To get ALL the news from the Edge of the Frontier, subscribe to NORTHERN HERALD. Details on Home Page: http://members.aol.com/nhrld/index.html ****************************************************************** Copyright (c) 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998 by Northern Herald and Northern Herald Publications, Inc. MEDIA AND OTHER USERS: See Copyright Info and Limited Permission to Use - Revised 9/6/97 - at the end of this file. ****************************************************************** THE LIBRARY - VOLUME 3 - 10/13/97 to 09/15/98 THE NORTHERN HERALD LIBRARY OF ARCHIVED ISSUES ************************************ FULL TEXT FOLLOWS TABLES OF CONTENTS ************************************ There is no index, nor is one needed. If you are researching a particular subject, or person, use the FIND utility in your browser's EDIT menu (at top of your screen) to locate stories dealing with your topic. Contents are in order - are not hypertext - just SCROLL DOWN to find what you want - this file is cumulative and voluminous - you may find it expeditious to FIND (from your EDIT menu on Explorer and certain other browsers) for a keyword in the headline (as listed in these Contents), or to download and then search): CONTENTS - BY ISSUE (DESCENDING): ------------------------------------ ISSUE OF 08/26/98 - VOLUME 3 NO. 16 ------------------------------------ Leading Edge Journalism DUDLEY, BURGOON FACE-OFF IN HUBBARD CO. DIST. 5 Leading Edge Journalism BEMIDJI POLICE PROSTITUTION OMNIBUS HELD, UNEVENTFUL Election '98 STEELE, LAWRENCE HEAD FOR PRIMARY IN HOUSE 4A FORS FELONY COUNT DROPPED Bemidji's Glass House of Corruption Crumbles 'GENE'S PLACE' BAR, BEMIDJI, RAIDED BY BCA BACKUS HOLDS CORN FEST NEW RECREATION COMMITTEE FORMED ELECTION PROCEEDS QUIETLY, ORDERLY AT WHITE EARTH WE LEARN FROM HEROES, PEOPLE WITH SUBSTANCE by Robert Morton, M.Ed., Ed.S. Connections . . . NEW, COMPETITIVE INTERNET NOW AVAILABLE IN BEMIDJI, OTHER NORTHERN CITIES Advertisement ADAM STEELE FOR STATE REP - DIST. 4A CONSUMER CORNER A SIGN OF GOOD BUSINESS CLIENT CLAIMS RIPPED OFF BY MEN'S ADVOCATE THE HARTHUN RECORDS Advertisement DANIEL PATRICK BROWN Candidate for Beltrami County Attorney ------------------------------------ ISSUE OF 08/05/98 - VOLUME 3 NO. 15 ------------------------------------ DANIEL PATRICK BROWN BRINGS BELTRAMI VOTERS CHOICE OF CO. ATTORNEY FAVER REFUSES INTERVIEW ANOTHER BEMIDJI OFFICER CHARGED VISITORS SWARM NEVIS FOR MUSKIE DAYS!! CANDIDATES VIE FOR HUBBARD COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE JOHANNSEN: A CAREER LAWMAN BURNS: AGGRESSIVE ABOUT IMPROVEMENTS GARY MILLS - REFUSED INTERVIEW VINING, NYBERG, OTHERS AT WHITE OAK DO IT AGAIN!! ADVERTISEMENT: ADAM STEELE FOR HOUSE 4A LETTERS TO THE EDITOR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP AT SHEVLIN SAWDUST DAZE! NORTH STAR STAMPEDES AT EFFIE!! THE HARTHUN RECORDS DARTS SHOT AT CARS, ARREST, AT PINE RIVER ------------------------------------ ISSUE OF 07/15/98 - VOLUME 3 NO. 14 ------------------------------------ Leading Edge Journalism ----------------------- Bemidji's Finest at Their Very Best BEMIDJI POLICE PROSTITUTION PHOTOS FILED Omnibus Postponed - Bemidji Refuses Records Request LYNETTE RUSSEL CAUGHT STEALING NORTHERN HERALD Their Mission Continues EDUCATORS, ALUMNI AT ST. MARY'S, RED LAKE, REMEMBER, LOOK TOWARD NEW CENTURY SUMMER FESTS SWEEP NORTHLAND! At Akeley - Paul Bunyan Days At Bagley - The Centennial At Grand Rapids At Red Lake At Hackensack - Sweetheart Days COMING EVENTS - NORTH STAR STAMPEDE AND RODEO AT EFFIE COMING EVENTS - WHITE OAK RENDEZVOUS OASIS OFFERS DOWN-HOME COOKING WITH A FLAIR, IN PARK RAPIDS THE HARTHUN RECORDS Consumer Corner --------------- STATE FARM AUTO POLICYHOLDERS TO RECEIVE PLEASANT SURPRISE Editorial SHOULD THE BEMIDJI POLICE COMMISSION BE DISBANDED? ------------------------------------ ISSUE OF 06/24/98 - VOLUME 3 NO. 13 ------------------------------------ Leading Edge Journalism ----------------------- How Long Has This Been Going On ? TELL MAY HAVE KNOWN ABOUT "EXTRA-CURRICULAR" ACTIVITIES BEFORE INDICTMENTS REFORM PARTY DUMPS CROSS-ENDORSING AT CONVENTION Bemidji Crime GUN-TOTING "COWBOY" FROM BOTTUMS UP CAUSES STIR AT BEMIDJI RESTAURANT POLICE HAVE TO "HOGTIE" MAN IN BOTTUMS UP FIGHT ST. MARY'S TO HOLD ALL-SCHOOL REUNION AUGUST NUPTIALS PLANNED A BERRY GOOD TIME AT LAKE GEORGE !! TOURIST'S GUIDE TO LAKE GEORGE AREA FOOD & LODGING LETTERS TO THE EDITOR An open letter, from a reader, to the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe and Tribal Executive Committee: WITH A GRAIN OF SAND Advertisement ------------- BEMIDJI THE HARTHUN RECORDS Advertisement ------------- AIDS A National Epidemic CLEARWATER CO. FAMILY WANTS ANSWERS ON WHITCOMB DEATH Recipe Box IT'S BLUEBERRY TIME! Advertisement ------------- MAKE MONEY DAILY ! TAKE CARE OF INFANT FIRST, THEN GO BACK TO WORK by Robert Morton, M.Ed., Ed.S. ------------------------------------ ISSUE OF 06/03/98 - VOLUME 3 NO. 12 ------------------------------------ Pimp and Circumstance --------------------- POLICE PROSTITUTION INDICTMENTS CLIP TIP OF BEMIDJI CORRUPTION ICEBERG Defense Motions Filed; Police Corruption Evidence May Implicate Owner, Premises of Well-Known Bemidji Drinking Establishment Leading Edge Journalism SCHOOL LAND ACQUISITIONS PRODUCE VALUATION DISCORDS AKELEY'S PAUL BUNYAN DAYS OPEN SUMMER FESTS TOURIST'S GUIDE TO AKELEY AREA FOOD & LODGING LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Guest Column TELLING THE UNPOPULAR, UGLY TRUTH by David Grimes FIRST NOMINEE IN FOR 1998 SPHERES IS YOUR HOOD FLAG MISSING? GET A NEW HOOD FLAG, FREE, FOR FLAG DAY! ------------------------------------ ISSUE OF 05/13/98 - VOLUME 3 NO. 11 ------------------------------------ First Shot Fired in U.S. - Canadian War of 1998 DNR FOREST WORKER OPENS FIRE ON RAINY RIVER FIRST NATION FISHERMEN Leading Edge Journalism - Follow-Up CASE AGAINST FORMER CASS CO. DISPATCHER DISMISSED Ask The Tax Guy RECENT LAW GIVES SELF-EMPLOYEDS SIMPLE WAY TO PUT OVER $6,000/YEAR IN IRA FAMED 39TH SIGNAL BATTALION TO HOLD REUNION DAVID MARTIN CASE STILL PENDING TRIAL Leading Edge Journalism - Follow-Up FORS APPEARS FOR OMNIBUS Consumer Corner - Follow-Up HOUSTON FORD RENEGES ON OFFERED REFUND ROGNSTAD TURNS DOWN GUN PERMIT Letters to the Editor VISITOR GETS A TASTE OF BEMIDJI HOSPITALITY MAKE TIME IF YOU HAVE NO TIME FOR YOURSELF by Robert Morton, M.Ed., Ed.S. Eventide - Arts & Literature ROUGHING IT by Mark Twain ------------------------------------ ISSUE OF 04/22/98 - VOLUME 3 NO. 10 ------------------------------------ Leading Edge Journalism - Follow-Up FORS' ATTORNEY CHARGES DESTRUCTION OF EVIDENCE Parties Ordered to Disclose; Omnibus Continued to May 13 SMALL TECH FIRM MAY OFFER PROMISE OF CANCER VACCINE By Thom Calandra, CBS MarketWatch NOTE RE: VENDOR PRICING Follow-Up KRAKER DENIES LORY MOTION Bemidji Crime: CITIZEN'S PATROL NABS BAR EXITER, DRIVER, WITH .19 ALCOHOL Hard Times Saloon Not Charged BEMIDJI CONVENIENCE STORE ROBBED Leech Lake Primary Results JOHNSTON, REESE GO TO JUNE 9TH BALLOT Dist. 1: It's Michaud, White; Chase, Losh win in Dist. 2 BEMIDJI COMMUNITY THEATRE PERFORMS IN LOVE, SEX, AND THE I.R.S. EDITORIALS - OPINION Making Lemonade SHOULD THE PRESIDENT BE OUR NATIONAL STUD? Finally . . . a respectable night club near Bemidji. Letters to the Editor: SHOULD GAYS HAVE RIGHTS THAT OTHER PEOPLE IN ILLICIT RELATIONSHIPS DON'T? A CENTRALIA, WASHINGTON STUDENT WRITES Consumer Corner ALWAYS CHECK YOUR SCANNED GROCERY RECEIPT ----------------------------------- ISSUE OF 04/01/98 - VOLUME 3 NO. 9 ----------------------------------- FORS MOTION CHALLENGES ACCUSATIONS Leading Edge Journalism Accusers Named; Omnibus Scheduled EXCLUSIVELY in NORTHERN April 8th HERALD GOLDSTEIN ON LAWYERS WITH A GRAIN OF SAND The Candidates LEECH LAKE TO VOTE APRIL 14 ADVERTISEMENT - REFORM PARTY OF MINNESOTA FIGHTERS VIE FOR GOLDEN GLOVES AT CASS LAKE At The Reif "YOU'RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN" A SMASH IN GR ADVERTISEMENT - BEMIDJI COTTON MILLS ATWATER LEAVE COST NEARS $10,000 Consumer Corner CALLER ID A GOOD THING, BUT WATCH OUT FOR 'FEATURES' YOU DON'T WANT ----------------------------------- ISSUE OF 03/11/98 - VOLUME 3 NO. 8 ----------------------------------- DOUG PING WALLOPS LINDGREN IN LEECH LAKE MAIN EVENT Where Your Money Goes TEN EYCK, 27 SENATORS SUPPORT CONTINUING TAX-PAID GENDER CHANGE Northern Delegation Gets Low Score on 1997 Tax Voting Record 1997 NORTHLAND LEGISLATIVE VOTING RECORD ON TAX ISSUES DAVID ROUFS EARNS NATIONAL GUARD PROMOTION LEECH LAKE TO HOLD ELECTIONS GRAHAM TAKES TC REPUBLICAN AG ENDORSEMENT Signs . . . of a well rounded education. ADVERTISEMENT-BEMIDJI COTTON MILLS Editorials - Opinion YES, VIRGINIA, THERE IS A REFORM PARTY IN BEMIDJI. Season of Mass Deception Kicks Off - How The Dumbing-Down of the Electorate Begins - At the Grassroots Level WITH A GRAIN OF SAND... LETTERS TO THE EDITOR William Heatherington Consumer Corner HOUSTON FORD CUSTOMER BLOWN AWAY BY "PRICE SHOOTOUT" Bena Man Claims Attempted Overcharge, Misrepresentation of Warranty 5TH ANNUAL SLEIGH & CUTTER FESTIVAL ----------------------------------- ISSUE OF 02/18/98 - VOLUME 3 NO. 7 ----------------------------------- FISH TOURNEYS, GREAT JAZZ, SWEEP NORTHLAND FEBRUARY FISHING TOURNEYS CATCH NORTHLAND ANGLERS Leading Edge Journalism - Follow-up BCA REPORT ISSUED IN BEAULIEU SHOOTING; FAMILY CONSIDERS LAWSUIT FOR WRONGFUL DEATH ATWATER LEAVE COSTS BELTRAMI OVER $5,000 Musicians entertain at the monthly jam session at the Senior Center in Blackduck. SUICIDE SUPPPORT GROUP STARTS UP SEPARATION GRIEF SUPPORT SESSIONS BEGIN NEW GRASSROOTS LOBBYING ORGANIZATION TO FIGHT FOR TAX AND SPENDING CUTS Editorials - Opinion SHOULD MANUFACTURER, EMPLOYER AT RED LAKE BE PART OF THE VISION? Vision May Provide Rare Opportunity for Growth in Bemidji Area Editorials - Opinion EFFORTS TO SUPRESS FREE PRESS CONTINUE IN BEMIDJI Paul Bunyan Mall, Bemidji Police Try to Stop Curbside Sales of Northern Herald EASTER DRIVE FOR SERVICEMEN OVERSEAS UNDER WAY SNO-MO WEEKEND AT GRAND RAPIDS APPROACHES CONSUMER CORNER ----------------------------------- ISSUE OF 01/28/98 - VOLUME 3 NO. 6 ----------------------------------- CHAIRMAN HUNT RESPONDS TO PETITIONS States Four Points as to Validity; Tells Band of $60,000 Unauthorized Loan to RBC Members McARTHUR CENSURED BY TEC DAVID MARTIN ARRESTED, HELD IN 28-TIME RED LAKE SHOOTING BCA REPORT FORTHCOMING IN BEAULIEU SHOOTING BEMIDJI BOYCOTTS CONTINUE Editorials - Opinion DARKNESS COMES TO BEMIDJI GRAND RAPIDS . . . A UNIQUE BLEND OF COMMERCE, CULTURE AND COMMUNITY WHITE OAK READY TO OPEN ******************************************************** ----------------------------------- ISSUE OF 01/05/98 - VOLUME 3 NO. 5 ----------------------------------- CONSTRUCTION SITE SUICIDE UNDER INVESTIGATION Were Inappropriate Police Tactics Used In Responding to Call? ALLEGED ADULT ACCOMPLICE FACES DISORDERLY CONDUCT CHARGE IN 28-TIME RED LAKE SHOOTING Victim's half-brother died last year in Red Lake Jail RECIPE BOX Pigging Out NOT JUST BEANS Editorials - Opionion WELFARE REFORM WILL WORK FINE HERE BAREFOOT AND PREGNANT Contemporary Ladies' Perspective, Advice and Tips by Wanda Yoemans COOKIE CUTTERS, JELLO(R) MOLDS, AND CONFORMITY CHILD SAFETY TIP by Wanda Yeomans STRENGTHENING YOUR WORD POWER! CROSS LEAVE COSTS BELTRAMI OVER $4,000 CONSUMER CORNER Consumer Alert: GE Handheld Tape Recorders ************************************************** ----------------------------------- ISSUE OF 12/15/97 - VOLUME 3 NO. 4 ----------------------------------- BELTRAMI CHIEF DEPUTY CROSS RELIEVED County Clams Up But Unofficial Sources Allege Romantic Harrassment ANOTHER SHOOTING AT RED LAKE Federal Jurisdiction Invoked, FBI Investigating CLEARWATER RESIDENTS EXPRESS CONCERNS OVER HIGHWAY PLANS AT MEETING Follow Up LORY HEARING CONTINUED OVER 100 GOBBLE GOBBLERS AT NELL RAE'S, NEVIS Recipe Box LOGGER'S BREAKFAST KIMBALL'S 9 PT. BUCK TAKES BEAR CREEK 1ST PRIZE Editorial BRINGING PEACE ON WHITE EARTH BAREFOOT AND PREGNANT Contemporary Ladies' Perspective, Advice and Tips by Wanda Yoemans REFLECTIONS EVENTIDE ARTS & LITERATURE: THE CALIFORNIAN'S TALE by Mark Twain ******************************************************** ----------------------------------- ISSUE OF 11/24/97 - VOLUME 3 NO. 3 ----------------------------------- DNR RESURVEY MAY TAKE HUBBARD RESIDENT'S LAND SHERMAN ARRESTED AT CASS CO. OFP HEARING Follow-Up WOMENS SHELTER FUGITIVE REMAINS AT LARGE LORY MOTION SCHEDULED FOR DECEMBER 1 CONNECTIONS ... NEW ON THE NET: BOOTH WINS DIST. 1 CITIZENS' MEETINGS SET ON CLEARWATER FRONTAGE HOLTER HEARS GILBERTSON MOTION BOIS FORTE ELECTION INVALIDATED; NEW ELECTION TO BE HELD Letters to the Editor RESIDENTS PROTEST INCREASED RIGHT OF WAY ON CLEARWATER CO. ROAD 2 Letters to the Editor WHITE EARTH MEMBER QUESTIONS ATTORNEY ACTIONS Consumer Corner PHONE SLAMMERS AT IT AGAIN ----------------------------------- ISSUE OF 11/03/97 - VOLUME 3 NO. 2 ----------------------------------- ORIGINAL POSSE MEMBER SUSPENDED DIST. 1 CANDIDATES DEFINE PRIORITIES AT DEBATE, FORUMS FEDERAL DAM: A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT WORKS Editorial "CALENDAR FLUSHING" IS ANSWER TO BEMIDJI WASTE CRUNCH Letters to the Editor WHY ARE RENTS SO HIGH? Editorial OUR ENDORSEMENT FOR DISTRICT 1: NEWMAN BAREFOOT AND PREGNANT Contemporary Ladies' Perspective, Advice and Tips by Wanda Yoemans "FOR BETTER OR WORSE . . ." ---------------------------------------------------------------- ISSUE OF 10/13/97 - VOLUME 3 NO. 1 SECOND ANNIVERSARY ISSUE! ---------------------------------------------------------------- NEWMAN, BOOTH ANNOUNCE FOR BELTRAMI DIST. 1 New Faces Enter Race at 11th Hour MAN GARNISHED FOR CHILD SUPPORT WITHOUT PROOF OF PATERNITY POLICE OFFICERS, DEPUTIES HAVE VIKINGS CARDS FOR KIDS SCHOOL BOARD, COMMISSIONER CANDIDATE DEBATES, FORUMS TO BE HELD IN BEMIDJI (PICTURE CAPTION - PICTURE IN PRINT EDITION) (PICTURE CAPTION - PICTURE IN PRINT EDITION) (PICTURE CAPTION - PICTURE IN PRINT EDITION) BAREFOOT AND PREGNANT Contemporary Ladies' Perspective, Advice and Tips by Wanda Yoemans PROTECT YOUR CHILD'S RIGHT TO PRIVACY WHILE IN SCHOOL Rock Star FRANK ZAPPA on drugs HOW WE DISTRIBUTE ****************************************************************** TEXT OF ARCHIVED ISSUES BEGINS: ------------------------------------ ISSUE OF 08/26/98 - VOLUME 3 NO. 16 ------------------------------------ Leading Edge Journalism ----------------------- Election '98 DUDLEY, BURGOON FACE-OFF IN HUBBARD CO. DIST. 5 Budget Measures, Roads, Recycling . . . and Breeding Services Cynthia Dudley has been beautifying the Hubbard County Boardroom since 1994, serving on committees including County Based Purchasing, Parks and Recreation, Solid Waste, Labor Negotiating, Native American Issues, and others. The incumbent described her top priorities for the next four years as budgeting wisely regarding property taxes, more safe roads, including increased response for road conditions, and remaining dedicated on recycling with Solid Waste Integrated Systems of Pennington County (SWIS PENNCO) "to protect and enhance our environment," and find innovative ways to minimize cell [container] usage at the transfer station. Hubbard County now contracts out their solid waste services through SWIS PENNCO, Thief River Falls, which is a division of SWISCorp, Minnetonka. Budgeting Wisely. Dudley addressed the need for budgeting, acknowledging, "the school district's referendum is going to have a major impact on some of the property taxes in the district.... Any form of increased spending... is going to have some form of impact on our property taxes.... I