Moorhead man accused of rape takes plea offer before second day of trial

MOORHEAD – A Moorhead man accused of raping a 22-year-old woman in his home pleaded guilty to a reduced charge this morning before the second day of his trial in Clay County District Court.

• Jesse Lee Paskey

Ex-PTA president arrested in prostitution sting

FARGO – A former president of a Fargo school PTA was among three women arrested during a prostitution sting at the Motel 6 here on Monday night. Wendy Marie Jojola, 46, of Fargo, was arrested by Fargo police on suspicion of prostitution along with 35-year-old Kimberly Lea Lyles of Fargo and 32-year-old Heather Marie Mattson, who police said had no permanent address.

• Wendy Jojola
• Kimberly Lyles
• Heather Mattson

VIDEO: Nickname supporters deliver petitions to secretary of state's office

Say they have about 17,000 signatures; 13,452 required to put ‘Fighting Sioux’ on June ballot
GRAND FORKS – After a last, celebratory campaign for signatures at a Bismarck Century-Bismarck High hockey game and from an RV parked outside the Capitol, Fighting Sioux nickname supporters delivered petitions to the secretary of state’s office Tuesday night to force a statewide vote on the long-running and controversial issue.

• Click here to watch the delivery of the petitions
• Looking through petitions

Williston Walmart getting tough on campers

WILLISTON, N.D. (AP) — Williston's Walmart is getting tough on campers.

Pizza delivery driver robbed in Fargo

Fargo (WDAY-TV) -- Fargo Police are investigating an armed robbery that happened late Tuesday night.

UPDATED: Santorum slows Romney nomination express

ST. PAUL - About 22,000 Minnesota Republicans helped Rick Santorum slow down what many had seen as a Mitt Romney domination of the Republican presidential race.

• Rick Santorum
• Support for Ron Paul high at Moorhead caucus

Attorney general says Linton School Board broke the law

BISMARCK (AP) — Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem says the Linton School Board violated North Dakota's open meetings law by discussing business over the telephone without proper public notice.

Newfolden teacher accused of taking nude photos of teen

NEWFOLDEN, Minn. – A high school English teacher from Newfolden is behind bars for allegedly taking nude photos of one of his students.

• Justin Adelmann

Man claims $257,000 lottery jackpot in SD

RAPID CITY, S.D. (AP) — A man whose family is in the process of moving from Billings, Mont., to Rapid City has claimed a lottery jackpot in South Dakota worth nearly $257,000.

13 motorists killed on Minnesota roads in January weren't buckled up

ST. PAUL (AP) — The Department of Public Safety says the majority of motorists killed in the last two months were not wearing their seat belts.

Oral surgeon claims firing was retaliation

Jury hears opening remarks in whistleblower case against MeritCare
FARGO – Jurors heard opening statements Tuesday in a civil trial in which an oral surgeon claims he was fired by MeritCare for raising concerns about a disposable breathing device being reused on patients.

• Mitchell Magid

Not renewing flood insurance before new maps come out could cost you

FARGO – Officials say a decision to not renew flood insurance could have costly implications months before new flood-plain maps come out.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency is expected to finalize flood-plain maps this year after more than a decade of redrawing.

College sells morning-after pill from vending machine

LOS ANGELES - A central Pennsylvania college is surprised to find itself the center of media attention this week simply for selling Plan B, the so-called morning-after pill, from a vending machine.

Denny Hecker removed from general population at Duluth prison camp

DULUTH, Minn. - Former Twin Cities auto mogul Denny Hecker has been removed from the general population at the Duluth Federal Prison Camp, where he is serving 10 years for defrauding his lenders and the bankruptcy court, and thinks he may be transferred within the next few days to another federal prison.

• Former Twin Cities auto mogul Denny Hecker

Wal-Mart's new food label tells shoppers what's 'Great For You'

LOS ANGELES - In case you can't tell which foods at Wal-Mart are healthful, the world's largest retailer will make it obvious right on the package with a “Great For You” label.

