It’s been several years, but the Divide County Boy Scout troop has three 1st Class Scouts headed for the 2023 Boy Scout National Jamboree. The Jamboree,
West Virginia, had its inception in 1935, as a commemoration to celebrate 25 years of scouting and continues to
MONTANA’S YOUTHLED CLIMATE CASE COULD SET PRECEDENT
By Mark MoranLegal experts claim trial will shape future suits.
Page 2
BLISTER BEETLES IN HAY ARE A DANGER FOR LIVESTOCK
NDSU Extension, Press Release
Blister beetles have made their appearance in North Dakota and are feeding on alfalfa fields.
Page 8
TRIBAL ADVOCATES FEEL ‘RELIEF’ AFTER SOCTUS ICWA RULING
By Mike Moen, Prairie News Service
Tribal advocates are cheering a U.S. Supreme Court decision Thursday which allows a landmark law dealing with child welfare cases to stand.
Page 9
BURKE COUNTY FAIR HOSTS FREE MAIN EVENT
By Erica KingstonThe small town of Flaxton, N.D., is gearing up for a fun-filled weekend as their annual county fair line-up kicks off this week. Page 11
FORTUNA
Every Tuesday- Range Night at Northwest Sportsman Club
RAY
Wednesday June 21st - Boys Basketball
Summer Workouts 6:30am at Ray High School Gym
Thursday June 22nd - Boys Basketball
Summer Workouts 6:30am at Ray High School Gym
Saturday June 24th - 10th Annual Gnarly Barly 5k 10:30a at Northside Tavern (Start Line), Ray ND
Monday June 26th - Girls Basketball
Summer Workouts 9:30am at Ray High School Gym
Tuesday June 27th - Boys Basketball
Summer Workouts 6:30am at Ray High School Gym
Tuesday June 27th - Girls Basketball
Summer Workouts 9:30am at Ray High
School Gym
Wednesday June 28th - Boys Basketball
Summer Workouts 6:30am at Ray High School Gym
Wednesday June 28th - Girls Basketball
Summer Workouts 9:30am at Ray High School Gym
Thursday June 29th - Boys Basketball
Summer Workouts 6:30am at Ray High School Gym
LIGNITE
CROSBY
Wednesday June 21st - Divide County Commission Meeting 8:00-11:00am
Wednesdays: Storytime at the Divide County Library 10:00am - 10:45am
Summer Reading Program at Divide County Public Library 1:00pm - 2:00pm
Fridays:
Cards & Games at Divide County Senior Citizens Center 1:30-2:30pm Movie at Dakota Theater 7:30pm
Saturdays: Movie at Dakota Theater 7:30pm
Sundays: Movie at Dakota Theater 7:30pm
WILLISTON
June 21st- June 25th - 2023 Upper Missouri Valley Fair at Upper Missouri Valley Fairgrounds
Friday June 23rd - Williston Basin Speedway Dirt Track Racing Can-Am Shootout Grandstand gates open at 6p at Upper Missouri Valley Fairgrounds
Friday June 23rd - 12th Annual Williston Area Builders Golf Scramble 7:00 AM at Eagle Ridge Golf Course
June 23rd & June 24th - UMV Fair Regional
Cornhole Tournament at Upper Missouri Valley Fairgrounds (Bowman Building)
Saturday June 24th - Williston Basin Speed-
way Dirt Track Racing Can-Am Shootout
Night 2 Grandstand gates open at 6p at Upper Missouri Valley Fairgrounds
Thursday June 29th - Week 1 Summer
Nights On Main 2023 5-9p at Williston Main St.
June 30th - July 2nd - 2023 Williston Tattoo
Expo The Grand Williston Hotel & Conference Center
TIOGA
June 22nd - June 23rd - U-Mary Volleyball
Satellite Camp 10:00am-4:30pm at the Tioga Community Center
Thursday June 22nd - Rhubarb Fest 4:00 PM - 8:00 PM Downtown Tioga
June 23rd - June 25th - Movie: Elemetal 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM at Tioga Theater
Monday June 26th - Tioga Municipal Court
6:30 PM - 7:30 PM at Tioga Commission Hall
Tuesday June 27th - Connecting Communities Free BBQ 11:30am-1:00pm Park Pavillion next to the Tioga pool
Wednesday June 28th - Slow Flow Yoga
7:00-8:00pm at the Tioga Community Center
Thursday June 29th - Hatfield Handmade Class 6:00-8:00pm at the Tioga Community Center
Tioga Community Center Schedule
Mondays: Yoga Flow 9:30am-10:30am
Learn English Class 10:00am-11:00am
Tuesdays: Pickleball 5:00pm-8:00pm
Wednesdays: Storytime 10:30am-11:00am
Thursdays: Slow Flow 6:00pm-7:00pm
Now in its fifth day, 16 kids are participating in a court trial with a lawsuit accusing Montana state agencies and the governor of compromising the next generation’s right to a healthy future.