intend to do my best to hold the line." Dudley illustrated past savings, while still providing essential services, by citing the zoning office and the highway department which have utilized privately contracted labor, rather than adding to the county payroll and indicated that this may have saved part of the cost of two county employees. Roads. Dudley cited the need to repair several gravel roads, including Co. 45, using calcium chloride, which helps to minimize dust. She expressed the need for bituminous (paved) surface on Co. 98, and stricter maintenance for Co. 118. Recycling. Dudley has been impressed with the job SWIS PENNCO has done for Hubbard County. "They utilize all their products that they get from us," she said, adding that the firm makes new products out of the recyclables, and composts much of the rest. "We're enhancing the environment by not sending this stuff to an incinerator; I think it's the wave of the future," she said, adding that, through SWIS PENNCO, Hubbard County was recycling over 50% of its solid waste, exceeding the state mandate that certain counties were having trouble meeting. Unlike some counties, such as Beltrami, which actually pay to have goods recycled, passing those costs on the residents, Dudley said that, in Hubbard, recycling through SWIS PENNCO has reduced its solid waste expense. But there was controversy when the contractor was chosen, "There was a lot of deception that SWISCorp would be more costly in the long run - they have not been," she said. Currently, the waste actually undergoes two recycling steps: It's first gone through by the county-funded DAC at the transfer station, before being taken by SWIS PENNCO. DAC returns a 50% "dividend" to the County from their profit. "7 or 8 thousand [dollars], this year, we got from DAC," Dudley said, adding that [unlike in Beltrami County] there is no additional cost from DAC, for the recycling work, other than what the county would otherwise fund to the agency. The current Hubbard waste fee is $90 per household. Business fees are based on volume, but recyclables are excluded from the fee. Other issues. Dudley is satisfied with the current Shoreline Ordinance and opposes DNR efforts to make it more restrictive. She said that she usually goes to all Association of Minnesota Counties [AMC, comprised of all 87 counties] meetings, having served on their environmental and transportation committees. She also makes a habit of attending AMC workshops, such as one on septic systems, which she said has made her more effective as a commissioner. Final words. "You need to vote for the person that can get it done," she said. Background. Dudley is married to Jeff Dudley, a logger. They have two grown daughters. In addition to Hubbard County work, she works as a paraprofessional for the Bemidji School District. She has been Vice-President of Crime Watchers, and has served on the Board of Directors of Northwest Juvenile Center, as well as on Headwaters Regional Development Commission and the Historical Society. Larry Burgoon, also running for 5th Dist. Hubbard Co. Commissioner, declined interview by failing to return our calls to schedule same. From what we know, Burgoon, of Becida, is married, a logger and, apparently, also a purveyor of breeding services, although the latter may be only a hobby. Burgoon achieved considerable controversy, when, in 1992, during his previous term on the Hubbard Board, he apparently confused his various occupations and offered his services (breeding) to an AMC employee at an AMC meeting. (Other attendees can only be glad that he didn't start logging there, too.) Unfortunately, being a novice to the practice, it seems as though Burgoon didn't realize that it's first necessary to have your clothes off. As put in a letter, dated December 21, 1992, from the firm of Larkin, Hoffman, et. al. Ltd, attorneys for AMC, to Burgoon, "You [Burgoon] came up behind an AMC employee and grabbed her and did a pelvic thrust into her backside." The letter also detailed unsolicited and graphic romantic comments, including one which we can't even print, at the same meeting, by Burgoon to another, married, AMC employee; and concluded with a notice that the AMC Board had unanimously banned Burgoon from future meetings. Asked how this action would affect Burgoon's current status before AMC, were he elected commissioner, Jim Mulder, of AMC, St. Paul, said that he would remain barred in lieu of other action by AMC membership. If elected, the inability to attend AMC meetings could impair his effectiveness as a commissioner. On other issues, a Hubbard County employee, at the Courthouse, remembered Burgoon, during his term, as one of the first officials to have spearheaded the idea of making the building no-smoking. -------------------------------------------------------------- Leading Edge Journalism ----------------------- BEMIDJI POLICE PROSTITUTION OMNIBUS HELD, UNEVENTFUL BEMIDJI -- Attorneys mostly used the hearing to iron out technicalities, August 17th, when Bemidji Police Dept. Sgt. Daryle Russel, Beltrami Deputy William Jon Atwater, Jeffrey Allen Pease, of Yakima, Wash. and Terry Charles Hollerud of Norwood, Minn. appeared before the Honorable Judge Benshoof for omnibus. BPD officer William Beise has also been charged. Several motions were pending before the court, including motions by attorneys Wallner and LeDuc for dismissal, but the attorneys were ordered to argue these by way of submitting briefs by August 31st. Beltrami County can look forward to seeing Chad LeDuc's briefs at that time. The state will have until Sept. 8th to respond. Asst. Attorney General Debra Peterson told the Court, regarding the defense omnibus motions, "It would be hard for me to respond" to allegations that were not specifically stated in the moving papers. She raised the example that an objection is made to hearsay evidence, but no such evidence is specified by Wallner and LeDuc. Hollerud's omnibus was handled separately. He appeared without counsel, as he had not paid the $750 that the Court had required for counsel to be appointed. He raised no omnibus issues, stating that he had no objection to the legality of the indictments, and pled not guilty. ------------------------------------------------------- Election '98 STEELE, LAWRENCE HEAD FOR PRIMARY IN HOUSE 4A The Minnesota House race has drawn 4 contenders in District 4A, which encompasses Bemidji, southern Beltrami, and northern Hubbard Counties. Running are incumbent Gail Skare (DFL), Doug Fuller (Rep.), whose campaign is managed by Bill Batchelder of Bemidji Woolen Mills, and two Reform Party candidates, who will face off in the Sept. 15th primary, William Lawrence, Editor of Ojibwe News, and Adam Steele, Editor of Northern Herald. Lawrence, previously, had not been visible in the Reform Party and had not caucused with it; Steele convened the Reform Caucus at the request of the 7th District Chair, and was a delegate to the State Convention. The Primary Candidates. Your editor has declined to interview himself, and relies upon advertising in this paper and elsewhere. Mr. Lawrence was offered the opportunity to be interviewed, but declined. Northern Herald, however, has come into possession of certain materials attesting to Lawrence's experience in public service. In 1986, while Lawrence, of Red Lake, was employed as Tribal Manager of the Ft. Mojave Tribe, near Needles, California, a special liaison, Elmer M. Savilla, was hired to determine the predicament in which Lawrence's administration might have placed the Ft. Mojave Tribe, and their relations with Red Lake. After investigation, and on March 28th, 1986, Savilla reported to the Red Lake Band: "... 1. The Fort Mojave Tribal Chairman [ Mr. Lew Barrackman] at that time, who hired Mr. Lawrence, is now the subject of community ridicule, unfortunately. It appears that his failing was that he placed too much trust and faith in Mr. Lawrence. "2. Mr. Lawrence took advantage of every opportunity to secure material things for himself, or for his own use; he convinced the Tribal Chairman that an airplane was needed to conduct his affairs; the tribe was making the insurance payments for him on a triple-wide mobile home located on tribal land, and which was destroyed by fire after Mr. Lawrence had moved his belongings out of it. We were told that Mr. Lawrence received the insurance payment. "3. There is a mystery surrounding the presence of a nine-passenger Chevrolet van which Mr. Lawrence apparently brought back from Bemidji on one of his frequent visits to Minneapolis ... [or] Bemidji. The van is still at the tribal office. It was said that it might be one of five [5] vans which were leased by Mr. Lawrence from a friend of his in Bemidji and was not repossessed or returned by Lawrence. "4. Mr. Lawrence represented himself to the tribe and to the community as an expert in economic development and as a Manager. When he left he had caused the following conditions: "a. the Fort Mojave Tribe was left with an unfinished farming project which left the tribe with a debt of $10.5 million. "b. the tribe was the subject of state-wide criticism and publicity and wide-spread ridicule from federal and state officials. The friendly and cooperative relationship which had existed for years between the tribe and the non-Indian merchants and community was completely destroyed. "c. the credit rating of the tribe was ruined. Utility companies turned off telephone and power usage until the tribe could pay cash. Local merchants would not deal with tribal accounts, and many still refuse to sell to the tribe now. "d. the tribe will not be solvent until the year 2005. It will take that long to pay the debts incurred.... "5. Probably the most damaging result of Mr. Lawrence's work there, at least to the people of the Red Lake Chippewa, is the fact that the name "Red Lake" causes apprehension and concern to the tribal members of the Fort Mojave Tribe.... This negative feeling of the grassroots Fort Mojave people for those from "Red Lake" is a terrible thing for Bill Lawrence to have caused...." In an unrelated matter, on May 16th, 1988, Mr. Lawrence was found guilty, in a Beltrami County court, of violating state fish and game laws by selling Red Lake walleye to gourmet stores, such as Lund's, in the Cities. He had been arrested with nearly 2,000 pounds of walleye fillets in his pickup truck, as reported by The [Bemidji] Pioneer of May 25, 1988. Note: Since publication, Mr. Lawrence has rebutted some of the Ft. Mojave allegations. His rebuttal can be found in NORTHERN HERALD of 09/16/98. ------------------------------------------------------ FORS FELONY COUNT DROPPED BEMIDJI -- After Bemidji chiropractor Gregory Fors failed to crack under the pressure, County Attorney Tim Faver dropped the felony charge which Faver had earlier brought, of Criminal Sexual Conduct in the Third Degree. The dismissed count involved an alleged affair with Connie Johnson, a former patient and employee of Fors' clinic. The complaint, filed by Faver, alleges that in May of 1994, Johnson consulted Fors regarding a yeast infection and that Fors had told her that it was due to sexual frustration by resisting his advances. The complaint states that they began having romantic relations in July, 1994, when she met him after hours in his basement, and the romance continued December of 1996. But per the successful defense motion, in her police statement (which was available to Faver), Johnson contradicted much of the allegations. As put in the defense motion to dismiss, "The statement that Connie Johnson gave to the police demonstrates that her involvement with Dr. Fors was entirely consensual. She states therein that she 'realized his intentions' in December, 1993... She relates several remarks, allegedly made months later by Dr. Fors, that a yeast infection and loss of weight were due to failure to have sex with him; said suggestions being inherently incredible on their face. ...The relationship between Connie Johnson and the Defendant began months later when, as Connie Johnson stated to police, 'I was just being attracted to this man.' ...This was during a period when... she had no sexual relationship with her husband.... Connie Johnson [in the police statement] specifically denies force, threats, references to a therapeutic reason for having the first sexual encounter...." Fors faces three misdemeanor counts for alleged incidents (not necessarily involving romantic intercourse) with three other women. Defense motions, based upon police statements, journals and sworn depositions of the women have also been made. In a count involving Tamara Rustand, the defense has argued, based on the police statement, "... he asked her if she wanted a sexual relationship. She then invited him to her house for sex. Sexual contact alleged was consensual." ---------------------------------------------------------------- Bemidji's Glass House of Corruption Crumbles 'GENE'S PLACE' BAR, BEMIDJI, RAIDED BY BCA BEMIDJI -- In what appears to be a continuing state-directed effort to crack down on corrupt practices in Bemidji, particularly implicating the alcohol trade, agents of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) served a search warrant last month on the bar known as Gene's Place, licensed to James Donald Hamilton. The raid was conducted by the gambling division of BCA, and sources have speculated that it concerned alleged unlawful gambling activities over and above those permitted by the bar's charitible gaming license. As charges have not yet been filed, no further information was available at presstime. It is not known whether County Attorney Tim Faver will prosecute the bar. Statement of the accused. Asked to comment on the incident, the person in charge at Gene's Place, which remains open for business, said, "You don't know squat." A search was also conducted at the Eagles' Club, Park Rapids. In earlier actions, BCA was involved in the investigation of multiple allegations of theft by swindle, against Bemidji Police Chief Robert Tell, and determined that he had improperly received funds from the City. Prostitution-related trials are now pending for several Bemidji/Beltrami law enforcement officers as a result of indictments returned by a Grand Jury convened by the Minnesota Attorney General's office. ------------------------------------------------------------- BACKUS HOLDS CORN FEST BACKUS -- If you like harvest corn, or just having fun, August 15th was the day to be at Backus - that was the day of their annual Corn Festival. The fest featured, this year, a flea market, games and a junior fishing contest, as well as the traditional parade and corn feed at the fire hall. Mrs. Fred Smith, an organizer, reported, "a real good turnout," and said, "Everybody helped so much this year." Hackensack American Legion took first place in the parade. Shawn Kish was crowned Backus's new Junior King, with the Junior Queen's crown going to Grace Bettino, with Chelsa Schwegel as runner-up. ---------------------------------------------------------------- NEW RECREATION COMMITTEE FORMED WALKER -- The Tri-County Leech Lake Watershed Project has announced the formation of a new committee to review and help guide recreational opportunities across the 750,000 acre watershed. Gary Lyall, of Woman Lake, is acting chair. Activities of a similar committee from the Remer/Longville School District were presented and expressed the need for towns to collaborate on providing more recreational opportunities and explore the need for facilities open year-around. TCLLWP will hold its annual meeting 10 am Sept. 17th, at Moonlight Bay Resort . The public is encouraged to attend. ------------------------------------------------------- ELECTION