Per legal threat from a student towards myself regarding my reposting of this article, I have replaced the copy-and-pasted version from the Herald website with my own scan of a microfiche copy, made at our very own Chester Fritz Library. The Herald has changed their online version, but according to the person I have communicated with at the Herald, "Nothing in the story was inaccurate, no retractions were issued, and the story was left online all day."
The microfiche copy (I could not find an original paper copy) is freely available at UND's Chester Fritz Library for anyone who wishes to look. The online version is just that--a version. Although the online version was changed after the paper went to press (and probably after the majority of Grand Forks Herald readers saw it), this does not change the historical accuracy of the paper copy.
With the increase in the amount of periodical information that is stored in editable online databases, I fear an increase in the amount of editing that will occur after the fact, with little or no related explanation as to why the information in question was changed. This is a disservice to the reader, who is trusting the newspaper as a source of information. If something needs to be changed, I think an official retraction is necessary to make things clear, with an associated note on the online article in question.
Regarding the truth or falsity of this article I have no comment, but unless the newspaper makes it clear that facts were fabricated to undermine the reputation of a certain individual, I see no reason to not treat this article as a valid historical document. I try to treat my posts here on Campus Dakota in the same manner; even though I have the power to edit them in perpetuity, I accept the fact that deleting or modifying the post doesn't change what I said, or that I said it at all.