Unheralded

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

The University of North Dakota women’s hockey team qualified for its seventh-straight Western Collegiate Hockey Association Final Face-Off with a 2-1 overtime victory over Ohio State University on Sunday afternoon in Ralph Engelstad Arena. Emma Nuutinen scored the winning goal for the Fighting Hawks (16-15-6) 9:04 into the extra session. Kayla Gardner scored the other UND goal while Maddy Field scored …


Unheralded

RON SCHALOW: Cramer vs. Cramer

Congressman Kevin Cramer, rumored to be Donald Trump’s new hairdresser —Have you seen 45’s new flattop? He sets his Twitter phone up there — came to Fargo on Thursday, at the invitation of Indivisible FM — leftist lost souls, according to Scott Hennen, the legendary mellifluous voice of the guy you hear for a second while fiddling with your radio dial. …


RUSS HONS: Photo Gallery — University Of North Dakota Vs. University Of Nebraska-Omaha

The University of North Dakota men’s hockey team’s quest for home-ice advantage in the National Collegiate Hockey Conference playoffs took a hit Saturday night as the Fighting Hawks were shut out 3-0 by the University of Nebraska-Omaha on Senior Night in Ralph Engelstad Arena. With the loss, UND (9-12-1-1 NCHC, 16-14-3 overall) is tied with Omaha (9-11-2 NCHC, 16-13-5 overall) for the …

LILLIAN CROOK: WildDakotaWoman —My Grandma Lillie’s Quilt And My Mother’s Bedroom Furniture

In the smaller bedroom of our master bedroom suite at Red Oak House, in the winter, I have as a coverlet the quilt made by my namesake, my Grandma Lillie, probably sometime in the mid 1960s. My mother, Marian, can still tell me about each piece of fabrics’ original use, the dresses and aprons and shirts, which were repurposed by …

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

The University of North Dakota women’s basketball team, behind the scoring of seniors Makailah Dyer, Samantha Roscoe and Leah Szabla, defeated the University of Northern Colorado 75-68 on Saturday in Betty Engelstad Sioux Center to move closer to a Big Sky Conference title. Dyer scored 17 points and added 11 rebounds, Roscoe had 14 points and three boards and Szabla chipped …

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

The University of North Dakota women’s hockey team forced a third and decisive game of its Western Collegiate Hockey Association playoff series with a 4-1 win over Ohio State University on Saturday afternoon in Ralph Engelstad Arena. Amy Menke led the Fighting Hawks (15-15-6) with a goal and two assists. Charly Dahlqvist, Vilma Tanskanen and Ryleigh Houston scored the other …

RUSS HONS: Photo Gallery — University Of North Dakota Vs. University Of Nebraska-Omaha

  The University of North Dakota men’s hockey team picked up three crucial National Collegiate Hockey Conference points with its 6-4 win over the University of Nebraska-Omaha on Friday night in Ralph Engelstad University. Tyson Jost and Brock Boeser each scored two goals for the Fighting Hawks (9-11-1-1 NCHC, 16-13-3 overall) and Johnnie Simonson and Christian Wolanin scored one goal each. …

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

The University of North Dakota women’s hockey team’s season is on the line today after a 3-2 overtime loss to Ohio State University on Friday afternoon in Ralph Engelstad Arena in their first game of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association playoff series. The two teams meet again this afternoon in the best-of-three series. The Fighting Hawks (14-15-6) led 1-0 after one …

TERRY DULLUM: The Dullum File — Prostate Cancer And Reggae Music

I look forward to it every year. What has become for me an annual visit to the UND School of Medicine and Health Sciences. This year was my first time in the school’s beautiful, new building, which opened last summer. Also invited was Dr. Brent Williams. He’s a Sanford Health urologist in Fargo, a UND Med School graduate and a native of Cavalier, …

CHUCK SCHUMACHER: Coach Chuck — Making the Team: A Parent’s Role

Michael was a superstar in the rec league at age 10. Every time he pitched, it was an automatic win. Why? He had excellent velocity for a 10-year-old, and the players on the other team were afraid of being hit by his pitches. But it wasn’t just the speed they were afraid of. More so, it was because Michael’s control wasn’t …

