701 Rundown: April 10, 2023

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

Racist taunting at sporting events gets legislative attention

As the 68th legislative session is currently underway in Bismarck, recent racist comments at high school basketball games in Jamestown and Dickinson have prompted discussions among legislators and many others statewide.

In a game between Jamestown High School and Bismarck High School on January 31, a video captured students in the Jamestown fan section yelling the N-word and making monkey noises at a Black player from Bismarck, as well as scalping motions towards a Native American basketball player.

On Feb. 11, more racial taunting was heard when Turtle Mountain High School traveled to Dickinson.

In the wake of these incidents, Rep. Jayme Davis, D-Rolette, an enrolled member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa, to propose House Concurrent Resolution 3022 to the House Education Committee.

The resolution is to consider studying and clarifying expectations of proper spectator conduce, as well as consequences for violating those expectations.

“Now if these were the only two incidents that ever happened in North Dakota, I wouldn’t be here,” Davis testified. “Unfortunately, it has been happening for decades.”

The concurrent resolution was adopted in the House on a voice vote, and advanced to the Senate on March 14. To track the concurrent resolution go to ndlegis.gov.

(Story by John Rosinski and Isabelle Ballalatak, Turtle Mountain Star)

Woman fatally shot in Watford City residence

Following a shooting in Watford City at around midnight on Wednesday, March 22, law enforcement has confirmed that one person is dead and another injured.

The Watford City Police Department released an official statement the following Friday, saying police were dispatched to the 700 block of Main St. North at 11:42 p.m. after receiving a report of two individuals with gunshot wounds.

Both individuals were treated on scene by first responders and later transported to the McKenzie County Hospital. One individual only sustained minor injuries while a female individual was severely wounded and later died of her injuries.

The Watford City Police Department stated the matter is under investigation and believes the incident is an isolated one, related only to those involved.

Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Watford City Police Department at (701) 842-2280.

(Story by Patrice Bumstead, McKenzie County Farmer)

Patzer Truck Repair in business “down by the coulee”

Four weeks after a structure fire broke out that destroyed their location, Patzer Truck and Repair in Harvey is back in business.

Brian Rieger, service manager for Patzer’s truck division, was fitting trucks in at Harvey Sand and Gravel’s large warehouse, down by the coulee, careful he wasn’t up against the roof with the tall trucks.

“We had to lower the suspension on one truck to fit it in,” he said.

Rieger can fit five or six trucks in the new building, which was made available by Susan Shearer.

“Glad we were able to help out,” remarked Shearer.

So was Rieger, who welcomed the opportunity to work indoors, despite not having all the tools and equipment lost to the Feb. 28 fire.

Owner of the Harvey business, Floyd “Butch” Keller, has all 14 employees displaced by the fire back at work.

“That’s the main thing right now,” he said.

The men, he said, are either “down by the coulee” at the temporary location, or in the company’s service trucks or at Shawn McKinven’s expansive machinery shed south of Harvey.

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