Around the State: October 7, 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.

McKenzie holds orientation for newcomers

The first-ever McKenzie County Community Orientation was held September 5 at Heritage Park.

The event was designed to welcome newcomers to the county and provide them with information about getting involved in the community.

The orientation began with presentations at Heritage Park, where attendees heard about the history of McKenzie County and the many opportunities available to residents.

Following the presentations was a driving tour that included stops at the McKenzie County Ag Expo, the McKenzie County Sportsman's Club and the Rough Rider Center.

Daniel Stenberg, who organized the event, said that he was pleased with the turnout.

The next community orientation will take place on October 3.

(Story taken from the Mountrail County Promoter)

Change the inside, change the outside

Torin and Paige Rouse have a simple message they are spreading near and far: if you want to change the world, you have to change yourself.

The couple, along with their furbaby Jak, is walking 12,000 miles across all 50 states, "setting the example that with the right perspective you can find contentment in nearly any circumstance and make friends with almost anybody, according to their website.

The Prairie Pioneer caught up with the trio in late September on U.S. Highway 83 in North Dakota, just shy of the state line.

The couple, who call Missouri home, has walked through 24 states, once finishing up with the Dakotas. Their journey began May 16, 2022, and they have covered 4,800 miles, so far.

For the Dakota stretch, they started near the Canadian border and followed U.S. Highway 83 southward. The mission relies on funding through donations and the kindness of strangers.

Reaching out via social media, the couple seeks safe places to stay along their journey, whether it's in someone's home or a community just providing a safe place for them to set up a tent and camp for the night. If they don't get a response from a particular area, they reach out to the local town hall or city or county officials or law enforcement, who may steer them in the right direction.

As the Rouses and Jak make their travels, they share their message at speaking events, or just simply visiting with strangers who stop along the road to check on their well-being or drop off some water or food.

To keep track of the couple's journey or donate to their cause, follow them on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/walkingamericacouple.

(Story by LeAnda Staebner, the Emmons County Record)

Bosch family honors long-lost ancestor

Descendants of a long-lost Emmons County pioneer family recently gathered at the grave of a great-grandmother, who was nearly forgotten by time.

George and Maria Bosch were early Emmons County pioneers. George died in 1913 and Maria in 1922.

George's parents were Ignatz Bosch and Sibilla Knittel. Ignatz died in Crimea, but Sibilla made it to the United States in 1905 as a German-Russian immigrant. For many years, what happened in Sibilla's life and where she was eventually laid to rest remained a mystery to her descendants.

Until earlier this year, when Sibilla was found in Peace Lutheran Cemetery, known as the "Backhaus" cemetery, about a mile south of Seeman Park in Linton.

William Bosch, a grandchild of George and Maria Bosch, lives in Spearfish, S. D., and has been researching the parents of George Bosch and the whereabouts of Sibilla's burial site. In 2017, he determined that Sibilla Knittel was indeed his great-grandmother and the mother of George Bosch as he had suspected.

In February 2024, another grandchild of George and Maria, Clarence Bosch of Bismarck, called William and said an acquaintance of his had a death certificate for a lady named "Sibilla."

Sibilla had remarried and her last name at the time of her death was unknown, making finding her that much more difficult. Once her last name of Jele was determined, a lot of other information was quickly uncovered.

With the missing pieces of the puzzle in place, William got to work contacting Sibilla's descendants living in the area so they could properly pay their respects to the great-grandmother they never knew.

George Bosch's grandchildren (Sibilla's great-grandchildren) put together some funds and had a marker placed over her grave in late August.

(Story by LeAnda Staebner, the Emmons County Record)

Tioga auditor removed over money transfer

Tioga city commissioners voted Monday to dismiss City Auditor Abby Salinas during a two-hour hearing.

At issue were accusations Salinas moved $10 million in city funds without proper authorization. Salinas cited minutes from a November 2023 meeting she said directed the action and also claimed to have the approval of three current commissioners.

"I honestly believe there's a serious misunderstanding here," Commissioner Jessica Steele said in defense of Salinas' actions.

In the end, Steele was the lone commissioner to vote against the dismissal.

The funds in question were the proceeds from a six-month CD that expired last May. Due to being short-staffed and because she was out for a period on medical leave, Salinas stated, the transfer of the funds did not happen until mid-September.

Salinas claimed in her testimony to have discussed the transfer in advance with Commission President Brett Rieniets, Finance Commissioner Jaden Iverson and Steele, each individually, and believed they gave her authorization to move the funds from a Williston bank to the city's main depository, the Bank of Tioga.

"We did talk about it," Salinal said.

"We didn't," Rieniets said.

While Rieniets said he had entered the meeting thinking there might be a way to rehabilitate the situation, by the end of the hearing he said he would never again feel able to discuss city business with Salinas unless in writing.

Iverson made the motion for dismissal, with a second by Commissioner Steven Dye. Iverson, Dye and Rieniets voted in favor of the dismissal.

Coming commission meetings are likely to be tense. Steele is the subject of a recall petition. Dye is the subject of an internal city investigation, the substance of which was not known at publication time. Both issues are likely to come up at the commission meeting in October.

Salinas had worked for the city for about 10 years.

(Story taken from the Journal, Crosby)