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Latest North Dakota news, sports, business and entertainment:
FIRE DEATHS-SENTENCING
Judge says Wells County couple's death a tragedy for everyone
FESSENDEN, N.D. (AP) - The judge who sentenced a man and
his fiancee to life in prison for the deaths of a Wells County
couple says the killings were a tragedy for everyone involved.
Judge James Bekken sentenced Aron Nichols yesterday to two
life prison terms without parole. Tamara Sorenson also was
sentenced to life, but with the possibility of parole.
The 29-year-old Nichols and the 30-year-old Sorenson were
convicted last month by a jury in Devils Lake.
Nichols was convicted of murder and Sorenson was convicted
of being his accomplice in the deaths of 70-year-old Donald
Willey and his 67-year-old wife, Alice, in April 2007.
Bekken said there was no reason for the killings. He said
the Willeys only wanted a relationship with their granddaughter.
Sorenson was the mother of the Willeys' 8-year-old
granddaughter, and fought them over visitation rights to the
child.
Sorenson's attorney says he plans to appeal. Nichols'
attorney says he had not decided on whether to appeal.
Prosecutor Kathleen Trosen called Nichols "the puppet who
pulled the trigger" and Sorenson the "puppeteer who pulled the
strings."
HIGHER ED-PAULSEN
Paulsen says he's disappointed, not surprised
FARGO, N.D. (AP) - The president of the state Board of
Higher Education says he's being blamed for the resignation of
the former state chancellor.
A nominating committee did not include John Q. Paulsen
among three finalists for Paulsen's seat on the board. He was
eligible for another four-year term.
Paulsen says he's heard complaints from legislators and
others about what he calls his "presumed role" in the 2006
resignation of Robert Potts. Paulsen says that's unfair.
Potts quit after clashes with North Dakota State University
president Joseph Chapman. Paulsen was viewed by some people as a
Chapman supporter.
NDSU spokesman Prakash (per-KAHSH) Mathew says it would be
unfortunate if the issue with Potts cost Paulsen his position on
the board.
The three finalists for Paulsen's seat are Mike Haugen of
Fargo, a former North Dakota National Guard commander; attorney
Robert Harms, who has represented Hoeven and former Gov. Ed
Schafer; and Duane Pool of Bismarck, a scientist with The Nature
Conservancy.
LEAD CONFERENCE
Group says student confirms lead fragments in venison
BOISE, Idaho (AP) - An Idaho group that's working to
eliminate lead from ammunition says a new study shows ground
venison from 80 percent of deer killed with high-velocity lead
bullets contains metal fragments.
The Peregrine Fund and researchers from Washington State
University say the study of 30 deer in Wyoming is evidence that
people who eat meat from game animals shot with lead bullets risk
toxic exposure.
The North Dakota Health Department and the federal Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention are planning to study nearly
700 people who eat wild game harvested with lead bullets. They
want to determine if there are any health risks.
The suggestion that lead bullets could make venison unsafe
for humans has outraged pro-hunting groups like the
Connecticut-based National Shooting Sports Foundation.
ALTRU LAWSUIT
Grand Forks doctor suing Altru
(Casey Wonnenberg, WDAZ, Grand Forks)
GRAND FORKS, N.D. (AP) - A Grand Forks doctor is suing the
Altru health system, saying it wrongly barring him from seeing
patients there.
Doctor Khaled Rabadi (KAH'-led, ROB'-buddy) has a two-year
contract to see patients at Altru's dialysis facilities. He says
that right after he opened a new dialysis center at the Aurora
Medical Park, he was barred from seeing patients at Altru.
Rabadi says that kind of competition does not focus on the
patient's care. A judge issued a temporary restraining order last
week to allow Rabadi to see his patients at Altru.
Officials at Altru say Rabadi is not barred from providing
dialysis services, since he has his own center, and that he can
still see in-patients.
WIND CENTER DEDICATION
Langdon Wind Energy Center being dedicated
(Scott Karnik, KXPO, Grafton)
UNDATED (AP) - The Langdon Wind Energy Center is being
dedicated today.
Energy and government officials will be on hand to dedicate
the 159-megawatt center southeast of Langdon, in Cavalier County.
Otter Tail Power spokeswoman Cindy Kuismi (KWIZ-mee) says
Otter Tail gets 60-megawatts of electricity from it. She says it
helps balance the company's resource mix.
Kuismi says Otter Tail has a purchase agreement with
Florida Power and Light for 19.5 megawatts. Otter Tail also owns
40.5 megawatts of the electricity generated.
