Unheralded

RON SCHALOW: Known Suicidal Citizens Allowed To Keep Guns

I’ll repeat that for the hard of listening. Known Suicidal Citizens Allowed To Keep Guns. Our Legislature voted down the “Public Safety Protection Order Bill.” “The ‘Public Safety Protection Order Bill’ (aka a Red Flag law) allows law enforcement or family members to petition a court to temporarily ban someone considered a danger to themselves or others from possessing guns.” — …


Unheralded

ERIC BERGESON: Photo Gallery — Sabino Snow

It appears not even our country’s warmer climes are immune from snow this winter. A winter storm ravaged the Southwest U.S., dumping snow on parts of Greater Los Angeles and Tucson, Ariz., before moving eastward into the Plains. Northern Arizona was hit particularly hard, with Flagstaff reporting its snowiest single day on record, with more than 35 inches of snow …


RUSS HONS: Photo Gallery — East Grand Forks Senior High Vs. Red Lake Falls

East Grand Forks Senior High defeated Red Lake Falls 9-0 on Thursday at the East Grand Forks Civic Center to advance to the semifinals of the Minnesota Section 8A high school hockey tournament Saturday. The Green Wave will meet Detroit Lakes, a 2-1 winner over Crookston. The other semifinal game will pit Warroad against Thief River Falls. Scoring goals for …

CHEF JEFF: One Byte At A Time — Baked Cod With Tomatoes and Olives

Lent is just around the corner, so that mean’s there will likely be a fish fry or two on tap in your neighborhood, not to mention Friday fish specials on many a restaurant menu. Walleye is the fish of choice at a lot of frys in my neck of the woods, although Alaskan pollock is a good substitute, especially if …

RON SCHALOW: Nullification Of The Future Directed At Fargo

Two bills aimed right at Fargo. Hardly a liberal oasis, but frightening enough that some paranoid lawmakers feel a firewall is needed to prevent any progressive action on the things they hold dear. Keeping workers poor — and guns. Any brand, weight or color. Any size, grip or muzzle. And don’t you forget it! Kevin Cramer was in Fargo without …

RON SCHALOW: N.D. House Bill 1160 Protects Gun Buyers From Discrimination

There used to be a bar in Minot called Tiny’s. A little shack of a place across from the fairgrounds. It might have been a tavern,  a pub or maybe just Tiny’s. Anyway, it was claimed that Tiny, who did in fact exist, did not allow anyone under 25 into his place. That was the word. He just didn’t like …

RON SCHALOW: The Republican Big Lie For 2019 Is Socialism

They don’t know the meaning of socialism and they don’t care what it means. Furthermore, they don’t want to learn the truth and they’ll label any Democrat they target with the American swear word, which will probably be the whole party. This isn’t the social media clods tossing around the socialist, communist and Marxist words to troll the libs. This …

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

The University of North Dakota women’s tennis team won its fourth match of the season with a 7-0 rout of visiting Gustavus Adolphus College on Saturday morning in Choice Health & Fitness. The Fighting Hawks (4-3) received singles wins from Isa Sullivan, Kaede Amang, Preethi Kasilingam, Allie Ochotorena, Zahra Finnigan and Alex Revenig. The doubles teams of Amano-Masha Lobanova, Kasilingam-Ochotorena and …

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

Lexi Klabo scored 24 points and added nine rebounds but it wasn’t enough as the University of North Dakota women’s basketball team dropped a 80-58 Summit League decision to Oral Roberts University on Saturday afternoon in Betty Engelstad Sioux Center. North Dakota fell to 10-16 overall and 5-8 in the Summit with the loss. Faith Dooley chipped in eight points. …

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

The University of North Dakota men’s basketball team picked up a big Summit League victory with a 85-73 decision over Oral Roberts University on Saturday afternoon in Betty Engelstad Sioux Center. The Fighting Hawks (10-16 overall, 4-9 Summit) were led by Marlon Stewart, who led all scorers with 23 points. He was joined in double-figure scoring by Aanen Moody (21) and …

RON SCHALOW: The Braveheart Of Bismarck

So, in the early half of Sunday the 10th, doctor and Rep. Rick Becker posted a meme on Facebook. Memes are evidently photos that convey what you’re thinking but could never find the words, or ever thought of one. Like a greeting card that punches you in the balls. Or provides a message of affirmation, whether you want one or …

