The Borderland Press, Friday, Oct. 11, V3, N40

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EAGLES SOAR to the biggest win in years

The official newspaper of Cavalier County Theborderlandpress.com

In this issue:

Sales Tax increase for street project to be on fall ballot By Hilary Nowatzki

News: Most 2024 North Dakota ballot measures appear too close to call, Pg. A2

Ag: Read our Q&A session with an area leader in agricultural logistics, Pg. A3

Friday, October 11, 2024

Volume 3, Number 40

Langdon Area Chamber of Commerce hosts successful 2024 Wine Walk By Rebecca Davis Photos by Brandi Mittleider.

In an interview with The Borderland Press, Lawrence Henry, vice president of the Langdon City Commission, outlined a proposal to increase the city's sales tax from 2% to 3%. The additional 1% would be earmarked specifically for citywide street projects and maintenance. "The proposal is to break down that 1% increase - half a percent would go towards the citywide street project and half percent would go towards the maintenance of the existing streets," Henry explained.

The Langdon Area Chamber of Commerce held its highly anticipated annual Wine Walk on Thursday, Oct. 3, bringing together 188 participants who visited 22 local businesses throughout the evening. The event kicked off at Dahl’s Truck and Auto and concluded at the Langdon Eagles with committee members praising the perfect weather, the creation of lasting memories, and plenty of laughter along the way. One of this year’s new additions was a hydration station hosted by Langdon Prairie Hospital, helping participants stay refreshed as they made their rounds. Local businesses like Schlittzen Liquor and the Bottle Barn offered not only a variety of wines but also non-alcoholic alternatives, which proved popular. According to the committee, the non-alcoholic options were a welcome feature, especially considering the number of stops and the fact that many participants travel from surrounding communities and serve as designated drivers. These options allowed everyone to feel part of the experience while keeping their friends safe.

A question which was repetitively proposed to the commission following the beginning of the street project was how to maintain streets already in place. A double edged sword, the increase would help maintain the already existing streets while adding funds for the two part street project, in which phase one was completed at the end of the summer. Henry noted that a "yes" vote would approve the tax hike to fund the critical infrastructure work, while a "no" vote would keep the current 2% rate in place. Henry emphasized that this is an important decision for voters to make.

To accommodate the increased num-

"This will be on the November ballot, so it's a big decision for the city and its residents," he stated.

Lifestyle: Learn about why garden clean up can wait, Pg. A7

With aging infrastructure and growing demands, the Langdon City Commission believes the sales tax hike is a necessary step to improve the city's roads and streets. Voters will have the final say when they head to the polls this fall. ber of stops, the event was extended by half an hour. Over 60 door prizes donated by local and surrounding area businesses were given out, including a grand prize of $300 in Langdon Bucks. Notable prizes included a photograph by local artist Lisa Buchwietz donated by Mondragon Law Firm as well as a women’s Milwaukee heated jacket and various gift cards and certificates to local establishments.

Local business helps pair of Cavalier residents “Feel the Love” By The Borderland Press staff

"Basically, it's a program with the Lennox Foundation that offers us to help people in the community," explained Ricard. The way it works is that community members can nominate deserving individuals to receive a new furnace, air conditioner and thermostat completely free of charge. All the nominations are then reviewed by the Lennox Foundation, who selects the recipients. This year, Ricard shared that they would be doing not one but two installations. “I guess we always feel that we've been pretty blessed here, and we wanted to give back to the community,” Ricard stated. “So, it was kind of a perfect deal, where we donate all the labor, and the Lennox Foundation donates the equipment.” According to Ricard, installation dates for Sean Taylor and Harlan Kimley, the awarded nominees, were slated for Oct. 8 and 9. "We'll be out there trying to have a fun day with everybody, so we're going to try to have the whole crew over there for lunch and serve pizza for everybody,” Ricard stated. “We’re doing one for John Taylor in town, and we're doing one for Harlan Kimley just north

of town here.” Ricard said this is the first year they participated in the program and from around the Cavalier region and are excited to make a real difference. According to Ricard, the nominations this year were very compelling.

Businesses that participated in the Wine Walk reported an uptick in foot traffic in the days following the event. “It gets people through our doors who may not usually stop in or who didn’t realize we were open,” one business owner commented. Many stops offered two varieties of wine, even though only one was required.

For Harlan Kimley, Richard stated, "His furnace is an old oil furnace, and this summer, central air went out, so he has had no air conditioning, and the furnace is very expensive to run in the wintertime." Ricard read a portion of the other recipient’s nomination form, “Sean Taylor is a co-worker and a police officer. One of their children has generated significant medical expenses for birth conditions, and they anticipate more to come."

Jake Kulland served as the emcee for the evening, and the committee noted a larger-than-usual number of male participants this year. All wine served at the event was purchased locally from Bottle Barn, Sip Happens, and Schlittzen Liquor.

Ricard was happy that the Lennox Foundation agreed to support both families.

In a nod to past events where participants received wine glasses, this year’s attendees were given wooden wine glass charms engraved with "Wine Walk 2024" as a keepsake. United Communications provided wine and sangria, while The Perfect Blend offered a seasonal Harvest Punch.

"We said, well, I don't want to pick, we're going to do both." In addition to the "Feel the Love" initiative, Ricard also discussed their involvement with the state's Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). "Pretty much on that program, we get from the state, we'll get ones in our area that we need to go service. So, we'll go service their furnaces, and that's part of the program." If a furnace is beyond repair, Ricard will refer the homeowner to the local community action agency to receive a free replacement through LIHEAP. cont’d. on page A2

Weather

A pair of Cavalier residents have been awarded a new furnace, AC, and thermostat, thanks to a charitable campaign. The two were selected out of 30 applicants through a program called “Feel the Love" offered through the Lennox Foundation and Ricard Plumbing, Heating, and A/C in Cavalier. Francis Ricard, business co-owner of Ricard, discussed the details of the initiative.

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The Wine Walk committee expressed their satisfaction with the turnout and the positive feedback, saying the event ran smoothly and was enjoyed by all. They extend a special thank you to all the participating businesses that generously donated door prizes and to Wine Walk Committee Chair Jessica Pengilly for her leadership and dedication in making the event a success.


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