September 16th, 2015
The excitement and energy emanating from the Bernie Sanders presidential run is spreading to the Fargo-Moorhead area. It’s easy to see why, he is an unconventional candidate speaking the truth in a time of tremendous skepticism about politicians who have said one thing to get elected and done something else after. Young people, college students and other citizens not normally drawn to campaigns or politics are constantly talking about Bernie…
September 9th, 2015
The little newspaper that could turns 21 with this edition of HPR. We are proud as all get out and hope you bear with us as we reminisce and acknowledge.
The High Plains Reader no doubt has had a storied past. Good and bad. It’s never been easy, but whoever said building a business from scratch is easy? We’ve had our moments where we hit the ball out of the park and others where we fell flat on our face. Mostly, though, we went through the motions, the ups and the downs, and we grew…
September 3rd, 2015
Two weeks in a row we’re reading about the unfolding race for governor in North Dakota. Little did we know when we mentioned Drew Wrigley as perceived heir apparent to the post, that in a matter of days his political world would be rocked big time.
Among most political pundits and even rank-and-file Republicans, it was a foregone conclusion that Lt. Gov. Wrigley would seek and likely get the party nod to replace Gov. Jack Dalrymple. That assumption can now safely be considered a…
August 26th, 2015
HPR leans left. That’s no secret. We like many aspects of what people call progressive movements. Yet, we also advocate for fiscal prudence.
That said, it will not come as a surprise that we are eagerly anticipating the forthcoming race for governor in North Dakota. No doubt, Gov. Jack Dalrymple’s announcement this week that he will not seek reelection in 2016 has fueled immense…
August 19th, 2015
Dig into Pockets of culture
By Sabrina Hornung
At the beginning of the year I relocated to my hometown. I’m not gonna lie -- I felt pretty down and out, betrayed, heartbroken and downright disgusted. Everything I owned was hastily stored in my mom’s garage in no particular order. I found myself in Jamestown contemplating my life choices. Living out of a few boxes in my grandparents’ house and sharing my childhood bedroom with my two cats, “Lion King” sheets and twin-size canopy…
August 13th, 2015
More responsible reporting, less racist social media comments pleaseThe recent uproar over 100 refugees coming to Fargo in a resettlement program administered by Lutheran Social Services was indicative of how the media can twist things and stir people into a frenzy using misinformation and race baiting. When a legal immigration program is fused with images of illegal immigrants crossing the border and the origin of where those are coming from are constantly mentioned, you have to wonder…
August 6th, 2015
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Throughout my three and a half years of being a leader in local media, I’ve gone from thinking “I’m HPR’s best editor ever” to thinking “How on all crevices of the earth would anyone have ever considered me to be an editor?” I didn’t even know how to spell the word spelled. I thought it was spelt.
I could go on. Growing up, I was a fabulous gym-class student but just an OK English student. I had no journalism…
July 29th, 2015
We’ve known for several months that HPR editor Diane Miller will be moving to the Twin Cities. We fully expect she’ll soar to new heights in her new environs.
That said, it will be with full hearts as we wrap up Diane’s tenure as editor-in-chief here at the High Plains Reader. She’s done a stellar job to say the least and we love and respect her.
When the inevitable move away from Fargo became apparent,…
July 23rd, 2015
A week ago, as HPR was preparing to go to press, a firestorm was unfolding in our community. Long story short – as most of you know this well – a Fargo resident was targeted on social media and it was implied that he was inappropriately taking pictures of young children at the Island Park swimming pool.
The original Facebook post included pictures of 37-year-old Kirk Ludwig, as well as his car and license plate. That post went viral. It was like someone opened a flood gate. A tsunami…
July 15th, 2015
Fargo was in a bit of an uproar this week after a man was allegedly caught taking pictures of kids swimming at Island Park Pool. While he can’t be criminally charged, he was promptly banned by the Fargo Park District from all city parks. Also, Police identified the man and cited him for pot possession.
Much debate ensued on social media about the rights of the swimmers and the freedom of speech rights of the photographer. While it’s important for everyone involved to follow the law,…
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By Winona LaDukewinona@winonaladuke.comIt’s been eight years since the Water Protectors were cleared off the banks of the Cannonball and Missouri Rivers. It was a bitter ending to a battle to protect the water; and for most of us…
By HPR Staff We’re all a part of building strong, healthy and inclusive communities. But the region’s non-profit organizations do a lot of the heavy lifting. Now it’s time for these organizations to step into the spotlight.…
Friday March 7, 8 p.m.The Aquarium, 226 N. Broadway, FargoDJs and drummer teams compete head to head and have the opportunity to compete for the national championships in November. DJs are judged on performance and creativity.…
By Sabrina Hornungsabrina@hpr1.com 2025 marks us halfway through the roaring 2020s. Boy, am I glad I didn’t bob my hair for this go-around. It feels like we’re off to the wrong roar, opening Pandora’s box of what-the-Fox…
By Ed Raymondfargogadfly@gmail.comLennon: “Imagine no possessions, I wonder if you can!”On January 8, 2025, Timothy W. Rybeck of “The Atlantic" magazine published “How Hitler Dismantled a Democracy in 53 Days” with the…
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 Gionrickgion@gmail.com As a food enthusiast, there’s nothing better than attending a local event featuring hotdish. And as far as hotdish events go, no place does it better than the fine folks at Brewhalla and Drekker…
Mooncats and Pert Near Sandstone play Empire TheatreBy Sabrina Hornungsabrina@hpr1.comThe MoonCats describe themselves as “Americonscious Campfire Folk.” They have a clear acoustic folk sound with a sense of whimsy — think…
By Greg Carlsongregcarlson1@gmail.com Writer/director/performer Katarina Zhu’s feature debut “Bunnylovr” premiered to mixed reviews in the U.S. Dramatic Competition section of the 2025 Sundance Film Festival. Despite the lack…
By John Showalterjohn.d.showalter@gmail.com Everyone has heard the adage, “a picture is worth a thousand words.” However, it is safe to say there are far more than a thousand in Mickey Smith’s photographs. When one hears…
By John Showalterjohn.d.showalter@gmail.comHigh Plains Reader had the opportunity to interview two mysterious new game show hosts named Milt and Bradley Barker about an upcoming event they will be putting on at Brewhalla. What…
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 Josette Ciceronunapologeticallyanxiousme@gmail.com What does it mean to truly live in a community —or should I say, among community? It’s a question I have been wrestling with since I moved to Fargo-Moorhead in February 2022.…
By Faye Seidlerfayeseidler@gmail.com On Dec 5, the Turning Point USA chapter at North Dakota State University hosted an event called BisonFest. This event featured Chloe Cole, a former trans kid, known for detransitioning and…
By Gilbert Kuipersgilbertkuipers@outlook.com I live in North Dakota District 24 and have been challenging the district Republicans about their understanding of climate science for years. There has been no serious response to my…
