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N DAKOTA ST PRES Higher education officials question cost overruns Fargo, N.D. (AP) A state Board of Higher Education committee looking into cost overruns of a new campus presidents' homes is recommending a state audit.

The group also wants to bar foundations from managing building projects.

The board's Budget, Audit and Finance committee met Friday at North Dakota State University and the University of North Dakota to ask questions about bids, contracts and purchase orders.

The group had no questions for North Dakota State President Joseph Chapman, who's resigning in January. Chapman appeared with NDSU Development Foundation director Jim Miller and NDSU vice president John Adams to explain why the NDSU house ballooned to more than 2 million dollars after legislators had authorized $900,000.

Board of Higher Education president Richie Smith focused his questions architect Terry Stroh, and a five-member construction oversight committee that included Chapman's wife, Gale. Smith said he believes Joseph Chapman's role in the project was limited.

Stroh, who also was the project's construction manager, said he did not feel it was necessary to sign a contract because he donated his $300,000 fee. He said the project became a "runaway train." CONGRESS-CONTRIBUTIONS ND Sen. Dorgan's campaign treasury almost $4M Bismarck, N.D. (AP) New disclosure filings show North Dakota Sen. Byron Dorgan's campaign fund has grown to almost $4 million.

Federal Election Commission reports show incumbent Rep. Earl Pomeroy has $1.2 million in his campaign treasury. Dorgan and Pomeroy are Democrats running for re-election next year.

The reports include fund-raising and expenses from July 1 through Sept. 30. Dorgan raised almost $708,000 during the three months and spent about $314,000. The incumbent senator recently aired a series of television campaign ads.

Pomeroy's report says he raised about $268,000 during the three months, and he spent almost $56,000.

Fargo architect Paul Sorum is the only declared Republican candidate for the GOP endorsement to run against Dorgan. He says he has done no fund-raising yet, and has received no campaign contributions.

Bismarck insurance agent Paul Schaffner has declared he wants to be the Republican candidate to run against Pomeroy. Schaffner could not be reached immediately for comment.

Flu VACCINE Swine flu vaccine expected in ND BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) North Dakota's Health Department says it expects about 12,300 doses of swine flu vaccine to arrive in the state late next week.

Health officials say the shipment will include doses of both the FluMist NASAl spray and the injectable vaccine for swine flu, also known as H1N1.

Pregnant women, children ages 6 months through 18 years, and health care workers will continue to get priority.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has informed states that the allocations of vaccine will be less than anticipated over the next few months because of lower amounts from one manufacturer.

But North Dakota Immunization Program Director Molly Sander says the state still expects to get shipments each week for the next several weeks.

The Health Department says almost all of the confirmed flu cases in North Dakota are swine flu.

WINDOW PORN CHARGE Woman accused of broadcasting porn near school Grand Forks, N.D. (AP) A woman is accused of showing a pornographic video out the window of her Grand Forks home near an elementary school.

Police say 37-year-old Nicole Altendorf bit an officer's arm and kicked him several times in the groin as he tried arrest her Friday. In the squad car, she allegedly spit in the officer's face.

Altendorf faces felony charges of simple assault, contact by bodily fluids and preventing arrest, along with misdemeanor charges of possessing drug paraphernalia and disorderly conduct.

Her bail was set Friday at $4,000. Her attorney did not return a phone message seeking comment.

Information from: Grand Forks Herald, http://www.grandforksherald.com PERSONAL INCOME-ND ND personal income growth tops in nation in 2Q BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) A thriving Agriculture industry helped push North Dakota to the top among states in personal income growth in the second quarter of the year.

Estimates released Friday by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis show personal income in North Dakota up 1.5 percent.

That compared with a 0.2 percent growth nationwide, which the bureau said was offset by inflation. It was the first growth in a year for the U.S. and for 15 states.

Overall, personal income increased in the second quarter in 36 states. The bureau said federal economic stimulus money and rising unemployment benefits were the main reasons for the increase in all of those states except North Dakota, where the farm sector was the main factor.

Net earnings and property income declined in every state except North Dakota, where net earnings grew 0.9 percent, and in Iowa, where they were unchanged.

PAINKILLER CHARGE Former nurse indicted by grand jury BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) A former nurse is accused of forging prescriptions to get painkillers.

Authorities say 37-year-old Jacqueline Binstock of Bismarck illegally got oxycodone, hydromorphone and hydrocodone while working as a registered nurse from January 2007 to August last year. She was indicted by a federal grand jury in late September.

Binstock made her first court appearance Thursday. She was released pending a Dec. 22 trial.

She's charged with acquisition of controlled substances by misrepresentation and forgery, which carries a maximum penalty of four years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Prosecutors say Binstock's nursing license has been suspended.

RIG COUNT Number of active rigs falls by 1 HOUSTON (AP) The number of rigs actively exploring for oil and natural gas in the U.S. this week fell by one to 1,040.

Houston-based Baker Hughes Inc. said Friday that 721 rigs were exploring for natural gas and 309 for oil. Ten were listed as miscellaneous. A year ago this week, the rig count stood at 1,976.

Of the major oil- and gas-producing states, North Dakota gained five rigs. New Mexico gained three, and Louisiana and Wyoming gained one each. ArKansas lost one rig, while Colorado, Texas and Oklahoma lost two each. The numbers of rigs in Alaska and California were unchanged.

The rig count tally peaked at 4,530 in 1981, during the height of the oil boom. The industry posted a record low of 488 in 1999.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.) APNP 10-17-09 0200CDT | save this article / add to your favorites list