Around the State: July 17, 2023

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.

Man convicted for crimes against children

Levi Scigliano, 21, appeared before District Court Judge Michael Hurly on Tuesday, June 13, for his sentence hearing at the Towner County Courthouse.

Last February, the Towner County Sheriff’s Department and the North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI), executed search and arrest warrants in Cando regarding Scigliano.

As a result of the investigation conducted by law enforcement, Scigliano was charged with Promoting an Obscene Performance by a Minor; Promoting Sexual Performance by a Minor; and Possession of Certain Materials Prohibited.

Scigliano was charged with additional offenses last year while out on bond. All additional charges were allegedly perpertrated while Scigliano was out on bail.

Scigliano was sentenced to 20 years in prison with 15 years suspended and a total of five years on supervised probation. He must register with the state’s sexual offender registry.

Joshua Frey, Towner County State’s Attorney, brought the charges before the court and explained some of the details of the charges. Frey said the defendant appeared through one window of a young female at her home and with the use of his cellular device, recorded video of the victim. On a separate occasion, he appeared through another young female’s window at her home and recorded her as well.

During the investigation, these videos were discovered in Scigliano’s possession. He admitted to recording the victims.

Scigliano was part of an online chat room group and shared clips of the video recordings and other pornography involving children, with members in the online chat group and or exchange for other child pornographic videos with these individuals.

(Story by Natasha Reiger, the Turtle Mountain Star)

The disappearance of Donnajeanne

It wasn’t the first time that 39-year-old Donnajeanne Michalenko left town. In fact, she disappeared many times before, visiting relatives near and far, but she always came back home to Butte.

That’s why when she was last seen in early November 1968, it wasn’t until a month and a half had passed before it was determined that she was truly missing.

Now, she is North Dakota’s oldest missing person’s case.

In the words of her granddaughter Marya Skaare of Dickinson, Michalenko was “erased from Butte in 1968 like her life didn’t even matter.”

On the North Dakota Missing Person’s Database, a brief description of Michalenko is given. She was a petite woman: she stood 5’4 and weighed 125 pounds. She had brown eyes and black hair and was last seen on November 9, 1968. And it ends there.

Fifty-four years later, the question of what happened to Michalenko is something that her family still wants answers for.

According to a transcript from a 2009 interview with her daughter Vicki Degenstein of Hazen, believed a memory coincided with the night Michalenko disappeared.

On the night she disappeared, Michalenko was out with her boyfriend Linus Bauer. Bauer said after a night out he droped her off at her ex-husband’s house, but Michalenko never showed up at the Michalenko home.

According to a testimonial from John Haugen, Bauer’s car was seen on the side of the road, running and with both doors open, but no one was around.

Over the years, Bauer was interviewed several times, but stuck to his story that he doesn’t know where Michalenko is located.

Law enforcement believe that Bauer does indeed know where Michalenko is located, but unfortunately, Bauer died in 2022 without giving up the location of Michalenko.

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

Ford Model A survives in Kenmare

A 1929 Ford Model A Towne Car, currently on display at the Pioneer Village, is very likely the oldest car to survive that is known to have been purchased in Kenmare when new.

In its day, the 4-door Ford Towne Car was also very likely to have been the fanciest, most plush Model A in Kenmare. The car sold for a hefty price for a Ford in 1929, $599.99, which was $100 off the sticker price, but still $100 more than the list price of a plain-Jane Ford Tudor.

A card in the window of the car tells its local history.

J.C. Johnsen first laid eyes on this car in 1929 at the Ford garage owned by Adolph Peterson and Harry Dolen. It was sitting in the new showroom with a price tag of $699.99, which was unheard of at the time.

The vehicle came with a spare tire, trunk, sun visor, map pockets. Fold-down arm rests in rear seat, private curtains (shades) in rear, interior lights and electric wind shield wiper.

After J.C. transferred the title to Guy Johnsen (the oldest son), it didn’t get much use until 1956 when Lyle Johnsen (Guy and Gladys Johnsen’s youngest son) drove it to school and back for a few months.

In 1976 Guy had it painted and is the only thing that is not an original feature to this day.

Lyle Johnsen has kept it in good running shape since 2009 by storing it at his Watford City residence and driving in July 4th parades.

In July of 2019, Lyle and Sue Johnsen sold their Watford City home and moved to Bismarck. Lyle then decided the model A should go back to where it was first unveiled...Kenmare, North Dakota.

(Story by Terry Froseth, the Kenmare News)

Louters facing calls to resign

Despite receiving a letter last month that requests her resignation, New Rockford-Sheyenne Superintendent Jill Louters doesn’t appear to be going anywhere.

The letter Dr. Louters received was generated by concerned parents and taxpayers and was circulated throughout the district, where it gathered 113 signatures from those who agree with its message.

“We no longer feel that you are a good fit for our school, states the letter, which has been obtained by the Transcript. “It is time for new leadership. Therefore we respectfully request that you submit your resignation to the NR-S board of education.”

Louters never responded after the letter was delivered to her and in an email response to the Transcript on Wednesday, July 5, Louters did not directly confirm whether or not she’s leaving as a result of the letter.

However, when asked if Louters has told him she won’t resign, NR-S school board president Mike Jacobson was adamant, saying, “Yes, she’s under contract. She’s not resigning.”

(Story by Nathan Price, the New Rockford Transcript)