News

Take one, or else

April 4th, 2018

FARGO – So far, an extra sample boneless Buffalo Wing at Cashwise Foods has cost Zebadiah Gartner $400 in fines and court fees, a $54 ticket to Montana, and two nights at the Cass County Jail, courtesy of the taxpayers.

Gartner, 21, an Anishinaabe, doesn’t remember any signs limiting how many sample pieces he could eat at Cashwise Foods, located at 1401 33rd Street South, in January 2017. He does, however, remember an undercover shopper following him around the store.

“Yeah he was…

‘You were charged, you appeared, and you pled guilty’

April 2nd, 2018

FARGO – Zebadiah Gartner worked with family over the weekend to raise money for a fine and court fees to pay for an extra piece of sample chicken he took from Cashwise Foods in January 2017. Family and community pitched in; proceeds from an Indian Taco event helped Gartner raise the needed $500.

On Monday morning, however, expecting Mayor Tim Mahoney’s weekend plea for leniency in his case to have some effect, Gartner was hoping for a lower fine. Fargo’s Municipal Court Judge…

Mayor calls for leniency

March 30th, 2018

FARGO – So far, an extra sample boneless Buffalo Wing at Cashwise Foods has cost Zebadiah Gartner $500 in fines and court fees, a $54 ticket to Montana, and two nights at the Cass County Jail.

Gartner, 21, an Anishinaabe, doesn’t remember any signs limiting how many sample pieces he could eat at Cashwise Foods in January 2017. He does, however, remember an undercover shopper following him around the store.

“Yeah he was following,” Gartner said. He believes he was profiled. “I…

Embracing the Midwest in the southwest

March 28th, 2018

Brennen Leigh finds her honky tonk heaven - design by Raul Gomez Moorhead, Minnesota native Brennen Hulbert, maybe now better known as Brennen Leigh, has become a fixture of the Austin music scene. The country music songstress moved to Austin at 19 and has made quite the name for herself in the 15 years that she’s been on the scene bouncing between there and Nashville.

Since then she has found herself writing for big-name acts in Nashville, tours the United States and Europe, and the late great Guy Clark even sang her praises by saying, "Brennen…

High costs of addiction

March 28th, 2018

Justin Dietrich and his dog, Harley Bell - Facebook FARGO – Justin Lee Dietrich was an addict. A long rap sheet haunted him, barring him from joining a society that rejected him at every turn. Court documents show he had issues with sobriety, was ordered by Cass County District Court to attend sobriety programs, chemical dependency evaluations, and given two years supervised probation, after he pled guilty to terrorizing charges in 2016.

Before four Fargo Police SWAT shooters took the 32-year-old man’s life on March 12 for posing an…

Piece of chicken lands Native man in jail… again

March 28th, 2018

FARGO – In January 2017, Zebadiah Gartner took an extra piece of chicken from a Cashwise Foods sample plate, and threw it away after workers said he could only eat one. A month later, Gartner – along with other participants – were pulled out of an Indigenous sweat lodge by Fargo Police wearing little but shorts in freezing temperatures.

The ensuing resisting arrest charge against Gartner was later dropped, but the theft charge stuck, and haunted him to the Fargo Amtrak Train…

Plea bargain struck in Minnesota MMIW case

March 27th, 2018

ST. PAUL – The case of a man charged with multiple counts – including kidnapping and strangulation assault – against an Indigenous woman, will not be going to trial.

On Monday, Derrick Jonathan Fasig, 24, pled guilty to felony kidnapping, but not guilty to four other charges of third degree criminal sex conduct – forced or coerced, possession of ammunition and a firearm, felony domestic assault, and domestic assault by strangulation, according to Ramsey County District Court…

March For Our Lives Fargo - largest march in recent history

March 24th, 2018

FARGO - The March For Our Lives event that began in Washington D.C. on Saturday by Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School shooting survivors, spread across the nation sparking more than 800 “sibling” marches, including a rally in Fargo/Moorhead that attracted hundreds.

March For Our Lives Fargo attracted more protesters to the Sanctuary Event Center than any other recent event. Organized by Moms Demand Action FM, speakers ranged from state legislators to teachers to students.

Nobody…

Fourth police shooting in 2018 sends local man to hospital

March 22nd, 2018

FARGO - Fargo police responded to a domestic dispute on Wednesday approximately 11:30 p.m. at 3101 32 Street South. After issuing commands for the male involved, Orlando Estrada, 28, to exit the apartment, Estrada reportedly brandished a large knife.

“An officer, who feared for his life, fired his service weapon striking Estrada,” a police press release stated. “Estrada retreated into the apartment and secured the door.”

After being shot in the side, and before being arrested,…

Puddles keeps on keepin’ on

March 21st, 2018

Puddles - photograph by Emily Butler Photography The High Plains Reader had the opportunity to interview Puddles of Puddles Pity Party. The clown is known for his golden singing voice but chooses to remain silent in his everyday life -- but granted us an exclusive interview via email on his performance on America’s Got Talent, his experience with Postmodern Jukebox and what fuels his sadness.