AROUND NORTH DAKOTA: Luring suspect was school computer tech ... Wrestlers rapped for hazing ... Mental exam for shooting suspect ... more

Luring suspect was computer tech for schools

FARGO — A man accused of trying to lure a Fargo girl by computer served as a computer technician for about 20 schools in the Devils Lake area.

Allan Vetsch, 40, was arrested this week during a traffic stop in Devils Lake after Fargo police got a warrant for his arrest. The investigation involved a police detective posing online as a girl.

Vetsch has resigned from his job with the Northeast Education Services Cooperative and Technology Learning Cooperative. Co-op officials said Vetsch worked only with adults and not with students.

Vetsch was jailed in Cass County.

Wrestlers rapped for Fargo hazing

ABERDEEN, S.D. — Some members of the Aberdeen Central High School wrestling team have been disciplined for hazing other students during a meet in Fargo in late December.

School District Attorney Rory King and Superintendent Gary Harms did not release details other than to said the students were disciplined according to district policy, which involves suspension from the team.

Fargo Police Sgt. Jason Nelson said officers are investigating the incident but he would not elaborate.

The number of students involved has not been released. Harms said district officials are restricted on the information they can give out because minors are involved. Wrestling coach Shawn Lewis declined comment.

Mental exam for shooting suspect

MINOT — A judge has ordered a mental health evaluation for a South Dakota man accused of shooting a worker at a North Dakota hotel.

Allen Rencountre, 37, faces an attempted murder charge that carries a minimum sentence of four years in prison upon conviction.

Authorities allege Rencountre twice shot a 66-year-old worker at the Guest Lodge after an argument in October. He was arrested after a chase and standoff with police. Authorities didn’t identify the worker.

Rencountre is from Fort Thompson, S.D. He told a judge earlier that he had been working in the North Dakota oil fields.

His pretrial conference will be rescheduled because of the mental evaluation.

Former sheriff gets probation

STEELE — A former sheriff in North Dakota accused of sexually harassing a female Kidder County employee will not serve jail time.

Doug Howard pleaded guilty to misdemeanor disorderly conduct. He was given a year of unsupervised probation and ordered to complete a harassment seminar. Court documents show Howard already has done that.

Prosecutors dismissed three counts of corrupt practices filed against Howard. Those counts related to allegations that Howard intimidated supporters of a deputy who ran against him for sheriff. John Lemieux defeated Howard in the Nov. 2 election.

IRS centers to give extra help

BISMARCK — Two Internal Revenue Service Taxpayer Assistance Centers in North Dakota will have special weekend hours to help taxpayers who are eligible for the earned income tax credit.

The IRS said the centers in Fargo and Minot will be open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. today and again next Saturday, Feb. 5.

IRS spokeswoman Sue Hales said taxpayers with incomes of $48,362 or less might be eligible for the credit, which can result in a refund of up to $5,666.

Court case likely on annexation

DICKINSON — A court case could be looming for the city of Dickinson after an attorney representing businesses and landowners recently annexed into city limits identified areas where the city allegedly did not adhere to the law.

The city has stood its ground, saying it followed all applicable procedures.

Both parties filed documents this week outlining their arguments, and Sandra Kuntz, a Dickinson-based attorney representing the plaintiffs, filed a demand for a change in judge.

DSU to offer grad-level teacher classes

DICKINSON — Dickinson State University will offer graduate-level courses for teachers as soon as this summer, DSU President Dr. Richard McCallum said Thursday.

North Dakota State Board of Higher Education members unanimously agreed to allow limited graduate course offerings to area educators, said Mike Haugen, board member and chairman of the task force that recommended the decision.

DSU was already offering continued education courses for teachers, but not at a graduate level, he said. Adding the classes will not take additional funding, Haugen said.

Though DSU will not offer a master’s degree, the limited graduate courses will count toward a master’s degree at other institutions, he added.

Tags: north dakota, allan vetsch, aberdeen sd, hazing, mental health evaluation, former sheriff, doug howard, sexually harassing, internal revenue service, weekend hours,  dickinson annexation ,  , news, lure, shooting, income, tax, creditdickinson, state, universitygraduate-level, classes, teachers, updates