RON SCHALOW: Trump Uses Federal Reserve To Launder Money

“How did you do the laundering, Mr. President?” “You see that? Pimento loaf-face press hack just harassed me. I, Donald J,  like the word jay. Trump. It’s the most shameful thing I’ve ever witnessed in my life, and nobody knows more about shameful things than me, believe me. Tremendous high ceilings. It might be the most shameful thing ever, some …

CHEF JEFF: One Byte At A Time — Once Around the Kitchen Vegetable Soup

Leftovers. Almost all families have them, and they can pose a dilemma — if you let them. But creative cooks know that their limitations are endless. Perhaps the best use I can think of for leftovers is a pot of soup. Consider that roast chicken or beef that you had for Sunday dinner. Either would be a great starter for soup. …

TIM MADIGAN: Anything Mentionable — Fred Rogers’ Speech

Many years ago, on one of my visits to Pittsburgh, I told Fred Rogers about my experience riding in the back of a rental truck crowded with scores of Central American refugees. I vaguely remember my friend, the icon of children’s television, telling me later that he had mentioned my story in a speech. I hadn’t thought about this in …

RON SCHALOW: ND Legislature Bans Global Warming, Regulations And Elephants

(Satire) “Before the elephant gets in the room, we should make the room elephant-proof.” — Rep. Luke Simons, Bastiat Party (Not Satire) And I think that’s good policy for any room. Who wants an elephant in your room? Have you ever seen the size of those beasts? They’re enormous. And the aroma in close spaces would be unpleasant to the …

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

Grand Forks Central hosted Grand Forks Red River in boys and girls basketball Friday night, with the Roughriders coming out on top in both contests. The girls won 70-25 girls and the boys were victorious by a score of 68-63. In the girls game, Red River was led by Alex Page, who scored 17 points. The Sondol sisters, Jadyn and Jasmine, …

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

Lexi Klabo scored 26 points and added 12 rebounds, her seventh double-double of the season, to lead the University of North Dakota women’s basketball team back from a first-half deficit and a 70-58 Summit League win over North Dakota State University on Thursday night in Betty Engelstad Arena. The Fighting Hawks (10-14 overall, 5-6 Summit) trailed 31-30 at halftime before …

RON SCHALOW: Oil Companies Aren’t For North Dakotans To Love

Suddenly, we’ve seen multiple bum-kissing letters-to-the-editor for big carbon. It was the oil tax thing that got them going. The North Dakota Republicans voted to let big oil keep the gift of a lower tax rate that they maniacally bestowed on the impoverished industry when the R’s slipped the dollars past the goalie in last days of the 2015 session. …

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

Three University of North Dakota men’s basketball players scored in double figures, but it wasn’t enough as the Fighting Hawks dropped a 74-70 Summit League decision to North Dakota State University on Wednesday night in Betty Engelstad Sioux Center. The win gave the Bison a season sweep of the Hawks, their first since 1996-97. Marlon Stewart of UND ((9-15 overall, …

JIM FUGLIE: View From The Prairie — Well, Excuuuuse Me! Not

Let me explain this article before you read it. It is an article that appears in the current (February 2019) issue of Dakota Country magazine. My editor there, Bill Mitzel, is kind enough to let me share my articles with my blog readers who don’t subscribe to Dakota Country or pick it up on the newsstands (although you should subscribe …

RUSS HONS: Photo Gallery — Grand Forks Central Vs. West Fargo

Grand Forks Central’s boys hockey team set the record for most consecutive wins in North Dakota boys hockey (35) with its 8-0 win over West Fargo on Tuesday night in Purpur Arena in Grand Forks. The previous record was held by Central’s 1974 team. Will Howard led the way for the Knights with a hat trick. Parker Stroh chipped in …

CHEF JEFF: One Byte At A Time — City Chicken

Chicken is the most popular meat in the United States, more well-liked than beef or pork. That’s according to 2018 statistics compiled by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. But why is it so? Versatility is probably the No. 1 reason. The U.S. is a very diverse country, so chicken’s mild taste and uniform texture is easily assimilated into many cuisines. But …

