Unheralded

RON SCHALOW: Refugees Face Trumpish Disinformation Campaign

Me: To whom it may concern: I’m reprinting these unambiguous words I found on the Lutheran Social Services website. I found them. They were merely laying there on the internet. Anyone could have grasped them, but few of the self-appointed experts did. I have no association with LSS, but “Jebus Jay Jones,” desperate people! At least pretend to look contemptuously, …


Unheralded

JIM FUGLIE: View From The Prairie — I See America

As we approach this most joyous time of year, a time of giving, of good will, of caring for our fellow humans, especially those among us with the least of resources, I want to share the words of Dan Rather, which I put in this space a couple of years ago. I’ll do that in a minute. But first a …


TONY J BENDER: That’s Life — Cheese Buttons For Christmas

OK, so The Triumvirate (Mom and my sisters) decreed that we’d have German food for Christmas. My three brothers and I are not consulted on decisions of such import, even though we constitute a majority, but we don’t have to cook, either. It may be a simple matter of public safety. It’s a relatively benevolent dictatorship — Mom and her …

JIM FUGLIE: View From The Prairie — ‘Reports Of My Death Have Been Greatly Exaggerated’

From this: To this, in just one week: I’m pretty sure that is the biggest headline ever in the Adams County Record. And well it should be. Just a week after the paper announced Nov. 29,  “This is the final issue of the Adams County Record” because its corporate owner was shutting it down, a local neighboring publisher picked it …

PAULA MEHMEL: Shoot the Rapids — Be A Beacon Of Light

If someone like me, a lifelong political junkie who is continually appalled at what is transpiring in this current administration, is wearied at the impeachment votes unfold, I cannot imagine what people who are less obsessed with politics feel. But that is exactly what authoritarian regimes want to happen and why they succeed. Because people get worn down by the continual …

RON SCHALOW: The Sinking Of Bismarck

Well, the liberals did it now. “Human scum,” if you prefer. How are we going to pay for THIS? How are we going to put a price on human life this time? Burleigh County, 1,668 mostly empty square miles, is willing to accept a whole 25 refugees from probably not Northern Europe. What an imposition on somebody somewhere in that …

RUSS HONS: Photo Gallery — Grand Forks Red River Vs. Fargo North

Michael Notlestad scored three goals to lead Grand Forks Red River to a 7-3 win over Fargo North in North Dakota boys high school hockey play Tuesday night in Purpur Arena in Grand Forks. Wyatt LeDuc, Mason Thingvold, Michael Coleman and Logan Huus also scored for the Roughriders (3-0-1). Michael Hallquist and Harrison Astrup were goal scorers for North, which …

CHEF JEFF: One Byte At A Time — Chicken Or Pheasant Fricassee

The late, great American chef Julia Child, in her “Mastering the Art of French Cooking,” described fricassee as “halfway between a sauté and a stew.” In a fricassee cut-up meat is first sautéed, then liquid is added and it is simmered to finish cooking. A stew includes liquid from the beginning. For me, someone who doesn’t think cooking is a …

RON SCHALOW: Part 3 —’Washington State Opts Out of Bakken Oil Train Lotto’

“Oh, you would LOVE that wouldn’t you?” smirks a loudmouth into an iPhone while waving a glazed bear claw. “Like you know anything, Steeeve. Who are YOU to tell ME what you supposedly know about president Maynard T. Loser and his unbecoming band of hysterical liars?” “Right, right, right — shut up a minute — I just heard that one of the …

LILLIAN CROOK: WildDakotaWoman — Homage To Our Lizzie

A note from Lillian and Jim on this sad day. Our hearts are broken today (Monday) as we have had to say goodbye to our beloved Lizzie, our adorable Springer Spaniel, on this sad, dark day. We pause to write this homage to her and to give thanks for all the joy she brought to our lives. There are a …

JIM FUGLIE: View From The Prairie — Goodbye, Lizzie

A note from Lillian and Jim on this sad day. Our hearts are broken today (Monday) as we have had to say goodbye to our beloved Lizzie, our adorable Springer Spaniel, on this sad, dark day. We pause to write this homage to her and to give thanks for all the joy she brought to our lives. There are a …

CLAY JENKINSON: The Jefferson Watch — Fly Me To The Moon, Please

As probably you know, the People’s Republic of China has a serious and robust moon landing program. Late this year or early next, China is preparing to land a probe on the moon that will dig up some rock samples and then return safely to Earth. China has made it clear that it intends to send men and women to …

