North Dakota
Minnesota, North Dakota see encouraging drop in overdose deaths, but experts urge caution
FARGO — The nation is matching Minnesota and North Dakota when it comes to overdose deaths.
However, for the first time since 2018, the country is seeing a decrease.
Updated data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows there was a record 15% drop in overdose deaths nationally in the 12-month period ending in May 2024, but an addiction expert said it’s no time to celebrate.
“We are losing too many of our citizens, losing them to overdoses,” Patti Senn, the executive director at Soul Solutions Recovery Center in Fargo, said.
However, fewer people died from overdoses in 2023 in Minnesota, North Dakota and across the country. “It’s certainly an encouraging trend,” Senn said.
Overdose deaths were down 8% in Minnesota and 17% in North Dakota from 2022 to 2023, according to the Minnesota Department of Health and the North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services.
The CDC projects those numbers to fall further in 2024, by 11% in Minnesota and 7% in North Dakota.
“We can’t celebrate too soon,” Senn said.
That’s because the number of deaths are still up 85% in Minnesota and 74% in North Dakota from 2019, according to the CDC.
“For the last 15-20 years, the opioid epidemic has escalated over the years with the increase of the prescription opioids and the street drugs, as well,” Senn said.
She also said more needs to be done to save more people.
“Oftentimes, people are trying to fill an emptiness, a loneliness, trying to self medicate,” Senn said.
Only about 10% of addicts actually seek help, for many reasons including finances, transportation and insurance.
While she doesn’t know the reasons behind the decrease in deaths, she does know the increase in treatment facilities and access to overdose reversal medications is helping.
If you or a loved one is experiencing a substance use disorder and want to get help, you can find resources through
the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website.
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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