The Borderland Press, Friday, March 7, V4, N9

Eagles make EPIC COMEBACK in Districts; Lady Cards made STATE B The official newspaper of Cavalier County Theborderlandpress.com

Friday, March 7, 2025

In this issue:

Volume 4, Number 9

UNSUNG HEROES

Six community members recount apartment building fire in Langdon

By Hilary Nowatzki

News: Pembina agent honored with award, Pg. A2

Ag: NDSU Extension Calving School 2025 set for March 20, Pg. A3

While the smoke has passed and embers faded, a handful of local heroes spoke with The Borderland Press concerning their selfless actions which took place on Feb. 23. When flames broke out on 3rd Street in Langdon two weeks ago, six community members jumped into action before fire crews had even arrived.

Disregarding the smoke, flames, and possible instability of the building’s structure, these individuals assisted in evacuating three residents and their pets, and some stuck around to comfort those who were in shock after everyone was safe.

Chuck Rannacher, a resident of the apartments which caught fire, was the first to know something was amiss that Sunday afternoon. It’s a miracle that Rannacher caught on when he did, as he reported to be wearing headphones but heard a loud noise coming from outside of his apartment.

“I was laying in bed. I heard Chris coming down the stairs, and then I heard him, he said, ‘Chuck please help me, Chuck, please help,’ so I ran up the stairs and to the front door to check on him,” Rannacher said.

Views from the Borderland: NLAC announces their Art Student of the Month, Pg. B10

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The Chris who Rannacher mentions was an upstairs tenant of the building.

By the time Chris Larson had made it down the stairs to alert his neighbors of the fire, which started on the second floor of the building, he had already been severely burned. Chuck ran back inside of his own apartment and grabbed his shoes and a coat. By the time he got back to the staircase, Larson had lost consciousness.

“I started dragging him and getting him out of there and away from the building,” Rannacher said. “A pedestrian saw me and gave me help getting him down the stairs.”

The other pedestrian Rannacher referred to is Dustin Drown, an RN at Langdon Prairie Health and Maple Manor. Becky Romfo, his fiance, is a current med tech, who spent 20 years in acute care rehab as well.

The scorched interior of the apartment building which caught fire Sunday, Feb. 23 and has left one man in critical condition. Photo by DJ Bartley.

“He and I are both medical. We didn't think, we just moved,” said Romfo.

“We were heading home and at the four-way stop on Main. I saw smoke and thought it was Nancy's place. I made Dustin Drown, my fiance, pull over. I called 911, and they said they knew. Dustin and I said there is too much [smoke], they won't make it, and we ran in.”

Left, Chuck Rannacher, one of the residents of the apartment building, and right, Simmons Multimedia’s very own D.J. Bartley.

The collapsed roof from inside the building.

Photo by DJ Bartley

Although the couple didn’t know anyone that lived in the building, they rushed inside and Drown immediately heard Rannacher calling for help.

utes before the fire patrol arrived.”

“Dustin heard the younger, west, ground-side apartment person say, ‘There is someone else upstairs,’ so Dustin ran to the back west side,” Romfo recounted.

While Drown and Rannacher were helping to get Larson to safety, Romfo assisted one of the female residents, who appeared to be in shock, to get her and her pets into Romfo’s Suburban.

“I grabbed a blanket and threw all the east side animals in it and ran to my Suburban. The east side upstairs lady and lower lady walked out, and I assisted the elderly woman with getting into my car with her animals,” Romfo explained. “She was in shock and needed to be away from the fire.”

Knowing that Larson was laying on the ice near the carwash behind the building, she wanted to grab anything

Kelvin and Courtney Clouse.

Dustin Drown with his fiance, Becky Romfo.

she could to protect his burned skin.

While Drown and Rannacher were dragging Larson to safety, an individual named D.J. Bartley showed up to the scene. Bartley, who is a close friend of Rannacher’s and a reporter for this news outlet, sped over to the residency when he heard of the fire.

Bartley assisted where he could, helping Chuck and Drown get Larson to safety and comforting other tenants as they watched all of their earthly possessions go up in flames.

“Chris is going to need all the prayers and support the community can possibly give him. He’s a great guy who was in a very unfortunate situation,” said Bartley. “I completely understand the severity of the situation for all of the tenants involved, but the only thing that can’t be replaced in this tragedy is the life of one of our own.”

“I ran back to the front apartment and grabbed whatever I could. By that time the ceiling above me was on fire,” Romfo said. “We got all the animals and people out just a few min-

Just as Bartley was arriving on the scene, two other community members rushed to aid the tenants of the cont’d. on page B10

ed. "We're even trying to set up a 'prom room' section with donated dresses for local high school students."

The group has another upcoming bingo day on March 30, which will be sponsored by Northdale Oil.

The new pool itself will be a significant upgrade from the current facility. At 40 feet wide and 120 feet long, it will be considerably larger than the original. The design includes zero-depth entry, a 20x20 foot deep end with diving platforms, a two-tube slide, and an adjacent splash park area.

“It’s kinda like a pizza party with bingo!” Trupe shared.

Fundraisers continue for new Walhalla Swimming Pool

By Hilary Nowatzki

Though a small town, Walhalla is banding together to host some big fundraisers in support of their new pool. After years of relying on an aging facility, the local swimming pool committee is working hard to make their vision for a modern, family-friendly pool a reality.

of Bjornstad Farms, as well as chili made by Karen Hardy. The baked potatoes and bingo night raised $989.00 for the group.

The Swimming Pool Fundraising Committee, which consists of Cheryl Trupe, Kathy Kopf, Teirney Dunnigan, Amber Dunnigan, LaRae Horgan, and Joy Kuehne-Zaharia, has been working hard to raise as much of the $2 million dollar goal through local fundraisers as possible.

The committee is still operating the thrift store in Walhalla to generate additional funds.

Open on Wednesday from 4 to 7, Sundays from 1 to 4, and Saturdays from 9 to noon, the thrift store is staffed entirely by volunteers from the pool committee.

The group has been hosting a series of bingos and meals throughout the last two months with impacting success. Three weeks ago, they hosted bingo along with a Mexican supper fundraiser, which saw over 100 people in attendance, and raised just over $1,600 in funds. Last Sunday, they were at it again with bingo and loaded baked potatoes, compliments

To date, the Swimming Pool Fundraising Committee has raised $269,000 through their grassroots efforts. Photo by Hilary Nowatzki.

"The donations have been really good," Trupe not-

"It's going to be really nice," Trupe enthused. "We're hoping the new pool will help attract more kids to get involved.”

The committee is hoping for a groundbreaking date of July 2026, leaving them about a year and a half to raise the necessary funds. In addition to the ongoing events, they are also working on creating a brochure to showcase the pool's features and share their fundraising efforts with potential donors and sponsors.

Trupe shared that Northdale Oil will be sponsoring several of their upcoming events as well. On April 18 there will be a meat raffle sponsored by Jackson’s Bar. Once summer has kicked off, the group is planning on hosting a golf tournament, which will be sponsored by Walhalla Ag. On July 6 they will be hosting a volleyball tournament in conjunction with the popular annual Show and Shine as another fundraiser.

Trupe asks folks to stay up to date on events by following their Facebook page titled ‘Walhalla North Dakota: Swimming Pool.’

To date, the Swimming Pool Fundraiscont’d. on page B10

News

Friday, March 7, 2025 - Page A2

All That Jazz Hits hit the Roxy

Planning for the future: Part two

By Rebecca Davis

By Daren Christianson, Superintendent of Langdon Area Schools Jazz hits from Broadway and beyond hit the Roxy Stage in Langdon on Feb. 27, 28 and March 2. The show was directed by Emily Braunberger and accompanied by Lisa Schuler and Lane Lindseth.

Presented by the Northern Lights Arts Council (NLAC) and the North Dakota Council on the Arts, shows featured in the musical revue were Chicago; Cabaret; Girl Crazy; Guys and Dolls; On the Town; The Wizard of Oz; Victor/ Victoria; Follies; New York, New York; and 42nd Street.

The cast and crew of ‘And All That Jazz.’

The Borderland Press

Musicians included David Hysjulien on guitar and Doug Richards on bass.

Charity Stegman served as the stage manager. The cast included Bryan Hanson, Ryan Magnus, Courtney Short, Anna Lill, Tina Olson, Sierra Ferdon, Erin Bachman, Madilyn Crump, Claire Chaput, Jonathan Lill, Brayden Harris and Kartheek Chapara.

One of the cast, Madilyn Crump, a junior at Langdon Area High School who has been part of NLAC musicals since 2020, auditioned for and was accepted into the American Musical and Dramatic Academy, a prestigious theater school in New York City. She will attend there after graduating in 2026.

“I’m feeling extremely nostalgic and grateful for my time at NDSU and to my musical theater director/vocal coach, Dr. Katherine Noone, for some wonderful years and opening my horizon to all that Broadway has to offer and all that jazz,” shared Braunberger.

I would like to thank the community members who recently attended the in-person and virtual meetings conducted by ICS Consulting to identify the needs of our school facilities. With input from the community, staff, and students, the school board has been working hard to finalize a plan to address the district's most critical facility needs. As we continue evaluating the status of the Langdon Area Schools’ facilities, we are developing a priority list and a comprehensive plan.

It is vitally important to our community and school system that we get a good turn out from our community at our meeting at 5:00 PM on March 12 in the high school study hall. This meeting is our chance to provide the school board with a public perspective on how to move forward with possible facility improvements. Depending on the feedback received, the board may decide to bring a resolution for proposed facility improvements to the voters in the June election.

Many people have asked why the district has hired ICS to assist with our facilities improvements. Our community communicated that they wanted to know where the money would be spent if they were going to support a vote that required an increase in property taxes. This sentiment, plus the need for expert advice, prompted the school board to contract with ICS to professionally assess our buildings and present information to the board and to the public.

In my prior correspondence, I referenced some of the areas that would be costliest to address such as roofing, handicap accessibility, and plumbing. One major change also being considered is an addition to the

northwest corner of the elementary school. This building project would require the closure of the street north of the elementary school. The benefits of this project would be a new drop off loop that would approach the new facility from the east, dedicated parking for staff and visitors, a new secured main entrance, new main offices, ADA bathrooms, and committed gym space for elementary physical education that would double as a wintry weather recess space. Such an addition would satisfy many items that our community, staff and students indicated would be important to them in the recent survey.

To be clear, the school district has prioritized the elementary school property in recent years. Recently, we used $900,000 in federal COVID dollars to replace the building’s HVAC system, which was antiquated. We were fearful of a catastrophic failure. With the $900,000 of federal money plus school district taxpayer funding, the district invested $2,700,000 in the new system. By completing this project, the district liquidated most of the building fund and used general fund money to cover the difference. Whenever possible, we have used grants that were available to pay for other items needed. For example, both the high school and elementary school had all the lights refurbished using a state grant to cover half of the costs, and we are currently in the process of installing new security cameras that were obtained through a homeland security grant.

I hope to see you at the 5:00 p.m. meeting on March 12. If you have any questions, please contact me at the high school office. 701-256-5291

Kari Helgoe honored with NDSU Ag Affairs Core Values Award

PCMH Foundation invites young artists to participate in annual Calendar Art Contest

By Rebecca Davis

The Pembina County Memorial Hospital (PCMH) Foundation is calling on young artists in Pembina County to take part in its annual Calendar Art Contest. Open to students from pre-K through 5th grade, the competition welcomes participants from public schools and homeschool settings.

Students are encouraged to create artwork that highlights health, wellness, and medical themes, using traditional art supplies such as markers, paint, crayons, and pencils. Digital artwork and 3D pieces will not be accepted.

This year, 14 winners will be selected—two students from each grade

level and two additional artists for the calendar’s cover. Winning students will receive a small prize and a complimentary copy of the PCMH calendar featuring their artwork.

"It’s a great way to get kids engaged with healthcare in a positive way," said Becky Coffield, PCMH Foundation Director. "We want children to see the medical field as more than just a place for treatment—it’s a world full of discovery, learning, and care."

The annual calendar will include hospital events, health awareness days, and foundation fundraising activities.

Additional copies will be available for purchase at the PCMH front reception

desk.

Students are encouraged to draw inspiration from personal experiences with healthcare, whether it’s a visit to the doctor, an understanding of healthy habits, or their curiosity about the medical field.

Entries should be dropped off or mailed to Pembina County Memorial Hospital by April 1, 2025. Pembina County Memorial Hospital Foundation, PO Box 380, Cavalier, North Dakota 58220. For more information, contact Becky Coffield at 701-2656324 or rebekahc@cavalierhospital. com

Congratulations to FCW agent, Kari Helgoe, on receiving this month’s NDSU Agricultural Affairs Core Values Award!

The Core Values Award is a peer-to-peer traveling award, giving individuals the opportunity to recognize a NDSU Ag Affairs colleague for their commitment to the core values of integrity, impact and innovation.

The award is a testament to the commitment displayed to NDSU Agricultural Affairs. The award provides a way for NDSU Agricultural Affairs team members to recognize one another for their commitment to integrity, impact and innovation. Your colleagues see and appreciate the work you do.

Agriculture

The Borderland Press

Friday, March 7, 2025 - Page A3

NDSU Extension Calving School 2025 set for March 20 The national debt is ‘a big curse to our citizens’ – House Republicans narrowly passed a budget resolution with a 217-215 vote unlocking the reconciliation process to advance President Trump’s domestic agenda.

N.D. Representative Julie Fedorchak was dismayed when the debate denigrated into criticism of Elon Musk and the newly established Department of Government Efficiency. “We spend a huge amount of money every single day just on the interest on that debt; it is a big curse to our citizens,” said Fedorchak. “It is something that we quite honestly have to get our arms around. He’s going after the bureaucracy. The Democrats don’t like it.

They want to raise a bunch of red flags about it, but I embrace a lot of what he’s doing. Some of the tactics wouldn’t be what I would do, but in general, I think we need to take some pretty big swings at dealing with this massive federal debt.”

Short term disruptions for long term success – N.D. Senator John Hoeven acknowledged the uncertainty facing farmers over tariffs but emphasized the importance of market access and fair trade. “President Trump’s goal is to get us more access to markets on a fairer basis, and that’s a goal we all share, but in the short term is there a disruption?

Of course,” Hoeven told RRFN. “We understand that, and we’re working very closely with [Agriculture Secretary] Brooke Rollins and the ag team.

We think she’s going to do a good job.

She’s very close to President Trump, so that’s very helpful, and we do have some experience working with President Trump on tariffs. We did the first round with Sonny Perdue and ultimately got to a place where we got more ag sales.” In the interview, Hoeven also voiced a familiar theme, saying “our farmers and ranchers produce the highest quality, lowest cost food supply in the world that benefits every single American.”

Bohrer returns to Washington, D.C. – N.D. Senator Kevin Cramer has named Jason Bohrer as the new communications director for his Washington, D.C. office. Bohrer is the former president and CEO of the Lignite Energy Council and will begin his new position April 7.

Cold weather hampered rail traffic – The extreme cold in mid-February had a major impact on rail movement across northern United States.

For the week of Feb. 14, the origin dwell times for BNSF grain shuttle trains averaged 68 hours. That’s the longest since January of 2023. The number of loaded grain cars on the BNSF network that did not move for over 48 hours totaled nearly 1,400. In late November, that total was under 300 grain cars. Strong corn export demand through the Pacific Northwest led to secondary market values for shuttle trains being over $2,000 per car during this past week.

North Dakota Game and Fish updates Game Wardens Association offers scholarships The North Dakota Game Wardens Association is sponsoring scholarships for the fall semester for higher education students interested in majoring in wildlife law enforcement or a related field.

Applications must be submitted by email to ndgamewardens@gmail.com no later than May 1.

Deadline to remove fish houses Unoccupied fish houses must be removed from all waters beginning March 15.

Fish houses may be used after March 15 if they are removed daily.

In addition, anglers are encouraged to look around and clean up the site if any trash is found left behind.

