North Dakota
Missing, murdered Indigenous bill, education among top priorities for North Dakota tribes, chairwoman says
BISMARCK — Standing Rock Tribal Chairwoman Janet Alkire unveiled legislative priorities during her Tribal-State Relationship Message delivered to a joint session of the North Dakota Legislature in the House Chamber on Tuesday, Jan. 7.
Alkire said that among her biggest priorities were a bill that would create an alert for missing and murdered Indigenous people in North Dakota — an issue she said was of “epidemic proportions” — and garnering funding for Senate Bill 2304, passed into law during the 2021 session. The law ensures greater understanding of Native American history and culture in the classroom.
Alkire said Rep. Jayme Davis, D-Rolette, plans to spearhead the missing and murdered Indigenous people bill.
Alkire during her address lauded lawmakers for passing
SB 2304
two sessions ago but in a follow-up interview said more funding was necessary to finish the work the bill started.
“There is no funding attached to it, so that would be helpful,” Alkire told The Bismarck Tribune. “I’m not talking tons of funding, but at least … let’s get it moving so that it is fair to everyone.”
Alkire also spoke on the need for collaboration between state and tribal law enforcement and commended the three tribes that have entered into mutual agreements with state entities such as the North Dakota Highway Patrol and the state Bureau of Criminal Investigation. She said those tribes are the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians, the Spirit Lake Nation, and the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation.
She also said in her address that tribal nations want to work with legislators as education bills come during the session to “ensure the outcomes are in the best interest of all children.”
Senate Majority Leader David Hogue, R-Minot, said he wasn’t able to attend Alkire’s address but welcomed the idea of collaboration.
“Every member of the tribe is a North Dakota resident. So, they are entitled to all the consideration that everybody else is, and the fact that they are a sovereign nation as well does not mean that we as a sovereign state don’t extend them the same rights, benefits and privileges,” Hogue said. “So, wherever we can collaborate on education, we should do so.”
Alkire also said in her address that there is a need for a bridge over the Missouri River in the southern part of the state. She said there is a 121-nautical-mile stretch between the two current crossings in Bismarck and the South Dakota city of Mobridge.
She announced a $14.5 million planning grant was secured from the Department of Transportation to begin the process of creating a new bridge.
Alkire said the plan for a new crossing had been in the works for nearly 40 years before the recent grant was secured.
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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