RON SCHALOW: All Vegetables Matter

I’ve lost several minutes of sleep over the past few weeks, and I’m sure that others were also on edge. The freedom of something was on line. Our food, it turns out, to my surprise. I looked in the fridge. Everything was fine there, but then I learned that criminality was taking place in all corners of state, but nobody …

NANCY EDMONDS HANSON: After Thought — Accenting The Positive

Perfect English? That’s the way you heard it spoken when you were growing up. For those of us lucky enough to live here in the center of the universe, that pretty much means the Scandihoovian-tinged or Deutsch-inflected accents of Minnesota and North Dakota. Thus the message was plenty clear last week when the owner of Orange Julius, a West Acres …

CHEF JEFF: One Byte At A Time — Creamy Chicken And Vegetables

Chicken ala king is one of those dishes that’s not only been a staple of many families over the years but also one that can be made with a variety of ingredients. As the name implies, chicken is the star of the creamy entree, which also features vegetables. But which ones complement the chicken can vary from recipe to recipe. Generally, …

DAVE VORLAND: It Occurs To Me — You Can’t Go Home Again

I photographed this dilapidated farmhouse (above) just south of Wellsburg, N.D., in August 1969. A shadow of what it once was, I had lived there as a child. Shortly after I took this picture, the new owner burned it to the ground. A neighbor who witnessed the fire told me “it died hard.” When I was in the eighth grade, …

XIAO ZHANG: ‘Mosaic: A Family Memoir Revisited’

It is precarious to have a writer in the family. Renowned Chinese writer Eileen Chang was said to have based many characters in her novels on her relatives. “She had nothing else to write about, so she wrote about her own family and its ugliness,” a Shanghai magazine quoted a distant relative of hers almost 10 years after her death. …

TOM DAVIES: The Verdict — Common Sense and Legislative Nonsense

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 …

RUSS HONS: Photo Gallery — University Of North Dakota Indoor Tune-Up

The University of North Dakota hosted its first indoor home meet since 1985 — the UND Indoor Tune-Up — in the $19.5 million High Performance Center on Saturday. The Fighting Hawks used the meet to prepare for the upcoming Big Sky Conference Indoor Championship, which starts Feb. 23 at Idaho State University. Several members of the men’s squad set personal bests …

TONY J BENDER: That’s Life — Mr. Bender Goes to Bismarck

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 …

MARTIN C. FREDRICKS IV: Four The Record — Green Assault

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 …

RON SCHALOW: The Scream

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 …

LA VALLEUR COMMUNICATES: Musings By Barbara La Valleur — Hola, Cuba!

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 …

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

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 …

TOM COYNE: Back In Circulation — More News Isn’t Necessarily Good News

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 …

JIM FUGLIE: View From The Prairie — Beware The Ides Of March

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 …

NANCY EDMONDS HANSON: After Thought — Got An Awesome Idea? An Awesome Opportunity

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 …

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

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 …

MICHAEL BOGERT: Photo Gallery — Of Days Gone By

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 …

TOM DAVIES: The Verdict — So You Want Our Country To Be Secure?

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, …

PAULA MEHMEL: Shoot the Rapids — Uganda Journal, Day 11

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 …

RON SCHALOW: The Fake Language Of Hate

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 …

RUSS HONS: Photo Gallery — Cabo San Lucas

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.)    

PAULA MEHMEL: Shoot the Rapids — Uganda Journal, Day 10

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 …

CHEF JEFF: One Byte At A Time — Leftover Lamb Hash

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 …

NANCY EDMONDS HANSON: After Thought — Getting Even … It’s the North Dakota Way

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 …

RON SCHALOW: Exploding Trains Aren’t Funny

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 …

TOM DAVIES: The Verdict — Thank The Creator For Lady Justice

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 …

TONY J BENDER: That’s Life — The Tweet Sound Of Diplomacy

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 …

RON SCHALOW: North Dakota Republicans Say The Darndest Things

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 …

DAVE VORLAND: It Occurs To Me — The Haka

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 …

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

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 …

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

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 …

PAULA MEHMEL: Shoot the Rapids — Uganda Journal, Day 9

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 …

DAVE VORLAND: It Occurs To Me — Walk This Way

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 …

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

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 …