March 16th, 2022
By Dr. Madeline Luke
mzlnd@yahoo.com
9/11:The destruction of the World Trade Center by Al Qaeda changed most Americans’ world views forever. Some in Valley City faced the challenges and fears of the world outside their usual daily lives by becoming better informed.
Remembering the 1970s when students, teachers, and community members came together for “teach- ins” to learn about the Vietnam War, Valley City State University faculty and community members created "What in the World is…
January 19th, 2022
By Faye Seidler
fayeseidler@gmail.com
The queer youth in North Dakota continue to be failed by our state and experience disproportionately worse outcomes related to bullying, homelessness, mental health, and suicide.
There is hope so long that we as a community can come together and work towards making a difference in these youth’s lives. When queer youth have one person who accepts them, supports them, and loves them unconditionally, then suicide attempts drop by 40%, according to…
December 15th, 2021
By Bryce Haugen
brycevincenthaugen@gmail.com
On most Wednesdays, local resident Nick Barth can be found outside the Red River Women’s Clinic, standing on the sidewalk holding an anti-abortion sign and urging patients to reconsider what can be one of the most difficult decisions a woman will ever make.
“People that are standing on the street curb, looking at the road holding their signs or whatever, while it’s creepy behavior outside a healthcare office, call it protesting,” said…
November 20th, 2021
By John Showalter
Everyone knows that dogs are often referred to as “man’s best friend.” It’s no mystery why. During their millennia-long relationship with humans they have served as loyal pets, companions, guides, and more. As the only accredited nonprofit provider of service dogs in North Dakota, Service Dogs for America serves as an important part of this history-spanning…
October 17th, 2021
By Kris Gruber
Jason Sole may have an impressive resume as a Criminal Justice professor, past president of the Minneapolis NAACP, founder of movements and initiatives, national restorative justice trainer, author, and more -- but it would be more accurate to sum him up as a "Closer."
His passionate clarity towards his mission of police abolition, an idea fraught with controversy and clouded by fear, cuts to the chase in such a way that you are left wondering why more…
September 15th, 2021
By Kris Gruber
That old adage no longer applies: There is now such a thing as a free lunch, and it is here to stay.
With help from a willing community, the founders of Lunch Aid North Dakota are continuing their fight to erase school lunch debt. The current fundraiser for The Neighborhood Church and upcoming benefit concert will bolster their ongoing mission to eliminate food insecurity in our state.
The High Plains Reader spoke with co-founders Jason Boynton, Associate…
August 19th, 2021
By Alicia Underlee Nelson
Citizens advocating for universal masking in schools report being told that school districts would observe a mask mandate if the health officer from Fargo Cass Public Health issued one. Fargo Cass Public Health officials say issuing a mask mandate isn’t possible.
“Fargo Cass Public Health does not have that authority,” said Justin Bohrer, Public Health Analyst at Fargo Cass Public Health. “A health officer is not able to enact a mask…
May 18th, 2021
Growing Together Opens New Garden
By Annie Prafcke
https://www.facebook.com/annie.prafcke
20 May 2021
On April 15th, Growing Together held a groundbreaking for the opening of its newest gardens at Gethsemane Cathedral. The space, which consists of two plots, is Growing Together’s seventh garden location in Fargo. Run by volunteers and focused on supporting New Americans, Growing Together offers opportunities for gardeners of all backgrounds to learn from each other.
Growing Together…
May 18th, 2021
by John Showalter
john.d.showalter@gmail.com
20 May 2021
As the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine continues apace and the worst of this historical pandemic is (seemingly) behind us, many places of…
December 17th, 2020
The vibrant life of Ashley Lake Hamilton came to a sudden end on the Sunset Highway between Airway Heights and Fairchild Air Force Base on Thursday, December 10, 2020.
Ashley was born on a beautiful Monday afternoon, June 2, 1980, at St. Ansgar Hospital in Moorhead, Minnesota. She was the second child of Barbara (Lake) and Douglas Hamilton. Ashley was a beautiful, creative and strong-willed child and she carried those traits into adulthood.
Ashley moved to the Pacific Northwest as a…