PROCEEDS QUIETLY, ORDERLY AT WHITE EARTH MAHNOMEN -- Determined to restore orderly government to the White Earth Band of Chippewa, voters went to the polls August 11th and selected John B. Buckanaga (609 votes) and Francis "Butch" Bellanger (204 votes) to run off, for chairman, September 30th. Other contenders fared as follows: Manypenny, 140; Dalve, 124; Weaver, 83; Ajootian, 43. Ralph "Bucky" Goodman (331 votes) and Elmer "Gene" Tibbits (130 votes) will run off for Dist. III Representative. Other results: Bevins, 117; Bray (Weaver), 76; Bellcourt, 68; Crowell, 43; Van Wert, Sr., 26; Fairbanks, 14. Support of McArthur's "interim" government was shown by the strong backing of Mr. Buckanaga, who was part of the interim Reservation Business Committee. Election officials at White Earth took special precautions to ensure the integrity of August's primary. There were three security personnel stationed at election headquarters where the absentee ballots were kept, and, amidst criticism of the susceptibilty of absentee voting to fraud, the Election Board established off- reservation walk-in polling places at Cass Lake and Minneapolis, reducing the number of absentee ballots needed from about 2,000 to only 444. Ballot boxes were escorted from the remote locations by uniformed officers. ---------------------------------------------- WE LEARN FROM HEROES, PEOPLE WITH SUBSTANCE by Robert Morton, M.Ed., Ed.S. Dear Mr. Morton- I'm a well-trained, computer salesperson but find myself discouraged with many business snubs and rejections. Do you know of any inspirational courses for sales people? - Anonymous Dear Anonymous- A friend of mine, Mike Waleryszak, President of Crescent Manufacturing in Fremont, Ohio, once recommended to me Life Success Seminars, Inc. Their inspirational seminars are highly effective. Also, study life itself! Successful salespeople have found that developing a good belief system about life increases their persistence and motivation. Read about great people who fought against all odds, like Winston Churchill, Martin Luther King, Helen Keller, Benjamin Franklin, etc. You'll uncover mysteries underlying each of their victories. For Example, by 1974, Hank Aaron of the Atlanta Braves blasted 710 home-runs and was 5 away from a great baseball feat - reaching Babe Ruth's all-time record. No one realized, except Aaron himself, that his batting victories emerged from what he learned from his defeats at the plate...1,262 strikeouts. I recall a man who failed in business, but didn't give up and ran for the Legislature the following year. He lost. So, he went back into business, but went bankrupt again. During the following two years he campaigned for Speaker, and lost, then for Elector, and lost. He ran for Congress two times, losing both races. The next three years he ran for the Senate, and lost, tried for Vice President, and lost, and vigorously campaigned for the Senate again, and lost. Depression and nervous breakdowns plagued this man, who finally ran for President of the United States, and won. He was Abraham Lincoln. These heroes constantly thought about what they wanted to become. They knew the price they had to pay for success and were committed to pay it. They simply worked hard, one day at a time and never gave up, until their dreams became reality. Read about such heroes, people with substance. You may someday discover your sales defeats weren't failures at all... merely ideas on the way to success. Don't quit! Robert Morton, M.Ed., Ed.S. is a school psychologist for Fremont City Schools and educational instructor at Bowling Green State University. Write him at the Child Study Center; 501 Croghan St.; Fremont, Ohio or Email: Rsmcoping@nwohio.com To this excellent psychological direction, your Editor, as a businessman and having been a salesman, must add, from a strictly business standpoint: If you're feeling snubbed by turndowns of your product, you're in the wrong business. Whatever product it is that you sell, it's important to recognize that, likely, 90% or more people either won't need or don't want it. Even if you really had a better mouse trap - most people don't have mice - of those that do, many have a cat. Efficient salesmanship is only 20% presenting your product. 80% of it is ferreting out those people who need and want it. Generally, this ferreting involves a time-consuming pitch of the product. Statistically, whatever the product, and whomever the salesman, it usually will end in a "no." Augmenting your efficiency in identifying your market will generally heighten performance far more than trying to be more persuasive. Each time you get a "no" you're one step farther in weeding out your non-market. That's what leads to success in sales. Know your market; project your stats realistically, that is, what percentage you can expect. Play those stats and rate your improvement against them - not a hypothetical 100% that not even Lee Iacocca could have achieved. Finally, if, to be happy, you have to be able to persuade 100% of the people of the benefit of your product,, you're in the wrong business. Try politics instead. -- Ed. -------------------------------------------------------- Connections . . . NEW, COMPETITIVE INTERNET NOW AVAILABLE IN BEMIDJI, OTHER NORTHERN CITIES USLink (not affiliated with USWest), a Pequot Lakes company which has been around for 14 years, has now introduced local-dialup Internet service in the Bemidji, Grand Rapids, Hackensack, Pine River and other Northern Minnesota exchanges, with a no busy lines guarantee. If the user gets a busy signal, he gets a free week of service. Unlimited access is available for $19.95 a month, or $53.95/3 mos.; and a $25 one-time setup fee. Included is 5 megabytes of web page space. Their number is 888-546-5287. Comparative Data. Bji.net (aka Internet Access, Inc.) Unlimited access: 19.50/mo., including 2 MB web space. Set-up fee: $8.95. There have been frequent busies during peak times, there has also been a problem with their modem not picking up - when you try to connect, the dial-up number just rings-on without connecting. This malfunction has existed, sporadically, for quite some time, and Bji.net is aware of it. - Bji.net could fix it, but apparently they have not been interested in doing so. Between the modem problem, and the busies, several tries may be necessary. You may, finally, get on-line only to be erroneously disconnected by the system and have to do it all over again. This, in our opinion, is not up to standard. At one time, back when Leo Anderson was running things at Bji.net, Northern Herald recommended this provider. In light of current service, we cannot recommend it now. Local exchanges include the Bemidji area. Bji.net: 218-755-9879 Paul Bunyanet. Rates for unlimited access are $19.95/mo., with a $9.95 setup fee. 2 MB web space is included. But you're dealing with the people at Paul Bunyan Rural Telephone Co-op. 1-800-276-8015 Northern Net has an extremely cumbersome automated answering system to handle customer service and inquiries, and information regarding their current pricing was not readily available. At the time of our last survey (3/97) their setup/ software fee was $39.95, and rates for access were: personal unlimited: $24.95/mo.; business, (150 hours including 2 MB web space): $29.95/mo. Local exchanges included Bemidji, Grand Rapids, Park Rapids, LaPorte and others. Their machine: 218-751-3199 ----------------------------------------- -------------------- ADVERTISEMENT -------------------------- PLATFORM PLANKS Primary (most important) Planks 1. To sponsor legislation making smoking mandatory in public buildings. If the Cancer Society can dish it out, they can take it. 2. To Preserve the American Goose. I will sponsor legislation removing goosing from the definition of romantic harassment. You've got to have some fun in the office. 3. TO SUPPORT LEGALIZED PROSTITUTION - BECAUSE IT SHOULDN'T JUST BE FOR POLICE OFFICERS. Further, the presence of purveyors of Personal ROmantic Services (PROs) in public places, such as St. Paul's University Ave., has caused inconvenience to the residents there. This industry, the World's Oldest Profession, is not going to go away. It needs to be legalized, zoned to a proper and unobtrusive area, regulated regarding health concerns, and finally, of course, taxed. Legalization will also remove corrupt influence from the industry. Nevada had the right idea. As to moral questions, well, what goes on on St. Paul's University Avenue isn't any less moral than what goes on in Bemidji's bars and I don't see those gals & johns getting busted for that; so we might as well be consistent. Let's put the PROs back in Prostitution! Other Planks 4. I will continue to support school vouchers, as certain districts continue to be more corrupt. But I would offer public schools a $50 library book credit for each inept teacher they fire, and $100 for each administrator. If they fire Rollie Morud, they get a whole new library with central air, and other amenities. 5. "If you have a touch-tone phone, press 1." So you punch in a bunch of numbers, then get connected to the "voicemail" of someone who isn't there. Is your time totally worthless? People who use these automated answering systems must think so. When you call a state agency, you want to speak to a person, not a machine. If elected I will sponsor legislation outlawing the use of these systems by State government and agencies. I will support discouragement of use of these systems in business. 6. To work toward forging a new law enforcement reciprocal pact between the State of Minnesota, particularly as concerns Beltrami County, and the great Nation of Red Lake. I want to see better ability to work with authorities of the Red Lake Nation so we can both work better to apprehend criminals that travel between these jurisdictions. I also believe there should be uniformity in automobile insurance requirements for registration of vehicles by the State of Minnesota, and by the great Nation of Red Lake. 7. To continue to work for gender equity, particularly as concerns equity towards men and fathers, in the family law courts. 8. To continue to work toward strong welfare reform. 9. I will continue to oppose no-fault divorce, and will work toward the new covenant marriage concept, which allows a couple to make a real commitment, instead of just playing house. 10. The right to defend yourself, family and property. When someone decides to commit a crime, they assume the risk for the consequences of their actions. I will sponsor and support legislation holding an individual harmless, both criminally and civilly (against suits) for action taken to defend himself, his family, or property during or immediately following a crime against the same, including in the apprehension of the perpetrator; provided that, if the victim inadvertently fails to kill the perpetrator, he may be assessed a $20 MinnesotaCare fee to offset the criminal's hospital costs. 11. I will continue to work toward Native American sovereignty and the inalienable right of these people to determine their own destiny. 12. To continue to oppose tax increases. 13. To continue to support our quality of life in Northern Minnesota. 14. I will continue to very stringently oppose crime and corruption in Northern Minnesota. HELP FIGHT CRIME AND CORRUPTION IN BEMIDJI. Whatever your party, CROSS-OVER (you know the criminal element will) in the September 15th primary. If we don't make it there, we don't make it. Whether you're usually a Democrat or Republican, we need your vote. Vote the Reform Party Primary Ballot, and vote Steele. 1. WON'T SUPPORT HIGHER TAXES. 2. NO CRIMINAL OR SHADY TIES. 3. PROVEN BY ACTION: AS STRONG ON NATIVE AMERICAN ISSUES AND SOVEREIGNTY AS ANY CANDIDATE. 4. PROVEN BY ACTION: WILL FIGHT CORRUPTION. ADAM STEELE FOR STATE REP - DIST. 4A THE LEAST OF FOUR EVILS Prepared and paid for by THE STEELE COMMITTEE, P.O. Box 1535, Bemidji, 56619 ----------------------------------------------------------- CONSUMER CORNER Readers are invited to submit consumer complaints or compliments to this column, and to our Auto Service Forum. Send info c/o this paper, P.O. Box 1535, Bemidji, MN 56619 A SIGN OF GOOD BUSINESS Amidst scattered reports of misscaning by Bemidji grocers, particularly on sale items, some stores are being more conscientious. Econofoods, Grand Rapids, is letting customers know that they've put their scanners to the test. They're sure enough of their accuracy to offer the item (up to $5) free if it misscans (certain reasonable restrictions apply). CLIENT CLAIMS RIPPED OFF BY MEN'S ADVOCATE We now investigate a Consumer Corner complaint regarding George Gilliland, doing business as Domestic Rights Coalition, St. Paul. Palmer Berg, of Bemidji, had consulted Gilliland, in January, 1998, regarding child support modification. Per the complaint, Berg drove to St. Paul to meet with Gilliland, who reviewed Berg's divorce papers. "He had agreed to make out the [legal] papers... his secretary (A & D services) would... mail them to me, so I could set the court proceedings for my child support reduction and get one child off my child support when he turned 18...," recites the complaint. "After waiting a long time and not hearing from him, I wrote letters asking how things were coming... no reply. Finally, I had to hire ...