701 Rundown: Oct. 17, 2022

Here’s your weekly rundown of some of the most interesting headlines from newspapers across North Dakota.

County addresses employee actions in special meeting

Two employees have been handed reprimands by the county commission after an employee’s use of county equipment was brought to their attention.

In a special meeting on Sept. 27, Emmons County Commissioners addressed the issue of a road commission employee using a county vehicle to fix a waterway and blade his own driveway.

Emmons County Road Superintendent, Skyler Prellwitz, admitted to commissioners that he’d allowed employee David Krumm to take his vehicle home, and to work on the waterway and his driveway.

“I see the errors in my ways and I apologize,” Prellwitz said, adding he did not mean to make it seem like they were hiding anything.

Krumm, meanwhile, said blame should not fall on Prellwitz.

“It’s the stupidest thing I could have done,” Krumm told commissioners.

A motion asking for Krumm’s resignation failed 2-3. A second motion to place Krumm on a one-year probation, with a one-year wage increase restriction, and that requires Krumm to pay for two hours of equipment time and $100 in fuel costs, passed 3-2.

(Story by Kelli Armstrong, Emmons County Record)

Officials tired, frustrated by continuous 2020 records requests

Activists are still alleging unproven vote count manipulation related to the 2020 presidential election, and election officials across North Dakota have been inundated with hundreds of requests for records in recent months.

Most of these requests, however, are for information that does not exist, and the sheer amount of them is tying up state and county officials just as they begin work on the midterm elections.

Multiple counties across the state are dealing with the issue, and the phenomenon stems from allegations made by MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell at a symposium in South Dakota last year.

“This year we’ve gotten some requests we’ve never had previously,” Rolette County Auditor Val McCloud said. “Some have been requests to see the ballots or a printout of how votes were cast. It’s information we don’t have.”

State Election Director Brian Newby said that many requests are all but duplicates of each other, most asking for information that doesn’t exist or that requestees likely don’t even understand themselves.

“It’s a nuisance, to be sure,” said Beth Didier, Barnes County auditor. “The worst part is that it always instills a sense of mild panic, as it seems people out there are trying to catch us doing something wrong, when most of us are trying our very best to do everything right.”

(Story from the Turtle Mountain Star)

The end of an era: Saying goodbye to the Shipmans

The Mckenzie County Farmer, a local weekly newspaper situated in Watford City, N.D., is undergoing a changing of the guard.

Neal and Lisa Shipman have retired as the owners of the Farmer, a position they’ve held for the past 39 years.

The farmer had been part of the Shipman family for three generations. Neal and Lisa took over from Neal’s father, who took over from his father before that.

Neal first began working there when he was around eight years old just helping out around the office, but by the time he’d turned 12 he was working hard - melting the lead used by the old linotype machine into molten metal in preparation for the next issue.

A lifetime of hard work in the journalism industry followed.

Neal’s motto has been, “Do what is right for the readers,” and that has shown in his work through the decades.

“At the end of this era, on behalf of the Farmer staff, the people of McKenzie County, and everyone who has had the opportunity to read your work or interact with you over the years, thank you Neal and Lisa. You are loved and we are grateful for all you have done. Enjoy your retirement!”

(Story Kristen Jones, McKenzie County Farmer)

Opinion finds violations of state ‘sunshine laws’

North Dakota’s attorney general released an opinion Thursday, Sept. 29, describing violations of the state’s open meetings and open records laws, prescribing action to be taken by the city of Crosby.

“This opinion is a win for local residents, upholding their access to public proceedings and records,” said Journal Publisher Cecile Wehrman.

The Journal first requested the opinion following “administrative hearings” last year about apparent “nuisance properties,” which weren’t held with proper notification to the public.

Then City Auditor, Sabrina Ferguson, argued no special notice was required, “because we held the hearing at the same time that the newspaper and public generally arrive.”

The hearings began 30 minutes before the regular start time of the City of Crosby’s council meetings.

North Dakota’s open meetings and records laws are called “sunshine laws” because they’re designed to shed light on state and local officials in the interest of transparency for the public they serve.

(Story from The Journal)

Traffic stop nets two ounces of drugs

On Sept. 17, a traffic stop in Park River, N.D., resulted in 1.3 ounces of methamphetamine being seized and more than an ounce of marijuana.

The stop resulted in two arrests: Michael Baernard Antonson, 59, and Jame Maries Drury, 66, both of Thief River Falls, Minnesota.

According to the arrest affidavit, the arresting officer noticed a strong smell of marijuana and noticed a blue pouch inside a purse that appeared thick and bulky.

Drury said the pouch wasn’t hers, and when she opened it, a small plastic designer bag filled with a green leafy substance was revealed, as well as several other plastic designer bags that contained a white crystalized substance.

A probable cause search revealed suspected drug paraphernalia, and, according to the affidavit, Antonson stated Drury stopped at three places during the evening where they obtained the meth and marijuana.

Both have been handed multiple felony drug charges and an infraction, and are considered innocent unless proven guilty.

(Story by Todd Morgan, The Walsh County Record)