News Briefs: BSU athletic director on way out

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

MINNESOTA

BSU athletic director on way out

BEMIDJI – Longtime Bemidji State University athletic director Rick Goeb will be replaced at the end of the 2012-13 academic year.

In an email sent Monday to key supporters of Beaver athletics, BSU President Richard Hanson said the move follows a comprehensive institutional review of the athletics department, a process that outlined key priorities.

“The common theme among those priorities is a need for increased funding on several fronts: to bolster our coaching staffs, to increase the availability of scholarships for our student-athletes, and to improve our facilities,” Hanson wrote.

Goeb, who was hired as BSU’s first full-time athletics director in 2001, will remain in his position through the end of the school year.

Court upholds drugs-for-sex conviction

BEMIDJI, Minn. – The Minnesota Court of Appeals on Monday affirmed the conviction of a man who claimed he was bribed with sex by an informant in order to buy drugs.

Adam Kent Christenson was convicted in Beltrami County District Court of felony third-degree sale of a controlled substance in November 2011, according to court documents. He sold Percocet to a citizen informant enlisted to the Paul Bunyan Drug Task Force by Bemidji Police Capt. James Marcotte, who was assigned to the task force, according to the court’s filing.

The unnamed female informant testified in district court that she had to “bribe” Christenson with sex to convince him to sell her pills, according to the court filing. Christenson motioned for the case to be dismissed, arguing that the sexual relationship constituted outrageous government conduct in violation of his due process guarantees.

The district court, however, concluded that “it appears clear from the record that their sexual relationship pre-existed her disclosure of (Christenson’s) identity to Marcotte.”

It added: “There is absolutely no evidence that Marcotte encouraged her to become involved sexually with (Christenson) or that he was even aware of it.”

Man shoots self in home of his ex

RED LAKE FALLS, Minn. -- A Red Lake Falls man is dead after forcing his way into an ex-girlfriend’s home and apparently shooting himself, according to police.

Deputies from the Red Lake County Sheriff’s Office found Kevin Salveson, 53, deceased in the home of Heather Altendorf, 38, about 4 p.m. Saturday in Red Lake Falls.

Altendorf was transported to Sanford Thief River Falls Medical Center for nonlife-threatening injuries she sustained when Salveson struck her in the face with the butt of a .308 caliber rifle. She was released Sunday.

Salveson went to Altendorf’s home with the intention of killing her and then killing himself, according to police. After being struck with the gun, Altendorf was able to escape to a neighbor’s home where she called 911.

NORTH DAKOTA

Three arrested after home invasion

CHAFFEE, N.D. – Authorities arrested three suspects and are looking for a fourth after a homeowner was assaulted and her adult daughter was threatened during a home invasion-style armed robbery here Sunday night, a Cass County Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman said.

Deputies were called at 10:22 p.m. to the 400 block of Main Street in Chaffee for a report that four men had forced their way into a residence and assaulted the homeowner while brandishing weapons, Sgt. Tara Morris said. Chafee is roughly 30 miles southwest of Fargo-Moorhead.

The 54-year-old homeowner sustained bumps and bruises, and her 21-year-old daughter was threatened with weapons.

The suspects took cash and valuables and fled the home before deputies arrived, she said.

The victims identified two of the four suspects as acquaintances, she said.

Three of the suspects were arrested about 2 a.m. in Fargo. Michael Anthony Mario, 34, of West Fargo; Levi Brandon Melby, 21, of Fargo; and Zachary Scott Senger, 18, also of Fargo, were arrested on suspicion of armed robbery, terrorizing and burglary.

Mario and Senger also were arrested on suspicion of aggravated assault, and Melby may face charges of possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia.

All three were taken to the Cass County Jail.

Walmart part of annexation plans

DEVILS LAKE, N.D. -- The city of Devils Lake is planning a major annexation that likely will include a Walmart Supercenter and other stores within two years.

Walmart is planning a 120,000-square-foot supercenter, with a grocery store and possibly a liquor store, to be built on the south side of U.S. Highway 2, just east of the present city limits.

While details are sketchy, the company apparently plans to close its smaller Walmart discount store in Devils Lake when the new store opens, and then sell the property, according to Mayor Dick Johnson.

Walmart has a purchase agreement with Tony Braunagle, Devils Lake, for 720,000 square feet, or about 16.5 acres.

The annexation process, as well as a zoning change, should be completed by mid-January, according to City Engineer Mike Grafsgaard.

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