It is the first climate case led by young people to go to trial. The plaintiffs said the governor’s embrace of fossil fuels threatens their future, and argued it runs afoul of the 1972 Montana state Constitution, which guarantees the right to a “clean and healthful envi-
ronment.”
Sandra Zellmer, professor of law at the University of Montana, said they are arguing their climate future is being taken out of their hands.
“They claim that their
life expectancies will be shortened, experience greater harm from wildfires, loss of river flows, food support systems that rely on water and irrigation,” Zellmer outlined.
Zellmer noted legal ex-
perts across the country are paying close attention to the case, and argued while laws might not change immediately, young peoples’ voices being heard on climate change is precedent-setting. Critics of the lawsuit have labeled it “a waste of time.”
In addition to setting precedent for future legal cases, Zellmer predicts the case will have an effect on future generations and cut across cultural lines, too.
“Not just our children and grandchildren, but their
children and grandchildren,” Zellmer pointed out. “Indigenous people have talked about protecting the environment to support life into the seventh generation into the future, well into the future, and I think that resonates.”
The state will present witnesses to say the students’ claims amount to “climate alarmism,” and climate change is an issue too big to be blamed on a single state or agency.
PRESS RELEASE. Tuesday, June 13, 2023 - 03:40 pm
Gov. Doug Burgum today signed an executive order declaring an emergency and authorizing the North Dakota National Guard to help Texas secure the U.S.-Mexico border.
The executive order provides official authorization to deploy approximately 100 North Dakota National Guard members from the Wahpeton-based 188th Engineer Company in support of Operation Lone Star. The planned deployment was first announced by Burgum on June 1.
Burgum authorized the deployment in response to an Emergency Manage-
ment Assistance Compact (EMAC) request from Texas Gov. Greg Abbott for National Guard and law enforcement to help secure the border. Abbott also sent a letter in May asking for states to send available resources to combat illegal activity at the border and ensure the safety and security of all Americans in the absence of action by the Biden administration to address the border crisis.
“It’s in the best interests of not only Texas but all states to prevent illegal entry at the U.S.-Mexico border and stop drug trafficking, human trafficking and other transnational criminal activity,” Burgum said. “Support from the North Dakota National Guard and other states that have committed resources to Operation Lone Star will strengthen border security and help keep Americans safe in every state, as every community is affected by border security.”
The executive order declaring a statewide emergency notes that North Da-
kota has a long history of assisting other states in their time of need and that there is a risk to public safety due to drug trafficking, including deadly fentanyl making its way across the southern border and into U.S. communities, and the increased risk of human trafficking.
The deployment is expected to last approximately 30 days and end in August.
To cover the cost, the Office of the Adjutant General is requesting increased spending authority of $2.2 million
through the North Dakota Emergency Commission.
Currently about 125 members from the North Dakota National Guard’s 1st Battalion, 112th Aviation Regiment are aiding efforts to secure the southern border. They followed 125 members of the 957th Engineer Company’s MultiRole Bridge Company who returned in September 2022 after assisting U.S. Customs and Border Protection at the border for about a year as requested by the U.S. Army
through the National Guard Bureau and with Burgum’s authorization. Separately from the deployment of the 188th Engineer Company authorized by Burgum, the Jamestown-based 817th Engineer Company will deploy to the southern border with approximately 125 soldiers in federal status in October for approximately one year.
In April 2022, Burgum signed a memorandum of understanding with 25 fellow governors to create the American Governors’ Border Strike Force to better address the humanitarian crisis at the southern border and the negative impacts of increased illegal immigration on public safety and crime in states including North Dakota. North Dakota law enforcement agencies participating in a joint detail in August 2022 as part of the Border Strike Force seized more than 50 pounds of illegal drugs, including enough fentanyl to potentially kill every North Dakotan more than twice over.
