Community: Meet the newest administrator at St. Alphonsus school, Pg. A5
Views from the Borderland: Check out our photo coverage of the Peterson Hare Scramble, Pg. B8
Rendezvous Region Tourism Council to hold Third Annual Rendezvous Event
Cavalier, N.D.
– The Rendezvous Region Tourism Council will host its third Annual Rendezvous Event, which will honor winners of the “Best of the Rendezvous Region” competition.
The event begins at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 17 at the Hoople Community Center in Hoople.
A light lunch will be served, and attendees will have the opportunity to network. Kyle Gagner, motivational speaker from Cavalier, will deliver an energizing keynote message. Terry Hinnenkamp, representing the Rendezvous Region Tourism Council and known to many as “Rat” from Maverick 105, will emcee the awards ceremony.
The annual "Best of the Rendezvous Region" competition recognizes and celebrates outstanding businesses, events, and attractions that contribute to the growth and vitality of the region.
This event is free and open to the public. Both members and non-members are encouraged to attend.
To reserve your spot at the Annual Rendezvous, please RSVP to Angelle French by Monday, Sept. 15 at angelle@redriverrc.com.
Follow this link to see previous winners:https://rendezvousregion.com/ bestof.html
N.D. tribes officially ask US Supreme Court to review redistricting case involving Cavalier County
By Mary Steurer/North Dakota Monitor
Two North Dakota tribes and a group of tribal citizens formally petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court last week to review an appeals court decision that found they cannot sue the state of North Dakota for alleged voter discrimination.
The tribes say that the decision, if allowed to go into effect, would not only limit their representation in the North Dakota Legislature but be a detriment to racial equality across all seven states in the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals. Private groups in these states would no longer be able to challenge state or local governments for alleged racially discriminatory voting practices.
The tribes’ lawsuit, filed in 2022, accuses a legislative district map adopted by North Dakota lawmakers in 2021 of unlawfully diluting the power of Native American voters. The plaintiffs — the Spirit Lake Nation, Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa and three tribal citizens — claim that the map caused them to lose representation in the state Legislature.
While U.S. District Court Judge Peter Welte in a 2023 ruling agreed with the tribes and in early 2024 put an alternate map in place, the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals overturned his decision in May. The appellate court concluded that the tribes do not have standing to bring the case because a law they used to bring it, known as Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, can only be enforced by the U.S. Department of Justice. Section 2 makes it illegal to limit someone’s voting rights on the basis of race.
The plaintiffs have been open about their intent to appeal this decision to the Supreme Court since early July,
though Tuesday’s petition makes their request official.
“The idea that we don’t have the right to advocate for ourselves and for fair voting is undemocratic and goes against the principles that our country was founded on,” Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Chair Jamie Azure said in a Tuesday news release announcing the petition’s filing.
The state of North Dakota wants the 8th Circuit’s decision to stand. In previous court filings, attorneys for the state argued that private plaintiffs should not be allowed to destabilize state district maps. The state maintains that the 2021 map is not discriminatory.
The 8th Circuit is the only appellate circuit to rule that private plaintiffs cannot enforce Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. The court originally made this finding in a 2023 case, though the May decision reaffirmed and solidified the position.
The tribes argue that Congress had always intended for private citizens to be able to file lawsuits under the statute.
They also say the federal government cannot be counted on to police racial discriminatory voting practices on its own. The petition cites research that indicates the vast majority of cases brought under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act over the past several decades were filed by private groups like the tribes.
The U.S. Supreme Court has hinted that it may be interested in hearing the case in its upcoming term. In July, the justices agreed to prolong a temporary freeze on North
QPR Suicide Prevention Training to be held in Langdon
NDSU Extension
Cavalier County is offering a Question, Persuade, Refer Suicide Prevention Training (QPR) during Suicide Prevention Awareness Month.
Research indicates the suicide rate is significantly higher for those working in agriculture and living in rural areas.
The QPR training will provide participants with skills to recognize warning signs of a mental health crisis or suicidal thinking and to respond in an appropriate and supportive way.
The session will be in person at United Lutheran Church in Langdon from 5:30-7:00pm on Sept. 23, 2025. Registration is required to ensure space
and supply availability. Attendance is limited to the first 30 registrants. This session is for ages 18+. Light snacks will be provided.
The QPR session will be facilitated by NDSU Extension Agent Katie Henry, a trained QPR facilitator. It is offered free of charge through a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Anyone interested in attending is urged to register early. You can register by using the QR code found on the flyer, using the link (https://forms. gle/KX33qsgBR517MXBA6), or by calling our office (256-2560). Registration deadline is Sept. 18, 2025.
The Cavalier County Cancer Crusaders to host Fall Rummage Sale
Donation drop off: 10a.m.-6p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 14 Sunday, Sept. 15
Sale dates: 10a.m.-6p.m.
Tuesday, Sept. 16
Wednesday, Sept. 17
Thursday, Sept. 18
Friday, Sept. 19 → Bargain Bag Day!
Saturday, Sept. 20 → Bargain Bag Day!
Interested in volunteering? Simply show up at the Langdon American Legion building downtown!
Please, gently used items only. No car seats, computers, printers, TVs, or exercise equipment.
legislative district map, which prevents the appellate court’s decision from taking effect.
This means that for the time being, voters in the 8th Circuit can still bring private lawsuits under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. It also indicates that North Dakota will likely keep Welte’s map in place for the 2026 election.
Background
The lawsuit concerns two voting districts in northern North Dakota — District 9 and District 15.
Before the Legislature adopted the 2021 map, District 9 followed the boundaries of Rolette County. The county includes the Turtle Mountain Reservation and in 2020 had a voting age population that was 74% Native American, according to the Tuesday
in the Senate.
Redistricting happens at least every 10 years to adjust district lines following the U.S. census. In 2021, North Dakota discovered it had to change the boundaries of District 9 to meet the minimum population requirement.
The 2021 map approved by the Legislature made District 9 bigger by adding Cavalier County and part of Towner Country. The district was also divided into two subdistricts, which each elected one representative to the House. District 9A was majority Native American and included most of Rolette County, including the Turtle
Homecoming Court
Dakota’s
petition. Richard Marcellais, former chair of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa, for years represented the district
Legislators attending a Redistricting Committee meeting Dec. 13, 2023, look at maps of different proposals. (Photo by Kyle Martin/For the North Dakota Monitor)
The 2025 Homecoming Court: Back row (L-R) Theo Romfo and Mya Johnson; third row: Keaton Ullyott and Madelyn Crump; second row: Sam Davis and Chloe Ottem; front row: King Brayden Harris and Queen Emma Hetler. Photo by Larry Stokke.
Cavalier County K-9 assists in arrests
By Nick Vorlage
Law enforcement in Cavalier County have arrested two people on drug and theft charges. Investigations began on Sept. 2 when two vehicles and a mower were reported to have been stolen from a residence on Ninth Avenue in Langdon. The residence had been vacant since around 2008, and the items were taken “in the middle of the day” according to a report.
A neighboring resident provided details to law enforcement, including a description of the suspect’s vehicle. They also claimed they spoke to the person taking the vehicles, who allegedly told them they worked for a company which inspects foreclosed houses. After some investigating
From Page A1
by the Sheriff’s Department, it was found there was no lien or mortgage on the house, and there would be no reason for an “inspector” to be there.
The vehicle was then spotted returning to the home on Sept. 3. Law enforcement soon arrived to speak with the driver, Mark West Lennon, 42, of Grand Forks. He would be accompanied by Amanda Lynn Roper, 31, of Lake Bronson.
Court documents report Lennon told officers he had a work order to take the vehicles and inspect the house but was unable to provide any documentation.
During the investigation, officers deployed the department’s K9, Reign, to inspect Lennon’s vehicle. With Reign’s assistance, officers allegedly found used drug paraphernalia in the vehicle and on Roper, as well as a small bag of suspected methamphetamine on Lennon.
Lennon was arrested for meth and drug paraphernalia possession, as well as theft of property between $1,000-$10,000 - all Class-C felonies. Roper would be arrested on a Class-A drug paraphernalia possession misdemeanor. Bond hearings for both were held last Thursday.
tribes officially ask US Supreme Court to review redistricting case involving
Mountain Reservation. District 9B included a small portion of northern Rolette County, plus Cavalier County and most of Towner County, which made the subdistrict mostly white.
The plaintiffs argue that this made it much harder for Native voters in the district to elect leadership of their choice.
In 2022, Marcellais lost his bid for reelection, marking the first time since 1990 that there were no Native Americans serving in the Senate, the petition states. District 9 only elected one lawmaker backed by the tribes — Rep. Jayme Davis, a Turtle Mountain citizen who represented District 9A. Davis is also a Turtle Mountain citizen.
Preliminary hearing held for Edinburg man
A preliminary hearing was held Monday morning in Northeast District Court for David Rodger Lindell, 66, of Edinburg. Lindell was arrested by officials in late May of this year and charged with corruption of a minor and sexual assault with the alleged crimes happening on Memorial Day. Lindell’s next court appearance has been scheduled for Nov. 5.
North Dakota eyes nuclear energy Lawmakers in North Dakota have begun to look at the possibility of bringing nuclear energy to the Peace Garden state. Last Wednesday, the Advanced Nuclear Energy Committee held their first meeting in Bismarck to discuss the potential need for the energy source. A large factor into this interest is due to the increase in demand brought on by data centers.
Grafton woman faces charges
A Grafton woman is facing criminal charges in Fargo. Amanda Nicole Obregon, 36, was arrested earlier this week after officers spotted her allegedly heating up methamphetamine in a pipe. When ordered to surrender, Obregon allegedly fought back. It reportedly took three officers to restrain her. Her preliminary hearing is scheduled for Oct. 9.
The Spirit Lake Reservation also opposed the 2021 district map. Over the objections of its leaders, it was placed in District 15, which only had a Native American voting population of about 23%, the petition states. District 15 also did not elect any candidates preferred by Native American North Dakotans in 2022, the plaintiffs argue.
The Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa and Spirit Lake Nation’s 2022 lawsuit argued the maps denied them proper representation and asked to be placed in the same voting district. Welte, the North Dakota federal district judge, granted the plaintiffs’ request. His map, imposed in January 2024, places the two reservations into District 9. In the 2024 election,
News briefs
From The Borderland News Center
Grafton Corn Maze opens Residents across the Borderland and the Northern Red River Valley are being invited out to the opening weekend of the Grafton Corn Maze. Located on 715 West 5th Street, the maze will be open 11-6 on Saturdays and 1-6 on Sundays.
Devils Lake woman arrested A bond hearing was held Monday morning in Northeast District Court for Chassidy Aliyah Driver, 20, of Devils Lake. According to court documents, Driver was arrested on Sunday after allegedly striking a three-year-old in the face multiple times with a basketball. Driver faces charges including child abuse as well as an alcohol-related infraction.
Armstrong sends letter to DC Governor Kelly Armstrong has sent a letter to Washington, DC requesting a major disaster declaration for the
three Native American candidates from that district were elected to the state Legislature: Marcellais, Davis and Rep. Collette Brown, a citizen of the Spirit Lake Nation and plaintiff in the lawsuit. All three are Democrats.
Until 1922, North Dakota didn’t allow Native Americans to vote unless they “severed their tribal relations” and assimilated to white culture, according to the petition. The first Native American wasn’t elected to the state Legislature until 1970, it notes.
North Dakota Monitor reporter Mary Steurer can be reached at msteurer@ northdakotamonitor.com.
LASD school board searches for two new members following resignations
By Nick Vorlage
The Langdon Area School Board is currently looking for new members after two members have resigned. The specifics behind these resignations has not been given, but it would be alluded to that they were due to negative pressure from parts of the community.
“The criticism that comes and the venom that comes towards individuals trying to do their best is a difficult thing,” said LAS Superintendent Daren Christianson
Christianson said he's thankful for those willing to step up and serve on the board, as the position can be a difficult one.
“It takes a unique person willing to take the responsibility, take the heat, take the criticism, and all those things that come with,” Christianson stated.
Christianson said the board has the authority to appoint members until the next election.
“We could hold a special election, but it costs 1,000s of dollars to do an election,” Christianson stated. “The intention of the board at this time is to appoint those positions.”
All applications to be considered for the two positions, one rural and one at-large, on the school board must be submitted by Sept. 15.
Former Cavalier Water Board secretary submits not guilty pleas
By Nick Vorlage
Kensi Ann Breyer, 36, the former secretary for the Cavalier County Water Resource Board, has waived her preliminary hearing rights and submitted not guilty pleas to the charges laid before her.
Breyer’s hearing was originally scheduled for last Wednesday. In May, she was charged with misapplication of entrusted property valued between $10,000-$50,000 and tampering
with public records.
Court records indicate that between January 2020 to August 2024 Breyer allegedly used over $48,000 of the Water Resources Board’s funds to pay for her own insurance premiums then entered false entries into the board’s financial records.
Breyer’s next court appearance has been scheduled for Nov. 20.
N.D. Supreme Court hears case against Fordville man
By Nick Vorlage
Last Friday afternoon, the North Dakota Supreme Court was scheduled to hear oral arguments in regards to a recent court decision which could impact the case against Travis Dean Bell, 44, of Fordville.
breath test was administered, which indicated Bell was driving while under the influence of alcohol.
storms which slammed through parts of the state on Aug. 7 and 8. The declaration would encompass seven counties including Grand Forks and Nelson counties. The storm system caused infrastructure damage estimated at over $5.5 million.
Grand Forks woman accused of third degree murder Grand Forks resident Rachel Keturah Boswell, 44, is facing criminal charges across the state border in East Grand Forks, including third-degree murder. Court records allege Boswell sold fentanyl to a 20-year-old woman who was found deceased on the morning of Aug. 19. The victim is suspected to have died after overdosing on the drugs Boswell sold her. Boswell made her first court appearance on Tuesday. Her next court appearance is scheduled for Sept. 18.
Designs sought for “I Voted” stickers For those artistically inclined, North Dakota Secretary of State Michael Howe has announced his office will soon begin to accept designs for the state’s next round of “I Voted” stickers. A panel of judges will determine the winning entry, which will be used during the June 26 primary vote. The entry submission window will run from Sept. 15 through Nov. 15.
