Page 4 —
The Star
June 7, 2021
. OPINION
One spark is
all it will take
Summary: the hot dry is
corner.
is going to a lot this
The waning of the pandemic is going to translate into more people
going to more events. It’s going to more camping, traveling and all
the other of
It’s also going to more Right now, 48 of North Dakota’s
53 counties are under some of burn bans or fire restrictions.
counties, all in the northeastern part of the state high”
when it comes to the fire
Rolette, Towner and counties all carry a “high” danger rating.
Most of North Dakota’s counties, however, don’t have what Rolette
County does — mountains full of fuel for accidental or intentional
of fire.
Adding more problems tothe potential danger of fire is our area’s rat-
ing on the drought monitor. As of June 3, around 90 perCent of Rolette
County is experiencing “exceptional” drought conditions.
The historical impact of such conditions aren’t pretty. Wheat is baled
for hay; numerous tests are conducted on water nitrate level and quality
and high nitrate levels in forage; farm service agency staffing;
producers cull cattle.
Wildfires are immense in such conditions, stressing rural volunteer
fire departments, not only physically and mentally, but financially.
Such conditions also hurt the local economy.
Some of those impacts predictable and least one is somewhat
preventable — wildfire.
Burning garbage, hot mufflers on ATVs or cars, a smoldering
cigarette can trigger a disaster right now. Prevention paramount and
it’s up to everyone to do their part when it comes to keeping lid on po-
tential fires.
Don’t be fooled by any rain fall or showers. A report earlier this spring
noted that farmers needed 200 percent of normal spring rainfall to catch
up. That didn’t happen and any moisture, barring monsoon-like weather,
won’t be enough to ease the burdens.
Late last week, Turtle Mountain Public Utilities also released a grim
reminder of how short the area is when it comes to‘ water. The agency is
asking customers to conserve right now and limit all outdoor water usage
to balance demands at its water treatment plant.
The only way that will work is if does their part. The same
is true when it comes to preventing fires.
This isn’t the best way to start a summer free of pandemic anxiety, but
it’s important to choose caution when it comes to preventable disasters.
How to contact your North Dakota delegation
Sen. John Hoeven
G11 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
Phone: 202-224-2551
Sen. Kevin Cramer
B40C Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Phone: 202-224-2043
Rep. Kelly Armstrong
1004 Longworth HOB
Washington, DC 20515
(202) 225-2611
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United States has outgrown Federalism
When the Articles of Confedera-
tion proved inadequate for dealing
with the critical problems left after
the 1783 armistice with England, the
leading colonists advocated a na—
tional meeting of colonial delegates
to amend the Articles.
After several years of jerks and
starts, the 1787 convention came to
order and 55 delegates worked
through the steamy Philadelphia
summer to negotiate solutions for the
weaknesses of the Confederation.
Horse-and-Buggy Government
The creation of federalism by
granting specific powers to the fed-
eral government and reserving, all
other powers to the states worked
quite well for the first decades when
horse—and-buggy was the means of
transportation and most business was
local.
As time passed, the Supreme
Court was asked to take a second
look at the traditional interpretations
of the commerce clause, the general
welfare clause, equal protection
clause, among others. So the defini-
tion of federalism has been expanded
to with new unforeseen prob—
lems arising out of nationalization of
the country.
America Is Nationalized
However, the American economy,
society and culture have become so
national that the fragmentation of a
1787 federal system no longer serves
the people adequately.
The structure of the government
ought to facilitate, rather than ,
or obstruct the prosperity and happi—
ness of the people.
At the present time, groups have
Other Views
By Lloyd B. Omdahl
come into existence with the goal of
changing the Constitution. A number
of states have signed on to the pro-
posal to have two-thirds of the state
legislatures call a constitutional con-
vention. Other folks want to junk the
Electoral College for direct election
of the president.
Convention Suggestions
Then there others that want to
reverse the Supreme Court decision
declaring corporations people for
purposes of contributing to cam—
paigns. Another group wants a con-
vention limited to adding an
amendment requiring a balanced
budget at the federal level.
support and opposition to all of
these convention proposals has been
bipartisan with the John Birch Soci-
ety and the Eagle Forum against and
the conservative American Legisla—
tive Exchange Council in favor.
States have been so divided on the
proposalsthat they have been with-
drawing their consent as fast as new
supporters have appeared.
Most of the dialogue about forc-
ing a call of various conventions is
not relevant to the greater question of
redesigning the national government
to manifest the national complexion
of our economy and society. National
issues have become more important
than 'state issues.
Federalism Failed
The failure of federalism is well
documented by our recent experience
with the muddled management of
COVID-l9 at all levels of govem—
ment. President Donald Trump put
federalism to the test when he dele-
gated the COVID— 19 to the
states.