By Heidi Whitney
Please contact Heidi Whitney at 406-672-5696 to add an event!
ALL TIMES ARE MOUNTAIN
Sun June 25: Services at Assembly of God, 10:30 am. Coffee hour at Immanuel, 10:30 am. Services at 11:30 am.
In honor and memory of Northeastern Montana’s beloved sports broadcaster, Braden Pulvermacher was awarded the first ever Jim Nielsen Award at Thunder Night last month.
According to Westby School superintendent, Dylan MacLean, the award will be given annually to a WHS student.
“The student was chosen by a committee made up of people on the Westby School staff. The award represents hard work, dedication, a positive attitude, and conducting yourself in a humble and kind manner. Basically, we were trying to
recognize many of the attributes that made Jim Nielsen a legend.”
A native of Westby and a long-time resident of Plentywood, Nielsen passed away on March 16, 2023 after a battle with cancer at the age of 76.
Nielsen was admired by people all around the state of Montana as being one of the state’s supreme sports announcers. Even though he was born in Westby and graduated from Plentywood High School, he was not one to play favorites on the air. He simply was a fan of every student.
The 39th Annual Bob Cleverley 8-Man All-Star Game took place at Bob Green Field in Butte on Saturday June 3.
Adam Paine of the MonDak Thunder was chosen to play for the Blue team and helped them defeat the Red team, 56-40. The Blue team
was represented by teams from the east and west divisions, while the Red team consisted of all-stars from the north and south.
The game marked the first win for the Blue team since 2019. The game was canceled due to Covid-19 in 2020.
Sat July 1: Second annual Honoring Heroes Golf Tournament at Plentywood Golf Course. To register contact the VFW in Plentywood at 406-765-1188. If you or any member of your team is a veteran, please contact tournament founder, Seth Wiseman, at 701-651-8344.
Sun July 9: Annual WDC Cornhole Tournament and free will offering BBQ at Onstad Memorial Park. Register your team through the Westby Development Corporation Facebook page or contact Heidi Whitney at 406-672-5696. Talk to Kim at the store if you would like to volunteer to help out or donate desserts! The tournament will start at 2 pm. Food will be served at 5 pm.
By Alyssa Stromberg
June brings with it the anticipation of the pool opening, by both parents and youngsters alike. Since 1970 Medicine Lake has had the privilege of a town swimming pool, which makes the pool 53 years old. 53 years of youngsters making memories and cooling off during the summer heat; 53 years of community, county and volunteer dedication in the upkeep and operation of the pool.
The Medicine Lake pool employs between six to eight employees each summer. There are swimming lessons and water aerobics classes available, as well as open swim. The pool has a covered picnic area, park/playground area and a baseball field. It is a busy area from late May to early September. Once varsity practice starts in August, the pool is used for team conditioning, and Medicine Lake School physical education
classes have also taken ad-
credit the time he was lucky
guard at the pool was a very sought after position.
It is with the continued dedication of those that have grown up with the pool that youngsters for years to
come will also be able to make a splash each summer and make happy memories they will share with their kids.
vantage of having the pool so close.
The first summer I lived in Medicine Lake in 2009, I applied for the pool manager position; it was a perfect summer job. Connor, my youngest son, was in first grade and for many summers the pool was our second home. To this day Connor loves the water and I
Both nymphs and adult dragonflies are top predators in the insect world. Larger nymphs will eat tadpoles and minnows. Nymphs have a modified lower jaw they can extend using hydrostatic pressure to capture prey as it swims past. As adults, these insects capture up to 95 percent of the prey they hunt. The adults will chase down their prey and ambush it from behind.
to have spent at the community pool. This is just one of many stories that include summertime in Medicine Lake and the pool. I have friends who grew up and graduated from Medicine Lake and being a life-
be held every four years as a gathering of Boy Scouts from across America.
Cooper Svangstu, Adam Knudson and Andrew Stewart, Juniors at Divide County High School, have a combined 27 years of scouting, and have all completed the requirements set forth by the Boy Scouts to achieve the rank of 1st Class, making them eligible to attend the Jamboree this summer. Says Cooper, “We’ve done some different scouting events with the Williston troop, and their leader, Tim Bishop, is really the one who encouraged us to attend. Each district gets so many openings – ours [the Northern Lights District] had 35, so we’re really lucky to be able to have this opportunity.”
