701 Rundown: Sept. 23, 2024

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

Youngsters learn about the old ways in Manfred

On Wednesday, Sept. 11, around 160 local fourth graders got to experience the pioneer way of life in Manfred, N.D.

Churning butter, blacksmithing, riding in horse-drawn wagons – these are just a few of the many activities associated with pioneer life on the prairie over a century ago. And that's exactly what local youth were doing last Wednesday at the 3rd annual Manfred Field Day.

Organized by Manfred Historic and Preservation Inc., Manfred Field Day is designed to give local youth an appreciation for a history that's at risk of being forgotten as rural towns like Manfred die out.

Manfred, located along Highway 52 in Wells County, is described as a "near ghost town" by GhostsofNorthDakota.com, a website that documents ghost towns in the state.

But despite its dwindling population, several individuals are determined to preserve Manfred's history, and by extension the history of pioneer life that characterized North Dakota's earliest years.

Manfred Historic and Preservation Inc. (MHP) was created in the year 2000 to keep that history alive, and they've successfully turned their tiny town into a vestige of a bygone era.

The Manfred Field Day is among their latest efforts to grow appreciation for that era, and it's been a hit with the students lucky enough to attend, as they get to experience a unique way of life long-forgotten by today's fast-paced world.

Lisa Bertrand, an MHP board member and a coordinator of Manfred Field Day, said that over 160 fourth graders from nearby schools attended this year, including 56 from Carrington, 31 from Harvey and 29 from Minnewaukan.

Other participating schools included Fessenden-Bowdon, Warwick, Anamoose and Maddock, in addition to several home schooled students.

The kids took turns rotating between various stations in groups of around 30, with each station featuring a unique hallmark of pioneer life.

(Story by Nathan Price, The Foster County Independent)

Tribe, state agencies collaborate to build new facility

The Turtle Mountain Tribe broke ground last week on a project that honors a Native American tradition.

It will mark the first time in history that the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa is building a traditional community roundhouse on the reservation.

“There used to be one north of Dunseith, a long time ago,” said Les Thomas, a tourism consultant for the tribe. “This project is making history.”

A traditional Native American Roundhouse is a place that all community members can gather, use and be a part of. The structure is used for spiritual ceremonies, teachings, training sessions and community meetings.

A portion of the project’s funding is coming via the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Destination Development Grant. The tribe received $1.5 million from the N.D. Department of Commerce and up to $200,000 will go toward the construction of the Roundhouse.

The tribe will contribute $3.5 million in ARPA funds for the project and another $51,000 will come from the N.D. Parks and Recreation.

It’s located just off U.S. Highway 5, northwest of the Melvin Lenoir building that houses the tribe’s child protection offices. It’s also near the site of the tribe’s annual Labor Day powwow.

(Story by Jason Nordmark, Turtle Mountain Star)

Lockdown at Divide County High School

Divide County High School was put on a precautionary lockdown over concerns of a suspicious vehicle in the parking lot, according to authorities.

Divide County Sheriff Zach Schroeder said the school contacted the sheriff's office after an unfamiliar vehicle with out-of-state license plates had been sitting in the parking lot for over 30 minutes.

The lockdown was issued at 10:08 a.m. and lifted at 10:39 a.m. after the vehicle was cleared of suspicion.

“It was not a harm, not a threat,” Schroeder said.

The school district released a statement about the lockdown on its Facebook page at around noon on Wednesday. Some community members expressed concern over not being alerted to the lockdown while it was in effect.

“We’re not able to inform the parents or community right away because our No. 1 priority is our students and our staff,” said Anthony Vandal, superintendent of the Divide County School District.

“Moving forward there are some suggestions that our parents had made that we will definitely take into consideration,” he added.

(Story by Jordan Rusche, the Journal)

Toxic algae blooms at Walsh County dam

Until further notice, residents are being asked to use caution when visiting Homme Dam due to high levels of toxic microcystin in the water due to a lake-wide bloom of blue-green algae.

Blue-green algae produces a toxin called microcystin that can cause serious liver damage in humans and severe reactions in dogs, livestock and other pets.

Symptoms of exposure can include vomiting, nausea, headaches, diarrhea and abdominal pain, along with other cold and flu-like symptoms such as skin rashes, eye irritation, gastroenteritis and more.

This form of cyanobacteria is known to be deadly to pets and livestock as well as harmful to humans and wildlife.

Activities such as swimming, water skiing, fishing and dog walking should be limited during this time. Anyone who does use the lake must avoid areas that appear like green paint or pea soup, and must avoid swallowing the water.

The Homme Dam and lake are located on the South Branch of the Park River two miles west of the city of Park River on Highway 17.

(Story by Todd Morgan, The Walsh County Record)