News

Getting Surly

December 23rd, 2015

HPR chats with Surly Brewing Co. Founder Omar Ansari

Monday December 14th was a big day for the craft beer community. Zorbaz in Detroit Lakes had a Surly Brewing Co. tap takeover which included 37 beers. This was the biggest Surly take over in history. Not only were there beers on tap that have never graced the lines outside of the taproom but there were also 4 years of Darkness (2012-2015), as well as 2015 Barrel Aged Darkness.

This event boasted a great turnout; from young to old,…

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Happy Hooligans honored​

December 23rd, 2015

ND National Guard unit recognized with top award

On December 5 the North Dakota National Guard’s 119th Wing, aka the Happy Hooligans, was awarded the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award for its “exceptional service, commitment and mission accomplishment.” The AFOUA is an annual award presented to units across the active-duty Air Force, Reserves and Air National Guard that have distinguished themselves. This event marked the 17th time the Happy Hooligans have been honored with an…

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We do it! Behold the power of giving.

December 17th, 2015

Q & A with Great Plains Food Bank. organization working to fight hunger in Fargo and Moorhead

As we approach the holiday season, we at the High Plains Reader wanted to learn more about efforts to end hunger in our region. The Great Plains Food Bank is the only food bank in North Dakota, as well as in Clay County in Minnesota, and provides food to all of the food pantries in our region. We asked Marsha Paulson, director of marketing and development for the Great Plains Food Bank, about…

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Clearing the bottle neck

December 9th, 2015

Is Fargo’s liquor license code too complicated? Is it time for change? A new task force examines what changes could be made.

A task force in Fargo is looking at methods to reform the city’s complex liquor license code. Currently there are many different types of liquor licenses, letter coded from A to Z for different types of establishments, most of which are available for purchase if you have the funds. However, there are no more A and A-B licenses currently which are for bars that…

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Planned Parenthood under attack

December 2nd, 2015

CEO of MN, ND and SD discusses threats to women’s health care provider ahead of visit

This Thursday, following an unprecedented attack on a Planned Parenthood clinic in Colorado which saw three people lose their lives, the local Planned Parenthood organization will host its 11th annual Progress on the Prairie event with the CEO of Planned Parenthood Cecile Richards and Sarah Stoesz, Planned Parenthood director for Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota.

This event comes as Congress…

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It takes many hands

November 24th, 2015


For this week's cover story, we asked High Plains Reader staff members and volunteers as well as cover story subjects from 2015 and friends of the paper what they are grateful for this year. Below are the responses. Happy Thanksgiving from everyone at HPR!

"I am thankful for all the amazing people I have in my life. The right people help you grow in love and knowledge and - from my family to my close friends to simple acquaintances within the community – I’m truly blessed with an…

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Love or Fear?

November 24th, 2015

#loveoverfear What are you so afraid of?

By Whitney Retzer

The Economist reports that 750,000 refugees have resettled in America since 9/11, and not one of these refugees have been arrested on domestic terrorism charges.

The world has always been a fragile ecosystem living and breathing between the balance of nature and the desire of man. Last Friday’s attack was a grim reminder of what man is capable of, if you can call these attackers human. It is often preferable to think of these…

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Informant’s mother pushes for changes

November 18th, 2015

Sadek’s death results in call for new laws

The mother of a North Dakota State College of Science student who was an informant for a drug task force and was killed by a gunshot, yet whose death is still unsolved, says she is working with legislators on a bill for the next North Dakota Legislative session, which would ban college students as drug informants.

Tammy Sadek, who has started the Facebook page Justice for Andrew Sadek, says she is resigned to not finding answers on her own…

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Black is Back

November 11th, 2015

After the runaway success of Dylan Fest last February, Merrill Piepkorn knew he was onto something. Not long after the tribute concert sold out the Fargo Theatre, the president of the Prairie Airwaves production company found himself inundated with avid suggestions for his next endeavor.

Country artists dominated a majority of the pitches, as the Highwaymen and Merle Haggard were lightly considered for homage, though none seemed quite right.

“Then I thought to myself,” Piepkorn…

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The Avett Brothers return to Fargo

November 4th, 2015


North Carolina folk group The Avett Brothers will be returning to Fargo on Friday, Nov. 13, with a few tricks up their sleeves. Jill Andrews will join The Avett Brothers to perform at the Fargo Civic Center. HPR had the exclusive opportunity to chat with bassist Bob Crawford.

HPR: What was your experience like recording your new album?

Bob Crawford:It was a good experience. We recorded it with a full live band. We had seven people on stage now, and it was a really good experience and we…

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