701 Rundown: Nov. 18, 2024

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

Fugitive arrested in Carrington following jailbreak

Law enforcement agencies worked together Saturday, Nov. 2 to capture fugitive Kyle Maez-Schaak, 32, of New Rockford, N.D., who escaped from Grand Forks County Jail. Carrington Police Chief Chris Bittmann said he was alerted earlier that day that Maez-Schaak, who was granted a furlough for a dental appointment, “never returned.”

Maez-Schaak, with an extensive criminal record, was previously detained after a high-speed chase in Grand Forks on May 23. He faces charges including reckless endangerment, fleeing a peace officer and criminal mischief, all Class C felonies, as well as driving under suspension and refusal to halt. “This is the eighth time in the past six years he's been arrested under suspicion of fleeing a peace officer,” Bittmann said.

Bittmann reported that Maez-Schaak was last seen with his girlfriend, Deborah Fleetwood, of Carrington. With assistance from neighboring agencies, law enforcement surrounded Fleetwood’s trailer while waiting for a search warrant. “We waited for a search warrant to be signed, which we executed later that afternoon,” Bittmann said. “Kyle came out of the trailer willingly and without incident.”

Maez-Schaak, represented by public defender Justin Roness, has not entered a plea, and a court date is pending. Bittmann thanked community members for their help and neighboring departments, including the Benson, Eddy, Stutsman and Foster county sheriff’s offices. “I appreciated the information provided by community members, as well as the offers for help from neighboring agencies,” he said.

(Story by Amy Wobbema, Foster County Independent)

Fatality in head-on collision on Hwy. 23

At approximately 8:13 a.m. on Monday, Oct. 28, a fatal head-on collision occurred on Highway 23, around 16 miles west of New Town, N.D., in McKenzie County. According to the North Dakota Highway Patrol (NDHP), 29-year-old Travis Nofoa of Las Vegas, Nev., was driving his Ford F-250 west near mile marker 31 when he crossed the center line and collided with a 2018 Freightliner traveling east. The Freightliner was driven by 47-year-old Kessellie Boakai of Sioux Falls, S.D.

The crash left Nofoa with fatal injuries, while Boakai sustained serious injuries and was airlifted to a hospital in Minot. Both drivers were reportedly wearing seatbelts at the time of the accident. The Ford came to rest facing west in the westbound lane, and the Freightliner stopped on the south shoulder of Highway 23.

The McKenzie County Sheriff's Office, McKenzie County Ambulance and Keene Fire and Rescue responded to the scene. Authorities closed Highway 23 in the area for about four hours to clear the wreckage. The accident remains under investigation by the NDHP.

(Story by Patrice Bumstead, The McKenzie County Farmer)

Bank of North Dakota refutes allegations of corruption

A recent Gateway Pundit article alleged that the Bank of North Dakota (BND), the only state-owned bank in the United States, acts as a taxpayer-funded slush fund for the state’s political elite. The article claimed BND protects North Dakota’s political class through questionable loans, concealed losses and improper accounting practices.

Bank of North Dakota President and CEO Don Morgan quickly refuted the allegations in an interview with KTGO Radio, calling the claims “patently false” and accusing Gateway Pundit of misrepresenting facts. Morgan stated that BND is highly regulated, and overseen by the state’s Industrial Commission, an advisory board and the Department of Financial Institutions. Additionally, BND’s financial statements are publicly available and audited annually, he said.

Morgan addressed specific accusations, including a claim that BND writes off hundreds of millions of dollars in bad loans each year. He stated that BND’s loan charge-off rate is below half of 1%, aligning with industry standards. Another claim – that BND buys bad loans from private banks – was also rejected by Morgan, who explained that BND works with community banks and credit unions to support loans for farms, small businesses and commercial real estate, conducting its own underwriting process.

The article further alleged that BND uses undue influence on other banks in the state and engages in political corruption, which Morgan denied. He emphasized BND’s mission to serve the state through partnerships with community financial institutions.

Responding to accusations that BND improperly used funds from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), Morgan clarified that ARPA funds were part of the state’s COVID-19 relief allocation, not a bailout for the bank. He also addressed a reference to a former state senator convicted of a crime, assuring that BND has robust systems to prevent insider trading or favoritism.

“We take our job very seriously,” Morgan said, adding that the bank would report any corruption it discovers. BND posted a video statement and a written response on its website to further clarify its position.

(Story by M.K. French, The McKenzie County Farmer)

Cando Area Food Pantry receives $1,500 grant

The Cando Area Food Pantry received a $1,500 grant from the Impact-Cando Connection Fund to support food programs for local children in need. This funding will assist high school students through a school-day pickup program and provide weekend meals for pre-K through elementary students via the BackPack Program.

The high school program began in March 2023 after a student identified a need for nutritious food options, leading the pantry to offer protein snacks through Public Health nurses. The BackPack Program, serving pre-K to sixth grade students at North Star Public School since 2012, provides kid-friendly weekend meals to 15 students showing chronic signs of hunger.

As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, the Cando Area Food Pantry serves Towner County and surrounding areas. It is open Mondays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and on the third Friday of each month from 5-7 p.m. Besides regular operations, the pantry administers the Senior Supplement Program for low-income seniors through the federal Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP), offers holiday food distributions, and welcomes both food and monetary donations.

Impact Foundation, which oversees the Impact-Cando Connection Fund, is based in Fargo, N.D., and supports nonprofits in North Dakota and western Minnesota. For more information visit http://www.ndimpactfdn.org.

(Story from the Towner County Record Herald)