L. Delores (Dee) Norell, 94, passed away peacefully October 31, 2022 at her cottage home in the Riverview retirement community. Delores was born February 26,1928 near Maddock, North Dakota to M.C Westrum and Anna Sanderson Westrum. Dee was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran faith. She attended grade school in Albert township, graduated from the Benson County Agricultural Training High School in Maddock in 1945. Dee was married to Marvin Norell on September 21, 1946. Together they raised 2 children and enjoyed 65 years of marriage.
Spirit Lake Reservation in North Dakota and Lake Traverse Reservation, which is mostly in South Dakota but extends into North Dakota, are Dakota Sioux reservations. Their stories illustrate why reservations were created originally with the intent to assimilate natives into mainstream society, but persist as vital places to preserve native culture and traditions and to enable self-determination.
US Reps. Sharice Davids and Yvette Herrell are in more competitive races than in the last election. Native voters in New Mexico and South Dakota aren’t being fully represented at the county level #NativeVote22
The Spirit Lake Tribe, and members Collette Brown and Lois Leben, who are Benson County voters, say a Benson County redistricting plan adopted December 28, 2021 violates Native Americans’ voting rights by requiring Benson County Commissioners to be elected on an at-large basis, rather than by district.