Around the State: October 21, 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.

Historic wild fires wreak havoc

Wild fires throughout western North Dakota wreaked havoc on land, livestock and infrastructure over the weekend.

Drought conditions coupled with wind gusts between 50-70 mph on Saturday escalated the spread of multiple fires, causing a dangerous situation to become deadly.

Fires broke out in Arnegard, Ray/Tioga, Mandaree, Keene, Grassy Butte and Watford City. Mass power outages occurred, livestock was displaced, mandatory evacuations were placed on residents of Ray and Mandaree as fires devastated thousands of acres.

The North Dakota Forest Service provided four fire engines with crews; The state Wildland Task Force provided a fire engine with crew out of Kindred; Two heavy air tankers from Montana arrived to dump fire retardant along the rugged terrain north of Mandaree; an initial attack crew from new Mexico also aided in efforts to contain the widespread fires in Western North Dakota.

(Story by M.K. French and Patrice Bumstead, the McKenzie County Farmer)

Over 850 acres lost in fire

A page went out to all Garrison Fire Department members at 11:50 a.m. on Saturday, October 5th.

As with most wildfires, nobody knows exactly what's in store for them when they get there. As soon as they arrived, firefighters could see they had their work cut out for them.

"I do not remember a fire this large," Garrison Fire Chief Bruce Schreiner said.

Schreiner has been part of the Garrison Fire Department for 40 years, and this was the biggest fire he's ever dealt with.

It was all-hands-on-deck.

The fire started northwest of Garrison and worked its way towards town.

"Farmers with water tankers and tractors with tillage tools worked fire breaks for us," Schreiner said.

At the end of the ordeal the cause is still unknown, but approximately 861 acres had been lost.

(Story by Tyson Matthews, the McLean County Independent)

Northern Cass set to open time capsule

Northern Cass School will host a special celebration at 4:30 p.m., Sunday, October 20 to open the time capsule sealed in 1999 marking the school building's 25th anniversary.

The time capsule, housed within the brick walls of the building's main staircase, was sealed on October 17, 1999, shortly after the school first opened.

It contains artifacts and mementos from students in school at the time, offering a glimpse into the past and capturing the spirit of the school's early years.

The celebration will feature a livestream opening of the time capsule showcasing the recovered items, a ceremony featuring guest speakers who played significant rols in the development and growth of the school, followed by an open house.

(Story taken from the Hillsboro Banner)

Kenmare's 60-year hairstylist

The average American changes jobs about six times during their working lifespan. But those who know her best know that Connie Livingston, Kenmare, is not average.

Livingston is now entering her 60th year as a hairdresser and has owned The Beauty Nook in Kenmare since purchasing it in 1990.

Livingston graduated from Kenmare High School and attended Montana Beauty College in Great Falls. She gained her consmetologist license and began her career in Westhope before getting hired to work at a shop in Kenmare.

Many stylists have worked with Livingston at The Beauty Nook. The most was in 1992, when the shop had nine stylists. Meanwhile, Livingston has also been a hairdresser for Kenmare's hospital, nursing home and funeral home.

(Story taken from the Mountrail County Promoter)

Pretzel plant repurposed

Velva, the original home of Dot's Pretzels, is poised for its next claim to fame.

Hershey Co. purchased Dot's Pretzels from founder Dot Henke in 2021 and closed the Velva manufacturing plant two years later to shift operations elsewhere. It didn't take long for a new manufacturer with a vision for a national market to fill the void.

Tate Howe, Minot, had worked with Henke to help grow Dot's into the kind of success that caught Hershey's attention. The buyout became an opportunity to follow his confectionary dream from Henke's building in Velva.

Get Coffee'd is a cold brew-infused "hard chew" confection. The mocha latte-flavored treat has 48 milligrams of caffeine per piece, equivalent to about half a cup of coffee.

(Story taken from the Mountrail County Promoter)

Officers assist in shooting

The Bottineau County Sheriff's office and dispatch center assisted in an event in Donnybrook where a deputy from the Renville County Sheriff's office was involved in a shooting incident that led to one man being sent to Trinity Health Center in Minot.

According to a Renville County Sheriff's office press release, the Renville County Sheriff's office, with assistance from the Ward County Sheriff's office, responded to rural Donnybrook in Renville County to an unknown emergent complaint after several calls were made to Renville County's dispatch center on Sept. 26.

"Renville and Ward County deputies arrived on the scene at the same time and after a brief search located a 22-year-old male subject with what appeared to be a silver revolver in his hand," stated the press release. "The subject made a threatening motion with the revolver.

"When the subject pointed the weapon at the Renville County deputy, the deputy fired two rounds from his patrol rifle. The subject was struck with one round to his torso."

After the shooting occurred, deputies from Renville and Ward counties, along with the North Dakota Highway Patrol, conducted life saving measures to the 22-year-old man until the Kenmare

Ambulance arrived and transported the man to Trinity Health Center in Minot.

The case is being independently investigated by the North Dakota Bureau of Investigation," stated the press release.

"No further details will be released until the investigation is completed.

"The Renville County deputy will remain on administrative leave until the conclusion of the investigation.

The Bottineau County Sheriff's office and dispatch center heard the call during the incident and sent two patrol vehicles to the scene to assist.

(Story by Scott Wagar, the Bottineau Courant)