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We all have the power to stand up against domestic violence • North Dakota Monitor

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We all have the power to stand up against domestic violence • North Dakota Monitor


In 2023, five North Dakotans died in domestic violence-related incidents.

Even just one life lost to domestic violence is too many. Five lives lost is a tragedy. Five victims were killed by someone who was supposed to love and care for them. Five families had a loved one taken from them and are having to move forward through an unimaginable loss. Five communities are left grieving and wondering what they could have done differently to prevent the crime.

Parents lost a daughter. A sister lost a brother. Children lost their mother.

And that’s just in the last year. According to the North Dakota Attorney General’s 2023 Homicide Report, for the period of 2004-2023 in North Dakota, 40% of deaths due to homicide involved domestic violence.

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Too often, we don’t think about domestic violence until these tragedies happen, until we find out someone we know is experiencing domestic violence. But domestic violence happens in every community. Every year, thousands of North Dakotans seek help in navigating violent relationships. Data from the North Dakota Domestic & Sexual Violence Coalition shows that in 2023 alone, 6,131 new victims of domestic violence were served by 19 domestic violence victim advocacy centers across North Dakota. Nationally, about 1 in 4 women have experienced some form of sexual violence, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner.

With these rates of violence, everyone knows someone who has experienced domestic violence, even if that person hasn’t shared their story with you.

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, a time dedicated to uplifting the voices and experiences of survivors. I hope North Dakotans will join me in supporting Domestic Violence Awareness Month and starting conversations about how we can make our homes and communities safer.

Learning how to identify domestic violence is a good place to start. Look for warning signs in your loved ones’ relationships; does your loved one have frequent injuries they can’t fully explain? Is your loved one’s partner isolating them by preventing them from seeing friends and family? Is their partner constantly putting them down, calling them names, or playing mind games? Is their partner preventing them from getting a job or controlling their finances?

These are all signs that domestic violence may be occurring in that relationship, and your loved one could be at risk for serious harm.

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If you’re concerned about a loved one’s relationship, reach out to them and tell them that you’re worried about them. Listen to them, believe them, and remind them that the abuse is not their fault. Get to know your local domestic violence/sexual assault victim advocacy center and the services they provide, such as help with safety planning, finding shelter, and obtaining a protection order. Tell your loved ones they can find help at advocacy centers if they’re ever looking for support.

There are so many other ways to support survivors and prevent future violence. Get involved in whatever way feels right to you.

In honor of Domestic Violence Awareness Month and the five North Dakotans lost to domestic violence in 2023, I want everyone to remember that we have the power to lend a helping hand. Domestic violence affects all of us, and because of this, it can feel like an oversized problem that is impossible to fix. But because every single one of us is affected by domestic violence, we all also have the power to stand up against violence and reach out to someone who is experiencing abuse.

If you or someone you know has experienced domestic or sexual violence, free and confidential help is available 24/7. Visit the North Dakota Domestic & Sexual Violence Coalition (NDDSVC) website to view a directory of domestic and sexual violence victim advocacy centers and find support near you.

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Runners will soon trek across North Dakota to bring awareness for families grieving the loss of a child – KVRR Local News

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Runners will soon trek across North Dakota to bring awareness for families grieving the loss of a child – KVRR Local News


FARGO, N.D. (KVRR) — For more than 400 miles, 12 runners will trek across North Dakota to carry the stories of love, loss, and resilience from community to community.

“After having run Haven since 2017, the 10.15 Project came, and it just is so exciting because it’s really looking at pregnancy and infant loss and putting it in a new light. And really giving people the opportunity to do something that you can see and it’s meaningful,” said Jen Burgard, Founder and Executive Director of Haven.

The 10.15 Project was co-founded by Haven, an organization that supports grieving families. The relay begins on International Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day. And during the four days, the team hopes to bring awareness to families.

“It gives you pieces of solitude, of quiet, of reflection, and also a purpose. It gives you meaning, and I think endurance is one of the biggest pieces of this. It’s the endurance required to navigate pregnancy and infant loss is extreme. And I think this really mirrors that,” said Burgard.

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While many of the runners come from different fields, many have also experienced a loss themselves.

“When it happened in my family, it was kind of something we were all struck by. You realize how common it is. And you know, I want to bring light to that,” said Ty Casey, Runner and Learning and Development Specialist at TrueNorth Steel.

Casey has multiple runs planned over the next few months, but with this run in particular, he hopes this will bring awareness.

“If this is one thing that can help bring light to it and help people be more open and help people to talk about it, and take some of the grief away that would be totally ideal for us just to help out a little bit,” said Casey.

The relay begins on October 15 in Medora and will end on October 18th in Fargo.

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Behind the Badge – Spring Fever

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Spring Fever

District Game Warden Sam Feldmann

As winter begins to fade and ice fishing begins to slow, everyone gets the itch to be outside on nice days when it’s warming and the sun is shining. People are beginning to think about their garden or outdoor projects around the house they have been pondering all winter.

While others have been thinking about open water fishing, getting the boat ready, hitting the field to look for shed antlers in a favorite spot they’ve been watching deer all winter, or slipping into the field to lure a spring gobbler into shotgun range with a new call they’ve been practicing with all winter.

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With the excitement of warm weather and getting out to enjoy everything a spring day has to offer, I would like to remind everyone of a few things while enjoying what North Dakota has to offer.

This year is a registration year for all motorized watercrafts. This doesn’t just mean you have to renew your registration. It means that when you get the new red stickers sporting “28” on them that they must be affixed to both sides of the bow of the boat.

Another reminder is that if you are going shed hunting, there are a few things to remember. Shed antlers are legal to possess. This time of year, our officers receive lots of calls about shed hunters locating “dead heads,” which are animals that have died and the antlers are still attached to the skull plate.

If you happen to locate a dead head, you cannot possess it without contacting your local game warden and receiving a permit for the animal. Also, if you are going to shed hunt on posted private property or a Private Lands Opens To Sportsmen tract, you need to obtain permission to do so. Wildlife management areas and other state and federal lands are open to shed hunting, but a good rule of thumb is to check the regulations on public property before heading out.

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If you are going to be chasing turkeys this spring through the timber, there are a few things that should be remembered. Make sure you have your tag with you when you are in the field. Remember that your tag is only legal for one bearded wild turkey. If you are lucky enough to harvest a turkey you fooled into coming to your calling and decoy, you must tag it before doing anything else.

One last reminder for the spring activities. Remember that all licenses, whether it’s a hunting license or fishing license, expired March 31 and needed to be renewed as of April 1, 2026

With these few reminders out of the way, remember to have fun and enjoy what the great state of North Dakota has to offer.



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Retired Game & Fish Director facing new charge of molesting a child – KVRR Local News

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Retired Game & Fish Director facing new charge of molesting a child – KVRR Local News


MANDAN, N.D. (KVRR-KFGO) – Former North Dakota Game & Fish Director Terry Steinwand has been charged with molesting a child.

The Class “A” misdemeanor was filed after a Morton County District Court judge rejected a proposed plea agreement to a felony charge and prosecutors dismissed the charge while retaining the right to file an amended charge.

Steinwand is from Mandan. The 72-year-old is now charged with one count of sexual assault-offensive contact. The charge carries a maximum sentence of one year in jail.

Steinwand was originally charged in September, 2025, when police say he admitted to sexual misconduct.

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Steinwand worked for the Game & Fish Dept. for 40 years. He led the agency for about 15 years and retired in 2021.





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