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In 2018, Medicaid Expansion was on the ballot and Richland County voters against funding the welfare program by 67%, an overwhelming majority. In 2019, former Rep. Joel Krautter crossed party lines to vote with his Democrat colleagues and fellow “Solutions Caucus” Republicans to narrowly pass Medicaid Expansion. In other words, Rep. Krautter voted against the will of his constituents. However, in an op-ed published April 14, 2019 in another publication, Krautter explained his reasoning for votin...
Dear Editor: In the 2020 primary season for HD35 there seems to be much misinformation circulating. Joel Krautter has claimed in his various letters, Facebook posts, and mailings that his vote for Medicaid Expansion Renewal didn’t provide funding for abortion and that those reporting his voting record are “extremists.” Let me address these two accusations. First, contrary to Rep. Krautter and a few other woefully misinformed (but probably well-intentioned) supporters, Medicaid absolutely does...
In the darkest days of the novel coronavirus pandemic, some Sidney clergy are convinced that it’s all the more important to remember that the sun will still rise, and that the Son has still risen. Planning a sunrise service on Easter morning with several churches, Audrey Rydbom of Pella Lutheran Church spoke to the Roundup about their plans to host the gathering with both traditional and creative components that will give community residents an opportunity to celebrate their faith in relative s...
Dear Editor, I would like to sincerely thank the many attendees at the town hall forum hosted by the Republican Party to discuss making Richland County a sanctuary county for the Second Amendment and the Right to Life. I was very pleased to see so many of our neighbors attend the event, which was likely a record of some kind for the county. As we proceed in this venture, with so many in support, we should realize that not everyone is in agreement. When that is the case, we should state our...
Austin Knudsen, a resident of Culbertson, Montana, a former speaker of the Montana House of Representatives and fifth generation Montanan is running for state Attorney General. The Roundup spoke with Knudsen about his ambition for the office and why he feels that he's the best candidate for the job. Knudsen, who is currently the Roosevelt County Attorney, told the Roundup, "I'm running for office because Christie and I have given it lots of thought and lots of prayer, and we're looking at the...
The North Dakota Public Service Commission held a public hearing to discuss a possible new pipeline. The meeting was held on May 17 at the Little Missouri Grille and Suites, and was attended by approximately ten people including three of the North Dakota Public Service Commissioners, some private company representatives, local officials, and at least one legislator. There were about ten people present, not counting Public Service Commission staff and attorneys. The public meeting was held to...
Randy Pinocci, the recently elected Public Service Commissioner for District 1 (which includes Richland County and much of Eastern Montana), has some strong opinions about HB411, which he feels is designed to increase the Fish and Game Department's revenue by tacking funding onto an energy-related bill, while letting legislators claim they didn't raise taxes. Pincocci is also soliciting thoughts on a possible Montana Dakota Utilities rate increase from the public in Sidney. The Roundup spoke to...
A new law has passed the North Dakota legislature that is designed to fund infrastructure projects throughout the state and maintain current funding guidelines that assist the needs in McKenzie County. North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, signed the legislation that will help oil-producing regions in the state, from whence comes a great deal of state revenue. House Bill 1066 was called, “Operation Prairie Dog,” and intends to use revenue from oil and gas production to give more than $250 million t...
The recent flooding of the Yellowstone River has been the worst in memory for many in Richland County, Montana and McKenzie County, North Dakota. With roads shut down due to flooding and residents still unable to make it home to assess the damage, the question for many remains when things will get back to normal. The Roundup spoke with McKenzie County Emergency Planner, Karolin Jappe, who explained the extent of the damage and expressed that it could be weeks before the damage was properly asses...
Virginia Elliot will remain in her seat as mayor of Arnegard after a recall election. The efforts to remove the mayor failed by a 63-47 vote margin on Monday, March 11. Running against Elliot in the recall election was Arnegard’s previous mayor, Jeff Kindle. A petition was circulated last November to recall Elliot due to claims of nepotism centering on the hiring of her son’s construction company to do work for the city. Also cited in the recall petition was Elliot’s allegedly failing health and...
Montana Dakota Utilities (MDU) announced plans in a February 19 press release to shut down the Lewis & Clark coal-fired electric generation unit in Sidney next year. The plant is one of three that will ultimately be shut down by MDU, with the other two units being at a single location in Mandan, North Dakota. The Roundup spoke with a number of local leaders regarding their views of the closure and predictions about how it might affect Richland County. Leslie Messer, Executive Director of...
The MonDak Ag Days and Trade Show will be held on March 7 and 8 in Sidney at the Richland County Event Center. Hosted by the Richland County Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture, the event will host speakers on a range of topics and will include country comedian and pundit, Chad Prather. The event will also highlight RanchHacks, an Information and Technology Systems organization that seeks to equip farm and ranch operations. Operated by Smittie Smith and based in Montana, RanchHacks is focused...
