Around the State: April 22, 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.

Body found north of Beaver Bay

A body found north of Beaver Bay over the weekend has been transported to Bismarck in hopes of being identified by authorities.

According to Emmons County Sheriff Gary Sanders, a local fisherman discovered the body at about 5:50 p.m. April 7, near the shoreline of Lake Oahe about 3.5 miles north of Beaver Bay.

"He, along with three of his fishing partners, discovered a deceased body on the shoreline," Sanders reported in a press release dated April 9.

After deputies arrived on scene and began to investigate, it was determined the body was that of an unknown adult male.

"Due to the poor and deteriorating conditions of the body, it's believed the body has likely been deceased for an extended period of time in the water and had recently washed up on shore," the released stated.

As of April 9, Emmons County had no local missing person reports on file. Because of this, the sheriff's department contacted Bismarck Police Department and the Burleigh County Sheriff's office to determine if they had any prior missing person reports.

"Bismarck Police Department confirmed that they did, and it was determined that the discovered deceased body may possibly be that of a previously reported adult male, which had been reported by family members as missing from Bismarck last fall," Sanders reported.

The body was transported to the North Dakota Medical Examiner's office in Bismarck for an autopsy scheduled for April 9 to try to confirm the identity of the person.

(Story by Kelli Ameling, the Emmons County Record)

Feral, stray cat management ongoing

The Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) program is preparing to start up their catch and release program concerning feral cats in the local area after having success with the program since 2022.

"TNR is the most humane and effective method known for managing feral and stray cats and reducing their numbers," stated Lauri

Richard, lead volunteer in the TNR program.

"Our local program covers Bottineau and Lake Metigoshe."

"We partner with the Turtle Mountain Veterinary Service which works out well for us being close by."

"Weather permitting, we can trap, neuter and return for six months during this spring, summer and fall," Richard said.

Through the eight months that the TNR program has been in service, the volunteer group has processed 188 kittens and cats. Of that number, 107 of them have been spayed and neutered, 81 were taken off the streets and 73 were returned to their outdoor colonies.

"These cats are ear tipped, meaning a small portion of the tip of the left ear is trimmed off which is a visible sign that they have previously been trapped, neutered and returned," Richard said. Of the friendlies, 71 were transferred to other rescues and 28 were adopted out directly through our program.

(Story by Scott Wagar, the Bottineau Courant)

Baesler no longer supported by Repub. party

Kirsten Baesler, who has been the N.D. Superintendent of Public Instruction since 2012, has lost her bid for the Republican Party's support.

Baesler has had a rough go of it in her personal life since she began her position with a misdemeanor battery charge in 2014 and a simple assault charge in 2015, both were dropped. In 2020, she was charged with DUI.

Baesler was challenged by Jim Bartlett.

Bartlett was the former North Dakota Home School Association Executive Director. His platform promotes a fully parent-controlled education and would like to bring the 10 Commandments into the classroom.

Bartlett received 967 votes at the NDGOP Convention in Fargo while Baesler received 426 votes.

(Story by Jill Denning Gackle, the McLean County Independent)

Few electric vehicles in ND

Only 868 electric vehicles are registered in North Dakota with the state's Motor Vehicle Division, compared with around 615,000 gasoline-engine passenger vehicles.

Ward County, with only 52 EVs registered, has the fourth-largest number in the state.

Nine counties in the state have no Evs. Another 16 counties have only one EV.

In nearby Burke County, only one electric vehicle is registered with the state: a 2022 Ford Lightning pickup owned by Burke-Divide Electric Cooperative.

Heidi Haugen-Grohs, Burke-Divide member service manager said she doesn't think the federal goals for adoption of EVs are achievable without longer battery range and more public charging stations.

(Story taken from the Journal, Crosby)

Buxton homeowner reports invasive drone

A resident in Buxton reached out to city officials and the Traill County Sheriff's Department after spotting a drone hovering outside his house over the weekend.

Chad Wheeler told the Buxton City Council that he exited his home around 1 a.m. while taking out his dog, to find a drone hovering outside his house.

Wheeler estimated the drone was hovering about 100 feet above the ground and positioned in a way that "made it seem like it was peering into our upper windows," he said.

The Buxton man said he hopped inside his vehicle and followed the drone to the center of town before losing its trail.

"It was a little unnerving when you walk outside at one o'clock not expecting to see a drone flying there and looking into your house," Wheeler said.

(Story by Cole Short, the Hillsboro Banner)

Who's taking 'our' Lake Sakakawea water?

Lake Sakakawea is like a Big Slurpee cup with dozens of straws stuck into it and cities from all over the state drinking from it.

Today there are more than 45 cities drinking water from the lake. In time the Red River Valley cities could be drinking from one or more of those straws.

Will there be enough water to sustain all of those cities?

Thirty two years ago, Garrison was one of the first to take a big sip from the lake, but who gets the water now? Southwest Water Authority gets its water from the Missouri River and serves 33 cities in 15 counties.

Northwest Area Water Supply is a little later to the game. Today it serves at least 12 communities. Then there's the Red River Valley Water Supply Project that rose out of the moth-balled Garrison

Diversion Project. This is a federal project to provide reliable drinking water to the Red River Valley in the event of a severe drought, like in the 1930s, which studies show could be repeated by the year 2050.

(Story by Jill Denning Gackle, the McLean County Independent)