The Official Newspaper for Foster County
The Official Newspaper for Foster County
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It isn’t often that journalists write about themselves, but in this case, it seems timely and necessary to describe something I’ve dealt with the past 6 1/2 years. On Friday morning the urology staff at Mayo Clinic declared me cancer free, and I’ve been switched to an annual checkup after three-month, then four-month and finally six-month visits. After getting that news, I wasn’t sure my mind or body could be that relaxed. I didn’t want to go dancing in the streets, but the relief was incredible...
According to the National Retail Federation (motto: “Proudly middlemansplaining since 1911”), Americans set a Halloween spending record of $12.2 billion in 2023. (And that didn’t even include earplugs for muffling the seasonal onslaught of “spooktacular,” “boo-tiful,” “to die for” and other undead “dad jokes” shambling in from Father’s Day.) But, citing research from Lending Tree, “Newsweek” magazine says 59 percent of Halloween spenders plan to scale back purchases this year because of tighte...
I have been following coverage of Hurricanes Helene and Milton in local newspapers in Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee and Florida for the past three weeks. Just yesterday, I came across an essay written by producers that I wanted to share, because it goes far beyond what I’ve seen so far and particularly addresses the impacts on the agriculture industry there. Big Sandy Creek Dairy in Madison, Ga. posted the following to their Facebook page on Sept. 29, just three days after Hurricane H...
As I write this article, the family of Jim Hillestad was preparing for his funeral that actually took place the afternoon of Oct. 9. Normally this weekly article doesn’t focus on something like the death of someone or their funeral. It’s most often the opposite of that and is geared toward optimism, but in this case, I feel compelled to recognize Mr. Hillestad in this forum. Jim was no ordinary individual for a lot of reasons, most notably he was 104 years old when he passed away on Oct. 2. Sec...
My handy-dandy “column topic radar” lit up when I encountered an internet article called “12 Phrases You’re Using That Make You Sound Unprofessional.” (This is not to be confused with the equally intriguing online article titled “12 Phrases That Would’ve Been 13 Phrases If That %$#* Black Cat Hadn’t Revved Up My Superstitious Streak.”) The author helpfully pointed out a number of utterances that can make you appear immature, unfocused, unhelpful, inflexible, whiney, too casual or too something...
The Small Business Administration (SBA) recently awarded over $500,000 in investments to support small businesses in North Dakota through grants awarded to Grand Farm and the ND Trade Office. Grand Farm is a network of growers, government, corporations, startups, educators, researchers and investors all working together to solve challenges in agriculture with applied technology. Grand Farm is part of SBA’s 2024 Growth Accelerator Fund Competition (GAFC) and received funds under the ‘Domestic Manufacturing and Production’ initiative to help prov...
Measure 2 is a direct assault on the freedoms North Dakotans have cherished for generations. Article III of the North Dakota Constitution, titled “Powers Reserved to the People,” ensures that we, the citizens, have the power to make decisions that directly impact our lives. However, politicians behind Measure 2 are attempting to erode that power by introducing changes that fundamentally undermine majority rule and weaken the value of your vote. At its core, Measure 2 tramples on the principle of “one person, one vote,” a cornerstone of our demo...
Two weeks ago I was at Bismarck State College for an event and it had been 38 years since I was on campus. It has changed drastically, but it was fun to be back there if only for a few hours. When it was my time to speak, I started with asking a question. “How many of you are Bismarck High School graduates?” Approximately 10 people raised their hands of the roughly 60 in attendance. Then I asked them if they know who Weston Dressler is? They all said they at least recognized his name. Unf...
When the weather turns damp and horrible and all I want to do is curl up by the radiator, my coworkers always get the bright and chirpy idea of going canoeing together. Lake temperatures tend to be somewhere between “frigid” and “freezing,” while my preferred swimming temperature is “jacuzzi.” And I’m not a fan of feeling miserable, unless I’ve just listened to an emo album. So when the old canoeing / kayaking / getting soaked in a boat idea came up, it was just bad luck that I had been indulg...
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,...
Just about anywhere in the state of North Dakota, there have been reports in recent years of unusual animal sightings. These are animals that through recent history, at least, haven’t been seen in the state. But from 2000 on, numerous witnesses have come forward to tell their stories of what they may have seen. • First of all, moose are not uncommon to North Dakota. They’ve always been along the northern tier of counties, most generally in the Turtle Mountains near Bottineau and in the Pembi...
