HPR Abroad

​A tale of two cities: food and art in Columbus and Dublin, Ohio

August 13th, 2024

By Alicia Underlee Nelson

alicia.underlee.nelson@gmail.com

I am stretched out on the window seat in my hotel room, watching a gentle rain paint the sidewalks of downtown Columbus. “Tusk” by Fleetwood Mac spins on the turntable I borrowed from the front desk at The Junto, an almost impossibly well-stocked boutique hotel along the banks of the Scioto River. Its gracious confines contain two restaurants (wood-hearth Little West Tavern and the rooftop Brass Eye), a coffee shop, walk-up…

Read more...


​A Fox Cities Christmas

November 22nd, 2023

By Alicia Underlee Nelson

alicia@hpr1.com

Even if you don’t love Christmas movies, you’d have to be a Grinch not to notice that holiday films get the vibe right. This heady cocktail of twinkling lights, softly falling snow, and cozy shops all aglow (spiked with a spoonful of nostalgia) keeps us coming back for more.

The Fox Cities have perfected their unique holiday ambiance. These 19 east central Wisconsin communities clustered around Lake Winnebago and the Fox River temper Hallmark…

Read more...


Small Town Spotlight: Why Not Minot?

September 27th, 2023

By Alicia Underlee Nelson

alicia@hpr1.com

Minot’s unique vibe sets it apart. A steady stream of new faces at Minot State University and Minot Air Force Base keeps the community’s energy feeling younger and more diverse than many other North Dakota cities its size. A thriving art scene and strong contingent of locally owned shops build on the curious, cultural atmosphere that college towns do so well.

Located four hours northwest of Fargo and just under two hours from Bismarck, Minot is…

Read more...


​What’s New in Medora

August 17th, 2023

By Alicia Underlee Nelson

alicia@hpr1.com

Medora advertises a classic trio of experiences—Theodore Roosevelt National Park, the Medora Musical and casual blufftop dining at the Pitchfork Steak Fondue. So if you haven't been to North Dakota's top tourist attraction since before the pandemic, you might think there's nothing new out west for you.

But you'd be mistaken. Medora has added several hotly anticipated amenities and attractions and a few new shops and restaurants that make a weekend…

Read more...


​Simmons Receives Journalism Scholarship

February 14th, 2023

By Madeline Luke

mzlnd@yahoo.com

The Anne Krapu-High Plains Reader Journalism Scholarship has awarded Laura Simmons of Fargo $3000 in grant and internship for the 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 grant cycles. Ms. Simmons is in her sophomore year at the Northwestern University Medill School of Journalism in Evanston, Illinois. Which is a nationally top-ranked program.

She has written articles for the High Plains Reader on pressing issues for North Dakotans, including the proposed Summit…

Read more...


​The Kulm Bank Caper: A 97-Year-Old Cold Case on the Prairie

January 7th, 2023

By Rick Schlecht

kathyja49@drtel.net

Who among us mystery buffs and sleuths are not familiar with the Hasbro board game, CLUE? Its host of unusual suspects contemplating a crime in some room within a mansion, with access to weapons of opportunity, was sure to push our brain pans to the extreme limit, digging for clues exposing the culprit.

However, real life is not a board game and not every crime can be solved. Some become a 'cold case file.' One such case in North Dakota turned 97 years…

Read more...


​Festival Dressing: What to Wear to This Season’s Shows, Both Indoors and Out

June 17th, 2022

By Alicia Underlee Nelson

alicia@hpr1.com

Photos by Tylar Frame Photography

In-person events are back. After years of donning comfy sweats and yoga pants and avoiding other humans for the sake of public health, figuring out what to wear can feel a little overwhelming.

I asked Courtney Schur, owner of Carmine & Hayworth Vintage in Fargo, to give us a jolt of inspiration. She sells some of the region’s most fabulous vintage looks and can help us inject a little glamor and fun into our…

Read more...


​If those trails could talk

July 14th, 2021

Sabrina Hornung

sabrina@hpr1.com

15 July 2021

If these trails could talk, what would they say?

Well.. depending on the trail and if the trail is marked with the green metal Talking Trails sign, we’re a lot closer to finding out.