TOM DAVIES: The Verdict — We Need To Refocus

You know, local newspapers and electronic media do a pretty good job of keeping us informed on local events. On national events, not so much. Take, for instance, the case of Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam, a Democrat. He is accused of, has admitted to and then disavowed being in a picture in the 1984 yearbook of Eastern Virginia Medical School. …

RON SCHALOW: North Dakota Needs A Red Flag Law To Prevent Suicides

The unburied lede. The close relationship between guns and suicide is a fact. It has been my experience that when the topic of suicide and guns comes up, anywhere in the universe, the way-not-like-me people have all suddenly scored a 63 percent Smith and 19 percent Wesson on “23andMe,” so they feel related to the object in some odd way, …

CHEF JEFF: One Byte At A Time — Almost Vegetarian Chili

There’s hardly anything better on a cold winter day than a bowl of chili and some freshly baked bread, and I’m not the only one who thinks that is a good idea. On Tuesday, perhaps our coldest day of the winter (-33 degrees) until today (-35), I made some chili and Therese baked some no-knead cheesy bread. After we finished …

DAVE BRUNER: Photo Gallery — Winter Water Wonder

Stay inside? Not Grand Forks photographer Dave Bruner, who ventured outdoors this morning. With the temperature at 33 below zero, Dave snapped these images that show him tossing a thermos of hot water colored with green dye into the air. After that, Dave headed back indoors, “staying inside to thaw out!”

JIM FUGLIE: View From The Prairie — Strange Goings-On At The Legislature — I Think I’ll Go West

Before I depart for a month, leaving the North Dakota Legislature to its own devices, I’m going to comment on some of the strange goings-on over at the Capitol. I just can’t help myself. The best adjective to describe this session of the Legislature is weird. Maybe even awful. Much of the weirdness comes in the form of concurrent resolutions. …

RUSS HONS: Photo Gallery — Cold Weather Wonders

The bitterly cold weather, which pretty much of the country (including the Great Plains and the Midwest) is experiencing, can produce some pretty spectacular photographic images. Grand Forks photographer Russ Hons was out and about on Tuesday (Jan. 30) in temperatures that were minus 20 degrees Fahrenheit and lower. Here are some of the things he saw through his camera’s lens. (Check …

TONY J BENDER: That’s Life — The Gaslighting Of America

By now, video of the confrontation at the Lincoln Memorial has been examined more closely than the Zapruder Film, and the gaslighting of America is complete. You really didn’t see what you saw. Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., in his ongoing inspirational battle against the First Amendment, encouraged lawsuits against the media for misinterpeting the video. “Those kids did nothing wrong,” …

LILLIAN CROOK: WildDakotaWoman — Red Oak House Winter Notes No. 4: On Being Named Lillian

I was named Lillian after my maternal grandmother, my Norwegian ancestor. My mother tells me that when they handed me to her upon my birth, she looked down and saw her mother’s face, hence my name. I think I would have been given that name no matter who I looked like, but no matter. My mother loves to tell the …

TIM MADIGAN: Anything Mentionable — As We Grapple With Race, A Story Worth Retelling

In 2001, I published a book called “The Burning: Massacre, Destruction and the Tulsa Race Riot of 1921.” Several months later, I decided that if I could poke around in the terrible race history of another city, I was obligated to do the same in my own, Fort Worth, Texas. My 2002 series in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram was titled …

RUSS HONS: Photo Gallery — UND Indoor Open

UND track and field performers won 10 events  during the two-day UND Indoor Open Friday and Saturday at the High Performance Center. For the women Friday, Ellie Miller and Erica Benson shattered the school record for the pentathlon, with Miller winning three of the five events (high jump, shot put, long jump), while Benson won one (800 meters). On Day …

RON SCHALOW: Are Casualties Acceptable In Your Town?