Senator Steve Daines visited Sidney on Saturday to attend the Richland County Republican Party's Lincoln-Reagan Day Banquet and made time prior to that event to meet supporters and veterans at the Sidney VFW Hall. Fielding questions on a number of issues, Senator Daines gave his thoughts on various political matters and took time first to discuss the importance of border security. "I wish every member of congress would jump on a plane and go to the Southern border and spend a few nights with...
Having been established in 1986, Enerplus is a crude oil and natural gas producer with production assets in both Canada and the United States. The company trades on both the Toronto Stock Exchange and the New York Stock Exchange and is a powerful producer in the Bakken oilfield. The corporation is focusing heavily on the region's oil and natural gas production and is forecasting strong profits for 2019. Based in Calgary, Alberta, Enerplus is planning to spend approximately 80 percent of its...
Transystems was founded in 1942 by John S. Rice and continues to be a family-owned operation that specializes in bulk commodities distribution. The company operates in the Midwest and Western United States and has a significant presence in the MonDak region, especially as it relates to the transportation of sugar beets between pile grounds and beet processing plants. As a major hauler of the agricultural commodity, few others have their finger on the pulse of the beet industry quite like Transys...
The storm that rocked Watford City on July 10 ended with the fatality of a young child, critically injured nine people and hurt more than a dozen others. It also left parts of Watford City in shambles, particularly the Prairie View RV Park that suffered the bulk of the damage. More than 200 homes were destroyed and many families were displaced by the EF2 tornado, many of them RVs or trailers lived in by out-of-town oilfield workers. Recovery efforts have been underway since then, and the...
The prospects for a good financial year in McKenzie County and the surrounding region is hopeful, according to Daniel Stenberg who serves as the Economic Development Coordinator for McKenzie County. Stenberg is a native of Watford City and attended college in Jamestown. The Roundup spoke with Stenberg about economic development in 2018 and what he expects for 2019. Stenberg told The Roundup, "I think 2018 was a very brisk year. All of the businesses have probably seen an upswing. School...
An explosion rocked a White Owl Energy Services saltwater disposal site on Thursday, which led to a temporary evacuation of the Black Gold Suites and the yard and apartment owned by Mann Energy Services. The incident was east of Watford City, approximately a quarter-mile from Highway 23 in McKenzie County. Reports indicate that many in the surrounding area, some well more than a mile away, felt the concussion and heard the explosion first hand at about 12:15 p.m. Central Time. The Roundup spoke...
When Public Service Commission candidate Randy Pinocci came to Sidney in October, he promised to keep local voters apprised of energy needs and to inform the public as to the role and responsibility of the Public Service Commission. Pinocci contacted The Roundup to clarify that he was keeping good on his promises and to inform the public of a little known program to help energy consumers with the financial cost of utilities. Since winning office in November, Pinnoci has been busy developing his...
Watford City voters have overwhelmingly approved two ballot initiatives set to fund the construction of an elementary school and provide potential funding for another. Two questions were asked of voters. The first was whether or not residents should approve a general obligation bond up to 35 million dollars for the purpose of building a new elementary school, which would raise millage an additional 13 mills, equal to $13 dollars on each thousand dollars taxable valuation for the first taxable...
Healthworks, a popular gym facility in Sidney, has recently added a new line of cutting-edge workout equipment. The Roundup spoke with Scott Doty, who has served as director of Healthworks gym for the last 12 years. Healthworks is a separate non-profit from the Sidney Health Center, but rents space from the facility and is managed by hospital staff. Doty explained the new equipment and how it was acquired. Doty said, "The newest equipment we have in is the Keiser Strength Line. The nice thing...
An explosion rocked a White Owl Energy Services saltwater disposal site on Thursday, which led to a temporary evacuation of the Black Gold Suites and the yard and apartment owned by Mann Energy Services. The incident was east of Watford City, approximately a quarter-mile from Highway 23 in McKenzie County. Reports indicate that many in the surrounding area, some well more than a mile away, felt the concussion and heard the explosion first hand at about 12:15PM Central Time. The Roundup spoke wit...
McKenzie County voters will decide whether to approve or deny two requests designed to fund upcoming anticipated needs of the school district. Question one asks residents to approve a general obligation bond in an amount up to 35 million dollars, for the purpose of providing funds necessary to construct a new elementary school. It will raise millage an additional 13 mills, which is equal to $13 dollars on each thousand dollars of taxable valuation for the first taxable year. Question two asks...
WASHINGTON – Congressman Greg Gianforte recognized Katie Dasinger of Sidney with his Spirit of Montana commendation for her leadership, commitment to promoting community service, and efforts to develop young professionals. Dasinger is founder and president of Sidney Young Professionals, a group focused on community service as well as personal and professional development. The organization regularly organizes entrepreneurship panels, roundtable discussions, public forums, training programs, a...
Through a cooperation of private and public entities that include both the Sidney Health Center and Richland County Schools, a groundbreaking piece of technology is now available for educators and students. The Anatomage Table is a highly advanced anatomy visualization system that is used in leading medical schools. Its technological innovations have been highlighted on PBS, the TEDTalks Conference, and other national outlets, but have now found a home educating Richland County students. The...
