The Oracle 03/02/2023

GIVE A HIGH FIVE

By Kristen Ator

As a lifelong basketball fan, I have seen and experienced the power of sports - the way it brings people together, even after a time apart.

Page 3

WELCOME TO MAIN STREET: THE LIFEBLOOD OF COMMUNITIES AND CONNECTION

By Alyssa Stromberg

Picture an old-fashioned town square town in the heart of a small community, lined with cozy shops and bustling traffic. People greet each other as they pass by. Locals pop into their favorite businesses to say hello or purchase goods. This is Main Street.

Page 5

CULTIVATING TOMORROW: PREPARING

THE GROUND

By Chelsey Weisz

“When I was hired as Director of Economic Development for Tioga, my first mission was to dive into the various challenges and opportunities facing our community.” Join Chelsey in her monthly column to learn how she is preparing the ground.

Page 6

HOW DAVID ALLEN REVOLUTIONIZED OIL

& GAS MAINTENANCE

By Rachel Venture

Inspired by the MRI’s that use complex magnets and receivers, this scanning system looks inside the tube to see the level of corrosion and how imminent failure is.

Page 11

WHO TOOK BARB?

Part 3 of 4: Missing

Person Barbara Cotton

By Kristin Miller

There are 3 persons of interest in the disappearance of Barb Cotton, and unfortunately, none of them are alive today. This is where YOUR help comes in. When reading the details around each POI, if something triggers a memory, no matter how big or small, we ask you to please do the right thing and call the Williston PD to help bring closure to the Cotton family.

Person of interest, Stacey Werder: You will remember that Stacey was Barb´s “boyfriend,” however the only person to ever confirm that fact, or that he was ever in Williston, was Louise. To this day there are no other accounts of that information.

Here is Stacey Werder’s story.

Stacey was born in Yreka CA in 1959. He is described as a smaller kid, very intelligent, quiet, and was bullied as a child. Others have said he was a really nice guy. His siblings knew

FROM INSURANCE TO ARCHERY

LOCAL PROFESSIONAL BRINGS EXPERIENCE TO NEW 4H PROGRAM

a different version of him. According to his sisters, as Stacey got into his teen years he would have fits of rage with a flip of a switch. His family recalls Stacey trying to harm them on several occasions. Stacey’s untreated mental health issues continued to get worse as he got older. He joined the Navy in 1978 but was allegedly discharged for Paranoid Schizophrenia.

Stacey then became a drifter and left home. He got

Story on Page 8

CRAFTS-4-U

a job as a laborer for an oil crew (per his death certificate) and hitchhiked from town to town, supposedly going through Williston where only Louise can say that he was there. Then two days after Barb went missing, he went on to Montana. During his travels, he met a guy named Red, who also said how nice Stacey was and he never feared him during their time together. They ended up camping out

(Story Continues on Page 2)

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Persons of Interest: Top left & middle, Stacey Werder; Right Frank De la Peña. Bottom: the gravestone of Barbara Cotton and her brother, Frank Cotton.

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FORTUNA

Every Tuesday- Range Night at Northwest Sportsman Club

March 17th & 18th- Annual Mike Selle Memorial Pool Tournament at The Teachers Lounge March 24th & 25th- 3rd Annual Fortuna Curling Club Women’s Bonspiel. Contact Cassie Rauser to sign up your team: 701641-8891

CROSBY

February 28th- After Prom Meet-

ing at Crosby Community Center

5:30pm

Saturday, March 4th- St. Luke’s Community Foundation Gala at Crosby Moose Lodge March 15th, 16th, & 17th- Spring Break at Divide County Schools

RAY

Saturday, March 11th- Ray Fire Dept. Social/ Raffle with Dueling Pianos at Ray Auditorium 5:30pm-7:30pm

LIGNITE

Saturday, March 18th- Leprechaun Loop Fun Bus and Ted & Kari at 109 Club

TIOGA

Wednesday, March 1st- District 2 GOP Reorganization Meeting at Tioga Community Center, 7:00pm

Monday, March 6th- Tioga Commission Meeting at City Hall 7:00 pm

Tioga Community Center Sched-

WHO TOOK BARB?

together for about a week in Malta, Montana. On July 15, 1981, Red and Stacey went to a local theater where an incident occurred. Stacey spilled a drink that contained alcohol in it, and he got into a heated conversation with an employee. Red didn’t want any troubles with authorities, so he left. Stacey ended up getting arrested for disorderly conduct. That day Stacey called his sister from jail and told her he was coming home. She told him that she had a dog and to not come at night because the dog might bite him. Stacey told her it wouldn’t matter the way he was coming home. The last thing he said to his sister was to please tell their mom that he loved her and that he was sorry for what he did. That night or early morning Stacey hung himself in jail.

Could Stacey have been apologizing for harming Barb, or was he possibly just apologizing for all the things he did to his family when in a state of paranoia? Was he capable of kidnap-

ping Barb when he didn’t have a car? Would Stacey have known Williston well enough to hide Barb’s body to never be found? Stacey’s sisters believe he would have been capable of harming Barb without question.

Person of interest, Francisco (Frank) Javier De la Peña: Frank became a POI due to police records that were able to verify that he was in Williston around the time Barb went missing. Frank was arrested in Wyoming for the murder of two young girls. A witness has come forward in recent years remembering seeing Barb outside the Plainsman Hotel. Randy Falcon recalls being outside smoking a cigarette with a friend, who has since passed away.. Barb came over asking for a cigarette, and a guy came over and handed her one.

Randy believes the guy, after seeing a photograph, was Frank De la Peña. Randy said that night they offered to walk Barb home, and she said she would be fine to go alone. Randy and his

friend left, and he recalled Frank still being there. That was the last time Randy saw Barb. It was then confirmed that Frank was admitted to the Williston Hospital on May 1, 1981, for a mental breakdown. The next day he was released from the hospital.