[an] attorney." Per the complaint, Gilliland and his assistant received a total of $1,745 from Berg, in January, for the promised services in preparing the documents. By May, 1998, with no documents rendered and no reply from Gilliland to Berg's inquiries, Berg demanded a refund. Per the complaint, he reiterated his demand in June and July, but to no avail. The complaint recites, "Debbie Deckard of A & D services did call me asking if they could do it yet because her husband had been in the hospital...." But several months had passed, the child had turned 18, and Berg requested a refund of the advance payment. Berg recites, "She called me again saying she would refund [the] money, except for the time she had spent... [at the January meeting]. "I said no, I wanted it all back as I could have told my local barber the same things and gotten the same results for nothing." Consumer Corner investigates. We contacted Gilliland for a response to Berg's claim. He refused to make any meaningful statement addressing the matter, although Deckard sent a response as follows: "[A] couple of weeks ago I called Mr. Berg and explained that I was working on sending him his refund. I told him I was doing the best I could. He wanted a 100% refund even though I spent 5 hours interviewing him, I felt his request was justified, and I agreed. I will be sending Mr. Berg a refund in full by the 15th of August, and probably a lot sooner than that." As of presstime, however, Berg has received no refund, and has now had to seek counsel for a lawsuit against Gilliland for the refund. Conclusion. George Gilliland, a former advertiser in this paper, has done some excellent work for men with his Domestic Rights Coalition, and maintains a communication network which is of value. Based on this case, however, we are forced to conclude that he is not always responsible in his business practices. If, for any reason, the work could not have been timely done, a refund should have immediately issued. We have suspended any further advertising of Gilliland or Domestic Rights Coalition of St. Paul, and we recommend that no advance payment be made for any services he might offer through other media. You may not get the services and you may not get your money back without cumbersome legal action. For men, and others, seeking representation on legal matters which cannot be adequately handled by local counsel, Northern Herald is pleased to now offer referrals to a qualified attorney, who will initially consult with potential clients without charge, and may handle some cases on a contingency (fee only if you collect) basis. For referral, call 218-759-1162. ------------------------------------------------------------- THE HARTHUN RECORDS James Harthun, a Vietnam veteran, now living in Bemidji, has spoken of highly unusual circumstances while in the service of his country, and is now endeavoring to procure his full military records to find out what actually happened to him. This is his story. This information is largely uncorroborated by official sources, and must be read as same. If correct, those sources, would, of course, have reason to fail to corroborate it. Recap: In previous installments Harthun described his Army enlistment, and leaving July 21, 1969 from International Falls for Ft. Bragg. In his second week of basic training, he claims to have been offered a soft drink, accepted it and the next thing he remembered was being carried out on someone's back. He woke up 4-5 weeks later in, seemingly, an abandoned military hospital, and said that he had needle marks all over his body ("I felt like a human pincushion.") Harthun then describes his being given a shot and awakening in his barracks. Shortly thereafter he was sent to Ft. Jackson, S.C., to attend Army cook school. But, per Harthun, he, and 5 other enlistees were met there by a man driving an expensive convertible, wearing a 3-piece suit and claiming to be their new sergeant. Alone with Harthun, The sergeant asked Harthun to impersonate him for a physical fitness exam. Afterward, the sergeant drove Harthun to Atlanta, saying that they'd "live the high life for the next 6 weeks" Harthun was given leave, though, and eventually received orders. He was shipped to a Special Operations Group known as "LZ Center." Following the fall of Khe Sanh, his sergeant ordered the men to fall out, "And as you go out, I'm going to give you a little pill. Every one of you will take this pill." The pill, says Harthun, affected his mental state, and he got in a fight with 5 other soldiers. A rocket attack, during the year Harthun was at LZ Center, blinded him for two weeks. About two or three days before he was to return to the U.S., his sergeant said they were going to Cambodia. (Previous installments are available at our at our web site See The Library, Vol. 3.) INSTALLMENT IV "I said, 'I'm not going to Cambodia, I'm going back to Chu Lai,'" recalls Harthun. Harthun made his case strongly enough that the sergeant took his men to the DMZ, instead. And fortunately so, as Harthun recounts what happened to those who did go on the "push" in Cambodia, "From what I understood afterwards ... everyone who went in on that push ... it was an ambush." From the DMZ, Harthun returned to the states on a 30-day leave. But, he recounts, he reported back for stateside duty early, to Fort Sam Houston, Texas. The head sergeant reviewed his orders and informed Harthun that he was being sent back to Viet Nam. Harthun recalls, "I said, 'Tom, I've only been home 15 days. Can they do that?' 'No,' he said, 'They can't do that ... This is against military law.'" Per Harthun, The sergeant confided to him, "You got some crazy records, kid, ... you know what I'm going to suggest? You get the hell off post, you get a hold of your parents and you have them get a hold of your state representative or ... senator - find out what the hell is going on here.... If you stay here you'll either go back to Viet Nam or go to jail." That was when Harthun took the advice and went AWOL. He hid in Nevada and Oregon while his parents contacted officials. "The next thing, I called and they said 'you're supposed to report back to Fort Sam Houston. You're not going to be charged with AWOL, ... and you won't be going back to Viet Nam.'" Harthun reported, but the staff at Fort Sam Houston didn't know what to do with him. Per Harthun, A major reviewed his records, and observed, "You've had cook school; Harthun responded, "No, Sir, I did not have cook school....," and he explained the records to the major, "They made me sign papers saying that I'd been to cook school" (continued next issue) ------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------- ADVERTISEMENT -------------------------- DANIEL PATRICK BROWN Candidate for Beltrami County Attorney Hamline University School of Law Admitted to the Minnesota Bar, 1993 Present Employer: WestGroup (West Publishing Co.), St. Paul It has been 9 years since the voters of Beltrami County have had a choice of County Attorney. Daniel Patrick Brown intends to see to it that they get one this year. He's strong on law enforcement, but believes that one man's law is every man's law and he'll see to it that the law, that's in the books he works with now, is applied uniformly, equitably, honestly and fairly for a better and more just Beltrami County. "I feel that the top law enforcement officer [the County Attorney] of a county is in a leadership position. The County Attorney provides an image that can be followed by the rest of the law enforcement and judicial personnel in the county. I feel that the County Attorney sets the example - that the County Attorney is the one that sets an example of integrity, sets an example of honesty, sets an example of pursuing crime, tracking down crime, making sure crime is prosecuted and justice served. "I graduated in 1993, Hamline University School of Law. I then took a position with Judge Harry Seymour Crump ...for a year as his judicial law clerk. After that I took a position at WestGroup in their reference department, and I've been a reference staff attorney at WestGroup for about 3 years now ... I train people [attorneys, other legal personnel and WestGroup staff] in the use of our WestLaw and WestMate programs.... "I was originally educated, in my undergrad degree, at the University of Wisconsin, River Falls, where I studied sociology and conservation... Over the period of time between my undergraduate degree and my attending law school, I worked within a tri-county treatment center; I worked with alcoholics and drug addicts; I provided out-patient education; I provided facilitation of group therapy sessions; managed and administered an aftercare apartment building - a supervised living facility for patients who had graduated from the treatment program." -- Daniel Patrick Brown In addition to his background in training lawyers and others on the West legal products, Daniel Patrick Brown has made appearances in Dakota County Court, appearing on behalf of clients; he has helped people defend themselves there, and has worked transactionally on modification of child support and divorce decrees. Daniel Patrick Brown: "In law school, my focus was primarily public, administrative or international law" Brown's team won an honorable mention in International Law Moot Court. Asked about off-duty law enforcement officers drinking at public establishments, Daniel Patrick Brown said, "If they had legally imbibed, then provided that they legally got themselves home and didn't cause any problems, there would be no reason to intervene; however, if this represented a pattern of behaviour, or if this was law-breaking behaviour," then Brown's view of it would be different. Would he prosecute both the officers and the bar, were officers found imbibing after legal hours? "Absolutely.... That's breaking the law. Nobody's allowed to break the law," Daniel Patrick Brown said. DANIEL PATRICK BROWN for Beltrami County Attorney Prepared and paid for by THE DANIEL PATRICK BROWN COMMITTEE -------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------ ISSUE OF 08/05/98 - VOLUME 3 NO. 15 ------------------------------------ DANIEL PATRICK BROWN BRINGS BELTRAMI VOTERS CHOICE OF CO. ATTORNEY BEMIDJI -- It has been 5 years since Tim Faver mislead the community and potential jurors, in the Richard Lory case by telling the press, before he had even spoken with Heather Lory, that the boy Richard Lory was accused of shooting was not one of the boys that gang-raped his 14 year old daughter. It has been 4 years since Heather appeared on the Sally Jesse Raphael show to ask why the other boys hadn't been prosecuted for the rape. It has been 4 years since Roy Martin's home life was destroyed by almost 7 months of jail, pending trial, for a crime he could not have committed and what a local television station called "the most bizarre trial in the history of Beltrami County." Roy was a Native American, the suspect was described as a white man. It has been 9 years since Tim Faver's then law partner, the previous County Attorney, Tom Keyes, died of an overdose of cocaine; and it has been 9 years since the people of Beltrami County have had a choice of who will be their top law enforcement official, the County Attorney. But Daniel Patrick Brown (no relation to the Dan Brown who previously served on Leech Lake RBC), a staff attorney at the WestGroup legal publishing company, St. Paul, has seen to it that the voters of Beltrami County, recently ravaged by a police corruption scandal, will have a choice this year. Brown, who will be newly-married, plans to make his family home in Beltrami County, coming here in October, and has filed for the County Attorney's post. Interviewed in St. Paul, Brown was tough on crime, and expressed an underlying concern that the law be administered equally and equitably, that one man's law has to be every man's law. He said, "I feel that the top law enforcement officer [the County Attorney] of a county is in a leadership position. The County Attorney provides an image that can be followed by the rest of the law enforcement and judicial personnel in the county. I feel that the County Attorney sets the example - that the County Attorney is the one that sets an example of integrity, sets an example of honesty, sets an example of pursuing crime, tracking down crime, making sure crime is prosecuted and justice served." Describing his background, Brown said, "I graduated in 1993, Hamline University School of Law. ...In law school, my focus was primarily public, administrative or international law." Brown's team won an honorable mention in International Law Moot Court. Brown continues, "I then took a position with Judge Harry Seymour Crump ...for a year as his judicial law clerk. After that I took a position at WestGroup in their reference department, and I've been a reference staff attorney at WestGroup for about 3 years now ... I train people [attorneys, other legal personnel and WestGroup staff] in the use of our WestLaw and WestMate programs.... "I was originally educated, in my undergrad degree, at the University of Wisconsin, River Falls, where I studied sociology and conservation... Over the period of time between my undergraduate degree and my attending law school, I worked within a tri-county treatment center; I worked with alcoholics and drug addicts; I provided out-patient education; I provided facilitation of group therapy sessions; managed and administered an aftercare apartment building - a supervised living facility for patients who had graduated from the treatment program." In addition to his background in training lawyers and others on the West legal products, Daniel Patrick Brown has made appearances in Dakota County Court, appearing on behalf of clients; he has helped people defend themselves there, and has worked transactionally on modification of child support and divorce decrees. Asked about off-duty law enforcement officers drinking at public establishments, Daniel Patrick Brown said, "If they had legally imbibed, then provided that they legally got themselves home and didn't cause any problems, there would be no reason to intervene; however, if this represented a pattern of behaviour, or if this was law-breaking behaviour...," then Brown's view of it would be different. Would he prosecute both the officers and the bar, were officers found imbibing after legal hours? "Absolutely.... That's breaking the law. Nobody's allowed to break the law," he said. FAVER REFUSES INTERVIEW Previously unopposed at elections, 9 year incumbent Beltrami County Attorney Tim Faver was offered the opportunity to present his reelection platform, but when offered the interview, he said only, "I have nothing to say to you." He did not want to be photographed for the paper. But we did get a picture, earlier, while we were there: (photo in print edition only-narrative follows) Is theft legal now in Bemidji? Ask the County Attorney. Above, the familiar plaid advertising flyers of Bemidji Woolen Mills were found among the public service literature in a rack in the waiting area of Tim Faver's office. There is no apparent explanation as to why the County Attorney's office is advertising for Bemidji Woolen Mills. Bemidji Woolen Mills is operated by Bill Batchelder, who is also the campaign manager for Doug Fuller (Republican candidate for House 4A) and who, apparently, encouraged Fuller to run. Batchelder is also the nephew of Richard Morton (deceased), former owner of the Hard Times Saloon, Bemidji. The attempted Bemidji blackout of the Northern Herald, last January, following our strong criticism of Morton's business practices, made statewide news. The attempted blackout was orchestrated by persons claiming to be friends of Dick Morton. If not personally involved, there is evidence that Batchelder was kept informed, on an essentially daily basis, of the progress of this pressure group that used threats against retailers, and theft of stacks of complimentary copies to try achieve their ends of keeping Bemidjians from getting the news. These attempts have continued long after the issue which criticized Morton. Recently, one person seen, by a waitress, stealing the papers at a restaurant was Lynette Russel (aka Lynette Rex), ex-wife of indicted Bemidji Police Sgt. Daryle Russel. Lynette Russel has also, reportedly, been seen in same the restaurant in the company of another of Morton's relatives. Theft of stacks of complimentary copies of newspapers, with the intent of keeping them from the public for whom the papers were intended, has been held a criminal act in several jurisdictions. The Lynette Russel matter was referred to Bemidji Police Dept.; Officer Michael Solheim took the complaint. But upon later inquiry, Solheim reported back to Northern Herald that the Office of Tim Faver, County Attorney, by his assistant, David Frank, refused to file charges or prosecute the theft. ------------------------------------------------- ANOTHER BEMIDJI OFFICER CHARGED Another Bemidji police officer, William Beise, has been charged in connection with prostitution-related violations. He joins Sgt. Daryle Russel and Beltrami Deputy William Jon Atwater, who were indicted by a state-called Grand Jury in May. Police Chief Robert Tell, reportedly, had no plans to take Beise, who was on personal vacation, off-duty. ------------------------------------------ VISITORS SWARM NEVIS FOR MUSKIE DAYS!! (picture captions - photos in print edition only): The well attended Muskie Days parade drew many area floats. Above, Miss Menahga, Joanie Isola, and Little Miss, Shyla Stomberg At left, Backus Junior Queen, Megan Hughes, and Junior King, Chris Flier Below, Pine River Royalty with Miss Pine River, Carrie Martin. Below, Susie Windels, Miss Sebeka, with her princesses ------------------------------------------------- CANDIDATES VIE FOR HUBBARD COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE JOHANNSEN: A CAREER LAWMAN "When I first went into law enforcement, I wasn't old enough to get into bars," said Cal