RON SCHALOW: Trump Love Makes Armstrong Stupid

On Wednesday, North Dakota Congressman Kelly Armstrong (Cult45 —Bastiat Chapter) found his inner Kevin Cramer and spat out this chewed up olive pit: “We have the alleged victim of quid pro quo, bribery, extortion — whatever we’re dealing with now today — repeatedly and adamantly shouting from the rooftops that he never felt pressure, that he was not the victim …

CHEF JEFF: One Byte At A Time — Pheasant, Peppers and Onions

Skillet entrees have a lot of appeal. Not only do they cut back on the cleanup, they are also quick and easy. There are some foods that are just conducive to being cooked on the stovetop. Two of those are peppers and onions. Many a tasty dish starts off with that duo being sautéed in a little butter or olive …

JIM FUGLIE: View From The Prairie — An Angel Named Jill

“It’s been a nice warm week with a high of 57 degrees on Sunday, Looks like more cold winter weather is headed this way, so we better enjoy the balmy days. “There were more replacement surgeries this week. Ron Jenson and Kelly Britton got new hips on Monday and Ron Floyd got a new knee. Thankfully, it sounds like everything …

PAULA MEHMEL: Shoot the Rapids — Between Obsession And Oblivion

When I come home after a long day at work, I admit the last thing I want to do is follow what is happening in the impeachment process or even follow what is unfolding in our government. It is doubly hard during the Christmas season. Truth be told, I just want to put on Christmas music, bake cookies, tune out …

CLAY JENKINSON: The Jefferson Watch — The Illimitable Search For Truth

A few years ago, in an interview with the documentary filmmaker Ken Burns about Theodore Roosevelt, I said on camera that Roosevelt liked to kill wild animals, that he was, as I perhaps inauspiciously put it, a killer. When you leave a Ken Burns interview you have no idea what you said will wind up in the film, if anything. …

JIM FUGLIE: View From The Prairie — Refinery Company Slapped With $2 Million Lien For Nonpayment Of Bills

On Monday. I posted a story here about the financial woes of Meridian Energy Group, triggered by the filing last week of a huge construction lien against the company by one of its contractors. There were some things in it I just couldn’t figure out, and I probably should have held off for a day or two until I got …

RUSS HONS: Photo Gallery — University Of North Dakota Vs. Nicholls State University

The University of North Dakota football team stayed with Nicholls State University into the third quarter, trailing by just four points, but the No. 19-ranked Colonels struck for the next two scores to defeat the No. 24 Fighting Hawks 24-6 in the first round of the FCS playoffs in Thibodaux, La. UND’s only scoring came on two Brady Leach field …

CHEF JEFF: One Byte At A Time — Turkey Noodle Vegetable Soup

Leftovers are usually a given when you host Thanksgiving Day dinner, even if everyone eats too much. There is always some leftover stuffing, squash, scalloped corn and the like besides the star of your feast — the turkey. Even if you sit down for a slice or two of turkey on a bun(s) around suppertime, there often is plenty of …

RUSS HONS: Photo Gallery — University Of North Dakota Vs. University Of Minnesota

The University of North Dakota men’s hockey team completed a sweep of the University of Minnesota with a 3-2 win Friday night in Mariucci Arena in Minneapolis. UND beat the Gophers 9-3 Thursday night. The victory ran UND’s unbeaten streak to 11 games. Jordan Kawaguchi, Shane Pinto and Jasper Weatherby scored goals for the No. 3 ranked Fighting Hawks (12-1-2 ), while Tyler …

RUSS HONS: Photo Gallery — University Of North Dakota Vs. University Of Minnesota

Eight different players scored goals, including two by Jordan Kawaguchi, to lead the University of North Dakota men’s hockey team to a 9-3 drubbing of the University of Minnesota on Thursday  night in Mariucci Arena in Minneapolis. Also scoring for the Fighting Hawks (11-1-2) were Grant Mishmash, Jacob Bernard-Docker, Jasper Weatherby, Colton Poolman, Shane Pinto, Dixon Bowen and Cole Smith. Ben …

LILLIAN CROOK: WildDakotaWoman — A Thanksgiving Meditation: Things I Love

English cheese. A good Cabernet. The smell of chrysanthemums. A clean house. Chelsea’s warm skin when we hug. Scones and clotted cream. Intelligence. Freshly ground coffee, brewed in a French press, with cream. Sunflowers. Rachel’s smile. Solitude and silence. Fresh walleye. Bookstores. Bison. Ethnic food. Navajo rugs and jewelry. Hiking. Public television and radio. Cooking. Chunky chocolate chip oatmeal cookies. …