On May 5, 1981, after being fired from his job for arguing and fighting with other workers, Frank left for Wyoming. On his trip he attempted to abduct multiple people without success. Then on May 8, 1981, two young girls were found murdered by Frank De la Peña. He was later arrested in Colorado and took his own life in jail on May 21 or 22, 1981..

Could Frank have followed Barb the night she went missing and lured her into his car? Could Frank have killed her? Wouldn’t Barb’s body have been found by now? The bodies of Frank´s other victims were not hidden. Was it just a coincidence that he was in the town around the time

ule

Mondays: Yoga Flow 9:30am10:30am

Wrestling practice 3pm-6:30pm

Tuesday: Wrestling practice 3-6:30pm; Pickleball 6pm-8pm

Wednesdays: Youth Group 6pm9pm

Thursdays: Wrestling practice 3pm-6:30pm; Slow Flow 6pm7pm

Friday, March 10th- Community Blood Drive at Tioga Medical Center 10:00 am -3:00pm

WILLISTON

Saturday, March 4 at 6:30PM: WBG Game Night at Books on Broadway

Thursday, March 9th- Williston Chamber Business After Hours At Be Mobile 5:30pm-7:30pm

Saturday, March 11 at 12PM: Vocella Bridal Expo at Old Armory

Friday, March 24 at 5:40 PM: Free Kids Craft Night during Burgers by James Memorial Art Center at Moose Lodge #239

Part 3 of 4: Missing Person Barbara Cotton

Barb went missing?

The last person is tough to write about. Out of respect for the family we will do our best to handle this part with sensitivity while still acknowledging that he is a person of interest.

Person of interest, Frank Cotton: Barb’s older brother was named a POI by the police. Some of Barb’s siblings don’t recall thinking he could be a suspect until he died in 1999. We will go into the reasons surrounding that. Let’s start by talking about who Frank was to his siblings. Kent, Barb’s other brother, describes Frank as a father figure. Kent and Frank got along great. He was always there to help Kent out, and he looked up to him. All the siblings acknowledged that Frank did a lot of good things to help the family and Louise. Other people that knew Frank said he was a loner and didn’t have any friends. However, Diane and Kathy allege there is a whole different side of him that was not so good.

According to Diane and Kathy, Frank had made inappropriate remarks and advances towards family members. He was known as a womanizer. There was an incident with his own niece where charges were pressed against Frank. Louise called her own granddaughter a liar and stood behind Frank. The sisters truly believe without a doubt that Louise would have covered for Frank in a situation like Barb’s disappearance... When Frank was dying from cancer in 1998, Louise had Barb declared legally deceased. Barb’s Social Security money from her father was then moved into Barb’s savings account. According to some accounts when Frank died in 1999, Louise seemed to stop looking for Barb. She had Frank and Barb´s names next to each other on the headstone.

In 2004, Louise was sick and Kathy, Barb’s sister, was her caretaker in her final months. Kathy remembers her mom reflecting on her life saying that she was

WHO TOOK BARB? Part

going to burn in hell for what she did. Louise would put her head in her hands, rock and shake her head back and forth repeating that she was going to burn in hell for what she did. Kathy always tried to get her mom to explain what that meant, but Louise would just get upset and say never mind in a short manner. The sisters do believe looking back that Frank could be a suspect, and Louise would have, without a doubt, protected him until the ends of the earth. Her words could have implied that she helped Frank get away with it. Or it could have not been related at all to Barb’s disappearance.

Could Frank be the one who killed his sister? Could Barb have fought back if he had tried touching her, and perhaps accidentally hurt her, or worse? Could Louise have made Stacey look like the suspect to get eyes away from Frank? Or is Frank innocent? Unfortunately, Frank is not here to defend himself or give a different version.

To all the people reading this, if you remember anything about Stacey Werder, Frank De la Peña, or Frank Cotton from around the time Barb went missing, please contact Williston PD. Maybe you were with Frank Cotton and can be his alibi. Possibly you saw or heard more about Stacey Werder or Frank De la Peña. Any kind of information, although it may seem irrelevant, might be the missing piece. Someone out there knows what happened to Barb Cotton.

Information that can indicate someone’s guilt, is just as important as information that can prove someone’s innocence. It is time to bring Barb home to rest in peace.

If anyone is reluctant to reach out to the police, you can email “The FindBarbCotton Gmail account” and remain anonymous. keeping him a secret?

Diane thought they told each other everything.

The party in question was possibly at Barb’s friend Donna’s apartment.

Louise called Donna at some point after Barb didn’t come home searching for answers. Donna thinks she may have told her that she remembers seeing Barb at her apartment with a “boy”, but she didn’t know who he was. They left together that night, but Donna said she remembered the boy that she assumed was Barb’s boyfriend came back later, and Donna asked him where Barb was. The boyfriend suggested that Barb had gotten a ride, and that was all he knew. The next day, Donna’s sister, Cindy, remembered that the boyfriend came back demanding to know if Barb was there. Louise called Donna periodically for around 6 months to see if they remembered anything else.

Donna and Cindy are not sure who the boyfriend was, and they also are not 100% certain the party was the same night she disappeared, as they had parties often. However, they strongly feel that the night of that party was the night Barb disappeared. To this day, Donna can still see the vision of Barb sitting in her apartment - beautiful, quiet and kind.

It was now the afternoon on Sunday, April 12th.

Louise called the Williston Police Department and left a message that said, “Barbara has not come home since yesterday. She is 15 years old. Her birth date is 11-10-1965. She has brown hair and brown eyes, a small

build, and was wearing a tan short jacket and blue jeans. She was last seen at a friend’s house at about 10pm last night. She was with a guy by the name of Stacey earlier in the evening. Stacey used to wash dishes at Cakes N’ Cones. Mrs. Cotton contacted him, and he advised her that Barb told him she was going to walk home from Cakes N’ Cones. Mrs. Cotton feels that (a name police wouldn’t mention) may know where she is but isn’t telling.”

