701 Rundown: November 6, 2023

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

Explosion rocks Alexander area

On Saturday, Oct. 21, an explosion occurred on an oil pad west of Alexander, N.D.

The blast was reportedly felt as far away as Grassy Butte, about 48 miles southeast of Alexander.

According to Karolin Jappe, McKenzie County Emergency Manager, three tanks on the site were affected but the cause of the blast was still unknown.

Multiple agencies responded to the blast and subsequent fire, but the flames were nearly extinguished just 15-20 minutes after the Alexander volunteer fire department arrived on scene.

Multiple individuals were on the pad when it exploded, but no injuries were reported.

(Story by Kristen Jones, McKenzie County Farmer)

Retirement ... It’s in the bag

Anyone who has spent a measurable amount of time living in Carrington, or passing through for a stop for groceries, has met Jim Indergaard at least once.

Since taking his first job at Steve's Jack & Jill in 1979 at the location of the current Calvary Baptist Church, Jim has been a fixture at the end of the counter making sure the eggs are separate from the heavy items, and the frozen foods and canned goods are contained in their proper spots.

On Thursday, October 19, Jim took his final shift at Leevers Foods, leaving a legacy of kindness, professionalism and punctuality at a level that nowadays seems hard to find.

"It's a little too early to say how I'm feeling," the soft-spoken Indergaard said of his newly-found free time. "It'll probably hit me eventually."

Leevers Store Manager Randy Peterson has always been appreciative of the level of devotion Jim has brought to his job.

"He's the model employee," Peterson said. "He shows up every day, on time, and always did what was asked of him."

"Jim's been a great ambassador for Leevers and the Carrington community," he added. "He always has a smile for everyone."

His fellow employees honored Indergaard for his 44 years of service with a retirement party on October 19, complete with cake and refreshments.

His retirement plans include attending car shows, going to ball games and taking pictures of old schools and churches.

(Story by Erik Gjovik, The Foster County Independent)

Drive-by shooting reported on Walsh County Road 15

A drive-by shooting took place on Walsh County Highway No. 15 east of Lankin on Saturday evening in Norton Township at approximately 7:30 p.m.

After an investigation by the Walsh County Sheriff’s Department, deputies arrested George Joseph Tibert, 75, of rural Pisek at 3:30 a.m. at his residence.

Walsh County Deputy Matthew Wark answered the call of shots fired Saturday evening and reported that when he arrived at Novak’s residence the witnesses were visibly shaken up.

According to the arrest affidavit the witnesses would not turn on the lights in the house and would duck into a hallway when observing any type of vehicle driving by on the highway.

Wark observed four bullet holes that struck the exterior of the residence and that two of the bullets penetrated inside the residence.

Walsh County deputies found five shell casings on the road, and after agreeing to a search, they found similar shell casings inside Tilbert’s vehicle.

Tilbert denied any wrongdoing and has been charged with three counts of reckless endangerment with extreme indifference, each a Class C felony.

No bond was set pending a psych evaluation and risk assessment.

(Story by Todd Morgan, The Walsh County Record)

Theodore Roosevelt National Park seeks

comments on horse removal policy options

Officials at Theodore Roosevelt National Park (TRNP) held a public question and answer meeting on Oct. 10, regarding the Livestock Plan that has been proposed at the park.

The plan would address the wild horses and the long-horn steer that call the park home. The herds have lived there for over 150 years, but park officials are now considering relocating them.

Members of the public have expressed their opposition to removing the horses from the land, but park officials believe that doing so would better align the park and its policies.

One option would be to simply limit the number of wild horses in the herd by 150, which would bring the herd size to within guidelines that already exist for the park.

The second and third options involve bringing the size of the two herds to zero over time – capturing and distributing them first to tribes, then to certain authorized entities, and then the public.

No lethal means would be used, and the third option would allow any animals that don’t find a new home to live out their lives at the park having been given contraceptives.

“These action alternatives allow us to uphold the NPS (National Park Service) mission which mandates that we prioritize the health of native species and maintain a native prairie environment,” said Angie Richmond, superintendent of TRNP.

“They allow us to honor the Secretary of Interior’s commitment to Bison management and by removing non-native species, it allows us to more fully manage the Bison and the health of the Bison herd.”

A final decision on the livestock plan is expected in late winter or early spring.

(Story by Kristen Jones, McKenzie County Farmer)