The teens are looking forward to the multitude of new experiences that the Jamboree offers. “We get to do a lot of fun things, like archery, swimming, shooting guns, a mile-long zipline, and I get to take Cooper out white water rafting,” laughs Adam. Attendees and their leaders camp during the majority of the two weeks of the Jamboree, and are allotted “points,” which they are responsible for using to “buy” food to feed their troop. “You need to be aware of how many points you’re using,” shares Cooper. “If you want to order pizza one night [which is worth more points], you should probably plan meals that cost less - like hot dogs and beans – for other nights. Not only do they have to plan their meals, they are responsible for cooking them. “It’s a good learning experience – because someday when we’re in college we’re going to have to plan our own meals and consider how much money it costs.”
In addition to outdoor camping and fun activities, the scouts will have several nationally noted speak-
ers coming. “The President has come in years past, so you just never know who’s going to show up,” says Adam. The scouts will also have a few days spent touring Washington, DC, something all three boys say they are looking forward to, as well as the time spent meeting new friends, not just from the US, but also the globe. “There are some international scouts that come, like scouts from Argentina. That would be pretty cool to meet them and find out more about where they’re from.”
The group has been fundraising for their trip, most recently putting on a pancake feed at the Divide County Fair. But, say the boys, if it wasn’t for the support of the community, their trip might not be possible. “People just started donating so we could go when they heard about it,” shares Adam, “and the American Legion has been very generous too. We’re just thankful to everyone for the support.”
While the National Jamboree is an exciting opportunity, the three scouts say that the “life lessons” they’ve learned being a part
ure things out instead of expecting someone to do it for you,” shares Cooper.
guidance and give back to the program.”
of the Boy Scouts is most important. Notes Andrew, “Learning to take care of others, care for the hurt, how to be a good citizen – those are all pretty great things I’ve learned in Boy Scouts.”
Adam agrees. “The Boy Scout law, ‘a Scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent’ those are all important skills and character you use for the rest of your life. Meeting people, learning with friends, seeing the progress you make with things you build with your own hands –you just don’t know what’s going to happen, when you’ll need [those skills]. My brother was a Scout, and after he graduated, he actually ended up saving someone down in Fargo –he wouldn’t have known what to do if it wouldn’t have been for the first aid skills he had learned [in Boy Scouts].”
“The life lessons, making friends, survival skills – so many things you’d think are just common sense just aren’t anymore. Scouts teaches you to be self-led, independent, to fig-
The local Boy Scouts are involved in many community events, often volunteering their time. Collecting food for the food pantry, cleaning the fairgrounds, mowing lawns, and collecting aluminum cans are just a few of the projects the local scouts have been part of, and most recently, they teamed up with the Cub Scouts to scrape and re-paint the concessions stand at the baseball field. “I really enjoyed working on the concessions stand,” tells Adam. “I think it’s because it was the first time I really realized that younger kids do look up to us, that what we do actually has an influence on them. When we started in Cub Scouts there wasn’t really anyone above us, so we had to build everything from the ground up. This project put us in a teaching position, we were able to use what we’ve learned through scouting to provide leadership and
Andrew, Cooper and Adam all had the same advice for parents who are unsure about enrolling their child in Boy Scouts: “Just do it.”
“It’s just a great experience,” says Andrew.
Cooper noted, “You get to be together while learning, go to day camps, learn life skills, and have experiences you just don’t get anywhere else.”
“Parents should put kids in even if they’re not sure,” shares Adam. “If they just stick it out and follow through they will enjoy it and be happy they did.”
Anyone interested in Cub Scouts or Boy Scouts can reach out to Lee Svangstu at 701-648-9976.
By Mike Moen, Prairie News Services
Tribal advocates are cheering a U.S. Supreme Court decision Thursday which allows a landmark law dealing with child welfare cases to stand. It follows a tense period of worry and planning in states like North Dakota.
In a 7-2 ruling, the court upheld the Indian Child Welfare Act, adopted in 1978 to address the widespread issue of Native children being placed in non-Native homes for foster care or adoption. The law emphasizes keeping children within their tribal communities to maintain their cultural well-being.
Rep. Jayme Davis, D-Rolette, led the recent push for North Dakota to adopt its own protections in case the federal law was overturned.
