Around the State: September 4, 2023

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.

Watford man charged with assault of elderly

Cody Lemieux, 33, of Watford City is facing two Class C felony charges for aggravated assault-adult victim and criminal trespass-dwelling, along with two Class A Misdemeanor charges for violation of a disorderly conduct restraining order and stalking according to documents filed with the Northwest Judicial District on July 26, 2023.

The affidavit filed with the court states the Watford City Police Department was dispatched to an intersection within city limits for an assault on an elderly male.

Upon arrival, law enforcement observed an elderly male (identified as John Doe) who had blood on his shirt, seated on the curb with a witness assisting him.

Witnesses informed officers the suspect was Cody Lemieux. They also stated the assault occurred at Doe’s residence.

One witness shouted at Lemieux to stop the assault and he ran away, gesturing to the witness with his middle finger, running northwest.

During the investigation, law enforcement discovered blood on Doe’s lawn.

Doe was transported to a local hospital for his injuries. It was reported that Doe lost a piece of his back right molar, had a broken nose and a small laceration to his right hand.

It was reported that Lemieux had lived with Doe and would frequent his place of work. Doe reportedly gave Lemieux financial aid for several years up until their friendship ended over Lemieux requesting money and a bicycle from Doe.

On July 17, the McKenzie County Sheriff posted on their Facebook page that Lemieux had been apprehended.

(Story by Patrice Bumstead, the McKenzie County Farmer)

County trying to maintain standard operation

The Rolette County Commission pressed on recently, trying to keep the county operating without a full-time auditor or deputy auditor.

The board welcomed Kim Wuori to fill the auditor position until the next election.

Faced with payroll paperwork needing to be submitted, the board opted to hire former deputy auditor Tara McDougall as a consultant at a rate of $100 an hour.

“If payroll is not done, half the county is quitting,” said commissioner Kent Abrahamson.

McDougall said she was going to try and get payroll finished by the next county pay period, which is scheduled for August 29.

(Story by John Rosinski, the Turtle Mountain Star)

North Dakota has 18,000 producing wells

During the month of June, North Dakota saw a record-setting 18,085 actively producing wells according to North Dakota Department of Mineral Resources Director Lynn Helms.

“There has never been over 18,000 in North Dakota before,” he expressed during his monthly Director’s Cut on August 15. “All of the numbers are really good news.”

The state saw an increase in production. “Noticeably, our biggest competitor, New Mexico, actually had a three percent drop in production, whereas North Dakota saw a significant increase of three percent in oil and three percent in gas production,” Helms noted.

McKenzie County continues to lead the state with 5,452 active wells that produced 11,393,296 barrels of oil.

(Story by Patrice Bumstead, the McKenzie County Farmer)

Trap finally gets its land

Garrison High School is well on its way back to having a trap range. After being approved in committee meetings, the final decision was left up to the full city council.

The group has been without a home for the past few years after its land was sold to a private owner.

In a committee meeting July 19, it was recommended that the city would agree to lease the east section on the old city landfill to the Sportsmen’s Club.

(Story by Tyson Matthews, the McLean County Independent)

Bakken Area Skills Center on schedule

The Bakken Area Skills Center (BASC) has met major construction milestones over the summer, and Steve Holen Superintendent of McKenzie County Public District No. 1, says the project is on track to be completed around the end of the year as expected.

The building is expected to be completed by the end of 2023, or the first part of January 2024. Classes for Watford City High School students are expected to begin inside the building during the second semester of the 2023-24 school year.

Courses that are going to be taught at the center this school year include CDL training and Unmanned Aircraft Systems.

As an approved Career and Technical Education (CTE) center, the BASC, will be offering classes virtually as well as continuing to offer programming through the Corp. of Discovery high-tech consortium.

The BASC has been designed to be a regional K-12 CTE, that also provides post-secondary and adult training, and it was formally recognized by North Dakota Department of Career and Technical Education as a CTE Center on July 1.

(Story by Kristen Jones, the McKenzie County Farmer)

Hiker passes through Kidder County

Peggy Reynolds is not your average 68-year-old woman. For the past fifteen years, she has made yearly hiking trips, walking across the United States. She has walked from Washington State to Maine and has hiked every state except Vermont and Hawaii. Recently, she made her way through Kidder County.

Peggy begins her walks every spring and returns to her home in Seattle, Washington sometime in the fall. Although she mostly hikes, she occasionally takes a Greyhound or Amtrak “for fun”. Peggy tries to take a different route each time and has to schedule around the unique weather patterns of each region.

When she began her travels 15 years ago, she did it for herself, but now she does it for God. “It’s a mission,” she said. “At first I didn’t believe God was with me, now I know He is always with me.”

On her travels, Peggy takes the opportunity to talk to others about Jesus.

Peggy said she absolutely loves long-distance walking and she plans to do it for as long as she’s able. The only major challenge she faces is after returning home to Seattle for the winter. “I have to watch how much I eat so I don’t gain too much weight,” she said. She also continues walking, only it’s done in the city. One of her favorite destinations in Seattle is the Space Needle, where many people walk every day.

(Story by Maria Wanchic, the Steel Ozone & Kidder County Press)