Game and Fish Offers wildlife food plot seed The North Dakota Game and Fish Department is once again offering free seed for the 2025 growing season to landowners interested in planting wildlife food plots for pheasants.

Rather than a traditional corn or sunflower food plot, Game and Fish is offering a seed mix that provides increased plant diversity, including flowering plants from spring through fall, which will attract insects, the major diet component of pheasant chicks.

Additionally, the mix will provide needed cover during spring and summer, as well as a winter food source. Other wildlife species will also benefit from this mix.

Most Game and Fish food plots are part of the department’s Private Land Open To Sportsmen program, but this food plot campaign does not require a PLOTS contract. Participating landowners are encouraged to allow reasonable public access, which could mean simply providing permission to hunters from time to time, putting up “Ask Before You Enter” signs around the area, or not posting the surrounding land. Additionally, participating landowners cannot charge a fee for

hunting.

The department will provide enough seed to cover up to a maximum five acre planting at no cost to the landowner.

Landowners interested in receiving the seed must sign up online by April 4. Seed will be available in May at Game and Fish offices in Bismarck, Jamestown, Devils Lake, Harvey, Dickinson, Williston and Riverdale.

Game and Fish private land biologists can provide technical assistance on food plot location and site preparation.

Landowners interested in additional financial incentives may be considered for the PLOTS program as well.

More information is available by contacting a private land biologist at any Game and Fish office, or email ndgf@ nd.gov.

North Dakota State University Extension will host a calving school on Thursday, March 20 from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the North Central Research Extension Center near Minot, North Dakota.

Topics will include calving preparations, such as assembling calving supply kits, recognizing the stages of calving and understanding normal delivery expectations. The program will also cover managing abnormal births, optimizing nutrition during late gestation and early lactation, caring for newborn calves and maintaining effective record-keeping practices.

New this year, a cow and calf model will allow participants to practice assisting with abnormal deliveries, providing participants with hands-on opportunities to learn to navigate various calving complication scenarios.

The calving school will be led by NDSU Extension livestock management specialist Lacey Quail, Kelly Schaefer of Schaefer Veterinary Service and NDSU Extension agents Paige Brummund in Ward County and Kathryn Slavick in McHenry County.

“Whether you are well seasoned or

New this year, a cow and calf model will allow participants to practice assisting with abnormal deliveries. (NDSU photo)

new to calving cows, this workshop will provide you with tips, tools and hands-on activities to be better prepared for the upcoming calving season,” says Brummund.

school25 or call 701-857-6444.

The school is free to attend. Lunch will be provided, but registration is requested for meal count and materials.

To register, visit ndsu.ag/calving-

For more information, contact Brummund at 701-857-6444 or Slavick at 701-537-5405.

The North Central Research Extension Center is at 5400 Highway 83 S in Minot.

Soil Health Talks to be hosted throughout northeast N.D.

By Mike Alan Steinfeldt

Each Wednesday in March, the Walsh County Three River Soil Conservation District will be holding soil health talks throughout the county. Josh Anderson is the watershed coordinator and district manager based in Park River. He said they'll be bringing in a number of keynote speakers.

“So we've got Brent Gustafson, soil health specialist from NRCS, Alex Wittenberg, the state agronomist, also with NRCS, and Naeem Kalwar, the soil health specialist with the NDSU Langdon Research Extension Center.”

Anderson said the soil health talks will be held from 9am to 11am at each location.

Health Tip

Provided by Cavalier County Health District March 7: Cavalier County Health District (CCHD) has certified car seat technicians and a warm indoor space for car seat checks available by appointment. If you have a question about your car seat or would like to ensure it is installed correctly, please contact CCHD at 701-256-2402 to schedule a car seat check appointment.

“It’ll be a little bit of, you know, the conservationists, myself, our local NRCS staff, our local NDSU Extension Office, folks coming in with some of the things that we have to offer, different cost share plans, technical support, and then also kind of a listening opportunity where we're learning from the folks that are doing this on a day in, day out basis,” said Anderson. “The first event was held Wednesday at the Dam Cafe in Fordville. The second will be held March 12 at the Farmers Elevator in Forest River. The third event will be March 19 at the NDSU Extension Office in Park River, and the final event will be March 26 at the Fairdale Cafe in Fairdale.”

Anderson said they've spread out the events for a reason.

“Because we have such a diverse soil map and such a diversity of different kinds of operations, we wanted to try to spread out the events around the county so that we could really engage with folks in their own soil types and their own kind of operation,” Anderson explained.

There is no cost to attend, and a light breakfast will be served at each location. Anderson said they would like to get a head count on who may be attending each event. You can do that by calling the office at 701-284-7363 or by emailing Josh at WalshCounty1938.com.

Opinion

Friday, March 7, 2025 - Page A4

The Borderland Press

Letter from the Publisher

It has taken me a few days to recover from a fun weekend in Minot

for the Girls 19U State Tournament, where our freshman granddaughter played. We left the house Friday morning and had a nice ride to the western part of the state. I hit the mall while Bob teched the Junior Gold game in progress; you can read more about that in his column below. The girls had a tough game but came out of the locker room smiling, as always.

Another tough one on Saturday but a win on Sunday! The drive home is always shorter on a win! The Junior Gold came home with the third place trophy, story and pics in this issue!

We spent some time driving around the city we once lived in. Man, has it spread out. The areas that were empty fields in our time there are now saturated with apartment buildings, gas stations and more. There’s even an entire new neighborhood up north with shops, new homes and a school called Minot North. I have to assume the oil industry has been good to this growing city. I love the hills, although I do remember they were a bit dicey in the winter. It’s beautiful at night, though, with the city lights surround-

ing the town. I miss that a bit.

experiment going on in a section of my pantry. No, it doesn’t involve mold or anything disgusting like that. It has to do with the sheer will power which potatoes apparently possess to live.

You see, last year after digging up a few late potato plants, I put a batch of them in a dark cabinet that I rarely check. That was a terrible mistake because my memory is awful. Around two or three months after putting the potatoes in there and promptly forgetting about them, I went digging for a surplus of rice I knew I had somewhere. What I discovered instead startled me at first! It looked like alien tentacles were reaching right in my direction. The root? A batch of potatoes that refused to die.

I was honestly amused by the tendrils reaching their ways towards the cracks of the cabinet to reach whatever sunlight they could sense. Rather than dumping them out like any other responsible adult would do, I let them keep doing their thing. I’m happy to report that here we are, nearly six months from the time I dug up these potatoes, and they are ALIVE.

A drive down Main Street looked like many main streets in our state - old, new, refurbished, boarded up, you name it. They’re doing the best they can to keep their downtown alive just like the rest of us.

Kudos to the Cardinal girls basketball team; they’re headed for the state tournament. Way to represent your town! Good luck from The Borderland Press Staff!

Lastly, on Sunday we said goodbye to our friend and past employee, Stacey Roy. We extend our sympathy to the Gjesdal and Roy families.

Take care, and think Spring!

Diane Simmons

Publisher publisher@theborderlandpress.com

Letter from the Editor: Tentacle taters holes over the Arctic conditions.

I took advantage of last week’s gorgeous weather to hit the slopes again.

My friend, who had made an attempt at snowboarding last week, opted for skis this time around. I’m happy to report that my friend spent far less time on their rear end this time.

It’s time! The great thaw out has begun. I, for one, could not be more excited to drive in the nasty, messy slush knowing that clear roads and freshly exposed potholes await me and my Ford Edge. I’ll take the pot-

Before living in North Dakota, I never thought the sight of dead grass could excite me, but here we are, and I’m getting pretty dang excited. As others have mentioned, I know good and well a blizzard could hit in March, but we will wait and see.

On a different note, I have a science

Should I plant them? Let me know what you think in an email!

Hilary Nowatski Editor

editor@theborderlandpress.com

The Morning Stroll and Cuppa Joe: That’s a wrap on hockey!

I’ve been fueling up a lot recently due to having one kid in basketball and one kid in hockey. The kid in basketball has had district and region games in Rolla and Devils Lake, and the kid in hockey had her final state hockey tournament in Minot last weekend.

By Sara Goodman My favorite thing about driving a diesel Suburban is having random guys run up to me while I’m fueling up, asking if I realize that I’m putting diesel in my Suburban. The first time it happened, I was concerned that the frazzled dude was going to have a stroke, so I calmly informed him that yes, I knew I was putting diesel in my diesel Suburban. After the third time it happened, I started thinking about a new reaction plan involving tears, a wide-eyed look of shock and blubbering something about being “just a girl,” but the more I thought about it, the more I didn’t want to seem like a dumb blonde because – spoiler alert - I’m not dumb, and I’m not blonde.

The Hubby and I try to attend every basketball game, even if our kid is simply riding the pine in support of her teammates. You never know when she’ll get a minute or two of time in the game, and we would hate to miss it. We weren’t going to miss a single hockey game this season, because you don’t miss anything in your kids’ senior season. Now, after an exciting and unexpected win at the region championship game, we will fuel up again to head to state basketball in Jamestown.

Last weekend at the state hockey tournament we watched the final game of hockey that we will have a kid playing in, ever. I’m just talking about playing competitively because Gage plays in a beer league in college for fun, and that clearly doesn’t count. We have never gone to one of those games and never will. When the final buzzer went off on Sunday at the conclusion of Catelyn’s last game, I felt an instant mix of emotions. I had an overwhelm-

ing sense of sadness that this was it - 13 years of hockey for her, and it was over. I also felt a sense of relief.

It’s been exhausting, both physically and mentally, to juggle the schedules, drive the miles, and play catch up constantly when we have a few days at home. I’m not a super emotional person, so no tears were shed, but I fought an odd lump in my throat the entire drive home that afternoon.

Although we’ve closed the chapter on hockey, we have memories and friendships that will last a lifetime, and thanks to my overpaying for a phone storage plan, I have about 10,000 pictures and videos to sift through.

If you’re concerned that life will now be boring, keep in mind we still have spring drama, music contests and concerts, track and graduation to fill the schedule this spring.

Gage even has a handful of events for us to attend at NDSU if we notice we have a day off with nothing to do. By the looks of the weather this week, Greg will start washing tractors and filling the drill before we know it!

Sara Goodman is an avid walker who says her best ideas come to her after a morning pot of coffee. She grew up on a cattle ranch in Watford

13 years of hockey in two pictures.

City, N.D. After many years working in healthcare, she now writes, is a substitute teacher and occasionally lends a hand to her hard-working hubby on the farm. She volunteers on several boards and committees in

the Langdon community and attends social outings as much as possible.

The Goodman house has two kids at home, one in college and two spoiled cats.

forced to cover those studio chores.

As the owner of the company, I made the decision to eliminate the studio tech job altogether, and for good or bad, our play-by-play announcers now run the commercials from the venue where they are broadcasting. The technology is amazing, but sadly the jobs for high school kids, which presented a foot in the door for a career in broadcasting and media, are now gone forever.

hind the microphones last weekend in Minot. If you listened to the games and by chance run into Greg, Jay, Jason, Brian or Wayne, please let them know how much we all appreciated their help. All of us at Simmons, our listeners and advertisers are forever grateful. Thanks, guys!

SCOOOOOOOOOOOOORE! sell the advertising, or lay out a paper.

The radio side is even more challenging, as the talent pool for on-air and technical staff is extremely limited.

By Bob Simmons, CEO, Simmons Multimedia Business people in our small communities share a common problem: the hiring and retention of employees. At Simmons, and I mean this lovingly, we are a band of misfits.

Mostly everyone on our staff is from some other town, state or country.

It’s true that the jobs we perform are specialized. Not everyone can report the news, write an article,

Last weekend we experienced the perfect storm. The girls regional basketball tournament, boys district basketball, Junior Gold State Hockey and the girls 19U State Hockey Tournaments were all running concurrently with the basketball games in Devils Lake and Mayville and the hockey games being played in Minot. Our sports director, Jake Kulland, takes tournament time very seriously. Proper coverage of high school sports is a religion to Jake. If he could be in two places at once, he would do it. Fortunately for us, we have a handful of folks who are also passionate about these games and are willing to step up and help us bring the games to our listeners who can’t attend in person.

For the first two Jr. Gold games, Jay Adam and Jason Ramberg lent their

talents to the cause. Greg Goodman made the trip to cover the girls 19U games with the help of Wayne Borgen. Full disclosure: Greg’s daughter, Catelyn, was also playing in the tournament, and we were very grateful that he agreed to pitch in. Greg was joined by Jay Adam on the final Jr. Gold game and by Brian Hermanson for the final girls 19U game.

Getting back to the employee issues and how it has impacted our sports coverage. Years ago we used to employ high schoolers to sit in the studios and insert commercials during the games. At some point around 2017-18, it had become nearly impossible to attract kids for these jobs.

Even at nine or 10 bucks an hour back then, they were not interested in working. Many who agreed to take the job didn’t take it seriously and often would just forget to show up. As you can imagine, it was frustrating, as the regular full-time staff were then

When Jake and I discussed asking the other guys to help with the games last weekend, I told Jake that I would ‘tech’ the games myself so all the guys needed to do was concentrate on calling the action. Jake will tell you calling the game, keeping stats, running the equipment and dealing with a zillion other things behind the scenes is a lot for one guy to handle and is not for the faint of heart. I got to spend some quality time with a handful of terrific gentlemen who gave it their all be-

From (L-R) Bob Simmons, tech; Greg Goodman, Play by Play Extraordinaire; and Kevin Forrest, Blades Asst. Coach/Pilot and certified door opener.

Community

The Borderland Press

Friday, March 7, 2025 - Page A5

Pembilier Nursing Center: Slumber party time

By Heather Duerre, Life Enrichment Director

Hello from your friends at PNC! On Thursday, Feb. 27, we held a slumber party for the residents. It was a blast!

First, the residents gathered around the table and creatively decorated their very own sleep masks. Some used stencils to create images, while others free-handed their designs with things such as eyes. Everyone’s turned out to be unique and beautiful.

I think they will all rest a little better now with designer sleep masks.

Next, we moved on to playing MASH. This was a game I grew up playing and thought it would be fun for the

residents. For those of you who aren’t familiar with the game, it’s fairly simple. MASH stands for Mansion, Apartment, Shack, and House. The participant then fills in four choices for spouse, number of kids, city they would live in, cars they would drive, and jobs. The person not playing them draws a spiral or lines until the participant says stop, at which point the lines are counted and then items are crossed off until one item per category remains. The item is then circled and that is the “future” for the participant. There were so many laughs while we played this game. The res-

idents helped each other fill in the blanks which made for some interesting possibilities. Some of the spouses suggested were PeeWee Herman, Elvis, Hank Williams Sr., Mr. Bean, and Lorrie Morgan (for our male resident that attended). The number of kids were anywhere from two to 22! Most ended up in the mid-range with five to 10 kids. The possibilities for cities ranged from Cavalier to Las Vegas to the capital of Haiti. The car selections were not disappointing. We had convertibles, pickup trucks, a hearse, a monster truck, and even the Oscar Meyer weiner mobile. The jobs that

were up for grabs ranged from zookeeper, dancer, restaurant owner, nurse, and monkey trainer.

Lorraine sporting her hair rollers.

Bonnie smiles for a photo at the slumber party.

CeeCee posing for a photo at PNC’s slumber party.

After we figured out everyone’s future and laughed so much, we were exhausted. We decided to watch some old commercials and eat freshly popped popcorn. Once the residents had their fill of TV and popcorn, we decided to fill out some Mad Libs that had a slumber party theme. Again, laughter filled the room as Kelsey read off the “Slumber Party Invite” the residents helped create. Finally, we ended our slumber party with a

photo shoot complete with slumber party props.

The afternoon was filled with chatting, snacks, and lots of laughter. Although we didn’t get around to having a pillow fight, I would say our party was a smashing success. I am sure that after reading about the fun we had, you’ll want to hold your own slumber party. My only advice is if you play MASH be careful, otherwise you may end up driving the Oscar Meyer weiner mobile to your dancing job like Kelsey!

Georgie enjoying the slumber party.

