News

WATER AND OIL DO NOT MIX

August 24th, 2016

By C.S. Hagen

CANNON BALL, ND – The Bakken Pipeline began quietly, leaving few footprints along its legal trail straight into the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ lap. Shortly after the 1,172-mile project was green-lighted, protests erupted in western North Dakota. Arrests and lawsuits, calls for peace and threats of violence followed.

On Friday, North Dakota Governor Jack Dalrymple issued an emergency order due to civil unrest, according to Morton County Sheriff’s Department, and…

Run DC

August 19th, 2016

By Sabrina Hornung and Raul Gomez

It started as a 500 mile run from Cannonball North Dakota to to the district office of the United States Army Corps of Engineers in Omaha, Nebraska. The run was an act of protest against the recent approval of the Dakota Access oil pipeline.

Once it was still approved, Native youths hit the road on a 2,000 mile relay protest run to Washington DC, in reaction to the recent approval of the Dakota Access oil pipeline that will run through their tribal lands…

Whistle-stop tour

August 3rd, 2016

By Anne Krapu

PART I: Europe

“I don’t think [Rubio] can beat the dynamic duo...the Clintons. I want someone with experience. We’re at war.” – Dog the Bounty Hunter on Fox News, 2015.

We cannot afford to put our national security at stake by electing Donald Trump. I feel so strongly about this that even though I don’t personally like Hillary, I am essentially a single-issue voter this cycle, and that issue is security. Dog is not someone which whom I usually agree, but I…

Does Ed Schafer endorse Donald Trump?

July 20th, 2016

As Republicans formally nominate their candidate for President this week at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, with North Dakota Governor Jack Dalrymple reading the delegate count for the state with gubernatorial candidate Doug Burgum at his side, we sought to catch up with a Republican leader who doesn’t always endorse what his fellow members of the GOP establishment do.

Former North Dakota Governor Ed Schafer was the only former or current statewide elected leader to…

Black Lives Matters comes to Fargo

July 13th, 2016

As the Black Lives Matters movement takes center stage in the nation following the deaths of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile in Louisiana and Minnesota, at the hands of law enforcement, a chapter has formed in Fargo and begun protesting Downtown. While the protests in Fargo have been on a much smaller scale than others across the nation, organizers say their goals are to expose a mostly white community to some of the problems facing African-Americans in larger cities.

23-year-old…

Meaningful Mileage

July 13th, 2016

By Ben Haugmo

Nate Perez, Patrick Taylor, and Alexander Vassiliadis are 41 days into a two-month jaunt across the 48 continental United States. While this may seem like the roadtrip of a lifetime, they aren’t merely traveling to see the sights. They have an important message to share.

All while piloting a car shaped like a chicken.

The Mental Illness Awareness tour is coming to Fargo next week, with the goal of spreading awareness and eliminating the stigma surrounding mental illness.…

North Dakota Libertarian runs for Congress

July 6th, 2016

With all the dissatisfaction we are seeing over whether to vote for Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton, and people upset at the two-party system, it’s important to highlight the alternatives to those in our own state.

Businessman Jack Seaman is running for Congress against the incumbent Republican Congressman Kevin Cramer in North Dakota for the second straight time. This time around however, the Libertarian presidential candidate is polling nationally at some of the highest levels…

Sober high school goes statewide in Minnesota

June 29th, 2016

The following interview was edited for length and clarity

PEASE Academy in Minneapolis, the nation’s oldest recovery high school, recently joined with Minnesota Virtual High School to offer sober education online for middle and high school students across the state. Exactly how does this work and why is it needed? We caught up with Michael Durchslag, director of the PEASE Academy.

High Plains Reader: Public schools are supposed to be drug-free zones, students are supposed to be sober,…

ND revenue picture gets even more bleak

June 22nd, 2016

When the State of North Dakota recently released the May revenue totals, it was revealed that if things continue as they’ve been going, the state’s rainy day fund of $75 million, also known as the budget stabilization fund, may be depleted by the end of the year, potentially causing the need for a special session which up until this point, Governor Jack Dalrymple has resisted calls for.

This follows the last revenue projection which saw the Governor implement across-the-board budget…

Q & A with Fargo City Commissioner Mike Williams

June 15th, 2016

Fargo City Commissioner Mike Williams was first elected to office in 2004 and re-elected twice. Now because of term limits, he must vacate his position. On the eve of his leaving office, HPR caught up with him to discuss his legacy on the City Commission and hopes for the future.

High Plains Reader: First off, let me get your reaction to the City Commission election results.

Mike Williams: Having eleven people wanting to be on the City Commission just shows how important it is to have an…