North Dakota
Massive dairy farm proposal stirs debate in Abercrombie
ABERCROMBIE, N.D. — A pair of dairy farms planned for eastern North Dakota could more than quadruple the number of dairy cows in the state.
Riverview, a Minnesota-based business, is planning on a $90 million dollar dairy farm in Richland County, just south of Abercrombie, N.D.
Officials at Riverview say the proposed dairy farm would be a boon for the community, but some residents are concerned about how it would impact small-town life in Abercrombie.
The Abercrombie dairy farm would include 12,500 dairy cows, officials said. The North Dakota Department of Agriculture estimates the current dairy cow population at 10,000 cows statewide.
Between Abercrombie and the dairy farm proposed in Traill County, if both projects come to pass, it would effectively quadruple the population of cows.
Riverview staff say it would create jobs, expecting to employ 45 people, although they admit other employees would be internal hires. They say the presence of the farm would increase job opportunities for other vocations, such as truck drivers and manure applicators.
Some residents are worried about what the proposed farm could do to the community.
Dylan Johnson has lived in Abercrombie township his whole life, and lives just a mile away from the proposed farm site.
“We’re really concerned with smell. We’re really concerned about our water as far as our wells,” Johnson said. “We’re also worried about contamination from manure, or, you know, missing or mishandling of it, another thing you know, smell, obviously … flies.”
He said many in Abercrombie only recently learned about the project, and despite the open house held on Wednesday, Sept. 11, Riverview hasn’t been transparent with the community. Area residents are worried the large amount of manure generated by the farm could potentially contaminate local water sources.
“What happens when we have overland flooding and all that newer, whatever bacteria, gets into the river and it flows up north, where Oxbow, Fargo get their water,” Johnson said.
For now, citizens with concerns are working on getting the state Department of Environmental Quality to hold a public hearing. They have until Oct. 5. So far, 273 signatures have been collected on a petition from the Abercrombie Citizens for Responsible Growth asking the Department of Environmental Quality to schedule a public town hall.
Residents who have concerns are planning on sharing those concerns with the community at a public meeting at 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 12, at the Abercrombie Community Center.
Mike McGurran has been a reporter and anchor at WDAY-TV since 2021.
North Dakota
North Dakota voters to decide single-subject requirement for future constitutional amendments on June 9
BRECKENRIDGE — Coaches, teammates, friends and family gathered in the south parking lot of Breckenridge High School for another state tournament sendoff.
Corbin Abner Lee / Wahpeton Daily News
This year, it was Troy Berndt taking the ceremonial convertible ride. He is headed to St. Michael-Albertville High School for the Minnesota Class A State Track and Field Meet on June 4-6.
Corbin Abner Lee / Wahpeton Daily News
He will be running in the third heat of the 400-meter prelims, scheduled for 4:52 p.m. June 4. There are seven athletes in each heat, 21 total, and nine will advance to the finals at 6:20 p.m. June 5.
The top two finishers in each heat advance, along with the next three best times. Berndt’s personal best time of 50.67 has him seeded 13th, but the 10th-, 11th- and 12th-seeded runners are less than five hundredths of a second ahead of him. The eighth- and ninth-seeded runners are also close, at 50.33 and 50.39, respectively.
Berndt dropped nearly seven-tenths of a second from his previous personal best at the Section 6A West Subsection Meet on May 21, running 51.35, and shaved another 0.68 seconds off at the Section 6A Championships on May 28 with a time of 50.67. If he keeps lowering his time, he will have a shot at reaching the podium against the best runners in Class A.
Corbin Abner Lee / Wahpeton Daily News
Results and photos will be available online immediately following the race June 4 and in the June 10 print edition of the Wahpeton Daily News.
Corbin Lee is a sports reporter for the Wahpeton Daily News and Richland County News-Monitor. Corbin can be reached by calling (701) 291-3551 or emailing corbin.lee@wahpetondailynews.com.
On this day in 1971, Rugby repeated as North Dakota’s high school sand greens golf champion behind medalist Dwight Stempson’s winning performance.
Here is the complete story as it appeared in the paper that day:
Rugby Repeats As Sand Greens Golf Champion
RUGBY, N. D. — Rugby repeated as North Dakota high school sand greens golf champion here Wednesday, posting a four-man total of 293 strokes for 18 holes.
Led by medalist Dwight Stempson’s medalist 36-35 — 71, the Panthers were eight strokes ahead of runnerup Stanley, which had a 301. Following were Garrison 311, Beulah 315, Leeds 322, Ashley 323, Bottineau 328, Pembina 329, Tioga 332, Parshall 341 and Hettinger 342.
Stempson and teammate Bruce Carlson each had one-under par 71s, but Carlson was unable to be at the regional and wasn’t qualified for individual honors.
Rounding out the Rugby totals were Delwin Wilson 40-37 — 77 and Dennett Hutchinson 35-39 — 74. Gary Kirchoffner, 41-39 — 80, was Rugby’s fifth entrant with the best four-of-five scores counted.
Runnerup Stanley was led by Steve Springan’s 34-38 — 72 and Joe Springan’s 36-38 — 74. Their two-man total of 146 strokes was good enough for the doubles title. Two strokes back with a 148 was the duo of Stempson and Wilson. Stan Saathoff and Mike Stepina of Garrison each had 76s for a 152 total and the Ashley combo of Steve Maier (76) and Dave Kretschmar (78) was fourth with a 154.
Stempson was the driving contest winner with a distance of 280 yards. Chris Knutson of Garrison headed the pitch and putt competition.
Kate Almquist is the social media manager for InForum. After working as an intern, she joined The Forum full time starting in January 2022. Readers can reach her at kalmquist@forumcomm.com.
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