701 Rundown: August 7, 2023

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

Arrest made following armed robbery of mail carrier

On Monday, July 17, a mail carrier in Frontier, N.D. was the victim of an armed robbery.

Less than a week later, law enforcement had their suspect.

Deshaun Holmes, 21, has been arrested for the armed robbery of that mail carrier, and is currently being held at the Cass County jail on federal charges.

The robbery took place at around 11:15 a.m. on the morning of July 17. The Cass County Sheriff’s office soon received a call that a mail carrier had been robbed at gunpoint.

A witness advised law enforcement that the suspect was a black male driving a gray, or dark in color, passenger vehicle and produced a handgun.

The suspect fled the area shortly after the armed robbery, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service offered up to $50,000 for any information leading to the arrest and conviction of the individual responsible.

(Story by Angela Kolden, Cass County Reporter)

Committee sues tribal government over pow wow project

The Labor Day Pow Wow Committee and the Turtle Mountain Tribal Court aren’t exactly seeing eye-to-eye.

The Turtle Mountain Tribal Court is moving forward with construction plans for a new pow wow arbor and other revisions to the existing site, which is located on the north side of the highway just west of tribal headquarters.

However, the Labor Day Pow Wow Committee has filed a lawsuit in hopes of freezing the project.

According to a complaint filed in Turtle Mountain Tribal Court on June 28, the action is intended to prevent the Turtle Mountain Tribal Council from moving forward.

Bernice Delorme, who’s representing the committee, said the council’s plans involve tearing up existing structures to be replaced with a “Hollywood, touristy” attraction.

As for who has the right to do what they want on that piece of land, Delorme pointed to a 25-year lease the committee has on the property.

“The council thinks they can still do whatever they want on that land,” said Delorme. “The current arbor was erected in a certain way and has to be where it is until nature takes it away. It’s not that simple to replace.”

Delorme said the emergency request to stop all plans for the pow wow grounds was filed on June 28, but that she has yet to hear back (as of July 24).

Delorme added that the tribal government can fund its own project anywhere else on the reservation, just not where the current grounds are located.

(Story by John Rosinski, Turtle Mountain Star)

Binford man killed in motorcycle crash

A Binford man was killed in a fatal motorcycle crash on Wednesday, July 19.

According to a press release from the N.D. Highway Patrol, 56-year-old Brian Swanson was reported missing at 7:45 p.m. on July 19.

The Griggs County Sheriff’s Office was told that Swanson was last seen in McHenry at around 6 p.m. on Tuesday, July 18.

“On the evening of July 19 around 10:00 p.m., a Griggs County Deputy was out searching for Brian and located his motorcycle on the south side of 11th St. NE in a slough,” states the press release.

The location of the crash was approximately three miles east of McHenry, in Foster County.

At the time of Swanson’s crash, he was driving his motorcycle – a Honda Goldwing – eastbound on 11th St. NE before leaving the roadway and entering the south ditch.

“Brian was ejected from the motorcycle landing in the slough on the south side of the road. The motorcycle continued and came to rest facing east in the slough,” explains the press release.

Swanson was found deceased from the injuries sustained in the crash, and the release notes that he was not wearing a helmet.

The incident remains under investigation by the N.D. Highway Patrol.

(Story by Nathan Price, Foster County Independent)

Big Coulee is a dam problem

A meeting was held in Bisbee on Wednesday, July 12, for the purpose of discussing the Big Coulee Bisbee Dam.

More specifically, the discussion was about weighing the pros and cons of having Towner County assume ownership of the dam, and the meeting soon became contentious.

The atmosphere in the Bisbee City Hall was tense as a statement of facts outlining the current situation was handed out and read prior to opening the meeting to public comments.

Much of the frustration expressed by residents was about their dissatisfaction with N.D. Century Code and the performance of the city council and interim mayor and city auditor.

At issue, however, is upkeep and maintenance of the Big Coulee Dam and the nearby campsite there. From a practical and financial point of view, there are advantages to have Towner County take ownership of the dam.

But for many, the idea of another entity “taking over” was unacceptable, and they argued in favor of the city keeping ownership.

Not surprisingly, however, nothing was decided amid the cloud of animosity at the July 12 meeting.

One person at the meeting suggested the feuding parties try to work out their differences before involving other entities. But they’d have to overcome serious animosity and distrust.

Currently, the mayor and auditor field numerous texts and phone calls threatening to get the dam shut down entirely, not to mention the warnings they’ve received saying that they’re being watched and need to “watch what they say.”

“This is tearing the community apart,” said one resident sadly.

Only time will tell if it can recover.

(Story by Brenda Halvorson, Towner County Record Herald)