News

Killing Columbus

October 1st, 2015

A proud day

It is coming up, that Columbus Day. I’m a big fan of the Italians. I love the country, the food, the art, and the people very much.

But I am not in favor of Columbus Day.

Not like the guy didn’t take a big sailing trip, but there are two major problems I see with continuing this holiday: first, the BC thing, or Before Columbus. Thousands of years of indigenous thriving on this land were erased in history by contact, as if we did not exist.

Ten thousand years of history…

2015 Studio Crawl

September 24th, 2015

2015 marks the 12th annual FMVA Studio Crawl, the Fargo-Moorhead Visual Artists’ largest event. This year there are 34 participating local artists who clean up their studios and invite the public to see where the creative magic happens.

The event will take place the weekend of Oct. 3 and 4 from 12 p.m. - 6 p.m. Crawlers will have the opportunity to connect with local artists, build up their art collections, witness artist demonstrations and perhaps even enjoy an occasional refreshment…

Conspiracy theories are now mainstream

September 16th, 2015

Acceptance will be their siren song

By Jessy Hegland

On a pleasant June morning in Moorhead, Minn., the sounds of summer construction went underway as it always does; however, on this particular morning something very strange was afoot. A large digital construction sign did not say “slow down, men at work” but instead, “Bush Did 9/11.” This summer I had been submerging myself in ‘90s nostalgia, binge-watching episodes of “The X-Files,”which got me to wondering about…

Beauty as Therapy

September 9th, 2015

Sometimes referred to as “the castle on the hill,” the former Fergus Falls Regional Treatment Facility also known as the Kirkbride building has inspired shock, awe, inspiration and provided economic stability to a community for well over a century. It housed the mentally ill, developmentally disabled and those battling substance abuse issues.

The former Fergus Falls State Hospital was once the largest employer in Fergus Falls, Minn. “You can’t talk to anyone in Fergus Falls that…

Refugees face tough road coming to America

September 3rd, 2015

Later this month, a series of events called Welcoming Week will happen throughout Fargo, Moorhead and West Fargo to mark ways the community can celebrate refugees coming to the region with open arms. In light of that and a recent controversy over some refugees coming to Fargo through Lutheran Social Services of North Dakota, High Plains Reader decided to take a look at what it’s like to be a refugee.

Why do they come here and how do they come here? According to experts we talked to,…

Changes coming to HPR: Q and A with incoming and outgoing editors

August 26th, 2015

Sabrina Hornung / photo by Shane Balkowitsch

Beginning next week, High Plains Reader will have a new editor in Sabrina Hornung, as editor Diane Miller, who’s been affiliated with HPR since 2011, is officially departing this week. With the changes, we sought to get some insight into what to expect for the future of HPR with Sabrina as well as check in with Diane on what her future holds as she leaves Fargo.

Questions for Sabrina

HPR: What are your passions and what do you hope to bring in highlighting them as editor of HPR?

Sabrina…

The Great Divide: Radio Free Fargo and KNDS splitting up

August 26th, 2015

Cover by Raul Gomez

Each group will now program 24 hours on their own radio stations

Changes are coming to KNDS 96.3, the low power FM radio station that featured shared airtime between community members known as Radio Free Fargo and NDSU students who went by Thunder Radio.

Now both groups will operate 24 hours a day on their own frequencies starting Saturday, Aug. 29. NDSU will remain on 96.3 FM on KNDS, while Radio Free Fargo moves to 95.9 FM where they will be known as KRFF. Radio Free Fargo used…

Is bike theft on the rise in Fargo?

August 19th, 2015

Tips for preventing bike theft

Not a week goes by where you don’t hear or see someone on social media complaining that their bike got stolen in the Fargo area. Because of this, we sought to find out if this summer is worse than years past for bike thefts and why.

While it may seem like there’s more thefts happening locally, the Fargo Police Department say it’s no more than on average.

“We’re pretty consistent or pretty steady with what we’ve seen in the past. We haven’t seen…

Committee seeks to put legalizing medical marijuana on ND ballot

August 12th, 2015

Fargo man chair of effort to ease pain through legalization

A Fargo man has formed a committee made up of North Dakotans who will seek to acquire signatures to get the legalization of medical marijuana on the statewide ballot in November of 2016. Financial planner Ray Morgan spearheaded the effort because he hopes to be able to use medical marijuana to ease pain for neuropathy after a back surgery that went south.

He also hopes it will help MS patients, cancer patients, those suffering…

Married ... Now What?

August 6th, 2015

In June, when the US Supreme Court ruled that state bans on gay marriage were unconstitutional, thereby giving a victory to those challenging North Dakota’s ban, plaintiffs in the case were worried about how specific issues would be handled in the months ahead for same-sex couples in the state. A few of these include inheritance, joint filing of taxes, access to health care and insurances, hospital visiting privileges and child custody.Prior to FM Pride, HPR decided to take a look at…