The Official Newspaper for Foster County
The Official Newspaper for Foster County
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It's December 4, and I still don't have my Christmas tree at home decorated. A bare evergreen stands tall in the corner of the living room, staring at me. I'll get to it soon, I say. Traditionally, we'd decorate it on Thanksgiving weekend. It's something we've done with our kids since they were little. This year, nobody was really feeling it. My oldest had put up the tree in her apartment weeks ago, and my middle child spent hours decorating the display windows in the newspaper office last...
January 8. That's the day Carrington School District residents will have their say regarding the school's building levy authority. The Carrington school board made the decision last month to put the question to voters a second time, but the date of the election published in an earlier edition of the Independent wasn't correct. In 30 days, on January 8, voters will take to the polls and cast their ballots for one question: should the Carrington School District have the authority to levy up to 10...
In downtown Carrington there's a shop that instills confidence in females of all ages and offers them clothing and accessories to help them look and feel good. Lioness is the Central City's downtown boutique, and it has become a destination shop for many women at a time when online platforms proliferated the retail industry. Hope Carr, small business proprietor and downtown building owner, is the kind of person who does things her own way and at her own pace, listening closely to customer needs...
It's official. The Carrington School District will ask voters a second time for approval to increase the school's building fund levy from 5 to 10 mills. There's just one question on the ballot, and on January 8, 2025, polls will be open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. for voters to make their choice. The school board previously approved the special election in October, pending the failure of Measure 4. However, the matter came up again at their meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 12, due to timing. The school...
Taking home a state championship is something few kids ever get to experience. This past weekend, our boys of fall at New Rockford-Sheyenne/Maddock ended their football season in dramatic and dominant fashion, by shutting down the LaMoure/Litchville Marion Loboes and setting a state record for most points scored in a championship game. This season has been epic since the beginning, and this team was like none we've ever seen. I got to see it all from the sidelines, standing right in the midst...
November 19, 2024 "It's the old story: no work and no pay make jack pretty scarce," as writer Howard Brubaker once said. Wander back to Christmas 1930 and the height of the Great Depression with DPRCA's heartwarming holiday musical, "The Gifts of the Magi," opening Saturday, Nov. 30. It is Christmas in New York, but for two young lovers, Jim and Della, the prospects are bleak. It's the height of the Great Depression and both are out of work and penniless. But as those familiar with O. Henry's...
The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) released its monthly Small Business Optimism Index this past week. Small business owners are slowly regaining confidence, but with an uncertain holiday season ahead, there’s a degree of trepidation. “With the election over, small business owners will begin to feel less uncertain about future business conditions,” said NFIB Chief Economist Bill Dunkelberg. “Although optimism is on the rise on Main Street, small business owners are still f...
CARRINGTON, N.D. – Area law enforcement agencies cooperated to apprehend a fugitive Saturday. Carrington Police Chief Chris Bittmann said he was made aware on Saturday, Nov. 2 that Kyle Maez-Schaak, 32, of New Rockford, had escaped from Grand Forks County Jail. Authorities say Maez-Schaak was granted a furlough to go to the dentist and never returned. Maez-Schaak has an extensive criminal record, and he had been detained after leading authorities on a high-speed chase through the streets of G...
The United States of America is a nation of immigrants. My ancestors came from Germany, Norway and Scotland, among others. We have people coming to our communities from the Philippines, Ukraine, Venezuela and other countries right now. Yes, there are barriers. No, it isn’t easy to integrate new people, especially when language limits communication and the American way takes some getting used to. When I first heard about the Uniting 4 Ukraine program developed by the Carrington City Council, I w...
At the Foster County Independent, we are 90 days into this national experiment to revive local news. As I look at what we’ve accomplished so far and the work ahead, I am encouraged. This month also marks a milestone for me in business. As of October 1, I have been the publisher of this newspaper for three whole years, and I am approaching the 10-year mark of my career in the newspaper industry (which will happen in February). A lot has changed since. I’m starting to see how we can both con...
I have been following coverage of Hurricanes Helene and Milton in local newspapers in Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee and Florida for the past three weeks. Just yesterday, I came across an essay written by producers that I wanted to share, because it goes far beyond what I’ve seen so far and particularly addresses the impacts on the agriculture industry there. Big Sandy Creek Dairy in Madison, Ga. posted the following to their Facebook page on Sept. 29, just three days after Hurricane H...
Cinnamon is in season. We're making apple pies with apples harvested from our backyard trees and pumpkin spice lattes are the flavor of the month on the menu at the local coffee shop. October 2023 marked the start of a nearly year-long process to remove cinnamon that was found to contain lead from store shelves at hundreds of supermarkets and dollar stores. According to Consumer Reports, "the FDA began testing cinnamon sold at various stores after fruit purée apple pouches by Schnucks, WanaBana,...
There's only one place where you can get cozy by the fireplace or gather with friends under the arbor and experience the ambience of downtown Carrington. It's The Garden Gate, a Central City institution for nearly 35 years. This family owned shop located at 929 Main Street is a beautiful space offering specialty coffee drinks, daily lunches and a full liquor bar with appetizers and supper specials Wednesday to Friday evenings. The gift shop features vintage, handmade, and repurposed home decor...
