Latest North Dakota news, sports, business and entertainment:

FSA COMMITTEE 5 North Dakotans join Farm Service Agency board Bismarck, N.D. (AP) Five North Dakota ranchers and farmers have been named to serve on the state's Farm Service Agency committee.

North Dakota's Senators Byron Dorgan and Kent Conrad and Rep.

Earl Pomeroy announced the appointments on Friday.

The new FSA committee members will help oversee how the agency implements federal Agriculture programs in the state.

The new members of the committee are: rancher Todd Hall from near Killdeer, farmer and rancher Lynn Jacobson from near Alamo, rancher Marie Marshall from near Towner, farmer and rancher Lucy Matejcek from near Grand Forks and farmer and rancher Marcy Svenningsen from near Valley City.

BARK PARKS Dog parks lead to wagging tails in ND cities Jamestown, N.D. (AP) Jamestown officials are still considering whether to have a dog park, after talking about it for more than four years. Opponents worry about noise, smell, traffic and children's safety.

Officials in Fargo, Bismarck, Minot and Grand Forks say they heard those same fears. They say the dog parks in their cities have turned out to be successful. In Dickinson, a dog park is expected to be open next spring.

Roger Gress is the executive director of the Fargo Park District. He says two dog parks there have done well and he thinks money for a third already is lined up. He says dogs are well-behaved and their owners pick up after them.

Arlette Moen is the executive director of the Circle of Friends Humane Society in Grand Forks, which operates one of two dog parks.

She says they're an excellent addition to any community.

Information from: The Jamestown Sun, http://www.jamestownsun.com UND-TURKEY BASKETS UND group handing out turkey baskets GRAND FORKS, N.D. (AP) The University of North Dakota Mortar Board plans to hand out about 1,000 turkey baskets to needy people in Grand Forks.

This is the 30th year for the honor student group's annual event, which provides a traditional Thanksgiving dinner for families that might otherwise go without.

Program adviser Kristi Okerlund says the baskets each contain about $40 worth of food. They are to be distributed Saturday.

Information from: KNOX-AM, http://knoxradio.com REST AREAS-WIRELESS WiFi available at some ND rest areas BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) North Dakota's Transportation Department is providing wireless Internet for the public at 14 visitor centers and rest areas along Interstates 29 and 94 and U.S. Highways 2 and 83.

Officials say WiFi certified access points are being used. No login name, password or cost is involved.

Signs will be posted inside the visitor centers and rest areas where the WiFi is available.

CASE NEW HOLLAND LAYOFFS Case New Holland lays off 128 in Nebraska GRAND ISLAND, Neb. (AP) Case New Holland plans to lay off 128 at its combine plant in Grand Island.

The company announced the layoffs on Friday.

CNH officials say the layoffs are necessary because of the recession and reduced demand. Farm income is expected to be lower this year because crop prices are lower.

Earlier this year, Case New Holland also laid off about 300 workers at its Burlington, Iowa and Fargo, N.D., plants.

About 40 of the Grand Island layoffs are expected to be temporary. Those workers will lose their jobs near the end of December, but will likely be called back later.

The other 88 positions will be eliminated in mid January.

MORE ND oil? Another new oil formation for ND? BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) Geologists believe a crude-bearing cache beneath North Dakota's already prolific oil patch can be tapped using new technology.

The Birdbear, a thin oil formation locked within muddy limestone and dolomite more than 2 miles underground. Geologists believe it can be brought to the surface using horizontal drilling technology.

One company already has had some success tapping the Birdbear in southwestern North Dakota, and geologists believe the formation is similar in the north-central part of the state.

Industry officials say they're having too much success with the rich Bakken and the Three Forks-Sanish formations above the Birdbear to busy themselves with it for now.

Troy Marsden, a city council member in Bottineau, says more rigs and wells in the north-central North Dakota would boost tax revenue and jobs.

He says people would welcome the drilling activity.

SIOUX NICKNAME-LAWSUIT ND seeks dismissal of lawsuit over Sioux nickname BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem has filed a motion to dismiss a lawsuit filed by Spirit Lake Sioux tribal members who want the University of North Dakota to keep its Fighting Sioux nickname.

Stenehjem filed the motion on Friday. He met with the state Board of Higher education behind closed doors on Thursday to update them on the state's response. A judge has barred the board from taking any action on the nickname issue until after a Dec. 9 hearing.

The board has said it will retire the nickname unless the state's Sioux tribes sign 30-year agreements to support it. The board originally set an Oct. 1 deadline, but extended it to Nov. 30 because of tribal elections on the Standing Rock reservation.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.) APNP 11-21-09 1624CST | save this article / add to your favorites list