On June 4, 2024, Bell rear-ended a vehicle outside of Grand Forks on Highway 2, which seriously injured the driver and ultimately ended the life of the driver’s six-year-old daughter. Hours after the crash, a chemical
In March of this year, Judge Ted Sandberg would order that the test could not be used in Bell’s case, claiming Bell was coerced into taking the test.
Bell is accused of criminal vehicular injury and criminal vehicular homicide. In this case, a DUI charge against Bell was never filed.
North Dakota ‘Out of the Darkness Community Walk’ fights suicide in 2025
Suicide is the 11th leading cause of death in the United States, yet suicide can be prevented. The North Dakota Out of the Darkness Community Walk fights for suicide prevention in 2025. The Out of the Darkness Community Walk is held annually in 11 communities in September and is hosted by the North Dakota Chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. The walks will be held in Bismarck, Carrington, Devils Lake, Dickinson, Fargo, Lisbon, Minot, Valley City, Wahpeton, Watford City, and Williston. Dates for each of the walks are: First weekend: Sunday, Sept. 7: Carrington: afsp.org/Carrington Minot: afsp.org/Minot Williston: afsp.org/Williston
Second weekend: Saturday, Sept. 13: Watford City: afsp.org/WatfordCity
This incredible day of support to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s provides funds for mental health research and prevention edu-
cation programs across the state of N.D. and advocacy and support for loss survivors in our N.D. communities.
Register for one of the N.D. Out of the Darkness Community Walks by going to our registration website; register today! Links for each site are above or all can be found at our North Dakota Chapter page: afsp.org/NorthDakota
“Suicide touches one in five American families. We hope that by joining us and providing your support to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention we will draw attention to this issue and keep other families from experiencing a suicide loss. Our ultimate goal is to save lives and bring hope to those affected by suicide,” said Janet Harvey, fundraising manager for the Dakotas, American Foundation of Suicide Prevention.
In North Dakota, suicide rates are the ninth leading cause of death. In the ages of 15-34, suicide is the second leading cause of death. We can change this by working together. For those between the ages of 35-44 suicide is the 4th leading cause of death.
Together we are stronger
“These events are about turning hope into action,” said AFSP CEO Robert Gebbia. “The research has shown us how to fight suicide, and if we keep up the fight, the science is only going to get better, and our culture will get smarter about mental health. With the efforts of our courageous volunteers and a real investment from our nation’s leaders, we hope to significantly reduce the suicide rate in the United States.”
Cont’d.
N.D.
Cavalier County
N.D. Soybean leaders see export window narrowing with China –As farmers prepare to harvest what may be a record-large soybean crop, their largest export customer has yet to make a buy. Without a deal with China, N.D. farmers may not get a bid for their soybeans. According to North Dakota Soybean Council Chair Jim Thompson, the local cash market is pushing growers to store their beans. “Yes, there are smaller elevators that, if you don’t have a basis or a futures contract with them, they will not be accepting beans off the field,” said Thompson. “Others are working with producers to do some sort of a price later (contract) with a fee for storage. I know there are elevators around me up here that are planning for flat storage, but it is a reality that there are producers that are going to have to hold those beans somehow, some way.” North Dakota Soybean Growers Association President Justin Sherlock said the trade dispute with China needs to end. “Maybe it’s getting an interim trade deal with a country like China so we have somewhere to just physically move and sell those soybeans because that’s the immediate concern as we head into harvest.” The financial challenges are significant, and there’s chatter in Washington, D.C. about additional assistance for farmers. Sherlock said farmers want the export markets restored first. “We just need to get rid of the crop right now, then we can figure out where we’re at financially as we go into the winter months and loan renewal season.”
Wiesemeyer: Washington faces packed September agenda – Lawmakers are back in Washington after the August recess, and agriculture issues are part of a long list of unfinished business. Washington analyst Jim Wiesemeyer said time is short
to avoid a government shutdown.
“We’ve only got about 14 legislative days to act before the fiscal year ends.
I think there’ll be a short-term extension, no long-term.” Wiesemeyer said farmers should keep a close watch on the Commodity Credit Corporation.
“The biggies, as far as agriculture is concerned, are in the appropriations bill; there’s always a replenishment of USDA’s Commodity Credit Corporation funding or borrowing authority.
It’s set to a maximum of $30 billion.
It’s much under that now, so that becomes more important as the months tick off here at the end of this year, because it’s widely expected that at some juncture, some type of an additional economic aid package will be announced for the ag sector, and it will probably come out of the CCC.”
Addressing the risk of suicide on the farm and rural communities –Farmers and ranchers are known for being independent and self-reliant.
However, North Dakota Health and Human Services Suicide Prevention Administrator Melissa Markegard said it is also important to ask for help.
When stressed, a conversation with a family member, pastor, or professional is recommended. The National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is also available. ” You can dial 988 and just talk to someone, you can text 988, and they will text you back, and you can chat with them on your computer at 988lifeline.org.” said Markegard.
“That is a way that you can reach out, and nobody else really needs to know that you’re struggling.” To prevent a suicide, it is important to look for potential warning signs. “Taking that extra time to reach out to someone who could be struggling can mean everything. You can save a life just by sending them a text or giving them a call at a particular time.” September is National Suicide Prevention Month.
Harvest underway in Borderland Region
NDSU Extension
As the weather cools down, N.D. ranchers have several options to consider for extending their grazing season, according to North Dakota State University Extension specialists.
Extended season grazing systems provide ranchers the opportunity to graze longer into the fall or even the winter, reducing winter feeding and overall production costs. These systems also have the potential to improve nutrient cycling, enhancing soil health and forage quality.
Several winter grazing strategies are available, including grazing annual forages, swath grazing and bale grazing. Extended season grazing options should be selected based on resources available and production goals.
“It is critical to select an approach that works as part of your production system,” said Kevin Sedivec, NDSU Extension rangeland management specialist.
Annual forages can be used to extend grazing in the fall or provide early spring grazing, depending on the species selected. For late-season grazing, annual forage mixtures should include a cereal or grass that is high in fiber and brassicas, which will maintain high forage quality even after a killing frost.
“When fall grazing winter annual forages, be aware of the risk for nitrate toxicity,” said Sedivec, “and consider testing prior to grazing.”
If the mix contains sorghum, sudangrass or sorghum-sudangrass, there is a potential for prussic acid toxicity during or following hail or a frost. Fall-seeded winter cereals such as winter rye, winter triticale and winter wheat can provide early spring grazing and, when seeded early enough, fall grazing.
“One disadvantage of grazing annual forages is that they lose quality as they mature,” said Miranda Meehan, NDSU Extension livestock environmental stewardship specialist, “so supplementation may be required.”
Swath grazing can mitigate this loss in
quality, as forages are swathed during the late summer when quality is high, then grazed in the swath in the fall and winter months. Bale grazing involves the grazing of baled hay that is placed in a tame grass pasture or hay field or on cropland, and it also addresses losses in quality associated with grazing a standing forage.
One limitation of extended season grazing strategies is the potential for increased feed waste, according to Meehan. However, implementing strip grazing, a method of limiting feeding within grazing systems, can reduce feed waste and increase the number of grazing days. While this method may be more labor-intensive, research has shown an increase in grazing days when strip grazing. When grazing annual forages, strip grazing increased the stocking rate by an average of 47% and 23% in Nebraska and N.D., respectively.
Limiting access in a swath grazing access can reduce feed waste to 5% when moving daily, from 26% when moving every 10 days. In contrast, waste tends to be much higher in bale grazing systems — between 20% and 40%, depending on management. To put these numbers in perspective, the estimated loss when feeding hay averages between 15% and 40%, depending on storage and delivery methods. The amount of acceptable waste must be balanced with the labor required to move the fence and the performance goals for the animals grazing.
“Extended season grazing systems improve nutrient cycling by directly distributing nutrients on fields and speeding up the breakdown of plant material into plant-available nutrients,” said Sedivec.
These benefits vary between grazing systems and are dependent on the length of the grazing period. When grazing annual forages, changes in nutrient availability take time in N.D.’s semiarid environment. However, most short-term studies have shown minimal changes in soil nutrients, but increased yields in the subsequent crop. Whereas long-term research has documented an increase in soil nitrogen, phosphorus and carbon. Research has shown that bale grazing increases soil nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium after just one grazing period.
“Interestingly, we found that when supplementing cattle grazing bales, there was a greater increase in soil nitrogen where animals were fed a supplement with higher crude protein,” said Meehan.
In turn, these benefits to soil health led to improved forage quality — specifically, increases in crude protein and digestibility.
For more information about grazing management, visit ndsu.ag/grazingfall25.
NDSU sets virtual fence field day for Oct. 7
Virtual fence is an emerging technology available to ranchers to manage grazing livestock. Researchers at North Dakota State University have been testing the ability of this technology to optimize grazing management and achieve conservation goals in both rangeland and annual forage systems for the past three years.
NDSU Extension and the Society for Range Management will host the Harnessing Virtual Fence Technology to Optimize Grazing and Conservation Field Day to highlight this research with the support of SenseHub Vence. The field day will be held Oct. 7 at the NDSU Central Grasslands Research
Extension Center near Streeter, N.D.
The field day will include virtual fence demonstrations, showing how the technology can be implemented to achieve management goals. Tour stops will also highlight the use of virtual fences to manage wildlife habitat and impacts to breeding bird and pollinator populations.
“This technology has the potential to revolutionize grazing management, promoting sustainable livestock production and reducing labor at the ranch level,” said Miranda Meehan, NDSU Extension livestock environmental stewardship specialist. “Pre-
senters will provide an overview of the technology and its effectiveness under different grazing strategies, as these are important considerations for adapting this technology.”
The event will start at 9:45 a.m. and conclude at 2:30 p.m. Event sponsors will provide a free lunch.
Attendees are encouraged to preregister to aid in event planning, including lunch and transportation between locations.
For registration and additional information, visit ndsu.ag/VirtualFence or contact Meehan at 701-231-7683 or miranda.meehan@ndsu.edu.
Combines working fields at the corner of Highway 5 and Highway 32 and harvest gets underway.
Photo by Larry Stokke.
NDSU researchers have been testing virtual fence technology to optimize grazing management and achieve conservation goals. (NDSU photo)
Letter from the Publisher:
I’m happy to return to summer for the week, although I can’t guarantee what season it will be when you read this. I received a beautiful mum for my birthday from my beautiful daughter, and it’s loving its spot on the front porch and is about to open a thousand blooms. I can’t wait, but great things require patience. I can do that.
Harvest is in the air, and having been raised on a farm, I really enjoy the sights, signs and smells of all the activity. I don’t really remember what
Letter from the Editor:
I sure hope all of the students at LAHS had a wonderful time at Homecoming week. That was possibly my favorite week when I was in high school myself. All of the crazy themed days and getting by with insanity and pranks that
teachers would rarely allow was a blast.
One of my favorite memories was having a food drive with the classes competing against one another. My senior class filled a U-Haul full of food and even borrowed a few shopping carts to bring all of the items in. I ended up riding to class in one of those shopping carts in one of the most obnoxious school pride outfits.
We were all pranksters, and homecoming week was the most popular time to pull one over on your fellow classes. A large group of friends and I were having a pool party at her house when we were ambushed by the higher grades with paintball guns. I ended up with some welts, but we got our revenge. Another prank
went on the other seasons, and having two older brothers, I didn’t really help much. That may be because one of the few times I did help out it was later at night and dark, I drove the grain truck the wrong way across the field, headed for the wrong yard light. Whatever! But the fall was special and intense. My parents worked hard; I’m not sure I saw that at the time, but I sure do now. Those are such great memories.
We have a little business to cover this
(which I swear I had no part in) was when a class mowed a phrase into the large grassy hill everyone saw when driving into school. It read “CARPET MUNCHERS 2007” and I was only a freshman at the time. I had to ask my mom what it meant, and she turned beet red and simply said, “I don’t know honey.”
Fall was in the air last week, but it seems to have straightened out for some mild temperatures, at least for now.
I had the honor of being a bridesmaid in Rebecca Davis’s wedding this past weekend at Frost Fire. It was absolutely lovely, and I ended up dancing so much that my legs were sore the next day. What girl doesn’t love getting dolled up for a fancy
The Morning Stroll and Cuppa Joe: Bottle feeding a bison
The last few weeks we have had amazing weather for harvest. Warm temps, sunshine and light breezes helped the wheat dry down fast and kept things rolling. If you take a quick trip around the county, it seems as though everyone is almost done with wheat. Next up for us is canola and soybeans. There are a lot of sunflowers and corn out there, too, and while I don’t know anything about those two crops, I know that I’ve seen them being combined as late as the end of November. Uffda. Whenever I see combines in the fields at night with the lights on, it
makes me think of Duke. Duke was a newborn baby bison whose mother decided not to feed him, so we had to. A little backstory, Greg and his family raised bison for about 10 years. There were electric fences around all the pastures and a fortified pen and chute system with a crash gate for when the vet needed to give them shots. Occasionally, there was a baby bison that was neglected by its mother, which is not uncommon in the bovine species. I grew up on a cattle ranch raising beef cattle, and we had numerous baby calves that we had to bottle feed for one reason or another. Sometimes if a mother cow had twins, she simply didn’t feed one to make sure she had enough milk for the other. Sometimes for no reason at all, a cow didn’t feed her calf.
I don’t remember what happened to Duke, but he needed to be bottle fed. One night when the combines were rolling with the lights on, Bernie called and asked if I could mix up a bottle and feed Duke. Knowing I came from a cattle ranch, he knew I could mix up a milk bottle. It’s simple- you put dry powder in the bottle, fill it with warm
est decisions…me. You see, it seems that with each passing year, folks are willing to drive the school bus less and less, and at the start of this year, Munich was one driver short. Bubach opened the safe, pulled out the “do not open unless an emergency” box, and opened it to find my number. He called me, and I informed him I must be contacted by a board member before I answer any questions, and here is why, “I absolutely hate driving school bus.”