The Carrington school board fully intends to ask voters a second time to permanently increase the building fund levy from 5 to 10 mills. Members took steps at their Tuesday, Oct. 8 regular meeting to set a date for the special election and authorize Business Manager Kim Edland to secure poll workers and produce ballots. The plan they laid out, however, will not be put into motion until after the Nov. 5 general election, when North Dakota voters decide whether or not to eliminate valuation-based...
You may recall seeing clotheslines of bras on Main Street businesses in Carrington last October. Well, they're back, and this year Foster County Public Health, CHI St. Alexius Health Carrington and the Foster County Independent are teaming up to raise the line even higher and spread awareness farther. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and we're taking this opportunity to raise awareness about breast health, highlight the importance of screenings and early detection, and provide support...
I rode on the back of a steam engine this past weekend. I’ve lived in New Rockford for 20 years and have made the short trip to the Central North Dakota Steam Threshers Reunion for nearly every one. I’ve also covered the local steam show for the Transcript 10 straight years now. Each time I aim to capture something and someone new and different, as there are so many things to see and do on the grounds. They’ve recently added events as well, including tractor driving for the kids and a Frida...
The Cardinal - KDAK AM 1600/100.1FM is the local radio station that serves the Carrington area. The KDAK studio is located on Main Street in Carrington, and the station has been serving the community for 75 years. Operating 24/7, KDAK has seven employees. KDAK sees its role in the community as helping to promote Carrington as a great place to live, work, and play. BJ Walters, the primary on-air personality for The Cardinal, broadcasts from the studio each Monday through Friday from 6-9 a.m. and...
Last fall's sold out hit, "Deer Camp," is back in town by popular demand. This hilarious take on hunting follows four buddies on their annual boys' trip out to the shack. This time it's a little different, though. After 15 years of coming home with nothing but a hangover from their annual "hunting" excursion, their wives have given them an ultimatum: bag a deer or your deer camp days are over. Only one teeny, tiny hurdle stands in their way – none of them actually know how to hunt! Do they b...
The 3rd Annual Out of the Darkness Community Walk was held at Carrington City Park Sunday afternoon, September 8. The event is sponsored by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. A total of $16,395.31 was raised from the event, and 116 individuals and 10 teams participated in this year's walk in Carrington. Kaylin Pate was the top individual fundraiser at $1,050.00, followed by Lori Stahl, $425.00; Peggy Biel, $400.00; Kristen Beckley, $350.00; and Ashley Schulz, $296.31. The amounts...
During the month of September, approximately 1.3 million people in the U.S. will have suicidal thoughts, 142,000 will attempt suicide, and 4,000 will die by suicide, according to the Suicide Prevention Resource Center. In 2023, 142 North Dakota residents died by suicide, according to N.D. Vital Records. “Compassion and human connection are powerful tools in suicide prevention. Reaching out, listening without judgment, and showing genuine care can provide the hope and support that someone in c...
This will be the second year in a row that the Carrington School District passes a budget that does not levy any miscellaneous mills and instead calls for deficit spending. At their September 10 meeting, the Carrington School Board approved the 2024-25 final budget. The district is expected to bring in just under $8.09 million in revenue and spend $8.47 million to educate approximately 600 students. Officials again noted the healthy general fund balance, which totaled $3,306,675.15 as of August...
In the world of public notices, this summer has been a doozy. Recent events, some involving celebrities, have shed light on just how well read public notices are. Public notices are reports of upcoming meetings held by government entities, notices to creditors when a person passes away, foreclosure notices issued by banks, and financial reports of the cities and school districts, to name a few. Each state has laws that govern what is considered a public notice and how often each needs to be...
The Central City is literally feeding the world. 8th Avenue Food & Provisions ships pasta made right here in Carrington throughout the globe, to not only the U.S. and Canada, but also Korea and Central America. 8th Avenue is the new home of Dakota Growers Pasta Company, founded in 1991 as a grower-owned cooperative that began producing pasta in the Central City in 1993. The site doubled production capacity by 1996, then acquired a Minnesota facility in 1998 and Virginia facility in June 2021. Ov...
The United States Postal Service is a vital partner to newspapers. We pay them to provide a service, that is to deliver our print editions to every address in America. That partnership, however, is facing new challenges. I was among a select few representing North Dakota newspapers at a roundtable discussion hosted by U.S. Sen. John Hoeven on Monday. An article about that meeting first appeared in the Grand Forks Herald on Tuesday, and is republished in this edition of both the Transcript and th...
Your local newspaper is teaming up with your local pasta producer to put together something the Central City has never seen before. Introducing 8th Avenue and Main Pasta Fest, a community event that blends together fantastic food and Carrington camaraderie. It's Central City's first potluck pasta party, set for National Pasta Day – Thursday, Oct. 17. Downtown businesses have the opportunity to host a chef or team, who prepares a dish and serves it to attendees at their place of business. S...
