News Briefs: Judge orders Maddock businessman to repay farmers $237,000

Editor's note: The following is a collection of news briefs from Forum Communication newspapers in North Dakota, Minnesota and Wisconsin.

NORTH DAKOTA

Judge: Maddock businessman must repay $237,000

GRAND FORKS, N.D. -- A Maddock businessman has until March 6 to repay more than $237,000 to farmers for undelivered products or face up to three years in prison.

Northeast Central District Judge Lee Christofferson on Tuesday sentenced Michael Jelle, whose business was “The Dryer Guy,” to a year in prison for each of the six misdemeanor thefts he was convicted of. However, the judge stayed the sentence on three charges and suspended the three others.

Jelle, who sold and grain dryers and related equipment, initially was charged in September 2011 with five felony thefts of property after he allegedly collected more than $200,000 from clients without delivering the goods. A sixth count, totaling $25,000, was added later.

In November 2011, North Dakota Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem issued a cease and desist order, prohibiting Jelle or the business from doing business in the state.

Jelle pleaded guilty in September to reduced charges of misdemeanor theft.

Christofferson told Jelle he must repay the victims by the March 6 deadline to avoid jail. The judge also said the restitution will not be eliminated by any potential bankruptcy filing.

Belcourt man sentenced for stabbing

BISMARCK -- Kenneth N. Allery Jr., 30, of Belcourt was sentenced to six years and five months in federal prison Monday for an assault resulting in serious bodily injury, the U.S. Department of Justice said Wednesday.

He pleaded guilty May 21 to an incident in May 30, 2011, when he stabbed a man in the chest with a knife in the Turtle Mountain Indian Reservation. The victim had to undergo surgery.

U.S. District Judge Daniel L. Hovland also sentenced Allery to three years of probation after release and required $35,200 in restitution.

UND may partner with Williston State on oil degree

GRAND FORKS, N.D. -- A branch of the University of North Dakota’s petroleum engineering program may go west as part of an effort to expand the university’s presence across North Dakota.

President Robert Kelley said during his annual State of the University address Tuesday that the College of Engineering and Mines is proposing to offer a bachelor’s degree in the west with help from Williston State College.

He said he expects to seek funding for the program from the Legislature. “I hope you stay tuned as we develop more and more pieces of that.”

GF gubernatorial candidate takes case to top court

GRAND FORKS, N.D. -- A gubernatorial candidate from Grand Forks who was disqualified from appearing on the November ballot as a Libertarian is appearing before the state Supreme Court at 2:45 p.m. on Election Day.

Roland Riemers is suing the state to remove opponents Republican Gov. Jack Dalrymple and Democrat Ryan Taylor because he claims they filed faulty paperwork.

Earlier this year, Riemers won sufficient votes to appear on the ballot. He was later disqualified because his then-running mate, Richard Ames, didn’t file the proper paperwork. State election law requires both to run together. Riemers complains that the state does not treat third-party candidates fairly and, to make a point, sued the state on another election law.

He has since gathered signatures again to run as an independent with Anthony Johns.

More Red Cross workers head east

FARGO – Additional volunteers from the Minn-Kota Region of the American Red Cross are being deployed to help with storm disaster centers on the East Coast.

Last weekend, five volunteers from the region headed for New Jersey to help that area prepare for the arrival of Hurricane Sandy.

Now, two two-person teams from Fargo and one two-person team from Minot are also heading to the East Coast. The teams are driving emergency response vehicles that will prove food, water and comfort kits to communities hammered by the storm.

All of the teams are on two-week deployments.

To help with the disaster effort, go to www.redcross.org or text REDCROSS to 90999 to make a donation.

MINNESOTA

Tar sands oil to be discussed tonight

BEMIDJI, Minn. – A Canadian scientist tonight will deliver a presentation on the oil sands in Alberta.

Zvonko Burkus, Ph.D., a water process specialist for the Alberta Environmental and Sustainable Resource Development, will speak at 7 p.m. in Hagg-Sauer Hall 100 at Bemidji State University.

The Alberta oil sands are the third-largest source of proven crude oil reserves in the world, next to Saudi Arabia and Venezuela, according to the Canadian government. They produce 1.5 million barrels per day, with 3.3 million barrels per day expected by 2019.

Burkus, staying in Bemidji in advance of his presentation, said he will speak to address misconceptions about the oils sands, particularly concerning environmental impacts.

Moorhead man accused of molesting 5-year-old

MOORHEAD, Minn. – A 33-year-old Moorhead man has been charged with two counts of criminal sexual conduct in Clay County District Court after police say he molested a 5-year-old female acquaintance on multiple occasions, according to court documents filed Friday.

Albert Leroy Goranson is being held in Clay County Jail on $200,000 bond with conditions and $100,000 without.

According to the criminal complaint, the 5-year-old told police that Goranson would sexually assault her while they watched movies in her basement. She told police it happened multiple times but was “supposed to be a secret,” the criminal complaint states.

Goranson faces two counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct, both of which carry a penalty of 30 years in prison, a $40,000 fine or both. The court ordered on Wednesday that Goranson have no contact with the victim or persons under the age of 18, according to court records.

Ground broken on wellness center

WORTHINGTON — Blue skies greeted about 75 people at the groundbreaking for the Minnesota West Community and Technical College Health and Wellness Center Wednesday afternoon at the Worthington campus.

The existing recreational facility will be completely renovated and expanded to connect with the YMCA building. The project is expected to be completed in the fall of 2013.

“We’ve been working on this since 2004,” said Jeff Harms, a facility director for Minnesota West. “It’s huge for us so we can host more events and do a lot of things for youth.”

The total cost of the renovation is about $45 million, Harms said. This is paid in part by general obligation bonds and the college.

WISCONSIN

Criminal case will proceed in drowning

SIREN, Wis. — A criminal case against the Danbury couple whose 3-year-old daughter drowned within sight of her home in August will proceed.

Burnett Circuit Court Judge Dennis L. Kutz said that the facts of the case — when taken in total — are strong enough to bind over Jenna Elizabeth Danish, 33, and Thomas Jay Williams, 42, for trial. Kutz made his ruling at the end of a three-hour preliminary hearing in which seven witnesses testified for the state.

Immediately after Kutz’s ruling, Danish pleaded not guilty to the felony charge of child neglect resulting in death. Williams did not enter a plea on the same charge. The judge entered a not-guilty plea for him.

Reena Williams was reported missing on the evening of Aug. 14. She was the subject of a massive search that night and Aug. 15 before her body was found late on the afternoon of the 15th in a power dam canal 25 yards from the family’s home.

Danish and Williams where charged with neglecting a child on Sept. 21. Authorities said the couple had a habit of allowing Reena to wander away, that Williams was smoking synthetic marijuana minutes before Reena disappeared, and that Danish was sleeping at the time.

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