Official Newspaper of Eddy County since 1883

701 Rundown: September 12, 2022

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

Shack-tastic

Hungry customers jonesing for their caffeinated fix in the mornings have found a willing portable provider in Brittany Fieiger’s Happy Camper in the past few years.

After hauling the charming old pink trailer behind her pickup in front of Farmers Union Insurance/Harildstad Tax Service, or setting up her business at local events, Fiebiger wanted a more permanent location to sell her sweet and peppy delights.

Enter the Happy Shack, a kiosk erected on the northwest corner of Leevers Foods’ parking lot in Carrington, and the latest expansion of what Fiebiger hopes is a destination for locals’ cup of joe.

“I was approached to buy the shack, and it really got the ball rolling,” she says.

The Happy Shack opened for business Monday, August 29, pending a last minute visit by a state inspector to make sure everything is on the up and up.

Her move to the Shack does not mean that she is giving up on the Happy Camper side of the business, however.

On the contrary, it will make her busier than ever.

“I have another camper that I will be setting up to take to events,” she says. “I still love going to places with it, but on the day-to-day operation, it will be nice to not have to pull it around.”

Fiebiger says she plans to keep up her events schedule, including the place where her Happy Camper got its humble beginnings, JunkFest.

(Story by Erik Gjovik, The Foster County Independent)

Voters will decide whether or not to make more cents

With an eye towards aging infrastructure, the Dunseith City Council is asking residents to approve an increase to the city sales tax.

The current tax in Dunseith is one percent. According to Dunseith City Auditor Shelly Counts, the single cent generated approximately $120,192 in 2021 with the money being used for a variety of endeavors.

Counts indicated some funds are used for the summer baseball, the annual Dunseith Days celebration, the fire department and nursing home, among others.

Voters will have their say when they head to the ballot box this November. The measure requires a simple majority to pass, and would go into effect in 2023.

Dunseith Mayor Chris Strong said the council would pinpoint the extra dollars on things not seen above ground.

(Story by John Rosinski, Turtle Mountain Star)

Boston Marathon qualifier

A 2005 Harvey High School graduate who didn’t run track in high school will be running in the 2023 Boston Marathon.

Amanda Prouty, 35, likes telling the story of her basketball career as a young girl; she quit the sport when she was in 3rd grade; too much running.

Amanda qualified for the Boston Marathon last Sunday, running in the Leading Ladies Dakota Sprint Marathon from Lead, S.D. to Spearfish, S.D. in a time of 3.26:01, a personal record for Prouty in 26.2 miles.

She finished fourth out of 16 running in her age group (30-39). Her time was the 10th best out of 68 women runners.

She ran in the Fargo Marathon earlier this spring, hoping she could hit her qualifying time. She knew at Mile 11 she wouldn’t be able to do it, however.

“My body started hurting. My goal then was to make the finish line uninjured.”

Fargo runs a great race, said Prouty. “I love it.”

Prouty ran a better race last year in the Bismarck half-marathon. And she “worked hard” training for the Fargo run. But she knew early on that she wouldn’t reach her qualifying time.

“I just didn’t do very well in Fargo.”

She’s running in the Chicago marathon in October, and she ran in the challenging Baltimore marathon earlier this year.

“Baltimore is a very hilly course,” much like the Boston Marathon course.

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

RV trailer catches fire at Lake Metigoshe

A pullable RV trailer was lost to a fire at Solpher’s Addition at Lake Metigoshe on the evening of Aug. 23, which left the trailer a total loss.

According to Jeff Soland, fire chief of the Lake Metigoshe Fire Department, neighbors around the trailer saw fire coming out of the fifth wheeler around 5:09 p.m. and called the fire department emergency response team.

Lake Metigoshe Fire Department and the Bottineau Fire Department were dispatched to the scene. As the Lake Metigoshe firemen arrived at the scene, they came upon the RV that was almost engulfed by the fire.

The firemen were able to remove the propane tanks from the RV before the fire could reach that area of the trailer. They then worked to detain the fire to that area because there were two other RVs in the same location.

While fighting the fire, an an extreme storm came over Lake Metigoshe causing heavy rains, hail and wind, which made it difficult for the firemen to fight the intense flames, but the firemen were able to control the fire and get it extinguished. (The fire was so intense during the storm that even the rain from the storm didn’t assist in stopping the fire.)

Soland stated that they have an idea of where the fire started, but due to the heavy winds with the storm it made it difficult to determine the exact origin of the fire.

Although the origin of the fire is unknown, no foul play is suspected and no investigation will take place by the state fire marshal.

(Story by Scott Wagar, Bottineau Courant)

Regional council awarded $1.6 million EDA grant

It was announced Tuesday, Aug. 23, that Red River Regional Council is to receive a $1.6 million grant for renovation of an existing facility to accommodate an entrepreneurship center and innovation lab for use by new and emerging businesses.

The money is being made available by the U.S. Department of Economic Development Administration (EDA), which is investing $2.1 million in American Rescue Plan Funds to support business and workforce development efforts in North Dakota.

The investments were made possible by regional planning efforts of Red River Regional Council (RRRC). EDA funds the RRRC to bring together public and private sectors to create an economic development program to strengthen the regional economy, support private capital investment and create jobs.

The $1.6 million EDA grant will be matched with $409,189 in local funds and is expected to create 28 jobs, according to grantee estimates.

(Story by Todd Morgan, The Walsh County Record)