December 18th, 2025
By Ellie Liverani
At the beginning of the movie “How the Grinch Stole Christmas," the Grinch is introduced as having a smaller than average heart, but as the movie progresses, his heart increases three times its size. In the story, this means that the Grinch became a kinder and more compassionate creature. But in real life, a swollen heart can have different meanings and implications, including risk of heart diseases.
Indeed, the statistic tells us that the…
November 18th, 2025
sBy Ellie Liverani
The holidays are supposed to be magical: party, presents, fancy food, lights and sparks. You are looking forward to it. You work very hard, you put in long hours at work as well as at home. But then you accomplish everything, you are happy and ready for the fun part to start, but bam — you feel sick.
I have heard this story many times (and experienced it first-hand). But I always wonder. Is there a particular reason? Is it “real” or just…
October 15th, 2025
By Ellie Liverani
When we are sick, all we want is a cure. You go to the doctor, they give you a pill, you take it for a bit, then you are cured. It happens. But unfortunately, it is not always the case.
Sometimes there is no treatment. Some diseases can only be managed, such as autoimmune diseases (Lupus or Hashimoto disease, for example). There are treatments specific to females and others for males, specific to your age. But it is not that simple. And some…
October 6th, 2025
Press Release
As Breast Cancer Awareness Month begins, Essentia Health is highlighting an innovative — and recently expanded — program that brings early breast cancer detection services to rural communities. Essentia’s mobile mammography trucks have added additional locations across the rural health leader’s footprint, from central North Dakota to western Wisconsin, bringing convenient mammography services to more patients. The program will reduce travel time and eliminate barriers…
September 16th, 2025
By Ellie Liverani
Loneliness is on the rise in North Dakota, where there is one of the highest rates of people living alone. The challenging winter can be a major contributor, yet North Dakota is not alone. In the scientific literature, studies on loneliness come from all over the world, and they all report similar findings.
Loneliness is a feeling; therefore, it is hard to measure. It’s distinguished from solitude. There is a lack of interest in seeking…
August 19th, 2025
By Dr. Marc Sapir, MD, MPH
jessica@pellienpublicrelations.com
Across America, families are quietly struggling with a rising challenge: how to care for aging parents, siblings, grandparents, neighbors and friends. Most seniors want to remain independent but lack the resources (sometimes the energy) they need to do so.
It doesn’t have to be this way.
During my nine years as the founding medical director of the Center for Elders’ Independence — a PACE program in Oakland, California — I…
August 19th, 2025
By Ellie Liverani
Significant updates to North Dakota’s medical marijuana will be implemented in August 2025, making medical marijuana available as a therapeutic option. It will be low-dose edible cannabis products.
Cannabis and marijuana (and the other endless slang words for them) have been around for millennia for both recreational and medical use. Even poets, artists, and politicians have admittedly enjoyed them. But what do we know about them?
Is medical…
July 29th, 2025
By Alicia Underlee Nelson
Caregivers for school-aged children and teenagers are encouraged to bring them to back-to-school immunization clinics scheduled for every Tuesday in August. Fargo Cass Public Health (FCPH) and Family HealthCare will partner to offer four clinics on August 5, 12, 19 and 26. All events will be held at the FCPH building (located at 1240 25th Street South in Fargo) from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The August 5 and August 26 events require an appointment. Parents…
June 19th, 2025
The drug that keeps re-purposing itself
By Ellie Liverani
There is a drug that is getting a lot of attention nowadays all over the world. It has various commercial names (Ozempic, Wegovy and Rybelsus), but the common scientific name is semaglutide.
It is not a new discovery. In fact, it has been studied since the 70s. But in time, it has been more and more re-purposed, similarly to Viagra, but even more so.
The amount of content (and drama) you can find on…
May 15th, 2025
By Ellie Liverani
There appear to be differences in the incidence of mental illnesses between men and women. For example, women are more likely to be diagnosed with depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and anxiety disorders, while men are more likely to be diagnosed with autism, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and substance abuse. Women in general are also more likely to experience mental illnesses than men.
Is the statistic…
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By Bryce Vincent HaugenAdditional reporting by Alicia Underlee Nelson For the second time this month, federal immigration agents shot an American citizen dead in the streets of south Minneapolis. And for the second time, the…
By Kooper Shagena Just off of I-94 and Highway 83 on State Street in Bismarck, an abandoned Kmart sits behind an empty parking lot, watching the cars roll on and off the interstate exchange. It has been standing there quietly since…
Saturday, January 31, mingling at 6:15 p.m. and program at 7 p.m.Fine Arts Club, 601 4th St. S., FargoThe FM Symphony is getting intimate by launching a “Small Stages” chamber music series and it's bringing folks together via…
By John Strand If you are reading this editorial and you too are worried sick about the state of our country, keep reading. Maybe we can inspire each other. It was near closing time. We were discussing our values crisis. So this…
By Ed RaymondA mind that snapped, cracked, and popped at one hundredI wasn’t going to read a long column called “Centenarian: A Diary of a Hundredth Year” by Calvin Tomkins celebrating his birthday on December 17 of 2025…
By Rick Gionrickgion@gmail.com Holiday wine shopping shouldn’t have to be complicated. But unfortunately it can cause unneeded anxiety due to an overabundance of choices. Don’t fret my friends, we once again have you covered…
By Rick GionSince the much-dreaded Covid years, there has been much ebb and flow in the Fargo-Moorhead restaurant scene. In 2025, that trend continued with some major additions and closings. Let’s start the New Year on a positive…
Saturday, January 17, doors at 7:30 p.m.The Aquarium above Dempsey’s, 226 N. Broadway, FargoThe Slow Death is a punk supergroup led by Jesse Thorson, with members and collaborators that include members of The Ergs!, Dillinger…
By Greg Carlson The versatile Nia DaCosta follows her underseen and underappreciated “Hedda” (one of my 2025 favorites) with the first female-helmed entry in the 28 Days/Weeks/Years Later series, a fascinating and grisly…
By Jacinta ZensThe Guerrilla Girls, an internationally renowned anonymous feminist art collective, have been bringing attention to the gender and racial imbalances in contemporary art institutions for the last 40 years. They have…
Saturday, January 31, 6:30-9 p.m.Transfiguration Fitness, 764 34th St. N., Unit P, FargoAn enchanting evening celebrating movement and creativity in a staff-student showcase. This is a family-friendly event showcasing pole, aerial…
By Annie Prafckeannieprafcke@gmail.com AUSTIN, Texas – As a Chinese-American, connecting to my culture through food is essential, and no dish brings me back to my mother’s kitchen quite like hotdish. Yes, you heard me right –…
By Sabrina Hornungsabrina@hpr1.comNew Jamestown Brewery Serves up Local FlavorThere’s something delicious brewing out here on the prairie and it just so happens to be the newest brewery west of the Red River and east of the…
By Ellie Liveranieli.liverani.ra@gmail.com At the beginning of the movie “How the Grinch Stole Christmas," the Grinch is introduced as having a smaller than average heart, but as the movie progresses, his heart increases three…
January 31, 11 a.m. - 6 p.m.Viking Ship Park, 202 1st Ave. N., Moorhead2026 marks 10 years of frosty fun! Enjoy sauna sessions with Log the Sauna, try Snowga (yoga in the snow), take a guided snowshoe nature hike, listen to live…
By Vern Thompson Benjamin Franklin offered one of the most sobering warnings in American history. When asked what kind of government the framers had created in 1787, he replied, “A republic, if you can keep it.” Few words…