Last June (2014), North Dakota Gov. Jack Dalrymple called disaster agencies and emergency personnel together for a “tabletop exercise” to practice a response to a possible Bakken oil train derailment, and the subsequent explosions. They estimated there would be more than 60 deaths if such an incident occurred in Bismarck, N.D. (65,000 pop.) or Fargo, N.D. (110,000 pop.). — Prairie …

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

Gavin Hain and Dixon Bowen each scored two goals — a personal-best for both — as the University of North Dakota men’s hockey team knocked off No. 1 St. Cloud State University with a 5-1 National Collegiate Hockey Conference win Saturday night in Ralph Engelstad Arena. The victory gave the Fighting Hawks (13-11-1 overall, 7-7 NCHC) a weekend split with …

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

No. 1-ranked St. Cloud State University claimed a 3-1 National Collegiate Hockey Conference win over the University of North Dakota men’s hockey team Friday night in Ralph Engelstad Arena. A first-period goal by Nick Jones had given the Fighting Hawks (12-11-1 overall, 6-7 NCHC) a 1-0 lead, but the Huskies (18-3-2 overall, 10-1-2 NCHC) tied the game late in the second period …

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

The first-place University of South Dakota women’s basketball team lived up to its standing with a  80-50 Summit League win over the University of North Dakota on Thursday night in Betty Engelstad Sioux Center. The Fighting Hawks (8-13 overall, 3-5 Summit), were led by Lexi Klabo and Jill Morton, who each scored 10 points, and Mikayla Reinke, who pulled down …

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

Marlon Stewart scored 22 points and added seven rebounds, four assists and a steal, but it wasn’t enough as the University of North Dakota men’s basketball team team dropped a 70-56 Summit League contest to the University of South Dakota on Wednesday night in Betty Engelstad Sioux Center. The matchup was the first conference meeting between the Fighting Hawks (8-13 …

TONY J BENDER: That’s Life — The Politics Of Beer

The campaign for 2020 is in its infancy, but I’m close to eliminating one candidate — Elizabeth Warren. Not because she’s a Harvard professor or any of the inevitable pretense that comes with academia. It really comes down to inauthenticity. Her painfully awkward live streaming on New Year’s Eve was an attempt to ingratiate herself to “regular folk” by opening …

RON SCHALOW: N.D. Gun Fringe Yells NO To Saving Lives

Not on their watch, by golly. Panic has set in with a small dish of the loudest North Dakota gun extremists. They felt a paranoid twinge and immediately turned up the dial on the “what don’t you understand about ‘shall not be infringed?’” It’s not unusual. Many the hobby or ideology winds up with fanatics on the fringe. Most North …

JIM THIELMAN: Maybe Oliva Is Too Good For The Hall Of Fame

After we arrived at the expansive field on the outskirts of Cooperstown, N.Y., that smoldering Sunday in July 2001 for Kirby Puckett’s Hall of Fame induction, Tim, Shari and I needed to visit the port-a-potties, all blue, lined in a row by the road. We joined one of the dozens of human anaconda lines packed with tomorrow’s sunburn victims. A …

MICHAEL BOGERT: Photo Gallery — Lunar Lumination

Grand Forks photographer Michael Bogert braved bone-chilling temperatures Sunday night to capture these images of the first full moon of 2019. It was also the night of the first lunar eclipse of 2019, but clouds moving in after 9:30 p.m. prevented a comprehensive panel of the event, which occurs when the Moon passes directly behind Earth and into its shadow. …

TIM MADIGAN: Anything Mentionable — Someone To Tell It To

In 2012, two ministers in Pennsylvania stepped away from traditional church work to form a remarkable nonprofit called Someone To Tell It To. The mission of Michael Gingerich and Tom Kaden was as radical as it was simple: They would be there to listen — in person, on the telephone, via email or Skype — to anyone who needed a …

PAULA MEHMEL: Shoot the Rapids — Smirk Seen ‘Round The World

It is the smirk that haunts me. That self-satisfied, smug, arrogant look of condescension and feeling of superiority, for no reason other than the fact that he is privileged white boy wearing a red hat that claims that he wants to “Make America Great Again.” The story of Nathan Phillips, the Vietnam veteran and Omaha elder who chose to stand …

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

The University of North Dakota Fighting Hawks men’s basketball team played its first conference game with North Dakota State University since 2004 on Saturday afternoon in the Scheels Center in Fargo but came up short, losing a 67-65 Summit League decision to the Bison. UND (8-12 overall, 2-5 Summit) were led by Marlon Stewart, who scored 14 points and added six …