Wandering in Walhalla

By Rebecca Davis

AGC of North Dakota offers scholarships to high school seniors Twitch - thank you technology! - which means, you can go back and watch it for yourself!

According to a CBS article, on Jan. 15, the Texas-based Aerospace company launched its “Blue Ghost” lander, and the landing was timed to coincide with the start of a two-week-long lunar day. The solar-powered Blue Ghost will operate 10 NASA-sponsored experiments while sunlight is available and, if all goes well, for a few hours into the lunar night using stored battery power. After that, it will fall silent.

Have you ever accidentally stumbled upon a lunar landing?

On Saturday night, I had just played a few rounds of Fortnite with some friends and rather than going to bed like the adult I am. Considering it was approaching midnight, I decided to pop on over to Twitch, an online chatting and viewing platform, to see who might be streaming and could distract me just enough to avoid going to bed.

I battle with insomnia, the blue light from my phone and computer screens surely don’t help, but it is what it is.

I was scrolling through the list of who was on, and I saw “LIVE Lunar Landing 3:34 a.m. - Astronomy Chat & Catch-up” which, of course, caught my interest. One of my favorite streamers, AstroCanuck, was discussing the anticipated landing by Firefly Aerospace. Once jumping down the rabbit hole, I was excited to see that the 3:34am time was actually eastern time so I had roughly less than two hours to wait. At this point I was fired up ready to watch and see what took place. NASA was also streaming the historical event on YouTube and

This marked the first fully successful landing in the private sector. Needless to say, I finally went to bed around 4:30 a.m. We were promised photos from the moon, and, of course, I had to stay up to see them; I was already invested this far. I quickly screenshotted the first picture and sent it off to DJ Bartley, one of our radio reporters, who loves staring at the moon and stars just as much as I do.

P.S. DJ- sorry your phone dinged at 4:15 a.m.

If you are interested in watching it for yourself, please go to NASA’s video: https://www.twitch.tv/videos/2395028344 Rebecca Davis Reporter rebecca@theborderlandpress.com

The Associated General Contractors of North Dakota has scholarships available for High School Seniors pursuing a career in the exciting and rewarding field of construction. These scholarships are for the 2025-2026 school year. The deadline is April 23, 2025. Scholarship details and applications are available at https://www. agcnd.org/scholarship $1,500 Scholarships available at North Dakota State University for Construction Management or Construction Engineering $1,500 Scholarships available at University of Mary for Construction Management or Construction Engineering

$1,500 Scholarships available at Minnesota State University Moorhead for Construction Management $750 Scholarships available at Bis-

marck State College for Construction Technology, Welding Technology, Heavy Equipment Operator, Engineering Technology, HVAC, Diesel Technology, or Other Construction Related Majors

$750 Scholarships available at North Dakota State College of Science for Construction Management Technology, Civil Engineering & Land Surveying Technology, Building Construction Technology, Architectural Drafting & Estimating Technology, Diesel Technology, or Welding Technology

"The AGC of ND is continually looking to partner with the next generation of industry professionals and is proud to assist with the financial aspect with our scholarship program" stateed AGC of ND Executive Vice President Russ Hanson.

The AGC of ND, an association of more than 400 contractors, suppliers, and construction-related companies, has awarded more than $1.3 million in scholarships since 1964.

Community

Friday, March 7, 2025 - Page A6

A Saint’s Shoutout: March is Reading Month!

By Carrie Hope

and help them develop as confident, skilled readers.

This year, our school theme is "Under the Sea!" Each class will dive into fun research activities about an ocean animal of their choice, exploring nonfiction texts, engaging in creative projects, and sharing what they learn.

Along with these research activities, students will participate in other exciting reading events designed to foster a love of books.

Reading is the foundation of learning, opening doors to knowledge, imagination, and personal growth. Our goal for Reading Month is to encourage students to read for enjoyment and to discover "just-right" books—ones that match their interests, reading levels,

We also recognize the power of reading together! Throughout the month, we will be welcoming family members to join us at school for special reading sessions with their children. When children see reading as a shared, enjoyable experience, they are more likely to develop lifelong reading hab-

If we were to take all of these recognitions and dissect each one, it would take a long time to fully understand how things work for our bodies and what important things we need to be mindful of on a daily basis. Following are some main points and information to help you make your positive changes.

The American Cancer Society states that there are more than a million survivors of colorectal cancer in the US. It’s important to get screened and know the risk factors. The Center for Disease Control recommends screening for colorectal cancer to start at the age of 45 with either a colonoscopy or an at home sample, depending on your family history and other factors.

Diet plays a huge role in prevention, so eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains to increase your fiber intake along with vitamin and mineral consumption. Increasing exercise, reducing alcohol consumption, and not smoking are also three more lifestyle factors that will contribute to avoiding this disease.

“Dad” joke: Did you know that all people are born with four kidneys?... Two of them turn into adult knees. Ha! In all seriousness, kidneys are essential

Sauces are something that can contribute flavor to any dish that is made.

They can be versatile and fun to try.

It’s best to make your own to help reduce sodium and salt content. If you would like to try to make your own sauce that is a healthier version, here is a recipe (“Do It Yourself Spice Mixes” FN 1826 https://www. ndsu.edu/agriculture/sites/default/ files/2022-12/fn1826.pdf) courtesy of NDSU Extension: Ranch Blend 2 Tbsp. onion powder 2 Tbsp. onion flakes 2 Tbsp. parsley, dried 1 Tbsp. garlic powder 1 Tbsp. dill weed, dried ¼ tsp. thyme, dried 2 tsp. pepper Ranch Dip • 1¼ c. low-fat or fat-free plain yogurt or sour cream • 2 Tbsp. Ranch Blend Combine yogurt or sour cream with the ranch blend. Serve cold. *Preparing foods ahead of time and freezing them for later use is a great way to save money, time, and eat healthier. There are many recipes for frozen foods, and if you see a food in the frozen food section of the grocery store, you can do the same for yourself at home. Making a lasagna?

Make two, and freeze one! You can control the flavor, nutrition content, sodium, and sugar of home cooked foods, which will lead to a healthier you. It is also a great way to have delicious foods to pack for lunch, which will save you time and money. Just freeze individual portions for a quick grab and go in the morning. Use NDSU Extensions “Food Freezing Guide” FN

By Tammy Berg

and eating whatever he can. Yes, I know the squirrel needs to eat, too, but maybe somewhere else!

Reading is more than just a skill—it strengthens comprehension, builds vocabulary, improves focus, and enhances critical thinking. It allows us to step into different worlds, understand new perspectives, and fuel our creativity. Whether students are reading for information or adventure, every page turned helps them grow.

We are excited to embark on this reading journey and look forward to a month filled with books, exploration, and learning!

Carrie Hope is in her 6th year as principal at St. Alphonsus School. To reach the school office, please dial 701-256-2354.

By Katie Henry, Family and Community Wellness Agent, NDSU Extension – Cavalier County

There are so many fun ideas people have for national recognition of months and days. The month of March has many, including but not limited to, colorectal cancer, kidney, sauce, frozen food, flour, and caffeine awareness. All of these things have one thing in common with another national recognition: nutrition. With it being national nutrition month, it’s a great time to look at how we eat, what we eat, and how it relates to our bodies. Let’s make some positive changes to better our lives during National Nutrition Month!

Hello from Edmore!

its.

National Nutrition Month and more

to our daily survival. Their function is to clean the waste from our cells out of our body. Diabetes, high blood pressure, and family history all contribute to kidney disease, and many times symptoms don’t show until damage has already been done. Exercise and reducing your processed food consumption can have huge effects on kidney health. Processed foods contain a lot of sodium and sugar, which would contribute to high blood pressure and diabetes. Taking care of diabetes and high blood pressure greatly reduces kidney disease and failure.

Drinking water and staying hydrated helps keep the kidneys healthy by removing waste from the blood and helps blood vessels stay open.

The Borderland Press

403 (https://www.ndsu.edu/agriculture/sites/default/files/2024-01/ fn403.pdf) to guide you in your freezing adventure. *Flour is a kitchen basic that has many purposes. It can be from grains like wheat and corn, or can be from beans, seeds, and nuts. We grow some of the best crops here in our county that can be ground into flour.

The Northern Crops Institute in Fargo is even conducting a stone milling course to take place this April 1-4. For optimal health, it’s recommended to have at LEAST half of your grains be whole grains. It increases the vitamin and mineral content as well as fiber.

Experiment with different flours, and try your hand at using flour to meet your nutritional needs. *Caffeine is often thought of as a person’s morning pick-me-up. There are some benefits to caffeine such as possibly helping reduce metabolic syndrome, which is linked to heart disease and Type 2 diabetes. Some negative effects are that it contributes to high blood pressure and reduced sleep. Consumption should be done in moderation, and be aware of the amount of sugar that may be accompanying the caffeine.

A great time to make changes to your food consumption is during National Nutrition Month in March! Whether you reduce your refined sugar intake by eliminating sugary drinks from your diet, or increase your fiber intake, you will be on the road to a healthier you.

Some easy things to do during this month to help make lifestyle changes: reduce sugar consumption by drinking less energy drinks and soda pop, eat more fruits and vegetables by adding more to your meals or consuming them as a snack, choose healthier snacks like air popped popcorn, become aware of portion sizes and consume what’s recommended. Even making just one small change will make a huge difference in your life!

Visit NDSU Extension’s website https://www.ndsu.edu/agriculture/ extension for more information on any of the topics of the month. You can also call our office (256-2560), stop in the courthouse, or email katie.d.henry@ndsu.edu to visit or get publications. Taking just one small step towards recognizing one of these topics during the month of march will help you move towards a healthier you. Make the change!

Winter sports are coming to an end.

Congratulations to the Langdon-Munich girls basketball team on their way to state. Work hard and have fun.

Make lots of memories!! Hopefully the boys will get a chance at state, too.

Greetings from the "big city," where the streets are either sloppy or icy.

I'm not complaining much because I am sure looking forward to spring. I am no fool; I know we could still be in for some not so nice weather before March is over.

We have several bird feeders in our front yard and quite a few birds, but we have one persistent squirrel. No matter how much I yell at him, he keeps coming back. It seems like he taunts me by hanging upside down

We had church in Fairdale last Sunday. Our parish consists of three churches: Edmore, Fairdale and Lawton. Services are alternated between the churches. Edmore has Ash Wednesday services, and Lawton will have Wednesday Lenten services. We always have a meal before church on Wednesdays, served by each town and different groups. I enjoy seeing and visiting with people from the other churches. Our services will have readers and short skits. Lent is a good time to reflect.

So, that's it for now. I will try harder next week. Take care, and do something nice for someone!!!

Full Moon Adventure and Star Party Icelandic State Park is excited to announce their Full Moon Adventure and Star Party, which will take place on Saturday, March 15. At 6:30 p.m. the Star Party will begin, and Exploration will start at 7:30 p.m.

Before heading out, participants will be taking a look at the winter sky with local astronomy enthusiast Dan Bakke and talking about the different celestial objects you can see at different times of the year.

All are welcome and encouraged to attend while we still have a bit of snow left on the ground!

HHS encourages North Dakotans to take the first step during Problem Gambling Awareness Month Free online screening tool available helps identify gambling challenges BISMARCK, ND - Gov. Kelly Armstrong has proclaimed March as Problem Gambling Awareness Month in North Dakota, underscoring the importance of understanding gambling-related issues and the availability of support for those affected. North Dakota Health and Human Services (HHS) encourages residents to take a free, confidential online screening at gamblernd. com/diagnosing-a-problem to assess potential gambling concerns and access available resources.

"Gambling challenges can impact individuals and families from all walks of life," said HHS Gambling Disorder Clinical Lead Lisa Vig-Johnson. "Recognizing the signs early is crucial. Taking the online screening is a quick and effective way for people to evaluate their gambling behaviors and connect with supportive services."

Problem gambling refers to gambling behaviors that interfere with personal,

family, or work life. To support those affected, HHS offers a range of services including online recovery courses, individual and group counseling, financial resources, and educational materials that promote informed gambling choices.

Through gamblernd.org, individuals can explore different types of gambling issues, find tips for responsible play, read about others’ success stories, discover recovery pathways, and access immediate help for free. HHS aims to empower North Dakotans with the tools they need to make positive changes.

If you or someone you know may be struggling with gambling, call the helpline at 1-877-702-7848 or visit gamblernd.org to take the free screening and learn more about support options. Early action can prevent further harm and open the door to recovery. If you are experiencing a behavioral health crisis, please call 988 for 24/7 assistance.

Lifestyle

The Borderland Press

Friday, March 7, 2025 - Page A7

Prairie Fare: Choose mindfully when eating at buffets

By Julie Garden-Robinson, NDSU Extension food and nutrition specialist

potato wedges, creamy macaroni and cheese and creamy chicken and dumplings. Notice a theme?

We also had a casserole made from sweet potatoes. There were leftovers in the lettuce salad bowl at the end of the meal.

Our plates were quite large, so we had lots of space to fill. The food was delicious, high-fat comfort food. I could not resist temptation, and I ate far too much. I was not hungry again until 24 hours later.

“Are you a runner?” I asked my dinner companion as she galloped ahead of me.

Most of the bowls were emptied because we could not take leftovers home. We did not want to waste food, of course.

“No, but I am kind of a slow jogger — a ‘slogger,’” she replied.

That’s my story, and I am sticking with it.

I trotted slowly on the cobblestone sidewalk, trying not to break my “hoof” on the uneven surface. She slowed to a canter since I was making a whinny sound. Maybe I was whining.

Usually, I can keep up with fast walkers. I also rarely eat enough calories and fat for two days in one sitting.

Meals can be served in many ways, both at home and in restaurants. Buffets are popular because you see all the possibilities on the line and make choices consciously.

We were returning from eating a heavy restaurant meal in a Southern state. We had about a mile to go. A mile walk feels like 10 miles when you overeat.

I had wanted to try authentic Southern cuisine. We ate with a group in an all-you-can-eat family-style restaurant with never-ending bowls of food brought to us upon request.

We had fried chicken, fried okra, fried

Be sure to take a trip around the buffet to check out your choices before you begin selecting your food. Make the calories count.

Our meals at the conference consisted of displays of food for breakfast and lunch. Buffet-style eating is tasty but can be a challenge if you are trying to manage your portions.

With buffet-style service, you need to exercise a lot of self-control if weight management is on your mind. In fact, surveying all the foods and starting

with a simple salad or cup of brothbased soup would be a good plan to take the edge off your appetite. A glass of water also helps fill you.

Plated meals limit your choices but help with portion management. In a restaurant, you might order a protein entrée with a side item or two. In restaurants, the plated meals allow you to take the rest home to enjoy later.

For families, serving family-style bowls of food allows people to take what they want and eat more mindfully. That can help children and adults know when they are hungry and when they are full.

When possible, use smaller plates when making your choices. Slow down when eating because your brain takes at least 20 minutes to register that you are full. Enjoy visiting with your companions if you eat out at a tempting spot.

Remember: don’t talk with your mouth full.

I learned my lesson during my uncomfortable trot back to the hotel. I wish I had brought some antacid with me.

Here’s one of my favorite recipes, similar to the sweet potato dish I tried.

We scaled it down from a large recipe used in the NDSU food class. Baked sweet potatoes could be substituted for the squash. The orange pigments in squash flesh (carotenoids) are converted to vitamin A in your body, keeping your eyes, skin and immune system healthy, among its many functions.

