ND church group caught in Israeli-Palestinian conflict
FARGO (KVRR) – A group of eastern North Dakota priests and parishioners are sheltering in Bethlehem in the West Bank after a major conflict between Israel and the terrorist organization Hamas started over the weekend.
Father Phil Ackerman, head pastor at Holy Cross Catholic Church in West Fargo is helping lead the trip and said the more than 80-person group is on a ten-day tour slated to return this coming Thursday, but their travel plans are not completely clear at this point.
He said the group thought they would have to stay in Bethlehem for the remainder of the trip due to the fighting, but Monday morning had a surprise brief window to travel.
Ackerman also said, quote: “There are checkpoints between here (Bethlehem) and Jerusalem, which is only about six miles away. But it is like crossing a border because Jerusalem is run by the Israelis. And Bethlehem is run by the Palestinians. So we did not think we’d be able enter into Jerusalem at all, we were just going to just remain here indefinitely. However, the checkpoints opened up so we decided to go into Jerusalem and we were able to go to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and see the tomb where Jesus Christ was buried and were able to do the Way of the Cross and have lunch. But right after lunch, we were told that we needed to get on the bus immediately and head back to Bethlehem as the checkpoints would be closing.”
He said the check-points closed very quickly and that the U.S. Embassy sent an alert issuing a curfew for U.S. citizens in the area and urging travelers to stay close to their lodging.
Ackerman says they have reached out North Dakota’s U.S. Senators to intervene and help the group get home at the earliest possible opportunity.
Interstate 94 resurfacing complete; two more weeks of clean-up before resuming normal traffic
Road construction is wrapping up this week on Interstate 94 west of Alexandria.
According to the Minnesota Department of Transportation, westbound traffic on I-94 will be shifted to the newly resurfaced westbound lanes on Oct. 9.
The also added, for the next two weeks, drivers will encounter lane closures in both directions as road crews finish their cleanup and begin removing the crossovers and other traffic control devices.
Motorists had been experiencing head-to-head traffic on the major interstate since August as crews resurfaced the westbound lanes.
MnDOT is still encouraging drivers to be attentive when travelling through construction zones and to slow down in the posted work zones until the road is completely opened back up to normal traffic.
Trinity Lutheran thanks community for successful winter gear giveaway
Trinity Lutheran Church is giving thanks to everyone who participated in this year’s winter gear giveaway.
The giveaway helped 367 children from 117 different families receive jackets, boots, snow pants, sweatshirts, mittens and caps for the upcoming winter.
The church also issued at special thank you to Lakeshirts in Detroit Lakes for donating 103 sweatshirts for the event.
In a news release, the church stated: “All blessings to the Detroit Lakes and surrounding communities for bringing smiles to so many.”
Rural Detroit Lakes woman sentenced for biting Essentia Health emergency room nurse
A rural Detroit Lakes woman was sentenced to 90 days in jail for misdemeanor assault stemming from an incident where she bit a nurse in the Essentia Health St. Mary’s emergency room in August.
According to court records, 29-year-old Lacey Rose Rousu-Hanks of rural Detroit Lakes, was at the scene of a domestic disturbance in Becker County.
She was found unresponsive in a wooded area outside and transported to the hospital in Detroit Lakes.
While in the emergency room, she bit the arm of a nurse, which left a visible mark.
Rousu-Hanks was also wanted on an active warrant and has a separate case pending in the Becker County District Court system.
On Sept. 1, she was sentenced to 90 days in jail with credit for 79 days served, which was stayed for a year while she undergoes probation. A felony fourth degree assault charge was dropped in a plea agreement with prosecutors.
ND man killed after pants start on fire while smoking
A nursing home resident in Lakota, North Dakota is dead after his pants caught fire.
Nelson County Sheriff Kurt Schwind says the unusual incident happened Friday.
Schwind says the man went outside to smoke and started a fire on the ground.
He then attempted to put it out by driving over the flames with his mobility scooter when his pants caught fire.
It was windy at the time and that was a factor in the man suffering severe burns.
He was taken to a Twin Cities burn center where he died.
The fire remains under investigation but Schwind says the death appears to be accidental.
Story by KVRR News Staff
2 people injured in Douglas County crash
Two people were injured in a two-vehicle crash in Douglas County on Monday morning.
On Oct. 9 at 10:03 a.m., a 2005 Dodge Caravan, driven by 62-year-old Mark Steven Pierce of Parkers Prairie, was southbound on Highway 29 when it collided with a northbound 2022 Chevrolet Silverado, driven by 51-year-old Corey Lawrence Hicks of Alexandria, while it was turning onto Pike Road from the highway.
Airbags deployed in the Caravan and Pierce, and his passenger, 57-year-old Mary Ann Springer of Parkers Prairie, both suffered non-life-threatening injuries during the crash. They were transported to Alomere Health in Alexandria for treatment of unknown injuries.
Hicks did not report any injuries at the scene.
All three vehicle occupants were wearing their seatbelts at the time of the crash and law enforcement believes alcohol did not play a factor in the incident.
Hunter found in Clearwater County after missing rendezvous
The search for a missing grouse hunter in Clearwater County comes to an end as the man is reunited with his party.
The 24-year-old man from St. Paul was reported missing when he didn’t show up at a meeting spot around 5 p.m. Saturday near Robinson Lake in Itasca Township.
Minnesota State Patrol searched for nearly two hours using an aircraft with an infrared camera but he was not located.
Deputies used ATV’s and a drone to search again Sunday morning and they were even bringing in K9s from Maple Lake when the hunter was found by a private citizen around 10:15 a.m.
He was walking along Mallard Grade Trail and was reunited with his hunting party.
Pelican Rapids woman deemed unfit to stand trial for death of daughter
A recent court order in Otter Tail County has determined that 27-year-old Suad Mohamed Ali is not fit to proceed in a case involving the tragic death of her child.
According to court documents, Otter Tail County Human Services was tasked with conducting a screening and they are also responsible for providing a recommendation regarding whether Ali should be civilly committed or not.
The charges against Ali stem from events that occurred July 10 when she was charged with second and third-degree murder in connection with the death of her 3-year-old daughter.
Deputies responded to a distress call at a residence located on the 300 block of River Road in Pelican Rapids.
Upon arrival, they found the 3-year-old girl unresponsive.
Ali was observed smiling the entire time CPR was performed.
The child was transported to Essentia Health St. Mary’s in Detroit Lakes, where she was pronounced dead.
Ali admitted to deputies that she had placed her hand over the child’s mouth, resulting in suffocation, after the child wouldn’t stop crying.
She also confessed to attempting to harm her daughter with a stabbing motion but claimed that no harm had come to the child during the attempt.
She explained that she punched her daughter in the throat and she was not crying anymore.
When asked if she was breathing, she said no.
The provisional autopsy report noted a bite mark on the child’s left cheek, and hemorrhaging in the head and brain.
As part of the court’s decision, Otter Tail County Human Services will be responsible for supervising Ali, and they are required to provide regular reports to the court every six months regarding her mental condition.
These reports will include an evaluation of her competency to proceed in the case.
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