Cavalier County
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Republican
Single Copy Volume 135
cavaliercountyextra.com
In this issue:
Copyright © Langdon, North Dakota
Representative Chuck Damschen has a Legislative update on Page 4. Catch up with the Langdon Area Chamber on Page 7.
Index
OPINION AG CHURCH COMMUNITY PRO DIR SPORTS PN CLASSIFIED
PAGE 4 PAGE 5 PAGE 6 PAGE 7 PAGE 8 PAGE 9-11 PAGE 9 PAGE 11
Though the national news is reporting that the COVID-19 vaccination roll out is going slower than planned, it is going well in Cavalier County. The vaccination of the Phase 1A priority group (healthcare workers, first responders, long term care residents and staff ) went well and is complete for purposes of moving through the priority groups. “We had good uptake of vaccine from the individuals covered in this group,” said Public Health nurse Steph Welsh, “and continue to have individuals who did not get vaccinated from the Phase 1A group, such as healthcare workers and first responders, opt in to be vaccinated in upcoming clinics.” The Cavalier County Health District (CCHD) has moved on to Phase 1B and is now taking registrations for people 75 years and older and people 65 years and older with 2 or more high risk health conditions. If you are a Phase 1A individual registering for a vaccination during Phase 1B, please call CCHD at 701256-2402 ahead of time so that when they prepare for the vaccination clinics, they know you are Phase 1A registering now. The most recent list of priority groups was printed on the back page of the January 11 Repub-
lican. Public Health will notify the public as they move through the priority groups. They will use posters, fliers, public access television channels, newspaper articles and ads, radio interviews and announcements, and their Facebook page and
is user-friendly, and there have not been many snags. People who have smartphones can use the QR code. For those not familiar with QR codes, it looks like a square made up of little squares. Open the camera app in your phone, position it over the QR code so
website to spread the word. It is up to each person to watch for those notices and register for their vaccination when they become eligible. Online registration is available at cavaliercountyhealth. com, on the Cavalier County Health District Facebook page, or by using the QR code on any of the posters, fliers, or print ads. Individuals who are eligible can click that link and register for a vaccination clinic. The online registration process
that it sees the code, and touch the pop up that will take you to the website to register. Keep in mind that there is a QR code for registering for COVID-19 testing and a different QR code for registering for a vaccination clinic. If accessing registration through the Facebook post, use the link in the text, not in the picture. You may have to click on “…See More” to see the full text of the post and find the link to registration. The online registration site
2020 Year in Review: October through December The final three months of erable” means all the agencies Cavalier County Memorial 2020 - October, November, and December - had a lot to offer readers despite all the cancellations due to the COVID-19 pandemic. October began with a fun activity for the whole family with the Great “mini” Pumpkin Hunt. Andrea Jacobson was the mastermind behind this idea. She stated, “I just feel bad that everything keeps getting cancelled/postponed. I decided this pumpkin scavenger hunt was something I could do as a fun activity for people that was still relatively safe (from a COVID standpoint).” Pumpkins were hidden all around Langdon, and in the end prizes were given away that were all donated. In October we welcomed two deputies to the Cavalier County Sheriff’s office, Tom Sabo and Shane Gallagher. The Langdon Area Chamber of Commerce also welcomed a new board president, Peggy Davis. Langdon Area School Board discussed COVID related policies in regards to close contacts during athletic events. New radio infrastructure for public safety and emergency services was installed in our county. North Dakota public safety and emergency services are getting a long overdue radio upgrade as part of a new program called SIRN20/20. SIRN stands for Statewide Interoperable Radio Network. “Interop-
Monday, January 25, 2021
involved (law enforcement, firefighters, EMS, emergency management, the public utilities, transportation, and others) will be able to communicate with each other on demand and in real-time. It is a joint effort by state, county, and municipal public safety agencies to build and maintain a statewide interoperable radio communication system for first responders and the public safety community. Vicki Kubat was honored with Excellence in County Government award. The award seeks to honor those who have shown exceptional dedication, leadership, and involvement for the good of all counties. Susan Faye Crockett was appointed as Langdon City Commissioner in early October. Langdon Area School Board scheduled a building mill levy vote for the heating system replacement in the elementary school. The board decided an addition levy of 7 to the current 3 for a total of 10 would be needed. The vote was planned for Wednesday, January 6, 2021. The City of Langdon was awarded City of the Year for 2020 during the League of Cities annual conference. This award was established in 1984 to recognize North Dakota cities for the quality, volume, and progressiveness of activities undertaken in the community.