On Monday, April 13th, Louise called the Willison PD again and reported that she thought her daughter was in Scobey, Montana, with Stacey Werder. She thought they might be in room 205 at the Pioneer Hotel. The police in Montana relayed back to WPD that Barb was not there. It is not known how they confirmed that. There was no mention if Stacey was there or not in reports.

Kent and Kathy remember that after Barb went missing, they wanted to go out, knock on doors and look for their sister. According to them, their mother kept them sheltered from the search and the police investigation. She didn’t

talk openly to them about Barb being missing. Louise became stricter with them, which given the circumstances of one of her children missing, one can understand the need to protect the younger children. They remember their mother continuing to look for Barb, putting up posters and going all around town. Diane, Barb’s older sister, remembers helping in search for Barb and handing out posters. Multiple calls came into the WPD with tips and possible sightings the weeks following Barb´s disappearance.

Louise called the police on September 1st and left another message to tell them that Stacey’s mom, Cynthia Werder, had allegedly called her 3 weeks prior. Louise stated that Stacey talked to his mother Cynthia sometime prior, and talked about Barbara and told Louise that if Barbara came back to have her call Mrs. Werder. This is all according to Louise. She also gave the police Cynthia’s phone number. The WPD cannot confirm that Cynthia was ever contacted.

To this day, it remains a mystery of when or how Louise went about contact-

ing Stacey or his mother. Louise was friends with the owners of Cakes N’ Cones, so if Stacey did indeed work there, then that is one possibility of how she was able to get his contact information. She was the only person that has given information about Stacey being in Williston or with Barb.

Unfortunately, on July 16th,1981, Stacey committed suicide in jail. There is no documentation from the WPD that they ever spoke to Stacey. We will go deeper into Stacey’s story a bit later.

What happened the week Barb went missing? Was she distant from Diane that week because she had met Stacey? Maybe she felt her friends wouldn’t approve of him? Would she really tell her mom about Stacey and not Diane and Sandee? Did she run away? Would Barb willingly have left Kent and Kathy? Would she have intentionally missed her best friend’s wedding? Why were all of Barb’s belongings and money left behind? Was Barb possibly kidnapped? If so, by who?

Check back next week for Part 4 of Barbara Louise Cotton

THE WESTBY WATCH

Communities Rally foR Beloved spoRtsCasteR, Jim nielsen

A Westby native and longtime resident of Plentywood, Jim Nielsen has a way of making you feel like you have court side seats at a class C basketball game.

Some may say the experience of listening to Nielsen’s play by play over the radio waves might even be better. A few people are even known to take their earbuds to the game.

Unfortunately, earlier this year, Nielsen was diagnosed with cancer. He is currently undergoing treatment and was unable to announce the 2023 district 2C basketball tournament on February 13th through the 20th.

District 2C fans have since banded together to show support for their beloved sports announcer, and in honor of Nielsen, February 17 was monikered “Jim Nielsen Night” at the district tournament in Sidney.

The idea for the evening came to Carrie Edwards of Grenora when she saw pictures of the Fairview and Plentywood basketball teams sporting T-shirts that read “That was Splendiferous!,” a phrase coined by Nielsen he is well known for using on the radio when he calls an exciting game or witnesses a phenomenal play.

According to Edwards, others also saw the pictures from an early February game and began massaging her asking if she could make some for other teams and fans. Edwards is the owner of Life Livin’ Mama Boutique in Grenora.

Edwards went to work and connected with the designer and printer of the shirts, Melissa Gackle of Fairview.

By Heidi Whitney

PROUD COMMUNITY SPONSOR!

HOT DISH!

Please contact Heidi Whitney at 406-385-7423 to add an event!

“I visited with her about doing shirts as a fundraiser for Jim and opening the orders up to other fans and teams” said Edwards. “We talked about how great it would be to all wear them at districts one day and dedicate that day to Jim. She was very willing to allow me to use the design.”

Time was ticking on February 7, and with only 6 days before the start of tournaments, Edwards decided to open orders for 30 hours online.

“I had set a goal of selling 500 shirts as I thought that would be so wonderful to be able to present a $5000.00 check for Jim,” Edwards noted. “Within less than 20 hours we had passed that goal.”

After the 30 hours were up, Edwards had to cut orders off. By that time, 636 shirts had been ordered and Edwards was able to deliver a $6360.00 check to Jim’s family on February 17 in Sidney.

Before the presentation of the check was made to the Nielsen family, Sarah Marsh (athletic director of Plentywood High School) and Dylan MacClean (athletic director of Westby High School) gave messages to Nielsen and his family on behalf of the players, coaches, and fans of district

MacLean spoke of the appreciation fans have for Nielsen.

“For 36 years we have had the convenience of tuning into the radio to listen to one of Montana’s greatest sports announcers navigate his way through the game your loved one was involved in,” Marsh said. “He was there when you couldn’t be there. Whether it was work, illness, or distance, your absence from the game wasn’t really an absence because of him. He was able to pull you in as if you had paid the admission fee.”

MacLean also relayed a message from Jim to the crowd on behalf of Jim regarding how people can help.

“Send him a message,” MacLean added. “He wants to hear from you. Whether it's a story you have of him, a photo, or just a “thinking of you” message. And the number one thing you can do right now is pray.”

Marsh called Nielsen’s wife, two of four children, and family member Sue Nielsen Meyer to center court to accept the check from Edwards.

Meyer concluded the event by thanking the communities for all of their support on behalf of the

ALL TIMES ARE MOUNTAIN

Thur. Mar 2 - Sat Mar 4: Girls Divisional Basketball Tournament at Wolf Point

Sun. Mar 2: Services at Assembly of God, 10:30 am. Coffee hour at Immanuel, 10:30 am. Services at 11:30 am.

Sat. Mar 25: Westby Development Presents: “A Little Taste of Westby” Chili/soup cookoff. Register your team via facebook or by contacting Brenda Ryals at 406-385-7973.

Nielsen family stating “Jim is very appreciative of the unbelievable outpouring of prayers, concerns, love, and generosity shown to him and his family by all the teams and communities throughout the area. Keep them coming. In his words,

may God bless each and every one of you. Thank you.”