So, Jason Wirth drew the short straw and called me. I reemphasized my position with the quick reminder that I do things my way, and if that doesn’t work for them, don’t even bother asking me. You see, I’m quite the hand-
Albino alligators: Part two
By Bob Simmons, CEO, Simmons Multimedia
Before we continue with part two of my interview in the sewer with Mr. X, I must first acknowledge an email I received shortly after last week’s paper arrived in area mailboxes. I won’t reveal the writers ‘real’ name as she is one of my favorite people, suffice to say she takes issue with last week’s column. At the crux of the matter is my contention that we never clogged the men’s room commode during the highly popular ‘Will It Flush’ radio contest. In all fairness, this woman is likely 110% accurate in her recounting of the events. Here is her email -
From: Wilma of the Whiff & Wipe Whistle While You Work Cleaning Service Regarding this week’s column!
I am Wilma - the Simmons Broadcasting Media cleaning lady from 20052010. Here’s my take on BM Will It Flush. When I would hear it on the radio, I would tremble, and think, oh Gawd. I knew the water I found on the floor was not from natural means. I beg to differ that it always flushed. I remember one cleaning evening I came there and found water to the top of the toilet and water on the floor! Needless to say, I figured, you made the mess, you clean the mess. Next week’s cleaning found the bathroom floor dry! I was happy after several more Will It Flush episodes quit. Your mother was right. You are mildly retarded!
Thank you, Wilma, for your thoughtful email, and now, without further ado, we climb back into the sewer for our continuing conversation with Mr. X. You’ll recall this Langdon gentleman once worked in the sewer of a large North Dakota city. We are concealing his identity as he fears retribution for speaking publicly of the many things that he encountered while performing
week. If you have an interest in writing and organizing and have a few days a week where you’re wishing you had something worth doing, let me know. We’re looking for some part-time help at our sister newspaper, Valley News & Views, published out of Drayton.
We also have an opening at Simmons Broadcasting at our Grafton station. We’re needing someone to handle accounts receivable. We use Quickbooks, and experience would be a plus but not required. Send me a
shindig?! I obviously made the husband take some photos with me, which I absolutely love!
With the change in the air, it means the Cavalier County Cancer Crusaders annual rummage sale is coming up, and this is one of my favorite times of year. Be sure to do some decluttering and make some donations to this organization and killer rummage sale.
Be sure to get some sunshine in while you can! You never know what fall will bring in this region, but I’m hoping Mother Nature is kind to us.
water, put the nipple on the top and shake it up. The only other thing you need to do is make sure you hang on tight with both hands because one good head butt from a calf and the bottle will go flying.
Bernie told me to use the four-wheeler and then gave me a general idea of where he last saw Duke. Abandoned by the whole herd, you could usually find Duke off by himself in the pasture and give him his bottle with no issues. I jumped on the four-wheeler with the bottle and a flashlight and set out to find Duke, sticking close to the fence line and going toward the trees. I was only mildly concerned about the rest of the herd, but in the back of my mind, I knew this was not without risk. I grew up in Watford City, which is just 14 miles north of the Theodore Roosevelt National Park, where bison herds roamed and park rangers warned visitors not to be dumb.
Pulling up to Duke in the pasture, I killed the four-wheeler and set the flashlight down to hang onto the bottle with both hands. Duke heard me coming and knew what the sound of
ful, and I wanted to remind them that I will not be tamed. I dance, swear, and post things online to get people to come to this three-horse town, so they can see the Eden of this garden, and no one will stop me from that. I have my own set of rules, and if that doesn’t line up with the handbook, so be it. For example, I have the morning route, and as a youngster of the bussing system in the country, there is nothing worse than a bus arriving early to throw off the whole day. So I keep exact timelines, and all my stops know it. I leave the school parking lot after all of my inspections at 7:05, first stop is 7:29, with the following stops at 7:44, 7:48, 8:03, 8:12, 8:21, and dropoff at the school at 8:25. I will not arrive early as sometimes you will
his duties in the subterranean labyrinth with its maze of winding pipes and chambers filled with methane gas, poop and other things....
Bob: So, what’s it really like, going down there into the sewers?
Mr. X: It’s like spelunking through the digestive system of a giant citydark, cramped, and full of things that should never see daylight. The gear was our armor—rubber boots, gloves, respirators. Without it, you’d last about five minutes before the stench knocked you flat.
Bob: What kind of dangers are we talking about?
Mr. X: The air itself can kill you. Methane builds up. One idiot used to test it with a lighter instead of the meter. I told him, ‘If we go up in flames, the headline will read Two Morons Barbecue Themselves in a Sewer.’ He stopped after that.
Bob: Any strange things you’ve seen down there?
Mr. X: Oh, plenty. Once we opened a manhole and found what looked like a Little Caesars buffet floating by — whole pizzas, still in their boxes. Rats
shout out if this tweeks your interest!
I gotta run, something in my oven is smelling wonderful, and I must go check! As always, thank you for reading The Borderland Press!
the four-wheeler meant- dinner time. As I sat there listening to Duke’s hungry snorts while trying to maintain control of the bottle, I heard a new, different sound. It was a sound that made the hair on the back of my neck stand up and stuck a lump right in the middle of my gut. I knew before I even looked that the sound I was hearing was breathing. A lot of snorty, heavy, animal breathing. With Duke on the last drops, I slowly eased the bottle down and picked up the flashlight. Keeping it pointed toward the ground, I swung it around my left side and saw hooves- lots and lots of hooves. I was surrounded on my left side by the bison herd with very little space to move. On my right side was Duke and the electric fence.
Having no other options, I cranked up the four-wheeler and started easing my way back and out of the circle of bison. I had no idea how they were going to react. I knew that if they sensed my fear, they wouldn’t eat me, but would they charge at me? These were not the beef cattle of my youth that typically moved immediately out of the way of any vehicle or person.
see me parked in a field just waiting to make my timeline to the second. So in my mind, I will not wait more than two minutes before I drive off. I do not permit yelling, standing, animal noises, or baby talk on my bus. The high schoolers love it, but the elementary kids not so much. The parents on the route either appreciate it or will not say anything because they don’t want to drive the bus, but it works well.
Besides me yelling at kids, what else is new? With harvest in full swing, I haven’t heard of too many accidents besides the normal - hit the railroad crossing pole, ran over a rock, and so forth. Let’s hope that streak continues, and there are no injuries this year. If there were some accidents,
were having a feast, didn’t even scatter. Another time, I kicked something in the dark water and a rubber clown mask floated up, grinning at me. You don’t forget moments like that.
Bob: What are some things folks shouldn’t flush? Locally, they have said to not flush Wet Wipes… why is that?
Mr. X: Ah, the great Wet Wipe Plague. They don’t break down like toilet paper; they just ball up and weave themselves into ropes — ropes that choke pumps and snag everything else. We’ve pulled out tangles the size of Volkswagens. Other big no-nos: grease, diapers, feminine products, and condoms. Once, we found half a deer carcass clogging a line — don’t ask me how. The sewer doesn’t forgive bad decisions. It keeps them, stacks them, and waits to come back to haunt you.
Bob: Are there street signs so you don’t get lost down there?
Mr. X: No street signs. You navigate by memory, maps, and the sound of flow. Sometimes the maintenance crews
They were also wild, unpredictable and much faster than cattle. I tried not to panic and kept backing out of the circle, finally making my way out and then slowly turning around to head toward the gate. Obviously, I made it, because I’m alive to tell the story. I don’t miss having the bison, but after last week’s dance-off fiasco with Mitzel, I was wishing I could challenge that guy to feeding a baby bison at night during harvest. Oh well, guess I’ll have to come up with something else.
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 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.
what would they be? I’m betting I can predict a few. I’m guessing Craig Schommer gets his cellphone holder stuck in a tractor seat, the fire department will probably get called out when Jason gets his hand stuck in a gas pump handle, Derik Samuelson will most likely be kicked by one of Greta’s horses, Adam Wirth will pull a hammy playing pickleball, and we all know Eric McArthur will get injured while he trains for the upcoming dart season. Not that I want anything to happen, I’ll take these lil hiccups to get us something to laugh about during the winter. Good luck, and stay safe.
spraypaint arrows or numbers on the walls. And then there’s graffiti — not official, but it becomes your compass. I once followed a spraypainted octopus for half a mile. The old timers joked that if you wandered too far, you’d find the Alligator Crew’s markings: chalk symbols that weren’t in any language we knew.
Bob: You brought it up! What about the stories of albino alligators living in some sewer systems?
Mr. X: That’s the story. Supposedly came from a carnival shipment gone missing years back. White as ghosts, mean as hell, and clever. They weren’t just animals — people said they had tribes. Organized. That’s why the Crew existed.
Bob: The Crew?
Mr.X: Officially? Just a myth. Unofficially… let’s just say the stories go back decades. The Alligator Crew worked nights, hunting albino alligators that had adapted to sewer life. Big boots, harpoons, headlamps ducttaped on. People laughed about it, but then again, how do you explain clawscratched maps on tunnel walls?
By Matt Mitzel
As the school season approached this year, the Munich School Board was faced with one of their tough-
Greetings from all of us at PNC. As some of you may already be aware, September is Suicide Prevention Month. Unfortunately, suicide has impacted all our lives in one way or another. It impacts people of all ages,
even the elderly. Bringing awareness to suicide prevention is vital in helping to curb the rising number of suicides in our communities.
Tragically, when someone dies by suicide, pain is not eliminated; it is merely transferred to family, friends and community. It can be hard to grieve and harder to cope. I would like to remind anyone who is struggling with suicidal thoughts that there is help!
As an unknown author once wrote: “It isn’t weak to ask for help. It’s like using a flashlight when you’re lost in the dark.” Please reach out for help if you or someone you know are having suicidal thoughts. To connect to the suicide and crisis hotline, simply dial 988.
Meet the new staff
Name:
Alyssa Okwudili (Mrs. O) School Administrator, St. Alphonsus School
Where are you from?
I am originally from Birmingham, Alabama. I am a graduate of Ohio State University. I have lived in Langdon for a year, and prior to that, I lived in Hartford, Connecticut.
What is your experience in the education field?
I am a passionate and dedicated educator with extensive experience across K–12 education, specializing in dance instruction, enrichment programming, and youth development. Notable experience includes teaching middle and high school students fulltime in New York City and Hartford, Conn., and serving as the founding coach of a highly talented high school
Health Tip
Provided by Cavalier County Health District
Sept. 12
Most smokers, including youth, want to quit. ‘This is Quitting’ offers free, 24/7 support for teens and young adults, just text DITCHVAPE to 88709. Parents can text QUIT to 847278-9715 for tips to help their child quit.
dance team. I coordinated community dance and music education outreach efforts through the University of Hartford’s Hartt Community Division. I am close to achieving my Master’s Degree in Special Education.
What or who inspired you to become a teacher?
Throughout my education journey I was blessed to have influential educators who helped shape me into the person I am today. Their ability to see the best in me and help me reach my fullest potential was what helped spark my desire to teach and make a positive impact in the lives of students as well. I enjoy fostering positive learning environments for all students and helping students reach their highest potential.
What are you most looking forward to for the upcoming school year at St. A's?
I really love our St. Alphonsus School - I already have plenty of green and gold! It’s like a family here, and I hope to find new ways to connect and continue to make positive impacts in our students and our community. I want the kids to have fun learning. I always aspired to work in school administration, and this has been a great opportunity to support students, staff, and families.
What do you enjoy doing in your down time?
In my downtime, I enjoy spending time with family and friends. My husband and I love exploring the area, and we especially love the Pembina Gorge. We like to find quiet places to sit and enjoy the outdoors. My husband is Dr. Sam, who works at Langdon Prairie Health. We have family in Winnipeg, so we aren’t too far.
Thank You I want to thank everyone at St. Alphonsus for their kind, warm welcome. Everyone’s been so nice, and I really appreciate that. I especially thank Carrie Hope for helping with the transition. She helped me in the summer and into the school year. Her guidance has been really helpful, and I really appreciate it!
Public service
Daren Christianson, Superintendent, LASD
Being in the public eye and serving in either elected, appointed or hired positions has always come with scrutiny and judgement from others. I would say that the silent majority are generally supportive of the time, effort and work that our public servants provide. Serving the public good is a calling that some will answer, but some will never make for a variety of reasons. These reasons have always been there for some, ranging from time commitment, personal conflicts or not having the personal choice of being in the public eye.
In the advent of social media, it now appears that it is acceptable to target and discredit those willing to put themselves out there to serve on boards, councils and commissions. The school has also had to put sportsmanship guidelines in for those who attend athletic events with harsh penalties to ensure a reasonable working environment for our officials and playing environment for our student athletes.
Finding people to serve on boards, commissions, and councils, as well
as school teachers, administrators, officials, coaches, paras, along with a variety of other positions that people have come to expect, is getting harder. There are school districts who have a hard time scheduling football games for 7:00 on Friday nights, as there are not enough officials' crews to cover all the games. The number of teaching applicants we get when we open a position is very limited, as we have fewer individuals going into education. Some applicants are very picky about where they wish to work, and they can be, due to the need for applicants to fill those positions.
Langdon Area Schools filled all our positions in large part due to local individuals working to become highly qualified to serve our district in this capacity. We were fortunate. In discussion with the Devils Lake School superintendent, there were six open teaching positions available when school started in Devils Lake.
In visiting with people, I hear frequently that I would not do this job or that job or would not do it for the money that job pays. I am very thankful for all
Fraud Watch snippets from AARP
Things to know about scams
Three important things to know about fraud right now.
1. Most scams today are often run by highly organized international criminal networks, not individuals acting alone. These mafia-style organizations use stolen money to fund abusive criminal activity around the world, including Southeast Asian fraud compounds that rely on human trafficking, forced labor, and torture. Fighting scams isn’t just about protecting your life savings, it’s also about cutting off funding to these inhumane and violent organizations.
2. Just as you take steps to protect your health or home, you can take steps to safeguard your finances. This means taking actions like blocking unknown callers, using strong and unique passwords for every account, enabling two-factor authentication on your online accounts freezing your credit, checking your credit report regularly, and shredding documents that contain personal information.
3. If you do fall victim, report the crime, as fraud is notoriously underreported. Reporting isn’t just about helping authorities catch criminals. It also helps expose the true scale of the problem and the need for fraud-fighting resources. The AARP Fraud Watch Network recommends reporting to your local police to create an official record and to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at IC3.gov.
Taking on AI banking scams
Artificial intelligence (AI) is making it even easier for criminals to steal people’s money, and American’s anxiety is rising. Concern is especially high around financial services, where scammers can use deepfake technology — AI-generated audio and video — to impersonate people and hack into bank accounts.
