The Official Newspaper for Foster County
The Official Newspaper for Foster County
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I was driving down a city street minding my own business when I came upon a semi-trailer in the right lane of traffic. I didn’t see a blinker so I assumed he was turning right since he was in the right lane and what not. With that in mind, I pulled up next to him in the left lane. All of a sudden this knucklehead decides to turn left before I could dart out of the way. I couldn’t back up because there were vehicles right behind me wanting to turn left. As a result, the right side of my veh...
Some negative people think that getting old is something to be feared but there are advantages when you pass the 75-year mark. It’s like a period of “no fault” because no matter how much you screw up all you need say is “I’m old!” Which is a good thing because as you get older you are inclined to do more foolish things - like buying a 30-year term insurance policy because it is renewable, sending letters without stamps so when they come back you feel like you’re getting mail, demanding a 2...
“Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes . . . Including you.” – Anne Lamott For the first time since I became a newspaper publisher, I “unplugged” for three days. I left my phone and my laptop in the room where we were staying, and I took a break from the constant emails and phone calls that generally fill my days and enjoyed being fully present with family. I have my in-laws to thank for the opportunity. They booked this trip for us a year ago, as a Christmas...
Get out and see the lakes… Manitoba used to have a motto, “100,000 lakes” and Minnesota had a motto “10,000 lakes. North Dakota doesn’t have that many lakes, but the ones we do have are incredible. Driving by Lake Tschida on the way home from Rapid City, Monday, made me think of the wonderful lakes we have across the state. After more thought I decided to present what i think are the top 10 lakes in North Dakota. 1.) I don’t think there is any doubt in anyone’s mind that Lake Sakakawea top...
Here’s a trend that may not bode well for the future of our country: According to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, only 40 percent of 16- to 19-year-olds have summer jobs — down from 75 percent of teens a generation ago. As it goes, according to the NerdWallet website, teen summer employment has been declining for decades. Why? One reason is that jobs typically tailored for teens are either shrinking or being taken by older folks. Another is that more teens are attending summer sch...
Are we ready? Are we ready? Are we prepared to stand behind the reversal of Roe v Wade? I’m not convinced we are. Don’t get me wrong, I’m pro-life. I’ve dedicated my life to pro-life choices. And it’s by far the hardest thing I’ve ever done. It’s not something you can do halfway. It’s a lifetime commitment. It’s more than contributing to the pro-life financial and political campaigns – it’s a life choice. Are we as a nation, a state or a community ready to take on the hardships and make the changes that support pro-life choices? With the action...
I needed to have some service work done on my truck so I took it to the Ford dealership in Minot. And since there is a McDonald’s across the street, I thought I would hang out there while having a cup of coffee. So myself and an elderly lady are waiting for our orders and suddenly someone yells out “257.” The elderly lady steps forward to take her order and asks the assistant manager why her order took so long. The assistant manager immediately went into a rant about the restaurant being short...
In one of Rob Port’s May writings, he indicated that former State Senator Roscoe Streyle was running for a seat in the legislature on the strength of a proposal to cut North Dakota property taxes by 50%. Having served on the Appropriations Committee, Streyle was automatically seated on the interim Budget Committee. Besides that, his interest in money issues probably emanates from his banking experience. In recent years, the legislature has decided that the low tax burden in North Dakota w...
Independence Day is my favorite holiday. Since I was little, I have looked forward to the annual mid-summer celebration. I mean, what’s not to love? The weather is warm, the sun is bright, and there’s plenty to do and many people to see. As a girl, I remember going to get firecrackers, smoke bombs and ground blooms from the local fireworks stand. Family barbecues, and the parades in New Rockford, Carrington and Sheyenne were often on the list for the holiday. My aunt Carrie (Schimelfenig) Krause...
Today, more than ever, our children are struggling with their mental health. May is Mental Health Awareness Month, but the issue needs to be recognized all year long. We simply can’t ignore the problem any longer. Between the recent mass shooting events in New York, California and Texas coupled with the pandemic, leaders from federal agencies are sounding the alarm about a new phenomenon that they have deemed a “national youth mental health crisis.” COVID-19 alone has led to increased rates of depression, anxiety, substance abuse and suici...
There was a rumor floating around a couple of weeks ago that the Edgeley Mail newspaper was shuttered. On Monday the official word came that yes, the weekly newspaper serving the community of Edgeley in LaMoure County, has shut its doors for the last time. The North Dakota Newspaper Association publishes the NDNA Bulletin and the latest issue discusses the loss of yet another North Dakota newspaper. The owner of the Mail, Patty Wood Bartle, put the paper up for sale some months ago and...
Publishing public notices is our civic duty as newspapers. From the Abstract of Votes that officially reports the results of a recent election (as published in the Transcript this week, page B3, and in the Independent on page 7), to the minutes of city, county and school board meetings, we dedicate on average a full page per week or more to protecting the public’s right to know by publishing these important community messages. You may have read articles and editorials stating that newspapers a...
