It’s almost halftime at the North Dakota Legislature, so last week I went to the state Capitol to monitor progress. I represented The Ashley Tribune and The Wishek Star as Newspapers of the Day, a program sponsored by the North Dakota Newspaper Association to foster better relations between the press and legislators. I guess I was an ambassador of good …
Safe drinking water. Clean air. Wild lands that maintain plant and animal diversity. The very health of the planet itself. They were all here, in great shape and in abundance before any of us arrived. In my judgment, they should all be here when we turn things over to our children and grandchildren. If you agree, start paying attention. Not …
I’m sad. I’m tired. I’m an angry lib!@$#. And I’m hardly the only one. A serial liar is President Trump, which I find disconcerting, but it doesn’t bother smarmy Congressman Kevin Cramer, the whole of the North Dakota GOP, and 39 percent of Americans. Maybe some haven’t heard the news, and maybe some think all news is fake because the …
It’s not often I willingly rise at 3 a.m. But on Jan. 30, that’s exactly what I did to arrive at the airport to take part in a nine-day, once-in-a-lifetime adventure: a trip to Cuba. What a life-altering journey it was in so many ways! I’m still processing the whole experience in addition to nursing a painful arthritic knee, brutalized by …
The University of North Dakota women’s hockey team sent its seniors out in style Saturday afternoon in Ralph Engelstad Arena, claiming a 3-2 Western Collegiate Hockey Association win over Ohio State University on Senior Day. Emma Nuutinen, Kayla Gardner and Charly Dahlquist scored for the Fighting Hawks (14-14-6 overall, 11-12-5 WCHA), while Maddy Field and Lauren Boyle had goals for …
My love of journalism began with my local paper. The largest newspaper in Minnesota, it originated as the Minneapolis Tribune in 1867 and the competing Minneapolis Daily Star in 1920. A few years later, the two consolidated, with the Tribune published in the morning and the Star in the evening. Eventually, they merged in 1982, creating the Star Tribune. A …
An apology to my readers. I was born with a weak spine. Literally but not figuratively — I hope. So, I’ve had these recurring back problems since I reached middle age. They’re usually fixable, but it takes some time, and I’m in one of those time periods right now. The doctors started working on it in early February, and they …
The Awesome Foundation isn’t technically a foundation. Its monthly grants aren’t technically “grants” at all — not in the formal sense, with paperwork and budgets and boards and final reports. And yet the 8-month-old Cass County group is already making a difference … by presenting monthly $1,000 checks to projects so awesome they catch their fancy, one really good vision …
Makailah Dyer scored a team-high 21 points, her 17th career 20-point night, as the University of North Dakota women’s basketball team maintained a share of the Big Sky Conference lead with a 63-56 win over Idaho State University on Thursday night in Betty Engelstad Arena. The Fighting Hawks (17-8, 12-2) also received double-digit scoring from Lexi Klabo and Samantha Roscoe, each with …
Often all that remains of once-thriving farm operations are abandoned buildings such as barns and farmhouses. Farming has always been a tough way to make a living, and it wasn’t for everyone. Perhaps the original owners of these farmsteads couldn’t make a go of it — or just simply left, looking for a better life elsewhere. Grand Forks photographer recently snapped …
The president of these United States, in violation of the emoluments clause of the Constitution, wined and dined Japanese Prime Minister Abe at his own “Winter White House” in Florida. It’s bad enough he personally profits from his wholly owned country club with these state visits, but now he has also compromised the security of the country. While having dinner, …
Travel in Uganda is all part of the experience. And our journey from Adjumani back to Entebbe was indeed quite the experience. Our original plan was to take the bus — it would have been far cheaper, albeit less comfortable, and we wanted to be good stewards of our funds. Unfortunately, we went to book it too late in the …
I’ve been called many things in the last half-century. I suppose “shallow’ has gone on the longest, since it’s so clever. Adults still jab me with that mortal Italian dagger wit — I can barely feel the blade filet my … spleen? I went by “crash” for a time, which was neither derogatory or complimentary. Simply fact that need not …
Cabo San Lucas, a resort city on the southern tip of Mexico’s Baja California peninsula, is a popular destination for travelers during the winter months. Cabo is known for its beaches, water-based activities and nightlife. Photographer Russ Hons and his wife, Paulette, recently spent some time there. These are some of the sights they saw. (Check out more photos from Russ Hons here.)