RUSS HONS: Photo Gallery — University Of North Dakota Vs. Northland College

Eight players scored in double figures to lead the University of North Dakota women’s basketball team to a 118-35 win over Northland College on Tuesday in Betty Engelstad Sioux Center. Megan Zander scored 18 points and Olivia Lane chipped in 14 to pace the Fighting Hawks (5-2). Bailey Wynn led Northland (2-3) with 12 points. North Dakota travels to South Carolina this …

RUSS HONS: Photo Gallery — University Of North Dakota Vs. North Central University

Gertautas Urbonavicius scored 20 points to lead all scorers and the University of North Dakota men’s basketball team set a team scoring mark in Betty Engelstad Arena en route to a 115-50 win over North Central University on Tuesday night. It  the largest margin of victory in a game since a 70-9 win vs. the Grand Forks YMCA in 1921 …

JIM FUGLIE: View From The Prairie — ‘The Lawyer Who Wasn’t Crazy’ – Jackie Stebbins’ Thanksgiving Story

It’s a typical November morning at the Bismarck home of Jackie Stebbins, her husband, Sean Arithson, and their kids, Kennedy, 7, and Kirby, 5.  Dad gets up, gets dressed, eats breakfast and heads off to work. Mom gets the kids ready for the day, feeds them breakfast, gets one off to school, the other to preschool, and settles into the …

RON SCHALOW: Part 2 of ‘Washington State Opts Out Of Bakken Oil Train Lotto’

A door-to-door custom news talker — one think minimum — begins his commentary: “North Dakota, North Dakota, it’s coming to me, OK, in North Dakota news, Gov. Doug Burgum — honorary chair of Donald Trump 2020 — either did something humane or made an empty gesture. More after this.” “Hey dumbass. I told you ‘no’ commercials.” “It was a PSA, man. Geez. So anyway, …

PAULA MEHMEL: Shoot the Rapids — Standing In The Gap

This is the final blog about Paula Mehmel’s trip to the southern border of the U.S. with Abriendo Fronteras/Opening Borders delegation, which spent six days in El Paso, Texas, and Juarez, Mexico, exploring issues related to immigration. Who are the people who are willing to stand in the gap? In the midst of the attack on the people of Juarez from …

TERRY DULLUM: The Dullum File — Thanks

Thanksgiving is one of the most reflective of holidays. At least it is for me. Sometimes about now I like to make a little list of some of the things I’m thankful for. Not the big stuff necessarily. That’s sort of a given. Rather, some of the little things I’ve picked up on in my last trip around the sun. …

RUSS HONS: Photo Gallery — University Of North Dakota Vs. Illinois State University

Illinois State University snapped the University of North Dakota women’s basketball team’s four-game winning streak in Betty Engelstad Sioux Center with a 66-58 win Sunday afternoon. The Redbirds (4-1) took a 12-point halftime lead into the third quarter before the Fighting Hawks (4-2) closed the gap. Lily Keplin and Jaclyn Jarnot paced UND offensively with 12 and 10 points respectively. …

LILLIAN CROOK: WildDakotaWoman — Momaday, Falling Stars And Two Extraordinary Nights in November

This is a significantly revised version of my original blog posted on Wednesday with the addition of details I’ve located since that date as well as updates on the Thursday’s Unicorn showers. Although the annual Leonids meteor showers have come and gone, the news about a potential “rich burst” of shooting stars from the Unicorn meteor showers has me thinking back …

RUSS HONS: Photo Gallery — University Of North Dakota Vs. St. Cloud State University

Jordan Kawaguchi’s goal 3:41 into overtime lifted the University of North Dakota men’s hockey team to a 2-1 win and a weekend sweep of St. Cloud State University on Saturday night in Ralph Engelstad University. The Fighting Hawks won 4-2 on Friday night. The win was the 100th of coach Brad Berry at UND. St. Cloud’s Jack Ahcan and UND’s Jacob …

RUSS HONS: Photo Gallery — University Of North Dakota Vs. Southern Utah University

The University of North Dakota football team outscored Southern Utah University 19-3 in the second half on its way to a 36-18 victory Saturday afternoon in the Alerus Center. Luke Skokna led the way offensively for the Fighting Hawks (7-4), rushing for 116 yards on 11 carries while scoring two touchdowns. Quarterback Nate Ketteringham chipped in 53 yards on the …

