701 Rundown: October 9, 2023

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

Cass County residents injured in Interstate crash

Two rural Cass County residents were among four individuals injured Sunday evening in a multi-vehicle crash near West Fargo.

A Honda HR-V, driven by a 53-year-old Minnesota woman, was traveling west-bound on I-94 at approximately 11:46 p.m., on Sept. 24, when she was rear-ended by a Honda Passport driven by a 34-year-old Jamestown man.

Both vehicles became stuck on impact and traveled westbound in the westbound lane of I-94. The vehicles then separated, causing the Minnesota woman’s vehicle to travel in the media.

The Jamestown man’s vehicle then became disabled in the westbound lane.

A westbound 63-year-old Amenia woman, driving a Subaru Legacy, rear-ended the disabled vehicle, disabling her vehicle before both came to a rest on the shoulder of the westbound lane.

A GMC Acadia, driven by a 45-year-old female from Alice, also traveling west, struck the Subaru and then went into the ditch.

The Jamestown male, Amenia female and Alice female were all transported by ambulance to Sanford Hospital to be treated for injuries sustained in the crash. The Jamestown man was cited for driving under the influence.

(Story by Angela Kolden, Cass County Reporter)

Trinity Lutheran spearheading service project

for needy little ones

One organization close to home is literally saving lives, one child at a time.

Feed My Starving Children (FMSC) began in Coon Rapids, Minn. in 1987, and since then has worked with other non-governmental and mission organizations to bring mobile food packing events to communities around the region.

FargoPack, FMSC's partner, was started in 2013 by Atonement Lutheran Church of Fargo and now serves the Red River Valley and surrounding region. Every year since 2015 FargoPack has organized large mobile packing events in Fargo.

Now in its 10th year, FargoPack is gearing up to break records. They plan to pack 10 million meals in 10 days from January 5-15, 2024 at the Fargodome. This event, which is twice as large as anything they've ever done, will take $3.1 million and 55,000 volunteers to make it happen.

That's where the locals come in.

Trinity Lutheran Church of Carrington has taken the lead to coordinate area volunteers and raise funds to fill just one 2-hour shift at the massive packing event.

Last Monday, community leaders gathered at Trinity Lutheran to learn more about Feed My Starving Children and how they can help save lives.

Volunteers pack rice-based meals, which are distributed in over 100 countries around the world where extreme hunger exists.

Each meal costs 29 cents, and $106 will feed one child for a full year.

Michael Simon, a member of Trinity Lutheran Church and volunteer for FMSC, said he's seen firsthand the impact the mobile packing events have.

"My family volunteered in Fargo. My kids felt that (impact), and it is a wonderful experience and feeling that you get when you volunteer, which is why I'm involved," Simon said. His family moved to Carrington from Fargo last year.

(Story by Amy Wobbema, The Foster County Independent)

Tribal members get $7 million as part of settlement

On Sept. 20, 2023, the Pembina Class Action Settlement Administrator began distribution of $59 million in negotiated Settlement Proceeds to four Pembina Tribes, which includes the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians.

There are more than 30,000 individuals eligible for settlement as class members.

The Pembina Settlement is the result of a lawsuit brought in 1992 by the Pembina Tribes and eligible individuals to compensate for alleged mismanagement by the United State government of two Indian Claims Commission (ICC) judgment awards to the Pembinas.

The ICC judgment awards were additional compensation for millions of acres of land that the Pembinas ceded to the United States in the 19th century, for which the United States paid pennies per acre.

The United States, as trustee, was responsible for managing the ICC judgment awards as trust funds until they were distributed to the Pembina beneficiaries in the 1980s and 1990s.

This lawsuit alleged that the trust funds were mismanaged and again, additional compensation for the Pembina beneficiaries was in order. The Native American Rights Fund (NARF) represented the Pembinas throughout the lawsuit and over a decade of settlement negotiations.

“NARF commends the Pembinas for their perseverance and patience in the precedential case,” said NARF Staff Attorney Melody McCoy. “Many are unaware of the tremendous impact the Pembinas have had in holding the United States accountable to Indian tribes and individuals.”

(Story from the Turtle Mountain Star)

911 transfers concern county

A recent medical incident with a member of the Divide County road crews sparked discussion about emergency response in the county at a commission meeting Sept. 19.

Bryan Haugenoe, county road superintendent, said one of his employees contacted him with a medical emergency, and Haugenoe called 911 to send an ambulance to him.

While the employee was by County Road 11, Haugenoe was near Westby, Mont., when he called, so he said he was transferred to Sheridan County emergency services.

“They said, ‘Well, that’s not our territory. I’ll have to get you transferred over to Williams County,’” he said. “Then I told them the situation, they said, ‘that’s not our district, since you’re out in Divide County, we’ll turn you over to Divide County’s district,’ and that goes to State Radio. So it’s three calls.”

Divide County Sheriff Zach Schroeder, who was present to discuss a different matter, said situations like Haugenoe’s are not actually that uncommon.

“The answer is to get on Williams County’s towers as our dispatch,” Schroeder said. “They’re fully capable of doing the 800-megahertz that we currently have right now, which State Radio isn’t because they’re not set up yet for 800 MHz in rural areas.”

Schroeder suggested meeting with State Radio to discuss these concerns.

(Story by Jordan Rusche, The Journal)