Around the State: October 9, 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.

Eggermont hired as city auditor in Hillsboro

The Hillsboro City Commission recently voted unanimously to approve the hiring of Casey Eggermont of Galesburg to serve as Hillsboro’s city auditor starting October 30.

The Independent ran a story last week about Eggermont receiving the Leadership Excellence Award for 2023 after working as Harwood’s auditor for the past seven years.

Eggermont is a native of Grace City, N.D. and former Foster County auditor.

(Story by Cole Short, the Hillsboro Banner)

Voters reject school bond referendum

Voters in the Hillsboro School District rejected a $12 million school bond referendum in a recent special election.

Unofficial results released by school officials indicated 54.9 percent of voters cast yes ballots in the election while 45.1 percent voted no (258 to 212).

The referendum required 60 percent approval from the 470 residents who cast ballots in the election to move forward under state law.

If approved by voters, the proposed $12 million bond referendum would have:

• Built a $4.7 million, stand-alone addition that would have included space for a high school career and tech center and music and family and consumer sciences classes.

• Improved security entrances as Hillsboro’s elementary and high school buildings and provide a safer pickup and drop-off spot for kids at the elementary school.

• Moved the Hillsboro High School girls locker from the basement to the ground level and converted Hillsboro High School’s vo-ag and shop classroom into a new boiler room.

• Allowed the district to make heating and cooling improvements, kitchen renovations, electrical upgrades and replace windows at Hillsboro Elementary School.

(Story by Cole Short, the Hillsboro Banner)

Cashierless store in Minot

The Enerbase Cenex convenience store being renovated on South Broadway in Minot will soon be the first of its kind in North Dakota: a convenience store without cash registers.

Shoppers must swipe or tap a credit or debit card to enter the store. Dozens of video cameras and a rack of computer servers will track them as they grab items to purchase, and the card is charged when they walk out the door.

With help-wanted signs a common sight on Broadway, this store will require only two workers at a time, for stocking and cleaning.

“We can pay a higher wage, because we won’t need as many employees,” said Troy Bernhardt, Enerbase general manager. “We can utilize our employees much better.”

The store should be open by April or May.

(Story taken from The Journal, Crosby)

Whiteshield celebrates casino ground-breaking

Something exciting is coming to White Shield. The ground blessing and ground-breaking for the new 37,000-square-foot casino happened recently.

The Son of Star Casino is set to open in 2026 and will boast 230 slot machines, six gaming tables, a sports book, poker room, restaurant, gift shop, camp-ground and coffee shop.

A second phase is planned and could include a convenience store hotel and event center. This new casino will create jobs for the community and is expected to bring in millions of dollars in revenue for the MHA Nation.

(Story by Tyson Matthews, the McLean County Independent)

Local Bottineau man drowns in Lake Darling

A local man from Bottineau has passed due to a water accident in Renville County.

According to Sheriff Roger Hutchinson, sheriff of Renville County, Doug Trengen, 73, passed away from a drowning accident at Lake Darling on September 14 while launching a boat.

Eyewitnesses at the scene told emergency responders that they observed Trengen backing a boat into the water to launch at 9:55 a.m. when the boat drifted away from the dock unintended after coming off the trailer.

Trengen then entered the water without a floating device to recover the boat, but wasn’t able to retrieve the boat.

He then attempted to swim back to the dock, but started to struggle and went under the water and did not resurface.

(Story taken from the Bottineau Courant)

Enderlin loses grocery store

Enderlin’s only grocery store has closed its doors.

People in Enderlin were shocked to find out recently that their only grocery store was closing, when the owner put up a sign.

A sign on the door said that the store would close September 29. No reason was given.

The 2020 census has Enderlin slightly under 890 residents. The closest grocery store is in Lisbon, 17 miles away.

Enderlin residents are concerned, due to the fact that there are a good number of elderly people in the community that depended on the closeness of this store.

City leaders have said they will come together to see how they can overcome the loss. Enderlin has lost other businesses recently including their pharmacy.

(Story by Lynn Kaspari, the Ramson County Gazette)

Bohl conducts his first solo flight

Sawyer Bohl of the Upham area has always enjoyed flying in planes. It started out with his grandpa, Blaine Welstad, a well-known pilot in the Newburg area who enjoys taking Bohl with him when he is flying. This year, Bohl started working on his private flying license and quickly came to the time to take his first solo flight. It was then that he ran into a snag which in a way kept him grounded because in order to take one’s first solo flight you have to be 16 years old.

However, on September 18, he turned 16, and as the sun peaked over the horizon that morning he was taking off on his first solo flight at the Bottineau Municipal Airport, which he passed quite easily.

(Story by Scott Wagar, the Bottineau Courant)