To help tackle the problem, AARP endorsed the Senate’s bipartisan Preventing Deep Fakes Scams Act and a companion bipartisan bill in the House. The bill would establish a dedicated federal task force to examine the positive and negative impacts of AI on the financial services industry.
The panel would include industry representatives, AI experts, and others. It would be charged with examining how criminals use AI in financial scams and how the industry can leverage the technology to better detect fraud and stay ahead of scammers. The bill would also require the task force to explore the use of AI in the financial sector to detect fraud and to work on interagency solutions.
Peer-to-peer payment scams
Peer-to-peer (P2P) payment apps like Venmo, Zelle, and Cash App have made sending money between family and friends easier than ever. But consumers beware: while these apps make exchanging money fast and convenient, they also make it quick and seamless for criminals to steal your money through a variety of tactics.
You might get a message that appears to be from a loved one in trouble who needs you to send money quickly through a P2P app. Or you may see a “discount” for an online marketplace product if you make the payment through a P2P app, only to discover the seller is a scammer.
Another common scam involves someone “accidentally” sending you money via a P2P service and then asking you to return it. However, their initial payment will later bounce like a bad check, leaving you responsible for any funds you sent back.
It’s best to use P2P apps to send money to friends, family, and other people you know and trust. These apps do not have the same consumer protections as credit cards. Transactions are like paying cash — instantaneous and usually irreversible. If you receive an unexpected payment, don’t accept it and report it to the app provider.
Steps to protect against ID theft Identity fraud and scams are a massive and growing problem, but there are things each of us can do to protect against identity fraud, even if our data has been exposed.
who choose to serve the public, their hearts and their conscience is in the right place. We all make mistakes, just many people do not make their mistakes in public or in the public eye. I would ask that as we go through our day-to-day lives, we give grace to those trying to do their best to serve our kids and community.
The Langdon Area School District is currently looking to fill two school board positions to finish out the term through the June 2026 election. The hope from the board perspective is that they want to fill the positions with individuals who would be willing to run on the ballot next June. The open positions include one rural position and one at-large position. If anyone is interested, please provide a letter of interest to Shauna Schneider in the Langdon High School business office, or send an email to shauna.schneider@k12.nd.us.
Thank you to all who are willing to serve our community and to all who support them.
One way to help safeguard your personal information is to enable automatic updates on your device’s operating system and antivirus software.
Another way to stay protected is to be cautious of unsolicited calls, texts, emails and social media messages. Criminals spoof phone numbers and impersonate trusted sources to appear legitimate. Avoid clicking on links in emails, texts or online ads. Rather, type the web address of the company whose site you want to visit directly into your web browser. Let your voicemail or answering machine handle unfamiliar calls. If the call is important, the person will likely leave a message, and you can verify the number and information before calling back.
Despite the rise of online threats, criminals still rely on traditional methods like dumpster diving to steal personal information. Shred anything containing sensitive information that you don’t need to keep for specific purposes. For example, shred credit card statements, sales receipts, medical statements and credit offers that you no longer need. AARP offers free document shredding and other fraud-related events across the country. These alerts can be published each week of the month or all together.
Alyssa Okwudili, or “Mrs. O” as her students call her, will be the new school administrator at St. Alphonsus this year.
Microgreens are big
By Katie Henry, Family and Community Wellness Agent, NDSU Extension – Cavalier County
A couple of years ago, I had a fun adventure at a meeting where I got to eat and grow microgreens. It was a great learning experience. They were so delicious and packed full of nutrition. Microgreens are the beginning growth of common plants we grow in our gardens including but not limited to: broccoli, radish, lettuce, peas, arugula, basil, beet greens, cabbage, carrots, celery, dill, kale, kohlrabi, mustard, spinach, and more! It’s simple to grow them right in our own home and are a great, fresh addition to our food during the cold winter months.
All you need to grow microgreens are some simple supplies: soil, growing containers (5” x 5” is ideal), seeds (see the list from above), plant labels if growing more than one kind (you can make labels out of index cards or even masking tape), spray bottle (not necessary but VERY useful). Follow the steps below for easy growing:
1) Place one inch of soil in the container. Soil should be firm but not compacted.
2) Moisten the soil thoroughly with a spray bottle. Soil should be moist throughout.
3) Plant your seeds by spreading thickly across the soil. Label each tray with the type of seeds.
4) Cover.
5) Remove the cover once the seeds have sprouted. Uncover, expose to light, and water them once a day.
6) Once leaves have developed a canopy, they’re ready to harvest. Switch to watering them from the bottom by setting the tray on a plate or other container and filling that with water.
Harvesting the microgreens is very simple. The first leaves you’ll see are seed leaves called cotyledon. They don’t look anything like the actual leaves of the plant. The cotyledon as well as the stems and first true leaves are what are considered microgreens. The best time to harvest microgreens is when they’ve developed the first set of true leaves, which is generally about 10 days to two weeks after planting the seeds. To harvest, simply snip the microgreens just above the soil level (you don’t eat the roots). You will only get one harvest, since the plant will have no way to regenerate new growth, but the good news is that after you harvest your microgreens, you can reuse the soil up to three more times. Just work the soil up a little, and plant and care for them as before.
Cotyledon leaves (the first leaves of the plant) are packed full of nutrients that help the plants grow and develop. We get to take advantage of these nutrients for our bodies by eating them!
You can eat them by themselves like a salad, but they are also delicious in:
•soup as garnishes
•toppings for sandwiches and burg-
ers
•as greens in tacos and on nachos
•as an additional green to smoothies or protein drinks
•as a garnish/topping on protein like chicken breasts or steak
Experiment and have fun finding new ways to eat microgreens! Here is a recipe from Oregon State University Extension that is a great way to add microgreens and try them for the first time.
Fresh Veggie Pizza Ingredients
1/4 cup (2 ounces) reduced-fat cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup low-fat plain yogurt
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon basil or cumin
1/4 teaspoon oregano
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
4 whole-wheat English muffins
1 1/2 cups finely chopped or grated vegetables (try a combination of broccoli, cauliflower, carrot, green pepper
and bell pepper)
2 Tablespoons grated parmesan cheese (optional)
Directions Wash hands with soap and water. Rinse or scrub fresh vegetables under running water before preparing. In a small bowl, stir cream cheese until smooth. Stir in yogurt and seasonings. Refrigerate while preparing muffins and vegetables.
Toast English muffin halves. Spread 1 Tablespoon sauce on each muffin half. Place about 3 tablespoons vegetables on each muffin half. Shake or sprinkle about ½ teaspoon cheese over each muffin half, if desired. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours.
Notes Sprinkle microgreens on the top for added nutrition, flavor and texture! Try this sauce on sandwiches or tacos and for dipping raw veggies.
Nutrition: Calories 200, Fat 5g, Sodium 390mg, Carbohydrates 32g, Protein 9g, Vitamin A 129mcg, Vitamin C 24mg, Calcium 243mg
As always, contact me if you have any questions about growing microgreens. You can call (256-2560), email (katie.d.henry@ndsu.edu), or stop into the NDSU Extension office at the Cavalier County Courthouse. Microgreens may be small, but they are big on flavor and nutrition.
HHS recognizes International Overdose Awareness Day
and prevention
BISMARCK, ND - Last week, North Dakota Health and Human Services (HHS) joins communities across the state and around the world in recognizing International Overdose Awareness Day on Aug. 31 — a time to honor those lost to overdose, support loved ones, and celebrate the strength of individuals, families, and communities working together to prevent substance use harms and save lives.
You can help save a life
An overdose can happen to anyone and quick action can make the difference. If you see signs of an opioid overdose — including unresponsiveness, slow or stopped breathing, blue lips or fingertips, gurgling or choking sounds or a limp body — call 911 immediately and administer naloxone (Narcan) if available. N.D.’s Good Samaritan Law protects those who call
for help or provide assistance during an overdose emergency.
Naloxone access saves lives Naloxone is a safe, effective medication that reverses opioid overdoses. It is available:
•At most pharmacies and local public health units
•Over the counter without a prescription
•For free from HHS by requesting a two-dose kit at hhs.nd.gov/opioids or by calling (701) 328-8920, 711 (TTY)
From July 2024 through June 2025, N.D. distributed more than 33,000 naloxone kits, with over 870 overdose reversals reported.
“Every reversal represents a person, a future, a chance to recover,” said Amy Lies, HHS opioid addiction ad-
ministrator. “We’re proud to walk with North Dakotans through prevention, crisis response and long-term healing.”
Know the data
Over a four-year span beginning in 2021, N.D. lost 497 people to overdose, including 106 in 2024. While each loss is deeply felt, coordinated prevention efforts, greater public awareness and increased access to life-saving tools like naloxone are helping families and communities respond. Overdose deaths dropped by just over 22 percent between 2022 and 2024.
Treatment and support N.D. continues to expand a strong network of care, meeting people where they are with person-centered services. These include:
High school juniors and seniors: Interested in public service? Here’s your shot at a $10,000 scholarship Dakota?
BISMARCK, N.D. – State School Superintendent Kirsten Baesler on Tuesday encouraged North Dakota high school juniors and seniors to apply for the 2026 U.S. Senate Youth Program, which includes a $10,000 college scholarship.
The application deadline is midnight Monday, Oct. 20, 2025.
Two high school juniors or seniors from each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the Department of Defense schools are chosen for the program each year. It includes the $10,000 scholarship and a “Washington Week” event, which will be held March 7- 14, 2026.
The program focuses on public service, leadership, and education. Participants will hear speakers from the legislative, executive and judicial branches of the federal government and members of the national media. Applicants are chosen according to their leadership qualities and ability to serve others in an elected or appointed student office during the entire school year. Applications are ranked and scored by a state selection committee.
The U.S. Senate Youth Program application process consists of completing a web based form; writing a personal essay; submitting letters of support from others; and obtaining principal and parent signatures.
Students will be asked to write a persuasive essay addressing these questions: If you become a U.S. senator for North Dakota, what Senate committees would you most want to be assigned to, and why? What personal qualities would you bring to the job as a senator that would benefit North
Students also must certify that they did not use artificial intelligence tools in preparing their materials. Additional details are posted on the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction’s website.
Baesler said the program should appeal to students interested in leadership and public service.
“The $10,000 scholarship is attractive, and this program also gives young North Dakotans a chance to develop their leadership skills with a group of their peers from across the country,” Baesler said. “It offers them experience in discussing and debating some of the most important issues our country faces with other young people who may hold beliefs much different from theirs.”
The U.S. Senate Youth Program was established in 1962 to offer a study and scholarship opportunity for outstanding high school students who were interested in public service careers. The $10,000 scholarship is funded by the Hearst Foundations, which were originally established by media mogul William Randolph Hearst.
ND Center for Distance Education Fargo, ND (701) 298-4830
ND School for the Deaf / RCDHH Devils Lake, ND (701) 665-4400
ND State Library Bismarck, ND (701) 328-2492
ND Vision Services / School for the Blind
•Eight regional behavioral health clinics •Four licensed opioid treatment programs •Private and community-based providers
•Recovery Talk, which is also available 24/7, offers free, confidential support from peers with lived experience. Whether individuals are in crisis or seeking guidance, someone is always ready to listen. Call or text (701) 291-7901 or visit hhs.nd.gov/ recovery-talk. •Explore care options. Visit hhs. nd.gov/behavioral-health/find-services.
Investing in healing
On July 1, N.D. agencies received $8 million in Opioid Settlement Fund grants to strengthen prevention, treatment, recovery supports and the
behavioral health workforce. Since 2024, nearly 3,500 people statewide have benefited from expanded programs and services through this funding. Learn more at hhs.nd.gov/ opioids/settlement.
HHS maintains a long-standing partnership with local public health units and the NDSU School of Pharmacy’s Opioid and Naloxone Education (ONE) Program, supported by approximately $4 million annually in federal State Opioid Response grant funding from October 2024 through September 2027. This collaboration strengthens statewide efforts to combat opioid misuse, expands prevention initiatives, increases naloxone availability at no cost and improves access to treatment and recovery services.
Microgreens
Prairie Fare: Pizza — A slice of nutrition
By Julie Garden-Robinson, NDSU Extension food and nutrition specialist
“Do you know which is the most popular handout on the NDSU Extension website?” someone asked me.
I was surprised by the answer: “Your handout about how to make a pizza!” Of all the handouts I have written, I did not think that “7 Steps to Making Your Own Pizza” would be the most popular and be shared around the world.
The handout is part of the “Pinchin’ Pennie$ in the Kitchen” series that promotes using what you have on hand to make budget-friendly meals.
The ironic part is that I hadn’t even tasted pizza until I was in elementary school. What was I doing writing about pizza, anyway?
My first taste of pizza was courtesy of a well-advertised boxed home pizza kit with a dough mix, a can of sauce and a packet of Parmesan cheese.
I was not impressed. I am not sure why we didn’t add any mozzarella
cheese.
Then I tried the fresh-from-the-oven pizza from a restaurant. It had long strings of melted mozzarella and a variety of toppings. I loved it.
Since then, pizza has come a long way. Today we have a large selection of crust types — deep dish, thin, cauliflower, even gluten-free.
Regions and even cities have their own versions of pizza, and they are all worth a try if you are on a trip. Pizza types vary in crust thickness, sauces, toppings and the order of the ingredients on the crust.
When I first tasted Chicago-style pizza, I was surprised that the sauce was on top of the cheese. I thought the chef forgot to add cheese. Then I cut a slice, and the underlying cheese followed the turner from the pan to my plate.
We collectively love pizza in the U.S. Pizza sales here reached about $50 billion in 2024.
Given pizza’s popularity, you might wonder if pizza is nutritious. It certainly can be, especially if you add some veggies or fruits to your topping selections. In fact, a pizza can reflect MyPlate.gov recommendations based on your choice of toppings.
Try some different crust types. Choose a whole-grain crust if available. Whole grains provide more fiber than refined grains. Try other types of “crusts”
such as an English muffin for a pizza snack or a flour tortilla for a super thin crust.
Expand your preferences beyond tomato sauce as your vegetable topping. Sliced peppers, onions, mushrooms, spinach leaves and shredded carrots amp up the nutrition.
Add fruit such as chopped pineapple, sliced pears, mango and apples to give a hint of sweetness. You can also make a dessert-style pizza with fruit toppings and a crumble topping.
