Last Word

Fargo City Commission Hang-Up — Affordable Housing Downtown?

January 18th, 2022

By Melissa Van Der Stad

m.forfargo@gmail.com

A proposal for affordable housing in Downtown Fargo is currently being discussed in two separate committees — the Tax Exempt Review Committee and the Renaissance Zone Authority — with the proverbial ax held over it, ready to fall at any moment.

Preventing this from happening is a flurry of citizen activity in the Fargo area in support of this proposal. Not satisfied with the committees’ lack of verbal support, the community has…

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​Faith4Hope Juneteenth Freedom Celebration

June 15th, 2021

by Annie Prafcke

submit@hpr1.com

17 June 2021

On June 19th, from 12pm to 7pm, nonprofit Faith4Hope Scholarship Fund is hosting their first ever Juneteenth Freedom Celebration at Lindenwood Park in Fargo. It is free and open to the public. Established by Faith Dixon and C. Hope Shields, Faith4Hope strives to empower low-income F-M area families. They provide food at their North Fargo pantry as well as outreach programs such as child care scholarships and Money Management classes.

Juneteenth

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Biden’s Turn to the Left Finds the MIddle of the Road

June 7th, 2021

By Charlie Barber

CMCBARB@msn.com

10 June 2021

“Quietly and with little fanfare, the Biden administration has been taking all the right steps early in its tenure in confronting the threat of right-wing extremist violence and its spread—a mandate handed to Biden by the insurrectionists who attacked the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. Rather than take a high-profile approach that might backfire, Biden’s Justice Department and FBI, and to a lesser extent its Department of Homeland Security, has…

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Anti-Asian Hate Is Bigger Than Bullying. Sadly, It’s Nothing New.

May 18th, 2021

by Annie Prafcke

https://www.facebook.com/annie.prafcke

20 May 2021

Recently, C.S. Hagen wrote an article for The Forum about anti-Asian hate in Fargo-Moorhead, amidst the horrific Atlanta shooting, in which six of the eight victims were Asian women. In an interview for the piece, I shared incidents of racially-motivated harassment I experienced in Fargo as a Chinese-American woman.

After the article was published, I received sympathetic messages lamenting my hardship and commending me for…

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​Transgender People in Sports: What Does the Data Say?

February 10th, 2021

By Faye Seidler   

fayeseidler@gmail.com 

Community Uplift Program Project Coordinator        

(701) 732-0228

https://www.facebook.com/communityupliftprogram                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

North Dakota recently introduced and subsequently amended House…

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​20 Reasons Why 2020 Was. THE. BEST. YEAR. EVER.

December 18th, 2020

By Will Block

aredsheep@gmail.com

EDITOR'S NOTE: Will Block grew up around a therapist. The year 2020 has been mind-bending beyond belief. We need some humor in all this darkness. HPR reached out to Will and he delivered. Don't worry. It's tongue in cheek. Chill. Laughter makes for a good remedy. Enjoy!

1. Toilet paper finally got some much-deserved respect. And Hoarding essential items actually felt pretty good.

2. The iPhone 12 came out-- In two sizes!

3. Highest eligible turnout for…

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Can we trust our country?

November 14th, 2020

By Marc de Celle

marcdecelle@midco.net

As someone who has voted for both Republicans and Democrats in the last decade, and who has participated as both a poll worker and an absentee vote counter in the last five years, I feel it's my duty as a citizen to point out that in every state, both Republicans and Democrats count votes together, in a system that both parties created together so they could watch each other.

Sadly, I make a lot of people mad by standing up for the integrity of our…

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Singing (r)Evolutions The American Commitment to Democracy, Part I

November 12th, 2020

By Charlie Barber

CMCBARB@msn.com

“Be as courageous as you can – If none of us is prepared to die for freedom, then all of us will die under tyranny.”- Timothy Snyder, On Tyranny, #20

“We are the Folk Song Army, Everyone of us cares;

We all hate poverty, war, and injustice, unlike the rest of you squares…

So join in the Folk Song Army, Guitars are the weapons we bring,

To fight against poverty, war and injustice. Ready! Aim! Sing!” - Tom Lehrer, 1965

“For years, say…

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Don’t take your breath for granted: A COVID experience

October 7th, 2020

By Sabrina Hornung 

sabrina@hpr1.com

It’s been a weird year…talk about the understatement of the decade. This week’s issue of High Plains Reader is our first issue since March. Who would have thought that the story of the century would be the one that would knock us out for over six months?

2020 was going to be my year I toasted my friends on New Year’s eve with the cheer…

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Time to listen and reflect

October 7th, 2020

By Wess Philome

ndstandforchange@gmail.com

This week marks at least 129 days since 5,000 people marched through the streets of Fargo in the name of justice and equality. Through many years of being an activist, I had never experienced that many people activated locally in the name of change until the George Floyd protest. It was a must that we took advantage of the moment. The only way I could personally assure this was to be a part of the core myself. We owed it to George Floyd. There…

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By Dr Christopher Johnson, Chief Executive Officer, Sollera For nearly fifty years, this region has known us as Rape and Abuse Crisis Center. We have answered late-night calls. Sat in hospital rooms. Walked with victim survivors…

Saturday, June 13, 10 a.m.- 5 p.m.Paradox Comics-N-Cards, 814 Main Ave., FargoCalling all nerds: it’s time to get down and nerdy with vendors aplenty, who are selling comics, toys, video games, board games, various collectibles…

June 6-7StatewideYou grab a line and I’ll grab a pole — and if you’re a North Dakota resident, you can head on down to your favorite fishing hole, no license needed (for this weekend, anyway). All other rules still apply…

By Sabrina Hornung As the school year comes to a close, a new crop of young people are starting a new chapter in their lives. As a former young person, I’d like to offer my unsolicited advice. As cliche as it may sound, be the…

By Ed RaymondWere women created to do the work of God?One of the first requests made by new Pope Leo XIV was to invite an expert on the alt-right conservative Catholic organization known as Opus Dei to brief him about its…

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 GionThe scarfing of canned fish and seafood products by online food influencer types is hard to miss on social media these days. Some of the consumed morsels range from exquisite to downright nasty. However, there are many…

June 3-6, 11 a.m.-11 p.m.FARGODOME, 2800 N. University Dr., FargoDo we dare call RibFest the ultimate summer kickoff in Fargo? Well, we just did. Enjoy succulent ribs, pulled pork, brisket and so much more. Featuring top notch…

Legendary actor Stephen Tobolowsky will appear in person at the Fargo Theatre on Thursday, June 11 at 7 p.m. for an evening of engaging stories from his remarkable life. The evening is hosted by Brent Brandt. High Plains Reader…

By Sabrina Hornung The Plains Art Museum has been a trailblazing force in the North Dakota art scene since its inception and it’s not slowing down any time soon. In fact, this summer they are preparing to break ground on a major…

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 Eli Liverani Cholesterol is probably one of the first molecules I have ever heard of in my childhood. Most of the relatives on my mother's side had high cholesterol in their blood, and apparently, levels above a certain range…

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 Jim Fuglie I was out for a walk on a fine Bismarck spring evening, strolling down 4th St. alongside the state capitol grounds, when I noticed some dirt work being done on the spot where the former governor’s residence had…