News

Counterproductive counterprotesting

May 15th, 2019

Catholic protest against the Red River Women's Clinic 2012 - photograph by C.S. Hagen

By Sabrina Hornung and Thomas Bixby

Last week a photo surfaced on social media of a Fargo man standing among protesters in front of the Red River Women’s Clinic (RRWC) smiling and holding a cardboard sign that read, “JESUS LOVES SLUTS” and wearing a matching shirt. This is neither the first nor the last instance of counterprotestors joining the protestors outside of the clinic. We couldn’t help but wonder, do they help or do they hurt their cause?

We had a chance to chat with…

Off and running

May 15th, 2019

Runners in race through downtown Fargo - photograph by C.S. Hagen

The 15th annual Fargo Marathon is off and running. Roughly 17,000 Runners, bicyclists, and even dogs will take over the metro this week in what has become one of Fargo-Moorhead’s most anticipated yearly events.

The Fargo Marathon, which is a USA Track & Field sanction event, is a qualifier for the Boston Marathon. Because of this coupled with the flat terrain, runners from all over the world come to participate.

Starting as a weekend event in the early years, the marathon has grown to…

Immigration Myths

May 15th, 2019

Design by Raul Gomez

By Eric Sustad

At the forefront of today’s political debate, immigration law and policy are perhaps the most misunderstood of today’s hot-button issues. With both advocates for immigrants and proponents of tighter controls on immigration talking past each other and disagreeing on even basic facts, the debate has both sides operating from misconceptions and false assumptions.

This split is evident from the terminology used to discuss the issue. “Illegal immigrant” is not a term…

‘Cat and Mouse’

May 14th, 2019

Activists at Standing Rock with raised hands before police and others along far shore - photograph by C.S. Hagen

BISMARCK – The civil case against private security firm TigerSwan and owner Jim Reese working illegally in North Dakota during the Dakota Access Pipeline controversy has followed a tedious legal route and came down to one question in the North Dakota Supreme Court Tuesday morning: what remedy does the board have?

Monte Rogneby, attorney for the North Dakota Private Investigative and Security Board, or PISB, said the Board has been hamstrung. Confusion came down to a District Court…

Bakken’s exploding train fears halted at Washington State border

May 10th, 2019

Bakken crude oil train derailment and ensuing destruction in Lac Magantic, Quebec 2013 - Wikipedia

BAKKEN – Bakken crude is volatile, and tankers hauling the oil have exploded repeatedly claiming at least 47 lives in the past decade. And while the state’s elected few and regulatory commissions refuse to effectively police the transportation of crude oil – evident in the number of explosive accidents involving Bakken crude – the state of Washington recently said they had enough.

With thousands of Bakken crude barrels traversing the country every day, and approximately a dozen…

Citing First Amendment violation, United Way is sued by its former president

May 9th, 2019

Patricia Berger, CEO and president of United Way of Grand Forks - photograph provided by Patricia Berger

GRAND FORKS – The United Way of Grand Forks and the organization’s leadership are facing a lawsuit five months after firing long time president and CEO, Patricia Berger.

Filed in the Northeast Central Judicial District by attorney David Thompson on Thursday morning, Berger is suing for wrongful termination and being unlawfully deprived of her salary. Although in February she was willing to settle, she is now seeking a financial amount greater than $50,000, according to court…

More preemptive ALEC strikes

May 8th, 2019

Activists leaving the No-DAPL camps on the final day before law enforcement entered - photograph by C.S. Hagen

BISMARCK – Two more preemptive strikes from the North Dakota Legislative body target free speech against corporate oil interests. Although some of the bill’s wording is misleading and vague, focused on terrorism, the meaning could be open to interpretation, representatives said, and is a solution looking for a problem.

Four other preemptive strikes were passed this legislative session and include laws restricting banning plastic bags and reusable straws, gun buyback programs,…

Preemptive strikes: bags, guns, zoning, and a living wage

May 1st, 2019

A 38 mm handgun - photograph by C.S. Hagen

BISMARCK – ALEC’s fingerprints are smeared across more than a handful of preemptive state strikes – now laws – from the 2019 Sixty-sixth Legislative Session of North Dakota.

Each bill was designed to eradicate smaller governments’ power, and more than one copied sample proposals from the American Legislative Exchange Council, or ALEC, the powerful bill mill backed by the Koch brothers.

ALEC reports that it is the largest membership driven organization of legislators in the…

How a few bad apples almost spoiled the bushel

April 24th, 2019

Picking apples - photograph provided by Wild TERRA

FARGO – When apple supplies were low last year, Ethan Hennings called out for help. Hundreds, from Moorhead to Bismarck, answered.

Sweet Honeycrisps and tart Northern Lights came in by the bushel. SnowSweets, Prairie Magics, and deep red Hazens followed Dakota Gold, an early ripening apple great for sauces and pies. Plucked primarily from trees planted in backyards, some tree owners exchanged the fruit for drinking vouchers at Wild TERRA, the city’s only “urban cidery.” Others…

It’s about high time

April 17th, 2019

Design by Raul Gomez

After nearly two and a half years since the people of North Dakota voted to pass the Compassionate Care Act into law in the state, medical marijuana is finally available to patients. Only one dispensary is open right now, but seven other cities have been named as future sites of medical marijuana dispensaries, including four which were named last week.

The most recent cities to be added to the list of dispensary sites are Minot, Devils Lake, Jamestown, and Dickinson. They join Grand…