Poll: North Dakota voters want stiffer penalties on animal cruelty

Humane Society of United States says state is 1 of 3 where extreme cruelty not a felony
GRAND FORKS – North Dakota voters would overwhelmingly support raising penalties for “extreme and malicious” acts of animal cruelty to felony levels, according to a poll commissioned by the Humane Society of the United States.

• Should North Dakota have an option to raise penalties for extreme acts of animal cruelty to the felony level?

Dining review: Nichole’s Fine Pastry still achieves quality over quantity

Some intimacy lost in restaurant expansion
FARGO – Aesthetics is all about putting a value on a place or a thing or an experience. Nichole’s Fine Pastry in Fargo has a long history of elegant pastries, good coffee, quality art and competent service.

• Patrons gather for lunch
• Lemon curd tarts and Napolean desserts

Doeden: Cooking method elevates much-derided Brussels sprouts

On a recent dinner outing with friends, I was pleasantly surprised to see Brussels sprouts on the restaurant menu. I gave the chef points for offering a vegetable that, for the past several years, has been No. 1 on the list of vegetables consumers all over the world dislike the most.

• Recipe Card: Maple-Glazed Brussels Sprouts with Apples
• More from Sue on Brussels sprouts on her blog
• Use your chef’s knife to slice trimmed Brussels sprouts
• Maple-Glazed Brussels Sprouts with Apples

SheSays is looking for your favorite Oreo cookie recipes

SheSays is looking for your favorite recipes with Oreo cookies as a key ingredient.

• Image

Open mic nights valuable opportunity for area musicians (video inside)

FARGO – In the dimly-lit Perspectives Lounge at the Radisson last Wednesday, Mike Holtz made a few final sound checks in preparation for that evening’s Songwriter’s Night.

• Cody Conner performs at Dempsey's

Hebron native relives joining ‘Team Blake’ on 'The Voice'

HEBRON, N.D. - Gwen Sebastian is still riding an adrenaline rush from her audition on NBC’s “The Voice.” The Hebron native’s performance aired Monday, but was recorded months ago.
“To be honest with you, right now, I’m still about as excited as that day it happened,” Sebastian said Tuesday during a phone interview from her Nashville, Tenn., home.

• Gwen Sebastian

Lamb: North Dakota on a sub-mission to find good crest

The USS North Dakota is looking for an image. Sure, we know what the state-of-the-art submarine already looks like. The basic exterior design of a sub hasn’t changed much over the years.

• USS Minnesota crest
• John Lamb

Predicting the Oscars, it’s your turn

It’s Oscars season, which means it’s also time to see if you can predict which films, actors and directors will be winning the iconic gold man statues given out at the Academy Awards on Feb. 26. Here at The Forum, we’re interested in testing your powers of film award prophecy. That’s why we’ve revived our dormant Oscars pick-em contest. How do you play, you ask?

• 2012 Forum Oscars Contest
• Image

Forum editorial: The sense of safety goes away

Reporters for western North Dakota newspapers broke a story this week that is yet another indication of the fraying of the social fabric of the west’s farming and ranching communities because of the boom in the Oil Patch. Ashley Martin of the Dickinson Press and Lauren Donovan of the Bismarck Tribune wrote of sharp increases in sales of self-defense weapons, primarily purchased by women.

Undefeated Fargo South shuts out Fargo North

FARGO – A quick look at the stat sheet earlier this week showed Fargo South senior Sadie Hayes with just five goals this season.

• Fargo South's Carlie Stellrecht

Appears to be little opposition to expanding FCS playoff field

FARGO – It is no longer a matter of if the Division I Football Championship Subdivision tournament will go to 24 teams. A leading voice in the proposal said Tuesday it’s a matter of when.

• Jim O'Day

Gabriel’s Angels - Do you know an exceptional person in a company, a community, a school – or maybe in your own family - doing extraordinary things that make him / her worthy of being recognized as a member of Gabriel’s Angelsω We’d like you to nominate that person so we can bring him / her on The Christopher Gabriel Program and share their accomplishments with everyone. The audio will then be featured on wday.com and we’ll even send them home with some goodies! Click here for more.