The Pembina County man accused of threatening to harm the acting U.S. Attorney for North Dakota as well as several state officials pleaded not guilty during his first in-person appearance in a Fargo courtroom on Friday.

Charles Dalzell, 46, was present with his attorney Rhiannon Gorham for the hearing, which was an arraignment for a grand jury indictment issued June 26. A previous arraignment scheduled for June 27 was canceled.

Dalzell appeared to cry throughout the reading of the charges against him by Magistrate Judge Alice Senechal. The case stems from a criminal complaint brought against him on June 16, the day after he allegedly emailed threats to Acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer Puhl, referencing the violent shootings, two fatal, of two legislators and their spouses on June 14 in Minnesota.

He is also accused of threatening to harm Gov. Kelly Armstrong, Attorney General Drew Wrigley and a state court judge in his email to Puhl.

“Now I’m going to be honest with you I don’t want this situation to end up like Minnesota over the weekend, do you,” Dalzell’s email to Puhl read, in part, according to the complaint. “I’m trying to get all of you to actually follow the law, not ignore me, not lie to me … that is what you all have done and this makes me wonder if these bad situations are really what you want or do you hope that I flip out and end up dead by a police officer?”

Prosecutors said Dalzell tried to retrieve a gun that had been confiscated from him just days before he sent the email.

He was ordered to be detained pending his trial, which Senechal tentatively set for Sept. 9.

Three prosecutors from South Dakota’s U.S. Attorney’s office have been appointed to try the case for the government, but the case is scheduled to proceed in the District of North Dakota.

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North Dakota has reported its first case of measles in more than a month, just as the state hit a milestone that declared the outbreak in the state over.

The state Department of Health and Human Services confirmed to The Forum that the case was reported Thursday, July 10. An unvaccinated person from Williams County who recently traveled out of state contracted the virus, said HHS spokeswoman Mindy Michaels.

The case comes a day after North Dakota hit 42 days without any reports of measles. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention considers an outbreak to have ended if 42 days have passed without a new report of measles.

The Peace Garden State’s last report of measles was May 28. Thursday’s case brings North Dakota to 35 cases reported this year.

The clock won’t reset because of the new case, said HHS Adult Immunization Manager Jenny Galbraith.

“This case is unrelated to the previous measles cases identified earlier this year in Williams County and is believed to have been acquired out of state,” she said. “At this time, there is only one confirmed case, and there is no evidence of community spread. As a result, a new outbreak has not been declared in Williams County related to this case.”

Williams County is on North Dakota’s western border. Its county seat is Williston.

HHS said it will continue to monitor measles activity.

Measles is a highly contagious virus that can be deadly, especially in children younger than 5 years old, according to the CDC. Nine in 10 people who are not vaccinated become infected, the CDC said.

There is no treatment for measles.

The U.S. declared measles eliminated in 2000 after the country developed a “highly effective vaccination program,” the CDC said. Outbreaks in multiple states have produced 1,288 cases as of Wednesday, the most reported in the U.S. in more than three decades.

More than two-thirds of the cases were found in people under the age of 20, the CDC said.

Three people have died from measles, and 162, or 13% of total cases, resulted in hospitalizations, the CDC said.

Vaccination rates across the country have declined in recent years, from 95% in 2019 to below 93% in 2023, according to the CDC.

The CDC recommends a vaccination rate of at least 95% to prevent the virus from spreading, according to HHS. North Dakota’s rate is less than 90%, though some counties dipped below 80%, according to HHS data.

North Dakota reported its first case of measles since 2011 on April 29. An unvaccinated child from Williams County likely contracted the virus while traveling out of state, according to HHS.

Reports of cases came in slowly through May, often one at a time. The most cases reported in one day was four on May 6, according to an HHS dashboard.

Of the state’s cases, 26 came in residents ages 5 to 19 years old, HHS said. Only two were hospitalized, according to the dashboard.

Four counties had measles cases. Williams County had the most with 16 reports.

Grand Forks County reported 10 cases, Cass County had seven and Burke County recorded one, according to the state dashboard.

North Dakota’s measles numbers are the worst since 1978, when the state reported 211 cases, HHS Immunization Director Molly Howell said in a late May statement. By the end of May, the state had 3.7 cases per 100,000 residents, the highest rate in the country.

As of Thursday, North Dakota tied for fourth-most measles cases in the U.S., according to a dashboard from the Center for Outbreak Response Innovation at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. Texas has the most with 792, followed by New Mexico with 95, Kansas with 87 and Ohio with 35, the data said.

Minnesota reported five this year, according to the dashboard.

Strict quarantine routine

Essentia Health in Fargo has been on high alert since the outbreak began in North Dakota, said Kelsey Nefzger, a registered nurse and immunization manager for the health care provider’s west market. Despite the contagious nature of measles, the state has not seen a lot of cases, which is great news, she said.

