In all my years as a reporter, I had never done an interview with someone spending time “behind bars.” Not until the other day. I talked via Zoom with Matt Hippen of Thompson, N.D. He has been incarcerated in the James River Correctional Center at Jamestown since April 2020. His story is nothing if not compelling. From the outside looking …
On Sunday my first friend, Tim Quimby, the boy across the street with whom I walked to school every day for years, often holding hands when were kindergartners, lost his beloved partner, Jerry, to cirrhosis, as he was holding his hand. Nine years ago tonight, I was holding Steve’s hand as he took his last breath, also a victim of cirrhosis. …
Throughout my 45 years in the judiciary, my focus was on finding ways to deal with drunk drivers, underaged drinkers and those who provide alcohol to minors. Those years made a difference within Fargo, but they did not resonate so well outside of our area … because many rural legislators were opposed to taking any action. Judges, too, had differing …