Add protein, such as cooked chicken, ham, lean sausage, shrimp, scrambled eggs or canned refried beans.
Top with a variety of cheese. Besides mozzarella, consider feta, cheddar or another favorite. If dairy intolerance or allergies are an issue, try an alternative type of cheese. Many people with lactose intolerance can manage eating aged types like cheddar or Swiss.
This week’s recipe is a classic Italian pizza recipe that makes use of fresh garden produce, such as vine-ripened tomatoes and fresh basil. The red, green and white (from the mozzarella) are the colors of the Italian flag. Some accounts say that the Margherita pizza was named after Queen Margherita of Italy in 1889.
You can use the Whole Wheat Pizza Dough recipe and the Basil Pesto recipes available on the North Dakota State University Extension recipe web-
Prairie Doc® Perspective: What questions do you have?
By Dr. Jill Kruse
We have all heard it before. Before the end of the visit, the doctor will usually ask, “Do you have any questions?” That is usually the precise moment that my mind goes completely blank. Every question I can think of seems silly or embarrassing. I know the doc-
Dakota
tor is busy so I don’t want to “bother” him/her by taking up too much of their time. I really do not want to look stupid or ignorant. So, I say nothing, smile and the doctor leaves the room shortly afterwards. As soon as that door closes, the flood gates open and all the questions I should have asked bubble to the surface. Now it feels too late to ask them. Sound familiar?
As we begin our next season of On Call with the Prairie Doc, I encourage all our viewers to come to us with those questions. This show is unique because we ask our audience to engage with the show. We do not want you to just be passive consumers of the knowledge. We want you to be co-creators of the show with us. While we will never replace your primary care physician, we want to answer the questions that you did ask during your last clinic visit. Since you can sub-
mit questions anonymously, ask that question you were too embarrassed to ask. Use this show to fact check that health information you saw on social media or heard someone talk about at the local café.
We work hard to find the local experts for each show who can share with us their expertise. At the end of each season, we review our shows and look at what questions were asked. We see how many questions were answered for each show and what topics resonated the most with our viewers. We try to determine what topics you want to hear more about. We also look for emerging topics so you have up to date health information that is based in science and built on trust.
The hardest part of planning this show is narrowing down all the topics we want to discuss with you to fit
Gardener: A welcome garden visitor
By Carrie Knutson, Horticulture agent, NDSU Extension – Grand Forks County
When I work in the garden, I keep my eyes open for any fun visitors I might find. Notable visitors have been garden spiders and centipedes, not my children’s favorite. This year, I had my sights set on something they weren’t afraid to help me track down.
The visitor was a swallowtail butterfly. Two swallowtail butterflies had been visiting the flowers around my house. Even with my children scouting for me, I was never quick enough to get a picture. While I was working in a school garden, two swallowtail butterflies were there. They were more cooperative than the ones at home and patiently waited for their photograph to be taken.
There are different species of swallowtails, so I checked with Patrick Beauzay, NDSU Extension entomology research specialist. He narrowed it down to Eastern Tiger Swallowtail or a Canadian Tiger Swallowtail butterfly, leaning towards the first.
Eastern Tiger Swallowtails have a few characteristics that make them easier for most of us to identify. They are a larger butterfly with a wingspan of 3 to 5 inches. The adults are yellow in color and have four black bands on their front wings. The edges of the wings
are black with a row of yellow spots.
Females will have blue on their hindwings. It is interesting to note that females are dimorphic. This means that females can have two color forms. In addition to the standard yellow, females can have a dark wing color.
Butterflies are in the scientific order “Lepidoptera.” Lepidoptera means “scale wing.” The scales, which are modified hairs, are responsible for the fantastic coloring we see in butterflies. Each scale is individually attached and can break off the wing. This can help the butterflies escape from predators.
Speaking of escaping from predators, the caterpillars of Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterflies have three main defensive strategies to repel predators. Young caterpillars resemble bird droppings. Older caterpillars are green with two large eye spots. These are not true eyes, but another strategy to discourage predators. A final strategy the cat-
erpillars use to discourage predators is a set of bright orange glands. The caterpillar has the ability to release the glands as needed. The glands will produce an offensive-smelling secretion that repels the predator.
The caterpillars can feed on a variety
of woody plants like ash, birch and cherry. Adults feed on nectar from many different flowers.
Eastern Tiger Swallowtails can have two generations per year in our area. When the final generation caterpillars are mature, they will enter the pupal stage and overwinter on twigs or dead plant materials.
I hope to see more swallowtails in my gardens next year! Happy gardening!
site, or you can use a prebaked pizza dough or a pizza dough mix and pesto from a jar.
Preheat oven to 425 F. Prepare homemade or store-bought pizza dough per instructions. On a lightly greased pizza or sheet pan, shape the dough. Spread the pesto on the dough, then top with shredded mozzarella and sliced tomatoes. Drizzle with a tablespoon of olive oil and salt, if desired. Bake for approximately 10 to 12 min-
utes or until crust is crisp and cheese is melted. Top with basil just before serving.
Makes eight slices. Each slice has
250 calories, 13 grams (g) fat, 9 g protein, 25 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber and 540 milligrams sodium.
Julie Garden-Robinson, Ph.D., R.D., L.R.D., is a North Dakota State University Extension food and nutrition specialist and professor in the Department of Health, Nutrition and Exercise Sciences.
within our season. This is why we will have several “Ask Anything” shows each season. These shows ensure that you, our viewers, will always
have a show where any question is not only welcomed, but encouraged. The beautiful part of our show is that each show is fluid and we can pivot our focus based on the information you want most. The more you interact with this show, the better it will become. After 24 seasons, we have
yet to run out of questions to answer. This week and every week to follow, please ask anything. We will be here to answer.
Dr. Jill Kruse is a hospitalist at the Brookings Health System in Brookings, SD. She serves as one of the Prairie Doc Volunteer Hosts during its 24th Season providing Health Education Based on Science, Built on Trust. Follow The Prairie Doc® at www. prairiedoc.org, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Tik Tok. Prairie Doc Programming includes On Call with the Prairie Doc®, a medical Q&A show (most Thursdays at 7pm on YouTube and streaming on Facebook), two podcasts, and a radio program (on SDPB, Sundays at 6am and 1pm).
Rebecca Davis
Pizza types vary in crust thickness, sauces, toppings and order of the ingredients. (Pixabay photo)
Swallowtail butterflies are important pollinators and their colorful, scaled wings, dabbed with yellow and blue, are a delightful sight among the flowers. (NDSU photo)
From the Pastor’s Desk:
By Father Kurtis Gunwall
Blessings to you from God our merciful Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, by the grace of the Holy Spirit.
As I write this, we celebrated a birthday today. For those in times past, there may be no record of the actual day of birth, but we often choose a date to celebrate their life. The Church has done this for Jesus’ mother, Mary, as well as for his cousin, John the Baptist. December 8 is the day we remember Mary’s birth as that last piece of God’s eternal plan for his Son to be born into the world. (BTW, John’s birthday is celebrated June 24 – do you know why?).
Every person’s life should be remembered in so far as they are created by God in love – even if they squandered their life and caused pain to others. This is what we hear about today in various ways, especially in one of the most well-known stories in the world – the parable of the Merciful Father,
love) and to the stiff-necked and hard-hearted. God is merciful when we intercede for them as Moses did, and God is merciful when they repent and come to Him.
In the story of the Merciful Father, we see the return of the younger, prodigal son – the one who was “dead” and separated from the Father and the family. We don’t see the decision of the resentful and hard-hearted, older son. We see the mercy of the Father extended to both of them. They are us. I am both at different moments in my life. So too, most every person who ever lives. We may act primarily like one or the other, but we have the seeds of these two similar attitudes –putting self before others.
One closing lesson that is essential to remember in connection with mercy is this: We will all experience God’s justice (receiving the punishment we deserve for our sin). Why would we reject the gift of his mercy (receiving the love that forgives and brings new life and renewal to our relationships)?
Our just and merciful God gives us freedom and responsibility for our choices. He lets us walk away in separation toward death; but he watches, waits, and runs to us to bring us back to life in the family of God (the Church).
I invite you once again to join us, to hear God’s Word and to participate as you can in the sacrificial offering at Calvary of Jesus, the only Son of God, to our Heavenly Father. or the Two Sons, or the Prodigal Son.
In our cycle of readings, this Gospel story is connected with the story of Moses’ intercession for the people of Israel (stiff-necked and rebellious) and with Paul’s self-admission of his great sinfulness and God’s rich mercy, through Jesus, to him and for all who will come to believe and follow Jesus for the Father’s glory. We see the mercy shown to the ignorant (those blind to God’s
Merlyn James Dalsted
A funeral service was held Sept. 6, 2025, in Cavalier, N.D., for Merlyn James Dalsted, 92, who passed away on Sept. 1, 2025, at the Pembina County Memorial Hospital in Cavalier. Merlyn was born on May 7, 1933, in Svold, N.D. He was the son of John and Elinora “Ella” (Thorleifson) Dalsted. He grew up on the family farm and ranch in the Svold area. Merlyn attended grade school at the Svold School, later getting his GED at UND in the spring of 1982. On May 19, 1972, Merlyn married Kaye Bill in Hamilton, N.D. They began their married life on the family farm in Svold. They built their life around farming and ranching. He farmed the original
A Celebration of Life was held Sept. 6, 2025, for Joyce Platzkow, formerly of Langdon, N.D.
I was born on July 16, 1928, the
Lilah J. Dick
Funeral Services were held Sept. 11, 2025, in Munich, N.D., for Lilah J. Dick of Devils Lake, formerly of Munich, N.D., who went home to her Lord and Savior on Sept. 5, 2025, at Altru Hospital in Grand Forks, N.D., at the age of 99 years. A burial was held in the East Salem Cemetery, rural Munich.
Lilah Jane Dick was born on Friday, March 12, 1926, in Henderson Township, Cavalier County, outside of Munich to Dietrich C. and Anna (Hoffman) Dick. She was baptized at Salem Mennonite Church. Lilah went to school in Alsen then Munich, where she graduated in 1943. She attended Grace Bible Institute in Omaha, Neb., and graduated with a Bachelor of Christian Education in 1949. Lilah’s first
homestead with his brother, John Allen, and with their father, John, until he died. When his brother, John Allen, died, Merlyn continued to live and work on the farm.
Merlyn and Kaye had two daughters, Merlynda and Kaylyn. Merlynda married Jason Hurst, and they had three children that spent precious time with their Afi, Merlyn. He had a special relationship with his son-in-law, Jason, and he enjoyed watching his grandchildren grow up and go off to excel in college. Cayden moved back to the farm and remodeled his grandfather’s house, with Ella moving to Harvey to begin her first year as an elementary teacher and Colten excelling in college playing football and playing in the band. Merlyn was very proud of his family and loved being with his grandchildren. The family has many wonderful memories of being together for birthday parties, Christmas celebrations and family events. He was very close to his family and always kept in touch with other family members throughout the years.
Merlyn had many interests that he enjoyed through the years. He was a member of the Dalsted Family Band for many years playing for dances,
middle daughter to John and Loretta (Schwartz) Monette. My parents also had Norma Jean Gonser (oldest) and Bonnie Ann Hoaby (youngest). Both of my sisters died in 2009, Norma in February and Bonnie in April.
I married Walter Platzkow on March 10, 1947, in Grand Forks, N.D. Rev. Mehl officiated. We celebrated 53 years of anniversaries before he died of cancer on July 7, 2000. We had four children: Kathy Ramage, Kenny, Jeanene Hall, and Robert. I hope they will remember I loved each one of them very much. Kenny preceded me in death in Oct. 2012. I have four grandsons and have been blessed with two great-granddaughters and two great-grandsons.
teaching assignment was at Rosehill School, rural Munich, and she attended Taylor University in Upland, Ind., from 1952-53. She received her Bachelor of Science in 1954 from the State Teachers College in Mayville.
Lilah completed her Master of Education in 1967 at the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks. After teaching sixth grade science for 18 years in Benson, Minn., she returned to take care of her parents. In 1983, Lilah and her mother moved to the new home that Lilah designed in Munich, where she continued teaching. She taught in the Munich Public School System until fully retiring from the profession in 1996.
Lilah helped with relief work for the Mennonite Central Committee in Akron, Penn., where she also worked with an Amish community. In 1956, she was a delegate to the Mennonite Church General Conference in Winnipeg, Canada. Lilah gave to many charities that were close to her heart. After moving to Munich on a permanent basis, she was active in the church library and the “Be Ye Doers” group, which did many projects for missionaries.
During her summer breaks from teaching and after retirement, Lilah travelled, visiting relatives and sight-
Obituaries
parties, nursing homes, and the county fair free stage. He played the guitar for many years with friends: Harmony Hobos, Westernaires and the Valley Ramblers. Merlyn was the last member of the Dalsted Band. One of his memorable experiences was flying with Jason Hinkle over Merlyn’s farm and the surrounding areas.
His Icelandic heritage was a big part of his life. He was known for his fluent knowledge of the Icelandic language and met many Icelanders through the years at the August the Deuce Celebrations in Mountain, N.D., where he was once the Grand Marshall of the parade. He never missed the Deuce of August Celebration, which included this year, 2025, for the Friday fish fry and the parade. He was always able to meet and connect with Icelanders from Iceland, and he was known as the Icelandic Singing Cowboy for singing his favorite Icelandic songs.
He was proud of his family, his Icelandic roots and his family’s musical heritage. He will be remembered for his incredible memory of the history of Advanced Township, neighbors, friends and relatives, the Svold area and neighborhood communities. He loved to talk about the Icelandic and
When I did the genealogy of the Platzkow and Monette families, my great-grandchildren are the sixth and seventh generations. It would have been interesting to see how their lives turned out.
My hobbies are varied. I love to readsometimes two books a week. My family gives me gift cards to Barnes and Noble. I have lost count of how many sets of white dish towels I’ve embroidered, plus quilt squares. When the children were young I knitted sweaters, scarves, and mittens for them, and I also made several afghans that I crocheted. I have also enjoyed writing stories for the family of my life on the farm in North Dakota and of people from the genealogy study. They told me they were interesting and enjoyed
seeing across North America, to places such as Alaska, Arizona, Florida, Montana, Oregon, Texas, Wyoming and Canada. Lilah often had a table set up for jigsaw puzzles and enjoyed many games like Bingo, Skip-Bo, and Dominos with friends and family. She was a great believer in playing by the rules! She made annual trips to Frost Fire with family and helped organize reunions and other gatherings throughout the years. Lilah also had cat companions to feed and keep her company while living in Munich.
