Latest North Dakota news, sports, business and entertainment:

Medicare SIGN-UPS ND sign-ups being held for Medicare recipients Bismarck, N.D. (AP) Sign-up sessions are being held for North Dakota Medicare recipients who have or want prescription drug coverage.

Insurance Commissioner Adam Hamm says some of the plans are changing and recipients will need to know if the medication they take is still covered.

Hamm said Medicare recipients who come to the sessions should bring the paperwork about their current plan as well as their Medicare card and the list of prescription drugs and dosages they take.

Information from: KCND-FM, http://www.prairiepublic.org TAX CHANGES ND taxpayers may miss income tax credit BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) North Dakota's Tax Commissioner says some taxpayers may wonder what happened to an income tax credit that's been part of their returns for the last two years.

Cory Fong says when North Dakota's tax filing season begins next January, tax preparers are anticipating questions about the discontinued income tax credit.

Fong says the credit allowed thousands of North Dakota taxpayers to apply part of their property tax payments to their income tax bills. It cut the amount of income tax they paid.

The credit was in effect for the 2007 and 2008 tax years. But the Legislature did not renew it this year. Instead, lawmakers provided $295 million to local school districts to finance reductions in their property tax rates.

The Legislature's action won't affect a property owner's income tax return. But Fong says a landowner's property tax bill should be reduced for this year and next year.

RESETTLEMENT OFFICE Bismarck resettlement office being reopened BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) Lutheran Social Services of North Dakota is reopening its Bismarck resettlement office after several years of inactivity.

The agency's New American Services division helps refugees from other countries settle in North Dakota. It also has operations in Fargo and Grand Forks.

Local and state officials asked that the Bismarck office be reopened to help increase the number of employable adults in the area. Officials say the plan is to resettle up to 30 people in Bismarck-Mandan each year.

Information from: Bismarck Tribune, http://www.bismarcktribune.com MINNKOTA CGF PLAN Public meetings held on Minnkota transmission line GRAND FORKS, N.D. (AP) The federal Agriculture Department's Rural Utilities Service is holding public hearings this week on Minnkota Power Cooperative's proposal for a power line from Center to Grand Forks.

Minnkota wants to build a 260-mile transmission line to deliver power from the Milton R. Young coal-fired plant near Center. The construction cost is estimated at about $280 million.

Public hearings are planned in Grand Forks, Cooperstown, Carrington, McClusky and Center. Officials say the comments will be used as part of an environmental assessment.

HELIPLANE LOAN Aviation firm asking Minot for understanding MINOT, N.D. (AP) An aviation manufacturer that is getting $500,000 from Minot's economic development fund has run into delays testing its product.

Heliplane of Minneapolis plans to make air cargo trailers in Minot. The trailers would be towed by aircraft and guided by an unmanned aerial control system.

To get the full $500,000 loan, Heliplane by Saturday must produce confirmation of successful air testing from the Federal Aviation Administration or the military.

Heliplane says it experienced a delay when the owner of the company making its rotor system died, bringing the family owned business to a halt. Weather also has delayed the ability to test the prototype.

Heliplane plans to ask that the Saturday deadline be moved to Dec. 31.

Information from: Minot Daily News, http://www.minotdailynews.com COMBINE FIRES Combine fires more common this fall BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) North Dakota sunflower farmers are facing not only wet harvest conditions, they're also dealing with more combine fires.

Larry Neubauer (NEW'-bow-ur), who farms near Bottineau, says combine fires have been more of a problem this fall because of the time that passed between the killing frost and when many fields dried out enough to support harvesting equipment.

Neubauer says the sunflower stalks deteriorated a lot during that time, producing a lot of dust. He says sunflower dust has an oily substance to it and tends to stick. He says electrical sparks or heat from a transmission or oil line can quickly cause a fire.

CONVENIENCE STORE robbery Fargo police looking for store robbers FARGO, N.D. (AP) Police say two men pushed a Fargo convenience store clerk to the floor and grabbed money from the cash register in an early morning robbery.

The Loaf 'N Jug store in north Fargo was robbed about 3:20 a.m.

Sunday.

Police Sgt. Glen Hanson said a man came in and pretended to make a purchase, then a second man ran into the store when the cash register was opened. Hanson said both men pushed the clerk to the floor, grabbed money and ran.

He said the suspects did not display weapons and the clerk was not seriously hurt.

STUDENT TRUCKER University student earns degree while trucking FARGO, N.D. (AP) A University of North Dakota student is learning on the road.

Julie Hjelle of Lankin is getting her online degree while working as a truck driver.

The 39-year-old Hjelle works three nights a week driving a FedEx route between Grand Forks, and Winnipeg. She also works two days as an aide in a Nursing Home.

Until this fall, Hjelle juggled her courses while driving a truck route from the Midwest to Alaska. She was on the road for months at a time, and downloaded her assignments at truck stops or rest areas.

Hjelle is a social science major. She has two teenage children and uses the e-mail handle Mother Trucker. Her husband, Sean, also is a truck driver.

Information from: The Forum, http://www.in-forum.com (Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.) APNP 11-16-09 1103CST | save this article / add to your favorites list