In a year where COVID ….
In a year where COVID topped the headlines for the entire nation and the world, Roosevelt County was no different as many of the year’s top stories were related to the virus.
The following are the top 10 stories of the year for the county based on the number of visits to the article on www.northernplainsindependent. com.
1. Roosevelt County Health
Department Closed Due To
COVID-19. Topping the list was the county’s health department being forced to close in July. The decision was made because an employee contracted the virus. A press release read, “We appreciate this is a sudden and odd situation and wish to assure you that arrangements are being made by health department staff working remotely to return to normal operations as soon as possible. The task force will continue to update through this forum.”
2. Wolf Point Schools Close,
Move To Plan B. Wolf Point’s school officials decided to close schools beginning Sept. 2, after a student tested positive for COVID-19. “A student at our campus was confirmed positive for COVID-19,” wrote Wolf Point Superintendent of Schools Loverty Erickson. “The student’s family has been informed and the student is no longer attending school. Roosevelt County Health Department (RCHD) and Indian Health Services (IHS) are tracking this case to determine how and where the student contracted the virus and tracing their recent contacts. If health officials determine that your student was a close contact of the infected student, you will receive more information from RCHD and IHS. Please be aware that all Wolf Point School District schools and facilities are regularly sanitized to reduce the spread of the virus within our community.”
3. Changes Made To 97th Annual Wolf Point Wild Horse Stampede. Because of social distancing concerns, many activities for the Wild Horse Stampede were canceled. Those events included the carnival, Main Street parade, street dance, Art in the Park and KVCK Country Showdown. The PRCA rodeo took place July 9-11, Organizers noted that all who attend the Wolf Point Wild Horse Stampede do so at their own choosing. Personal well-being is your responsibility.
4. Cord Sentenced On Sexual Assault. David Joseph “Joey” Cord, 25, was sentenced on Feb. 12 after a jury found him guilty of sexual assault. He was found not guilty of sexual intercourse without consent. District Judge David Cybulski sentenced Cord to 40 years at the Montana State Prison with 35 of those years suspended. He was fined $50,000. He was designated as a Level 2 sexual offender.
5. Strommen Found Guilty Of Rape. Former Valley County Undersheriff Luke Strommen, 42, was convicted on July 17, of raping a teenager. He was charged with sexual intercourse without consent after a teen girl reported that he raped her approximately 50 times between 2009-2011, The victim was 14 years old when the abuse started. Strommen worked for the Valley County Sheriff’s Office beginning in 2009 before resigning in November 2018. He later was sentenced to 40 years in prison.
6. Vanatta Pleads Not Guilty To Firearms Charges. Joshua Patrick Vanatta, 30, of Bainville, appeared in federal court in Missoula before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto on June 25. He pleaded not guilty on charges of prohibited person in possession of ammunition and possession of a destructive device. According to court documents, Vanatta’s residence was searched by deputies who seized several items from inside his room. Deputies seized a slam-type weapon made of a series of pipes threaded together capable of firing 12 gauge shot shells. In late November, he was given a 24-month sentence for the charge of prohibited person in possession of ammunition. The other charge was dismissed.
7. District Court Adjudicates Over Numerous Meth Cases. District Judge David Cybulski sentenced Morgan Long, Maria Elena Munoz and Joseph Drayton Cook on July 28. Long pleaded guilty to two counts of criminal possession of dangerous drugs (meth). On the first count, Cybulski sentenced Long to a three-year deferred sentence. On the other count, he sentenced Long to a five-year suspended sentence. Munoz was charged with and pleaded guilty to felony criminal possession of dangerous drugs. Munoz was arrested on this charge on Aug. 25 in Poplar. Cybulski sentenced Munoz to five years with two years suspended. Cook pleaded guilty to criminal distribution of dangerous drugs (meth). Knudsen recommended that Cook be sentenced to 10 years with five suspended. Ali Moulton, Cook’s attorney, argued for a suspended sentence. Cybulski sentenced Cook to 10 years to the Montana Department of Corrections with eight years suspended. 8. Fred’s Grill And Casino Opens In Brockton. Fred’s Grill and Casino held its grand opening March 11. The business, formerly B& S Laundromat, is offering its famous broasted fried chicken, along with a wide array of breaded mushrooms, onion rings, gizzards, mozzarella sticks and other appetizers. Sammy Nygard told the Northern Plains Independent that all the fryers and related equipment have been replaced this year. Nygard said the eatery was established in the mid-1980s after longtime manager Dorthy Denny started serving food. Interest grew and business remained strong for decades. Sammy’s daughter Jana Nygard will be managing the establishment moving forward. The new name was inspired by Jana’s son, Fred Nygard.
9. Wolf Point Man Arrested For Assault With Hatchet.
Austin Lee Pipe Sr., 29, of Wolf Point, was arrested on July 21, for assault with a dangerous weapon and assault resulting in substantial injury to a dating partner. According to charging documents, Pipe intentionally assaulted an intimate and dating parter with a dangerous weapon, a hatchet, on or about Feb. 13, 2019, at or near Wolf Point. The incident allegedly resulted in substantial bodily injury. Pipe made a guilty plea to assault resulting in substantial bodily injury in federal court on Dec. 16.
10. Railroad Crossing Safety Review In The Works. Lori Ryan, public information officer for the Montana Department of Transportation, said in June that a safety review is expected to begin on the crossing at Road 1013 near Bainville to determine if extra safety measures are needed. A May 29 crash that took the life of Sidney’s Rocky Norby prompted the review. “Upon further details of this crash,” said Ryan, “a diagnostic review process will be initiated.” Ryan said additional details about the fatal crash were needed before a timeline for beginning the review could be established. The review is expected to be a determining factor for any safety improvements. Roosevelt County Commissioner Gordon Oelkers established a loose timeline for improvements to the crossing, including crossing arms and lights. He said the processes involved may take a year or more before construction can begin. He said he hopes to see the project completed by summer 2021. In October, the County approved a safety measure at the railroad crossing with an agreement with BNSF. “They agreed to pay for the arms and lights, and we will put in the culvert,” Oelkers said. There’s no solid timeframe for completion of the project. A 30day window is needed for construction. “It will probably be in the spring, but we’re still pushing to get everything done,” Oelkers said.
