Editorial

A couple of weeks ago Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski partnered with Tide in a social media PSA so teenagers don’t poison themselves for the sake of Snapchat. I may be dating myself while I sit back in my rocking chair and reminisce about the animated PSAs that closed out my beloved She-ra or GI Joe cartoons, which reminded youths “no talking to strangers” and “no playing with fire.” Just look where it got me. I talk to strangers for a living.

Sure, those old animated public…

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America’s immigration policies have ridden the waves of prejudice for more than 250 years, and each refusal and denial takes its toll on the country’s core values.

First, our nation stole, tricked, and traded land from Native Americans, killing indiscriminately upon resistance. Then came the Acadians, devout Catholics, and the Irish and Germans, starving and persecuted. Norwegians and Swedes came soon after, seeking land to plow. Africans became slaves, which the nation fought a…

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Last week I was asked to appear and speak on behalf of Matt Pausch, owner of the Oasis, before the Public Works and Safety Committee in Wahpeton. The Pausches are great people and I will never forget the time I spent at the Oasis. If I didn’t agree with what they’re doing, I wouldn’t have driven two hours to appear on their behalf.

The intent of the meeting last week was to address safety concerns surrounding the proposed ordinance to amend their cabaret license, and allow lap…

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2017 has been quite a year. Like any year, we’ve had our own triumphs and tragedies.We survived a year of Trump in office and we said goodbye to Tom Petty. In local news we shared the shock and horror of the murder of Savanna Greywind and mourned together as a community. We also lost one of our longest contributors, Christopher Jacobs who contributed to the Reader since day one and is dearly missed.

On a lighter note, we met a lot of cool new people, ate at some killer new restaurants…

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Hunger has no specific face. According to feedingamerica.org: “41 million people struggle with hunger in the United States, including 13 million children. In 2015, 5.4 million seniors struggled to afford enough to eat.”

Over half (59%) of food-insecure homes participate in federally funded food assistance programs, whether they be food stamps, WIC, or school lunch programs. Another heartbreaking fact is that households with children are more likely to be hungry than those without.…

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According to a New York Times article titled: “Tinder, the Fast-Growing Dating App, Taps an Age-Old Truth,” close to 50 million people use Tinder. On average they spend 90 minutes a day assessing their matches. Men are three times more likely (46%) than women (11%) to swipe right which is indicative of a “like.” Needless to say, a swipe left is the equivalent of a “meh.”

Granted, this information was from 2014. A 2017 statistic indicated that closer to 46 million people use…

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In 1989, when I was 17 years old, Fargo Forum reporter Bob Lind became the inspiration for my desire to become a journalist. Lind wrote on my experiences during a string of surgeries I had while overseas in China. He came to my grandmother’s house, sat down on the old Victorian couch, pulled out his pad and pen, smiled, and asked intelligent questions. The interview didn’t last long, at most 30 minutes, but the interview is one I have never forgotten.

On Thursday, another Forum…

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sabrina@hpr1.com

According to our pal Merriam-Webster, the definition of “patriot” is as follows: “one who loves his or her country and supports its authority and interests.”

But what does it mean to be a true patriot? In today’s political climate we tend to believe that Mark Twain may have had a little Thundercat sight-beyond-sight insight when he penned: “Patriot: The person who can holler the loudest without knowing what he is hollering about.”

Keep in mind that when the…

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Our opinion: Culinary traditions are passed from one generation to the next.

There’s something communal about food, whether it be the preparation or consumption. It’s a matter of working together and enjoying the fruits of our labor. It’s nourishing your loved ones, it’s sustenance, and it’s love, whether it’s a decadent meal or a grilled cheese sandwich.

In fact Prince Harry proposed to his now fiancée while preparing a roasted chicken.

Food history and traditions are…

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Our opinion: They’ve done it every year for decades and we salute them.

If Thanksgiving isn’t our favorite holiday, it’s because we don’t think about it or don’t rank them; but we can’t think of a holiday we like more. It’s the reuniting, seeing family and others we haven’t seen in awhile.

Forty years ago, Catherine and Dale Bergstrom, caterers and members of the First Presbyterian Church, started preparing Thanksgiving dinners in the kitchen of the church, then as now at…

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