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.” 

The long road ahead: How to properly dispose of flood-related items

 

By Sarah Sorvaag

After weeks of filling sandbags and creating massive dikes, area residents are starting to wonder, what do we do now? There are many options available to Cass County residents who are ready to start taking down their dikes or are looking to schedule the deconstruction of their dirt dikes. Thought the threat of another crest has receded, there are still many necessary precautions homeowners need to take in order to prevent injury and harm to property.

Amelia Judisch

Amelia B. “Molly” Judisch, 93, West Fargo, N.D., died Thursday, April 2, 2009, in her home.
Amelia Robberstad was born May 3, 1915, near Roosevelt, Minn. She attended schools at Roosevelt and later moved with her parents to Hunter, N.D., where she met Fred Judisch. On November 10, 1934, they were married in the St. John Lutheran Church, Arthur, N.D. They farmed in the area for many years and in later years owned a grocery store in Leonard, N.D. She was active in the church and community for many years. Fred died in 1990. In 1991, she moved to the West Fargo High Rise where she did volunteer work for years.
She is survived by her children, Ken (LaDonna), West Fargo, N.D. and Janice (Norman) Erstad, Leonard, N.D.; daughter-in-law, Jan Judisch; seven grandchildren, 15 great- grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband, son, Ron, three brothers and three sisters.
The funeral service was held  Tuesday, April 7, 2009, in Leonard Lutheran Church, Leonard, N.D.
Burial is in Leonard (N.D.) Cemetery
Condolences can be sent online westfuneralhome.com.
Arrangements entrusted to West Funeral Home, Casselton and West Fargo.

Casselton diversion details are underway

By Amanda Gades 

Land has been purchased and more will be needed to ensure that the Swan Creek Diversion is sloped to have the greatest impact on water diversion, according to Chad Engels of the Water Resource District. 

At the April 6 meeting of the Casselton City Council, Engels provided an update on the project to the city, with the focus being on property needed near the golf course.  Three property owners currently own land that is needed for the diversion. 

Engels believes that the property owners will not like having to give up the land or having the trees cut down. However, the diversion may not be nearly as effective without the acquisition of that property.   

If we build a 4 to 1 slope instead of the 6 to 1 slope that we are planning, we are likely to see a slope failure, Engels explained. 

Mayor Ed McConnell agreed that the property is needed. 

“I’d like to see you stick with the  6 to 1 slope,” McConnell said. “It’s probably not going to be what the homeowners want, but we have to stick with it. We have seen what the 4 to 1 slope does. It fails.”

McConnell recommended that Engels meet with the property owners and provide a detailed explanation of why their property is needed. 

Council member Pete Silbernagel noted that he understands the property is needed but believes that care needs to be taken in the conversations with the homeowners. 

“I think that we ought to be super sensitive and do everything that we can to work with the homeowners,” Silbernagel said. 

The major flooding in the area may play a key role in convincing the land owners. 

“You could not have hit a better year to talk with the property owners about the diversion,” Tillisch said. 

Engels will report back to the council on the discussions with the property owners. 

Also related to land for the diversion, the council approved the purchase agreement for two parcels of land from Jack Dalrymple, which is located in the Cottonwood Estates and south of the lagoon. About $44,000 was paid to Dalrymple for the property. Also, the partial vacation of North Everest 2nd Addition was approved. 

Dirt from construction of Swan Creek

Several people have been asking about the dirt that is leftover from working on the construction of the Swan Creek Diversion. One of the Casselton homeowners, Steve McNab, came to the council to request some of the dirt. McNab explained that he would pay for it to be hauled for personal use. 

“When the dirt is stock piled and out of the way, then details for purchasing the dirt can be discussed,” McConnell said. 

McConnell suggested that McNab come back to the council later on this summer with his request.

Kindred prepares emergency plan and looks ahead to more possible flooding

 

By Amanda Gades 

Kindred is doing everything possible to prepare for more overland flooding, including dike reinforcements and an emergency evacuation plan.  

At the April 1 city council meeting, Kindred area residents gathered to receive an update on the flooding situation. 

Governor Hoeven commends Casselton

 

Gov. Hoeven (second from left) spoke with Central Cass Superintendent Mike Severson (right) while at the school. Also at the school were Dakota Homeland Security Directory Division Director Greg Wilz (from left), City Council member Tom Sinner, Casselton Mayor Ed McConnell, Casselton City Auditor Brandy Pyle, Casselton EMS volunteer Kenny Habiger and Severson’s seventh grade daughter Kassie.

By Amanda Gades 

   Casselton area residents’ assistance for flood evacuees did not go unnoticed by the leadership of North Dakota. 

   A message of sincere gratitude was expressed by Gov. John Hoeven and North Dakota Homeland Security Directory Division Director Greg Wilz on April 1 when he met with city leaders and visited two sites for evacuees – the Central Cass School (the Red Cross shelter had closed just a couple hours prior) and St. Leo’s Catholic Church (Bethany Homes residents were staying there). 

   “It’s (Casselton) been really important both in terms of providing shelter to nursing homes and for a place to stay (for evacuees),” Hoeven said. 

    Hoeven’s visit in Casselton began at City Hall, where he met up with Casselton Mayor Ed McConnell, City Councilman Tom Sinner, and City Auditor Brandy Pyle.