RUSS HONS: Photo Gallery — University Of North Dakota Vs. St. Cloud State University

Shane Pinto scored the game’s first two goals to put the University of North Dakota men’s hockey on its way to a 4-2 National Collegiate Hockey Conference win over St. Cloud State on Friday night in Ralph Engelstad Arena fans. Cole Smith and Collin Adams (empty net) scored the other goals for the Fighting Hawks, who upped their record to …

PAULA MEHMEL: Shoot the Rapids — A Clear And Present Danger

Over the past week, we have seen highly ethical, nonpartisan and committed foreign service officers and members of the military with nothing to gain and everything but their integrity and vow to defend and protect the U.S. Constitution to lose, say essentially the same thing. Our policy toward Ukraine, which was in the best interest of our national security, was co-opted …

DAVE VORLAND: It Occurs To Me — Era Bell Thompson

Dorette and I are spending some time in Grand Forks. The weather is touch and go this time of year, so I brought along some reading material. One of the books is Liesl Olson’s “Chicago Renaissance: Literature and Art in the Midwest Metropolis.” Of most interest to me is her account of the black writer, Era Bell Thompson, 1905-1986, who had …

JIM FUGLIE: View From The Prairie — Pipelines Leak

The three North Dakota Public Service Commissioners went to Emmons County last week to hold a public hearing. Emmons County is where the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL, in the vernacular) Co. plans to build a big station to boost the capacity of their still-controversial pipeline hauling oil from North Dakota to out-of-state refineries. The PSC is involved because North Dakota’s …

LILLIAN CROOK: WildDakotaWoman — Is There Any Doubt I’m A Cartographic Geek?

Is there any doubt I’m a cartographic geek? Is there any doubt I’m an Anglophile? Great Britain counties I visited in August-September 2019 England (of 48 counties, I went to 33) Bedfordshire. Berkshire. Buckinghamshire. Cambridgeshire. Cheshire. City of London. Cornwall. Cumbria. Devon. Durham. Glouchestershire. Greater London. Greater Manchester. Hampshire. Herefordshire. Herfordshire. Kent. Lancashire. Leicestershire. Merseyside. North Yorkshire. Northumberland. Nottinghamshire. Oxfordshire. …

RON SCHALOW: Washington State Opts Out of Bakken Oil Train Lotto, Part 1

The odds are too good. Washington does realize that this move will lower its chances of winning any fiery Bakken surprise prizes to zero, but it’s willing to forgo the suspense. Too much quid, so little quo. The Bakken Bosses — it’s an industry AND state enterprise — as in “Are you talking to me?” or “Ich spreche kein Deutsch.” It depends. …

CHEF JEFF: One Byte At A Time — Pheasant Cordon Bleu

Most people have heard of chicken cordon bleu, but there’s a good chance that many of them have never tasted it. And that would be a shame. The origin of cordon bleu dishes is somewhat in dispute. Some say it has its roots in France (chicken). Still others credit the Swiss (schnitzel) and the Austrians (veal). Wherever they came from, …

RUSS HONS: Photo Gallery — University Of North Dakota Vs. Valparaiso University

Jaclyn Jarnot scored the first double-double of her career (16 points,11 rebounds) and her sister, Alaina, added 10 points and five assists to lead the University of North Dakota women’s basketball team to a 65-63 win over Valparaiso University on Sunday in Betty Engelstad Sioux Center. Addison Stoller of Valparaiso (1-2) led all scorers with 23 points. The Fighting Hawks (3-1) …

RUSS HONS: Photo Gallery — University Of North Dakota Vs. Northern Colorado University

The University of North Dakota football team picked up its sixth win of the season with a 45-38 victory over Northern Colorado on Saturday afternoon in the Alerus Center. Quarterback Nate Ketteringham was 26 for 37 passing with two touchdown tosses and one rushing score. His favorite receiver, Noah Wanzek, caught nine of those passes for 125 yards and a …

RUSS HONS: Photo Gallery — University Of North Dakota Vs. Oral Roberts University

The University of North Dakota women’s volleyball team closed out its regular falling 16-25, 23-25, 25-16, 22-25 to Oral Roberts University despite a history-making performance by senior Ashley Brueggeman on Friday night in Betty Engelstad Sioux Center. Brueggeman became the eighth player in program history to reach 1,200 kills and 1,400 points with her 14 kills and three blocks. The …