The front page from March 11, 2000 included stories on various topics: U.S. Defense Secretary William Cohen touring Vietnam, the ongoing efforts of Devils Lake flood fighters to advocate for an outlet for the lake, Area Catholic bishops permitting the consumption of corned beef during Lent, and a winter storm being forecast.
Today in History is highlighting the following items:
U.S. Rep. Earl Pomeroy, along with state Sen. Vern Thompson and Joe Belford, holding a press conference at Six Mile Bay calling for bipartisan support for the Devils Lake outlet project. The project, aimed at stabilizing the lake level, faced challenges after a House committee rejected $6.6 million in pre-construction funding. Despite some opposition, Pomeroy remained hopeful that funding will be restored during the conference committee process.
Area Catholic bishops granted dispensations for consuming meat on St. Patrick’s Day, which falls on a Friday during Lent this year, allowing parishioners to partake in traditional St. Patrick’s Day dishes.
PUBLISHED ON MARCH 14, 1990
Still pushing for the Devils Lake outlet
Devils Lake — Flanked by two long-time Devils Lake flood fighters, U.S. Rep. Earl Pomeroy on Monday (March 12, 1990) called for bipartisan support for the lake’s outlet project.
During a press conference at Six Mile Bay with state Sen. Vern Thompson, D-Minnewaukan, and Joe Belford, Pomeroy called on Lake Region residents to contact Republican House leaders urging them to support funding for the project. The North Dakota Democrat also announced that local officials would be traveling to Washington next week to personally lobby for the funding.
Last week a party-line vote in a House committee shot down $6.6 million in pre-construction funding for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers outlet project. The project is designed to stabilize the lake level.
“I hope that this is the last party-line vote on Devils Lake,” Pomeroy said.
The day after the vote last week, Pomeroy blasted California Republican Rep. Ron Packard for playing politics with funding for the outlet. Packard has said his opposition is based on doubts about the cost-benefit.
Asked whether his criticisms of Republicans have hurt his chances of getting funding, he said he had no other option. Pomeroy said he had met obstacles from House Republicans to the funding for the past three months.
“I weighed very carefully the consequences of going public,” he said. “Nothing else has worked with these people.”
Pomeroy added that he is hopeful the funding will be restored during the conference committee process. In conference committee, differences in legislation are worked out by members of both bodies. He said the Senate is supportive of the project.
“I think our chances in the Senate are very good,” he said.
Belford, a Republican and Ramsey County Commission member, said the disaster is not a political issue but a personal one involving the suffering of many lake residents. Since the lake began flooding in 1993 it has caused millions of dollars of damage to infrastructure and property across the region.
“We can see no public boundary…”
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Area bishops allow corned beef during Lenten Friday
By Steve Foss, Herald Staff Writer
Three area Catholic bishops have given the OK for their parishioners to eat meat on St. Patrick’s Day.
The March 17 day of celebration—during which many Irish Americans dine on corned beef and cabbage—falls on Friday this year. But Catholics are prohibited by church law from eating meat on Fridays during Lent, a period of fasting and penitence that leads up to Easter.
Catholic bishops have the authority to dispense with the law.
Bishops Victor Balke of the Diocese of Crookston and James Sullivan of the Diocese of Fargo have issued general dispensations, which cover all their churches and missions.
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