I have a North Dakota map from the 1950s and I was looking at it to see if any highways have changed. Then I got a little curious about several small towns in Cavalier County that either no longer exist or are hanging on by a thread. Alsen, Calio, Clyde, Hannah, Wales, Loma, Nekoma, Easby, Calvin and Maida are all listed on the map. The sad thing is, every one of those communities has lost nearly its entire population in the past 70 years. Many of them moved to Langdon, many moved to Devils Lake...
Even though he doesn’t stuff the envelopes, North Dakota Tax Commissioner Brian Kroshus deserves credit for the efficient manner in which his department is serving the public. His turnaround time is just a matter of days while the Internal Revenue Service takes months. (If Commissioner Kroshus ever uses this compliment in a political campaign, I will deny that I ever said it – plead temporary insanity or something else believable.) For an agency that touches thousands of people, the Tax Dep...
Audrey Hepburn once said, “To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow.” The spectacular display of flowers throughout the community shows a strong belief in the future of Carrington. Kudos to the Carrington Garden Club for the outstanding work they do to make this happen! As I travel through town, I really enjoy seeing the blooming baskets on Main Street and all the large pots of flowers as well. Having flowers at the Welcome to Carrington signs and in the roundabout makes all visitors feel welcome and valued. Dennis Swanson and all the oth...
The latest economic news has Americans getting poorer. In fact, recent reports are indicating that two-thirds of Americans are living paycheck-to-paycheck. Further, it's not just those living near the poverty level who are struggling. Fortune.com referenced a new report issued by LendingCLub that revealed more than one-third of paycheck-to-paycheck consumers in the U.S. earn at least $250,000. Certainly, inflation is affecting how Americans of all income levels handle their budgets. The reality...
We’re all complaining about the price of gas these days and we have every right to do that. The price has never been this high and it’s killing any pay raise we might have gotten this year. Gas prices will go up and down as most of us know and right now we’re in a quagmire. When are we going to get some relief? This is, however, not unprecedented. My first memory of gas going out of control was in 1973. That’s when Saudi Arabia declared an oil embargo and it hit the United States, Canada,...
Walsh County Record (Grafton) Editor W. Todd Morgan reminded us last week that June observed the 80th anniversary of the closing of the Civilian Conservation Corps, an organization of young men 18-20 that did scores of public projects in North Dakota. And what the CCC didn’t do, the Works Progress Administration did. While the CCC consisted of young men in a semi-military setting, commanded in barracks by regular military officers, the Works Progress Administration used older men that worked o...
For the past 3-5 months, I have been going through some of my stuff that I filed away during the past 45 or more years. A lot of the paperwork I will turn over to the Foster County Museum and the Wells County Museum. Much was tossed in file “J” while other things lay in piles that are looking for a new home. So many things, stories, interesting tidbits and a host of other fellow Fourth Estaters’ columns that I thought some day I may use in this column. Well, this week is the week. I’ll use som...
Wow! Will this really be my 19th Father’s Day as a father? My biggest regret is that I’ve had to learn so much the hard way. To make life easier for other fathers and prospective fathers, I’m sharing reader-submitted pearls of wisdom: Resign yourself to the fact that the mother of your progeny will probably never admit that you deserved an epidural for the paper cut you suffered from the Lamaze brochure. Remember that whatever doesn’t kill you only makes you available to encounter the next co...
Most of us, if not all of us in North Dakota have recycled something. The first thing that comes to mind is aluminum cans, but there are numerous other items that can be and are recycled. North Dakota and the United States are a long way from the motivation to recycle in Europe, but that attitude is gaining some ground, slowly but surely. The city of Fargo has had a robust recycling program for more than 32 years that I’m aware of. And since 1990, numerous other programs have popped up across t...
Dear Savvy Senior, Is skin cancer hereditary? My 63-year-old brother died of melanoma last year, and I’m wondering if I’m at higher risk. Younger Sister Dear Younger, While long-term sun exposure and sunburns are the biggest risk factors for melanoma – the deadliest form of skin cancer – having a sibling or parent with melanoma does indeed increase your risk, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation. Each year, around 100,000 Americans are diagnosed with melanoma, and about 7,500 people will di...
If you are like me, you were waiting for the release of “Top Gun: Maverick” for a while. A product of the ‘80s, the original 1986 film was among those I could watch over and over again. I had “Top Gun” on VHS as a teenager. When I was a junior in college, I rented an efficiency apartment in Moorhead. It was basically a one-room suite with a tiny kitchenette. A futon doubled as my couch and bed. At least it had its own bathroom. The laundry room was next door, which was also a plus. With no funds...
Two weeks ago I was out in the field planting, or rather mudding in, transplants As I was doing that a helicopter from Minot Air Force Base circled overhead numerous times before darting off to the east toward Minot AFB. It got me to thinking about the numerous people stationed at Minot AFB who have helped make our little vegetable farm that we call North Star Farms successful. It’s time they be recognized. And honestly, as I look back to the first year that we had assistance from the base (...
We had free access to guns when I was growing up. Common gun sense ruled the country. There was seldom the kind of mass shootings of kids as we see occurring today. Ironically, the strongest defenders of our killing gun culture are also the same people who allegedly stand for sanctity of life on the abortion question. When guns are involved, sanctity of life goes down the drain. Most gun owners, from single shot pistols to AR-15s, argue that these are necessary for self-defense. But if you know...
