701 Rundown: March 4, 2024

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

May-Port-C-G volleyball, basketball teams appear headed for Division A in 2025-26

May-Port-C-G’s volleyball and basketball teams may be bumped from Division B to Division A starting in the 2025-26 school year.

Stacy Hanson, MPCG’s assistant athletic director, told the MPCG School Board on Monday that district officials received notice that the Patriots, based on their projected enrollment figures, could be elevated from the lowest to the middle of the state’s new three-class basketball system.

Matt Fetsch, executive director of the North Dakota High School Activities Association, called the school to give “a friendly heads up” that change appeared likely, said Hanson.

School officials discussed whether they could file an appeal with the NDHSAA’s newly created athletic review committee, requesting that MPCG be allowed to remain in Division B.

However, four schools that filed similar appeals this winter asking the committee to reclassify to a lower division next year in boys and girls basketball were rejected.

(Story by Cole Short, Hillsboro Banner)

CPS releases new secure entrance addition plans

To improve safety and provide additional layers of security for students and staff in Carrington's high school building, the Carrington Public School District unveiled plans for a 5,000 square foot addition.

The plans, prepared by YHR Partners, call for the construction of a secure front entrance and new administrative offices on the school's west side, which will extend from the current high school entry to the west edge of the property along 3rd Avenue.

The new entrance was designed to match the East Gym and elementary school entrances built in 2016. As shown in the rendering above, which was provided by YHR Partners, the new vestibule will have two sets of doors and a full-glass wall so staff can see visitors before they enter the building.

Inside the first set of doors, staff will use a key fob to enter and visitors will push a button for access, as the inside set of doors will be locked.

There will also be a separate entrance into the new administrative offices from within the vestibule, and visitors will be asked to enter the office before they go elsewhere into the school during designated hours.

Cross corridor security doors will be installed where the high school intersects with the other areas of the school. This will allow staff to engage a full lockdown of the entire facility with one action, should the need arise.

A new off-street designated drop off zone south of the new entrance will allow parents to drive up and drop their students right at the main entrance. Designated staff and visitor parking will be added on the north side of the new addition.

The 5,000 square foot addition includes a large reception area, new offices for all administrative staff, a conference room for school board meetings, staff lounge and work and storage space.

School board members unanimously approved a motion to move forward with the project at their Feb. 13 meeting.

Should the building fund levy referendum pass this summer, the board intends to solicit bids for the project in December with construction to begin as early as next year.

(Story by Amy Wobbema, The Foster County Independent)

Walsh County continues to wrestle with bridge dilemmas, closures

Highway Department Superintendent Jason Johnston briefed the county commission at its Tuesday meeting on the next round of bridge inspections forthcoming this summer and the outlook is discouraging in terms of costs projected.

Aside from the rash of inspections upcoming Johnston presented the commission with a bridge inspection bill for eight bridges. The inspections range from a cost of 1,567 to $2,131, with the total cost at $8,562.

“This is going to be a busy year. Of our 209 inspected bridges, 139 will be inspected this year starting in April,” he said.

Johnston is working on getting as many bridges off the inspection system so at the very least they go from a two-year inspection cycle, in some cases an annual inspection, to a four year inspection, which is required for box culverts.

“We’ve taken three of the bridges off the inspection schedule last year, making them into box culverts,” he said.

Some of the work Johnston believes is a bit nitpicky, like inspecting bridges that are closed just to prove that they are truly closed.

“We need people to keep the road closed signs there because the road is closed for a reason, but we have people moving them themselves so they have access across them,” he said. “So we are going to have to create something to deny them access – something more permanent.”

Commissioner Amy Suda said, “In a way they are pushing us to be more proactive with the amount of bridges we have in the county. What can we do to get off this revolving list of inspections? We need to start looking at every option we have to avoid having these costs year after year.”

(Story by Todd Morgan, The Walsh County Record)

Hometown gesture offered new bar-restaurant

Harvey Job Development Authority (JDA) directors have agreed to a $12,500 no-interest, 60-month loan for the start-up of a new bar-restaurant in Harvey.

They also gave the community’s prized and youngest entrepreneurs $2,500, confident the youth’s dream of a splash pad will be realized.

Hometown Tavern, recipient of the JDA loan, plans to open in the former Spectator’s location in mid-March.

Owner Melissa Faul addressed JDA directors on Tuesday, Feb. 20 at city hall.

“Things are moving ahead,” said Faul, who initially requested a $25,000 loan.

The JDA directors, however, questioned Faul’s contractual agreement with Steve Selzler, owner of the building at 8th St. and Lincoln Ave.

Once the JDA’s concerns with Faul’s contract with Selzer are rectified, Harvey’s newest downtown business owner was urged to return, and the loan agreement will be rewritten for $25,000.

(Story by Neil O. Nelson, The Herald-Press)