If you’d like to try some North Dakota-area cuisine, search online for “North Dakota Food and Culture: A Taste of World Cuisine.”

cereal, brown sugar and butter in a bowl. Sprinkle brown sugar topping over squash mixture. Top with nuts if desired. Bake at 350 degrees for 30

Butternut Squash Bake 4 cups cooked butternut squash (or mashed sweet potatoes) 2 large eggs 6 ounces canned evaporated non-fat milk 2 teaspoons vanilla extract minutes. ¼ cup granulated sugar Topping: Makes 10 (1/2-cup) servings. Each 4 tablespoons melted butter serving has 180 calories, 7 grams (g) 2/3 cup crisp rice cereal ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons brown sug- fat, 4 g protein, 26 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber and 50 milligrams sodium. ar (or to your taste) Chopped walnuts or pecans (optional) Prepare squash by rinsing with cool Julie Garden-Robinson, Ph.D., R.D., water and scrubbing the skin if need- L.R.D., is a North Dakota State Unied. Next, cut squash in half and lay versity Extension food and nutrition flesh side down on greased baking specialist and professor in the Desheet. Poke holes in skin and allow partment of Health, Nutrition and Exto cook for 45 ercise Sciences. minutes to one hour at 350 degrees. Mix eggs, milk, vanilla and sugar together by hand or with a hand mixer. After squash is cooked, scoop out four cups. Add squash to milk and eggs mixture. Mix until combined. Pour mixture into a greased 9- by 13-inch baking dish. Make topBuffets are popular because you see all the possibilities on the line, so ping. Melt buttake a trip around the buffet to check out all options before selecting ter in microwave your food. (Pixabay photo) and combine

Prairie Doc® Perspective: Businesses for babies

By Christina Young, Director for the Center for the Prevention of Child Maltreatment under age six have all available par- Prevention is far better – and far less ents in the workforce, making fami- costly – than intervention after abuse ly-friendly workplace policies crucial occurs. Studies show that every dollar for our state’s families. invested in prevention can save up to seven dollars in future costs related Research shows that workplace poli- to child welfare services, healthcare, cies like flexible scheduling, paid fam- and criminal justice. By creating supily leave, and childcare assistance portive work environments, businesssignificantly reduce major risk factors es play a crucial role in building the for child maltreatment by decreasing safe, stable, nurturing relationships parental stress and providing essen- children need to thrive. These investtial economic stability. When parents ments in families today help develop have the flexibility to attend school healthier communities and a stronger events, care for sick children, or workforce for tomorrow. work from home when appropriate, it strengthens family bonds and creates The Center for the Prevention of Child more nurturing environments. Access Maltreatment’s “Businesses for BaWhen businesses support working to quality childcare and living wages bies” campaign highlights South Daparents, they’re not just boosting helps ensure families can meet ba- kota companies that have adopted their bottom line – they’re helping sic needs without the overwhelming family-friendly policies. By showcasing businesses that prioritize family prevent child abuse and neglect. In stress that can lead to crisis.

South Dakota, 72.5% of all children

well-being through flexible schedules, parental leave, and childcare support, the campaign aims to inspire more companies to implement similar policies. Together, we can create a busi-

ness culture that strengthens families and protects our most vulnerable citizens – our children.

Christina Young has been an influen-

Dakota Gardener: Finding winter sanctuary in the Como Conservatory

By Esther E. McGinnis, Horticulturist, NDSU Extension

chocolate. Cocoa tree flowers emerge along the trunk and produce a 6-to-12 inch pod that matures to an orange color. The prized cocoa beans are actually the pod’s seeds. The North Garden is an education in your favorite foods and spices.

As a gardener, I have had it with this frigid winter. I long to experience lush greenery but it is too early to start my flower seeds. Booking a flight to Florida isn’t in the budget. However, a long weekend in St. Paul, Minnesota, can hit the spot for those seeking to satisfy the chlorophyll itch.

The Marjorie McNeely Conservatory at Como Park is a wonderful winter sanctuary for the family. Imagine two full acres of gardens under glass.

Built in 1915, this Victorian-style conservatory provides year-round sustenance for plant lovers.

Step back in time and venture into the fern room if you dare. Ferns are some of the oldest plants on earth and this garden evokes a time when dinosaurs roamed the earth. The primitive tree ferns are my favorite and it is like seeing living fossils. Linger in this garden to experience the waterfall and the high humidity environment will start to heal your winter-dry skin.

The bonsai collection, the largest collection in the region, is a tribute to both science and art. Bonsai is a Japanese art form that produces dwarf trees through the use of root restriction and careful pruning. Como Park pays homage to Japanese design and gardening because the city of St. Paul is the sister city of Nagasaki, Japan.

Save the sunken garden for last to savor the icing on the cake. A rotating flower display of shrubs, flowers

and bulbs graces this lovely area. The winter flower show extends through March 16 and the spring exhibit starts March 21.

After you visit the conservatory, head next door to the Como Zoo to get your animal fix. Children delight in getting closer to the animals here than at the Minnesota Zoo. In fact, this can be too close! As we visited the barn, a large giraffe extended its head over the enclosure and sneezed on me. My family collapsed into hysterical laughing and another family memory was born.

At the center of the conservatory is a 64-foot tall glass dome that houses the palm collection. The eye is drawn upward to towering palms in excess of 100 years old. For a few minutes, you can almost imagine that you are in Miami with a tropical beverage in your hand. As the eye drifts downward, lush foliage carpets the garden floor.

If you look closer, you will observe all kinds of houseplants, except they look so much healthier than they do in our homes.

The North Garden at the conservatory will amaze your whole family. Show your kids how bananas grow. Do you know what part of a plant cinnamon comes from? Marvel at the unusual cocoa tree, our addictive source of

Rebecca Davis

Lush, tropical houseplants thrive in the high humidity environment of the Marjorie McNeely Conservatory at Como Park. (NDSU photo)

tial figure in the child welfare field for over a decade, dedicating her career to the well-being of children and families. She directed an in-home family services program covering 30 western counties in Iowa, demonstrating her commitment to community-based support. Christina has a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master’s in human services administration.

Follow The Prairie Doc® at www. prairiedoc.org, Facebook, Instagram, Youtube and Threads. Prairie Doc Programming includes On Call with the Prairie Doc®, a medical Q&A show (streaming Thursday’s on Facebook), two podcasts, and a Radio program (on SDPB), providing health information based on science, built on trust.

Friday, March 7, 2025 - Page A8

Church

The Borderland Press

From the Pastor’s Desk: Irrelevant

By Don Barsness, Salem Bible Church, Munich

She continued by describing an unexpected turn of events, “Just a few months later, however, Purdy led his team to two playoff wins. The reality is that team executives don’t always do an effective job identifying potential.

And neither do we.”

It’s been four weeks since the Philadelphia Eagles won the Big Game.

If you’re an avid fan of the National Football League, you know that the next big football event is the annual NFL draft. On April 24-26, the 32 teams of the league will choose new players. After evaluating the potential of those who are available, these organizations attempt to select players that will improve their team. These players hold the promise of successful careers in the National Football League. The skills they have and the influence they exert make them relevant - relevant in that they would contribute to the success of the team that calls their name in the draft.

Every year, the media focuses on who the top choices might be. This year, the Tennessee Titans are positioned to have the first pick. Knowing that, the sports pundits are talking about who the Titans will choose to bolster their team and improve their losing record. It’s a big deal to be the first draft pick. While most fans heap attention on the first pick (the first player chosen) or the first round of picks (the first 32 players chosen), the draft goes on for days. The total number of football players drafted is around 250 with trades and negotiations changing the number from year to year.

In 2022, Brock Purdy was taken as the 262nd pick by the San Francisco 49ers. He was labeled “Mr. Irrelevant,” the nickname given to the last player selected in the draft. Expectations were low. As Lisa M. Samru, writing for Our Daily Bread stated, “No one expected he would play in a game during the upcoming season.”

The Bible is filled with the stories of those who might have been labeled “irrelevant.” In 1 Samuel 16, God chooses David to be king of Israel and sends the prophet Samuel to anoint David for the role. But Samuel is looking for someone who ‘looked’ the part, and he overlooks David.

God intervenes, telling Samuel, don’t focus on the physical attributes of the man, “For the Lord sees not as man sees; man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7). For the Hebrews, the term heart embodies the essence of an individual. 1 Samuel 13:14 tells us that David “was a man after [God’s] own heart.”

Why did God choose David? God took note of David’s love and commitment to Him. Though flawed like all of us, David would be Israel’s greatest earthly king. So, before we label others, or ourselves, as “irrelevant,” let’s take God into account. Let’s consider God’s perspective. He’s looking on our heart. Let’s fix our affection on Him and pledge our allegiance to Him. Pastor Don and his wife Marla have served the Salem Bible Church congregation in Munich for four years.

Don is Canadian-born and was raised in Billings, Montana. Don and Marla have enjoyed over 40 years of ministry in N.D. He enjoys long-distance cycling. They share interests in good reading and watching local sports.

Obituaries

The Borderland Press

Lauren William Wild

Memorial services will be Friday, March 7, 2025, at 10:30 A.M. at the St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church of Grafton, N.D., with visitation from 9:00-10:30 A.M. at the church for Lauren William Wild, who joined his heavenly wife, Mary Lou, on Feb. 20, 2025. Inurnment will be at the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery, Mandan, N.D. Military rites will be provided by the Grafton American Legion Post #41 and North Dakota National Guard Honor Guard. The

service will be live streamed on the Tollefson Funeral Home website.

tiple committees and was proud of his work on the HIDTA drug task force,

Lauren was born Feb. 14, 1952, to LaVern Wild and Lillian Snydal Wild and was raised and went to school in Milton, N.D. He met the love of his life, Mary Lou Flanagan, during high school. Lauren and Mary were united in marriage on Aug. 21, 1970. They went on to have two children, Erika and Tricia. Lauren proudly served in the US Army as Fort Jackson’s first MP K9 Handler with his service dog, Kazan. After his discharge, they returned to N.D., settling in Grafton, where Lauren began his career as a peace officer. Lauren spent 14 years with the Grafton Police Department, finishing his tenure as Assistant Chief of Police. He then served another 28 years as Sheriff of Walsh County and was known to be both professional and fair, dedicating himself to protecting his community with unwavering commitment and exceptional integrity. His position also gave him the opportunity to participate on mul-

Throughout his career, he received numerous awards and accolades. A natural leader, Lauren was awarded the prestigious Lone Eagle Award, a testament to his dedication to duty and the respect he garnered from peers and residents alike. His work was not just a job; it was a calling driven by his deep-seated desire to make a positive impact in the lives of others. He deeply cherished the strong bonds he developed amongst his law enforcement family across all of N.D. Lauren will be remembered not only for his professional accomplishments, but for his kind heart and gentle spirit. He was an inspiration, embodying humility and the values of hard work and perseverance. He had a passion for fishing and developed many special friendships over the years. He holds a special place among his lake family at Lake of the Woods, where he was known as Pa and nicknamed

Friday, March 7, 2025 - Page A9 “Smoke (on the water).” Countless cherished memories were made, forged in laughter and love. He spent his final days ice fishing on LOW with family and friends.

As a father and grandpa, Lauren poured his heart into every relationship, nurturing and guiding his children and grandchildren with wisdom and affection. He possessed a remarkable ability to weave life lessons into captivating tales, ensuring that each generation carries forward his legacy of kindness and resilience. It is a legacy that reminds us of the power of compassion and the importance of connection. His absence will be felt deeply, but his stories and the love he shared will endure in the hearts of family and friends. A cherished father, devoted grandpa, and caring friend, Lauren's spirit will forever resonate in the hearts of all who knew him.

We’d like to extend our sincerest appreciation and thanks to all of the medical staff who have taken such

Raymond Verville

Cavalier County Senior Menu Cavalier County Senior Meals & Services, Langdon

Monday, March 10 Cranberry Chicken/Sweet Potatoes/Broccoli/Fruit Tuesday, March 11 Swedish Meatballs/Mashed Potatoes/Mixed Vegetables/Fruit Wednesday, March 12 Ham/Scalloped Potatoes/Baked Beans/Mixed Berry Crisp Thursday, March 13 Dumpling/Polish Sausage Casserole/Roasted Potatoes / Glazed Carrots/Fruit

Walhalla Senior Meals Menu Monday, March 10 Meatloaf•Baked Potato•Green Beans•Apple Crisp with Topping•1 WW Bread Tuesday, March 11 Pork Chop in Mushroom Gravy•Mashed Potatoes•Broccoli•Tropical Fruit Wednesday, March 12 Country Fried Steak•Mashed Potatoes•Corn•Mandarin Oranges Thursday, March 13 Taco Salad•Peaches•1 WW Bread Friday, March 14 Cheese Stuffed Shells•Squash•Mixed Vegetables•Applesauce with Cinnamon This is a menu for the Walhalla Title III Older Americans Act Food Program.

The full cost of the meal is $10.00. Suggested donation for those 60 and older is $4.00. EBT/SNAP accepted. Under 60 are required to pay $10.00. Meal site is Waters Family Restaurant, 1108 Central Ave., Walhalla. Call 701-549-2443 before 10:00 a.m. to place an order for congregate, pick up, or home delivered meals.

Friday, March 14 Beef Battered Pollack/Rice Pilaf/Cauliflower/Fruit EBT/SNAP accepted.

Full cost of a meal: $8.00. Suggested Donation: $5.50 for those over 60 years of age. Please contribute what you can. Those under 60 are required to pay the full cost of the meal. Menus are subject to change. Due to COVID-19, we have been experiencing shipping issues and food shortages.

Cavalier County Senior Meals & Services is located at 211 8th Ave. in Langdon and can be reached by phone at 256-2828.

Francis

"Pete"

great care of Lauren with special thanks to Dr. Anil Potti, Nurse Riley, the teams at Grafton Family Clinic and the Cancer Center of North Dakota.

Lauren is survived by his daughters: Erika (Tom) Porcelli and her sons: Devon Fiedler, Hunter Fiedler and Jackson Porcelli; and Tricia (James) Bodnar and her children: Brittney Anderson, Derek Anderson and Katrina Bodnar; siblings: Richard (Mary) Wild, Linda Dunnigan, Alexander Wild; inlaws Patrick (Suzie) Flanagan and Vern Flanagan; his beloved Aunt Patsy Foseide along with the many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by the love of his life, Mary Lou Flanagan Wild; his parents, LaVern and Lillian Wild; and in-laws Sonny and Babe Flanagan, JoAnn Flanagan, Linda Flanagan and Dan Dunnigan.

An online guestbook is available at www.tollefsonfuneralhome.com

of it.

A memorial service will be held this summer in Walhalla, N.D., for Raymond Francis "Pete" Verville, born August 7, 1924, who passed away peacefully on March 1, 2025.

He is survived by Patricia (Brad), Cathie (Don), Cindie (Todd), and granddaughter Ella. He is preceded in death by his wife, Roberta, and daughter Connie.

He lived a long life with curiosity; energy; a love of farming; building; fixing; fishing in Minaki, Ontario; friends; and family. He was able to celebrate his 100th birthday with friends and family last August and loved every minute

If desired, donations/contributions can be made to Pembilier Nursing Center in Walhalla.

Askew Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Region

Friday, March 7, 2025 - Page A10

The Borderland Press

Overview of Education Bills

By Ann Estvold, NDNA Legislative Intern

frameworks that drive real, measurable progress.”

Fifty-one bills dealing with education were introduced this legislative session. Of those, 17 bills failed to pass, and one bill was withdrawn. Another 33 bills move into the other chamber for further consideration.

New Schools and Accreditation SB 2362 gives schools more options to become accredited. They would have a choice between accreditation using a a state-defined process, a nationally recognized accrediting organization, a formal school improvement organization, or a continuous improvement organization. These methods would require approval from the Department of Public Instruction.

Sen. Don Schaible, R-Mott, says the bill means schools “will no longer be confined to a one-size-fits-all model that often reduces accreditation to a mere compliance exercise. Instead, they will have the opportunity to engage in meaningful, research-backed

SB2241 authorizes public charter schools in North Dakota. Charter schools cannot charge tuition and are considered public schools, but they have fewer regulatory restrictions.

North Dakota is one of a handful of states that have no charter schools. A public charter school must provide an education program that meets or exceeds state performance standards, instructional hours and graduation requirements. Supporters of charter schools say they can more readily offer specialized and innovative educational programs that emphasize certain learning areas, such as math and science and fine arts.

Education and Classes SB 2330 would require human trafficking and exploitation prevention and awareness education for students in public and tribal schools.