Edwards reopened sales for another round of t-shirts to be ordered by February 21 and was able to raise an additional $1890 for the family.

2C.

Robin Solberg - Submitted Photo. The family of Jim Nielsen.

Carrie Edwards - Submitted Photo. Students sporting “That was splendiferous” t-shirts.

WELCOME TO MAIN STREET: THE LIFEBLOOD OF COMMUNITIES AND CONNECTIONS

By Alyssa Stromberg Medicine Lake,

MT

Main street. What exactly is the main street?

I wondered that too and what I found is this; main street is a metonym used to describe a primary street of a village, town, or small city in many parts of the world. A main street is vital to the livelihood and culture of the community; main streets give small businesses a place to thrive. It is a place which creates a magnetic hub which connects people

and businesses to their community. Through the years Med-

icine Lake’s main street has been the home to a Jack and Jill grocery store, Poe’s Pharmacy, a liquor store, Don’s Standard, farm supply store, city clerk’s office, a clothing store, Hancock’s Body Shop, a theater, and I have no doubt more that I have missed.

Main street is where the community gathers for one summer evening each year, music, food, games and fun is enjoyed by all who attend. During football season main street is also a gathering place where parents, friends, community, and alumni come to discuss and sometimes lament about the game. Main street is a place where young and old have made and will continue to make memories.

As I was looking into Medicine Lake’s main street

‘Crying Indian’ Ad Getting Shelved for Good

By: J.C. LaBar

This week, Keep America Beautiful, the nonprofit responsible for the “Crying Indian” ad, announced they are retiring the ad, saying it has always been inappropriate. They will transfer ownership rights to the National Congress of American Indians, who will end the use of the ad and watch for any unauthorized use.

To some, the public service announcement has been a painful reminder of the enduring stereotypes Native Americans continue to face. However, others have found the iconic image of Iron Eyes Cody’s anguished face moving. His powerful portrayal of a Native American lamenting the destruction of his beloved land spoke volumes about America’s environmental issues helping to increase public awareness of preserving natural resources.

Referenced on shows

like “The Simpsons” and “South Park” and in internet memes, the iconic ad has remained a lasting piece of TV pop culture since its debut in 1971. The so-called “Crying Indian” made the late actor Iron Eyes Cody a recognizable face in households nationwide.

Cody, a highly accomplished actor, was prominently featured in over 80 films, such as “Sitting Bull,” The Great Sioux Massacre, “A Man Called Horse,” and “Ernest Goes to Camp.”

His vast experience with Westerns also landed him

history, I learned the most about the corner building midway down main street.

In 1915 it was the location of the Farmers’ Bank, it was during this time the bank was robbed at gunpoint by two young men who had 4 large caliber six shooters, one for each hand. Through the years this street facing building has also been home to Security State

Bank, city clerk’s office, rural electric company (REC), a library. At one point the local crafters used the space to sell their items. In 2000 Louise Urdahl purchased the building space and for seventeen years she ran the Equine Connection. Louise had women’s clothing, jewelry, tack, milk replacer, basically everything our rural area needed. When Louise decided to sell it, it was purchased by seamstress who made and sold wholesale clothing. In 2021 the owner moved to Canada and thus putting the building up for sale.

In June of 2022 I opened the doors to the Bloomin Cactus, LLC; a floral and gift store.

There is something to be said about being part of a main street community.

US & RUSSIA COLLABORATE ON RESCUE MISSION

By J.C. LaBar

appearances on the classic television shows of his era, like “Bonanza” and “Gunsmoke.”

Robert “Tree” Cody, the adopted son of Iron Eyes Cody, expressed that the ad ranked among the top one hundred commercials and had good intent and a pure heart. His wife, Rachel KeeCody, was saddened by the decision to shelve such an important ad campaign. “You know, times are changing as well. You keep going no matter how much it changes,” she said. “Disappointment... It’ll pass.”

Down on Earth this week, while Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Joe Biden traded political blows, a more pressing matter was underway in space. US Astronaut Frank Rubio and Russian Cosmonauts Dmitry Petelin and Sergey Prokopyev continued facing a life-threatening situation after their Soyuz MS-22 capsule sprung an unexpected leak resulting from a small meteorite impact. They are now stranded aboard the International Space Station, unable to return in the capsule they arrived in. Despite the tensions, NASA and its Russian counterpart Roscosmos began collaborating on a daring rescue mission.

On Thursday, February 23rd, Russia launched the Soyuz MS-23 "lifeboat,"

which will replace the damaged capsule giving the stranded astronauts a safe ride back home later this year. The unmanned spacecraft successfully docked on February 25th at 7:58 p.m. EST, delivering 946 pounds of supplies to the International Space Station. The damaged Soyuz-22 will undock in late March when it will return to Earth unmanned for a parachute-assisted landing in Kazakhstan. However, tensions remain high between US and Russia, despite this exciting mission. Russia plans to leave the space program by the end of 2024.

The Bloomin’ Cactus

CULTIVATING TOMORROW: Preparing the Ground

By Chelsy Weisz, Tioga Economic Development Director

There was a shift in the energy on Main Street Tioga on February 16th as local businesses met for the second annual Chamber Mixer hosted by Hidden Beauty and The Oracle Newspaper.

Wine glasses were scarcely left empty as business owners, new and old, shook hands and exchanged business cards. Conversations ranged from the Super Bowl the weekend before to the need for another snowstorm to boost late winter sales.

I left the night's event with a month's worth of one-on-one meetings scheduled with business owners in Tioga. It was invigorating speaking with business owners, new and established, about how things are going and where they are headed, conversations I am excited to dive deeper into during our one-on-ones over the coming weeks.

The meetings I have already completed have uncovered some of the struggles and the quality problems facing Tioga's economy. There were a lot of questions when I was hired, what my role would

be, and how I planned to address the needs and wants of our community. This is a fair question and one I was asked in my interview. Here is my take on it; I don’t think it should be my decision to pick and choose the directions we head; I believe it’s up to the community and business owners here in Tioga to determine our path forward.

