​Thoughts on the news

By Chris Hennen

As HPR was going to press, we learned that Colleen Sheehy, director and CEO of the Plains Art Museum since 2008, will be leaving her post later this year. While we will be sad to see her go, we are thankful for the time we’ve had her and wish her the best of the luck in the future.

Under Sheehy’s stewardship, the Plains Art Museum has continued its role as a jewel of downtown Fargo and a beacon in the arts scene. The annual Spring Gala has thrived in recent years and become one of the most memorable events of the year that many look forward to. Hopefully Sheehy will be able to pass the baton to someone as qualified as she was in leading the museum. In the meantime, a tip of the hat and heartful thank you to her for all her good work and leadership.

Community rallies behind the Gaarsland family

Recently, a horrific fight outside a local bar resulted in the death of a local father of five children, Joe Gaarsland. Since that news broke, his friends and family have come together to start a Gofundme online campaign to raise money for his wife and children. They also held a benefit concert at The Aquarium last Saturday and raised over $1,000.

While a tragedy like this is never pleasant, it is good to see friends, family and coworkers rally around Gaarsland’s family at a time of extreme need. The financial help will never replace their father, though it hopefully can help them get back on their feet again. To those who recently came out and defended the attackers, it’s hard to have much sympathy for any aggressors involved in a situation that ultimately ended another person’s life.

Bloomtown Music Festival was a success

Over the weekend, one of the area’s biggest local festivals became a reality when area EDM fans descended on Waubun, Minn. for the Bloomtown Music and Arts Festival at Pure Bliss Ranch. Music festivals are popping up and growing all over the country. It’s good to see more of them in our region and we should encourage the ones that do happen. Despite a few weather challenges, most festival goers seemed to have a good time and reports of attendance were brisk. Hopefully events like these will continue and lead to more in our region.

Oil train and semi collision in St. Paul

An oil train and semi collided in St. Paul last Sunday. While there were no injuries and no oil was spilled, this serves as another reminder that we can’t wait for another major accident before we take action. While tragedy and deaths have occurred in Canada, the US, to date, has been spared. We’ve had plenty of warning signs, however. And too many have occurred right here in North Dakota and Minnesota. Minnesota state leaders have sounded the alarm in the past about rail safety and how much oil is transported through their state. That will only increase after this latest crash.

Let’s fix the broken trust in ND higher ed

UND President Robert Kelley recently announced his plans to retire early next year after what some would call a rocky tenure. It’s another reminder of the many issues higher education is facing in North Dakota. And while Republicans in the ND Legislature would put the blame solely on higher education administrators in the state, it’s clear there’s a bit of blame to go all around.

It’s time for all of the leaders in our state, including the governor, legislators, Board of Higher Ed, university presidents and students, to come together to fix the issues and broken trust and to lead higher education to a better place in North Dakota. While the state has many things going for it, rising tuition costs at a time of great economic prosperity is not one of them. It’s time for the finger pointing to cease and the problem solving to begin. Do what’s best for the students and our future, that’s what it should be about.