The instruction could be provided by nonprofit organizations that are wellversed in human trafficking issues.

HB1105 would require a school district to pay for a virtual instruction course if the district does not offer the course and the student needs it to meet graduation requirements.

The district may establish how many courses a student is required to take onsite, whether virtual or in person.

SB2213, dubbed the “science of math” bill, requires a secondary

mathematics teacher to demonstrate competency in beginning mathematics instruction, and says that teacher education programs should be focused on foundational skills and competencies.

SCR4019 asks for an interim legislative study of reading and mathematics proficiency rates among North Dakota students who have disabilities. The study will also research the effectiveness of current educational policies, programs and resource allocations in addressing any disparities.

SB 2275 would offer annual grants of up to $2,500 per teacher for instructors who teach kindergarten through third grade if they provide foreign language instruction. The grants may be used for program costs, materials, or stipends.

Student Protections Under HB1247, a student who is convicted of sexually assaulting another student in the same school would be required to follow a plan, developed by the district, to prevent them from coming into contact with each other. The student who was convicted of sexual assault could be expelled, transferred to an alternative education program, or transferred to another school or building in the district.

Under HB 1223 a school district shall consider the severity of the infraction, the age of the student, and the disciplinary history of the student to de-

termine the duration of an expulsion or suspension. A student who violates the school district's weapons policy may be expelled.

Under SB 2105 schools may not administer a survey to a student on behalf of a third party other than the Department of Public Instruction. A parent or legal guardian must review the survey and give written consent for a student to participate.

Higher Education Under HB1437 the State Board of Higher Education shall develop and adopt a new policy for evaluating tenured and tenure-track faculty. The policy must define progression and advancement criteria and establish rules and procedures for the faculty.

SB2221 expands a skilled workforce student loan repayment program to include students who hold a master’s degree in nursing, teach four clinical credits each year, and live in the state.

Cell Phones and Electronic Devices SB2354 would allow schools to restrict or prohibit student cell phone use during school hours. It requires each school district to create a use policy that would affect students’ use of personal electronics in all grades.

It covers personal cell phones, tablet or laptop computers, and gaming devices. The bill outlines what a school’s technology policy should include, but its strictness is up to the district. Ev-

ery district would need a policy in place by Aug. 1, 2026.

Teachers HB1530 requests an interim legislative study of the circumstances and needs of special education teachers and ways to alleviate a shortage of special education teachers. The study must include information about special education teachers’ workloads, student and staff safety, paraprofessional management duties, and paperwork requirements.

Appropriations Senate Bill 2234 gives $2 million to the Department of Public Instruction to provide competitive Choice Ready grants to school districts to assist high school students in meeting the state’s Choice Ready framework.

Choice Ready is the state’s strategic vision that all students will graduate with the knowledge, skills, and disposition needed to be successful.

Miscellaneous HB1222 requires school districts to develop a policy that gives students an opportunity to say the Pledge of Allegiance at the beginning of the school day.

Under HB1144, multi-stall or multiroom gender-neutral restrooms and shower rooms are prohibited. A restroom or shower room on school grounds that is accessible by multiple individuals at one time must be designated for males or females exclusively.

Overview of Agriculture Bills in the 2025 Legislature

By Ann Estvold, NDNA Legislative Intern

nate useless regulation,” said Nathan Kroh, a state Agriculture Department official.

Crops and Cropland HB1103 expands the group of potential candidates for the North Dakota Dry Pea and Lentil Council, which supports research, market development and education programs that benefit pulse crop producers. It would make any producer who plants a dry pea and lentil crop within six years eligible to serve on the Council. Supporters of the bill say it is not uncommon for producers to allow long periods of soil rest between plantings to promote healthy crops.

More than 30 bills related to agriculture have been introduced in the 2025 Legislature. Here are summaries of those of broader interest: Administration HB1084 eliminates the requirement that the state Agriculture Department cooperate with the U.S. Agriculture Department to provide grading services for poultry processors. There are no North Dakota processors eligible to apply for those services, and small operations do not benefit from the law. The bill “is intended to elimi-

HB1509 requires the state Oilseed Council to provide an electronic application to request refunds of producer assessments and says refunds would have to be paid within 30 days of getting a producer’s application. The time window for filing the application itself would be lengthened from 60 to 90 days. Other commodity groups have opposed the bill, saying it could cause financial instability and have a ripple effect for their own checkoff programs.

Livestock SB2368 provides more administrative specifics for a program called the

Grassland Grazing Cost Share Program, which is run by the state Agriculture Department. The grants go to organizations that represent cooperative grazing associations in North Dakota. The money would be used for water development, fencing, conservation initiatives, federal permitting compliance, and other projects that would improve grasslands health.

Projects would need approval by the local soil conservation district, and the organization would need to provide one dollar in matching funds for every four dollars of grant money.

HB040 would make it easier for ranchers to qualify for a state drought disaster livestock water assistance program. Applicants would no longer need to have their applications rejected for water cost-share assistance from the U.S. Agriculture Department’s Farm Service Agency before they became eligible for state funds.

Under HB1429, an individual may not use a drone to harass animals or conduct surveillance of another individual, another residence, or any private real property. The bill makes it a misdemeanor crime, punishable by up to 30 days in jail and a $1,500 fine, to “intentionally or recklessly” harass livestock or wildlife with a drone. If the alleged drone harasser injured or killed any livestock, the maximum misdemeanor penalty would rise to one year in jail and a $3,000 fine.

Milk HB1132 would allow a school to serve whole, two percent and flavored pasteurized milk through a bulk milk dispenser.

Under HB1131 a farm may sell raw milk or raw milk products directly to North Dakota customers for their own consumption. Producers may not sell raw milk or products directly to a wholesale or retail store or sell outside the state.

Cottage Foods SB2386 would allow cottage food producers – meaning individuals who prepare food in a home kitchen for sale – to sell their goods to outof-state customers. The change does not apply to poultry producers. Several bakers who have home-based businesses spoke in favor of the legislation at its Senate Agriculture and Veterans Affairs hearing in early February.

Grants HB1143 provides $5 million for grants to build food distribution facilities Supporters of the bill say it would help the Great Plains Food Bank, which is based in Fargo and administers hunger relief programs statewide. Any grant recipient would have to provide matching funds.

HB1332 establishes a new “Val-

ue-Added Agriculture Production Facility Incentive Program” to the state’s existing Agriculture Diversification and Development Fund. It sets aside $30 million for loans, interest rate buydowns and grants for projects that produce new agricultural products and include at least $350 million in capital investment.

Agricultural Property SB2152 would require the reporting of sales information when agricultural tracts of less than 80 acres are sold.

Appraisers ae supporting the bill, saying it would provide better market data that would be beneficial to consumers.

Miscellaneous HB1334 would designate rhubarb as North Dakota’s official state vegetable. A homeschool family discovered that the state did not have a state vegetable and asked Rep. Matt Heilman, R-Bismarck, to sponsor the bill.

The family came up with rhubarb because it is used in many North Dakota recipes and has a role in the state’s heritage.

HB1151 prohibits the labeling of labgrown protein as meat. The legislation says so-called cell-cultivated meat may not be packaged similarly to regular meat products, and it must be labeled as “cell-cultured.” It may not be advertised or sold as meat.

News briefs

From The Borderland Newscenter Cavalier resident appears in court Cavalier resident Colin Jade Trottier, 29, appeared in Northeast District Court on Monday afternoon. Trottier has been charged with a pair of terrorizing charges, both Class-C felonies, and a single Class A misdemeanor of resisting arrest. All three charges stem from an incident on March 1.

Trottier was granted an appearance bond and will make his initial court appearance next week.

Shooting incident near St. Michael Three people are dead and one suspect is in custody as of Tuesday af-

ternoon following a shooting incident south of St. Michael that morning. A shelter-in-place was ordered shortly before 11am but was lifted. At time of writing, law enforcement have not provided the identities of the suspect or victims other than those who have died were part of the Spirit Lake tribe.

A trade war has begun The trade war between the US and Canada has begun. Following the 25% tariffs implemented by the US, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has imposed retaliatory tariffs which will begin at midnight on Wednesday.

These tariffs will be added to $30 bil-

lion worth of US goods. Another $125 billion of US goods will further be tariffs within the next three weeks.

US alcohol removed from Manitoba shelves Manitoban Premier Wab Kinew, in response to the newly implemented 25% tariffs from the US, has announced all Manitoba liquor stores will be removing US alcohol from shelves, which constitutes 6% of the Crown Corporation’s products. Kinew further announced the province will also begin a tax deferral for businesses impacted by the tariffs.

Armstrong shares thoughts on DST North Dakota Governor Kelly Armstrong has recently discussed his thoughts on a bill which looks to remove Daylight Savings Time within the state. Armstrong, when speaking to media outlets, said he likes the idea, but it could severely impact cities, especially ones near state borders like Grand Forks. The bill will be looked at by the North Dakota Senate.

Job fair to be hosted by North Border School District The North Border School District is inviting all regional businesses interested in youth employment to take part in the first annual School Job Fair, taking place April 9 at the Walhalla Civic Center. Job Services will be on hand to assist with work experience and student internship programs. More information is available by calling the Walhalla School at 701-549-3751.

Winter

SPORT S

LADY CARDS

GO BACK TO THE

STATE B!!!

Langdon-Munich battles injury and adversity to make first state appearance since 2023

By Jake Kulland, Sports Editor

It has been an interesting season for the Langdon-Munich Cardinals girls basketball team, to say the least. The Lady Cards had a rare five-game losing streak this year but still came into the Region 2 Girls Basketball Tournament held in Devils Lake Feb. 2427 as the champion of the District 3 tournament. Langdon-Munich beat Griggs-Midkota 59-33 in the opening round, beat defending state champ May-Port-C-G 51-44 in the semifinals, then took down third-ranked Benson County for the championship, 51-42.

The Cardinals advanced to the State Class B Tournament in Jamestown on March 6-8 and are going for the first time as just Langdon-Munich. They were Langdon-Edmore-Munich when they went to state six years in a row from 2018-2023. There was some bad news in the Cards run to state,

however. Guard Avery Lorenz went down with a knee injury in the BC game, which was later determined to be a torn ACL ligament and will require surgery, ending her season.

Cardinals head coach Rob Scherr said after the title win, "This is such a bittersweet victory. Losing Avery hurts so badly, but at the same time it was also great to see our bench players rally in her absence to help beat a very tough Benson County team. Our seniors, Meredith Romfo and Mikaela Olson, did a great job of leading us to the win." The Cards played Central McLean in the opening round of the State B Tournament on March 6, and you can hear all of their games from Jamestown on KNDK 1080 and on the MyBorderland App. Lorenz and Meredith Romfo made the All-Region

2 team. Here is a recap of their three games at the Region 2 tournament: Langdon-Munich 59, Griggs-Midkota 33 The Cardinals started their regional journey by playing a scrappy G-M team, which is from the Glenfield-Cooperstown areas. Langdon-Munich freshman Kemi Morstad, who had a great tournament overall, had five points in the first quarter, which set the tone for the rest of the day. After battling to a 28-17 lead at halftime, the Cards put the game away in the third by going on an 11-0 run to start the frame with three 3-pointers from Avery Lorenz. The fourth quarter was a continuous clock situation.

Lorenz led Langdon-Munich with 23 points, followed by Meredith Romfo with 13 and Morstad with seven. Lorenz had five steals, and Romfo went 7 for 7 from the free throw line. Jessa Spickler had eight points for the Titans.

LANGDON-MUNICH 59, GRIGGS-MIDKOTA 33 GM -- 6 11 5 11 -- 33 LM -- 17 11 21 10 -- 59 Langdon-Munich -- Avery Lorenz 23, Meredith Romfo 13, Aubrey Badding 7, Kemi Morstad 7, Hilary Haaven 5, Meggy Hetletved 2, Aryanna Schaefer 2 Griggs-Midkota -- Jessa Spickler 8, Leah Saxburg 5, Kennedy Reidman 4, Kelsey Johnson 4, Kylie Johnson 4, Vanessa Vollmer 3, Jersey Gronneberg 3, Haylie Spickler 2 Rebounds -- LM: 23 (Romfo, Badding, Morstad 4); GM: 22

The Lady Cardinals Region 2B Championship team. Photo by Larry Stokke.

The Cardinals celebrating their 1st place finish at Regionals, punching their ticket to the state tournament. Photo by Larry Stokke.

Meredith Romfo was chosen to the All Region Team. Photo by Larry Stokke.

Avery Lorenz was chosen to the All Region Team. Photo by Larry Stokke.

Mikaela Olson puts up a 3-point shot in front of the Cardinal bench. Photo by Larry Stokke.

Meredith Romfo and Mikaela Olson with the 1st place plaque and game ball. Photo by Larry Stokke.

cont’d. on page B6

Avery Lorenz with a finger tip roll into the basket adds two points to the Cards' winning score.

Photo by Larry Stokke.

Erika Bakke fights for a loose ball against two Wildcats. Photo by Larry Stokke.

Taya Feist gets fouled, sending her to the free throw line where she drops in a basket in the win over Benson County. Photo by Larry Stokke.

Sports

Friday, March 7, 2025 - Page B2

The Borderland Press

Eagles, Cardinals make Region 2 tournament in improbable fashion L-M freshman Eastyn Schaefer scores 84 points in three games of the tourney

By Jake Kulland, Sports Editor

The 2025 District 3 Boys Basketball Tournament in Park River Feb. 28-March 4 was expected to be a very exciting one with the top six teams all very close, talent-wise. What was expected is exactly what happened.

It was one white-knuckle game after another for North Border and Langdon-Munich, who were the one and three seeds going into the tourney.

After getting an opening round win over Cavalier 66-50, the Eagles lost their first game of the season in over-

time to Park River-Fordville Lankin 65-64 and followed that with a comeback for the ages. After being down 14 points to North Star in the fourth quarter, they rallied to win in surreal fashion, 54-52, to qualify for the Region 2 tournament.

Langdon-Munich had an equally wild run in the District 3 tourney. They beat North Star on a tip-in by Cody Amble at the buzzer 54-52, lost in the semifinals to Midway-Minto 70-

56, then outlasted St. John 63-60 in overtime to also qualify for the regional. Midway-Minto ended up winning the tournament, 62-52, over Park River-FL. Aiden Lunski of M-M was named District 3 Senior Athlete of the Year, and the Mustangs' Shane Robinson got Coach of the Year honors. Eastyn Schaefer and Cody Amble made the All-District team for L-M. For North Border, Grant Cosley, Brody Berg, and Kaden Moore made the All-District team.

North Border will take a 21-1 record and Langdon-Munich a 12-10 mark to the Region 2 tournament in Devils Lake March 10-13. The Cards will play eighth-ranked New Rockford-Sheyenne in the first game of the day at 3:00pm with the Eagles playing the last game of the opening round versus May-Port-C-G at 7:30. Hear all games from Regionals on 95-7 My FM and on the MyBorderland App. You can find a full bracket in this week's paper. Here is a recap of both teams' crazy run in the District 3 tournament: North Border 66, Cavalier 50 The Eagles and Tornadoes opened the tournament on Feb. 28, and Cavalier actually jumped out to a 15-10 lead after the first quarter. North

Grant Cosley eyes the basket, splits the Aggie defenders, and adds two points to the Eagles' score. Photo by Larry Stokke.

Brody Berg stretches out and drops in a basket. Photo by Larry Stokke.

Kade Schafer nails a 3-point shot for the game-winning basket over the North Star Bearcats. Photo by Larry Stokke.

Border caught fire in the second and third frames, outscoring Cavalier 4819 to run away with the win. The Eagles' Kade Schafer and Weston Cosley each had two 3-pointers in the second quarter, while Grant Cosley had 11 of his 12 points in the third in the win.

Schafer led the team with 13 points, followed by 12 each from Grant Cosley, Weston Cosley and Kaden Moore.

Brody Berg just missed a double-double with nine points and 10 rebounds, while Moore dished out five assists.

