Around the State: January 15, 2024

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.

Bottineau County artist who gave to the world

In September of this year, an art piece was sold at an auction house which consisted of a self-portrait of an artist that was drawn on paper with a pencil. The title of the piece was, "Ella Moen."

If the name sounds familiar it is because she was born and raised in Bottineau County and made a name for herself as an artist throughout the nation and world where a number of her pieces have been purchased by a number of buyers.

What is interesting about the self-portrait is that it is 98 years old, created in 1925 and was sold 38 years after her passing, but her style in the art world keeps admirers looking for her pieces. In fact, this isn't the first painting that has been sold of Moen's in 2023. Some of her pieces have been sold from owners who have passed themselves and sold to individuals who are new to Moen's art or to those who, for a long time, have wanted to add her to their art collections.

One thing is certain about Moen's art: it is unique in its styles, methods and mediums that have kept art enthusiasts, experts and collectors wanting more of her pieces.

(Story by Scott Wagar, the Bottineau Courant)

Insect farm making animal feed

North Dakota is a leading producer in many ag specialty crops, such as sunflowers, pinto beans and honeybees.

Get ready to add black soldier fly larvae to that list.

With state grants and Mark Cuban of "Shark Tank" as an investor, Oregon-based Chapul Farms is on schedule to break ground in the spring on its first facility to create high-protein animal feed from insects.

The bug farm in the Spiritwood Energy Park east of Jamestown, N.D., will use the byproduct from a neighboring ethanol plant to feed the larvae of black soldier flies, then process that larvae into a protein powder for pet food or livestock feed. Waste from the larvae can be used as fertilizer.

Todd Severson is the head of project management for Chapul Farms.

"We're just trying to replicate nature and doing it in a way that keeps the bugs happy and keeps the humans and our soil happy," Severson said.

Severson said Chapul Farms will be using a byproduct of turning corn into ethanol from the Dakota Spirit ethanol plant, part of Harvestone, to feed and grow the black soldier fly larvae.

It also will be using wet pulp from sugar beets processed by American Crystal Sugar to feed the larvae.

Severson called it a tray system, where the wet feed is placed on a tray; the young larvae are added and feed for about seven days.

Then, the "frass," or bug poop, is sifted out for fertilizer and the larvae are dried and ground into high protein powder.

In one week, the larvae can convert 1 ton of food waste into 200 pounds of animal feed and 400 pounds of fertilizer, according to Chapul Farms.

Severson said they have commitments from buyers on both the protein powder and the fertilizer.

(Story by Jeff Beach, taken from the Hillsboro Banner)

Miss North Dakota stops in Garrison

Miss North Dakota Sydney Helgeson took time out of her busy schedule to spend some time in Garrison.

Helgeson was crowned Miss North Dakota back in June and has been concentrating on that job full-time since then.

"It was a very exciting and emotional moment," Helgeson said. "It was an incredibly special year to be crowned, as it was the 75th Diamond Anniversary of the Miss North Dakota Scholarship Organization, so there were over 30 former Miss North Dakota's who came back to celebrate, which was such a great reminder of the legacy and generational sisterhood of this program."

Helgeson has been keeping busy with traveling and making media appearances. She also has been performing National Anthems, participating in a variety of community events and parades, and speaking at schools as well as advocating for her community service initiative, "Live United; Building Stronger Communities Together" through her partnership with the United Way, and preparing to represent our state at the Miss America Competition soon.

(Story by Tyson Matthews, the McLean County Independent)

Why does Kenmare want another dollar store?

"Why does Kenmare want another dollar store?" is a question frequently asked after it was reported this past summer at a city council meeting that a new dollar store was coming.

"Nobody really knows why these dollar store companies wanted to put another store in town," said Kenmare mayor Arlen Gartner.

There was no encouragement from city officials or community business leaders.

Regarding the Dollar General store coming to town four years ago, Gartner said, "Did it hurt our downtown businesses? Sure it did. It had to hurt. It affects all of them, whether it's the drug store, whether it's the hardware store, or the grocery store."

Another thing that bothers the mayor is the lack of the big chain stores contributing to the well being of the community.

"I understand completely competition, but just the same, I wish stores like Dollar General and Dollar Tree would support the community. I don't see them involved at all," Gartner said.

By comparison, local business owners contribute hundreds, even thousands of dollars in donations to community causes such as Dollars for Scholars, school student organizations and projects, Kenmare Fire Department, GooseFest, Association of Commerce promotions and numerous other events.

On the other hand, dollar stores are also given credit for locating in many small, rural communities without an existing grocery store. In those instances, the dollar store brings new sales and property tax revenue to the small town, while expanding the shopping options for area residents.

The new store coming to Kenmare is a Dollar Tree and Family Dollar combo store. So, two stores in one.

The Dollar Tree and Family Dollar Combo store is a new concept that was recently created after the Dollar Tree chain bought the Family Dollar chain in 2015.

The Dollar Tree and Family Dollar chains have over 16,000 stores in the U.S. Of those stores, a little more than 800 are "Combo" stores.

(Story by Terry Froseth, the Kenmare News)