Farmers & Merchants State Bank 816 3rd Street, Langdon, ND 58249
(701)256-5431 • www.fmbanklangdon.com
Hospital hired Chris Carter to fill the position of controller, which is part of the finance department. November brought election results. The presidential election had not yet been decided as ballots were still being counted in some parts of the U.S. North Dakota’s three electoral votes went to Republican candidate Donald Trump. Kelly Armstrong was re-elected to the House of Representatives, Doug Burgum was also re-elected as Governor. State representatives David Monson and Chuck Damschen were also re-elected and Janne Myrdal was re-elected with 74 percent of the votes. The Constitutional Measure No. 1 would have increased the number of members on the State Board of Higher Education to 15 and increased their terms to 6 years. Measure One was defeated with 72.54 percent of voters casting No votes and 27.46 percent voting Yes. In Cavalier County there were 1,460 No votes and 384 Yes votes. Constitutional Measure No. 2 would have added a layer of legislative review to initiated constitutional measures while still giving voters the final say. Measure Two was also defeated with 61.62 percent saying No and 38.38 percent saying Yes. In Cavalier County there were 1,190 No votes and 614 Yes votes. cont. on page 2
will allow you to pick a clinic date, an appointment time, and fill out the screening forms necessary to receive a vaccine. The available clinic dates are the darker black numbers. For Medicare age clients, only the Medicare number is needed. No supplement or drug plan insurance numbers need to be provided. Be sure to enter all your information carefully, including name, date of birth and email. Once registered this HIPAA compliant software will send appointment reminders via email. If you make a mistake in your email address you will not receive these reminders. Registering online helps CCHD in a number of ways. It lets them know exactly how many appointments are scheduled so they can plan to use all of the received COVID vaccine doses efficiently. It prevents waiting in long lines, allows staff to review the health screening questions prior to the clinic appointment, and allows them to easily reschedule appointments if more or less vaccine is received than anticipated. If you are unable, not comfortable, or not familiar with using an online registration process, ask a tech savvy friend or family member to help you. If these options do not exist for cont. on page 2
Agotness appointed to judgeship in NE Judicial District Gov. Doug Burgum has appointed Ramsey County State’s Attorney Kari Agotness of Devils Lake to a judgeship in the Northeast Judicial District, effective February 1, 2021. She will fill the judicial vacancy created by the January 29, 2021, retirement of Northeast Judicial District Judge Laurie Fontaine, who was first elected as a district judge in 1998 after having served as Pembina County State’s Attorney from 1987 to 1998. Four attorneys w e r e named as finalists to fill the vacancy. Agotn e s s was appointed Ramsey County State’s Attorney in 2017 and elected to the position in 2018, overseeing criminal prosecutions, juvenile court, child support enforcement and civil actions, among other duties. She previously served as Ramsey County
Clerk of District Court for nine years and, also, has worked as a domestic violence advocate, a police officer and a special assistant attorney general for regional child support in Jamestown. A native of Park River, Agotness earned her peace officer’s certificate from Lake Region State College in Devils Lake, her undergraduate degrees from the University of N o r t h Dakota and her law degree from the UND School of Law. She also served as a fellow at the National Center for State Courts’ Institute for Court Management in Williamsburg, Va. Agotness has served as president of the Lake Region Bar Association and as a member of the Human Trafficking Protocol Team for Ramsey County.
FM Bank adds to their team. See article inside.
Member FDIC
Number 4
COVID-19 vaccine rolls out in Cavalier County-Here’s what you need to know By Linda Timian Republican Writer
Find the latest from the Cavalier County Commission on Page 3.
Official Newspaper of Cavalier County Published since 1889