That’s the beauty of a community. We together get to build something we are proud of. We choose where we spend our money, what events and projects we support, and the needs and concerns we voice to the people we elect. Each of us has the power and the opportunity to shape our community, and you do it every day whether you are conscious of it or not.

While I could meet with just the key players or stakeholders, I believe that every business owner, regardless of the business's size, age, owning or renting, or gross income, shapes our community and should be heard, supported, and given the opportunity to thrive in the City of Tioga.

Chelsy Weisz, Tioga Economic Development Director

The name of this column is cultivating tomorrow; with any garden, you need to start with your soil, do the testing to see what you are working with, what nutrients you need to add, what weeds need to be pulled, what type of plants are going to grow well in this climate? These meetings are the soil test to see what we are working with. I am learning what businesses are outgrowing their current locations, which need some fertilizer to flourish, and what businesses could be added to our community to create a cohesive ecosystem.

While the next few weeks are full of meetings, there are a lot of businesses I have yet to speak with to schedule a sit-down. I would love to meet with each and every business in town, no matter the size. If you want to schedule a meeting with me, you can reach me by phone or email, and we will get you on the calendar. I can be reached at economic.director@cityoftioga.com or at 701-7050106; call or text!

BAR:

2:00PM - 1:00AM

A JOURNEY TO UNCOVER THE HISTORIC TREASURES OF TIOGA'S OIL BOOM

By Rachael Venture

Tioga is the epicenter of North Dakota’s oil boom’s history. In September 1950, drilling began in Clarence Iverson’s wheat field south of Tioga off highway 40.

That December, there were some ominous signs that this would be no easy endeavor and as morning after morning appeared red at dawn, superstitions, in this case would be spot on.

By January, the blizzard of the decade set in, and the elements plagued the oil workers until 1:00am on April 4th of the next year. This was when the Amerada Petroleum, Clarence Iverson No. 1 well showed signs of that liquid black gold. This encounter ultimately led to the discovery of the petroleum basin stretching from Regina, Saskatchewan to Rapid City, South Dakota and beyond.

There is a humble red granite marker with a short history of the discovery on this site now. It sits weathering in the elements and watching the years tick by.

Industry progressed, and eventually in 1988 Hess became the sole owner of the Tioga gas plant that was built by Signal Gas in the 1950s. Not only did the gas plant provide a way to process and market the gas Hess produced, it also provided 62 jobs to the area in 1988. Today, Hess employs 247 people based out of Tioga with 83 directly tied to the Gas plant and gas gathering operations.

Hess recently partnered with the North Dakota Tribal College System, a collection of 5 tribal colleges, to start a new educational program directed at employment opportunities for Native Americans across North Dakota. Over the next three years, Hess will invest $12 million toward tuition assistance and apprenticeships approved by the tribal colleges while considering the needs of the tribal communities and local job markets.

Generosity has its benefits to all mankind, and Hess remains active in the Tioga

• Full line of skid steer attachments

• Large range of products on hand

• Quick order time on products that are not on location!

Divide County Hockey Calendar

Junior Gold State

Thurs., March 2nd - Sat., March 4th | Watford City

19U Girls State

Fri., March 3rd - Sun., March 5th | Watford City

Pee Wees State

Fri., March 10th - Sun., March 12th | Bismarck

Bantams State

Fri., March 10th - Sun., March 12th | West Fargo

Spring Break: March 15-17th

A JOURNEY TO UNCOVER THE HISTORIC TREASURES OF TIOGA'S OIL BOOM

area through charitable giving. In the past two years, Hess has donated nearly $20,000 to various organizations along the Highway 2 corridor and continues to evaluate opportunities to impact the communities in which they operate.

Now, Cliff Iverson’s family legacy in Tioga rings strong to this day. Some of his family still lives around Tioga, Landsford, and Bismarck, and they can still tell you how Cliff and the Iverson family helped shape the town of Tioga.

Cliff only got to see a year of the oilfield being built with his father Clarence before he was drafted into the Korean War. He attended basic training at Fort

Riley and was sent to Korea in December 1952 where he served until 1954; at which time, he was honorably discharged. After marrying Arlene Olson, he went to work for Hess Corporation for almost 40 years where he watched over the building of the gas plant we see today. He then went back to ranching and continued to farm his family land until 2013.

Perhaps Cliff’s parents, Thea and Clarence, knew all along that their son would go on to be a wise leader in the community; but his return to his home farm just goes to show how all great things come back around through history.

UNCOVERING THE FLAWS OF AMERICA'S AIRSPACE

By Rachel Venture

While a toxic chemical train derailment is causing chaos in Ohio, Americans are looking into their transportation systems and finding some more alarming flaws. In the late afternoon hours of January 10th, the Federal Aviation Administration’s NOTAM - Notice to Air Missions Systemfailed. After 15 hours of being unable to restart the system, the FAA called for a complete ground halt of all National Airspace System for the first time since the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon on 9/11/2001.

The hearing titled “The Federal Aviation Administration’s NOTAM System Failure and Its Impacts on a Resilient National Airspace” was the first on the morning of February 15th, 2023 to investigate the causes of the NOTAM system collapse and the subsequent solutions for the future.

Did You Know?

The Axeman of New Orleans, a serial killer (who killed 6 and injured 6 from 1918-1919) was also an avid jazz fan. In a letter to the newspaper, he stated when he was going to kill next, but also noted that he would spare any occupants of a place where a jazz band was playing.

United States Secretary of Transportation and former intelligence officer with the US Navy Reserves, Pete Buttigieg, is coming under heavy scrutiny with the two massive calamities so close together. These failures come on the heels of the Biden Administration's H.R. 3684 Infrastructure Bill passed in the 117th

Congress to address other crumbling aspects of American infrastructure like the bridge collapse in Pittsburg. This bill’s passage provided federal funds for the rebuilding and reopening of the bridge in Pittsburg less than a year later.

