Okay, Drop Whatever You're Doing -- Top Story Of The Summer; Also, Watford City To Alexander Four-Lane To Be Completed This Summer -- Posted July 28, 2014

Take me out to the ball game ..


Don sent me this link. KXNET is reporting:

A North Dakota-based snack food company has inked a deal with a third Major League Baseball team.

Giants Snacks Inc. is now the official provider of sunflower seeds to the Texas Rangers. The Wahpeton company partnered with the Minnesota Twins in 2004 and with the Colorado Rockies in 2007.

Giants Snacks is eyeing California as a possible next target.

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Speaking Of Top Stories

Another top story this summer will be the completion of the four-lane highway from Watford City to Alexander. The other half, from Alexander to Williston will be completed next year. McKenzie County Farmer is reporting:

North Dakota is currently undergoing a record amount of road construction across the state. The North Dakota Department of Transportation (NDDOT) will have performed nearly $800 million in road construction by the end of 2014. 

“The NDDOT is undertaking these projects to address the transportation needs of a growing population and traffic increase,” Pizza said. “We will be constructing one of our largest programs in state history with over $500 million being bid out this year in western North Dakota alone.”

Phase One of the four-lane Highway 85 project, from Watford City to County Road 16, is projected to be complete by fall 2014. 

Phase Two of this project, from County Road 16 to Williston - including the Lewis & Clark Bridge, was put out for bid on July 15. The highway portion of Phase Two is scheduled for completion in 2015.

But the Lewis & Clark Bridge isn’t slated for completion until 2016.

As of last week, the apparent low bid for the Lewis & Clark Bridge was $66.3 million, submitted by the Texas Johnson Brothers Corp. And the apparent high bid was $79 million submitted by the Wisconsin-based Lunda Construction Co.

For the remainder of the Highway 85 project, Phase Two, Minnesota’s Central Specialties’ apparent low bid was $36 million, and Northern Improvement Co. of Fargo’s apparent high bid was $43 million.

Overall, the four-lane Highway 85 project is estimated at $300 million.