeast Montana through parts of North Dakota and Minnesota and into eastern Iowa.

A foot of snow had already fallen in parts of eastern North Dakota by noon Monday, NBC station KVLY of Fargo reported. Snow-covered passing lanes and reduced visibility were expected to remain a problem into Tuesday.

At least 38 traffic accidents were reported in Black Hawk County in central Iowa by 6:30 a.m., NBC station KWWL of Waterloo reported. Six to 10 more inches are possible in the region by Tuesday morning.

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This story was originally published on Mon Mar 4, 2013 5:31 PM EST

As the Northeast returned Monday to more seasonable conditions after digging out from a major winter storm, snowy weather that clobbered the Upper Midwest made travel nearly impossible, according to local reports.

Blizzard warnings posted by the National Weather Service continued into Monday morning in areas of South Dakota and North Dakota that already saw record-breaking snowfall over the weekend. It prompted officials to keep closed more than 800 miles of interstate highway, Weather.com reported.

Gusty winds around 30 to 40 mph accompanied the snowfall and reduced visibility, resulting in white-out conditions in some areas, National Weather Service meteorologist Brad Adams said.

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More coverage from The Weather Channel

Additionally, 12 to 18 inches of snow and rain combined to create slushy, slick roads, spelling trouble for drivers, according to Greg Fuller, South Dakota Department of Transportation director of operations.

"Vehicles have been getting stuck in the snow, and drivers have been going off the road," Fuller told the Argus Leader in Sioux Falls, S.D.

Fuller added that because the snow fell faster than workers could clear streets, he anticipated that roads would remain closed for a significant amount of time.

In Fargo, N.D., more than a foot of heavy, wet snow hampered efforts to open up roads and plows were unable to bust through the cover in some areas, The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead reported.

Meanwhile in Chicago, the National Weather Service issued a wind advisory until 4 p.m. local time, due to gusts between 30 and 50 mph.

The weather service warned that such winds could make driving difficult and cause some property damage, NBCChicago.com reported.

The area could also see some occasional light snow showers or flurries with some minor accumulation possible.

While America’s population growth remained flat, an oil boom drew hordes of job-seekers to North Dakota, making it the fastest-growing state over the past year, according to Census Bureau data released Thursday.

North Dakota’s population climbed by 2.17 percent between July 1, 2011, and July 1, 2012 -- a pace nearly three times faster than that of the nation as a whole, the bureau said.

The Peace Garden State wound up with roughly 15,000 more people than it had the year before – largely because of people moving there from other states.

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“We’ve all heard about the fracking and oil production and mining. There is a real influx for jobs,” said Census Bureau demographer Katrina Wengert.

North Dakota Commerce Commissioner Al Anderson says the "fastest-growing" designation isn’t surprising, given that the state has been steadily adding jobs over much of the past decade. The state has the lowest unemployment rate in the nation, at 3.1 percent, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. 

And it’s not just oil. Agriculture is big business in North Dakota, and advanced manufacturing, technology-based businesses and tourism also have grown, Anderson said.

“We currently have about 22,000 job openings in North Dakota today. Of those, only a third are in our 17 oil-and gas-producing counties,” he said. "It’s more than just oil, but it’s oil that put us on map in the national press.”

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Following North Dakota in terms of percent increase over the same period were the District of Columbia (2.15 percent), Texas (1.67 percent), Wyoming (1.60 percent), Utah (1.45 percent) and Nevada (1.43 percent). North Dakota ranked only 37th in growth between the 2000 and 2010 censuses and climbed to sixth between 2010 and 2011. Each of the 10 fastest-growing states were in the South or West with the exception of North Dakota and South Dakota. 

The only two states to lose population between July 1, 2011, and July 1, 2012, were Rhode Island (-354 people or -0.03 percent) and Vermont (-581 or -0.09 percent).

According to the Census Bureau, America as a whole saw its population increase by 2.3 million from 2011 to 2012, to 313.9 million, for a growth rate of just 0.75 percent.