That’s likely because the state has a strict routine for quarantine, Nefzger said. Those who get the disease are advised to quarantine for 21 days.

“Making sure that we’re following those guidelines and educating patients once they are diagnosed with measles is really truly the thing that helps it from spreading,” Nefzger said. “I would say that the patients who have been identified as being exposed or being positive for measles have done an excellent job of helping to protect themselves and also protect our communities.”

She noted some counties have low vaccination rates because the state hasn’t seen measles in more than a decade.

“A lot of parents kind of have believed that, because we haven’t seen large amounts of measles, that it isn’t a dangerous disease, or that our grandparents survived it and it was all OK,” Nefzger said.

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Getting vaccinated is “incredibly important” to prevent the spread of measles, she said. The CDC recommends two doses of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine for those born after 1957 — one for children ages 12 to 15 months and the second between 4 and 6 years old.

Two doses of the MMR vaccine is 97% effective, while one dose is 93%.

“I think since the outbreaks in North Dakota, we have definitely seen parents bringing their children in to get vaccinated,” Nefzger said.

Summertime, with the sun high overhead and the longest days of the year, is a time for creativity and inspiration.

Minnesota artists have been hard at work throughout the year with all kinds of mediums — from woodworking to painting to fiber arts to papercraft — and there are plenty of opportunities for art lovers to support their creative neighbors in coming months.

August

The St. Cloud Downtown Alliance will host its fourth Historic Downtown St. Cloud art crawl of 2025 from 4 to 8 p.m. Aug. 15.

Thirty-five venues will host more than 40 participating artists for a stroll through some of St. Cloud’s locally-owned shops, businesses and eateries. From sidewalk displays to art venues to live music, visitors are invited to explore the event.

For more information and an interactive map, visit visitdowntownstc.com/art-crawl.

The 18th annual Arts Off 84 Art Crawl will cap off summer with a fun-filled weekend Aug. 30-31. With more than 100 vendors and six separate sites, spend Labor Day weekend traveling scenic Highway 84 between Pine River and Longville.

Signs along the highway will direct visitors to the six studio locations from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. both Saturday and Sunday. There are two creation stations for children — at Site No. 1 at Warehouse in Pine River, and at Site No. 6 in Longville — on Aug. 30.

For more information and a map of participating sites, visit artsoff84.com.

Fall into fun with autumn arts crawls

Autumn kicks off with Labor Day, this year observed Sept. 1.

With nearly a dozen arts crawls across the state throughout the next three months — three taking place on the same weekend — art lovers will have plenty of opportunities to find that perfect piece to add to their collection.

September

Vergas will play host to the third annual Back Roads Art Studio Crawl on Sept. 20, where visitors will have the chance to take a drive along Otter Tail County’s backroads and enjoy the fall colors in between stops at artists’ studios.

For more information, visit the event organizer’s website at vergascommunityclub.com/pages/vergas-events.

At the end of September, Minnesotans on the state’s eastern border will have the opportunity to explore three separate arts crawls.

The southwest Minneapolis suburbs will once again play host to the Edge of the Big Woods Art Wander self-guided studio tour, which will take place Sept. 26-28 in Waconia, Mayer, Chaska, Carver, Victoria, Norwood Young America and Cologne. There will be 24 artists taking part in the 2025 studio tour, which will feature 19 locations for its 14th annual event.

Studios will be open 1 to 6 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.

Printed brochures with maps are available at Unearthed Arts Gallery in Waconia, all three Mocha Monkey locations, the ACCC Arts Center in Victoria and Re/Max in Chaska.

Brochures will also be available at all studios during the tour or you can download the brochure online at artwander.com/studio-map.

Along Lake Superior, visitors and residents alike are invited to travel the 20-mile stretch between Duluth and Two Harbors for the 14th annual Lake Superior 20/20 Studio and Art Tour, which this year will feature 19 stops and 53 artists/small businesses Sept. 26-28.

Studio locations will be open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.

Brochures will be available at all studio sites, or may be accessed online at lakesuperior2020.com.

Those headed further north are invited to take part in the 2025 Art Along the Lake studio tour that same weekend and stretching into October, with locations from Tofte to Grand Portage to the Gunflint Trail.

The ten-day self-guided arts crawl will take place Sept. 26 through Oct. 5, and features 25 stops and 31 individual artists. Visitors are invited to spend time with each host and guest artist, and take in the seven participating gallery spaces in Grand Marais.

The event is run by Cook County Creatives, a nonprofit in Grand Marais, which took over the annual studio tour in 2024. For more information and a map of the participating locations, visit artalongthelake.com.

October

The 21st annual Studio ARTour will take place Oct. 4 and 5 in Northfield, Dundas and Faribault, offering visitors and residents the opportunity to visit 15 studio spaces over the weekend.