Lilah celebrated education and so much more. She was the historian of the family, of the church and of the community. In the 1990s, she researched and compiled the Hoffman-Janzen family tree, “And These are the Generations” which was published in 1997.
In 2018, she moved to Eventide Heartland Courts in Devils Lake, N.D., where she attended Thursday morning Bible study. Lilah loved her Lord and Savior, her family, her friends, and each of her students whose lives she touched in many special ways. In our sadness at this time, we find great joy in knowing she is in the presence of her Lord and reunited with those
American folklore and loved antique machinery and the D8 Caterpillar. He never lost touch with family in western N.D., the West Coast and Canada.
For 13 years, Merlyn was a bus driver for the Cavalier School, board member of the Mountain Vikur Church, Peter’s Cemetery, Model Airplane Club, Ham Radio operator since 1963, (his call letters were WA0GWD) and he was a weather spotter for Pembina County.
Merlyn is survived by his children: Merlynda (Jason) Hurst, Kaylyn Dalsted (Roxanne Bergeson); three grandchildren: Cayden Hurst, Ella Hurst and Colten Hurst; and many nieces and nephews. He had a close relationship with his wife’s family, the Bills. He was preceded in death by his wife, Kaye, on Aug. 30, 1996, Rosa Dalsted Thordarson Johnson, Sig Dalsted, Barney Dalsted, Dorothy Dalsted Crowston, and John Allen Dalsted. Merlyn was the last living family member.
In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to Peters Cemetery or the Pembina County Historical Society.
Online condolences available at www. askewfuneralhome.com .
reading them.
I consider myself fortunate to have had my mother for 92 years; she passed away in June of 1990 after a fall in her apartment, and my dad died on Dec. 28, 1933 of double pneumonia. I was only five years old, but I remember.
Now I have died (August 26, 2025) and am off on a beautiful adventure, hopefully in Heaven. I have always enjoyed going to church to hear the hymns and the pastor's message. When Walter and I traveled during the winter months away from the farm we always found a Missouri Synod Lutheran church to attend. I have always found comfort in the words of the 23rd Psalm (one of my favorites).
loved ones who have gone before her. Lilah is survived by her brother, Newton (Eunice) Dick, of Lorena, Texas; sister-in-law Dorothy Dick of Richey, Mont.; nephews and nieces: Kenneth (Glenda) Unruh of Bloomburg, Texas, Marlys Hendrickson of Apple Valley, Minn., Wesley (Lynelle) Dick of Ft. Myers, Flo., Darrel Dick of Harlowton, Mont., Leonard Dick of Richey, Mont., Claudia (Paul) Blight of Southlake, Texas, Lianna Dick of Waco, Texas, Carlton Dick of Fargo, N.D., Jason (Cecile) Dick of Hewitt, Texas, Brandon Dick of Huntsville, Ala., Galen Dick of Lorena, Texas; and many grandnieces and grandnephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, Dietrich C. and Anna; sister Wynona Unruh; brothers: Lewis Dick and Leonard Dick; brother-in-law Dietrich Unruh; sister-in-law Mildred Dick; nieces: Sharon Black, Maxine Martin, Colleen Dick; nephews-in-law John Black, Allan Martin, Roger Hendrickson; and nieces-in-law Dorcus Unruh and Dawn Dick.
Memorials may be directed to the Rio Grande Bible Institute, 4300 South US Highway 281, Edinburg, TX 78539 in memory of Lilah.
Arrangements were with Gilbertson Funeral Home of Devils Lake, N.D.
Walhalla
Senior Meals Menu
Monday, Sept. 15
Swedish Meatballs•Mashed Potatoes•Mixed Vegetables•Peaches
Tuesday, Sept. 16 Pork Chop in Mushroom•Gravy•Mashed Potatoes•Broccoli•Fruit
This is a menu for the Walhalla Title III Older Americans Act Food Program. The full cost of the meal is $13.00. Suggested donation for those 60 and older is $4.00. EBT/SNAP accepted. Under 60 are required to pay $13.00. Meal site is Waters Family Restaurant, 1108 Central Ave., Walhalla. Call 701-5492443 before 10:00 a.m. to place an order for congregate, pick up, or home delivered meals.
Cavalier County Senior Menu
Monday, Sept. 15
Cabbage Roll/Baked Potato/Green Beans/Fruit
Tuesday, Sept. 16
Chicken Enchilada Bake/Southwestern Corn/Chips and Salsa/ Guacamole/Fruit
Full cost of a meal: $10.00. 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.
Joyce Platzkow
RRVCA to close doors
By Nick Vorlage
In North Dakota, the board for the Red River Valley Community Action (RRVCA) group, an organization which provides services to regional food pantries, has voted unanimously to dissolve the organization.
The decision, made on Sept. 3, follows years of the organization working at a financial loss. Last month on Aug. 15, the organization announced they had laid off most of its staff members and would be ceasing daily operations.
Documentation of the group's dissolution will have to be filed through the Secretary of State and attorney general offices.
Previously, the RRVCA provided their services to food pantries through Grand Forks, Nelson, Walsh, and Pembina counties. Community Action Region VI, which is based in Jamestown, will now be in charge of providing these services.
Rolette commissioner pleads guilty
By Nick Vorlage
Following up on a story brought to you last week, Rolette County Commissioner Craig James Poitra has pled guilty to the charges of corruption of a minor and providing false information to law enforcement.
The corruption charge stems from an incident back in July 2017 before Poitra was elected to the commissioner position in 2018. The victim of this crime was 17, while Poitra was 43 years old. The false information charge happened during the course of the ND Bureau of Criminal Investigations.
Poitra’s resignation was submitted to the Rolette county’s state’s attorney on Monday. With Poitra resigning, the commission is now advertising the open seat. Whoever is selected will serve through November 2026. Poitra remains out on bond. His sentencing has been scheduled for Dec. 8.
Devils Lake offduty officer involved in
“critical
By Nick Vorlage
incident”
The Devils Lake Police Department says an off-duty police officer was behind a “critical incident” which occurred in the overnight Tuesday morning hours.
Officers were dispatched around 11p.m. Monday night to a home located on 15th Ave SE on the report of a 911 hang up call. An investigation began, and a search warrant was obtained and executed. During this, the off-duty police officer barricaded himself inside the home with a weapon.
The Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office would be called in to assist, and the two departments negotiated with the subject for several hours. Around 9:30 Tuesday morning, a weapon was discharged, and the subject was transported to CHI St. Alexius.
Investigations into this incident have been transferred over to the North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigations.
HHS celebrates recovery, resilience during National Recovery Month
BISMARCK, ND - North Dakota Health and Human Services (HHS) will celebrate National Recovery Month this September, as proclaimed by Gov. Kelly Armstrong.
The month is a time to celebrate hope and affirm that recovery from addiction and substance misuse challenges is possible. Throughout September, individuals, families, businesses and communities are invited to learn about recovery resources, celebrate recovery and support loved ones.
“Recovery isn’t just about one person; it’s about all of us. When communities support people in recovery with compassion and understanding, healing becomes possible. I’ve seen how
powerful it is when someone feels truly accepted and supported,” said Kenzie Larson, HHS peer support administrator and certified peer support specialist.
Recovery is possible, and help is available
HHS’ Behavioral Health Division partners with community agencies throughout the state to help individuals seeking recovery from addiction. Key programs and services include:
•Community Connect: Provides quality, community-based behavioral health services through care coordination and peer support.
•Substance Use Disorder Voucher Program: Reduces financial barriers to accessing treatment and recovery services.
•Recovery Talk: Free, confidential support from trained peer support specialists available 24/7. Call or text 701-291-7901.
•Recovery Housing Assistance Program: Helps eligible individuals cover living expenses in approved recovery housing.
Human Service Centers (Behavioral Health Clinics)
HHS’s eight regional human service centers (behavioral health clinics) provide community-based behavioral health and crisis response services across the state, ensuring individuals and families have access to the care and resources they need close to home.
With a donation from the Mountain Plains Addiction Technology Transfer Center, clinics are demonstrating their commitment to recovery through community activities and creative projects during National Recovery Month.
More information For more information about available recovery programs and services, visit hhs.nd.gov/behavioral-health or contact the HHS Behavioral Health Division at 701-328-8920, 711 (TTY), or dhsbhd@nd.gov. Learn more about behavioral health crisis services at hhs.nd.gov/behavioral-health/ find-services.
Newspapers have bright future in local communities, if they embrace change Future of Local News Initiative dives deep on state of industry
By Michael Standaert/North Dakota News Cooperative
Challenges faced by local newspapers across North Dakota could become opportunities if the potentially uncomfortable changes modern news consumers demand are embraced, a new study recently found.
In recent months, the Future of Local News Initiative was launched by the Rural Development Finance Corporation along with several other groups to take the pulse of the state of newspapers about what ails print journalism and potential solutions to invigorate the print press.
This included surveying 31 newspaper executives about their challenges, 53 editors and journalists about their work, as well as 381 adults across the state about their news consumption habits and the importance of local news. The initiative is funded by a grant from the Bush Foundation.
“The public has an impression that their local newspaper is doing okay, and maybe in many cases it is doing okay,” said Cecile Wehrman, executive director of the North Dakota Newspaper Association, which partnered in the project.
“When we ask on the other side, if you knew your local newspaper was struggling, what would you be willing to do? There’s very strong support for subscribing, possibly giving a donation, or giving some kind of additional support for its continuation in pretty high numbers,” she said.
Challenge to opportunity
Despite the public perception, many newspapers are struggling.
Newspaper owners and executives detailed major challenges they face, ranging from staffing shortages to payroll costs, succession uncertainties, rising postal costs, revenue and subscriber shortfalls, as well as ad revenues siphoned off by other sources that leave them on shaky ground.
Digging deeper into the surveys, however, shows rays of hope that newspapers could potentially tap into because local communities place high value on their local papers.
Nearly nine out of 10 adults surveyed said having a local newspaper in their community is very important or important, while 80% said losing a local newspaper would have a negative impact on their community.
Since 2005, over 3,300 newspapers across the U.S. have ceased publication, leading to “news deserts” where local communities are without a local news source. In North Dakota, three counties do not have a local paperDunn, Sioux and Slope.
And in this age of potential misinformation and disinformation, original news from local newspapers was found to be the most trusted source of news, higher than local TV and much higher than social media or local radio.
“The public has a much more positive outlook than I would have expected, given the national attention there is on fake news and all the attacks on the press,” Wehrman said.
One issue is newspapers may not be valuing themselves high enough, said former North Dakota journalist Teri Finneman, who is now an associate professor at the University of Kansas focused on the history of U.S. journalism.
Finneman said many newspapers are stuck in a business model from the 1800s that kept costs low for news consumers because ad revenue supported most costs. That revenue source has dramatically changed without many newspapers catching up, she said.
“We need to adjust, and the public needs to do a better job of supporting journalism,” Finneman said.
She gave the example of how going to the gas station, someone might buy a soda and a candy bar that costs two to three times what most people pay for their local newspaper.
One purchase is for something mass produced in seconds, and another is for a product which potentially takes hundreds of hours of labor to put together, but people often don’t see the true value behind those purchases.
“So, we just really need to do a much better job explaining this to the public,” Finneman said of the cost of producing news and the value to local communities. “People extremely support local news. They want local news, but the pricing no longer works.”
Marianne Grogan, president of Coda Ventures who conducted the surveys, said it was heartening to see the dedication of newspapers and their staff come through in the data.
“I'm very touched and amazed by the resilience of the newspapers as they face some big challenges,” she said. “And what comes through is they are deeply committed to their communities.”
The other side that’s promising is how much community support there is for local news.
“What came through with the data is how much local newspapers mean to North Dakota residents, and it almost doesn't matter by age group,” Grogan said. “They want them to be the watchdog for them. They want them to tell them about local events. They want them as productive members of their community.”
Providing value to local communities
Currently, the steering committee for the initiative is coming up with a menu of solutions for local newspapers to review that could help them be sustainable, provide fulfilling careers for their editors and journalists, and give local communities more of what they want.
Some of that may require uncomfortable changes if local communities are willing to back their papers. For example, 20 of the 73 newspapers in the state are print only, meaning they don’t have websites or digital editions.
“Economics is part of it, resistance to change is part of it,” Wehrman said.
The news consumer surveys found 41% of people want both print and digital editions of their newspapers.
They also want newspapers every day and websites with daily updates, according to the data.
Among the dominant group of future news consumers, pluralities of Gen Z (48%) and Millennials (45%) also want both print and digital editions, signaling the market changes going forward.
That desire for more news is at odds with the challenges most papers face, however, so finding a happy middle ground where communities deeply support their papers so they can get closer to what they want is important, those involved in the initiative said.
Part of that may take newspapers becoming more involved in their communities through public events and other engagement.
“Publishers we deem as some of the
most successful, Pulitzer and Hearst, were huge on audience engagement,” Finneman said. “I emphasize doing events by getting people from the newspaper office to reclaim that role of being the heart of the community and bringing the community together, not just through passively, through the news, but also actively, bringing the community together.”
Ellen Huber, rural development services director at the North Dakota Association of Rural Electric Cooperatives, which also partners with the initiative, said the steering committee has created three groups - one to study revenue models, one on content, and another on operations –as part of that menu of solutions the group can provide papers and communities.
“Ultimately, why we’re involved is we know local news is important to strong communities and community vitality,” Huber said. “In healthy communities where you have strong local news you’re going to have a more involved and engaged community and stronger community leadership.”
Committee member Rob Keller, co-founder of the ND Public Information Officer Association, said local newspapers are "indispensable" for local, state, federal and tribal information officers to get information out to the public both during periods of crisis as well as providing that on a general basis.
“What we put out has to be timely, accurate, and has to be actionable information to everyone in the community,” Keller said of the importance of local newspapers and how they are among the most trusted sources of information. “Without them, there's going to be a significant gap.”
Keller said that one thing discussed in the steering committee is how even smaller newspapers need to have a strong social media presence so that even if information can’t get out in a timely manner in a weekly newspaper, they could get that information out on social media platforms.