FPL Energy built the Langdon Wind Energy Center. MinnKota
Power also gets electricity from it.
Plans are in place to expand the wind farm to produce up to
200-megawatts of power.
CONGRESS-ENERGY
Congress halts oil shipments to gov't reserve
WASHINGTON (AP) - Congress has voted to halt oil shipments
into the government's emergency petroleum reserve, saying the oil
ought to be put on the market to lower energy prices.
Both the House and Senate voted for the halt yesterday.
The White House says President Bush is against stopping the
shipments, which amount to about 70,000 barrels a day - and
believes such a small amount would not affect gasoline prices.
Democrats and Republicans joined in the call to suspend the
shipments for the rest of the year. The Strategic Petroleum
Reserve contains 701 million barrels of oil, about 97 percent of
its maximum capacity.
Some lawmakers say it makes no sense for the government to
essentially purchase oil for a reserve that's nearly full when
crude is costing more than $120 a barrel.
Senator Byron Dorgan says the government is buying the most
expensive crude oil in history and storing it while American
consumers are hurting from high energy prices.
FARM BILL-FOOD CRISIS
Farm bill has little aid for needy children abroad
WASHINGTON (AP) - Critics say a five-year farm bill in
Congress this week does little to address the growing global food
crisis.
Instead, they say it diverts money that could be spent
feeding poor children abroad, to give more subsidies for U.S.
farmers now enjoying record high crop prices and incomes.
The 300 billion dollar bill was crafted by House and Senate
negotiators.
The bill has widespread bipartisan support in both the
House and Senate, but President Bush has promised to veto it.
Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer says the bill is
incompatible with the world economy. He says poor weather, high
fuel prices and growing need are contributing to higher food
prices and severe hunger in developing nations.
Bush contends the bill is too expensive and too generous to
wealthy U.S. farmers.
Farm-state lawmakers say a robust farm economy, including a
safety net in case prices drop, will help economies worldwide.
Senator Kent Conrad says farmers then can do what they do best,
which is to grow food.
PSC-XCEL
Public Service Commission wants to take a closer look at
tariff
BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) - The state Public Service Commission
wants to take a closer look at a proposal from Xcel Energy that
would charge North Dakota electric customers another 40-cents a
month to save them money.
It's called a "demand side management" tariff.
Xcel says it wants to spend about one million dollars on
conservation rebates and energy efficiency information. Customers
could get discounted energy audits, low-cost compact fluorescent
lighting and breaks on controlling heating and air conditioning.
To pay for that, Xcel wants to increase electric bills an
average of 40-cents a month for an average customer.
The PSC suspended the tariff. Commissioner Tony Clark says
the commission will be looking at the costs versus the benefits.
Xcel serves about 86,000 customers in North Dakota, mainly
in Fargo, Minot and Grand Forks.
MAIL FISHING PLEA
Second man pleads guilty in "fishing" mail scheme
BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) - Authorities say a second Minot man
has pleaded guilty in a scheme involving a glue-covered weight
lowered into a mail box to fish out money.
They say 27-year-old Joseph Minnifield of Minot lowered the
weight into at least one blue mail collection box to pull out
mail with checks and money orders.
The U.S. attorney's office says Minnifield has pleaded
guilty to conspiracy and weapons charges. He's scheduled to be
sentenced July 31st.
Prosecutors say 22-year-old Charles Price of Minot will be
sentenced June 18 for mail theft. He pleaded guilty in March.
Authorities say Price bought a 2 1/2-pound weight and a
shoestring for the scheme last September. They say it was
uncovered when a postal carrier found the weight.
MARY PRESIDENT
Mary president says retirement coming at the right time
BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) - The University of Mary president,
Sister Thomas Welder, says next year is the right time for her to
retire.
The 68-year-old Welder's plans were announced last week,
though she did not attend the news conference.
Welder gets kidney dialysis treatment three times a week,
but she says her health was not the reason she decided to retire.
NORTHWOOD SCHOOL
Feds to contribute nearly $5 million for Northwood school
BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) - State officials say the Federal
Emergency Management Agency will provide nearly 5 million dollars
to rebuild the school in the town of Northwood.
The Grand Forks County town was left in ruins after a
tornado last August.
Officials say the total cost of rebuilding the school is
more than 14 million dollars. The state has put up about half
that through the State Fire and Tornado Fund.
(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights
Reserved.)
AP-NY-05-14-08 0332EDT
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