Alphons Offermann

Alphons “Alfie” M. Offermann, 79, Kindred, died on Wednesday, May 20, 2009 at Villa Maria, Fargo.  The funeral was Tuesday, May 26 in Fredrikson Funeral Chapel, Kindred.  

Nancy Jo Ganjo

Nancy Jo (Miller) Ganjo, 52, Kingman, Ariz., formerly Page, died May 22, 2009.

Local EMS director awarded

Dr. Brian Sauter, medical director for the Rural Cass County Ambulance and Rescue Association (RCCARA), was named Medical Director of the Year at the North Dakota Emergency Medical Services Association (NDEMSA) awards ceremony in Bismarck on April 4. Sauter was nominated by the RCCARA. 

“We were very pleased that Dr. Sauter got this award,” said Ken Habiger, Casselton EMS volunteer. “Everyone in the county really appreciates all that he does.”

Sauter, an emergency medicine physician at Innovis Health in Fargo, has been the medical director for the RCCARA since 2003. He serves as the medical director to the Casselton, Kindred, Hunter and Page ambulance services and the Buffalo and Leonard Quick Response Units (QRU). 

To operate an ambulance service or QRU in North Dakota, there must be a medical director who operates under the protocols established by the state health department. As a medical director, Dr. Sauter works with the services on training programs and reviews runs and serves as advisor in major disasters such as the recent flooding and storms. He meets with QRUs as their scheduling permits. 

“He gives valuable insight and input to squad members and has been supportive of each sqaud’s activities and skills,” explained Nancy Satrom, president of the Page ambulance service. “The county responders have appreciated Dr. Sauter’s interest and participation in their continuing education.”

Sauter’s experience in emergency services also includes his time with the U.S. Army in Heidelburg, Germany; Fort Gordon, Ga. and Kosovo. He joined the Emergency Medicine Department of Innovis as a staff physician in 2002. He has also served as a consultant to the F-M Ambulance on protocols and trauma plans. 

In addition to receiving the Medical Director of the Year award, Dr. Sauter was named a fellow by the American College of Emergency Physicians in 2002. 

(To become a Fellow, a physician must be an active, life, honorary, or international member of ACEP for three consecutive years and primarily practice as an emergency physician, exclusive of training. The physician must also be board certified by the American Board of Emergency Medicine, the American Osteopathic Board of Emergency Medicine, or the American Board of Pediatrics in pediatric emergency medicine. Each of these professional boards are member boards of the American Board of Medical Specialties.)

 

     

Mapleton celebrates Arbor Day

 

Mapleton Mayor Mark Anderson (left) posed with Gerald Volk, who had a Redmond Linden planted in honor of him, his wife DeLilah and their family. The Volk’s tree was planted in Christensen Park.

By Amanda Gades 

On Monday, May 18, Mapleton held a special event in honor of Arbor Day. 

The annual event took place at the Mapleton Arboretum and was organized by Park Board Chair Rita Schmit. Also involved with the day was Mayor Mark Anderson, Mapleton Elementary fourth graders and Mapleton residents. 

“It’s a great way to get the kids more involved with the trees,” said Schmit. 

The celebration included planting various trees such as Sweet Cherry, Robinson Crab Apple, Sculptured Scotch Pine, Tree Hydrangea, and other bushes and plants including Lilies, Peonies and Spirea.

A tree is also planted each year in honor of a resident. This year that the group planted a Redmond Linden and dedicated it to the Gerald and DeLilah Volk family. 

“Gerry has done volunteer work for the city for over 40 years,” said Mapleton Mayor Mark Anderson. “He has performed countless hours of service and provided equipment. The time is always free. He is a great community citizen that we needed to recognize.” 

Anderson added that he thoroughly enjoyed participated in the event. 

“It’s always a great time,” Anderson explained. “Anything to make the town look a little better.” 

More trees will be planted in Mapleton in June and July, thanks to a beautification grant that the city was awarded, explained Schmit.

Titan Machinery acquires Arthur Mercantile

By Sarah Sorvaag

Arthur Mercantile Co. has been a prominent business on Main Street in Arthur for many decades. This locally owned business is the oldest farm equipment dealership in North Dakota, at 119 years old, and continues to thrive in popularity.

Although Arthur Mercantile could continue to independently offer quality equipment at reasonable prices, the decision was recently made to have the small town business merge into a Titan Machinery Inc. multi-store complex. 

Arthur Mercantile representatives and Titan Machinery representatives have been discussing the merge since early this year. An agreement was reached in March and the acquisition is expected to close on May 28.

James L. Williams, Arthur Mercantile’s President and Treasurer, has been on Titan Machinery’s board of directors since 2003. He is a strong supporter of Titan Machinery’s long-term growth initiatives and the impressive organization of their local facilities. He stated that the small town business is simply changing management and its appearance, but will continue to provide personal service to area farmers.

“The Arthur Mercantile Company will still own the property. We intend to do major remodeling and possibly an addition and upgrading,” he said.

“I think it’s really the trend in the industry to consolidate large multi-store complexes. It’s what the manufacturers want, though we were not forced to do so,” Williams stated.

Williams expects that the transition from being a privately owned business to a multi-store complex will take some time for customers and employees to adapt.

