Dakota Beacon

Columnist Lloyd Omdahl wrote, “Deep in its prairie soul, NORTH DAKOTA YEARNS TO BE NO. 1 in something important.”  He goes on to name various ways in which the state has become or failed to become No. 1, concluding: “In summary, we seem to be a state of honest public officials (relatively speaking), populated by fat, socialistic, chronic drunks who can’t sleep and won’t read or practice their faith.”  Actually, Omdahl is not as cynical as that quote suggests—read his full column which appeared in most ND dailies on August 2.

Currently, the biggest project in the U.S. Attorney’s office in Fargo is prosecuting drug crimes by gangs on the Turtle Mt. Reservation.  The tribal police chief in Warm Springs, Oregon, told a Senate Indian Affairs Committee, “There exists in Indian Country today the twin scourge of drug abuse and criminal gang activity.  These two menaces, left unchecked, will undermine the very fabric of Native American society.”  Sen. Dorgan, the committee chairman, commented,  “These gangs are treating Indian reservations as safe havens to distribute drugs and perpetuate their violence.”  The TRIBES ARE APPEALING FOR FEDERAL HELP to fight the gangs.  There was an appeal from the notorious Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota: “We have 5,000 gang members, but we also have 45,000 scared law abiding people.”

Indian tribes choose between TWO BASIC APPROACHES TO TRIBAL MEMBERSHIP.  Under “lineal descent” anyone born to any member of the tribe can enroll.  You see the problem —the tribe can grow unchecked with a corresponding increase in obligations and division of tribal assets.  Under “blood quantum,” a person must have a certain fraction of tribal blood, say 1/8th, to be a member.  The disadvantage of this approach: the tribe can go out of existence.  The Three Affiliated Tribes at Ft. Berthold will choose between the two methods in a September election.  Earlier, they chose lineal descent, but now see its daunting possibilities.

Jason Lueder’s job at the Bismarck Tribune seemed like the “NO WIN” type—as online editor, he had to wrestle with readers and their angry comments.  His new job is calmer.  He will be an instructor in the Communications Dept. at Bismarck State.  Jason left the Trib in style using a 3-minute online video, which ends with him urging readers to chill, as he swigs a beer and emits a satisfying belch.

Over four years ago, Chris Magnus resigned a relatively calm job as Fargo police chief for the same position in violent, troubled Richmond, California.  How is he doing?  Magnus is still trying to bring the crime rate down.  In July, the SF Chronicle reported, 10 people were shot to death in Richmond.  Magnus said, “Indiscriminate gunfire on the streets has turned parts of central Richmond into a shooting gallery.”  He is attempting to isolate causes and says VIOLENT TENDENCIES SPAN GENERATIONS.  Social service programs have identified Richmond families with criminal pasts that extend across four generations.

The 2009 ND Legislature was in a good mood and gave the State Fair $15 MILLION FOR A NEW GRANDSTAND.  In Minot, that’s big money, and they are not wasting time.  In early August, immediately after the finish of the 2009 fair, the 54-year-old grandstand was demolished and work began on a new facility to accommodate 16,000 people for the 2010 fair.

IT’S YOUR DAM, NOT MINE.  There is a dam on the Tongue River just upstream from the town of Cavalier, the county seat of Pembina County.  The dam has been designated high-hazard and requires improvements.  Most of the cost will be paid by the state and federal governments, but $500,000 must be funded locally.  Pembina County, exercising maximum ingenuity, has concluded that Cavalier County, its neighbor upstream to the west, should pay 57% of the local cost, since 57% of the river basin is in that county.  Cavalier County was not enthusiastic and declined to participate—Pembina is taking them to court.

A pole stands in front of a Devils Lake business—the top of the pole, well above the building, marks the level of the lake behind the dike, demonstrating the degree the lake overhangs the city.  THE MADNESS CONTINUES.  The Corps of Engineers is completing a design to raise 8 miles of the Devils Lake dike by 5 feet—a project which will take years and millions of your dollars (many millions).

The Wall Street Journal listed cities where unemployment is growing the fastest.  Four Michigan cities with over 16% unemployment dominated the list.  Another list showed CITIES WITH THE SLOWEST RISE IN UNEMPLOYMENT.  Bismarck and Grand Forks were among the top ten with unemployment in the 4-5% range.

DACTOIDS: Cecelia Cook (84) of New Rockford was born Cecelia Charboneau at Fort Totten.  Her Jamestown Sun obituary says she is a descendant of Sacajawea . . . The list of 3,200 U.S. post offices scheduled for closing included only one in ND . . . In rural ND, Cash for Clunkers takes on a local form—Carrington’s Chevrolet dealer says vehicles are moving off the lot.  The Jamestown Sun reports, “Area farmers have been coming in and trading their old trucks for new, more fuel-efficient trucks.”