Emotions headline first quarter of 2007

The year 2007 proved an eventful one for residents of the MonDak region. It has been filled with inspiration, heartache, tragedy, and economic spurts. Here is a look back at the first quarter of the year.

January

Entrepreneurs/ecologists from Grand Forks decided to bring in the New Year by demonstrating this state's potential for wind energy by launching a snowkiting expedition from northwest North Dakota to the South Dakota border.

The Montana Highway Patrol and the Roosevelt County Sheriff's Office probed a hit-and-run incident, killing Scott Merle Milke, 51.

Freshman District 1 Representatives Gary Sukut and Pat Hatlestad joined District 1 Sen. Stan Lyson as the 60th Session of the North Dakota State Legislature opened.

Macy Jane Lambert was the first baby born at Mercy Medical Center in 2007, arriving Jan. 1.

The Borreson quadruplets - Carter, Brayden, Keira and Gracie, children of Steve and Lisa Borreson - celebrated their first birthdays.

Trenton and Williston Schools beefed up safety procedures for school sites as they began working on emergency plans. Williston schools began requiring all visitors and employees to wear badges when they enter the building.

Phil Rabon was presented the Western Star Award during the Williston Area Chamber of Commerce Annual Banquet, where the organization celebrated 100 years of promoting business in the community. Sergeant David Belisle was named the Police Officer of the Year.

City Commissioner Tom Ritter was censured for his failure to disclose to other commissioners he was a partner with a man who purchased city property three years ago.

Authorities searched by vehicles and snowmobiles for a male suspect who held up the Ray Cooperative Credit Union Jan. 24, and reportedly fled on a snowmobile. He was wearing a snowmobile helmet. The FBI assisted in the probe. Brent Moe, 38, of Tioga was charged for for accessory in the crime, and Justin David Rienets, 22, was named as the suspected robber.

The Darcy Sledvold family's children and their pets escaped in an early morning Jan. 25 at the Painted Woods Subdivision, but were displaced. The fire was started by an electrical heater.

On Jan. 27, a separate robbery was investigated by Williston at the Second Street Kum and Go. A masked man robbed a clerk early that morning.

February

Two area financial institutions - First National Bank and Trust of Williston and First International Bank and Trust of Watford City - were among a lengthy list of lead investors suing music promoter Louis Pearlman.

A lawsuit against the city of Williston for providing a tax increment district to finance the public portion of the future Spring Creek Estates development in east Williston was dropped by City Commissioner Tom Ritter. Ritter based his decision based on Northwest District Judge Gary Lee's comment that he would not override a 4-1 decision by the City Commission to implement the TIF.

Over 1,000 people packed the Airport International Inn Feb. 11 for the 24th Annual Williston Basin Petroleum Institute (API) Chili Cookoff. The fund raiser support multiple community causes, including scholarships.

Few local contractors bid to for portions of the new Williams County Correctional Center/Law Enforcement project.

Hearings were held for three suspects connected to the Jan. 27 robbery of the Second Street Kum and Go. They were Asa Omlid, as the robbery suspect; Ovette Porthen as the alleged getaway driver and Roger Yarbrough as a passenger in the getaway car. All three men reportedly shared money from the robbery.

Education continued to take priority at the North Dakota Legislative Session as lawmakers and a governor-appointed commission tweaked the details of a plan to revamp the K-12 funding formula. Full-day kindergarten and per capita funding on higher education also were topics of focus at a legislative forum intended to update the public on legislative matter.

William Hauge of Ray was issued a license to grow industrial hemp.

City Commissioner Ritter was removed from the Ad-Hoc Committee, after other city commissioners cited a conflict-of-interest in Ritter being a developer and being involved in the purchase of city-owned property.

City leaders unveiled the results of a housing study, indicating there was a strong market for homes for sale, but a huge shortage of available apartments in the city or other rental opportunities.

Clinton Mosby, 20, of Williston was killed after a fall from an oil rig drilling site about 40 miles west of Sidney, Mont.

Crews from Halliburton pitched in to help ailing pal Tony Jordan move to his home in 13 below windchill factor.

