Official Newspaper of Eddy County since 1883
Official Newspaper of Eddy County since 1883
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In a relatively quiet and quick meeting on Monday, Dec. 4 city commissioners received updates on several active projects. Interim City Auditor Andrew Presnell noted that he had filled out forms to host an apprentice water systems operations specialist. The apprenticeship is offered by the North Dakota Rural Water Systems Association with partnership from the National Rural Water Association and certified by the U.S. Department of Labor. According to the NDRWSA, the water sector is expected to...
Yet another industry has sounded the alarm on workforce shortages and unsustainable working conditions ths past week. This time it's the air traffic controllers, the ones who monitor the nation's airspace and are responsible for ensuring that planes don't collide in mid-air or crash on the landing strip. The headline in the New York Times read: "Drunk and Asleep on the Job: Air Traffic Controllers Pushed to the Brink." The situation is dire, according to veteran air traffic controllers who have...
Eddy County's auditor will vacate her position at year's end. Patty Williams, the county's auditor since 2015, has officially resigned amid recent controversy about voting machines used by Eddy County and other precincts across the country in the past two elections. Williams' resignation was approved during a special meeting of the county commissioners on Monday, Dec. 11. Later that day, Williams told the Transcript that her sudden departure was triggered when an attempt was made by the...
Last night, I got to see "how the sausage is made." As a member of the media, I was invited to watch DPRCA's "The Christmas Show" before anyone else. This time, I was on assignment, shooting photos to document Elliott Schwab's original script coming together on stage. Well, that was part of it. I also wanted to be among the first to see it so I could give you, my dear readers, a glimpse inside the show. It was the one Wednesday night appointment I was happy to take, and it came just in time....
The countdown to Christmas is on. As I write this, December 25 is exactly 34 days away. That means it's time for our annual Winterfest edition of the Transcript, full of all things local for the holidays. I came across a meme posted on the New Rockford Area Chamber of Commerce Facebook page a few days ago that really hit me. It read, "Big companies won't notice your purchase over the next couple months. But small businesses will, and it might even change their life." It's true. Small,... Full story
It's Christmas Eve, and the Penrose Players are standing at the verge of bankruptcy. Siblings Elle and Aaron Penrose, the fourth generation owners of the Penrose Playhouse, are trying to enjoy one last Christmas in their historic family-owned theater. They are in the process of selling the building, and the buyer's agent shows up to inspect the property on Christmas Eve Day, right as the last dress rehearsal gets underway for their Christmas Day performance. To make matters worse, the Penrose... Full story
We've been blessed with beautiful fall days lately. I can't help but smile as I run around doing errands and buzz from one meeting to another. The only thing that could have made this past week better was spending more time outside. With our daylight hours dwindling and the temperatures beginning their precipitous drop, I'm choosing not to dwell on the depressing weather that is destined to come. Instead, I'm focusing on the good things (such as this gorgeous weather) and mindfully practicing...
Plans to reclaim New Rockford’s municipal airport are progressing. New Rockford City Commission President Stu Richter and Airport Authority member Troy Georgeson reported to the Eddy County Commission Tuesday. The North Dakota Aeronautics Commission has indicated that they are willing to formally consider funding for the project in April, which could bring an estimated $1.4 million in state dollars to the project. The full reclamation would include a ”full-depth reclamation” of the runway and t...
Frustration is the word of the day in the newsroom. It’s Monday, and subscriber newspapers have not been delivered to New Rockford, Fessenden and other rural post offices on time for the second week in a row. Our loyal readers, and this time the local postmaster herself, pick up the phone to notify us of the delay. “So what gives? Why isn’t the paper coming on time?” readers ask. I wish I had the answer. All the subscriber print copies of this newspaper were taken to the Fargo Post Office...
I grew up understanding that being part of a community meant giving of your time and talents whenever possible to enrich others. My dad was a member of the Robinson Lions Club when I was a kid. My mom took us to many activities and events led by volunteers, including 4-H and Sunday School. Both my parents served on church boards and committees, and I remember watching my grandmother prepare and serve meals at funerals and other special events in her church. We volunteer. It’s what we do. T...
On Tuesday, Oct. 10, 12 sophomores were inducted into the local chapter of the National Honor Society. Farmers Union Insurance agent Lucas Schumacher gave the annual address during a 30-minute ceremony in the NR-S gymnasium. Schumacher was a member of NHS in high school, and he addressed all four of the pillars: character, scholarship, leadership and service. "These pillars not only coordinate with NHS, they also coordinate with life," he said. "With today's technology right at your fingertips,...
This National Co-op Month, I recognize that many of the cooperatives operating today were established for the benefit of people. It didn’t take much effort to put together a list of cooperatives we do business with on a daily basis. After all, I’ve been a member of cooperatives since I was a young girl. My extended family have been members of Northern Plains Electric Cooperative (formerly Tri-County Electric) my entire life. The family farm and my parents’ home are served by this all-i...