“So rather than reading signs, we connect guests with the whole story, just by dialing in, so that you can access the content by dialing in on the phone number with the talking point number that's found on the sign or you can download the talking trail mobile…

Read more...


​Duluth: Ships, Sips and Strolls Along Lake Superior

July 13th, 2021

Alicia Underlee Nelson 

alicia@hpr1.com

I’m not normally someone who waits for ships to come in. But after just a few hours in Duluth, I’m a believer.

The giant freighters laden with iron ore, limestone and coal approach the Twin Ports of Duluth, Minnesota and Superior, Wisconsin (the largest freshwater…

Read more...


​Ludington, Michigan: Where Art Meets Fun in the Sun

July 13th, 2021

By Amy Piper

submit@hpr1.com

Lake Michigan sunsets are intoxicating in Ludington. The evening waves kiss the sugar-sand beaches at Stearns Park Beach. A visitor comments on the large number of people arriving to watch the sunset. “Yes, it’s the best free entertainment in town,” the local replies with a smile. “We also come to greet the S.S. Badger when it arrives.”

So, you’re thinking about a road trip to Michigan, but it seems like such a long drive. And maybe you’re not…

Read more...


Tracker Pixel for Entry EmpireAUG2021 Tracker Pixel for Entry Birds2 Tracker Pixel for Entry NewSalem2 Tracker Pixel for Entry Gruff1 Tracker Pixel for Entry Aquarium Tracker Pixel for Entry NewSalem1

Recently in:

By Winona LaDukewinona@winonaladuke.comIt’s been eight years since the Water Protectors were cleared off the banks of the Cannonball and Missouri Rivers. It was a bitter ending to a battle to protect the water; and for most of us…

By HPR Staff We’re all a part of building strong, healthy and inclusive communities. But the region’s non-profit organizations do a lot of the heavy lifting. Now it’s time for these organizations to step into the spotlight.…

Friday March 7, 8 p.m.The Aquarium, 226 N. Broadway, FargoDJs and drummer teams compete head to head and have the opportunity to compete for the national championships in November. DJs are judged on performance and creativity.…

By Sabrina Hornungsabrina@hpr1.com 2025 marks us halfway through the roaring 2020s. Boy, am I glad I didn’t bob my hair for this go-around. It feels like we’re off to the wrong roar, opening Pandora’s box of what-the-Fox…

By Ed Raymondfargogadfly@gmail.comLennon: “Imagine no possessions, I wonder if you can!”On January 8, 2025, Timothy W. Rybeck of “The Atlantic" magazine published “How Hitler Dismantled a Democracy in 53 Days” with the…

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 Gionrickgion@gmail.com As a food enthusiast, there’s nothing better than attending a local event featuring hotdish. And as far as hotdish events go, no place does it better than the fine folks at Brewhalla and Drekker…

Mooncats and Pert Near Sandstone play Empire TheatreBy Sabrina Hornungsabrina@hpr1.comThe MoonCats describe themselves as “Americonscious Campfire Folk.” They have a clear acoustic folk sound with a sense of whimsy — think…

By Greg Carlsongregcarlson1@gmail.com Of the sixteen features I saw during the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, none left as big an impression as filmmaker/artist Kahlil Joseph’s astonishing “BLKNWS: Terms & Conditions.”…

By John Showalterjohn.d.showalter@gmail.com Everyone has heard the adage, “a picture is worth a thousand words.” However, it is safe to say there are far more than a thousand in Mickey Smith’s photographs. When one hears…

By John Showalterjohn.d.showalter@gmail.comHigh Plains Reader had the opportunity to interview two mysterious new game show hosts named Milt and Bradley Barker about an upcoming event they will be putting on at Brewhalla. What…

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 Josette Ciceronunapologeticallyanxiousme@gmail.com What does it mean to truly live in a community —or should I say, among community? It’s a question I have been wrestling with since I moved to Fargo-Moorhead in February 2022.…

By Faye Seidlerfayeseidler@gmail.com On Dec 5, the Turning Point USA chapter at North Dakota State University hosted an event called BisonFest. This event featured Chloe Cole, a former trans kid, known for detransitioning and…

By Gilbert Kuipersgilbertkuipers@outlook.com I live in North Dakota District 24 and have been challenging the district Republicans about their understanding of climate science for years. There has been no serious response to my…