October 9th, 2019
Western Europe is a dream destination for many U.S. residents. But according to a study by the U.S. Travel Association, 55% of Americans didn’t use all of their paid vacation days in 2018. And that number doesn’t even count those of us – myself included – who only dream about having paid vacation days to take in the first place.
I write about travel for a living, teach a vacation planning course, and co-host a travel podcast, so I talk to a lot of people about why they’re not…
October 2nd, 2019
I’ve had some questions about “Extensions” in the Chrome web browser lately, so I thought I would talk more about them.
First let me state that I use the Chrome web browser because I feel it is the fastest and most capable browser at this time. The key phrase here is “at this time”. Things change quickly in the browser world and new versions of the current browsers might do strange things. If you are a consistent computer user you know that software (apps) get updated all the…
September 25th, 2019
It’s prime Oktoberfest season, both in Germany and here in the upper Midwest. I visited a biergarten and a beer tent at Oktoberfest in Munich (the place where the party started way back in 1810), then bellied up to a communal table at Cannstatter Volksfest in Stuttgart to hoist a beer stein and learn how the Germans celebrate.
I came away with five tips for enjoying Oktoberfest to the fullest, whether you’re in Germany or the Midwest. Try them yourself at one (or five!) of the…
September 18th, 2019
I am sure that you have reflected about how some of the web sites you use get your name or other facts about you, shopping habits, area of the country you live in or even your closest friends. The answer to your questions is data collection. Collecting data is valuable because you can use it to make informed decisions. The more relevant, high-quality data you have, the more likely you are to make good choices when it comes to marketing, sales, customer service, product development and…
September 18th, 2019
I guess I have to assume that most of you do. It is useful when you have more than one computer that you want to connect to the Internet. There are also many other advantages to owning a router but that is a story for another time. This time I want you to know about resetting the router.
A factory reset wipes your router’s custom settings and returns it to a like-new state. This is an important step when troubleshooting some network problems. Factory-resetting is relatively easy, but…
September 18th, 2019
By Kristin Gruber
perriex1@gmail.com
Amongst the many charms of autumn in Valley City, North Dakota, at the top of a huge hill, in a serene, semi-secluded area, you'll find Medicine Wheel Park.
The park offers 30 acres of scenic trails, 12 burial mounds between 500 and 2,000 years old, a 3,000 square foot flower garden, a distance-scaled solar system and more. Its centerpiece is the Medicine Wheel.
Measuring 213 ft around and built with fieldstones, the Medicine Wheel, inspired by the Big…
September 11th, 2019
We haven’t talked about the Chrome web browser for a while and now is a good time because Google is coming out with a new version of the browser. This will be Chrome 77 which will be arriving as I write this. Disclaimer- I use the Chrome web browser for almost all of my work and I use Firefox, Edge, and Opera for various tasks when setting up a website, etc. In years past, if a website didn’t work properly with one browser, you simply tried another one. These days, Chrome knows how…
September 11th, 2019
This past week, Shari Lindsley had the chance to live out the dream of a lifetime when she participated in the USA Powerlifting Athlete Camp which was held at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Shari was one of 35 powerlifters who had the opportunity to train under world-class coaches like Zac Cooper, Arian Khamesi, and Priscilla Ribic during the 4-day event.
Shari said she has always had a passion for powerlifting and, when she was young, had success at the world…
September 4th, 2019
By Raul Gomez, Publisher
raul@hpr1.com
I have come to think of the High Plains Reader, not as an extension of John Strand or myself, but as its own living breathing entity that wants and feeds and strives for its own personal fulfillment. And sometimes when I look back at where it started, I feel a closeness to it. We share a bond, like a parent or gay uncle, and I’m proud of what it’s become.
When I first saw the Reader I was in Grafton, North Dakota, fresh on my second week of…
September 4th, 2019
I was pretty depressed. I was new in town, very much alone and my main entertainment was going to the supermarket. I walked there to make it last longer.