"It's just really great to see, you know, something so positive come out of the Supreme Court regarding our Indian children," Davis observed. "It's the Indian Child Welfare Act, but the big underlying issue on this was our sovereignty as well."
This past session, the North Dakota Legislature joined several other states in adopting laws to keep the essence of the federal act in
place.
The group North Dakota Native Vote issued a statement calling the outcome "a win for the future of tribal nations." Plaintiffs in the case argued the law was unconstitutional because they felt it was discriminatory toward non-Natives.
Erin Dougherty Lynch, managing attorney for the Native American Rights Fund, said as for tribal sovereignty, the ruling is clear in affirming the precedents of long-standing federal Indian laws. She suggested those who still want to undermine such policies could encounter legal headwinds.
"I don't think it necessarily foreclosed future cases from them," Lynch asserted. "I have no doubt that they will continue to bring cases that challenge tribal sovereignty. But I think to-
day's decision should make them think twice about whether or not those future cases will be successful."
Lynch hopes the case spurs more states to strengthen their own laws and practices in handling similar situations. She noted state-level laws can stretch further than the protections under the Indian Child Welfare Act. Rep. Davis added North Dakota's system is not perfect, but even prior to this year's efforts, it had been taking steps to make improvements within the courts and in communicating with tribal nations.
NDSU EXTENSION
PRESS RELEASE
Blister beetles have made their appearance in North Dakota and are feeding on alfalfa fields.
“The name ‘blister beetle’ stems from a naturally occurring toxin called cantharidin produced by the beetle that causes blistering of skin when the beetle is crushed and the toxin is released,” says James Rogers, Extension forage crops production specialist at North Dakota State University’s North Central Research Extension Center.
Adult blister beetles are attracted to blooming alfalfa fields and weeds (goldenrods, dandelions). They will feed on nectar and pollen and devour leaves, stems and flowers. Blister beetles produce one generation per year and will be active from June to September. Adult blister beetles will lay their eggs in soil from late summer to early fall and can overwinter in North Dakota as larvae, emerging in mid to early summer.
Cantharidin from blister beetles can cause severe inflammation and even death in horses, says Rogers. In horses, depression, inflammation and ulceration of the mouth, irritation of the gastrointestinal tract, and painful urination are common symptoms of sub-lethal doses of cantharidin. Cattle and sheep are much more tolerant of cantharidin ingestion. Little work has been done to establish toxicity levels, though symptoms can occur with cantharidin ingestion. These symptoms may include depression, elevated temperatures and dehydration.
The most common species of blister beetles found in North Dakota are the ashgray and black blister beetle.
Lesser seen are the striped and Nuttall’s blister beetle. Blister beetle toxicity levels are higher in males but also vary by species and by the region in which the beetles are found, says Rogers. Adults range in size from ½ inch to 1 inch long. Blister beetles are fairly easy to identify among other beetles, as the “neck” region located behind the head is narrower than the head when viewed from above.
Blister beetles are very mobile and tend to swarm in large numbers in small areas of the field, says Miranda Meehan, NDSU Extension livestock environmental stewardship specialist. They can move into alfalfa fields from field edges that have
a host plant such as sweet clover, which blooms earlier than alfalfa. Once alfalfa begins to bloom, they may move into a field and feed for a short period of time before migrating to other areas of the field or to new fields. After alfalfa is cut, they often move into blooming canola and other blooming field crops. Hay infested with blister beetles is a big concern for hay producers and livestock owners.
Here are some ways to reduce the threat of blister beetles:
Use equipment such as a disc mower without hay conditioners or crimpers that may crush blister beetles and release toxin into the hay. This also encourages beetles to move out of the hay field.
Allow cut hay to fully dry before raking to allow beetles to move out of the hay. Raking may dislodge dead beetles from hay; however, the potential still exists for cantharidin in the hay.
Control blooming weed hosts near or in alfalfa fields.
Cut alfalfa at less than 10% bloom and/or late in the season (mid-August to early September).
Check fields 24 hours prior to cutting to ensure that new swarms of blister beetles have not re-infested the fields.
Scout harvested hay and underneath windrows close-
ly for blister beetles and allow blister beetles to move out of drying hay before baling. Turning the windrows may be helpful to get blister beetles to move out.
