Compiled by LAUREN DONOVAN

Bismarck Tribune

A consolidated school board split 3-3 down Mott-Regent lines to vote on whether to close the Regent school in favor of sending all children to Mott.

The board president, of Mott, broke the tie and the decision to take that step was made.

Next year, the Regent gym will remain open, but the classrooms will be shuttered.

The two towns voted to consolidate eight years ago and used the Regent school for all students in grades five through eight, with the younger and older students in Mott.

That doubled expenses, in some cases, and caused travel time and expense for teachers and others who went back and forth.

The student numbers are starting to take a toll, with this year's enrollment of 235 expected to drop to 186 in three years' time.

The school board meeting last week was attended by 200 people, many of whom took the microphone to speak for or against the motion to close.

Some financial scenarios were explained by Mott-Regent Superintendent Myron Schweitzer. He said moving kindergarten through fourth grade to Regent and putting all the upper grades in Mott would save $66,000. If all students are educated at Mott, the savings will be $150,000.

The consolidated district does have a $156,000 surplus this year.

Former students, who were once Regent Rangers or Mott Cardinals and graduated as "Wildfire," teams, said the consolidated system worked and expressed a desire to see the communities continue to cooperate.

A letter to the editor from Marlene Kouba of Regent said people should have had more information and more time before the board meeting.

"What was the hurry to make a decision?" she wrote.

- The Herald

Tooting kids' horn

New Town band students have their very own "music man."

Jim Stenslie, retired from a career in ministry, might look out of place with his gray fringe of hair and gray mustache.

But he sounds just right with his trumpet and other brass instruments rehearsing and playing at pep rallies and other public performances along with the students in the band.

He got the idea to see if he could join in, and called band director Kathy Brenna to sound her out. She agreed that the idea struck the right note.

Stenslie said he's struck a three-note chord himself over the years.

First, there's always something new to learn in the band room.

Second, he's having fun getting to know the students.

Third, it's a kick to hear the students' progress as they spend more time with their instruments over the years.

"It's also great to see what a great teacher Kathy is and what tremendous patience she has for her students," he said.

He also plays trumpet for the Minot Brass and is a part-time pastor at King Lutheran.

"It's nice to have peace and quiet, but I like to keep myself busy by playing music," he said.

- New Town News

Persistence pays off

At 42, Joe Yasenchack is decades younger than the other residents at the long-term care center in Harvey.

He's been in the nursing home since 2003, and his story is far from typical.

In 1997, working as a graphic artist for the U.S. Coast Guard, husband and father of two young children, he had a brain aneurysm, followed by three months in a coma.

When he woke up, his limitations required full-time nursing care.

Living among all older folks is very difficult, but he has his computer to keep him entertained and connected to the world.

Then, his computer starting crashing and he could no longer use it for games, writing in his journal or creating graphics.

He sent his story to the North Dakota Cherished Hopes Program, a project of the North Dakota Long Term Care Association.

Yasenchack was selected the winner of the program for 2008 and received $400 toward a new computer. Ron Volk, former administrator of the Harvey hospital, kicked in another $400 to complete the purchase.

Yasenchack is thrilled.

"Last year, I applied but I asked for something too big. I asked for my whole family to meet in Cleveland, Ohio, but it was too much," he said. "This time, though, I won!"

- The Herald-Press

Junked out

It might have seemed like a good idea at the time, but it was junk then and now, for sure.

The receding waters of Lake Sakakawea over the years have slowly revealed someone's idea of a rip-rap project at Renner Bay - old cars lined up on the lake shore one after the other, rusting monuments dating back to the early '70s.

The shore is along land managed by the North Dakota Game and Fish Department northwest of Beulah.

Mercer County's engineer Steve Mamer said there are about 30 cars on the bank and an agreement may be needed with Game and Fish for a bank stabilization project there.

"We may need some more rock rip-rap and a lot of dirt to fill that in," Mamer said.

- Beulah Beacon