Around the State: September 2, 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.

Area parents left with few options for child care

Staffing shortages and limited space have put stress on child care providers throughout the state, including in rural communities like Crosby. Those challenges are also extending to the families in need of child care in the area.

The biggest impact is long wait times for openings, with some children spending the better part of a year waiting for an opening in the few licensed day cares in the area.

Samantha Unhjem was on waiting lists for two children until recently, when she started sharing time with her sister.

She takes her kid so many days, and then I go the other days so that we could fit in some time," she said.

After her last child care provider closed last summer, she spent the entirety of last school year looking for another option and she said she often had to take her kids with her to work at Wisco during the summer.

The cost of child care is also a leading concern for families. According to the state health department, the average cost of child care per year in Divide County can range from just over $9,000 to about $11,300 depending on the age of the child.

(Story by Jordan Rusche, the Journal, Crosby)

ND National Guardsman rescues woman

US Army 2nd Lt. David Hooge, 231st Quartermaster Platoon, N.D. National Guard, rescued a woman from a sinking car in Devils Lake on July 29.

While driving south of the city of Devils Lake, Hooge noticed a car behind him swerving back and forth before going off the road into the water of Devils Lake. He pulled over and went to help the woman. When he reached the vehicle, the water was already up to her waist. According to Hooge, the woman seemed to be frozen. She could not unlock the car doors and the front door was too damaged to open.

Hooge had grabbed a rock before entering the water and used it to break the back window. He unlocked the door and the woman was abled to exit the sinking vehicle from the back door.

Hooge estimated that the vehicle was completely submerged in about five minutes.

(Story taken from the Benson County Farmers Press)

Who let the dogs out?

In recent months, canine complaints have been on the rise in New Rockford.

Loose dogs accused of harassing pets and biting residents have been seen roaming the streets of New Rockford and city officials discussed the problem at their August meeting.

Two of those dogs, both pit bulls, have been sitting in the local dog pound recently, one of which recently escaped the pound before being caught a second time.

One of the pit bulls is accused of biting a New Rockford resident and another resident's 14-year-old pet Labrador. The other is accused of attacking pets and eating one resident's chickens.

Official complaints have been filed with the city for other loose and nuisance dogs as well, and commissioners discussed several options to address the issue.

Commissioner President Stu Richter suggested an outright ban on pit bulls in the City of New Rockford, a direction many other cities have also taken.

However, City Attorney Travis Peterson recommended against such an ordinance, citing concerns with any breed-specific bans that could open the city up to lawsuits, such as a federal lawsuit currently ongoing in Williston, N.D.

Commission Jim Belquist suggested considerably increasing fees on those who have to reclaim their animal from the dog pound.

No final decision was made.

(Story by Nathan Price, the New Rockford Transcript)

North Dakota military gallery approved

The Capitol Grounds Planning Commission unanimously approved the architectural design development drawings for a new military gallery addition on Tuesday, August 6. This will be located on the south side of the North Dakota Heritage Center & State Museum.

The approved design includes a 20,000-square foot military gallery, a North Dakota National Guard regimental room, an expanded food service area, and an outdoor courtyard and amphitheatre space, all within the approximately 60,000-square foot addition. With this approval, the planning team is now ready to proceed with the development of construction documents.

The project, authorized by the 2023 state legislative assembly, is funded through a line of credit from the Bank of North Dakota for up to $20 million. Additional funds will be raised through a North Dakota National Guard Foundation capital campaign. Construction of the military gallery is scheduled to begin in fall of 2025 and be completed by fall of 2027.

The gallery will showcase the military and the personal stories of North Dakotans serving in all branches of the armed forces. Visitors will gain an understanding of the first Native American military societies, learn about acts of bravery, conflict-based mission, humanitarian aid, and pivotal moments in history.

(Story taken from the Griggs County Courier)

Wandermore project visits northwest N.D. counties

A Nebraskan travel author can now boast what not even many native North Dakotans can. He's visited 303 of the 355 incorporated communities in North Dakota and is set to complete that list some time in the next month.

Seth Varner is visiting and documenting all 355 communities for an upcoming travel book called "Wandermore in North Dakota." It will be his fifth book of the kind, following others written about Nebraska, Iowa, South Dakota and Kansas.

"Before traveling North Dakota, all I knew was that it had a lot of oil, a lot of agriculture and that the capital was Bismarck," Varner said. "So to be able to go through all 355 incorporated communities and find so many things to do and unique places to see has been quite a treat for me."

The most recent leg of his journey from July 22-29 took him to northwestern North Dakota and communities in Divide, Burke, Williams and Mountrail counties, among others. Varner visited communities in Divide County on July 25.

"A lot of folks save North Dakota as their 50th state because they think there's 'nothing to do there,' but I'd argue that it's the complete opposite," he said. "There's so much to do in the Peace Garden State that I can't even possibly do it all. It would take many lifetimes to truly see and do everything in North Dakota.

"Wandermore in North Dakota" will be published some time this fall and will be available on Varner's website, wandermorepublishing.com."

(Story by Jordan Rusche, the Journal, Crosby)