“This is especially important in times like, for example, in the western part of the state when the fires were happening,” Keller said. “There’s a lot of papers that don’t have a social media presence, so one thing we’ve talked about is creating a team that could help with that. From our standpoint, it is extremely important. While we have only three news deserts now, maybe a few more are coming.”
#1 Cardinals roll to 3-0 with Homecoming win over
Johnson, Davis both rush for over 160 yards, L-M racks up 527 yards of total offense
By Jake Kulland, Sports Editor
Being ranked #1 in North Dakota in Class A 11-man football for the first time this season, the Langdon-Munich Cardinals football team wanted to earn that when they hosted fifthranked Harvey-Wells County for their Homecoming game in Langdon on Sept. 5. They did just that, winning in an eventual rout, 36-8. The Cardinals will have another Region 2A game at home versus Belcourt on Sept. 12 then hit the road to play at Rugby on Sept. 19.
The game with the Hornets saw a big crowd on Homecoming night - even the weather was less than favorable with a kickoff temperature in the 50's and breezy.
Both teams sort of felt each other out in the first quarter, which was scoreless. Langdon-Munich got it going through on the ground and through the air the rest of the game. Sam Davis scored the first TD for Langdon-Munich early in the second quarter, which was followed by a 23-yard scamper by Jax Johnson.
Just before halftime, the Cards got down near the goal line and then attempted their first field goal since the 2000's - a 25-yard make by Johnson, which would have been good by at least 10 yards more. It was the first time Cardinals coach Josh Krivarchka attempted a field goal in his 14 years as head coach of the team.
The Cardinals defense was on point all night, only allowing one long H-WC touchdown pass in the third quarter. Langdon-Munich capped the scoring with Davis sprinting to pay dirt from 50 yards out, giving him a career day rushing the football. He finished with 163 yards on the ground with Johnson just surpassing him with 166. Eastyn Schaefer had a receiving TD and led the team with five catches for 90 yards. Theo Romfo also had two big grabs for 63 yards through the air. Langdon-Munich had two takeaways on the night with Devin Hakanson recovering a fumble and Austin Wenzel picking off a pass at the end of the contest.
LANGDON-MUNICH 36, HARVEY-WELLS COUNTY 8
HWC -- 0 0 8 0 -- 8
LM -- 0 15 7 14 -- 36
LM -- Sam Davis 38 run (Kick blocked)
LM -- Jax Johnson 23 run (Pass failed)
LM -- Johnson 25 FG
LM -- Johnson 14 run (Johnson kick)
HWC -- Dylan Heitman 74 pass from Carter Laber (Kyson Zerr run)
LM -- Eastyn Schaefer 9 pass from Johnson (Johnson kick)
LM -- Davis 50 run (Johnson kick)
Rushing -- LM: Jax Johnson 24-166, Sam Davis 17-163, Connor Mitchell 2-0; HWC: Kyson Zerr 17-70, Easton Schuh 3-8, Carter Laber 3-(-6), Brody Hanson 2-7
Passing -- LM: Johnson 10-20-197-0 1 TD; HWC: Laber 5-18-119-0 1 TD; Chris Marchand 0-2-0-1
Receiving -- LM: Eastyn Schaefer 5-90, Theo Romfo 2-63, TJ Henderson 1-36, Tanner McDonald 1-12, Davis 1-(-4); HWC: Andrew Williams 2-36, Dylan Heitman 1-74, Zerr 1-9, Jaxon Feist 1-0
The Homecoming Game kicked off with floats and a parade. Photo by Larry Stokke.
The Cardinal Football Team on their float in the Homecoming Parade.
Photo by Larry Stokke.
The high school girls put on a smile while riding their float in the Homecoming Parade last week.
Photo by Larry Stokke.
The future Cardinals football team entertaining fans at halftime.
Photo by Larry Stokke. Player of the Game Sam Davis runs
Photo by Larry Stokke.
Jax Johnson tackles a Hornet ball carrier, taking him off his feet.
Photo by Larry Stokke.
Eastyn Schaefer gets into the end zone to tack six more points onto the Cards' scoreboard.
Photo by Larry Stokke.
Landon Schneider and a teammate wrap up a Hornet ball carrier. Photo by Larry Stokke.
Lady Cards get a sweep win in first regular season match versus Grafton
By Jake Kulland, Sports Editor
After a third-place finish at the Northern Cass Volleyball Tournament, the Langdon-Munich Cardinals hosted the Grafton Spoilers in their first regular season match of the season on Sept. 4, which was also Homecoming for the team. The Lady Cards won the match by a sweep in set scores of 2518, 25-19 and 25-16. Langdon-Munich played a JV match at Dunseith on Sept. 9 and also played at Cavalier on Sept. 11. They will participate in a tournament in Valley City on Sept. 13 then in the week ahead play at St. John on Sept 16. Their next home match is versus the North Border Eagles on Sept. 18 in Langdon.
In their match with Grafton, the Cardinals did not serve the ball as well as they would've liked, missing 15, but they still got the job done with some great defense. They had 82 digs in the match with five players reaching double figures led by Hilary Haaven with 19, Raeleigh Ratzlaff and Mya
Swanson 13, Aubrey Badding 12, and Meggy Hetletved with 11.
Offensively, Badding had 15 kills and Haaven 14 for the Cards, while new setter Kemi Morstad had 32 assists.
LANGDON-MUNICH 25-25-25, GRAFTON 18-19-16
Kills -- LM: Aubrey Badding 15, Hilary Haaven 14, Taya Feist 4; G: Sheyenne BlackCloud 7, Elle Schumacher 3 Assists -- LM: Kemi Morstad 32; G: Emma LeClerc 10
The Cardinals "Bird Cage" was loud and proud during the game with the Grafton Spoilers. Photo by Larry Stokke.
Emma Hall sends the ball back over the net for a kill against the Spoilers.
Photo by Larry Stokke.
Meggy Hetletved with a backrow
12 for the game against the Spoilers.
Photo by Larry Stokke.
Kemi Morstad sets the ball, finishing the game with 32 assists.
Photo by Larry Stokke.
Taya Feist hammers down a kill in the win over Grafton. Photo by Larry Stokke.
Aubrey Badding was Player of the Game in the Cards' win over Grafton. Aubrey finished the game with 15 kills, 12 digs and two blocks. Photo by Larry Stokke.
Eagles soar to 3-0 after Region 2 football win at Midway-Minto
By Jake Kulland, Sports Editor
on
In
Eagles got out to a big lead early.
North Border quarterback Kaden Moore had a big night with 107 rushing and 165 yards passing to give him a double-double. Oakley Brown had 70 rushing, while Kolter Kakela had 55 yards receiving. Brody Berg and Gavin Symington led the way on defense with nine tackles each.
A scoring summary and box score was unavailable at press time.
By Jake Kulland, Sports Editor
of you who get this paper will watch Langdon-Munich host Belcourt or watch North Border have their biggest test of the season at defending 9 -man champions, #1-ranked New Rockford-Sheyenne.
Jax Johnson makes a field goal, first for the Cardinals since Justin Overby in ‘07
One thing that also has happened in Langdon-Munich’s last football game is that senior Jax Johnson kicked a 25-yard field goal to close the first half. Now, most football fans might not think that’s a big deal, but it is in the high school ranks. Johnson’s make was the first field goal even attempted in the 14 years that Cardinals coach Josh Krivarchka has been head coach of the team. It’s the first field goal for Langdon-Munich since 2007, when Justin Overby hit one from 44 yards in a playoff game - Langdon versus May-Port-C-G - and is also the unofficial school record. We say unofficial, because while former coach and athletic director Denny Dinius kept meticulous records for the program back in the day, they all got tossed by accident several years ago. We won’t say how or by who, but we just know they are all gone.
The cool thing is Jax now joins a very unique fraternity in Cardinals football.
Overby, Ricky Arteberry, Chris Restad, Jeff Bahr, Wayne Waslaski, and others as players that have made a field goal in a Cards game. And yes, it’s not very many when you think about how many years that covers, which makes it even cooler. Again, with no record keeping, we most certainly have forgotten a few names, but that’s a good share of them.
Lady Cards volleyball ranked second in first poll of the season There are volleyball polls out once again for North Dakota this year. It is the new three-class system; Langdon-Munich is ranked second in the state in the first one that was released early this past week. The Lady Cards are just behind Linton-HMB for first, as the Lions beat Langdon-Munich in a semifinal match at the Northern Cass Tournament in late August. Of course, the Cardinals are defending State B Champions, and they will have their next home match on Sept. 18 versus North Border for their annual rivalry match.
Did our Vikings find their franchise quarterback?
We will leave you this week with the possible exciting news that our Minnesota Vikings got a nice comeback win in their first game of the season at Chicago on Sept. 8. It’s not that
the Vikes won, but it’s how they won. Their new quarterback, JJ McCarthy, engineered three, fourth quarter scoring drives after the whole offense looked horrible for three quarters.
Have the Vikings found their franchise quarterback for the next 12 years?
Well, of course, that is yet to be determined. Many “experts” are already comparing McCarthy to Tom Brady; they both played at Michigan in the
college ranks and had similar college careers. Let’s get in a few more games before we start that kind of talk. It’s still good to see that the kid was sort of magical in the comeback, and 127 yards of Bears penalities didn’t hurt either. As Vikings fans, let’s just hope this is a nice first step in our new quarterback’s long career. “See ya!” next week!
Kolter Kakela secures the pass for the first down.
Zeke Symington finishes the drive with a touchdown run.
Kade Schafer clears the path as Oakley Brown fights for extra yards on the carry.
Colton Bailly pulls down the reception
Gavin Symington's blocking gives Kaden Moore the moment he needs to pass.
Eagles lose District 3 volleyball home match in Pembina to M-M
By Jake Kulland, Sports Editor
Photo
Dannika Bennett passes
Pembina on Sept.
Mustangs. Photo by Larry Stokke.
Jaelyn Johnson sends the ball through two Mustangs for a point. Photo by Larry Stokke.
Jacy Fraser with a diving dig in the game against Midway-Minto in Pembina on Sept. 9. Photo by Larry Stokke.
Adrienne Longtin sets the ball to a teammate in the game against the Mustangs. Photo by Larry Stokke.
NDSU Extension to offer fall Nourish series
North Dakota State University Extension, partnered with NDSU Health, Nutrition, and Exercise Sciences, is offering programming focused on physical well-being in fall 2025.
Nourish is a free program that provides information and strategies about nutrition and health. The program has been offered as live classes in many N.D. counties and as selfpaced online modules, and it’s now offered via live webinars as well.
“Good health is important for enjoying a high quality of life and for maintaining independence in later life,” said Sherri Stastny, NDSU professor and project co-director. “This program offers the tools to help us enhance our overall well-being.”
Nourish is aimed at adults living in rural N.D., but any adult is welcome to participate. Participants in the series will learn to promote health and well-being by eating more nutritiously and being more physically active, plus other lifestyle tips and ideas.
Participants who choose the Zoom webinar-based classes will begin Sept. 30. The classes, held every Tuesday at 2 p.m., will be about 45 minutes long and will include time for questions. Each webinar will be recorded. Participants are asked to register for and complete the entire series of classes.
Participants who choose the in-person classes can find their county’s schedule at ndsu.ag/nourishcourses as dates become available.
Participants who choose the online modules will receive prerecorded lessons and interactive activities.
This Nourish series will focus on well-being, finding accurate health information, cooking for one or two, maintaining muscles, how pets impact health, building up the immune system, smart medication usage and staying well.
Prizes and certificates will be provided for those who complete at least six classes.
The classes have been held since 2023, and they have proven to be popular.
“Our previous participants have been enthusiastic about the information they have learned and their progress on personal health goals,” said Julie Garden-Robinson, NDSU Extension food and nutrition specialist and professor. “The colder season of fall is an excellent time to learn something new and to set health goals before the new year.”
Registration for the webinar series is open until Sept. 29. Participants are asked to only register for one format.
North Dakota Game & Fish updates
Remaining fall turkey licenses
available Sept. 17
The fall wild turkey lottery has been held and more than 1,200 licenses remain in 10 units. Beginning Sept. 17 at 8 a.m. Central time, all remaining licenses will be issued on a firstcome, first-served basis. Hunters are allowed a maximum of five licenses for the fall season.
Resident and nonresident hunters must purchase a license online at the Game and Fish website, gf.nd.gov.
The fall turkey season runs Oct. 11 –Jan. 4, 2026.
Licenses remain for the following units: Unit 04, portions of Billings and Golden Valley counties, (39); Unit 13, Dunn County, (619); Unit 19, Grant and Sioux counties and portions of Morton County, (12); Unit 25, McHenry County and portions of Pierce and Ward counties, (290); Unit 30, Morton County, (83); Unit 31, Mountrail County, (11); Unit 44, Hettinger County and Slope County, (25); Unit 45, Stark County, (51); Unit 47, Eddy, Foster, Kidder, Sheridan, Stutsman and Wells counties, (11); and Unit 51, Burke County, Renville County and a portion of Ward County, (89).
Upland game brood survey North Dakota’s roadside surveys conducted in late July and August indicate pheasant numbers are relatively the same as last year, while gray partridge and sharp-tailed grouse numbers were down.
Total pheasants observed (91.6 per 100 miles) are down 3% from last year and broods (11.4) per 100 miles are down 1%. The average brood size (5.1) is down 6%. The statewide number of pheasants observed per 100 miles is 48% above the 10-year average. The final summary is based on 285 survey runs made along 100 brood routes across N.D.
Observers in the northwest counted 14.7 broods and 115 pheasants per 100 miles, down from 20.8 broods and 164 pheasants in 2024. The average brood size was 4.3 chicks.
Results from the southeast showed 9.6 broods and 73 pheasants per 100 miles, up from 7.9 broods and 57 pheasants in 2024. The average brood size was 4.7 chicks.
Statistics from southwestern N.D. indicated 14.8 broods and 125 pheasants per 100 miles, up from 13.8 broods and 119 pheasants in 2024. Average brood size was 5.8 chicks.
The northeast district, generally containing secondary pheasant habitat with lower pheasant numbers compared to the rest of the state, showed 4.9 broods and 37 pheasants per 100 miles, compared to 4.3 broods and 37 pheasants last year. Average brood size was 4.4 chicks.