With the 2024 budget, ongoing water plant concerns and substandard property demolitions on the agenda, the New Rockford City Commission had a relatively full house on Monday, Oct. 2. Former auditor George Ritzke asked several questions about the 2024 budget. After struggling to answer many of Ritzke’s questions, commissioners agreed to adjourn the budget meeting and reconvene when they were more confident that everything was in order. They cited the recent turnover in the auditor position as t...
Interim City Auditor Andrew Presnell has started his new role with a bang. The city was awarded $94,350 in grant funds for security improvements at the water plant just last week. As with most grants, it wasn’t a quick and easy process either. Presnell began working on the project in January, while he was the assistant to former city auditor Becki Schumacher. “I was working with Lisa Thompson, Eddy County Emergency Manager, and asked her about any grants available for the water plant since the...
The federal government has entered a new level of dysfunction. It’s like being in the middle of your favorite soap opera when the power goes out. For the first time in U.S. history, the House of Representatives has ousted its duly-elected speaker, Kevin McCarthy of California. “They don’t get to say they’re conservative because they’re angry and they’re chaotic,” McCarthy said of the eight Republican colleagues who voted against him. “That’s not the party I belong to. The party of Reagan was if...
This year marks the 83rd celebration of National Newspaper Week. From October 1-7, newspapers across the country are affirming their responsibilities to the communities they serve. I've written a lot about our industry in this space over the last year, yet I find myself compelled to do it again. So much has happened in the past several weeks. In August, we changed the distribution process for every newspaper we print, and that has affected when many of our readers receive their print edition,...
There's usually one in every hunting party, but this time it's the whole party and nothing but a party. This fall, DPRCA presents "Deer Camp," a hilarious take on hunting. Four buddies are set to enjoy their annual deer hunting trip, but this year is a little different. After 15 years of coming home with nothing but a hangover, their wives have given them an ultimatum: bag a deer or your deer camp days are over. Only one teeny, tiny hurdle stands in their way – none of them know how to hunt! D...
I hear that a lot from people who regularly buy PowerBall tickets, spend hours at the blackjack table and make frequent trips to the casino. My grandfather bet on horses at the racetrack in Fessenden when I was little. There hasn’t been horse racing, except for maybe an Indian Horse Relay, at the Wells County Fairgrounds in decades. My husband and I went to the casino for our anniversary several years ago. We each put $20 in the slot machines. We were both broke in a few minutes, so we headed o...
Last week, the University of Nebraska Cornhuskers volleyball team set the world record for highest attendance at a women’s sporting event, EVER. The world was watching as they packed 92,003 people into their stadium. This is a college volleyball team, folks. Forget the WNBA! Yes, those players and coaches love their hometown crowds. New Rockford-Sheyenne and Carrington hosted their respective season home openers for volleyball this past week, and both put on a good show and defeated t...
by Amy Wobbema Tax relief is coming to New Rockford property owners, in the way of lower special assessments. Last month the Transcript reported that the street project was completed for $500,000 under the contractor’s bid amount. More positive news came for taxpayers last week at a special meeting of the New Rockford City Commission. The street project was finished more than $1 million under budget, or about 17 percent less than expected. City officials were aware of that possibility when t...
The New Rockford City Commission made progress in their quest to clean up dilapidated and dangerous structures this past week. A public nuisance hearing was held bright and early the morning of Monday, Aug. 28. For 90 minutes, city leaders pored over photos and documents and referenced letters and phone calls from property owners to develop a plan of action. There were more than a dozen structures on the list, and property owners had received certified letters requesting abatement of what...
The City of New Rockford proposes to generate $372,435.42 in revenue from property taxes in 2024. Auditor Becki Schumacher reviewed the proposed budget with commissioners at their Aug. 7 meeting. The general fund collections are projected to total $275,000, $50,000 more than in 2023. Schumacher noted that the increase is due to rising costs in a few key areas. First, the budget for the auditor’s office increased by a third to $60,000 for additional staffing. Also related to human resources, she...
I’m one of the lucky ones. I have been selected to be part of two surveys for the U.S. Census Bureau in the past year. No, these aren’t the types that ask nicely for your participation, offer you a free meal or a dollar or any token of appreciation for your answers. Rather, they are required by law, as is the decennial census that all Americans must fill out. Once you get “chosen,” you’re stuck. They send you emails and letters that don’t stop until you answer all their questions, sometimes m...
The winds of change are howling. Last Friday, Aug. 18, was the last time our staff had the opportunity to see and inspect our newspapers before they entered the postal system. Effective with the Aug. 28 edition and for the foreseeable future, we will no longer be unloading totes and bundles of addressed newspapers off pallets and delivering them to the local post offices in Carrington and New Rockford. Instead, our printing company will take all the print copies of both the Independent and the...
After hearing two months of appeals from property owner Larry Danduran, the New Rockford City Commission has answered back. Commissioners approved a new utility charge policy at their Aug. 7 regular meeting. President Stu Richter said that the goal was to clarify the city’s approach to charging for municipal services while trying to protect full-time residents that are paying the full service charges. • Empty lots with a curb stop will receive a monthly bill for sewer and/or water debt ser...