Johannsen, a 25-year veteran of law enforcement. He's been Chief Deputy of the Hubbard County Sheriff's Dept. for the last 16 of those years. Johannsen said he started his career as an officer at Kelliher, in 1973 midway through his second year in the law enforcement program at Alexandria Vo-Tech. A Lake George resident, he worked at Kelliher for two years, then joined Sheriff Tolman's Beltrami County Sheriff's Dept. until going over to the Park Rapids Sheriff's Office in 1980. Posturing and priorities. Johannsen basically supports the current administration of the Sheriff's Office, but, "I think there's some updates and changes that can be made," he said, "We need to look at adding more staff, but we've also got to look at... budget crunches and we've got to be careful about how we do that." Johannsen said that staff is a primary need of the department which, most times, has only 2 men on each shift to patrol 1,008 square miles. He said, "Our county is getting so busy that the men complain about not having time to patrol anymore; all they do is run from call to call." And he also said that response time, due to manpower, was a concern, "... every call is important to the person who makes it. If your house was burglarized, you want to see somebody there right now; unfortunately, we can't always do that." Johannsen said that there are grants available for more manpower, but there was also a cost to the county that "has to be worked out with the County Board," he said. And he explained that while a grant might cover some of the cost of a new man, there would also then be the need for another car, which could run $30,000 or more. Also budgetarily, Johannsen said, "Our jail population has been running close to capacity...." and he said that it may be necessary to budget for an addition. He said the Sheriff's radio console has needed replacement for several years; it could cost as much as $150,000. And he also stated a need for better recording equipment, utilizing less space so 911 and other call records could be kept for more than 30 days, to be available if a need for them in court, in a complaint against the officer, or otherwise should arise. He supports more office staff so that officers will have more time to patrol by doing their reports by tape and have them typed by clerical staff, and that the clerical time is less expensive than the officer's. On crime, Johannesen said, "The crime rate has been going crazy... in Hubbard County the last couple of years; we've had an outlandish number of homicides; ... I don't know that there's anything we can do to prevent that other than visibility of squad cars...." Handgun Permits. "I don't really think it's the guns that are killing people - it's the person that's running [using] the gun," said Johannsen, and he said that unless there was a state imposed reason not to issue a permit, "I guess I feel that people have the right to bear arms...." he said. In cases where it appeared that a reason for nonissuance was invalid, he would be willing to talk to the person and look into the facts to determine if they had merit, "...investigate it, change my mind if they can show me reason.... I'm not beyond doing that," he said, "My goal... is to have an open door policy where I'm willing to meet any citizen of the county that wants to come in and talk to me,... I plan on being available..." Gender matters. Johannsen said that he was not inclined to believe one gender of spouse over the other in domestic disputes. He said, "We have to determine who the aggressor was." Complaints. Asked if he would be receptive to complaints that might come in against his officers, Johannsen said, "Oh, Absolutely." He said that mistakes are sometimes made and added, "I'm not going to take the word of an officer over someone else, but on the other hand, I'm not going to jump on the officer and ridicule him until I have a chance to check it out.... I guess I plan on treating staff people the same as I would citizens...." Final Words. I think that I will treat all citizens of the county fair, and with respect, and be willing to listen to anything anybody has to say. I'm not going to say that I will necessarily... do exactly what they want me to do... but ... if they have something that's worthwhile, I'm not above change." BURNS: AGGRESSIVE ABOUT IMPROVEMENTS Candidate Wayne Burns focused strongly on improving the efficiency of the Sheriff's Department. Posturing and priorities. "First off, the major thing we lack right now is just some leadership and some direction," he said, "we lack coverage, we lack manpower, and the manpower that we do have, we don't utilize them, necessarily, as well as we could." He addressed the need for faster response, "Right now ten minutes, for us, is good response time, so we definitely have to increase our manpower," he said, adding, "there's never been a time when there's been more federal grant money available... in the way of adding officers... that's one of our biggest concerns." Burns said that, four years ago, he campaigned for a substation in the northern part of the county; "Farden Township was gracious enough to donate a beautiful facility. We need to utilize that facility a little more effectively and get that to a position where our officers are basing themselves out of that office and they're available to the North end.... The north end suffers terribly just simply because we don't have the manpower to cover it," he said. Burns addressed the heavy crime in the lesser patrolled regions, and spoke of high numbers of calls in Farden and Helga Townships, saying, "...and the crimes that we're dealing with up in those townships are, quite often, crimes that are alcohol-related or have the potential for violence." Due to there often being only one officer in the area, "we're hoping and banking on the fact that Beltrami or Cass County can send officers in to back us up, and we shouldn't have to rely on outside agencies...," said Burns. Burns addressed other needed changes, saying "We're also going to bring nighttime supervision." He criticized the fact that, now, officers are usually unsupervised after about 4 p.m. "We do have to have somebody who's in a position to hold them [the officers] accountable, keep them active, keep them out on the road and make sure that the cars are in the positions that they need to be in, and that they're responding to the calls in a timely manner, said Burns. Referencing a failure to respond on a particular 1997 assault call, he said, "I believe that had there been prior supervision on that incident, that that officer would have never failed to respond to that call." And he said that while a faster response might not have stopped the crime which was in progress, it could have led to a stronger case, with better evidence against the perpetrator. Burns believes, budgetarily, that there needs to be more advance planning for expenditures; that obsolescence and capital expenditures can be foreseen so that when new equipment is needed, it can be paid for from monies built up proactively, in a fund for the purpose. Handgun Permits. Burns said that he believes in the right to keep and bear, and that he'll generally issue permits, "unless there would be extenuating circumstances, or circumstances about the person that would cause us to have concerns about his having access to firearms." Asked if he would look into the facts, in the event of a protested denial, he said, "No, I think that you have to look at it on an annual basis," and that people's lives change. Burns believes in firearms training for those who do carry. Gender matters. Asked if, in domestics, the woman is inherently more credible than the man, Burns said, "I wouldn't say inherently. ...The circumstances ... should assist the officer in determining who the aggressor was." And he said that he supports the policy of arresting the aggressor, whether it's male or female. Complaints. When complaints are received regarding an officer, Burns says he'll "be receptive and have an open door policy... My first conviction is to the officer.... My philosophy is that when the officers know that I support them, they're going to be more productive.... We have to investigate; we have to make sure the guys are doing what they're doing.... If you show the men you... support them, they're going to be more willing to accept some constructive criticism." Final Words. Burns said, "I truly believe that I have the leadership abilities and the passion to bring Hubbard County law enforcement up to a standard.... I want to make it the best it can be. This isn't a position I'm looking to as a one or two term candidate. I'm a young man with my best years in law enforcement ahead of me, and I'm looking forward to using those years to bring Hubbard County the finest in law enforcement." Burns has an A.A. in law enforcement from Alexandria Technical College. After college, he worked part-time for the New London Police Dept., coming to Park Rapids in Sept., 1988. He has been with Park Rapids Police Dept. since then, becoming an instructor in the use of force and deadly force. He also taught law enforcement, for six years, at Northwest Regional Training Center, Thief River Falls; and, for 5 years, at Range Technical College. GARY MILLS - REFUSED INTERVIEW Although he had earlier expressed a willingness to be interviewed, Hubbard County Sheriff candidate Gary Mills did not return our calls to schedule same. --------------------------------------------------------- VINING, NYBERG, OTHERS AT WHITE OAK DO IT AGAIN!! DEER RIVER -- Strains of traditional music from the Entrance Stage, punctuated by blasts of black powder fire, filled the air as visitors walked from the packed parking lot and embarked on the 1998 White Oak Rendezvous, July 31st - August 2nd. The White Oak Society members replicate the time of the voyageurs in Northern Minnesota. This was clearly their biggest and best Rendezvous ever. Late Saturday, special awards went to Aaron and Satera Kontz, Albert Lea, Catherine Albright, Anoka, and Cody Hansen, Brookings, SD, for their help in the library. The award for the best camp went to One Moc, with honorable mentions to Major Chaney and Mr. Dusty Badger. Those who missed Rendezvous will have a chance next year, August 6, 7 & 8th, 1999. (Photo captions - photos in print edition only): Roberta Guertin, of Grand Rapids, does her time in the stocks for hooliganism Covered wagon rides through the expansive grounds were available near Traders' Row The Cartographer, Robert LaSalle, explains how ships navigate. Cast of the special performance of Moliere's "The Jealous Husband" Smoke billows from Dennis Hill's muzzle in Saturday's Black Powder Shoot Canada's very original "Tanglefoot" was part of continuous entertainment on two stages. Kids and adults pack the storyteller's tent Irene Rodgers in her fingerweaving tent You could find out how to build a canoe at The Canoe Shed. ------------------------------------------------ -------------------- ADVERTISEMENT --------------------------- PLATFORM PLANKS Primary (most important) Planks ------------------------------- 1. To sponsor legislation making smoking mandatory in public buildings. If the Cancer Society can dish it out, they can take it. 2. To Preserve the American Goose. I will sponsor legislation removing goosing from the definition of romantic harassment. You've got to have some fun in the office. 3. TO SUPPORT LEGALIZED PROSTITUTION - BECAUSE IT SHOULDN'T JUST BE FOR POLICE OFFICERS. Further, the presence of purveyors of Personal ROmantic Services (PROs) in public places, such as St. Paul's University Ave., has caused inconvenience to the residents there. This industry, the World's Oldest Profession, is not going to go away. It needs to be legalized, zoned to a proper and unobtrusive area, regulated regarding health concerns, and finally, of course, taxed. Legalization will also remove corrupt influence from the industry. Nevada had the right idea. As to moral questions, well, what goes on on St. Paul's University Avenue isn't any less moral than what goes on in Bemidji's bars and I don't see those gals & johns getting busted for that; so we might as well be consistent. Let's put the PROs back in Prostitution! Other Planks ------------ 4. I will continue to support school vouchers, as certain districts continue to be more corrupt. But I would offer public schools a $50 library book credit for each inept teacher they fire, and $100 for each administrator. If they fire Rollie Morud, they get a whole new library with central air, and other amenities. 5. "If you have a touch-tone phone, press 1." So you punch in a bunch of numbers, then get connected to the "voicemail" of someone who isn't there. Is your time totally worthless? People who use these automated answering systems must think so. When you call a state agency, you want to speak to a person, not a machine. If elected I will sponsor legislation outlawing the use of these systems by State government and agencies. I will support discouragement of use of these systems in business. 6. To work toward forging a new law enforcement reciprocal pact between the State of Minnesota, particularly as concerns Beltrami County, and the great Nation of Red Lake. I want to see better ability to work with authorities of the Red Lake Nation so we can both work better to apprehend criminals that travel between these jurisdictions. I also believe there should be uniformity in automobile insurance requirements for registration of vehicles by the State of Minnesota, and by the great Nation of Red Lake. 7. To continue to work for gender equity, particularly as concerns equity towards men and fathers, in the family law courts. 8. To continue to work toward strong welfare reform. 9. I will continue to oppose no-fault divorce, and will work toward the new covenant marriage concept, which allows a couple to make a real commitment, instead of just playing house. 10. The right to defend yourself, family and property. When someone decides to commit a crime, they assume the risk for the consequences of their actions. I will sponsor and support legislation holding an individual harmless, both criminally and civilly (against suits) for action taken to defend himself, his family, or property during or immediately following a crime against the same, including in the apprehension of the perpetrator; provided that, if the victim inadvertently fails to kill the perpetrator, he may be assessed a $20 MinnesotaCare fee to offset the criminal's hospital costs. 11. I will continue to work toward Native American sovereignty and the inalienable right of these people to determine their own destiny. 12. To continue to oppose tax increases. 13. To continue to support our quality of life in Northern Minnesota. 14. I will continue to very stringently oppose crime and corruption in Northern Minnesota. HELP FIGHT CRIME AND CORRUPTION IN BEMIDJI. Whatever your party, CROSS-OVER (you know the criminal element will) in the September 15th primary. If we don't make it there, we don't make it. Whether you're usually a Democrat or Republican, we need your vote. Vote the Reform Party Primary Ballot, and vote Steele. 1. WON'T SUPPORT HIGHER TAXES. 2. NO CRIMINAL OR SHADY TIES. 3. PROVEN BY ACTION: AS STRONG ON NATIVE AMERICAN ISSUES AND SOVEREIGNTY AS ANY CANDIDATE. 