Around the State: January 17, 2022

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.

Grand Forks man offers a golden opportunity

Budding treasure hunters will be scouring Hillsboro starting today.

Dennis Riedhammer, owner of Riedhammer Masonry in Grand Forks, has buried a treasure chest somewhere in town. Inside is $1,000 in golden $1 coins.

“We did some work in Hillsboro this year and took on a new project in Buxton and wanted to return the favor to the community,” Riedhammer said.

“We hope someone finds it, shares with their loved ones in the experience and rewards, and that they return the chest to us.”

This is not Riedhammer’s first foray into giving back to local communities with buried treasure.

The Grand Forks man, whose company specializes in construction and repair of brick, stone and masonry, did treasure hunts last year in Minnesota.

However, his most recent adventure in Hillsboro is his first in North Dakota and has several local roots.

The treasure chest he’s using was built by area youth Jadyn Fortman, who was selling lemonade this summer to help raise money for his sister’s church trip.

“It’s a little tougher for us to come up with clues since we’re not from here,” Riedhammer added with a laugh.

Clues for the chest in Hillsboro will be posted on his website riedhammermasonry.com. Riedhammer assures the public that it’s within city limits and not on any private property.

(Story by Cory Erickson, the Hillsboro Banner)

Hillsboro youth dig up treasure

A group of Hillsboro youngsters opened the new year with good fortune.

Brothers Kyle and Chase Haffely teamed up with Birget Abentroth to discover buried treasure in Woodland Park on New Year’s morning.

The treasure chest, hidden by Dennis Riedhammer of Grand Forks, contained $1,000 in golden $1 coins, as a way to give back to the community.

Riedhammer chose a tree on the east side of Woodland Park, burying the treasure chest under the snow near a tee box for the local frisbee golf course.

“I thought it would take longer to find,” Riedhammer said. “I just hope the kids had fun.”

Riedhammer posted hints to the treasure’s location on his company’s website beginning the morning of New Year’s Eve.

His third clue led the Haffelys, along with their parents Nicole and Steve, to check near the stage in Woodland Park.

“Birget had been looking for about two hours on New Year’s Eve so we sort of teamed up,” said Nicole

“Steve told Kyle to go check the last tee box to the southwest of the stage and, sure enough, he found the chest on the back side of the tree next to the tee.”

(Story by Cory Erickson, the Hillsboro Banner)

Website draws attention to missing Natives

The Bureau of Indian Affairs has a new tool to bring attention to missing and murdered cases, allow tip submissions and make important case information easily shareable.

The agency recently launched a new website dedicated to solving missing and murdered cases in Indian Country.

The tool draws attention to unresolved cases involving indigenous persons that the BIA, Office of Justice Services, Missing and Murdered Unit (MMU) is working on and invites the public to help law enforcement solve those cases.

“This is an important new resource that connects those who might have case information with the investigating agency and agent, speeding feedback to address the legitimate concerns of our Native communities,” said Jason O’Neal, deputy bureau director, Justice Services.

BIA offers rewards for information leading to arrest or helps lead to closure of unsolved missing or murdered cases. The standard reward amount for each award may be up to $5,000. When a tipster submits a tip, they will receive a reply with a specific number, which is how they maintain confidentiality. Tipsters need to hold on to this number in order to check on the status of their tip.

Text BIAMMU and Your Tip to 847411

Call in tips to 1-833-560-2065

Email a Tip to [email protected]

(Story taken from the New Town News)

Honesty is best policy for drug offender

A young woman’s recent change of heart in fessing up about the presence of drugs and related items in her vehicle along North Dakota Highway 53 earned her a court warrant rather than a night in the hoosegow.

The female driver was charged by the McLean County Sheriff’s office for unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of a controlled substance and unlawful possession of paraphernalia use/storage.

Deputy Carissa Schumaier reportedly spotted the suspect driving a silver Dodge Intrepid 10 miles above the posted speed limit between the areas of Max and Ruso on December 12.

Shortly after advising Lindsay Burgard, 20, that she couldn’t read her car’s license plate due to the dirt it was covered in, the officer learned of the motorist’s prior history of marijuana charges.

A nervous Burgard initially replied no when the law enforcement agent asked her if she had anything illegal in her sedan, while also consenting to a police search. But shortly after her response, according to Schumaier, the individual explained that “she needed to be honest,” and informed that she had marijuana on her.

Following her arrest, Schumaier asked a county sergeant for authorization to issue Burgard a Promise to Appear warrant rather than bringing her into custody. The request was fulfilled, as the suspect signed her document to appear in court on January 5.

(Story by Ralph Mancini, bhgnews.com)