Jack Gunderson had 17 points and Ryan Pelletier 16 for Cavalier. Pelletier also pulled down an incredible 19 rebounds.

Kaden Moore drives past two Bearcats and drops in a layup. Photo by Larry Stokke.

NORTH BORDER 66, CAVALIER 50 C -- 15 9 10 16 -- 50 NB -- 10 26 22 8 -- 66 North Border -- Kade Schafer 13, Grant Cosley 12, Kaden Moore 12, Weston Cosley 12, Brody Berg 9, Garret Willits 4, Preston Emerson 2 Cavalier -- Jack Gunderson 17, Ryan Pelletier 16, James Gagner 8, Brecken Thorpe 4, Evan Janish 4, Tage Holmquist 1 Rebounds -- NB: 34 (Berg 10, W. Cosley 5); C: 34 (Pelletier 19) Assists -- NB: 17 (Moore 5, G. Cosley 4); C: 17 (Thorpe 8) Steals -- NB: 15 (Schafer 5); C: 7 Turnovers -- NB: 14; C: 26 Field goal percentage -- NB: 27/67 (40.3%); C: 20/48 (40.7%) Free throw percentage -- NB: 4/7 (57.2%); C: 9/14 (64.3%) Langdon-Munich 54, North Star 52 The Cardinals played their first dis-

trict game versus sixth-seeded North Star in the last game of the opening round on Feb. 28. Langdon-Munich jumped out to a 15-9 lead after the first quarter, only to have the Bearcats reel them in at halftime, as the Cards led 26-25. Eastyn Schaefer began a career game with 21 first half points.

From there the teams pretty much traded baskets. Dawson Downs had a big 3-pointer and nearly clinched the win with another, but the game came down to a tie at 52 with just over three seconds left.

Jayden Lee got a good look for a 3-point shot that missed, but Cody Amble was there for the rebound and tipped it in at the buzzer to give the Cardinals the win.

Schaefer finished with 34 points, going 14 of 25 from the field, with five 3-pointers. Along with his winning basket, Amble also came away with 10 rebounds and four assists. Alec Pereyl and Ian Westlind each had 14 points for the Bearcats.

Garret Willits fights for a rebound with a Bearcat. Photo by Larry Stokke.

LANGDON-MUNICH 54, NORTH STAR 52 NS -- 9 16 15 12 -- 52 LM -- 15 11 15 13 -- 54 Langdon-Munich -- Eastyn Schaefer 34, Cody Amble 6, Jayden Lee 5, Dawson Downs 5, Tanner McDonald 4 North Star -- Alec Pereyl 14, Ian Westlind 14, Hunter Hagler 13, Rylan Anderson 6, Levi Borstad 3, Kale Prouty 2 Rebounds -- LM: 30 (Amble 10, McDonald 5); NS: 27 (Hagler 8) Assists -- LM: 15 (Amble, McDonald 4); NS: 13 (Anderson 5) Steals -- LM: 8; NS: 10 Turnovers -- LM: 14; NS: 11 Field goal percentage -- LM: 23/56 (41.1%); NS: 21/47 (44.7%) Free throw percentage -- LM: 1.4 (25.0%); NS: 7/18 (38.9%) Park River-Fordville-Lankin 65, North Border 64 (OT)

Weston Cosley drives down the lane and drops in a basket during the win over Cavalier.

Photo by Larry Stokke.

Grant Cosley and the North Border Eagles finished in 3rd place, qualifying them for the regional tournament. Photo by Larry Stokke.

In the district semifinals, the Eagles met fifth-seeded Park River-Fordville-Lankin, the host team for the tourney. This game would be wild from start to finish. Kade Schafer had 11 points in the paint in the first half, but North Border trailed 34-30 at halftime. Luke Shirek had 12 points for the Aggies.

The second half was even up most of the way. Grant and Weston Cosley combined for 10 of the Eagles 15 fourth quarter points to help give the Eagles the lead. With two tenths of a second left, Shirek tipped in a lob pass from Jace Rosinski at the buzzer to send the game into overtime.

PRFL grabbed a one point lead with 17 seconds left, and a Grant Cosley jumper at the buzzer just fell short, as the Eagles lost their first game of the season.

Shirek had 19 points to lead the Agcont’d. on page B3

North Border Eagles fans were loud and proud while cheering on their team.

Photo by Larry Stokke.

Sports

The Borderland Press

Friday, March 7, 2025 - Page B3

Cont’d. From Page B2 Eagles, Cardinals make Region 2 tournament in improbable fashion gies, while Grant Cosley finished with a team high 19 for the Eagles, followed by Schafer and Weston Cosley with 13 points each.

PARK RIVER-FL 65, NORTH BORDER 64 (OT) PRFL -- 16 18 10 11 10 -- 65 NB -- 19 11 10 15 9 -- 64 North Border -- Grant Cosley 19, Kade Schafer 13, Weston Cosley 13, Brody Berg 11, Kaden Moore 8 Park River-Fordville-Lankin -- Luke Shirek 18, Jake Solseng 12, Tucker Omdahl 12, Brennan Schramm 12, Jace Rosinski 4, Jaxon Omdahl 3, Connor Bernhoft 2, Tanner Schramm 2 Rebounds -- NB: 31 (Berg, Moore 7); PRFL: 27 (B. Schramm 10, Shirek 8) Assists -- NB: 14 (Moore 5, G. Cosley 4); PRFL: 20 (Solseng 6) Steals -- NB: 5; PRFL: 4 Turnovers -- NB: 9; PRFL: 14 Field goal percentage -- NB: 24/57 (42.1%); PRFL: 27/55 (49.1%) Free throw percentage -- NB: 13/18 (72.2%); PRFL: 2/6 (33.3%) Midway-Minto 70, Langdon-Munich 58 One tough quarter decided the game between the Mustangs and the Cardinals. Cody Amble had eight first quarter points to give the Cards a 15-12 lead, but then turnovers, which have been a problem at times for Langdon-Munich this season, came to haunt them in the second, giving M-M extra possessions and also giving them a 33-25 halftime lead.

Eastyn Schaefer had nine points in the third quarter to help keep the Cards in it, but 23 turnovers were too much to overcome. M-M won the game. Schaefer led Langdon-Munich with 20 points, while Amble had a double-double with 17 points and 12 rebounds. Ezra Robinson had 20 points for the Mustangs.

MIDWAY-MINTO 70, LANGDON-MUNICH 58 LM -- 15 10 14 17 -- 56 MM -- 12 21 18 19 -- 70 Langdon-Munich -- Eastyn Schaefer 20, Cody Amble 17, Maddux Stremick

6, Jayden Lee 5, Levi Swanson 4, TJ Henderson 2, Dawson Downs 2 Midway-Minto -- Ezra Robinson 20, Aiden Lunski 16, Ben Gudajtes 15, Trenton Sitzer 13, Eli Robinson 4, Nolan Sogge 2 Rebounds -- LM: 34 (Amble 12, Swanson 7); MM: 27 (Eli Robinson 6) Assists -- LM: 10; MM: 10 Steals -- LM: 5; MM: 16 Turnovers -- LM: 23; MM: 9 Field goal percentage -- LM: 22/50 (44.0%); MM: 30/61 (49.2%) Free throw percentage -- LM: 6/10 (60.0%); MM: 8/11 (72.7%) Langdon-Munich 63, St. John 60 (OT) In a game to qualify for the Region 2 tournament, the Cardinals had a five point, 23-18, lead over the Woodchucks before St. John went on a 6-0 run to lead by one at the half.

The Cardinals came out of the halftime locker room on fire. Eastyn Schaefer scored 11 points in the third quarter, and Cody Amble and Maddux Stremick each hit shots from beyond the arc to give the Cards a 42-33 lead going into the fourth. St. John roared back and took a 51-49 lead when Amble then got a layup to tie it. Jayden Lee got a steal and just missed a layup at the buzzer of regulation, which sent the game to overtime. Stremick hit another three in the extra session, then Schaefer took over with nine overtime points. The Woodchucks hit a late 3-pointer, but they were out of timeouts with the clock running out to give the Cards the victory.

Levi Swanson 3 St. John -- Madden Parisien 28, Simon LaRocque 11, Ashton Parisien 10, Colton Wilson 9, Tayden Longie 4, Zeke Parisien 3 North Border 54, North Star 52 Things did not look good for the Eagles to extend their season when they played the Bearcats for the right to go to the Region 2 tournament. North Star had a great game plan and came out and executed it perfectly. Hunter Hagler had 11 points in the first half, which was countered by 13 from the Eagles' Kaden Moore. North Star led 27-23 at the half.

That, coupled with some rough North Star turnovers, would get the Eagles to within two points, setting the stage for a banked in 3-pointer by Kade Schafer with nine seconds left, which was the game winner.

Kaden Moore had four very large baskets in the fourth quarter comeback and led all scorers with 21 points, followed by Berg with 16. Hagler had 20 for North Star. The Bearcats went 6 of

15 from the free throw line.

NORTH BORDER 54, NORTH STAR 52 NS -- 14 13 19 6 -- 52 NB -- 12 11 9 22 -- 54 North Border -- Kade Schafer 21, Brody Berg 16, Kade Schafer 7, Grant Cosley 6, Weston Cosley 3 North Star -- Hunter Hagler 20, Alec Pereyl 8, Ian Westlind 8, Kale Prouty 7, JD Duprezz 4, Levi Borstad.

North Star came out and extended their lead in the third quarter to 14 at 46-32. Brody Berg had all nine of North Border's points in quarter three.

The Bearcats game plan game apart in the fourth quarter, as they suddenly got impatient by taking quick shots.

This allowed the Eagles to slowly get back in the game. Hagler would foul out of the game with 42 seconds left.

Schaefer had 30 points in the game, which gave him an incredible 84 points for the tournament. Lee added 10 and Stremick nine. Madden Parisien had 28 points for St. John. The Cards won the game, despite going just 3 of 13 from the free throw line.

LANGDON-MUNICH 63, ST. JOHN 60 (OT) STJ -- 9 15 9 18 9 -- 60 LM -- 8 15 19 9 12 -- 63 Langdon-Munich -- Eastyn Schaefer 30, Jayden Lee 10, Maddux Stremick 9, Cody Amble 7, Tanner McDonald 4,

Levi Swanson drops in a basket against the Mustangs. Photo by Larry Stokke.

Tanner McDonald puts one in the hole from close range against the Midway-Minto Mustangs. Photo by Larry Stokke.

TJ Henderson dribbles around a St. John defender. Photo by Larry Stokke.

Jayden Lee shoots the ball over top Hunter Hagler. Photo by Larry Stokke.

Eastyn Schaefer drives down the lane, eyes the basket, and adds 2 points to the Cards' score against Midway/Minto. Photo by Larry Stokke.

The Cardinals bench and fans celebrate the winning shot. Photo by Larry Stokke.

Cody Amble drains a 3-point basket at the District Tournament in Park River.

Photo by Larry Stokke.

Seniors Cody Amble, Jacob Sanders and Jayden Lee pose with their 4th place finish at the District Tournament in Park Rover. Photo by Larry Stokke.

Maddux Stremick drains a 3-point basket.

Photo by Larry Stokke.

The Cardinals fans came ready to cheer on the team. Photo by Larry Stokke.

Sports

Friday, March 7, 2025 - Page B4

The Borderland Press

Blades boys take third, girls fifth at state tourneys

By Jake Kulland, Sports Editor

The end of the year Junior Gold boys and 19U girls state tournaments were both held in Minot at MAYSA Arena with the Junior Gold tourney running Feb. 27-March 1 and the 19U Feb. 28-March 2. The Blades boys were seeded fifth but ended up getting third place by beating Richland 6-2.

The 19U girls were seeded fifth and ended up taking fifth place, beating Crosby 1-0. Both teams finished their seasons with a victory. The boys do not have any seniors, so everyone will be back next year. The girls had two seniors who ended their high school hockey careers, Catelyn Goodman and Alora Berke. Congrats to both of them on great runs. Minot beat Grand Forks 4-3 for the Junior Hold title, and Watford City defeated Hazen Beulah 5-2 to win the girls championship.

The boys Junior Gold team started the tournament by playing Fargo, a team that they split with in the regular season. This would be an intense game all the way through. Langdon's Carter Mosher scored a goal midway through the second period on an assist by Ben Berg. The score stood that way until Landon Schneider clinched the 2-0 win with an empty netter late in the third. Ryder Moser made that stand up, getting a shutout with 19 saves; the Blades outshot Fargo 30-19.

In the semifinals, Langdon met the Minot Wolves, who were unbeaten on the season. They showed why, as they scored the game's first four goals before Ty Ramberg scored twice, once in the second and another in the third period. The first goal was assisted by Mosher and Schneider, and Berg collected his second assist of the tournament on the next score. Minot outshot Langdon 31-19 and won 5-2 with 14 saves from Moser.

The boys Blades last game of the tournament was their best and is hopefully a sign of things to come in future years. They scored the first four goals in this one.

Ramberg, Max Henderson, Kennen Forest and Keaton Ullyott all lit the lamp with Ramberg also collecting two assists.

Forest and Ramberg ensured the victory, each scoring in the third, and Berg got his third tournament assists. Richland outshot Langdon 30-29, but Moser made 28 big saves in the win.

For the girls, they played the top seed in the tournament, Hazen-Beulah to get things started.

Graci Witzel opened the scoring with a goal assisted by her sister, Sophie. H-B would then score twice before Colby Forest tied things up on an assist from Graci Witzel to tie the score at two going into the third. A very talented H-B team scored twice in the

The Girls 19U Team finished in 5th place at the state tournament. Photo by Jess Balsdon.

Anthony Askew and his son Eli showing patriotism to the flag at the beginning of the tournament on March 1.Photo by Joni Henderson.

The Jr. Gold team finished 3rd place at the 2024 NDAHA Junior Gold State Tournament.

Photo by Joni Henderson.

third to get the win. The Blades outshot H-B 35-25, and Ella Brekke had 21 saves in goal for Langdon.

19U Girls Hockey moms… and dad. Photo by Diane Simmons.

The next Blades game was played early in the morning on March 1, and Langdon just could not get going. They lost to Bottineau-Rugby 4-0 with B-R scoring all four goals in the first period. That set up Langdon to play for fifth place against Crosby on

March 2. A hard fought game was won by the Blades. Maci Witzel scored with just three seconds left in the first period, and Brekke made it stand up, stopping 12 shots and getting a shutout in the 1-0 victory. Langdon outshot Crosby 36-12.

The Borderland Press

Sports

Friday, March 7, 2025 - Page B5

Young Grizzlies compete in Youth Tournament

North Border Grizzly Laikyn Jacob takes on her Gator opponent. Photo by Larry Stokke.

North Border wrestler Gunner McKay taking on his opponent. Photo by Larry Stokke.

North Border Grizzle wrestler Malcolm Greenwood ties up his Gator and takes him to the mat.

Photo by Larry Stokke.

North Border wrestler Gunner McKay looks over at the referee while getting his opponent on his back for a pin. Photo by Larry Stokke.

A father with his young athlete showing Patriotism to the flag at the beginning of the tournament on March 1. Photo by Larry Stokke.

Sports

Friday, March 7, 2025 - Page B6

The Borderland Press

Jake’s Take on Sports in doing this, as everyone that witnessed the tourney is probably feeling the same way. We saw two overtime games, a comeback for the ages, buzzer beaters and more. You name it, you probably heard it, and we saw it.

By Jake Kulland, Sports Editor A wild and crazy ride in the District 3 Boys Basketball Tournament We begin this week with me still trying to get my head around what happened at the District 3 Boys Basketball Tournament, which was held Feb. 28-March 4. I’m sure I’m not alone

The Langdon-Munich Cardinals and North Border Eagles teams both have made it into the Region 2 Tournament, but there were several Maloxx Moments for both. The Cards won a basket at the buzzer over North Star in the first round, then survived an overtime win versus St. John to get a ticket to the regional. Langdon-Munich’s Eastyn Schaefer had 84 total points in three games in the tourney, and we all have keep telling ourselves that he’s just a freshman (!!).