Artists will have ceramics, paintings, jewelry, textiles, glass, wood and metal artwork available for perusal and sale from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.

Some studio spaces will be open from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday as well; check the website for details at studioartour.com.

Artists on the western edge of the state will greet the first weekend of October with open arms, as the annual Meander Upper Minnesota River Valley Arts Crawl takes place Oct. 3-5.

Forty-two artists will set up in 32 locations throughout Big Stone, Chippewa, Lac qui Parle, Swift and Yellow Medicine counties from noon to 6 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.

For a map or a printable brochure of the 2025 Meander locations, visit artsmeander.com.

St. Paul’s own Fall 2025 Art Crawl will be held Oct. 10-12, citywide. Galleries and artist lofts in the Lowertown, West 7th, West Side and other neighborhoods will open to visitors.

For more information, visit stpaulartcollective.org/fall-2025-st-paul-art-crawl/.

The St. Cloud Downtown Alliance will host its fifth Historic Downtown St. Cloud art crawl of 2025 from 4 to 8 p.m. Oct. 17.

Dozens of participating artists will set up displays at downtown locally-owned shops, businesses and eateries. From sidewalk displays to art venues to live music, visitors are invited to explore the event.

For more information and an interactive map, visit visitdowntownstc.com/art-crawl.

November

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The second weekend of November will kick off with the annual Art Attack open studio event at the Northrup King Building in northeast Minneapolis from Nov. 14 to Nov. 16.

With four floors of artwork and gifts available to browse, visitors are invited to meet the artists, find unique pieces and get some shopping done, in addition to the opportunity to try their hand at interactive activities.

For more information, visit northrupkingbuilding.com/events/art-attack.

Today is Monday, July 14, the 195th day of 2024. There are 170 days left in the year.

Today in history:

On July 14, 1789, in an event symbolizing the start of the French Revolution, citizens of Paris stormed the Bastille prison and released the seven prisoners held there.

Also on this date:

In 1798, Congress passed the Sedition Act, making it a federal crime to publish false, scandalous or malicious writing about the United States government.

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In 1881, outlaw William H. Bonney Jr., alias “Billy the Kid,” was shot and killed by Sheriff Pat Garrett in Fort Sumner in present-day New Mexico.

In 1912, American folk singer-songwriter Woody Guthrie was born in Okemah, Oklahoma.

In 1933, all German political parties, except the Nazi Party, were outlawed by the government of Nazi Germany.

In 1945, Italy formally declared war on Japan, its former Axis partner during World War II.

In 1960, 26-year-old Jane Goodall first arrived at the Gombe Stream Reserve in present-day Tanzania to begin her study of the wild chimpanzees living there.

In 2004, the Senate scuttled a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage. (Forty-eight senators voted to advance the measure — 12 short of the 60 needed — and 50 voted to block it.)

In 2009, disgraced financier Bernard Madoff arrived at the Butner Federal Correctional Complex in North Carolina to begin serving a 150-year sentence for his massive Ponzi scheme. (Madoff died in prison in April 2021.)

In 2013, thousands of demonstrators across the country protested a Florida jury’s decision one day earlier to clear George Zimmerman in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin.

In 2015, world powers and Iran struck a deal to curb Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for relief from international sanctions.

In 2016, terror struck Bastille Day celebrations in the French Riviera city of Nice as a large truck plowed into a festive crowd, killing 86 people in an attack claimed by Islamic State extremists; the driver was shot dead by police.

In 2020, researchers reported that the first COVID-19 vaccine tested in the U.S. boosted people’s immune systems as scientists had hoped; the vaccine was developed by the National Institutes of Health and Moderna Inc.

In 2022, the National Galleries of Scotland said a previously unknown self-portrait of Vincent Van Gogh was discovered behind another of the artist’s paintings when experts took an X-ray of the canvas ahead of an upcoming exhibition.

Today’s Birthdays:

Former football player and actor Rosey Grier is 93.
Actor Vincent Pastore (TV” “The Sopranos”) is 79.
Music company executive Tommy Mottola (muh-TOH’-luh) is 77.
Movie producer Scott Rudin is 67. Singer-songwriter Anjelique Kidjo is 65.
Singer-guitarist Kyle Gass (Tenacious D) is 65.
Actor Jane Lynch is 65.
Actor Jackie Earle Haley is 64.
Actor Matthew Fox is 59.
Rock singer-musician Tanya Donelly is 59.
Olympic gold medal snowboarder Ross Rebagliati is 54.
Country singer Jamey Johnson is 50.
Hip-hop musician Taboo (Black Eyed Peas) is 50.
Actor/writer/producer Phoebe Waller-Bridge is 39.
Rock singer Dan Reynolds (Imagine Dragons) is 38.
MMA fighter Conor McGregor is 37.