The Official Newspaper for Foster County

Around the State: May 23, 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.

Landmark falls in the storm

During the April 23 windstorm, a historic barn in Bottineau County was lost when high winds caused the barn to collapse just north of Bottineau.

The barn belongs to the Forsberg family and was located just one mile north of Bottineau on the Town Line.

On the evening of the 23rd, the Forsbergs went out to check on the calves and found the barn on the ground.

“It was a surprise when it went down,” John Forsberg said. “It was a beautiful barn.

“The inside was completely finished off with tongue and groove,” Forsberg said. “It was set-up nice for the cattle with corrals and gutters.

“It is going to be different when people drive by now.”

Forsberg added that when the barn collapsed, the north wall went first, which blew out the south wall causing the collapse. As the barn fell, the roof split down the middle ridge and came to the ground in two pieces.

“The north wall was pretty much blown in,” Forsberg said.

“When the roof split down the middle it just came down in the right places,” Forsberg said.

“It was like God took His hands and said to us, ‘I got this for ya.’”

(Story by Scott Wagar, the Bottineau Courant)

Goose River busts through Mayville dam

An 87-year-old recreational dam along the Goose River in Mayville suffered a breached sidewall following heavy rains in the region that sent river levels surging.

Mayville City Council member Ben Gates said Wednesday that city officials have been operating under the belief that the 1935 dam gave way around April 30.

However, due to the elevated levels of the Goose River at the time, city leaders didn’t notice the dam had ruptured until a day or two afterward, he said.

One nearby family living south of the dam has been affected by the rupture, however.

Erosion caused by the rerouted river has exposed utility lines leading to the residence of Rick Harpestad, who owns SRS Commodities in Mayville.

The Mayville City Council hired a contractor to return the river to its original channel and crews have been rounding up large boulders to create a makeshift bridge that would allow workers to reach the failed sidewall.

(Story by Cole Short, the Hillsboro Banner)

Mercer County envisioned as hub for hydrogen

It’s a bold and dynamic endeavor.

Hydrogen is an emerging source of energy production, with a market that is only just beginning to wreak out. In fact, by the time the Great Plains Hydrogen Hub is operating, the market may indeed look quite different than it currently does.

But Bakken Energy, LLC is determined to take advantage of the unique location, infrastructure and workforce that are already present at the current Great Plains Synfuels Plant to help develop a hydrogen energy production facility rivaling any others in the world.

“We will be by far the lowest cost producer for any hydrogen project in the country,” Mike Hopkins, CEO of Bakken Energy, said. “The benefit of using the existing facility is that it saved us some very significant capital costs.”

Bakken Energy announced that it had entered into agreement to purchase Dakota Gasification Company’s Great Plains Synfuels Station in August 2021 from Basin Electric Power Cooperative. The purchase allows Bakken Energy to make use of the infrastructure already in place for the gasification process, converting it after about a four year period for hydrogen production. The hydrogen project is estimated to come with about a $2 billion price tag.

(Story by Daniel Arens, the Hazen Star)

Rugby Amtrak depot undergoes remodel

A project to improve customer access and comfort at the Rugby Amtrak Depot has some local residents concerned, according to former Rugby Mayor Dale Niewoehner.

“I know of quite a few people who are upset about (Amtrak) tearing up the old platform,” Niewoehner said. “They’re sad to see it go.”

“However,” he added, “All this work seamingly means that Rugby will continue to be served with Amtrak services for years to come and that Rugby is so fortunate to have Amtrak services in our community.”

The remodel project entails removing 115-year-old structure’s brick platform and replacing it with one that complies with the federal American with Disabilities Act, known as the ADA.

Niewoehner express disappointment that the depot’s status on the register was apparently not taken into account by Amtrak when they decided to make the platform ADA compliant.

(Story by Sue Sitter, the Pierce County Tribune)

Sheldon man arrested after pulling knife

In the early morning hours of May 9th, 2022, the Ransom County Sheriff’s office along with First Medic Ambulance were dispatched to Sheldon.

Upon the ambulance transporting the patient, the patient pulled a knife on the EMT. The EMT knocked the knife out of the hand of the patient, and the patient got out of the ambulance.

Upon exiting the ambulance, the patient then pulled another knife and came at the driver of the ambulance. The driver locked the door so the individual could not get back in the ambulance.

The Ransom County Sheriff’s office arrested Eldon Wayne Bayless without incident for two counts of terrorizing. Eldon Wayne Bayless is currently in Stutsman County Corrections.

(Story taken from the Ransom County Gazette)

Wells County says ‘no’ to 30x30 objectors

Wells County commissioners gratuitously gave time to the proponents of the state’s Farm Bureau effort to stymie the federal government’s 30x30 proposed conservation program at the commission’s April 9 meeting, but refused again to jump on the band wagon pushed by the crowd that’s attempting to halt President Joe Biden Administration’s American Conservation and Stewardship Program in its tracks.

Lydia Gessele asked the commissioners who in Wells County would agree to the government taking their land?

“We all need to sort this out more,” said Commissioner Bryan Lautt.

(Story by Neil O. Nelson, the Herald-Press, Harvey)