701 Rundown: July 22, 2024

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

Harvey Interim police chief resigns, replacement expected in August

Harvey lost its interim police chief two weeks ago but has a replacement coming on board in another month.

Despite this week’s Bismarck TV camera and its statewide coverage, in addition to social media’s largely inaccurate accounts spreading through Harvey concerning its police force, Harvey mayor Dean Klier has assured the community that the department is carrying on and will have a new chief on board Aug. 12, 2024.

In the meantime, outgoing interim police chief Travis Carlson, whose resignation was effective June 30, 2024, and who was on the city council’s agenda Wednesday night, was denied the opportunity to address the city’s governing board on the advice of its legal council.

Carlson did, however, speak to KFYR TV, Bismarck, outside city chambers.

“There’s been a lot of turnover. And not only in leadership and chief positions here within the city of Harvey, but also in police positions here,” said Carlson.

“And the questions that have been raised are why can’t we keep police officers with the city of Harvey, and what can we do to retain the officers that we do have?”

Carlson said Mayor Dean Klier was the principal reason for his leaving Harvey. Klier – whose commitment to justice, equality and transparency has been questioned by Carlson – was the city judge while Carlson patrolled the streets of the city.

For unexplained reasons, during that time Carlson would submit traffic tickets he issued to the district court in Fessenden and not to Klier and the city court.

Carlson, who was previously terminated as an officer in 2014 in Belfield, joined the Harvey Police Department in 2023 and later became the interim police chief this May before resigning the following month.

William Earl, another part-time officer, has also resigned from the Harvey force effective June 30.

Officer Shawn Brien, hired in March, will stay on and police the community alongside Wells County deputies.

The new police chief starting on August 12 of this year is John Foss, a former sheriff and chief of police with many years of experience.

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

Foster County issues transportation emergency declaration

Cleanup and recovery efforts are underway at the site of the Friday, July 5, Bordulac train derailment after the transition from emergency response operations.

In a statement from Canadian Pacific Kansas City Railway dated Monday, July 8, spokesman Patrick Waldron said that removal of all cars containing hazardous materials have been completed.

"CPKC response crews, including environmental and hazardous materials teams, will remain on the scene to continue car and site clean-up in coordination with emergency response officials," said Waldron.

Waldron assured residents, "The health and safety of the public, emergency responders and workers remains CPKC's first priority. CPKC is committed to the full restoration of the scene."

The Foster County Commission held a special meeting Wednesday morning, July 10, at 8 a.m. for the purposes of releasing a transportation emergency declaration.

Foster County Emergency Manager/Public Information Officer Andrew Kirking was at the meeting to brief the county board on the events at Bordulac, with drone footage displayed to drive home the scope of the incident and the resulting damage to infrastructure.

"The main push (with the emergency declaration) is to open up the county's emergency fund" for county staff to provide assistance as needed, Kirking said.

A drone team from Stutsman County was on site to document the conditions, to serve as "a reminder of what we were facing those first couple of hours," he added.

In his presentation, Kirking said a full investigation is currently being conducted to determine if a culvert failure or washout caused the accident, noting drone footage taken on the north side showed water leaking through and under the derailed cars.

(Story by Erik Gjovik, The Foster County Independent)

Jet Ski accident claims life

On Friday, June 30, at approximately 2:20 a.m., Belcourt Fire and Rescue was called to Fish Lake for an individual who was believed to have fallen off a Jet Ski.

An initial ground search of shoreline was conducted along the adjacent banks while boats searched the lake’s surface.

At approximately 6 a.m. a request was sent out to regional dive teams to assist the Belcourt Dive Team searching points of interest from sonar.

At approximately 4:30 p.m. a 23-year-old male was discovered by an underwater drone approximately 50 yards from the suspected area of entry.

He was retrieved by divers and the Belcourt Fire Department and transported to a local funeral home.

(Story from the Turtle Mountain Star)

Alert Kindred citizens spot sex offender

Alert citizens of Kindred came together and alerted the Cass County Sheriff’s Office about suspicious activity at the city’s pool and park area.

On Sunday, June 23, Kindred residents noticed an unfamiliar truck repeatedly driving slowly around the park and pool.

“I noticed him on Friday drive up and down our street slowly twice,” posted Harlee Bunke on the city’s Facebook page. “Then he drove up and down slow with his window down and was looking into yards.

Bunke made sure to snap a photo of the man’s truck.

The Cass County Sheriff’s department opened an investigation and discovered the driver was 50-year-old Mario Marquez, who is registered as a sex offender in Kidder County.

Marquez was convicted of indecency with a child in Texas back in 2001. He is not registered in Cass County. Marquez was staying with a Kindred resident until the resident evicted him.

Cass County Sheriff Jesse Jahner praised the citizens who stepped forward and said information has been forwarded to the state’s attorney’s office as Jahner believes he may have violated sex offender registration guidelines.

(Story by Jan Russell, Cass County Reporter)