Headed by Washington State Senator Maria Cantwell, the committee called the FAA’s acting head, Billy Nolan, to testify. Nolan worked for commercial airlines most recently and has served in the US Army as a pilot for both airplanes and helicopters and as a safety instructor.

Texas Senator Ted Cruz criticized the recent FAA head appointee, Nolan, for the FAA’s “inability to modernize despite congress providing the appropriate resources to do so”. Senator Cruz went on to speculate about gendered plane tickets being the focus of Secretary of Transportation Buttigieg’s office, but no political movements to change or challenge the FAA’s gender label requirements by Secretary Buttigieg could be located from credible sources.

Other alarming head-

lines travelers seem unable to look away from are the mid-air near-misses that have been occurring in heavy traffic cities. The most recent scare involved a United Airlines flight nose-diving toward the ocean, skimming within the 800 foot marker, and terrifying all onboard; even injuring a few who were sent to local area hospitals upon landing.

This occurred on December 18, 2022 but was not reported at the time it happened and seemed to unexplainably escape social media. The flight, from Kahului to San Francisco took off normally before descending toward the water. If this scenario rings dark and familiar bells, it’s because it resembles the deadly MCAS software malfunction plane crashes on October 29, 2018 and March 10, 2019.

In the hearings this week FAA Head Billy Nolan stated that the NOTAM system is just one of thousands of systems that have to work together to coordinate the world’s airspace. The FAA plans to have its modernization plans completed by 2025, Nolan also stated that the work is ongoing and over 80% of air travel is on the federal system as modernization continues.

Photo Credit: Don Anderson Photography

FROM INSURANCE TO ARCHERY

LOCAL PROFESSIONAL BRINGS EXPERIENCE TO NEW 4H PROGRAM

By Michelle Svangstu

Hannah Montoya didn’t grow up in Divide County, but she is fast becoming a friendly, familiar face to local residents.

grew from there and we decided to take it up a level and start shooting competitively.”

Competing under the ASA, or Archery Shooters Association brings a wealth of opportunity for archers of all skill sets and interests.

they quickly discovered that competitive archery was not readily available. Hannah mentioned, “There are some archery clubs around the state, but they are at least an hour or two from us, and that just isn’t feasible to drive on a regular basis.”

Montoya wasn’t in 4-H growing up, but says she can appreciate it’s mission and values.

Growing up in Illinois, Hannah and her husband Kyle made the move to Crosby in 2019.

“We were looking for a change, but wanted to go someplace where we knew someone, and could still enjoy our hobbies, like waterfowl hunting,” Hannah said. We had friends in the Crosby area, and with the job opportunities, decide to make the move.”

Her husband, Kyle, works at New Century Ag and Hannah, who was working from home in the insurance business, took over the American Family Insurance Agency from local resident Kristi Haugenoe back in November of 2022.

While Hannah is busy with her insurance business by day, she has a personal passion for archery and started shooting competitively while living in Illinois.

“I grew up hunting and enjoyed it,” Hannah explained. “There was a local archery shop and club in our town, and Kyle and I started shooting [bow and arrow] for fun – our passion for it

“There are many classes you can choose from on the competitive level,” noted Hannah. “Kyle primarily shot in the open class, which means there is no restrictions on the equipment you can use. I primarily shot in the hunting class, so the equipment is restricted to only what can be used for hunting, and the yardage is limited as well. Once you choose a class to compete in, then you can register for and qualify for a variety of competitions at the local, state and even national levels.”

Training for those competitions takes dedication and time. Hannah credits lessons learned at a young age in helping her succeed.

“I had a coach in high school that said practice doesn’t make perfect – perfect practice makes perfect,” Hannah recounted. “That was my mantra. I needed to practice in the place that would make my flaws most evident so that I could become a better competitor all around.”

When the Montoya’s moved to North Dakota,

So when family friend Samantha Coates posted a message about bringing archery to the local 4-H program, Hannah immediately reached out.

“I had been certified to teach an archery program in Illinois, so this just seemed like a great fit,” Hannah said. “I messaged Samantha on Monday and asked if they needed any extra help. She got me in touch with Travis [Binde] and that Saturday I was getting certified with them. I knew I missed it [archery] but I didn’t really realize how much I missed it until I was there on the range.”

Hannah says she is looking forward to being part of the new 4-H program.

“I am really excited to share the knowledge and skills I’ve learned through competitive shooting to the next generation,” Hannah explained. “Often times kids see these things on TV, or see their parents or friends out hunting and they think it’s easy. They don’t realize they need to learn the basics and work on their skills first. Safety is really the number one priority. We want everyone to have fun, and in order to do that, everyone needs to follow the basic safety rules to keep themselves and others safe. Once we do that, then the real fun begins and the kids will have the hands-on opportunity to learn and try out new skills on the archery range.”

“Teaching kids responsibility, to look out for others and be part of a community, those skills are invaluable throughout your life,” notes Hannah. “Archery is just one more avenue to bring kids in and give them an opportunity to succeed. Not only is it a place where they can be social and get some physical activity, it’s a sport they can take with them for a lifetime. And I’m honored to be a part of that.”

Any student interested in joining 4-H and the archery program can contact Travis Binde, Divide County Extension Agent at 701965-6501 or travis.binde@ ndsu.edu.

Hannah Montoya

By Kristen Ator

Basketball has been part of my life for as far back as I can remember.

I grew up spending a lot of time with my maternal grandfather, Willie Martens, a life-long North Dakota basketball fan. Grandpa Willie shared his love of the game with me. As a child, I traveled with him from game to game and tournament to tournament to watch many amazing athletes from around the state of North Dakota.

I vividly remember how Grandpa Willie would explain the smallest detail about each game to me and always expressed the importance of each of the five individuals on the court working together as a team. This knowledge he instilled in me made me respect the hard-working rebounders, the point guard controlling the floor and dishing out assists, and the bench players who were cheering their hearts out despite never seeing the floor.

