North Dakota
North Dakota Leaders Experience 4-H Livestock Showmanship
Showing livestock with 4-H youth as judges at the North Dakota State Fair
Representative Karen Rohr of Mandan, North Dakota, and her 4-H coach Jarett Sanders of Oliver County, display her new beef cattle showmanship skills at the photo backdrop during the 2024 North Dakota Public Leaders Showmanship Contest. (NDSU)
FARGO, N.D. — On July 27, several state leaders experienced the world of 4-H livestock showmanship as they tried their hand at showing livestock with 4-H youth as judges at the North Dakota State Fair in Minot.
Prior to the North Dakota Public Leaders 4-H Showmanship Event, a leader was paired with a selected 4-H member who exhibited one of the six livestock species at the North Dakota State Fair. The youth provided their leader instruction and advice on how to show a specific species of livestock and then served as the judges for the leaders’ efforts.
“This 4-H event connects today’s leaders with tomorrow’s leaders,” said Kurt Froelich, NDSU Extension agent from Stark-Billings County. “Thank you to our participants and supporters of this event for making this experience possible for the 4-Hers.”
“Our goal for 4-H is to help youth achieve the best in themselves,” said Leigh Ann Skurupey, North Dakota Center for 4-H Youth Development assistant director. “4-H helps youth to develop essential life skills, gain knowledge and build confidence to thrive, lead and change the world. This event is a good example of how 4-H provides opportunities for our youth to thrive.”
“I had the best time learning from my coach Tessa Sigvaldson,” said Chloe Drummond, 4-H Foundation board coordinator and relationship specialist. “Learning that Tessa balances school, work, clubs, her livestock projects and her own business is a great example of how 4-H prepares youth for work and life. I loved seeing 4-H in action!”
The state leaders who took first place in the event were:
- Beef Cattle – John Fjeldahl, Ward County Commissioner, Minot, coached by Bennett Johnson, Mercer County
- Dairy Cattle – Sarah Lovas, Chair, State Board of Agricultural Research and Education, Hillsboro, coached by Brekka Kuss, Stutsman County
- Dairy Goats – Kandi Mikkelson, North Dakota State Fair Board Member, Minot, coached by Devyn Fougner, Griggs County
- Meat Goats – Beth Richardson, Canadian Consul General, Minneapolis, Minnesota, coached by Lilli Steeke, Bowman County
- Sheep – Lynette Flage, NDSU Extension associate director, Fargo, coached by Gustin Ueckert, Golden Valley County
- Swine – Senator Keith Boehm, District 33, Mandan, coached by Cooper Strommen, Morton County
Other state leaders participating and their 4-H coaches were:
- Drew Combs, North Dakota Trade Office executive director, Bismarck, coached by Elizabeth Hanson, Ward County
- S. Congressman Kelly Armstrong, Dickinson, coached by Sydnee Johnson, Mercer County
- Representative Karen Rohr, District 31, Mandan, coached by Jarett Sanders, Oliver County
- Commissioner Sheri Haugen-Hoffart, Public Service Commission, Bismarck, coached by Jacob Sand, Bottineau County
- Mohamed Khan, NDSU Extension assistant director, ANR, Fargo, coached by Marie Sand, Bottineau County
- Woodrow (Chip) Poland, Director of Agriculture and Technical Studies, Dickinson, coached by Eleanor Carlson, McLean County
- Chloe Drummond, 4-H Foundation coordinator, Fargo, coached by Tessa Sigvaldson, Williams County
- Kevin Black, Minot Area Chamber Economic Development Corporation, Minot, coached by Maggie Iverson, Cavalier County
- Representative Paul Thomas, District 6, Velva, coached by Morgan Keen, Ward County
- Senator Kristin Roers, District 27, Fargo, coached by Rudi Wendel, Cass County
- Senator David Hogue, District 38, Minot, coached by Faith Carpenter, Ward County
- Jeff Eslinger, Communications Director, North Dakota Association of Counties, Bismarck, coached by Layla Krinke, Bowman County
- Senator Judy Estenson, District 15, Warwick, coached by Rosie Abraham, Griggs County
- Representative Vicky Steiner, District 37, Dickinson, coached by Tessa Dvorak, Dunn County
- Representative Matthew Ruby, District 40, Minot, coached by Rachel Schmidt, Oliver County
- Twyla Baker, President, Nueta Hidatsa Sahnish College, New Town, coached by Bailey Hokanson, Williams County
- Greg Lardy, Joe and Norma Peltier Vice President for NDSU Agriculture, Fargo, coached by Haley Mcleod, Ranson County
- Senator Jeff Barta, District 43, Grand Forks, coached by Graesen Helgoe, Pembina County
NDSU Extension, the North Dakota 4-H Foundation and the North Dakota State Fair sponsored the event.