4. PROVEN BY ACTION: WILL FIGHT CORRUPTION. ADAM STEELE FOR STATE REP - DIST. 4A THE LEAST OF FOUR EVILS Prepared and paid for by THE STEELE COMMITTEE, P.O. Box 1535, Bemidji, 56619 ----------------------------------------------------------- LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Well, I got some good news this week. Stillwater turned my phone back on, that is, I can now call home again. I have not been able to call since the end of January, the first workday after I returned from the post conviction hearing in Bemidji. ...My phone went off by magic in January, and came back on as if by magic this July. [During the block,] I could call other numbers, but I could not call home. Tim Faver... saw Linda and the kids at the hearing and did not like that. When I first got here, Faver sent papers to Stillwater showing that I had been convicted of assault and second degree murder with intent. That has caused me to do two more years at Stillwater [as opposed to the lower security facility where Lory is now] than what I otherwise would have had to do. ... One of the twins, Jason [Lory] was assaulted three weeks ago by two friends of the Bradachs. First they tried to beat him up, then they tried to hit him with a rachet and a piece of cement, then trey tried to run over him with their van. Jason said that he could not just run away because he had a girl with him that was wearing sandals. Jason has just got to understand that there is no self defense in Minnesota, especially if your last name is Lory. Anyway, Jason had to plead guilty to disorderly conduct, as did the other two guys. Jason had to take the public defender that was used by the Bradachs, which is a clear conflict of interest. ...[There have] been many threats against Heather. It must be abundantly clear by now that the... [County Attorney's] office refuses to protect my children.... Well, I just wanted to let you know what is going on. ...The guy that tried to cause me trouble in here was working for the rapists. The word in here is that he was even sent some money for consideration. But there is no chance that Stillwater will want to investigate that kind of thing. In fact, the authorities hid from me the fact that guy tried to kill me by kicking me in the head. I never knew that until I got back to the unit because I had been stunned for awhile. But several inmates had told the authorities that I had been kicked. Whenever a convict kicks someone, he is supposed to be tried, but, of course, this place didn't want any part of that.... It is as if rapists are another protected minority group in Bemidji. Criminals that assault honest citizens have more rights than the citizens that try to protect themselves and their children. There is just no right to self defense. Richard Lory Minn. Correctional Facility Bayport, MN This letter has been edited for space. Information contained in this letter has not been independently corroborated by this paper and is strictly the opinion of the writer. Richard Lory is currently serving a 12 1/2 year sentence on a conviction for second degree murder in the shooting of Bruce Bradach Jr., who, reportedly, had raped his [then] 14-year old daughter, Heather. Lory has maintained that the shooting was accidental --Ed. -------------------------------------------------- WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP AT SHEVLIN SAWDUST DAZE! SHEVLIN -- At left (photo in print edition only), Warrick and Kari Hallett of Glencoe, MN work hard on the "Jack & Jill Crosscut" Event at Shevlin's Sawdust Daze, July 18th & 19th. The event was won by Jason and Karmyn Wynard, of Aukland, New Zealand. The lumberjack competition at the annual Shevlin event features the World Championship Bowsawing Contest, which, this year, went to Matt Bush, of Crokan, NY, and draws participants from around the globe. Other First Place winners were Matt Bush on the Standing Block; 2-man sawing: Carson Bosworth of Bonner's Ferry, ID and Matt Bush; Underhand Chop: Jason Wynard; Production Sawing: Matt Bush; Axe Throw: Dave Jewett of Pittsford, NY, 1-man sawing: Dave Jewett; Unlimited Class Power Sawing: Warrick Hallett; Springboard: Matt Bush; Women's Single Sawing: Karmyn Wynard. --------------------------------------------------- NORTH STAR STAMPEDES AT EFFIE!! EFFIE -- Sunday's sporadic intense rains didn't dampen the crowd's enthusiasm at the Rain-or-Shine 43rd annual North Star Stampede and rodeo at Effie, Minn. It just made the cowboys' work a little more interesting as the fans cheered from stands that had turned into bouquets of multi-colored umbrellas. Photographed below, at left (photo in print edition only), Todd Holmes of Hinckley wrestled his steer to the ground in 10.2 seconds. Steer Wrestling involves riding horseback behind the steer, coming alongside, and the cowboy leaving his horse at high speed and coming down on the horns of the steer, grasping the horns (hopefully) to wrestle the steer in the process. In Sunday's competition, Holmes was the only contestant to connect with his steer. At center (photo in print edition only), the winner-take-all wildest ride bucking horse competition. No points are awarded for this event - the wildest ride wins it flat. The event went to Scott Nash of Aiken, South Carolina. Rodeo cowboys only get paid when they win their event. So they have to do a lot of it. At right (photo in print edition only), Matt Tellegan, a steer wrestler from Corcoran, Minn. says he rides the Minnesota Rodeo Association circuit. This was his third rodeo that weekend, and he'd been on the road all summer. "... you can take home some money, and it's just good people all around; it's just fun to go every weekend," he said. He said, of North Star, "I've been coming here for years, ever since I was a little kid. It's just a fun rodeo... it gives a lot of people who don't rodeo all the time a chance to come up here and if they want to try something, [they can] go ahead and try it." --------------------------------------------------- THE HARTHUN RECORDS James Harthun, a Vietnam veteran, now living in Bemidji, has spoken of highly unusual circumstances while in the service of his country, and is now endeavoring to procure his full military records to find out what actually happened to him. This is his story. This information is largely uncorroborated by official sources, and must be read as same. If correct, those sources, would, of course, have reason to fail to corroborate it. Recap: In previous installments Harthun described his Army enlistment, and leaving July 21, 1969 from International Falls for Ft. Bragg. In his second week of basic training, he claims to have been offered a soft drink, accepted it and the next thing he remembered was being carried out on someone's back. He woke up 4-5 weeks later in, seemingly, an abandoned military hospital, and said that he had needle marks all over his body ("I felt like a human pincushion.") Harthun then describes his being given a shot and awakening in his barracks. Shortly thereafter he was sent to Ft. Jackson, S.C., to attend Army cook school. But, per Harthun, he, and 5 other enlistees were met there by a man driving an expensive convertible, wearing a 3-piece suit and claiming to be their new sergeant. Alone with Harthun, The sergeant asked Harthun to impersonate him for a physical fitness exam. Afterward, the sergeant drove Harthun to Atlanta, saying that they'd "live the high life for the next 6 weeks" Harthun was given leave, though, and eventually received orders. He was shipped to a Special Operations Group known as "LZ Center." Following the fall of Khe Sanh, his sergeant ordered the men to fall out, "And as you go out, I'm going to give you a little pill. Every one of you will take this pill." (Previous installments are available at our at our web site See The Library, Vol. 3.) INSTALLMENT III Harthun refused, but was ordered again, so he took the pill. Harthun recounts, "Within 3 seconds of walking out that door, I found myself walking like a baboon. And I watched every man in front of me in line, in the dark, with nothing but flares going off, doing the same ... thing - like animals, walking down a ... trail. And how we split up, I don't remember... All I remember is that we split up, we [Harthun and another soldier] got back to my bunk. I took five black guys on in my bunk - that's what it did to me.... One of them just said something and whatever he said, I just went berserk on all of them. "It wasn't but a short time after that, they said we're going to the DMZ. It was right then that I got blown up... [We] very seldom got rocketed, but a rocket came in, it threw me off a bunker and I landed on my back and hit the back of my head and I bled through my eyes and my nose and my ears.... I was blind for two weeks. They sent me back to Chu Lai until my eyes healed up.... Then I come back out to the LZ. "And then, I was getting 'short.' It was getting to the time where I probably had two or three days left in the country... A sergeant comes in, says to me, '... we're going up to the DMZ - we're going to Cambodia.' I said, 'Well, I didn't know we were even fighting Cambodia.' "He said, 'Well, the Marines are going in and one of the Marine outfits isn't going to be able to make it, so we're going to take their place.'" (continued next issue) ----------------------------------------------------- DARTS SHOT AT CARS, ARREST, AT PINE RIVER PINE RIVER -- At least 5 cars, from Backus PD, Pine River PD and the Cass County Sheriff's Office, responded, at 9:35 p.m., Friday, July 24th, to a call, reportedly, that a person had pointed guns, from a car, at other motorists on 371. Above (photo in print edition only), the squad cars converged at the Tom Thumb, Pine River where a car had been stopped. Following a search of the car and trunk, police reportedly found BB or dart guns, made to replicate an actual pistol and shotgun, about 1/2 oz. of marijuana, and several open bottles, including both beer and liquor. Michael James Cox and Larry Olin McAninch, passengers in the car, were arrested for second degree assault in connection with the BB gun incident. Per the later filed court complaint, one of the subjects admitted that they'd been shooting darts at cars. A third individual, Stacy Schropp, was cited for driving with an open bottle. Appearing in Cass County District Court at Walker, Cox and McAninch were freed on $500 bond with omnibus set for September 8, 1998 on the second degree assault charges. McAninch was also charged with possession or sale of a small amount of marijuana. Schropp's hearing was set for August 3rd, but she failed to appear. ------------------------------------ ISSUE OF 07/15/98 - VOLUME 3 NO. 14 ------------------------------------ Leading Edge Journalism ----------------------- Bemidji's Finest at Their Very Best BEMIDJI POLICE PROSTITUTION PHOTOS FILED Omnibus Postponed - Bemidji Refuses Records Request BEMIDJI -- New information has been entered by Minnesota Asst. Atty. Gen. Debra Peterson, in the court files of two law enforcement officers here, and two others, indicted on a total of 14 counts of prostitution-related offenses. The new evidence is available to the public in the Beltrami court files of Bemidji Police Sgt. Daryle Russel (case no. K4-98-000597), Beltrami Deputy William Jon Atwater (K4-98-602), Jeffery Allen Pease, of Yakima, Washington, (K2-98-601) and Terry Charles Hollerud, of Norwood, Minn. (K1-98-606). Omnibus hearings, previously set for July 6th, have been continued (postponed) to August 17th, at 1:30 p.m. at Beltrami County. Hollerud appeared June 29th before the Honorable Judge Benshoof and said that he didn't have money to hire an attorney; the Court appointed the public defender, provided, that Hollerud pay some of the cost. Newly entered in several of the files are a set of 24 photographs, and further findings of the Grand Jury that: ù Defendants Russell, Atwater, Hollerud, or Pease "or another party to the conspiracy, did one of the overt acts alleged... [1] Contacting Terry Charles Hollerud to arrange for female strippers to be present for a party on approximately December 8th, 1997 [2] Negotiating a price for the above services [3] Contacting persons to invite them to the party, including Steve Anderson, Timothy Friis, Paul Gherardi, Randy Fitzgerald, William Beise, Timothy Lundberg, Steve Rankin [4] Informing individuals as to the cost of the party [5] Arranging a location for the party [6] Advertising the party by telling potential patrons to bring extra money for sex [7] Advertising the party by telling potential patrons that William Beise [Bemidji PD] had 'fun' with a stripper at the last party..." ù Defendants Russel, Pease, and Atwater "... intentionally promoted (or aided, advised, hired, counseled or conspired with others to promote) the prostitution of Dawn or others..." on July 7th, 1997 in Beltrami County. ù Defendants Russel, Pease, and Atwater "... knew that a position of authority had been used to induce or solicit Dawn or others to practice prostitution..." on July 7th in Beltrami County. ù Defendant Russel, Atwater, Pease, and Hollerud "... intentionally aided, advised, hired, or counseled or conspired with others to: (1) asked or persuaded (Dawn or others) to practice prostitution ... or (2) promoted the prostitution of Dawn or others..." on or about July 7th, 1997 in Beltrami County. ù Defendant Atwater "... intentionally promoted (or aided, advised, hired, counseled or conspired with others to promote) the prostitution of three females... [and] ... knew that a position of authority had been used to induce or solicit the three females to practice prostitution..." on or about October 1996 in Beltrami County. Other Incidents. Northern Herald's investigation of Becker County court files disclosed that Daryle Russel had earlier been the respondent on a petition for harassment order filed April 20, 1995 (case no. CO-95-475). The action was brought by Sharon Elijah, a Detroit Lakes resident who, apparently, was then involved in an unholy liaison involving overnight stays at Russel's home, in Northern Township, near Bemidji, where the incidents, leading to the complaint, allegedly occurred. The petition alleged harassing phone calls by Russel at Elijah's place of work, as well as assaultive behaviour while Elijah was visiting Russel for the weekend. It recites that they had been out drinking at the Eagles Club, Bemidji, and Russel tried to start an argument in the bedroom at 2 in the morning after they returned to his home. Per the petition, Russel was upset because Elijah had danced with her brother-in-law at the Eagles. The petition recites, "He was screaming and ranting and raving at me and I was really scared, Daryle then accused me of something sick going on between me and my brother-in-law... I told him ... I was leaving. "I got my clothes on and got my suitcase... I then tried to leave and he blocked the doorway... he then grabbed my bags and would not give them back... I tried to grab them away from him and he then intentionally pushed the bags away with such force that I was thrown into the counter and cupboard so hard that I was bruised and hurt and landed on the floor on my hands and knees. I got up and tried to get to the phone, I needed to call for help, I was really scared by this time. He grabbed the phone out of my hand and yelled at me, 'You are not going to get the people I work with involved in this.' ... He then took the phone out of the wall.... I went out to my car. He then... stopped me... by getting in the passenger's side ... he kept his hand on the shift lever and would not let me leave. ... I then started walking [to a neighbor's house]... he stopped me... getting in my way and pulling on me..." The petition recites that Russel told Elijah she could go and to go back to her car. He again got in the car, but finally got out and Elijah left at about 3:45 am, per the petition. The petition further recites, "Daryle was out of control, I did not want to go back in his house, afraid of what he might do to me, and knowing he had his