“The growth rate in the U.S. has picked up just a little bit from last year. Still, it’s one of the lowest U.S. growth rates since the Great Depression,” said William H. Frey, a demographer at Brookings Institution. 

However, the numbers do suggest “a glimmer of comeback fever” for the Mountain West and Southeast, regions that have been struggling with the housing bust and high unemployment in recent years, Frey said.

“It’s not like people are moving around a lot, but we do see the tip of the iceberg of the Sun Belt coming back.”

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When a grassfire destroyed most of tiny Bucyrus, N.D., this week, the "perfect firestorm" of conditions served as a reminder that the long-term drought, combined with unpredictable winds, makes for severe fire danger across the central U.S., even in the middle of autumn.

Four homes and 20 other structures were lost after the fire broke out Wednesday afternoon. Fanned by winds up to 70 mph, it consumed at least 6,000 acres and traveled 10 miles by Thursday morning, The Dickinson Press reported.

"This is like a nightmare," Linda Wiskus told The Dickinson Press. "I wouldn’t wish this on anyone. ... We had about 15 minutes to get what we could. I grabbed a safe, a pair of jeans and some socks — I didn’t have time to get anything else."

The cause of the fire has yet to be determined, but Bucyrus is in a county that's been in continued drought since October 2011, Adnan Akyuz, North Dakota's state climatologist, told NBC News. Conditions got even worse starting Oct. 2.

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"When you combine warm, dry and windy conditions, it creates a perfect setting for elevated fire danger," Akyuz noted. Adding drought to that mix, he said, "makes it more dangerous conditions for fire."

"Red flag" fire warnings have been issued "frequently this summer and fall in the area," he added.

Located in southwest North Dakota, the county has also had the lowest amount of precipitation in the state over the last two months.

While about average for the last decade, the number of wildfires across the state this year is higher than the three previous years, which saw lots of rain and flooding, said Cecily Fong, a spokeswoman for the state's Department of Emergency Services.

"Typically, the southwest corner and western part of our state are more prone to wildfires, but they can really occur anywhere if we go into severe drought, which we think we may be doing now," she told NBC News.

A top meteorologist at the federal command post for fighting wildfires said the time of year, combined with the dry grass, wind and drought made for prime fire conditions in North Dakota.

PhotoBlog: Resident returns to destroyed home

"People burning leaves" this time of year is another worry, Ed Delgado, of the National Interagency Fire Center, told NBC News. But he was also hopeful the fire season would see a "very quick decline" as it gets colder and wetter.

Akyuz said putting out North Dakota's 2012 fire season "all depends on the snow cover."

"Our winter snow cover lasts from November through March," he added. "Even though it may be a dry winter, it is unlikely that the entire winter will be snow free."

For some of the 27 residents of Bucyrus, that's little comfort.

Evelyn and Mike Krug were among those who lost their home, The Dickinson Press reported. Asked what she and neighbors might do next, Evelyn shook her head and said only, "I don't know."

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A rare early October snowstorm dumped snow across parts of Minnesota and North Dakota, including 14 inches in one Minnesota county, snapping tree lines and cutting power to residents who worked to dig out and clean up on Friday.

Some areas saw record amounts for this early in the season, the National Weather Service said in an advisory. Grand Forks, N.D., was among them -- getting 3.5 inches by Thursday afternoon. The previous Oct. 4 record for the city was 2 inches in 1950.

"For early October, this is definitely a big storm," Jeff Makowski, a weather service meteorologist based in Grand Forks, told Reuters. 

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Near-blizzard conditions were blamed for a head-on collision that killed a woman, the Grand Forks Herald reported.

Minnesota's Roseau County saw the most snow by Thursday afternoon -- 14 inches. The county is in the state's northwest corner, near the border with Canada.

Six inches of snow were reported in Karlstad, Minn., where residents had been forced from the city temporarily this week by a wildfire that burned several homes and other structures. 

Northern Minnesota and North Dakota have seen several years where snow fell in the second half of September, the weather service reported.

The region had seen unusually warm temperatures earlier in the week -- including Monday's high of 80 degrees in Grand Forks.

Reuters contributed to this report.

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