I awoke in the morning feeling as though a 50,000-pound weight was suspended over my body, held up by a thread and giving me scant room with which to maneuver. I literally crawled out of bed feeling as though I had to avoid this weight that was hanging over me. The reality is, the weight of the emotion with which …
Growing up in the 1950s and ’60s, eating leftovers was a given for most blue-collar families, and roast beef hash was one of the dishes that many people point to as a go-to meal. As kids, my mom often would fix Dad, my brothers and I hash a day or two after having a Sunday roast beef dinner. To me, it …
It’s the sheer pettiness that bothers me most about the state Senate’s rejection of displaying the flags of North Dakota’s Indian nations in the Capitol. SB 2287 would have mandated the display of the five tribal flags. Sponsor Dick Marcellais of Belcourt said his utterly modest, bipartisan bill — with three Democratic and three Republican co-sponsors — “is all about …
For some reason, many people, including North Dakota legislators, think that trying to get the Bakken oil producers to “stabilize” the crude and THEN put it in the railroad tanker car is a big joke. I didn’t coin the phrase “bomb trains.” That label came from the within the industry because they knew. It’s just good ribbing, though. I’ve been …
My youngest sister posted a comment that is not only funny but sad because it is full of truth: “When I was little and made prank phone calls, my mother took the phone away. When my sons made prank phone calls, I took the phone away. Apparently, Donald Trump doesn’t have a mother.” She was, of course, referring to our …
I keep thinking that if Rip Van Winkle woke up this week, he’d crush up a bottle of Ambien and snort it all. It’s getting weird out there, and we’re only in the third week of America being great again. We’ve banned, unbanned and then banned Muslims again, according to tweets from the White House. The president and his press …
Humans vaulted, or quietly tiptoed, to the top of the food chain when our brains evolved enough to overcome our 1,246 physical shortcomings, including subpar vaulting, which the other critters made fun of, before having a quick snack. Generally, we’re slow, with poor climbing skills and buoyancy issues. We couldn’t catch much — or escape much. And being tender and flavorful …
In 2002, I shot this picture on film of a demonstration in New Zealand of the “Haka,” an ancient Maori war dance intended to frighten an enemy. New Zealand’s rugby team still uses it to intimidate international opponents. The first Europeans to see it were Dutch traders (who knows, possibly including one of my ancestors). They landed in 1642, and …
Quinton Hooker scored a game-high 26 points to lead the University of North Dakota men’s basketball team to an 87-77 overtime victory over Northern Colorado in Big Sky Conference action Saturday in Betty Engelstad Sioux Center. The Fighting Hawks (13-8, 8-3 BSC) trailed almost the entire portion of regulation, holding only a 4-2 advantage early in the contest before claiming the win against the …
Mike Gornall hadn’t scored a goal all season. But Saturday night, he tallied two —the second in overtime — to lead the University of North Dakota to a 2-1 National Collegiate Hockey Conference win over St. Cloud State University in Ralph Engelstad Arena. The Fighting Hawks (9-9-1-1 NCHC, 15-11-3 overall) trailed 1-0 before Gornall scored his first goal at 6:10 of …
I will be honest. When Denise and John suggested that I join them on this trip — OK, it also may have been me inviting myself — I was a bit concerned that the focus would be pastoral. Yes, I am a pastor, but to be honest, I am aware of the heavy burden Africa bears because of colonial missionary work …
As I advance into my Golden Years, I sometimes think of the 1969 Academy Award-winning movie “Midnight Cowboy.” Few scenes in cinema are more powerful than the one in which Ratso Rizzo, played by Dustin Hoffman, after limping through most of the film, tells Joe Buck, played by Jon Voigt, that he no longer can walk. Joe promises to take …
The University of North Dakota men’s hockey team’s scoring woes continued Friday night as the Fighting Hawks dropped a 3-1 National Collegiate Hockey Conference game to St Cloud State University before 11,682 fans in Ralph Engelstad University. Tucker Poolman scored the lone goal for UND (7-9-1-0 NCHC, 14-11-3 overall), which was on the verge of facing back-to-back shutout losses for …
I think I’m just going to rerun this column from the Unheralded.Fish website from two years ago about this time of the year in every odd-numbered year from now on. Nothing seems to change. Why should I spend a bunch of time writing something new? Nobody seems to be paying any attention anyway. JIM FUGLIE: View From The Prairie — …
Connections and relationships are vital when engaged in meaningful community development. Sudanese Lutheran Community Development, the organization with which I am volunteering, began when my friend Denise’s bishop approached her about building a relationship with some Sudanese Lost Boys about 15 years ago. When Denise and her husband John go into something, they go big or go home. Or in this …
