Minot AFB airman identified
MINOT AIR FORCE BASE Officials at Minot Air Force Base have identified the airman who died Thursday after being struck in the head by a training missile during routine training at the base.
Senior Airman Richard Allan Gallelli Jr., 22, was a member of the 17th Munitions Squadron, said 2nd Lt. Kidron Farnell, deputy chief of Public Affairs at the Minot base.
The squadron is a unit of the base's 798th Munitions Maintenance Group, which is a unit of Air Force Material Command. The comand has its headquarters at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio.
Gallelli had been in the Air Force for three years and three months. He entered the service in January 2007 and his Air Force specialty was weapons maintenance, Farnell said.
His hometown was not released.
The base Safety Office is investigating the accident.
Eloise Ogden
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Closure of U.S. 85 forces detours
Due to recent rains, U.S. Highway 85 has been temporarily closed about 16 miles south of Watford City near the North Unit of the Theodore Roosevelt National Park, according to the North Dakota Department of Transportation.
Detours have been set up and cars and light trucks are directed to use alternate routes on the following highways:
-Motorists traveling from Interstate 94 to Watford City or Williston should detour on N.D. Highway 22 through Dickinson or N.D. Highway 16 through Beach.
-Motorists traveling from Williston to Beach should detour on N.D. Highway 68 near Alexander and then on N.D. Highway 16 to Interstate 94.
-Motorists traveling from Williston to Dickinson should detour on N.D. Highway 23 near Watford City to N.D. Highway 73 and to N.D. Highway 22 to Interstate 94.
-Motorists in the Watford City and Manning areas should detour on state highways 23, 73 and 200.
-All Interstate 94 load-restricted truck traffic driving to the Williston area should use U.S. Highway 83 north of Bismarck to U.S. Highway 2 at Minot and then west to Williston.
Load restrictions on all highways will remain in effect, including state highways 16, 68, 22 and 73.
Motorists are advised to slow down and follow detour signs
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Indian Health Service settles lawsuit with tribes
NEW TOWN The Three Affiliated Tribes will be receiving more than $1.7 million from Indian Health Service for settlement of a lawsuit which the tribes brought against IHS.
The tribes brought the lawsuit against IHS because it refused to expand health services. IHS refused to pay contract health costs or administrative expenses.
The tribes settled with IHS for additional support funding which will be a one-time payment of about $1.2 million. In addition there is a current year payment to the tribes for $503,553 and another current year payment of $65,829. The first payment is based on a negotiated amount and the second on a formula.
The last two payments will assist in future funding to the tribes, said Mike Roy, attorney with the law firm Hobbs, Straus, Dean and Walker in Washington, D.C.
The documents have been signed and the tribes should receive payment by May 17.
IHS is the federal health program which provides health care to American Indians and Alaska natives. It is administered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
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New Town city auditor arrested
NEW TOWN - A New Town woman has been arrested on charges she embezzled more than $50,000 from the City of New Town.
A press release from the Mountrail County Sheriff's Department states Tanya Salter, 39, the New Town city auditor, was arrested Thursday on a charge of misapplication of entrusted funds, a Class B felony. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and/or up to a $10,000 fine.
The complaint alleges that Salter, in her position as city auditor, failed to deposit monies collected from a water salesman at the water plant and diverted the funds for her personal use. The theft of money occurred over a two-year period.
Salter was held at the Mountrail County Jail until she made her initial court appearance Thursday in front of Northwest District Court Judge Gary Lee, who set her bond at $2,500. Salter posted the bond and was released.