— North Dakota State University Extension
VALLEY CITY — A truck hauling bees rolled over Thursday, May 28, on westbound Interstate 94 near mile marker 292 near Valley City, releasing millions of bees and closing the right lane of traffic.
The crash was reported at about 4:45 p.m. Thursday, according to the North Dakota Highway Patrol. Officials said the westbound right-side lane was closed following the rollover.
Millions of bees were released in the crash, and beekeepers were called to the scene to help recover and contain the insects.
Officials said the cable barrier area marked where large groups of bees had clustered.
Drivers were asked to slow down, follow directions from emergency responders and give crews and the bees plenty of space while work continued at the scene.
WIBAUX, Mont. (KFYR) – Several fire departments from both North Dakota and Montana are fighting a grass fire about 40 miles south of Wibaux in the Pine Unit area.
The editor of the Wibaux Pioneer Gazette tells us no structures are in danger at this time, and the Wibaux, Beach, Golva and Glendive Fire Departments are working to put out the flames.
The public is asked to avoid the area at this time.
Copyright 2026 KFYR. All rights reserved.
North Dakota
Today in History, 1937: Records reveal purchase of North Dakota land by William Rockefeller
On this day in 1937, uncovered records revealed that William A. Rockefeller, father of oil magnate John D. Rockefeller, once lived near Park River, N.D., where he bought and sold land in the late 1880s.
Here is the complete story as it appeared in the paper that day:
N. D. Chapter In Rockefeller Saga Revealed
Exhumation of dusty records reveals a North Dakota chapter in the lives of the Rockefeller family.
Almost forgotten in the near half century, but revived with the death Sunday of John D. Rockefeller at his Ormond Beach home in Florida, is the story of the bizarre William A. Rockefeller, the oil tycoon’s father, who lived in Park River in the ’80s.
Search for records began after Daniel E. Flynn, Bismarck businessman, reported he recalled hearing a story that Rockefeller lived in the Park River vicinity.
Establishing the veracity of his residence in Walsh county is a musty document in the register of deeds’ office in Grafton. It tells the story of William A. Rockefeller buying seven quarter sections of land for $6,000 on June 23, 1886, from P. D. Briggs.
On Oct. 10, 1890 — slightly over four years later — another transfer is recorded. With Rockefeller business sagacity the transfer price had gone to $10,000. Part of the present city of Park River is located on the land.
The story of the Park River Rockefeller dovetails with the Rockefeller life story. The elder Rockefeller was shrouded in mystery. Supposedly he abandoned his family.
Always in funds, he led a sequestered existence, revealing little of his life before coming to North Dakota. He later was known as Dr. William Rockefeller and the deed on the land transfer bore that name.
He sold patent medicine cure-alls, old timers in the Park River area recall. He remained in the Park River district for about four years. In Freeport, Ill., in 1910, well past 90, he died.
Harry O’Brien, publisher of the Walsh County Press at Park River, said C. D. Lord, a pioneer banker and real estate man, still a Park River resident, handled the land transfer in 1889.
Another story, unsubstantiated, is that John D. Rockefeller visited his father on several occasions. He came by private train, the train routed by night into Park River, and few people were aware that he had come into the community.
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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