February 16th, 2026
By Bryce Vincent Haugen
By his own account, Edwin Chinchilla is lucky to still be in the United States.
As a 12-year-old Salvadoran, he and his brother were packed into a semi with a couple dozen other people and given fake documents before making the arduous trip from El Salvador to the U.S.-Mexico border at Tijuana with the help of a coyote — common parlance for a human trafficker in Latin America. There, joined by an older woman he pretended was his grandma, he entered the United…
January 27th, 2026
By Bryce Vincent Haugen
More than 300 people gathered at Trinity Lutheran Church in central Moorhead on Jan. 27 for “constitutional observer” training. Led by the Immigrant Defense Network and supported locally by the West Area Labor Council and the Northern Plains United Labor Council, the event — part of a statewide tour — focused on training attendees to be the most effective documentarians of federal immigration enforcement activities.
Lead trainer Edwin Torres DeSantiago quoted…
January 27th, 2026
By Bryce Haugen
The High Plains Reader audience and the general public have a brand new way to show solidarity with Minnesotans amid ongoing turmoil in the Twin Cities over Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activities. Created by HPR and inspired by the last line of co-owner John Strand’s monthly editorial, standwithmn.com is a widget that allows users to customize messages of support on social media.
“The very last line in our editorial this week is asking people to stand…
January 26th, 2026
By Bryce Vincent Haugen
Additional reporting by Alicia Underlee Nelson
For the second time this month, federal immigration agents shot an American citizen dead in the streets of south Minneapolis. And for the second time, the official narrative does not correspond to the video evidence. Elected officials across Minnesota and North Dakota refuted the account provided by the federal government. Protestors took to the streets in Minnesota and North Dakota in the hours following the…
January 24th, 2026
By Alicia Underlee Nelson
A 37-year-old man from Minneapolis was shot during an incident involving federal immigration officers on Jan. 24. Hospital records obtained by the Associated Press (AP) stated that the man was pronounced dead at Hennepin County Medical Center. The victim was identified as Alex Pretti, a U.S. citizen and ICU nurse.
The event occurred near 26th Street and Nicollet Avenue in the Whittier neighborhood on Saturday morning. This stretch of Nicollet Avenue in south…
January 16th, 2026
By Bryce Haugen
Not 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 Henry Whipple Federal Building at Fort Snelling in the Twin Cities, despite his U.S. citizenship. He was held in an area designated for citizens.
Catlett, the technical director for the Paramount Center for the Arts in St. Cloud, is not new to protesting,…
January 15th, 2026
By Bryce Haugen
In the week since Renee Good was killed by an U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent in Minneapolis, the state’s largest city, ICE officers have fanned out throughout Minnesota. ICE agents have been spotted in several smaller communities, including towns in Becker County and Otter Tail County in western Minnesota. So far, there have been only a handful of confirmed detentions in the region.
Witnesses reported that one person was arrested at the China…
January 12th, 2026
By Bryce Haugen
Additional reporting by Alicia Underlee Nelson
Five and a half years later and one mile away from George Floyd’s murder, Minneapolis is once again at the epicenter of a law enforcement-related death that has reverberated around the world. On the morning of Jan. 7, Renee Nicole Good,, an American citizen and award-winning poet who recently moved to the Twin Cities from Kansas City with her six year old son, was shot three times in the face by an Immigration and Customs…
January 12th, 2026
By Bryce Haugen
At age 43, Maria Romero remembers what it was like before the authoritarian takeover of Venezuela, when the oil-rich country was the most prosperous in South America and the currency was as strong as the U.S. dollar. Then in 1999, Hugo Chavez took over and the deterioration began. It continued under Nicolás Maduro, Chavez’s hand-picked successor, after the strongman’s death in 2013.
A resident of Margarita Island, Romero — who asked to use an alias to protect…
December 16th, 2025
By Bryce Vincent Haugen
Audra Maurer never used marijuana until Minnesota businesses started to sell low-dose hemp-derived THC products.
“The first time I was pain free was using legalized hemp edibles,” said the 36-year-old Moorhead resident who was attending a fundraiser at Junkyard Brewing, which sells a variety of THC drinks it makes in-house.
Those products, including all intoxicating hemp-derived drinks, gummies, vapes and oils will no longer be…
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Summer is a tough time for families who depend on free or reduced-price school meals, so YMCA of the Northern Sky will provide nutritious, no-cost meals to kids 18 and under through August 26. Breakfast and lunch are available…
By Jeff Armstrong Despite a history dating back many centuries and a reputation as fierce resistance fighters, the Kurds remain the largest stateless nation in the world. Divided by colonial post-WWI borders and subsumed into four…
June 6-7StatewideYou grab a line and I’ll grab a pole — and if you’re a North Dakota resident, you can head on down to your favorite fishing hole, no license needed (for this weekend, anyway). All other rules still apply…
By John Strand It took us over 30 years for us to reach out and ask for your help. The High Plains Reader has always been subscription free and paywall free. Our content has — and always will be — free to access for all of our…
By Ed RaymondCongratulations! A world record held by Trumplican Party and NRA!During the Minnesota Legislature’s discussion of gun controls, Republican State Senator Drew Roach of Farmington said he would never ban assault…
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…
July 8th, 5:30-8 p.m.Viking Ship Park, 202 1st Ave. N., Moorhead We’re celebrating America’s 250th birthday, Minnesota style. Moorhead Parks and Recreation and HCSCC are hosting the ultimate potluck. Whether you’re bringing…
Tuesday, June 30, 7 p.m.Parachigo, 14 8th St. S., Fargo Inspired by folk and rock influences, Bielanski's upbeat catchy tunes have gone worldwide — literally. He’s played 2,500 shows, 311 of which were performed last year alone.…
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By Greg Carlson The feature directorial debut of established internet phenomenon and entertainment hyphenate Hayley Kiyoko — known unironically to her fans as “Lesbian Jesus” — carries with it a curious backstory becoming more…
By Jacinta Zens I recently sat down for a chat with ceramicist Louie Albertson, Clay and Studio Program Manager at the Plains Art Museum. Before the interview, I had the pleasure of getting to know him a bit as a colleague when I…
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 Eli Liverani It was in the mid-90s when I heard of homeopathy for the first time. I was at university, and it was through word of mouth. Some friends were seeking homeopathy to solve minor health issues, such as weight gain,…
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…
Chris M. Stoner I was recently dismissed from my role as drag show director and emcee for Dakota OutRight, a role I had been fulfilling for more than two decades. The reason given? My political commentary during shows, while…
