Around the State: January 29, 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.

Bakker School District to dissolve

The North Dakota Board of Public School Education recently announced it is holding a public hearing on January 22, concerning the dissolution plan for the Bakker Public School District and its transfer to the Strasburg Public School District.

Previously, the Emmons County School District Reorganization Committee approved a dissolution plan for the Bakker district at a meeting held November 14 at the Emmons County Courthouse in Linton.

"If approved, this would go into effect on July 1, 2024, after which point there would no longer be a Bakker School District.

The Bakker district has no debt and was the lowest operating school tax district in the state last year in mill levies.

(Story by LeAnda Staebner, the Emmons County Record)

Four Burke-Divide lineworkers honored

Four Burke-Divide Electric Cooperative (BDEC) lineworkers are being honored for their heroic, life-saving actions during three separate emergencies.

Jason Bruner, Terry Knutson, Kyle Helmers and Richard (Joe) Thomas received the Life Saver Award from the North Dakota Association of Rural Electric Cooperatives (NDAREC) during a January 11 awards ceremony.

The award recognizes the line crew's response to three emergency situations in 2023:

• On January 26, 2023, a winter storm passed through BDEC's service area, blanketing roadways with snow and ice. When notified of a nearby emergency, Bruner and Knutson rushed to the scene, where they helped the local sheriff perform CPR until first responders arrived. The line-workers also helped retrieve emergency vehicles, which had slid off the roadway into snow-filled ditches.

• On June 16, 2023, Bruner stopped to notify a member of a planned power outage. As he approached the home, he heard a woman calling for help. Bruner quickly radioed the co-op and asked them to call 911. Bruner, Knutson, Helmers and Thomas were able to enter the home and assist the woman until the ambulance arrived.

• On June 17, 2023, Knutson again demonstrated outstanding character and commitment to his community when he climbed a water tower to help a worker who was overcome by fatigue.

(Story by Krista Rausch, the Kenmare News)

Minot enrollment in decline

Declining enrollment and deficits have prompted the Minot school board to look at cost savings that could include closing an elementary school.

Superintendent Mark Vollmer told the board January 11 that enrollment is down 100 students from this time last year. Vollmer said that amounts to about $1 million less in state aid, which is compounded by a general spending deficit looming in the new year.

Vollmer said there was a real possibility an elementary school such as McKinley or Bell could be closed in response to the declining enrollment, saying the district has more space than they had students. Vollmer said a demographer was consulted who reported further population decline could occur next year.

(Story taken from the Journal, Crosby)

University will begin returning remains

The University of North Dakota expects to begin sending Native American ancestral remains and burial objects in its possession home to their tribal nations starting this year.

The next step in the repatriation process will not be the end of the university's work to right any wrongs it has committed against those tribal nations.

"It's been a very delicate year and a half, that's for sure," said UND President Andrew Armacost.

The process of identifying the tribal owners of objects and remains in UND's possession is still a work in progress, according to university spokesman David Dodds. The university has identified and notified 49 tribes that could possibly be culturally or geographically affiliated with the objects or remains, and UND is set to soon begin consultations with those tribal nations.

(Story taken from the Turtle Mountain Star)

Grafton teacher surprised with Milken Award

The last two years have been quite the homecoming for Grafton native Katelyn "Katie" Gorder, who graduated from Grafton High School in 2011.

Recently, in front of a gym full of high school students, state dignitaries and officials not to mention her peers and administration, Gorder was honored with the $25,000 Milken Educator Award.

As the sole Family and Consumer Sciences (DACS) teacher at Grafton High School (GHS) and one of only a few FACS teachers in the area, Gorder's work is instrumental to the success of her students.

Gorder will attend an all-expense-paid Milken Educator Awards Forum in Los Angeles this June, where they will network with their new colleagues as well as veteran Milken educators and other educational leaders regarding how to broaden their impact on K-12 education.

(Story by Todd Morgan, the Walsh County Record)

Tribally enrolled members receive lower electric rates

Enrolled members of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians living in Rolette County will see a reduction in their electric bills totaling $376,492 in 2024.

The reduction comes thanks to a bill credit provided by the Western Area Power Administration, a federal government agency. Enrolled members of the tribe served by North Central Electric Co-op living in Rolette County receive the discount on their monthly electric bill. The co-op serves about 1,400 tribal enrolled members.

"Several years ago, Congress passed laws providing compensation to tribes in the Upper Midwest for loss of lands caused by the building of dams on the Missouri River," explained Jon Beyer, general manager of the co-op. The dams generate low-cost electricity.

Congress made a special allocation of this low-cost power for tribes in the area. Since the price of hydroelectricity is less than solar, gas, wind or coal-generated power, the enrolled members of the tribe get the benefit of lower-priced electricity. Since then, enrolled members living in Rolette County have enjoyed lower electric rates.

(Story taken from the Turtle Mountain Star)