States became enemies as they
tried to outbid each other for medical
supplies to fight COVID-19.
Then the federal government got into
the act and was competing with the
states.
Responses to the pandemic var-
ied radically from one state to the
next. Some states closed their doors
to out-of-staters. Masking rules were
inconsistence,‘ with governors fight-
ing local governments.
Good Road Show
It would have a great road
show but the cast was too big.
It would be funny except some
experts estimate that federalism and
its implementers caused 300,000 of
the COVID deaths. ,
A federal system spawns lot of
piecemeal policy. Because federal-
requires the mobilization of
high level public support, processes
are slow and cumbersome. . »-
But just as in the of the Arti-
of Confederation we are now
faced with‘ problems that are not
being solved in a federal system.
It will take national government
to develop universal health care, to
cope with earth warming, to respond
effectively to natural disaster, to fi-
nance the infrastructure, to secure
equal rights for all, and to cope with
unforeseen crises.
All of these will require a greater
sense of community.
The mystery of the Ninth Amendment
The mystery of the Ninth Amend-
ment
By David Adler
Likely the most mysterious provi—
sion of the Bill of Rights, the ques-
tion of the meaning of the Ninth
Amendment has generated numerous
interpretations and theories. Though
not invoked by the Supreme Court
for the first time in our nation’s his-
tory untill965, it has come to play an
important role in advancing the rights
and liberties of Americans every.—
where. The right to privacy, intimate
relations, same- sex marriage and
raising children in a manner consis—
tent with parental values are but
few of the many rights asserted in the
name of this constitutional curiosity.
The Ninth Amendment was
brought center stage in 1965, in Gris-
wold v. Connecticut, when the Court,
in an opinion written by Justice
William 0. Douglas, declared un—
constitutional a state statute that
made criminal the use of contracep-
tives, even by married couples. Jus—
tice Douglas famously coupled the
Ninth Amendment with “penumbral”
rights drawn from the First, Third,
Fourth and Fifth Amendments, to
David Adler, The Aituras institute
David Adler answers your Constitution questions.
Send them to this newspaper.
produce a “right of privacy older than
the Bill of Rights” itself, particularly
as it pertained to “the r sacred
precincts of the marital bedroom.”
Critics of the concept of a consti-
tutional right to privacy, including
the fact that it purports to rest, in part,
on the Ninth Amendment, have ac-
cused the Court of creating rights not
grounded in the Constitution. In the
roughly 2,000 cases filed across the
country since Griswold that have in-
voked the Ninth Amendment to de-'
fend this or that liberty, controversy
has raged as to its meaning.
The starting point for determining
the meaning of provision of the
Constitution is its language. 'The
Ninth Amendment states: “The enu—
meration in the Constitution, of cer—
tain rights, shall not be construed to
or disparage other rights re-
tained by the people.” -
The Ninth Amendment plainly
declares that “we the people” enjoy
rights beyond those enumerated in
the Constitution. Two questions im-
mediately arise. First, why did James
Madison, in his introduction of the
Bill of Rights of June 8, 1789, intro—
duce the amendment and its protec-
tion of unenumerated rights? Second,
what are the unenumerated rights
“retained” by the people? History af-
fords some understanding.
In the latter days of the Constitu:
tional ConventiOn, delegates
urged the addition of Bill of Rights
means of protecting against the
possibility that the government might
violate its authority and encroach on
the rights of the people. The, dreaded
Necessary Proper Clause, some
feared, might be exercised to infringe
such fundamental rights as free
Mystery
(Continued on Page 5)
State tourney host misses an opportunity, fans and players pay the price
The southeastern part of the state was a
mass of state tournament action last week.
The Class B boys and girls golf teams were
in Carrington and Jamestown, respectively.
That meant hotel rooms and restaurants were
packed with parents and kids from across the
state.
The golf courses in both towns can easily
hold such events, but this year the preparation
and follow-through by those charge was
lacking.
There was considerable absence of man-
power in Jamestown to handle the 120-plus
participants along with coaches, parents and
other supporters.
On day one, a lot of players didn’t get any
food were told to “hurry” to the next nine.
I can only surmise the reasoning behind that
was due to both a lack of readiness for the in—
wereoff the course.
i
flux of people as well as club members wanting
to 18 holes after the high school players
The course in Jamestown also had issues
with several areas on the course that were un-
High School
playable due to ground under repair. That led
to questions about the rules and, at times, no
officials there to answer the uncertainties.
Imagine that happening in any other N.D.
(NDHSAA) sanctioned event, much less a state
tournament. ,
Another smaller issue, but one that serves as
good measure of how the public was treated,
was the lack of benches for people to sit on
near tee boxes. Instead, more than a dozen were
just sitting near hole No. 15 near a storage unit.
