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CEMENT TRUCK CRASH ID Victims of cement truck crash identified Bismarck, N.D. (AP) The Highway Patrol has identified the victims of a fatal crash involving a pickup and a cement truck north of Bismarck.

Authorities say the pickup driver, 56-year-old Jeffrey Burgess of Bismarck, was thrown from the vehicle and died at the scene of the crash Saturday morning. His passengers, 52-year-old Sylvia Burgess and 6-year-old Nicholaus Burgess of Bismarck, were taken to a Bismarck hospital. Authorities said their injuries were not life-threatening.

The cement truck driver, 43-year-old Mary Greff of Bismarck, was treated and released.

The patrol said the pickup was headed for the Coleharbor area on U.S. Highway 83 when the cement truck, traveling south from Washburn, crossed through the median and struck the pickup head-on about 10:30 a.m. Saturday.

BUSINESS TAX RANKINGS ND improves in business tax rankings BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) North Dakota shows improvement in a study on how each state taxes businesses. But it still lags behind its neighbors.

The Washington, D.C.-based Tax Foundation produces an annual report on the business tax climates of states. It's most recent study ranks North Dakota 25th among the 50 states, after four years of ratings in the low 30s. The foundation's rankings are considered important by legislators and economic development officials.

South Dakota, which has no individual or corporate income tax, was ranked first.

Montana was rated sixth among the 50 states. Minnesota's business tax climate was ranked 43rd.

North Dakota Tax Commissioner Cory Fong says the Legislature helped improve the state's ranking by cutting individual income and corporate tax rates and reducing the number of corporate tax brackets from five to three.

Fong says North Dakota's tax system may never attain a top rating because tax collections are spread across income, sales and property.

WIC CHANGES Nutrition subsidy program changing BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) A nutrition subsidy program for woman and children is upgrading its food list to include fresh fruits and vegetables and less fat.

The Women, Infant and Children program provides nutritional advice and food vouchers to middle and low income mothers.

The North Dakota director of the WIC program, Colleen Pearce, said its offerings had been based on older studies that emphasized protein and vitamin C, but nutritional information has changed.

Starting next month, the WIC program will allow the use of vouchers to buy fresh fruits and vegetables and whole grains. Among other changes, the amount of juice is being cut to reduce sugar, and the program will include low fat milk for children over the age of 2.

Information from: KFYR-TV, http://kfyrtv.com SCHOOL-DRUGS 4 face charges after drug search in school Surrey, N.D. (AP) Ward County authorities say a search of the Surrey school building and parking lot turned up drugs and drug paraphernalia.

Three juveniles and an 18-year-old student face charges after drug-sniffing dogs found marijuana in their vehicles.

Superintendent Kevin Klassen says Friday's search was to ensure the safety of students and staff.

Information from: KMOT-TV, http://kmot.com COYOTES More coyotes spotted in eastern ND LARIMORE, N.D. (AP) Some eastern North Dakota residents have been spotting more coyotes some as close as their farm yards.

The state Game and Fish Department has done no official surveys.

But Larimore warden Gary Rankin says he can hear the coyotes at his house, and he's seen some of them in ditches, watching traffic.

Rankin says there's no cause for alarm. He says they can cause problems for sheep and other livestock but they're not aggressive toward humans. He says mostly, the smaller coyotes are curious.

Rankin says people should keep their pets away from coyotes and not approach them.

He says their numbers may be going up due to the Conservation Reserve Program, which creates more grassland, and a ban on poisons that nearly wiped out the animals.

Information from: Grand Forks Herald, http://www.grandforksherald.com ED'S HONEY Dickinson honey business buzzing again DICKINSON, N.D. (AP) One Dickinson business is buzzing again after it was damaged in the July 8th Tornado that hit the area.

The tornado hit Ed's Honey Company during the prime honey harvesting season. It tore apart the roof, a wall and destroyed two machines used to process honey.

Owner Ed Fetch says he was not sure what he would do, but family members and friends pitched in to help with repairs.

Fetch said his brother helped rewire the building and a contractors made it a priority to repair the roof and walls. He says he's thankful for the help.

His wife, Shirley, says the family has had four loads of honey go out this season, each with about 40,000 pounds.

Information from: The Dickinson Press, http://www.thedickinsonpress.com MAD ABOUT MONEY Theater production puts focus on finances BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) The North Dakota Securities Department is sponsoring "Mad About Money" theatrical productions in 10 eastern North Dakota schools this week.

The program for students in grades 5-9 emphasizes financial concepts including the effects of advertising on students and how financial choices affect a person's future.

The productions are done by actors with The National Theatre for Children based in Minneapolis. Teachers also receive curriculum materials for continued classroom discussion and activities.

This is the fifth year that the North Dakota Securities Department has sponsored the program. In the past four years, performances in 40 schools reached nearly 9,000 students.

Performances are scheduled this week at schools in Park River, Grafton, Mayville, Grand Forks Air Force Base, Hunter, Fargo, Valley City and Wahpeton.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.) APNP 09-28-09 0202CDT | save this article / add to your favorites list