“Even tractor tires can crush blister beetles in hay when turning equipment around,” says Karl Hoppe, Extension livestock systems specialist at NDSU’s Carrington Research Extension Center. “Cut hay with a sickle bar or disc mower that allows blister beetles to move out of hay after cutting. If large numbers of blister beetles are observed in spots during harvesting, it is best to quit harvesting and allow blister beetles to move out of the way or go around them.”
If blister beetles are suspected in harvested hay, do not feed it to horses. If alfalfa is fed to horses and symptoms such as blood-tinged urine, depression or placing their muzzle in water without drinking appear, call a veterinarian immediately. Hay contaminated with blister beetles can be used by cattle, but be cautious. Offer other hay sources that
are clean of blister beetles or blend hays. Grinding hay containing blister beetles and then mixing with other feeds will dilute the cantharidin but won’t get rid of it. If feed refusal is noted with cattle offered alfalfa hay, then remove it and replace with another hay source. Keep track of bales that are suspected to have blister beetle contamination so you can manage accordingly and avoid accidental feeding to horses.
It can be difficult to detect blister beetles in harvested hay because beetles may be crushed from the haying process. Blister beetles may not be present in every bale due to the insects’ tendency to swarm, which means that it is possible that only bales from certain areas of the field may be infested. Chemical control is generally not recommended at harvest because dead beetles could be still be incorporated into cured hay instead of falling onto the ground.
If blister beetle toxicity is suspected, a diagnostic test is available through
the NDSU veterinary diagnostic laboratory. Plasma or urine samples are used for the test. For more information about the test, visit ndsu.ag/VDL-sample. Additional information on blister beetle identification and management is available at ndsu.ag/blister-beetle. NDSU Extension agents are also available to aid in identification and determine best management practices for dealing with blister beetles.
NDSU Agriculture Communication – June 15, 2023
Source: James Rogers, 701857-7682, james.rogers.1@ ndsu.edu
Source: Miranda Meehan, 701-231-7683, miranda. meehan@ndsu.edu
Source: Karl Hoppe, 701652-2951. karl.hoppe@ ndsu.edu
Editor: Elizabeth Cronin, 701-231-7881, elizabeth. cronin@ndsu.edu
https://www.ag.ndsu.edu/ news/newsreleases/2023/ june/blister-beetles-in-hayare-a-danger-for-livestock
Peonies are an easy-to-grow plant, with beautiful, colorful blossoms.
as tree forms and a combination of the two forms. There are many different bloom colors, including reds, pinks, white and pink, corals and even yellow.
By Carrie Knutson, horticulture agent; NDSU Exten-
- Grand Forks County
Peonies are one of my favorite spring flowers. I have four plants and I can’t wait until my house is filled with pink and white peony blossoms. If you don’t have them in your landscape, I encourage you to find space to grow a peony.
Peonies are herbaceous perennials that grow 3 to 4 feet tall and wide. Peonies can grow for many years and are often found still growing around old houses and in old cemeteries.
There is a common shrub form of the peony, mentioned above, as well
Peonies require full sun and will not do well in shade. Most of the time, they will do well without any additional care if they receive enough sun. If you choose to fertilize your plant, wait until after it has bloomed as excess nitrogen could reduce the number of blooms.
Peonies are a great cut flower. I like to harvest the blooms in the morning. Blooms should be just barely open at harvest time. When you gently squeeze the bud, it should feel like a marshmallow. The soft, yet closed buds make it easier to wash any insects off with water before you bring them inside.
A side note on ants and peonies: peony blooms don’t need ants to open. However, ants enjoy the sweet secretion produced by the buds as they grow.
To extend the harvest
and your enjoyment, peonies can be harvested and stored in the fridge. Simply store the marshmallow buds in the fridge. Wrap them in plastic wrap with the cut ends in water. Then, bring them out of the fridge when you want some blooms to
brighten your day.
If you don’t bring the flowers inside, the spent blooms should be removed from the plant to keep it from breaking. Remove the spent flowers where a leaf is attached to the stem.
The most common dis-
ease I see on peonies is powdery mildew. There are other diseases such as, Peony leaf blotch and botrytis blight. The best way to fight these diseases is good garden sanitation and to reduce the time leaves stay wet by making sure there is air movement.