All these lessons are points I try to bring with me each day I coach our area athletes. Points are not scored without someone passing the ball, a rebound being secured, the great de-

Meet the T E A C H E R MY NAME IS NEERAJA VIJAYARAO

fense being played by the entire team, or the work the bench puts in at practice each day by pushing everyone to get better day after day.

As tournament seasons are in full swing and winter sports seasons are ending, I ask each one of you to find an athlete that you see doing those little things that can be looked past and give them a little extra “great job” and a big high five.

Remember all the time spent from our student athletes, their coaches, and parents.

Best of luck to all the teams!

Did You Know?

Despite having brains the size of poppy seeds, bees are able to recognize and remember human faces.

Did You Know?

The Pulitzer Prize winning book of poetry in 2014 sold less than 400 copies.

ONCE UPON A TIME IN MEXICO

By Alexa Althoff-Garro

What would drive a former Burke County man to join a Mexican revolution in 1911?

THE MAN

At the turn of the last century, the Snyder family was fairly large and had extended from Kermit (formerly near Noonan) to Bowbells and down to McGregor.

Industrious and respected, the Snyder’s had a total of six children who were all adults by 1911. While not all of the children stayed in Burke or Divide County, Oscar Snyder seemed to be the most widely-traveled of the children.

Oscar had served in the Spanish-American War in 1898. After returning from the conflict, he had engaged in real estate, various retail jobs, and had even briefly taught school near Bowbells. However, sometime around 1909, he had ceased frequent contact with his family.

Whether it was difficult to send mail, he was indisposed with his adventures, or he had chosen not to worry his family, we cannot know.

What we are sure of is his tragic demise.

THE REVOLUTION

of Mexico's power struggles; the United States involvement was particularly high. The conflict led to the deaths of around three million people, mostly combatants.

So what was Oscar doing getting involved in a Mexican civil war? Many soldiers of fortune (called ‘fillibusters’) would assist revolutionaries in their bloody task. From regular people to experienced military leaders, droves of people would sign up to join the fight. Many were Socialists, Anarchists, militants, and members of the Industrial Workers of the World.

It is not known what

were successful in their attempts for a time.

THE AFTERMATH

On that fateful day in May, Oscar would perish during a nighttime attack at around 8:00pm local time. The Magonistas and rebels would take Tijuana five days later.

In a very personal letter written by General J. R. Mosby (a IWW member) to the Snyder family in Bowbells, Mosby describes Oscar as a very well respected Captain in the Liberal forces and called him, “one of our bravest soldiers”. (See Newspaper Article from the Ambrose Newsman).

families of their own and could have moved away from the area.

While this harrowing tale leaves more questions

than answers, it’s an excellent example of the fascinating tapestry that makes up our local history.

The Mexican Revolution had kicked off in November of 1910. The tenyear revolutionary conflict was primarily a civil war, but foreign powers (having important economic and strategic interests in Mexico) figured in the outcome

Oscar’s political leanings were, or if he had any. The Socialist Party of North Dakota was founded in 1902 and enjoyed some early support amongst farmers in Divide County. It’s quite possible that Oscar could have been a member of the Socialst Party, or he simply could have sought his fortune south of the border.

On May 8th, 1911, Oscar would only find death in the dusty town of Tijuana. At that time in history, Tijuana was a tiny border town of only around 100 people. Today, the metropolitan area of the city is now home to over two million individuals.

The Magonista rebellion of 1911 was an early uprising of the Mexican Revolution organized by the Liberal Party of Mexico. Magonistas were Anarchists and Industrial Workers of the World (IWW). Seeking to “liberate” Tijuana, and other areas in Baja, they

The article goes on to state that the family had no idea he was fighting in Mexico, and they had not heard from him for ‘some time’. The shock and horror of learning about Oscar’s death must have been unimaginable.

At the time of publica-

tion, it is not known what happened to the Snyder family in Bowbells or their descendants. No grave records exist for the last name of “Snyder” in Burke or Divide County. With five remaining children, no doubt many of the children had

John R. Mosby in Tijuana in 1911

Magonistas (Anarchists) in Tijuana after the first battle at the border town

Magonistas Mexicanos in Tijuana, 1911.

Tijuana in 1911

How David Allen Revolutionized Oil and Gas Maintenance with Elite Energy Services in Williston, ND

By Rachel Venture

The miracle of medicine is truly an astonishing creation. Early humans were only expected to have an average lifespan of 20-25 years, and at the time of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776, the average lifespan was 40. Founding Fathers like James Monroe, who was 18 in 1776 and Thomas Jefferson who was 33, would have looked to 70 year old Benjamin Franklin as an astonishing feat of wisdom, having lived so long and done so much. They would have been acutely aware that time was not on their side to see the great works of our nation that they had helped to create rise up.

This all-American ideal that time is precious and life is short has driven Americans to achieve some incredible marvels of science. Longer life has led to more discoveries and medical achievements which has cycled back around helping to make the American medical field what it is today, a driving force for the good of mankind.

From the first smallpox vaccine in 1799 to the first live adult liver transplant in 1998, making the world a better place through invention has always been the American way. As technology becomes more readily available, the limits of medical equipment can be tested in other fields.

After being an ICU nurse for 25 years and seeing all the technology that the medical world had to offer at the time, David Allen decided to head up to the Bakken to join his son, Derek Allen, while he was in the beginning stages of his roustabout business. In fact, it became a true family affair as his wife, Lois, and other son, Dillon joined the team, as well.

Elite Energy’s main focus was servicing “fire tubes”. Fire tubes or “treat-

ers” refers to the cylindrical vessels that are usually situated at the edge of a location and house the heating processes that separate the crude from the salt water and natural gas. Processes like these make the crude safe for train transport. These compositions eat through metal like termites through wood and if any spills on the ground, it basically sterilizes the ground and costs thousands per cubic meter to clean up properly.