Flu struck Williston schools hard in February, causing heavy absenteeism from both staff and students.

The West Prairie Lutheran Church was destroyed in a fire on Feb. 17.

Emily McKenzie was named winner of the Mayor for a Day Essay Contest, and Raine Bertelsen was the runnerup. Both read their reports to the Williston City Commission.

March

The chokecherry was declared the official state fruit, after Nancy Selby's former sixth grade students had District 1 Sen. Stan Lyson sponsor a bill before the North Dakota State Legislature. Gov. John Hoeven signed the bill into law March 29 with the students in attendance.

Sen. Lyson's legislation to have the state pay for rape exams instead of the victim passed the State House, and was to be sent back to the Senate for minor revisions.

Karmen Lindsey, 23, pled guilty to stabbing her mother to death in March of 2006. She was sentenced to 40 years in prison for the Class AA felony, with 20 years suspended in a plea agreement reached between defense attorney Shane Peterson and Williams County State's Attorney Nicole Foster.

Bids were awarded for paving and grading work to progress the four-lane of U.S. Highway 2.

Firegfighters responded to a series of dryer fires. In one, an apartment complex was evacuated when fire erupted in its washing area.

A Minot Air Force Base couple - Arthur Carroll, 22, and Brittany Carroll, east of Stanley, following a head-on collision. Also injured in the crash were Lynn Garaas, 23, Laurie Reighard, 48, and Gerald Reighard, 49, all of Williston.

The North Dakota State House passed Senate Bill 2200, adding some $80.5 million in the state's K-12 funding formula to achieve equity in funding measures.

April

Ground was broken for the $16 million Williams Correctional Center April 10.

Asa Omlid, 18, pled guilty to robbery, a Class B felony, and was ordered to served four years of a 10-year prison term under a plea agreement. He was reportedly the masked man who robbed the Second Street Kum and Go in January.

City Elevator suspended operations after management cited shortages of workers.

Williston Public School District 1 weighed the possibility of implementing an all-day kindergarten and alternative high school for at-risk students after good news was returned about Senate Bill 2200.

North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation officials announced that a 25-year-old Williston murder case appeared to have been cracked. An arrest warrant was issued against William See Walker for allegedly shooting convenience store clerk Gary Gerth, 18, to death in 1982. See Walker was already serving time in the North Dakota State Penitentiary after he was convicted of molesting a 7-year-old girl.

Annexations were approved for Doug and Connie Crosby's property, north of Bison Drive and west of Century Apartments, and Industrial Equipment of the KAV Subdivision, north of Wal-Mart.

The Williston City Commission committed up to $50,000 to bring a French fry plant to the region after an hour-long executive session meeting on April 10.

A body was found in a burning pickup April 15 near the Little Muddy River. He was later identified as Dustin Vallier, 24, of Williston.

Longtime paramedic Kurt Klemmensen was found dead in his home. Fellow motorcycle enthusiasts lined up at Faith United Methodist Church for the funeral. A procession of motorcyclists followed a fire truck throughout the Williston area, and ended their tribute with a ride through the Williston Fire Hall.

Airport boardings hiked 25 percent at Sloulin Field International Airport for the first quarter of 2007 after the city added a third flight to its schedule that routes to Dickinson and on to Denver.

Counselors and community members came together to comfort high school and middle school students after Stephanie Flory, and Trista Johnson, were killed in a one-vehicle rollover April 27 near Alexander.

An Arbor Day celebration was held April 21 at Cut Bluff Overlook to mark the 202nd anniversary of the presence of Meriwether Lewis and William Clark expedition.

A deal was being negotiated in late April for Kim Lester, accused of neglecting multiple animals on her Grenora farmstead in June of 2006.

A new owner purchased the pulse plant, located on the east side of Williston. The new owner of the Missouri River Ag Processing Plant is United Pulse Trading Inc., a subsidiary of Sakscan Pulse Trading. The plant had previously been a satellite plant of Superior Grains in Crosby.

Editor's Note: This is the first of a three-part series. Part two will run on Sunday and part three will run on Monday.