Cardinals, Grizzlies
compete at State Cross Country Meet,
Pg. B2
The official newspaper of Cavalier County Theborderlandpress.com
In this issue:
Friday, October 31, 2025
Volume 4, Number 43
A bakery with no name but a lot of heart
From forgotten walls to fresh bread - transforming a historic Neche building into a lively bakery and merchant shop By Hilary Nowatzki
News: Pembina County 4-H celebrates with luau and awards celebration, Pg. A2
Ag: Stop the Bleed/Farm Safety event held at the Langdon Research Center, Pg. A3
Once known as the Old Western Bar at 626 E 6th Street in Neche, this building with a rich history will house another business setting up shop soon. Formerly known as ‘Laura Needs a Name Bakery,’ Laura Johnson, a small town baker with a big dream, is ready to have her personal kitchen back to herself. “I originally created the Laura Needs a Name Baking because you have to give yourself a name, and I didn't have one. So it was just really quirky. I didn't think it was going anywhere. You know, this is just a fun little hobby,” said Johnson. “And then next thing you know, it's getting so busy, I feel like I need to get an LLC.”
Cancer Crusaders kick off final fundraiser for the year President reflects on another record-setting year thanks to generous community By Hilary Nowatzki
Although they have one more fundraiser for the calendar beginning on Nov. 1, the Cavalier County Cancer Crusaders are reflecting with gratitude on another incredible year. The group is a nonprofit which raises funds that go directly to individuals with cancer or who are undergoing cancer treatment. Checks are written quarterly by the organization, no questions asked. “We’re a group that’s helping our own people,” said Kathy Muhs, founder and president of the Cavalier County Cancer Crusaders. “All our donations stay in Cavalier County to help Cavalier County people.” Just this last quarter, 40 checks were sent to residents battling cancer in Cavalier County. Since their inception in 2017, the Crusaders have assisted over 120 families. Muhs said both their annual spring and fall rummage sales were successful, with numbers breaking records at their spring event. Muhs wanted to express her deep thanks not only to the volunteers who work relentlessly at the rummage sales but also all the area businesses which are sure to keep the group fed and fueled. “It just takes a lot of work, so thank you to the many volunteers that help cont’d. on page B5
She went from offering simple cookies and banana bread to homemade French bread with three different flavors, make your own cookie sets, and numerous other specialty goodies.
“I continued to buy bigger cookie sheets and larger bags of flour and sugar and powdered sugar,” Johnson explained. “I buy about 28 to 32 pounds of butter at a time, 25 to 50 pounds of flour at a time, 25 to 50 pounds of sugar at a time, Not wanting to include her own name 28 pounds of powdered sugar at a on the LLC, she settled for ‘No Name time, and I go through it, and it alBakery LLC’ and has been busy as ways surprises me.” a bee since she got her start at the Cavalier Farmers Market back when it was originally hosted near the Cenex. Her baked goods were a hit with locals, and she’s been hard at work filling orders from her home while operating under North Dakota Cottage Law for the last couple of years. Johnson moved here in 2018 from Arizona and was, at the time, a stay at home mother of a young two-year-old daughter. She said her biggest inspirations when it came to baking were her mother-in-law and her husband.
Region: Hoople resident appointed to North Dakota Council on the Arts board, Pg. A10
those orders,” said Johnson. “Then sometimes I'd fill an order in between the week. I started expanding what items I offered.”
“When we moved in together, he was missing the way of cooking he grew up with, so I started learning how to make recipes from his family over the phone with his mom,” Johnson said. Once she had mastered Great-grandma Trainer’s sweet dinner rolls, she said her baking career “bloomed from there.” At first, Johnson said she attended the Cavalier Farmers Market as a way for her to not only share her tasty goods but to also get out and get to know people. Little did she know how big of a positive response she would get from her involvement. “People would ask if they could order ahead for next week, and I would fill
That’s a lot of ingredients for a kitchen in a family home, and Johnson said that when she bakes now, the entire house is utilized for space. “I've outgrown my kitchen. I'd say I have a rather large house and dining room, but whenever I bake, I take over the kitchen, the dining room, all the counters and tables. I have extra tables and even our laundry room,” Johnson said with a chuckle. “It'll be really nice to get my house opened back up with all of these big pieces out of here.” That won’t be the case for much longer though, now that Johnson has purchased the old Western Bar. The building itself holds a rich history, with Johnson finding dates ranging all the way back to 1820 in the building’s abstract. “It was a smaller building where they would make harnesses and stuff for horses way back when,” Johnson noted. “We've got dates from 1820, 1881, like in the first couple of pages, then 1895 where it just talks about the change of hands of the deed, but it's really interesting getting to see all these names here as far back as they go.” Johnson plans to display the history of
Laura Johnson plans to turn this former bar and historic building in Neche into a bakery and merchant shop. She hopes to have her doors open by the summer of 2026.
the building on panels within its walls to preserve the memories of the past of the soon to be bakery. Remodeling the building has come with its challenges for Johnson. The space was very cluttered and had been lived in at some point. Tarps covered sections of walls, while others were busted out. The carpet had seen far better days, and there was no power, electricity, or running water. With elbow grease and tenacity, Johnson’s space is starting to open up before her eyes. “I'm working on tearing it all apart. I had a big, 32-foot dumpster out there, and I dumped out as much as I could from that place, and now I'm down to carrying out cabinets, the wood paneling on the walls, the drop ceiling that's up there, taking that out,” she explained. “So, I mean, it's getting down to being just an open space.” On paper, 2022 is the last year the
bar was operational, but Johnson said she thinks it may have been closed since the beginning of Covid-19. However, she hopes to have the doors wide open and scents of freshly baked loaves wafting out the windows by the summer of 2026.
“I can't wait to have people walk in the door. I think it's going to be really lovely to get to see people just come into a space that I got to create and see them enjoy that space,” Johnson described. “It's kind of like having guests over for a holiday meal - I think is what it's going to feel like.” Fresh loaves and baked goodies won’t be the only thing available in the new bakery. She’s also hoping the space will be utilized for things such as birthday parties, cookie classes or simply cont’d. on page A5
From lemonade stand to haunted house
Maxum Mostad, along with family and friends, raise over $110,000 for Frost Fire Park By Rebecca Davis
What started as a simple lemonade stand run by an eight-year-old boy has grown into one of Frost Fire Park’s most anticipated fall traditions. After six years of fundraising, including five years of frights, Maxum’s Haunted House has officially closed its doors, raising an astounding $110,000 in total for Frost Fire Park. The project began when Maxum, then just eight years old, asked his mom if he could open a lemonade stand. Brittanie initially said no until her son suggested donating the proceeds to Frost Fire Park. “I never once thought we’d have a $10,000 lemonade stand,” she laughed. “But that’s exactly what happened.” The following year, when Brittanie told her son he’d have to come up with
a new idea, Maxum immediately replied, “I want to do a haunted house.” With the encouragement of his grandmother, the idea came to life in their family garage — and quickly became a community favorite. Over the years, the haunted house outgrew the garage and even the Langdon Activity Center, where it once expanded into a full-fledged fall festival complete with food, bouncy houses, and a cake walk. Eventually, the event found its perfect eerie home: an abandoned convent at Frost Fire Park, a building with a history as both housing for nuns and later staff accommodations for the park’s original owners. “The house is basically condemned,” Brittanie explained. “It smells old, the floorboards creak, and there are cobwebs everywhere — it’s perfect for a haunted house. We’ve even cut holes cont’d. on page A6
The team of ‘scarers’ who helped make the haunted house fundraiser a frightening success. Photo courtesy of Sam Beck.