work gun in the bedroom....I know that he will... come to my house; he has done this in the past when I've tried to break up with him. He has been emotionally abusive to me and plays all kinds of mind games." The file contains photos of Elijah's claimed bruises from the incident. On June 1, 1995, Elijah moved to dismiss the case telling the Court that she and Russel had gone into counseling. It was dismissed June 16, 1995 by Judge Saetre, 7th District. City refuses records. Being aware of certain disciplinary action reportedly taken against him, Northern Herald has further requested, from the City of Bemidji, to inspect the disciplinary file of Officer Jon Hunt, but the City, by Shirley Kubian, City Clerk, has refused to comply with the request. ---------------------------------------------- LYNETTE RUSSEL CAUGHT STEALING NORTHERN HERALD Lynette Russel, believed to be a former wife of indicted BPD officer Daryle Russel, was reportedly observed, by a waitress, removing a stack of complimentary copies of the paper from a Bemidji restaurant. The copies were marked "1 per person." Taking stacks of papers, even if complimentary copies, to prevent the public from having access to them, has been held a criminal act in several courts across the nation. The issue allegedly stolen was that of 6/1/98, reporting Daryle Russel's indictment. Lynette Russel, reportedly, is a regular customer of the restaurant, and, reportedly, has been seen there previously with a relative of Richard Morton, deceased, former owner of Hard Times Saloon, Bemidji. A complaint was made to Bemidji Police, but the investigating detective, Sgt. Jerry Johnson, was out of his office for the week and could not be reached, by presstime, for status of the matter. ---------------------------------------------------------------- Their Mission Continues EDUCATORS, ALUMNI AT ST. MARY'S, RED LAKE, REMEMBER, LOOK TOWARD NEW CENTURY RED LAKE -- "I'm certainly encouraged to see people coming back to make new acquaintances with the friends that they've gone to school with... reminiscing, telling stories and expressing their appreciation for the time they've had here," said Sister Phillip, Principal, of the St. Mary's Mission School all-class reunion which drew many, some from far away, back to Red Lake on July 4th. After 140 years, this was the school's first reunion but it may become a regular event. Attendance was estimated at about 150-200. In the chapel, Father Pat Sullivan outlined the history of the mission, which began with the arrival of the monks of St. John's Abbey in 1886 and the actual founding in 1888. But his talk to alumni wasn't only about the past. Father Pat spoke of the school's continuing mission to provide quality education that can be afforded. The school 's four sisters taught 80 students last year. Father Pat said, "Next year, we're projecting a 10 percent increase. The school is certainly going to continue to be in existence; the Benedictine sisters ... who have been teaching here for a number of years are continuing to be active here. In the last year, we've added a new Benedictine sister... who's been working with remedial reading, and so that's been a blessing for us." The school offers grades one through six. He said that tuition will remain unchanged this year, at $400 per student, or less if a family has more than one child enrolled. Scholarships will continue to be available to some students that, despite the low cost, might not otherwise be able to attend. Looking toward teaching trends as they enter the next century, Father Pat said, "I think we're beginning to, more and more, recognize similarities between Native traditional beliefs and practices, and spirituality in with our Christian Catholicism. Also, with the whole [of] teaching, the recognition that there's a number of ways to teach." And Father Pat spoke of how there's more knowledge now of people's sometimes hidden inherent abilities, people being "right-brained" or "left-brained" and thus being gifted in certain ways. He emphasized, "recognizing our own school and our own Church to utilize the gifts that are present and, kind of, bring them out." The reunion program was commenced with the Honor Song performed by the alumni and current student Eyabay Junior Drum Group, followed by the Father's address, the sharing of memories by alumni and a presentation of historical slides. Said Sister Luethmers, a fourth-grade teacher, "I just love children... I not only teach them, but I have fun with them." : Below, Sister Owen Lindblad, at right, discusses and autographs copies of her book, Full of Fair Hope which details the history of the Ojibwe and Red Lake. Copies of the book are presently available from St. Mary's Mission for $19.95. Rick Trujillo and his wife, Arlene (far right), an alumnus, traveled from Phoenix, Arizona to attend the reunion. Also shown, from left, Ron and Karen Stateley, Owen and Jean Beaulieu ------------------------------------------------------- SUMMER FESTS SWEEP NORTHLAND! AT AKELEY - PAUL BUNYAN DAYS AKELEY -- Crowds of hundreds lined the sidewalks as the Paul Bunyan Days parade and events drew myriads of visitors, this year, to this north woodland community. Hackensack's American Legion Post 202 led the parade and took the award for the best float, overall. Best Band honors went to North Branch High School. Fishing Derby top winners were Jordan Anderson with a 4 1/2 lb. bass, Butch Dunham with an 11 lb. 14 oz. Northern and Jason Durham, of Nevis, with the largest panfish. : There was no contest for the award for "The Most Humourous Float." The honors went to The Chairwomen of the Akeley, Walker and Hackensack region. This troup of 18 - 25 women does highly proficient military marching drill, with drum . . . and lawn chairs. Prospective Chairwomen may contact Mary Wallace, 218-547-2909 Ben Fenzel, 1998 Little Mr. Akeley Tiffany Crandall, Little Miss Akeley Miss Akeley, Melany Hamand AT BAGLEY - THE CENTENNIAL : Shopkeepers in period dress contributed to the ambience as Bagley kicked off it's 3-day July 4th Centennial Celebration. Above are Dave, Rachel and Krysten Lee of Bagley Mercantile, also in its 100th year. Later, there was with Junior Sumo Wrestling, above right, and, at right, a gala street dance, Friday night, at the Kubiak's Family Foods parking lot. These events were sponsored and organized by the Bagley Jaycees. DJ was by Music Trend. AT GRAND RAPIDS : At left, the Grand Rapids Players portray Wizard of Oz characters at the 23rd Annual Judy Garland Festival, held late in June at the the Judy Garland Birthplace, Grand Rapids. From left the players are: Katie Smith (Good Witch), Scott Strand (Lion), Ryan Olander (Tin Man), Abby Kneeland (Dorothy), Peter Kneeland (Scarecrow); not shown: Jean Cyronek (Wicked Witch) The festival drew large crowds of guests and Oz and Judy Garland fans. A volunteer related that one of the more remote visitors came from England. AT RED LAKE : The July 4th weekend is a double Independence Day holiday at the great Red Lake Nation, as it also marks the anniversary of the signing of the agreement, July 6th, 1889, granting its sovereignty. The nation celebrates with it's annual competition pow-wow that draws contestants from as far away as Saskatchewan. At right, the Cree Spirit drum group. Below, women dance in jingle dresses, and at far right, men in traditional pow-wow dress with fancy bustle. AT HACKENSACK - SWEETHEART DAYS : Lucette Diana Kensack (statue), Paul Bunyan's sweetheart & eventual wife, welcomes visitors to the Hackensack waterfront. A visitor looks over the plethora of merchandise at the flea market in the Sacred Heart Church lot. There'll be another sale August 12th! Women and children work in the crafts booth by the swim beach. ------------------------------------------------------------- COMING EVENTS - NORTH STAR STAMPEDE AND RODEO AT EFFIE EFFIE -- As the last weekend in July approaches, residents of Effie and the Bigfork Valley are preparing for the Big Annual North Star Stampede, July 24th-26th. This will be the 43rd go-round for Minnesota's largest and oldest open rodeo. The chutes, pens and arena are being repaired and everything is being made ready for the big weekend. The rodeo grounds are located at the North Star Ranch, 2 miles north of Effie, which is about 45 miles north of Grand Rapids on highway 38. The Ranch reports that over 150 contestants entered last year, and a record number are expected this year. Contestants from over 35 states and Canada have competed at the Stampede. Howard Pitzen, Chief Ramrod of the North Star Rodeo Company says that they have some new additions to the rough strings and, "I feel that we have a better string of stock than ever before. We are always in the market for bucking stock, though, and are always looking for that one special animal." For 1999, North Star will get new chutes, so a special item this year will be an auction of the old chute gates immediately following the Friday evening performance. ---------------------------------------------- COMING EVENTS - WHITE OAK RENDEZVOUS DEER RIVER -- The White Oak Historical Society, dedicated to remembering, teaching and preserving the history of Minnesota's 17th to 19th century voyageur days, will host their annual public Rendezvous, the weekend of July 31st-August 2nd. The rendezvous grounds are located just north of Deer River by the new White Oak Learning Centre. Deer River is about 14 miles west of Grand Rapids. As in past years, the Rendezvous will transport visitors back in time to Minnesota's rustic and romantic past. And also, as in years past, there will be excellent ongoing entertainment on their two main stages as well as a special performance of Moliere's light comedy, "The Jealous Husband," 6:30 pm, Saturday, in front of the Canoe Shed. Also new this year will be a special Musician's Jam with the entertainers, Friday afternoon at 2 pm in front of the Entrance Stage. Guests are invited to bring their instruments. At 2 pm Saturday, there will be a ribbon cutting for the White Oak Learning Centre, which conducts overnight programs for school children statewide, and dedication of the Rick Balen Library. Regular events and demonstrations will include (and we're just scratching the surface): black powder shooting, a voyageur camp, tomahawk/knife throwing, storytelling, ethnic dancing, nature walks, historic crafts such as canoe building and silversmithing, trader's row (some very unique items on display and sale), wandering minstrels and much more. The many unique entertainers on the two stages will include Faire Wynds (new), Gaels Celtic Group (new), Adam Granger from Garrison Keillor's Powdermilk Biscuit Band and last year's very excellent Canadian group, Tanglefoot. For more information on Rendezvous, the Learning Centre and the Voyageur period, see http://www.whiteoak.org or call 218-246-9393 or 800-472-6366. The White Oak Society is a non-profit organization. Special note from the Editor: This is really THE place to be, for at least one day, the weekend of August 1st. If you miss this, you're missing something good! We've even buried a $2 off coupon for you somewhere in this paper ! Can you find it? -- Ed. : The proud banner of the old Northwest Company hangs over the senior partners' table in the formal Dining Hall at the White Oak Society's Learning Centre. The Centre replicates the Company's White Oak Fur Post. Each school group session includes at least one formal meal in the hall with period custom and dress. : The Rick Balen Library is named for one of the Society's founders and contains over 2,500 publications, many donated by the University of Louisiana, through the efforts of Chuck Hamsa, historical works reviewer. The library contains not only works relating to the voyageur period in the Minnesota Northwest but also other works on Colonial America, Native Americans, the Shakers of Pennsylvania, and other general history. : Fire making. The tinder was sizzling in less than a minute. ----------------------------------------------------------- OASIS OFFERS DOWN-HOME COOKING WITH A FLAIR, IN PARK RAPIDS Visitors, as well as residents, of Park Rapids can always find a good bite to eat at the Oasis Family Restaurant by the Sinclair station on U.S. 71 north of town. Try their Chippewa Chicken (chicken breast on real fry bread) Sandwich - it's great! -------------------------------------------------------- THE HARTHUN RECORDS James Harthun, a Vietnam veteran, now living in Bemidji, has spoken of highly unusual circumstances while in the service of his country, and is now endeavoring to procure his full military records to find out what actually happened to him. This is his story. This information is largely uncorroborated by official sources, and must be read as same. If correct, those sources, would, of course, have reason to fail to corroborate it. Recap: In the first installment (NH issue of June 24, 1998) Harthun described his Army enlistment, and leaving July 21, 1969 from International Falls for Ft. Bragg. In his second week of basic training, he claims to have been offered a soft drink, accepted it and the next thing he remembered was being carried out on someone's back. He woke up 4-5 weeks later in, seemingly, an abandoned military hospital, and said that he had needle marks all over his body ("I felt like a human pincushion.") Harthun then describes his being given a shot and awakening in his barracks. Shortly thereafter he was sent to Ft. Jackson, S.C., to attend Army cook school. But, per Harthun, he, and 5 other enlistees were met there by a man driving an expensive convertible, wearing a 3-piece suit and claiming to be their new sergeant. He took the men for military photography, then, alone with Harthun, asked Harthun to impersonate him for a physical fitness exam. Afterward, the "sergeant" drove Harthun to Atlanta, saying that they'd "live the high life for the next 6 weeks" They arrived at night and went to a restaurant where two women, apparently known to the "sergeant" were waiting at their table. CORRECTION The first installment reported Harthun being 17 years old when he flew from International Falls to first report at Ft. Bragg. Documentation which has become available in this continuing investigation, however, indicates that he was 18 then. INSTALLMENT II They remained at the restaurant for about 45 minutes, but didn't dine. The menu cuisine was foreign to the 18-year old Harthun, "I understand pheasant," he said, "I didn't understand no pheasant under no glass." And uncomfortable with the situation, and with concern that he wasn't getting trained before he was to be sent overseas, Harthun asked to return to Ft. Jackson. They drove back. Upon arriving at the fort, the "sergeant" took Harthun to the Company Commander's office. Harthun recounts, "He went in first, I sat in the car, he came back out ... and he said for me to come in; this guy had a deal in his hand, he said, 'You got emergency leave,' he said, 'your mother's in the hospital.'" It was the first Harthun had heard of this, and Harthun says the hospital pretense was false, "She wasn't sick at all," but Harthun went home to Graceton, Minn. anyway on the "emergency" leave. Harthun says that he was there for about 6 weeks. He hadn't been given a date to report again, but had been told that they'd call him when he was to return to training. Hearing nothing, Harthun called the fort; he was told that he'd get his orders in the mail. "Finally [I got] a package in the mail with orders. It says to report to Ft. Lewis, Washington," Harthun said. Harthun went to Ft. Lewis, he recalls, "... there was a line about... a mile... long, it was raining, it was colder than... so I walked up to the last guy in line and I said, 'Hey, ... is this where you go to go to Vietnam?' 