“Telling Our Stories.” That’s the 2024 theme of National Newspaper Week (October 6-12). Newspaper employees are being encouraged to share with the readers exactly why they chose the newspaper business as a profession. Most of the origin stories are heartwarming and noble, although a few are undeniably embarrassing. (“Um, I heard somewhere that the Tribune and the Intelligencer have a Joint Operating Agreement, and I thought I might be useful, you know, operating the joints, dude. Imagine...
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...
Sept. 14 was an unusual day in our little Ward County community of Carpio. It marked only the third time there had been a parade there in the past 20 years. This time it was the fire department’s parade. The local first responders were celebrating 75 years as a fire department and as a spectator looking on, it was impressive. The Carpio department brought out all the big guns, but that wasn’t all. Donnybrook, Tolley, Burlington, Berthold and Minot Rural fire departments were all involved, hel...
I confess to employing the occasional half-truth. In order to keep conversations moving (and save face), I sometimes mumble, “Sort of” when someone queries, “You know where ol’ (fill-in-the-blank) lives, don’t you?” Around these parts, it’s a major social faux pas if you don’t know some nodding acquaintance’s street address, the Vehicle Identification Number of their conveyance and their middle child’s school locker combination. In this part of the country, “I know where you live” is a nonneg...
Measure 4 provides huge property tax relief to everyone, completely reforms how cities and counties will tax in the future, and is a tremendous opportunity for all North Dakotans. It does this while ensuring full local control, and not a single dollar of funding is lost. Dr. Arthur Laffer is a world-renowned economist who advised both President Ronald Reagan and President Trump on their famous tax cut programs. He has reviewed Measure 4, and believes it is a great opportunity for the people of North Dakota. In a letter to the committee dated...
I am personally opposed to Measure 4. I don't think that it is a good solution for our residents. First of all, it is an incomplete package. Widespread concern about real estate taxes is real, but this measure does not specify how this revenue would be replaced. I don't think our residents want to see drastic cuts to services, so another method would be needed to replace the lost revenue. This would still have to come from North Dakota residents, directly or indirectly. $1.575 billion would be needed annually for our state, counties, cities,...
You may have noticed the leaves on the trees in your back yard beginning to change color. And as we go later into September, that foliage is becoming more intense and looks stunning. Granted, North Dakota doesn't have forests like other places do, so you can't just drive down a road and see what those in New England might see. But you can drive to certain places and see the same thing that is happening in Vermont, New Hamp-shire and New York, as well as parts of Michigan, Wisconsin and...
We hear it every two years – "This is the most important election of our lifetime!" In a sense, it is true. Not because of who the candidates may be or the issues facing voters, but because the most important election of our lifetime is always the "next election." Voting is a privilege that every United States citizen has and a responsibility every eligible voter should take seriously. You are responsible for choosing your leaders, your policies, and your future, no matter if it is a P...
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...
The festival coming up in Minot that celebrates all things Scandinavian is a lot more than just a party to celebrate Norwegian heritage. If you’ve never been there, you’re missing out on some of the best food you’ll ever taste. Numerous vendors have food items as you walk through the halls, but the Høstfest brings chefs in from Norway and Iceland to prepare signature dishes from those countries. It’s a foodie’s paradise. If you don’t go there for any other reason, go for the food. We often tal...
Allergies suck. This is why we should bulldoze all the trees and replace them with McDonalds. Apart from absorbing greenhouse gases, providing food, reducing erosion, housing wildlife and catching rainwater, what have trees ever done for us? They make me sick. Literally. There's pollen everywhere. It's like the Dust Bowl all over again. And tons of people are saying we should plant more. I'll explain why planting more trees is a bad idea as soon as I shake the yellow dust out of my keyboard. If...
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...
Several weeks ago I was asked to give a presentation to a Christian women’s group about growing vegetables in North Dakota as well as talk about farmers’ markets and how they operate. It was a bit surprising to learn that many people in this group weren’t aware of what is happening in this emerging industry. Growing vegetables and taking them to market is much like operating a grain farm. Almost always, however, vegetable farms are smaller acreages. And, unlike grain farms, there is no elevator...
For decades, my mother (who was a veterinarian’s assistant during my childhood) gloated about her visit to my third-grade classroom. The dignified Mrs. Shelton accidentally transposed some numbers and Mom quickly corrected her for stating the normal human body temperature is 96-point-8. (With the proliferation of true-crime podcasts, it seems today the normal human body temperature is “room.” But I digress.) And I fondly remember wandering through corn mazes with my son’s elementary school...