For North Border, they lost their first game of the year in the tournament semifinals to Park River-FL, then it

looked like their season might come to an end in a region qualifier against North Star. Down 14 points in the fourth quarter, the Eagles amazingly came back and won on a late banked in 3-pointer by Kade Schafer. That got the Eagles to the regional tournament.

You have to feel bad for North Star, as they lost two tough games in the tourney, both by identical scores of 54-52.

You can’t make this stuff up. We are looking forward to the regional now, coming to Devils Lake March 10-13, as it should be just as wild, although it will be tough to match the district tourney.

Lady Cards heading to back to State B Tournament; 25th Anniversary of Magic Storm state champs part of festivities A big congratulations got out this week to the Langdon-Munich Cardinals girls basketball team, on making it back to the State B Tournament, which is

happening as this paper comes out, March 6-8. The Lady Cards had to battle through two tough games in the semifinals and championship of the Region 2 Tourney, but they got it done. Along with the good news of them making it to state, comes very bad news, as second leading scorer Avery Lorenz got injured in the title game on a freakish play. It was later determined that she tore her ACL ligament in her knee, and is done for the season. Avery loves the game of basketball (and volleyball as well), and we know she will attack her rehab and be back better than ever. It just sucks that she won’t be on the floor at the Jamestown Civic Center for the tournament games. We all wish her well.

Along with the State Tournament for the Lady Cards, as part of it is the 25th Anniversary of the 2000 Starkweather-Munich State Championship team, who went unbeaten to win the title at the Bismarck Civic Center. Rachel

Back Olson, the MVP of that tournament, told us that they will walk out at halftime of the third and fourth place game on March 8, then the team will have a reception at the Fairfield Inn in Jamestown that evening. Everyone is welcome to attend. We will have some interviews and pictures for both the Lady Cards and Magic Storm next week.

The Cards Aubrey Badding hit one of her three 3-pointers in the third quarter, and after Avery Lorenz got hurt in the first half, sophomore Erika Bakke came off the bench in the third and attacked the basket, scoring two key hoops in the third.

Kenner had 17 points for the Wildcats.

Track practice begins March 10 We will leave you by saying spring sports are almost here. Track practice for the Langdon-Munich Cardinals will begin on March 10 at 4:00pm, with Jane Hart back to be the head coach for both the boys and girls teams.

We don’t have definite word on when Pembina County North will begin practice, but will have that info in the weeks ahead. The Cards plan to host a number of track meets in April.

Turn your clocks ahead Saturday night, and “See ya!” next week!

Cont’d. From Page B1 LADY CARDS GO BACK TO THE STATE B!!!

Assists -- LM: 12 (Romfo, Badding 3); GM: 9 Steals -- LM: 18 (Loremz 5, Romfo 4); GM: 12 Turnovers -- LM: 20; GM: 30 Field goal percentage -- LM: 20/45 (44.4%); GM: 15/37 (40.5%) Free throw percentage -- LM: 15/16 (93.8%); GM: 1/3 (33.3%) Langdon-Munich 51, May-Port-C-G 44 In the tournament semifinals, the Lady Cards met up with the defending state champion Patriots, who were missing their leading scorer, Jordyn Carpenter, who was out with an ankle injury. You wouldn't know, however, as MPCG got eight points from point guard Kiaza Carlson in the first quarter. This helped give the Pats a 16-8 lead.

Trailing 24-18 at the halftime break, Langdon-Munich came out in a press defense in the third, which seemed to

ignite them. Hilary Haaven, who hit big shots all night, had eight in the third, as the Cardinals got the lead 36-31 going into the fourth quarter.

They never gave it up with Meredith Romfo and Avery Lorenz both hitting huge 3-pointers down the stretch.

Haaven had 19 points for the Cardinals, followed by Romfo with 14 and Lorenz 13. Aubrey Badding led the team with eight rebounds. Carlson finished with 19 for MPCG. LANGDON-MUNICH 51, MAY-PORT-C-G 44 MPCG -- 16 8 7 13 -- 44 LM -8 10 18 15 -- 51 Langdon-Munich -- Hilary Haaven 19, Meredith Romfo 14, Avery Lorenz 13, Aubrey Badding 3, Mikaela Olson 2 May-Port-C-G -- Kiaza Carlson 19, Hudson Zerface 13, Carrisa Muelller 6, Kylie Kroeplin 4, Payton Strand 2

Rebounds -- LM: 28 (Badding 8); MPCG: 30 (Mueller 8) Assists -- LM: 7; MPCG: 12 Steals -- LM: 7; MPCG: 6 Turnovers -- LM: 15; MPCG: 17 Field goal percentage -- LM: 18/49 (36.7%); MPCG: 17/47 (36.2%) Free throw percentage -- LM: 12.15 (80.0%); MPCG: 9/14 (64.3%) Langdon-Munich 51, Benson County 42 The Lady Cards looked to avenge a nine-point loss to the Wildcats earlier this season when they played BC. Langdon-Munich got off to a terrific start. They led 9-2 then 19-8 after the first quarter with five different players getting into the scorebook. BC went 8 for 10 from the free throw line in the second quarter, which allowed them to climb back to within three, 24-21, at the half.

Bakke made another basket in the fourth, and after Badding fouled out early in the fourth quarter, Taya Feist came off the bench. She - along with Mikaela Olson, Kemi Morstad, Hilary Haaven and Bakke - played great defense the rest of the way. Meredith Romfo made a very tough 3-pointer, which started a Lady Cards 9-0 run to end the game.

Romfo had 19 points to lead the team in scoring, followed by Badding with nine and Bakke with eight. The Cards held BC All-Region center Lacie Fautsch to just one basket. Aubrey

LANGDON-MUNICH 51, BENSON COUNTY 42 LM -- 19 5 12 15 -- 51 BC -8 13 12 9 -- 42 Langdon-Munich -- Meredith Romfo 19, Aubrey Badding 9, Erika Bakke 8, Avery Lorenz 7, Hilary Haaven 4, Kemi Morstad 3, Taya Feist 1 Benson County -- Aubrey Kenner 17, Kaitlyn Maddock 10, Lacie Fautsch 6, Addi Faul 6, Emma Fossen 3 Rebounds -- LM: 36 (Romfo 9, Badding, Morstad 5); BC: 27 (Fautsch 10) Assists -- LM: 8 (Romfo 3); BC: 4 Steals -- LM: 6 (Romfo 3); BC: 6 Turnovers -- LM: 20; BC: 12 Field goal percentage -- LM: 15/43 (34.0%); BC: 12/52 (23.1%) Free throw percentage -- LM: 14/22 (63.6%); BC: 15/21 (71.4%)

FirstLink is providing Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training FirstLink is proud to announce that we will be facilitating an Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) March 18-19, from 8:30am-4:30pm on both days. This interactive work-

shop teaches participants to recognize when someone may be at risk of suicide and work to create a plan that will support their immediate safety.

This workshop is going to be taking place in Fargo and will be offered at a discounted rate of $200! Make sure you register today at the button below so you don’t miss out.

FirstLink will also be providing a safeTALK training in March! This opportunity will be in person in Minot on March 21, and is scheduled to take place from 1pm-4:30pm. SafeTALK is a half-day training that helps participants recognize a person with thoughts of suicide and connect them with resources who can help them in choosing to live.

Thanks to a generous grant from Inspiritus, this training will be FREE to attend. Anyone 15 years of age or older can attend safeTALK! FirstLink will be providing a one-hour Suicide Risk Assessment (SRA) webinar on March 19. This webinar will run from 11am-12pm and is FREE to

attend thanks to an association with North Dakota’s State Suicide Prevention Program, funded by the ND Department of health and Human Services (HHS), Behavioral Health Division (BHD).

This training is meant to improve participant’s knowledge about suicide risk factors and assessing for acute suicide risk using the Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) screening tool.

Another virtual opportunity this month is “What Happens When You Call 988?” which will be held March 25 from 5pm6pm. This webinar is also associated with North Dakota’s State Suicide Prevention program, meaning it

is also FREE to attend!

This webinar provides information about FirstLink, the center responsible for answering the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline and 211 Information & Referral Helpline. This presentation will provide information on 988 and 211, as well as what actually happens on a 988 call and why to reach out.

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Public Notices

Friday, March 7, 2025 - Page B8

The Borderland Press

Cavalier County Commission Proceedings On February 20, 2025, at 8:30 a.m. the Board of Commissioners of Cavalier County, North Dakota, met at the Cavalier County Courthouse in regular session. Austin Lafrenz was not in attendance. The meeting began with the Pledge of Allegiance. Chairman Nick Moser called the meeting to order and proceeded as follows: Moser asked if there were any changes to the agenda. Greg Goodman made a motion to approve the agenda as presented, seconded by Shane Gallagher; motion carried. Shane Gallagher made a motion to approve the minutes, seconded by Stanley Dick; motion carried. Shane Gallagher made a motion to transfer $3,360.50 from Road & Bridge Fund to Road & Bridge Equipment Replacement Fund, seconded by Stanley Dick, motion carried.

Jeff Schneider, TR Waind Insurance Agency and Ryan Bachman, Mostad Insurance Services, Inc. met with the commissioners regarding their letters of interest for the county’s NDIRF/ Fire & Tornado Agent. Greg Goodman made a motion for TR Waind Insurance Agency to be the county’s agent for the next three years, seconded by Stanley Dick, motion carried. Terry Johnston, Road Supervisor; and Sheldon Romfo, Road Foreman; met with the commissioners for a department update. Chairman Moser signed the updated No Exposure Certification forms for stormwater permitting for the county shops presented by Johnston. There was discussion on two estimates for air exchangers for the Langdon shop. The monthly report of road operator hours was reviewed.

Multiple personnel issues in the road

department were discussed. The commissioners assured Romfo that he had full authority to do employee write-ups and terminations, if needed. It was decided that employees are not allowed to have dogs in any county building, effective immediately. Lisa Gellner, Auditor, stated she would send an email out to the employees informing them. After reviewing the ad for gravel/equipment bids, Greg Goodman made a motion to approve and publish the ad, seconded by Shane Gallagher, motion carried. Greg Goodman made a motion to approve a Beer and Liquor License for Walhalla Country Club, seconded by Shane Gallagher, motion carried. Stanley Dick made a motion to approve a raffle permit for the Pembina Gorge Foundation, seconded by Greg Goodman, motion carried. Matt Wright, Sheriff, met with the commissioners and reviewed his 2024 annual report. Josh Short, Weed Officer, met with the commissioners for a department update. The commissioners did interviews with the following engineers for road project SC-1006(079, PCN 23760 – County Highway 6 (CMC 1006) and County Highway 17 (CMC1017): Webster Foster & Weston Consulting Engineers and KLJ Engineering. Based on scores tallied during the interviews, Greg Goodman made a motion to approve KLJ Engineering for both projects, seconded

by Stanley Dick, motion carried. Greg Goodman made a motion to re-appoint Amy Kram to the NVHSZ Board, seconded by Stanley Dick, motion carried. The LED lighting grant was dis-

cussed. The commissioners decided to wait until Samson Electric was able to review the project. Greg Goodman made a motion, seconded by Shane Gallagher to review and approve the following audit of claims; motion carried: •FARMERS UNION OIL OF DEVILS LAKE | $2,213.80 | R&B •ERLING'S OIL, INC. | $532.04 | R&B •ND MATHCOUNTS | $60.00 | AUD •LISA GELLNER | $50.90 | AUD •STANLEY DICK | $463.40 | COMM •THE VILLAGE FAMILY SERVICE CENTER | $1,980.00 | GEN/NVHSZ •AMERICAS BEST VALUE INN & SUITES BISMARCK | $75.60 | TX DIR •JOHNSON CONTROLS FIRE PROTECTION LP | $1,799.06 | MAINT •SAMSON ELECTRIC LTD. | $16,000.00 | MAINT •LANGDON FIRE EQUIPMENT | $240.00 | MAINT •FARMERS UNION OIL CO | $287.25 | MAINT •BORDERLAND PRESS, INC. | $49.00 | TX DIR •CINDY STREMICK | $103.10 | COMM •DACOTAH PAPER CO. | $515.31 | MAINT •ND CLERKS ASSOCIATION | $100.00 | CLERK •PREMIUM WATERS, INC. | $38.97 | CLERK •ECOLAB INC. | $135.45 | MAINT •UNITED COMMUNICATIONS | $1,624.53 | GEN/R&B/VSO •COMPUTER EXPRESS | $3,860.99 | GEN/R&B •LANGDON CITY | $521.04 | GEN/R&B •INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY DEPT. | $4,726.99 | GEN/E-911 •BORDERLAND PRESS, INC. | $647.95 | GEN/R&B •OTTER TAIL POWER CO | $2,615.40 | GEN/R&B •CHRISTIE MOTOR SALES, INC. | $806.98 | SHERIFF •FARMERS UNION OIL CO | $3,449.21 |

SHERIFF •PEMBINA COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE | $2,790.00 | SHERIFF •BALCO UNIFORM CO. INC. | $149.23 | SHERIFF •JP MORGAN CHASE BANK | $705.03 | SHERIFF •PREMIUM WATERS, INC. | $63.93 | DISP •LEEVERS FOODS | $91.16 | SHERIFF •AUTO VALUE OF LANGDON | $291.98 | SHERIFF •COMPUTER EXPRESS | $575.00 | SHERIFF •EVERSPRING INN & SUITES | $99.00 | SHERIFF •AT&T MOBILITY | $1,189.48 | SHERIFF •DALLAS WITZEL | $3,630.00 | R&B •MAC'S HARDWARE | $3.37 | R&B •KLJ ENGINEERING LLC | $53,772.86 | PRAIRIE DOG/R&B •LITTLE FALLS MACHINE, INC. | $2,774.20 | R&B •CAVALIER RURAL ELECTRIC COOP. | $561.71 | R&B •PREFERRED AUTO BODY & GLASS | $380.34 | R&B •EUGENE FEIL | $21.38 | R&B •SHAWN AMUNDSON | $56.00 | R&B •JACOB ROMFO | $67.00 | R&B •FARMERS UNION OIL DEVILS LAKE | $769.84 | R&B •H.E. EVERSON | $339.03 | R&B •HOLIDAY INN OF FARGO | $495.00 | R&B/ NDSU EXT •AUTO VALUE OF LANGDON | $906.55 | R&B •DAHL TRUCK & AUTO | $1,140.83 | R&B •FARMERS UNION OIL CO | $6,699.13 | R&B •RICHARD'S WELDING, INC. | $6,879.00 | R&B •DUBOIS OIL CO.,INC | $2,751.14 | R&B •ERLING'S OIL, INC. | $2,116.31 | R&B •STEIN AUTO BODY, INC. | $758.68 | R&B •NORTHERN AIR | $167.00 | R&B •ND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ASSN. | $50.00 | EMG MGR •KAREN KEMPERT | $465.00 | EMG MGR •AMBER SCHNEIDER | $368.20 | EMG MGR •UNITED

COMMUNICATIONS | $67.10 | E-911 •VERIZON WIRELESS | $90.08 | EMG MGR •UNITED COMMUNICATIONS | $42.36 | EMG MGR •FARMERS UNION OIL CO | $41.14 | VSO •KATIE HENRY | $322.00 | NDSU EXT. •BISMARCK HOTEL AND CONF CTR | $330.00 | WEED •MIKKELSEN BROS CONST CO INC | $150.00 | WEED •JOSHUA SHORT | $492.00 | WEED •LANGDON CITY | $117.00 | SS •DIANA LAXDAL | $88.60 | NVHSZ •JEANETTE JOHNSON | $4.63 | NVHSZ •LERNA PAULSON | $21.00 | NVHSZ •PREMIUM WATERS, INC. | $41.95 | NVHSZ •LIFE SKILLS AND TRANSITION CENTER | $100.00 | NVHSZ •PEMBINA COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE | $60.00 | NVHSZ •CAVALIER COUNTY HEALTH | $100.00 | NVHSZ •US POSTAL SERVICES | $211.00 | NVHSZ •ASKEW FUNERAL HOMES | $7,000.00 | NVHSZ •WALSH COUNTY HIGHWAY DEPT | $583.65 | NVHSZ •INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY DEPT. | $56.25 | NVHSZ •QUALITY SPECIALTY PRODUCTS & PRINTING | $20.95 | NVHSZ •DALES BODY SHOP | $1,029.11 | NVHSZ •KIM RUDE | $15.43 | NVHSZ •BUSINESS ESSENTIALS | $1,054.72 | NVHSZ •CARL HOFFARTH | $300.00 | NVHSZ •XCEL ENERGY | $30.78 | NVHSZ •VERIZON WIRELESS | $1,365.93 | NVHSZ •VISA | $676.64 | NVHSZ At 12:30 p.m., Greg Goodman made a motion to adjourn the meeting, seconded by Shane Gallagher; motion carried.

