Burke County Tribune

BURKE COUNTY DEPUTIES
BY TERESA ROERING

Corey Murphy comes to Burke County from Bowman where he spent the last year working in the oilfield. Originally from Missouri, Murphy and his family now reside in Bowbells.
Murphy has just completed the academy, and stated, “I’ve always wanted to be a police officer because I like to help people.”
Murphy’s hobbies include fishing and spending time with his family.

Michael Cude is an Arizona native who has border patrol experience and moved to North Dakota because he was interested in cattle ranching. Cude said he fell in love with the small town communities and Burke County and couldn’t pass up an opportunity to serve its people.
“It’s a good way to get involved and get to know everyone,” Cude stated.
In his free time, Cude enjoys hanging out with his family.

Sheriff Barry Jager stated that these four were hired because “they had all the qualifications that the department was looking for.”

MAJOR CONSTRUCTION
BY STEVE ANDRIST

There will be dozens of other projects, Levi said, thanks in part to a $620 million appropriation that was approved early in the session in order to ensure funding for projects this season.

This year will be the start of an ambitious two-year program using $1.16 billion in one-time funding approved by the Legislature.

Levi said that in the upcoming biennium the state will pour $300 million into the U.S. 85 project, $324.7 million into truck reliever routes around cities, and $390 million in extraordinary maintenance and repair.

Construction will begin this year on truck reliever routes around the cities of Williston, Alexander, Watford City, New Town, Dickinson and Killdeer. Other road projects on the list include upgrades to U.S. 2 west of Williston, N.D. 23 east of Parshall, N.D. 22 north of Killdeer, and U.S. 85 near Belfield.

Levi also unveiled some of the design elements for the four-laning of U.S. 85 north of Watford City.
It will include a 20-foot paved median with two 12-foot driving lanes and an eight-foot shoulder on both sides.
There will be rumble strips between the driving lanes and the shoulders as well as between the driving lanes and median.

The median itself also will have rumble strips except in areas where it is used for turning lanes and other access.
DOT has already bid out 227 state and federal projects for almost $538.5 million for this season, Levi said.
It expects to bid an additional $341 million in the next two months.

While there have been fears that a lack of bidders would drive construction prices up, he said that hasn’t been the case.

“We’re seeing more bidders on construction projects than we’ve ever had,” Levi said, with some projects attracting as many as 15 bids.

PHONE HOME

Survey says! Nine out of ten moms prefer a phone call on Mother’s Day.
Prefer a phone call as opposed to what? Prefer a phone call over a personal visit?

“Hey, Mom, just called to let you know that I’m going to be coming home for Mother’s Day.”
“Oh, well that would be nice dear but a phone call is more than enough. I mean with the shape of the economy and the sequester and all, maybe it would be more fiscally responsible for you to just call.”

“Uh...you don’t want me to come see you for Mother’s Day?”
“No, that’s not what I’m saying at all dear. I just don’t want to be a bother and you were just here 29 months ago for a lovely visit and I just got this new phone and you sound so nice so far away.”

Not wanting to disappoint my mom I got her exactly what nine out of ten moms prefer and added one more call to the bustling Mother’s Day phone lines.

The telephone call volume on Mother’s Day is higher than any other day of the year. All those Mother’s Day wishes zooming around the planet, just imagine the variety of conversations going on between moms and their children.

Once the salutatory, “Happy Mother’s Day” is out of the way, it would be interesting to hear how many different directions the conversations splinter into. The weather, current events, bunions, spear hunting, bingo, incontinence, bikini wax…the topics are limitless I’m sure.

What you talked about isn’t all that important. It’s the simple act of communicating with someone near and dear to you that is important. Taking the time to fill each other in on the goings on in your everyday lives. Everyday lives that were closely entwined under one roof for at least the first 18 years of your life.

Generally during that time frame we’re busy growing up and Mom is busy working, washing, cooking, and cleaning, so the majority of conversations are you being talked at by an overwhelmed and underappreciated Mom.

When I complain to my mom about something the kids have done to irritate me, she just smiles and gives me that, “serves you right moron” look.

I would describe my childhood as idyllic and my mom as a sort of entertainment director and ringmaster of the entire four ring circus. She is a humorous, witty, creative, patient person who somehow managed to fight off the urge to smother me and my brothers with a pillow in our sleep. My sister would have cheered her on.

We were grade “A” knuckle heads…okay…are grade “A” knuckle heads that won the mom lottery. Despite our never-ending dimwittedness and blatant disregard for sensible normal behavior Mom rarely lost her temper with us. When someone rarely loses their temper it’s always startling when they do.

I can still see Mom’s angry face inches from mine, speaking through tightly clenched teeth in an attempt to keep everyone in the Ben Franklin Store in Stanley from hearing her curse at the boy who has just rammed the grocery cart into the back of her heals for the 17th time.

Happy Mother’s Day, Mom. I love you and am thankful to have you in my life each and every day. You done good. Thanks for taking my call Sunday.