September 8th, 2016
By Sabrina Hornung and Tom Bixby
sabrina@hpr1.com
Since its inception--America has been heralded as the land of opportunity. This week’s cover story is Welcoming Week, an opportunity to introduce New Americans to their American-born neighbors through a variety of events, whether they be meals, soccer games, art events, and the list goes on.
These New Americans have had a significant impact on our community. Some have introduced new flavors to our primarily European taste buds with the…
August 31st, 2016
In case the North Dakota governor’s office has not figured it out yet, someone needs to tell them what an embarrassment they are. The Dalrymple-Wrigley team could not mishandle the Standing Rock protest against the Dakota Access Pipeline more than they already have, short of deploying the National Guard.
In our America it’s a fundamental right to stand up and voice disagreement with government. These rights are guaranteed and protected: free speech, assembly, religion, and redress of…
August 24th, 2016
There’s something to be said about our cover story this week. To say that the people’s fight against the pipeline is inspiring would be the understatement of the decade. The people versus Big Oil, youths making a 2,000 mile relay from North Dakota to DC to raise awareness of what’s going on and make their voices heard. That’s what we call true grit folks, and that is hard to find.
We think the rest of North Dakota could learn from this: multiple generations and races banding…
August 19th, 2016
By Tom Bixby
tom@hpr1.com
Malvina Massey kept a house of prostitution in Fargo from about 1891 to 1905. She was the main madam, the most successful, then and now the most famous. Partly because she was black and barred from other professions, she’s a monumental personage in the history of Fargo-Moorhead.
Her house, the Crystal Palace, was in the neighborhood called The Hollow, a low spot now filled in, below what used to be the City Hall parking lot, on the northwest corner of Third…
August 3rd, 2016
It may be a cliché to say it, but time flies when you are having fun--it’s true. I’ve been your humble--okay, maybe not so humble editor--for a little over a year now, and to say that it has been rewarding would be the understatement of the year.
I started writing for the Reader nearly a year and a half before I came on as editor, because I wanted to enhance my résumé and make a contribution to the art community. In doing so I killed two birds with one stone.
I returned to my…
July 20th, 2016
As clichéd as it is to say that you learn something new everyday, it always seems to hold true, though some things have a lot more intellectual value than others.
This week the High Plains Reader had the privilege of interviewing Mud Morganfield, bluesman and son of blues legend Muddy Waters. We also spoke to Canned Heat drummer Adolfo “Fito” de la Parra, prior to their appearance at the 2016 Fargo Blues Festival.
Both provided unique perspectives on the genre. Morganfield spoke of…
July 14th, 2016
Winnipeg Folk Fest
Last weekend we ventured way up north to the great Winnipeg Folk Festival. It was my first outdoor festival camping experience and what an experience it was. The acts were a lively mixture of folk (obviously), rock, electronic, gypsy punk, indie, and anything else one can imagine.
Acts that caught our eye included The Wainright Sisters, Loudon Wainright III, Milky Chance, Ben Caplan and the Casual Smokers, The Funk Bandits, The Lemon Bucket Orchestra, and Ryan Adams.
The…
July 6th, 2016
It’s been about a week since we returned from Norway. The experience itself was life changing. While Raul and I were there for ten days, the students had a month to immerse themselves in the culture of Oslo and dig their fingers deep into the underground dirt of what makes the city truly unique.
Three people out of 11 had the opportunity to meet up with their Norwegian relatives, while your editor had an opportunity to reunite with her German cousin. Exploring a foreign city with two…
June 23rd, 2016
By Tom Bixby
On July 22, 2011, Anders Breivik murdered 77 young people on the island of Utoya, in Norway. Norwegians call it 22 juli, July 22nd, and it’s as familiar to them as 9/11 is to us.
In Norway, to own a gun, you apply to the police authority in your district for an acquisition permit (ervervstillatelsen). You specify the firearms for which you will be responsible. The permit to buy is valid for a year.
The dealer selling the gun sends the original permit to buy to the police,…
June 15th, 2016
Words will not do justice to what’s on my mind. This will not be a traditional editorial. Rather, it’s a personal communication to HPR’s readers and others in our community.
I’ve had many titles over the years, here at HPR and elsewhere. There is nothing I’m more proud of than being part of The Little Newspaper That Could’s storied journey for two-plus decades. The bond with thousands of readers is not easily explained, yet it is real and heartfelt.
This week something big…
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By Bryce Vincent Haugen By his own account, Edwin Chinchilla is lucky to still be in the United States. As a 12-year-old Salvadoran, he and his brother were packed into a semi with a couple dozen other people and given fake…
By Michael M. Miller Rev. Salomon Joachim, pastor of Zion Lutheran Church, Beulah, North Dakota., delivered an address to the Western Conference of the Dakota District of the American Lutheran Church in 1939. His presentation was…
Wednesday, March 25, Group lesson 7 p.m., Dance 9 p.m.Sons of Norway, 722 2nd Avenue North, FargoCare to dance? If you don’t already know how to dance, the Northern Lights Dance Club can show you a thing or two about social…
By John StrandDisclaimer: This editorial is the work of someone who’s spent most of his adult life working in the media — most of those years co-owning this very entity, the High Plains Reader, since 1996. The notion that folks…
By Ed RaymondBernie Sanders is on the world’s longest and oldest walkaboutAdolescent Australian Aboriginal males often volunteer to challenge the transition to adulthood by performing well (that means staying alive) in a…
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 GionFor those folks with busy lives who can’t afford or attend culinary school, community cooking classes are a good way to learn new tips and tricks in the kitchen. Cookbooks, instructional online videos and watching…
The Slow Death at The AquariumSaturday, March 21, 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…
By Greg Carlson A number of critics and media outlets have already noted the variety of cinematic antecedents that have influenced writer-director Amy Wang’s movie “Slanted,” pointing out how the story of a frustrated…
Saturday, March 7, 4-8 p.m.Swing Barrel Brewing, 814 Central Ave., MoorheadEmpty Bowls is a nationwide, grassroots, artist-led movement to support hunger related organizations in their communities. On March 7, prepare to fill your…
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 Liverani In January 2026, the 2026-2030 dietary guidelines for Americans were released by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. They are supposed to be revolutionary and a “reset” from the previous ones.…
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…