The event wasn’t a disaster but it’s not one
most people will remember fondly. It was
missed opportunity for Jamestown, which
could have had volunteers or members of the
city’s chamber of commerce there helping and
welcoming all the visitors to town.
Certainly the country club members could
Activities Association
have pitched in as well
There was no way the people who were try-
ing to serve the public could keep up. .
That wasn’t their fault. The blame lies with
the organizers the NDHSAA.
Pages from *
the past...
10 ago
June 6, 2011
Ryan Keplin of Belcourt will be
inducted into the International Music
Camp Fiddlers Hall of Fame in the
International Music Camp Burdick
Center for the Performing Arts the
International Peace Garden.
North Dakota State University has
announced its spring 2011 dean’s list.
Area students include Rachael
Lagein, Rock Lake; Jessie Azure,
Rolette; Anna Schleisman, Rolla;
Annie Klebe, Willow City.
The University of North Dakota
announced its Dean’s List. The fol-
lowing area students the Spring
2011 list: Cheryl Arpan, Belcourt;
Phoebee Hunt, Dunseith; Nicole Ja—
cobsen, Rocklake; Elizabeth Mickel—
son, Rolla; and Michael Montonye,
Willow City. ‘
The North Dakota State College
of Science in Wahpetion has named
367 students to its spring semester
2011 President’s Honor List. Former
Rolette student Taylor Gottbreht,
Diesel Technology, was named to the
list.
Several area students graduated
from Bismarck State College. Area
graduates include: Joshua Davis AA,
AS , Belcourt; Kacie Beattie, AA, AS
and Alan Henry AAS, both of R0-
lette; Jonathon Worrall AA, Rolla;
and Cody Block, certificate, Willow
City.
30 years ago
June 10, 1991
Kristi Saari, daughter of Jim and
LaDonna Saari of Perth, gradUated
magna cum laude from Pacific
Lutheran University.
Lana Pigeon has been accepted
into the Occupational Therapy Pro—
gram the University of North
Dakota, Grand Forks.
Penny Knutt of Cando and Kelby
Halone of Rolla were selected as the
two students from the 605-person
graduating class Concordia College
to sing the baccalaureate service. *
Mark Heinz has been named to
the President’s Academic._,Hpuors
List at East _Qrand.,Forks Technical
College.
Four area students have been
named to the honor roll at North
Dakota School for the Deaf, Devils
Lake. On the “A” honor roll is
Corene Goumeau, an eighth grade
student. On the “B” hOnor roll are
Shawn Onstad, a freshman; Shelby
Slater, a seventh grade student; and
Melissa Davis, a fifth grade student.
Russell Larkins of St. John, and
Michaela Poitra of Grand Forks, for-
merly of Belcourt, have been ac-
cepted for admission at
NDSU-Bottineau.
Casey Henderson of Hansboro is
among 201 students at Jamestown
College on the spring semester
Dean’s List.
Rae Ann Kirchoffner, Paul Tupa,
K.C. Tupa, Matt Kartes and Ross La—
qualified for the North Dakota
State Hershey Track and Field Meet
in Bismarck at Hughes Field.
Wayne Poitra, a 6’7” center, has
signed a North Dakota Collegiate
Athletic Conference (NDCAC) letter
of intent to play basketball at Minot
State University next season.
Three underclassmen swept the
awards for the Belcourt Braves high
school golf team this past season as
seventh Guy Thomas was
named the team’s Most Valuable
Player. Another seventh grader,
Charlie Bercier, was named as the
Most Dedicated Player and junior
Ray Reed was awarded the Most Im—
prover Player award for coach Phil
Carlson’s squad. '
60 years ago
June 8, 1961
Leo Boucher of Rolla has been
appointed Rolette county deputy
sheriff, announces Edwin Johnson,
sheriff.
W. A. Schmidt of Bisbee was one
of two Scouters from the Lake Agas-
siz Council honored when 25 of the
531 local councils of the Boy Scouts
of America were cited as “Blue Rib—
bon Councils” for outstanding work
in extending Scouting among rural
boys.
The Rolette FFA Chapter downed
Rolla 7 to 2 in the championship
game to win the District 5 FFA soft—
ball tournament held in Bottineau.
James Brunelle, Belcourt track
star, took top honors in the javelin
throw among competing trackmen
from Class B and C schools at the
1961 North Dakota State track
held at Valley City recently.
vaight Goumeau, son of Mr. and
Mrs. Pat Goumeau, was name vale¥
dictorian and Patricia King, daughter
of Mr. and Mrs. John King, was
named salutatorian in the 1961 Bel-
court High School graduating class.
E