“I suspect that all the people who work here will be doing things a little bit differently. There will be some new procedures and some changes in personnel roles in the future. For now, everyone who is here will continue to do what they’ve been doing,” he explained.

One of the new personnel features to be added in Arthur is the position of complex manager, which will be filled by Kevin Boeder. He will manage both Casselton and Arthur’s Titan Machinery businesses. Byron Nelson will be Arthur’s site manager.

“We’re very excited. They bring a lot of product support to the customers. It’s common for there to be a complex manager overseeing two stores. Casselton and Arthur have a long-standing relationship and they compliment each other well,” Boeder said.

Williams stated that Titan Machinery’s success will likely be a great asset in the continuation of Arthur’s ability to offer quality farming equipment.

“They have been very successful. With their size, they can take advantage of buying in volume. I like the way they run their stores. They’re managed locally as opposed to being run out of some central location. The local managers have a lot of authority and responsibility. Decisions can be made here as opposed to calling someone at some other location,” Williams stated.

“We will continue to have a dealership here, which is important to our family. It’s important to Titan that our local customers are taken care of,” he added.

  Titan Machinery owns and operates one of the largest networks of full service agricultural and construction equipment stores in North America. Including Arthur Merc., the network consists of 66 dealerships throughout the upper Midwest.

Herbert Luther

Herbert Luther, 85, Alice, N.D., died Sunday, April 26, 2009 in Bethany Homes, Fargo, N.D., under the care of Hospice of the Red River Valley.

Herbert Ferdinand Luther was born September 2, 1923 on the family farm near Alice, to Fred and Rose (Buschold) Luther. He was raised at Alice and attended rural school. He farmed at Alice until 1980 and from 1980 to 2006 he worked for Camas Sand and Grave of Embden, N.D. On December 25, 1946, he married Glee Lettenmaier in Valley City, N.D. She died in January 2007. Herb entered Bethany Homes in January of this year.

He was a lifetime member of the Alice Volunteer Fire Department and Alice Wildlife Club. He also was a member of the Fargo Eagles Club for many years.

He is survived by two sons, Gary (Denise), Casselton, N.D., Danny (Vicki), Wheatland, N.D.; three daughters, Karen (Keith) Pribbenow, Holly (Rodney) Gapp, both Fargo, N.D., Tracy (Kent) Peterson, of Bismarck, N.D.; sister, Lorraine Hahn, Fargo; fourteen grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Joy Thompson

Joy Thompson, 58, Argusville, died on Tuesday, April 21, 2009 in MeritCare Hospital, Fargo. The funeral was held Saturday, April 25 in the Northern Cass High School near Hunter.

Ervin Barfuss

Ervin Barfuss, 80, Lisbon, formerly Leonard, died Saturday, April 25, 2009 in St. Catherine’s Living Center, Wahpeton. The funeral is Friday, May 1, at 2:00 p.m. in St. Peter Lutheran Church, Leonard.

Burial is in Watson Cemetery, rural Leonard.

Water, water everywhere

 

A look at the Davenport elevator from two and a half miles south of the city. While the view appears that a lake is located outside of the town, it is actually flood waters that have taken over farm land and added about six inches of water to the land.

By Amanda Gades 

    Two and a half miles south of Davenport, fields that once grew corn are now flooded with at least six inches of water. On the outskirts of Kindred, County Road 46 on the south side has gone under and farm land looks like lakes. Walcott is also overwhelmed by water which has washed out Richland County Road 26. Sandbags guard homes west of Davenport and around homes along the Sheyenne River. Indeed, portions of rural Cass County are still wading through the water and hoping that the Sheyenne River continues to recede. But, this area is not yet ready to wrap up flood efforts. 

On alert

Davenport firefighters have focused their time for the past month on keeping the water from overtaking homes and property. 

“We’ve laid 60,000 sandbags,” said Matt Palluck, assistant fire chief and communications coordinator for the flood fight. “Everything went as good if not better than anticipated. Neighbors are helping neighbors.”  

New administrator at Good Samaritan Center

 

Bruce Bowersox (right) talks to residents (left going clockwise) Francis Follis, Dorothy Murch, Lorraine Ramstad and Alice Larson during their lunch of sausage and sauerkraut. Bowersox’s main goal as administrator is to get to know everyone and assure the residents that they are cared about.

 

By Amanda Gades 

Bruce Bowersox feels at home at the Good Samaritan Center in Arthur. In his second month on the job, he knows that he made the right choice. 

“The mission of the Good Samaritan Society matches my personal philosophy of caring for others,” Bowersox said.  

It’s pretty neat to be at the original Good Samaritan Center site, he added. 

“The original building (built in 1922) is in the backyard on a foundation,” Bowersox said.  

A wide range of experience 

Bowersox wasn’t always planning to be a healthcare administrator. 

“Originally I wanted to go for pharmacy,” he said. “My first year of school at Concordia College was preparatory for that. Then, my second year I decided that I would stay one more year before I would go to NDSU for their pharmacy program, but I lost interest in the sciences – physics, chemistry. There was a speaker on healthcare administration and I was invited to the presentation. After his talk, I was pretty much decided that I was going to go for the hospital program.”