Sharptails were down 38% statewide (12 sharptails per 100 miles), and 30% below the 10-year average. Brood survey results showed 2.1 broods per 100 miles and an average brood size of 4.4.
Partridge observed per 100 miles were down 26% (16 partridge per 100 miles). Observers recorded 1.8 broods per 100 miles, and 8.1 chicks per brood.
The grouse and partridge seasons open Sept. 13 and continue through Jan. 4, 2026.
The pheasant season opens Oct. 11
Participants may attend face-to-face classes, view live webinars or complete self-paced online modules.
Visit www.ag.ndsu.edu/nourish to register and for more information. There is no cost to participate.
The project is supported by a Rural Health and Safety Education program grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
In addition to the classes, anyone can sign up for the free monthly Nourish newsletter by visiting the Nourish website. Participating NDSU Extension offices also have Facebook pages catered to their areas.
‘Lead Teacher’ program holds promise for classroom instruction
BISMARCK, N.D. – State School Superintendent Kirsten Baesler said Tuesday that N.D. has become the first state to gain approval for a “lead teacher” apprenticeship program, which holds the potential to transform classroom instruction and school leadership.
The Fargo and Northern Cass School Districts will be trying out the program during the coming school year with 15 teachers in the two districts receiving specialized training in the method this fall, Baesler said. The program is designed in collaboration with Arizona State University.
The approach emphasizes using teams of teachers, each one with specialized expertise in classroom instruction, rather than the traditional approach of one teacher, one classroom. Each team is directed by a lead teacher, who would complete 10 separate “micro-credential” courses to earn an NDDPI lead teacher certificate.
Students receive more thorough,
comprehensive, and personalized instruction from the method, while teachers have less pressure and more peer support in their jobs, as well as new opportunities for advancement, Baesler said.
The U.S. Department of Labor’s approval of N.D.’s application for a lead teacher apprenticeship program makes it eligible for federal grant money. The Fargo-based Burgum Foundation has provided $140,000 for lead teacher training, and additional philanthropic support is being sought.
The program is another element of Baesler’s efforts to address N.D.’s ongoing teacher shortage.
The Department of Public Instruction has won approval for teacher apprenticeships, supported by both federal and state grants, that are helping paraprofessionals who are already working in N.D. classrooms to become certified teachers. A separate apprenticeship program offers training for future school principals.
and continues through Jan. 4, 2026.
The two-day youth pheasant hunting weekend, when legally licensed residents and nonresidents 15 and younger can hunt statewide, is set for Oct. 4-5.
Submit wing envelopes
Hunters can help in the effort to manage upland game birds in North Dakota by collecting feathers from harvested birds and sending in wing envelopes.
Birds included in the North Dakota Game and Fish Department’s upland game wing survey, which has been in practice for decades, are ring-necked pheasants, sharp-tailed grouse, Hungarian partridge, turkeys and ruffed grouse.
Collecting enough pheasant samples
is typically never a problem, but securing enough sharptail and partridge feathers can be.
Game and Fish biologists will take as many sharptail and partridge feathers as they can get because the more collected, the better the data. Biologists can determine if birds are male or female, age ratios, survival, nesting success, hatch dates and overall production.
What biologists learn from samples is vital to helping manage North Dakota’s upland game birds.
Instructions for submitting wing data are printed on the envelope.
Hunters interested in receiving wing envelopes should visit the Game and Fish website, gf.nd.gov.
HELP WANTED
Build your career with McLean County – we are hiring one or more Jailer/E-911 Dispatchers. Competitive pay and benefits. Visit https://www. mcleancountynd.gov/employment/. EOE.
Harvest Help Wanted Schumacher Farms, Drayton ND; Sugar Beets: Truck Drivers; Potatoes: Truck Drivers, Warehouse workers. Very Competitive Wages!! Call: John - 701-520-0028; Grant - 701-520-3771
YOU CAN PLACE a 25-word classified ad—like this one—in every North Dakota newspaper for only $160. It’s easy. Contact this newspaper for details.
EMPLOYMENT
BANKING POSITIONS needed for growing west/central South Dakota bank. Lender/Loan Processor/Tellers. Western Dakota Bank, Timber Lake, SD. Call Rusty at 605-865-3516.
SERVICES
Struggling with debt? If you have over $15,000 in debt we help you be debt free in as little as 24-48 months. Pay nothing to enroll. Call Now: 1-877688-0872
PEST CONTROL: PROTECT YOUR HOME from pests safely and affordably. Roaches, Bed Bugs, Rodent, Termite, Spiders and other pests. Locally owned and affordable. Call for service or an inspection today! 833-4060253 Have zip code of property ready when calling!
BATH & SHOWER UPDATES in as little as ONE DAY! Affordable prices - No payments for 18 months! Lifetime warranty & professional installs. Senior & Military Discounts available. Call: 1-833-787-0317
MISCELLANEOUS FOR SALE
LARGER INVENTORY OF PALLET RACKING. 42”48”uprights and wire decking.8,9,11 and 12ft beams. Large part cabinets various sizes. Located in Bismarck for more info call 701-202-9831.
NEED NEW FLOORING? Call today to schedule a FREE in-home estimate on Carpeting & Flooring. Call Today! 1-833-641-6785
WE BUY VINTAGE GUITAR’S! Looking for 1920-1980 Gibson, Martin, Fender, Gretsch, Epiphone, Guild, Mosrite, Rickenbacker, Prairie State, D’Angelico, Stromberg. And Gibson Mandolins / Banjos. 1-833-641-7066
CA$H PAID FOR HIGH-END MEN’S SPORT WATCHES! Rolex, Breitling, Omega, Patek Philippe, Heuer, Daytona, GMT, Submariner and Speedmaster. These brands only! Call 1-833641-6634
LOOKING FOR THE most complete listing of ND Media? ND Media Guide. Call 701-223-6397, ND Newspaper Association.
ATTENTION FARMERS seeing white mold in your fields? Noticing SDS? Share your location and enter to win FREE soybean seeds for 2026. Call Emily 605/290-8383
IT’S a COLLECTOR: 1979 GMC K15 with 350 crate engine, rebuilt auto tranny, 8-foot bed, dual exhaust. New tires, runs and drives. Too many new parts to mention. Includes North Dakota Pioneer plates. Asking $15,500. Also car trailer available, $4,500. Call 701-325-0710.
BUYING HORSES
HORSE BUYER at Rugby Livestock Wednesday September 10 8am-4pm and Stockmen’s, Dickinson, West barn Thursday September 11. 8am4pm. Buying all horses: good, bad, ugly or pretty! 612-839-9568
REAL ESTATE FOR SALE
ND FARM LAND Values surge upward. Are you selling or renting? Pifer’s Auction and Farm Land Management. Bob Pifer 701-371-8538. Kevin Pifer 701.238.5810. Free valuation.
AUTOS WANTED
Donate your vehicle to help find missing children and prevent abduction. Fast free pickup, running or not, 24 hr response. No emission test required, maximum tax deduction. Support Find the Children, call: 1-833-5450694.
Porter Harvesting, a 3rd generation crew is looking to add harvesting acres. We run three (3) 7250s, 2 carts & 4 Peterbilt trucks. Please call Joe 620-897-7555.
HEALTH/MEDICAL/ MISCELLANEOUS
We Buy Houses for Cash AS-IS! No repairs. No fuss. Any condition. Easy process: Call, get cash offer and get paid. Call today for your fair cash offer: 1-701-498-1853
WATER & FIRE DAMAGE RESTORATION. Our trusted professionals will restore your home to protect your family and your home’s value! Call 24/7: xxx-xxx-xxxx. Mold Remediation services are also available! 1-877-9360513
IF YOU HAD KNEE OR HIP REPLACEMENT SURGERY and suffered an infection between 2020 and the present time, you may be entitled to compensation. Call Attorney Charles H. Johnson 1-800-535-5727
HAVE a news release or other information that needs to reach all ND newspapers? ND Newspaper Association can help! One call does it all. 701223-6397.
Notice of School Board Position Openings
Rural School Board Position
At-Large School Board Position
Please send letter of interest to Shauna Schneider 715 14th Ave, Langdon ND 58249
Shauna.schneider@k12.nd.us
Position to be appointed until June 2026 election
Must be received by 4:00 PM, Sept. 15th, 2025
NOTICE TO PERRY TOWNSHIP LANDOWNERS
Landowners with property adjacent to Perry Township roads are required to mow the road right-of-way by October 1, 2025. Grass must be mowed shoulder level or lower. If this is not done by October 1, 2025, Perry Township will hire the work done and assess the landowner a rate of $250 per ½ mile of road. All landowners must clear all ditches and road right-of-way of all obstructions such as rock, trees, hay bales, and machinery. When swathers are used for mowing, the swaths must be removed. Perry Township Supervisors
DAKOTA DATEBOOK: B-52 Incident, 1980
September 16, 2025 – North Dakota has been the home of two Air Force bases since the 1950s, and both Minot and Grand Forks have benefitted economically. However, both cities have faced risks from the very presence of the nuclear weapons carried on B-52 bombers. The risk was usually minimized by the careful work of the airmen who serviced the weapons and the bombers, but on this date in 1980, the Grand Forks community was breathing a sigh of relief after a close call.
The day before, a B-52 bomber had caught fire and, "fed by fuel" from the "B-52's wing tank," it "burned like a blowtorch for nearly three hours," according to a Chicago Tribune news story, published in 1991 - eleven years after the incident.
Officers at the air base evacuated the area within 2,000 feet, or about half a mile, as standard procedure, so that firefighters could extinguish the fire. There was a big problem there that day, because the B-52 bomber contained a nuclear-tipped missile, likely the "SRAM-A short-range missile," which could have been set afire had the flames reached the bomb bay.
"Although a thermonuclear blast would not have occurred" if the weapon burned, the fire still would have "detonated conventional explosives in the triggering mechanism of the bombs." That explosion would have blown deathly-dangerous plutonium "into microscopic bits" and thrown the plutonium "into the atmosphere to
drift downwind."
Many of the 75,000 people living within 20 miles of the air base could have been exposed to the plutonium. Breathing or ingesting plutonium particles can lead to death, tissue damage or cancer, depending upon the dosage. An expert testifying at a closed Senate hearing was quoted in the Tribune story. He said the accident would have been "worse than [the] Chernobyl" nuclear reactor meltdown in the Soviet Union. The plutonium "particles in the soil would remain radioactive for 24,000 years."
The mayor of Grand Forks, H.C. "Bud" Wessman, was confronted by a difficult decision. He had several public safety options, yet little time to consider them. He could have evacuated the city as quickly as possible, or he could have advised all citizens to get into basements or fallout shelters, or he could have activated the emergency broadcast system and warning sirens, letting the people choose for themselves what to do. Or, he could do nothing and hope the B-52 fire would go out.
What did he do? He waited.
For three long hours, firefighters fought the fire. Yet another factor, a strong 26 mile-per-hour wind, blowing away from the bomb bay, may have saved the day. The fire went out, but only after the wing tank ran out of fuel.
The Air Force later changed its policies and removed that type of missile from B-52s because of the risk. Air Force officials said, however, that if the wind had been blowing toward the bomb bay "the Air Force would have taken more drastic measures to fight it."
And so the strong winds of the Red River Valley, at times an annoyance and at times a blizzard force, may
have rescued Mayor Bud Wessman and the Grand Forks Air Force Base from catastrophe back in September of 1980.
Dakota Datebook written by Dr. Steve Hoffbeck
“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.
Harvesting in Sarles
DAKOTA DATEBOOK: North Dakota’s Nobility
September 17, 2025 – When people think of nobility who lived in North Dakota, the Marquis de Mores usually comes to mind. But he was not the only European noble to make his home here. Lord Berriedale of Scotland operated a farm in Nelson County from 1884 to 1905.
He was born John Sutherland Sinclair on this date in 1857. He was the oldest of four sons. At the time he lived in North Dakota, he was next in line for the title of Earl of Caithness. His clan lineage could be traced back to the 11th century. William Sinclair supported William the Conqueror at the Battle of Hastings.
John Sinclair’s uncle was the secretary to the Governor General of Canada. Sinclair followed his uncle to Canada, where he worked at the Bank of Montreal. After saving enough money, he bought farmland six miles from Lakota, North Dakota. He called it Berriedale Farm. He lived a very ordinary life. None of his neighbors knew of his noble heritage.
Berriedale Farm raised purebred horses and dairy cattle. Sinclair also grew wheat, barley, and flax. Many of his workers were from Scotland. Berriedale Farm produced 50 pounds of butter per day. Most of it was shipped
to stores. Sinclair sold the rest himself. He was a familiar sight as he drove his carriage door-to-door selling the butter.
In 1895, a terrible fire destroyed Sinclair’s stables. He lost 30 prize stallions. After that, he focused on the dairy business. He was a devout Episcopalian, and with no Episcopalian churches in the area, he took it upon himself to fund the building of the Church of the Good Shepherd in Lakota.
Eventually, the time came for Sinclair to leave his beloved farm and North Dakota. It was 1891, and his father died. Sinclair returned to Scotland where he became the 17th Earl of Caithness. He stayed in Scotland for several years, but eventually returned to America, settling in Los Angeles.
In May, 1914 Sinclair was injured in a trolley accident, passing away on May 30th. He was buried at Forest Lawn Cemetery in a modest funeral. In July of that year, a monument was placed over the grave. It read, “John Sutherland Sinclair, Earl of Caithness.” Only then did the general public learn that a genuine member of British nobility had lived among them.
Dakota Datebook written by Carole Butcher
“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.
Billy Tibert submitted this photo taken at Kingzett Farms near Sarles, ND this past weekend. Tibert said they had just finished wheat on Wednesday right before the rains came.
Jacob Johnson makes a splash crossing through the water. Photo by Larry Stokke.
Jana Gudmundson crosses through the water at the Peterson Hare Scramble.
Photo by Larry Stokke.
Ben Girodat crosses over one of the obstacles along the course at the Hare Scramble.
Photo by Larry Stokke.
Halle Johnsrud makes her way around the Hare Scramble hosted on Sept. 7.
Photo by Larry Stokke.
Lexi Bata crests a shale hill at the Peterson Hare Scramble. Photo by Larry Stokke.
