Around the State: December 19, 2022

The counties and cities within the state of North Dakota hold many interesting news stories.

Here are just a few of the feature stories that others are reading in communities around the state.

Garcia pleads guilty in crude oil theft

A change of plea and sentencing hearing was held on Thursday, December 1, for Michael Jason Garcia.

As part of a plea deal, Garcia pled guilty to count one of conspiracy to commit theft-take exceeds $50,000 and count two of leading a criminal association-organization.

Garcia would serve seven years in the department of corrections with credit for two days. He will have five years of supervised probation, and is required to pay $200,000 in restitution to Crestwood. Garcia is also to have no contact with Crestwood or its facilities.

In addition to those terms, the agreement dictated that Elizabeth Garcia (Garcia’s wife), could not be charged with any crimes related to the case. According to court documents filed with the Northwest Judicial District in June 2022, Elizabeth Garcia was aware and had knowledge of her husband’s dealings with assets that were available to them as a result of the process of stealing oil and directed Garcia on how to distribute funds from their account.

(Story by Kristen Jones, the McKenzie County Farmer)

City to examine quiet hour ordinance

Loud noises and when they are made in particular, was an item of discussion at a recent Garrison City Council meeting.

“ Our current ordinance is kind of outdated,” said Mayor Stu Merry. “It talks about phonographs.”

The need for an update started when the Garrison Police Department received a loud noise call, Merry explained. One of the individuals cited went to City Hall to get a definition or clarification of the ordinance.

According to the ordinance, “the making, creating or maintenance of loud, unnatural or unusual and disturbing noises are a detriment to public health, comfort, convenience, safety and welfare, and are hereby declared to be unlawful and a public nuisance.”

City lawyer Jim Wilson agreed that the ordinance needs to be updated, adding that the ordinance does not have a penalty attached to it.

“I think we should assign a value to it,” he said.

No action was taken.

(Story by James C. Falcon, the McLean County Independent)

More charges filed in 2019 burglary case

New charges have been filed in relation to a December 2019 burglary of the Bypass Lounge, when more than $5,000 was taken.

Drake Jasinski, 25, and Taylor Ann Brevik, 23, both of Minot, are scheduled to appear in Divide County District Court on December 9, for their preliminary hearings or arraignments.

Felony-level charges were brought after law enforcement received information involving Brevik and Jasinski in the break-in and theft from Tanner Baumgardner, who was previously charged.

Jasinski is charged with burglary and theft of property after Baumgardner presented information to a BCI agent. According to court documents, Baumgardner picked up Jasinski and Brevik, then living in Crosby, and drove the couple to the Bypass. Jasinski then allegedly entered the business after hours and emerged carrying a safe. From there Baumgardner drove Brevik and Jasinski to Minot.

Brevik, a former employee of the business, is charged with conspiracy to commit theft of property and accomplice to theft of property.

Court documents allege she provided information making it possible for Jasinski to commit the crimes he’s been charged with, but did not actually enter the Bypass, or take an active role in the theft.

(Story by Brad Nygaard, the Crosby Journal)

Thousands of tech workers needed in N.D.

The Technology Council of North Dakota recently published its biennial report, the 2023 State of the Technology.

It reveals that more than 6,320 new and replacement technology workers across all industries, including agriculture, energy, health-care, and finance, will be needed in North Dakota over the next decade. Demand for technology positions will create the need for 940 employees to fill new positions. The remaining positions will be replacements.

(Story taken from the New Town News)

Former, current city leaders trade barbs

A former Hillsboro city commissioner and a current one traded barbs during a heated exchange near the conclusion of a recent Hillsboro City Commission meeting.

Chuck Punton, who served as a city commissioner from 1987 to 1992, criticized city commissioners Dave Sather and Mike Kress for accepting health insurance benefits offered by the city.

Punton pointed out city leaders have spent the past few months discussing possible utility rate increases to bring the city’s books back into the black in 2023. Instead of raising utility rates, city officials should consider eliminating “unnecessary spending” on expenses such as the health, vision and dental insurance offered to Sather and Kress, Punton said.

In his volley of criticisms, Punton questioned why a collection agency is pursuing unpaid utility bills from the city’s out-of-state trailer court owner, and why the city doesn’t have an updated inventory of its miscellaneous equipment on hand.

But he saved his hardest-hitting comments for Sather, asking why he and Kress accept health insurance offered to them by the city, which costs close to $800 a person per month.

Sather said he wouldn’t object to having his city-paid insurance benefits taken away as long as a majority of city commissioners agreed with the decision.

(Story by Cole Short, the Hillsboro Banner)

Allegations of election improprieties dismissed

The Wells County Board of County Commissioners recently dismissed rural Chaseley resident Lydia Gessele’s allegations that there were improprieties that occurred during the November 8 general election.

Her demand that the county’s six precincts be reestablished as polling sites and ballots be counted by hand rather than the standard computer-generated count - accepted and used by the state’s 53 counties, was similarly dismissed by commissioners Bryan Lautt, Danny “Boone” Maxwell, Dennis Dockter, chairman Buxa and Klocke.

Gessele also charged that the canvassing board, consisting of the county auditor, county recorder, deputy auditor, clerk of court, treasurer and commissioner Dennis Dockter had a vested interest in the outcome of the election, in effect questioning the canvassing board’s eventual ballot count.

(Story by Neil O. Nelson, the Herald-Press, Harvey)