On March 7, 2007, I overcame my shyness and walked up the stairs and into the headquarters and only quarters of the High Plains Reader, to volunteer my services. John Strand, the co-proprietor, asked me what I’d like to do. I said that for starters, what nobody else wants to do, and he put me to work answering the phone.
That’s…
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By Bryce HaugenNot everyone detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is an undocumented immigrant. After a Jan. 12 scuffle at a local Walmart, Tim Catlett, a resident of St. Cloud, Minn., was held at the Bishop…
By Kooper Shagena Just off of I-94 and Highway 83 on State Street in Bismarck, an abandoned Kmart sits behind an empty parking lot, watching the cars roll on and off the interstate exchange. It has been standing there quietly since…
Saturday, January 31, mingling at 6:15 p.m. and program at 7 p.m.Fine Arts Club, 601 4th St. S., FargoThe FM Symphony is getting intimate by launching a “Small Stages” chamber music series and it's bringing folks together via…
By John Strand If you are reading this editorial and you too are worried sick about the state of our country, keep reading. Maybe we can inspire each other. It was near closing time. We were discussing our values crisis. So this…
By Ed RaymondA mind that snapped, cracked, and popped at one hundredI wasn’t going to read a long column called “Centenarian: A Diary of a Hundredth Year” by Calvin Tomkins celebrating his birthday on December 17 of 2025…
By Rick Gionrickgion@gmail.com Holiday wine shopping shouldn’t have to be complicated. But unfortunately it can cause unneeded anxiety due to an overabundance of choices. Don’t fret my friends, we once again have you covered…
By Rick GionSince the much-dreaded Covid years, there has been much ebb and flow in the Fargo-Moorhead restaurant scene. In 2025, that trend continued with some major additions and closings. Let’s start the New Year on a positive…
Saturday, January 17, doors at 7:30 p.m.The Aquarium above Dempsey’s, 226 N. Broadway, FargoThe Slow Death is a punk supergroup led by Jesse Thorson, with members and collaborators that include members of The Ergs!, Dillinger…
By Greg Carlson There is a great scene in the middle of Kelly Reichardt’s excellent movie “The Mastermind” when protagonist James Blaine Mooney (Josh O’Connor) is chastised by criminally-connected wheelman Jerry (the…
By Jacinta ZensThe Guerrilla Girls, an internationally renowned anonymous feminist art collective, have been bringing attention to the gender and racial imbalances in contemporary art institutions for the last 40 years. They have…
Saturday, January 31, 6:30-9 p.m.Transfiguration Fitness, 764 34th St. N., Unit P, FargoAn enchanting evening celebrating movement and creativity in a staff-student showcase. This is a family-friendly event showcasing pole, aerial…
By Annie Prafckeannieprafcke@gmail.com AUSTIN, Texas – As a Chinese-American, connecting to my culture through food is essential, and no dish brings me back to my mother’s kitchen quite like hotdish. Yes, you heard me right –…
By Sabrina Hornungsabrina@hpr1.comNew Jamestown Brewery Serves up Local FlavorThere’s something delicious brewing out here on the prairie and it just so happens to be the newest brewery west of the Red River and east of the…
By Ellie Liveranieli.liverani.ra@gmail.com At the beginning of the movie “How the Grinch Stole Christmas," the Grinch is introduced as having a smaller than average heart, but as the movie progresses, his heart increases three…
January 31, 11 a.m. - 6 p.m.Viking Ship Park, 202 1st Ave. N., Moorhead2026 marks 10 years of frosty fun! Enjoy sauna sessions with Log the Sauna, try Snowga (yoga in the snow), take a guided snowshoe nature hike, listen to live…
By Vern Thompson Benjamin Franklin offered one of the most sobering warnings in American history. When asked what kind of government the framers had created in 1787, he replied, “A republic, if you can keep it.” Few words…