Cavalier County, North Dakota Nick Moser – Chairman Attest: Lisa Gellner – Auditor

CALL FOR BIDS

Osnabrock Rural Fire Protection Call for bids on county road work, road work with man and machine as projects requiring larger quantities of District Annual Meeting crushing gravel, rental of equipment, follows: tractor with dozer; tractor with gravel. The board reserves the right to etc. Bids due March 13, 2025 at 4:00 p.m.

The Board of Commissioners of Cavalier County, North Dakota, will receive sealed bids at the office of the County Auditor, 901 3rd Street – Suite 15, Langdon, North Dakota, until March 13, 2025 at 4:00 p.m., on the following items as may be required to be done during the ensuing year: Purchase of gravel and shale; hauling of gravel and shale for county road resurfacing at the price per cubic yard per mile of hauling; gravel crushing;

scraper; back-hoes; fast movers; dragline work; snow blowing; or work to be performed with any other machinery to be specified in bids submitted.

Bids should also include the class of gravel, cost per yard from individual pit and other costs such as royalties, pumping, grubbing, clearing, etc. must be included directly in the bid price per yard. THESE BIDS WILL BE ADHERED TO WHEN COMMISSIONERS REQUEST WORK DONE. The county will contact contractors having submitted gravel bids for quotes on

reject any or all bids. Any questions can be directed to Terry Johnston, Road Supervisor, (701) 256-2161.

All weed control is the responsibility of the owner/operator. Owner/operator will control all weeds within the entire materials pit area, spraying the property lines of the materials pit area. This will include all stockpiles of product, regardless of origin. All questions regarding weed control can be referred to Cavalier County Weed Officer, Josh Short (701) 370-8927.

Monday, March 10, 10 a.m. | Osnabrock Fire Hall Election of Osnabrock and Easby Township Officers and ORFPD Officers.

All business will be addressed at this meeting.

Everyone is welcome!

NOTICE TO CREDITORS IN THE DISTRICT COURT OF CAVALIER COUNTY, STATE OF NORTH DAKOTA In the Matter of the Estate of Donna Delaine Devine, deceased NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Timothy J. Devine has been appointed as the Personal Representative of the Estate of Donna Delaine Devine. All persons having claims against the said deceased are required to present their claims within three (3) months after the date of the first publication of this notice or said claims will forever be barred. Claims must be presented to Timothy J. Devine, Personal Representative of the Estate of Donna Delaine Devine, ℅ Sandin Law, Ltd., 474 45th Street South, Fargo, North Dakota 58103, or filed with the court.

Dated this 3rd day of March, 2025.

Kristen Traiser, Attorney for Timothy J. Devine, Personal Representative of the Estate of Donna Delaine Devine First publication on the 7th of March, 2025

The Borderland Press

Public Notices

NOTICE OF MEETING OF LOCAL BOARDS NOTICE OF FILING OF EQUALIZATION DEADLINE Pursuant to NDCC 57-02-51, notice is hereby given that the following Boards of Equalization of the townships and cities in the County of Cavalier are set by century code to meet for the purpose of reviewing and correcting the assessments in the month of April. Please refer to actual date/time/location publications of township/city equalization meetings.

COUNTY BOARD EQUALIZATION MEETING must be held within the first 10 days of June.

CAVALIER COUNTY EQUALIZATION MEETING: June 3, 2025 – 9:00 a.m. at the Cavalier County Memorial Courthouse Commission Room, 901 3rd Street, Langdon, ND. Each taxpayer has the right to appear before the appropriate board of review or equalization and petition for correction of the taxpayer’s assessment.

Lisa Gellner County Auditor

MILL LEVY INCREASE

NOTICE OF SPECIAL ELECTION Notice is hereby given that on March 18, 2025 at 9:00 AM, at Munich Fire & Ambulance, 402 4th Ave, Munich, ND, in the Township of Henderson, Cavalier County, an election will be held in which the following question shall be submitted to the electors of Henderson Township: Shall Henderson Township levy taxes for a 5-year period commencing in 2025 through 2029, which shall exceed the legal limit by approximately $17,343.90 (18 mills), so that the taxes levied, instead of being approximately $17,343.90 (18 mills), which is the limit authorized by law, shall be approximately $34,687.80 (36 mills)? ( ) YES or ( ) NO By the Board of Supervisors of Henderson Township. Dated this 5th day of February, 2025. Douglas Klein - Clerk

Annual Meeting Notice

Legacy Cooperative Annual Meeting Tuesday, March 25th, 2025 at 6:00 p.m.

Rock Lake School Building The purpose of the meeting is to transact all business which may properly come before it. *Election of Directors *Door prizes *Dividends to be distributed *Meal to follow February 26th, 2025 Cordell Beaver, Secretary

NOTICE OF FILING DEADLINE FOR SCHOOL BOARD MUNICH SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 19

Notice is hereby given that on Tuesday, June 10, 2025 an annual election will be held for the purpose of electing members for the school board. One “city” position and two “rural” positions are up for re-election. The term is for three years.

The deadline for candidates to file is 4:00 p.m. on April 7, 2025. All materials can be picked up at the Munich School office.

NOTICE OF CANDIDATE FILING DEADLINE

Notice is herby given that the deadline for filing to have a candidate’s name printed on the ballot for the Langdon Area School District #23 is Monday, April 7th, 2025, by 4:00 p.m. The following offices are up for election: Two (2) rural at large seats with three (3) year terms One (1) city at large seat with a three (3) year term A candidate for a school district office must prepare and sign a document stating the candidate’s name and the position for which the individual is a candidate, and SFN 10172 State of Interests form. Both of these documents must be filed with the School District Business Manager for Langdon Area School District #23 by the above deadline date and time. All forms are available from either the School District Business Manager for Langdon Area School District #23 or may be obtained online at https://vip.sos.nd.gov/PortalListDetails.aspx?ptlhPKID=30&ptIPKID=3#content-start.

FOR ANNUAL ELECTION SET AT NORTH BORDER SCHOOL DISTRICT

The annual election for North Border School District #100 will be held on Thursday, June 5, 2025.

Any eligible resident of the school district may file to run for the board seat which represents the geographic area of the district in which they reside. A person must be at least 18 years old, be a resident of North Dakota, and have lived in the school district for at least 30 days prior to the election to be eligible.

Terms of current school board members that are ending this year (June 30, 2025) are: Kirk Morrison, who represents Neche (3-year term) and DeWilliam Moore, who represents Pembina (3-year term).

Applications for nomination may be obtained from the school offices in Pembina and Walhalla. The deadline to file an application to run for school board member is Wednesday, April 2, 2025, at 4:00 p.m. in the office of the business manager at the Walhalla School. **Reminder: Voters are required to show identification at the polling place that includes the individual’s residential address and date of birth.

Any questions may be directed to the Business Manager at 549-3751 ext.

213.

MILL LEVY INCREASE

NOTICE OF SPECIAL ELECTION Notice is hereby given that on March 18, 2025 at 9:00 AM, at Joel Jacobson Shop, 11681 99th St NE, Langdon, ND, in the Township of Loam, Cavalier County, an election will be held in which the following question shall be submitted to the electors of Loam Township: Shall Loam Township levy taxes for a 5-year period commencing in 2026 through 2030, which shall exceed the legal limit by approximately $11,295.70 (10 mills), so that the taxes levied, instead of being approximately $20,332.26 (18 mills), which is the limit authorized by law, shall be approximately $31,627.96 (28 mills)? ( ) YES or ( ) NO By the Board of Supervisors of Loam Township. Dated this 3rd day of March, 2025. Randy Rude - Clerk

Friday, March 7, 2025 - Page B9

DAKOTA DATEBOOK: Churchs Ferry March 10, 2025 – Located along U.S. Highway 2 west of Devils Lake, the town of Churchs Ferry has struggled to remain intact. To passersby, at first glance, Churchs Ferry appears to be abandoned.

Those who live nearby have witnessed the rising waters of Devils Lake creeping into Churchs Ferry, threatening, and eventually engulfing many of the town’s houses and buildings.

On this date in 1888, the Devils Lake Inter-Ocean reported on the town’s namesake, Irvine Church. He lay deathly ill in his home, but would thankfully go on to make a miraculous recovery.

Arriving in 1883, Irvine Church was among the first settlers in the area near the Mauvais Coulee, a streambed where furious waters flowed.

French fur-trappers found this deep ravine difficult to cross. Irvine Church established a ferry, allowing settlers to cross the barrier to make their way to Devils Lake, the nearest town. A little community arose near the coulee and it took the name of Church’s business.

But the ferryboat enterprise did not last long, for the Mauvais Coulee dried up altogether in the late 1890s.

History lost track of Mr. Church, but it is known that he left his little town and pursued life in California, where he died in 1925.

Today, little of Churchs Ferry still stands. Only five residents live there, a major decline from 110 in 1999. Almost all the people accepted federal funds to move their houses into nearby towns. As the water kept rising, several buildings were destroyed, including Zion Lutheran Church. Eventually the water receded, and now only the building on higher ground remains.

As drivers pass by Churchs Ferry and glance over a sea of cattails, it is unnerving to realize that the water Irvine Church’s ferryboat once navigated had risen to decimate his little town.

Dakota Datebook written by Michelle Holien “Dakota Datebook” is a radio series from Prairie Public in partnership with the State Historical Society of North Dakota and with funding from the North Dakota Humanities Council. See all the Dakota Datebooks at prairiepublic.org, subscribe to the “Dakota Datebook” podcast, or buy the Dakota Datebook book at shopprairiepublic.org.

Friday, March 7, 2025 - Page B10

The Borderland Press

February’s Art Student of the Month

Cont’d. From Page A1 Fundraisers continue for new Walhalla Swimming Pool ing Committee has raised $269,000 through their grassroots efforts. They are over 10% of their way to their $2 million dollar goal. Now that they have seed funds raised, they are beginning to pursue various grants and matching fundraisers which Trupe says will be a big help to their cause.

"We're determined to make this happen," Trupe said. "This pool is going to be a real asset for our community, and we're grateful for all the support we've received so far. It's going to be sharp when it's done!"

Folks like up after bingo to grab their loaded baked potatoes. Photo by Hilary Nowatzki.

Trump, DOGE policies see strong support among likely North Dakota voters

Respondents on the fence regarding Gov. Armstrong, state legislature performance

By Michael Standaert, North Dakota News Cooperative North Dakotans strongly support the job President Donald Trump has done in his first month of office but are less enthusiastic about early efforts closer to home from state lawmakers, according to a new statewide poll.

Charlotte Haaven is a fifth grader at Munich Public School. She is the daughter of Andy and Kelly Haaven. Congratulations on being NLAC’s Art Student of the Month, Charlotte!

Cont’d. From Page A1 Unsung heroes building. Courtney and Kelvin Clouse said they were simply driving downtown when they saw the smoke. Once they learned there were still possibly people and pets inside, they rushed to action as well.

“There's no hallway that goes from front to back in the building, so you have to go either in the front door or the back door to get everybody. So he was kind of working in the back, and we went in the front to try to help the two ladies get out,” Courtney said. “[It was] adrenaline, I guess. I don't know, you just kind of do what you have to do.”

Courtney said that by the time all of the tenants were out, the entire house had filled with smoke. Sadly, no one was aware that Larson had two dogs trapped in his upstairs apartment until it was too late. However, the remaining tenants were able to save their pets with the help of these selfless individuals.

Drown, the RN from LPH and Maple Manor, would later be admitted to the hospital himself for CO2 poisoning due to the amount of time he spent in the smoke filled building.

“He was closer to flames for longer than me, and I made him go to hospital. He had CO2 poisoning and had to stay the night,” Romfo said.

Drown was released the next morning and is recovering well.

While these individuals are being praised for their heroic acts, they all say that they were simply, “doing what they had to do.”

“I keep hearing that but as far as I’m concerned, hero or not, that’s irrelevant. I think the focus should be making sure everyone is okay, and the majority of that focus needs to be on Chris and making sure he’s pulling through. I appreciate people saying that,” said Rannacher. “You just do what you gotta do.”

According to Cavalier County Sheriff Matt Write, the investigation has found the fire to have started in the second floor of the building, but they are unsure of the source. Investigators have included that the fire appears accidental in nature. Larson remains hospitalized in Minnesota and is reportedly still in an induced coma and remains in critical condition.

The poll of 500 likely voters across North Dakota showed a majority of 52% approved of the work the Trump administration is doing, while 32% disapproved. The largest proportion, at 42%, strongly approved of the president’s handling of the top issues facing the country over the past month.

Likewise, 56% said the 47th president’s executive orders and policy decisions during his first month in office were either excellent or good. Another 36% thought his decisions were either not good or poor.

work.

In the 2024 presidential election, the tandem of Trump and now-Vice President J.D. Vance secured 66.96% of the over 360,000 votes cast in the state.

On the fence locally The poll, commissioned by the North Dakota News Cooperative between Feb. 27 and Mar. 2 as 69th Legislative Assembly broke for its mid-session recess, paints a more murky picture for local politics with some negative sentiment emerging on legislator performance and approval.

A strong portion, at 35%, said they disapproved of how it handled issues they care about the most. Another

bills that did move forward include the elimination of daylight saving time and a bill that would end funding for public radio.

As for Gov. Kelly Armstrong, an overwhelming proportion of respondents said it is too early to tell how he is performing, with 73% on the fence about his policies just two months into his term.

The largest portion of 10% strongly approved of his performance so far.

Of poll respondents, 76% definitely plan to vote, 14% probably plan to vote and only 3% said they would not vote at all in the 2026 mid-term elections. Of those participating, 48% self-identified as Republican, 20% as Democrat, and 30% as Independent.

Likely voters also overwhelmingly approve of the work the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led

by Elon Musk, Tesla and SpaceX mogul and the world’s richest man - is doing in auditing federal government agencies.

This includes support for searching for corruption, canceling or renegotiating contracts, laying off government employees and downsizing or cutting government programs.

A total of 59% supported the efforts of DOGE, while 33% disapproved. The largest portion, at 51%, strongly approved of the Musk-led department’s

large segment, or 23%, strongly disapproved of how legislators handled issues in the first half of the session.

A total of 39% said it was too early to say how the current legislature is performing.

The legislature has tackled a range of issues since the start of January, from property taxes and school choice to other hot-button issues relating to topics like gender, sexuality and reproductive rights.

There were also several topics related to religion, including a resolution to recognize the kingship of Jesus Christ to a bill requiring the 10 Commandments to be displayed in schools. Neither of those passed. Controversial

The North Dakota Poll, conducted by leading polling firm WPA Intelligence, surveyed 500 eligible and likely voters and has a margin of error of +/- 4.4%.

The poll surveyed roughly equal numbers of men and women, as well as equally from the eastern and western halves of the state.

The North Dakota News Cooperative is a non-profit news organization providing reliable and independent reporting on issues and events that impact the lives of North Dakotans. The organization increases the public’s access to quality journalism and advances news literacy across the state.

For more information about NDNC or to make a charitable contribution, please visit newscoopnd.org.

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