#2 Lady Cards fly to two big wins over NR-S, PRFL – Pg. B2
The official newspaper of Cavalier County Theborderlandpress.com
In this issue:
Friday, October 3, 2025
State precision shooting record BROKEN BY OSNABROCK 13 YEAR-OLD By Hilary Nowatzki
Volume 4, Number 39
Grafton couple sets new North Dakota record with
GIANT PUMPKIN By Rebecca Davis
He even beat his own uncle, Clayton Backes, and grandfather Wayne Backes in the competition, who were both his inspiration for getting involved in competitive shooting in the first place. When Wesley first got started, he wasn’t just shooting cans with a BB gun for fun in the backyard, either.
News: It’s time to celebrate National 4-H week! Pg. A2
“He started competition shooting at eight,” said Lindsey. “He goes with his grandpa and now his uncle. My dad got him into it, so they go together.” Community: Knights of Columbus to sponsor blood drive in Langdon, Pg. A6
Range officer Coby Dalgliesh (left) with Wesley Meidinger (right) hold the championship plaque at the North Dakota State F-Class Mid-Range Shooting Competition. Wesley is the youngest in the state to hold the first place title.
Despite his young age, Wesley Meidinger blew the competition away at the North Dakota State F-Class Mid-Range Championship hosted in Rolla on Sept. 27. Facing off against 28 other competitors of all ages from around the state, Wesley won the championship at only 13 years old.
Views from the Borderland: Students encouraged to “think like a prairie” in Walsh County, Pg. B8
Area businesses receive through Rural Grocery Store Sustainability Grants The North Dakota Department of Commerce
Eleven rural communities across North Dakota have been awarded a combined $1 million through the Rural Grocery Store Sustainability Grant program to support local food access and economic development. These grants will help sustain and strengthen grocery services in small towns, ensuring residents have access to fresh, affordable food close to home. The 2025 grant recipients and award amounts from this publication’s coverage area are: •City of Lakota – $59,138 •D&K Grocery, Cavalier – $35,525 •Hoople Grocery – $150,000 •Munich Area Development Corp. – $59,784 “These grants are a lifeline for smalltown grocers who serve as anchors in their communities,” said Commerce Community Development and Rural Prosperity representative Nicolette Blumler. “We’re proud to help support these towns in keeping shelves stocked and doors open.” “The Rural Grocery Store Sustainability Grant is valuable to our region in helping communities sustain food access to residents and ensuring small businesses can serve communities for years to come," said Roosevelt Custer Regional Council Rural Growth Coordinator Andrea Bowman. "New coolers and automated systems will have a big impact on maintaining efficiency, reducing costs, and keeping fresh food options available.” cont’d. on page B4
The Osnabrock teen has been shooting competitively for five years now, according to his mother, Lindsey Meidinger. The F-Class Mid-Range Championship brought competition that has been shooting much longer than Wesley has been alive.
Lindsey said the competition brought together some of the state’s most skilled precision shooters. Despite his young age, Meidinger demonstrated remarkable focus, consistency, and technical ability throughout the event, securing his win. Shooters competed at a distance of 600 yards for 60 rounds. Wesley scored 598, with 33 Xs in the competition. When asked how he felt about winning the competition and setting a state record for the youngest indicont’d. on page A2
Roy Line and Danielle Schmidt of Grafton with their record setting pumpkin. Photo by Robert Ripple.
On Saturday, Sept. 27, a couple from Grafton carved their names into the North Dakota record books in a big way. Roy Line and Danielle Schmidt brought a massive pumpkin weighing 2,027 pounds to Walhalla’s 21st Annual Giant Pumpkinfest, setting a new state record. The garden giant not only earned them bragging rights but also a total payout of $1,500. The festival awards $1,000 for first place, and longtime Walhalla resident and previous record holder Kent Carrier sweetened the deal with a $500 bonus for anyone able to break the record at Pumpkin-
fest. Carrier, who held the previous record with a 1,921.5-pound pumpkin grown in 2018, was on hand to oversee the official weigh-off. He had offered the bonus prize last year as well, but no one was able to top his mark until Line and Schmidt’s pumpkin took the scales this year. The weigh-off was sanctioned as an official site of the Great Pumpkin Commonwealth, giving the Grafton couple’s achievement recognition well beyond the Rendezvous Region.
Gift enlivens downtown Pembina Fort Pembina Historical Society “With a great gift comes great responsibility” is one way to re-interpret Uncle Ben’s caution to Spiderman. The Fort Pembina Historical Society (FPHS) knows since they were just given a great gift. In January of 2025, the FPHS received ownership of the former US Customs and Immigration Building located at 112 West Stutsman Street in Pembina. It was built in 1932 to a grand scale and used to house the local Post Office as well. In 1989, it was listed on the National Register of Historical Places. It had been sold to investors, but they were unable to develop the property. They offered it to the Historical Society and thus began the hard work of bringing it back to life.
The Fort Pembina Historical Society received ownership of the old US Customs and Border Patrol building in Pembina. Since then, they have been making efficient use of the space, with more plans coming in the near future.
ful events hosted has been a monthly “pop-up market,” which first began in April. The most recent pop-up event, held on Sept. 20, featured an autumn theme with fall decorations of corn husks, pumpkins and gourds in one section.
“The current US Customs House and Post Office Building consists of 15,929 square feet of space offering work rooms, offices spaces, and large event rooms that can be utilized for flea markets, craft fairs, food vendors, workshops, trainings, recreation events for seniors and youth, celebrations/parties, and more,” FPHS reported in an early press release. “It is the goal of the Fort Pembina Historical Society to bring this beautiful building back to life for all the residents, businesses, and visitors of Pembina.” Early plans of setting up business office spaces for lease and housing small museum spaces for local artifacts developed fairly quickly, as donations and lessors came in. Next came events. One of the more color-
Winding around the spacious interior cont’d. on page B5
Plenty of produce was available on the veranda of the building at the last pop-up market.
The last pop-up market’s theme was “autumn” and was decorated throughout the building.