Perspective is an interesting thing. On my first day at Olwa 1 Refugee Camp, I went to what I thought was the designated latrine. I had to hold my breath when I went in and found it to be, well, primitive. After using it for a couple of days, one of the women saw me coming out of it and pointed …
I’ve preached on the woman at the well dozens and dozens of times. It is one of my all-time favorite Bible stories, where Jesus encounters a woman getting water at the well in the heat of the day and extends to her love and acceptance when so many had rejected her. But it never held the same power as today. …
Considering that the whole of North Dakota Republican officeholders backed the callus free lunatic with the “narcissistic personality disorder,” who likes signing large menus — with covers made out of baby dolphin skin and then waving them around like he’s bringing in a airliner, it stands to reason that the North Dakota GOP and white nationalists would be on the …
Grant Johnson scored three shorthanded goals and added two assists to lead Grand Forks Central to a 7-2 high school hockey win over crosstown rival Grand Forks Red River on Tuesday night in Purpur Arena in Grand Forks, clinching the Knights’s first Gambucci Cup since 2011. Tyrese Murph added two goals and Bo Bjorge and Judd Caufield chipped in one …
An old, old friend and I were having lunch last week, grumbling mildly (as old, old types are wont to do) about how much better behaved and more polite children surely were back in our day. Suddenly, it struck us: Where were we when we heard our first “bad words”? This wasn’t quite as random as it may seem. We’d …
It has become obvious to me that Donald J. Trump is not the actual president of these United States. The resident Nazi, Steve Bannon, is. As Trump’s so-called “chief strategist,” Bannon has authored all of the executive orders relating to barring immigrants from coming into this country. Even Reich Minister of Propaganda Joseph Goebbels didn’t have the powers Bannon has …
After serving four decades in the North Dakota Legislature, William “Billy” Kretschmar no longer has a seat in the House chambers. What the Venturia resident does have is perspective and more than a few thoughts on the state of politics today. Kretschmar (on left in above photo), who was first elected to the House of Representatives as a Republican in …
A few of you might remember a big dust-up about five years ago over the State Land Board’s decision to offer, for lease, the right to drill for oil on the west side of one of southwest North Dakota’s major landmarks, Bullion Butte. The butte and some of the acreage around it are owned by the U.S. Forest Service, and the …
I returned to my room tonight, exhausted from an emotionally draining day, greeting the news that there is electricity but that there will be no Wi-Fi for the immediate future with mixed feelings. On the one hand, I like to be connected. I’m a wired sort of person, and I will claim that. I enjoy being able to text my …
Facebook friends may recall my New Year’s Resolution to read the novels of the writer James Joyce. This past Sept. 24, I celebrated my birthday in his native Ireland. I’m about halfway through “Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man,” regarded by aficionados as the necessary prelude to tackling ‘”Ulysses” and “Finnegan’s Wake.” My longtime friend high school classmate, …
I am a Lutheran pastor who is currently in Adjumani Uganda, working with Sudanese Lutheran Community Development in refugee camps. Our organization supports community-based organizers in the camps that help us address specific needs and issues. I am here with two other people for two weeks doing Trauma Healing Training with pastors and lay leaders (pictured above) in the camp and also …
The Southgate Outdoor Bonspiel was held Friday through Sunday in the bar and restaurant’s parking lot. Photographer Russ Hons had the opportunity to stop by and snap these images. (Check out more photos from Russ Hons here.)
I woke up today after an unsettled sleep. The events of the past week, and especially the past day, played heavily on my heart and soul and the power failure in the middle of the night played on my CPAP machine. The combination left me far from rested. The good news, though, was that it is Sunday, and we had …
The University of North Dakota women’s hockey team secured home ice for the Western Collegiate Hockey Association playoffs after skating to a 1-1 tie with Bemidji State University on Sunday afternoon in Ralph Engelstad Arena. Charly Dahlquist scored for UND (13-9-6, 10-7-5-3), while Emily Bergland notched the goal for Bemidji State (9-14-3, 5-14-3-1). Lexie Shaw made 23 saves in net for the Fighting Hawks, while …
I know, I know, a bunch of my readers have been waiting for me to do a little North Dakota post-election analysis. I’ve been waiting to see how the new governor starts out. He’s started. Here’s what I think. So far. Doug Burgum is a lot smarter than me. So I’m not going to use this space to tell him …