701 Rundown: December 30, 2024

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

Foster County looking for answers from CPKC Railroad

Foster County commissioners appear to be growing impatient with the Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) Railway.

At the commission's regular meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 17, Commissioner Alan Scanson said he has reached out to the N.D. Public Service Commission in hopes of facilitating a meeting between the commission and representatives of CPKC, after not hearing back from them regarding reimbursement.

Commissioners last spoke to representatives of the railroad company in person at their Sept. 9 regular meeting, where early discussions took place about getting reimbursed for the damage to roads caused by the Bordulac train derailment and subsequent cleanup effort.

It was agreed at the meeting that they'd be in contact as needed. However, the commission now says they haven't been able to get a response from the company since sending information the railroad requested for determining reimbursement.

Scanson said the county's engineer, Wold Engineering, has assessed the damage to roadways – namely the Bordulac and Murphy roads – and has sent that information to the railroad. And so far they haven't heard back.

The commission had previously tried to schedule an in-person meeting with CPKC officials during their Dec. 3 regular meeting in hopes of getting answers, but Commissioner David Utke said the response from the railroad was to push the meeting to another time.

"At our second November meeting this board requested them to attend our first December meeting, and I got a response in a couple of days that 'maybe in January,'" said Utke.

The commission agreed to keep pushing for answers sooner rather than later, and Scanson said he had already contacted the Public Service Commission – a state agency that oversees railroads in North Dakota – in hopes that involving the state could lead to a response.

If that doesn't work, the possibility of involving N.D. District 29 Senator, Terry Wanzek, was also brought up at Tuesday's meeting.

(Story by Nathan Price, Foster County Independent)

McKenzie County man charged for theft

Tadan DeFoe is facing a Class B felony charge for theft between $10,000 and $50,000, as well as a Class A felony charge for intent to manufacture/deliver methamphetamine and two Class C felony charges for intent to manufacture/deliver marijuana and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia.

According to documents filed with the Northwest Judicial District on Dec. 5, 2024, McKenzie County Dispatch received an abandoned vehicle call regarding a gooseneck trailer.

While deputies were en route to the location, it was observed that the abandoned vehicle call for service was related to a previous property motor vehicle crash that occurred on Dec. 2, 2024.

Upon review deputies observed that on Dec. 2 a resident called into the McKenzie County Dispatch to report that a vehicle crashed into the ditch in front of her property at the intersection of 34th Street NW and 115th Avenue NW.

She informed dispatchers that a pickup and a bobcat were being used to remove the vehicle from the ditch.

DeFoe was the individual at the scene with a truck and skid steer to remove the vehicle, but officers noted the truck did not have license plates. DeFoe claimed he had just bought the vehicle and didn’t have documentation on hand.

However, police later located the registered owner of the vehicle who said the vehicle was stolen and had last been seen on Dec. 1.

An eventual search warrant was executed at the property where DaFoe resided, which turned up narcotics and drug paraphernalia.

DeFoe’s bond was set at $50,000 and a preliminary hearing was scheduled for Jan. 30, 2025.

(Story by Danielle Brothers, McKenzie County Farmer)

Harvey JDA sets 3- to 5-year time frame for new pool

Harvey City Job Development Authority (JDA) directors this week promised the Harvey Park Board a quarter of a million dollars in increments of $25,000 a year for 10 years, to be put toward the park board’s efforts to secure a new $3.7 million swimming pool for the Harvey community.

Hoping to meet its admittedly ambitious goal of $3.7 million without borrowing, were Harvey Park Board members Michael Leier, Michelle Swang and Brand Kline.

They presented the Harvey JDA with the park board’s plan to date, in addition to a brief description of projected costs involved and a color printout of the new pool and its "exciting" addition of a splash pad.

The park board’s timetable for the new pool is three to five years.

The Harvey JDA unanimously approved a motion to begin sending them $25,000 a year for 10 years, for a total of $250,000.

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

More departures from Divide County JDA

The Divide County Job Development Authority’s (JDA) board of members will be shrinking in January.

JDA President Krista Verlinde will be resigning from the board effective Dec. 31, and member Robbi Larsen will not be seeking a new term after her current one ends at the end of this year.

The resignations and departures were discussed at the group’s most recent meeting on Dec. 11.

“I wanted to thank you too for your time on the board,” Verlinde said to Larsen. “You were on it before I was.”

“Thank you Krista, for all of your hard work over the past two years, too,” JDA Director KayCee Lindsey also said. “It’s definitely helped the organization be successful.”

Lindsey then also announced her resignation as the county’s community development director and by extension as JDA director effective Dec. 31.

Lindsey wrote in a resignation letter sent to The Journal and JDA members that she was leaving because “the direction and environment of the organization no longer aligns with my values and goals.”

Meanwhile, Verlinde said, “I do not believe that JDA is aligned with the same aspirations, and ultimately it is time for someone new to bring perspective and energy to the board to support our community.”

(Story by Jordan Rusche, The Journal)