'Yeah,' he said, 'I've been standing here for a day and a half.'" Rather than wait in the line, Harthun visited his uncle, who lived in nearby Seattle, returning in about 3 days. By then the line was gone. Harthun reported and was shipped out to Cam Ranh Bay, Vietnam. He describes the flight, in a stripped out military transport which he says, looked like a B-52 with "netting on the side that you'd sit on - cloth netting or straps," he said. "From Cam Ranh Bay, I was put on an old airplane and sent to Mac-V headquarters on the Da Nang side of Chu Lai." (Per Harthun, to this point he'd only received about 2 weeks of training and never received any of the cook school training he was supposed to have had.) A sergeant met the new arrivals and told them, including Harthun, that the next morning they'd begin 2 weeks of advanced jungle warfare training, there in Vietnam. "That night, a rocket came in, blew up a quonset just a couple doors down from us," Harthun said, and added that the next morning, when they were rousted up, he was told there wasn't going to be any advanced training, that instead, he was going to "LZ Center." LZ Center turned out to be a SOG (Special Operations Group), just South of the DMZ, and near another outpost known as the "rock pile." He describes the outpost as, "... mostly underground, [at] one end there's a fence - it's a little hilltop and one end is fenced off ... with this big, eight foot mesh wire fence and there's a gate and there's dogs, Doberman pinschers, and two guards at the gate." Harthun later found a sign which designated his SOG as the one known as "Black Death." Harthun recalls that he didn't get to change clothes or shower for a year, "I lived in mud for a year," he said. He said that hot meals were few, but sometimes came by helicopter. Though not having been trained, Harthun was in combat. He was one of 80 men assigned to the outpost, the 3rd of the 21st, 196th Americal Division. Following the fall of nearby Khe Sanh, another soldier, who happened to have been from St. Cloud, Minn. came seeking refuge, and asked Harthun to hide him. Harthun hid him in his bunker. Then, said Harthun, "[a] sergeant comes, and he stands at the doorway, and he says, 'Every one of you guys fall out. And as you go out, I'm going to give you a little pill. Every one of you will take this pill.'" (continued next issue) : An old and tattered photo depicting the six soldiers who, per Mr. Harthun, were brought together at Fort Jackson. Per Harthun, the soldier at front center is the man who arrived in a fancy convertible car, wearing a 3-piece suit and claiming to be their new sergeant, who later asked Harthun to impersonate him for a physical fitness exam. (see installment #1, last issue). Harthun said that shortly after the sergeant met the men at their billet, they were taken for this military photo, and then to dinner. The photo bears an inscription on the back, which begins, "To Jim," and is signed by another of the enlistees, Allen Whitaker. James Harthun is at bottom right. The photo is dated, on the back, November, 1969, but Harthun said that it may have been dated in error, by his mother, when she received the photo. ------------------------------------------------------- Consumer Corner --------------- Readers are invited to submit consumer complaints or compliments to this column, and to our Auto Service Forum. Send info c/o this paper, P.O. Box 1535, Bemidji, MN 56619 STATE FARM AUTO POLICYHOLDERS TO RECEIVE PLEASANT SURPRISE WOODBURY, MN -- Minnesota State Farm insureds will find something unusual in the mail this year: A check from their insurance company. The State Farm companies are what are termed mutual companies. This means that when the claims turn out to be less than what is covered by premiums, the company returns the excess as a dividend to the policyholders in the states where this condition exists. This year, State Farm will pay about $891 million in policyholder dividends in the District of Columbia and 35 states, including Minnesota. About $11.2 million will be returned to Minnesota policyholders; the average amount of each dividend check is $12. State Farm started sending the checks June 8th. The checks are sent when the 6-month policies renew, so many policyholders will receive theirs between now and December, depending upon renewal date. A spokeswoman at State Farm, Woodbury, said that the practice of issuing dividends will continue in future years when claims are lower than the premiums were set to cover. ------------------------------------------ Editorial SHOULD THE BEMIDJI POLICE COMMISSION BE DISBANDED? State law provides that, rather than have hiring, firing and discipline of police officers attended by the City Council or Manager, a municipality may elect to delegate that authority to a three-citizen-member Police Commission. The theory is that this will remove a level of politics from the police personnel process. In practice, what it's done in Bemidji, however, is to implement an additional level of buffering - insulating city employees and officials from unwise decisions making it difficult to hold anyone accountable for them. As to the commission itself, most people don't even know it exists or who sits on it. It is comprised of appointed citizens, who, in the Chief Tell hearings, did not understand the labor law pertaining to removals, and were easily led about by the attorneys before them. The hearings went on for months. Because the commission is citizen-comprised, work schedules had to be dealt with, and there was a question of conflict of interest of one member, but a replacement member was not at hand. At one point, this commission, which would have to act on whether or not to retain the Chief, was so bamboozled that they asked for another attorney to be appointed for the commission to explain the law to them. This request was initially opposed by the City. Later, with the commission unsure of what they could or could not do, Phil Shealy, City Manager, called the shot by telling the City's special counsel to drop the action against Tell, restoring him to office. Either the Commission did not realize that they could do otherwise, or they preferred not to. All in all, the system of using a police commission furthered the return to office of Chief Tell, following his admission of, on many occasions, having unlawfully received money from the City. At criminal trial, Tell said it was due to "stupidity," and the jury let him off; but is this a quality we really want in our Police Chief? Now, the Bemidji Police Commission has been responsible for the hiring and retention of the officers recently indicted by the state-called Grand Jury, and also other officers who have had disciplinary problems while on the force, the records of which, Bemidji refuses to release. In spite of other good officers on it, the Chief has been ineffective in maintaining a well-ordered and integrious force. The commission has impeded, rather than promoted, positive change when needed. State law also provides for means to disband the police commission, vesting the authority, and direct accountability, for personnel change in the appropriate City official who can act without delay, and is trained and experienced in labor law as it relates to city management. Disbanding removes a buffer - it brings the personnel decisions a little closer to the voters. Those means should now be considered. : At above right, the shadow of corrupt fascism falls upon the new Maytag (equipped) Laundry at the South Shore Center, Bemidji. The laundry and tanning facility boasts that they have all new equipment, but if you do your laundry there, don't plan on reading the Northern Herald while you're waiting, as its information has been banned from the premises by the Ace Hardware staff who manage the laundry. The laundamat is owned by Ron Cuperus, of Cuperus Construction. Cuperus sits on the 3-member Bemidji Police Commission which returned Chief Tell to his office after his admission of wrongfully receiving municipal funds on phony travel vouchers, and now allows the continued employment of, and salary to Sgt. Daryle Russell, on paid administrative leave, pending trial on the Grand Jury prostitution-related indictments. Are we biased? Sure, we are - the cause of our bias is obvious. But there is a correlation here - it's funny how the same people who adamantly oppose the free availability of news information to Bemidji often ultimately turn out to be the same people who are rooted in, or have ties to, highly questionable or corrupt practices here. Informed people make informed decisions. Stopping the free flow of communication is the first step to developing a misinformed electorate and populace, and, historically, a corrupt or fascist regime. ------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------ ISSUE OF 06/24/98 - VOLUME 3 NO. 13 ------------------------------------ Leading Edge Journalism ----------------------- How Long Has This Been Going On ? TELL MAY HAVE KNOWN ABOUT "EXTRA-CURRICULAR" ACTIVITIES BEFORE INDICTMENTS BEMIDJI -- Bemidji Police Chief Robert Tell claimed surprise following the recent indictment of of one of his lead men, Sargeant Daryle Russell, on prostitution-related charges, but new evidence has come to light indicating he may have had knowledge of irregular activity by some of the officers, particularly as concerns their relationships with certain Bemidji drinking establishments, long before the state-called Grand Jury indictment came down. There has been widespread speculation that some of the activities mentioned in the indictments may have been connected to those liquor establishments, and it is anticipated that more of the evidence that the Grand Jury saw will be made public by the July 6th omnibus hearing. A memo issued by Tell as early as February 1997 discloses the "cozy" relationship that existed between certain officers and the owners of some of those establishments, and possibly discloses his knowledge of violations. The memo, on Bemidji Police Department stationary, which appears to bear the initials of Robert Tell, states: "To: Police Department Personnel - To Whom It May Concern "From: Bob Tell, DPS "Date: February 27, 1997 "Re: Ethics "It has come to my attention that some members of this department are conducting themselves in a manner which does not represent the Department in the best light nor does it reflect favorably on the individual. "Most of the information relates unfavorably to the consumption of alcohol and its' [sic] effects. "I feel it is time to remind you that your employment as a Police Officer for the City of Bemidji and as a licensed officer of the State of Minnesota, carries with it certain responsibilities beyond the 8, 9 or 10 hour shift. Department Policy also provides that an action on or off duty shall NOT bring the Department into disrepute. It seems some have streched the limits to the point of breaking. "Stop and think of the position you are putting yourself, your fellow officers and certain proprietors of businesses, in. Bemidji City Ordinance regarding liquor establishments, require that they be closed and patrons gone at 0100hrs. Officers seen leaving at 0230 and later does not foster a perception that the business is complying nor does it reflect favorably on the officer. All it would take to jeopardize the officer, Department and business is for someone to have a video camera or a cell phone at these times to make life really miserable for all of us. Enforcement is our job. Please do not put any of your fellow officers in the position of having to do their job because of and against you or the results of your participation in questionable practices. "Thank you for your cooperation." ------------ Editors note: Bemidji is a city with more than it's share of crime. It is also a city which has courtrooms packed with persons answering citations issued for Driving While under the Influence. Yet, to our knowledge, the state statute, enforcable against the bar or bartender, for serving alcohol to an obviously intoxicated person, is almost never enforced. There have been other offenses by certain liquor establishments in Bemidji which have been reported, but did not result in enforcement action. And we have received other reports of lax disciplinary action by the administration of Bemidji Police Department as concerns the activities of some of it's own officers. Those reports are now being followed up and a request for information from City personnel files has been made. It remains to be seen whether the City will comply and deliver those files. Police officers, when off duty, sometimes become human again. This is necessary. If they stayed police all the time, they would become irritable and crabby and their job performance, as well as the level of service to the public would suffer. When they return to their human state, the single ones, as single men often do, may find a need to go out to the local watering hole to find comraderie, tramping, and maybe a suitable future wife (although unlikely - you don't find that many women who still have their virtue, and are thusly suitable for marriage, at bars). And some officers, married or not, just like to dance or shoot pool sometimes. There's no reason they should have to, say, go to out-of-town bars, where they're not known, for this. But the line is crossed where the relationship between the cops and the saloonkeepers becomes more than friendly arms-length business; that's when the officers are in a position to be compromised, receiving special concessions in return for same, and severe breach of law, as relates to alcohol, a regulated industry, and otherwise, becomes more probable. In this issue, we open reporting of the cozy relationship that, until recently, existed between law enforcement and the on-sale alcohol industry in the City of Bemidji and in Beltrami County. ------------------------------------------------------------- REFORM PARTY DUMPS CROSS-ENDORSING AT CONVENTION MINNEAPOLIS -- One of the more hotly debated items at the Minnesota Reform Party State Convention, June 6th, was the vote to end cross-endorsing - that is, allowing the party to endorse another party's candidate when there is no Reform candidate for a race. Although one of the party's founders, Dean Barkley, had strongly supported cross-endorsement as allowing the party to have some say in elections where it didn't have a candidate of it's own, and possibly becoming a pivotal voting block in close contests, another delegate to the convention objected to the practice because, he said that when the Reform Party cross-endorsed a major candidate in the last election, members of that candidate's party used it to mislead would-be reform contributors to contribute to their party instead. There were enough speakers on both sides of the issue that the rules normally limiting debate had to be suspended to allow most of them to speak. The Reform Party of Minnesota also voted to join the national Reform Party. The delegates voted unanimously to endorse Jesse Ventura for Governor. Ventura said, "The key issue, of course, is taxes. ...With the four billion dollar surplus that they decided to spend... tax freedom day is now May 16th for all Minnesotans... my ultimate goal would be to move it back to April 15th. Delegates also unanimously endorsed Alan Shilepsky for Secretary of State and Jim Dunlop for State Treasurer. A former Deputy State Treasurer, Dunlop opposes the office, and said he would help abolish it, phasing it out within two years. -------------------------------------------- Bemidji Crime GUN-TOTING "CO