If your plants have not been blooming as much or if disease has been an issue, division might help. Division is splitting of a plant into smaller pieces to help the plant to improve growth. Peonies don’t like to be moved or divided so they can take 2 to 3 years to recover. If you need to move or divide plants, wait until the fall. When planting peonies the top of the roots should be placed 1 to 2 inches deep in the soil. Have you found space for a peony yet? Happy gardening!
NDSU Agriculture Communication – June 13, 2023
Source: Carrie Knutson, 701-780-8229, carrie.knutson@ndsu.edu; https:// www.ag.ndsu.edu/news/ columns/dakota-gardener/ dakota-gardener-perfect-peonies
Large groups of dragonflies will congregate to hunt in places with abundant insects. Different species of dragonflies swarm together, working to eat their fill. Some species migrate, and they will create swarms to move together as well
The small town of Flaxton, N.D., is gearing up for a fun-filled weekend as their annual county fair line-up kicks off this week.
The Burke County fair board has been hard at work planning this year’s fair that starts on Thursday and runs through the weekend. The main events of bull riding and live music are being offered free of charge.
“These will be free,” explained Nate Schneider of the fair board. “We are trying to bring people to Burke County.”
Badlands Professional Bull Riders are bringing over 30 riders for the Duel in the Dirt at the Burke
County fairgrounds at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday. Slamabama out of Fargo, N.D. will perform a concert right after. Food vendors and beer gardens will be on site.
An array of bounce houses will be available Friday-Sunday with the option of purchasing a day or weekend wristband for the kids to participate. The petting zoo will be open from 12-5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
Burke County 4-H families will be showcasing their work throughout the fair with exhibit judging starting Thursday. The horse show and pet/small animal show is Friday with the large animals being shown on Saturday. The sale will be at 3
p.m. on Saturday.
Other events include a dodgeball tournament sponsored by Farmers Union of Burke County, karaoke, a free lunch on Saturday sponsored by Northwest Communications Co-op, a crafters and bakers market, bingo and mini golf.
Northern Edge Saddle Club is hosting the youth ranch rodeo on Sunday at 10 a.m. for all ages of kids on foot and horseback.
The Burke County fairgrounds are located one mile north of Flaxton, N.D. So take the family for a weekend of great entertainmen.
Reviewed by McKenna Walter. Genre: Historical Fiction; New Adult
I’m a historical fiction nut, especially around the World Wars. There’s a lot of pain associated with the World Wars but also great bravery and heroism that just make World War stories so compelling. Kate Quinn is quickly becoming one of my favorite historical fiction writers and The Rose Code is definitely part of the reason. I’ve read two books by her now and they were both just amazing. I could gush on and on about them both. I actually have a third book by her waiting on my shelf for when I just need my history fix.
In 1940, as England prepares to fight the Nazis, everyone is doing their part. For three very different girls, their part is answering the mysterious summons from Bletchley Park where brilliant minds broke German military codes. Beautiful, wealthy debutante, Osla has everything, even the young Prince Philip’s heart it seems. But everything isn’t enough, she wants a purpose, to be
able to help. She puts her fluency in German to work at Bletchley as a translator of decoded enemy secrets.
Mab has lived in poverty her whole life but at Bletchley, she’s the queen and puts her skills to work on the legendary code-breaking machines.
Billeted together, Mab and Osla are quick to see the potential in the daughter of who they’re billeted with.
Beth is a shy spinster but her shyness just conceals her brilliant ability with puzzles.
Soon, Beth is spreading her wings as one of the Park’s few female cryptanalysts.
In 1947, war, loss, and the pressure of secrecy has
torn the three girls apart. As they try to pick up the pieces of their lives, Beth, Mab, and Osla are yanked back to their time at Bletchley Park by encrypted messages that bring them back to their time at Bletchley Park. When the encrypted messages also spell out the story of a mysterious traitor, the girls must return to the long-ago betrayal that destroyed their friendship and sent one to the asylum to uncover the truth.
This book was filled with so many great and uniquely different characters. There was no cookie-cutting the girls and it filled it with so much realisticness. Mab is probably my favorite. She’s such a strong, no nonsense character right from the start. But her story of love, heart break, and the way it changes her is just so well-written.
