Not to start your weekend on a downer, but here’s the entire story from the Bismarck Tribune’s Kay Kemmett via Associated Press:

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — The broken pieces of the Rising Eagle sculpture are finally back together, almost a year after vandals reduced the American Indian art to rubble last July.

Just north of the Pioneer Park sand volleyball courts, the Rising Eagle seating area is fixed but the space for the sculpture is bare. The sculpture, created by United Tribes Technical College students, will be restored within the next couple of weeks.

“It is scary when you think that someone would want to do something like that,” said Paul Quist, president of the Bismarck Park Board, about the vandalism.

Heska, a former student of UTTC, approached the Bismarck Parks and Recreation District about reconstructing the art and has been a staple in the UTTC maintenance shop working to recreate Rising Eagle since August.

“I think it’s important that someone step up and try to rectify a wrong,” Heska said.

Heska, of the Standing Rock Reservation, prefers to be called by his American Indian name rather than Steven White Mountain.

“It’s important to me that I’m known by Heska,” he said.

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Tags: Bismarck Park Board, Bismarck Parks and Recreation District, buffalo post, Dakota Zoo, David Black Cloud, Gwen Florio, Heska, Native American Art, Native American news, Sertoma Park, Standing Rock Reservation, United Tribes Technical College