Around the State: August 5, 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.

Dunseith Port of Entry bid at $94 million

The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) awarded a Design-Build contract to McGough Construction that will replace all existing outmoded buildings at the Dunseith Land Port of Entry with more secure, efficient and high-capacity new facilities.

According to the GSA, this helps strengthen supply chains, create jobs and enhance security and trade.

The Design-Build contract includes all design, construction, labor, equipment and materials for the new port.

Funded through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act, the scope of the $94 million award encompasses the design and construction of new land port of entry buildings to support the critical functions of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security - Customs and Border Protection and the U.S. Department of Agriculture - Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.

(Story taken from the Turtle Mountain Star)

Former Lisbon teacher on spiritual journey

Former Lisbon teacher Joe Kern is on a spiritual journey that began in 2013.

Kern had a significant experience when at the age of 32 he realized his need to break free of the spiritual slavery to alcohol and cried out to the Lord for freedom.

Kern explained that it was a change of the heart that made him see life differently. He saw his faith and how he wanted to live it in a completely different way.

At his age, Kern felt there wasn't much he could do about entering religious life. From his childhood growing up in the Catholic faith, he believed he was too old and life experiences would prevent him from being able to be accepted into the seminary.

While sitting in the quiet morning hours at Lisbon's St. Aloysius Church, alone, he sensed a strong urging to apply to the seminary.

This was Spring 2022. He then started the application process.

He was accepted into the seminary in 2023. He resigned his teaching and coaching position of 20 years in May and in September he took his daughter to settle into her dorm room at the University of Mary. The next day, Kern left for St. Paul and the seminary.

Kern said it will be a seven-year journey and it still isn't certain that he will be a priest.

(Story by Jeanne Sexton-Brown, the Ransom County Gazette)

Highway project faces delay

More passing lanes were on the construction schedule for U.S. Highway 52 in northwest North Dakota this year, but that has been put on hold.

In addition to the nine new passing lanes built last year, the state transportation department had scheduled construction this year from the Highway 5 and 52 junction north of Kenmare to Portal, with six new sections of passing lanes and the extension of two others.

These plans have changed due to funding issues, said Chad Beggs, assistant district engineer for the department. He said this project will now be completed next year if all goes according to schedule. New passing lanes between Drake and Fessenden have taken priority because that project is funded by an expiring grant, Beggs said.

(Story taken from the Mountrail County Promoter)

Arikara language studies gaining interest

For Dancing Owl, a young man from White Shield, learning the Arikara language comes with a simple goal. It's about making his dad proud and being able to speak prayers aloud with his family in his native language.

He said, "It feels really good to be able to pray with my family in my language."

Dancing Owl is one of three apprentices of a linguist who is training Native Americans in White Shield and New Town in the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara languages.

Logan Sutton, a 20-year linguist, was hired by the cultural and language department five years ago to help re-establish more speakers of the native languages.

There are currently no living tribal members who are fluently speaking the language, according to the apprentices.

Sutton said his 20-year interest in languages brought him to make a home in White Shield because he wanted to "make sure if there are people who wanted to learn, they can learn."

Dancing Owl said, "John 'Fox Sr., my great grandfather, was one of the last fluent speakers, so my family keeps encouraging me to keep going."

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

Tribe breaks ground for veterans' housing project

Turtle Mountain Tribal officials along with Turtle Mountain Housing Authority (TMHA) board members and employees held a ground-breaking recently for the Veterans' Village Housing Project.

"This is indeed a great day and we're very happy to share it with you all," said Rebecca Patnaude-Olander, TMHA's executive director.

The project will consist of 20 units with one and two-bedroom options. Currently, TMHA does not have any units specifically for veterans, but the agency has utilized housing vouchers under the HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing program.

The project's cost, specific to construction only, is approximately $9.4 million.

(Story by Jason Nordmark, the Turtle Mountain Star)

USPS mail concerns reaching a 'fever pitch'

The National Newspaper Association's move recently to forward a series of complaints to the Postal Regulatory Commission will hopefully add impact to calls from the Association and elsewhere for postal reform, said the head of the North Dakota Newspaper Association.

Cecile Wehrman, excecutive director of the NDNA, said the postal concerns are impacting not just newspaper readers in North Dakota, but nationwide.

The hope is that the National Association's recent effort will help, she said.

"I think it's fair to say the postal complaints are reaching a fever pitch," she said.

National Newspaper Association Executive Director Lynne Lance issued a statement that noted the NNA "delivered letters from more than 200 newspaper titles to the Postal Regulatory Commission, complaining about inadequate mail delivery and escalating postage rates."

Community newspapers, the statement said, have seen a 35 to 50 percent increase in postage costs in the past four years.

(Story by Korrie Wenzel, the Grand Forks Herald, taken from the Ransom County Gazette)