North Dakota
Bismarck adopts public camping ban similar to Fargo
BISMARCK — Homelessness is not just a Fargo issue in North Dakota.
Bismarck now has its own ban on public camping.
The Bismarck City Commission passed that ban Tuesday, Oct. 8, just a month
after Fargo passed its own rules
for homeless encampments.
Bismarck City Commissioners faced a struggle the Fargo City Commission is very familiar with: balancing public safety and cleanliness with compassion for one of the state’s most vulnerable communities.
Some officials say the issue is growing across the state, with North Dakota’s candidates for governor also weighing in.
“The first step is to provide a tool for the law enforcement, for Bismarck Police Department to be able to respond to situations where we do have calls for complaints effectively,” Bismarck city administrator Jason Tomanek, said.
Bismarck’s prohibition on public camping includes exceptions, much like Fargo’s own ordinance. Homeless people will be able to sleep outside in certain designated areas.
Before removing a campsite, the city must provide 24-hour notice. In Fargo, the city offers 48 hours.
Fargo’s ordinance contains exceptions for people who establish a housing plan with a mobile outreach team staff from the Downtown Engagement Center, and abide by certain rules covering cleanliness and proximity to other camps.
At Tuesday’s Bismarck City Commission meeting, there was a long line for public comment, with some citizens raising concerns about cleanliness and safety.
City commissioner Michael Connelly argued that without a clear set of guidelines, the problem could only get worse.
“Folks are going to go to the communities that don’t have ordinances, and that’s going to be a huge challenge,” he said.
Multiple people who work with Bismarck’s homeless population told the council that area shelters are overcapacity, just as they are in Fargo.
North Dakota’s gubernatorial candidates acknowledge the issue is now statewide, with both calling on boosts to services.
“We just can’t throw out the mentally ill who need help. We just can’t abandon them on the streets,” State Sen. Merrill Piepkorn, the Democratic candidate for governor, said.
“We have to get really, really aggressive, and we have to get creative, because we don’t have enough addiction counselors,” U.S. Rep. Kelly Armstrong, R-N.D., said.
One Bismarck commissioner echoed that concern, saying that it might be the time for more than local solutions.
“We need to have the state involved and engaged in trying to solve this problem. This doesn’t solve homelessness, but it’s a step forward to try and keep our cities safe and clean up some of the more egregious problems we have,” Bismarck City Commissioner John Risch said.
Violating the Bismarck ordinance would be class B misdemeanor, and includes a fine up to $1,500.
Bismarck City Attorney Jannelle Combs said that’s primarily a tool for police to be able to enforce the ordinance, and says it’s very unlikely that anyone would face such a fine.
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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