701 Rundown: Jan. 22, 2024

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

Foster County courthouse basement project explained

In a special meeting, the Foster County Commission met with an EAPC architect, as well as contractors Ted Keller and Leo Straley via Zoom, to discuss the courthouse basement project.

During the meeting held on Friday, January 5, the board had questions about how the basement remodel will proceed.

EAPC said the project will proceed in three phases, with the first phase being the demolition and construction of the social services offices.

Next, the board discussed where to house the social services employees during the construction.

Foster County State's Attorney Kara Brinster's office in the courthouse was one option as she doesn't use the space.

Commissioner Becky Hagel reported that social services will have one point of contact in the courthouse during the remodel with the rest of the employees working from the Eddy County office.

An option for the Great Plains Housing office was for them to work from the community room.

As soon as social services move their equipment and furniture the demolition will begin.

(Story by Leasa Lura, The Foster County Independent)

Belcourt man gets life in prison for abuse of child

United States Attorney Mac Schneider announced on January 5, 2024, the Robert Houle, age 35 of Belcourt, N.D., appeared before Chief Judge Peter Welte in Fargo, N.D. and was sentenced to life in prison for abusive sexual contact with a child under the age of 12.

Houle had pleaded guilty to the offense on July 7, 2023.

As charged by the United States Attorney’s Office, an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation revealed that Houle sexually abused a Native American child under the age of 12, from the ages of 6-11 until approximately 2020.

Bureau of Indian Affairs law enforcement responded to a residence on the Turtle Mountain Indian Reservation for a physical altercation.

Houle was arrested and a child at the residence reported feeling unsafe due to physical and sexual abuse.

The child was forensically interviewed by the Northern Plains Children’s Advocacy Center and disclosed years of sexual abuse, physical abuse and emotional abuse by Houle.

The child was fearful to disclose the sexual and physical abuse sooner because the child feared being removed from the home if non-compliant with Houle’s demands.

“This is a strong sentence that protects children,” said Schneider. “It is also a real credit to our law enforcement partners and career prosecutors who worked hard to ensure this individual faced justice.”

(Story from the Turtle Mountain Star)

Ice fishing on Metigoshe moves forward but caution is recommended

According to Jonathan Tofteland, game warden of Bottineau County, ice fishing has kind of had a slow start due to the warmer temperatures so far this season.

With recent colder temperatures through the Turtle Mountains in recent weeks the ice depth at Lake Metigoshe and Long Lake is up to 17 to 18 inches.

That’s enough to get on the ice with fish houses and any type of vehicle up to a medium-sized pickup.

“We are seeing a good number of permits on Lake Metigoshe and Long Lake,” Tofteland said. “The colder the weather gets the more safe it is to fish, but there are still some soft spots out there which are not safe to be fishing around.

“There is no such thing as safe ice, you should always be careful on it.”

The North Dakota Game and Fish states that the general rule of ice is as follows:

• two inches one should stay off,

• four inches of good ice is safe for individuals to walk on,

• Six inches of good ice is good for a snowmobile or ATV,

• Eight to 12 inches of good ice is safe for a car or small pickup and

• 12 to 15 inches of good ice is safe for a medium pickup.

(Story by Scott Wagar, the Bottineau Courant)

Beane has first court appearance for murder charge

On Thursday, Jan. 4, Scott Richard Beane made his first court appearance for the charge of Class AA felony murder.

The maximum sentence for this is life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Beane is accused of causing the death of Lois Beane, who was found deceased and with extensive burns in the enclosed mudroom of the trailer he shared with both the victim and his father.

At the hearing, Beane appeared without counsel, and as he sat at the table to participate in his hearing, he could be seen swiveling in his chair, without making eye contact with the judge.

Beane answered with single syllables through most of the hearing and indicated to Judge El-Dweek that he planned on representing himself.

The judge determined that he could not know if Beane’s decision to represent himself, as well as to waive his preliminary hearing, was knowing, voluntary or intelligent without further proceedings on the matter.

El-Dweek asked Beane if he had any objection to a competency hearing and competency evaluation, to which Beane responded with a short “no” each time, at one point interrupting the judge.

A new hearing will be scheduled for Beane after the ordered evaluations are completed.

At that time the court will proceed with a pre-trial hearing to address the charges against him.

(Story by Kristen Jones, McKenzie County Farmer)