Osla also goes through quite a bit of struggle with her relationship but she struggles more with her identity. She’s sick of being known as a silly or stupid debutante and despite all that she’s done and continues to do, she’s still called that. She
struggles the same as the other girls but I think her struggles were less difficult. I’m not trying to take away from her struggle, though. It’s just a different kind of struggle from the other two. Osla’s biggest struggle is probably when her and Mab’s friendship broke apart. She also struggled with her relationship with Prince Philip.
Beth had the most growth out of the girls. She started
off as shy, not stepping out of line, etc. But then she takes the job at Bletchley Park and stops letting her mother belittle her. She even starts a relationship. She becomes a strong, determined character. You could call her obsessed with the way she has to break all the codes. Her downfall and then having to rebuild herself is great, too.
North Dakota state law requires youth ages 12-15 who want to operate a boat or personal watercraft by themselves with at least a 10-horsepower motor must pass the state’s boating basics course.
The course is available for home-study by contacting the North Dakota Game and Fish Department at 701328-6300, or ndgf@nd.gov. Two commercial providers also offer the course online, and links to those sites are found on the boat and water safety education page on the Game and Fish website at gf.nd.gov.
While the home-study course is free, students are charged a fee to take it on-
line. The online provider charges for the course, not the Game and Fish Department. The fee remains with the online provider.
The course covers legal requirements, navigation rules, getting underway, accidents and special topics such as weather, rules of the road, laws, life saving and first aid.
On Monday, Juneteenth was celebrated as a federal holiday for the 3rd time. While Juneteenth wasn’t made a federal holiday until 2021, people have been celebrating it for 150 years. The day commemorates the end of slavery in Galveston, Texas, two years after the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863 to free enslaved Black people. During the Civil Rights movement in the 1960s and also with the Black Power movement, Juneteenth became a symbol of strength and triumph for African-Americans. When the bill to make Juneteenth a federal holiday came to the House, it passed overwhelmingly with 220 yes votes from the Democratic party, 195 yes votes from the Republican party, 2 not-voting, and 14 nays from the Republican party. In the Senate, the bill passed unanimously.
Over the holiday weekend, multiple mass shootings took place in Chicago, Washington state, central Pennsylvania, St. Louis, Southern California, and Blatimore left six people killed, including a Pennsylvania state trooper, and dozens injured.
Fear tends to cripple us - which is unfortunate because it’s present in so many aspects of our lives. Fear in relationships, fear surrounding health issues, fear about careers and financial stability. None of those things are going away, so the key to overcoming those fears is action. And that doesn’t mean running away from the fear. Commit to an action that helps break the power that fear has over you. Face it, not just in thought but in action.
Multiple shooters opened fire in a suburban Chicago parking lot where hundreds of people had gathered to celebrate Juneteenth. At least 23 people were shot, with one being fatal. At a campground in Washington state where many people were staying to attend a nearby music festival, two were killed and two were injured when a shooter began randomly shooting into a crowd. In central Pennsylvania, one state trooper was killed and a second critically injured on Saturday after a gunman attacked a state police barracks. At 1:00 am on Sunday, teenagers were having a party in a St. Louis office building when they were shot, killing one 17-year-old and wounding nine other teens. The shooting in Southern California took place at a pool party that left eight people wounded. In Baltimore, on Friday night, officers heard gunshots in the north of the city just before 9:00 pm and found three men with multiple gunshot wounds. Six people were injured in total as three additional victims walked into area hospitals with wounds.
Sunday, a majority of Swiss citizens voted to pass a bill aimed at sharply curbing the Alpine nation’s greenhouse gas emissions. A campaign by
scientists and environmentalists to save the rapidly melting Switzerland glaciers sparked the referendum. More ambitious measures were originally proposed by campaigners but they later backed a government plan. The government plan requires Switzerland to achieve “net zero” emissions by 2050 and will help companies and homeowners to wean off fossil fuels with more than 3 billion Swiss francs ($3.357 billion) that were set aside. 59.1% of voters were in favor of the bill while 40.9% were against it.
On Friday, Germany handed over two masks to Colombia that had been in Berlin’s museum collection for more than a century. The wooden “sun masks” were made by the Indigenous Kogi people and date back to the mid-15th century. They were handed over to President Gustavo Petro of Colombia during a visit to the presidential palace in Berlin. After years of contact between Berlin’s museum authority and Colombia, and an official request for the return last year, the decision to restitute was made. The masks are sacred to the Kogi who live in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta mountains of northern Colombia.
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