Elite Energy Services faced the challenges of

changing the “U” shaped tube inside the vessel. For 50 years there was really no way of knowing how corroded the tube was or how close it was to failure, costing oil companies time and resources while having to frantically clean up any spill in the appropriate time before there is irreparable damage to farm and grazing land that surrounds almost ever operational well site. This father-son team thought “we can do better,” and with some ingenuity from his years as a nurse, an idea be-

gan to emerge. In two years, as Derek worked to continue to build the roustabout business, David and Dillon developed a solid idea for a revolutionary new scanner..

Inspired by the MRI’s that use complex magnets and receivers to detect disease by looking into the organs and bone structure of a person’s body, this scanning system looks inside the tube to see the level of corrosion and how imminent failure is.

There are no concrete rules or laws around the maintenance of treaters - the schedule is left up to the individual oil companies that maintain them. Most have a set time in which they replace tubes whether they need it or not but this doesn’t take into account manufacturing failures or unforeseen circumstances, which lead to accidents.

It costs between $8,000 and $20,000 to drain a treater, but this scanner invention from Elite Energy Services is revolutionizing the oilfield industry by preventing accidents before they happen - saving companies millions and saving the land from tox-

ic spills.

“Because we’re able to catch these things before they fail, we’ve been able to prevent about 3.5 million gallons of salty oily water from getting onto the ground,” said David Allen of his family company. The oil industry is what fuels our country and our world, making it safer and cleaner for future generations is the responsibility of us all and the Allen family are giving their genius to making that happen.

David Allen - Submitted Photo

David Allen - Submitted Photo

David Allen - Submitted Photo

ARTIST SPOTLIGHT: DAPHNE CLARK

By Rachel Venture

The Bakken has a powerful influence on the people who grow up here. Endless-day summers, harsh yet family-binding winters, and the rolling prairie that seems to go on like a swirling ocean. This unique environment also influences the art produced here. Daphne Clark was born in the plains valley of Fairview and has spent the last 25 years raising her lovely family here in Williston. In 2012, after being a successful long-distance runner, some injuries had her looking in a new direction to throw her passion. While watching a special on Public Broadcasting about painting, she decided this was the thing to try. Try and fail. But like any good sportsman, she did not let this minor setback deter her. Failure is ultimately how we all learn to do anything. After an artsy friend recommended she switch from acrylics to oil paints, Daphne took like a fish to water, pouring her heart and soul into emotional and breathtaking images of her life, antique buildings, and the divine nature we are surrounded by here in the Bakken. "When I do things,

I go all in '' said Daphne; all in, she did go. While being a mom, she spent the next seven years getting her Masters of Fine Arts in Painting from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco.

One day, after having an idea bumping around in her head for a decade for a knockout kids' book, Jesse Veeder called her friend and asked if she could make the art for the now-available children's book, The Prairie Princess. The story captures a young girl's view of her home in the prairies of the Bakken with uplifting original paintings by Daphne. The illustrations are modeled after Jesse Veeders daughter. In some, Daphne brilliantly superimposed the likeness of Veeder's daughter with other scenery to create her one-of-a-kind yet hauntingly familiar artwork. The book, The Prairie Princess, is available at Books on Broadway, Hansen's Un-

limited, and Jesse Veeder's website, jessieveedermusic. com/product/752623. This book is a fabulous Christmas idea for anyone with young children or happy memories of the rolling prairie hills.

PET of the

NATIONAL & WORLD HEADLINES

THE FISHROT FILES

The financial scandalnamed after a 2019 Wikileaks release called the “Fishrot Files” - stretches from Namibia to Iceland, taking in government ministers and involving at least $20 million dollars. In the Fishrot scandal, a number of prominent politicians and businessmen are accused of running schemes to get control of valuable fishing quotas, for example those held by the state fishing company Fishcor. It is alleged that they then diverted them to the Icelandic fishing company Samherji in return for kickbacks.

“GODZILLA EGG” WASHES UP ON SHORE

Mysterious floating spheres are having quite a month. Police and even a bomb

squad were sent to check out the cryptic object on a Japanese beach, dubbed “Godzilla Egg.” The rusty, 5 feet in diameter, metal ball and has two raised handles, indicating that it can be hooked onto something else. Police have not officially identified it, but internet slueths say it’s a steel mooring buoy.

LAS VEGAS THIEVES TARGET WEINERMOBILE

The 27-foot hot-dog-shaped vehicle was in Sin City this past weekend for a series of events tied to Super Bowl weekend, but early Friday morning the Wienermobile’s catalytic converter was stolen. The crew did a minor repair to fit the Wienermobile with a “temporary” catalytic converter that allowed it to make a previously scheduled

10 a.m. appearance. However, there’s a fourmonth waiting list for catalytic converters.

RUSSIAN MAN ARRESTED FOR TALKING ABOUT YOGA

A Russian yoga teacher and computer programmer has been arrested for “illegal missionary activity” under controversial new laws designed to combat terrorism. Dmitry Ugay is said to have fallen foul of the country’s ‘anti-terror measures’, while giving a talk about the philosophy of yoga at a St Petersburg festival. Recently, the Salvation Army was also fined and had 36 copies of the bible confiscated after they were not properly labelled as religious material.

THOUGHT OF THE WEEK:

Valentine’s Day has passed, but we can celebrate love any day of the year! Make sure to give your special someone extra attention, and if you’re flying solo - pamper yourself with some self-care. Whether in a relationship or single, learning to love is the key to ultimate happiness!

Publishing Team Publisher / Editor: J.C. LaBar

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Reporters: Rod Schofield, Michelle Svangstu, & Rachel Venture

Sports Contributors: Nick Ator & Kristen Ator

Sales Team Sales Manager: Jill Vassen jill@vocella.com

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Lead Design: Kary Moltzan

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Daphne Clark

Meet Mama Cat! Mama Cat has lived with the Moltzan’s since 2014, but her favorite is Leslee. Mama Cat loves to snuggle Leslee and sleeps with her at night. She also has to have her own seat right next to Leslee while she does her homework.